Archives-June...  

Objective: To investigate the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein expression, as indicated by the presence of HCV core protein in serum, in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of HCV infection. Methods: A total number of 432 patients with various liver diseases including acute and chronic/end stage liver diseases were analysed for HCV-related markers comprising anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and HCV-core. Results: HCV-core protein was found to be a better serum marker compared to anti-HCV and HCV-RNA for the diagnosis of HCV-infection in chronic liver diseases. HCV-core protein in serum shows a low prevalence in patients with acute infection. To explore the possibility of core-expression in liver pathology via its impact on oxidative stress and steatotic changes, we studied the sera level of lipids, lipoproteins, apoproteins and anti-oxidant levels in relation to HCV-core protein in serum. The analysis of data could not demonstrate any significant change in the level of these metabolites with presence or absence of HCV-core protein. This was explained as HCV-core expression having insignificant role in inducement of oxidative stress and development of steatosis to cause liver damage. This study also describes the varied prevalence of different HCV-genotypes in relation to HCV-core protein in these patients, thus, explaining that HCV-genotypes have little role in expression of HCV-core. Conclusion: Serum HCV-core protein has important role in the diagnosis of HCV infection. However, we could not observe any significant relation between HCV-core expression and liver steatosis, oxidative stress or HCV-genotypes in liver diseases.

Liver damage is an epidemic disease, which effects essential biochemical activities in all age group. The liver abnormalities caused by synthetic drugs are found to be broad. Conventional drugs used for the treatment of liver disorders are inadequate. In view of the undesirable side effects of synthetic drugs, it is necessary to search for alternative drugs for the treatment of hepatic diseases and replacement of the currently used drugs. Herbal drugs have become very popular for their use in the treatment of liver diseases. Therefore, there is need to focus on systematic research methodology to evaluate scientific basis for the traditional herbal medicines that are claimed to possess hepatoprotective activities. The present review is aimed at providing an overview of the most prospective medicinal plants having pharmacologically reputable antihepatotoxic activities such as Andrographic paniculata, Boerhaavia diffusa, Ocimum sanctum, Tinospora cordifolia, Phyllanthus emblica, etc.

The present investigation was aimed at screening twenty diverse wheat genotypes for their thermo tolerance potential at the seedling stage. The seedlings were raised in the germination boxes kept at 250C in an incubator. One week old seedlings were subjected to gradual heat pre-treatment (with rise of 50C/ hr) to achieve 350C +10C. The acclimatized seedlings were exposed to 400C for different durations to find lethal temperature (LT50 ), on the basis of wilting of the primary leaf. Wheat seedlings reacted differently to high temperatures in terms of the coleoptile length and seedling emergence. On an average coleoptile length (C.L) decreased by 29 % and total shoot length (T.S.L) by 12 % due to high temperature pulse in wheat. Highest decline in C.L was noted in NIAW34 (54 %) and minimum 6 % in WH711. In terms of the T.S.L maximum decrease was noted in P1626 (34 %) and minimum in WH712 (0.70 %). The detrimental effect of high temperature on the seedling emergence also got reflective in terms of the growth parameters resulting in reduction of fresh and dry weight of the seedlings. On an average seedling fresh weight reduced by 64 %, dry weight by 74 % and RWC by 20% due to high temperature pulse in wheat.

Problem Based Learning approach has been one of the recommended instructional strategies for teachers in Mathematics. Mathematics Project work is provided to give an opportunity for students to experience the Problem Based Learning model in the classroom for Grade 10 and 11 students. Therefore, this study explores the impact of Problem Based Learning on students in developing their Approaches to Learning skills using qualitative methods. Data were collected based on students’ perceptions from a focus group conducted in school. Information was gathered on students’ motivation level in learning Mathematics and on the development of their Approaches To Learning skills namely collaborative, communication, information literacy, and organization, transfer, reflection and thinking skills. The results indicated a positive impact on students' learning process in the Middle Years Programme Mathematics curriculum. Overall, the Problem Based Learning approach had favourable implications on enhancing students’ Approaches to Learning skills development.

This research focused on the impacts of information and communication technology in facilitating the education of students with visual impairment. This work reviews the existence of information and communication technology (ICT) in educating the students with visual impairment in Federal College of Education (Sp.), Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria, and to investigate further, the impact of ICT on academic performance of students with visually impaired. Fifty (50) students with visual impairment at the Federal College of Education (Sp.), Oyo, State, Nigeria were randomly selected and questionnaires were administered to them. Data were extracted from the questionnaires and analyzed. The results showed that students with visual impairment greatly benefited from integration of ICT with visually impaired education. Integration of ICT with visually impaired education significantly enhanced the academic performance of students with visual impairment. Government should support education of students with visually impaired so that they can have independent and meaningful lives and to put a stop to roaming about the streets begging for survival.

