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The primary objective of this article is to create a conceptual Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) happiness framework for preschool children in India. Although happiness is regarded as one of the key elements that influence early childhood development, an effective happiness framework does not exist for preschools in rural and socio-economically disadvantaged areas in the state of Punjab in India. Therefore, based on research gaps and existing literature, a conceptual framework has been developed to promote social and emotional competence among preschool children through the happiness intervention. The article also discusses (a) the concepts of happiness, and social and emotional competence; (b) the importance of happiness in preschool; (c) the association between happiness and social-emotional competence of preschool children; and (d) the role of preschool teachers in implementing the framework. Future implementation of this framework in the preschools of India will help overcome the limitation that exists in regard to its validation.

The primary goal of this study is to measure the improvement in early childhood educators' knowledge of the five social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies post-training in India. Furthermore, the aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of educators' training modules on the SEL knowledge of preschool educators. In addition, the aim is to support educators in contemplating their feelings and knowledge of SEL since it is vital for individual and career growth. However, studies concerning early childhood educators' SEL knowledge in Punjab, India, are scarce. As a result, this study investigated 100 preschool educators' knowledge of SEL competencies using a survey, a training session, and a self-reported questionnaire. The data were analyzed in SPSS, and pre and post-training results were compared using the paired samples t-test. The findings revealed a significant difference in educators' knowledge of SEL after training in the Ludhiana and Patiala cities of Punjab. The outcomes emphasize the importance of continuously and effectively training early childhood educators to develop their knowledge of SEL skills for self-growth and preschool students' holistic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free Space Optics (FSO) is one the most in-demand technology, and is used indoors, on the ground, in space, and even underwater. It is used to broaden communication access to places where bandwidth is insufficient or where difficult topography prevents the use of cable communications. One of the foremost communication challenges that contribute to the degradation of FSO performance is the environmental condition. Hilly regions experience heavy rainfall and have rough terrain which may demean the FSO link communication. In this work, for real-time rain rate analysis of the Meghalaya region two unique rain attenuation models are investigated for monsoon months from the years 2014 to 2020. Considering Marshall and Palmer's model and by employing 8, 16 and 32-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) schemes, radio-over-free space optical (RoFSO) system has been evaluated by varying FSO channel range, power and bit rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this paper is to design the framework for enhancing the emotional competence of preschool children by examining the perspective of parents' involvement with children staying at home. The paper also discusses (1) the concept of social-emotional competence and its importance for preschool children; (2) the concept of emotional competence, happiness, home learning, and sharing among children; and (3) the role of parents in promoting emotional competence in preschool children. The paper examined the impact of home learning, happiness, and sharing habits on the emotional competence of preschool children by using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) 2.0. The respondents included 358 randomly selected parents in two districts of Punjab state of India who have children aged 3 to 6 years. The results showed that happiness and home learning had a significant positive impact on the emotional competence of preschool children. However, sharing habits did not impact emotional competence to a significant extent in the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address international food security concerns and sustain a growing global population, global agricultural output needs to increase by 70% by the year 2050. Current agricultural techniques to increase crop yields, specifically the application of chemicals, have resulted in a wide range of negative impacts on the environment and human health. The maintenance of good quality soil organic matter, a key concern in tropical countries such as India, requires a steady input of organic residues to maintain soil fertility. A tree with many uses, Leucaena leucocephala, has attracted much attention over the past decades. As per our literature review, no research has been conducted examining Leucaena leucocephala leaves for their fungal decomposition and their use as green manure. A study of the fungal colonization of Leucaena leucocephala leaves at various stages of decomposition was conducted to get an insight into which fungi play a critical role in the decomposition process. In total, fifty-two different species of fungi were isolated. There was an increase in the percentage of fungus occurrences as the leaves senesced and then finally decomposed. Almost all decomposition stages were characterized by a higher percentage occurrence of Deuteromycetes (75.47%) and by a lower rate of Ascomycetes (9.43%). A gradual increase of basidiomycetes such as unidentified sclerotia and Rhizoctonia solani was seen as the leaves senesced and finally decomposed. In the moist chamber, Didymium nigripes was the only Myxomycete isolated from completely decomposed leaves. In the present study, on average, there were more fungi