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Purpose: The study aims to ratify skills necessary to bridge the gap between the existing models and emerging needs of a technology-enabled workspace; especially in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: This paper extends the ongoing debate on a relevant employability framework suitable both for higher education institutes and corporates. To remain resilient to future catastrophes similar to the ongoing pandemic, the relevancy of established employability skills to suit the changing scenario needs to be established. Findings: The partial least squares (PLS) technique has been used to present a framework confirming the importance of digital competencies, business fundamentals and behavioral skills. In-depth discussions with specialists ratified the proposed framework and recommended potential changes in curriculum and pedagogy. Research limitations/implications: This study validates an explicit and comprehensive employability skill framework and useful recommendations in teaching strategies, which may provide a broad skill base for graduates to prepare for the volatile business environment in the long run. Practical implications: The study has been able to put forth significant employability skills as deemed significant by the three stakeholders. This will provide guidance to higher educational institutions (HEIs) to come up with a broad skill-base for the fresh graduates and prepare them for the volatile business environment and encourage life-long learning to remain productive in the long run. Originality/value: The study is unique as it incorporates the perceived importance of the competencies assumed by each stakeholder, namely, employers, faculty and management graduates, which was unfortunately lacking in earlier researches.

The identification and development of efficient assessment and evaluation procedures (Performance Metrics) is crucial for analyzing Student Outcome attainment in Engineering Programs. The present paradigm shift in the education system has diverted the focus from teacher-centric approach to learner-centric approach. It involves the active involvement of students for their respective learning. Students are intended to perform better when they get opportunity to develop skills through experiential learning. In an engineering curriculum, Project-based courses are embedded to incorporate "learning by doing" approach and provide additional orientation to the theoretical courses studied. With this vision, the objective of this article is to present a process for continuous assessment and evaluation of graduates learning in their respective Project Design course. A sequenced procedure from defining Performance Metrics/Indicators (as per Bloom's learning levels) for Project course to evaluate results for assessing subsequent student outcome attainment level is presented. This includes development of Rubrics for selected student outcome (ABET-EAC2) related to Project design course, collating the data using direct and indirect assessment tools and their result analysis. Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) as defined by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) has listed seven student outcomes. EAC2 defines capability of student to produce problem-specific potential design solutions to address functional requirement of societal and environmental needs. The methodology is described and implemented by taking sample data of one pass out batch of one of the Engineering Program at our Institute. The results are evaluated and analyzed according to the expected attainment level. A comprehensive analysis leads to designing and incorporation of subsequent improvement measures to establish accountability for Outcome-Based Education in terms of student's employability.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships of service marketing mix (SMM) as service input and service output in terms of students' performance, satisfaction and referral act in context to higher and technical education (HTE) through the application of structural equation modeling. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research, conducted through a self-administered survey composed by a closed-ended structured questionnaire, was incorporated for the students who were enrolled in the technical educational institutions situated in the Khandesh region of India. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that traditional SMM is statistically linked with the performance of students in terms of skill and knowledge enhancement, satisfaction and referral act of students, which are perceptible new emerging SMM; performance, pleasure and pointing out in terms of service output. Practical implications: Integrating SMM as service input and service output are productive for HTE in enhancing growth (quantitatively) by the inclusivity of diversified students and development (qualitatively) by enhancing their performance for global standing, making them satisfied and motivating them for recommending their institution to others. This integration can be utilized as a yardstick by the institutions for staying ahead in students' market with a distinctive competitive advantage. Social implications: Growth and development of HTE will raise a society's quality of life and thereby increase a country's socio-economic status. Originality/value: The study has exhibited SMM as input and output of a service system that is useful for the growth and development of HTE. The measurement tool presented is effective in (re)framing policies on SMM as service input based on desired service output.

COVID-19 pandemic has affected one and all in unison. Different sectors, including the educational sector, have been disproportionately affected in developing and the least developed nations. Against this backdrop, this paper, while considering the impact that the pandemic has had on the education sector in developing nations viz. -- India, South Africa, and Bangladesh, aims to bring to light the importance of teaching global mindset as there are several unique implications, challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for these nations. Using qualitative methodology, this research adopts an exploratory approach to understand how, among other things, the education sector can catalyze the development and teaching of a global mindset in the selected three countries and can be responsive even beyond. Ten semi-structured interviews have been conducted with "institutional heads/directors" across higher educational institutions in the nations under study to answer the research question that brings out three themes: global and local problem solving, resources, and international experiential learning and exposure toward developing a global mindset. Finally, while corroborating the findings of the research, the article also proposes a new definition of a "global mindset".

Purpose: The paper makes an endeavour to explore the efficacy of service learning (SL) pedagogy in inculcating the value of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) with a focus on management education in India. Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology comprises a systematic survey of select relevant literature on SL and applying a novel approach to bring out certain key traits of SL initiatives. The paper also tries to decipher how the identified key traits could be regarded as contributing to the ethos of DEI among the learners. Based on insights from the systematic literature review and identified research gaps, an in-depth study of three SL initiatives in India, have been undertaken to demonstrate how implementation of the SL pedagogy in management education creates an impact on the attributes of DEI and inculcates an inclusive mindset. Findings: Although the design, process and learning outcomes of SL pedagogy varies depending on the context, there is commonality in the core attributes that emerges from the literature review which has a potential impact on inculcation of the values of inclusion and appreciation of diversity. The select case studies successfully expand on the list of these identified relevant attributes. The findings have also been corroborated by participants' reflection. Research limitations/implications: The paper is, however, limited in its scope of assessing the impact in creating an inclusive mindset. To gauge whether such impact is pervasive and persists in the long run, one needs to examine if these values are carried forward by the participants in their professional and daily life. It would, therefore, be more meaningful to carry out a primary survey of the participants, who took part in such SL initiatives, to understand whether the values have really been assimilated in the real life. This is outside the scope of this paper but does open the scope for further research. Practical implications: The paper would be highly relevant for the accreditation agencies who are increasingly prescribing the role that business schools can and should play towards inculcating the ethos of diversity and inclusion among future business leaders and managers. For the administrators of business schools and other higher education institutions who may be considering how to incorporate the ethos of diversity and inclusion in the curriculum and pedagogy, the paper will provide some direction through the SL route. The detailed exposition of the three SL initiatives will enlighten the administrators or the faculty responsible for designing and delivering any SL programme in other business schools or higher educational institutions as to how to go about developing and delivering such an initiative. To the extent such SL initiatives succeed in leaving a lasting impact on the participants regarding ethos of inclusion and diversity, the business implications in the long run could be immense. Social implications: The purpose of the paper by itself establishes its social relevance. The very fact that the paper is focused on SL initiatives that involve social problem-solving approaches through hands-on working on social projects and working with communities the social implications are rather obvious. Originality/value: Given the paucity of information and analysis on potential fit of SL for fostering DEI especially in developing countries, the present paper contributes to the existing body of literature and aptly fills the void. It builds a theoretical construct relating SL with the traits of DEI and then bridges theory and practice by demonstrating the efficacy of three SL programmes in Indian context to internalise the elements of DEI.

Purpose: The paper aims at examining the employability skills relevant in the unprecedented times of turbulence in businesses due to COVID-19 in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: The study examined the recent skills model through an extensive literature review. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is conducted to identify the employability skills perceived as important by multiple stakeholders. ANOVA was applied to examine the differences in perceived importance attached to these dimensions by the three stakeholders. Findings: The ten-factorial solution was extracted based on the results of EFA The findings offer a fresh perspective on digital competencies perceived as most important to ensure successful long-term employability, followed by business fundamentals and behavioral skills. Research limitations/implications: The study has been able to map perceptions of employers, faculty and students based in Delhi-NCR regarding essential employability skills. It would be worthwhile to validate the proposed employability skills framework across different geographical sections of India and ascertain if the perceptions vary in the employment sector and employer size. Practical implications: Although the study has put forth practical employability skills, there is a need for convergence between the business stakeholders and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to develop a broad skill-base for the fresh graduates. The study will prepare them for the volatile business environment. Originality/value: Many previous studies have lacked the employability skill framework in the Indian context from the multiple stakeholders' perspective. The HEIs can rethink their current employability, including the most prominent skills required in succeeding in a technology-enabled business environment transformed by the pandemic.

