Service Quality: Revisiting the Two Factors Theory

Present paper is based on the findings of the ongoing Ajmer Experiments. Ajmer Experiments are quasiexperiments that inquire into the consumer evaluation of service quality. The paper presents the two factors’ theory of the author. The paper suggests that a more detailed approach is required wherein each factor needs to be considered independently and not as an aggregate dimension. The paper reports evidence to support two - factor theory for services that was dis carded by earlier researchers. The paper argues to differentiate between the factors and the outcome of performance along these factors. The study describes the two factors as ‘vantage factors’ and ‘qualifying factors’. Marketers need to be selective in that certain factors behave as vantage factors while others as qualifying factors. The two are different in nature and require a differential treatment. The paper also analyses the nature and behavior of these two types of factors. Managerial implications of these factors are also dealt with in this paper

Effect of Different Edible Coatings on Postharvest Quality of Mandarin Orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco)

Although Nepal produces a large amount of mandarin it faces huge postharvest losses due to improper postharvest practices. Treating fruits with different edible coatings can minimize postharvest losses. The experiment was carried out in the horticulture lab of Prithu Technical College, Dang, Nepal to evaluate the effects of different edible coating materials on the postharvest quality of mandarin. The experiment was laid in Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications and seven treatments  in each replication. Mandarins were coated with different edible coating materials i.e. paraffin wax (100%, 75% and 50%), mustard oil, Aloe vera, turmeric paste and control (non-coated). After coating with different edible materials, mandarins were kept at ambient room conditions (18±2℃ and 52.41±14.35%). The lowest physiological loss in weight at 7, 14and 21 days was recorded in mandarin coated with 75% paraffin wax which was 3.10%, 4.83% and 10.33%, respectively. The highest titratable acidity (0.68%), juice content (46.33%) and marketable fruit percentage (81.73%) were recorded in 75% paraffin wax. The highest total soluble solid (14.00 ˚Brix) was recorded in control. Based on the result obtained from our research, it is suggested to use 75% paraffin wax for the storage of mandarin at ambient room conditions (18±2℃ and 52.41±14.35% RH) as it gives a high percentage of marketable fruits and juice content and also minimizes the physiological loss in weight

Prevalence of early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia among immunophenotypically categorised acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia cases

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common hematopoietic malignancy in childhood, comprising of B-cell lineage (85%) and T-cell lineage (15%). Recent studies have identified a subtype of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) termed “early T-cell precursors (ETP)” recognised as a new provisional entity in 2016 update to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of acute leukaemia, early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL) is characterized by a unique immunophenotype and genetic profile and its origin has been found to be from migration of cells from thymus to bone marrow. Hence, our study aims at reporting the prevalence of ETP-ALL among immunophenotypically categorised acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia cases. Present work is a retrospective observation of acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemias and reporting ETP-ALL cases seen during the period of over two years (from August 2018 to August 2020) received for flowcytometry in the department of Pathology, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana. Peripheral blood showed features of acute leukemia and immunophenotyping was performed. Fourteen cases were received for flowcytometry showing features of acute leukemia and immunophenotyping was performed revealing two ETP-ALL cases with positivity for cytCD3, CD7 (T-cell markers), HLA-DR, CD13 (myeloid marker-aberrant expression), sCD34, CD117 (stem cell markers), CD19 (B-cell marker) and dim expression of CD45. This study is a supportive data for immunophenotypic identification of ETP-ALL cases in centres where genetic study and other ancillary techniques are not available. It needs to be differentiated from non ETP-ALLs as this entity has been reported to show treatment failure with the treatment modalities for non ETP-ALLs

Perception of caregivers regarding danger signs of childhood diarrhea and attitude towards its management in rural Lucknow, UP, India

Background: Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Most deaths are caused by dehydration and are easily preventable by using oral rehydration therapy. Early management and recognition of danger signs are key strategies in treating diarrhoeal diseases at home. Aims & Objectives: 1. To assess the knowledge of caregivers regarding childhood diarrhoea and signs of dehydration and danger signs, 2. To assesses the mothers’ approach towards its home based management and health seeking behaviour. Material & Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in different rural blocks of Lucknow selected by multistage sampling. Total of 240 households were interviewed to achieve targeted sample size of 410 children of less than five years age group. Perception of diarrhoea, signs of dehydration and danger signs were asked to caregivers and associations were established maternal knowledge and presence or absence of diarrhoea in children of less than five age group. Results: The study showed that 74.2 per cent of caregivers recognized diarrhoea correctly i.e. increased frequency of watery stool or blood and mucus in stool or both. Decreased urination or dis-coloured urine (89.6%), thirsty or eagerly drinking (55.7%), dry mouth and tongue (37.7%) etc. were recognized by caregivers as major signs of dehydration*. Caregivers recognized child getting seeker/ unconscious (94.9%), not able to drink or breast feed (66.7%), blood in stool (59%) etc. as danger signs* developing during diarrhoea episodes of child.  Conclusions: Caregiver’s knowledge regarding recognition of childhood diarrhoea in proper and early detection of signs of dehydration and development of danger signs at community level are keys to prevention of diarrhoea related death in less than five years age group

