Category Archives: Science & Technology

GCC’s biggest online medical education platform ‘Healthvarsity’ launched in Dubai

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Mangaluru, KARNATAKA / Dubai, U.A.E:

Dubai, UAE :

Healthvarsity LLC, the GCC region’s biggest online learning platform for health professionals, using AI and blockchain technology, was launched in Dubai on Wednesday by one of the region’s pioneers in healthcare and medical education.

Headquartered and registered in Dublin, Ireland, Healthvarsity is the brainchild of Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder president of Healthvarsity and Thumbay Group, the Dubai-based international business conglomerate, with operations across a wide range of verticals, including education and healthcare.

Designed to positively impact healthcare professionals by helping them progress in their careers, the new EdTech venture offers currently more than 200 courses-which can be paid for in cryptocurrency. The platform aims to expand the reach and accessibility of well-defined programs for up-skilling doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and aspiring medical students, among others. Going forward, the platform will also introduce features such as an AI-based Virtual Instructor, AI-based Virtual Mentor and AI-based Virtual Assessor.

Dr. Moideen, Founder President of Healthvarsity, introduced the platform to 200 stakeholders and guests attending the official launch ceremony today at the Palazzo Versace Hotel, Dubai.

Guests of honour present at the ceremony included Dr. Richard Grose, Dean for Global Engagement, Professor of Cancer Cell Biology, Queen Mary University of London, UK, and Mrs. Wendy Palmer, Director, Global Studio, Deakin University, Australia. They were among a panel of international experts who took part in a multi-stage process to design the Healthvarsity audio-visual courses and full curriculum.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Dr Moideen said: “Healthvarsity embodies the highly engaged, focused, interactive and unique learning that has been a hallmark of medical education programs for decades. The interconnected world that we live in has experienced unprecedented growth in recent times, and preparing healthcare professionals to succeed in this challenging environment demands a flexible and real world-based approach to education.”

“Healthvarsity will, thus, provide a powerful channel for communicating ideas to and engaging with new and wider audiences, nurturing lifelong journey of enquiry and discovery and achieve better career outcomes using latest technology.”

Healthvasity courses are available in the English language for all users, at different designations and levels of education and professional experience, from students to administrators, doctors, and other healthcare professions. After the initial registration, users can select courses optimally meeting their professional requirements from several options, including diploma, advanced certificate courses, master classes and self-study programmes. On completion of each course, they receive a certificate on blockchain to maintain security and authenticity.

Healthvasity offerings are differentiated by multiple course styles, including recorded webinars, guided tours, case studies, test preparation, demonstrations, and leaders’ insights.

Mrs. Wendy Palmer, Director, Global Studio, Deakin University, Australia, “We are honored, excited and proud to partner with Healthvarsity to lead the transformation in medical education. With unique set of courses, the platform will provide not only provide easily accessible tool for professionals and learners in refining their skills and increasing the accuracy of their work, but will also bring together renowned academicians of the world on one platform to make the Halthvarsity the center of engagement for research, innovation, education and collaboration in the years to come.”

Fee structure for students, and revenue model for instructors, are built on a robust and forward-looking economic model. Partnering local banks, payment gateways, ‘Learn now and pay later’, Healthvarsity offers easy and flexible payment methods for learners to make healthcare education more accessible, and economically sustainable, to enable future investment and growth.

Dr. Richard Grose, Dean for Global Engagement, Professor of Cancer Cell Biology, Queen Mary University of London, UK: “We are excited to join forces with Healthvarsity to equip health professionals, learners in the region, and beyond, with the essential skills they need to achieve better career outcomes. Learners across the world have embraced online learning at a greater pace since the beginning of the pandemic. And, therefore, expanding our range of partnerships with some of the region’s pioneers in medical education and research, we look forward to continuing to deliver transformational, relevant learning to everyone.”

The panel responsible for designing the Healthvarsity courses and curriculum also included experts from University of Arizona (USA), Medi-AI (Australia), Skills for Health – UK, e-Integrity (UK), Learna (UK), AIN Shams (Egypt), Raaonline (India), The Behavioral Training Institute (Ireland), IBCCES (USA), Arlington Medical Academy (UK), Gulf Medical University (UAE), Thumbay Labs (UAE), Advanced Laparoscopic Training (United Kingdom), Newcastle Australia – Singapore, AIO Compass (Japan).

