Assessment of user preference to information resources in agricultural libraries in north India

Through a survey, this study assesses the preference of users with regard to print and electronic information resources in agricultural libraries of north India and to identify the preferred mode of access thereof. The required data were collected, employing questionnaires and through telephonic surveys. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for analysing the data. The level of association between the user preference and the corresponding variable was derived throughChi Squared (χ2) Test. It is found that the users of agricultural libraries in north India use information resources almost equally both in print and electronic forms, although online resources are favored over print as they are ‘easy to search and retrieve’, ‘easy and quick to access’ and ‘more up-to-date’ than their print counterparts

Impact of Availability of E-Resources on User Satisfaction in Agricultural Libraries of Northern India

The main objectives of the study were to assess the level of user satisfaction with regard to the following types of Electronic Information Resources (EIRs) relevant to agriculture and allied disciplines, viz. Indexing and Abstracting (I&A) Databases; e-Journals; e-Books; and e-Theses. Seven universities were surveyed using a questionnaire for collecting data. The investigator used telephonic and e-mail communication and had a face-to-face interaction with respondents to substantiate the responses and remove ambiguities. The level of users’ satisfaction has been measured using a five point Likert scale. A great majority of respondents are satisfied about the availability of e-abstract databases (87.92%) and e-journals (89.67%). Despite the fact that only three of the surveyed libraries are found to subscribe to a single e-book collection of 600 titles, surprisingly a good percentage of the library users (69.08%) are satisfied with the availability of e-books. Same is the case with e-theses, whereof the majority of respondents (60.33%) are satisfied, despite the fact that only one e-theses database that too only of Indian coverage i.e., KrishiPrabha is made available to users

Status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India with an overview of the trend in acquisition

Purpose – This paper of this study is to attempt to explore the status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India and assess the magnitude of impact of the advent of electronic information resources (EIRs) on the contemporary acquisition. Design/methodology/approach – While adhering to the survey method, the questionnaire was used as a data collection tool to collect data from university librarians. Telephonic interaction and e-mail correspondence were also used to clear doubts, remove ambiguities and obtain data of higher significance from the respondents. Findings – The majority of the agricultural libraries in Northern India have a sound collection of information resources in the print form, which may continue to act as a source of attraction for users in the future for a long time to come. Yet, the acquisition of information resources in the print form across the studied libraries continues at routine pace, and as such the advent of e-resources seems to have not yet laid any prominent impact on acquisition of resources in print form. E-Books have not yet been fully incorporated into the library collection and that e-journal collection “CeRA” (Consortium for Electronic Resources in Agriculture) seems to gratify the needs of users of these libraries, as no additional e-journals are seen to be subscribed to at present. Research limitations/implications – Only seven agricultural libraries have been taken as a sample. Moreover, the work is confined to only two aspects, i.e. current status and the impact of EIRs on acquisition of information resources. Other aspects like those of collection development, storage and accommodation, preservation, library functionality and library services need to also be studied. Originality/value – This is first work of its nature in Northern India with agricultural libraries as their domain. The findings will help the librarians and the library advisory committees decide on logical grounds about the proportion at which the print and electronic forms of information resources need to be acquired

Hierarchical Bayes Small Area Estimation under a Unit Level Model with Applications in Agriculture

To studied Bayesian aspect of small area estimation using Unit level model. In this paper we proposed and evaluated new prior distribution for the ratio of variance components in unit level model rather than uniform prior. To approximate the posterior moments of small area means, Laplace approximation method is applied. This choice of prior avoids the extreme skewness, usually present in the posterior distribution of variance components. This property leads to more accurate Laplace approximation. We apply the proposed model to the analysis of horticultural data and results from the model are compared with frequestist approach and with Bayesian model of uniform prior in terms of average relative bias, average squared relative bias and average absolute bias. The numerical results obtained highlighted the superiority of using the proposed prior over the uniform prior. Thus Bayes estimators (with new prior) of small area means have good frequentist properties such as MSE and ARB as compared to other traditional methods viz., Direct, Synthetic and Composite estimators

Laparoscopy and the impalpable testes: diagnosis, treatment options and the literature

