Comparison of blood glucose in obese and non-obese students in a medical college

Background: Obesity has a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. It is one of the underlying causes of non-communicable chronic diseases like type II diabetes, stroke etc. The study was aimed to compare blood glucose levels in obese and non-obese students in a medical college and to show that obese students are more prone to develop type II diabetes.Methods: A total 20 obese subjects with age and sex matched 20 non-obese subjects were chosen. Their venous blood samples were collected after 12 hours of fasting and analysed for fasting blood sugar (FBS) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).Result: Results of the study showed that obese students have significant (p<0.001) high blood glucose and HbA1c levels as compared to non-obese students.Conclusion: The obese students are prone to develop type II diabetes due to changes in body metabolism as a result of change in fat distribution

Business Cycles and Capital Structure Choices: Evidence from India

The paper explores variations in leverage ratios of industries grouped on the basis of business cycles – as growth industry, defensive industry and cyclical industry. Leverage is measured using Total debt to Net worth ratio, Long term debt to Net worth ratio and Short term debt to Net worth ratio. The debt ratios of industries are evaluated during two time phases– Phase I (2008/09 to 2012/13) and Phase II (2013/14 to 2017/18). The sample consists of 172 companies randomly selected from the largest 500 companies in India. The results suggest significant variations in the debt ratios of industries in each of the time phases. The results also show statistically significant variations in total and long-term debt ratios between Phase I and Phase II. The study is distinct as it gives a new insight into the capital structure decisions of industries using a novel industrial classification base

Effect of blood storage on electrolyte levels

Background: Blood transfusion can be an immediate life saving measure in several acute conditions such as hemorrhage and anemia. However, various post transfusion complications are observed in patients which may be associated with the storage conditions of the collected blood. Electrolytes play a major role in maintaining homeostasis within the cells. Potassium is the most important extracellular cation responsible for maintenance of the cell integrity. Prolonged and improper storage of blood can lead to leakage of electrolytes, thus changing the cell morphology. This can adversely affect the patients who receive such blood. This study helps us analyze the effect of blood storage on electrolyte levels.Methods: For the study, 10ml of blood was collected from 30 blood bags containing CPDA-1 at the time of blood donation from 30 different volunteers. This blood containing the CPDA-1 was divided into 5 parts of 2ml and each 2ml sample was stored in plain bulbs. All the samples were stored at 4°C. Samples were tested to check for changes in the electrolyte (Na+, K+, Cl-) levels on day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 21. ANOVA was used to calculate the variance in the electrolyte levels.Results: Average sodium level on day 0 was 152.9±3.8 mEq/l. There was a significant decrease and it was measured at 139.5±4.8 mEq/l on day 21. Average potassium level on day 0 was 4.2±0.4 mEq/l. A significant spike was observed in potassium levels. The final reading of potassium level on day 21 was 15.2±0.7 mEq/l. Average chloride level on day 0 was 71.9±6.6 mEq/l which significantly declined to 67±5.9 mEq/l.Conclusions: Though blood is stored in proper conditions, a biochemical change occurs within the cells due to prolonged storage and thus affects its viability

Corporate Nationality and Capital Structure Decisions - Evidence from India

This paper examines the Capital Structure of companies classified based on nationality over two-time phases as 2008-09 to 2012-13 and 2013-14 to 2017-18 covering ten years. For each category of companies, the mean of three gearing ratios i.e., Total debt to Net worth ratio, Long term debt to Net worth ratio and Short term debt to Net worth ratio is assessed. The analysis is based on a randomized sample of 206 companies obtained from BT-500 (December, 2017) which are subcategorized on the basis of nationality as Indian Domestic Companies, Indian MNCs operating abroad and Foreign MNCs operating in India. The findings reveal that Domestic Indian companies are more inclined towards debt relative to Indian MNCs and Foreign MNCs over both the time phases. This signifies the importance of the nationality factor which must be contemplated while planning Capital Structure. Statistically significant differences in total and long-term debt ratios of Domestic Indian Companies and Indian MNCs between Phase I and Phase II highlight the significance of the time factor which should also be kept in mind before taking leverage decisions. Overall, the paper suggests the corporations to have beady eyes on the institutional environment of geographical territories in which they operate as well as the time variations before planning their debt structure. The disparities in the debt ratios across nationality and time warrant an empirical investigation of the causes behind them, so examining the determinants of Capital Structure of DCs and MNCs would be an interesting area of research in the future

Yeast Growth Plasticity Is Regulated by Environment-Specific Multi-QTL Interactions

