Domain Switching as a Toughening Mechanism in Tetragonal Zirconia

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65640/1/j.1151-2916.1988.tb05943.x.pd

An Empirical Comparison of Consumer Innovation Adoption Models: Implications for Subsistence Marketplaces

So called “pro-poor” innovations may improve consumer wellbeing in subsistence marketplaces. However, there is little research that integrates the area with the vast literature on innovation adoption. Using a questionnaire where respondents were asked to provide their evaluations about a mobile banking innovation, this research fills this gap by providing empirical evidence of the applicability of existing innovation adoption models in subsistence marketplaces. The study was conducted in Bangladesh among a geographically dispersed sample. The data collected allowed an empirical comparison of models in a subsistence context. The research reveals the most useful models in this context to be the Value Based Adoption Model and the Consumer Acceptance of Technology model. In light of these findings and further examination of the model comparison results the research also shows that consumers in subsistence marketplaces are not just motivated by functionality and economic needs. If organizations cannot enhance the hedonic attributes of a pro-poor innovation, and reduce the internal/external constraints related to adoption of that pro-poor innovation, then adoption intention by consumers will be lower

Predictors of major neurological improvement after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke: A hospital-based study from south India

Background : Despite the increasing use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute ischemic stroke, uncertainty persists about the short- and long-term outcome of the thrombolysed patients. Objective : To identify predictors of major neurological improvement at 24 h after intravenous rt-PA administration in patients of acute ischemic stroke and their relationship with outcome at 12 months. Materials and Methods : We analyzed the data of the patients with acute ischemic stroke treated as per the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) criteria with intravenous rt-PA between January 2000 and June 2009 at a tertiary care center in south India. Major neurological improvement was defined by an 8-point improvement in National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score or an NIHSS score of 0 or 1 at 24 h. Good outcome was defined as a 12-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0 to 1. Results : Of the 72 patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous rt-PA, 23 (32%) patients had major neurological improvement at 24 h. Age <60 years (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.7 to3.2), admission glucose levels <8 mmol/L (OR 3.87, 95% CI 1.9 to 9.2) and mild to moderate baseline stroke severity (NIHSS median score 10+ 6) were associated with major neurological improvement after adjusting for co variables. Major neurological improvement at 24 h was an independent predictor of good outcome (mRS=1) at 12 months (OR 13.9, 95% CI 6.84 to 40.2). Conclusions : Age <60 years, glucose levels <8 mmol/L and mild to moderate stroke severity (NIHSS median score 10±6) was associated with major neurological improvement after intravenous rt-PA. Major neurological improvement at 24 h after the administration of intravenous thrombolysis independently predicted good outcome at 12 months