Department Of Science And Technology Research Articles

Discovery of a "Cocktail" of Potential SARS-COV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors through Virtual Screening of Known Chemical Components of Vitex negundo L. ("Lagundi").

The prevailing crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic demands the development of effective therapeutic agents that can be implemented with minimal to zero adverse effects. Vitex negundo L. (VNL) is a medicinal plant with reported efficacy against respiratory diseases and some of the COVID-19 symptoms. Funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) is currently conducting clinical trials of VNL and other medicinal plants as adjuvant therapeutic agents against mild cases of COVID-19. The basis for the clinical trials is primarily the pharmacological efficacy of the medicinal plants against respiratory disorders and associated COVID-19 symptoms. This study assessed the in silico potential of VNL components against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), an enzyme that plays an important role in COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2. Phytochemical mining of VNL components from the literature was conducted. A database consisting of 250 known compounds from different parts of VNL was created and screened against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro using PyRx virtual screening tool. The most promising components were further subjected to in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analyses using the SwissADME web server and Toxtree software. Virtual screening revealed that 102 VNL components in the database had comparable to or better binding affinities toward SARS-COV-2 Mpro than known chemical inhibitors (e.g. N3 and carmofur). It was determined that the active site of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro receptor consists of multiple H-donor and acceptor sites; hence, the most stable receptor-ligand complexes are generally formed by VNL ligands that establish effective H-bonding with the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The promising components, representing a "cocktail" of potential inhibitors also revealed interesting ADMET properties. This in silico study identified VNL as a potential single source of a cocktail of SARSCoV- 2 Mpro inhibitors and a promising adjuvant therapeutic agent against COVID-19 or its symptoms. Furthermore, the study offers a rationale on phytochemical mining from medicinal plants as a means that can be implemented in the early stage of a drug discovery and development program.

Finite size effect on dissociation and diffusion of chiral partners in Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model * *PD thanks to Women Scientist Scheme A (WOS-A) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) funding with (SR/WOS-A/PM-10/2019)

The masses of pion and sigma meson modes, along with their dissociation in the quark medium, provide detailed spectral structures of the chiral partners. Collectivity has been observed in pA and pp systems both at LHC and RHIC. In this research, we studied the restoration of chiral symmetry by investigating the finite size effect on the detailed structure of chiral partners in the framework of the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. Their diffusion and conduction have been studied using this dissociation mechanism. It is determined that the masses, widths, diffusion coefficients, and conductivities of chiral partners merge at different temperatures in the restoration phase of chiral symmetry. However, merging points are shifted to lower temperatures when finite size effect is introduced into the picture. The strengths of diffusions and conductions are also reduced once the finite size is introduced in the calculations.