For a unicellular, non-motile organism like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, carbon sources act both as nutrients and as signaling molecules and consequently affect various fitness parameters including growth. It is therefore advantageous for yeast strains to adapt their growth to carbon source variation. The ability of a given genotype to manifest different phenotypes in varying environments is known as phenotypic plasticity. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that drive plasticity in growth, two growth parameters (growth rate and biomass) were measured in a published dataset from meiotic recombinants of two genetically divergent yeast strains grown in different carbon sources. To identify QTL contributing to plasticity across pairs of environments, gene-environment interaction mapping was performed, which identified several QTL that have a differential effect across environments, some of which act antagonistically across pairs of environments. Multi-QTL analysis identified loci interacting with previously known growth affecting QTL as well as novel two-QTL interactions that affect growth. A QTL that had no significant independent effect was found to alter growth rate and biomass for several carbon sources through two-QTL interactions. Our study demonstrates that environment-specific epistatic interactions contribute to the growth plasticity in yeast. We propose that a targeted scan for epistatic interactions, such as the one described here, can help unravel mechanisms regulating phenotypic plasticity

Yeast Growth Plasticity Is Regulated by Environment-Specific Multi-QTL Interactions

For a unicellular, non-motile organism like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, carbon sources act both as nutrients and as signaling molecules and consequently affect various fitness parameters including growth. It is therefore advantageous for yeast strains to adapt their growth to carbon source variation. The ability of a given genotype to manifest different phenotypes in varying environments is known as phenotypic plasticity. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that drive plasticity in growth, two growth parameters (growth rate and biomass) were measured in a published dataset from meiotic recombinants of two genetically divergent yeast strains grown in different carbon sources. To identify QTL contributing to plasticity across pairs of environments, gene-environment interaction mapping was performed, which identified several QTL that have a differential effect across environments, some of which act antagonistically across pairs of environments. Multi-QTL analysis identified loci interacting with previously known growth affecting QTL as well as novel two-QTL interactions that affect growth. A QTL that had no significant independent effect was found to alter growth rate and biomass for several carbon sources through two-QTL interactions. Our study demonstrates that environment-specific epistatic interactions contribute to the growth plasticity in yeast. We propose that a targeted scan for epistatic interactions, such as the one described here, can help unravel mechanisms regulating phenotypic plasticity

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

An exploration of how marital expectations and socio-economic status impact post-secondary educational and professional goals of Northern CA Asian Indian immigrant women

This phenomenological study explored the impact of marital expectations and socio-economic status on post-secondary educational and professional goals of Northern California Asian Indian immigrant women both before and after marriage.For the purposes of this study, 15 Southeast Asian Indian immigrant women from the Sacramento metropolitan region were selected for face-to-face interviews, a focus group study, and observation. Women were selected according to criteria including (a) women who were born in India but had migrated to the United States at an early or adult age, (b) were married or divorced, (c) had completed high school, (d) were in the age range of 20-65, and (e) had completed, were in the process, or planned to complete a post-secondary education (f) had prior work experience, were working, or desired to work.Study findings revealed that marital expectations and socio-economic status did impact womens post-secondary educational and professional goals, both before and after marriage. Womens post-secondary educational and professional goals were also affected by numerous other factors, such as parental and familial influences, evolutionary trends, and educational and cultural differences in the United States. Each of these factors shaped and impacted participants goals in different ways and many of the factors were closely inter-related. Since lack of social support in a foreign land was a barrier that impacted participants marital and familial lives that in turn impacted their educational and professional goals, it was recommended that a social network of Asian Indian immigrant women be formed to lend social, emotional, psychological, financial, and intellectual support.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201

Assessment of Technical Efficiency of Public Sector Banks in India Using Data Envelopment Analysis

The main aim of the paper is to analyze technical efficiency of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in India during the period 1990-91 to 2011-12. The paper also examines whether there is statistically significant difference in efficiency of PSBs in the reformatory era (1990-91 to 2000-01) as compared to the post reformatory era (2001-02 to 2011-12). Using CAMEL framework, the paper also investigates the determinants of efficiency of PSBs. The results show that PSBs exhibit higher mean of the efficiency parameters in post reformatory era (2001-02 to 2011-12) than in the reformatory era (1990-91 to 2000-01). PSBs inefficiency is attributed to Pure Technical Inefficiency in reformatory era whereas the same is accredited to scale inefficiency in the post reformatory era. Paired t test shows that there is significant difference in performance of Public Sector Banks in reformatory era and post reformatory in all the Efficiency parameters. The results of Panel Data TOBIT regression suggest that various CAMEL parameters have significant impact on the technical efficiency of PSBs