Decayed Status of Caste Colonialism Sinkhole in the Novel ‘Pookkzhi’

This research paper on the phenomenon of 'Pookkukhi' is a symbol of the manner in which the violent operational politics of caste ideologies, which have become archetypes in the collective consciousness of the Indian social mind, are manifested through fabrications and the manner in which they operate in the social space. In this way, the study seeks to identify with the colonial dominance of caste that can govern the creator's creative mind. The creation of an author who is influenced by caste colonialism describes a philosophy of creation that does not seek to achieve decolonization. In the social set up, the novel sheds light on the dynamics of caste, which plays an important role, and the rejection of inter-caste marriages and the arrogance of caste slave bodies who dare to do anything to preserve their own caste. In accordance with the temporal and spatial contexts, casteism symbolises the sluggishness in the urban areas and the vitality in the rural areas. In such a caste-based society, the conceptualisation of woman as woman against woman (female characters Sirayi, Velayi) structured throughout the work is indicative of the space for woman in social dialectics. Sexual transgressions reflect the common sense of a patriarchal society where a woman's body is identified as a male object, portrayed as a sexual commodity, and denied her rights. It seeks to identify the multiplicity of colonial power that governs the creator's consciousness by examining the issues of society manifested in the work, caste-colonial dominance, the genocidal social disintegration resulting from slavery, and the triadic colonial power manifestations that question the existence of women. The study is based on the approaches of postcolonial analysis and interpretive analysis

IOT – Attacks and Challenges

Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a big boom in the wireless networking. This is connectivity among different entities or things. As the devices are directly connected to each other to share the information there occurs a challenging issues in security.This is a study paper which focuses on the vulnerabilities and various attacks in each layer of the IoT

Phase Transition of La0.62Sr0.38MnO3 Perovskite Manganites

Bulk and nano La0.62Sr0.38MnO3 perovskite manganite samples were prepared using solid state and sonochemical reaction respectively. The ultrasonic velocities measurement was made on prepared samples using ultrasonic through transmission method, at a fundamental frequency of 5 MHz over wide range of temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ultrasonic parameters shows an interesting anomaly in bulk and nano perovskite samples. The observed dramatic softening and hardening in sound velocities are related to phase transitions. Further, a decrease in grain size in the nanostructured sample leads to a shift in the ferromagnetic transition temperature (TC) from 375 to 370 K

FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERCEPTIONS OF PILGRIM TOURISTS IN SELECTION OF ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORTATION: A CASE STUDY OF GOLDEN TEMPLE, VELLORE CITY, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Purpose of the study: This empirical study aims to identify the perceptions of pilgrim tourists’ regarding their accommodation and transport facilities in the Golden Temple, Vellore city, Tamil Nadu, India. Methodology: This study used both primary and secondary data for data collection among pilgrim tourists. Data were later on analyzed using SPSS statistical tools like percentage, Chi-square, ANOVA using Statistical Package for Social Sciences were applied. Results: The findings of the study indicate that the income of the family doesn’t relate to accommodation facilities and the age of the respondents was affected by the transport facilities in Vellore City. Applications of this study: The study brings to highlights the basics of accommodation and transportation and the factors affecting the perception of pilgrim’s tourists. It concludes that the age of the respondents affects the transport facilities in Vellore City. The transportation facilities should be improved for the tourists to attract and improve pilgrim tourism. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study has found that the tourists had sufficient maturity, education and good exposure about their destination. The study found that accommodation facilities such as comfort, peace, safety and security, attitude and behavior of staff, and sanitation and hygiene are not more satisfied. Transport facilities such as Signboard, street lights, traffic rules have to be improved

