Why do people buy hybrid cars?

This article reports on the underlying dimensions used by petrol-electric hybrid and conventional car buyers when evaluating a vehicle with the intent to purchase. Buyers of conventionally fuelled vehicles reported that they considered quality and performance as the most important determinants of choice. They rated as least important, the image they derive from driving a particular car and social influence. On the other hand, petrol-electric hybrid car buyers reported that social influence and projecting a &ldquo;green&rdquo; image were most important considerations and quality and appeal were least important. These findings provide social marketers with a crucial understanding that helps in the selection of an appropriate model to promote the diffusion of eco-friendly vehicles. <br /

Synthesis and electrical studies of quaternary chalcogenide semiconductor Cu2ZnSnSe4

Quaternary chalcogenide semiconductor has attracted much attention as absorber-layer materials in solar cells. The absorber-layer material, Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) which is a p-type semiconductor that has high absorption coefficient, had been synthesized by using solvothermal method. The variation of concentrations of the Copper (II) Chloride dihydrate have brought some effects towards producing the stoichiometry and non-stoichiometry copper zinc tin selenide that may lead to the improvement of efficiency of solar cells. The synthesized reaction was conducted at 250°C for 24 hours. Properties of the samples have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the crystal structure of the sample and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) to determine the elemental composition of the sample. The electrical properties such as resistance and conductivity have been studied through Van der Pauw configuration. The CZTSe has been successfully synthesized at concentrations of 0.15 M with no impurities phases existed

Prevalence of Primary Dysmenorrhea and Factors Associated with Its Intensity Among Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

AbstractPrimary dysmenorrhea is a womanhood problem around the world and negatively affects quality of life. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea and to determine the factors associated with its intensity. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 311 undergraduate female students aged 18 to 27 years in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Socio-demographic characteristics and menstrual factors were obtained through interviews with the help of a pretested questionnaire. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 89.1%. Residing at home, younger age, lower number of years of formal education for the mother, positive family history of dysmenorrhea, higher severity of bleeding, and shorter menstrual period intervals were significantly associated with the higher intensity of primary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is a common health concern among young women. Being aware of the factors that are associated with its intensity makes it possible for health professionals to organize better focused programs to reduce the adverse effects of dysmenorrhea

Interactions between Amyloid-β and Hemoglobin: Implications for Amyloid Plaque Formation in Alzheimer's Disease

Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain is one of the central pathogenic events in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, why and how Aβ aggregates within the brain of AD patients remains elusive. Previously, we demonstrated hemoglobin (Hb) binds to Aβ and co-localizes with the plaque and vascular amyloid deposits in post-mortem AD brains. In this study, we further characterize the interactions between Hb and Aβ in vitro and in vivo and report the following observations: 1) the binding of Hb to Aβ required iron-containing heme; 2) other heme-containing proteins, such as myoglobin and cytochrome C, also bound to Aβ; 3) hemin-induced cytotoxicity was reduced in neuroblastoma cells by low levels of Aβ; 4) Hb was detected in neurons and glial cells of post-mortem AD brains and was up-regulated in aging and APP/PS1 transgenic mice; 5) microinjection of human Hb into the dorsal hippocampi of the APP/PS1 transgenic mice induced the formation of an envelope-like structure composed of Aβ surrounding the Hb droplets. Our results reveal an enhanced endogenous expression of Hb in aging brain cells, probably serving as a compensatory mechanism against hypoxia. In addition, Aβ binds to Hb and other hemoproteins via the iron-containing heme moiety, thereby reducing Hb/heme/iron-induced cytotoxicity. As some of the brain Hb could be derived from the peripheral circulation due to a compromised blood-brain barrier frequently observed in aged and AD brains, our work also suggests the genesis of some plaques may be a consequence of sustained amyloid accretion at sites of vascular injury

Surveillance of Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Prescription in Singaporean Hospitals: A 5-Year Longitudinal Study

10.1371/journal.pone.0028751PLoS ONE612

Composite type A thymoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

AbstractThe concurrent occurrence of thymoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the thymus has not been previously reported. We describe a 74-year-old man who presented with general weakness, neck lymphadenopathy, night sweats, and body weight loss. A right anterior mediastinal mass was found on computed tomography of the chest. The immunohistochemical stains AE1/AE3, CD20, CD3, and MUM-1 confirmed the different components of the mediastinal tumor. A heavy-chain gene clonality assay and light-chain gene clonality assay confirmed the B-cell clonality of the mediastinal tumor and neck lymph node. The patient had received a complete course of chemotherapy, and the result of positron emission tomography–computed tomography showed complete remission. The pathologic report of this mass revealed composite type A thymoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. If concurrent or composite thymoma and lymphoma are suspected, a thorough examination of the thymoma with a combination of ancillary studies is recommended to rule out the possibility of concurrent lymphoma

Epidemic Pleurodynia Caused by Coxsackievirus B3 at a Medical Center in Northern Taiwan

Epidemic pleurodynia is seldom reported in Southeast Asia and there has been no report from Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective chart review of children = 18 years of age in the National Taiwan University Hospital from January 1 to December 31, 2005. Epidemic pleurodynia was defined as an acute illness characterized by sharp localized pain over the chest or upper abdomen. Patients with known heart diseases or pulmonary consolidations were excluded. In total, 28 patients met the case definition of epidemic pleurodynia. Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) was isolated in 15 (60%) of the 25 throat swab specimens. Four (14%) of the 28 patients presented chest wall tenderness and only one (6%) of the 18 patients tested had an elevated creatinine kinase level. Twenty-one (75%) of the 28 patients described pleuritic chest pains and 10 (45%) of the 22 chest radiographies exhibited pulmonary infiltrates or pleural effusions. Six patients were observed with tonsillar exudates and one was confirmed to have a CB3 urinary tract infection. The clinical features and radiological findings suggest that CB3-associated epidemic pleurodynia might be a disease of the pleura and occasionally spreads to nearby tissues, resulting in chest wall myositis, pulmonary infiltrates and myopericarditis