Background: Laparoscopy is the best available tool and method to manage impalpable undescended testes; management of the impalpable testis often pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to a surgeon. The aim of this work was to elucidate and present the sensitivity and the value of laparoscopy, as a surgeon’s tool, for the diagnosis and treatment of the impalpable testis.Methods: From November 2015 to December 2018, 56 patients with 60 impalpable testes were operated upon by laparoscopic approach by a single surgeon. One-stage Fowler-Stephens laparoscopic orchidopexy was performed in 14 cases, while two-stage Fowler-Stephens laparoscopic orchidopexy was performed in 16 cases and Vessel-Intact Laparoscopic Orchidopexy (VILO) was done in 22 cases. In 2 cases vessel and vas was entering through deep ring and inguinal orchidopexy was done. Blind ending vessel/vas was noticed in 4 cases (vanishing/absent testes). Laparoscopic orchidectomy was required in 2 patients for nubin. No case of disorder of sexual dysfunction was (DSD) was found.Results: Laparoscopy was successfully completed in all the cases. 34 testicles were impalpable on right side, 18 on left side and other 4 cases (8 testicles) were bilaterally impalpable. Laparoscopic orchidopexy was carried out for 36 testes at the same. 16 needed a staged procedure. Orchidectomy was done in 2 cases/testes. In 4 cases testes was absent/vanishing. In 2 cases testes was canalicular, standard inguinal orchidopexy was done. The mean operative time was 48 minutes. Patients were allowed oral fluids 6 hours of the operation and were discharged at one day after the procedure.  None of the patients had wound infection. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 12 months. At follow-up, all but one of the testes were well down in the bottom of the scrotum. In one patient, the testis was in a high scrotal position. All testes were of normal size, no atrophy was seen so far and no malignant change is suspected in any case so far. No severe morbidity or death was observed in our study.Conclusions: Laparoscopy offers surgeons a safe and reliable diagnostic and therapeutic option to patients with impalpable testes. No other imaging investigation is required, if well versed with basic laparoscopy. Intra-abdominal dissection allows more testes to be brought down to the scrotum. Even when open orchidopexy is being done for intra-canalicular testes in a child, it is advisable to be ready with laparoscopy if necessary, at the same time, in case open surgery fails to mobilize the testicular vessels adequately. The procedure is best viewed as laparoscopy-assisted; as Orchidopexy has to be done in a conventional manner

Influence of sowing dates and nitrogen levels on growth, yield and quality of scented rice cv. Pusa Sugandh-3 in Kashmir valley

A field experiment was carried out to determine the optimum sowing date and nitrogen (N) level for the scented rice cv. Pusa Sugandh-3. Twelve treatment combinations of 3 sowing dates, viz., 15th, 16th and 18th standard meteorological week (SMW) at an interval of 10 days and 4 nitrogen levels (‘0’, ‘40’, ‘60’ and ‘80’ kg N ha-1) were tested randomized in split plot design with three replications. Significant highest plant height (98.56 cm), tillers m-2 (333.41), dry matter (98.38 q ha-1), panicles m-2 (310.05), spikelets panicle-1(130.25) and grains panicle-1 (98.55), grain yield (45.2 q ha-1), harvest index (41.20 %), head rice recovery (47.5 %) and B:C ratio (3.03) were recorded for the early sown 15th SMW crop. Among the different nitrogen levels tested significant highest plant height (98.12 cm), tillers m-2 (342.33) dry matter (100.68 q ha-1), panicles m-2 (321.83), spikelets panicle-1(132.83) grains panicle-1 (96.79), grain yield (48.0 q ha-1), harvest index (42.68 %), head rice recovery (44.54 %) and B:C ratio (3.38) were recorded with the application of 80 kg N ha-1.Therefore, the variety, Pusa Sugandh-3 should be sown earlier in season from 15th to 16th SMW and with nitrogen application of 60-80 kg N ha-1 for realizing economically higher grain yield and profit under the temperate climatic conditions of Kashmir valley

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis as the first presentation of CNS tuberculosis: report of a case with brief review

