Impact of COVID 19 on Student Mobility in India

The Pandemic COVID 19 has left humanity stranded with a question ‘what next’. The student community is perplexed to make decisions on where to pursue their education from. The fear of contracting the disease along with many other associated challenges has altered decisions of many students. This paper examined the preferred destinations of Indian Students for graduation, factors affecting the decisions, the impact of gender on student mobility. The paper attempts to factor in all the major reasons which contribute in deciding where the students will be moving for their Higher Education Studies

Impact of Digital Education on Learning Behavior of Undergraduates

Present study examines the impact digital education on learning behaviour of undergraduates in terms of Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Psychological Wellbeing and E-classroom interaction. The background of the study is the point in Madhya Pradesh in response to the COVID-19 virtual educational environment. To measure the learning behaviour indicators used in the present study, a survey was conducted on the total of 385 undergraduates taking digital education. The data were analyses using the structural equation modelling. Results showed that the digital education has positive impact on all the learning behaviour predictors used in the present study. The findings showed that psychological wellbeing and e-classroom interaction were improved with the experiences and time. Results suggest that satisfaction with digital education can be further improved by developing e-classes that are easy to use, focusing on the features that are frequently used by the undergraduates. In addition, educational institutes provide training and advice to increase students’ psychological wellbeing

Shuffle on array languages generated by array grammars

Motivated by the studies done by G. Siromoney et al. (1973) and Alexan- dru Mateescu et al. (1998) we examine the language theoretic results related to shuf- fle on trajectories by making use of Siromoney array grammars such as (R : R)AG, (R : C F )AG, (C F : R)AG, (C F : C F )AG, (C S : R)AG, (C S : C S)AG and (C F : C S)AG which are more powerful than the Siromoney matrix grammars (1972) and are used to make digital pictures

Role of Acarbose in Glycemic Control.

Objective: To study the long term efficacy of Acarbose in improving glycemic control in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus Study Design: It is a prospective observational study. Study Site: The study was conducted in the department of Diabetology, Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, a multispecialty hospital in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. Study Period: The study was conducted from June to January 2012. Study Population: Both male and female patients diagnosed as Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Patients having glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) above the upper limit (more than 6.5%) Sources of Data: The data was collected from various sources such as patient’s case sheet, treatment chart, laboratory reports and also through direct patient interview. Study Procedure: In this prospective study both male and female patients diagnosed with Type II Diabetes mellitus having HbA1C value more than 6.5% were included and those having type 1 DM taking insulin as sole therapy and patients with chronic intestinal disease are excluded. All the patients who fulfill the inclusion crieteria are taken for the study. The laboratory values and medications are noted from the patient’s chart. Values such as FBS, PPBS, HbA1C, BMI are noted at the initial visit and the therapeutic efficacy of the drug in reducing these parameters were determined during the next review. Acarbose was usually given in addition to the current diabetes medications. Another group was also included in the study where patients taking other oral hypoglycemic agents except Acarbose. The percentage reduction in blood glucose profile in both groups were calculated and the therapeutic efficacy of the drug was determined Data are collected from the data entry form which gives values of blood glucose profile. Baseline and review values were compared by paired students 't' test. The significant reduction produced in blood glucose value was determined. Also the percentage reduction in blood glucose profile produced by Acarbose in obese and non obese patients was also calculated. CONCLUSION Diabetes mellitus is a clinical syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia due to absolute or relative deficiency of insulin. Type II diabetes is a complex condition because there is a combination of insulin resistance together with impaired pancreatic beta cell function and thus leads to relative insulin deficiency. The different factors which may contribute to type II DM are greater longevity, obesity, unsatisfactory diet, sedentary life style and increasing urbanization. Acarbose is the first α glucosidase inhibitor that acts in the gastro intestinal tract and it has got wide margin of safety profile and low incidence of side effects. It represents a new approach to the management of NIDDM thus modulating gastro intestinal carbohydrate metabolism to control post prandial hyperglycemia and to maximize the long term glycemic control. Our study was focused on evaluating the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of Acarbose in Type II diabetic patients in a clinical practice setting in an Indian population. It was found that mainly obese patients with elevated blood glucose profile have reduced blood glucose value with Acarbose polytherapy. Thus it has been more effective in reducing the blood glucose profile in obese patients as compared to non obese patients . The different doses of Acarbose which prescribed were 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. Patients on oral hypoglycemic agents showed significant reduction in FBS while patients on Acarbose therapy showed significant reduction in PPBS and HbA1C. No systemic side effects were observed and only few gastrointestinal side effects such as abdominal flatulence and loose stools were reported. From this study it has been concluded that Acarbose can be safely combined with other antidiabetic drugs such as oral hypoglycemic agents and Insulin. It was found to be safe and well tolerated due to its non systemic mode of action. It was also found that Acarbose in combination with oral hypoglycemics and Insulin was effective in reducing the PPBS and HbA1C than oral hypoglycemic agents alone used. Our study is a short term study involving only a small number of study population. Hence in the future controlled long term studies involving large number of patients are still needed to be carried out to evaluate if the advantages of addition of Acarbose are persistent and whether it is possible to obtain a reduction in vascular complications and mortality