Ample of the current motivation to teach and assess employability skills will decide India's ability to compete in the world economy. For a win-win situation, there must not be any differences in Institute's perception and students' experience in accessing employability skills for future prospective. What this paper aims to demonstrate is that, although as academics/service providers, we can use a general term "Employability skills", we need to describe what is meant by this term to students, and colleges also need to recognize how their services and skill development are impacting on satisfaction of students while accessing employability skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the importance perceived by the institutes and experience realized by the students and to connect employability skills' growth on students' satisfaction of selection of an institute of Technical Education.

Purpose: Modern history has shown that only those countries, which could acquire capability to develop and apply science and technology, have found great success to grow their wealth and improve living conditions of their population. Technical education in India contributes a major share to the overall education system and plays a vital role in the social and economic development of the nation. There is a rapid growth of technical education in the last decade in terms of the number of institutes and intake capacity in India; however, institutes failed to attract enrollments which observed noticeable gap in between the actual number of enrollments and intake capacity. In the year 2015-16, 46% of seats were vacant in Technical Education [TE] in India. The purpose of this paper is to highlight holistic marketing approach with promotion mix on diversified enrollments to motivate enrollments in selecting institute of Technical education. Design methodology: A quantitative research by a survey (through a structured questionnaire) of students who are presently enrolled (Current-students) and those who have completed their study (Post-students) belonging to the institutes offering Technical Education situated in Khandesh region of India and affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon. Findings: The study found that diversified characteristics of enrollments are related with the promotion mix of TE institute in selection of technical educational institute. This study investigates the usefulness of school visits, institution publications, websites, campus visits, word-of-mouth (friends, alumni, school teachers), advertisements (radio, television, magazines) and events on campus, as a tool of holistic marketing and promotion mix. Social Networking and Institute's Website are the emerging tools of promotion mix in selection of TE institute in Khandesh Region. Research limitations: The survey is delimited to the enrollments of technical education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in Khandesh region of India. Practical implications: This article provides relationship of promotion mix and diversified characteristics of enrollments on institutional choices. Different communication strategies of promotion mix can be used based on diversified characteristics (segmentation) of enrollments to attract enrollments. The paper also represents a new form of promotion mix of educational service that affects students' decision in selecting their technical educational institute.

Despite of increasing pressure related to enrollment in Technical Education, some Institutes of Technical Education, successfully have taken on a corporate mentality to attract and retain high-quality students through their e-Promotion. Successful branding and marketing strategies have become most important for the Institutes of Technical Education to appeal to a growing and diversified student and to differentiate from competitors. Effective branding can be helpful in increasing enrollment and in developing relationships and bonding. This article explores internet based promotions that Technical Education institutes have focused on branding and marketing initiatives and its influence on the students in selecting institute. It also focuses on effectiveness of internet based promotions. The research study showed that Institute Website and Social Networking are the most influential promotion tools for making their decision of selection than the other traditional promotion tools. In addition, these tools are reported to be very powerful and effective in making satisfaction of decision of selection which is highly associated with such a promotion tools. More surprisingly, it is found to be productive in the rural area. This article presents an adaptation of established quantitative research methodsby a survey (through a structured questionnaire) of students who are presently enrolled (Current-students) and those who have completed their study (Post-students) belonging to the institutes offering Technical Education situated in Khandesh region of India and affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon. The survey is delimited to the enrollments of Technical Education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in Khandesh region of India.

Purpose: Technical education in India contributes a major share to the overall education system and plays a vital role in the social and economic development of the nation. Despite of rapid growth of technical education in last decade in terms of the no. of institutes and intake capacity in India, institutes failed to attract enrollments. Last three years saw, increasing gap in between the actual no. of enrollments and intake capacity; 46% of seats were vacant in Technical Education in India in 2015. The purpose of this paper is to highlight institute's role in promoting enrollments in Technical education. Design methodology: A quantitative research by a survey (through a structured questionnaire) of students who are presently enrolled (Current-students) and those who have completed their study (Alumni) belonging to the institutes offering Technical Education situated in Khandesh region of India and affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon. Findings: The study found that diversified characteristics of enrollments are related with the promotion mix of TE institute in selection of technical educational institute. This study investigates the usefulness of school visits, institution publications, websites, campus visits, word-of-mouth (friends, alumni, school teachers), advertisements (radio, television, magazines) and events on campus, as a tool of promotion. Social Networking and Institute's Website are the new forms of promotion mix in selection TE institute in rural part of India. Research limitations: The survey is delimited to the enrollments of technical education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in Khandesh region of India. Practical implications 60-70% of population belongs to rural part of India. Different promotional strategies of promotion mix can be used based on geographic and demographic segmentation. This will enhance, making awareness, fondness regarding Technical Education in the rural part and will act as lubricant in decision making of selecting their technical educational institute.

Purpose: There is a rapid growth of technical education in the last decade in terms of the number of institutes and intake capacity in India but with improper and non-directional development. As per AICTE reports, there is a noticeable gap in between the actual number of enrollments and intake capacity of these institutes. In the year 2015-16, 46% of seats were vacant in Technical Education in India. Segmentation and 'People' factor of service mix is very important aspects in education services. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the Manage-Men-T; Management of People through Technology for selecting Technical Education Institute and their influence on diversity; geographical and demo-graphical factors of students in selecting technical educational institute. Design methodology: A quantitative research was conducted with a survey of students those who are presently enrolled (pre-students) and those who have completed their study (post-students) belonging to the institutes offering technical education situated in Khandesh region of India and affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon. Findings: The study found that geographical and demographical factors of students are highly related with the people mix in selection of technical educational institute. Research limitations: The survey is limited to the students of technical education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in Khandesh region of India. Practical implications: Several studies have revealed that the marketing segmentation of technical education will be better developed if we consider geographical and demographical factors and then implementing people mix. It is found that there are some People mix--influencers--related to the institute and previous schools along with peoples associated with the students that are associated with geographical and demographical factors. So, it is useful to consider this association rather than considering only traditional factors. This article provides empirical support for the importance of such factors and their effect on educational choices. Different communication strategies of people mix can be used based on geographical and demographical factors which will proceed to not only growth but development of technical education in proper direction also. The paper represents a new form of geographical and demographical factors with various people mix of educational service, that together affects students' decision in selecting their technical educational institute.

Engineering plays a key role in supporting the growth and development of a country's economy as well as in improving the quality of life for citizens. Most of developed countries witnessed economic growth with the contribution of women in engineering field. In developing countries like India women remained under-utilized resource. Women in engineering are probably the single best investment that can be made in the developing world. There is clearly room for improvement -- not only in recruiting women into engineering, but also in retaining and promoting those women who wish and do enter the profession. This study was designed to investigate a perception and determination of undergraduate women towards accessing Engineering Education. The study has highlighted women's perceptions and experiences on accessing engineering education through institute's Marketing Mix strategies which enables women to take up strategic positions to enjoy success in engineering education and career. Findings of this study revealed that women students in engineering are better satisfied and act of referring services/program to others is higher than men students in terms of numbers for a particular set of marketing mix applied to gender. A quantitative research survey through a structured questionnaire for the students who are studying or have recently completed their engineering education from reputed engineering institutes affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, India was conducted. The study discloses women's approach to engineering education in terms of marketing mix; program, price, place, promotion, people, physical evidence and process. Women tended to rate most the marketing criteria as having a higher level of importance than men. Women needed more communal support while making decision making of selection of engineering education. The survey is delimited to the engineering education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and Khandesh region, a rural part of India. Findings of the study will be useful for the institutes and direct and indirect service providers of engineering education in developing a communication program and should be utilized and integrated into all aspects of the marketing program to attract women in engineering.

