April 2013

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a lipophilic free radical diffusible gas that mediates significant and diverse signaling functions in almost every organ system in the body. It is formed from L- arginine a semi- essential amino acid present in the body with the help of three isoform of nitric oxide synthase (e.g. eNOS, nNOS and iNOS), eNOS and nNOS in cardiovascular system and nervous system respectively and inducible form produced during various body stress situations. Pharmacological compounds that release NO have been useful tools for evaluating the broad role of NO in physiology and therapeutics. NO deficiencies have been implicated in the generation and evolution of several disease states. Apart from newly developed drugs e.g. NO- Aspirin, several commonly used cardiovascular drugs exert their useful action, at least in part by modulating the NO pathway. This review discusses the fundamental pharmacological properties and mechanism of action of NO, their physiological effect in various system of the body and pathophysiological role in various disease process e.g. hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, shock and neurodegenerative diseases, either because of deficiency or excess of NO.

Dengue, a mosquito-transmitted viral disease that produces variable symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic infection to life-threatening disease, is present in about 110 tropical and subtropical countries. As dengue is increasing in incidence, improved diagnosis, early detection of severe cases, and efficient medical management are of primary importance in all areas where dengue is endemic. Traditionally, dengue has been diagnosed by virus isolation or serological methods, but with recent advances in molecular techniques and in rapid detection technology, a range of novel diagnostic tests will soon be commercially available that will improve case management and aid disease control efforts.

Environmental nanotechnologies have the possibility to contribute to economic growth and innovation while at the same time allowing sustainable development and protecting the environment. There is considerable commercial potential in environmental technologies because the development of innovative solutions to prevent and remediate pollution is needed to ensure sustainable development.This projected world market can be sub-divided into four principal sectors: Remediation, Protection, Maintenance, and Enhancement, of which remediation represent the fastest growing area, while maintenance and protection constitute the bulk of the remaining applications, and enhancement is the smallest sector. Present day filtration and purification plants used for supplying drinking water generally achieve only partial success because the active materials are of limited efficiency. However,because of their much greater specific surface area, nanoparticles are able to perform significantly more effectively as filtration media than larger particles with the same chemical composition.Companies and organizations involved in nanotechnology are intrinsically linked within the start of a much longer supply chain, as nano materials developers working with composites, ceramics and coatings require nano scale instrumentation and nano scale instrumentation developers require the scientific know how and equipment to manipulate and measure materials at an atomic level. Hence, It is only by understanding this supply chain that we can see where ‘traditional’ industries such as aerospace and automotive manufacture integrate and how, if at all, the supply chain is working together to solve business problems and provide market leadership for companies.A strategic issue therefore is to address the stage at which the relevant technology is added to the product and whether this becomes an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) process or whether the process can be reengineered to enable the nano supply chains to effectively engage with the OEM within the final stages of product assembly.By mapping nanotechnology supply chain, back from user demand, through technology developers to science initiators. Supply chain management providing a solution consisting of three parts, Supply Chain Planning: covers the demand flow and how companies, organizations, and units collaborate ,environmental risk of nano particles within supply chains.Supply Chain Execution: covers the flow of materials, products and services as well as informational and financial flows both upstream and downstream including enviro risk.Supply Chain Performance: supports the decision-making process along the supply chains

It is believed that from the time Adam and Eve were born the bond of marriage, the concept of marriage took its birth. Marriage is a sacramental relationship under Hindu law. It is a legal contract under Mahomedan law. Whether it is sacramental relationship or a contract, it has got its own ethics and principles. It is also treated has God made relationship. It is a relationship between a man and a woman, basically to beget children and also share each other companionship through the life. But things are changing. The definition of marriage given under different personal laws does not carry weight age as a new concept called live-in-relationship has been introduced by the young generation to the society. No commitment and no bond in such relationship. It purely based on an oral/written contract. Though Indian society has not accepted such relationship, but the problem pertaining to certain aspects like the status of the children born out of such relationship, share in property, violence against women who is into such relationship, stands unanswered. Our Apex courts decisions pertaining to maintenance, share in property to children born out of such relationship, are in par with the decision given in case of marriage. The matter is also true in case of homosexual marriages. Hence, it would be anathema to hold such relationship in par with marriage.

