Equity and equality in higher education-india calling…

Abstract Higher education in India is always a socio-political way and a powerful engine of social mobility. It adds to the benefits to society as more people earning Higher Education credentials. It is proven that college graduates earn more. They are less likely to be unemployed. They are more likely to vote, more likely to volunteer, and more likely to maintain good health. India as a Globalised and developing nation has been little systematically progressing on the educational front since its independence. The government is making progress in reaching out to all the classes of its society. The improvement in the country’s economic front has resulted in the upscaling of communication technology. The advent of the internet, have vastly leveraged the promotion of education across all verticals. But at the same time, the idea of Equity and Equality needs to be redefined in the present context of the newly established notion of ‘Inclusivity’. This paper deliberates on the various ideas and approaches of Higher Education in India on ‘Inclusivity’ in general and Equity and Equality in particular.

Dr. Preeti oza Dr. preeti oza

A linear programming integer model for cellular manufacturing layout design with machine flexibility and dynamic criteria

The Cellular Manufacturing is adopted in batch type manufacturing industries nowadays for their production with increased productivity, less cost and time with effective control. The proposed optimization model is used to determine the cost of machine cells, i.e., machine duplication, part subcontract, inter intra cellular movements cost and cost of production associated with machine cell, such as machine reconfiguration and part inventory considering machine flexibility for various time periods. Initially, a mathematical model is proposed to calculate machine cell cost with and without considering machine flexibility, and then another lpp integer model is proposed to calculate the machine cell production and associated cost for the changes in the time period, part type, and volume considering machine flexibility. The manufacturing data in the incidence matrix and machine cell, and part family data in the block diagonal form are given as input to the optimization programming language Cplex and the output is given for the two mathematical models. The data relating to machine duplication, part subcontract, inter intracellular movement; machine reconfiguration, and part inventory are given. Two-dimensional shop floor layouts are presented in rectilinear coordinates for all the problems for easy analysis of material movement length and shop floor area

S RAMESH S ramesh

Opencitations, an infrastructure organization for open scholarship

OpenCitations is an infrastructure organization for open scholarship dedicated to the publication of open citation data as Linked Open Data using Semantic Web technologies, thereby providing a disruptive alternative to traditional proprietary citation indexes. Open citation data are valuable for bibliometric analysis, increasing the reproducibility of large-scale analyses by enabling publication of the source data. Following brief introductions to the development and benefits of open scholarship and to Semantic Web technologies, this paper describes OpenCitations and its data sets, tools, services, and activities. These include the OpenCitations Data Model; the SPAR (Semantic Publishing and Referencing) Ontologies; OpenCitations’ open software of generic applicability for searching, browsing, and providing REST APIs over resource description framework (RDF) triplestores; Open Citation Identifiers (OCIs) and the OpenCitations OCI Resolution Service; the OpenCitations Corpus (OCC), a database of open downloadable bibliographic and citation data made available in RDF under a Creative Commons public domain dedication; and the OpenCitations Indexes of open citation data, of which the first and largest is COCI, the OpenCitations Index of Crossref Open DOI-to-DOI Citations, which currently contains over 624 million bibliographic citations and is receiving considerable usage by the scholarly community.

Kamal Singh Kamal singh

Fragaria nubicola (rosaceae): a review of medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology

Fragaria nubicola (Hoof. f) Linn. (Rosaceae) is a medicinally important plant commonly called Wild strawberry. Traditionally, it has been used to treat different diseases. The study was carried out to compile all the previous data in review form based on its distribution, traditional medicinal uses, pharmacology and phytochemistry

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Junk food-induced obesity- a growing threat to youngsters during the pandemic

Introduction: Obesity has been declared an epidemic that does not discriminate based on age, gender, or ethnicity and thus needs urgent containment and management. Since the third wave of COVID-19 is expected to affect children the most, these children and adolescents should be more cautious while having junk foods, during covid situations due to the compromise of Immunity in the individuals and further exacerbating the organ damage. Methodology: A PAN India survey organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) among 13,274 children between the ages 9–14 years reported that 93% of the children ate packed food and 68% consumed packaged sweetened beverages more than once a week, and 53% ate these products at least once in a day. Almost 25% of the School going children take ultra-processed food with high levels of sugar, salt, fat, such as pizza and burgers, from fast food outlets more than once a week. Children and adolescents who consume more junk food or addicted to such consumption might be even more vulnerable during the third wave, which will significantly affect the younger category. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to spread awareness among children and young adults about these adverse effects of junk food. There is no better time than now to build a supportive environment nurturing children and young adults in society and promising good health.