About Healthvarsity

The Healthvarsity registered in Ireland, aims to positively impact healthcare professionals by helping them progress in their careers. The newly established ed-tech venture is a brainchild of the visionary leader in Healthcare and Medical Education, Dr. Thumbay Moideen.

Healthcare and alternative medicine are growing sectors, and the demand for working professionals in these segments has seen a meteoric rise in recent times. Accredited health courses provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience to stand out and develop the tools they need for a rewarding career. The objective of this platform is to make healthcare education more accessible, engaging, and beneficial for people everywhere. Healthvarsity courses are organized to help focus on learning with a more comprehensive study of key topics related to health, wellness and beyond.

Healthvarsity will provide professional development, career-focused education, and in-demand healthcare programs in a self-paced online format. Enrolling in online courses is an excellent way to demonstrate commitment to a healthcare specialization.

About Thumbay Group

Founded by Dr. Thumbay Moideen in 1997, Thumbay Group is a diversified international business conglomerate with operations across different verticals. These include education, healthcare, medical research, diagnostics, retail pharmacy, health communications, retail opticals, wellness, nutrition stores, hospitality, real estate, publishing, technology, media, events, medical tourism, trading and marketing & distribution. Headquartered in Dubai, the group presently employs around 3,000 people.

Thumbay Group is committed to provide quality care to the community. The Thumbay Hospital Network, which today has the distinction of being the biggest chain of private academic hospitals in the region, treats patients from as many as 175 countries. Thumbay Group’s Healthcare Division operates eight academic hospitals, ten family clinics and medical centers, five diagnostic labs, and 46 retail pharmacy outlets.

Thumbay Group’s pioneering role in the GCC has helped establish the UAE as a regional hub of futuristic medical education, state-of-the-art healthcare, and cutting-edge research.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / May 03rd, 2023

AMU Faculty Discovers a Common Mechanism for the Prevention of Liver Cancer

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Science & Technology, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH:

In a big breakthrough in the field of cancer prevention, Dr Hifzur Rahman Siddique, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, in coordination with Dr. Keigo Machida, University of South California, USA, has discovered a common mechanism that activates disruption of a single RNA binding protein, MSI-2 binding to mRNAs of the cancer-causing proteins and significantly reduces the synthesis and accumulation of these proteins, reducing HCV infection and proliferation. The single RNA binding protein (named MSI-2) helps to accumulate multiple cancer-causing proteins in patients and helps to proliferate Hepatitis C Virus to promote liver cancer.

Dr. Siddique and the team who have identified this protein by analyzing the liver tissues of 374 liver cancer patients, said, “As we know, alcohol and cholesterol-rich high-fat diet and hepatitis infection promotes cancer initiation, but the exact molecular mechanism is unknown. In this research work, we have discovered that MSI-2 protein helps to accumulate multiple cancer-causing proteins and supports HCV proliferation to aggravate the disease.”

Dr Siddique said that Liver hyperplasia is also reduced in the animal model predisposed to viral infection fed with alcohol mixed cholesterol-rich high-fat diet. This is a very exciting discovery and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for the drug design and give direction to the management strategy for this deadly disease.

“The study has been recently published in Cell Death Discovery (April 2023, available at www.nature.com/cddiscovery),” he added.

Dr Siddique and his team had earlier discovered the molecular pathway that promotes the abnormal division of Cancer Stem Cells that are responsible for cancer therapy failure and Cancer reappearance/recurrence. Their study was then published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications 11 (2020) and found a place in different national and international dailies.

He said that the liver is considered the powerhouse of the body and due to the change in lifestyle, chronic alcohol consumption, high-fat diet, and hepatitis virus infection, the incidence of liver cancer is increasing fast. More than 350 million people are currently infected with hepatitis viruses, out of which 70 million are infected with Hepatitis C. It is estimated that approximately 40 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis B and 6-12 million people with Hepatitis C. The situation worsens when Hepatitis infection occurs in an alcoholic person.

He said that the discovery is significant in the treatment of liver cancer as blocking the identified protein has an immense effect on liver cancer in the animal model and also stops the accumulation of the number of human cancer-causing proteins, the proliferation of hepatitis viruses and improving recovery.

Dr Siddique has been working on Cancer Stem Cells for a decade and has established a dedicated lab to initiate pioneer research on Cancer Stem Cells at AMU with a team of 10 researchers and collaborators from the USA, Russia, China, the UK, India, etc.

