Quantifying Strategic Choice Along the Vertical Coordination Continuum

The qualitative and quantitative results of a study undertaken to test a decision framework firms might consider in choosing a vertical coordination strategy are presented. The posited five-step decision making process tested that a change in coordination strategy would occur if and only if a "yes" decision was made at each step. The results reported as case-based frequencies and as a discriminate analysis function provide strong support for the study's research propositions. The ability of an alternative to reduce the costliness of a coordination error and the acceptability of the risk/return tradeoff were critical to the willingness of a sample of producers to change coordination strategy. Implementability was significant, but not to the same extent as costliness of a coordination error or acceptability of the risk/return tradeoff.vertical coordination, vertical coordination continuum, discriminate analysis, willingness to change, unwillingness to change, coordination error, programmability, implementability, risk/return tradeoff, Industrial Organization,

Drosophila KDM2 is a H3K4me3 demethylase regulating nucleolar organization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>CG11033 (dKDM2) is the <it>Drosophila </it>homolog of the gene KDM2B. dKDM2 has been known to possess histone lysine demethylase activity towards H3K36me2 in cell lines and it regulates H2A ubiquitination. The human homolog of the gene has dual activity towards H3K36me2 as well as H3K4me3, and plays an important role in cellular senescence.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We have used transgenic flies bearing an RNAi construct for the dKDM2 gene. The knockdown of dKDM2 gene was performed by crossing UAS-RNAi-dKDM2 flies with actin-Gal4 flies. Western blots of acid extracted histones and immunofluoresence analysis of polytene chromosome showed the activity of the enzyme dKDM2 to be specific for H3K4me3 in adult flies. Immunofluoresence analysis of polytene chromosome also revealed the presence of multiple nucleoli in RNAi knockdown mutants of dKDM2 and decreased H3-acetylation marks associated with active transcription.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings indicate that dKDM2 is a histone lysine demethylase with specificity for H3K4me3 and regulates nucleolar organization.</p

A single compartment simulation model of pharmacokinetics

For better understanding about derivation of various parameters related to pharmacokinetics, this model is developed. Animals or human volunteers are not used in this model but the principles used in pharmacokinetic studies in volunteers are incorporated. There is detailed description about setting of the model and derivation of various parameters step by step. An example is followed to illustrate the calculations involved. Possibilities of further extension of model to derive additional parameters and variations are discussed. The experience indicates that the model serves as a good demonstration to undergraduate students and a meaningful experiment for PG-students for learning and as a practical-examination exercise. The purpose of the article is to widen the use of this simple teaching tool at various centers

Purkinje Cell Cytoplasmic Antibody (PCA-2)-related Chorea–Dystonia Syndrome

No abstract necessary for Letters

Drip Paintings and Fractal Analysis

It has been claimed [1-6] that fractal analysis can be applied to unambiguously characterize works of art such as the drip paintings of Jackson Pollock. This academic issue has become of more general interest following the recent discovery of a cache of disputed Pollock paintings. We definitively demonstrate here, by analyzing paintings by Pollock and others, that fractal criteria provide no information about artistic authenticity. This work has also led to two new results in fractal analysis of more general scientific significance. First, the composite of two fractals is not generally scale invariant and exhibits complex multifractal scaling in the small distance asymptotic limit. Second the statistics of box-counting and related staircases provide a new way to characterize geometry and distinguish fractals from Euclidean objects

Cross sectional observational study to assess the knowledge of drugs utilized in emergency medical conditions amongst medical interns and residents in tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Medical interns and residents are future medical professionals and as first-line responders, they may confront any type of emergency. Knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics (PTs) is the backbone of emergency care. Therefore, this study is designed to assess PTs’ knowledge and identify the lacunae in handling various medical emergencies among medical interns and residents.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, questionnaire-based study. A self-structured questionnaire containing 30 close-ended questions, assessing the knowledge of drugs utilized in various medical emergency conditions was prepared and circulated in the form of a Google form. A credit score of “1” was given for each correct response. Grading of knowledge was done as “poor” (≤50%), “average” (>50-70%), and “adequate” (>70%-100%) The student’s unpaired t-test was used to analyse the data.Results: A total of 282 candidates responded, with 148 (52.48 %) interns and 134 (47.52%) residents. Participants had the least knowledge of PTs for anaphylactic shock. Participants’ knowledge of PTs was found to be adequate regarding the central nervous system and electrolyte disorders while average regarding toxicology, immunization, and endocrine system. Results suggested that residents (mean score: 21.42±5.06) were significantly (p=0.0165) more knowledgeable than interns (mean score: 19.96±5.08). Among respondents, 17.6% of interns and 13.4% of residents had poor performance while 45.9% of interns and 53.7% of residents had adequate performance.Conclusions: The current study provides valuable information regarding the state of PTs’ knowledge in medical emergencies among interns and residents, which can be used to improve undergraduate as well as postgraduate training. 

Occurrence of depression, anxiety and stress among medical students working during COVID Pandemic

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, medical students have been allotted various duties like rapid antigen testing, Sanjivani corona ghar seva (service provided by the government for home quarantine people), RTPCR swab collection, and posting in wards and intensive care units (ICUs). While executing the COVID-19 duties, students had a significant degree of a significant degree of ambiguity and apprehension. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical students performing COVID-19 duties.Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional observational study was conducted among undergraduate and postgraduate students of a tertiary care teaching hospital, who were deployed on COVID-19 duty during pandemic. A google form-based questionnaire was structured, encompassing demographic details, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) questionnaire and other (additional) COVID-19 duty related questions. The analysis of data was done by using unpaired t-test and chi-square test in Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0Results: In our research study, we found that occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 40.46%, 48.37%, and 30.69% among the medical students during COVID -19 duty, respectively. Higher occurrence and more severity (p<0.01) of depression, anxiety and stress was seen in female medical students during COVID-19 duty in pandemic.Conclusions: We observed a higher occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students while performing their COVID-19 duty in a pandemic. Medical students played a significant role in the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, measures should be taken to ensure the psychological wellbeing of medical students.