Digital literacy among Female Postgraduate students of Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka, India: A study

Digital literacy is the ability of an individual to locate, organize, evaluate, analyze and use the required information using digital technologies. It includes a working knowledge of several technologies and understanding of how it can be used. The main objective of the study was to determine the literacy of using digital resources by Female Postgraduate students of Karnatak University, Dharwad. The present study also determines the student’s level of ICT skills, frequency of internet use by the respondents, ascertain their awareness about different databases and their familiarity with various search strategies to retrieve E-resources. The study also highlights the problems faced by students in accessing information. The major findings of the study highlight that Google search engine is the most preferred search engine, the majority of the respondents i.e. 53 (68.83%) are aware of Google scholar followed by Research gate, Twitter, Slideshare, Academic.edu. and LinkedIn, SciSpace, Research ID are least used among the academic social networking sites. It is also found that there is a lack of awareness among students regarding the use of various search strategies for efficient information retrieval and only 43 (55.84%) respondents have awareness of copyrights issues. The study also highlights the problems faced by the respondents such as poor network connectivity, access restricted by the university, which curtail the prospects of effective use of digital information resources

Effect of different packaging materials on the efficacy of sweet flag rhizome powder (Acorus calamus L.) treated sorghum against Sitophilus oryzae

An experiment was conducted to know the effect of different packaging materials and sweet flag rhizome on seed quality of sorghum. The graded seeds were packed in six containers viz., polythene cover, mud container, cloth bag, gunny bag, glass container and steel container and seeds were treated with two percent of sweet flag rhizome powder before storage. The different observations viz., number of live adults, seed damage (%) by Sitophilus oryzae and germination (%) of seeds were recorded. The results revealed that the sweet flag rhizome treated seeds packed in steel container, recorded lowest seed damage percentage (32.00%), number of live adults (5.11) and highest seed germination (76.00%) after nine months of treatment. Hence seeds treated with sweet flag rhizome stored in steel containers reduces the insect infestation and steel containers can be effectively used for maintaining seed quality of sorghum during storage

Performance of Positive Buck-Boost Converter with Mode Select Circuit and Feed-Forward Techniques Using Fuzzy Logic Controller

This project is a highly efficient & novel control strategy for improving the transient in the output voltage of a dc-dc positive buck-boost converter which is required for low portable devices. The portable devices development of semiconductor manufacturing technology, conversion efficiency, power consumption, and the size of devices have become the most important design criteria of switching power converters. For portable applications better conveniences extension of battery life and improves the conversion efficiency of power converters .It is essential to develop accurate switching power converters, which can reduce more wasted power energy. The proposed topology can achieve faster transient responses when the supply voltages are changed for the converter by making use of the feed forward network .With mode select circuit the conduction & switching losses are reduced the positive buck–boost converter operate in buck, buck–boost, or boost converter. By adding feed-forward techniques, the proposed converter can improve transient response when the supply voltages are changed. Hence Positive buck-boost converters with mode select circuit &feed forward techniques using fuzzy logic converter is designed And the modeling & experimental results were verified in MATLAB/ Simulink DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.15026

LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS/ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS AMONG HEALTH-CARE STUDENTS OF SELECTED COLLEGES IN CHENNAI

Objective:  The  aim  of  the  study  was  to  assess  the  level  of  knowledge  among  health-care  students  (HCS)  toward  human  immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and people living with HIV (PLHIV) in dental and nursing colleges at Chennai.Methods: A quantitative approach and descriptive research design were adopted for the present study. HIV knowledge questionnaire-45 was used to assess the level of knowledge regarding HIV and PLHIV. Nonprobability convenient sampling technique was used for the selection of samples.Results: The collected data were analyzed using SPSS. Among 600 HCS, 274 (46%) had inadequate knowledge, 191 (32%) had moderately adequate knowledge, and about 135 (23%) students had adequate knowledge. The mean knowledge score was 10.94.Conclusion: HCS are in need of intense teaching program with various teaching methods which help to enhance their knowledge level and to eliminate the fear and stigma about handling of PLHIV.Keywords: The health-care students, Level of knowledge, Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, People living with human immunodeficiency virus

TO STUDY THE DRUG USE PATTERN IN PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING

Objective: To study the drug utilization pattern in patients suffering from primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: It is a prospective study done on 50 patients of POAG (comprising of individuals belonging to any age group). This study was carried for a period of 2-month, and the data included patient's demographic details and the drugs prescribed. Data were analyzed for drug use pattern.Results: After screening the prescriptions of patients, it was found out that out of total 50 prescriptions, 30 were males, and 20 were females. Out of50 prescriptions, prostaglandins (58%) were most commonly prescribed. β-blockers (16%) were also prescribed. Fixed dose combination constituted60% of the prescriptions. Instructions about the route, frequency, and duration of treatment were present in all prescriptions. Drugs prescribed by their generic names were 18.75% and about 81.25% of the drugs were prescribed by their brand names.Conclusions: Fixed drug combination of timolol and dorzolamide was the most frequently prescribed combination. Prescribers must be aware ofimportance of prescribing drugs with generic names.Keywords: Primary open-angle glaucoma, Intraocular pressure, Fixed dose combination

Electronics and Chemistry: Varying Single Molecule Junction Conductance Using Chemical Substituents

We measure the low bias conductance of a series of substituted benzene diamine molecules while breaking a gold point contact in a solution of the molecules. Transport through these substituted benzenes is by means of nonresonant tunneling or superexchange, with the molecular junction conductance depending on the alignment of the metal Fermi level to the closest molecular level. Electron-donating substituents, which drive the occupied molecular orbitals up, increase the junction conductance, while electron-withdrawing substituents have the opposite effect. Thus for the measured series, conductance varies inversely with the calculated ionization potential of the molecules. These results reveal that the occupied states are closest to the gold Fermi energy, indicating that the tunneling transport through these molecules is analogous to hole tunneling through an insulating film.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Doc2b enrichment enhances glucose homeostasis in mice via potentiation of insulin secretion and peripheral insulin sensitivity.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into skeletal muscle are processes regulated by similar isoforms of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptor (SNARE) and mammalian homologue of unc-18 (Munc18) protein families. Double C2 domain β (Doc2b), a SNARE- and Munc18-interacting protein, is implicated as a crucial effector of glycaemic control. However, whether Doc2b is naturally limiting for these processes, and whether Doc2b enrichment might exert a beneficial effect upon glycaemia in vivo, remains undetermined. METHODS: Tetracycline-repressible transgenic (Tg) mice engineered to overexpress Doc2b simultaneously in the pancreas, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues were compared with wild-type (Wt) littermate mice regarding glucose and insulin tolerance, islet function in vivo and ex vivo, and skeletal muscle GLUT4 accumulation in transverse tubule/sarcolemmal surface membranes. SNARE complex formation was further assessed using Doc2b overexpressing L6-GLUT4-myc myoblasts to derive mechanisms relatable to physiological in vivo analyses. RESULTS: Doc2b Tg mice cleared glucose substantially faster than Wt mice, correlated with enhancements in both phases of insulin secretion and peripheral insulin sensitivity. Heightened peripheral insulin sensitivity correlated with elevated insulin-stimulated GLUT4 vesicle accumulation in cell surface membranes of Doc2b Tg mouse skeletal muscle. Mechanistic studies demonstrated Doc2b enrichment to enhance syntaxin-4-SNARE complex formation in skeletal muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Doc2b is a limiting factor in SNARE exocytosis events pertinent to glycaemic regulation in vivo. Doc2b enrichment may provide a novel means to simultaneously boost islet and skeletal muscle function in vivo in the treatment and/or prevention of diabetes

Evaluation of antiepileptic activity of trachyspermum ammi (ajwain oil) alone and as an adjuvant to diazepam in swiss albino mice

Background: Epilepsy is defined as a group of chronic neurological disorders characterized by recurrent and unprovoked seizures. Taking into account high prevalence of epilepsy and the adverse effects of the current antiepileptic agents which leads to noncompliance, more attempts should be made to re-explore the natural sources for new drug discoveries.Methods: The antiepileptic activity of Ajwain oil alone and as adjuvant to diazepam in swiss albino mice was evaluated using Maximum Electro Shock (MES) and Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) induced seizure model. A total of forty eight (N=48) swiss albino mice weighing 20-30g of either sex were used in the study. Animals were divided into 2 sets of 24 animals each, which were further divided into 4 groups of 6 animals each. In either set, control received - 2% Tween 80 (10mg/kg); standard- Diazepam (2mg/kg); Test drug- Ajwain oil (75mg/kg) and Adjuvant group- Ajwain oil (75mg/kg) + Diazepam (2mg/kg). All the drugs were given intraperitoneally 30min before inducing seizures.Results: One way ANOVA was used to compare the means of all the groups followed by post Hoc Tukey’s test for statistical evaluation. In MES model, test drug showed statistically significant antiepileptic activity compared to control, however the results were comparable to standard. In PTZ, adjuvant therapy showed significant activity compared to standard, with a p value <0.001.Conclusions: Therefore, authors conclude that Ajwain oil has significant anti-epileptic activity