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Education in its essential meaning should beget a civilized and socio-emotionally intelligent, competent mindset in its stakeholders. However, this seems an ideal situation which is impractical owing to several conditions and constraints that impede the implementation of holistic education. Pedagogical practices initially relied on rote learning and thereafter several reforms in educational policies asserted the importance of nurturing global competency among the learners. However, this shift from rote learning to a more self-directed learning is a challenging transformation which is idealized to a great extent. In this article, we argue that a sudden shift may not be possible, and to realize learner autonomy and their self-directedness, there should be a gradual but steady progress from pedagogy to andragogy and then to heutagogy. Self-directedness and learner-centredness are the crucial aspects of heutagogy. Taking examples from a case study that we conducted with teachers of English from select higher education institutions in India, we analysed the various tenets of heutagogy and its practicality in the Indian context. We investigated how teachers are incorporating aspects of heutagogy in their English classrooms and what major challenges are encountered. Their individual classroom episodes may serve as an initial reservoir of ideas to orient further research in the field. The possibility of embedding the PAH continuum in classrooms is analysed through the lens of socio-constructivist theory. The insights from this study will be valuable for teachers and students who wish to gain a deeper insight into the heutagogical learning paradigm and its integration into language teaching in the classroom.

Background: Ocular infections, including conjunctivitis, keratitis, and endophthalmitis, significantly impact eye health, leading to morbidity, visual impairment, and blindness if not treated. Aims and Objectives: This study focuses on reviewing and analyzing the prevalence of bacterial and fungal pathogens in ocular infections and assessing their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns at Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Ballari. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting ocular infection samples from January 01, 2022, to December 31, 2022. Samples, including corneal scrapings and conjunctival swabs, underwent initial procedures such as Gram staining and were inoculated on various agars. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: Out of 404 evaluated samples, corneal scrapings were predominant, with a significant incidence of fungal and bacterial growth. Aspergillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were the most common fungal and bacterial isolates, respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that Gram-negative bacilli showed more susceptibility to gentamycin, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin, whereas Gram-positive cocci were more susceptible to tetracycline and doxycycline. Conclusion: The study highlights the cornea as the most common source of ocular infections, with Aspergillus and Pseudomonas spp. being the predominant fungal and bacterial pathogens, respectively. Identifying the prevalent species in this geographical area aids in early diagnosis and treatment, thereby preventing morbidity and improving patient outcomes. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern observed suggests effective options for treatment, emphasizing the need for ongoing surveillance to adapt to resistance patterns.

Aim: The aim is to compare and evaluate the impact music has on anxiety in children while performing restorative procedures. Materials and Methods: Forty-five children between the ages of 4 and 12 years without any prior dental experience were recruited for the study. Forty-five children were equally divided into three groups of 15 children in each by simple random sampling. The children were allocated to the groups using the computer allocation method. Group A consisted of 15 children who were not made to hear music, Group B consisted of 15 children who heard nursery rhymes, and Group C consisted of 15 children who heard music of their own choice while undergoing restorative treatment for 40 min. Anxiety levels were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively using Venham’s picture test, and pulse rate using pulse oximeter. Results: Music of choice and nursery rhymes showed a better reduction in anxiety levels than no music, with a very high statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Music of choice was better than nursery rhymes and no music in reducing anxiety in children. Conclusion: The music of choice was more effective in reducing anxiety when compared to the nursery rhyme group and no music group.

Background: Disseminated septicemia and endocarditis are extremely rare complications of Pasteurella infection and are mainly seen in patients with associated major comorbidities. Clinical Description: A 13-year-old boy, who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease in early childhood, presented with prolonged fever, gross hematuria, and oliguria. The child was found to be conscious and febrile, with tachycardia, pallor, and edema. There was a systolic murmur in the left upper sternal border with hepatosplenomegaly. Management and Outcome: Routine investigations revealed anemia, low serum albumin, and progressively worsening renal functions, with urinalysis showing significant proteinuria and red cells. Serial blood cultures showed growth of Pasteurella multocida. Echocardiography showed vegetation in conduit (homograft) connecting the right ventricle with the pulmonary artery. Despite intravenous antibiotics, the clinical condition did not improve, so the conduit was removed surgically, following which the child recovered. Conclusion: This case creates awareness regarding infective endocarditis in a child being caused by a rare organism P. multocida, involving a surgically created conduit. The case also highlights the importance of timely surgical removal of the source combined with a prolonged course of antibiotics in a successful recovery.

Abstract Chronic inflammation is a major cause of cancer worldwide. Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a critical initiator of cancer-prone chronic inflammation; however, its induction mechanism by environmental causes of chronic inflammation is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that Toll-like receptor (TLR)3/4-TBK1-IRF3 pathway activation links environmental insults to IL-33 induction in the skin and pancreas inflammation. An FDA-approved drug library screen identifies pitavastatin to effectively suppress IL-33 expression by blocking TBK1 membrane recruitment/activation through the mevalonate pathway inhibition. Accordingly, pitavastatin prevents chronic pancreatitis and its cancer sequela in an IL-33-dependent manner. The IRF3-IL-33 axis is highly active in chronic pancreatitis and its associated pancreatic cancer in humans. Interestingly, pitavastatin use correlates with a significantly reduced risk of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in patients. Our findings demonstrate that blocking the TBK1-IRF3-IL-33 signaling axis suppresses cancer-prone chronic inflammation. Statins present a safe and effective prophylactic strategy to prevent chronic inflammation and its cancer sequela.