Recently, he  got a Patent for his herbal formulation to prevent liver cancer and expecting some extramural grant from the Government of India for further clinical research.

source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University – AMU / Home> AMU News / by Public Relations Office / May 01st, 2023

Boeing announces winners of 8th national aeromodelling competition

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Science & Technology, Transport, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bhopal, MADHYA PRADESH:

Winners of the 2023 Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition. 39 finalists from 12 teams were selected for the finale, which was held at R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru:

This year’s competition attracted close to 2,200 students across India.

Boeing announced the winners of the 8th annual Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition in India, on May 3.

This year’s competition attracted close to 2,200 students across India, and saw a two-fold increase in participation across zonal and national rounds. 39 finalists from 12 teams were selected for the finale, held at R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru.

Arshad Khan (right) from Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal won the 2023 Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition. The finale was held in Bengaluru

Arshad Khan from Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal was declared winner of the competition.

Sharanya Acharya Nishmithe, Aman Kumar Srivastav and Gagan G. Nayak from Nitte Mahalinga Adyanthaya Memorial Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Nitte, Karnataka bagged the second spot

Divyamshu, Rathan Raj K. Nancy and Anantha Krishna, also from NMAMIT-Nitte, took the third spot.

The zonal rounds of the competition were held at IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Madras. The top three teams from each zone then travelled to Bengaluru for the finale.

The competition started as an annual event in 2013 to provide a nationwide platform for students who have a keen interest in aerospace engineering and related fields. The competition allows them to demonstrate their skills and creativity in designing, building, and flying fixed-wing aircraft models of different types and sizes.

Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India, said, “This national aeromodelling competition provides an excellent platform for young aviation and technology enthusiasts to present their creativity, and engineering and design skills. It is a testament to our commitment to encourage engineering talent to pursue careers in aerospace and defence in India.”

Ahmed Elsherbini, managing director, Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, and chief engineer, Boeing India, said, “Aeromodelling competition plays a crucial role in the aerospace sector. It brings fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a willingness to challenge conventional thinking. With the aerospace industry constantly evolving, student innovation can be a driving force in the development of new technologies and sustainable solutions.”

Over the years, Boeing has strategically invested in developing talent for the aerospace sector in India.

Its programs, including Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Program, the Boeing HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, and the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) Apprenticeship program, have all helped empower entrepreneurs and contributed to building a skilled frontline workforce for India.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by The Hindu Bureau / May 03rd, 2023

Who is Leena Rafeeq? An 11-year-old Prodigy Girl from Kerala creates AI App for Eye Disease Detection

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA / Dubai, UAE:

Just an 11-year-old girl astonishes the world with her extraordinary development skills. She recently created an AI Application that uses advanced models to determine eye diseases or serious conditions such as Melanoma, Cataracts, etc. Read below about this creative Kerala-origin girl.

An app that finds eye diseases is launched by an 11-year-old.

An 11-year-old Dubai-based girl called Leena Rafeeq has designed a modernistic application integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI). This young girl from Kerala proclaimed that this smart app can locate common eye disorders and symptoms. Moreover, this can be determined through a unique scanning method built into the app and only the iPhone supports this advanced model so far. 

iPhone users will be able to check their eye-related problems and conditions with 70 per cent accuracy. The intelligent app that has been going viral for a couple of days has been named ‘Ogler EyeScan’ by Ms Leena Rafeeq. She was just 10 when she built it and now after so much research at the age of 11, she exuberantly launched it. 

Self-taught Techie

On a social media platform called LinkedIn, she vividly presented the model. She further expounded the workings of her self-made in an online video that she posted online after which several viewers are impressed with her knowledge and skill set. 

She asserted that this AI-based application has the capability to evaluate various parameters. The specifications include light and colour intensity, distance and look-up points in order to track down the eyes. 

It scans the human eyes within the available range of the frame and this is possible through the “advanced computer vision and machine learning” used in this model’s design. 

Features of ‘Ogler EyeScan App’

Leena Rafeeq explains her exceptional achievement and said that the Ogler EyeScan App can also identify any light burst issues. Additionally, this app will first check the eye positioning inside the scanner frame and after that through advanced technological scanning procedures, it can identify some of the common eye problems. 

