Category Archives: Science & Technology

GB Syndrome clinic opened at Apollo Hospitals

Records, All, Science & Technology
Neuro physician Bindu Menon says moments after a paralytic stroke, immediate treatment should be given so as to bring the patient back to normalcy. —Photo: K. Ravikumar
Neuro physician Bindu Menon says moments after a paralytic stroke, immediate treatment should be given so as to bring the patient back to normalcy. —Photo: K. Ravikumar

The treatment for the Guillain Barre Syndrome, a muscle weakening neurological disorder, was started for the first time at the Apollo Specialty Hospitals here in Nellore city on Wednesday.

The GB syndrome is a disorder which occurs when the body’s immune system starts attacking the healthy cells of peripheral systems. It often leads to paralysis and even death at times.

“With some awareness on the part of the patients, the disease can be controlled. It can be prevented from causing severe illness,” said neuro physician Dr. Bindu Menon. To effectively handle neuro disorders, preventive measures should be taken much ahead, she said. Speaking on the awareness aspects on the occasion, Dr. Menon said that moments after a paralytic stroke, immediate treatment should be given so as to bring the patient back to normalcy. This would yield better results or else this would cause serious side effects, she added.

The neurology wing in the hospitals has been sufficiently strengthened with special clinics opened to treat Parkinson’s disease, memory disorders and back pain related complaints.

To provide advanced neuro care, a neuro physician, neuro surgeon, neuro physiotherapist, intensive neuro trained nurses, dieticians and other technicians are made available at the Apollo Specialty Hospitals.

source: http: //www.thehindu.com /  Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Nellore – August 27th, 2015

Chinese Mobile Maker Xiaomi Gets Set to Drive Into AP for Make in India Push

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, Uncategorized, World Opinion

XiaomiANDHRA11aug2015

Hyderabad :

Andhra Pradesh is expected to make strides globally through its ‘Make in India – Made in AP’ programme by manufacturing smartphones in the State.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will launch the first Xiaomi-manufactured phone in India in Visakhapatnam on Monday. The programme will also see Xiaomi making some key announcements about its India expansion plans.

Ahead of this event, a hoarding put up by Xiaomi with ‘Make in India’ logo at Visakhapatnam airport, followed by a Facebook post, led to speculation that the Chinese cellphone maker might set up its first India plant in the port city.

Xiaomi, a Chinese low-cost smartphone-manufacturer, is the third largest smartphone-maker in the world, following Samsung and Apple. “Following the Chief Minister Naidu’s visit to China earlier this year, Xiaomi has come to Visakhapatnam to launch its first made-in-India smartphone and announce its plans for the country. We are expecting a key announcement from the Chinese low-cost smartphone-manufacturer on Monday,” said a senior official.

Given that global smartphone sales are estimated to grow from 1.5 billion in 2015 to 1.7 billion by 2017 and India will become the second largest smartphone market by 2017, Xiaomi is looking to expand its presence and increase its market share in the country. During the programme in Visakhapatnam on Monday, Manu Jain, CEO Xiaomi India, will deliver the welcome address while Hugo Barra, Vice-President (Global) Xiaomi, will brief the audience on the ‘Journey of Xiaomi in India.’

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home>States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / August 10th, 2015

Andhra Pradesh man appointed BITS Pilani Vice-Chancellor

Education, Leaders, Science & Technology
V. Sambasiva Rao
V. Sambasiva Rao
Guntur:
Prof. V. Sambasiva Rao, native of Tullur in the new capital region in Guntur district, has been appointed as the acting vice-chancellor of BITS Pilani. Prof. Sambasiva Rao, an alumunus of BITS Pilani, took the charge on Friday.
Born in Tullur, Mr Sambasiva Rao completed his primary education at Tullur. He completed intermediate and degree from Andhra Christian College at Guntur. Later, he joined BITS Pilani and completed M. Sc (Chemistry) and joined there as a faculty.
Prof Sambasiva Rao said that he has been associated with BITS Pilani for over four decades in various capacities such as dean of Practice School, deputy director, off campus programmes and director, BITS  Pilani, Hyderabad campus. Besides obtaining a Ph. D from BITS Pilani, he obtained a certificate on Educational Economics and Research from  University of Bielfeld, Germany.
Prof. Sambasiva Rao recalled that as a Director, he established BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad campus in a sprawling 200 acres of land making it fully residential that accommodates 3,200 students and 160 faculty members.
He expressed happiness over the inclusion of his birth place in the new capital region of AP and expressed hope that Tullur will emerge as a world class capital.
The residents of Tullur who don’t know much about Prof. Sambasiva Rao due to the migration of his family years ago, are now inquiring about him and expressing happiness over his taking charge as the VC of the prestigious institution.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs /  Deccan Chronicle / August 02nd, 2015

Over 120 start-ups take roots in A.P.

