A first comprehensive analysis of Transcribed Ultra Conserved Regions uncovers important regulatory functions of novel non-coding transcripts in gliomas.

Transcribed Ultra-Conserved Regions (TUCRs) represent a severely understudied class of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are 100% conserved across multiple species. We performed the first-ever analysis of TUCRs in glioblastoma (GBM) and low-grade gliomas (LGG). We leveraged large human datasets to identify the genomic locations, chromatin accessibility, transcription, differential expression, correlation with survival, and predicted functions of all 481 TUCRs, and identified TUCRs that are relevant to glioma biology. Of these, we investigated the expression, function, and mechanism of action of the most highly upregulated intergenic TUCR, uc.110, identifying it as a new oncogene. Uc.110 was highly overexpressed in GBM and LGG, where it promoted malignancy and tumor growth. Uc.110 activated the WNT pathway by upregulating the expression of membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP), by sponging the tumor suppressor microRNA miR-544. This pioneering study shows important roles for TUCRs in gliomas and provides an extensive database and novel methods for future TUCR research.

A first comprehensive analysis of Transcribed Ultra Conserved Regions uncovers important regulatory functions of novel non-coding transcripts in gliomas.

Transcribed Ultra-Conserved Regions (TUCRs) represent a severely understudied class of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are 100% conserved across multiple species. We performed the first-ever analysis of TUCRs in glioblastoma (GBM) and low-grade gliomas (LGG). We leveraged large human datasets to identify the genomic locations, chromatin accessibility, transcription, differential expression, correlation with survival, and predicted functions of all 481 TUCRs, and identified TUCRs that are relevant to glioma biology. Of these, we investigated the expression, function, and mechanism of action of the most highly upregulated intergenic TUCR, uc.110, identifying it as a new oncogene. Uc.110 was highly overexpressed in GBM and LGG, where it promoted malignancy and tumor growth. Uc.110 activated the WNT pathway by upregulating the expression of membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP), by sponging the tumor suppressor microRNA miR-544. This pioneering study shows important roles for TUCRs in gliomas and provides an extensive database and novel methods for future TUCR research.

Hypothetical biosynthetic pathways of pharmaceutically potential hallucinogenic metabolites in Myristicaceae, mechanistic convergence and co-evolutionary trends in plants and humans.

The family Myristicaceae harbour mind-altering phenylpropanoids like myristicin, elemicin, safrole, tryptamine derivatives such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and ß-carbolines such as 1-methyl-6-methoxy-dihydro-ß-carboline and 2-methyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-ß-carboline. This study aimed to systematically review and propose the hypothetical biosynthetic pathways of hallucinogenic metabolites of Myristicaceae which have the potential to be used pharmaceutically. Relevant publications were retrieved from online databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed Central, Science Direct and the distribution of the hallucinogens among the family was compiled. The review revealed that the biosynthesis of serotonin in plants was catalysed by tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (T5H) and tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH), whereas in invertebrates and vertebrates only by tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH). Indolethylamine-N-methyltransferase catalyses the biosynthesis of DMT in plants and the brains of humans and other mammals. Caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase catalyses the biosynthesis of both phenylpropanoids and tryptamines in plants. All the hallucinogenic markers exhibited neuropsychiatric effects in humans as mechanistic convergence. The review noted that DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and ß-carbolines were natural protectants against both plant stress and neurodegenerative human ailments. The protein sequence data of tryptophan 5-hydroxylase and tryptamine 5-hydroxylase retrieved from NCBI showed a co-evolutionary relationship in between animals and plants on the phylogenetic framework of a Maximum Parsimony tree. The review also demonstrates that the biosynthesis of serotonin, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-hydroxy dimethyltryptamine, and ß-carbolines in plants, as well as endogenous secretion of these compounds in the brain and blood of humans and rodents, reflects co-evolutionary mutualism in plants and humans.

Analytical code sharing practices in biomedical research.

