Competence Based Management in Academics through Data Mining Approach

Competence based Management through Data mining approach helps academia to improve research and academic decision making through uncovering hidden trends and patterns that predicts using a combination of explicit knowledge base, sophisticated analytical skills and academic domain knowledge. The paper proposes a framework for effective educational process using Data Mining techniques to uncover the hidden trends and patterns and making accuracy based predictions through higher level of analytical sophistication in students counseling process. Keywords: Faculty; Faculty Assessment; Faculty; Competence Management; Data Mining; Patterns

A Competency Mapping for Educational Institution: Expert System Approach

This paper presents the development of expert system to assist in the operation of competence management in educational institution. The knowledge based consists of a rule-based expert system for the competence management and subsequent performance assessment. It is generally recognized that an expert system can cope with many of the common problems relative with the operation and control of the competence management process. In this work an expert system is developed which emphasize on various steps involved in the competence management process. The knowledge acquisition to develop this expert system involved an exhaustive literature review on competence management operation and interviews with experienced deans and the competence managers. The development tool for this system is an expert system shell

PVA Based Polymer Electrolyte with Layered Filler Graphite for Natural Dye Sensitized Solar Cell

Graphite nanopowder is synthesized by mechanical method using ball mill and used as filler in polymer electrolyte film based on Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for application in natural dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In the present work dye sensitized solar cell has been assembled using electrolyte system composed of PVA as host polymer, ethylene carbonate as plasticizer, LiI: I2 as redox couple and graphite as filler; TiO2 modified with Copper oxide (CuO) photoanode in order to provide inherent energy barrier and natural cocktail dye as sensitizer. The obtained solar cell conversion efficiency was about 3.2 % with fill factor 52% using an irradiation of 100 mW/cm2 at 25º C

Reducing barriers to accessing fistula repair: Implementation research in Katsina

Female genital fistula is preventable and surgically treatable, but women who lack access to quality health care often live with fistula for many years. For every 1,000 births, an estimated 2.11 women develop fistula in Nigeria and despite the establishment of internationally accredited national fistula centers across the country, the majority of women live with unrepaired fistula. The Population Council, in collaboration with EngenderHealth and the Fistula Care Plus project, conducted implementation research to understand whether a comprehensive information, screening, and referral intervention reduces transportation, communication, and financial barriers to accessing preventive care, detection, and treatment of fistula in Katsina state

Effect of yoga on salivary cortisol in medical student

Background: Yoga is a spiritual discipline for the development of a state of mental and physical health, well-being, it has also been used clinically as a therapeutic intervention. This study observes the effects of yoga poses on salivary cortisol. Salivary cortisol is potential biomarker of psychological stress. Nonetheless, psychobiological mechanisms stimulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) can only indirectly be assessed by salivary cortisol measures. The unlike instances that control HPAA sensitivity (e.g.- hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals) and their respective modulators, receptors, or binding proteins possibly will all have an effect on salivary cortisol measures. Possible fundamental mechanisms proposed leading to enhanced vagal activity and decrease cortisol. The drop in cortisol, sequentially, may give positive outcome.Methods: Healthy medical student volunteers (N=40), males and females, ranged in age from 18 to 25 years (mean age: 23.3years), participated in the present study. They are divided in two groups one is Yoga Group and second is Control Group. Each group consist 20 subjects. Morning saliva samples were collected of both groups. Levels of cortisol in the saliva samples were determined and compared with levels in comparison samples of saliva obtained after three-month of yoga practice.Results: In all subjects who received yoga (n=20), the change in salivary cortisol level was significant (10.27±2.54 ng/ml; 4.023±1.82ng/ml; P= 0.00); it was not so in those who were not practicing yoga (11.43±3.77ng/ml; 10.27±2.54 ng/ml; P=0.06). Salivary cortisol level significantly decreased and reacted positively to yoga practicing subjects.Conclusions: The effort of comparing the effects of yoga on salivary cortisol seems to indicate that it is a promising modality for stress management. Everyone should practice yoga for stress management to improve their day today life because yoga as one of the approaches of stress reduction

Postgraduate pharmacology curriculum in current scenario and future prospects: an educational forum

