Relationship characteristics as moderators of the satisfaction-loyalty link : findings in a business-to-business context

Our paper is organized as follows. We begin with a brief overview of the theoretical and conceptual background of our study and provide a synthesis of the extant empirical literature on the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. We discuss relationship characteristics as possible moderators of this link and develop research hypotheses. Next, we discuss the method employed to test these hypotheses and present our results. We conclude with a discussion of our results and its implications for future academic research and managers

Auto Student Attendance System Using Student ID Card via Wi-Fi

The aim of this project is to eliminate the paper-based attendance with auto attendance by using student ID card. Currently, there is a card based attendance used in companies and web based attendance is used in the universities. In the paper-based attendance the paper is often lost, while in the web based attendance when all the students try to log in at the same time, the server gets down. We came up with the solution of  having a Wi-Fi based attendance where there is no need of paper and login to the server. It can be done with the help of proximity card reader. When a student holds his card in front of the reader, it will read the card and send it to the database with the help of Wi-Fi module. The database will process data based on the time and date of receiving

Heating Oil Level Detection and Assistance Using Amazon Alexa

This work is used to bridge the gap between consumer and oil supplier by building a smart monitoring system with the help of  ESP8266 (Wi-Fi module) and  Alexa (Intelligent AI based Virtual Assistant). In the existing system, many oil tanks are inaccessible or buried under the ground. We came up with the solution  of  having a smart monitoring system where there is no longer need to read the oil level in the heating oil tank manually.  It can be done with the help of an ultrasonic sensor. When the consumer requests to check the oil level, ESP8266  retrieves the oil level from the ultrasonic sensor and sends it to Alexa

Randomized controlled trial of antenatal magnesium sulfate for short-term neuroprotection in premature neonates

Objective: To test the hypothesis that antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) has a short term neuroprotective role in the early neonatal period, when given to women considered at risk for preterm delivery in a developing country. Study Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, open label, trial. Participants: A total of 126 mothers who delivered at or below 34 weeks gestation were randomized to receive either antenatal MgSO4 (cases) or normal saline as placebo (controls). A total of 108 babies born were observed for the primary and secondary outcomes. Primary Outcome: The composite of the incidence of death and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) by cranial ultrasonography in surviving preterm infants. Results: There were 6 deaths in cases and 11 deaths in controls (relative risk [RR]: 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2173-1.369; p=0.18). A statistically significant reduction in the number of IVH was observed in cases (n=1) compared to controls (n=9) (RR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.0145-0.897; p=0.016) with a number needed to treat of 7. Conclusion: Antenatal MgSO4 resulted in a significant reduction in the risk of IVH in preterm infants born at or below 34 weeks of gestation

Ferric carboxymaltose in the management of anemia due to non-obstetric conditions in women: a sub-group analysis of a large multi-center real-world study/PROMISE from India

Background: Real-world data on the efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) for treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Indian women is limited. Methods: This was a sub-group analysis of the real-world PROMISE study, which analyzed data of women who received FCM for the management of IDA due to non-obstetric causes. Hematological parameters were retrieved from the charts at baseline and at 4±1 week and analyzed for the whole sub-group and by the severity of anemia. Results: In 442 women with anemia, Hb and serum ferritin improved by 2.77 gm/dl and 62.07 µg/l, respectively (p<0.001 for both) at 4 weeks. There was a significant increase in red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (p<0.001 for all). In 192 subjects with severe anemia, there was a significant increase in Hb by 3.19 gm/dl, serum ferritin by 61.67 µg/l, RBC count, hematocrit, and MCV (p<0.001 for all); and MCH (p=0.002). In 226 subjects with moderate anemia, there was a significant increase in Hb by 2.41 gm/dl, serum ferritin by 62.75 µg/l, and MCV (p<0.001 for all); and MCH (p=0.003). No subject had mild anemia. No new safety signals or serious adverse events were reported. Physicians rated the efficacy and safety of FCM as very good to good in 94.1 and 94.2% of subjects, respectively. Conclusions: In Indian women, FCM effectively and safely corrects IDA due to non-obstetric causes, in a short span of 4 weeks.