Data-driven computational analysis is becoming increasingly important in biomedical research, as the amount of data being generated continues to grow. However, the lack of practices of sharing research outputs, such as data, source code and methods, affects transparency and reproducibility of studies, which are critical to the advancement of science. Many published studies are not reproducible due to insufficient documentation, code, and data being shared. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 453 manuscripts published between 2016-2021 and found that 50.1% of them fail to share the analytical code. Even among those that did disclose their code, a vast majority failed to offer additional research outputs, such as data. Furthermore, only one in ten papers organized their code in a structured and reproducible manner. We discovered a significant association between the presence of code availability statements and increased code availability (p=2.71×10-9). Additionally, a greater proportion of studies conducting secondary analyses were inclined to share their code compared to those conducting primary analyses (p=1.15*10-07). In light of our findings, we propose raising awareness of code sharing practices and taking immediate steps to enhance code availability to improve reproducibility in biomedical research. By increasing transparency and reproducibility, we can promote scientific rigor, encourage collaboration, and accelerate scientific discoveries. We must prioritize open science practices, including sharing code, data, and other research products, to ensure that biomedical research can be replicated and built upon by others in the scientific community.

Expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast carcinoma and their clinical significance.

Background and Aim: Carcinoma of the breast is the second most common cause of cancer death in women. Expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in cancer cells plays an important role in tailored therapy. This can be evaluated by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal PD-L1 antibody in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens. Our aim was to evaluate the expression of PD-L1 and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in invasive carcinoma of breast and their clinicopathological correlation. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for PD-L1 and TILs was done in paraffin-embedded tissues of histologically diagnosed 50 cases of breast carcinoma. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22 software. Results: Out of these 50 cases, PD-L1 and TIL expression were seen in 16 (32%) cases and 18 (36%) cases, respectively. PD-L1 positivity was seen in 33.33% cases of grade 1 breast carcinoma, 13.79% of cases of grade 2 breast carcinoma, and in 75% case of grade 3 breast carcinoma. TILs showed positivity in 6.9% cases of grade 1 breast carcinoma, 13.79% of cases of grade 2 breast carcinoma, and in 100% cases of grade 3 breast carcinoma. Proportion of patients having PD-L1 expression was higher in grade 3 carcinoma than in grade 1 or 2. The differences were statistically significant (Chi-square value = 13.417, degree of freedom = 1, P < 0.05). The Chi-square value for TILs was 28.07, degree of freedom was 1, and P value was <0.05, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: Both PD-L1 and TILs showed maximum positivity in grade 3 breast carcinoma.

Analysis of the interaction of a non-canonical twin half-site of Cyclic AMP-Response Element (CRE) with CRE-binding protein.

Differential regulation of a gene having either canonical or non-canonical cyclic AMP response element (CRE) in its promoter is primarily accomplished by its interactions with CREB (cAMP-response element binding protein). The present study aims to delineate the mechanism of the CREB-CRE interactions at the Oncostatin-M (osm) promoter by in vitro and in silico approaches. The non-canonical CREosm consists of two half-CREs separated by a short intervening sequence of 9 base pairs. In this study, in vitro binding assays revealed that out of the two CRE half-sites, the right half-CRE was indispensable for binding of CREB, while the left sequence showed weaker binding ability and specificity. Genome-wide modeling and high throughput free energy calculations for the energy-minimized models containing CREB-CREosm revealed that there was no difference in the binding of CREB to the right half of CREosm site when compared to the entire CREosm. These results were in accordance with the in vitro studies, confirming the indispensable role of the right half-CREosm site in stable complex formation with the CREB protein. Additionally, conversion of the right half-CREosm site to a canonical CRE palindrome showed stronger CREB binding, irrespective of the presence or absence of the left CRE sequence. Thus, the present study establishes an interesting insight into the interaction of CREB with a CRE variant located at the far end of a TATA-less promoter of a cytokine-encoding gene, which in turn could be involved in the regulation of transcription under specific conditions.