Keynote Message - Dr. Anthony S. Fauci

Warm greetings to you all. My name is Dr. Tony Fauci, and I am the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Chief Medical Adviser to President Joe Biden. I sincerely appreciate being asked to help open the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines’ 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting with its focus on learning from the past to inform the future. Among the most important lessons we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that sustained biomedical research is essential to global well-being, as manifested by the successful development of highly effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. We also have seen that an effective response to emerging infectious diseases requires international scientific cooperation. Keeping in mind the theme of this meeting, I would like to briefly highlight the value and importance of research cooperation between the United States and the Philippines while expressing my hope that this cooperation will continue and thrive in the coming years. The institute I lead, NIAID, has supported US and Filipino scientists working together for more than 30 years. As we now fight SARS-CoV-2, HIV, and other viral diseases together, our efforts continue to grow when scientific importance and public health value. Over the years, much productive NIAID supported collaborative research in the Philippines has focused on HIV and tuberculosis co-infections. Talented Filipino scientists from your outstanding institutions have participated in multiple AIDS clinical research networks that have advanced the global understanding of HIV prevention, treatment, and care particularly while addressing TB as a comorbidity in resource challenge settings. Participation of the Philippines in these multi-country networks has helped ensure that your scientists are among the core of key contributors advancing biomedical discoveries that have made AIDS a preventable chronic disease rather than an acute one with a high degree of mortality. In addition to participation in HIV/AIDS research, Filipino scientists have helped lead the way in studies of tuberculosis particularly multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB). The work in the Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis (RePORT) network has been especially important and promising. With continuing support from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Philippines is sure to make significant contributions to the global fight against TB. Philippine institutions also have played an important in other infectious diseases research. For example, Filipino scientists continue to lead research on dengue (another flaviviruses), malaria, and schistosomiasis building on prior NIAID support for Filipino studies on these pathogens. For many years the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) received NIAID funding as a tropical medicine research center of excellence. Hopefully, this institution and others will continue to receive Philippine government support so that they will remain competitive for both funding and talent. Given this track record, I also can foresee great value in the Philippines expanding its scientific leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region. In this regard, we are pleased to partner with the Department of Science and Technology through the e-ASIA Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP). In the future, this program–which supports collaborative research involving US and Filipino scientists–has the potential of adding real value to our overall research efforts, as long as it is adequately supported by all the participating agencies. In closing, I want to emphasize the importance of sustained local support for scientists and scientific institutions in the Philippines and elsewhere. This support is necessary foundation to attract funding from outside the country. It is also an essential element for economic vitality and growth. In addition, as we have seen with COVID-19, science–particularly biomedical research–is fundamentally important to pandemic preparedness and effective outbreak responses that save lives and stabilize societies. Fortunately, the Philippines has long recognized the value of science. Just four (4) months ago, we saw this again when NIAID and DOST jointly sponsored a special COVID-19 workshop focused on research findings and scientists in this region. With the success of that workshop, we look forward to convening the 2022 emerging infectious diseases of the Pacific Rim Conference which DOST has offered to co-host along with NIH and Japan’s AMED. Thank you again for a long-standing scientific partnership and for the continuing commitment of the Philippines to the global research enterprise. Through decades of collaboration, we have learned from each other and share the tradition of excellence in science and technology particularly in biomedical research. I am confident that our future collaborations will continue to contribute to scientific discovery through basic and clinical research and the training of the talented new scientists. I wish you every success with your 43rd Annual Scientific Conference and with the implementation of its results.

A PREVIEW — PAGTANAW 2050: THE PHILIPPINE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION FORESIGHT

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has always pushed for the country’s scientific and technological advancement. On the other hand, the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) has served as primary adviser to government on matters related to science and technology and has actively worked towards developing a truly Filipino productive science culture. In 2019, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. De La Peña challenged NAST PHL to undertake a foresight study, similar to the Malaysia’s Outlook 2050 crafted by the Akademi Sains Malaysia. The NAST PHL’s proposal to develop a 30-year STI Foresight, including strategic plans, was quickly approved for funding by the DOST Executive Committee the following year. The NAST PHL was able to complete the first and second versions of the country’s STI Foresight document, aptly entitled PAGTANAW 2050, or LOOKING AHEAD 2050, despite the technical and other unprecedented difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. PAGTANAW 2050 is the first DOST-funded inter-disciplinal and trans-disciplinal project on Philippine-focused STI Foresight and Strategic Plan that will impact on the aspirations of the Filipino people by 2050. It is a compendium of STI megatrends, global and national societal goals, transdisciplinary, and interdisciplinary operational areas, and current and emerging technologies relevant to the nation’s development that is firmly grounded in the Filipino people’s aspirations within the context of the natural and physical endowments as well as shared Filipino values and skills, and other potentials. The said document also delves into probable and significant drivers of change, and provides insights and reflections on the plausible development paths towards achieving the Filipino aspirations as expressed in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the various Philippine Development Plans, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Department of Science and Technology Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda, and the National Economic Development Authority’s vision for the Filipino people, AmBisyon Natin 2040 (NEDA, 2016). At the core of this Foresight are 12 key operational areas, namely: Blue Economy; Governance; Business and Trade; Digital Transformation and Information and Communications Technology; Science Education and Talent Retention; Food Security and Nutrition; Health Systems; Energy; Water; Environment and Climate Change; Shelter, Transportation, and Other Infrastructure; and Space Exploration. It is hoped that the S&T aspirations of the Filipino people will be achieved by 2050 through this Foresight