Influence of Admission Blood Glucose in Predicting Outcome in Patients With Spontaneous Intracerebral Hematoma

Background and Aims: Hyperglycemia or elevated blood glucose levels have been associated with poor outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke yet control of hyperglycemia has not resulted in good outcomes. High admission blood glucose (ABG) values have been mitigated by other poor prognosticators like large hematoma volume, intraventricular extension (IVE) of hematoma and poor GCS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of blood glucose levels at admission, on mortality and functional outcomes at discharge and 3 months follow up.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care. Patients with spontaneous SICH were enrolled from a prospective SICH register maintained at our hospital. Blood glucose values were recorded on admission. Patients with traumatic hematomas, vascular malformations, aneurysms, and coagulation abnormalities were excluded from our study.Results: A total of 510 patients were included in the study. We dichotomised our cohort into two groups, group A with ABG>160 mg/dl and group B with ABG<160 mg/dl. Mean blood glucose levels in these two groups were 220.73 mg/dl and 124.37 mg/dl respectively, with group A having twice the mortality. mRS at discharge and 3 months was better in Group B (p ≤ 0.001) as compared to Group A. Age, GCS, volume of hematoma, ABG, IVE and Hydrocephalus were significant predictors of mortality and poor outcome on univariate analysis with a p < 0.05. The relationship between ABG and mortality (P = 0.249, 95% CI 0.948–1.006) and outcome (P = 0.538, 95% CI 0.997–1.005) failed to reach statistical significance on multivariate logistic regression. Age, Volume of hematoma and GCS were stronger predictors of mortality and morbidity.Conclusion: Admission blood glucose levels was not an independent predictor of mortality in our study when adjusted with age, GCS, and hematoma volume. The effect of high ABG on SICH outcome is probably multifactorial and warrants further research

Optical microcavities as platforms for entangled photon spectroscopy

Optical microcavities are often proposed as platforms for spectroscopy in the single- and few-photon regime due to strong light-matter coupling. For classical-light spectroscopies, an empty microcavity simply acts as an optical filter. However, we find that in the single- or few-photon regime treating the empty microcavity as an optical filter does not capture the full effect on the quantum state of the transmitted photons. Focusing on the case of entangled photon-pair spectroscopy, we consider how the propagation of one photon through an optical microcavity changes the joint spectrum of a frequency-entangled photon pair. Using the input-output treatment of a Dicke model, we find that propagation through a strongly coupled microcavity above a certain coupling threshold enhances the entanglement entropy between the signal and idler photons. These results show that optical microcavities are not neutral platforms for quantum-light spectroscopies and their effects must be carefully considered when using change in entanglement entropy as an observable

Rationale and protocol for estimating the economic value of a multicomponent quality improvement strategy for diabetes care in South Asia

Background: Economic dimensions of implementing quality improvement for diabetes care are understudied worldwide. We describe the economic evaluation protocol within a randomised controlled trial that tested a multi-component quality improvement (QI) strategy for individuals with poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes in South Asia. Methods/Design: This economic evaluation of the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) randomised trial involved 1146 people with poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes receiving care at 10 diverse diabetes clinics across India and Pakistan. The economic evaluation comprises both a within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis (mean 2.5 years follow up) and a microsimulation model-based cost-utility analysis (life-time horizon). Effectiveness measures include multiple risk factor control (achieving HbA1c \u3c 7% and blood pressure \u3c 130/80 mmHg and/or LDL-cholesterol\u3c 100 mg/dl), and patient reported outcomes including quality adjusted life years (QALYs) measured by EQ-5D-3 L, hospitalizations, and diabetes related complications at the trial end. Cost measures include direct medical and non-medical costs relevant to outpatient care (consultation fee, medicines, laboratory tests, supplies, food, and escort/accompanying person costs, transport) and inpatient care (hospitalization, transport, and accompanying person costs) of the intervention compared to usual diabetes care. Patient, healthcare system, and societal perspectives will be applied for costing. Both cost and health effects will be discounted at 3% per year for within trial cost-effectiveness analysis over 2.5 years and decision modelling analysis over a lifetime horizon. Outcomes will be reported as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) to achieve multiple risk factor control, avoid diabetes-related complications, or QALYs gained against varying levels of willingness to pay threshold values. Sensitivity analyses will be performed to assess uncertainties around ICER estimates by varying costs (95% CIs) across public vs. private settings and using conservative estimates of effect size (95% CIs) for multiple risk factor control. Costs will be reported in US$ 2018. Discussion: We hypothesize that the additional upfront costs of delivering the intervention will be counterbalanced by improvements in clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes, thereby rendering this multi-component QI intervention cost-effective in resource constrained South Asian settings

Gajah. Securing the Future for Elephants in India.

It is estimated that six in every ten wild Asian elephants live in India. This report by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India outlines plans to safeguard the species and associated habitats in the face of rapid economic expansion and development pressures