Gujarat University

The NEP 2020 highlights the importance of experiential learning, play-based pedagogy, and incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems into education. In early and school education, play and hands-on activities are vital for fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and conceptual understanding. Traditional Indian toys and indigenous games have long contributed to children’s cognitive, physical, and social development. However, many of these traditional resources have been gradually phased out from classrooms due to the rise of digital entertainment and standardized teaching methods. This paper explores the potential of Bharatiya toys and indigenous games as effective tools for experiential and play-based learning in schools. It emphasises how these culturally rooted resources can support holistic development, increase classroom engagement, and align with NEP 2020's pedagogical vision. Using a qualitative, conceptual approach, the study examines policy documents, educational literature, and examples of traditional games and toys used for learning. The findings indicate that incorporating Bharatiya toys and indigenous games can foster meaningful learning, CULTURAL awareness, and active student participation. It also discusses implications for teachers, curriculum designers, and policymakers in advancing experiential learning through indigenous knowledge systems

The phenomenon of corrosion of metals when placed in acidic environments is one of the greatest obstacles for the industries and thus have been attempted to solve by the use of certain corrosion inhibitors. Many of them are synthetic chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Because of this concern, researchers have increasingly focused on plant-based substances as safer and more sustainable alternatives. This review summarizes and compares the use of different plant leaf extracts as green corrosion inhibitors, mainly for mild steel in acidic solutions. Many of these extracts contain natural phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and terpenoids, which can adsorb on metal surfaces and form a protective layer that slows down corrosion. Previous studies show that several leaf extracts demonstrate high inhibition efficiencies, often above 90%. The findings indicate that plant leaves are a promising, environmentally friendly source of corrosion inhibitors and could serve as practical alternatives to conventional chemical inhibitors in industrial applications.

Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder with substantial metabolic comorbidities, including obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidaemia. Beyond their classical digestive role, bile acids (BAs) function as metabolic signalling molecules that regulate glucose and lipid homeostasis and inflammation through receptors such as the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G-protein receptor 5 (TGR5). However, bile acid dysregulation in PCOS remains inadequately characterised. Methods Targeted serum bile acid profiling was performed in PCOS (n = 86) and healthy controls (n = 60) using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Individual bile acids were quantified and classified into primary, secondary, and conjugated forms. Multivariate analyses were applied to identify group-level metabolic patterns. Functional bile acid indices reflecting hepatic conjugation and microbial transformation were calculated. Correlation analyses assessed between bile acids and clinical variables. Results PCOS women exhibited significantly higher serum levels of cholic acid and conjugated bile acids. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct bile acid signatures differentiating PCOS from controls, with deoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, and cholic acid contributing most strongly to group separation. Pathway-based indices demonstrated an expanded conjugated bile acid pool, an increased conjugated-to-unconjugated bile acid ratio, and altered secondary-to-primary bile acid balance in PCOS. Several bile acids showed significant associations with androgen levels and gonadotropin ratios. Conclusion PCOS is characterised by coordinated alterations in bile acid metabolism, including hepatic synthesis, conjugation, and gut microbial transformation, highlighting bile acids as integrative metabolic signals linking endocrine and metabolic dysfunction in PCOS.

Healthcare systems significantly contribute to carbon emissions, prompting a shift towards sustainable practices. Physiotherapy interventions, particularly those minimising travel, hospitalisation, and pharmaceuticals, offer promising low carbon strategies for musculoskeletal care (MSK). To synthesise evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on 5 physiotherapy intervention domains-telerehabilitation, prehabilitation, self-management strategies, comparisons with NSAIDs and group exercises in adults aged≥18years with non-traumatic musculoskeletal disorders. An umbrella review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A search across five physiotherapy intervention domains, four electronic databases from date of inception till may 2025: Pubmed, Cochrane, PEDro and Epistemonikos. Acute to chronic MSK conditions were included. Intervention duration varied across studies ranging from short term (2-6weeks) to long term upto 12months. AMSTAR 2, ROBIS and GRADE were used to assess study quality, bias and certainty of evidence. Primary outcomes were pain intensity and physical function. Secondary outcomes included functional capacity, adherence, healthcare utilisation/cost, quality of life, and adverse events. Telerehabilitation and prehabilitation improved pain, function and hospital stay. Exercise-based physiotherapy showed benefits comparable to NSAIDs with fewer side effects, while self-management and group exercise demonstrated scalable but low certainty. Although sustainability was not a primary selection, all included interventions aligned with low carbon healthcare principles, underscoring their potential for integration into future climate conscious care models. Building on findings, future research should integrate sustainability metrics to support the routine adoption of low carbon physiotherapy in MSK care.

