STUDY ON RISK FACTORS, CLINICAL AND THERAPEUTIC PROFILE OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS IN GOVERNMENT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Objective: This study mainly aims to assess and evaluate risk factors, clinical and therapeutical profile in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and promote rational drug therapy; to identify the prevalence of COPD symptoms and to assess the drugs prescribed in treating COPD patients; and to evaluate patterns of diagnosing COPD in patients and determine the severity of COPD in patients using COPD assessment test (CAT). Methods: A prospective observational study conducted in government general hospital among 220 patients for 6 months. Data were collected from patients by CAT questionnaire through interviewing each subject. Results: The majority of the patients (36%) were in the age group of 71–80 years. Males are more prone to the COPD (91%). Most common initiation interdependence of these habits are 31–40 years and 61.8% are suffering with comorbidities. A total of 145 (65%) have social habits. About 68% of the patients are suffering from occupational exposure, 78% of the patients are suffering from old pulmonary problems. Conclusion: Clinical pharmacist main provision is providing care to individual patients by patient counseling, regarding the rational usage of drug and also providing proper education regarding the usage of nebulizers and creating awareness to the patients

対流圏に見られる鉛直微細構造

We report the design, synthesis, detailed characterization, and analysis of a new multifunctional pi-conjugated bola-amphiphilic chromophore: oligo-(p-phenyleneethynylene)-dicarboxylic acid with dialkoxyoctadecyl side chains (OPE-C-18-1). OPE-C-18-1 shows two polymorphs at 123 K (OPE-C-18-1') and 373 K (OPE-C-18-1 `'), whose crystal structures were characterized via single crystal X-ray diffraction. OPE-C-18-1 also exhibits thermotropic liquid crystalline property revealing a columnar phase. The inherent pi-conjugation of OPE-C-18-1 imparts luminescence to the system. Photoluminescence measurements on the mesophase also reveal similar luminescence as in the crystalline state. Additionally, OPE-C-18-1 shows mechano-hypsochromic luminescence behavior. Density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations unravel the origins behind the simultaneous existence of all these properties. Nanoindentation experiments on the single crystal reveal its mechanical strength and accurately correlate the molecular arrangement with the liquid crystalline and mechanochromic luminescence behavior

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Cement dust exposure and Pulmonary function tests in construction site workers

Background: Construction site workers are frequently exposed to and inhale dust and cement particles that cause a variety of respiratory disorders and impaired lung function tests. These particles once inhaled, lodge in the respiratory tract and even gain entry into the lung tissue depending on the size of the particle. These particles produce a series of inflammatory reactions in the mucus membrane causing severe symptoms. Lung function tests are performed to detect any change in the parameters. Objective: The present study was undertaken to see the degree of decline of lung function tests among workers at construction sites and compare with those working in cleaner environments. Materials and Methods: 160 individuals were inducted into the study of which 60 were construction site workers and 100 were normal healthy individuals working in cleaner environments. Lung function tests using Spiro Win Spirometer was formed to detect any change in lung function parameters. Forced vital capacity, Forced expiratory volume in one sec and maximum voluntary ventilation were assessed using spirometer. Results: The BMI of construction site workers was less when compared to the subjects working in cleaner environments. Performance on Pulmonary function tests was poor in construction site workers compared to healthy controls. When age, sex and BMI were adjusted for the 2 groups, workers group shows a decrease in lung function tests though not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Inhaled dust particles cause reactions in mucus membrane, blocking the respiratory tracts leading to poor performance on lung function tests. Conclusion: Construction site workers should undergo pulmonary function tests from time to time to detect any changes so as to provide early treatment interventions

Large reduction in the magnitude and thermal variation of Frank elastic constants in a gold nanorod/nematic composite

We report measurements of splay and bend Frank elastic constants in a composite comprising a nematic liquid crystal doped with a small concentration of sterically stabilized gold nanorods. The composite exhibits not only a large reduction in the magnitude of the threshold voltage for switching (V th, 20%), as well as of the splay (K 11, 40%) and bend (K 33, 40%) elastic constants, but also presents an unprecedented feature: a substantial diminution in the temperature dependence of these parameters, almost to the point of becoming thermally invariant. This observation is significant because the electro-optic switching of liquid-crystal devices is largely controlled by the K 11 and K 33 elastic constants. Electrical conductivity measurements also show interesting behavior upon the inclusion of nanorods. Whereas the intrinsic Arrhenius behavior governing the temperature dependence is enhanced, the frequency dependence shows qualitative features of Jonscher's universal model, albeit with a higher exponent. Further, photoisomerization of an azobenzene guest component provides an additional influence on the elastic constants. The results are discussed in terms of (a) the effect of the order parameter dependence seen from the viewpoint of an extended mean-field model, and (b) local order. The advantage of incorporating nanorods with photofunctionality is also pointed out

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Fungicidal management of sunflower leaf blight -M Santha Lakshmi Prasad et al.