Purpose: In addition to create challenging and congruent learning opportunities, it is important for Technical Education providers to create a supportive learning environment to help learners acclimate, connect with others and as well as access well-matched student support services to help them complete their studies and make them employable. Skill building is very crucial to ensure employability of academia to understand and make sure good jobs. Unfortunately, most of the Technical Education institutes in India have not identified the importance of such services, resulting huge unemployment and dissatisfied students. The purpose of this paper is to highlight supporting and extension services in connection to operating services in Technical Education and students' perception on them. Design methodology: A quantitative research by a survey (through a structured questionnaire) of students who are studying or have studied Technical Education affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon on their perception regarding operating, supporting and extension services offered by TE institutes. Findings: The research revealed that TE institutes, no doubt, are offering good operating services however lags in supporting and extension services. It is also found that students' satisfaction of selecting TE institute is highly associated to supporting and extension service than operating services offered by the institute. Research limitations: The survey is delimited to the Technical Education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in Khandesh region of India. Practical implications: India, compared to other nations, lacks formally trained manpower. In Korea, for example, the skilled workforce is 96 per cent, in Japan 80 per cent, in Germany 76 per cent and in Britain 70 per cent but in India it is only 10 per cent.Technical Education Institutes of India, can gain competitive edge in the future, by effective and creative ways to attract, retain and foster stronger relationships with students by interaction and mechanism of the market and industry. This is only possible by lubricating; operating, supporting and extension services, all services combined.

Purpose: One of the most appalling challenges in India is persistently rising unemployment, explicitly in the rural region. More than 20% of Indian youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years are "seeking or available for work," as per 2011 census data. There will be no peace and prosperity in the country unless jobless people get appropriate channel. In India deficiency of skills is among the main constraints for recruitment of Technical Education. Productivity of Technical Education in not entirely absorbed due to lack of skills required by the employers. Along with the ample arguments, taking place in recent times, regarding reformation in the productivity of Technical Education, this present study syndicates focus on services delivered and its impact on employability skills. The objective of this paper is to find out whether Technical Education institutes in rural part are keen to focus on the employability skills? The paper also focuses on distinguished skills required by the employer for recruitment. The study also emphases on the services offered by the Institutes and their correlation on skills development. Design methodology: Quantitative research survey through a structured questionnaire for the students who are studying or have recently completed their Technical Education affiliated to the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon was conducted which is situated in rural part of India. Findings: The study discusses umpteen employability skills and explains how embedding services of technical education are correlated to the growth and development of employability skills. The study finds that these services result in comprehensive and cohesiveness of employability skills. Research limitations: The survey is delimited to the Technical Education belonging to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon and located in rural of India.

Background: COVID-19 has caused lot of suffering for everyone. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected in all aspects. Increased stress due to the pandemic may affect medical students' sleep quality. The authors aimed to evaluate the sleep quality of medical students during pandemic and relationship, if any, between sleep quality and and socio-demographic variables. Methods: An online survey of medical students was conducted in January 2022, when India was in third wave of pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire at a tertiary teaching hospital in Jammu, UT, J&K, India. Results: Among 307 participants, mean global PSQI score was 9.91± 3.62 which indicated a poor quality of sleep. Among the component scores, habitual sleep efficiency had the highest score of 2.99± 0.16. Majority (91.53%) of the respondents had a poor sleep quality with global PSQI score >5. Among the socio-demographic variables, alcohol intake and any conflict in the family were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Nine out of ten medical students have insufficient sleep, which is a real cause for concern. The authors recommend that stress management (anxiety), lifestyle changes, and sleep training be included in the medical record and updated regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an ethnographic account of how Golden Harvest International School in Bengaluru branded itself as both 'International' and 'Indian', by elaborating discursive practices within the school. Drawing upon scholarship that has sought to delineate the ways in which globally hyper-mobile Indians construct a distinctive cultural identity, the paper shows how a fusion of national and international allowed the school to cater to a particular set of elite parents, who were globally hyper-mobile even as they sought to be 'appropriately Indian'. The paper pays attention to how cultural practices and resources in the school operated within a forward caste-Hindu ethos that was presented as 'Indian', while also responsibilising teachers, students, and even parents to ensure the school acquired and retained globally valued credentials such as accreditation for the Middle Years Program of the International Baccalaureate.

Background: Lifestyle modifications (LM) are crucial in managing comorbid Tuberculosis (TB) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients, significantly impacting treatment outcomes and overall health. In view of this, a study was conducted to clarify sociocultural features associated with LM among TB–diabetes comorbid patients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study among randomly selected 180 adult TB–diabetes-comorbid-patients was conducted using a semi-structured interview schedule. Mann–Whitney-U-test was used to examine differences in means between patterns of distress (PDs) and perceived causes (PCs) regarding TB and Diabetes for two identified LM strategies among comorbid patients. Stepwise logistic regression was used to study factors associated with these LM strategies. Results: TB–diabetes-comorbid-patients reporting physical symptoms as PDs preferred to follow the LM-1 strategy for TB and LM-2 for Diabetes. In contrast, patients reporting health-illness-injury-related causes follow LM-2 for TB and LM-1 for Diabetes. Further patients reporting hypertension for Diabetes (AOR = 2.916, 95% CI 0.9262–9.1788) and concerns-about-the-course-of-TB-illness (AOR = 3.746, 95% CI 1.4683–9.5593) as PDs were 3–4 times more likely to follow LM-1. While those reporting prior illnesses (AOR = 4.255, 95% CI 1.3941–12.9837) and sanitation (AOR = 5.242, 95% CI 1.2028–22.8446) as PCs for TB were 4–5 times follow LM-2. Patients who perceived consumption of alcohol as PCs of Diabetes were 10 times more likely to stop addictions (AOR = 9.680, 95% CI 2.5555–36.6639) and follow the LM-2 strategy. Conclusion: Given significant associations of sociocultural features with LM strategies, consideration of sociocultural features vis-à-vis these strategies is indispensable for managing TBDM comorbidity, emphasizing the need for developing comprehensive, patient-centred self-management interventions to enhance adherence and improve health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) contribute significantly among underlying reasons of morbidity and mortality in the health-care system. ADR reporting is the core of pharmacovigilance program but still insufficient reporting by health professionals exists in various part of our country. Aims and Objectives: The study was designed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of undergraduate medical students about ADR and pharmacovigilance. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Questionnaire was comprising 21 questions to evaluate the KAP of pharmacovigilance among undergraduate medical students. Descriptive statistics were analyzed and analysis of variance test was applied for statistical difference between the groups. Results: One hundred and eighty-six students participated in the study. The average score of 2nd year, 3rd year, and 4th year for knowledge was (4.50, 5.15, and 4.59) and for attitude was (5.37, 5.70, and 5.59) and for practice was (1.14, 1.78, and 1.36). There is a significant difference in average score between groups for knowledge and attitude, but not for practice. They have higher attitude and knowledge, but poor practice regarding pharmacovigilance. Conclusion: Respondent of the study was not completely aware of pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting. There is an increased need to create awareness and to train students about pharmacovigilance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is deemed the "Diabetes Capital," with over 100 million people suffering from this deadly disease. The disease is a lifestyle disorder and significantly impacts the quality of life. Thus, the study assesses the lifestyle factors and quality of life (QoL) among people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 T2DM participants aged 18–65. Data were collected from Diabetic Clinics across Pune City using the Modified Diabetes Quality of Life Questionnaire, having seven domains with 17 questions. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were used to assess Stress and Physical Activity. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to collect data. The data was entered and cleaned in Microsoft Excel and analysis was done using SPSS v23. Descriptive and inferential analysis was computed. Results: 60% of the participants were males with a mean age of 43.30 ± 10.89 years. The mean age of women was 50.17 ± 10.13 years. The mean HbA1c of males and females was 7.98 ± 1.41 and 7.83 ± 1.25, respectively. 83% have moderate stress, while 11% have low stress. Only 11% were found to be physically active. The average QoL score of the participants was 63.4 ± 11.2, non-significantly higher in males than in females (64.9 ± 11.03 vs 61.0 ± 11.22). Domain assessment of QoL showed statistical significance among general health (p = 0.002) and energy fatigue (p = 0.015), with males having better general health than women, and energy levels were better in females than males. However, no significance was seen between the genders in physical function, emotional well-being, and role limitation. A statistical significance for energy fatigue (p = 0.031) was observed when QoL was assessed across the disease duration. Conclusion: Due to a sedentary lifestyle and increased stress, the glycemic profile of the participants was uncontrolled, which negatively impacted their quality of life. Thus, a holistic approach to managing diabetes will be more beneficial in improving the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning management systems have transformed the information delivery mechanism. The present study derives dimensions from technology acceptance model and assesses the association between the faculty's satisfaction, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) in a Moodle-based learning management system. The data collection was done using a questionnaire from one hundred and ninety-nine faculty of B-Schools, using Moodle as the LMS. The findings indicate that both ease of use and perceived usefulness are significant predictors of faculty satisfaction from MOODLE LMS. In addition to the aforementioned TAM constructs, the study has measured moderating impact of demographic variables like city, gender and age. These variables are important differentiators in the Indian context, as LMS is a relatively new adoption in Indian education industry. The study reports that although age is a differentiator between two defined groups, it is however not significantly moderating the relationship between PEOU and satisfaction with Moodle. Gender and type of city (metro versus non-metro cities) have significantly moderated the relationship between PEOU and the satisfaction with Moodle. The study also labels constraints in terms of LMS usage and give suggestions towards its effective use. Henceforth, any similar system must incorporate these constructs to improve the satisfaction and adoption of the LMS by instructors.

