Validation of Internet Gratification Scale on Indian Undergraduates using Network Psychometrics

The Internet Gratification Scale, developed by Dhir et al. (2016), measuresthe Internet Gratifications among adolescents and is based on six factors of Internet gratifications including Information seeking, Exposure, Connection, Coordination, Entertainment and Social influence. In the present study, the scale was validated using the network psychometrics approach for college students in Indian context. The sample subjects were drawn from degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory of India. A total of 662 students were taken from the colleges including both boys (240) and girls (422). We appliedExploratory graph analysis (EGA) by employing the EGAnetpackage in R/R-Studio, which resulted in the yielding of the five clusters of the scale, wherein the node numbers 17, 18 and 19 getting merged with first cluster.These three items pertained to the ‘Exposure’cluster/dimension in the original scale and got merged with ‘Information Seeking’ cluster/dimension. These three items showing split loading were dropped from the scale and the EGA was run again. The network analysis plot obtained after the second run showed a clear 5-cluster/factor structure including Information Seeking, Connection, Entertainment, Social Influence and Coordination. Thereafter ordinal Confirmatory Factor analysis was done. we used the estimator WLSMV for ordinal level data using lavaan package. The analysis revealed the values ofCFI, TLI, RMSEA robust and SRMR bentler as 0.982, 0.980, 0.086 and 0.064respectively which are within the acceptable limits thereby indicate a good fit.Furthermore,edge weight accuracy was calculated through the non-parametric bootstrap confidence interval. The correlation stability coefficient and bootstrapped difference tests were also performed. The plots were generated using the package qgraph.Finally, the structural consistency of the clusters was estimated and found to be within the acceptable limits. The educational and psychometric implications of the study are discussed

Breeding approaches for improvement of temperate fruit crops and nuts - a review

Fruit breeding is an ancient technology with dynamic current technology and an exciting future (Janick and Moore, 1975, 1996).  In its broadest sense, fruit breeding refers to the purposeful genetic improvement of fruit crops through various techniques including selection, hybridization, mutation induction, and molecular techniques. Its origins trace to the domestication process in prehistory and antiquity, where useful species were chosen and cultivated, and improved by continuous selection (Janick, 2005, 2011). Much of the world fruit industry is still based on grower selection from chance seedlings as well as mutations (sports) and as a result many fruit species are characterized by a narrow germplasm base. Spontaneous hybridization between wild plants and cultivated clones was critical to the early domestication of fruits. The lengthy juvenile period and the large field space required to grow temperate fruits have imposed major limitations on conventional breeding and various molecular biological techniques have been employed to make fruit breeding easier. (Igarashi et al.2016). Marker-assisted selection (MAS) uses DNA markers to provide an early DNA-based evaluation of genetic performance potential of seedlings, with the aim of improving cost and/or genetic efficiency of seedling selection (Ru, et al., 2015). Transgenic technology has facilitated the development of fruit trees with resistance to fungal or bacterial diseases, improved fruit quality, or root stocks with better rooting or dwarfing ability. In recent years, new technologies for genetic improvement, such as transgrafting, and genome-editing, have emerged. (Mudge, et al. 2009; Jia and Wang 2014). Using these techniques, no foreign genes are present in the final product, and some of them show considerable promise for application to apple breeding. Furthermore, genome editing, by which only the target gene can be accurately modified, is emerging as a novel breeding technology. These new technologies will undoubtedly facilitate fruit breeding, and yield novel and attractive fruit cultivars

Use of statistical analysis to monitor novel coronavirus-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, India

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been increasing slowly and steadily in all the districts of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is essential for the government and health management system to monitor the districts affected due to COVID-19. The main objective of this study is to ascertain and categorize the COVID-19 affected districts into real clusters based on similarities within a cluster and differences among clusters in order to imply standard operating procedures (SOPs) policies, decisions, medical facilities, etc. could be improved for reducing the risk of infection and death and optimize the deployment of resources for preventing subsequent outbreaks. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.467747