Ankul singh

Tunisian maturity-onset diabetes of the young: a short review and a new molecular and clinical investigation

Introduction/aims: Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) is a monogenic non-autoimmune diabetes with 14 different genetic forms. MODY-related mutations are rarely found in the Tunisian population. Here, we explored MODY related genes sequences among seventeen unrelated Tunisian probands qualifying the MODY clinical criteria. Materials and methods: The GCK and HNF1A genes were systematically analyzed by direct sequencing in all probands. Then, clinical exome sequencing of 4,813 genes was performed on three unrelated patients. Among them, 130 genes have been reported to be involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism, β-cell development, differentiation and function. All identified variants were analyzed according to their frequencies in the GnomAD database and validated by direct sequencing. Results: We identified the previously reported GCK mutation (rs1085307455) in one patient. The clinical features of the MODY2 proband were similar to previous reports. In this study, we revealed rare and novel alterations in GCK (rs780806456) and ABCC8 (rs201499958) genes with uncertain significance. We also found two likely benign alterations in HNF1A (rs1800574) and KLF11 (rs35927125) genes with minor allele frequencies similar to those depicted in public databases. No pathogenic variants have been identified through clinical exome analysis. Conclusions: The most appropriate patients were selected, following a strict clinical screening approach, for genetic testing. However, the known MODY1-13 genes could not explain most of the Tunisian MODY cases, suggesting the involvement of unidentified genes in the majority of Tunisian affected families.

Mariam moalla Mariam moalla

Role of human liver microsomes in in vitro metabolism of metamizole

Metamizole or Novalgin® is a widely used well tolerated analgesic drug which is however compromised by agranulocytosis as adverse effect. Subsequent to nonenzymatic hydrolysis, the primary metabolic step is N-demethylation of 4-methylaminoantipyrine (4-MAA) to 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AA). The aim of the present study was to identify the human cytochrome P-450 enzyme (CYP) mediating this reaction. This study identified the relevant CYP using virus expressed isolated human CYP, human liver microsomes and rat liver microsomes with chemical inhibition studies. The substrate of 4-methylaminantipyrine was employed at six different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 400, 800 and 1200 µmol per l) with varying concentrations of selective inhibitors of CYP1A2 (furafylline, fluvoxamine), CYP3A4 (ketoconazole), CYP2A6 (coumarin), CYP2D6 (quinidine), CYP2C19 (omeprazole, fluvoxamine, tranylcypromine), CYP2C9 (sulphaphenazole) and CYP1A1 (alpha-naphthoflavone). 4-MAA and 4-AA were analyzed by HPLC and enzyme kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) were determined by regression (Sigma plot 9.0). The N-demethylation of 4-MAA by microsomes prepared from baculovirus expressing human CYP was pronounced with CYP2C19. Intrinsic clearance of the most active enzymes were 0.092, 0.027 and 0.026 for the CYP enzymes 2C19, 2D6 and 1A2, respectively. Metabolism by human liver microsomes was strongly inhibited by fluvoxamin, omeprazole and tranylcypromine (IC50 of 0.07, 0.07 and 0.18, respectively) but with coumarin, sulphaphenazole, ketoconazole, moclobemid, quinidine alpha-naphthoflavone and furafylline were 0.79, 1.20, 1.36, 1.44, 3.46, 4.68 and 8.41, respectively. The enzyme CYP2C19 apparently has an important role in N-demethylation of 4-methylaminoantipyrine which should be further analyzed in clinical studies and which may also be interesting concerning the agranulocytosis.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Tracking students' progress in introductory c programming courses through moodle tests with randomized questions