In India Doctorate of Medicine (MD) pharmacology is primarily knowledge oriented based on teaching, seminars, lectures and research related activities including animals and paper-based experiments and day to day management of undergraduate classes. MD pharmacology student should be competent of both clinical and experimental pharmacology. So, the postgraduate pharmacology curriculum should be competent to meet all the job requirements. Therefore, medical council of India (MCI) has introduced new post graduate curriculum which is based on knowledge, practical, clinical skills, thesis skills, and attitudes including communication and training in research. In India demand for skilled clinical research professionals is increasing day by day for growing pharma industries and good academician. So, there is an urgent need for the experienced and skilled pharmacologist to fulfil the requirements. MD pharmacology students should get posting in different clinical departments and observatory posting in industry, clinical research organization (CRO), regulatory body and research organisations. The course of MD Pharmacology should be like that fulfil all the skills that a pharmacologist must have

Cloud Security and Algorithms: A Review

Abstract: cloud computing is becoming an increasing enterprise model. It is an internet based computing includes the practice of using remote servers. The remote servers are hosted on internet to store, manage and process data rather than a local server or computer. Cloud computing offers the services that includes software, storage, data, applications, infrastructure and business process to the IT market place. These are the services that are provided to customers on leased basis. Despite all the potential gains in cloud computing there are some security issues and challenges. As applications move dynamically and organizations share the same remotely located physical hardware with strangers security is the basic concern. This paper introduces a detailed analysis of cloud computing security issues, challenges, algorithm for security

Reducing barriers to accessing fistula repair: Implementation research in Ebonyi

Female genital fistula is preventable and surgically treatable, but women who lack access to quality health care often live with fistula for many years. For every 1,000 births, an estimated 2.11 women develop fistula in Nigeria and despite the establishment of internationally accredited national fistula centers across the country, the majority of women live with unrepaired fistula. The Population Council, in collaboration with EngenderHealth and the Fistula Care Plus project, conducted implementation research to understand whether a comprehensive information, screening, and referral intervention reduces transportation, communication, and financial barriers to accessing preventive care, detection, and treatment of fistula in Ebonyi state

Preliminary study on antiulcer effect of agomelatine and its potentiation with pyridoxine

Background: Agomelatine is a synthetic analogue of melatonin and a potent agonist of melatonin receptors. Agomelatine has Hepatoprotective as well as antioxidant activity. The aim of study was to evaluate the antiulcer activity of Agomelatine and its potentiation through the pyridoxine on ethanol induced gastric ulcer in rats.Methods: Thirty number of rats were divided in to five groups contro, standard, Agomelatine low dose, Agomelatine high dose and Agomelatine with Pyridoxine groups. Ethanol was used to induced gastric ulcer in rats. ulcer index and also the other biochemical parameters like free Acidity, total Acidity, gastric pH, volume of gastric juice was determined. Statistically analysis was done by ANOVA P value less than 0.05 was considered Statistically significant.Results: In the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the gastric antisecretory, antiulcer and cytoprotective properties of agomelatine. The results are statistically significant by ANOVA test. Ranitidine showed a statistically significant decrease in the volume of gastric juice by free acidity and total acidity. when compared to control. Agomelatine shows a showed similar response to the volume of gastric juice. A significant difference in pH was observed between the agomelatine-treated, agomelatine with pyridoxine treated group and the control groups.Conclusions: Pretreated rats with Agomelatine (40mg/kg) showed protective effect against ethanol induce gastric ulcer. Agomelatine (40mg/kg) showed the ameliorative effect with Pyridoxine (0.3mg/kg), on gastric ulcer

Effect of antihistaminics on amplitude of rabbit gut

Background: The small intestine, like the rest of the gastrointestinal tract, is an intelligent organ. It generates a wide variety of motor patterns to meet motility requirements in different situations. Its basic motor function after a meal is to mix the chyme with exocrine and intestinal secretions, agitate its contents too.Methods: In vitro study is done to explore the effect of 1st generation antihistaminic (chlorpheniramine maleate) and second generation antihistaminic (Fexofenadine) on amplitude of gut motility by isolated rabbit gut preparation on Dale’s Organ bath, part of terminal ileum is used for study. Eight rabbits weighing 2 to 4.5 kg were used for study. The effect of antihistaminic observed that both drugs reduce amplitude.Results: The effect of Chlorpheniramine malete and Fexofenadine on amplitude observed and it found that both decrease the amplitude significantly.Conclusions: This study establishes a correlation between amplitude of gut and effect of antihistaminic suggests that antihistaminic drug both first generation and second generation decreases the amplitude of gut motility with a significant response