Long Term use of Cell Phone in Business Community causing Hearing Loss

INTRODUCTION: As civilization has progressed, the noise in man‘s environment has increased. The adverse effect of noise is widespread with respect to human physiology and produce changes in many bio systems other than ear. It is however the ear which concerns us here. Noise has been shown to have many effects on people such as, decrease in working efficiency, annoyance, physiological changes in blood pressure and heart rate and psychological distress. The direct auditory effects are interference with speech communication, produced due to the masking background noise, and the primary auditory effect, the capacity of noise to produce hearing loss. AIM OF THE STUDY: Noise induced hearing loss is a preventable hearing disorder. It affects people of all ages and demographic. When increased intensity is transmitted into and through the auditory system noise induced hearing loss results. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: Cross sectional study. N=90, Age group: 18-50 years. Year of study: 2010-2012. Inclusion criteria: 1. 18 – 50 years of age, 2. Healthy male vegetable traders, 3. Any type of mobile phones, 4. Normal intact tympanic membrane. Exclusion criteria: 1. Any history of any other co morbid illness like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiac illness. 2. Any ear disease which have hearing loss 3. Any surgery to the ear with no improvement of hearing after surgery. 4. Any intake of ototoxic medications. SUMMARY: The cross sectional study was conducted from a period of November 2010 to October 2012, to study the effects of cellphone usage over the human auditory system. Total number of subjects – 90 healthy males. All the subjects were in the age group of 18 to 50 years. 37.78% (34 / 90) of subjects had ear warmth. 34.44% (31 / 90) of subjects had ear fullness. 8.88% (8 / 90) of subjects had tinnitus. Pure tone audiometry done periodically at the interval of one year from the baseline audiogram showing threshold changes in one or two frequencies in the follow up audiogram in 10% of the subjects. These candidates must be followed up regularly, for a long term to derive a final conclusion. CONCLUSION: In this study, on following up of 90 candidates for 3 years with pure tone audiometry, no significant hearing loss was observed, except some threshold changes in one or two frequencies in the final follow up audiogram. It is also observed, that the ear symptoms like ear warmth and ear fullness was observed in approximately 30% of subjects and there was no relation between the ear symptoms and threshold changes. Mild cochlear changes can be revealed in Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem response. However this is a small cross sectional study, a large sample and long term follow up will be required to derive definite conclusions

BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ANTIDIABETIC PROPERTIES OF SWERTIAMARIN, A SECOIRIDOID GLYCOSIDE OF ENICOSTEMMA LITTORALE LEAVES, STUDIED IN HIGH-FAT DIET–FED LOW-DOSE STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED TYPE 2 DIABETIC RATS

Objective: Swertiamarin, a secoiridoid glycoside present in the leaves of Enicostemma littorale, is reported to be responsible for its pharmacological and beneficial properties. The present study was aimed to biochemically evaluate the antidiabetic properties of Swertiamarin in high fat diet fed - low dose streptozotocin (STZ)-treated diabetic rats.Methods: High-fat diet-fed low-dose STZ was used to induce experimental type 2 diabetes in rats. Diabetic rats were orally treated with swertiamarin (50 mg/kg b.w./rat/day) for 30 days. The physiological criterions such as food and fluid intake were recorded. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed. The levels of fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), hemoglobin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were estimated. The activities of key enzymes involved in carbohydrate and glycogen metabolism in the liver and kidney tissues were assayed. The glycogen content in liver tissue was estimated.Result: Oral administration of swertiamarin to diabetic rats established a significant decline in the levels of fasting blood glucose, HbA1c as well as HOMA-IR values and an increase in plasma insulin and hemoglobin levels. The altered activities of key enzymes of carbohydrate and glycogen metabolism in liver and kidney tissues of diabetic rats were restored to near normalcy by swertiamarin treatment.Conclusion: Swertiamarin treatment maintains normoglycemia in diabetic rats by modulating the activities of key carbohydrate and glycogen metabolizing enzymes in the hepatic and renal tissues

Isolation and description of keratinase producing marine actinobacteria from South Indian Coastal Region

