AN APPRAISAL ON CUSTOMER SERVICE OF INDIA POST

This paper deals with the customer service of a head post office (HPO) under India Post. Data have been collected personally from 100 account holders of the post office. Account holders have been selected at random basis. A questionnaire has been used to collect the primary data. Data has been analyzed through different tables and using statistical tests. In this study, it was found that most of the account holders are satisfied with how the post office provides customer service

CeO₂/Ce₂O₃ quantum dot decorated reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid as electrode for supercapacitor

Herein, we report a simple hydrothermal method to synthesize CeO2/Ce2O3 quantum dots anchored on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets of different weight fractions for application as supercapacitor electrode. Of all the tested samples, the one containing 7 wt% RGO (CRGO3) as measured by thermogravimetry, exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 1027 F/g at 1 A/g along with good cycling stability. At current density of 4 A/g, the CRGO3 sample showed charge retention of 79% after 5000 cycles, whereas at 20 A/g, it showed 85% charge retention after 3000 cycles. The values obtained for CRGO3 electrode are better than all previous ceria and RGO based electrode suggesting its potential use in supercapacitor. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed well crystalline CeO2 nanoparticles (~5 nm) uniformly distributed on the RGO sheets as well as few lattice planes indicative of presence of some Ce2O3 mixed with CeO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed presence of a mixed oxides containing mostly CeO2 with some Ce2O3 phase on the surface. The enhanced performance of the CRGO3 electrode was attributed to the optimized weight fraction and large surface area of electrically conducting RGO combined with enhanced electrocatalytic activity of CeO2/Ce2O3 mixed oxides

Serum ferritin observations in beta thalassemia major patients with dermatological manifestation

Background: Beta thalassemia major is a severe inherited blood disorder requiring regular blood transfusions, leading to chronic iron overload. This study aims to analyze serum ferritin levels and their association with dermatological manifestations in patients with beta thalassemia major in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, from March 2019 to August 2021. A purposive sample of 60 beta thalassemia major patients was selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data collection included detailed medical histories, dermatological examinations, and laboratory investigations for serum ferritin levels. Statistical analysis was performed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS)-27. Results: Among the participants, 26.67% were aged 10 years or younger, and 46.67% were aged 11-20 years. The gender distribution was 43.33% male and 56.67% female. The mean hemoglobin level was 6.17±0.95 g/dl, with 75.00% of participants exhibiting extremely high serum ferritin levels (>1000 ng/ml). Dermatological manifestations included hyperpigmentation (50.00%), xerosis (46.67%), and pallor (26.67%). Significant associations were found between high serum ferritin levels and conditions such as hyperpigmentation (p=0.028) and xerosis (p<0.001). Conclusions: The study underscores the critical need for regular monitoring and effective management of serum ferritin levels to mitigate dermatological and systemic complications in beta thalassemia major patients. Effective chelation therapy is essential to reduce the iron burden and improve patient outcomes

Short-term outcome of patients with elevated serum cardiac troponin I following off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a global issue at present. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability in men and women in the USA, Western Europe and many other countries. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the gold standard for revascularization in coronary artery disease. This study aimed to observe the short-term outcome of patients with elevated serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) following off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods: This was a prospective observational study and was carried out at the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from July 2020 to October 2021. In this study, we included 80 patients admitted for elective CABG at National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute. Results: Among all patients, 11.3% patients had acute MI, followed by respiratory complication (11.3%), arrythmia (10%), wound infection (6.3%), neurological complication (5%), renal complication (1.3%) and only 2.5% patients died. The mean±SD troponin I in 1st, 2nd and 3rd post operative days of the patients was 10.80±13.39, 7.99±10.39 and 4.73±6.98 respectively. The area under the recipient operational characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.931 with 95% CI were between 0.863 and 0.999, which was statistically highly significant (<0.001). There is no significant association of cTnI with respiratory, renal, neurological complications and wound infection. Conclusions: Our findings showed that there was a significant association between raised cTnI concentrations after OPCAB surgery and adverse events in the early postoperative period

Tuberculosis Diagnostic Delays and Treatment Outcomes among Patients with COVID-19, California, USA, 2020.