Background and Objectives: “Management of Common Bile Duct-Different Modalities”, is a prospective study comparing the three different modalities viz. endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography (ERCP), open CBD exploration and laparoscopic CBD exploration. The study was conducted with an objective to compare and contrast these different modalities and to study the advantage of ERCP over surgical methods. Methods: 50 cases of common bile duct stones admitted in JSS Medical College Hospital, Mysore,were selected for the study. After pre procedure work up patients were subjected to either or combination of procedures namely ERCP, open CBD exploration, laparoscopic CBD exploration. The age/ sex distribution, the clinical presentation, the investigations, the treatment modalities, the complications and the outcome were evaluated. Results: In this study of 50 patients, 39 patients underwent ERCP with successful stone extraction in 24 patients and in 7 patients incomplete duct clearance was obtained and 8 patients had failed ERCP. 22 patients underwent open CBD exploration with T tube closure in 18 and 3 patients underwent cloledochoduodenostomy and in 1 patient trans duodenal sphincterotomy was performed. 4 patients underwent laparoscopic CBD exploration with 1 converted to open procedure. 3 patients underwent choledochotomy with extraction of stones and primary closure of CBD with ante grade biliary stenting. Conclusion: Management of CBD stones in each patient needs to be individualized for different modalities depending upon the need and the indication. However the preferred method based on our study is subjecting the patient to pre operative ERCP followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Resettlement and Rehabilitation (RandR) form an important constituent of any developmental project – be it internally financed or externally funded. Since benefit to the people, who are at the centre of development process, is a prime concern for success or failure of any project, assessing the same remains a vital component of the project implementation. To measure implementation process of any RandR Project, with particular reference to the perceived benefit accrued to the people, Monitoring and Evaluation (MandE) is very crucial and important. The study intends to focus on the need and importance of MandE as a vital component of the whole project cycle with main emphasis on the Resettlement and Rehabilitation (RandR) aspects of the project.

Background: Lymphadenopathy is a common presenting symptom in various diseases.¹ Lymphadenopathy, which is defined as an abnormality in the size or character of lymph-nodes, is caused by the invasion or propagation of either inflammatory cells or neoplastic cells into the node.² Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology as a diagnostic tool in cases of Malignant Lymphadenopathy. Study design: This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Pathology; Victoria Hospital; Bangalore Medical College Bangalore over a period of 6 months i.e from 1.1.11 to 30.6.11. Material and Methods: No of Fine Needle Aspirations done in this period were 1349. Out of which 74 cases were that of Malignant Lymphadenopathy (involving cervical, axillary, inguinal and generalised group of lymph-nodes). Malignant Lymphadenopathy comprises of both primary and secondary (metastatic) disease. Out of 441 cases of lymphnode fnac, 74 cases were diagnosed as malignant cytologically and clinically. Results: Out of 1349, 74 cases were diagnosed to have Malignant Lymphadenopathy. Of the 74 cases, 5 cases were suspicious of malignancy. The age group involved was between 5-95 yrs. The male to female ratio was 2:1. Among them, there were 9 cases (12.16%) of primary lymphoid malignancy and 60 cases (81.08%) of metastatic malignancy and about 5 cases (6.75%) were suspicious of malignancy. The most common metastatic deposit was of squamous cell carcinoma (58.10%) followed by breast carcinoma (8.10%) and malignant melanoma (4.05%). Conclusion: FNAC remains a useful investigation in diagnosing Malignant Lymphadenopathy with good certainty. It is an economical and convenient alternative to open biopsy.

A total of 77 lichen species belonging to 38 genera and 18 families are enumerated from the three districts of Jammu & Kashmir. Kistwar district has maximum diversity of lichens represented by 43 species where as Jammu and Rajouri districts exhibits 30 and 19 species respectively. The crustose lichens have marked dominance over the other lichen forms represented by 41 species while as foliose and fruticose lichens are represented by 35 and 1 species respectively. Corticolous (growing on tree bark) lichen species exhibits their dominance in the area represented by 46 species while as saxicolous (growing on rocks) lichen species are represented by 28 species.

