Web based learning on KBSM chemical formulae incorporating selected multiple intelligences

Vision 2020 aspires our nation to establish a progressive and resourceful society that is able to contribute to the scientific and technological civilisation of the future. One of the strategies to achieve this aspiration would be through the system of education whereby web based learning would be a good platform to begin with. The aim of this project is to develop a website for KBSM Chemistry Form Four for the subtopic Chemical Formulae, which is under the topic Chemical Formulae and Equations, Chapter 3. The aim of this website is to provide a web based learning platform for students to learn Chemical Formulae. The theory of Multiple Intelligences has been incorporated in the development of this website. However, only four multiple intelligences are selected in delivering the learning contents. The four intelligences selected are Verbal Linguistics, Logical Mathematical, Visual Spatial and Interpersonal. The Hannafin & Peck Model was adapted throughout the development process, which includes Needs Assessment, Design and Development/ Implementation Phase. Evaluation was carried out simultaneously during all three phases of development. The primary software used in developing this website is Microsoft Office Frontpage. Integration of multimedia elements such as graphics, video and animation are used to enhance the process of learning. It is hoped that this website would benefit students with the selected four intelligences at an optimum level in learning Chemical Formulae

An Effective Private Data storage and Retrieval System using Secret sharing scheme based on Secure Multi-party Computation

Privacy of the outsourced data is one of the major challenge.Insecurity of the network environment and untrustworthiness of the service providers are obstacles of making the database as a service.Collection and storage of personally identifiable information is a major privacy concern.On-line public databases and resources pose a significant risk to user privacy, since a malicious database owner may monitor user queries and infer useful information about the customer.The challenge in data privacy is to share data with third-party and at the same time securing the valuable information from unauthorized access and use by third party.A Private Information Retrieval(PIR) scheme allows a user to query database while hiding the identity of the data retrieved.The naive solution for confidentiality is to encrypt data before outsourcing.Query execution,key management and statistical inference are major challenges in this case.The proposed system suggests a mechanism for secure storage and retrieval of private data using the secret sharing technique.The idea is to develop a mechanism to store private information with a highly available storage provider which could be accessed from anywhere using queries while hiding the actual data values from the storage provider.The private information retrieval system is implemented using Secure Multi-party Computation(SMC) technique which is based on secret sharing. Multi-party Computation enable parties to compute some joint function over their private inputs.The query results are obtained by performing a secure computation on the shares owned by the different servers.Comment: Data Science & Engineering (ICDSE), 2014 International Conference, CUSA

Recent trends in the mobulid fishery in Indian waters

Mobulidae are zooplanktivorous elasmobranchs, found circumglobally in tropical, subtropical and temperate coastal waters. It comprises of two recognized species of manta rays (Manta spp.) and nine recognized species of devil rays (Mobula spp.). Although the reports of mobulid fishery in India were only from 1960s, however it was commercially exploited only after 2007 for their valuable gillrakers. Mobula diabolus, M. tarpacana, M. japonica, M. kuhlii, M. thurstoni, Manta birostris and M. alfredi are the seven species which contributes to mobulid fishery. White gilled Mobula tarpacana is highly targeted for its high priced gill raker which fetches upto Rs. 8,000 kg-1 in dry weight. Few mobulid species has already reached the IUCN Red List status. Thorough monitoring of mobulid fish exploitation level is essential in India. It is necessary to ensure standardized sampling and modelling methodologies to estimate the stock position of these fishes from Indian waters

Unusual landing of the whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus at Cochin Fisheries Harbour

T. obesus, the only member of its genus, is a small shark usually not exceeding 1.6 m in length. This species is easily recognisable by its slender body and short but broad head, tubular skin flaps beside the nostrils, and white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins

Unusual landing of the spotted ocean triggerfish Canthidermis maculata at Cochin Fisheries Harbour

Unusual landing of the ocean triggerfish Canthidermis maculata (Family: Balistidae) was observed at Cochin Fisheries Harbour (CFH) on 11th January 2013 (Fig 1a & b). About 300 kg of fishes were landed in gillnet operated off Cochin at a depth of 20- 30 m. The species is occasionally seen in stray numbers in trawl landings at CFH and this is for the first time a landing of this magnitude is observed at CFH. The fishes were sold at the landing centre @ ` 30 – 40/- per kg for local consumption

Heavy landings of the shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus at Cochin Fisheries Harbour

During January - February 2013, heavy landings of the shortfin mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus (Family: Lamnidae) by multiday gillnet-hooks and line units were observed at Cochin Fisheries harbour (CFH) (Fig. 1a & b). I. oxyrinchus is generally seen in the landings by gillnet-hooks and line units (operated off the west coast of India extending from Kerala to Gujarat coasts) at CFH, but in small numbers of larger specimens. The start of 2013 fishing season witnessed heavy landings of this species, of a wide size range (100 – 220 cm total length; 7 – 75 kg weight), dominating the shark landings at CFH second to Carcharhinus falciformis on certain days. The length-frequency distribution as well as detailed biological aspects of this species is currently being studied as part of the Institute research project on “Assessment of elasmobranch resources of Indian Seas

National Marine Debris Management Strategy to conserve marine ecosystems

Marine debris which is defined as any persistent,manufactured or processed solid material discarded,disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastalenvironment is one of the most pervasive, yetpotentially solvable, pollution affecting the world’soceans, coastal ecosystems and rivers. Whereasimpacts of most anthropogenic activities are usuallyfound near the point source, marine debris has beenfound to impact even distant locations, oftenaffecting uninhabited areas also. According toUnited Nations Joint Group of Experts on theScientific Aspects of Marine EnvironmentalProtection (GESAMP), 60 to 80%, of the global litterfound in the coastal and marine ecosystems hasoriginated from land and only the rest from seabased activities. The slow degradable nature ofmarine litter and the potential to pollute all spheresof oceans irrespective of point source has raisedthe alarm bells