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) also known as post infectious encephalomyelitis is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that typically presents as a monophasic disorder associated with multifocal neurological symptoms and disability. It may follow vaccination in children or infection. Viral infection like measles, rubella, influenza, Epstein bar, HIV, herpes, cytomegalusvirus (CMV) and West Nile virus have been implicated in the causation. Among bacteria, group A hemolytic streptococcus, mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydia, Rickettesia and leptospira have been shown to cause ADEM. There are few reports of ADEM due to tuberculosis (TB). We describe acute disseminated encephalomyelitis due to tuberculosis in a 35 year old female who initially started with neuropsychiatric manifestations and later developed florid neurological deficit and classical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions suggestive of the disease. The patient recovered completely after antitubercular therapy and is following our clinic for the last 12 months now

Suprapatellar versus infrapatellar approach for intramedullary nailing in tibial shaft fractures

Background: Tibial shaft fractures accounts about 2% of all adult fractures and it is a common traumatic injury caused by high-energy trauma. The intra-medullary nail fixation either by Suprapatellar approach or Infrapatellar approach has been reported to be a successful surgical procedure for the treatment of proximal tibia fractures. Aim was to compare the clinical and functional outcomes of tibial shaft fractures treated with IMN using the suprapatellar and infrapatellar methods. Methods: The present prospective comparative study was conducted to compare the clinical and functional outcomes of tibial shaft fractures managed by Suprapatellar or Infrapatellar intramedullary nailing technique. This study was conducted in the Post Graduate Department of Orthopedics in SKIMS, MCH Bemina, Srinagar for a period of 02 years from May, 2020 to May, 2022. A total of 40 patients with tibial shaft fracture were included in the study. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS Inc., v.16). Results: It was observed that the majority of the participants (37.5%) were in 31-40 year’s age group, there were male predominance with the male to female ratio 2.33:1. In SP technique excellent results were observed in 80% of the study subjects whereas in IP technique, 70% patients had excellent results. Conclusions: It is concluded that SP technique shows better results as compared to IP technique in the management of tibial shaft fracture

Level of conus medullaris termination in adult Kashmiri population: a magnet resonance imaging-based study

Background: The spinal cord is considered as the principle content of vertebral canal. It begins as a downward extension of medulla oblongata at the level of upper border of first cervical vertebrae (C1). The terminal part of spinal cord is conical and is termed as conus medullaris. In adults the level of termination of conus medullaris varies between T12 to L3 vertebrae. The level of termination of conus medullaris is clinically important to avoid injuries during spinal anaesthesia and lumber puncture. Methods: The saggital magnetic resonance images of 168 patients were reviewed in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Government Medical College, Srinagar from January 2022 to June 2022. The most caudal point of the cord was considered as the tip of conus medullaris. A line was drawn through the tip perpendicular to the long axis of spinal cord to determine its location with adjacent vertebra. Results: The level of conus medullaris termination was most commonly located at T12-L1 intervertebral disc level. The results revealed a significant statistical difference in levels of termination of conus medullaris with respect to age and sex. Conclusions: In literature, the highest level of conus medullaris termination is stated to be at T11-T12 Intervertebral disc and the lowest level at the body of L3 vertebra. Therefore, spinal anaesthesia and lumber puncture procedure should be done below L3 vertebral body in order to avoid iatrogenic complications

Diversified Traditional Wooden Implements Used in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Practices in Ladakh

The traditional wooden tools are the necessities of the daily life of the people of Ladakh region and are linked directly with geographical conditions of the region. A lot of diversity in the wooden tools used by the tribal farmers of Ladakh since ancient times is observed. The tools are made up of different, locally available materials in a unique fashion by the localites. These wooden implements are preferred over modern one’s because of their multipurpose uses. Secondly these traditional implements find wide applicability in the region because of steep terrain, where the scope of mechanized farm implements is very limited. In the present study few important traditional tools of Ladakh have been presented. The important tools viz; chepo, shak, zungba, rzgeem, saddle, khem, khaczhay, thougk, gourgur, butter churner, plough, smeing, rbhat, grookook etc. have been described in detail in this paper