in wet seasons than in the dry seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: National Mental Health Program (NMHP) was launched by the government with an aim to improve mental health of the society through precise and focused interventions and policies. In order to provide reliable data and evidence for NMHP, there is a strong requirement of a comprehensive system for integrative collection, storage, and analysis of data generated by this program. Methods: Data collection tools, questionnaires, instruments, and scales provided by the National Coordinating Unit were digitized using the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) framework (version 2.30). The rules for data validation and automated scoring were implemented as per the scales. The developed system (i-MANN, ICMR-Mental Health Assessment National Network) is based on modular architecture with role-based access to data input forms and dashboards. Results: The data are stored on a centralized server at ICMR. i-MANN captures data on basic and advanced demographic details followed by category specific forms from 15 multicentric ICMR-funded projects. Data collection module is divided into 12 categories containing 93 scales/instruments with built-in validation rules, scoring patterns, and indicators. As of August 2020, the system contains 17,690 records. Conclusions: i-MANN is the first web-based, modular, robust, and extendable system for collection, integration, management, and analysis of data on mental health in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 is a pandemic which has affected most people directly or indirectly. It being a communicable disease, the best way to control the disease is to prevent its spread. Lockdown in India has resulted in aesthetic practices all over the country being shut down indefinitely. As things return to normal, most aesthetic practitioners are looking forward to opening practices. Hence, there was a definite need for a consensus on how to safely open up practices in India and at the same time reassure patients coming into these clinics that their safety is paramount. Methods: This consensus guidelines use the PICO model in its structure. Five critical areas for opening up clinical establishments were identified and approached independently. A questionnaire was prepared using the modified Likert scale, and all the stakeholders were asked to answer the same. Any differences were then resolved with discussion among the stakeholders. The entire study was divided into five subgroups which were then analyzed in detail. Results: Key recommendations and consensus guidelines were made after detailed analysis. Handy flow diagram reviews of these key areas have been provided. A thorough review of literature was also done on each of the critical areas and recommendations incorporated wherever feasible. Conclusion: These recommendations have considered the difficulties and cultural issues faced by aesthetic practices in India. They are user friendly, easy to understand and implement. These guidelines would help in reassuring practices to open up safely and continue serving patients with utmost care. Level of Evidence: Level V, Consensus guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background of the Study: Excellent obstetrician and midwife must always be alert to detect any sign and symptoms of abnormal labor. Prolong labor presents a picture of mental anguish, physical morbidity and may need to emergency procedure and other surgical intervention1. The goal of this study is to use partogram to monitor labor, initiate uterine activity that is sufficient to produce cervical change and fetal descent while avoiding uterine hyperstimulation, hypostimulation and fetal distress and provide timely surgical intervention where required. Aim of the Study: The aim of the study is to assess the level of knowledge regarding partogram of nursing students in selected nursing colleges, Punjab. Material and Method: A quantitative research approach, descriptive study in which descriptive research design was used to conduct the research study. 60 nursing students of SINPMS, Badal were selected for the study with purposive sampling technique. A self structured knowledge questionnaire was used to assess the level of knowledge regarding partogram among nursing students. Result: the study depicted that out of 60 nursing students of SINPMS, Badal, 6(10%) have good level of knowledge followed by 41(68.3%) nursing students of SINPMS having average level of knowledge and the remaining 13(21.6%)nursing students of SINPMS having below average level of knowledge. So Average level of knowledge among Nursing students of SINPMS, Badal, Punjab. The overall mean 13.3 and SD is 6.82. Level of knowledge was significantly (p<0.5) not associated with age, gender, class, source of information. Conclusion: The study concluded that average level of knowledge among nursing students [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability and is of public health importance. It affects not only the child and the family. It also has direct and indirect cost implications on the nation that are incurred in providing health care, support for education, and rehabilitative services. There is a lack of evidence-based estimate of the population prevalence of ASD in India. Therefore, this systematic review was aimed at determining the prevalence of ASD in the Indian population.Materials and Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published studies evaluating the prevalence of ASD in the community setting. A search within the published literature was conducted from different databases (PubMed, OvidSP, and EMBASE). The analysis of data was done using STATA MP12 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA).Results: Four studies were included in this systematic review. Of the four included studies, one had studied both urban and rural populations, and the other three had studied the urban populations only. The study from the rural setting showed a pooled percentage prevalence of 0.11 