In the present scenario Siddha system of medicine plays a vital role to combat against viral infections such as Dengue fever. It is an acute febrile illness caused by arthropod borne virus, the global prevalence of which has grown dramatically in recent decades. A large proportion of population who need hospitalization for this febrile ailment are mostly in paediatric age groups. Hence there is a need to explore effective Siddha formulations for its management. This pilot study is a descriptive clinical documentation of a set of Siddha formulations Nilvembu Kudineer (NVK) and Adathodai Manapagu (ADM) administered in twenty cases for a scheduled period of seven days. This documentation reveals that the scheduled intervention has a notable role in achieving satisfactory symptomatic relief and significant improvement in laboratory results. Further it is assured for safety in usage and no adverse effects were noted.

In our country power demand is a major problem so we are going to introduce an algorithm based on genetic algorithm is proposed to solve service restoration problem in power distribution systems with priority customers. In genetic algorithm new solutions are found in every next generation with probability of getting the better solution till the optimal solution is not found. Service restoration problem is formulated as multi objective multi-constraint combinatorial optimization problem . The integer permutation scheme is used to generate the offspring in genetic algorithm. Integer permutation does not allow the hamming cliff problem. In case of partial restoration, including micro grid action that increases the power transfer capacity reduces out-of-service area. The operating time of manual and automatic controlled switches is significantly different. Therefore both type of switches are considered separately. The comprehensive simulation results of proposed method including three phase and load side fault are presented for 5 bus test systems.

The present study presents the distribution and health hazards of fluoride contamination and groundwater quality parameters in 23 villages of Jind district, Haryana, India. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental fluorosis among the school children in the age group of 5-12 years. 1428 children of different age group were examined and categorized with Dean’s Fluorosis Index as recommended by WHO. The groundwater fluoride concentration was in the range 0.2-2.0 mg/l. The villages were categorized as high fluoride level (1.5-2.0 mg/l) and low/ normal fluoride level villages (0.9-1.3mg/l) for comparison. The Community Fluorosis Index (CFI) in high fluoride villages ranged between 0.22-0.29 whereas low/normal fluoride level villages ranged between 0.09-0.21. In both the cases the value of CFI being lower than 0.4 as prescribed by DEAN Index. The prevalence of dental fluorosis varied from 17.10%-25% in the high fluoride level villages and 6.58%-16.38% in the low/normal fluoride level villages. Higher Fluorosis prevalence was found in high age group of 11-12 years and decreased in lower age groups. The findings showed the presence of dental fluorosis in the studied villages and also a proportional increase in prevalence of dental fluorosis with respect to increase in fluoride level in the potable water sources. However, the CFI was on the lower site in all villages.

The epiphytic orchid Vanda testacea (Lindl.)Reichb.f. is widely known for its medicinal properties and high floristic value. Considering the poor seed germination under natural condition, seeds of Vanda testacea were cultured on Knudson’s C medium, enriched with various concentrations of organic additives and Plant growth regulators to study asymbiotic germination, seedling development and optimization of the cultural requirements. For initiation of germination, preference for particular additives was not observed and optimal germination was recorded in basal media. Seedling survival was not affected either with organic additives or with BAP (6-benzyl amino purine), but significantly retarded in presence of NAA (α-napthalene acetic acid). 0.1% peptone stimulated seedling growth while 0.4% yeast extract and 40% coconut water were inhibitory. However, NAA was stimulatory for seedling growth while BAP retarded this process. Yeast extract stimulated organized growth of seedlings, rather than allowing unorganized growth to form callus.

The study was conducted in Sirsi and Siddapur talukas (140 13' 0"N to 140 50' 0"N Latitude and 740 34' 0"E to 750 3' 30"E Longitude) of Uttar Kannada district to assess the influence of land use land cover on carbon sequestration in soil. The IRS P6 LISS-III imageries was used for land use land cover classes using ERDAS software with ground truth data. The land use classes viz., Dense forest, Sparse forest, Horticulture plantation, Agriculture and Barren-land were identified. The soil samples at one meter depth in all land use classes were collected and soil organic carbon (SOC) was estimated. The result indicated that the SOC in soils of different land use classes are significantly different. The total SOC in Sirsi taluka was 15.47 million tonne and that of Siddapur was 10.52 million tonne. The average SOC in Sirsi and Siddapur soil was 108.82 t/ha and 102.63 t/ha respectively. The Carbon mitigation potential in soils of dense forest was 2.78 times more in Sirsi and 2.86 times more in Siddapur taluka as compared to Agriculture soil followed by horticulture plantation in both taluka.

