Archives-May 2013

In the world of computing, information plays an important role in our lives. One of the major sources of information is database. Database and Database technology are having major impact on the growing use of computers. Almost all IT applications are storing and retrieving the information or data from the database. Database Management Systems (DBMS) have been widely used for storing and retrieving data. However, databases are often hard to use since their interface is quite rigid in co-operating with users. For storing and retrieving the information from database requires the knowledge of database language like SQL. Structured Query Language (SQL) is an ANSI standard for accessing and manipulating the information stored in database. However, everyone may not be able to write the SQL query as they may not be aware of the syntax and structure of SQL and database respectively. The purpose of Natural Language Interface is to allow users to compose questions in Natural Language and receive the response also in Natural Language. The idea of using Natural Language instead of SQL has promoted the development of new type of processing called Natural Language Interface to Database(NLIDB). This paper discuss about an introduction of Intelligent Database System, Natural Language Processing and Natural Language Interface to Database. It also gives a brief overview of subcomponent of NLIDB, techniques used to development of NLIDB along with its architecture.

The study undertaken the explored the factors of Quality of working-life experiences in organizations. The factor analysis of the component ‘quality of working-life experiences’ led to the extraction of the factors from various organizations. The most points were “Career Growth”, “Work Stress” and “Job Satisfaction”. The results indicate that these factors have substantial roles to play in satiating the needs of the employees and how at middle managerial level different aspects are valued and employed for developing a unique and inimitable quality of working life within their socio-technical systems for eliciting favorable job-related responses.

From the investigations carried out on the Noctuidae during 2009-2011 in the Nilgiri Biosphere of Tamilnadu, six species of the genus Hypocala were studied. Among them, H. violacea Guenee was reported for the first time from the Nilgiri. Photographic illustrations of the male and female genitalia of all the known species of this moth are presented.

The classroom study forms the backbone of the language learning process for many learners. But it is the duty of the teacher to motivate students to engage in their self study. This paper examines four aspects of the learning process that self-directed learners are generally understood to be able to navigate: planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating; it then suggests ways in which teachers can foster these abilities in the language learning classroom. Teachers can help learners to assume more responsibility for their own learning and develop them as more effective language learners.

One hundred (100) mature black-skinned ectotype of giant African land snails (Archachatina marginata) were managed intensively in wooden cages to generate eggs used to investigate the developmental stages of eggs. The eggs laid by the black-skinned ectotype of snails were partial cracked by the side and a small portion of the shell using pin opened up for microscopic examination at two days interval. The microscopic examination and photographs of the internal structures of the eggs revealed that embryo and shell formation took place between the eighth and fourteenth days. From days eighteen to twenty, the snails were found to be completely formed. The baby snail or hatchling crawled out of the egg’s shell on the twenty-four day, marking the incubation period for the eggs of black-skinned ectotype of A. marginata to be 24 days.

Genotoxic potentials of three commonly used medicinal plants (Cola nitida, Ocimum gratissimum and Monodora myristica) were assessed on D. melanogaster. Eight generations of D. melanogaster were cultured on over-ripe banana paste with inclusion levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% (w/w) of the medicinal plants. Mutation rates both on the wing structure and body colouration were dose-dependent and generation-specific; as increase in the dose of treatment, increases the mutation rates as well as the higher the generations. The degree of effects on these structures was also plant-specific, with followed the trend; C. nitida > O. gratissimum > M. myristica. The result revealed that the medicinal plants have genotoxic potentials with C. nitida having the greatest effects; hence they should be consumed with caution.

This paper is aimed at evaluating the activities of cocoa on male rats. Sixty healthy matured rats weighing 130±20g were divided into four experimental groups of 15 rats each. The rats were treated with cocoa seed powder at 0 (control), 100, 200 and 300mg/kg body weight, respectively for 65 days. Blood samples were collected for hormonal, biochemical and haematological indices while semen was obtained for semen analysis. Results showed that cocoa powder elevated prolactin, testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels; red blood cell, and white blood cell counts significantly reduced follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol; platelets, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration (Hb); alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and albumin. There was also a reducing effect of cocoa powder on total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL- cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, especially at the dose of 300mg/kg as well as sperm count, sperm viability and sperm motility. However, sperm head abnormality increased in a dose-dependent manner. These results imply implicitly that cocoa powder at higher doses might be detrimental to animal health, its beneficial effects notwithstanding.

River Cauvery is the major river system of south India. The nature of the quality of river water were studied for 11 physico-chemical parameters at four locations of the River Cauvery near Bhavani region of erode district, for a period of one year (January-December 2012) at monthly intervals. Over the years of time, river has been subjected to human interference regularly and water quality was getting deteriorated profoundly. Major anthropogenic activities practiced were in and around the study area. Agriculture, abstraction of water for irrigation and drinking, washing cloths, discharging of sewage waste, sand mining, boating, fishing, open defecation and religious ritual activities along the stretch were generating serious threat to the biota of the river by altering the physico-chemical concentration of the river system. The seasonal and yearly trends were discussed to comprehend anthropogenic interferences on the river. The Temperature, pH, Turbidity, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Phenolphthalein Alkalinity, Total Alkalinity and Total Hardness levels indicate the moderate quality of water. The values of Dissolve Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) levels indicate the presence of major organic pollution sources. The possibility is that since there are major industries in the study area, the major source of organic pollutants could be from these industries and domestic source. Thus present study concludes that river water was not severely polluted. Almost all the results are within the permissible limit when compared with Bureau of Indian Standards. However, it is suggested adequate treatment measures for the industrial effluents so as to reduce the organic pollutants before the situation becomes alarming.

Of the four skills of language, speaking skill in English is the one that gets least attention in the curriculum at Schools and Universities. Teaching and learning a second language is a great challenge to both the facilitator and the learner. This paper investigates the reasons for ineffective oral communication of engineering students. Two tasks (Personal Interview and Group Discussion) are introduced in this experimental study to know their proficiency level in oral communication. And a short description of the objectives of testing speaking skill, author’s responsibility, research design, findings, pedagogical implications and conclusion are discussed. Hoping, it will also help the teachers’ community to incorporate it in teaching and learning process.

This work investigates the phytochemical composition and anti-tussive effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of Aneilema aequinoctiale. The phytochemical screening of the Aneilema aequinoctiale showed quantitatively the presence of alkaloids, saponin, steroid, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids and tannins. The possible anti-tussive effects of the ethanolic and aqueous extract of the leaves, root, stem and whole plant of Aneilema aequinoctitale on Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pheumonia, Cryphtococcus neoformans and Streptococcus pneumonia were determined and compared. The extracts of the whole plant exhibited the widest inhibition zones followed by extracts of the leaves and stem, while the root extracts showed the least inhibition zones. The results are discussed with reference to the nutritional and medicinal values of the plant Aneilema aequinoctiale.