The most effective techniques of industrial purification processes: a technical review

This paper reviews various separation techniques used in purification processes to remove pollutants like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from petroleum products. The most effective techniques include absorption, adsorption, cryogenic distillation, chemical looping combustion, and membrane separation. The study reviews over 100 published studies to assess their characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. The choice of separation technology depends on ideal conditions, cost, efficiency, and energy required in the regeneration phase

The Necessary Evil: Balancing the risks and benefits of fluvoxamine in a patient with treatment refractory depression on warfarin:A Case Report

Warfarin, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, has a narrow therapeutic index; and is metabolised by a number of cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes. Fluvoxamine is an effective antidepressant. It is a potent SSRI, with proven efficacy on obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, and psychotic depression. It is also a potent inhibitor of a number of cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes and has the potential to cause pharmacokinetic interactions with warfarin, resulting in elevated International Normalised Ratio (INR). We report a case of an elderly man, who was on warfarin for atrial fibrillation. He also suffered from severe and complex depressive episodes, with marked anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms which at times were impervious to reassurance and rational explanations. The depression responded inadequately to a number of trial of antidepressants, including a combination of antidepressants. Hence a decision was taken to commence Fluvoxamine. Co-administration resulted in the marked and rapid elevation of INR, necessitating adjustment in the dose of Warfarin. Although Fluvoxamine, by dint of its pharmacokinetic profile as a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) has a high likelihood of interaction with Warfarin, there are very clinical few case-reports of such an interaction. Over the years, the use of Fluvoxamine in clinical practice has declined following the availability of other SSRIs that have less effect on the cytochrome enzyme system. However, in certain clinical situations where the use of Fluvoxamine is warranted, careful consideration of the drug interactions is highly recommended The case demonstrates the necessity of close monitoring when Fluvoxamine is co-administered with Warfarin, as the INR is elevated and the risk of haemorrhage increases even at small doses of Fluvoxamine. This close monitoring becomes even more relevant in the elderly because of prolonged half-life of Fluvoxamine in this population

A Functional Approach to Understand Consumer Behavior while Selecting Coffee Parlor

This research studies the relationship between utilitarian, ego defensive, value expressive and knowledge functions on consumer attitude and consequently on the selection of coffee parlor by consumers. Primary data has been collected by using a structured questionnaire designed on the Fishbein model. Regression model was used to test the effect of the four functions on the consumers’ choice of coffee parlor. The subjects included in the sample consisted of males in various age groups. The hypotheses assumed that all four functions being stated carry a significant effect on attitude. The statistical test showed that significant valueF (9, 91) (p value)= 0.000, at p < 0.05 so the result is acceptable and there is a relationship between dependent variable i.e. selection of coffee parlor and independent variables i.e. the utilitarian, value expressive, ego defensive and knowledge functions

Consumer Buying Behaviour; A Factor of Compulsive Buying Prejudiced by Windowsill Placement

This empirical research investigates the impact of windowsill placement on the compulsive buying behavior of consumers on three different types of products i.e., convenience products, shopping products, and specialty products. Positive effect of windowsill placement on all three types of product categories has been hypothesized. The categorical regression (Optimal scaling) was used to test the hypotheses. The data was collected via self administered questionnaire from Pakistan through systematic random sampling, and the sample consisted of 500 respondents. The results of data analysis supported only the 1st hypothesis which highlighted that placement of products in shopping centers has an impact of unplanned buying of consumers for convenience products. While rest of the two hypotheses regarding shopping and convenience products were not supported by the data. This research is helpful for those companies which believe in classical conditioning. This is perhaps one of the first study in non-western (Pakistani) context

Consumer Buying Behaviour; A Factor of Compulsive Buying Prejudiced by Windowsill Placement

This empirical research investigates the impact of windowsill placement on the compulsive buying behavior of consumers on three different types of products i.e., convenience products, shopping products, and specialty products. Positive effect of windowsill placement on all three types of product categories has been hypothesized. The categorical regression (Optimal scaling) was used to test the hypotheses. The data was collected via self administered questionnaire from Pakistan through systematic random sampling, and the sample consisted of 500 respondents. The results of data analysis supported only the 1st hypothesis which highlighted that placement of products in shopping centers has an impact of unplanned buying of consumers for convenience products. While rest of the two hypotheses regarding shopping and convenience products were not supported by the data. This research is helpful for those companies which believe in classical conditioning. This is perhaps one of the first study in non-western (Pakistani) context

Can online distance learning improve access to learning in conflict zones? The Oxford Psychiatry in Iraq (OxPIQ) experience

Psychiatry trainees in Iraq face many challenges that limit their immediate access to training opportunities. These include limited opportunities to attend international conferences due to visa restrictions, reduced access to evidence-based practice and guidelines and less experience in conducting quality improvement projects and audits. There are also issues related to their training programmes, including lack of regular meetings with supervisors and fewer opportunities for case-based discussions. Clinical Psychiatry is thus a potential key affected clinical domain due to the above factors. Technological advances in the field of e-learning created concepts such as Technology-enhanced or Web-based learning (TEL or WBL). These developments enabled the formation of “virtual teams” using an online platform. These teams overcome logistical geographical and other barriers to enable professionals to connect and learn from each other. This paper includes an appraisal of the TEL, looking at its advantages and challenges in meeting the needs of learners and educators. Also, we describe how we incorporated evidence-based and good practice guidelines on TEL use in these circumstances to the design, delivery and early evaluation of the distance learning programme. In our conclusion, we add to these and draw attention to the use of established online platforms (Medicine Africa in this case) and the importance of involving Iraqi Training leads, trainees and institutions in identifying trainee learning needs and supporting existing training provisions