Not AvailableField experiments were carried out during Kharif seasons of 2008 to 2010 at Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad,India for the management of sunflower leaf blight caused by Alternariaster helianthi (Hansf.) Tubaki and Nishihara. Different fungicides, viz., iprodione, carbendazim, iprodione + carbendazim, mancozeb, propiconazole and difenoconazole were evaluated in different combinations as seed treatment and foliar sprays. Seed treatment with iprodione +carbendazim 2g kg -1 followed by two sprays of propiconazole 0.1% at 15 days interval recorded low leaf blight (27.9%) and higher seed yield of 975kg/ha. Seed treatment with iprodione + carbendazim 2g kg -1 followed by two sprays of difenoconazole 0.1% at fortnightly interval also recorded leaf blight severity of 32.9% with seed yield of 878 kg/ha during three years of testing. However, seed treatment with iprodione 2g kg-1 seed recorded high incremental benefit-to-cost ratio (8.88) followed by seed treatment with carbendazim 1g kg-1 (8.43) and iprodione + carbendazim 2g kg-1 seed (7.18). For the management of leaf blight of sunflower seed treatment with iprodione + carbendazim followed by two sprays of propiconazole was effective in terms of reduction of disease severity and increasing the seed yield, however, seed treatment with iprodione as well as with carbendazim was an effective treatment in terms of incremental benefit-to-cost-ratio.IIOR-pla

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Not AvailableStructural equation modelling (SEM) offers a theoretical basis for developing an understanding of relationship between characters and behaviour. This paper imposes the SEM framework focusing on seed yield and oil yield of safflower. We use a data set of IVT safflower 2010-2011 grown at multi-locations under AICRP program. The model includes one latent variable 100 seed weight (SW) for seed yield (SY), oil content (aC) and oil yield (OY) of safflower and determining ex.ogenous factors were no of capsules (CAP), No. of seeds per capitulum (SEEDNo), final plant stand(FPS), plant height (PHT). The result indicated that the oil yield was significantly correlated with exogenous variables. The predictors of OY explained 93 per cent of its variance and the error variance was only 7%. All the path coefficients leading to OY from the four exogenous variables were significant. A highest regression weight estimate was obtained for the loading from SW to SY, indicating that when SW goes up by 1, SY goes up by 98.18± 4.17 Similarly highest regression weight estimate was obtained for the loading from SW and OC to OY, indicating that when SW and OC goes up by 1, OY goes up by 16.88±. 6.4. The chi-square statistic for the model was non- significant which revealed that the model fits the data well indicated that estimated variances and covariances did not differ from the observed ones.Not Availabl

Reversible Polymorphism, Liquid Crystallinity, and Stimuli-Responsive Luminescence in a Bola-amphiphilic π‑System: Structure–Property Correlations Through Nanoindentation and DFT Calculations

We report the design, synthesis, detailed characterization, and analysis of a new multifunctional π-conjugated bola-amphiphilic chromophore: <i>oligo</i>-(<i>p</i>-phenyleneethynylene)­dicarboxylic acid with dialkoxyoctadecyl side chains (<b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1</b>). <b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1</b> shows two polymorphs at 123 K (<b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1′</b>) and 373 K (<b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1″</b>), whose crystal structures were characterized via single crystal X-ray diffraction. <b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1</b> also exhibits thermotropic liquid crystalline property revealing a columnar phase. The inherent π-conjugation of <b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1</b> imparts luminescence to the system. Photoluminescence measurements on the mesophase also reveal similar luminescence as in the crystalline state. Additionally, <b>OPE-C</b>_<b>18</b><b>-1</b> shows mechano-hypsochromic luminescence behavior. Density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations unravel the origins behind the simultaneous existence of all these properties. Nanoindentation experiments on the single crystal reveal its mechanical strength and accurately correlate the molecular arrangement with the liquid crystalline and mechanochromic luminescence behavior