Students’ perception of the learning environment in a new medical college by means of the DREEM inventory

Background: The educational environment in a college is one of the most important factors in determining the success of the curriculum and the student. The DREEM inventory is a validated global instrument for measuring the educational environment in undergraduate medical education. A study was undertaken to assess the educational environment as perceived by the students of a new medical college established in India in 2008.Objectives: To compare the quality of the educational environment in preclinical years as perceived by the first two batches of students in a new medical college so that appropriate remedial measures could be taken, and also to identify gender differences, if any in the students’ perception.Methods: The DREEM questionnaire was administered to 156 students (2008 batch, n=56 and 2009 batch, n=100) on different occasions after a lecture class. Purpose of the study was explained to the students before administering the questionnaire. Confidentiality was maintained. Statistical analysis used: Cronbachs alpha for internal consistency and reliability. Unpaired t test was used for comparison.Results: The response rate was 100% (256 /256 students). The overall DREEM score was 126.3/200 indicating that perception of the educational environment of the medical school was more positive than negative. However, the study revealed some problem areas within the educational environment.Conclusion: A large number of diverse and hidden factors influence the way students perceive their educational environment. It should be a continuous process to monitor the feedbacks from the students to identify problem areas so that necessary remedial measures can be instituted at the earliest

Overwhelming Post Splenectomy Infection (OPSI) in Adult – Need for Awareness and Recognition

Overwhelming Post Splenectomy infection (OPSI) is a rare but fulminant disease with high mortality. The symptoms are usually non- specific in the initial stages mimicking flu and the source of infection usually remains cryptic. In spite of aggressive management, death rapidly occurs and is usually due to overwhelming sepsis. The commonest organism implicated is Streptococcus pneumoniae and the risk for OPSI after splenectomy is present throughout the lifetime of an individual. We report a case of a young woman who had undergone splenectomy nine years back. She rapidly deteriorated and died after a non- specific infection of three days duration. This case report is being presented to highlight that awareness and recognition of this important entity among physicians along with appropriate vaccination and education of patients' at risk may help reduce the high mortality associated with this serious disease

Improving the efficiency of a FTO/PCBM/Cs2AgBiBr6/NiOx/Au lead-free double perovskite solar cell using numerical simulation through optimizing the absorption layer thickness and work function of electrodes

Lead-free perovskite solar cells are proposed to reduce environmental toxicity. However, the efficiency of these solar cells is significantly lower than that of those based on lead. The maximum Photo Conversion Efficiency(PCE) reported experimentally for lead free solar cells is 6.37%, which is significantly lower than that of lead-based solar cells. Attempts have been made to improve the PCE of lead-free solar cells using numerical simulations in order to build a lead-free solar cell with the highest efficiency attainable. Recently, a lead-free solar cell with the configuration ITO/SnO2/Cs2AgBiBr6/P3HT/Au and a maximum PCE of 11.69% was numerically investigated. In this study, we suggested a lead-free solar cell structure using FTO/PCBM/Cs2AgBiBr6/NiOx/Au configuration and showed that,when operated in the wavelength range 400–700 nm, a PCE of 15.49% with Jsc = 8.17 mA/cm2, Voc = 2.49 V and FF = 76.16% can be attained by optimizing the thickness of the absorption layer and the work function of the electrode. While in the same configuration the PCE can be increased to 21.92% when operated in the wavelength range of 350–750 nm. This investigation's findings can be used to manufacture more efficient and stable lead-free solar cells forfuturenon-hazardous environmental applications

EFFECT OF ELECTRON-PHONON INTERACTION ON ELECTRON SPIN POLARIZATION IN A QUANTUM DOT LIGHT EMITTING DIODE

This paper presents a theoretical model for the effect of electron-phonon interaction, temperature and magnetic field on degree of electron spin polarization in GaAs/InAs quantum dot LED. To describe the dynamics, quantum Langevin equation for photon number and carrier number is used. Simulation results show that degree of electron spin polarization in quantum dot decreases with increase of electron phonon interaction parameter at constant temperature and constant magnetic field which agrees with experimental results in literatures

A retrospective study assessing the effect of maternal factors on birth weight of Newborn in a tertiary care teaching hospital at Eastern India