Introduction: The oral cavity, the beginning of the digestive system, has diverse lesions affecting it other than Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). Soft-tissue Tumours (STT) are uncommon lesions. Overlapping of the signs and symptoms in diverse conditions creates significant problems for reaching their definitive diagnosis. Histopathological Examination (HPE) plays a central role in giving their final diagnosis. Assessment of the clinical features, histopathology, along with Immunohistochemistry (IHC), helps in reaching an accurate diagnosis in these cases, which further aids in the proper management of the patient. Aim: To study the spectrum of oral cavity lesions and tumours with emphasis on STT. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pathology and Otolaryngology, Dr. Ulhas Patil Medical College, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India included the oral cavity lesion samples received over two years (from January 2021 to December 2022) in the histopathology section of a Medical College in Maharashtra, India. A total of 170 cases were included in the study. Complete clinical information including age, sex, anatomical location, clinical diagnosis, and histological subtypes were compiled. The HPE diagnosis were classified into four categories-Non neoplastic, Benign, Epithelial Proliferative lesions {including viral/Human Papillomavirus (HPV) related}/Intraepithelial neoplastic lesions/Precursor or Pre-malignant, and malignant with special emphasis on STTs found. The data was statistically analysed and the results were presented as percentages. Full details of the soft-tissue lesions were recorded, entered into an Excel sheet, and studied for the percentage-wise distribution of various recorded parameters. Results: A total of 170 cases were found. Male:female distribution was 2.78:1, and most patients were in the seventh decade, n=38 (22.35%). The most common lesions other than SCC, n=110 (64.71%) found were mucocele, chronic inflammatory lesion and wart. The Buccal Mucosa/Gingivo-buccal Sulcus (GBS) were the most commonly involved site, n=82 (48.24%). Malignant lesions were more common in the sixth and seventh decades, with a male preponderance of 2.71:1. The uncommon STTs found were-Benign: Haemangioma/pyogenic granuloma (n=2), a Schwanomma, and a Proliferative Fasciitis (PF); Malignant: two fibrosarcomas and a high-grade sarcoma. All three malignant STTs were found in males of the sixth decade involving the buccal mucosa. Conclusion: Among the variety of lesions found in the oral cavity, HPE facilitates the recognition of the STT, especially the malignant ones, aiding in proper management. Being an extremely uncommon entity at this site, the documentation of these findings is of utmost importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Caregiving encompasses various challenges and adversities, with resilience playing a crucial role in navigating these hurdles. However, resilience is influenced by individual characteristics, prompting an examination of how demographic variables impact resilience and caregiver burden among caregivers of cancer patients in India. Aim: To investigate the relationship between demographic variables and resilience, as well as caregiver burden, among caregivers of cancer patients in India. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a clinical sample of 125 caregivers {males (46.4%) and females (53.6%)} from Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India was assessed. Resilience was measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), while caregiver burden was evaluated using The Burden Assessment Schedule (BAS). Various demographic factors, including gender, age, qualification, socio-economic status, loss of work, number of children, travel for treatment, duration of treatment, type of illness, and employment status, were examined. T-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were utilised for data analysis. Results: The predominance was of female caregivers, comprising 67 (53.6%) individuals, primarily falling within the age bracket of 30-40 years demographic variables significantly influenced resilience levels among caregivers (p-value ranged from 0.001 to 0.86). However, caregiver burden was not significantly impacted by demographics overall (p-value ranged from 0.24 to 0.98), although certain sub-domains were affected. Notably, male caregivers demonstrated higher levels of resilience compared to females (T=9.88, p=0.001), with postgraduate qualifications correlating with increased resilience (mean: 17.02) and lower caregiver burden (mean: 81.53). Additionally, age did not significantly affect the results (effect size ranged from 0.10 to 0.86). Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of tailored support strategies for caregivers, particularly focusing on enhancing resilience among female caregivers and addressing specific burden dimensions affected by demographic factors of socio-economic status and qualification. Overall, resilience was affected by gender, socio-economic status, number of children, travel, duration of treatment, and employment significantly, but caregiver burden was not significantly affected by any demographic variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pongamia pinnata Linn.( Aka Karanja in Ayurveda) is a rough tree and a traditionally used medicinal factory set up throughout the India. It's generally used in Ayurveda and has an immense eventuality in treating colorful skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin, infections of skin. The end of present study was to prepare tableware nanoparticle herbal gel expression containing methanolic excerpt of Karanj on psoriasis. Topical gel expression was designed by using methanolic excerpt of seeds of pongamia pinnata in varied attention. The gel was prepared by using tableware nitrate, chitosan, carbopol 934, Pongamia Pinnata Extract( KARANJ), Methanol, propylene glycol, methyl paraben, propyl paraben,triethanolamine, glycerin and needed quantum of distilled water. The set gels were estimated for medicine content, pH, spread capability, physical appearance, density, swelling indicator, prolixity study, unity and grit. The results prove that gel phrasings were good in appearance and unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hemoglobin (Hb) variants are qualitative abnormalities due to production of structurally abnormal globin proteins. They are categorized based on the type of mutation present in the α1, α2, β, Gγ, Aγ and δ globin genes. So far, more than 1550 Hb variants are reported in the database. They could lead to Hb polymerization, Hb instability, altered oxygen affinity and decreased oxygen‐carrying capacity of Hb or have no clinical manifestations. In India, ethnic diversity, consanguinity, regional variations and migration result in the presence of different Hb variants. We have compiled all the variants of α, β and δ globin chains in heterozygous, homozygous and in compound heterozygous forms reported from India in the last 52 years. Of the 63 rare and novel hemoglobin variants reported from India, 22 were α‐globin chain variants, 37 were β‐globin chain variants and 4 were δ‐globin chain variants. Twelve novel Hb variants (Hb J Rajappan, Hb Koya Dora, Hb Rampa, Hb Godavari, Hb Chandigarh, Hb D Agri, Hb Lucknow, Hb Vellore, Hb Midnapore, Hb Bijnor, Hb A2Tianhe and Hb A2Saurashtra) were identified among persons of Indian origin. Majority of them were picked up on HPLC. Some of the variants like Hb Titusville, Hb Shimonoseki, Hb Chandigarh, Hb D Agri, Hb Yaizu and Hb Vellore eluted in the HbS window whereas variants like HbD Iran, Hb St. Louis, Hb G Coushata, HbM Saskatoon, Hb Lucknow, Hb Grange‐Blanche and Hb Tianshui showed falsely elevated HbA2. Hence, careful and systematic investigations are required to identify them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The limited representation from developing countries in the original COME TOGETHER survey gave us an impetus to conduct this survey in the Indian subcontinent. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted from August through September 2022. Participants were health care physicians caring for patients with coma and disorders of consciousness. Fischer's exact test or the Mann–Whitney U-test was used to compare respondents who agreed or disagreed with the preestablished coma definition. Fleiss κ values were calculated to assess agreement among respondents. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The survey was completed by 130 physicians. We found substantial interrater agreement on absence of wakefulness (71.54%; κ = 0.71), Glasgow Coma Score ≤ 8 (78.46%; κ = 0.78), and failure to respond purposefully to visual, verbal, or tactile stimuli (66.15%; κ = 0.66). Reported common etiologies of coma included traumatic brain injury (50.76%), ischemic stroke (30%), and intracerebral hemorrhage (29.23%). The most common clinical assessment tools used for coma included the Glasgow Coma Score (92.3%) and neurological examination (60.8%). Neurological examination was the most common diagnostic tool used (100%), followed by magnetic resonance imaging (89.2%), basic laboratory studies (88.5%), and head computed tomography/angiography (86.9%). Pharmacological interventions used to stimulate arousal in patients with coma were sedation vacation (91.5%), electrolyte/endocrine correction (65.4%), osmotic therapy with mannitol (60%), hypertonic saline (54.6%), modafinil (46.9%), and antidote for drugs (45.4%). Among the nonpharmacological interventions, sensory stimulation (57.7%) was the most commonly used modality. The most common discharge disposition for comatose patients who survived hospitalization were home with or without services (70.0%). Conclusions: Differences from the global survey were noted regarding the following: traumatic brain injury being the most common etiology of coma in India, more frequent practice of sedation interruption, less frequent use of electroencephalography in India, rare use of pharmacological neurostimulants, and home being the most common discharge disposition in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TB diagnosis has been simplified in India following advances in available diagnostic tools. This facilitates private doctors' "patient first" approach toward early diagnosis; however, costs remain