We assessed tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic delays among patients with TB and COVID-19 in California, USA. Among 58 persons, 43% experienced TB diagnostic delays, and a high proportion (83%) required hospitalization for TB. Even when viral respiratory pathogens circulate widely, timely TB diagnostic workup for at-risk persons remains critical for reducing TB-related illness

A protective role for nitric oxide and salicylic acid for arsenite phytotoxicity in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The authors are thankful to Director, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow for the facilities and for the financial support from the network projects (CSIR-INDEPTH), New Delhi, India. APS is thankful to CSIR New Delhi, India respectively, for the award of Research Associateship. RDT is gratefully thankful to Award of Emeritus Scientist (CSIR). GD is thankful to SERB-DST, New Delhi for award of NPDF. AK is thankful to UGC for award of DSKPDF. Award of Fast Track Scientist to SM from DST is gratefully acknowledged. We are also thankful to Mr. Dilip Chakraborty for technical assistance.Peer reviewedPostprin

Thermostable Direct Hemolysin Downregulates Human Colon Carcinoma Cell Proliferation with the Involvement of E-Cadherin, and β-Catenin/Tcf-4 Signaling

BACKGROUND: Colon cancers are the frequent causes of cancer mortality worldwide. Recently bacterial toxins have received marked attention as promising approaches in the treatment of colon cancer. Thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) secreted by Vibrio parahaemolyticus causes influx of extracellular calcium with the subsequent rise in intracellular calcium level in intestinal epithelial cells and it is known that calcium has antiproliferative activity against colon cancer. KEY RESULTS: In the present study it has been shown that TDH, a well-known traditional virulent factor inhibits proliferation of human colon carcinoma cells through the involvement of CaSR in its mechanism. TDH treatment does not induce DNA fragmentation, nor causes the release of lactate dehydrogenase. Therefore, apoptosis and cytotoxicity are not contributing to the TDH-mediated reduction of proliferation rate, and hence the reduction appears to be caused by decrease in cell proliferation. The elevation of E-cadherin, a cell adhesion molecule and suppression of β-catenin, a proto-oncogene have been observed in presence of CaSR agonists whereas reverse effect has been seen in presence of CaSR antagonist as well as si-RNA in TDH treated cells. TDH also triggers a significant reduction of Cyclin-D and cdk2, two important cell cycle regulatory proteins along with an up regulation of cell cycle inhibitory protein p27(Kip1) in presence of CaSR agonists. CONCLUSION: Therefore TDH can downregulate colonic carcinoma cell proliferation and involves CaSR in its mechanism of action. The downregulation occurs mainly through the involvement of E-cadherin-β-catenin mediated pathway and the inhibition of cell cycle regulators as well as upregulation of cell cycle inhibitors

The global subject of precarity

Peer reviewedPostprin

Negative Social Aspects of Tourism and Sustainable Development: An Empirical Study

This paper deals with the identification of negative social aspects of tourism that hinders the sustainable tourism development and well being seriously. Identification is exclusively based on opinion of sample tourist vis-a-vis opinion of local people. A methodology has been framed to determine the major, minor and other negative social aspects of tourism. Applying statistical technique on respondents opinion the author identified five major negative social aspects of West Bengal tourism viz. Growth of unscientific massage parlors, Exploitation on tourists, over pricing, commercialization of countrys culture/customs and water pollution which seriously affects the growth of sustainable tourism development. Identified minor negative social aspects are Littering, Pick pocketing, Theft and Female prostitution, also affects tourism by and large. Apart from these the author identified numerous negative social aspects which affects the industry occasionally, as per capacity. The author suggests that sound Security Systems Management Process at operational level should be implemented by the government to arrest the growth of these negative aspects so that they can be nipped in the bud. Other wise the motto of sustainable development and well being of studied area will be impeded.</jats:p