Category Archives: Science & Technology

Four doctors to be feted

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Science & Technology, , , ,

Mangalore, KARNATAKA :

Indian Medical Association will honour four doctors on Friday on the occasion of Doctors’ Day celebration in recognition of their professional excellence, service to society, and service to the IMA. Doctors’ Day is observed in memory of legendary physician and second Chief Minister of West Bengal B.C. Roy.

I.G. Bhat
I.G. Bhat

The doctors being felicitated are: I.G. Bhat, Parvathi Bhat, Y.M. Hegde, and D.K. Abdul Hameed. Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor T.C. Shivashankara Murthy will be the chief guest, according to an IMA press release.

The IMA said Dr. Abdul Hameed, who did his MBBS in 1968 and post graduation in TB and Chest Diseases in 1979 from the Government Medical College, Mysore, served the Health and Family Welfare Services of the Government of Karnataka from 1970 to 1997. For eight years, he served the Wenlock Hospital here and six years in the Primary Health Centre, Bajpe, and 14 years as a District Tuberculosis Officer. He had received the Best District T.B. Programme Award in 1990 and Meritorious Service Award in 1996 from the State government. He was conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award from the National Integration and Economic Council, New Delhi, for outstanding individual achievements and distinguished services to the nation for 2006-07.

The release said I.G. Bhat, serving as professor of Neurology, Kasturba Medical College here, has attended various national and international conferences. He has served as president of Dakshina Kannada chapters of IMA and the Association of Physicians of India. He did his MBBS from Mysore Medical College in 1965, MD (Medicine) from KMC Mangalore in 1970, DM from NIMHANS, Bangalore, in 1975.

Dr. Parvathi Bhat, retired professor of Pharmacology, worked in various capacities from tutor to professor and Head of the Department in KMC, Mangalore. She was the Chief Superintendent of Examinations and has edited and published the book, Drug Formulary in 1994. She did her MBBS from Mysore Medical College (MMC) in 1965, MD from KMC here in 1973. She received “Lady Dufferin Silver Medal” for being the best outgoing student of MMC from the President, the IMA release said.

It said Dr. Hegde, an ENT Surgeon, who was awarded D.L.O.R.C.S. from the Royal College of Surgeons, England, in 1976, served in different hospitals in the U.K. till 1979. On his return, he served the Father Muller Hospital as consultant for two years. He worked as Assistant Professor at KMC, Mangalore, till 1988 and served in the Ministry of Health at Muscat from 1988 to 1992. He served the Father Muller Medical College from 1999 to 2008 as Prof. and HoD, ENT. At present, he is serving the institution as Honorary Professor and is on its Trust Committee. He did his MBBS from KMC, Manipal, in 1968, M.S. (ENT) from King George Medical College, Lucknow.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mangalore – July 01st, 2011

DSS powering up differently-abled to earn a living

Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Green Products, Science & Technology, , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Zubeda Begum (extreme left) and her workers busy assembling solar lights in Sangareddy on Thursday.
Zubeda Begum (extreme left) and her workers busy assembling solar lights in Sangareddy on Thursday.

Employs 15 divyangans led by Zubeda Begum

Sashikanth, who was affected by polio in childhood, never thought he could earn his living. But life has changed for better since the past three months, thanks to Divyangan Solar Society (DSS).

Led by Zubeda Begum, a differently-abled woman fighting for the rights of divyangans, the DSS has employed Sashikanth along with 14 others who are differently-abled to sell solar-powered lights. It has also given indirect employment to a total of 85 persons. So far, the Society has sold over 20,000 solar lights of different varieties.

Work begins at 9.30 a.m. and workers get ₹3,000 a month as salary. For many, more than the money they get by working here, it’s the respect that they earn by doing so that matters the most. “Everyone considers a differently-abled person a burden both on the family as well as the society. We don’t get jobs easily as the employers see certain limitations in what we can do and refuse to give us a chance to prove them wrong. It’s humiliating. That’s the reason why I began my fight for divyangans and their rights. I can say I have been partly successful in this regard,” Ms. Zubeda told The Hindu.

