MOTIVATION AND INEQUITIES AS ANTECEDENTS OF SOCIAL LOAFING IN MARKETING GROUP PROJECTS

In a group project environment, students often do not fulfill their obligations in hopes of benefiting from the work of others. This phenomenon is referred to as social loafing. Group performance researchers have consistently observed that individuals exert less effort when their efforts are pooled compared to when their efforts are considered individually. This study examines the role of motivation and its components (Expectancy, Instrumentality, and Valence), as modeled by Expectancy-Value theory, in controlling the phenomenon of Social Loafing in marketing group project situations. The study further examines the effects of student equity/inequity perceptions on the social loafing phenomena. Data from marketing research students were collected to examine hypotheses based on expectancy-value and equity theories. Results suggest that when instructors clearly and forcefully provide guidance that tend to reinforce expectancies, the social loafing behavior is likely to decline. Findings also suggest that creating and forcefully enforcing equitable rules and guidelines can reduce social loafing. In addition, instructors can assist in creating an environment where students perceive a higher degree of control on classroom activities, further reducing social loafing phenomenon

Intravesical Therapy of Interstitial Cystitis

Leaf Huang Ph.D.INTRAVESICAL THERAPY OF INTERSTITIAL CYSTITISPradeep Tyagi, Ph.D.University of Pittsburgh, April 4th, 2005Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an inflammatory disorder of bladder which affects middle-aged Caucasian women. Intravesical administration of drugs is a mainstay in its treatment either as adjunct to oral therapy or as second-line therapy. The vehicles currently used for this route of administration are ideally suited for hydrophobic drugs and typically maintain drug exposure in the bladder for very short duration of time. The present dissertation project was aimed at investigating the use of alternative vehicles for improving intravesical drug delivery of hydrophobic small molecular weight drugs such as capsaicin misoprostol in addition to the delivery of large molecular weight peptide nucleic acid (PNA) for antisense based therapy. The hydrophobic drugs selected for this study were delivered by intravesical route using liposomes, thermosensitive hydrogel and TAT peptide. The efficiency of drug delivery was assessed by measuring the physiological response of normal and diseased rat bladder by metabolic cages and the method of cystometrogram (CMG). Histology and immunohistochemistry of bladder and spinal cord sections was done to corroborate the response measured in the physiological measurement. Liposomes were demonstrated to be a superior vehicle for capsaicin and thermosensitive hydrogel was able to sustain the exposure of a hydrophobic drug in the bladder for prolonged time and increase the efficacy of misoprostol in rat model of cystitis induced by cyclophosphamide. An interesting observation made during the study was that liposomes in absence of drug were able to modulate physiological response of bladder and this observation was further investigated to define the charge on the lipid headgroup and the structural requirements of hydrophobic backbone in the lipids for reducing bladder hyperactivity induced by sequential infusion of protamine sulfate and high concentration of KCl. Overexpression of NGF in cyclophosphamide induced cystitis was downregulated in the urothelium of rat bladder using antisense based therapy with PNA, which was delivered with the aid of TAT peptide. Overall, the study concluded that liposomes cannot only be a treatment option but can also be used for delivery of hydrophobic drugs. The potential of hydrogels and cell penetrating peptides for intravesical drug delivery needs further investigation

A Hybrid Approach using AHP-TOPSIS for Analyzing e-SCM Performance

AbstractTo sustain in this competitive environment, it is required for organizations to implement information technology (IT) based functions with their supply chain management (SCM) system. The objective of this research is to select a best alternative with an aim to improve electronic supply chain management (e-SCM) performance of Indian automobile industry located at Delhi region. To accomplish the aim, a hierarchy based model has been developed through considering eight criteria and five alternatives. The considered alternatives namely are: investment in web based technologies, investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, role of top management, role of supplier and supply chain integration. The developed model has been analyzed to select a best alternative using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) as a hybrid approach. Analysis reveals that the alternative, ‘investment in web based technologies’ holds first rank among all considered alternatives and can play a vital role in improving the e-SCM performance of an organization. The outcomes of this research enable mangers to make better decisions during framing strategies in improving e-SCM performance of an organization effectively

HERBAL NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND TRANSFERSOMES

The strength of any herbal formulation depends on the delivery of phytoactives to an effective level. This limitation can be overcome by development of novel drug delivery systems, which ensure optimized drug delivery, enhanced bioavailability and better stability of phyto constituents for better therapeutic effects. Several novel herbal delivery systems have been successfully developed in recent years like liposomes, phytosomes, solid-lipid nanoparticles, ethosomes, microemulsions and various other vesicular systems. Transfersomes are vesicular drug delivery system having almost same structure like liposomes, but with better skin penetration properties to deliver the drugs at deeper skin tissues. Transfersomes are better drug delivery agents due to their ultradeformable structure