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.20] in children aged 1-18 years; and, four studies conducted in the urban setting showed a pooled percentage prevalence of 0.09 (95% CI 0.02-0.16) in children aged 0-15 years.Conclusion: The scarcity of high-quality population-based epidemiological studies on ASD in India highlights an urgent need to study the burden of ASD in India. The proper acquisition of data related to the prevailing burden of ASD in India would lead to a better development of rehabilitative services in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate how socioeconomically privileged students at a private school in India understood social issues in their communities, and it explored whether their understanding of and discourse about working against social and economic oppression changed after they took a field trip to a nearby under-resourced village. The sample included 75 youth from high-income backgrounds in Bhubaneswar, India, most of whom reported never having spent time in a poverty-stricken village. Students responded in writing to reflection prompts before and after the field trip. Participants' responses were thematically coded to capture their perspectives of social injustice and ideas of change. A codebook of participants' reflections was then developed, consisting of thirty-five themes and seven overarching domains: (1) positionality; (2) discrimination; (3) structural issues; (4) village-level issues; (5) strategies for problem solving; (6) experiences of helping; and (7) reasons for or barriers to problem solving. Descriptive frequencies revealed the prevalence of themes before and after the field trip. Implications and limitations of the study and directions for future research on enhancing awareness of privilege and social oppression are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft tissue paradigm determines the goals and limitations of modern orthodontic treatment. The study of soft tissue norms becomes imperative for achieving aesthetic goals. The racial variations play a key role for applicability of norms in different populations. Since Angle's Class II Division 2 and Division 1 are commonly reported in Amritsar population, present study focuses on studying soft tissue norms in Amritsar population among Class I and Class II (div1 and div2) malocclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary focus of the study is to present the psychometric properties of the Hindi version of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ-H). The study was conducted in North India, where more than one-third of the population speaks Hindi. A total of 826 participants (females = 426) in the age range of 18–60 years volunteered. Consistent with the original factor structure, MLQ-H showed a two-factor structure explaining 56.42% of variance and confirmatory factor analysis established. Both factors demonstrated high internal consistencies with Cronbach’sα = .81 (MLQ-P) and .78 (MLQ-S). Convergent validity was ascertained by correlating with Flourishing Scale (FS) and Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE). Results demonstrated that MLQ-P positively correlated with SPANE P, SPANE B, and FS, and negatively correlated with SPANE N, whereas the MLQ-S negatively correlated with SPANE B and positively with SPANE N. The results indicate that MLQ-H is a psychometrically sound measure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The women in Indian villages perform multiple roles that include looking after the various needs of the family members, participating in home bound income generating activities (e.g. animal husbandry, agricultural activities) and holding jobs outside the home. Against this backdrop this study addressed two related goals: (a) to understand the perception of the dual role by the rural women, their work status and preferences and the attitude of their families and society towards women and (b) to explore variation in their well-being as a function of chronological age, level of education and work status. A large sample of 221 rural women (age range 18 to 56 years) drawn from villages of Haryana participated in the study. The relevant data were obtained through interview and observation. The findings showed that family and society appreciated the efforts of the rural women. Age and level of education emerged as significant factors in determining the experience of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve different road signs were selected for ergonomic analysis based on their usage in two cities in India. The aim was to investigate how far these road sign design conforms to different ergonomic principles. It was found that many of the road signs were not comprehended well and that very few of the designs conformed to the principles of ergonomics in road sign design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Minimal erythemal dose (MED) for narrow band-ultraviolet B radiation (NB-UVB) varies with race and skin type. The aim was to estimate the MED for NB-UVB and compare visual readings with those from a Dermaspectrometer in a north Indian patients as the available data is sparse.Methods: Forty one patients who visited the dermatology outpatient department were recruited for this study. Skin type was grouped as per Fitzpatrick skin type scale. Patients' upper backs were irradiated after applying a novel template with 8 windows of 2 x 2 cm each, with a test dose ladder of 250-1500 mJ/cm2 in a Waldmann (700K) TL-01 chamber. MED and erythema index were read after 24 hours, the latter by using Dermaspectrometer.Results: Forty one patients (10 males, 31 females) with mean age of 30.5 (14-65) years were recruited. 