A study was undertaken to determine the viability of yoghurt culture on spray drying and freeze drying. In spray drying outlet air temperature of 70o C was found to be optimum as the percentage of survival of yoghurt culture was higher. The survival of yoghurt culture was found to be maximum in fresh yoghurt, followed by freeze dried powder and spray dried powder. Statistical analysis of data revealed that there was no significant difference in survival of S.salivarius ssp. thermophilus between freeze dried powder (zero day), (30th day at 4C) and chemically stabilized powder (zero day), (30th day at 4C) respectively.Statistical analysis of data with regard to survival of L.delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus revealed that there was significant difference (p < 0.01) noticed between freeze dried powder (zero day, 30th day at 4C) and chemically stabilized spray dried powder (zero day, 30th day at 4C) respectively.

The demand for ice cream production is increasing every year and vanilla is the second largest flavour wished in the world. Natural vanilla flavour being most expensive hence using natural identical flavour much advantage to meet the demand. Natural identical flavours are substances that are chemically identical to natural substances, but which are obtained by chemical processes or by chemical modification of other natural substances. An investigation was carried out to find the acceptable level of Natural identical vanilla flavour as a flavour the ice cream and assess the sensory scored of the resultant product. Natural identical vanilla flavour was incorporated at different level in ice cream and prepared ice cream was subjected to sensory analysis and found out the optimum level of inclusion of natural identical vanilla flavour in the ice cream preparation. Then sample were stored at -29C and studied for their sensory scores at weekly intervals.

In the current education system academic-based peer counseling is increasingly becoming critical. Its success depends on the perception of teachers and students on the influence of peer counseling services. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of peer counseling services on academic performance as perceived by teachers and students in Kaka mega South District. The study was based on the fifth stage of Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study population comprised of 23 principals, 349 teachers and 7160 students. Questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data. Content validity was established by giving the instruments to experts in the department of Educational psychology. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages. Qualitative data was received in verbatim, transcribed and organized according to themes. A higher proportion of students compared to teachers in the district have a positive perception of participation in joint academic discussions, small subject-based peer counseling groups is perceived as having a direct influence on students’ academic performance. The study concluded that, Joint academic discussions and small subject-based discussion groups are the key PC services. The study recommends that there is need for stakeholders in education to enhance academic performance through exploitation of the benefits of joint group discussions and small subject-based discussion groups.

Our country has enormous scope for developing both marine and inland fisheries as a major industry. India has a long coastal line of 6,100 km with a vast area of continental shelf, spread on both the west and east coast were the fishing operations are carried out. The natural catching of fish and fishery production could not meet the exponential growth of world population. Existing ponds and swamp lands as well as agricultural system can profitably used for aqua food production. The maintenance of water quality is essential for both survival and optimum growth. The water quality parameter like temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen, pH, carbon-di-oxide, salinity, calcium. The biological variables such as qualitative and quantitative study of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish growth were analyzed, the readings were recorded on the twice a month. Surface temperature of culture pond of varies between 25.3˚C to 33.2˚C. The temperature is responsible for regulative some physiological process both under nature and artificial conduction. The hydrogen ion concentration of the pond has a little variation. The highest pH is (8.1 pH) of was recorded on first week of March, the CO¬2 is a limiting factor for the pH. The turbidity of water ranging from 35-41cm, normally turbidity of water affected by the growth of phytoplankton and rainwater inflow from the river. The oxygen content in a water body is the function of temperature as well as phytosynthesis and community respiration. The phytoplankton population gradually increased from December to March during the study period. The phytoplankton increase may be due to high light intensity. Among the three fishes in the order of cypriniforms like Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala maximum weight was recorded for the fish Catla than the other groups. An organisms which have direct influence on the activities of the organisms.

This study investigated influence of organizational learning on motivation among teachers of Nandi county public secondary schools. It specifically assessed the influence of learning from past experience, and learning from others, and quick and efficient knowledge transfer on teacher motivation. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 82 teachers was drawn from 5 schools selected using cluster sampling technique to participate in the survey by completing structured questionnaires, developed by the researcher. The data was analyzed descriptively using means and percentages and presented in tables and graphs. The results revealed that learning from past experience, and learning from others, and quick and efficient knowledge transfer, as aspects of organizational learning, had an influence on teacher motivation, with teachers who reported that their schools had good environment that fostered these aspects scoring higher in motivation. The study concludes that organizational learning has an influence on motivational levels of public secondary school teachers in Nandi County, Kenya. The study recommends that school heads introduce multi-discipline empowerment where employees are allowed to learn another relevant skill, employ mentoring and couching as a developmental tool for staff, create space and time for individuals and teams to be innovative.

