Choice, Purchase Decision and Post-Purchase Dissonance: The Social Media Perspective

Social media tools have emerged as an imperative source of information for customers. However, the relationship between information volume on social media and consumer choice quality remains blurred in literature. The study sought to examine the relationship between choice overload on social media and product choice quality, and how choice quality influences post-purchase dissonance. The study employed a positivist research paradigm and an explanatory design to examine the relationship between the various constructs. Using a purposive sampling method, Responses from 249 respondents were quantitatively analyzed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized. The outcome revealed a direct significant effect of choice overload on poor choice quality and a strong positive association between choice quality and post-purchase dissonance using social media tools. The distinctiveness of the study adds to the existing literature by extending the current understanding of post-purchase dissonance and consumer behavior in general.

Clinicopathological study of non-granulomatous necrotizing lymphadenopathies

Non-granulomatous necrotizing lymphadenopathy (NGNL) is not a specific entity. It is seen in various conditions like Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), tuberculosis, lymphoma/metastasis and lymph node infarction. These conditions mimic each other histologically but it is necessary to identify the correct pathology as the treatment differs significantly. To highlight the subtle morphological features which lead to the etiological diagnosis in NGNL. The lymphnode biopsies (N=198), reported in our institute as NGNL, over 4½ year study period, were retrieved. Of these, the benign cases were 64 in total, with 40 cases of KFD and 8 cases of SLE. H&E, special stains and immunohistochemistry slides were reviewed by two pathologists. Histomorphological features like amount of necrosis, apoptotic debris, vasculitis, presence of neutrophils, eosinophils, histiocytes, plasma cells, hematoxylin bodies, Azzopardi phenomenon and thrombus formation were studied. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the most significant histopathological parameter with each disease. Kendall’s Tau matrix plot analysis was used to measure the correlation between the disease and the histopathologic variables. Features like vasculitis, hematoxylin bodies and Azzopardi phenomenon showed strong correlation with SLE and inverse correlation with KFD. Apoptotic debris, paucity of neutrophils and eosinophils had a strong positive association with KFD. The histological features help in differentiating the various entities associated with NGNL. It is necessary to correlate with clinical details and various laboratory parameters to reach a conclusive diagnosis because these conditions have varied treatment modalities.

Primary central nervous system lymphomas express immunohistochemical factors of autophagy

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive and rare disease. Autophagy is a catabolic mechanism boosting various tumors, including lymphomas; its inhibition is thus a promising therapeutic target. Its presence has never been studied in PCNSLs. We conducted a retrospective immunohistochemical study of 25 PCNSLs for LC3B, p62, and M6PR, comparing it with clinicopathological characteristics. Fourteen (56%) and eleven (44%) PCNSLs were of low and high LC3B expression, respectively. p62 expression was present in most tumors (n = 21, 84%). M6PR was present in all tumors, with 14 (56%) and 11 (44%) cases being of low and high M6PR expression, respectively. LC3B expression was correlated with the performance status (PS) (p = 0.04). No association was found with other clinical parameters, such as deep structure invasion, multiple lesions, complete response, and recurrence after response. p62 showed a strong positive association with MUM1 expression (p = 0.0005). M6PR expression showed a positive correlation (p = 0.04) with PD-L1 expression. No association was found with p53, Ki67, CD8, BCL2, BCL6, or double MYC/BLC2 co-expressors. No association of LC3B, p62, and M6PR expression with survival was found. Our findings provide evidence for the possible presence of autophagic markers in PCNSLs and, thus, for possible treatment targets.

Assessing impact of thermal units on growth and development of mustard varieties grown under optimum sown conditions

Thermal unit indices have a strong correlation with the phenology, growth and yield of crops and can be effectively used to select suitable crop cultivars for specific environmental conditions especially temperature. In this study, four mustard varieties (viz., 'BARI Sharisha-14', 'BARI Sharisha-15', 'BARI Sharisha-16' and 'Tori-7') were grown in two consecutive growing to assess the impact of thermal unit indices on crop growth and development, and to select the suitable variety for better yield under optimum sowing condition. Thermal unit indices viz., growing degree-day (GDD), helio-thermal units (HTU), phenothermal index (PTI) and heat use efficiency (HUE) were estimated from daily temperature and sunshine hours. Role of GDD on different growth indicators and seed yield (SY) were estimated through association and dependence of the traits. Significant variations in studied genotypes were observed for different traits. Among the studied varieties, 'BARI Sharisha-16' produced higher dry matter and seed yields (1.82 t ha-1) while accumulated maximum GDD at different growth stages. A strong positive association was obtained between GDD and the studied traits. Thermal unit indices had a strong influence in attaining different phenophases and other growth indicators. Therefore, results suggest that those indices could be used for growth prediction; further 'BARI Sharisha-16' is expected to use heat energy more efficiently for increasing the seed yields which indicated that the crop can perform better under global warming scenarios.