Gender-based reciprocal expression of transforming growth factor-β1 and the inducible nitric oxide synthase in a rat model of cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pluripotent cytokine transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is the central regulator of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) that is responsible for nitric oxide (NO) production in inflammatory settings. Previous studies have implicated a role for NO, presumably derived from iNOS, in cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis in the bladder. TGF-β1 is produced in latent form and requires dissociation from the latency-associated peptide (LAP) to act as primary anti-inflammatory and pro-healing modulator following tissue injury in the upper urinary tract. Since the role of TGF-β1 in lower urinary tract inflammation is currently unknown, and since gender-based differences exist in the setting of interstitial cystitis (IC), the present study examined the relationship between TGF-β1 and iNOS/NO in the pathogenesis of CYP-induced cystitis in both male and female rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sprague-Dawley rats, 4 months of age, of either gender were given 150 mg/kg CYP intraperitoneally. Urinary and bladder tissue TGF-β1 and NO reaction products (NO₂^-/NO₃^-) were quantified as a function of time following CYP. Expression of active and latent TGF-β1 as well as iNOS in harvested bladder tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Female rats had significantly higher levels of NO₂^-/NO₃^-in urine even at baseline as compared to male rats (p < 0.001), whereas there was no gender based significant difference in urine levels of active or latent TGF-β1 prior to CYP injection. Inflammatory and cytotoxic changes were induced by CYP in the bladder of both sexes that were accompanied by differences in the urine levels of NO₂^-/NO₃^-and TGF-β1. Male rats responded to CYP with significantly lower levels of NO₂^-/NO₃^-and significantly higher levels of TGF-β1 in urine (p < 0.05) as compared to females at all time points after CYP. The urine levels of NO₂^-/NO₃^-after CYP were inversely correlated to latent and active TGF-β1 (Pearson coefficient of -0.72 and -0.69 in females and -0.89 and -0.76 in males, respectively; p < 0.01). Bladder tissue of male rats exhibited significantly higher levels of both latent and active TGF-β1 (p < 0.01) compared to female rats after CYP. TGF-β1 and iNOS protein was mostly localized in the urothelium.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that there exists an inverse relationship between the expression of TGF-β1 and iNOS/NO₂^-/NO₃^-in CYP-inflamed bladder. The gender of the animal appears to magnify the differences in urine levels of TGF-β1 and NO₂^-/NO₃^-in this inflammatory setting. These results support the hypothesis that TGF-β1 can suppress iNOS expression associated with bladder inflammation and reduce systemic levels of NO₂^-/NO₃^-, and further suggest that this feature of TGF-β1 can be harnessed for therapy and diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.</p

The psbO gene for 33-kDa precursor polypeptide of the oxygen-evolving complex in Arabidopsis thaliana - nucleotide sequence and control of its expression

The 33-kDa polypeptide of the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II is nuclear-encoded. The single psbO gene of Arabidopsis thaliana, as suggested by Southern hybridization, has been isolated from the genomic library and sequenced. The sequence analysis has revealed that the psbO gene harbors two introns and encodes a precursor polypeptide of 332 amino acid residues; the first 85 amino acid residues represent the transit peptide and the following 247 amino acids constitute the mature polypeptide. The hydrophilic nature of the 33-kDa protein is confirmed by the presence of 27% charged residues. Northern analysis of the total RNA from Arabidopsis indicates that a 1.2-kb transcript represents the psbO gene. It is expressed in a tissue-specific manner - the steady-state transcript levels being highest in the leaves and virtually undetectable in the roots. Also, expression of the psbO gene is development-dependent and regulated by light in young Arabidopsis seedlings. In a constitutively photomorphogenic mutant of Arabidopsis, pho2 (plumular hook open 2), the psbO gene is de-repressed in young, dark-grown seedlings, resulting in increased transcript abundance compared to the wild-type. These studies, thus, define the influence of at least one regulatory component for psbO expression