Over the past decades a growing number of companies, globally have recognized the business benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and practices. Their experiences are bolstered by a growing body of empirical studies, which demonstrate that CSR has a positive impact on business economic performance, and is not harmful to shareholder value. Companies also have been encouraged to adopt or expand CSR efforts as the result of pressures from customers, suppliers, employees, communities, investors, activist organizations and other stakeholders. As a result, CSR has grown dramatically in recent years, with companies of all sizes and sectors developing innovative strategies. The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not new in the Indian context too. A Few companies have incorporated it in their core values; a lot of them practice it in some form or the other. All the leading industrial associations have included it in their agendas. A survey of about 600 companies in India commissioned by Partners in Change and published in the year 2000 has revealed that more than 85% of the industries surveyed agreed that companies must be socially responsible.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge from your emotions and the emotions of others. You can use the information about what you're feeling to help you make effective decisions about what to say or do (or not say or do) next. Emotional Intelligence is NOT about being soft! It is a different way of being smart – having the skill to use your emotions to help you make choices in-the-moment and have more effective control over yourself and your impact on others. The study of emotional intelligence is often dated to the early 1990s, when scientific articles suggested that there existed an unrecognized but important human mental ability to reason about emotions and to use emotions to enhance thought. The basics of Emotional Intelligence include knowing your feelings and using them to make life decisions with which you can live. Being able to manage your emotional life without begin hijacked by it or allowing yourself to become paralyzed by depression or worry, or worse, swept away by anger, is key in today’s volatile and changing workplace. Cultivating Emotional Intelligence can provide the support that you need in the face of setbacks, and a positive channelling of your impulses can be critical to keep you on target and on track as you pursue your goals. An emotionally intelligent person has empathy, not sympathy, for the other person without them having to tell you exactly what they are feeling or going through. In today’s work place this skill is critical in light of privacy laws, and issues of work place harassment. A skillful handling of emotion and feelings in the workplace is critical for the diverse personalities and skills that allow all to move in the same goal direction in some form of harmony. Emotional Intelligence allows the unspoken pulse of a group to work to get things done, sometimes the impossible, given all of the differing ideas, skills and agendas that sometimes come together. Generally speaking, emotional intelligence improves an individual's social effectiveness. The higher the emotional intelligence, the better the social relations. Emotional Intelligence is described as a combination of personal competence and social competence. Wall Street Journal, previous Chairman of GE Jack Welch stated, “A leader’s intelligence has to have a strong emotional component. He has to have high levels of self-awareness, maturity and self-control. He or she must be able to withstand the heat, handle setbacks and when those lucky moments arise, enjoy success with equal parts of joy and humility. No doubt emotional intelligence is more rare than book smarts, but my experience says it is actually more important in the making of a leader. You just can't ignore it.”

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the fracture resistance of four different restorations. Method: Thirty-two extracted human upper molar teeth of similar size and free of caries were used. These were randomly divided into four groups of eight specimens each. Teeth in Group I were restored using a hybrid composite resin (Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE, USA) with polyethylene fiber (Ribbond THM, USA). In Group II, an amalgam with self-threading pins was used. Teeth in Group III were restored using a hybrid composite resin with a self etch adhesive (G bond, Japan). The final restoration used amalgam and a meta adhesive system (Panavia F2.0, Kuraray, Japan) (Group IV). Each specimen was loaded in compression at a 90o angle in a universal testing machine (Instron, Corporation, USA) with a cross head spread of 0.5 mm/min. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the Duncan test for fracture resistance. Result: Group IV exhibited the lowest fracture resistance (p<0.05). Although group III exhibited the highest resistance, there was no statistically significant difference among group I, II and III (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that a bonded composite restoration should be first choice for cuspal replacement.

