Passenger transmission and productiveness of transit lines with high loads

Deterministic transit capacity analysis applies to planning, design and operational management of urban transit systems. The Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (1) and Vuchic (2, 3) enable transit performance to be quantified and assessed using transit capacity and productive capacity. This paper further defines important productive performance measures of an individual transit service and transit line. Transit work (p-km) captures the transit task performed over distance. Passenger transmission (p-km/h) captures the passenger task delivered by service at speed. Transit productiveness (p-km/h) captures transit work performed over time. These measures are useful to operators in understanding their services’ or systems’ capabilities and passenger quality of service. This paper accounts for variability in utilized demand by passengers along a line and high passenger load conditions where passenger pass-up delay occurs. A hypothetical case study of an individual bus service’s operation demonstrates the usefulness of passenger transmission in comparing existing and growth scenarios. A hypothetical case study of a bus line’s operation during a peak hour window demonstrates the theory’s usefulness in examining the contribution of individual services to line productive performance. Scenarios may be assessed using this theory to benchmark or compare lines and segments, conditions, or consider improvements

Use of social networking sites (SNS), social integration and social support in Indian medical students: a cross sectional investigation

Background: Internet mainstreamed virtual socialization on social networking sites (SNS). Social relationship variables are linked to health. We investigated the social relationship variables and SNS use among medical students.Methods: After institutional ethics committee approval, we invited 150 random undergraduate medical students and 150 postgraduate resident doctors from a medical college. Regular SNS users were included and those suffering from any psychiatric or chronic medical condition were excluded from the study. Of all the invited individuals, 104 undergraduates (56 females and 48 males) and 103 postgraduates (50 females and 53 males) consented for study.Results: Facebook was the most commonly and regularly used SNS in our study sample. Daily average time spent by participants on SNS was 40 minutes. Mean number of SNS friends of undergraduates was 150 and of postgraduates was 143. Undergraduate medical students reported an average of 49 friends living locally and 74 friends living at a distance; postgraduate resident doctors reported average 80 friends living locally and 325 friends living at a distance. Undergraduates sought attention more frequently than postgraduates by posting photos to SNS. Postgraduates had their recreation and academics were more affected due to SNS than undergraduates. Number of SNS friends had no association with social integration, social support or social stress.Conclusions: SNS may hamper the curricular as well as recreational activities of medicos, especially postgraduate resident doctors. The number of SNS friends is independent of a medico’s social integration and may not be associated with social support and social stress

Induction of male flowers on female plants of Cannabis sativa by gibberellins and its inhibition by abscisic acid

Gibberellins (GA3, GA4+7, GA7 and GA9) induce male flowers on female plants of Cannabis sativa. This is, depending on concentration, partially or fully inhibited by abscisic acid (ABA). The ABA effect can in turn be partially overcome by increasing the concentration of GA3

Short term results of endoscopic discectomy in lumbar spine

A recent modification to lumbar discectomy involves the use of a micro-endoscope instead of an operating microscope for visualization. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) uses a rigid operating spinal endoscope that allows direct visualization and excision of contained and non-contained herniated disc fragments. The advantages of Endoscopic lumbar discectomy are remarkable due to minimal bone resection, no damage to paravertebral muscles, rapid recovery, minimally procedure related morbidity, cost-effectiveness and high patient satisfaction rate. Aims and objectives is to study and evaluate clinical and radiological outcomes of endoscopic lumbar discectomy over a period of 6 months.24 patients underwent endoscopic lumbar discectomy proven with MRI in a span of 3 years from 2018 to 2021. Every patient was followed up for 6 months in an observational, retrospective and prospective type of study and assessed on the basis of MacNab criteria, VAS pain score, Oswestry low back pain questionnaire. Mean preoperative Oswestry disability score (ODS) was 74.38 while mean postoperative ODS was found to be 29.25. Preoperative, while analyzing through Macnab criteria, poor results were seen in 95.83% of patients while fair results were seen in 4.17% of patients. Postoperatively excellent results were seen in 16.67% of patients while good results were seen in 83.34% of patients. Mean preoperative VAS was 7.33 while mean postoperative VAS was found to be 2.91. Endoscopic discectomy is a safe and effective procedure where patient satisfaction and pain relief are not compromised. It may be an effective and alternative treatment option for the upward migration of disc herniation in the upper lumbar area and offers additional advantage for early mobilization and faster improvement

New classification of S1 pedicle morphometry impacting pedicle screw insertion technique

Background: The conventional entry point for the S1 pedicle screw insertion has been described as ‘at the base of and lateral to the superior S1 superior facet’. However, many orthopaedic surgeons complain that this technique is extremely demanding and is faced with many challenges in execution. Therefore, alternative entry points and modifications of existing techniques are explored for a greater convenience.Methods: We conducted a survey amongst 136 spine surgeons on the technical difficulties faced during insertion of the S1 pedicle screw. We also classified the S1 pedicles based by measuring their geometric parameters on 100 random computed tomography (CT) images.Results: The S1 pedicle entry technique was considered to be the most difficult and challenging by the orthopaedic surgeons in our survey due to an inadequate medial angulation due to paraspinal muscle mass tension and an overhanging iliac crest. This could be explained by the hourglass shaped pedicle (type 3) with a desired medial angle more 50 degrees (type III) observed as the most common S1 pedicle in the study population. To overcome this limitation, most of them preferred a tri-corticate approach.Conclusions: A more lateral entry point and a longer screw might be considered as solutions for a better and safer S1 pedicle entry. Also, the use of pre-operative CT can be considered to visualize the type of S1 pedicle and hence, decide on the most appropriate technique of screw insertion.