The blistering development of digital spaces of visual media has transformed the experience and presentations of bodies, identities, and vulnerabilities on the Internet, especially through young people in universities. This paper focuses on analyzing the gendered cyber threats against women in light of visual culture and social protection, which concerns the perception and formation of policing narratives in online space. Based on the answers of Gen Z female university students, the study examines the experience of cybercrimes against women, its perception, and visualization in the social media, online platforms, and mediated discourse. The paper makes cyber harassment a part of modern visual culture in which images, acts of subjectivity and the relationship in the Internet help produce vulnerability and resistance. It also examines how the law enforcement is depicted in digital discourse, identifying the disjunction between protection mechanisms carried out by the institutions and how the youth understand safety. The integration of visual studies, gender studies, and cultural analysis perspectives will give the research a step forward to predict the nature of cybercrime visually by performatively, as well as in representational aspects. The results indicate that visual stories have a strong impact on awareness, reporting behavior, and trust in the policing structures. The present research is an addition to an emerging framework of literature on digital bodies and social protection by providing information about the utilization of visual culture with the help of preventive measures, awareness-raising activities and creative interventions to tackle gendered cyber threats in the current youth cultures.

The analysis of the Air Quality Index (AQI) is currently a popular subject in the area of sustainable research, as it is crucial for investigating and analysing the effects of air pollutants on human health in urban environments. It has been identified over the last decade that airborne pollution has become a critical issue and will remain an important concern in India in the coming years. In recent years, a variety of models and algorithms utilizing big data techniques have been developed for the analysis of air quality data. In this paper, we suggest monitoring and feature analysis of air quality data using a graph database. The research aims to analyse the annual and seasonal variations of AQI over a 10-year period between 2015–2024 from daily averaged concentration data of key air pollutants for 5 metro cities of India. The trends shown by all the cities have been compared to understand the seasonal variations in the average Air quality index. The variations of Average AQI in different severity classes in the cities also provide in-depth analysis of the trends. The findings from this analysis yield highly valuable information to assist in air pollution control, consequently leading to substantial societal and technical impacts. Finally, we offer a perspective on the future of air quality analysis, presenting some promising and challenging concepts. The results of this study can promote a more effectual environment monitoring system to detect drastic or unusual changes in atmosphere through the use of modern technologies.

Assessment reform is a fundamental component of the educational transformation outlined in the National Education Policy 2020. A pivotal institutional support for this reform is the National Assessment Centre, PARAKH, which endeavours to promote learning outcome-oriented, competency-based, and equitable assessment methodologies throughout India's school system. While PARAKH provides a national framework for maintaining assessment consistency and standards, its effectiveness is heavily reliant on teachers implementing assessment practices within classrooms. This study examines the preparedness of pre-service teachers to adopt learning outcome–based assessment aligned with PARAKH, concentrating on English-medium B.ed. trainees in Ahmedabad. Employing a descriptive survey methodology, data were collected through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with B.ed. students and teacher educators. The results indicate that, although awareness of NEP 2020 and PARAKH is relatively high, significant deficiencies persist in practical assessment skills, particularly in translating learning outcomes into assessment tasks and utilising assessment for formative purposes. The findings underscore the importance of integrating systematic curriculum development and practical assessment training into teacher education programmes. Ultimately, enhancing assessment literacy among prospective teachers is essential for the realisation of learner-centred, equitable, and quality-driven assessment reform within Indian schools.

We investigated how capsaicin supplementation impacts lipid and glucose metabolism in visceral white (vWAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the liver following exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor linked with metabolic disorders. qRT-PCR-based gene expression analysis, biochemical estimations in the above tissues, and inflammatory cytokine concentration were performed in vWAT and liver. BPA exposure increased adipose tissue mass and altered the expression of key genes and transcription factors related to glucose and lipid metabolism. Capsaicin supplementation upregulated PPARγ, PGC1α, DIO2, UCP-1, ACOX1, P2rx7, TMEM119, and PRDM16 while downregulating C/EBPα in vWAT of BPA exposed mice. In BAT, it upregulated PPARγ, SREBP, DIO2, UCP-1 and TMEM119. In the liver, it increased PPARγ/α, PGC1α, BMP4, GLUT-2, IRS-1, LeptinR, and SIRT-1 expression while reducing ACC and FOXO-1 expression. Expression of Nrf2 was increased whereas Nlrp3, MCP-1, IL-6, and Nf-kB were downregulated in liver tissues of mice that received capsaicin as a co-treatment with BPA. Alteration in malondialdehyde, nitrite and levels of antioxidants such as GSH and SOD was also prevented by capsaicin supplementation in adipose and liver tissues upon BPA exposure. Further capsaicin supplementation also prevented BPA-induced alteration in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα levels in the liver and vWAT. Capsaicin supplementation potentially prevented metabolic disruptions triggered by BPA through targeted adjustments in gene expression within tissues. These findings highlight the role of dietary compounds, such as capsaicin in reducing the impacts of environmental toxins on health.