Implementation of National Leprosy Eradication Programme during COVID-19 era: A qualitative research.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic imposed new challenge to the implementation of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme. According to national data, after lockdown due to COVID-19, there was a 29% reduction in total leprosy cases reported in the first quarter (April-June) of 2020 in comparison to 2019. Objectives To explore the difficulties faced by different stakeholders of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme like policy makers, doctors, grass root level health workers as well as leprosy patients during COVID-19 pandemic with respect to programme implementation and access to leprosy care. Materials and Methods Qualitative research was undertaken including two focus-group-discussions held among six leprosy patients diagnosed after lockdown and nine ASHA workers as well as six in-depth interviews of doctors, leprologists, and programme managers. Ethics committee approval was sought and informed consent was obtained from all participants. All focus-group-discussions were electronically recorded and the in-depth interviews telephonically recorded, transcribed and translated from Bengali-to-English. Transcripts were separately coded by researchers and thematically analysed with the help of Visual-Anthropac software version 1.0. Results Solitary focus on COVID-19 control, capacity building and information, education and communication, leprosy case search & surveillance, co-infection among health workers, transportation issues were the themes explored from focus-group-discussions of health workers and ASHA workers. Similarly, the present study identified six themes from in-depth interviews of programme manager, leprologists, programme manager as diagnostic difficulty, operational issues, rehabilitation issues, capacity building & information education and communication activities and way forward. Limitations The research reveals the perceptions of rural population of Eastern India with high leprosy prevalence, which might not be applicable for urban areas or low prevalent districts Conclusion The solitary focus of the administration towards COVID and shifting the infrastructure and human resource only towards the management of COVID can lead to resurgence of the leprosy. Having an organised framework of operations, catering to the need of the front-line workers in rendering services, utilizing the digital platform and social media, and focusing on rehabilitation would be needed to overcome the crisis.

Perception of beneficiaries on motivating factors and challenges of COVID-19 vaccination: An institute-based study.

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a newly discovered SARS-CoV-2, led to COVID-19 pandemic across the world. Vaccination played an important role in reduction in morbidity and mortality concerning the current pandemic, but there was a lack of awareness and motivation to get vaccinated during the pandemic. Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the motivating factors and finding out the challenges perceived among the beneficiaries receiving the vaccine at the COVID-19 immunization center of Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital (BSMCH). Materials and Methods: This institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2021 to October 2021 at the COVID-19 Vaccination Centre of Bankura Sammilani Medical College, West Bengal, among 158 beneficiaries. The study population was selected through a systematic random sampling method, and data were collected by interview with a predesigned, pretested structured questionnaire. To identify the predictor (s), variables that were found statistically significant in binary logistic regression analysis were considered for multiple logistic regression. Results: Motivation for vaccination was significantly (P < 0.05) higher among participants who were educated up to the secondary level. Challenges perceived were significantly (P < 0.05) higher among participants aged less than 60 years and the participants who were coming from a distance of more than or equal to three kilometers. Conclusion: Awareness generation program, frequent Information, education and communication (IEC) activities, etc., may alleviate these challenges and can improve vaccination coverage in the future.

A Prospective Study on Correlation of First Trimester Crown-Rump Length With Birth Weight.