high. India's NTEP established a TB diagnostic network, which is free for patients and incentivizes private doctors to participate. Drawing from this context led to the design and implementation of the One-Stop TB Diagnostic Solution model, which was conducted in the Hisar district, Haryana, allowing specimens from presumptive TB patients from private doctors to be collected and tested as per NTEPs diagnostic algorithm. A subset of data pertaining to private doctors was analyzed for the project period. Qualitative data were also collected by interviewing doctors using a snowball method to capture doctors' perception about the model. Out of 1159 specimens collected from 60 facilities, MTB was detected in 32% and rifampicin resistance was detected in 7% specimens. All specimens went through the diagnostic algorithm. Thirty doctors interviewed were satisfied with the services offered and were appreciative of the program that implements this "patient centric" model. Results from implementation indicate the need to strengthen private diagnostics through a certification process to ensure provision of quality TB diagnostic services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background efficacy of therapeutic cholecalciferol supplementation for severe COVID-19 is sparingly studied. Objective effect of single high-dose cholecalciferol supplementation on sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score in moderate-to-severe COVID-19. Methods participants with moderate to severe COVID-19 with PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 200 were randomized to 0.6 million IU cholecalciferol oral (intervention) or placebo. Outcomes primary outcome was change in Day 7 SOFA score and pre-specified secondary outcomes were SOFA and 28-day all-cause mortality. Results in all, 90 patients (45 each group) were included for intention-to-treat analysis. 25(OH)D3 levels were 12 (10–16) and 13 (12–18) ng/ml (P  = 0.06) at baseline; and 60 (55–65) ng/ml and 4 (1–7) ng/ml by Day 7 in vitamin D and placebo groups, respectively. The SOFA score on Day 7 was better in the vitamin D group [3 (95% CI, 2–5) versus 5 (95% CI, 3–7), P  = 0.01, intergroup difference − 2 (95% CI, −4 to −0.01); r  = 0.4]. A lower all-cause 28-day mortality [24% compared to 44% (P  = 0.046)] was observed with vitamin D. Conclusions single high-dose oral cholecalciferol supplementation on ICU admission can improve SOFA score at Day 7 and reduce in-hospital mortality in vitamin D-deficient COVID-19. ClinicalTrials.gov   id: NCT04952857 registered dated 7 July 2021. What is already known on this topic —vitamin D has immunomodulatory role. Observational and isolated intervention studies show some benefit in COVID-19. Targeted therapeutic vitamin D supplementation improve outcomes in severe COVID-19 is not studied in RCTs. What this study adds —high-dose vitamin D supplementation (0.6 Million IU) to increase 25(OH)D > 50 ng/ml is safe and reduces sequential organ failure assessment score, in-hospital mortality in moderate to severe COVID-19. How this study might affect research, practice or policy— vitamin D supplementation in vitamin D-deficient patients with severe COVID-19 is useful may be practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that affects children worldwide, with potential associations to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Limited research exists on the interplay between AD, MetS, and NAFLD in the pediatric population. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and potential relationships among AD, MetS, and NAFLD in children. Methods: A case–control study design was employed, recruiting 50 children with AD (median age: 9.5 years) and 50 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (median age: 11.5 years, p =.051). Data on demographic characteristics, clinical features, disease severity, treatment history, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory evaluations were collected. MetS and NAFLD were diagnosed based on established criteria. Results: The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in children with AD compared with controls (24% vs. 2%, p =.002). Significant differences for systolic blood pressure (p <.001), diastolic blood pressure (p =.012), and waist circumference (p =.040) were observed between AD patients and controls. Children with AD had higher triglyceride levels (p =.005). NAFLD was exclusively seen in moderate to severe AD cases (6% vs. 0%, p =.242). AD severity showed associations with increased body mass index (p =.020). Conclusion: This study highlights the increased prevalence of MetS and the potential association with NAFLD in children with AD. The findings suggest that AD may contribute to the development of metabolic abnormalities at an early age. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore preventive strategies for these interconnected conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the use of fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) in the obstetrics and gynecology department of a hospital in central India. The study analyzed 1605 prescriptions and found that 42% of the medications were FDCs. The most commonly prescribed FDCs were for gastrointestinal issues, followed by anti-infective, hematological, and respiratory conditions. The study suggests that FDCs can reduce the number of pills patients need to take and improve compliance, but cautions that prescribing should be done judiciously. It is important to note that the study's findings may not be applicable to a larger population. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Bipolar disorder is one of the severe mental disorders that are associated with significant morbidity of the patients. Despite advancements in our understanding about the disorder, it remains a challenging proposition to treat bipolar disorder, largely since the prophylactic treatment of the disorder requires assessment of complex clinical algorithms. The revisions of the classificatory systems have also changed the conceptualization of the disorder. In this background, we conducted a review of the Indian studies conducted on the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder. Methods: A narrative review was conducted with focus on the literature published from India. The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and articles published over the last 15 years by Indian authors were included for this review. Results: In our review, we could access a substantial volume of research published from India. We could identify studies that catered to most of the relevant themes in bipolar disorder including epidemiology, etiology, comorbidities, stigma, disability, clinical course, cognitive profile, pathways to care, and recovery. Conclusion: The research trajectory was in line with the research conducted elsewhere in the world. However, certain dissimilarities in terms of focus could also be observed. The possible reason behind this deviation could be the difference in clinical need and unique challenges faced in the management and rehabilitation of patients in bipolar disorder in Indian scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Neonates in intensive care units often require endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. During this intubation procedure, a stylet is frequently used along with an endotracheal tube. Despite the widespread use of a stylet, it is still not known whether its use increases the intubation success rate. This study examined the association between stylet use and the intubation success rate in surgical neonates. Methodology: This single‐center study was conducted between December 2021 and December 2022 in the Neonatal surgical intensive care unit of a tertiary care center in Northern India. Infants were randomized to have the endotracheal intubation procedure performed using either an endotracheal tube alone or with a stylet. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the successful first‐attempt neonatal endotracheal intubation rate with and without using a stylet. Apart from the rate of successful intubation, the duration of the intubation and complications during the intubation procedures as measured by bradycardia, desaturation episodes, and local trauma were also recorded. Both groups were thus compared on above mentioned outcomes. Results: The total number of neonates enrolled were 200, and the overall success rate (81% in the stylet group vs. 73% in the non‐stylet group) was not statistically significant. Intubation time was however less, when stylet was used (16.2 ± 4.3 vs. 17.5 ± 5.0 s, p =.046). When the endotracheal tube size was 3 or less, the success rate was substantially higher in the stylet group (80%) than the non‐stylet group (63%), p =.03. No statistical difference was recorded for bleeding and local trauma, though the esophageal intubation rate was higher when intubation was attempted without the stylet. Conclusion: Endotracheal intubation using a stylet did not significantly improve the success rate of the procedure, however, intubation time significantly varied between groups and in different conditions. The rigidity and curvature provided by the stylet may facilitate the process of intubation when smaller caliber endotracheal tubes are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education has been identified as one of the primary agents of transformation towards development. However, low level of literacy and education is one of the major challenges facing most of the underdeveloped countries. Active community involvement and participation has emerged as an effective mechanism in improving the sustainable level of education in many of these countries. This paper analyses the crucial aspects of community participation in education and supports its importance by reviewing the basic framework and outcome of Janshala--a Government of India-UN program in Jharkand, India. Though community participation is not a panacea for addressing all barriers, the Janshala experience in Jharkhand and cross country experiences involving community in educational programs indicate that the active involvement of the community has facilitated in identifying community specific education issues and formulating effective strategies to address those barriers by mobilising resources within the community. (Contains 1 footnote, 3 tables, and 2 figures.)