Assessment of genetic variability and character association for grain yield and its component traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A study was conducted for estimating genetic variability and characters association for eleven yield components using 169 genotypes (13 parents, 78 F1 and 78 F2) of bread wheat through half-diallel mating design during rabi season 2012-13 and 2013-14. The genetic variability, heritability in broad sense, genetic advance, correlation coefficients and path analysis were carried out for the assessment of genotypes through eleven yield component traits namely; days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, spike length, number of effective tillers per plant, number of grains per spikelet, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield per plant, harvest index and grain yield per plant. Analysis of variance showed significant differences (at1% level of significance) for all the traits under study in both the generations (F1 and F2). The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were high for plant height followed by number of effective tillers per plant, biological yield per plant, grain yield per plant, while high heritability coupled with high genetic advance were recorded for plant height and spike length in both F1 and F2 generations, respectively. Grain yield per plant was positively and significantly associated with a number of effective tillers per plant, spike length, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield per plant and harvest index while significantly but negatively associated with plant height. Path analysis revealed that the traits namely biological yield per plant, number of effective tillers per plant, number of grains per spike, plant height and harvest index exhibited positive direct effects on grain yield at both phenotypic and genotypic level in both generation (F1 and F2). These results, thereby suggests that yield improvement in breads wheats could be possible by emphasizing these traits while making selections in early generations

Recent Advances in Intravesical Drug/Gene Delivery

Targeting of the drugs administered systemically relies on the higher affinity of ligands for specific receptors to obtain selectivity in drug response. However, achieving the same goal inside the bladder is much easier with an intelligent pharmaceutical approach that restricts drug effects by exploiting the pelvic anatomical architecture of the human body. This regional therapy involves placement of drugs directly into the bladder through a urethral catheter. It is obvious that drug administration by this route holds advantage in chemotherapy of superficial bladder cancer and it has now become the most widely used treatment modality for this ailment. In recent years, the intravesical route has also been exploited either as an adjunct to an oral regimen or as a second-line treatment for neurogenic bladder 1, 2. Instillation of DNA via this route using different vectors has been able to restrict the transgene expression in organs other than bladder. The present review article will discuss the shortcomings of the current options available for intravesical drug delivery (IDD) and lay a perspective for future developments in this field

Carcinogenic nitrosamines in traditional beer as the cause of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in black South Africans

Background. Before the 1930s, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oesophagus was almost unknown among black South Africans. From the 1930s the annual frequency rose. A dietary cause was sought, the staple diet of black people having changed from sorghum to maize (corn), with traditional beer being brewed from maize. Carcinogenic N-nitrosamines in traditional beer were suggested as a cause of SCC of the oesophagus, with Fusarium moniliforme, a corn saprophyte, thought to play a role. Objectives. To confirm the presence of N-nitrosamines in traditional beer and demonstrate a mechanism for the oncogenesis of oesophageal carcinoma. Methods. Analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography was conducted for the identification of nitrosamines in traditional beer samples, and molecular docking studies were employed to predict the affinity between N-nitrosamines and the S100A2 protein. Results. Carcinogenic N-nitrosamines were identified in all six samples of traditional beer examined (N=18 analyses), and docking studies confirmed a high affinity of the nitrosamine N-nitrosopyrrolidone with the S100A2 protein. This may result in the altered expression of the S100A2 protein, leading to tumour progression and prognosis. Conclusion. It is suggested that carcinogenic N-nitrosamines in traditional beer are a major factor in the causation of SCC of the oesophagus in black South Africans. N-nitrosamines have been shown to produce cancer experimentally, but there has not been conclusive epidemiological evidence that N-nitrosamines are carcinogenic to humans. This study is the first to demonstrate the potential link between N-nitrosamines and a human tumour

Identification of wheat cultivars for low nitrogen tolerance using multivariable screening approaches

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). A set of thirty-six wheat cultivars were grown for two consecutive years under low and high nitrogen conditions. The interactions of cultivars with different environmental factors were shown to be highly significant for most of the studied traits, suggesting the presence of wider genetic variability which may be utilized for the genetic improvement of desired trait(s). Three cultivars, i.e., RAJ 4037, DBW 39 and GW 322, were selected based on three selection indices, i.e., tolerance index (TOL), stress susceptibility index (SSI), and yield stability index (YSI), while two cultivars, HD 2967 and MACS 6478, were selected based on all four selection indices which were common in both of the study years. According to Kendall’s concordance coefficient, the consistency of geometric mean productivity (GMP) was found to be highest (0.778), followed by YSI (0.556), SSI (0.472), and TOL (0.200). Due to the high consistency of GMP followed by YSI and SSI, the three selection indices could be utilized as a selection tool in the identification of high-yielding genotypes under low nitrogen conditions. The GMP and YSI selection indices had a positive and significant correlation with grain yield, whereas TOL and SSI exhibited a significant but negative correlation with grain yield under both high and low nitrogen conditions in both years. The common tolerant genotypes identified through different selection indices could be utilized as potential donors in active breeding programs to incorporate the low nitrogen tolerant genes to develop high-yielding wheat varieties for low nitrogen conditions. The study also helps in understanding the physiological basis of tolerance in high-yielding wheat genotypes under low nitrogen conditions