Entrepreneurial Potential of Apipreneurs in South Kerala

The paper assessed the apipreneurs of Kerala based on their entrepreneurial potential. Ex post facto research design was followed for the study conducted during 2019-2020. The location of the study was South Kerala focusing on three districts viz., Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Kottayam. Seventy-five apipreneurs were randomly selected for the study. Based on the study it was found that about 69 per cent of the apipreneurs had medium level of entrepreneurial potential. The results obtained from principal component analysis on the dimensions of entrepreneurial potential, based on Eigen vectors revealed that the three dimensions viz., entrepreneurial motivation, management competencies and social competencies had influenced the entrepreneurial potential of the apipreneur

Internet addiction among college students during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study from South India

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic has had and continues to have a profound medical, psychological, and social impact on people of all ages, causing a crisis effect on society. Adolescent's psychosocial status was badly influenced by pandemic control strategies like an extended absence from formal education and home seclusion, during which their Internet use increased significantly. Excessive usage of smartphones can cause serious health problems such as neck pain, accidents, sleep disruptions, and depression. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 201 students aged between 16 and 25. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire that was distributed over numerous online portals. The sociodemographic questionnaire and the Internet addiction test were used for the study. Results: The mean age of students was found to be 21.2 ± 7.38 years. Most of the participants were female (130, 65%), undergraduates (118, 59%) and were using mobile network as a modem of connectivity (163, 81%). The salience (92.98) and neglect work (39.34) subscales of Internet addiction were higher among nuclear family students. Internet addiction is positively correlated to the family income (0.149**) of students. Conclusion: The outcomes of the study imply that during a lockdown, students can be given psychological support

Bilateral Microvascular Submandibular Gland Transfer with Implantation of Wharton's Duct in Superior Conjunctival Fornix: A Vision-Saving Procedure for Severe Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye can initially cause mild symptoms of irritation and may rapidly progress to corneal scarring and blindness. Tear substitutes can only help for mild cases. With the advancement in microsurgical techniques, an option of transferring vascularized salivary glands has shown positive results. We present a case of a 5-year-old boy with congenital alacrimia with ocular surface damage. Vascularized autologous submandibular gland transfer was considered as a viable option for this patient. We performed the gland transfer in two separate stages for the two eyes (1 year 5 months apart). The patient was evaluated for up to 2 years for the right eye and for 7 months for the left eye. Dry eye workup showed drastic improvement (right > left). Biochemical analysis showed gradual transition to resemble that of natural tears. This procedure can result in significant symptomatic improvement and can be a promising treatment option for cases of severe dry eye

Secreted Osteopontin Is Highly Polymerized in Human Airways and Fragmented in Asthmatic Airway Secretions

BACKGROUND: Osteopontin (OPN) is a member of the small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING) family and a cytokine with diverse biologic roles. OPN undergoes extensive post-translational modifications, including polymerization and proteolytic fragmentation, which alters its biologic activity. Recent studies suggest that OPN may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma. METHODOLOGY: To determine whether secreted OPN (sOPN) is polymerized in human airways and whether it is qualitatively different in asthma, we used immunoblotting to examine sOPN in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples from 12 healthy and 21 asthmatic subjects (and in sputum samples from 27 healthy and 21 asthmatic subjects). All asthmatic subjects had mild to moderate asthma and abstained from corticosteroids during the study. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between airway sOPN and cellular inflammation. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that sOPN in BAL fluid and sputum exists in polymeric, monomeric, and cleaved forms, with most of it in polymeric form. Compared to healthy subjects, asthmatic subjects had proportionately less polymeric sOPN and more monomeric and cleaved sOPN. Polymeric sOPN in BAL fluid was associated with increased alveolar macrophage counts in airways in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that sOPN in human airways (1) undergoes extensive post-translational modification by polymerization and proteolytic fragmentation, (2) is more fragmented and less polymerized in subjects with mild to moderate asthma, and (3) may contribute to recruitment or survival of alveolar macrophages