Built with Machine Learning Algorithms and Computer Vision Systems, eye conditions like Arcus, Melanoma, Pterygium and Cataracts can be checked however 70% accurate results have been recognized till now. 

How AI App is developed?

Ms Rafeeq told that this smart technology app was developed natively with high-level programming developer ‘SwiftUI’ without the involvement of any third-party libraries or packages. She also reveals that she dedicated herself for almost six months to conducting research and development to come up with this initiative. 

Along with this, she continued her learning about different eye conditions, computer vision, algorithms, machine learning models and other advanced levels of Apple iOS development which involves sensors data, AR, CreateML, CoreML and many such tools.

It is notable that the Ogler EyeScan is supported solely in iPhone 10 or Apple phones with iOS above 16. The app is under review on the App Store and this young girl hopes that her model gets listed soon.

Appraisal of her Project

This young Kerala girl leaves many flabbergasted by the invention of such a little girl. People congratulated her as she attains this level at this age. A user commented that this is a pretty good example of how AI can be effectively used in the health sector.

Another goes on to say that this is such an amazing creation and wished her good luck with her future endeavours. They all wished her positive reviews on her app. Ms Rafeeq responded that the model accuracy is “almost 70 per cent”. 

However, she is handling some difficulties with the presence of glare and burst from lights caused by the distance required for capturing scans through the phone device. She has implemented metrics and detection for light-related issues so that the users will be able to re-scan. Her current focus is on training more elegant models. As soon as Ogler is accepted by the Appstore, she will be releasing an update in the software.

source: http://www.jagranjosh.com / Jagran Josh / Home> Current Affairs> Science – Technology Current Affairs / (headline edited) April 2023

Jalna’s first Muslim doctor still tends to homegrown cotton crop

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Dadhegaon (Jalna District) , MAHARASHTRA :

Dr Shaikh Yunus in the I.C.U of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow

Dr Shaikh Yonus, a Senior Resident in the Cardiology department of the prestigious King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, is the first Muslim doctor from the Jalna district of Central Maharashtra. He completed his MBBS degree in 2015.  

This is no small accomplishment for this cheerful 34-year-old doctor who studied in a village school till Class X. His father even borrowed money to fund his medical education. 

Shaikh grew up sowing cotton with his father Khudbuddin and elder brother Aslam in their four-acre land in Dadhegaon in Jalna district.  

As a schoolboy, he remembers his relatives insisting that he be sent to a Madrasa along with their children. But Shaikh wanted to attend a regular school and his father respected his wish. He was always drawn to the science stream and chose his career path when he was in Class X. 

Shaikh says that in his backward village of 800 people there was hardly anyone holding a high post. “Thankfully, my seniors in school had become career-minded and some become teachers. They inspired me to focus on my ambition.’’ 

Shaikh struggled against all odds and cracked the Medical college entrance test.

Dr. Yunus says, “It was a huge struggle. My father who passed away in August 2022, at the age of 62, was a cotton farmer. Because of the challenges that cotton farmers face in Maharashtra, he was on the brink of starvation. We are four siblings – two brothers, and two sisters. In 2008, my father’s annual income was Rs 30,000. It was difficult for him to pay Rs 3000 for my monthly room rent and living expenses for a year and annual fee of Rs 12,000 for professional coaching in Aurangabad for entrance examination of the medical college.”

Shaikh’s coaching cost Rs 50,000 per year. His father even took a loan of Rs 30,000 to fund his coaching.

This promising cardiologist says students in the village aspiring to study after Class X had to move out. So did Yunus. He then began studying in Ambad Taluk, 20 kilometres away from home, for Class XI and XII.   

Although Shaikh managed to get an annual minority scholarship of Rs 25,000 for his six-year MBBS course in Government Medical College, Nagpur, he still had to depend on his father for Rs 3000 every month to meet his living expenses.

Looking back at his struggle, he says, “My father had limited means. Saving money to marry my sisters and having to set aside Rs 2000 for my fee was a huge challenge but he never let it bother me. The annual fee for MBBS was Rs 18,000. The annual hostel fee was Rs 4000. The remaining amount was spent on buying books. I still had to depend on Rs 2000 every month from my father. I could hardly afford to travel to my village. I was homesick but meeting my family members was a luxury. So, once in six months, I would take a 16-hour long journey by train to meet my family.’’ 