Business & Economy, Science & Technology, World Opinion

IT Minister to inaugurate incubation tower in Tirupati on Aug. 5

Close to a year after the launch of AP Innovation and Start Up policy, Andhra Pradesh is taking steady and firm steps towards becoming the breeding State for start up companies in the IT and IT enabled services and allied sectors.

With the two incubator towers in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada in place with reputed pilot incubators in charge, the third incubator tower in Tirupati will be inaugurated by IT Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy on August 5.

In Visakhapatnam incubator tower at Rishikonda built by APIIC started functioning in December, 2014 under the guidance of Kochi based pilot incubator Mob Mee Start Up village which pioneered the start-up concept.

In the last six months, 115 start-up companies have come up working on mobile applications and innovative product development ideas.

The mandate of the empanelled incubators is to promote the culture of innovation among the start-up units while the State is looking at creating world class eco-system and lay strong foundation to make a mark in IT product development, department sources said.

Recently Intel and C-Dac organised training programmes for the start-ups in Visakhapatnam working on ideas and products related to their domain expertise.

The government has also been extending some financial assistance to the pilot incubator on behalf of each start-up unit for organising training programmes and promoting the products and ideas once they reach a certain stage of development to attract venture capitalist and angel investors.

Of 50,000 sft space in the Vizag incubator tower, Mob Mee has taken up 15,000 sft while Govind Capital, Singapore based pilot incubator recently acquired 2,500 sft and has now six start-ups working in the facility. The Vizag facility is named as Technology, Research and Innovation Park.

The IT Department will have another five floor tower to be named Millennium Tower with three lakh sft space that will come up in a four-acre land adjacent to the Rishikonda incubation tower. The first two floors will be for start-up units and the rest of three floors will be allotted for companies.

In Kakinada where the incubation tower was inaugurated on June 30, the Bhubaneswar based private pilot incubator KIIT-TBI, already brought in 25 start-up companies.

A start-up unit comprising fresh and final year engineering graduates will take on an average of one-and-a-half year to two years to work on their product and idea before it attracts the attention of venture capitalists and angel investors, sources said.

IT Minister to inaugurate incubation tower in Tirupati on Aug. 5

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – August 01st, 2015

Masula scientists develop salinity-resistant paddy seed

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology
Scientists of Agricultural Research Station display MCM-103, a new paddy seed variety at Machilipatnam in Krishna District. Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu
Scientists of Agricultural Research Station display MCM-103, a new paddy seed variety at Machilipatnam in Krishna District. Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu

The seed varieties developed by Principal Scientist T. Anuradha and Scientist K. Nagendra Rao are MCM 103, a Kharif variety and Rabi variety MCM110, which are sanity resistant.

Plant breeding scientists of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University’s Research Station at Machilipatnam have developed two new paddy seed varieties, exclusively meant for saline soil and the 10-year research has yielded expected results.

The seed varieties developed by Principal Scientist T. Anuradha and Scientist K. Nagendra Rao are MCM 103, a Kharif variety and Rabi variety MCM110. The duration of crop period of the varieties is 140 and 120 days respectively.

“The Directorate of Rice Research (DRR), Hyderabad, has tagged the MCM 103 as the best paddy seed variety among the 40 entries from across the country in 2013. The DRR has also tested the variety in the six states, where it gave expected results including yield and quality grain”, T. Anuradha told The Hindu.

“The MCM-103 seed variety gives nearly six tonnes of yield while the MCM-110 gives up to 5.5 tonnes per hectare”, she added. The scientists have claimed that the yield of the two varieties would arguably be much higher in the normal soil. Another Scientist K. Nagendra Rao added that the MCM 103 is being tested in the saline fields in the coastal Andhra districts from the ongoing Kharif season and the other variety would also be tested from the next Rabi season in the State.