Mercury (Hg) is a contaminant of global concern, and an accurate understanding of its atmospheric fate is needed to assess its risks to humans and ecosystem health. Atmospheric oxidation of Hg is key to the deposition of this toxic metal to the Earth's surface. Short-lived halogens (SLHs) can provide halogen radicals to directly oxidize Hg and perturb the budget of other Hg oxidants (e.g., OH and O3). In addition to known ocean emissions of halogens, recent observational evidence has revealed abundant anthropogenic emissions of SLHs over continental areas. However, the impacts of anthropogenic SLHs emissions on the atmospheric fate of Hg and human exposure to Hg contamination remain unknown. Here, we show that the inclusion of anthropogenic SLHs substantially increased local Hg oxidation and, consequently, deposition in/near Hg continental source regions by up to 20%, thereby decreasing Hg export from source regions to clean environments. Our modeling results indicated that the inclusion of anthropogenic SLHs can lead to higher Hg exposure in/near Hg source regions than estimated in previous assessments, e.g., with increases of 8.7% and 7.5% in China and India, respectively, consequently leading to higher Hg-related human health risks. These results highlight the urgent need for policymakers to reduce local Hg and SLHs emissions. We conclude that the substantial impacts of anthropogenic SLHs emissions should be included in model assessments of the Hg budget and associated health risks at local and global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score is the most widely used clinical score for the initial assessment of neurologically injured patients and is also frequently used for prognostication. Other scores such as the Full Outline of UnResponsivness (FOUR) score and the Glasgow Coma Scale-Pupils (GCS-P) score have been more recently developed and are gaining popularity. This prospective cohort study was conducted to compare various scores in terms of their ability to predict outcomes at 3 months in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Materials and methods: The study was carried out between October 2020 and March 2022. Patients who presented to the hospital with TBI were assessed for inclusion. Initial coma scores were assessed in the emergency department and again after 48 hours of admission. Outcome was assessed using the extended Glasgow outcome score (GOSE) at 3 months after injury. The receiver operating curve (ROC) was plotted to correlate coma scores with the outcome, and the area under the curve (AUC) was compared. Results: A total of 355 patients with TBI were assessed for eligibility, of which 204 patients were included in the study. The AUC values to predict poor outcomes for initial GCS, FOUR, and GCS-P scores were 0.75 each. The AUC values for 48-hour coma scores were 0.88, 0.87, and 0.88, respectively. Conclusion: The GCS, FOUR, and GCS-P scores were found to be comparable in predicting the functional outcome at 3 months as assessed by GOSE. However, coma scores assessed at 48 hours were better predictors of poor outcomes at 3 months than coma scores recorded initially at the time of hospital admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onychomycosis (OM) is a difficult-to-treat condition, especially considering the limited armamentarium of antifungal drugs, need for prolonged treatment, and poor compliance. This problem is further confounded while treating OM in special populations such as children, elderly, immunosuppressed patients, pregnant or lactating women, and patients with chronic liver or kidney disease. In the absence of standardized treatment guidelines, the antifungal therapy is either withheld or compromised, as it is largely governed by personal preferences or based on anecdotal reports. Hence, an expert group of the Nail Society of India worked towards drafting guidelines based on established literature and inputs from experts, with practical recommendations for the treatment of onychomycosis in special population groups. An extensive analysis of available English language literature on onychomycosis in special populations, published during a 10-year period (2014–2023 until date) was done. The available studies and reports were evaluated, cross-references read, and evidence compiled, graded, and discussed by the expert group to derive consensus recommendations for practice. The evidence and recommendations based on it are presented in a narrative format to guide treatment choices when dealing with population groups with special considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital ichthyoses are a rare Mendelian group of disorders affecting the integument with a heterogeneous clinical presentation amongst which scaling is a constant feature. There is scanty epidemiologic data regarding the clinical profile and histologic patterns of inherited ichthyosis from resource-poor countries. Aims and Objectives: The study was aimed at assessing the clinic-epidemiologic characteristics associated with the different forms of non-syndromic congenital ichthyosis. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of ichthyosis patients that presented between July 2016 and Jun 2020. Details including demographic profile, clinical characteristics along with any relevant investigations done were included. Results: During the study period of 4 years, 107 patients with congenital non-syndromic ichthyosis were seen. The most frequent diagnosis was of common ichthyoses, followed by autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, epidermolytic ichthyosis and erythrokeratoderma, in decreasing order. Conclusion: Important clinical findings like erythema and the type of scales as well as histological differences including an absent or reduced granular layer in ichthyosis vulgaris can help differentiate among the clinical phenotypes of inherited non-syndromic ichthyosis especially in resource-poor settings. Also, there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and hence a need for screening for the same in all patients of congenital ichthyosis including the milder phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dedicator of cytokinesis protein 8 (DOCK8) deficiency is an autosomal recessive form of combined immunodeficiency. This rare disorder is characterized by an increased predisposition to allergy, autoimmunity and malignancies. Objectives To analyse clinical, immunological and molecular profiles of patients with DOCK8 deficiency. Methods Clinic records of all patients attending the primary immunodeficiency clinic from 2018 to 2021 were reviewed. Six patients from five families were found to have DOCK8 deficiency. Results Median age at diagnosis was 7.5 years (range 2–13), with a male/female ratio of 5 : 1. Among the six patients, recurrent eczematous skin lesions were the predominant cutaneous manifestation, present in five patients (83%). Warts and molluscum contagiosum were evident in two patients (33%) and one patient (16%), respectively. Two patients had recalcitrant prurigo nodularis lesions and two had epidermodysplasia verruciformis-like lesions. Food allergies and asthma were reported by one patient each. Of the six patients, recurrent sinopulmonary infections were detected in five (83%). Epstein–Barr virus-driven non-Hodgkin lymphoma with liver metastases was the only case of malignancy, in a 4-year-old boy. IgE was elevated in all patients. Lymphopenia and eosinophilia were observed in three patients (50%) and five patients (83.3%), respectively. Genetic analysis showed DOCK8 pathogenic variants in all patients: homozygous deletion mutations in two patients, compound heterozygous deletion mutations in one, and homozygous nonsense mutations in two. A novel pathogenic homozygous missense variant in the DOCK8 gene was identified in one patient. Conclusions DOCK8 deficiency should be considered as a possibility in any patient with early onset eczema, cutaneous viral infections and increased predisposition to allergy, autoimmunity and malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies presents with a high fatality rate, which imposes a significant global public health challenge, and therefore the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is crucial for prevention. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have emerged as a promising substitute for rabies immunoglobulins (RIGs) due to their high efficacy and standardized manufacturing process. A prospective, open-label, post-marketing surveillance study (PMS) was conducted at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC), Pune. The study included patients aged more than 2 years who had recently sustained Category III-suspected rabid animal bite exposures. These patients were administered TwinRabTM at a dosage of 40 IU/ kg in and around the wound as intralesional transfer, along with the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV). Adverse events (AEs) grading was performed with reference to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) toxicity grading. In this study, 215 subjects received the TwinRabTM mAb with a 100% completion rate. Out of 215 patients, three (1.3%) patients in the range of 18 to 65 years of age showed solicited local AEs, which were resolved after the appropriate treatment intervention, but causality assessment was non-assessable. The overall tolerability assessment showed positive ratings from doctors (91.63%) and patients (67.91%) for the mAb cocktail. The PMS demonstrated the safety of TwinRabTM in patients who experienced Category III-suspected rabid animal bites, thereby supporting its potential as an alternative option for post-exposure prophylaxis in the management of animal bites for the prevention of rabies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allometric equations are often applied to estimate volume and carbon stocks of forest ecosystems. This study focused on formulating or developing allometric equations or models for estimating the volume of standing Toona ciliata M. Roem. trees in the red cedar woodlands of Northwestern Himalayas of India. Despite rich floral diversity, there has been a scarcity of such equations for this region. The research involved sampling and measuring 100 red cedar trees across four sites. Dendrometric variables were then measured for each site to create model s based on height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and form factor as predictor variables. This work underscores the importance of allometric equations in accurately assessing the volume of red cedar woodlands, as they consider factors like vegetation type, management practices, and environmental conditions. The findings will enhance our grasp of allometric equations and contribute to the development of tools for forest planners, farmers, and researchers, enabling precise prediction of forest resources in terms of volume. This will, in turn, support effective management strategies for red cedar woodlands in the Northwestern Himalayas and similar ecosystems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic compelled more exposure to online media in different forms like online education, interactions, gaming, and collaboration, which aggravated the cyberbullying issue. Cyberbullying can now occur in several different mediums due to the renewed lifestyle challenges spawned by the pandemic. Hence, it is imperative to assess the antecedents of cyberbullying behaviour (CBB). General Strain Theory (GST) is taken as a grounded theory to understand the underlying mechanisms of strain and anger and their impact on deviant outcomes like CBB. The current study adds to the GST literature by investigating the association between stress and anger, leading to cyberbullying behaviour. The study also examines the extent to which parenting factors (monitoring, communication, and trust) moderate adolescents' involvement in cyberbullying. An online survey was used to collect data from 221 high school Indian students for this purpose. As per the results, there is a direct relationship between strain, anger, and cyberbullying. The study confirms an indirect relationship between strain and cyberbullying through anger. The findings suggest that parental influences are important in moderating the relationship between strain and anger in adolescent cyberbullying behaviour. The study recommends strategies for parents, educators, and healthcare providers when dealing with cyberbullying behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and gynaecological morbidities constitute a significant proportion of morbidities in women of the reproductive age group. Objective: To find out the proportion of reproductive age group women in an urban resettlement colony having the symptoms of gynaecological morbidities and RTI/sexually transmitted infection (STI) and to explore the healthcare seeking behaviour of the women during such ailments. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2023 among 317 females aged 15 to 49 years in an urban resettlement area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. Statistical analysis used included descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. SPSS 23 was used for data analysis. Results: There was a prevalence of 65.3% of at least one self-reported symptom suggestive of RTI/STI or gynaecological morbidity among the respondents. Among the symptomatic respondents, 54.1% were found to seek treatment. Among the reasons given for not seeking treatment in any health facility, the majority (83.1%) responded 'lack of awareness that the problem needed medical treatment' and 'stigma related with the problem' to be the main reasons. Conclusion: The reproductive healthcare seeking behaviour was found to be inadequate, with only 54.1% of symptomatic respondents seeking treatment. Enhanced health awareness sessions can be planned in the short term, and skilled communicators within or outside of the health system in the long term may be deployed to disseminate information in the community regarding sexual and gynaecological morbidities in reproductive age group women and their timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ageing is a universal process. It is influenced by a person's genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Nutrition plays a significant role in modulation of ageing. In developing countries like India, the health and nutritional status of the elderly population is not satisfactory. Objectives: The current study was done to assess undernutrition amongst the elderly population and to find the various associations with sociodemographic factors and social determinants. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done from February 2023 to July 2023 in rural area of District Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. The elderly participants who were 60 years of age and more and who met the inclusion criteria were selected by simple random sampling technique for the study. Undernutrition was assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment Tool (MNA). Result: Out of the total of 400 elderly persons, 18% were found to be undernourished and 38% were at risk of undernutrition. The association between undernutrition and age group, gender, occupation, family type, living arrangements that is staying with family or not, financial dependence, any co-morbid illness, smoking, and physical activity was found to be significant. Conclusion: The present findings reveal that undernutrition is not an uncommon problem in the elderly, and further studies are needed in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important research area in education and technology is how the learners use e-learning. By exploring the various factors and relationships between them, we can get an insight into the learners' behaviors for delivering tailored e-content required by them. Although many tools exist to record detailed navigational activities, they don't explore the learners' usage patterns for an adaptive e-learning site. The previous web log data analyses, done so far, have been very limited in their scope as they lack detailed empirical results on the learning technology usage. This paper discusses the detailed results of a case study of web data mining in a specific e-learning application. The main objective of this study is to conduct research on usability and effectiveness of the e-content by analyzing the web log. For this, a suitable data set was retrieved from raw web log records, to which various web mining and statistical techniques could be applied. We have evaluated different features of e-content that can lead to better learning outcomes for the learners, by understanding their navigational behaviors, their interaction with system and their area of interest. We found, for example, what sequence of topics were the most liked and the least liked by the learners; we also found that these patterns lead us to hypothesize the correlation and regression analysis between the average time, test score and total attempts.