About two decades ago, she set up a public telephone booth, which took her almost a year, for self-sustenance. Given her grit to live life on her own terms, she was entrusted with the responsibility of running DSS after it was established in 2016. For the past two years, the Society has done business of ₹18 lakh. It produces 10 varieties of solar lights.

The DSS has also established its units in Mahabubnagar, Janagam, Manchiryal and Kamareddy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by R. Avadhani / Sangareddy – March 17th, 2018

Here are innovators you wouldn’t want to miss in a science fair

Education, Karnataka (under research project), Science & Technology, , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Ramanagara GWPTR College student Arpita B(Ext. Left) and her friends displayed their Invention Bio- Electrical Body Fat Analyser, at the three day 'Engineering Fair', at Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, in Bengaluru on Thursday. DH photo
Ramanagara GWPTR College student Arpita B(Ext. Left) and her friends displayed their Invention Bio- Electrical Body Fat Analyser, at the three day ‘Engineering Fair’, at Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, in Bengaluru on Thursday. DH photo

Arpita B enthusiastically clamps the sensors to the wrist. With deft plucking of the keys, she feeds her subject’s age, gender and body weight.

Then, five pairs of eyes excitedly watch the display of the gadget as it flashes some numbers. “Here’s your body fat,” 18-year-old Arpita said with a smile.

Know your body fat

The group of five girls from GWPTR College in Ramanagaram, which Arpita is part of, are proud of their invention – bio-electrical body fat analyser.

The model was one of several exhibits at the three-day engineering fair at the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, which showed potential for future mass production.

The girls made this device in two months at Rs 15,500. “We’ve done successful tests on people and several doctors have verified the readings,” Arpita said.

Organised by the ministry of culture for industrial training students between the ages of 18 and 23, the fair displayed several simple innovations that had practical applicability.

Bomb-detection robot

Mohammed Nuhid’s bomb-detection robot is one such invention. The fourth-semester industrial training student from the Government ITI College came up with the solution as he was moved by the scenes of soldiers being ripped apart by IEDs and landmines.

The robot can detect metal, batteries and explosive substances from a distance, Nuhid said. The battery-operated device can crawl several miles, saving the user from harm. Nuhid put the device together in 10 days, spending Rs 4,000.

Wireless CNC tractor

The wireless CNC multi-purpose tractor was one more incredible piece of innovation that five boys from the MEI Polytechnic made for cash-strapped farmers.

“This tractor can perform multiple tasks like removing weeds, tilling land, and sowing and levelling the ground to prevent birds from eating the seeds,” said Dhanush S, who is part of the team that came up with the tractor.

“We designed this exhibit after learning about the troubles farmers go through to hire field hands. This will significantly cut down their labour cost,” Dhanush added.

The team tested the tractor, which they designed in a month and made with just Rs 17,500, at a farm in Hoskote.

Automated sericulture gadget

Three innovators proudly demonstrated the Sericulture and Automation Centre, which would allow farmers to double their silk produce while halving their workload. Works are automatically fed to the centre, where temperature and moisture are moderated. The farmer can monitor the progress on CCTVs or mobile phones.

Hemanth Kumar H A, co-inventor of the technology with fellow students of APS Polytechnic, said the model can also work well for poultry, livestock and pisciculture.

In all, the fair displayed 85 different models ranging from automated money transfers with debit/credit cards, accident safety chambers in aircraft (to ensure passengers do not die in crashes), laser-based thermocol cutters, mobile phone-based home-monitoring devices to automated helmet connector with motorbikes.