Shaikh’s first earning came after the final year of MBBS at Government Medical College in Nagpur. “During the year-long internship, the government was paying us Rs 6000 a month. After this, I appeared in the NEET examination for MD in Medicine. I got 104th rank in the country. There were only 26 seats for MD in Medicine in Maharashtra. “I got a chance to pursue MD for three years in Government Medical College in Miraj near Pune. I completed MD in 2020,’’ he recalls. 

The competition for DM (Doctorate in Medicine) is even more difficult. Out of the 3,000 students who apply for DM in Cardiology every year, only one-tenth get through. KGMU admits only eight students every year after a nationwide selection. Dr Shaikh is among the eight doctors who was selected for DM in Cardiology in KGMU. 

Dr Yunus is the only doctor in his extended family. “My father studied till class X but he stood behind me like a rock. He was determined to do whatever he could to help me fulfil my dreams. My sisters who are now married, studied only till Class IV or V. My mother, Shaheen is a homemaker. She too hardly studied. My elder brother did his postgraduation in Hindi from Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar University in Aurangabad but was not able to find a job. So, he took to cotton cultivation.’’ 

Although Dr Yunus is satisfied that his hard work helped him crack the examination, he deeply regrets that he was not able to save his father’s life last year. “I was on I.C.U. duty when I got a call from my family that my father was unwell. When I made a video call to the doctor who was attending to him in a private hospital, 50 km from my village home, I realized that he was critical. He had pneumonia.  I specialize in treating these diseases but I could not save his life. This is a lifelong regret.’’ 

Dr Shaikh Yunus (in the lab coat) going through the records of a patient in KGMU, Lucknow

Like most of his colleagues, Dr Yunus who is in the second year of DM, has unbelievable duties in the Cardiology department of KGMU. “The disease burden is huge and the number of patient consultations and admissions is huge. There have been times when my colleagues and I have come for duty on Sunday and left on Friday. On an average, we see 400 patients in OPD (Monday to Saturday) and 200 in emergency who are coming from all over the country and even Bhutan, Nepal and Saudi Arabia.’’ 

He also wishes that more young students from Jalna district would join the medical stream and become doctors. “ It has been eight years from the time I finished my MBBS but so far,  I have come across only two students from my district who were enrolled for MBBS courses in private universities in China or Russia. Only those students who are unable to crack the competitive examination in India, go there. I know how I have studied. I would sleep only five hours. ‘’ 

In February 2022, Dr. Yunus married Mahjabin, his junior who is now a surgical gynecologist in Bans-Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Yunus’ family who attended the wedding in Bareilly is extremely proud that their son and daughter-in-law are doctors. “ I first accompanied them on the train from Jalna to Delhi. That was the first time they saw the national capital. In so many years, that was the first time that they travelled outside the State. They enjoyed visiting Uttar Pradesh also. It was a 26-hour long journey.’’ 

Mahjabin who is working at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow is deeply appreciative of Dr Yunus’ struggle. “ When I visited my in-laws after my marriage and after my father-in-law’s demise, I felt that they were very proud of the fact that both of us are doctors.’’  

Dr. Yunus’s elder brother Aslam Shaikh is very proud of him. Aslam told this correspondent over the phone from his village “Other than my brother, no student from Jalna district has been able to get selected in competitive examination to enroll in MBBS.”

Aslam earns Rs 60,000 a year from cotton cultivation and supports a family of five. “I send my son, Arhaan Aslam Shaikh, 12 km away to study in an English medium school. My daughter, Jiya is only two and a half years old. I want them to become doctors like my brother and his wife. ”

After becoming a specialist, Dr Yunus has not forgotten his roots. He tends to his father’s farmland whenever he visits home. Ths doctor’s heart beats for the farmers of India.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Tripti Nath, Lucknow / March 24th, 2023

Turkey-Syria earthquake: Indian-origin businessman/philanthropist Dr.Shamsheer Vayalil donates Rs 11 crore for victims

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KERALA / Dubai, UAE:

The United Arab Emirates-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria last week, killing tens of thousands.

An earthquake ravaged Turkey.
An earthquake ravaged Turkey

Indian-origin businessman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, who is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, has donated Rs 11 crore as an aid for the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, killing tens of thousands last week.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the quake victims. The fund will be used to relocate those who have lost their homes and rehabilitate victims and families, the VPS Group, owned by Shamsheer Vayalil, informed.

