Stopped-Flow Kinetic Study of Reduction of Ferric Maltol Complex by Ascorbate

Stopped-flow kinetic investigation of reduction of Fe(III)-maltol complex is reported. The rates are dependent on pH in a complex way. On one hand at low pH there is a predominance of Fe(III)(maltol)2 which is easier to reduce compared to Fe(III) (maltol)3 which is more resistant to reduction. On the other hand ascorbate is a stronger reducing agent at higher pH. The rates are also found to be inversely dependent on the concentration of free ligand. These observations are explained by the following rate law:Rate = ((k0 +k1[H+])k2 [Asc-]/ (k-1[HMal] + k2[Asc-])) + k3 [Asc-] ) [FeIII(Mal)3] Here k1 is the rate constant for acid hydrolysis of the Fe(maltol)3 complex to Fe(maltol)2 complex and is directly controlled by H+, k0 is the rate constant for hydrolysis of the Fe(maltol)3 complex to Fe(maltol)2 complex and is an intrinsic process, k-1 is the rate constant of reformation of the tris complex by reaction of the bis complex and the free ligand, k2 is the rate constant for reduction of the bis complex by ascorbate and k3 is the rate constant for the reduction of the tris complex by ascorbate

The Impact of Children on Parental Purchasing Behavior

Children have a major influence on their parents' purchases of similar products. Children are a dominant market for marketers to consider when making strategy choices since they are part of a family unit. This market is active in three ways: first, it is a large market in and of itself; second, it is a key influencer in facilitating purchasing decisions; and third, it is a possible future market. The focus of this research is on children's second position. They become the focal point of family expectations, and parents are more receptive to their recommendations when making purchases. This research study explains the effect of children on parental purchase behavior in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi using a survey as a data collection method. Parents are among the participants in this research. The relationship between parental purchase behavior (PPB) and age of child (AOC), importance of child (IOC), product category (PC), communication pattern (CP), and family orientation is revealed by multiple regression analysis (FO). The age of the child (AOC), family orientation (FO), and Product Category (PC) are the three most significant factors that affect parental buying behavior. The paper concludes that children have a major influence on their parents' decisions

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Branching fraction measurements and SU(3) diagrammatic analysis of Cabibbo-suppressed D meson decays

Using 281 p b -1 of data collected using the CLEO-c detector, we present new measurements of Cabibbo-suppressed decays of D mesons. We report first observations and measurements of the following branching fractions: B ( D 0 [arrow right] η\u27π 0 ) = (8.1±1.5±0.6)×10 -4 , B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηη) = (16.5±1.4±1.1)×10 -4 , B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηη\u27) = (12.5±2.5±1.1)×10 -4 , B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηπ + π - ) = (10.9±1.3±1.0)×10 -4 , B ( D 0 [arrow right] η\u27π + π - ) = (4.3±1.6±0.6)×10 -4 , B ( D + [arrow right] ηπ + π 0 )=(13.8±3.2±1.6)×10 -4 , B ( D + [arrow right] η\u27π + π 0 ) = (15.8±4.3±2.6)×10 -4 . The uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. We also present improved measurements of the branching fractions: B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηπ 0 ) = (6.3±1.0±0.4)×10 -4 , B ( D + [arrow right] ηπ + ) = (34.3±1.4±1.7)×10 -4 , and B ( D + [arrow right] η\u27π + ) = (44.4±2.5±2.6)×10 -4 . Several other modes are not observed, and we set the following 90% confidence level upper limits: B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηπ 0 π 0 ) ≤ (11.0×10 -4 ), B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηηπ 0 ) ≤ (21.0×10 -4 ), B ( D 0 [arrow right] ηηη) ≤ (8.0×10 -4 ), B ( D + [arrow right] ηK + ) ≤ (0.9×10 -4 ), and B ( D + [arrow right] η\u27K + ) ≤ (1.1×10 -4 ). We have also performed an SU (3) topological analysis and find reasonable agreement in the Color-suppressed and Exchange diagram amplitudes between Cabibbo-favored and Cabibbo-suppressed decays. If we allow for an additional singlet Exchange amplitude that couples to the SU(3) singlet part of the η and η\u27, we find two solutions. The small solution which is about two standard deviations from 0, is favored over the larger solution, due to OZI-suppression

Anticonvulsant, analgesic and antipyretic activities of Taxus wallichiana Zucc.

Taxus wallichiana Zucc. (Himalayan Yew) is often used in northern areas of Pakistan for the treatment of pyrexia, acute pains and epilepsy. We have investigated certain pharmacological activities of the methanol leaf extract against convulsion, nociception and pyrexia induced in rodents. The aim was to justify and explore its folk uses in these pathological conditions, on scientific basis. The studies were carried out using acetic acid-induced nociception and pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions in mice, while formalin test and yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. Significant analgesic (67.77 and 74.29%) effect was found in acetic acid-induced model at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p. respectively. Crude extract exhibited significant (P \u3c 0.05) inhibition of the formalin noxious stimulation on both early and late phases of pain by the extracts (100 and 200 mg/kg doses). In case of yeast-induced pyrexia model, 200 mg/kg dose showed very significant (P \u3c 0.01) inhibition while 50 and 100 mg/kg dose caused a significant (P \u3c 0.05) inhibition. Plant extract has controlled the pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsions in mice. 100 and 200 mg/kg i.p doses of the extract significantly (P \u3c 0.05) inhibited the mioclonus and clonus while inhibition of tonus and hind limb tonic extension (HLTE) was highly significant (P \u3c 0.01). The anticonvulsant activity of this plant has been reported for the first time throughout the whole genus. The observed pharmacological activities provide the scientific basis for the folkloric use of the plant in treating epilepsy, pyrexia and acute pain

Determination of the number of ψ(3686)\psi(3686) events at BESIII

The numbers of ψ(3686) events accumulated by the BESIII detector for the data taken during 2009 and 2012 are determined to be and , respectively, by counting inclusive hadronic events, where the uncertainties are systematic and the statistical uncertainties are negligible. The number of events for the sample taken in 2009 is consistent with that of the previous measurement. The total number of ψ(3686) events for the two data taking periods is