A special platform had been given to students from the Association of People with Disability.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / DH News Service / Bengaluru – March 16th, 2018

99 gallstones removed from woman’s abdomen

Amazing Feats, Science & Technology,

Tumkur, KARNATAKA :

The surgical team displaying the 99 gallstones that were removed from a patient at Tumkur District Hospital. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The surgical team displaying the 99 gallstones that were removed from a patient at Tumkur District Hospital. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When 45-year-old Salma went to the Tumkur District Hospital with pain and swelling in her abdomen, little did she know that doctors would detect as many as 99 gallstones. Ms. Salma, a diabetic and having hypertension for the last 10 years, had visited several hospitals and was diagnosed with umbilical hernia. As she also had heart problem, she postponed the surgery.

However, at the Tumkur District hospital, an ultrasound revealed she had multiple gallstones in her abdomen. “When she came to us, she had severe abdomen pain. Her sugar level was abnormally high and haemoglobin was low, apart from other issues. We admitted her for 15 days and stabilised her parameters before we worked her up for the surgery. The surgery was done on Tuesday,” said Dinesh R. and Waseem Imran, the doctors who performed the surgery.

Dr. Waseem said although multiple gallstones are not unusual, finding 99 in a person is rare. “In the three-hour surgery we removed her umbilical hernia and the gallstones. She is recuperating well in the ICU. She will be discharged in eight days, he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – February 28th, 2018

UM’s Ikhlas Khan Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Amazing Feats, Education, Green Products, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, World Opinion, , , , ,

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH / Mississippi,  U.S.A  :

Ikhlas Khan. Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Communications
Ikhlas Khan. Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Communications

Ikhlas Khan, director of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, is the winner of AOAC International’s 2018 Harvey W. Wiley Award, which recognizes lifetime scientific achievement.

AOAC International develops global quality standards for microbiological and chemical materials, ranging from food to pharmaceuticals in an effort to ensure public health. Khan, who has been with the university since 1992 and directed the natural products center since 2017, has spent much of his career developing standards for dietary supplements.

“I’m very pleased to receive this award,” Khan said. “AOAC is the top organization for chemical standards, and I appreciate this recognition of my work in this area.”

As part of the honor, Khan will deliver the Wiley Award address and chair the Wiley Award Symposium at AOAC’s annual meeting in August in Toronto.

The Harvey W. Wiley Award has been given to one person a year since 1957, with past recipients including scientists from government, industry and academic institutions from around the world.

The National Center for Natural Products Research maintains a repository with more than 18,000 natural product specimens, derived extracts and pure compounds. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications
The National Center for Natural Products Research maintains a repository with more than 18,000 natural product specimens, derived extracts and pure compounds. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Communications

Story by Sydney Slotkin Dupriest, courtesy of Ole Miss Communications

source: http://www.hottytoddy.com / HottyToddy.com / Home> Headlines> News & Views / February 21st, 2018

Warangal students win national competition

Education, Science & Technology,

Develop a cost-effective automated toy-making machine

A team of six students from S.R. Engineering College (SREC) in Warangal bagged the top prize at a national-level problem solving competition for their automated toy maker innovation meant for rural toy makers.

College principal V. Mahesh said the competition was organised by Indo-Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education (IUCEE) Student Consortium for Advancement and Learning in Engineering Education at Tyagaraja college of Engineering between January 5 and january 7 at Madurai.

The winning students were Paul Vineeth Reddy (4th year ECE), K. Enosh (3rd year Mech), S. Sirihasa (3rd year CSE), Md. Imran Ahmad (3rd year Mech) K. Sricharan (3rd year EEE) and D. Vinay (3rd year ECE).

The award was given to SREC students for developing a cost-effective automated toy making machine that increases productivity four-fold.

The competition saw entrants from 30 colleges across nation, who were asked to submit a solution to a specific problem or challenge. The participants from SREC visited a nearby village to identify the existing problems. They generated multiple ideas and finally decided on a cost-effective solution for toy makers.

“It is indeed a challenge and what gave us immense satisfaction is solving a problem” the students said. Explaining their idea and innovation, the students added that the automated machine would allow toy makers to make 40 toys per day, boosting their productivity. In the conventional manual method, they could produce a maximum of 10 toys.

