Biodiversity and distribution of cyanobacteria at Dronning Maud Land, East Antartica

Biodiversity and distribution of cyanobacteria at Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica.The current study describes the biodiversity and distribution of cyanobacteria from the natural habitats of Schirmacher land, East Antarctica surveyed during 23rd Indian Antarctic Expedition (2003�2004). Cyanobacteria were mapped using the Global Positioning System (GPS). A total of 109 species (91 species were non-heterocystous and 18 species were heterocystous) from 30 genera and 9 families were recorded; 67, 86 and 14 species of cyanobacteria were identified at altitudes of sea level >100 m, 101�150 m and 398�461 m, respectively. The relative frequency and relative density of cyanobacterial populations in the microbial mats showed that 11 species from 8 genera were abundant and 6 species (Phormidium angustissimum, P. tenue, P. uncinatum Schizothrix vaginata, Nostoc kihlmanii and Plectonema terebrans) could be considered as dominant species in the study area.Biodiversidad y distribución de las cianobacterias de Dronning Maud Land, Antártida Oriental. En este estudio se describe la biodiversidad y distribución de las cianobacterias presentes en los hábitats naturales de Schirmacher, Antártida Oriental, muestreados durante la 23ª Expedición India a la Antártida (2003-2004). Las muestras de cianobacterias fueron georreferenciadas mediante un GPS. Se identificaron 109 especies (91 no heterocistadas y 18 provistas de heterocistes) de 30 géneros y 9 familias; en los tramos de altitud sobre el nivel del mar >100 m, 101-150 m y 398-461 m se detectaron 67, 86 y 14 especies, respectivamente. La frecuencia y densidad relativas de las poblaciones de cianobacterias en los tapices microbianos mostraron que 11 especies de 8 géneros eran abundantes y que 6 especies (Phormidium angustissimum, P. tenue, P. uncinatum, Schizothrix vaginata, Nostoc kihlmanii y Plectonema terebrans) se pueden considerar como dominantes en el área de estudio

Music, Myth and Motherland: Culturally Centered Music & Imagery

This study assessed ethnic identity in adults of Indian origin through Culturally Centered Music & Imagery (CCMI), a music-centered, psychotherapeutic technique that emphasizes socio-cultural context, identity and meaning. The purpose was to examine how participants’ native music, in the context of CCMI, could evoke identity-based imagery and assess ethnic identity in a globalized context. Five cisgender Indian men and women from Hindu backgrounds participated in one CCMI session each, including an interview and follow up discussions. The qualitative methodology of portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1997) was used in this study. The results reveal how CCMI can access the cultural and ethnic unconscious, a relatively new area of consciousness in Jungian and GIM paradigms. The study also shows how CCMI can highlight the fluid and multiple nature of ethnic identity, revealing its intersection with other identities such as gender, sexual orientation, caste and religion. In addition, the data support the use of contextual and identity-based music selections in assisting participants to explore, recreate or gain a deeper understanding of their ethnic identity through image and metaphor. Major findings include new categories of ethnic identity such as Aesthetic, Ancestral, Philosophical, Mythological, Spiritual and Core Indian identities. Subthemes include experiences of Rebirth, Disconnection, Unconscious Divide, as well as other socio-cultural identities such as Kaleidoscopic, World Citizen and Global Nomad. These and other themes relate to American, global, spiritual, queer, socio-economic, caste, gendered, and individual contexts. The research also suggests that this technique may be effective in emotionally and psychologically supporting adults who are going through the process of immigration or acculturation

Fuzzy Calculus with Noval Approach Using Fuzzy Functions

This article deals with the complexity involved in fuzzy derivatives when both input and output are from nonempty, convex, and compact fuzzy space. Consider a fuzzy valued mapping, and for fuzzy differentiation of fuzzy valued function, we propose Modified Hukuhara derivative. To evaluate this derivative, we need to take the parametric form of, input and the mapping which is involved in it. Our definition gives a more realistic explanation of fuzzy derivatives, under this derivative, we also develop fuzzy Taylor series along with its convergence. Lastly, we solve a fully fuzzy differential equation with initial condition using Fuzzy Taylor series.Comment: 22 pages, 1 figur

How to achieve high customer satisfaction in Sabancı University Information Center

The Sabancı University is a young private university, which started providing education in 1999 in Istanbul. A “Search Conference” had been organized in order to find out “what kind of a university the country needed” and of its structure had been established on this understanding. At the first stage, the vision, the mission and the design of the university were completed, and the foundation of administrative infrastructure and selection of technology systems were materialized. Starting from the days of its foundation, the planning of the information services and facilities had been one of the main issues of the project. The university, which aims to become a world university, was accepted to be a member of the “European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM)” regarding its activities in the stage of its foundation. A “Student and Staff Tendency Survey” which was implemented in 2001 indicated that the Information Centre was the strong side of the university. At the same time the Center's the statistics covering period of 1999-2007 also indicated that the targets were achieved under the strategic planning of the Center. In 2007, an user satisfaction survey in order to evaluate the conformity of the services and facilities, to identify its strong and weak areas, opportunities and threats through comparison and SWOT analysis for the future, and set up 2007-2011 five-years strategic planning and operational activity plan. The survey indicated that 95% of the participants are satisfied in general with the Center. In addition to these, the results of usage statistics between the years 1998-2009 indicated that utilizing of the services and facilities of the Information Center has increased from year to year. On the other hand, the results of the survey after the orientation programs show that the customer satisfaction is very high. We believe that the followings are the reasons of high user satisfaction. The Centre has a user and process focused pro-active management, learning organization structure, the availability of the suggestion system, continues benchmarking with the competitors and observing management and technological developments in the world. This paper presents to share our applications and plans on high user satisfaction rate, customer relation management activities and future planning

Plane-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetized viscous fluid universe with a variable Λ\Lambda

The behavior of magnetic field in plane symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological models for bulk viscous distribution is investigated. The coefficient of bulk viscosity is assumed to be a power function of mass density $(\xi =\xi_{0}\rho^{n})$. The values of cosmological constant for these models are found to be small and positive which are supported by the results from recent supernovae Ia observations. Some physical and geometric aspects of the models are also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex, no figur

Dual Axis Solar Tracking System for Solar Panel

Sustainable energy systems are necessary for the economic growth and a healthy environment. India is currently suffering from an economic slump and acute fuel shortage. To overcome these issues the use of renewable energy resources needs to be enhanced manifold. The main purpose of this paper is to present a tracking system which will cause better alignment of solar panel with sunlight and to harvest solar power. The proposed system changes its direction in two axis to trace the coordinate of sunlight by detecting change in light intensity through light dependent resistors. Hardware testing of the proposed system is done for checking the system ability to track and follow the sunlight in an efficient way. Dual axis solar tracking system superiority over stationary solar panel is also presented