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This study examines science teacher beliefs working in the conflict-affected zones of Jammu and Kashmir. Research in these areas indicates that teacher beliefs influence their classroom practices and student learning outcomes and that teacher beliefs are highly context sensitive. Using data collected from a questionnaire and focussed group discussions, this research elucidates science teachers' beliefs regarding how conflict affects classroom practices, conflict and teaching issues, the multifaceted role of teachers in conflict-affected zones, the role of science education in ameliorating conflict, and the changing role of teachers during three decades of active conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. A nuanced picture of teacher beliefs originated from this study suggesting that despite challenges teachers are committed to children's academic, cognitive, and psychosocial growth.

India has borrowed a colonial legacy of English language education from its British colonizers. Post-Independence, education policies pertaining to the language of instruction in school education have unequivocally been supporting multilingual education. However, the policy mandates have not been translated in the same way in classroom practices. This study, situated in the complex linguistic background of the country, examines the role of teacher orientations in executing policy directives in instructional practices in multilingual science classrooms where both teacher and students speak Hindi as their home language. Among the student population, almost two-thirds have chosen Hindi as their language of instruction, while others have opted for English. In a case study, it emerged that a teacher, owing to her academic and professional expertise in the English language, with no training in multilingual science education, coupled with firm faith in the political ascendancy of the English language, preferred to conduct science instruction in English. A need to engage in extensive professional development to equip teachers with multilingual science education teaching-learning strategies is recommended.

This study explored five Life Sciences teachers' practices of formative assessment when enacting an inquiry-based pedagogy. The ESRU cycle (teacher "Elicits" a response; the Student responds; the teacher "Recognises" the student's response; and then "Uses" the information collected to support student learning) was used as a coding system in the analysis of speaking turns involving exchanges between the teachers and learners. By tracking the strategies teachers used in terms of ESRU cycles, we were able to capture differences in assessment practices across the five teachers during inquiry science lessons. The findings of the analysis revealed patterns of teacher-learner interaction described as IRE (Initiation, Response, Evaluation) that are suggestive of 'incomplete' ESRU cycles. In the assessment conversations, there was absence of the crucial step of Using information about student learning in order to support students in the construction of knowledge. The findings of his study signal the need for professional development in supporting teachers in their formative assessment practices. This development can be in the form of workshops that focus on strategies for formative assessment such as those that are encapsulated in the ESRU framework. It is also recommended that best practices in formative assessment be modelled to teachers.

Context: Temporalis fascia and tragal perichondrium are the most commonly used graft materials in tympanoplasty, though contradictory reports are available in literature regarding their efficacy. Aims: To investigate the success rates and hearing outcomes of temporalis fascia and tragal perichondrium as grafts used for Type 1 tympanoplasty. Settings and Design: The present prospective study was carried out for a period of 18 months including 60 patients of either sex from 18 to 70 years of age. Subjects and Methods: This prospective study included 60 consecutive cases of chronic otitis media in a tertiary care center randomized in two groups of 30 patients each to be subjected to Type 1 tympanoplasty using either temporalis fascia graft (Group A) or tragal perichondrium (Group B). Graft uptake rates and subjective as well as objective hearing improvement at 1 and 3 months postoperative follow-up were compared. Statistical Analysis Used: IBM-compatible Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Results: The mean age of presentation in Group A was 31.30 years and in Group B was 30.67. In our study, the graft uptake after 3 months of surgery was 87% in the temporalis fascia graft group and 90% in the tragal perichondrium graft group. The mean pre- and postoperative PTA at 1 month and 3rd month postoperatively showed that there was significant improvement in hearing after 1 month in the temporalis fascia graft group compared to the tragal perichondrium graft group. Conclusions: Both temporalis fascia and tragal cartilage perichondrium are suitable graft materials for tympanoplasty. Graft uptake was superior with tragal perichondrium, while hearing improvement was better with temporalis fascia at 1 month postoperatively, although the results were not statistically significant at 3 months postoperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is dearth of community based nationally representative data on Reproductive tract infections (RTI). Evidence suggests the stigma associated with the symptoms lead to poor health seeking behaviour among women. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and determinants of RTI symptoms among women of reproductive age (WRA) group in a selected rural and urban slum of district Faridabad, Haryana. Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 15-49 years age group ever married women residing in an urban slum and rural area of Faridabad. Minimum sample size was calculated to be 345. Systematic random sampling was used to interview eligible population using a predesigned structured questionnaire. Outcome variable of interest was at least one symptom of RTI. Prevalence ratio was calculated to identify the association between determinants and outcome. Results: Prevalence of at least one symptom of RTI among the women in urban area was 46.3% and 39.8% in rural area. Condom usage was higher among rural (20.4%) as compared to urban women (13.4%). Women in rural area reported higher proportion of abortions as compared to urban slum (10.2% vs 7.4%). The bivariable analysis revealed that use of sanitary pads, high parity, condom usage by partner and age at marriage as significant association with outcome. When subjected to generalized linear model non usage of condoms by partner (Adj PR (95%CI); 3.31 (1.14-9.57)) remained as an independent determinant of risk of RTI symptoms. Conclusion: Condom usage by partner in this study has emerged out be a protective factor for risk of RTI symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract continue to be a major worldwide cause of human morbidity and mortality. Among various enteric pathogens, Shigella spp. are some of the most common and deadly bacterial pathogens. They are responsible for ~125 million worldwide cases of shigellosis, and ~14,000 deaths annually, the majority in children under the age of 5 and occurring in developing countries. Preventing and treating shigellosis with conventional drugs (e.g., vaccines and antibiotics) has proven to be very difficult. Here, we assessed the safety and tolerability of ShigActive™, a lytic bacteriophage preparation targeting Shigella spp., in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase 1 clinical trial. Ten participants randomized 4:1 received ShigActive™ or placebo co-administered with sodium bicarbonate orally three times daily for 7 days. Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) were observed for 29 days. Fifty percent of the subjects receiving ShigActive™ reported mild GI-related symptoms, while one participant experienced moderate fatigue. No serious or medically attended AEs occurred through day 90. Additionally, no significant differences in GI-associated inflammatory mediators or fecal microbiome changes were observed between placebo- and ShigActive™-treated subjects, or from a participants' baseline value. The results of this first-in-human (FIH) randomized, controlled Phase 1 trial of ShigActive™ demonstrate that it is safe and well tolerated when orally administered with no significant differences compared to placebo controls.

Salmonella enterica is a diverse species that infects both humans and animals. S. enterica subspecies enterica consists of more than 1,500 serovars. Unlike typhoidal Salmonella serovars which are human host-restricted, non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars are associated with foodborne illnesses worldwide and are transmitted via the food chain. Additionally, NTS serovars can cause disease in livestock animals causing significant economic losses. Salmonella is a well-studied model organism that is easy to manipulate and evaluate in animal models of infection. Advances in genetic engineering approaches in recent years have led to the development of Salmonella vaccines for both humans and animals. In this review, we focus on current progress of recombinant live-attenuated Salmonella vaccines, their use as a source of antigens for parenteral vaccines, their use as live-vector vaccines to deliver foreign antigens, and their use as therapeutic cancer vaccines in humans. We also describe development of live-attenuated Salmonella vaccines and live-vector vaccines for use in animals.