Influencing Factors of Behavior Intention and Actual Use of Technology: An Application of UTAUT Model on Science Undergraduates

This study was conducted by empirically testing a model to predict the factors affecting science undergraduates’ behaviour intentions towards the actual use of technology (digital leaning). This study explored the behavioural intention of use of digital learning from the perspective of students by applying the extended UTAUT model. A cross-sectional study was conducted on science undergraduates. The data was derived from an online survey with 425 respondents and analyzed using a structural equation model. PLS-SEM was used for model and hypothesis testing. The result revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence are positively associated with behaviour intention and actual use of technology. Facilitating conditions were negatively associated with BIUT (behavior intention and actual use of technology). Our findings correspond with the UTAUT model and provide a practical reference for educational institutions on designing digital learning for further studies

Eryptotic Phenotype in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Contribution of Neutrophilic Cathepsin G

In pathological conditions with concurrent neutrophilia, modifications of erythrocyte membrane proteins are reported. In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a myeloproliferative disease wherein neutrophilia is accompanied by enhanced erythrophagocytosis, we report for the first time excessive cleavage of erythrocyte band 3. Distinct fragments of band 3 serve as senescent cell antigens leading to erythrophagocytosis. Using immunoproteomics, we report the identification of immunogenic 43 kDa fragment of band 3 in 68% of CML samples compared to their detection in only 38% of healthy individuals. Thus, excessive fragmentation of band 3 in CML, detected in our study, corroborated with the eryptotic phenotype. We demonstrate the role of neutrophilic cathepsin G, detected as an immunogen on erythrocyte membrane, in band 3 cleavage. Cathepsin G from serum adsorbs to the erythrocyte membrane to mediate cleavage of band 3 and therefore contribute to the eryptotic phenotype in CML

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY: KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT AND PATIENT CARE OF DIABETIC FOOT ULCER PATIENTS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: To assess the knowledge with a diabetic foot ulcer, to evaluate the severity and grade of diabetic foot ulcer, to study the self-care behaviour and medication adherence in a patient with diabetic foot ulcer and to counsel the patients.Methods: The KAP, self-care foot behaviour and MMAS-8 questionnaire were given during interview; severity using Wagner's scale was assessed. Knowledge, attitude, self-care foot practice and adherence was measured based on various parameters such as demographic factors, clinical characteristics, and medication taking characteristics. It was measured before and after the patient counselling to see improvement in the quality of life.Results: In the study period of 6 mo 111 cases were gathered. There were 74 (66%) patients who were illiterate; the patients with low economic status were 63 (56%). Patients who are illiterate have poor knowledge and poor self-care behaviour, in our study 74 (66%) are illiterate which improved after counselling and 59 patients with high knowledge. Medication adherence is also associated with the education of the patient. After counselling and providing knowledge most of the patients are having high KAP scores. Wagner's scale for the study of the severity shows that most of the patients 30 out of 111 are having Grade 4 of the score which shows the need of counselling and education towards foot care. Improvement in the self-care practice and on safety and prevention was seen after counselling.Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude, self-care practice and adherence of the patient can be improved by establishing a good patient-provider relationship and giving proper patient counselling to the patient or their relatives

Interactive effects of vascular risk burden and advanced age on cerebral blood flow.