Learning defects from aircraft NDT data

Non-destructive evaluation of aircraft production is optimised and digitalised with Industry 4.0. The aircraft structures produced using fibre metal laminate are traditionally inspected using water-coupled ultrasound scans and manually evaluated. This article proposes Machine Learning models to examine the defects in ultrasonic scans of A380 aircraft components. The proposed approach includes embedded image feature extraction methods and classifiers to learn defects in the scan images. The proposed algorithm is evaluated by benchmarking embedded classifiers and further promoted to research with an industry-based certification process. The HoG-Linear SVM classifier has outperformed SURF-Decision Fine Tree in detecting potential defects. The certification process uses the Probability of Detection function, substantiating that the HoG-Linear SVM classifier detects minor defects. The experimental trials prove that the proposed method will be helpful to examiners in the quality control and assurance of aircraft production, thus leading to significant contributions to non-destructive evaluation 4.0

Skyrmions and magnetic bubbles in spin-orbit coupled metallic magnets

Motivated by the observation of Skyrmion-like magnetic textures in 2D itinerant ferromagnets Fe$_n$GeTe$_2$ ($n \geq3$), we develop a microscopic model combining itinerant magnetism and spin-orbit coupling on a triangular lattice. The ground state of the model in the absence of magnetic field consists of filamentary magnetic domain walls revealing a striking similarity with our magnetic force microscopy experiments on Fe$_3$GeTe$_2$. In the presence of magnetic field, these filaments were found to break into large size magnetic bubbles in our experiments. We identify uniaxial magnetic anisotropy as an important parameter in the model that interpolates between magnetic Skyrmions and ferromagnetic bubbles. Consequently, our work uncovers new topological magnetic textures that merge properties of Skyrmions and ferromagnetic bubbles

Host ICAMs play a role in cell invasion by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum

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Facile synthesis of diverse N-Acyl Anthranilamides and quinazolin-4-ones as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor via Pd-catalyzed cascade reaction

This manuscript describes the design and synthesis of a series of diverse N-Acyl Anthranilamides and quinazolin-4-ones derivatives (3a-3n, and 4a-4d) inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. A series of N-Acyl Anthranilamides and quinazolin-4-ones derivatives (3a-3n, and 4a-4d) were synthesized and their chemical structures were confirmed by 1 H, 13C NMR and mass spectral data. Analogs were optimized using structure-based design and physical property considerations resulting in the identification of 4b and 3d, a hepatoselective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor with excellent acute and chronic efficacy in a vitro model

Multisite musculoskeletal pain trajectories from midlife to old age : a 28-year follow-up of municipal employees

Objectives We studied the developmental trajectories of multisite musculoskeletal pain (MSP) to learn whether pain in midlife persists to old age, and whether pain trajectories associate with midlife work or lifestyle exposures or retirement from work. Methods Municipal employees aged 44–58 years were studied in 1981 (n=6257) with follow-ups in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2009. Pain in the neck, low back, and upper and lower limbs was assessed in each survey. Trajectories of the number (0–4) of pain sites were defined using growth mixture modelling (n=3093). Workload, lifestyle and morbidity were elicited by questionnaire and retirement from registries. Associations of baseline factors with pain trajectories were assessed by multinomial logistic regression. Cumulative hazard curves for retirement by trajectory group were calculated. Results Three trajectories of pain over 28 years emerged: low (25%), moderate (52%) and high-decreasing (23%). In the latter, the number of pain sites first decreased sharply, stabilising to a moderate level after most subjects had retired. The disability pension rate was highest in this trajectory, which associated with high baseline morbidity, particularly musculoskeletal disorder (OR 8.06; 95% CI 5.97 to 10.87). Also high biomechanical exposure (2.86;95% CI 2.16 to 3.78), high job demands (1.79; 95% CI 1.39 to 2.30), high job control (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.54 to 0.90), body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m2 (1.40; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.80) and low leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) (1.39; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.78) at baseline were associated with this trajectory. However, high LTPA and BMI in repeated surveys also associated with the high-decreasing trajectory. Conclusion MSP in midlife often persists to old age. However, high widespreadness of pain may decrease with retirement from work.peerReviewe