An efficient educational data mining approach to support e-learning

The e-learning is a recent development that has emerged in the educational system due to the growth of the information technology. The common challenges involved in The e-learning platform include the collection and annotation of the learning materials, organization of the knowledge in a useful way, the retrieval and discovery of the useful learning materials from the knowledge space in a more significant way, and the delivery of the adaptive and personalized learning materials. In order to handle these challenges, the proposed system is developed using five different steps of knowledge input such as the annotation of the learning materials, creation of knowledge space, indexing of learning materials using the multi-dimensional knowledge and XML structure to generate a knowledge grid and the retrieval of learning materials performed by matching the user query with the indexed database and ontology. The process is carried out in two modules such as the server module and client module. The proposed approach is evaluated using various parameters such as the precision, recall and F-measure. Comprehensive results are achieved by varying the keywords, number of documents and the K-size. The proposed approach has yielded excellent results by obtaining the higher evaluation metric, together with an average precision of 0.81, average recall of 1 and average F-measure of 0.86 for K = 2.     

Pyroelectric Properties of Pure and Doped Lithium Niobate Crystals for Infrared Sensors

The present study is an attempt to quantify and assess the effects of different dopants such as Fe, Fe/Mn and Eu on the growth, dielectric and pyroelectric properties of lithium niobate single crystals. Investigations reveal that Lithium niobate crystals, when doped with Fe ions, exhibits higher material figures of merit, for using in pyroelectric infrared sensing devices and vidicons applications with wider operating temperature range, as compared to other available pyroelectric crystals.     

Effects of Blending a Nonionic and an Anionic Cellulose Ether Polymer on Drug Release from Hydrophilic Matrix Capsules

Blends of hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) were used to achieve zero order release of chlorpheniramine maleate (CM) from hydrophilic matrix capsules. Dynamic swelling/erosion and response surface measurements were made to provide an insight into the drug release behavior. The drug to total polymer and the HEC to NaCMC ratio influences the rate of drug release. NaCMC appears to influence water uptake and erosion of the matrix mixture. The factors by which zero-order drug release is achieved may include synchronization of the rates of water uptake and polymer erosion even though a constant diffusional pathlength may not be maintained. The combined mixture factorial design presented in this study allows for the characterization and optimization of the drug release profiles.     

FUEL OILS FROM DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF PEDILANTHUS TITHIMALOIDES

ABSTRACT

Pedilanthus tithimaloides Poit, belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae, is largely a cultivated species in India. Because of the interest in green plants as a source of petroleum hydrocarbons, in depth studies have been carried out on the potential of this laticilerous epesieS as an energy crop Biocrude content of all the seven varieties available in India have been estimated and a suitable solvent has-been estimated and a suitable.solvent has been standardized for this purpose. Results of the detailed studies carried out on the optimization of reaction parameters for upgrading the biocrude to liquid fuels are presented.     

Cyanide detoxification in cassava for food and feed uses

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important tropical root crop providing energy to about 500 million people. The presence of the two cyanogenic glycosides, linamarin and lotaustralin, in cassava is a major factor limiting its use as food or feed. Traditional processing techniques practiced in cassava production are known to reduce cyanide in tubers and leaves. Drying is the most ubiquitous processing operation in many tropical countries. Sun drying eliminates more cyanide than oven drying because of the prolonged contact time between linamarase and the glucosides in sun drying. Soaking followed by boiling is better than soaking or boiling alone in removing cyanide. Traditional African food products such as gari and fufu are made by a series of operations such as grating, dewatering, fermenting, and roasting. During the various stages of gari manufacture, 80 to 95% cyanide loss occurs. The best processing method for the use of cassava leaves as human food is pounding the leaves and cooking the mash in water. Fermentation, boiling, and ensiling are efficient techniques for removing cyanide from cassava peels.     

Process optimization for bioethanol production from cassava starch using novel eco-friendly enzymes

Although cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a potential bioethanol crop, high operational costs resulted in a negative energy balance in the earlier processes. The present study aimed at optimizing the bioethanol production from cassava starch using new enzymes like Spezyme^® Xtra and Stargen™ 001. The liquefying enzyme Spezyme was optimally active at 90 °C and pH 5.5 on a 10% (w/v) starch slurry at levels of 20.0 mg (280 Amylase Activity Units) for 30 min. Stargen levels of 100 mg (45.6 Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Units) were sufficient to almost completely hydrolyze 10% (w/v) starch at room temperature (30 ± 1 °C). Ethanol yield and fermentation efficiency were very high (533 g/kg and 94.0% respectively) in the Stargen + yeast process with 10% (w/v) starch for 48 h. Raising Spezyme and Stargen levels to 560 AAU and 91.2 GSHU respectively for a two step loading [initial 20% (w/v) followed by 20% starch after Spezyme thinning]/initial higher loading of starch (40% w/v) resulted in poor fermentation efficiency. Upscaling experiments using 1.0 kg starch showed that Stargen to starch ratio of 1:100 (w/w) could yield around 558 g ethanol/kg starch, with a high fermentation efficiency of 98.4%. The study showed that Spezyme level beyond 20.0 mg for a 10% (w/v) starch slurry was not critical for optimizing bioethanol yield from cassava starch, although an initial thinning of starch for 30 min by Spezyme facilitated rapid saccharification-fermentation by Stargen + yeast system. The specific advantage of the new process was that the reaction could be completed within 48.5 h at 30 ± 1 °C.     

Hypersensitivity responses and contact lens wear.

Hypersensitivity diseases that involve the eye are common reasons why patients present to eyecare practitioners. Common ocular hypersensitivity disorders include allergic conjunctivitis, giant or contact lens induced papillary conjunctivitis and atopic keratoconjunctivitis. The diagnosis and management of ocular hypersensitivity can present a challenge to eyecare practitioners and an understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the signs and symptoms of such conditions is necessary for their appropriate management. This article reviews the mechanisms by which the eye responds to antigenic challenges, the pathogenesis of ocular hypersensitivity responses, particularly in relation to contact lens wear, and illustrates possible management strategies.     

(Z)-11-Hexadecenal and (3Z,6Z,9Z)-tricosatriene: sex pheromone components of the red banded mango caterpillar Deanolis sublimbalis

The sex pheromone of the red banded mango caterpillar, Deanolis sublimbalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a serious pest of the mango Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) in India and Southeast Asia and a recent invader into northern Australia, has been identified. Three candidate compounds were identified from pheromone gland extracts of female moths, using gas chromatography (GC), GC-electroantennographic detection and GC-mass spectrometric analyses, in conjunction with dimethyldisulfide derivatization. Field bioassays established that both (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald) and (3Z,6Z,9Z)-tricosatriene (3Z,6Z,9Z-23:Hy) were required for attraction of male D. sublimbalis moths, and 1,000 μg of a 1:1 mix of Z11-16:Ald and 3Z,6Z,9Z-23:Hy was more attractive to male moths than caged virgin females. However, the binary blend was only attractive when the isomeric purity of the monounsaturated aldehyde was >99%, suggesting that the (E)-isomer was inhibitory. Although (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol (Z11-16:OH) was tentatively identified in gland extracts, the addition of this compound to the binary blend did not increase the numbers of moths captured. The pheromone can now be used in integrated pest management strategies. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.