Background: Although neonatology has advanced a lot in last few years, low birth weight babies still put a challenge in terms of mortality and morbidity. Maternal parameters during antenatal period are directly or indirectly linked to the birth weight of a newborn. We intended to study the effect of maternal factors on birth weight from eastern part of India. Objective: To assess the effect of maternal factors on birth weight. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Durgapur, West Bengal, from 1st July 2019 to 30th June 2020. Data were collected from the mothers who visited the pediatrics OPD with their child during the study period. Results: Out of 225 mothers, 76 mothers had babies with low birthweight which accounted for 33.78% of total babies in our study. Seventeen (22.37%) no. of LBW babies were born to young mothers (<20yrs of age). Proportion of LBW babies born to young mothers was higher than those born to normal age mothers (20-34yrs) which was found to be significant. Lower SES of families had more chances of LBW babies as compared to middle SES groups. Anemia was found in 191(84.89%) mothers which was significantly associated with higher risks of LBW. Only 4.76% of mothers (BMI 18.5-24.9) with adequate wt. gain had delivered LBW babies as compared to 37.42% of mothers with poor wt. gain which was significant. Antenatal checkup, BMI of mother in pre pregnancy period and sex of the baby was not found to influence birth weight. Conclusion: Young maternal age, poor socioeconomic status, anemia and poor weight gain during pregnancy were important predictors of low birth weight

Impact of socioeconomic status of family on the birth weight- A cross sectional study from Eastern India

Introduction: Despite a lot of progress in the field of neonatology in last few years, low birth weight babies still pose a challenge for an optimal outcome. Maternal socioeconomic status and malnutrition is directly or indirectly linked to the birthweight. We intended to study the effect of socioeconomic status of family with birthweight in eastern part of India. Objective: To assess the effect of socioeconomic status of family on birth weight and to assess the effect of anemia on birthweight. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Durgapur, West Bengal, from 1st March 2019 to 28th February 2020. Data was collected from the mothers who visited the Paediatrics OPD with their child during the study period. Mothers were asked to fill a pre-designated case record form. Details of antenatal, natal and postnatal records were sought and noted. For the purpose of assessment of socioeconomic status, education, occupation and income of family were recorded. Socioeconomic status family were classified in to 3 major categories; lower (lower and upper lower), middle (lower middle and upper middle) and upper as per modified Kuppuswamy classification. Maternal nutrition status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) and anemia. Results: Out of the 229 babies, 79 babies had low birthweight and 150 babies had normal birthweight. 35.5% of babies were found to have low birthweight. Babies born to mother with primary education (68.55%) were found to have more LBW babies than with higher education. Twenty eight (35.44%) LBW babies belong to middle class (class II and class III) and 51(64.56%) LBW babies were from lower class (P<0.05). Mothers of 194 (84.71%) out of 229 babies had anemia. Similarly only 5(6.33%) LBW babies belong to non-anemic mother where as 74(93.67%) of LBW babies were from mothers with low hemoglobin. Anemic mothers were more likely to deliver LBW baby. Conclusion: Low maternal education, low socio-economic status and maternal anemia were associated with increase in the risk of low birth weight babies

Phenotypic and genotypic assessment of elite rice varieties for brown plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål.) resistance

Popular rice varieties from India which exhibited field resistance against Brown Plant Hopper attack were selected to validate their resistance reaction. Genotyping using twenty-four gene-specific markers for BPH resistance was carried out. Besides this, phenotyping of morpho-economic traits along with resistance reaction was performed. Stepwise regression of phenotypic data showed that the traits viz. trichome number, leaf area and leaf number per tiller were significantly correlated to BPH damage score, while the traits, grains per panicle, tiller number, plant height and leaf number per plant contributed significantly towards seed yield. It was observed that there was a positive association between leaf area and BPH damage while trichome number was negatively associated, causing decreasing value in damage score. In the case of yield, except leaf number per plant, others traits showed a positive association. Further, PCA biplot analysis results confirmed the findings. Phenotypically, the rice variety Hasanta exhibited the highest BPH resistance followed by Jyotirmayee, Mahanadi, Konark and Pratap. Out of the twenty-four gene-specific markers, six markers exhibited polymorphism and RM247 showed the highest polymorphic information content (PIC) value. Cluster analysis of the varieties based on the marker data placed the variety Hasanta in a separate cluster, confirming its distinctness. Genotyping confirmed the genetic nature of BPH resistance in Hasanta variety. The cluster 2.2a included the highest number of varieties based on genetic similarity although it comprised of resistant, moderately resistant and susceptible types. This finding indicated that phenotypic variation within genotypic similar groups might be due to environment or different sources of origin. Hence, this phenotypic and genotypic variation among the genotypes would be useful for selecting elite and potential BPH-resistant donors in a crop improvement program