The Role of Financial Literacy in Achieving Financial Satisfaction Through Financial Well-Being

Purpose:  The aim of this study is to identifying the financial knowledge's role in the achievement of financial satisfaction through financial well-being.   Theoretical framework: The financial service sector in Iraq has been undergoing major transformation due to technological developments and innovations in terms of operating efficiency, This requires increasing financial knowledge of customers to use financial technology.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The Employees working in public sector and workers working in private sectors were taken as the study sample, for identifying the differences among them at the level of dimensions and research variables, A total of (360) valid questionnaires were collected for statistical analysis after the survey was distributed electronically. Three hypotheses were examined in the study using a statistical program (SMART PLS) to determine whether there was a correlation and influence among the variables of the study.   Findings: The results study proves that the workers' financial satisfaction in private sector is better than the financial satisfaction of workers in public sector due to employees’ feeling of salary threat as a result of the political unrest.   Research, practical and social implications: The study Due to the political unrest in Iraq, government departments must consider employee satisfaction by providing financial compensation and by maintaining their pay without being compromised.   Originality/Value: The value of the study recommends the needs to increase the awareness and knowledge Financial and conduct future studies could concentrate on concrete, feasible strategies that management might use to enhance workers' financial well-being in line with the recommendations of this study

Improving Medical Student Placements in Psychiatry:Review of Literature And A Practical Example

The support of medical students during their placement in busy clinical settings is an important topic. Clinicians and other health professionals have a duty to provide teaching to medical students and supporting them to achieve their learning objectives. This paper reviews the literature on workplace learning and discusses the importance of providing a fruitful and welcoming clinical placement to medical students in Old Age Psychiatry. It then describes a local scheme to improve medical students placement and how the changes introduced in this scheme helped to enhance learning and satisfaction of the medical students. Although the paper discusses the students placement in Old Age Psychiatry, it is relevant to all other medical and surgical specialities where busy clinicians face many challenges in providing teaching to medical students. The scheme described in this paper to improve students placement used existing resources and encouraged the input from professionals working within the team (e.g., psychologists, nurses and support workers) to enrich the students placement. Using this multidisciplinary model of teaching and supervision helped to overcome many challenges in providing a positive and useful clinical placement to the medical students

Association of Environment With the Risk of Developing Psychotic Disorders in Rural Populations: Findings from the Social Epidemiology of Psychoses in East Anglia Study.

IMPORTANCE: Social determinants are important risk factors for the development of first-episode psychosis (FEP); their effects in rural areas are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate neighborhood-level factors associated with FEP in a large, predominantly rural population-based cohort. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study extracted data on referrals for treatment of potential FEP at 6 Early-Intervention Psychosis services from the Social Epidemiology of Psychoses in East Anglia naturalistic cohort study data set, which covered a population of more than 2 million people in a rural area in the East of England for a period of 3.5 years. All individuals aged 16 to 35 years who presented to Early-Intervention Psychosis services and met diagnostic criteria for first episodes of nonaffective psychoses and affective psychoses (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision diagnostic codes F20-33) were included (n = 631). Persons whose disorders had an organic basis (diagnostic codes F06.X) and those meeting the criteria for substance-induced psychosis (diagnostic codes F1X.5) were excluded. We derived 4 neighborhood-level exposures from a routine population data set using exploratory factor analysis (racial/ethnic diversity, deprivation, urbanicity, and social isolation) and investigated intragroup racial/ethnic density and fragmentation. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Multilevel Poisson regression was performed to determine associations between incidence rates and neighborhood-level factors, after adjustment for individual factors. Results were reported as incidence rate ratios (IRRs). RESULTS: The study included 631 participants who met criteria for FEP and whose median age at first contact was 23.8 years (interquartile range, 19.6-27.6 years); 416 of 631 (65.9%) were male. Crude incidence of FEP was calculated as 31.2 per 100 000 person-years (95% CI, 28.9-33.7). Incidence varied significantly between neighborhoods after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. For nonaffective psychoses, incidence was higher in neighborhoods that were more economically deprived (IRR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.06-1.20) and socially isolated (IRR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.19). It was lower in more racially/ethnically diverse neighborhoods (IRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.87-1.00). Higher intragroup racial/ethnic density (IRR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-1.00) and lower intragroup racial/ethnic fragmentation (IRR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-1.00) were associated with a reduced risk of affective psychosis. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Spatial variation in the incidence of nonaffective and affective psychotic disorders exists in rural areas. This suggests that the social environment contributes to psychosis risk across the rural-urban gradient

Consumer evaluation of brand extension: Pakistani Context

Brand extension strategy, based on the idea that the built-in value of the familiar brand name is transferable to new products. The major aim of this research paper was to find out that how consumer evaluate brand Extension. Authors have used four variables to establish the relationship with the dependent variable “consumer evaluation” of brand extension. The variables used in the study were listed as (1) Innovativeness (2) Multiple Brand extensions (3) Brand concept and consistency (4) Brand extension fit. In addition, four real life brands have been used as stimulus in this study. Questionnaire was developed and through Convenience sampling; it was administrated among sample population of 110. Regression analysis was used as statistical tool to analyze the relationship among dependent and independent variables. The findings showed that Consumer evaluation would be positive for those brand extensions that have a strong reputation for introducing multiple brands. Likewise, there was a positive relationship between consumer level of innovativeness and how consumer evaluates brand extension. Innovative consumers were more positive and favorably inclined towards brand extensions