The machine will have a grinder, conveyor belt, rollers, block cutter, die punch and a furnace.

source: http://www.the hindu.com / Home> News> States> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Warangal Urban District – January 11th, 2018

TN girl to receive prestigious national award

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Green Products, Science & Technology, , ,

Nagercoil  (Kanyakumari District), TAMIL NADU :

Masha Nazeem
Masha Nazeem

For contribution to science

Nagercoil girl Masha Nazeem will receive the prestigious National Youth Award for her contributions to science and technology.

The annual award is instituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and is given to recognise outstanding work and achievements of youngsters and further motivate them to excel in the field on National Development and Social Service.

“I am very excited to be selected for this award,” said 24-year-old Masha, who with her father Khaja Nazeemudeen, a government employee, is all set to receive the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12.

Hailing from Nagercoil in Kanniyakumari district Masha is the elder of two siblings. She developed a keen interest in science from the time she was nine years old.

“It all happened because of my father, he would enroll me in every possible contest in school, one of them was a science exhibition. I didn’t even know my name was on the list,” she said. Masha, then a class five student, made a burglar alarm which impressed her teachers and won her the first prize.

From then on, there was no stopping, Masha went on to invent 14 socially useful gadgets such as a flameless seal marker, which is now used by State government officials, hi-tech train toilet system, fuel dispensers, anti sinking alarm amongst others.

Three of her innovations are in the process of getting patented. She has also won several awards and accolades including the State Youth Award 2016.

Innovation centre

To provide free hands on training to young inventors and help them turn their ideas to reality, she setup Masha Innovation Center, a research laboratory and workshop in her hometown.

“There are many students who are creative and have ideas but get stuck in only learning theory taught in schools. While theory is important, they must also be encouraged to have practical experience. This is my aim and I hope more students benefit from it,” she said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Staff Reporter / Chennai – January 12th, 2018

Engineering students in Bengaluru launch 3 race cars

Business & Economy, Education, Karnataka (under research project), Science & Technology, Sports, , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

AshwaRacingMPOs16jan2018

On the combustion, hybrid and electric platforms

Ashwa Racing, a brand under Ashwa Mobility of RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, on Saturday launched three new race cars on the combustion (AMF RZX8- CO), hybrid (AMF X8-HY) and electric (AMF-RZX8 -ELE) platforms for the 2018 race season.

Undergraduate students, who conceived, designed and build formula race cars, would be competing in national and global events in the coming months.

The combustion vehicle (210 kg without driver) development is headed by team captain Sweekruth Shetty, project manager Rakesh H.N, chief engineer Prateek Bhustali. The racing hybrid vehicle (300 kg) development is headed by team captain Asfan Khan, project manager Suhas B.U., chief engineer Uday Naik and chief communication officer Tarun Kasa.

The electric vehicle (200kg) development is headed by team captain Pranave Nanda, project manager Rahul S.D., chief engineer Gautam Singh and chief communication officer Srivatsa Deshpande.

The combustion and electric divisions of Ashwa Racing would be competing in Formula Bharat, which will be held in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu from January 24 to 28, 2018.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Special Correspondent / January 15th, 2018

DM & doctor: IAS officer to attend to poor patients in Uttarakhand’s Champawat

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Science & Technology, , , , ,

Kanpur, UTTAR PRADESH / Champawat, UTTARAKHAND :

Dr Iqbal Ahmad had in 2009 completed his MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore in Karnataka. A year later, he was selected for Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

When Iqbal Ahmad, now the district magistrate of Champawat district in Uttarakhand, joined the civil services in 2010, he did not just have the aim of serving the nation, but wanted to go the extra mile.

The young officer had in 2009 completed his MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore in Karnataka. A year later, he was selected for Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

However, the Kanpur-born Ahmad had to wait for another seven years to fulfil his “old wish” — to give free medical consultancy to the poor — as he had “no formal registration”.

“On September 15, the Uttarakhand medical council cleared the registration and now I can serve,” Dr Iqbal told HT.