Background Ultrasound examination has been a crucial part of the evaluation of fetal health during pregnancy. It has become more accurate over the past few decades as a result of advances in radiodiagnostic imaging. While obstetric ultrasonography in the first trimester has been utilized extensively for gestational age assessment and confirmation of fetal viability, the imaging technique has seen little exposure in predicting pregnancy outcomes. This study was thus undertaken to find out any possible association between one of the first trimester parameters, i.e. crown-rump length (CRL) noted at the beginning of a pregnancy, and the birth weight of the neonate. Methods This prospective cohort study conducted at a teaching hospital in India spanning over a period of eighteen months included women with a spontaneously conceived intrauterine pregnancy at six to ten weeks period of gestation as calculated from the last menstrual period. Transvaginal sonography was performed for all such women and the CRL was noted. These CRL values were then compared to a standard nomogram and assigned to either of three categories i.e. CRL <5th centile, 5th to 95th centile, or >95th centile. The women were then followed up at the hospital with standard care till the end of their pregnancy, and finally, the birth weights were noted. Data were recorded in an MS Excel spreadsheet program and analysis was performed with regard to CRL in the first trimester and birth weights using SPSS v23 (IBM Corp.). Results Crown-rump lengths and birth weights of 104 cases were evaluated. The mean age of the study population was 26.6 years and the mean period of gestation (weeks) was 8.28 ± 1.01. The incidence of low birth weight (LBW) in the study was 22.1%. The distribution of LBW was significantly different between the three CRL categories (χ2 = 15.868, p = <0.001), being considerably higher in the CRL <5th centile category. No embryos with CRL >95th centile had low birth weight. Conclusions Our study suggested a congruence between the crown-rump length of an embryo noted in the first trimester and its weight at birth, with low birth weight being a fairly common occurrence in the deficient CRL category. This study highlights the role of a carefully performed first-trimester ultrasound examination in possibly predicting an adverse pregnancy outcome such as low birth weight and the probable inherent tendency of growth restriction in fetuses that are destined to develop the same.

Perception of Leprosy Patients towards the Disease in a Tertiary Care Hospital of High Prevalent District in West Bengal, India: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Leprosy is a disease having tremendous social implications due to ostracization. Despite continuous efforts made so far to eliminate leprosy, stigma/misbeliefs/adverse attitude toward leprosy still prevails among common people. Community perceptions and attitudes towards leprosy patients are critical and unique indicator of how society stereotypes leprosy. Aims: The qualitative study was conducted to explore the perceptions of leprosy patients towards leprosy. Materials and Methods: Two focused group discussions (FGDs) with 19 newly-diagnosed leprosy patients who can speak vernacular were conducted with help of a predetermined FGD-guide between April and June 2019 in the dermatology out-patient department of the tertiary-care center. Both FGD sessions were recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. These verbatims were thematically analyzed and emerging themes were identified with illustrative quotations. Free list and pile sort data obtained were analyzed by Visual Anthropac version 1.0 software for Smith's salience value Cognitive mapping with two-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. Results: Small size of wound, not giving importance, failure to realize, bad luck and scared of being isolated etc., were the most common reported perceptions. Overall, five themes emerged after pile sorting, namely ignorance about the disease, stigma and economic burden, positive perception after diagnosis, treatment-related suggestions, and myths and frequently asked questions. Conclusion: The study concludes that more IEC campaigns are required to abolish the stigma; and ASHA workers/front-line workers can play a pivotal role. The program (NLEP) can also utilize the role of satisfied cured-patient as peer-educator to improve the attitude of society towards this disease.

A comprehensive benchmarking of WGS-based deletion structural variant callers.

Advances in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) promise to enable the accurate and comprehensive structural variant (SV) discovery. Dissecting SVs from WGS data presents a substantial number of challenges and a plethora of SV detection methods have been developed. Currently, evidence that investigators can use to select appropriate SV detection tools is lacking. In this article, we have evaluated the performance of SV detection tools on mouse and human WGS data using a comprehensive polymerase chain reaction-confirmed gold standard set of SVs and the genome-in-a-bottle variant set, respectively. In contrast to the previous benchmarking studies, our gold standard dataset included a complete set of SVs allowing us to report both precision and sensitivity rates of the SV detection methods. Our study investigates the ability of the methods to detect deletions, thus providing an optimistic estimate of SV detection performance as the SV detection methods that fail to detect deletions are likely to miss more complex SVs. We found that SV detection tools varied widely in their performance, with several methods providing a good balance between sensitivity and precision. Additionally, we have determined the SV callers best suited for low- and ultralow-pass sequencing data as well as for different deletion length categories.