Assessing students' progress in introductory programming courses is crucial for identifying learning gaps and improving teaching methods. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Moodle-based tests with randomized questions in monitoring student progress in C programming courses at J. Selye University during the 2023/24 academic year. A series of ten tests were administered across two courses, covering essential programming topics such as data types, variables, conditional statements, loops, two-and three-dimensional arrays, recursion, and sorting algorithms. The results revealed significant variations in student performance, with recursion and the pretest/posttest loops presenting the greatest challenges. The correlation analysis of test scores showed strong relationships among related topics, confirming the structured progression of the curriculum. These findings suggest that Moodle-based assessments offer valuable insights into students' learning trajectories, enabling educators to adapt their instructional strategies accordingly. Such insights can help optimize introductory programming curricula, enhancing student engagement and understanding.

Ladislav Végh Ladislav végh

Sero-prevalence of salmonella typhi antibodies among adult residents of some selected rural communities of abia and enugu states, southeast nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Background: Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) antibodies may be considered as biomarkers of typhoid fever, a severe febrile systemic illness caused by an invasive Gram-negative Bacterium S. typhi. Worldwide, about 21-26.9 million cases of typhoid fever and 200 000-215 000 deaths, occur annually. Between 2003 and 2005, statistics have shown a rising trend in the incidence of typhoid fever in Abia and Enugu States. The aim of the study was to determine the sero-prevalence of S. typhi antibodies in some rural communities of Abia and Enugu States as proxy indicators of prevalence typhoid fever (TF) in the two states. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of the sero-prevalence of S. typhi antibodies in ten rural communities of Umunneochi Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State and Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State using 421 (200 in Abia and 221 in Enugu) blood samples for the Widal test to determine the titres of these antibodies. Results: In the Abia communities the mean sero-prevalence of S. typhi antibodies was 68.2%, while in Enugu it was 87.1%. Between the two states, difference in the sero-prevalence of S. typhi antibodies was significant (p=0.03). Conclusions: The sero-prevalence of S. typhi antibodies was higher (87.1%) in the Enugu communities, compared to the Abia communities (68.2%). To reduce the incidence and prevalence of TF in the communities, access to safe domestic water, improved sanitation and good food hygiene needs to be improved. Health-seeking behaviour also needs improvement.

Emmanuel umegbolu

Regional disparities in covid-19 vaccine distribution: a global analysis of manufacturer contributions and product availability

The unprecedented global effort to develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccines has highlighted remarkable scientific achievements and persistent inequities in access across populations. Analyzing of regional vaccine deployment patterns reveals critical insights into pandemic response dynamics, shaped by manufacturing capacity, regulatory frameworks, procurement strategies, and regional health priorities. Data from WHO regions (Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, and Western Pacific) demonstrate significant disparities in vaccine types and suppliers, underscoring the complexity of global vaccination efforts. (Figure 1) illustrates this regional vaccine distribution by WHO regions.

Karishma Karishma

Method development and validation for simulataneous estimation of albendazole and praziquantel in bulk and in a synthetic mixture

A simple, rapid, sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for simultaneous measurement of albendazole and praziquantel with an internal standard, simvastatin, at single wavelength of 225 nm. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Enable C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm: Spinco Biotech Pvt Ltd) and a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water (60:40, v/v) with 10% orthophosphoric acid to adjust the pH to 3.2, at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The calibration curve was linear (r2 ≥ 0.999) over the concentration range 0.05–8.0 μg/ml. The concentrations of simvastatin was 1.0 μg/ml. The limit of quantification was 0.05 μg/ml for both albendazole and praziquantel. No interference was found by the excipients in the synthetic mixture. The proposed methods were validated as per International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines for linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness for estimation of albendazole and praziquantel in bulk and in a synthetic mixture, and the results were found to be satisfactory.

