Study of serum calcium and serum magnesium levels in newly diagnosed hypertensives

Background: In normal vascular tissue physiology, calcium plays a crucial role. Calcium and magnesium metabolism have been implicated in the pathogenesis of primary hypertension. The present study aimed to assess serum calcium and serum magnesium levels and to study the association of the serum magnesium and serum calcium levels with hypertension in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients of Bikaner, Rajasthan. Methods: This cross- sectional study was carried out on 60 subjects aged between 18 years to 60 years in the department of physiology and in association with department of medicine and department of cardiology, S. P. Medical College and associated group of hospitals, Bikaner. Data was compiled and entered into Microsoft software statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Data was summarised as frequencies, mean and standard deviations. For continuous data the means were compared between cases and controls using unpaired or independent t test; and for nominal data, chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests were applied to compare frequency distribution between cases and controls to see the statistical significance. Results: The present study shows statistically insignificant change in serum calcium and serum magnesium levels in newly detected hypertensive patients when compared to normotensive controls. Conclusions: In view of statistically insignificant change in serum calcium and magnesium levels in newly detected hypertensive patients in our study, further studies with a large sample size and more uniform population are required to find if any significant association exists between these cations and hypertension

Natural disasters and university enrolment: Evidence from L’Aquila earthquake

Although there are several studies looking at the effect of natural disasters on economic growth, less attention has been dedicated to their impact on educational outcomes, especially in more developed countries. We use the synthetic control method to examine how the L’Aquila earthquake affected subsequent enrolment at the local university. This issue has wide economic implications as the University of L’Aquila made a large contribution to the local economy before the earthquake. Our results indicate that the earthquake had no statistically significant effect on first-year enrolment at the University of L’Aquila in the three academic years after the disaster. This natural disaster, however, caused a compositional change in the first-year student population, with a substantial increase in the number of students aged 21 or above. This is likely to have been driven by post-disaster measures adopted in order to mitigate the expected negative effects on enrolment triggered by the earthquake

Rare earth Dy activated Li3PO4:Dy phosphors for lyoluminescence dosimetry of ionizing radiations

     Rare earth Dy doped Li3PO4 phosphate based phosphors were prepared by high temperature solid state diffusion technique. The peak LL intensity initially increases with increasing mass of the sample, then tends to attain a saturation value for higher mass of the solute added to the solvent. Eaelier experiments on gamma irradiated crystals have proved that the light emission originates from the recombination of released F-centres with trapped holes (V2-centres) at the liquid-solid interface.In this paper lyoluminescence(LL) characteristics of Li3PO4:Dy phosphors have been reported . These LL characteristics of Li3PO4 phosphor may be useful for high radiation dosimetry using LL technique

A Summary on CSR: When social issues become strategic

This articles deals with the challenges faced by the corporate in todayrsquos world in attending to socio political issues surrounding them and inculcating that in the companyrsquos core strategic mission

Comparative study on mechanoluminescence of Eu2+ doped phosphate based phosphors.

Eu2+ doped phosphate based phosphors were prepared by solid state diffusion technique. The phosphors have simple glow curve with single peak It is clear that the ML intensity increases with increasing concentration of Eu, attained an optimum value for 1 mole % for Sr5(PO4)3Cl:Eu2+, and 2 mole% for Li3PO4:Eu2+ and LaPO4:Eu2+, then decreases with further increase in concentration of Eu. The trapping and detrapping of charge carriers in the material can be studied using ML. It is believed that in the dynamic process of loading, internal friction originating from defects activates holes released from traps and stimulates mechanoluminescience. This phosphor can be used in the dosimetry of ionizing radiations using mechanoluminescence

National Physical Laboratory demonstrates 1 g Kibble balance: Linkage of macroscopic mass to Planck constant

Mass is the only base unit, which is represented as a primary standard in the form of artifact for more than 125 years. International prototype of kilogram (IPK) is kept at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), Paris and serves as the international standard of kilogram. It is made of 90% platinum and 10% iridium and as a cylinder of 39 mm diameter and 39 mm height. Replicas of the IPK are made of the same material and used at BIPM as reference or working standards and national prototype of kilogram (NPK), kept at different National Metrology Institutes (NMIs). NPK-57, kept at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, is sent periodically to BIPM for calibration

Polyethylene Maleate Copolyesters as Coating Materials for Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal-based Chemical Sensors

Polyethylene maleate (PEM) was synthesised by direct polycondensation of maleic anhydride and ethylene glycol in toluene under reflux usingp-toluene sulphonic acid as a catalyst. Structure of PEM was further modified by varying nature of diols and acid components, chain length of glycols, incorporation of aromatic and fluorine groups in the chain. Formation of PEM was monitored by gas chromatography. The parameters like degree of polymerisation, number average molecular weight (Mn), and weight average molecular weight (Mw) were calculated from the extent of reaction and stoichiometric ratio of the reactants. The number average molecular weight was also determined using Knauer vapour pressure osmometer. Cohesive energy, volume, and solubility parameters of PEM-based copolyesters were calculated by group contribution method. These PEM-based copolyesters’ have been evaluated as sorbent-coating materials for the detection of organ0 phosphorus(OP)compo using dimethylmethylphosphonate (DMMP) as model compound and piezoelectric crystal detector. PEMbisphenol A is found to be the most sensitive and potential coating material for the detection of OP compounds using piezoelectric crystal detector. Potential PEM-based copolyesters have been characterised by viscosity, infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, Mn and thermal stability