Objective structured practical examination as a formative assessment tool for IInd MBBS microbiology students

Background: Assessment drives learning. It is well known that conventional or Traditional Practical Examination (TPE) has several limitations, especially in terms of subjectivity. In OSPE the procedures are standardized, so objectivity is ensured and also reliability maximized. Objectives of the study were to compare TPE & OSPE examination in formative assessment for IInd MBBS microbiology students on the topic culture media and to obtain feedback from students attending OSPE, and faculty.Methods: 76 students were taught about culture media and simultaneously were sensitized about OSPE and TPE, which followed the next week. Informed consent was taken. All students were randomly divided into 2 batches (TPE and OSPE) based on roll call. 71 students were tested, 33 for OSPE and 38 for TPE. Eight OSPE stations were set up with 8 culture media, plus a rest station after station 4. TPE students went for viva-voce to one examiner for same eight culture media. Both OSPE and TPE students were evaluated for a score of 20. OSPE students and the faculty were given a pre-validated questionnaire for feedback.Results: Mean scores, standard deviation (SD) and “p” values were calculated using the T-test from the scores obtained. The mean scores for OSPE and TPE were found to be statistically significant- p-value <0.01. Feedback from OSPE students & faculty was also evaluated.Conclusions: OSPE is more structured and eliminates examiner bias better, and should be practiced in formative assessments and also be introduced in summative assessments

Implementation of Pattern Matching Algorithm for Multimedia Files in Mail Function Detection

Now a days internet and mail based file transfer has increased enormously due to this server space required will be highly and also occurs largely. In existing system if we upload the same file which is present in the server also get uploaded and duplication occurs. We used a pattern matching algorithm it eliminate duplication and also to avoid time wastage in uploading the same file present in the server. During file upload pattern will be matched. If pattern matched file won't be uploaded again it will simply matched the existing file it avoids uploading the file again. If pattern doesn't match it allow uploading the file. From this we save the memory space in the server and duplication doesn't occur

NGC 5385, NGC 2664 and Collinder 21: three candidate Open Cluster Remnants

We present CCD UBVI photometric and medium/high resolution spectroscopic observations obtained in the field of the previously unstudied dissolving open cluster candidates NGC 5385, NGC 2664 and Collinder~21. Our analysis stands on the discussion of star counts, photometry, radial velocity distribution, and proper motions available from the Tycho~2 catalogue. All the three aggregates clearly emerge from the mean Galactic field, but, regrettably, the close scrutiny of proper motions and radial velocities reveals that we are not facing any physical group. Instead, what we are looking at are just chance alignments of a few bright unrelated stars. Our analysis casts some doubt on the Bica et al. (2001) criterion to look for Possible Open Cluster Remnants. It seems mandatory to define a better criterion to adopt for further investigations.Comment: 12 pages, 12 eps figures (7, 9 and 11 degraded in resolution), accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Sweet sorghum bagasse – A source of organic manure

Bagasse or silage is an important by-product in the sweet sorghum-based ethanol industry. Above ground biomass distribution in sweet sorghum forms 90% of the total biomass produced and that includes stem, leaves and panicle with grain. It is estimated that bagasse makes 30% of the total biomass of sweet sorghum, which is composed of cellulose (15-25%), hemi cellulose (35- 50%) and lignin (20-30%) with Net Calorific value: 4,125 Kcal kg-1 (ash free); depending on the genotypes (Grassi 2001). Approximate composition of sweet sorghum bagasse is given in Table 1. It is estimated that 6-7 kg of bagasse will be produced for every liter of ethanol produced from sweet sorghum. Even though bagasse has multiple uses such as being a source for energy cogeneration, animal feed and organic manure, it is important to work out the trade-offs between its uses as a source of bio-fuel and carbon balance in the whole production-to-consumption chain. In this context, recycling of bagasse into organic manure and using it in the crop husbandry is an environmentally safe measure of sequestering carbon in the soil. Sweet sorghum is promoted in the semi-arid regions where organic carbon content in the soil is generally low and the application of bagasse as organic manure assumes great importance for sustaining the soil fertility. The direct application of bagasse to the soil causes temporary lock up (immobilization) of soil nitrogen (N) due to wider C: N (~35:1) ratio and hence, it is important to bring down the C: N ratio by vermicomposting to use it as organic manure. Composting is the value addition method for enriching organic residues with low N content and this can be done either through microbial flora or along with earthworms. Generally, composting of organic residues with earthworms is referred to as vermicomposting, which is a rapid and simple method. The composition of vermicompost is superior in terms of macro and micro nutrients; besides, it is rich in plant growth promoting substances. The composting of sweet sorghum bagasse with earthworms is focused in the project and protocol was standardized for the same through laboratory and on farm trials