On Friday, he walked into the district hospital and started his medical practice for the first time.

The district magistrate will serve for one hour every morning at district hospital. During tours, he will give consultancy to the locals

Dr MS Bora, chief medical officer of Champawat, welcomed the move, saying, “DM Dr Iqbal’s dececison would motivate our health department and the needy of the district would definitely benfit from his one-hour medical consultancy.”

Champawat has only 42 doctors out of the 95 sanctioned. It has one district hospital and 21 other hospitals besides about 1,500 OPDs.

Uttarakhand has almost 60% shortfall of doctors. Against a requirement of 2,700 doctors state has just 1,000 doctors.

Kumaon commission, Chadra Shekhar also welcomed the decision, saying “If an IAS like him wants to utlize his specialization for the common public, it will benefit the state.”

Shekhar recalled that earlier, a senior IAS officer from Uttarakhand, Dr Rakesh Kumar, also an MBBS holder, had served the people by providing free medical consultancy.

Another officer to have done the same is Sadanand Date, a senior superintendent of police (SSP) posted in Uttarakhand, who is also a qualified surgeon.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Dehradun / by Mohan Rajput, Hindustant Times. Champawat / September 23rd, 2017

Allahabad University scientists find ‘fisetin’ slows down brain aging

Education, Science & Technology, World Opinion, , , , ,

Allahabad, UTTAR PRADESH :

The results of the AU study conclude that fisetin can protect the brain from damage induced by aging. (HT)
The results of the AU study conclude that fisetin can protect the brain from damage induced by aging. (HT)

A team of scientists at the Allahabad University has established that a natural compound called fisetin, found in strawberry, apple, onion and cucumber, can restore brain functions which deteriorate during aging.

A team of scientists at the Allahabad University has established that a natural compound called fisetin, found in strawberry, apple, onion and cucumber, can restore brain functions which deteriorate during aging.

The findings of the team, led by Prof SI Rizvi from the department of biochemistry at AU, have been published in the latest issue of American research journal Life Sciences.

Scientists acknowledge that oxidative stress is a major factor responsible for age-related changes in living organisms. Oxidative stress is the condition when the damage, due to the toxic form of oxygen molecules, exceeds the capacity of the body to repair such damage.

“It is a paradox that oxygen, which is essential for life, becomes the cause of aging,” said Prof Rizvi.

“In human body, most of the oxygen is consumed by the brain. Therefore, it is the brain that becomes more vulnerable to oxidative stress. With increase in age, brain cells degenerate leading to diseases and loss of brain function,” he said.

Through experiments, the research team analysed a host of biomarkers of aging, including pro-oxidants, antioxidants, mitochondrial function, expression of genes, and apoptosis cell death.

The results of the AU study conclude that fisetin can protect the brain from damage induced by aging.

“The study was carried out on rats of different ages and also on those which were chemically induced to age faster,” said Prof Rizvi.

Fisetin was given to rats of old age and the effect was compared with the younger ones. Fisetin-treated old rats were protected from brain damage.

Among all anti-aging strategies being explored, caloric restriction is the most promising which, in common terms, can be defined as less food intake.

Caloric restriction has been effectively tested in small organisms like fruit fly and earthworms. The strategy becomes difficult to implement in humans where several ethical issues are involved.

Scientists have stumbled upon a class of compounds which mimic the effect of caloric restriction. With the use of these compounds, known as caloric restriction mimetics, the body feels like it is food restricted without the need of eating less.

According to Prof Rizvi, fisetin works as a caloric restriction mimetic in showing its anti-aging effect on rats. “Scientists are hopeful that compounds exhibiting caloric restriction mimetic effects will prove to be good anti-aging drugs,” he said.
Several experimental drugs are being tested in Prof Rizvi’s lab for possible anti-aging effects. “Although an increase in human lifespan may not be possible, it may increase the health span,” Prof Rizvi added.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Cities> Lucknow / by K. Sandeep Kumar , Hindustan Times, Allahabad / January 08th, 2018