Vayalil has said that the amount has already been handed over to the Emirates Red Crescent, which is carrying out relief efforts in the region.

“The fund will be used to support rescue efforts by providing medicine and other supplies, relocating those who have lost their homes, and rehabilitating victims and their families,” the VPS group, which owns the super-speciality VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi, said in a release.

“This donation is part of our ongoing efforts to provide assistance to the relief work. My heart goes out to all affected by the devastating earthquake, and I hope this contribution will support their needs,” Vayalil said.

Thousands were displaced after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region on February 6, killing more than 34,000 people.

(With inputs from agencies)

source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> World (headline edited) / February 14th, 2023

This techie has successfully tried his hand on farming

Agriculture (since June 07th, 2021), Business & Economy, Karnataka (under research project), Science & Technology

Bijapur, KARNATAKA:

Shabbir Jagirdar has been working from home as software engineer, also doing farming

Bijapur :

Strolling in the farm under the scorching heat and watering capsicum and watermelon plantations, Shabbir Jagirdar does not appear like any typical farmer. For the reason; he is a software professional and works for a Pune-based software company.

Yet, this techie has chosen farming as his passion along with his profession while working from home for the company.

Having cultivated capsicum, tomatoes and watermelon, Shabbir, though started farming, as a hobby but now has taken it as passion and involved himself fully.

Shabbir vehemently believes that farming should be done scientifically and professionally to earn profit and to convert the farming into a lucrative business.

“ I strongly believe and want to send the message to people that educated people can do farming in a far better manner than uneducated or people with limited educational qualifications. The educated people can do farming using skilled methods unlike traditional farmers”, he said.

With the clear objective of dispelling the notion that educated people are not fit for farming, he said that while traditional farmers, despite spending entire days at the farm, and still do not earn enough profit, the educated people can spend only a few hours in the farm and still can earn more profit.

“ Since I am working from home, I carry my laptop to the farm here. I spend around 3-4 hours at the farm, later I do my software job”, Shabbir said.

Admitting that the farming is not easier said than done, he however asserts that with a strong commitment and zeal, it is surely possible to earn in the farming.

“ In the beginning I did face some hurdles on cultivation, watering, controlling pests etc. but as I started getting more involved into it, I began learning from the mistakes”, he said.

Having cultivated watermelon and capsicum which is expected to give higher returns, he however experienced some loss in tomatoes after market crashing.

“ I would have earned profit even if I had sold tomatoes for Rs. 4/kg, but since the market has crashed, I have experienced loss”, he said.

Since he has adopted a multi-cropping system which he advises other farmers also, he said that if one crop causes loss, another crop helps in recovering the loss.

He is intensely hoping to recover the loss in watermelon as the demand will increase in the summers and from the capsicum which will come for harvesting in a few days.

For details, he can be contacted on 8956686124

source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Business / by The Hindustan Gazette / March 30th, 2021

Three Valley professors publish research work in world’s top journal

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JAMMU & KASHMIR:

These researchers include Prof. (Dr.) Zafar Ahmad Reshi and Associate Prof. (Dr). Irfan Rashid Kakroo, both working in the Department of Botany of University of Kashmir, and Dr. Pervaiz Ahmad Dar who is working as Assistant Professor at Department of Botany, Amar Singh College Srinagar.
These researchers include Prof. (Dr.) Zafar Ahmad Reshi and Associate Prof. (Dr). Irfan Rashid Kakroo, both working in the Department of Botany of University of Kashmir, and Dr. Pervaiz Ahmad Dar who is working as Assistant Professor at Department of Botany, Amar Singh College Srinagar.Special arrangement

In a significant development, three Kashmir based academicians have published their research work in one of the leading journals “Nature Ecology and Evolution”.

These include two Professors from University of Kashmir Srinagar and one from Amar Singh College, Cluster University Srinagar.

The researchers from Kashmir have been able to publish their research work in the leading Journal at global level which marks one of the rarest occasions.

These researchers include Prof. (Dr.) Zafar Ahmad Reshi and Associate Prof. (Dr). Irfan Rashid Kakroo, both working in the Department of Botany of University of Kashmir, and Dr. Pervaiz Ahmad Dar who is working as Assistant Professor at Department of Botany, Amar Singh College Srinagar.