A to G transitions at 260, 386 and 437 in DAZL gene are not associated with spermatogenic failure in Indian population

The autosomal DAZL (Deleted-in-Azoospermic-Like) gene, mapped to the short arm of the human chromosome 3, is the precursor for the Y-chromosomal DAZ cluster, which encodes for putative RNA-binding proteins. Mutations in the DAZL have been reported to be associated with spermatogenic failure in Taiwanese population but not in Caucasians. As there was no study on Indian populations, we have analysed the entire coding sequences of exons 2 and 3 of DAZL in a total of 1010 men from Indian subcontinent, including 660 infertile men with 598 non-obstructive azoospermia, 62 severe oligozoospermia and 350 normozoospermic fertile control men, to investigate whether mutation(s) in the DAZL is associated with male infertility. Interestingly, none of our samples (1010) showed A386G (T54A) mutation, which was found to be associated with spermatogenic failure in Taiwanese population. In contrast, A260G (T12A) mutation was observed in both infertile and normozoospermic fertile control men, without any significant association with infertile groups (χ2=0.342; p=0.556). Similarly, we have found a novel A437G (I71V) mutation, which is also present in both infertile and normozoospermic fertile control men without any significant difference (χ2=0.476; p=0.490). Our study clearly demonstrates the complete absence of the A386G (T54A) mutation in Indian subcontinent and the other two mutations- A260G (T12A) and A437G (I71V)- observed are polymorpic. Therefore, we conclude that these mutations in the DAZL gene are not associated with male infertility in Indian subcontinent

Nitrogen response and water use efficiency of sweet sorghum cultivars

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a biofuel crop, which can be grown under tropical rainfed conditions without sacrificing food and fodder security. Three sweet sorghum cultivars (CSH 22 SS, NTJ 2 and ICSV 93046) with two row spacings (60 and 45 cm) and six nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha−1) were grown on Vertisols during three post rainy (November to April) seasons at the ICRISAT center farm in Patancheru, India. The results showed that the row spacings (60 or 45 cm) had no influence on performance of the cultivars. Sweet sorghum hybrid CSH 22 SS produced the highest green stalk yield (45.4 Mg ha−1) and grain yield (2.33 Mg ha−1) compared to NTJ 2 (32.66 Mg ha−1 and 1.70 Mg ha−1) and ICSV 93046 (38.44 Mg ha−1 and 2.03 Mg ha−1). Net economic return from CSH 22 SS (US$681 ha−1) was also significantly higher than that from NTJ 2 (US$ 415 ha−1) and ICSV 93046 (US$ 539 ha−1). All cultivars responded to applied N up to 150 kg ha−1; however beyond 90 kg ha−1 N rate, the increase in yield was insignificant. Estimated N use efficiency (NUE) values indicated that 90 kg N ha−1 was an optimum N level for sweet sorghum crop. Simulated soil water balance components revealed that reduction in total transpiration due to water stress was 20 to 45% compared to the no-stress. In case of water use efficiency, CSH 22 SS showed the highest economic returns per unit volume of water input. Based on these results, it is concluded that sweet sorghum hybrid CSH 22 SS at 90 kg N ha−1 is the best remunerative combination for maximizing yield, economic returns and resource use efficiency