Transcribed Ultraconserved Regions in Cancer.

Transcribed ultraconserved regions are putative lncRNA molecules that are transcribed from DNA that is 100% conserved in human, mouse, and rat genomes. This is notable, as lncRNAs are typically poorly conserved. TUCRs remain very understudied in many diseases, including cancer. In this review, we summarize the current literature on TUCRs in cancer with respect to expression deregulation, functional roles, mechanisms of action, and clinical perspectives.

Perception Among the Sufferers of Recalcitrant Dermatophytosis Regarding its Causation, Prevention, Care-Seeking Behaviour and their Personal Hygiene: A Qualitative Research.

BACKGROUND: Recalcitrant dermatophytosis has become a menace in recent times. The perception of the hosts or patients regarding the disease gives a real-life picture of the deep-rooted host-factors and the way to overcome the socio-economic and cultural milieu that becomes a hindrance in preventing the relapse and recurrence of this infection. AIMS: This qualitative study was conducted to assess the perception regarding the patients' understanding of causation and prevention of dermatophytosis, role of personal hygiene, and healthcare seeking behavior, and consequently, exploring the socio-economic and cultural milieu that contributes to the menace of recalcitrant dermatophytosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting 12 patients with recalcitrant dermatophytosis, who speak the vernacular, were conducted with the help of a predetermined FGD-guide. Both FGD sessions were recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. These verbatims were thematically analyzed and emerging themes were identified with illustrative quotations. Free listing and pile sorted data obtained were analyzed by Visual Anthropac version 1.0 software for Smith's salience value, cognitive mapping with two-dimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. RESULTS: Washing of clothes with soap antiseptics and drying the clothes under the sun prevents diseases, whereas, not changing undergarments for prolonged periods of time, bathing in ponds using mustard oil spreads the disease, furthermore, staying in wet clothes, working for more than five hours under sun, playing outdoors, household jobs cause tinea, etc. were the most common reported perceptions. Overall, five themes emerged after pile sorting the data, namely, ignorance about the disease, understanding of the predisposing factors of the disease, prevention, role of personal and traditional belief, and care-seeking behavior. CONCLUSIONS: There is a dire need to address the myths or traditional beliefs, which are not supported by scientific evidence. Expense of the treatment of dermatophytosis calls for price control of the commonly prescribed antifungals. Poor socio-economic conditions and professional responsibilities hinder people from implementing the preventive measures in spite of their knowledge.

Ensemble Allosteric Model for the Modified Wobble Hypothesis.

The residue 2-thiouridine (s2U) provides a remarkable example for the "modified wobble" hypothesis, which postulates that some post-transcriptional modifications at the wobble position of tRNAs restrict recognition of degenerate codons. Through extensive molecular dynamics simulations using our χIDRP force field parameters, we demonstrate how this modification shifts the conformational ensemble from a predominantly disordered, as in the case of an RNA pentamer (GUUUC), to a substantially ordered population in Gs2UUUC. Our simulations clearly showed that the van der Waals interaction of sulfur played a major role in driving the disorder-to-order transition. The conformational redistribution and the slowing down of the transition between the clusters within the population in the presence of s2U suggest ensemble allostery to be a key mechanism that may play a general role in the functioning of the wobble modifications of tRNAs.

Are household food security, nutrient adequacy, and childhood nutrition clustered together? A cross-sectional study in Bankura, West Bengal.

