Pattern of card catalogue consultation in a special library

A three day sample observation of card catalogue consultation by users at ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) Library has been made and results recorded. Users have been subsequently questioned about the purposes for which catalogue was consulted. The paper describes the card catalogue system of the library, the method followed and limitations of the study. The data in appropriate tables has revealed that classified catalogue is not used; Report Number Catalogue is least used and subject catalogue is consulted to the maximum. It is also found that more than half of the consultations of card catalogue are to locate documents, one-fourth is to interact with circulation system, one-tenth is to make a comprehensive search for references on a topic and rest for miscellaneous purposes. It is concluded, based on the results, that arrangement of charged out tray at circulation counter be changed to classified order and classified catalogue itself may have to be dispensed with

The task of digital information management

This paper tries to contrast digital decay with paper decay, explains how digitisation further accelerates accessing information through the trio factors accessibility, ease of use and perceived utility. Also discusses related issues including proliferation of gray content on the Web

Resource sharing and networking of engineering college libraries

This lecture on resource sharing and networking of engineering college libraries in Karnataka delivered at the second annual seminar of ASSIST (Asian Society for Social Service, Information Science and Technology) explains the need for resource sharing, enumerates the buzz words relating to "cooperation" and "e-revolution", points out the inherent limitations as well as certain facts and hurdles in the process of resource sharing. It examines cost considerations of resources versus their use considerations as well as strength of resources versus strength of user need considerations. The lecture enumerates various possibilities and areas for resource sharing. In conclusion, some suggestions and tips are offered to overcome the hurdles for effective resource sharing. Two case studies, namely subscription to e-journals and user-orientation at ISAC (ISRO Satellite Centre) library are also presented

Something about the structure of the Galaxy

We analyse a sample of 507 evolved stars in the inner galactic Plane. We derive average ages for subsets of this sample and use those sets as beacons for the evolution of the Galaxy. In the Bulge the oldest OH/IR stars in the plane are 7.5 Gyr, in the Disk 2.7 Gyr. The vertical distribution of almost all AGB stars in the Disk is found to be nearly exponential, with scaleheight increasing from 100 pc for stars of \lsim 1 Gyr to 500 pc for stars of \gsim 5 Gyr. There may be a small, disjunct population of OH/IR stars. The radial distribution of AGB stars is dictated by the metallicity gradient. Unequivocal morphological evidence is presented for the existence of a central Bar, but parameters can be constrained only for a given spatial-density model. Using a variety of indicators, we identify the radii of the inner ultra-harmonic (2.5 kpc) and corotation resonance (3.5 kpc). We show that the 3-kpc arm is likely to be an inner ring, as observed in other barred galaxies, by identifying a group of evolved stars that is connected to the 3-kpc HI filament. Also, using several observed features, we argue that an inner-Lindblad resonance exists, at $\sim$1-1.5 kpc. The compositions of OH/IR populations within 1 kpc from the galactic Centre give insight into the bar-driven evolution of the inner regions. We suggest that the Bar is $\sim$8 Gyr old, relatively weak (SAB) and may be in a final stage of its existence.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, TeX, accepted for publication in MNRA

Learning functional object categories from a relational spatio-temporal representation

Abstract. We propose a framework that learns functional objectcategories from spatio-temporal data sets such as those abstracted from video. The data is represented as one activity graph that encodes qualitative spatio-temporal patterns of interaction between objects. Event classes are induced by statistical generalization, the instances of which encode similar patterns of spatio-temporal relationships between objects. Equivalence classes of objects are discovered on the basis of their similar role in multiple event instantiations. Objects are represented in a multidimensional space that captures their role in all the events. Unsupervised learning in this space results in functional object-categories. Experiments in the domain of food preparation suggest that our techniques represent a significant step in unsupervised learning of functional object categories from spatio-temporal patterns of object interaction.