Carbon sequestration and land rehabilitation through Jatropha curcas (L.) plantation in degraded lands

The effects of growing Jatropha in on-farm and on-station degraded lands were evaluated on carbon (C) sequestration and soil properties. Jatropha accumulated and added to soil significant amounts of C (305 kg ha−1 year−1) from the year one itself. Overall, a 3–5-year old plantation added per year around 4000 kg plant biomass equivalent to 1450 kg C ha−1 – 800 kg C through leaves, 150 kg C through pruned twigs, and 495 kg C as deoiled Jatropha cake. Biodiesel C replacement in the fossil fuel was 230 kg ha−1. Besides adding biomass to the soil, and C replacement in fossil fuel; the standing Jatropha rendered ecosystem service by fixing 5100–6100 kg ha−1 C as the aboveground plus belowground biomass. Carbon additions by Jatropha during 4 years increased C content in the degraded surface soil layer by 19%, resulting in about 2500 kg ha−1 C sequestered. Huge C additions and live root activity under Jatropha increased microbial population, respiration rate and microbial biomass C and N in soil. Along with C additions, 4000 kg ha−1 year−1 plant biomass recycled into the soil 85.5 kg nitrogen, 7.67 kg phosphorus, 43.9 kg potassium, 5.20 kg sulphur, 0.11 kg boron, 0.12 kg zinc and other nutrients. The C additions improved water holding capacity of the soil under Jatropha as compared with the adjacent control soil which increased by 35% at 30 kPa and 21% at 1500 kPa soil water potential

Processing of indexical information requires time: Evidence from change deafness

Studies of change detection have increased our understanding of attention, perception, and memory. In two innovative experiments we showed that the change detection phenomenon can be used to examine other areas of cognition—specifically, the processing of linguistic and indexical information in spoken words. One hypothesis suggests that cognitive resources must be used to process indexical information, whereas an alternative suggests that it is processed more slowly than linguistic information. Participants performed a lexical decision task and were asked whether the voice presenting the stimuli changed. Nonwords varying in their likeness to real words were used in the lexical decision task to encourage participants to vary the amount of cognitive resources/processing time. More cognitive resources/processing time are required to make a lexical decision with word-like nonwords. Participants who heard word-like nonwords were more likely to detect the change when it occurred (Experiment 1) and were more confident that the voice was the same when it did not change (Experiment 2). These results suggest that indexical information is processed more slowly than linguistic information and demonstrate how change detection can provide insight to other areas of cognition

The role of the right temporoparietal junction in perceptual conflict: detection or resolution?

The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is a polysensory cortical area that plays a key role in perception and awareness. Neuroimaging evidence shows activation of rTPJ in intersensory and sensorimotor conflict situations, but it remains unclear whether this activity reflects detection or resolution of such conflicts. To address this question, we manipulated the relationship between touch and vision using the so-called mirror-box illusion. Participants' hands lay on either side of a mirror, which occluded their left hand and reflected their right hand, but created the illusion that they were looking directly at their left hand. The experimenter simultaneously touched either the middle (D3) or the ring finger (D4) of each hand. Participants judged, which finger was touched on their occluded left hand. The visual stimulus corresponding to the touch on the right hand was therefore either congruent (same finger as touch) or incongruent (different finger from touch) with the task-relevant touch on the left hand. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered to the rTPJ immediately after touch. Accuracy in localizing the left touch was worse for D4 than for D3, particularly when visual stimulation was incongruent. However, following TMS, accuracy improved selectively for D4 in incongruent trials, suggesting that the effects of the conflicting visual information were reduced. These findings suggest a role of rTPJ in detecting, rather than resolving, intersensory conflict