Impact of Online Reading on Skills of Professionals

This study investigates the impact of online reading on skills of professionals and students. The professionals include doctors, teachers, researchers, bankers, businessmen, journalists, librarians and regular students of the University of Karachi. The research approach of this study is qualitative. The sample size is 50. The qualitative data was collected through face to face interviews that recorded on the smartphone. The recorded interviews were transcribed and then analyzed. The findings indicated online reading through internet increases the reading habit and strengthen the knowledge of users through the availability of information across the world. Simultaneously it enriches the skills of professionals. The professional skills are enhancing through the variety of resources which are easily accessible. Furthermore, online lectures, tutorials, and demos are boosting the independent lifelong learning skills. While translation service, online dictionaries, pronunciation, and vocabularies also upgrade the language skills

Information Requirements of Pakistani Media Practitioners: A Comparative Study

The study is conducted to compare the information requirements of Media Practitioners (MPs) working in field, on Desk and working on both field and desk. These practitioners are belong to three mass media houses i.e radio, television and newspaper. Data was collected through questionnaire by 185 MPs. Results reveal nature of work of field practitioners, Desk Practitioners and Practitioners working on both field and desk is an important factor in development of information need

Perception about the Internet among O-level’s Students

This study explores the perception of students about the Internet. Sample consists of 40 students, who belong to Karachi, the metropolitan city of Pakistan. This city is a hub of industrial, educational, and social activities of Pakistan. These students were of an O-level’s school. Their ages range from 15 to 17. All these sampled students are the Internet users. Data were collected through interviews. Results reveal that the students have lucid perception of the Internet and web resources. They use it for studies, entertainment and information purpose. They keep themselves well aware and up to date their information through the Internet. They were cognizant of advantages and disadvantages, i.e. how it has been affected their lives. Students were also more concerned about its caustic effects. Results of this study will be helpful for parents, teachers, and academic librarians to guide children about use of the Internet in a positive manner. It will also direct educators for the Internet education. This study has recommended that O level’s school students might have proper training and guidance on the Internet search engines and searching skills. It may be the imparted in school’s curriculum

Importance of Practical Courses for a Professional Degree: A Case of Library & Information Science (LIS)

The purpose of this study is to seek the opinion of Pakistani library professionals employed in different types of libraries and organizations about importance of practical courses, theory courses and practical-cum-theory courses they had studied for the fulfillment of their professional degree. It is a survey research based on a structured questionnaire. The survey reveals that the library schools of Pakistan design and develop their courses of their own accord to fulfill the local needs but they also follow the curriculum designed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). While designing curricula, the international standard and uniformity is taken into consideration and the core courses to be taught in the first year of Masters program remain more or less same in all library schools. The theory and practical courses are also the part of curricula and imparting practical education is given due consideration. The professionals identified some courses in which more practical factor should be included so that the graduates should not face problems after joining the professional field. Keywords: LIS education; Practical Courses; Theory-Practical Ratio; Curriculum; Pakistan; Curriculum Development DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-8-20 Publication date: April 30th 201

Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. (Sarphuka, Wild Indigo): An important drug of Unani system of medicine

Tephrosia purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, widespread in the Indian subcontinent. In Unani system of medicine it is either used as a single drug or as an ingredient in many Unani formulations which are use in the treatment of various ailments of the body. In the present manuscript the information available about this drug in Unani literature, phytochemical and pharmacological investigations carried out upto August 2018 are summarized. Sarphuka is a blood purifier, diuretic, digestive, laxative, resolvent, antidote etc. It is used in the treatment of syphilis, gonorrhea, leprosy, pruritus, inflammation, hemorrhoids and skin diseases. Pharmacological and clinical investigation of Tephrosia purpurea revealed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, antileishmanial, anti-carcinogenic and anti-lipidperoxidative activities.Â