The District Agricultural Advisory & Transfer of Technology Centre in the respective districts in the State had selected the fields to test the seed varieties from the Kharif-2015. “The medium duration paddy varieties will primarily encourage the farmers to turn the saline soil fields into cultivable fields. The varieties will also ensure better yield”, opined Ms. Anuradha.

Farmers indebted to scientists:

The farmers having saline soil are indebted to the scientists, said Ms. Anuradha and Mr. Nagendra Rao, who had developed two paddy seed varieties – MCM 100 and 101- in 2011. It has been proposed for seeking approval of the Andhra Pradesh State’s Seed Varietal Release Committee for final release of the two varieties into the market.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by T. Appala Naidu /Machilipatnam – July 31st, 2015

Deputy CM launches CSIAP website

Records, All, Science & Technology
Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy being briefed by CSIAP president P. Chandrasekhar (left)after the former launched the website in Kurnool on Saturday. - PHOTO: U. SUBRAMANYAM
Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy being briefed by CSIAP president P. Chandrasekhar (left)after the former launched the website in Kurnool on Saturday. – PHOTO: U. SUBRAMANYAM

Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy launched Cardiological Society of India Andhra Pradesh (CSIAP) chapter’s website www.csiap.com in Kurnool on Saturday..

CSIAP president P. Chandrasekhar explained the objectives of CSI to the Deputy Chief Minister and said it was the first chapter to bring out a website.

The society was split into Telangana and AP chapters consequent upon the bifurcation of the State, said Mr Chandrasekhar. The CSIAP chapter’s first annual conference would be held at Mangalagiri in Guntur district on July 18 and 19, he said.

CSIAP chapter’s first annual conference will be held at Mangalagiri in Guntur district on July 18 and 19.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Special Correspondent / Kurnool – June `14th, 2015

Ayush bonanza for Ongole

Education, Science & Technology

Ongole :

In what could be a medical bonanza for Andhra Pradesh, the ministry of Ayush (Indian medicine) has sanctioned two separate hospitals for Ayurveda and Unani to Ongole. District collector Sujatha Sharma formally opened the two 10-bed hospitals on the premises of the old Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here on Tuesday.

Expert medical professionals in both Ayurveda and Unani have been appointed. The collector appealed to people to make use of the facility, saying Indian medicine has the capability to cure even chronic diseases. “Experts suggest that Ayurveda and Unani have the best medicines for chronic ailments like back pain, paralysis, joint pains and spinal cord disorders. It is better to make use of such alternatives instead of going for surgeries,” she said.

The collector said the treatment in panchakarma mode, in both Ayurveda and Unani, would be free. Ayush regional deputy director Y Sekhar said doctors in Ayurveda panchakarma unit would be available in three shifts from 8 am to 8 pm. He said more staff would be employed in case patient inflow increases. He said there was a good response to Ayurveda and Unani therapies in Hyderabad and Vijayawada where the units are attached to the medical colleges itself

He said that they have secured drugs from central drug stores and the patients need not go out for drugs.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / TNN / May 27th, 2015

Vizagite wins EPDCL energy conservation film contest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

Visakhapatnam :

Shiva Sri from Appughar in the city bagged the first prize in the concept film contest-2014 conducted by Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (EPDCL) to promote awareness on electrical safety and energy conservation. The second prize went to D Balaiah from Kurnool and Ravi Arji from Khairatabad in Hyderabad received the third prize, according to chairman and managing director EPDCL R Mutyala Raju.

Announcing the prizes here on Friday, the CMD said the first prize winner would be presented Rs 50,000 cash, the second prize winner Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 for the third spot. He said Rs 10,000 each would be given to the six consolation prize winners — B Hari Venkata Ramana from Akkayyapalem, Srikanth Sathivada of Dabagardens, Jeelakarpa Yaswan from New Gajuwaka, Satyada Narsinga Rao of Ambedkar Colony and M Satyanarayana of Kothapalem in Vizag and V Bhargavi from Yusufguda in Hyderabad.

