508 research outputs found
Severe androgenetic alopecia as a maker of metabolic syndrome in male patients of androgenetic alopecia: a hospital based case control study
Background: Several previous studies have investigated the association between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and metabolic syndrome (MS), with inconsistent results. Objectives of the study were to study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in male patients of androgenetic alopecia and compare with control population and study the relationship of metabolic syndrome with different grades of AGA.Methods: This prospective hospital based case control study included 100 new clinically diagnosed males of androgenetic alopecia, and age and sex matched control group. Assessment for presence of various components of metabolic syndrome was done following a uniform protocol in cases and controls. AGA was classified as per Hamilton âNarwood classification, grade I to III was classified as mild âmoderate and grade IV and higher as severe AGA.Results: Of the 100 male AGA patients (age range 21-50, mean 34.49), 36 had grade II AGA, 24 had grade III AGA, 20 had grade IV AGA, 15 had grade V AGA and 5 had grade VI AGA. Among AGA patients, 60 of patients had mild-moderate AGA and 40 patients had severe AGA. Metabolic syndrome was statistically significantly more common in patients with AGA compared to controls. Among patients of AGA, metabolic syndrome was statistically significantly present in severe AGA compared to mild-moderate AGA. Among the evaluated parameters, like blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, dyslipedemia, abdominal obesity, all were significantly more common in AGA patients compared to controls except abdominal obesity.Conclusions: In the present study, metabolic syndrome was found to be 4.6 times more common in patients of androgenetic alopecia as compared to controls, being statistically significant, and more common in those with severe grades. This suggests that androgenetic alopecia patients especially with severe grades are at risk of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular diseases
Clinico-pathological spectrum of testicular and paratesticular lesions: a retrospective study
Background: Both neoplastic and non neoplastic conditions affect the testis. Although non neoplastic testicular lesions are more common, still most of the studies were done on testicular neoplasms only. Hence the present study was undertaken to study histopathological spectrum of testicular and paratesticular lesions, their age distribution and clinical presentation.Methods: This is a retrospective study of 77 cases of orchidectomy specimens, testicular biopsies and paratesticular lesions received in the department from Jan 2015 to June 2018.Results: Non neoplastic testicular lesions were more common than neoplastic (90.1% Vs 9.8%) with majority in the second and third decade. Undescended testis comprised 46.1% of the total orchidectomy specimens followed by Torsion/Infarction testis (15.3%). None of the undescended testis showed tumour unlike western countries. Majority of patients presented with empty scrotum (31.16%) and testicular/scrotal swelling (18.11%). Only 5 cases of testicular neoplasm were diagnosed during the study period amounting to only 1.42 cases per year. All were germ cell tumours (4 classic seminoma and 1 yolk sac tumour).Conclusions: Non neoplastic testicular lesions were more common than neoplastic lesions. Complete neonatal examination for testicular descent should be mandatory to avoid late presentations and future malignancies. Germ cell tumours formed the bulk of testicular tumours
HRM practices for knowledge management and retail firmsâ performances: a comparative study among Malay and Chinese firms
The current study examines the impact of human resource management (HRM) practices for knowledge management (KM) on perceived business performances among Malay and Chinese firms in Malaysia. Data were collected through a face-to-face survey with 200 owners of firms, comprising 100 Malay entrepreneurs and 100 Chinese entrepreneurs, operating in the retail sector of Klang Valley, Malaysia. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). The results of PLSSEM revealed that HRM practices for KM have a direct and positive impact on the perceived financial performance, perceived non-financial performance, and perceived business growth of Malay and Chinese firms. However, non-significant impact of HRM practices for KM on perceived performance relative to competitors was found among Chinese firms. Results of MGA revealed significant differences between Malay and Chinese firms in relation to the impact of HRM practices for KM on perceived financial performance and perceived performance relative to competitors
High-Spin Doublet Band Structures in odd-odd Tl isotopes
The basis space in the triaxial projected shell model (TPSM) approach is
generalized for odd-odd nuclei to include two-neutron and two-proton
configurations on the basic one-neutron coupled to one-proton quasiparticle
state. The generalization allows to investigate odd-odd nuclei beyond the band
crossing region and as a first application of this development, high-spin band
structures recently observed in odd-odd Tl isotopes are
investigated. In some of these isotopes, the doublet band structures observed
after the band crossing have been conjectured to arise from the spontaneous
breaking of the chiral symmetry. The driving configuration of the chiral
symmetry in these odd-odd isotopes is one-proton and three-neutrons rather than
the basic one-proton and one-neutron as already observed in many other nuclei.