Association Between Factors Involved in Bone Remodeling (Osteoactivin and OPG) With Plasma Levels of Irisin and Meteorin-Like Protein in People With T2D and Obesity

The musculoskeletal system consisting of bones and muscles have been recognized as endocrine organs secreting hormones that are involved in regulating metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with several musculoskeletal system complications. We hypothesized that an interaction exists between adipomyokines namely, irisin and METRNL, and various molecules involved in bone remodeling in individuals with obesity and T2D. A total of 228 individuals were enrolled in this study, including 124 non-diabetic (ND) and 104 T2D. A Multiplex assay was used to assess the level of various osteogenic molecules namely osteoactivin, Syndecan, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteonectin/SPARC. Our data shows elevated levels of Osteoactivin, Syndecan, OPG and SPARC in T2D as compared to ND individuals (p ≤ 0.05). Using Spearman’s correlation, a positive correlation was observed between irisin and Osteoactivin as well as OPG (p < 0.05). Similarly, a positive association was observed between METRNL and Osteoactivin (p < 0.05). The strong positive association shown in this study between irisin, METRNL and various molecules with osteogenic properties emphasize a possible interaction between these organs. This report suggests that having a dysregulation in the level of the aforementioned molecules could potentially affect the development of bone and muscle related complications that are associated with obesity and T2D.

Pharmacogenetics: Knowledge assessment amongst Syrian pharmacists and physicians

Background Pharmacogenetics targets genetic variations that influence drug response. It is relatively a new science that has not been vastly employed in most developing countries including Syria. Therefore we aimed at evaluating the depth of knowledge in pharmacogenetics and the attitude towards it amongst Syrian pharmacists and physicians. Methods We carried out an internet-based questionnaire consisted of 26 questions, sent through specialized websites and private groups with a large number of pharmacists and physicians members. The survey was available online for a period of 1 month. Results The total number of respondents was 154, mostly female pharmacists. Our statistical analysis showed a strong positive association between profession (in favour of pharmacists) and pharmacogenetics knowledge p = 0.049; however, no correlation with experience p = 0.811 was found. A significant difference was reported between the knowledge of pharmacists and physicians p = 0.001 concerning drugs that need pharmacogenetics testing before being prescribed. The majority of respondents had no information about applying genetic tests in Syria before prescribing medications nor did they possess the knowledge regarding drugs that show differential responses in patients according to their unique genotypes. In our study, the percentage knowledge assessment score was low in general (mean ± Standard deviation, SD) (46% ± 13.9%). The majority of the respondents agreed that pharmacists should provide counselling to patients on the subject of pharmacogenetics. Respondents’ opinions varied concerning making pharmacogenetics learning a priority. Conclusion Lack of pharmacogenetics knowledge was found amongst respondents in general. Our findings raise concerns about the lack of awareness amongst physicians, which may hinder the implementation of this crucial field in Syria. We suggest an emphasis on the role of education, training, and conducting genotyping research on the Syrian population.

Lipidomic profile of human nasal mucosa and associations with circulating fatty acids and olfactory deficiency

The nasal mucosa (NM) contains olfactory mucosa which contributes to the detection of odorant molecules and the transmission of olfactory information to the brain. To date, the lipid composition of the human NM has not been adequately characterized. Using gas chromatography, liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and thin layer chromatography, we analyzed the fatty acids and the phospholipid and ceramide molecular species in adult human nasal and blood biopsies. Saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) accounted for 45% and 29% of the nasal total fatty acids, respectively. Fatty acids of the n-6 family were predominant in the PUFA subgroup. Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (AA) were incorporated in the main nasal phospholipid classes. Correlation analysis revealed that the nasal AA level might be positively associated with olfactory deficiency. In addition, a strong positive association between the AA levels in the NM and in plasma cholesteryl esters suggested that this blood fraction might be used as an indicator of the nasal AA level. The most abundant species of ceramides and their glycosylated derivatives detected in NM contained palmitic acid and long-chain fatty acids. Overall, this study provides new insight into lipid species that potentially contribute to the maintenance of NM homeostasis and demonstrates that circulating biomarkers might be used to predict nasal fatty acid content.