Transdermal drug delivery system was first introduced more than 20 years ago. The technology generated tremendous excitement and interest amongst major pharmaceutical companies in the 1980s and 90s. By the mid to late 1990s, the trend of transdermal drug delivery system merged into larger organizations. Transdermal drug delivery system is a type of convenient drug delivery system where drug goes to the systemic circulation through the protective barrier i.e. Skin. Over the year it has showed promising result in comparison to oral drug delivery system as it eliminates gastrointestinal interferences and first pass metabolism of the drug but the main drawback of TDDS is it encounters the barrier properties of the Stratum Corneum i.e. only the lipophilic drugs having molecular weight < 500 Da can pass through it. Ethosomes have been found to be much more efficient in delivering drug to the skin; Ethosomes are the non invasive drug delivery carriers that enable drugs to reach the deep skin layers finally delivering to the systemic circulation. For optimal skin delivery, drug should be efficiently entrapped within ethosomal vesicles. Ethosomal drug delivery system is a new state of the art technique and easier to prepare in addition to safety and efficacy. Ethosomes have become a area of research interest, because of its enhanced skin permeation, improved drug delivery, increased drug entrapment efficiency etc.

The present study has been taken up in the Sidzii streams of Mao, Manipur, a tributary of Doyang River, the largest and longest river of Nagaland during December 2011 to November 2012. The highest Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC) value was observed in male Puntius sophore during October with a corresponding value of 2.23x106/mm3 of blood while the lowest value was recorded in female Parluciosoma daniconius during February with the value of 1.12x106/mm3 of blood. Among the female fishes, highest TEC value was recorded in Puntius ticto with the value of 2.18x106/mm3 of blood during October while the lowest value was found in Parluciosoma daniconius during May. Again, in male fishes, the maximum TEC value was observed in Puntius sophore with the value of 2.23x106/mm3 of blood during October and minimum TEC was recorded in Parluciosoma daniconius with the value of 1.17x106/mm3 of blood during February. In all the four seasons, male fishes have comparatively more TEC values than their female counterparts. However, in July, the TEC value were found to be higher in females of Puntius sophore and Puntius ticto with the corresponding values recorded as 1.54x106/mm3 and 1.59x106/mm3 of blood respectively. It was also observed that the higher TEC values for all three species were recorded during post-monsoon as compared to the other seasons.

Oral work lessons which encompass the teaching of listening and speaking skills are central in the teaching of English and all other languages in general. This paper is a report on a study on the teaching of oral work lessons in English that was undertaken in Nandi North District in Kenya in the year 2009. The study investigated teacher competences in the selection of appropriate learning activities and the conveyance of the meaning of new language items during oral work lessons. The study adopted a theoretical framework based on Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of social interaction. It utilized a qualitative research approach with a heuristic methodology. An exploratory research design was used. The research population consisted of primary school teachers teaching English in upper primary classes and standard six pupils. Data was collected using structured and focused group interview schedules, observation checklists and document analysis. The study delved on two objectives: To find out the kind of learning activities that the teachers selected for oral work lessons; To find out the methods that teachers used to convey the meaning of new language items during oral work lessons. This paper is a discussion of the findings, conclusions and recommendations of this study.

The quality of ambient air in Aba metropolis, a commercial city in Abia State of Nigeria has been assessed by determining the levels of Total particulate matter (TPM), Carbon (II) Oxide (CO), Nitrogen (IV) Oxide (NO2), Sulphur (IV) Oxide (SO2), Hydrogen (II) Sulphide (H2S), and Methane (CH4) at ten different sampling points. The analysis was carried out between the months of July and August 2011, and a Crowncom portable gas analyzer was used for each of the determinations. The mean values obtained for CO, NO2 and H2S exceeded the standard regulatory limits (EPA and NAAQS) in all the sample points with the exception of the control point. The study showed that there is need for the control and monitoring of ambient air in Aba metropolis by the relevant agencies.

There is an increasing demand for nanoparticles due to their wide applicability in various areas such as electronics, catalysis, energy, and medicine. In this study synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles using Clitorea ternatea flowers is reported. The reduction of silver (Ag+) was monitored using UV- visible spectrophotometry and showed formation of silver nanoparticles in 60mins. The reaction mixture exhibits an absorbance peak around 450 nm characteristic of Ag nanoparticle. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed silver nanoparticles was pure and polydispersed and the size were ranging from 10-50 nm. The approach of green synthesis seems to be cost efficient, eco-friendly and easy alternative to conventional methods of silver nanoparticles synthesis.