BACKGROUND: Research on different measures of food security and their interrelation in order to identify vulnerable households are scarce in India. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to assess household food security (HHFS), nutrient adequacy, dietary diversity, and nutritional status of under-five children along with their interrelation in the slums of Bankura Municipality, West Bengal. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016-2017 among 240 households using two-stage 30-cluster random sampling. Information regarding socioeconomic characteristics, availability, and utilization of different poverty alleviation schemes was collected. HHFS was assessed by a validated HHFS scale-short form in Bengali and nutrient adequacy with 24-h recall method. The eldest under-five child in the family was measured for anthropometry using standard procedure and for dietary diversity with the Individual Dietary Diversity Score. RESULTS: Overall, 74 (29.1%) households had "food security," whereas 102 (44.3%) and 64 (26.6%) had, respectively, low and very low food security. Among 190 under-five children, 63 (35.3%) had single and 50 (25.5%) had multiple anthropometric failures. Overall, 89 (36.1%) households were deficient for both energy and protein and 111 (47.6%) had deficiency of either of these two. Indicators on the utilization of different poverty alleviation schemes were associated with low/very low food security. A "Composite Index of Food Scarcity" comprising of HHFS, nutrient adequacy, and dietary diversity was proposed which was found to have dose-response relationship with grades of anthropometric failure of under-five children. CONCLUSIONS: An index comprising of three indicators might help identify the vulnerable households in relation to food security more effectively than a single indicator.

A process-based insight to the recent disappearance of streams in the central part of Tarai region, Uttarakhand, India.

The integrated study of geomorphology and hydrogeology could be significant in predicting and assessing the groundwater environment of ecologically sensitive terrains such as the Tarai region in North India. In this article, we integrate topographic elevation, stream network, water level data, and input and output stresses acting on the aquifer to understand the hydrological processes and linkages between groundwater dynamics and geomorphic elements in Rudrapur sub-division of Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand in the central part of Tarai region. The study area was selected on account of the fact that the Rudrapur area of late has witnessed rapid agricultural growth, urbanization, and industrialization. It has been observed that primarily, water table elevations are controlled by the topography of the region. Further, the groundwater abstraction has increased with time; however, except in urbanized sectors, the water level does not show any significant decline. This has been attributed to increased recharge. Prima facie, it appears to be ecologically balanced. However, in a temporal framework, it was observed that over the years, a few streams have disappeared to compensate for enhanced groundwater abstraction. The article explains the underlying hydrological processes behind the disappearance of streams with help of schematic diagrams. It also put forward reasons for the persistence of shallow water level in parts of the study area. It suggests for preservation of the waterways of disappeared streams as possible sites for remedial measures like check dams etc. if required in future on account of over-exploitation of groundwater resources.

Road Traffic Injuries: A Study on Severity and Outcome among Inpatients of a Tertiary Care Level Hospital of West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a complex phenomenon caused by nonlinear combination and interaction of man, vehicles, road, and environment. AIM: This study aims to find out the outcome and severity of RTI in a district of West Bengal, India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted among inpatients of Departments of Surgery and Orthopedics of Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted for 1 year interviewing 295 RTI selected through scheduled sampling. Information pertaining to demographic and correlates of RTI was collected by face to face and over telephone using semi-structured questionnaire. Nine-item Simplified Injury Severity Scale (SISS) was used to assess injury severity. Internal consistency of SISS scale was showed by Cronbach's alpha and association with the correlates was done by Mann-Whitney U-test. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: With SPSS version 22.0, binary logistic regression, and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Fatal outcome in terms of death and permanent disability was 34.24% and they had higher marginally significant (P = 0.06), SISS score (45.17 ± 12.59). Participants with absence of protective devices, presence of comorbidities, drunkenness, with accidents over national highways, in-between 6 am and 6 pm, mechanized two-wheelers, and nonreceipt of first aid were found to have significantly high scores compared to their counterpart. SISS, as a proxy measure of severity assessment, could throw a light on it and awareness generation and legislative stringency might be need of the hour for the country.

