Excess Volumes of Mixing of Cl– and Br– with Na+ and K+ at 308.15 K in Aqueous Dioxane Mixed Solvent

Excess volumes of mixing for six possible binary combinations of solutions of NaCl, KCl, NaBr and KBr have been determined at constant ionic strengths of 1.000 and 2.000 mol kg–1 at 308.15 K using a dilatometer in a water +1,4-dioxane mixed solvent system. Pitzer’s ion interaction model has been utilized to obtain binary and triplet interaction parameters, i.e. θV and ψV. The data were also analysed in the light of the Friedman model. Data are dependent on the nature of the common ion and do not support the cross square rule (CSR). The  deviation from the CSR increased with increasing ionic strength and is considered to arise from the appreciable contribution of triplet interactions and preferential solvation of the ions and ion-clusters in the mixed solvent system.KEYWORDS: Excess volumes of mixing, Friedman model, Pitzer model, cross square rule

Excess Enthalpies of Mixing of Binary Mixtures of NaCl, KCl, NaBr and KBr in Mixed Ternary Solvent Systems at 298.15 K

Excess enthalpies of mixing for six possible binary combinations of solutions of NaCl, KCl, NaBr and KBr in mixed ternary solvents composed of formamide, 1,4-dioxane and water have been determined using a flow microcalorimeter at constant ionic strengths of 0.500 and 1.000 mol kg–1 at 298.15 K. Unlike the case of water, the data do not supportYoung’s cross square rule. Pitzer’s virial coefficient theory has been utilized to obtain binary and ternary interaction parameters, i.e. θH and ψH. The data were also analysed in terms of the Friedman model and it was found that interactions between solvated ions are dictated not only by coulombic interactions but also by appreciable asymmetric effects.Keywords: Enthalpy of mixing, ternary solvents, Pitzer theory, Friedman model, cross square rule

Molecular diagnostics and phylogenetic analysis of ‘Candidatus phytoplasma asteris’ (16SrI- Aster yellow group) infecting banana (Musa spp.)

The presence of phytoplasma in diseased banana plants exhibiting acute stunting symptoms was detected by the polymerase chain reaction using a primer set specific for the 16SrRNA gene of phytoplasma. The amplified DNA fragments of 1500 bp were cloned in pGEMT-Easy plasmid cloningvector and sequenced. The BLASTN and phylogenetic analyses revealed the infecting agents to be the closely related members of the ‘Candidatus phytoplasma asteris’ (16Sr I-Aster yellow) group

Anaesthetic management of endoscopic resection of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: our experience and a review of the literature

Background: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare, benign, vascular tumour in adolescent males with potential life-threatening complications. Advances in endoscopic surgery, invasive monitoring and hypotensive anaesthesia have made JNAs amenable to endoscopic surgical resection. We present the anaesthetic management of endoscopic resection of 14 JNAs, together with a review.Method: The medical records of patients who underwent endoscopic excision of JNAs within the last seven years were reviewed retrospectively. Information was collected and analysed with regard to demographics, preoperative evaluation, intraoperative management, complications and postoperative course. Fourteen patients were included in the study. If the surgery needed to be converted to open surgery, the patients were excluded from the study.Results: The age of the patients ranged from 10-18 years. Two patients had preoperative embolisation of the feeding vessel. Standard anaesthesia induction technique, together with invasive monitoring, was used. Controlled hypotension (mean arterial pressure of 60 ± 5 mmHg) was achieved with the help of inhalational anaesthetics, vasodilators and beta blockers. Mean duration of surgery was 197.14 ± 77 minutes, and median blood loss was 500 ml (100- 4 300 ml). Seven patients were extubated in the operating room. The other seven patients remained intubated for 24 hours owing to extensive surgery with a risk of postoperative bleeding, and were monitored either in the postoperative care unit (five patients) or the intensive care unit (two patients). There was no significant morbidity or mortality in any of the patients.Conclusion: JNAs remain a challenge for anaesthesiologists because of excessive intraoperative bleeding. Anaesthetists should be aware of recent techniques to reduce tumour vascularity, such as embolisation of the feeding vessel and controlled hypotension. Invasive monitoring, together with multimodal blood conservation strategies, decreases blood loss and provides a clear field of vision for endoscopic surgery.Keywords: anaesthetic management, JNA, endoscopic resection, controlled hypotensio