A unique standard starch casein medium has been implemented for the isolation of actinobacteria from the south Indian marine sediments. A combination of techniques, morphological, physiological and biochemical tests provided the evidence for the isolated actinobacteria. All the 56 isolates were inoculated on milk agar and soya meal agar plates for the primary proteolytic screening and the proportional study was made by ANOVA. Among the 56 isolates, nine showed proteolytic activity in terms of making clear zone around their colony on the plates. Then, nine isolates were subjected to the secondary screening on feather broth where three isolates (IS -1, 2 and 18) showed degradation of feather between seven and ten days. The keratinolytic characters of crude enzymes were scrutinized by feather keratin as substrate and the protein concentration was determined. Then, the isolates were identified at molecular level by 16S rRNA gene amplification technique.Key words: Actinobacteria, keratinase, milk agar, soya meal agar, 16S rRNA gene amplification

Efficient utilization of xylanase and lipase producing thermophilic marine actinomycetes (Streptomyces albus and Streptomyces hygroscopicus) in the production of ecofriendly alternative energy from waste

The marine actinomycetes strain MAC 6 and MAC 14 were used in the production of xylanase and lipase enzyme using wheat bran as an inducer with oats, soy meal and ground nut oil cake. Two strains showed higher xylanase and lipase activity at pH 10.0 and 50°C among 30 actinomycetes screened from sediments of Tiruchendhur coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. The enzymes were produced by solid state fermentation by using 70% of moisture content. More biogas production was observed in oil cake and straw waste with the pretreatment of xylanase and lipase producing strains within short hydraulic retention time.Key words: Biogas, groundnut oilcake, lipase, marine actinomycete, rice straw, solid state fermentation, thermophilic, wheat bran, xylanase

Ecofriendly application of cellulase and xylanase producing marine Streptomyces clavuligerus as enhancer in biogas production from waste

The marine actinomycete strain MAC 9 was used for the production of cellulase and xylanase from wheat bran with inducers oats and soy meal as substrate. Out of 30 actinomycetes screened from sediments of Tiruchendhur coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, India only 8 strains showed both cellulase and xylanase activity. The marine actinomycete exhibited highest enzyme activity at alkaline pH 8-9 with temperature ranging from 40-55°C. The enzymes were used in pretreatment of rice and wheat straw waste for biogas  production. More biogas production was observed in the agricultural waste with the pretreatment of  cellulase, xylanase and the combination of enzymes.Key words: Biogas, cellulase, energy, marine actinomycete, solid state fermentation, thermophilic, wheat bran, xylanase

CLONING AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF GAG GENE FROM HIV-1 INTO E. COLI DH5A HOST

Considering the worldwide increasing prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, World Health Organization (WHO) has intensified the access to the antiretroviral treatment. In spite of that one of the major issues to eradicate HIV-1 is the persistence of proviral human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA reservoir. Although PCR detects HIV-1 DNA, the diagnosis of early, post exposure HIV infection prior to seroconversion can be achieved by the detection of proviral DNA by RTPCR. In the present study HIV-1 DNA were isolated from patient with HIV and using specific primer designed using Primer 3 plus software for the HIV-1 gag gene. The amplified gene was ligated with T vector and transformed into DH5αcells. The plasmid DNA obtained was then confirmed by restriction digestion and sequence analysis. The sequence was found to be 98% similar to that obtained in GenBank. Further research is required to express the gene to get the protein antigen for the production antibodies or effective vaccine for HIV-1. Considering the worldwide increasing prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, World Health Organization (WHO) has intensified the access to the antiretroviral treatment. In spite of that one of the major issues to eradicate HIV-1 is the persistence of proviral human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA reservoir. Although PCR detects HIV-1 DNA, the diagnosis of early, post exposure HIV infection prior to seroconversion can be achieved by the detection of proviral DNA by RTPCR. In the present study HIV-1 DNA were isolated from patient with HIV and using specific primer designed using Primer 3 plus software for the HIV-1 gag gene. The amplified gene was ligated with T vector and transformed into DH5αcells. The plasmid DNA obtained was then confirmed by restriction digestion and sequence analysis. The sequence was found to be 98% similar to that obtained in GenBank. Further research is required to express the gene to get the protein antigen for the production antibodies or effective vaccine for HIV-1