Correlation among perceived stress, emotional intelligence, and burnout of resident doctors in a medical college of West Bengal: A mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perceived stress and burnout are by-products of powerless responsibility imposed on resident doctors. Emotional intelligence (EI) works as an adapting and coping tool. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to find out the role of work-related perceived stress on burnout and influence of EI on it. METHODS:: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2016 among 63 resident doctors of different departments of Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire for background characteristics and work-related variables. Cohen perceived stress scale, Trait EI, and Shirom-Melamed burnout questionnaire were applied for measuring perceived stress, EI, and burnout, respectively. Statistical analysis was done with of SPSS version 22.0, and for mediation analysis, Andrew F. Hyne's SPSS macro was adopted. Nonparametric bootstrapping was done assuming small sample. RESULTS: Out of complete responses, 67%, 22.9%, and 9.8% were from clinical, paraclinical, and preclinical specialties, respectively. Burnout had a significant positive correlation with perceived stress and in negative correlation with EI-well-being and positive correlation with EI-self-control and sociability. Physical fatigue factor of burnout had a significant positive correlation with EI-emotionality. Perceived stress had a negative correlation with EI-well-being. On mediation analysis, assuming EI as a mediator, total, direct, and indirect effects of perceived stress on burnout were significant (<0.05). Mediation was proved to act with percent mediation of 0.07. CONCLUSION: There was definite mitigating effect of EI on burnout by perceived stress among resident doctors. This necessitates more attention by decision-makers toward this burning problem for the sake of care of caregivers.

Status of early childhood education under integrated child development services scheme in Bankura Municipality, West Bengal.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood education (ECE) is an important service provided by Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). It is largely responsible for developing school readiness in children. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess ECE component of ICDS services through measurement of school readiness and find out other correlates. METHODS: A cross-sectional evaluation study was carried out among Anganwadi centers (AWCs) under Bankura Municipality, West Bengal, India from July to November 2015. AWCs were selected by 30 cluster sampling. From each selected center Anganwadi worker (AWW), 7 randomly selected children of 5 years of age and their caregivers were included in the study. Data were collected by assessment of children, interview of AWWs and caregivers of children, observation of ECE activity and record review using ECE Program Evaluation Package developed by World Bank and predesigned schedule. Mean, standard deviation, proportions were estimated for description and correlation, unpaired t-test, analysis of one-way variance, multivariable linear regression were performed to find out correlates of school readiness using SPSS 22.0 version. RESULTS: Average duration of ECE activity was 66.0 min/day which was far less than the norm. Overall average score of school readiness of 210 children was 14.0 out of 40. Inadequate physical facility, poor classroom performance acted as deterrents for school readiness. Help in the study at home was revealed to be a determinant of school readiness. CONCLUSION: For the preparation of formal schooling of children most important needs of the hour are physical facility of AWCs, supportive supervision of AWWs, and creation of congenial environment at home.

Taking stocks of antimalarial activities: A study on knowledge and skill of health personnel at primary care setting in the state of West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and effective treatment are the key areas in malaria control in India. OBJECTIVE: The present study was carried out to assess the knowledge and skill of health personnel at primary care level and the logistic support related to the program at subcenter (SC) level. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among medical and paramedical personnel working at primary health-care institutions in two districts of West Bengal. Knowledge was assessed using a structured questionnaire while diagnostic skill and logistic support were assessed with structured checklists. Clinical skill was assessed with case vignettes. RESULTS: Requisite knowledge on diagnostic procedure was found in two-third to three-fourth of health personnel while only 26.7% and 12.4%, respectively, knew the correct treatment of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Median standardized score for knowledge was 50.0 while the scores for skill of preparing blood slide and for rapid diagnostic test were 70.0 and 57.1, respectively. Education and work experience were related to diagnostic skill but had little effect on knowledge. In clinical skill, medical personnel scored 50% or more in investigation and treatment aspects only. In another case vignette, health workers excelled over medical officers and other staff in all axes other than history taking and clinical examination although their performance was also suboptimal. Formal training on malaria did not show any bearing on median knowledge and skill score. Supply of diagnostics and drugs was insufficient in majority of SCs. CONCLUSION: Renewed efforts are needed to create competent workforce and ensure adequate logistic supply.