Financial Performance of Farmer Producer Companies of India: A Study from 2013–2014 to 2018–2019

The prime objective of the study is to analyse and evaluate the financial performance of the FPCs in India. Financial ratios, trend analysis and grey relational analysis (GRA) were the tools used to achieve this objective. The present study analysed the financial performance of 83 FPCs in India from 2013–2014 to 2018–2019. The liquidity position of the FPCs was found to be above satisfactory levels. The solvency position of the FPCs was found to be improving as they were shifting from debt financing to equity financing. The efficiency and profitability positions of the FPCs were below par. Almost one-third of the FPCs were loss-making in 2018–2019. Using GRA, ‘Howrah Agro Producer Company’ from West Bengal was found to be the best performing FPC among the select 83 FPCs. The solvency position of the FPCs was found to have a strong positive association with the overall financial performance of the FPCs. The study also proposed financial ratio benchmarks for the FPCs using quartiles. The present study finally proposes to incorporate ‘second-class shareholders’ into the FPC model. These shareholders would have limited rights and voting power, and they would provide FPCs with capital, marketing channels and managerial support.

Factors Affecting the Rate of Fuel Consumption in Aircrafts

The cost of fuel and its availability are among the most major concerns for aircrafts and the aviation industry overall. Environmental difficulties with chemical pollutant emissions emitted by aviation machines are also connected to fuel consumption. As a result, it is crucial to examine factors that affect the overall fuel usage and consumption in the airport-based aviation industry. Several variables were investigated related to the total fuel consumed, such as dry operating weight (DOW) (KG), zero-fuel weight (ZFW), take-off weight (TOW), air distance (AIR DIST) (KM), and ground distance (GDN DIST). Analysis of the correlation between total fuel consumed as well as the extra fuel and selected variables was conducted. The results showed that the most positively associated factors with the total used fuel were the air distance (r2 = 0.86, p < 0.01), ground distance (r2 = 0.78, p < 0.01), TOW (r2 = 0.68, p < 0.01), and flight time (r2 = 0.68, p < 0.01). There was also a strong positive association between the average fuel flow (FF) and actual TOW (r2 = 0.74, p < 0.01) as well as ZFW (r2 = 0.61, p < 0.01). The generalized linear model (GLM) was utilized to assess the predictions of total energy usage after evaluating important outliers, stability of the homogeneity of variance, and the normalization of the parameter estimation. The results of multiple linear regression revealed that the most significant predictors of the total consumed fuel were the actual ZFW (p < 0.01), actual TOW (p < 0.01), and actual average FF (p < 0.05). The results interestingly confirmed that wind speed has some consequences and effects on arrival fuel usage. The result reflects that thermal and hydrodynamic economies impact on the flying fuel economy. The research has various implications for both scholars and practitioners of aviation industry.

Comparison and Sensitivity Evaluation of Three Different Commercial Real-Time Quantitative PCR Kits for SARS-CoV-2 Detection

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the most sensitive and specific assay and, therefore, is the “gold standard” diagnostic method for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to compare and analyze the detection performance of three different commercially available SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection kits: Sansure Biotech, GeneFinderTM, and TaqPathTM on 354 randomly selected samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients. All PCR reactions were performed using the same RNA isolates and one real-time PCR machine. The final result of the three evaluated kits was not statistically different (p = 0.107), and also had a strong positive association and high Cohen’s κ coefficient. In contrast, the average Ct values that refer to the ORF1ab and N gene amplification were significantly different (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively), with the lowest obtained by the TaqPathTM for the ORF1ab and by the Sansure Biotech for the N gene. The results show a high similarity in the analytical sensitivities for SARS-CoV-2 detection, which indicates that the diagnostic accuracy of the three assays is comparable. However, the SanSure Biotech kit showed a bit better diagnostic performance. Our findings suggest that the imperative for improvement should address the determination of cut-off Ct values and rapid modification of the primer sets along with the appearance of new variants.