The present work analyzes the influence of chemical reaction on free convective flow of a visco-elastic incompressible and electrically conducting fluid past an infinite vertical porous plate through porous medium with constant suction in presence of uniform transverse magnetic field. The necessity of the present analysis arises as the most industrial fluids exhibit the visco-elastic behavior. The coupled nonlinear partial differential equation are turned to ordinary by super imposing a solution with steady and time dependent transient part. Finally, the set of ordinary differential equations is solved with a perturbation scheme to meet the inadequacy of boundary condition. The solutions for the velocity, temperature and concentration are obtained and displayed graphically for pertinent parameters such as magnetic parameter, Grashof number, modified Grashof number, Prandtl number, Schmidt number, Eckert number and permeability parameter. It is observed that the magnetic parameter and the Schmidt number retard the velocity of the flow field while the Grashof number for heat and mass transfer, the porosity parameter have accelerating effect on the velocity of the flow field at all points. Further, the Prandtl number reduces the temperature and Schmidt number and chemical reaction parameter diminishes the concentration distribution of the flow field at all points.

Background: In this emerging era of global, fast-paced knowledge-based economy, universities, as major centres of learning and research, are becoming increasingly important as sources of ideas, knowledge, skills, innovation and technological advances. These ideas can be turned into new products, processes and systems needed to drive their respective national economies, and thus placing universities at the centre of the national innovation systems. Consequently, commercialization of research outputs from universities to industry has become an area of strong policy interest in African countries. Objective: To assess initiatives to commercialize research outputs by Kenyan universities Design: Cross-sectional study of public and private universities Setting: Seventeen well established universities (15 public and 2 private), all accredited by the Commission for University Education, Kenya. Participants: Deans, Registrars, Directors or Deputy (Directors/Vice Chancellors), responsible for research and development. Results: All the surveyed universities had a strategic plan; though not all had innovation and commercialization as part of it. More than half of the seventeen surveyed universities indicated to have established designated offices for fostering commercialization. Majority had guidelines on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), which advocate for IP to be co-owned by researcher/university. University-industry linkages are weak. Most universities are taking precursory steps to incentivize and encourage entrepreneurial activities among their academic staff and students, even though the level of resources devoted to them is low. Conclusions: It is recommended that building capacity in entrepreneurship among staff and students and committing more resources to Research and Development (R&D) activities hold potential to increased commercialization of university research outputs in Kenya.

For the sake of safety and convenience, the current practice of feeding infants on medicines generally is through liquid medicine placed in several kinds of feeders. However, as infants usually do not cooperate, the results are not always satisfactory and the actual dosage of intake is hard to precisely be measured, thus discounting the effect of medical treatment. To overcome the above shortcomings, this invention is to create a medicine-giving device built in a nipple pacifier for infants to use. We hope to improve the effect of feeding infants on medicine by calming the infants down during the feeding process, so the full dosage of medicine could be taken completely and successfully.

The purpose of this subject to know the quality of clinker which produce from the rotary kiln according to amount oxygen rate in the exhausted cases measured by or sat device in smoke chamber .the expert in quality control can be recognize the good clinker and bad clinker according to the condition of kilne to maintain the flame temperature in suitalele range that inverts relation with excess oxygen to protect the material temperature in in the burning zone . if the temperature of materials increased or decreased or decreased will be cause upset the kiln and the material feed become deeay so that the economy cost is rising .

Abstract —to support higher data rate optical networks play a vital role. The high bandwidth potential of optical fiber can be explored by exploiting multiplexing techniques like wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and Optical time division multiplexing techniques (OTDM).This paper evaluates the performance of 8 channel WDM and OTDM passive optical network (PON) for 150 km using PIN and APD(avalanche photodiode) receivers. It is found that WDM passive optical network (PON) yields better performance. Hence, it is further investigated for different data rates and modulation formats. It is found that RZ modulation format provides better Max quality factor (Q) than NRZ modulation format up to a distance of 100km.Beyond 100km the Max quality(Q) factor decreases due to dispersion and nonlinearities. The current access networks and next generation passive optical networks (NG PON) has also been reviewed.