23 patients were of skin type 5, 17 of type 4 and one of skin type 3. The estimated MEDs were 1000 mJ/cm2 in 17, 750 mJ/cm2 in 19, 1100 mJ/cm2 in four and 500 mJ/cm2 in one patient. The median and mode MED was 1000 mJ/cm2. There was an exponential rise in the erythema index with increase in irradiation (17.18-26.25/250-1500 mJ/cm2). Student's t-test applied to detect differences between the visual and Dermaspectrometer readings was found to be statistically not significant.Conclusion: The estimated MED for NB-UVB varied from 500 to 1100 mJ/cm2, the median MED being 1000 mJ/cm2. The darker skin types did not have low MED while some patients with lighter skin type displayed lower MED. There was no significant difference in MED determined by visual and Dermaspectrometer readings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) present a significant global health burden, especially in India, where oral cavity cancers, notably affecting the tongue, are prevalent. A substantial portion of global HNCs (57.5%) is concentrated in Asia, India contributing with 30%. Despite advancements, challenges persist due to HNCs' invasive nature and metastatic potential. This study aims to explore the link between HNCs and ocular manifestations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute involving 47 patients with diagnosed HNCs and ocular complaints. Clinical evaluations encompassed visual acuity, anterior and posterior segment examinations, and specialized investigations when necessary. Results: A diverse range of malignancies were observed, with SCC maxilla and xeroderma pigmentosa, each accounting for 10.63% of cases. Ocular examinations unveiled visual acuity challenges, anterior segment findings like masses, exotropia, pigmented lesions, and varied fundus abnormalities. The anterior segment findings encompassed masses often accompanied by protrusion or relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). Additionally, exotropia, pigmented lesions, and other conditions were observed. Fundus examination revealed a spectrum of findings, including media haziness (10.63%), lack of view (17.02%), and pale discs (6.38%). Treatment plans were diverse, including excision biopsies (42.55%), exenteration procedures, Mitomycin-C applications, and referrals for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Conclusion: The present study underscores the significance of ophthalmological assessment and investigations in patients with diagnosed HNCs, emphasizing the value of early detection and intervention. Abbreviations: HNC = Head and Neck Cancer, OCT = Optical Coherence Tomography, WNL = Within Normal Limits, SCC = Squamous Cell Carcinoma, MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging, CT = Computed Tomography, RAPD = Relative Afferent Pupillary Defect, XP = Xeroderma Pigmentosa., (#x00A9; The Authors.Romanian Society of Ophthalmology.)

Background & Objectives: Scrub typhus or chigger borne typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi is an emerging vector-borne disease as large numbers of cases have been reported in various tropical countries. It is transmitted to humans through bites of infected chiggers (larval mites). The knowledge about the vector, its distribution, density and habitat are important so as to understand the epidemiology of scrub typhus in a given area. To control rickettsial infections, regular rodent-vector surveillance should be planned in areas where the disease transmission is occurring and it will also help to strengthen the existing entomological data related to the vector of scrub typhus in northern India., Methods: In the present study, rodent-vector surveillance was planned for one whole year, covering both mite active and non-active seasons (October 2019-December 2020) in selected areas of Chandigarh and Punjab in north India. Rodent tissues and mites were also examined for the presence of O. tsutsugamushi by nested PCR for 56 kDa gene and real-time PCR for 47 kDa outer membrane protein gene. 18S gene PCR was performed for molecular identification of mites., Results: In the surveillance, three types of ectoparasite, viz. mites, fleas and ticks were obtained in rodents. All mites found were of Laelapidae family. None of the pooled rodent tissue samples as well as mite samples were found positive for O. tsutsugamushi by nested PCR for rickettsial DNA., Interpretation & Conclusion: In the present study, we did not get any evidence of carriage of O. tsutsugamushi in either mites or rodents collected and sampled in selected regions in Chandigarh and Punjab. We need to strengthen the entomological surveillance over a broader region and increase the frequency of trapping rodents to increase clarity on vector-reservoir dynamics in this geographical region., Competing Interests: None

For containment of COVID-19, most countries are following the isolate, test, treat and trace approach. Following the approach, India scaled up COVID-19 testing from about 5,000 tests per day at the end of March 2020 to more than 1 M tests per day in September 2020. Testing scale-up has seen a huge variation across states and union territories (UTs) with respect to growth rates, testing strategies, testing infrastructure, and deployment of various kit types (RT-PCR, Antigen, CBNAAT, etc). To understand the gaps in testing and prioritize appropriate interventions, it is important for national stakeholders to evaluate and rank states/UTs based on their testing performance. Indicators like total samples tested, total samples positive, tests per million, and positives per million are currently being used by epidemiologists and researchers for comparing the performance of various regions. This article proposes a robust ranking methodology to rank the states/UTs in India based on a comprehensive scoring developed by combining multiple variables for evaluating the testing performance of states/UTs. Since RT-PCR testing is considered the gold standard for COVID-19 testing, the composite score for testing performance in this article is defined by the ability of states/UTs to successfully deploy RT-PCR testing and reduce its positivity over time. Evaluating region-wise ranking can enable the identification of areas requiring immediate attention in poorly performing regions, thus channelizing efforts and resources in the right direction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kaur, Kaur and Singh.)

