Establishing Library Learning Commons in Universities of India: A Case Study of BHU Library System

Traditional libraries have recognition as a physical space, as a physical collection, and as a traditional scribe in the era of industrial society and before. At present, the paradigm shift due to the advent of computer technology, information technology (IT) and information communication technology (ICT) has changed the way of information seeking, reading habits, learning methods, and even social connectivity and interactions of the society. Furthermore, these changes can be seen in the reading habits, information search, learning and teaching methods of students and faculty members engaged in higher education and research works. These transformations in users laid academic libraries to adopt new collections, services, tools and techniques, and more skilled staffs. It has also forced academic libraries to redesign their existing services, resources, and physical spaces with the addition of digital services, digital resources, and virtual spaces. All these tend to transform service delivery models and to reshape the reading areas according to the learning and reading habits of the users, especially digital native and net generation users. The Learning Commons (LC) is one of the new services which came into existence due to these transformations. Library Learning Commons (LLCs) are collaborative learning spaces in libraries for both students and faculties which provide a convenient, comfortable, flexible and more productive environment for learning, reading and research work. The purpose of this article is to provide a perspective on informal library learning commons developed in BHU Library System and to find the feasibilities to acquire new techniques and services to cope with the continuous paradigm shift towards the digital environment

Diffusion of Big Data in Indian Scientific Literature: Study of Research Productivity and Scientific Collaboration

Purpose: Big data, a buzzword of the present time, is a term used for extremly large data sets generated from the digital process which is not possible to analyze by traditional methods. These data sets are produced by digital devices such as smart phones, remote sensing, camera, microphones, RFID etc. The literature on big data is growing exponentially since 2011. Big data is tending to establish as a very important research field. This paper aims to explore the evolution, growth and scientific collaboration of the Indian publications in the field of big data. Design/methodology/approach: A survey approach is used in the study while data for the study is collected from Scopus database for the year 2001 to 2015. Bibliometric analysis, visualization and mapping software are used to present the current status, growth trends and collaboration in big data research to examine its diffusion in Indian scientific literature. Findings: We found that the big data research in India is gaining momentum and its diffusion and adoption is increasing tremendously. Conference and seminars are used to do social connect and interaction within the research community. The collaboration at institution level is found usual while collaboration at international level is low. Application of big data in health sciences and life sciences is yet to be explored in comparison to the social sciences and physical sciences. Originality/ Value: This paper presents the growth, trends and collaboration in big data literature by the use of sophisticated bibliometric software and visualization software

Assessing Subject Areas of Worldwide Information Literacy Research and Practice: A Discipline Co-Occurrence Network Analysis Approach

IL is important due to its potentiality to optimize the use of available information and to transform the novice into self-directed lifelong learners. It has gained ground and much attention in every field of knowledge which is assured by rapid increase in related literature. Since, the IL skills require subject-oriented approach not only to develop standard, guide, framework, tools, etc. but also to evaluate, assess, and impact of IL skills. Thus, measuring of the subject areas of IL publications and it co-occurrence is imperative and the objective of the present study. Based on data from Scopus database, network visualization technique is applied for the measure subject areas co-occurrence and related trends in the IL research articles published during 2001-16. IL publications show linear growth in the study period and trend is also in the same line. IL publications are spread into 26 out of 27 subject areas of Scopus database while there is research gap in Immunology and Microbiology. Social Science is observes as the core subject area while Computer Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Engineering, and Medicine are playing key role in IL research and practices. Social Sciences control the knowledge flow in the network i.e. every new ideas in the network is communicated through this. Highest co-occurrences are observed in Social Sciences and Computer Science followed by Social Sciences--Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences--Business, Management and Accounting; and Social Sciences--Medicine. The findings of the study are proxy of the current status and trend in the subject areas of worldwide IL publications thus provides panoramic view of IL publications in different subjects of world of knowledge