Presently, India is in the stage of installation of solar photovoltaic panels and no focus is being given towards the impending problem of handling solar waste. The absence of adequate regulations, guidelines and operational infrastructure for photovoltaic waste in the country may lead to waste being inappropriately landfilled or incinerated in a manner that may be detrimental to human health and the environment. Business as usual projection estimates 6.64 million tonnes and 5.48 million tonnes of waste generation due to the early and regular losses using the Weibull distribution function, respectively by 2040 in India. The current study also systematically investigates various policies and legislation developments on the end-of-life of photovoltaic modules in various regions of the world, to identify gaps for further assessment. Using life cycle assessment methodology, this paper compares the environmental impacts of landfilling end-of-life crystalline silicon panels with avoided burden approach due to the recycling of materials. It has been demonstrated that solar photovoltaic recycling and reusing the recovered materials will result in impact reduction in the forthcoming production phase by as high as 70%. Further, the outcomes of carbon footprint, single score indicator with the application of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also predicts lower values for avoided burden approach due to recycling (15,393.96 kgCO2 eq) in comparison to landfill approach (19,844.054 kg CO2 eq). The outcomes of this study aim to illuminate the importance of the sustainable management of photovoltaic panels at end-of-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the plains of western North India, traditional rice and wheat cropping systems (RWCS) consume a significant amount of energy and carbon. In order to assess the long-term energy budgets, ecological footprint, and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollutants from RWCS with residual management techniques, field research was conducted which consisted of fourteen treatments that combined various tillage techniques, fertilization methods, and whether or not straw return was present in randomized block design. By altering the formation of aggregates and the distribution of carbon within them, tillage techniques can affect the dynamics of organic carbon in soil and soil microbial activity. The stability of large macro-aggregates (> 2 mm), small macro-aggregates (2.0–2.25 mm), and micro-aggregates in the topsoil were improved by 35.18%, 33.52%, and 25.10%, respectively, over conventional tillage (0–20 cm) using tillage strategies for conservation methods (no-till in conjunction with straw return and organic fertilizers). The subsoil (20–40 cm) displayed the same pattern. In contrast to conventional tilling with no straw returns, macro-aggregates of all sizes and micro-aggregates increased by 24.52%, 28.48%, and 18.12%, respectively, when conservation tillage with organic and chemical fertilizers was used. The straw return (aggregate-associated C) also resulted in a significant increase in aggregate-associated carbon. When zero tillage was paired with straw return, chemical, and organic fertilizers, the topsoil's overall aggregate-associated C across all aggregate proportions increased. Conversely, conventional tillage, in contrast to conservation tillage, included straw return as well as chemical and organic fertilizers and had high aggregate-associated C in the subsurface. This study finds that tillage techniques could change the dynamics of microbial biomass in soils and organic soil carbon by altering the aggregate and distribution of C therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Carcinoma of the oral cavity and pharynx is the sixth most common cancer in the world, grouped together. The principal modalities of therapy remains surgery and radiotherapy, often in combination. Other modalities, including chemotherapy have been tried not only as palliative treatment but also as induction therapy or as an adjunct to surgery or radiotherapy with curative intent. The aim of this study was to analyse our experience with surgical management of squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity; prognostic factors and factors affecting the outcome. Materials and method: A retrospective study of prospectively maintained data of patients was conducted of all cases of squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity treated surgically Between June'2015 to June'2017at a tertiary teaching centre in North - East India. Results: The results were evaluated in the form of tables and figures wherever required and assessed depending on the aims and objective of the study. Conclusion: The stage of disease, tumour size, nodal status, margin status, final histopathological reportand habit of tobacco chewing strongly influence the overall outcome. This emphasizes on the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and proper follow up after completion of treatment of oral cavity carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The rising incidence of PAS, particularly associated with increased cesarean section rates, and the added complexity of placenta previa create a challenging scenario in obstetric care. The primary objective of this investigation is to assess various fetomaternal outcomes, placing a particular emphasis on maternal morbidity and mortality, neonatal complications, and the overall efficacy of different management approaches. Methodology A retrospective design was utilized in the investigation, centering on pregnant individuals who had been diagnosed with PAS and placenta previa at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, Manipur, India, in a period between January 2018-March 2020. A cohort of 24 pregnant women, meeting specific inclusion criteria, formed the basis of the investigation. The analysis involved a comprehensive review of medical records, imaging studies, and surgical outcomes. Results Examining the data from 24 pregnant women diagnosed with both PAS and placenta previa, it was discovered that a prior cesarean section stood out as the predominant risk factor for PAS, with 100% of cases attributed to it. Planned cesarean deliveries were the predominant mode of delivery (89.7%) at a mean gestational age of 37.2±1.5 weeks. Emergency cesarean sections were infrequent but associated with lower fetal Apgar scores. Uterus preservation attempts, though limited, resulted in successful full-term pregnancies with minimal blood loss. The majority underwent cesarean hysterectomy with ovarian preservation, with significant differences in blood loss observed between cases with one prior cesarean section and those with multiple cesarean sections. Complications, particularly bladder injuries, were more prevalent in cases with non-conservative management. While the conservative management group exhibited a higher frequency of short-term complications, no severe maternal outcomes were observed. Conclusion Despite acknowledging study limitations, including the retrospective design and a relatively small sample size, the research contributes valuable insights into the complexities of managing PAS associated with placenta previa. The findings underscore the critical role of risk factor identification, early diagnosis, and tailored interventions to optimize fetomaternal outcomes in high-risk pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Maternal infections can affect the placenta, which acts as a fetomaternal barrier. This study aimed to determine the spectrum of morphologic alterations in the placentas of pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact on fetal or neonatal outcomes. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective case-control study. One hundred SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women and an equal number of SARS CoV-2 negative pregnant women in their third trimester who delivered at our tertiary care center between December 2020 and November 2021 were enrolled in the study. This study was conducted at the end of the first wave and during the second COVID-19 wave. Histopathological examination of the placentas was done using Amsterdam consensus criteria. We observed for evidence of maternal vascular malperfusion [MVM], fetal vascular malperfusion, and inflammation in the placenta. Results: The clinical findings were compared between the cases and controls. Evidence of MVM was seen in comparable numbers between the cases and controls, but as it involved less than 30% of the placental disc, it was considered an insignificant finding. Deciduitis was seen in equal proportions in both groups. The comparison between the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups failed to show any difference in placental pathology between both groups. There was no adverse fetal outcome seen in the pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusion: Placental injury at the microscopic level was observed but was neither significant nor specific to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS CoV-2 infection did not influence the placental pathology. Also, no adverse neonatal outcomes were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to assess the impact of corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR) media coverage on firm performance in India. It also analyses the effects of the environment, social, governance, and cross-cutting issues on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach: The paper utilizes a sample of Indian firms from the Reprisk® database, amounting to 1,103 CSiR media coverage counts for 693 firm-year annual observations from 2008 to 2015. Further, Reprisk® segregates comprehensive CSiR coverage counts into the environment, social, governance and cross-cutting issues, for which the study runs the fixed effects panel regression. The study takes year-fixed effects, industry-fixed effects and clustered standard errors at the industry level. Findings: The results of this study indicate that CSiR coverage negatively influences the firm performance of Indian firms. All issues, including social, governance and cross-cutting, except environmental issues, negatively impact firm value in India. Practical implications: The involvement of firms in CSiR costs the firms financially and drives down firm performance. Social issues, including community and employee-related matters, governance issues and cross-cutting issues, also reduce the firm performance. Social implications: The insignificant environmental impact on firm performance does not indicate that environmental issues have no detrimental consequences. Instead, it might need more stakeholders' awareness to understand the harmful implications of environmental issues on society. Originality/value: Limited studies have explored CSiR in India so far. The study is novel as it analyses the Reprisk® database and its segregation of media counts into the environment, social, governance and cross-cutting issues in the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]