Message - Fortunato T. de la Peña

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has been committed to bring science closer to the people towards the improvement of the quality of life. Through our flagship programs, we were able to inspire our Filipino researchers and scientists to prove the value of their work not only to our fellow countrymen but also to the rest of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic brought out gaps in our healthcare system, but at the same time, presented opportunities for research and collaboration. At the DOST, through the research and development (R&D) councils, R&D institutes, S&T service institutes, regional offices, and provincial centers, and of course, NAST Philippines, we have lived up to our commitment. We supported research projects to help the government in its efforts to manage the risks and uncertainties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We collaborated with Filipino scientists and researchers to be able to produce products, technologies, and systems that address the needs brought about by the pandemic. With the COVID-19 pandemic still here, we are doing our best to learn and cope. We are continuously assessing that we have developed towards improvement and further innovations. It has been said that pandemics would become more and more frequent in our lifetime. We should therefore not stop collaborating with each other so that we will be more prepared in the future. NAST Philippines prepared a foresight document on science, technology, and innovation for the next 30 years, aptly titled PAGTANAW 2050. Let us study this document. I am sure that we will be able to pick up many interesting key points that we can use to manage our future better. Being concerned with our future and the future of our earth should always be kept in our consciousness. We must further advance “Science for the People” to everyone’s benefit.

A customização de processos de avaliação de prontidão tecnológica baseados na escala TRL: desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para o Exército Brasileiro

Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) based on the TRL scale is a process that aims to minimize problems in defining the stage of maturation of technologies, as well as providing efficient communication between specialists, managers and other stakeholders in organizations that acquire high-tech products and systems. In this context, the work analyzes the customization of the APT process from the perspective of a focal organization. To this end, the DCT (Department of Science and Technology) is used as a case study. The DCT is the focal organization of a network for the development of defense technologies and products within the scope of the Brazilian Army. The data collected came from the literature review (study of customizations made by reference organizations in the national and international scenarios) and from empirical data from DCT programs. With these data, it was possible to propose a customized methodology for the specificities of the Brazilian Army.

Financial Management Practices of Selected Agribusiness Enterprises in Marinduque

Financial resources, being the lifeblood of any enterprise, when utilized and managed efficiently result to optimal business performance and survival in times of financial crisis. Hence, the paper sought to assess the financial management practices of selected manufacturing agribusiness under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and Grants-In-Aid (GIA) programs of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Marinduque. The study used descriptive methods in gathering and analyzing data with the aid of a survey questionnaire and interview guide. Out of the 35 participating enterprises, 13 or 42% are GIA and 18 or 58% are SETUP. Using non-financial descriptors, the analysis resulted to the following mean values interpreted as very satisfactory: record keeping and management (3.81), profitability (3,64), sales (3.65), and income (3.57) while mean values for liquidity (3.39) and leverage (3.15) are interpreted as satisfactory. The majority of the enterprises do not have regular bookkeepers. For GIA recipients, treasurers are assigned, while under SETUP, part-timers are hired occasionally or every end of the year to prepare Financial Statements. Financial management practices need further attention. Thus, beneficiaries of GIA need to: a) install a proper auditing policy for checks and balances, and b) increase sales to generate higher income. For SETUP, there is a need to manage receivables so as not to escalate and to avoid bad debts. The practice of applying credit to finance production and maximize government loans and grants is acceptable, but the use of credit to finance daily production can be used as a leverage to a) grow the business, b) increase available cash to finance other needs, c) increase trust relationship with the lenders to manifest positive firm performance in paying debts, and d) minimize the risk of bankruptcy.