ON CONFORMAL QUASI HEMI-SLANT SUBMERSIONS FROM LORENTZIAN PARA SASAKIAN MANIFOLDS ONTP RIEMANNIAN MANIFOLDS

In the present article, our purpose is to define and study conformal quasi hemi-slant submersions (cqhs submersions, in short) from Lorentzian para Sasakian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds. Its geometric properties are also investigated. Lastly, we give a non-trivial example for this type of submersio

Finite element analysis and optimization of active magnetic bearings for contra-rotating coaxial rotor system

This paper presents the design, analysis and optimization of active magnetic bearings (AMBs) to support the inner rotor in a contra-rotating coaxial rotor system. An FEM based rotordynamic model is developed using 8-dof Timoshenko beam elements assuming both inner and outer rotors to be flexible. The dynamic response of this system due to an unbalanced force is used in one of the constraints of a multi-objective genetic algorithm for controlling the vibration amplitude within 10% of the air gap. A maximum reduction of 46.9% in the amplitude peak is obtained under the present conditions. Hence, this work also offers a tool useful in touch-down bearing design. The PD controller gains are found to govern the stiffness and damping properties of the AMB. On increasing the mass unbalance by a factor of 2.5, number of turns, pole width and maximum current are found to increase by 52.9%, 29.4% and 71.67% respectively

Effect of water and mercury quenching on microstructure and mechanical behavior of room temperature rolled Zircaloy-2

The present study investigates the effect of water and mercury quenching on the microstructural and mechanical behavior of room temperature rolled Zircaloy-2. Solution treatment of zircaloy-2 at 1073 K followed by quenching in mercury and water has been performed prior to rolling. Different reduction from 25% to 85% of the quenched alloy and further characterization has been performed by tensile testing, Electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Enhanced tensile strength (745 MPa) after 85% rolling reduction was obtained compared to 389 MPa after water quenching. Rolling reduction results an increase in the dislocation density, thereby enhancing the mechanical strength. Initial deformation has been observed by the activation of extension twinning from EBSD microstructure. Twinning results the inclination of ‘c’ axis towards the normal direction which makes near basal grains orientation along the deformation direction. Due to hard orientation i.e. ‘c’ axis aligned along the loading direction, the grain fragmentation is heterogeneous. Grain fragmentation leads to improvement in the ductility with minimal loss in strength owing to rearrangement of dislocations after annealing at 400o C for 30 minutes. By optimizing the annealing temperature (400o C for 30 minutes) bulk ultrafine grained zircaloy-2 have been produced in 85% room temperature rolled zircaloy-2

Correlates of road traffic accident in cases attending IIR hospital Kanpur

Introduction: Globally, road traffic accidents rank 8th among the leading causes of death. According to WHO data, deaths from road traffic injuries account for around 25% of all deaths from injury. Objective: To study the various correlates of road traffic accident in cases attending LLR Hospital, Kanpur. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among road traffic accident cases attending Emergency Ward of Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh during the period of March-September, 2015. Data was recorded in a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software version 16.0. Results: Out of 609 RTA cases, maximum number (54.19%) were in 20-40 years age group. Most of the RTA victims were males (69.95%) and majority were literate (90.97%). Maximum number (28.74%) of RTA took place between 4.00 p.m-8.00 p.m. Maximum number (36.95%) of RTA victims were two-wheeler drivers, followed by two-wheeler riders (26.60%). 16.60% of drivers of motorized vehicles had no driving license. 85.48% of motorized vehicle users were not using any protective gear (helmet, seat belt etc.) at the time of accident. Conclusion: Young adults in the economically most productive age group were the commonest victims of RTA. There is need of creating awareness regarding traffic rules among general public and strict enforcement of traffic rules by the concerned authorities

Structure of chitinase D from Serratia proteamaculans reveals the structural basis of its dual action of hydrolysis and transglycosylation