Psychiatric Case Record

Bipolar Disorder-Mania: Patient was apparently normal one-month back, Then all of a sudden he developed sleep disturbances –mainly difficult in initiation of sleep. He also started abusing his family members for unwanted things. Subsequently, he started talking excessively and irritable. Sometimes he sings film songs and dances. He used to say that God Supreme exists in himself and so he has all the powers of Almighty. With that superior power he says that he can solve all the problems in this world. He also says that he has invented herbs to keep people young. For the past one week, he talks excessively without having an hour of sleep & wanders here and there & found excessively smoking. He becomes excessively spiritual and goes to near by villages for offering prayers to God. He takes only a little food everyday and he is very much keen in personal cleanliness. Paranoid Schizophrenia: She was apparently normal 8 months back, then she developed sleep disturbances in the form of difficult in falling asleep. She was found talking & smiling to herself at night & day with mirror gazing. She started saying that her neighbour & relatives are planning to kill herself by poisoning. In this context she had frequent quarrels with them and she refused to take food prepared by her mother in law. She left the home at night without informing any one and started wandering in the road side near her home. She was complaining that she hears voices as if her neighbour & relatives were talking about her among themselves She was not doing house hold activities for past 6 months and she was not taking care of her child. Her personal hygiene was very much deteriorated slowly as she used to take bath & brush, only if she was asked to do so. She started abusing & assaulting the strangers and family members. Generalised Anxiety Disorder: Six months back he was apparently normal. He is working as a system analyst in a private bank . He had once, made a mistake in his bank work for which he was given charges by his employer, followed this event he becomes very tense and afraid whenever his boss called him. He is very cautious that he should not commit any mistakes. Even though he is not doing so, he fears that he may commit some mistake in his work. At that moment he develops palpitation, giddiness, breathlessness, excessive sweating over palms and soles. Slowly these symptoms present through out the day even when he was not in his office, and he could not control his fearfulness. For the past 6 months he didn’t sleep well. His sleep is disturbed by bad dreams. Recurrent Depressive Disorder: Patient was apparently alright 2 months back. Then she developed sleep disturbances particularly early morning awakening, she use to wake up by 3.00 am and use to brood about herself and started crying. She was not doing her domestic work as before, as she felt excess tiredness and use to take frequent rests. She developed poor communication. She had lost her interest in pleasurable activities and was not interested in watching TV, and attending family gatherings. She stayed aloof most of the time & calm, quiet and withdrawn. She was expressing her helplessness and hopelessness about the future. She started to have decline in maintaining self care. 15 days back, she frequently expressed suicidal ideas and she had attempted suicide by hanging herself and was rescued by neighbours. 5 days back, she started talking in an irrelevant manner. She was smiling to self. She was assaulting her family members. She was suspicious that her neighbour had done black magic on her and also saying that people are talking about her. She reported hearing the voice of her neighbour scolding and threatening her. Organic Brain Syndrome – Dementia: Ten months back he was apparently alright. Then his relatives noticed himself frequently misplaces things inside his home. Then he started behaving aggressively. He was beating his wife without reason. He was roaming here and there, running out of home and wandering aimlessly. He was not able to come back home when he goes out. He was brought back to home by his relatives. Slowly he developed fearfulness and tremulousness while he was staying alone. He also started saying that his family members & neighbours were talking about himself, in this context he would make frequent quarrels with them. He also started hearing voices of known male voices abusing himself in third person. He sleeps for few hour only. He is passing urine and motion inside the house. He is asking about his brother and mother-in-law who were expired long back. He behaves abnormally such as pouring water in the plate while eating. And his relatives found the symptoms were worsened by evening. All these symptoms started insidiously, increased in severity through time and attained the present state. No history of loss of appetite / crying spells / suicidal tendencies / convulsions / fever / head injury

The Enrollment Effects of Merit-Based Financial Aid: Evidence from Georgia's HOPE Scholarship

This paper examines the effects of Georgia's merit-based HOPE Scholarship on college enrollment. Introduced in 1993, the HOPE Scholarship covers tuition, fees, and book expenses for students attending Georgia public colleges, and provides a subsidy of comparable value to students attending in-state private colleges, without any income restrictions. Treating HOPE as a natural experiment, we contrast college enrollment in Georgia with those in the other member states of the Southern Regional Educational Board using IPEDS data for the period 1988-97. We estimate that the HOPE increased total freshmen enrollment by 5.9 percent, with the gains concentrated in 4-year schools. For freshmen recently graduated from high school attending 4-year colleges, two-thirds of the program effect is explained by a decrease in students leaving the state. Both white and black enrollments increased because of HOPE, with the state's historically-black institutions playing an important role. Finally, the total HOPE-induced enrollment increase represents only 15 percent freshmen scholarship recipients.Higher Education, Enrollment, HOPE, Merit-based Aid