Aminophylline and progesterone prevent inflammation-induced preterm parturition in the mouse

Although progesterone (P4) supplementation is the most widely used therapy for the prevention of preterm labor (PTL), reports of its clinical efficacy have been conflicting. We have previously shown that the anti-inflammatory effects of P4 can be enhanced by increasing intracellular cAMP levels in primary human myometrial cells. Here we have examined whether adding aminophylline (Am), a non-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor that increases intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, to P4 might improve its efficacy using in vivo and in vitro models of PTL. In a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PTL, we found that the combination of P4 and Am delayed the onset of LPS-induced PTL, while the same dose of P4 and Am alone had no effect. Pup survival was not improved by either agent alone or in combination. Myometrial prolabor and inflammatory cytokine gene expression was reduced, but the reduction was similar in P4 and P4/Am treated mice. There was no effect of the combination of P4 and Am on an ex vivo assessment of myometrial contractility. In human myometrial cells and myometrial tissue explants, we found that the combination had marked anti-inflammatory effects, reducing cytokine and COX-2 mRNA and protein levels to a greater extent than either agent alone. These data suggest that the combination of P4 and Am has a more potent anti-inflammatory effect than either agent alone and may be an effective combination in women at high-risk of PTL

Correlation of Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Hand Wrist Radiographs as Skeletal Maturity Indicators: An ex-vivo Study

Introduction: Conventional Hand and Wrist radiographs, have certain drawbacks of exposing orthodontic patients to unnecessary radiation hazards and subjectivity to errors. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels have been reported to increase until the pubertal peak in literature. The present study aims to assess the relationship between serum IGF-1 and skeletal maturity indicators Materials and Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 60 patients were assigned SMI stage according to Fishman’s classification system. The serum IGF-1 levels of the patients were also evaluated. Correlation between the serum IGF-1 levels, age of the patient, and their SMI stage was analyzed. Results: Pearson's coefficient of correlation revealed a non-significant weak positive correlation (p=0.69; >0.05) between age and IGF-1 levels, and a non-significant weak negative correlation (p =0.52; >0.05) between SMI stages and IGF-1 levels. Results of the ANOVA test indicated that there was no significant difference between mean IGF-1 levels across the different age groups and eleven SMI groups. However, there was a significant difference noted in the mean IGF-1 levels and the restructured SMI categories and groups. Conclusion: The moderate correlation between age and serum IGF-1 fluctuations during puberty underscores the hormone's pivotal role in adolescent growth. This positions serum IGF-1 as a potentially specific and reliable marker for assessing mandibular growth modifications, offering a radiation-free alternative to conventional radiographic methods

The Impact of Marketing Mix on the Consumer Purchase Decision in the Surabaya - Indonesia Hotel Residence

The hospitality business is rapidly growing and has caused fierce competition in this industry. It can be seen from the number of new hotels particularly for the 2 and 3-star hotels, and budget hotels in Surabaya. The hotels applied various strategies in acquiring new customers and retain loyal customers in the pursuit of a high level of occupancy in order to maintain business continuity. Performing appropriate marketing tactics is one of the ways to enable the hotel to increasing occupancy rates. Marketing strategy is associated with the products, prices, promotions, and distribution. This study aims at seeking the impact of the product, prices, promotion, and distribution on the consumer purchasing decisions. The population is all visitors to budget hotels located in the city of Surabaya. The data collection was conducted by distributing the self-administered questionnaire to 150 visitors. Of the 150, 125 questionnaires were valid for further analysis. The sampling frame uses judgmental sampling techniques. Data processing used multiple linear regression using SPSS software. The results showed that hotel products have an influence on consumer purchasing decisions; prices have an influence on consumer purchasing decisions. The location of the hotel affects the purchase decision. Promotion performed by the hotel influence the purchase decision by the consumer. This research model needs to be developed by providing service process variables and employee competencies in hotels in Surabay