Background: The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation in India is alarming. In the absence of newer antibiotics, the best possible approach is to efficiently use the existing antimicrobials through surveillance of resistance. The data generated by AMR surveillance across the country has immense potential to drive policy decisions. However, this data is available in a variety of sources. It is imperative to have tools to integrate the data generated across the country into a single data repository., Methods: An ensemble of tools ( i -AMRSS, i -DIA, and i -AMRIT) have been designed and developed by the data management team at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to strengthen surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in India., Results: The i -AMRSS is a web-based ICMR's AMR surveillance system, collecting data from tertiary care centers across the country and sending it to the one-stop data repository. The i -DIA is a web-based API that simplifies the AMR data interoperability by seamlessly importing most of the LIS / HIS data from CSV files into a central, one-stop data repository. The i -AMRIT is a standalone ICMR's AMR surveillance system using integrative technologies, collecting data from all the labs across the country and sending the lab-specific cumulative data to the one-stop data repository., Discussion: The tools are being used in ICMR's AMR Network and have collected over 0.4 million patient records to date. The complete system is presently being used to capture human susceptibility testing data and can be extended for capturing data using the 'One Health' approach. The authors plan to make the system compliant with FHIR standards to enable interoperability with other countries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kaur, Kaur, Dhama, Jindal, Walia and Singh.)

To understand the spread of SARS-CoV2, in August and September 2020, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India) conducted a serosurvey across its constituent laboratories and centers across India. Of 10,427 volunteers, 1058 (10.14%) tested positive for SARS-CoV2 anti-nucleocapsid (anti-NC) antibodies, 95% of which had surrogate neutralization activity. Three-fourth of these recalled no symptoms. Repeat serology tests at 3 (n = 607) and 6 (n = 175) months showed stable anti-NC antibodies but declining neutralization activity. Local seropositivity was higher in densely populated cities and was inversely correlated with a 30-day change in regional test positivity rates (TPRs). Regional seropositivity above 10% was associated with declining TPR. Personal factors associated with higher odds of seropositivity were high-exposure work (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, p value: 2.23, 1.92-2.59, <0.0001), use of public transport (1.79, 1.43-2.24, <0.0001), not smoking (1.52, 1.16-1.99, 0.0257), non-vegetarian diet (1.67, 1.41-1.99, <0.0001), and B blood group (1.36, 1.15-1.61, 0.001)., Competing Interests: SN, VS, RU, NB, RK, AB, SP, SP, RK, BR, KT, MA, GC, AL, SK, SM, MM, MS, SK, AS, BT, MV, GV, SV, AA, DG, PH, MP, GS, RV, AP, VA, AM, RS, AR, SA, PK, SV, HS, AK, RJ, AT, DP, AS, JK, VK, AM, IG, GR, PS, RC, GC, PK, RY, SS, DS, SS, PB, SA, VS, SV, DS, SS, SV, ST, FF, AS, AS, BS, MS, YP, VH, VP, DS, NT, PC, SM, DG, JS, SR, BK, KK, SG, PJ, RC, VJ, NK, DG, GT, US, PS, SC, RK, PG, AT, DS, RR, AD, MK, DS, MD, SD, RJ, AP, SM, AK, VW, RY, AK, MB, AC, SK, KK, SP, JK, NS, TP, PM, WR, PB, DO, RS, EB, RS, AN, PV, AP, AV, KC, SD, YM, VA, SD, AA, DD, SS No competing interests declared, (© 2021, Naushin et al.)

Objectives: To study the prevalence, clinical course and outcomes of olfactory and taste dysfunction in COVID-19 positive adolescents., Methods: This prospective study was carried out from May to August 2020. The adolescents, aged 10-19 years, who were detected COVID-19 positive by RT-PCR with mild to moderate disease were included in the study. The following epidemiological and clinical outcomes were studied: age, sex, general symptoms, olfactory and taste dysfunction., Results: Out of 141 patients included in the study, there were 83 males (58.9%) and 58 females (41.1%). The age varied from 10 to 19 years with an average of 15.2 years. Forty patients (28.4%) had olfactory or taste dysfunction. Out of these 40 patients, 28 patients (19.8%) had both olfactory and taste dysfunction. Of the 34 patients (24.1%) who complained of olfactory dysfunction, 16 patients complained of hyposmia and 18 patients complained of anosmia. Dysgeusia was reported by 34 patients (24.1%). The duration of OTD varied from 2 to 15 days with an average of 5.7 days., Conclusion: Loss of smell and taste are common symptoms in COVID-19 positive adolescents. It recovers spontaneously within a few weeks, along with the resolution of other symptoms., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)