Ninety-three people from AP and Telangana participated in the contest, which was judged by film director MV Raghu, EPDCL retired chief engineer M Krishna Murthy and A Babji, assistant director, AP information department.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / February 14th, 2015

India Network Foundation inaugurates mineral water project in Krishnapatnam village, Andhra Pradesh, India

Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration /Positive News and Features, Nature, Nri's / Pio's, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Orlando, FL :

India Network Foundation a US based non-profit organization announces grand opening of a mineral water plant at Krishnapatnam, Andhra Pradesh that will provide safe drinking water to about 3000 villagers. The plant was designed and executed by India Network Foundation and will be managed by the villagers themselves. The water plant provides 1000 liters of treated drinking water per hour and will be supplied to villagers every day. India Network Foundation, sponsor of award winning health insurance program for visitors coming to the United Statescontributes to several community projects helping elementary schools in rural Indiaand drinking water projects in remote areas. A small village Krishnapatnam worked hard to complete building for the project to start the mineral water plant within one month of award of the grant by the India Network Foundation.

The Drinking water projects taken by the India Network Foundation provide high quality equipment, and training to local villagers. who have to manage the project on their own. The Foundation plans to help many more rural villages where community wholly participates for the benefit of everyone.

India Network Foundation also sponsors India Network visitor health insurance  plans for visitors coming to the United States, and Travel grants to researchers presenting research at national and international conferences. In India, the Foundation has been helping schools with maps and other educational equipment, and constructing several schools in Bhuj, Gujarat, India in the past. Recently, Foundation has launched an initiative to provide clean drinking water to villagers living in remote rural areas. The first such project, Mineral Drinking Water Project in Krishnapatnam village, Andhra Pradesh, India sponsored by the Foundation has been commissioned today. The plant will provide 1000 liters per hour of good quality drinking water to villagers at a nominal cost .The project involves partnership with local community and their willingness to provide a shelter, and electric connection while the Foundation will help with equipment and training.

Dr. KV Rao, Founder and President of India Network Foundation stated that the Foundation philosophy of providing direct help to end beneficiaries is challenging but very rewarding. Even after many years the foundation continue to receives letters of appreciation for help rendered to families of Indian soldiers died or injured in Kargil war and from school teachers that benefitted from map projects. Foundation encourages members in the United States to take advantage of its vast experience and knowledge in providing direct end user benefitting projects.

source: http://www.insurancenewsnet.com / InsuranceNewsNet.com / Home> Newswires / PR Web, Orlando- FL / February 26th, 2015

For Google languages centre at Vizag

Science & Technology, World Opinion
FOR BEST USE OF TECH in digitising languages:Kuchibhotla Anand
FOR BEST USE OF TECH in digitising languages:Kuchibhotla Anand

Telugus of Silicon Valley are lobbying with IT giant Google to set up a centre for Asian Languages in Visakhapatnam.

Software technocrat and Silicon Andhra founder Kuchibhotla Anand told The Hindu that talks had already been initiated with the managers of Google to explore the feasibility of establishing a centre of Asian Languages in Visakhapatnam. A decision on it would have to taken at the vice-presidents level, he said.

The setting up of a centre for Asian Languages would help in deploying the best available technology for digitising languages, he said.

Mr Anand, who is well established in the Silicon Valley, was recently nominated as chairman of the Kuchipudi Natyaramam and took charge in the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on Thursday.

‘Ahead of Tamil’

He said Silicon Andhra was collaborating with Google to create new open source Unicode fonts for Telugu. Various search engines could not recognise the font unless it was Unicode compliant. Though the Telugus were 14 years behind the Tamils in becoming Internet savvy, the language at present was “two steps ahead” of Tamil in the development of Unicode fonts.

Two Google open source Telugu Fonts named after N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) and former Minister who held the first World Telugu Conference Mandali Venkatakrishna Rao (Mandali) were very popular and being downloaded by Internet users all over the world. Google had 18 Telugu fonts on its list, more fonts than any other Indian language, he said.

Google was also developing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software for Telugu. Once the software was available, text file could be created by simply scanning the page of a book.

Software for converting speech to text and vice versa was also coming soon, Mr Anand said.

The setting up of a centre for Asian Languages will help in deploying the best available technology for digitising languages

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by G. Venkataramana Rao / Vijayawada – February 28th, 2015