Methodology for testing and validating knowledge bases

A test and validation toolset developed for artificial intelligence programs is described. The basic premises of this method are: (1) knowledge bases have a strongly declarative character and represent mostly structural information about different domains, (2) the conditions for integrity, consistency, and correctness can be transformed into structural properties of knowledge bases, and (3) structural information and structural properties can be uniformly represented by graphs and checked by graph algorithms. The interactive test and validation environment have been implemented on a SUN workstation

Video data compression using artificial neural network differential vector quantization

An artificial neural network vector quantizer is developed for use in data compression applications such as Digital Video. Differential Vector Quantization is used to preserve edge features, and a new adaptive algorithm, known as Frequency-Sensitive Competitive Learning, is used to develop the vector quantizer codebook. To develop real time performance, a custom Very Large Scale Integration Application Specific Integrated Circuit (VLSI ASIC) is being developed to realize the associative memory functions needed in the vector quantization algorithm. By using vector quantization, the need for Huffman coding can be eliminated, resulting in superior performance against channel bit errors than methods that use variable length codes

Digital literacy among Female Postgraduate students of Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka, India: A study

Digital literacy is the ability of an individual to locate, organize, evaluate, analyze and use the required information using digital technologies. It includes a working knowledge of several technologies and understanding of how it can be used. The main objective of the study was to determine the literacy of using digital resources by Female Postgraduate students of Karnatak University, Dharwad. The present study also determines the student’s level of ICT skills, frequency of internet use by the respondents, ascertain their awareness about different databases and their familiarity with various search strategies to retrieve E-resources. The study also highlights the problems faced by students in accessing information. The major findings of the study highlight that Google search engine is the most preferred search engine, the majority of the respondents i.e. 53 (68.83%) are aware of Google scholar followed by Research gate, Twitter, Slideshare, Academic.edu. and LinkedIn, SciSpace, Research ID are least used among the academic social networking sites. It is also found that there is a lack of awareness among students regarding the use of various search strategies for efficient information retrieval and only 43 (55.84%) respondents have awareness of copyrights issues. The study also highlights the problems faced by the respondents such as poor network connectivity, access restricted by the university, which curtail the prospects of effective use of digital information resources

Identification of the Plasticity-Relevant Fucose-α(1−2)-Galactose Proteome from the Mouse Olfactory Bulb

Fucose-α(1−2)-galactose [Fucα(1−2)Gal] sugars have been implicated in the molecular mechanisms that underlie neuronal development, learning, and memory. However, an understanding of their precise roles has been hampered by a lack of information regarding Fucα(1−2)Gal glycoproteins. Here, we report the first proteomic studies of this plasticity-relevant epitope. We identify five classes of putative Fucα(1−2)Gal glycoproteins: cell adhesion molecules, ion channels and solute carriers/transporters, ATP-binding proteins, synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, and mitochondrial proteins. In addition, we show that Fucα(1−2)Gal glycoproteins are enriched in the developing mouse olfactory bulb (OB) and exhibit a distinct spatiotemporal expression that is consistent with the presence of a “glycocode” to help direct olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axonal pathfinding. We find that expression of Fucα(1−2)Gal sugars in the OB is regulated by the α(1−2)fucosyltransferase FUT1. FUT1-deficient mice exhibit developmental defects, including fewer and smaller glomeruli and a thinner olfactory nerve layer, suggesting that fucosylation contributes to OB development. Our findings significantly expand the number of Fucα(1−2)Gal glycoproteins and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms by which fucosyl sugars contribute to neuronal processes

Large nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients of carbon nanotubes estimated from femtosecond Z-scan measurements

Nonlinear transmission of 80 and 140 femtosecond pulsed light with $0.79 \mu m$ wavelength through single walled carbon nanotubes suspended in water containing sodium dodecyl sulphate is studied. Pulse-width independent saturation absorption and negative cubic nonlinearity are observed, respectively, in open and closed aperture Z-scan experiments. The theoretical expressions derived to analyze the z-dependent transmission in the saturable limit require two photon absorption coefficient $\beta_0\sim$ $1.4 cm/MW$ and a nonlinear index $\gamma \sim -5.5 \times10^{-11} cm^2/W$ to fit the data.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Accepted and to appear in Applied Physics Letter

AWARENESS OF PLAGIARISM AMONG RESEARCH SCHOLARS OF KARNATAK UNIVERSITY, DHARWAD: A STUDY

Plagiarism is a subject of academic misconduct among teaching and research community in higher educational institutions. Information and communication technology has immensely made easy to access information in digital form or electronic form that can lead to copying words/text from any kind of information sources such as Internet, books, magazines, journals, project reports, publications, white papers etc, without acknowledging the original author/ authors with proper citation. Plagiarism is the act of stealing someone else\u27s work and attempting to pass it off as one’s own. In the global academic scenario plagiarism occurs due to lack of knowledge or due to ignorance. In the present study an attempt has been made to study the awareness of plagiarism among research scholars of Karnatak University Dharwad. The findings of the study reveal that most of the research scholars are aware of plagiarism, and they have fair knowledge on various issues of plagiarism such as different types of plagiarism, various anti-plagiarism softwares, consequences indulging in plagiarism etc, some of the factors that influence them to involve in plagiarism are also identified from the study. Most of the respondents have opined about the need to conduct awareness program on plagiaris