Evolution of modern age drug discovery of lipopeptides and computer-aided drug discovery in India

The endeavor has been attempted to present a review on the evolution of modern age drug discovery in India. The contribution of next generation therapeutics options microbial metabolites and the computational drug discovery aspects to the global market from India have been represented. Microbial metabolites such as lipopeptides and peptide therapeutics are gaining worldwide importance due to their multiple applications as broad-spectrum antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer properties etc. Due to the surge of microbial resistance, tumor resistance, and ongoing pandemic due to constantly mutating corona virus, there is a need to develop next-generation therapeutics options from natural origin, less toxic to the environment, and have higher specificity towards target. Small molecule therapeutics are certainly less specific towards cancer targets hence the cytotoxicity is a major issue in cancer treatment while drug resistance due to the mutations are coming as challenges every day for drug discovery researchers. Microbial lipopeptide reserves a sweet spot in between the small molecule inhibitors and peptide therapeutics because of their amphiphilic compounds consist of a fatty acid side chain and a cyclic peptide moiety of hydrophilic nature. The computational drug discovery approach accelerates the drug discovery process due to the advancement in supercomputer facilities provided by various funding agencies such as the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in India. The current review article is focusing light on the research contribution of Indian Scientists and Govt. of India in the field of lipopeptide-based research and applications of Computer-aided drug discovery.

Differential Crustal Attenuation in the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya Obtained from Seismological and Geophysical Studies

Abstract The Uttarakhand Himalaya which comprises of the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya lies in the central seismic gap region of India. Strong motion networks have been installed separately in the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya under various sponsored research projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). These networks have recorded several near field earthquakes in the recent past. Recorded data from these networks have been utilised to study the crustal attenuation characteristics of these two regions. The crustal attenuation characteristics of medium can be directly estimated from the frequency dependent quality factor ‘Q’. Estimation of shear wave quality factor, coda wave quality factor and attenuation relations have been made by using same methodology in the data set obtained separately from these two regions. It has been found that there is a substantial difference in the attenuation characteristics of the crustal rocks in these two regions. Since shear wave attenuation has a close relation with the shear wave velocity, therefore, the shear wave velocity has been estimated at various locations of the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya by both active and passive methods. It has been found that the average shear wave velocity of crustal rocks in the Garhwal Himalaya is comparatively higher than that in the Kumaon Himalaya which clearly support the high attenuation property of the crustal rocks in the Kumaon Himalaya compared to the Garhwal Himalaya.

Funding opportunities for higher learning, medical and nursing research in India: An overview.

Medical research is an important aspect of medical education and is required to maintain quality. Funding can assist a researcher in doing extensive research in a certain area by boosting study variables, sample size and use of sophisticated state-of-the-art equipments. India's funding for health research is limited, and only a small percentage of that is used for public health research. Many health professionals have a lot of great ideas for health-related research but do not know where to start looking for financing. A review was created to help medical and nursing professionals to find the correct funding source for their research. There are many governments' organisations in India, which provide funds for research, grants and higher learning research fellowships. We tried to give an overview of some organisations with their benefits. This review includes the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), India Alliance, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Health Research (DHR), Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), and the Nursing Research Society of India (NRSI). This review makes aware health professionals to the funding agency as well as the time of funding and fellowship application.

Safety Analysis of 250-kW Philippine Research Reactor-1 Thermal-hydraulics under Steady-state Operations Using MARS-KS Code