Impact of habitat variability on growth dynamics of Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. along an altitudinal gradient in Kashmir Himalaya

Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. is an important medicinal plant of the Himalayan region. Phenotypic attributes of a particular plant species varies along different altitudes in order to adapt and to overcome the changeable and stressful conditions. A number of environmental factors such as mean temperature, precipitation, soil characteristics, radiation intensity etc. changes with altitudinal gradient and thereby affect the morphological pattern of a plant species. The present study was undertaken to reveal the impact of the elevational gradient and habitat variability on the morphological features of the selected species. Under different environmental conditions the species exhibited enormous variability in its phenotypic traits. The plants were shorter at high altitude site, Gulmarg while the plants of low altitude site, Kashmir University Botanical Garden (KUBG) were taller and more vigorous. A significant decrease in the plant height, inflorescence length, leaf length, leaf breadth and petiole length occurred with increasing altitude. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the habitat of KUBG and Ferozpora (Tangmarg) proved relatively better for the growth of B. ciliata. The regression analysis revealed positive correlation between plant height and traits like inflorescence length, leaf length, leaf number and thus predicting a direct impact of plant height on other traits. Our findings present a comprehensive account on the variability of phenotypic characteristics, in relation to the environmental conditions of this valuable medicinal plant species

Maintenance and Modelling Strategies of Biomedical Equipment’s in Hospitals: A Review

This article analyzes recent developments in the derivation of bio-medical equipment’s maintenance management strategies, and proposes chary points to consider and affeer to perform during their operation. Medical technology is by now an integral part of health care according to consisting general accepted standards. Purchase and operation thereby represent an important economic position and both are subject of everyday optimization attempts. For this purpose by now exists a huge number of tools which conduce more likely to a complexness of the problem by a comprehensive implementation. In the future, we envision that new paradigms will be structured to overcome the present strategies, and in the longer term, provide an alternative source for maintenance and management of medical devices at hospitals. Keywords: Biomedical equipment’s, Hospitals, Maintenance, Medical Devices, Medical Technolog

Parrilla urethra: A sequalae of electric shock torture to genitals in men. A 40 case series in Kashmir (India)

Introduction: Since the 20th century, electric shock torture has become one of the most prevalent methods of torture partly because it produces sequelae that are more challenging to visibly detect, particularly when administered using high voltage and low current. In sexual torture, a wire is wrapped around the head of the penis and a wire electrode is inserted into the urethra.This produces unbearable pain and can lead to urethral strictures with devastating physical and psychological consequences. Objective: To document electric shock torture to genitals as an etiologic agent in urethral stricture and erectile dysfunction amongst survivors of electric torture introducing the term “parrilla urethra” for the electric shock torture urethral stricture. Materials and methods: The study included 40 patients who attended the Department of Urology, Directorate of Health services, Srinagar, Kashmir, India with obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) / obstructive uroflowmetry between March 2010 and November 2014. All cases had an antecedent of electric shock torture to genitals six months to one year prior to examination. Pre-post psychological impact and well-being was used through Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores. Results: The mean age of patients was 35.6 years. Most of the urethral strictures were located in the anterior urethra. Some degree of erectile dysfunction was present in all (100%) of patients. Psychological sequelae including depression, anxiety, acute stress disorder and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder were observed. Patients were treated with standard urethroplasty procedures after addressing the urethral stricture.This improved both physical and psychological sequelae of torture. &nbsp

Exploring destination image, familiarity, information search behaviour, involvement and travel motivation as influencers of ecotourists’ destination loyalty

This work aims at exploring the influence of selected factors that have received little attention in the past on ecotourism destination loyalty within the context of a developing country. The factors are destination image, familiarity, information search behaviour, involvement and travel motivation. The research was conducted on ecotourists visiting Malaysia who were approached on site and assisted to complete the survey instrument. The sample size was 813, representing a response rate of 47%. Hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Model. It was found that while there are no linear relationships between the tested variables and destination loyalty, there are findings from the study that offer some managerial implications towards the industry