Nigerians are gradually discontented with the democratization process heretofore. This is ascribable to the spectre of fraud, massive rigging, malfeasance etc that characterized electoral processes in the country, specifically from the 1999 general elections to the 2011 general elections. Against this background, this paper debates the complex web of electoral malpractices and its eventful crusade that can instigate a chain reaction, eventually leading to state collapse. The bottom line is that, attitude and excesses of stakeholders lie central to the integrity and credibility crises confronting the electoral process in the country. Thus, the paper seeks to explain the connection between electoral malpractice and state collapse. It provides answers to questions as; what is state collapse? What are the significant features of state collapse? What are the implications of diminished confidence in the democratic process to state formation? Answers to these and other questions may provide a window to arresting the slides from failed elections to a failed state.

Monitoring of water quality with regards to physical and chemical properties and distribution of nutrients are inadequate. Biological indicators of water quality monitoring developed during the recent years have served an excellent tools in the area of water pollution studies. According to the Western Australian Planning Commission (2003) water protection integrated over time and space has become a high priority issue for the public and government at all levels. Among all the algae, fresh water diatoms are the most commonly used indicators of the conditions of the water. Several diatom indices are tested for lakes in other countries, but have not used for river water systems. Diatom monitoring studies in India have suffered since their identification is difficult and extensive literature is not available mainly. Therefore the study aims that identification of diatom flora and distribution of nutrients in fresh water river in Chidambaram. Water samples from palaman river were collected during January 2011 to December 2011 at monthly intervals for studying various physico-chemical parameters and nutrient were analysed viz. Temperature, pH, Salinity, Dissolved oxygen, Biological oxygen demand, Chloride, Phosphate, Sulphate, Nitrate, and Silicate. Phytoplankton density and diversity was more or less uniform throughout the study period. However the community structure of the phytoplankton varied from season to season. During post-monsoon and summer 15 genera of the phytoplankton were recorded whereas 9 genera were recorded during pre-monsoon season. Nitzschia intermedia, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Cyclotella automus, Navicula cryptocephala, Melosira varians were strong indicators of organic pollution, while Amphora ovalis, Pinnularia gibba, Synedra ulna, Synedra acus, Cymbella tumida, Gomphonema olivaceum, Nitzchia gracilis, Cocconeis pediculus and Navicula amphiceropsis were indicators of anthropogenic pollution which was mainly due to cattle ranching around these river. Possible causes for the temporal variation of the water quality parameters and community structure of the phytoplankton have been described.

The preferential weld corrosion of X65QT pipe line steel material due to inadvertent usage of unqualified welding electrodes at site conditions and the factors influencing the corrosion resistance was examined. The resultant change in chemical composition and microstructure effects on various weld zones by LPR (LPR) and Galvanic corrosion (GC) methods under aerated condition in natural sea water was studied. Four types of commercial electrodes were used and its influence on root weld corrosion is discussed. The heat affected zone (HAZ) of all the welds resulted as more anodic than the weld and base metal. The influence of weld root hardness was found to have less significant for the electrodes used. The elements like Cr, Ni shows increased corrosion resistance. Mo in combination with Cr results in higher level of cathodic effect. Ni content is outperforming than Cr+Mo on corrosion resistance. Si equally contributes corrosion resistance compared to Ni. The type of metallurgical grain shows significant effect on corrosion characteristics.

Objectives: The aim of this work was to show Effect of scapular mobilization on improvement of shoulder flexion in erbs palsy. Method: Thirty children were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned into two groups; group A (scapular mobilization plus traditional physiotherapy program), and group B(traditional physiotherapy program only). Standard goniometer was used to detect and follow shoulder flexion in addition to stand and reach test. This measurement was taken before initial treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment. The children parents in both groups B were instructed to complete 3 hours of home routine program. Results: Data analysis were available on the 30 Erb's palsy children participated in the study. The mean value of shoulder flexion ROM test in both groups at baseline measurement (pre-treatment) was insignificant (p>.05). By comparison of both groups there was significant improvement in shoulder flexion ROM post-treatment (p<.05). the difference between pre and post treatment results was significant in both groups in favor of the study group (p=0.0079). Conclusion: According the results of this study it can be concluded that the combined effect of physiotherapy training program in addition to scapular mobilization can be recommended in improvement shoulder flexion range of motion in erbs palsy children.