Julius Federico M. Jecong1,3,4*, Alvie A. Astronomo2, Frederick C. Hila1, Neil Raymund D. Guillermo1, and Sweng Woong Woo4 1Applied Physics Research Section; 2Nuclear Reactor Operations Section Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Nuclear Research Institute Quezon City, Metro Manila 1101 Philippines 3Nuclear and Quantum Engineering Department Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141 Republic of Korea 4Reactor and Safety Evaluation Department Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety 62 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34142, Republic of Korea Safety Analysis of 250-kW Philippine Research Reactor-1 Thermal-hydraulics under Steady-state Operations Using MARS-KS Code Keywords: 250-kW TRIGA reactor, MARS-KS, safety analysis, steady-state, thermal-hydraulics The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is implementing a project to use the Philippine Research Reactor-1 (PRR-1) TRIGA nuclear fuel in a subcritical reactor (SCR) for training, education, and research in nuclear science and technology. However, although an SCR is a valuable training and research facility, it offers limited industrial applications. To potentially reap more benefits, DOST-PNRI is also investigating the feasibility of converting the zero-power SCR to a low power critical reactor in the future. In this work, the thermal-hydraulic behavior of a hypothetical 250-kW low power configuration of the PRR-1 TRIGA reactor is investigated using the MARS-KS code. At this power level, the fuel centerline or the hottest region of the fuel was determined to have 236.85- °C temperature during steady-state conditions. This temperature is well below the 749.85-°C temperature limit of TRIGA fuel that will result in excessive swelling. The peak heat flux occurs at the axial center of the fuel rod while the calculated departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR) of 6.18 is minimum at this location. Moreover, the maximum fuel temperature is found to be insensitive to variations in coolant velocity, which ranges from 0.20–0.26 m/s within the natural circulation conditions of this facility. Based on the Bernath critical heat flux (CHF) correlation, coolant velocities below 0.2 m/s will still yield a DNBR above 5.0. These results demonstrate that a 250-kW PRR-1 TRIGA reactor operating under steady-state conditions is capable of safely removing the heat generated in the fuel

Open Access Repositories in the National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC): An Overview of the Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS)

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) institutions have merged and formed National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC) to share e-resources among its member libraries. Licensed resources have been subscribing to National Knowledge Resource Consortium. However, NKRC has been supporting open access to research content. In this connection, many member institutes in the consortium have set up open access repositories. The CSIR-Central acts as a centralized institutional facility and harvester. The main aim of this present study is to examine the total items deposited year- wise (2011-2020), subject-wise (8 core areas), the total number of downloads that happened during 2010-2021, and the study also highlighted the top five authors browsed by users during 2010-2021.

Benzothiazole-Linked Metal-Free Covalent Organic Framework Nanostructures for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Conversion of Phenylboronic Acids to Phenols

R.P. and S.C.S. acknowledge the Department of Science and Technology (DST)-INSPIRE (GAP-0799) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, for their respective senior research fellowships. J.M. acknowledges the CSIR, India, for the CSIR-YSA Research Grant (reference no. HRDG/YSA-19/02/21(0045)/2019) and Focused Basic Research (FBR) Grant under the CLP theme (reference no. 34/1/TD-CLP/NCP-FBR 2020-RPPBDD-TMD-SeMI) for financial support at the CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad. We sincerely thank the Director, CSIR-IICT (Ms. no. IICT/Pubs./2021/311) for providing all of the required facilities to carry out the work.

Professional Knowledge and Organizational Commitment of Faculty Members Handling Science Subjects in the University of Eastern Philippines

This study aimed to determine the professional knowledge of faculty members in terms of knowledge of science content, knowledge of general pedagogy, pedagogical content knowledge, and knowledge of the curriculum structure and materials and find out the degree of organizational commitment along with affective, continuance, and normative organizational commitment. A complete enumeration of faculty members handling science teacher education courses in the College of Education and College of Science. Descriptive-observational and survey were employed. The questionnaires were adapted from the framework for Philippine Science Teacher Education published by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and University of the Philippines-National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP-NISMED) and the organizational commitment along with affective, continuance, and normative commitment constructed and tested. It was found out that faculty members have very high professional; specifically, very high knowledge content, very high knowledge of general pedagogy, and very high knowledge of the curriculum structure and materials. It was also found out that faculty members are very highly committed to the University. Specifically, faculty members are very highly committed to affective, continuance, and normative organizational commitment.

Susceptibility and Proximity of Schools to Potential Landslides in Agusan Del Sur: A Geospatial Analysis

This research study assessed the susceptibility and proximity of DepEd elementary and high schools in Agusan del Sur Province to landslide hazard. The study utilized data from the NOAH Project, of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Landslide hazard data are categorized into three susceptibility levels (Low=1, Medium=2, and High=3). Using geospatial techniques, the assessment reveals that out of 551 schools, 90 are within the landslide zones- an average of 5.44%. Out of the 90 schools 14 are on the high level of susceptibility. An average of 94.56% are proximate to the landslide zone, of which 770m is the closest distance and azimuth to the nearest potential hazard. The results of the study is expected to help policy makers and administrators in DepEd of Agusan del Sur in landslide hazard mitigation planning. The results can further give awareness and preparedness to LGU and NDRRMC in crafting precautionary measures for the lives of the school children and DepEd personnel.

