Central University of Kerala

About: Central University of Kerala is a education organization based out in Kāsaragod, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 556 authors who have published 881 publications receiving 7474 citations.

Utilization of noncommunicable disease services provided by public health facilities in Kasaragod, Kerala

Abstract: Background: The burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is high with significant impact on households in the form of out-of-pocket expenditure. Provision of NCD services through public health facilities is considered as cost-effective and efficient means. Aim: The study aimed to assess the proportion of individuals using NCD services provided through public health facilities and identify the factors associated with its use in Kasaragod district of Indian state of Kerala. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 375 individuals was conducted in Kasaragod District of Kerala state. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Results: About 56.28% of individuals with NCD, received NCD services from public health facilities; these services were primarily comprised screening services. In addition, 40.69% of total individuals with NCDs received treatment services from government health facilities. Insurance coverage, perception about quality, perceived barriers in accessing health services, health worker visit, knowledge about NCD services, and information provided by frontline health workers were significantly influencing NCD service utilization in public health facilities. Conclusion: Individual's usage of screening services provided by government facilities is higher than that of treatment services. Overall, the utilization of NCD services provided through the public health system could be said to be less than satisfactory. It could be improved by addressing the perceived barriers with respect to the quality of services provided in public health facilities. In addition, employing the frontline health workers to bridge the awareness gap in NCD service provision could help in improving NCD service utilization.

Application of Response Surface Methodology for Sago Wastewater Treatment by Ozonation

Abstract: A treatment method based on the degradation of sago processing wastewater using ozonation process was conducted in this research study. The optimization of the process variables was designed with the aid of software called Design Expert and the technique was called response surface methodology (RSM) in Central composite design. The effect of ozonation variables like pH, treatment time and ozone concentration on the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of sago waste water was investigated. Interestingly, two different types of results like maximum removal of COD and optimum removal of COD were observed. Maximum COD removal of 62.45% was at pH 9.8, ozonation time 95.7 min, ozone dose 42% and optimum COD removal 0f 56.7% was at pH 9.8, ozonation time 35.7 min, and ozone dose 42%. Bacterial count was found to be nil after ozonation and microscopic observation of biomass proved that the sludge content had effectively reduced after ozonation treatment. It was determined that the ozonation of sago wastewater was a promising effort in wastewater treatment.

Spatiotemporal effects on dung beetle activities in island forests-home garden matrix in a tropical village landscape.

Abstract: Insects in seasonal tropics experience a wide range of temperatures along seasons, habitats, and a day. Therefore, the thermal tolerance of the insects can be a major driver for their habitat preference, temporal patterns of activity, and formation of communities. We examined the dung beetle communities of eleven pairs of neighboring open (home gardens) and closed habitats (sacred groves) during dry and wet seasons and diel periods (day and night) to understand the dung beetle activities along a spatiotemporal gradient constituted by the sacred groves—home garden matrix on a tropical village landscape. We tested the following hypotheses: (i) closed habitats have greater activities of dung beetles over open habitats; (ii) the diurnal communities of dung beetles are different from the nocturnal communities; and (iii) the diurnal-nocturnal activities of dung beetles could be predicted by the habitat and season. We considered abundance, richness, total biomass, and Shannon diversity of overall beetles, abundance of different functional groups, and species composition in communities as the quantitative measures in the predictive statistical models. In total, 2727 dung beetles belonging to 38 species, ten genera, and three functional groups were collected. The open habitat supported more number of dung beetles (N = 2318) than the closed habitat (N = 409). The diurnal communities were different from nocturnal communities, particularly in open habitat, where the temperature was different between day and night. The dominant species of the diurnal communities of open habitat hardly used the closed habitat in any context including dry–wet seasons, but the nocturnal communities of the open habitat were closer to the communities of closed habitat. The diel period and habitat predicted the abundance activity of functional groups; season was a poor predictor of dung beetle activities. Given that the species composition has turned over across habitats, and the closed habitat supported remarkably lesser number of beetles than the open habitats, the closed habitat is unlikely to be a thermal refuge for the open habitat species in village landscapes that have island forests, such as sacred groves, and home gardens form a matrix.

Tight controlled expression and secretion of Lactobacillus brevis SlpA in Lactococcus lactis

Abstract: Prokaryotes commonly present outer cell wall structures composed of a crystalline array of proteinaceous subunits, known as surface layers (S-layers). The ORF encoding the S-layer protein (SlpA) of Lactobacillus brevis was cloned into Lactococcus lactis under the transcriptional control of the xylose-inducible expression system (XIES). SlpA was secreted into the extracellular medium, as determined by immunoblotting, and assays on the kinetics of SlpA production revealed that repression of the system with glucose did not require the depletion of xylose from the medium that allows transitory ORF expression. The successful use of XIES to express S-layer proteins in the versatile and generally recognized as safe species L. lactis opens new possibilities for an efficient production and isolation of SlpA S-layer protein for its various applications in biotechnology and importantly as an antigen-carrying vehicle.