Chitinases are known to hydrolyze chitin polymers into smaller chitooligosaccharides. Chitinase from bacterium Serratia proteamaculans (SpChiD) is found to exhibit both hydrolysis and transglycosylation activities. SpChiD belongs to family 18 of glycosyl hydrolases (GH-18). The recombinant SpChiD was crystallized and its three-dimensional structure was determined at 1.49 Å resolution. The structure was refined to an R-factor of 16.2%. SpChiD consists of 406 amino acid residues. The polypeptide chain of SpChiD adopts a (β/α)8 triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel structure. SpChiD contains three acidic residues, Asp149, Asp151 and Glu153 as part of its catalytic scheme. While both Asp149 and Glu153 adopt single conformations, Asp151 is observed in two conformations. The substrate binding cleft is partially obstructed by a protruding loop, Asn30 - Asp42 causing a considerable reduction in the number of available subsites in the substrate binding site. The positioning of loop, Asn30 - Asp42 appears to be responsible for the transglycosylation activity. The structure determination indicated the presence of sulfone Met89 (SMet89). The sulfone methionine residue is located on the surface of the protein at a site where extra domain is attached in other chitinases. This is the first structure of a single domain chitinase with hydrolytic and transglycosylation activities

Modulation of inhibitory activity of xylanase - α-amylase inhibitor protein (XAIP): binding studies and crystal structure determination of XAIP- II from Scadoxus multiflorus at 1.2 Å resolution

Background: Plants produce a wide range of proteinaceous inhibitors to protect themselves against hydrolytic enzymes. Recently a novel protein XAIP belonging to a new sub-family (GH18C) was reported to inhibit two structurally unrelated enzymes xylanase GH11 and α -amylase GH13. It was shown to inhibit xylanase GH11 with greater potency than that of α-amylase GH13. A new form of XAIP (XAIP-II) that inhibits α-amylase GH13 with a greater potency than that of XAIP and xylanase GH11 with a lower potency than that of XAIP, has been identified in the extracts of underground bulbs of Scadoxus multiflorus. This kind of occurrence of isoforms of inhibitor proteins is a rare observation and offers new opportunities for understanding the principles of protein engineering by nature. Results: In order to determine the structural basis of the enhanced potency of XAIP-II against α-amylase GH13 and its reduced potency against xylanase GH11 as compared to that of XAIP, we have purified XAIP-II to homogeneity and obtained its complete amino acid sequence using cloning procedure. It has been crystallized with 0.1 M ammonium sulphate as the precipitating agent and the three-dimensional structure has been determined at 1.2 Å resolution. The binding studies of XAIP-II with xylanase GH11 and α-amylase GH13 have been carried out with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Conclusion: The structure determination revealed that XAIP-II adopts the well known TIM barrel fold. The xylanase GH11 binding site in XAIP-II is formed mainly with loop α3-β3 (residues, 102 - 118) which has acquired a stereochemically less favorable conformation for binding to xylanase GH11 because of the addition of an extra residue, Ala105 and due to replacements of two important residues, His106 and Asn109 by Thr107 and Ser110. On the other hand, the α-amylase binding site, which consists of α-helices α6 (residues, 193 - 206), α7 (residues, 230 - 243) and loop β6-α6 (residues, 180 - 192) adopts a stereochemically more favorable conformation due to replacements of residues, Ser190, Gly191 and Glu194 by Ala191, Ser192 and Ser195 respectively in α-helix α6, Glu231 and His236 by Thr232 and Ser237 respectively in α-helix α7. As a result, XAIP-II binds to xylanase GH11 less favorably while it interacts more strongly with α-amylase GH13 as compared to XAIP. These observations correlate well with the values of 4.2 × 10-6 M and 3.4 × 10-8 M for the dissociation constants of XAIP-II with xylanase GH11 and α-amylase GH13 respectively and those of 4.5 × 10-7 M and 3.6 × 10-6 M of XAIP with xylanase GH11 and α-amylase GH13 respectively