Preface

About NCAIEV’21, Department of Science and Technology (DST) sponsored National Virtual Conference on Advanced Informatics, Electronics and Vision (NCAIEV’ 21) was organized on 23rd April, 2021 in connection with the funded Science Equity and Empowerment Division (SEED) - Science and Technology (S&T) for Women project in the department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering Technology (MCET), Pollachi, Tamilnadu, India.A one day National Virtual Conference on Advanced Informatics, Electronics and Vision (NCAIEV’ 21) has been organized to focus on the recent R&D activities, to provide the knowledge on research cues and to possess a network with eminent academicians and industrialists.NCAIEV’ 21 was carried out in the form of virtual conference due to the impact of COVID-19 through MS-Teams. This conference has been organized from the funded project with the aim to continue disseminating the latest advanced research in the field of Advanced Informatics, Electronics and knowledge sharing among researchers. Also this conference provided an opportunity to the young budding researchers to show up their innovative ideas through the special event – Idea Contest on Smart systems.List of Committee of NCAIEV’21 are available in this pdf.

Study of Copper and Copper Supported on N-Doped Graphene Nanoparticles for Enhanced Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to Ethanol

Excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to combustion of fossil fuels create serious impact on our atmosphere and will result in unwanted climate change and species extinction. In addition to the recent attempts to establish environmentally sustainable energy sources and to advance CO2 capture and sequestration technology, the conversion of CO2 into useful chemicals is a pragmatic approach for reducing its concentration in the atmosphere [1]. In this respect, sustainable electricity-powered electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) offers an exciting way because it not only transforms CO2 into useful fuels and chemicals, but also provides a solution for the long-term storage of volatile renewable energy [2,3]. Therefore, the design of efficient electrocatalysts with high selectivity (Faradaic efficiency (FE)), low overpotential, and good stability/reusability is key consideration for the development of ECR [4]. To date, copper is the only electrocatalyst that can reduce CO2 into hydrocarbons and alcohols which can be further used as fuel [1,4].For this, we have prepared metallic copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) with and without N-doped graphene support and characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical experiments were performed in a customized H-type cell using 0.1 M KHCO3 electrolyte solution. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to analyze and quantify the liquid products. In the case of Cu NPs, we found ~46 % Faradaic efficiency (FE) and ~2.3 mA cm-2 current density (CD) towards Formic acid at -0.8 V vs. RHE, which would suggest that these particular Cu NPs are an ineffective catalyst for multicarbon production. While, Cu/NGN exhibit the highest selectivity for multicarbon products in the studied potential range. It gives a total 26 % FE and ~7.5 mA cm-2 CD at -1.0 V (vs. RHE) for the ethanol products. The study reveals that the structural and electronic properties of the electrode were enhanced by the addition of Cu NPs on NGN surface. In addition, reusability and long term stability is also studied. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Prof. P. K. Bajpai for his comments. This work was supported by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), India (Grant No. EMR/2016/007437, dated March 13, 2018).

The Success and Failure of South Africa’s Ten-Year Innovation Plan (2008) as Measured by Research Output

Investment into research is a vital key to positively impacting on society. Research policies are the instruments which prescribe the direction in which the funding flows. This article shows how South African researchers have responded to the Ten-Year Innovation Plan (TYIP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), particularly in light of identified areas of specialisation. It discusses the specialisation among the universities in the country. It comments on the problems with metrics relating to research output in an attempt to explain why South Africa has not shown the desired output. The activity index, which shows the relative specialisation of a country or a university, was used as the primary metric to evaluate the effectiveness of the TYIP. Publication counts were drawn from Web of Science. It was found that South Africa fell short of the goal expressed in the TYIP. In areas of specialisation, the five Grand Challenges showed varying changes: from a decrease in “global change science with a focus on climate change” to a significant increase in “human and social dynamics”. Universities in South Africa are shown to be multi-focused in their research. Drawing from the literature, this article provides five possible explanations as to why the output was not at the expected level. The use of the activity index as a tool to evaluate policy does not give a full picture of the impact of research. This article provides suggestions for future policymakers and researchers on the development of a more appropriate method of evaluating research policies.