Experiences Of Online Reading

This study investigates the online behavior of professionals and students. This research applied the qualitative method to get the objectives. The sample consists of 50 respondents of Karachi. These are selected from various professions such as doctors, teachers, researchers, bankers, businessmen, journalists, librarians and regular students of the University of Karachi. The data was collected through face to face interviews that recorded on the smartphone. The recorded interviews were transcribed and then analyzed. The findings indicated that internet increases the reading habit. Availability and accessibility of material improve the reading amount whereas cross-references, hyperlinks, and link to link movement developed the reading interest. Multimedia type information i.e. animation, pictures, charts, and graphs increase the online reading interest. It fulfills the professional needs on workplace at any time. Internet improves the professional skills because it provides the current research articles, teaching methodology, surgical videos, hot issues and every type of information. Online lectures, tutorials, demos enhance the independent lifelong learning skills. Internet increases the knowledge of users because of the availability of information across the world. While translation service, online dictionaries, pronunciation, and vocabularies also enhance the language skills. The results revealed that they read online for recreational purpose and general information. Moreover, they prefer print reading for recreational purpose and online reading for professional need. For ready reference service, they read directly on the screen. Full-text reading now converted into skimming. Whereas, the experiences of online reading about comprehension, concentration, absorption, recall, and relaxation depend on the topic and their interest in reading

Pharmacological and therapeutic potential of Oxalis corniculata

Oxalis corniculata is commonly known as Indian wood Sorrel. In Unani it is called as Hummaz and distributed in the whole northern temperate zone, United State of America, Arizona and throughout India. Oxalis corniculata is used in Unani medicine in the management of liver disorders, jaundice, skin diseases, urinary diseases etc. The plant been proven to possess various pharmacological activities like liver tonic, appetizer, diuretic, anthelmintic, emmenagogue, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic, blood purifier etc. Here we summarize the therapeutic potential of Oxalis corniculat

Reflectance of Natural Vegetation of Western Rajasthan Region in Visible and Near-infrared Spectra

This paper presents the study of spectral characteristics of natural vegetation of Western Rajasthan region in the visible and the near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The leaves of ten species of natural vegetation normally grow in Western Rajasthan were evaluated for their spectral reflectance in the wavelength range 400-900 nm under normal laboratory conditions. The change in reflectance due to change in physical condition of plants because of wilting has been observed for three consecutive days. To observe the change due to climatic conditions, the measurements have been carried out in two different seasons. The study aims to undertake design of colour schemes for camouflage painting of various military objects

A review on Phytochemical and biological properties of Calotropis gigantea (Linn) R.Br.

Calotropis gigantea Linn is a well known medicinal herb commonly known as Madar and has been used in Unani, Ayurveda and Siddha system of medicine for years. It is a native of India, China and Malaysia and distributed in almost all over world. All parts of the plant have been used as a medicine as well as an important ingredient in a number of Unani formulations used for the treatment of various ailments. In classical Unani literature it is mentioned to have anthelmintic, appetizer, anti flatulence, astringent, tonic, expectorant, emetic, diaphoretic, anti inflammatory, sedative, wound healer, antidote and digestive properties and used in asthma, stomach ache, cholera, amenorrhea and toothache. Phytochemical constituents include giganteol,ï¡ and ï¢ calotropeol, ï¢-amyrin, giganteol and isogiganteol etc. The drug has been reported for its anti asthmatic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, wound healing, antiinflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic activities. In this article the recently published papers were reviewed. Well known scientific search engines viz. Pub med, Medline, Google scholar, and Science Direct were used to retrieve online literature. All referred studies published in peer reviewed indexed journals were included. For Unani literature classical text and manuscripts were referred

Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Food Security Based on Food Security Index Analysis: A Case from Vaishali District, India

The paper has generated Food Security Index as a composite index of its three component indexes and analyzed spatio-temporal variation in food security at block level in Vaishali district of a backward state in India during 2000-03 and 2007-10. FSI identified not only the blocks requiring immediate attention but also the specific priority areas in which the efforts could be focused to attain long term sustainability of food security. The composite FSI using time series data could help in identifying the priority components and analyzing the progress of development interventions over a period of time aimed at sustainable food security