Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis Presenting as Intestinal Obstruction - A Case Series.

Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis is a rare disease characterized by infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract by an increased number of eosinophils as compared to the normal. The anatomic location and intensity of the infiltrate decides the varied clinical symptomatology with which these patients present. The present report deals with four cases, all presenting with clinical signs of intestinal obstruction A laparotomy performed revealed a stricture in the first case, superficial ulcers and adhesions in the second case, an ileocaecal mass in the third case and volvulus formation in the fourth case. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis was confirmed on histopathology in all the four cases. All the four patients experienced relief of symptoms after resection. It is essential to diagnose the disease to differentiate it from other conditions presenting as intestinal obstruction. The cases are presented because of the rarity of occurrence and presentation. Relevant literature has been reviewed

Role of Newcomers Supportive Strategies on Socio-Technical Performance of Open Source Projects

The success of open source software (OSS) projects have been studied in previous research. This paper focused on the effect of newcomers’ supportive strategies in OSS projects on the success level of the projects. Our research analyzes the socio-technical commitment to the project as a proxy for success. Data about 453 OSS projects from GitHub.com is collected and analyzed to empirically test the research model. We have applied a clustering technique to explore the dataset attributes. Results show the importance of newcomers’ supportive strategies on the different socio-technical aspects of OSS projects’ leading to success. Also, we have tested the effect of programming language diversity and project profile health on the success of projects. The outcome of this study has both managerial and practical implications

Rethinking Institutional Frameworks in Conservation and Governance of Forests in the Background of FRA in Kerala: From Exclusion to Inclusion

The forward and backward linkages between conservation, governance and people’s initiatives have been a widely accepted paradigm in the domain of sustainable forest management. Forest Rights Act, 2006, is remarkable as it is the only law which is based on the principles of inclusion by recognizing the decision making authority of hamlet level Gram Sabhas in conservation. This paper looks at the existing institutional frameworks for conservation, i.e. forest and its resource management including land tenureship and to address societal needs of ethnic communities. The analysis is done within the backdrop of the assigned roles of hamlet level Gram Sabhas in FRA with special focus on the Anamalai region, Central Kerala within the distribution area of Kadar (notified particularly vulnerable) ethnic community. The progress of FRA implementation in this region has been discussed as a measure of the shifting of exclusive institutional frameworks to an inclusive on

Environmental-Friendly and Non-Toxic TBSI as an Alternative for MOR Accelerator

In the solid tyre rubber industry, most accelerators can produce n-nitrosamines as a by-product during the vulcanization process. As many n-nitrosamines are carcinogenic, they are highly regulated in final rubber articles and during manufacturing process.  2-(Morpholinothio benzothiazole (MOR) is the primary accelerator used in vulcanizing systems. It produces nitrogen toxic gases (nitrogen oxide and amine gas) which are carcinogenic. In this research MOR was successfully replaced with N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazole sulfenimide (TBSI) accelerator which has no carcinogenic effect. The main objective of this research is to maintain its original properties while replacing MOR with TBSI accelerator.  This study was conducted and test samples were made of bonding rubber compound that is used to make the bonding layer of tyres which is the common part in all type of solid tyres. Physical-mechanical and bonding properties were analyzed for MOR and TBSI added bonding compound samples. Tensile, hardness, density and rheological using Oscillating die rheometer properties were also measured to maintain the quality of the tyre. The property change of bond layer can affects the other tyre layers. So, it can lead to failure of curing process or failure in performance of the tyre during the applications. The TBSI curing characteristics are closer to MOR sample. However other physical properties like hardness and density of TBSI samples were bit lower but they were in the required level as a bonding layer compound. Substitution of MOR by ‘safe TBSI’ compounds are still active as accelerators, but do not form carcinogenic gases

Item analysis of multiple choice questions of undergraduate pharmacology examinations in a medical college in Belagavi, Karnataka, India

Background: Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are a common method of assessment of medical students. The quality of MCQs is determined by three parameters such as difficulty index (DIF I), discrimination index (DI), and Distractor efficiency (DE). Item analysis is a valuable yet relatively simple procedure, performed after the examination that provides information regarding the reliability and validity of a test item. The objective of this study was to perform an item analysis of MCQs for testing their validity parameters.Methods: 50 items consisting of 150 distractors were selected from the formative exams. A correct response to an item was awarded one mark with no negative marking for incorrect response. Each item was analysed for three parameters such as DIF I, DI, and DE.Results: A total of 50 items consisting of 150 Distractor s were analysed. DIF I of 31 (62%) items were in the acceptable range (DIF I= 30-70%) and 30 had ‘good to excellent’ (DI >0.25). 10 (20%) items were too easy and 9 (18%) items were too difficult (DIF I <30%). There were 4 items with 6 non-functional Distractor s (NFDs), while the rest 46 items did not have any NFDs.Conclusions: Item analysis is a valuable tool as it helps us to retain the valuable MCQs and discard or modify the items which are not useful. It also helps in increasing our skills in test construction and identifies the specific areas of course content which need greater emphasis or clarity

IT Governance Strategies for SMEs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Robust IT governance practices are vital in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this age of the fourth industrial revolution, good IT governance practices can help enterprises achieve better IT-business alignment, deal with rapid emergence of technologies, and maximize profits. Given that SMEs contribute to 75% of employment in most economies, good IT governance practices are needed if they are to survive in a competitive market. Research suggests that such practices are mostly non-existent in SMEs, even though well-recognized IT governance frameworks exist. Hence, the purpose of this study is to better understand the barriers to implementing IT governance practices in SMEs. Case study research combined with quantitative research will be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of these barriers. This study will also suggest IT management practices that can be included in an IT governance framework for SMEs

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of eyelid – An unusual site: a case report

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is predominantly a malignancy of the major salivary glands (10-30%) and minor salivary glands (15%).These tumours are also reported in lacrimal glands, conjunctiva, and nasopharynx, though rarely. The average age at presentation is between 20 to 60 years with a female preponderance. Owing to the rarity, it mandates an early diagnosis to facilitate appropriate patient management. This case report highlights the unusual occurrence of primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the eyelid in a 33 year old male patient

Étude comparative des pratiques d’enseignement de la lecture en 4e primaire : des questions de didactique pointées par l’étude internationale PIRLS 2011

Cette étude vise à mettre en lumière des pratiques d‘enseignement de la lecture susceptibles de rendre compte des disparités de performances observées dans différents systèmes éducatifs. Les comparaisons portent sur les pratiques d’enseignement de la lecture déclarées par les enseignant.e.s de huit systèmes éducatifs contrastés tant au plan de la langue enseignée (français, anglais, allemand) qu’au plan des performances moyennes obtenues à l’épreuve PIRLS 2011. Les résultats mettent en évidence des différences parfois importantes dans la fréquence à laquelle sont mises en place certaines facettes de l’enseignement de la lecture et plus spécifiquement de la compréhension. Ces pratiques témoignent de visions contrastées, parfois éloignées de ce que l’on pourrait attendre d’un enseignement de la lecture experte.Peer reviewe