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In the light of Bandura's (Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive perspective, Princeton-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1986) social cognitive theory (SCT), we investigated the roles of four different entrepreneurial factors: entrepreneurial qualities (EQ), entrepreneurial knowledge (EK), perceived entrepreneurialism (PE) and entrepreneurial inspiration (EIN), in entrepreneurial intention (EI) formation. Alongside, this paper explored the unique role played by entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a mediator among the list of determinants and EI. The study approached with a sample of 1062 final year engineering student from 15 premier technical institutes in India. The findings show that the effects of EQ, PE, and EIN on EI are partially mediated by entrepreneurial self-efficacy whereas a full mediation between EK and EI, which is consistent with the SCT framework. The implications suggest for improving the EK delivery system, which in turn will make students feel self-efficacious toward being entrepreneurial. The article argued on various pedagogical as well as the policy-related context of business venturing at Indian technical institutes.

This study assesses the influence of gender differences in the formation of entrepreneurial intention. Specifically, we investigate how culture and gender influence factors responsible for entrepreneurial intention development. A sample of 414 science and technology students from the world's fourth most prominent entrepreneurial university completed surveys. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data. Results show that the influence of social learning on entrepreneurial intention was mediated both by personality traits and entrepreneurial knowledge, whereas the effect of university-level determinants on entrepreneurial intention was mediated only through entrepreneurial knowledge. Strong support for the moderating role of gender was found.

Integrating renewable resources into the electrical systems of marine vessels achieves the dual goal of diversifying energy resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The presence of intermittent renewable sources and sudden nonlinear load changes can cause frequency deviations in isolated hybrid marine microgrids. To address this issue, the paper proposes a conventional PID (proportional–integral–derivative)-controller-based LFC (load frequency controller) which is optimized by meta-heuristic optimization algorithms, namely, PSO (particle swarm optimization), GWO (grey wolf optimization) and hybrid PSO-GWO. The proposed LFC was designed using transfer functions of various microgrid components, with ITAE (integral time absolute error) and ITSE (integral time square error) serving as performance indices. The proposed LFC's validation was performed through HIL (hardware-in-loop) real-time simulation using a DS 1104 R&D controller board, with simulation results showing the better performance of the optimized frequency response compared to the nonoptimized LFC controller in terms of rise time, fall time, slew rate and overshoot. The hybrid PSO-GWO algorithm performs better than the other optimization algorithms. The simulation results demonstrate the stability and robustness of the proposed controller. In summary, the proposed PID-controller-based LFC can regulate frequency deviation in standalone hybrid marine microgrids effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thalassemia syndromes are autosomal recessive disorders and the most commonly inherited hemoglobinopathies in the world. Among these, β-thalassemia is the most common type of thalassemia in Eastern India and in West Bengal. Thalassemic mothers are more predisposed to maternal complications such as hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and adverse neonatal outcome in terms of low birth weight, prematurity, etc. This study was to assess the effect of thalassemia gene disorder and hemoglobinopathies (thal-hbpathy) on fetomaternal health. Aims and Objectives: This study was done to evaluate the effect of thal-hbpathy on fetomaternal health and to compare their antenatal, intranatal outcome with control unaffected mothers, and with anaemic non-thalassemic mothers. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and observational study of 150 women who attended tertiary care hospital during 18 months, fulfilling pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. All women were evaluated during antenatal and intranatal period. Observations were recorded and interpreted. Results: Among 150 participants, 80(53.3%) were having normal hemoglobin (Hb) level and normal hemoglobin high performance liquid chromatography(Hb-HPLC), 54(36.7%) had anemia (Hb <10.9g/dl) with normal Hb pattern on HPLC, and 16(10.66%) had thal-hbpathy. Hb-HPLC revealed β-thalassemia trait in 7.3%, E β-thalassemia trait in 0.7%, whereas HbE heterozygous 2.7% in our study population. Majority (15/16) of thal-hbpathy patients were anemic. Oligo-hydramnios was detected in 18.7% of thalassemic women as compared to anemic (3.7%) and normal group (3.7%), which were significant. Obstetric cholestasis (OC) 12.5%(2/16) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) were observed in thal-hbpathy group antenatal patients which were statistically significant P<0.05. Conclusion: Overall prevalence of thalassemia was 10.7%. The important fetomaternal complications observed were prematurity, IUGR, OC, oligohydramnios, OC(PIH), and GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WHO estimates that 60-80 million couples worldwide suffer from infertility and the overall prevalence of the primary infertility in India is 3.9-16.8%. As usual tests and examinations are unable to appreciate majority of pelvic pathology in infertile women, diagnostic laparoscopy has become an essential part of infertility evaluation. Diagnostic laparohysteroscopy (DHL) gives the opportunity to directly visualize and manipulate pelvic organs which allow accurate diagnosis and give an option to treat at the same sitting. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to detect pelvic organ abnormalities by diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopy in the evaluation of female infertility in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study recruited 50 patients who attended the infertility clinic during 1 year period as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Those with male factor and endocrine abnormality were excluded from the study. The patients having abnormal hystero-salpingography (HSG) findings and those who in spite of having normal HSG finding, did not conceive even after three cycles of ovulation induction, underwent DHL. Results: Out of the 50 patients, 35 (70%) suffering from the primary and 15 (30%) suffering from the secondary infertility. The mean age of the study population was 29.5±5.3 years. Most of the cases presented with 3-6 years of infertility. The most common reported laparoscopic abnormality was ovarian in 58% cases, followed by 56% of pelvic and peritoneal abnormalities, 44% tubal factor abnormality, 36% having endometriosis at different stages, and 30% having uterine abnormality. Conclusions: Hystero -laparoscopy has good diagnostic accuracy in evaluating pelvic pathologies. The combination of hysteroscopy with laparoscopy done in a single setting improves the detection rate of abnormalities of uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvic peritoneum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A combination of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination (IUI) remains an important treatment option for couple having infertility. Success rate of IUI with ovulation induction ranges from 8-20% depending on many factors. Aims and Objectives: To assess the factors affecting the success rate of IUI and to evaluate the success of ovulation Induction by different methods of controlled stimulation protocol. Materials and Methods: It is a duration-based prospective cross-sectional study where total of 67 couples were included by inclusion and exclusion criteria. They underwent 90 cycles of IUI with each couple having a maximum of three cycles. Ovulation induction was done by clomiphene citrate or letrozole or gonadotrophins. Semen preparation was done by density gradient method. The outcome was measured by positive urine pregnancy test. Range, percentage, confidence interval, mean with standard deviation, median, range, and P-value were calculated. P<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: Out of 90 IUI cycles 8 were successful resulting in a success rate of 8.8% per cycle and 11.9% per couple. Factors that had a positive impact were follicle size >21 sqmm, endometrial thickness >9 mm, post wash count >15 million/ml, >2 cycles of IUI and on the number of follicles 2 or more on the day of trigger. Conclusion: The study concluded that IUI after ovulation induction can be a simple and safe cost-effective procedure in selected group of infertile couple. Clinical Significance: IUI following ovulation induction can be a successful approach for specific indications in a low-resource setting where options for other ART interventions are absent or limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]