Can Blended Learning Address Indian Academic Issues?

Over the years, India has implemented social reforms aimed at providing education to all. This is observed from the growth in GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) over the years that has resulted in a decrease in the number of students absent in schools. Coronavirus, nonetheless, has disturbed this scenario and is testing the functions, efficiencies, and practices of India\u27s schooling framework. This research paper, written for stakeholders in government, and the education sector, anticipate the extent to which there is a need of continuing the imparting of education. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the newer ways that may help continue the process of learning and teaching amidst this lockdown situation that is prevailing across the world. This disruption of education has forced pushed the policymakers to consider another way of imparting quality education (both primary and secondary). This has resulted in the use of a ‘blended (mixed) learning methodology’ that incorporates one-to-one learning (classroom) as well as one-to-many (e-learning). In this context, the authors would like to emphasize the need of strengthening the basic education framework that imparts education to all

Improved impact performance of marine sandwich panels using through-thickness reinforcement: Experimental results

This paper presents results from a test developed to simulate the water impact (slamming) loading of sandwich boat structures. A weighted elastomer ball is dropped from increasing heights onto rigidly supported panels until damage is detected. Results from this test indicate that honeycomb core sandwich panels, the most widely used material for racing yacht hulls, start to damage due to core crushing at impact energies around 550 J. Sandwich panels of the same areal weight and with the same carbon/epoxy facings but using a novel foam core reinforced in the thickness direction with pultruded carbon fibre pins, do not show signs of damage until above 1200 J impact energy. This suggests that these will offer significantly improved resistance to wave impact. Quasi-static test results cannot be used to predict impact resistance here as the crush strength of the pinned foam is more sensitive to loading rate than that of the honeycomb core

Recent Techniques in Design and Implementation of Microwave Planar Filters

This paper details the techniques and initiatives made recently for improved response and simultaneous development of microwave planar filters. Although the objective of all the techniques is to design low cost filters with reduced dimensions, compact size with better frequency response, the methodological approaches are quite variant. The paper has gone through extensive analysis of all these techniques, their concept and design procedures

Can Blended Learning Address Indian Academic Issues?

Over the years, India has implemented social reforms aimed at providing education to all. This is observed from the growth in GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) over the years that has resulted in a decrease in the number of students absent in schools. Coronavirus, nonetheless, has disturbed this scenario and is testing the functions, efficiencies, and practices of India\u27s schooling framework. This research paper, written for stakeholders in government, and the education sector, anticipate the extent to which there is a need of continuing the imparting of education. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the newer ways that may help continue the process of learning and teaching amidst this lockdown situation that is prevailing across the world. This disruption of education has forced pushed the policymakers to consider another way of imparting quality education (both primary and secondary). This has resulted in the use of a ‘blended (mixed) learning methodology’ that incorporates one-to-one learning (classroom) as well as one-to-many (e-learning). In this context, the authors would like to emphasize the need of strengthening the basic education framework that imparts education to all

The uptake of skilled birth attendants’ services in rural Nepal: A qualitative study

Aim and objective: The general aim of this research was to explore why women do or do not want to uptake Skilled Birth Attendants’ (SBAs) services during childbirth. The objective was to explore the factors affecting the uptake of SBAs’ services during childbirth in ruralNepal. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting: The fieldwork was conducted in a rural area, in a western hill district of Nepal. Participants: Interviews were conducted with 24 married women aged 18-49, who had given birth during the three years prior to the time of interview. Sixteen women were SBA users and eight were non-SBA users. Eight relatives, such as husbands, and parents-in-law were also interviewed as key informants. Findings: Four themes were identified as affecting the uptake of skilled care during childbirth: (1) Women’s individual characteristics; (2) Choice of, and access to, SBA services; (3) Cultural practice, gender role and decision making; and (4) Attitude and quality of SBAs and the hospital environment. Conclusion: A wide range of factors affect the uttake of SBAs services. These include: lack of SBAs in rural areas; women’s autonomy; difficult terrain; widespread poverty and illiteracy; limited resources and traditional and cultural attitudes; and gender factors. However, to date, women’s experiences and preferences have been overlooked in service design and development. There is a need for specific maternity service development, based on women’s experiences and perceptions. The establishment of a fully trained cadre of midwives, operating according to a professional code of ethics, could improve the quality of care in the existing health care facilities

On the Road to Sustainability? A Review of a Half-Century of Biodiversity Conservation Successes in Nepal and Some Thoughts on Future Needs

We review the history, over the past half-century, of biodiversity conservation legislation and programs in Nepal. We especially consider how they have evolved in light of some earlier concerns resulting from, for example, the strict “fines and fences” conservation approaches first implemented in the 1970s, to pressing issues that emerged over time such as park-people and wildlife-human conflicts, poaching and illegal wildlife trade. We also consider how the implementation of international conservation agreements and demographic and political changes have affected conservation programs in Nepal. We finish by discussing conservation in the context of sustainable development and conclude with some thoughts on future research and managerial needs in a rapidly-changing world

Translation and validation of the Nepalese version of Derriford appearance scale (DAS-59)

Objectives: To establish a valid and reliable translated version of Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS 59) for Nepali population.Methods: A standard translation-back-translation procedure was used followed by evaluation of semantic, conceptual and society equivalence by the committee and changes were made according to recommendations. This corrected version was pretested and a final version was developed. A validation study was performed using the final version on 424 patients including 212 patients with clinical appearance problems and similar number of young adults who had no concern for facial appearance. Reliability was assessed by cronbach’s alpha value and test-retest correlation coefficient. Discriminate and convergent validity were assessed by comparison between clinical and normal population and correlation with Beck’s Anxiety Inventory(BAI), Beck’s Depression Inventory(BDI)and General Health questionnaire (GHQ) Results: The results indicated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.98) and good test –retest reliability (0.91 for clinical population, 0.86 for normal population). The Discriminate validity was good with statistically significant differences between clinical and normal population .The convergent validity was confirmed by good correlation with other related psychometric tools.Conclusion: A valid and reliable Nepali DAS59 version was developed which can be used for research and clinical assessment of patients with appearance problems and concerns

Efficacy and Toxicity of Different Forms of Asparaginases Against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Review

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a form of blood cancer that affects white blood cells and is among the most common forms of leukemia with children and adolescents showing the highest number of cases. Most treatment protocols include chemotherapy using asparaginase. Asparaginase converts asparagine to aspartic acid and ammonia. Unlike normal, healthy cells, cancerous cells depend on asparagine for their growth. When these cells are deprived of asparagine by the action of the enzyme, the cancer cells selectively die. As of date, several forms of asparaginases are commercially available and are administered in ALL therapy. But due to limited study, it will be early and inaccurate to predict which forms of the enzymes are better. In this review, we aim to compare the efficacy and toxicity of four different asparaginases—native Escherichia coli asparaginase, PEG Escherichia coli asparaginase, Erwinia chrysanthemi asparaginase and a recombinant Escherichia coli asparaginase—used in ALL therapy in children and adolescents using available clinical trial data. PubMed and Clinical trial.org databases were used to select studies. Asparaginase activity, toxicity, anti-asparaginase antibody level and event-free, overall survival was compared for different asparaginases. Seventeen randomized and non-randomized controlled trials were included. Evidence was insufficient to ascertain which asparaginase is the best. PEG Escherichia coli asparaginase seems to be better with a high activity among the treated patients but there remains high toxicity for all available asparaginases. This study highlights a need to discover alternative sources of asparaginase from the organisms, which are evolutionarily distant from Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi with high higher enzyme activity and reduced toxicity