Measurement of Anteroposterior diameters of normal brainstem by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the anteroposterior diameter of brainstem (midbrain, pons and medulla) of normal Nepalese people to establish normal ranges and to correlate the measurement with pa­tient’s age and gender. Method: The study is a cross-sectional prospective study which is per­formed in Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara. The data is collected over the period of 5 months from May 2018 to September 2018. The data of total 103 patients are collected who underwent (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) MRI head. Measurements of sagittal diameter at predefined levels i.e. distance between upper border of pons to midway between superior and inferior colliculi (A) for midbrain, distance between an­terior surface of pons to the floor of fourth ventricle (B) for pons and anteroposterior diameter perpendicular to the long axis of medulla just above the posterior kink at cervicomedullary junction for medulla ob­longata were made and noted. Result: The mean anteroposterior diameter of midbrain, pons and me­dulla oblongata was found to be 1.7048 ± 0.12 cm, 2.27 ± 0.13cm and 1.3 ± 0.088 cm respectively. The average ratio of sagittal diameter of pons to sagittal diameter of midbrain was 1.34 ± 0.099 cm and average ratio of sagittal diameter of pons to medulla oblongata was 1.75 ± 0.123 cm. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant correlation of the sagittal diameter of midbrain, pons and medulla with patient’s gender. The sagittal diameter of brainstem reached maximum at the age 20 and stopped increasing. The sagittal diameter of midbrain and medulla ob­longata decreased slightly after the age of 50 and decreased significant­ly after the age of 70. There was no decrease in the sagittal diameter of pons after age

A study of serum cystatin C as a marker of diabetic nephropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinically type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without serum creatinine microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria lacks predictors for diabetic nephropathy (DN). We utilized a meta-analysis technique to review the literature to evaluate whether serum cystatin C may be used as an early marker of diabetic nephropathy in light of the differing opinions regarding the utility of serum cystatin C as such. PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus Database were searched using various key search terms. Studies involving T2DM patients and containing serum cystatin C levels and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) data were included. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were also calculated. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of serum cystatin C for predicting DN were 0.87 (95% CI 0.84 - 0.91) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.83 - 0.88) respectively. The pooled positive and negative predictive values of serum cystatin C for predicting DN were 7.035 (95 % CI 4.30 – 11.43) and 0.15 (95% CI 0.09 - 0.21) respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.9548 and the diagnostic odds ratio was 67.10 (95% CI 28.12 - 156.84). Serum cystatin C is a significant biomarker of DN among patients with T2DM. It can also positively monitor kidney function progression and prediction of adverse outcomes among T2DM patients

Leadership Style, Employee Engagement, and Work Environment to Employee Performance in Manufacturing Companies

The fast changes in global order have to be anticipated by the company�s management in order to be able to compete. This change affects the organizational system and the company�s leadership style to improve their employees� participation. Leadership style determines the level of employees� participation and empowers them in reaching the targets that have been determined by the management. The data retrieval is using a questionnaire from the employees of an animal feed manufacturing company. The data retrieval technique is by using all the 50 employees of the company. The data analysis of this study is using partial least square (PLS). The result of this study is to find that leadership style has a significant influence on employee engagement and work environment. Employee engagement and work environment impact significantly toward the performance of the employees. The result of the study also shows that leadership style can not directly impact the performance of the employees, because leadership style is an interaction between top management with the employees so that it needs an intermediate variable in increasing the performance of employees