Prasanna Pradhan Prasanna pradhan

Antifungal activity of hypnea pannosa j. agardh against aspergillus flavus

The methanol extract of the whole alga Hypnea pannosa J. Agardh was subjected to antifungal screening. It showed low activity against Aspergillus flavus Link ex Gray 1821.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Quality control of selected cosmetics marketed in libya for traces of toxic heavy metals: urgent need of guidelines harmonization

Heavy metals and trace elements such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (Ar), nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), mercury (Mg), iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) are detected in various types of herbal cosmetics. Heavy metals and elements can accumulate at high concentrations causing serious risks to human health when consumed. In this study, the levels of potential heavy metals of Pb, Ar, Cd, and Ni were quantitatively determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Samples of Henna leaves, Henna paste, Khol stones and baby Talcum powder were collected randomly from different public markets of Tripoli city. The results were evaluated by using different international guidelines, US-FDA, EU regulation, German (BVL), World Health Organization (WHO) and Canadian Guidelines. Because of controversial global guidelines, the study urgent the ultimate need for setting up harmonized minimum levels of heavy metals in cosmetics that could be applicable worldwide. Generally, the presence of a higher concentration of some of the studied heavy metals was observed, and the effect of these heavy metals at higher levels will be more harmful to consumer health after prolonged usage. In conclusion, nationally, the need for developing and updating the national specification for cosmetics by the Libyan National Centre for Standardization and Metrology (LNCSM) to protect consumers from more catastrophic cosmetic hazards is urgently required.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Bioassay of new chemistry insecticides against pod borer, helicoverpa armigera on chickpea

Toxicity of different insecticides was evaluated against 2nd and 3rd instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera under laboratory conditions by leaf dipping method. The insecticides viz., thiodicarb 75WP, novaluron 10EC, spinetroam 11.7EC, indoxacarb 15.8EC, quinalphos 25EC, rynaxypyr 18.5SC, emamectin benzoate 5SG and cypermethrin 25EC were tested. Spinetoram was found most effective in managing the 2nd instar larvae of H. armigera and it was followed by novaluron 10EC and indoxacarb 15.8EC as compared to cypermethrin 25EC. Emamectin benzoate 5SG @ 1 x 10-7 to 1 x 10-9 per cent concentrations recorded 100% mortality against 2nd instar larvae and LC50 values for 3rd instar larvae was 0.00000000045%. Insecticides novaluron 10EC, spinetoram 11.7EC and cypermethrin 25EC did not show promising and consistent results against 3rd instar larvae of H. armigera at 24 hrs. The LT50 of novaluron 10EC at 0.00005% concentration was 19.861 hrs and it was 28.144 hrs at 0.000001% against 2nd instar larvae of H. armigera

DR. BABU LAL JAT Dr. babu lal jat

Neuroscientific detection of covert consciousness in disorders of consciousness

The subjective experience of consciousness, a cornerstone of human existence, is profoundly disrupted in disorders of consciousness (DOC) arising from severe brain injuries, spanning-states from coma to the minimally conscious state. A significant challenge in clinical practice is the phenomenon of covert consciousness, in which individuals may retain awareness despite the absence of overt behavioral responsiveness. Diagnosis based solely on observable behavior is inherently limited by factors such as co-occurring motor impairments, the fluctuating nature of consciousness, and subjective interpretation, potentially leading to misclassification. To overcome these limitations, neuroscientific methodologies have advanced significantly. To address these limitations, neuroscientific methods have advanced considerably. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) provide objective evidence of preserved brain activity and cognitive processing, enabling detection of willful modulation and offering prognostic insight. Electrophysiological techniques—including electroencephalography (EEG), event-related potentials (ERPs), transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with EEG (TMS-EEG), and advanced downstate analysis—further reveal dynamic neural patterns indicative of residual awareness. The detection of covert consciousness has profound ethical, clinical, and societal implications. It necessitates a re-examination of patient rights, end-of-life decision-making, the use of brain-computer interfaces, and societal conceptions of personhood. This evolving understanding mandates a shift towards integrating objective neuroscientific assessments with compassionate, person-centered care, aiming to preserve dignity and navigate the complex ethical landscape of severe brain injury.