Creating Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Higher Education Institutes: A Case Study

As of late, technological innovation and entrepreneurship have been underlined in engineering education. There is a need to all the more likely comprehend which individual and contextual level factors are identified with engineering students' innovative goals. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (IEDC) at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education was established as an initiative of the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi to create an entrepreneurial culture and foster growth of innovation and entrepreneurship amongst the faculty and students. This centre has designed innovative and systematic strategies to train the students from the beginning and take them through the journey of becoming a confident and successful entrepreneur. Every year this centre is providing financial support to several students to the tune of 15 lakhs per project for developing innovative products supported under the various schemes of the Government of India such as DST start-up, MSME, and so on. Apart from the financial support, mentoring and infrastructural support for these projects are also extended. The centre also arranges various activities and awareness camps related to Entrepreneurship, Technology-based Innovation, and Idea to Product contests for the students throughout as they move from the first year to the fourth year of their study. As an outcome of all these the students have started 10 start-up companies in the last three years and started generating revenue income. Moreover, these companies have created job opportunities for various job seekers. IEDC has also supported Start-up companies by providing the proper office set-up with the necessary infrastructure. Therefore, the students become entrepreneurs and give a job to another Student. Apart from the Financial Grants from the Government of India, the IEDC centre helps in getting loans from banks to establish their companies in a large set-up. And also, this Centre with students and entrepreneurs for their better living. The proposed framework reacts adequately to the rising difficulties and openings both at national and worldwide dimensions identifying with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). It will be accomplished by checking out the design challenge, orientation and awareness programs, workshops, and transient courses to support undergraduate students to progress toward becoming trendsetters and business visionaries.

The role of data and information security governance in protecting public sector data and information assets in national government in South Africa

Background: The deployment of information and communications technology (ICT) in the public sector, has been exposed to increasing security breaches and cyber-related crimes that have resulted in unauthorised access, theft, fraud and misuse of highly confidential, classified and sensitive public sector data and information (PSDI) assets. The government, as one of the biggest collectors and distributors of PSDI assets, needs to be constantly aware of the risks associated with the collection, classification, storage and dissemination of critical PSDI assets. The lack of sufficient data and information security measures could pose significant security risks that could impact on state security, thus causing national working relationships to be strained, which presents gaps and opportunities for external intruders to capitalise on the mistrust of the government to infiltrate further attacks on critical Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and systems. In order to mitigate and counteract critical and sensitive data and information-related crimes, the government must understand and analyse the importance of data and information security governance (DISG) and how it should be institutionalised through an integrated approach to improve and protect PSDI assets. Aim: The aim of this article is to analyse the institutionalisation of DISG measures government has implemented towards the protection of PSDI assets. Setting: The research setting is in three national government departments, namely the Department of Energy (DoE), the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). This study investigates how the strategic combination of data governance (DG) and information security governance (ISG) practices and principles could be implemented and incorporated as one of the various approaches in public sector institutions to improve the DISG management functions of an organisation’s overall data and information systems and processes. Methods: The research approach is qualitative, and the research methodology includes a multiple case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and was triangulated with literature review. Primary data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The research findings are presented according to the McKinsey 7S model, which served as the analytical framework in the study. The research findings indicate that the institutionalisation of DISG management practices and functions in the South African public sector context are very limited, and there is a dominant focus on IT and IT security. It was also identified that DISG policies, practices, and systems have been found to be lacking in public sector management and governance functions. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is currently a lack of sufficient DISG policies, management practices and systems, particularly in the national sphere of government.