Notably, this study is a finding of the global network MIREN (Mountain Invasions Research Network; https://www.mountaininvasions.org/) and the Valley based three academicians and researchers are part of the work. This study has revealed that climate change is reshuffling plant species in general and alien plant species in particular.

The study has revealed that climate change is also contributing to a rapid upward shift of alien plant species which is posing a serious threat to our fragile high altitude ecosystems including endemic plant species.

The results of this study are extremely important for mountainous regions like Kashmir as alien plant species are increasingly threatening ecosystems of the region. This publication is recognition of the quality of research being carried out by this group and will encourage and motivate local youth towards quality research.

The article can be accessed through the link  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01979-6.

source: http://www.greaterkashmir.com / Greater Kashmir / Home> Education / by GK Education Desk / January 30th, 2023

JMI Dr Ibadur Rahman’s invention ‘environment-friendly cement’ secured Australian Patent

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Science & Technology, World Opinion, , ,

INDIA:

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) faculty have invented an environment-friendly cement. The cement was invented by Dr Ibadur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Milia Islami, including other researchers from AMU. The Patent Office, Government of Australia has granted a patent to this cement as an intellectual property.

The invention is entitled ‘A Method for Preparing Modified Cement and Evaluating Mechanical and Chemical Properties,’ it’s main objective is to reduce carbon emissions.

Professor Mohammad Arif, Professor Abdul Baqi, Er Mohammad Gamal Al-Hagri, Er Amer Saleh Ali Hasan and Dr M Shariq are the co-inventors from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Dr. Rahman said “There is a pressing need for the construction and other industries to go through green revolution-in other words, industries need to adopt and introduce environment-friendly materials.”

An official statement said this invention emphasis on the cement replacement effects with micro-silica fume, nano-silica fume and fly ash in a combination of two supplements on the mechanical properties of the concrete mixes.

The inventors said that the mixture of micro and nano-silica fumes, improves the mechanical properties of concrete and ultimately the microstructure and chemical analysis of the modified concrete show amplification in the morphological properties of concrete yielding to pore filling with further dense and compact formation.

Dr. Rahman has been working for the last eight years in the field of nano-based modified cement and concrete composite during his PhD research. A JMI statement said Dr. Rahman now has two patents to his merit.

Last year September, the intellectual property at the Patent Office, Government of India bestowed Dr. Rahman, the patent titled “High Strength Cementitious Nanocomposite Compositions and the methods of making the same.”

source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Lifestyle / by Rabia Shireen / June 11th, 2021

Kerala: 17-year-old boy builds a robot for his mother to help with household chores

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Science & Technology, Uncategorized, , , ,

KERALA:

Muhammed Shiyad Chathoth, a 17-year-old Kerala resident studying computer science in class 12, has created a functional robot to assist his struggling mother with some household chores.

When Chathoth and his family were being served by a simple humanoid robot in a Kannur eatery, that is when Chathoth first thought of the concept, when he overheard his mother saying, If only she had a robot that could assist her with chores around the house.

Chathoth enquired about the robot at the same restaurant and was told that it cost Rs 3-4 lakh, and they did not have any technical details about the robot system.

Buying the expensive robot was out of the question he researched and came up with cost-effective ways to build such a system.

He said, “There is no direct information available on the Internet about putting together a robot. But I noticed that the machine in the restaurant was following a fixed path. My research led me to find many videos that explained this tech.”

He build it in about 10,000 rupees and named his robot named Android Pathooty, after a Malayalam film named Android Kunjappan.

Within a year, Shiyad created a simple design by mounting a plastic stool on top of an aluminium base supported by four tyres. A female mannequin that can turn 180 degrees makes up the robot’s top half. But the system is entirely automated.

All that is required is to put a tray of food onto Android Pathooty, and it will proceed to the table along a predetermined course that has been indicated with black tape. The movement is powered by a gear and motor that ran on 12 volts and is controlled by an ultrasonic sensor. The distance between the kitchen and dining area is long, now Pathooty carries the food from the kitchen to the table.

Additionally, a mobile application has been developed through the MIT app and Admega MicroController. It can work both manually and automatically as well as carry a load of up to 6 kg.

Chathoth has big dreams, as he hopes to launch a robot startup in the future.

Source: First Post

source: http://www.thehindustangazette.com / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> National> Kerala / by The Hindustan Gazette / October 26th, 2022