It is demonstrated using the TPSM approach that energy differences of the
doublet bands in Tl and Tl are, indeed, small. However, the
differences in the calculated transition probabilities are somewhat larger than
what is expected in the chiral symmetry limit. Experimental data on the
transition probabilities is needed to shed light on the chiral nature of the
doublet bands.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures, to appear in EPJ
Nanomaterials for renewable energy storage: synthesis, characterization, and applications
1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 2Gas Processing Center, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar 3Electrochemical Power Systems Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630006, India 4SABIC Chair in Catalysis, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 5Game Lab, Chenergy Group, Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico Di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Ital
Soil sulfur sources differentially enhance cadmium tolerance in indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)
The effect of four soil-applied sulfur (100 mg S kgâ1 soil (100S) and 200 mg S kgâ1 soil (200S)) in different sources (elemental S, ammonium sulfate, gypsum or magnesium sulfate) in protecting mustard (Brassica juncea L. (Czern & Coss.)) from cadmium effects was studied. Based on the observed reduction in growth and photosynthesis in plants subjected to 100 and 200 mg Cd kgâ1 soil, B. juncea cv. Giriraj was selected as the most Cd-tolerant among five cultivars (namely, Giriraj, RH0749, Pusa Agrani, RH-406, and Pusa Tarak). Sulfur applied to soil mitigated the negative impact of Cd on sulfur assimilation, cell viability, and photosynthetic functions, with a lower lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, and contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS: hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, and superoxide anion, O2â˘â). Generally, added S caused higher activity of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase), contents of ascorbate (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH); increases in the activities of their regenerating enzymes (dehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase); as well as rises in S assimilation, biosynthesis of non-protein thiols (NPTs), and phytochelatins (PCs). Compared to the other S-sources tested, elemental S more prominently protected B. juncea cv. Giriraj against Cd-impacts by minimizing Cd-accumulation and its root-toshoot translocation; decreasing cellular ROS and membrane damage, and improving Cd-chelation (NPTs and PCs), so strengthening the defense machinery against Cd. The results suggest the use of elemental S for favoring the growth and development of cultivated plants also in Cd-contaminated agricultural soils
Triaxial projected shell model study of -bands in atomic nuclei
A systematic study of -bands observed in atomic nuclei is performed
using the triaxial projected shell model (TPSM) approach. The staggering phase
between the even and odd spin members of the -band for most the nuclei
investigated in the present work is found to have even-I-below-odd-I, which in
the framework of the collective model is considered as a signature of
-softness. It is observed that out of twenty-three systems studied,
only four nuclei, namely, Ge, Ru, Er and Th
depict staggering phase with odd-I-below-even-I, which is regarded as an
indication of the static -deformation in the collective model picture.
The inclusion of the quasiparticle excitations in the framework of
configuration mixing is shown to reverse the staggering phase from odd-I-down
to the even-I-down for all the studied nuclei, except for the aforementioned
four nuclei. Furthermore, by fitting a collective Bohr Hamiltonian to the TPSM
energies, the differences between the two models are delineated through a
comparison of the transition probabilities.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figure
Simultaneous Surface Plasmon Resonance and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy
We present here an experimental set-up to perform simultaneously measurements
of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in a
synchrotron beamline. The system allows measuring in situ and in real time the
effect of X-ray irradiation on the SPR curves to explore the interaction of
X-rays with matter. It is also possible to record XAS spectra while exciting
SPR in order to detect the changes in the electronic configuration of thin
films induced by the excitation of surface plasmons. Combined experiments
recording simultaneously SPR and XAS curves while scanning different parameters
can be carried out. The relative variations in the SPR and XAS spectra that can
be detected with this set-up ranges from 10-3 to 10-5, depending on the
particular experiment
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