Mostafa Eissa Mostafa eissa

A study on corporate social responsibility – a case study with reliance industries

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable—to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. Reliance Foundation (RF) is a not-for-profit organization established by RIL to bring about changes in Indian society seamlessly. CSR is for the community, it is equally valuable for a company. CSR activities can help forge a stronger bond between employees and corporations, boost morale and help both employees and employers feel more connected with the world.

Vidya Bhat Vidya bhat

A case of bilateral achilles tendon spontaneous rupture in a hemodialysis patient: who is the real culprit? acidosis? or hyperparathyroidism?

Patients who are on regular hemodialysis and who have advanced renal failure but have not yet started on renal replacement therapy have a high risk of tendon rupture, although this is a rare situation. We reported a case of 55-year-old male patient who had been on regular hemodialysis for the past 10 years. He presented with a sudden onset of pain and swelling in the left posterior ankle while climbing stairs. Ultrasonography revealed a complete disruption of the Achilles tendon, which was surgically repaired. His medical history was remarkable for the right Achilles tendon rupture a year ago. Investigations revealed tertiary hyperparathyroidism with chronic metabolic acidosis and high β-2 macroglobulin. With surgical repair, physiotherapy, and parathyroidectomy, the patient regained full active mobility. This case emphasized the importance of high parathyroid hormone level, metabolic acidosis, and high β-2 macroglobulin in the pathogenesis of tendons ruptures.

Karishma Karishma

Integrating pharmaceutical care into public health

Nowadays, the pharmacy profession is moving toward a multidisciplinary approach. Besides the pharmacists’ role beyond dispensing and checking the safety, quality and efficacy of the delivered medications, pharmacists are currently using their clinical knowledge to serve the community through different disciplines including drug counseling, vaccination, screening, and drug therapy management

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

Factor influencing the tax planning behaviour among the salaried individuals

Indian Economy is the world's 06 th largest economy (2021 Nominal GDP) and 03 rd largest by purchasing power parity (2021 PPP). Salaried workers are a consistent group of tax paying citizens that give roughly 12% of overall revenue to a government through income tax. Due to which tax planning has assumed special importance for salaried individuals. All taxpayers in India have a variety of tax saving choices. These choices provide a variety of exclusions and deductions that help to reduce the total tax burden. Deductions are provided from Sections 80C through 80U, and qualifying taxpayers can claim them. Hence it is essential for the individual tax payer to know all their possible tax regulations and for tax compliance. It is totally legal and, in fact, a wise option when tax planning is done within the boundaries set by the relevant authorities. However the salaried individuals are not able to plan their taxes which results in opting for the wrong investment options. The objective of the study is to determine the level of awareness among the salaried individual on several tax planning methods offered on professional tax under the income tax act and to identify the factors influencing the tax planning behaviour of the salaried individuals..

Sabir Mujawar Sabir mujawar

Evaluation of self-medication with antibiotics in libyan community

Self-medication of antibiotics is an irrational use of drugs, contributing to microbial resistance, increasing health care cost and higher mortality and morbidity. This study was aimed to assess self-medication with antibiotics without a medical prescription in the community of Libya. This is a cross-sectional study conducted from June to December, 2022 and the total number of participants was 200. The design of the study and sample size were modified according to the proficiency of pharmacists and the medical and non-medical population of Libya. The questionnaire was developed in English and Arabic language and was distributed through social media platforms. The questions were used after a thorough literature search and assessing the validity and reliability. The significant signs regarding reasons for the treatment by self-medication drugs of antibiotics, because of its various drugs of antibiotic by pharmacist (n = 80, 40.0%) and family (n = 90, 45.0%) compare with experience and physicians by used prescription was 13 (06.50%) and significant sings regarding by nasal congestion self-medication of various antibiotics (n = 100, 50.0%). This sign must be practiced based on a previous physician’s prescription. The antibiotics are often self-administered as patient feel that they will save money and time but this can lead to substantial adverse drug reaction, antibiotic resistance, treatment failure and drug-related toxicity. This study respondent's medical and non-medical public of Libya who should be relatively informed and educated about the risk of treatment by self-medication of antibiotics with the development of resistance.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

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