Vascular risk factors and cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction have been linked to increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD); however the possible moderating effects of age and vascular risk burden on CBF in late life remain understudied. We examined the relationships among elevated vascular risk burden, age, CBF, and cognition. Seventy-one non-demented older adults completed an arterial spin labeling MR scan, neuropsychological assessment, and medical history interview. Relationships among vascular risk burden, age, and CBF were examined in a priori regions of interest (ROIs) previously implicated in aging and AD. Interaction effects indicated that, among older adults with elevated vascular risk burden (i.e., multiple vascular risk factors), advancing age was significantly associated with reduced cortical CBF whereas there was no such relationship for those with low vascular risk burden (i.e., no or one vascular risk factor). This pattern was observed in cortical ROIs including medial temporal (hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, uncus), inferior parietal (supramarginal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, angular gyrus), and frontal (anterior cingulate, middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus) cortices. Furthermore, among those with elevated vascular risk, reduced CBF was associated with poorer cognitive performance. Such findings suggest that older adults with elevated vascular risk burden may be particularly vulnerable to cognitive change as a function of CBF reductions. Findings support the use of CBF as a potential biomarker in preclinical AD and suggest that vascular risk burden and regionally-specific CBF changes may contribute to differential age-related cognitive declines

The impact of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) sinks on age of air climatologies and trends

Mean age of air (AoA) is a common diagnostic for the strength of the stratospheric overturning circulation in both climate models and observations. AoA climatologies and AoA trends over the recent decades of model simulations and proxies derived from observations of long-lived tracers do not agree. Satellite observations show much older air than climate models, and while most models compute a clear decrease in AoA over the last decades, a 30-year time series from measurements shows a statistically nonsignificant positive trend in the Northern Hemisphere extratropical middle stratosphere. Measurement-based AoA derivations are often founded on observations of the trace gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF$_{6}$), a fairly long-lived gas with a near-linear increase in emissions during recent decades. However, SF$_{6}$ has chemical sinks in the mesosphere that are not considered in most model studies. In this study, we explicitly compute the chemical SF$_{6}$ sinks based on chemical processes in the global chemistry climate model EMAC (ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry). We show that good agreement between stratospheric AoA in EMAC and MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding) is reached through the inclusion of chemical SF$_{6}$ sinks, as these sinks lead to a strong increase in the stratospheric AoA and, therefore, to a better agreement with MIPAS satellite observations. Remaining larger differences at high latitudes are addressed, and possible reasons for these differences are discussed. Subsequently, we demonstrate that the AoA trends are also strongly influenced by the chemical SF6 sinks. Under consideration of the SF$_{6}$ sinks, the AoA trends over the recent decades reverse sign from negative to positive. We conduct sensitivity simulations which reveal that this sign reversal does not result from trends in the stratospheric circulation strength nor from changes in the strength of the SF$_{6}$ sinks. We illustrate that even a constant SF$_{6}$ destruction rate causes a positive trend in the derived AoA, as the amount of depleted SF$_{6}$ scales with increasing SF$_{6}$ abundance itself. In our simulations, this effect overcompensates for the impact of the accelerating stratospheric circulation which naturally decreases AoA. Although various sources of uncertainties cannot be quantified in detail in this study, our results suggest that the inclusion of SF$_{6}$ depletion in models has the potential to reconcile the AoA trends of models and observations. We conclude the study with a first approach towards a correction to account for SF$_{6}$ loss and deduce that a linear correction might be applicable to values of AoA of up to 4 years

Response of coconut seedlings to elevated CO2 and high temperature in drought and high nutrient conditions

The interaction effect of climate change variables elevated CO2 and elevated temperature (ET) with drought and nutrients on growth and development of coconut seedlings was studied in an open top chamber (OTC) at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kasaragod. Seedlings were exposed to ambient (normal CO2 and temperature), elevated CO2 (550 and 700 ppm), ET (3 °C above ambient) and ET + elevated CO2 (550 ppm CO2 + 3 °C). In each OTC, a set of seedlings were subjected to drought (50% FC) and another set was maintained at 150 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF). Seedlings in elevated CO2 treatments accumulated significantly higher biomass. It was 1.13 and 1.98 kg seedling-1 with 550 and 700 ppm CO2 respectively as against 1.10 in ambient treatment. It was the least in ET treatment (0.91). The stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration (Tr) of plants grown under elevated CO2 was reduced without affecting the photosynthesis. As a consequence, the whole plant WUE of coconut seedlings grown under elevated CO2 was high both under control and drought condition. The WUE significantly reduced both in high temperature and drought stressed plants. Elevated CO2 to certain extent compensated for water stress and high temperature induced reduction in growth of coconut