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Abstract: Nanotechnology has enabled sensors to detect and sense a very small amount of chemical vapors. Sensors play a major role in our daily life. The use of sensors has made human life easy. One such type of sensor is the Gas sensor made up of Semiconducting metal oxides. These sensors have their own unique features which help in the easy monitoring of toxic gases. Out of all the metal oxide present, the gas sensors made up of ZnO nanostructures are mostly used in the gas sensing industry. ZnO has become a research hotspot of gas-sensing material because of the variation in resistance observed on the surface. These resistance changes are observed due to the adsorption & desorption of gases. In this review, we will be discussing the ZnO nanostructures, their preparation and their applications in the sensing of various toxic and flammable gases.

The present study was conducted to compare the performance of patient self-collected oral swab (OS) with healthcare worker (HCW)-collected nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) for SARS-CoV-2 detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in real-world setting. Paired OS and NPS were collected from 485 consecutive individuals presenting with symptoms of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) or asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19 cases. Both specimens were processed for RT-PCR and cycle threshold (Ct) value for each test was obtained. Positive percent agreement (PPA), negative percent agreement (NPA), overall percent agreement (OPA) and kappa were calculated for OS RT-PCR compared with NPS RT-PCR as reference. A total of 116/485 (23.9%) participants were positive by NPS RT-PCR. OS had PPA of 71.6%, NPA of 98.8%, OPA of 92.4% and kappa of 0.771. Almost all participants (483/485, 99.6%) reported OS as a convenient and comfortable sample for SARS-CoV-2 testing over NPS. All participants with Ct values25 and majority (90.8%) with Ct values30 were detected by OS. To conclude, OS self-sampling was preferred in comparison with NPS due the ease and comfort during collection. The performance of OS RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection, however, was sub-optimal in comparison with NPS RT-PCR.

Background The currently available various methods of estimation of total iron binding capacity (TIBC) show marked variation in reference range. Although serum transferrin (TF) level is a sensitive indicator of iron status, its measurement requires immunoassay equipment which may not be available in many routine biochemistry laboratories. So, this study was planned to find the most appropriate method to estimate TIBC. Objectives This study aimed to compare different methods of TIBC estimation and to corelate the TIBC values obtained by different methods with serum TF concentration. Material and Methods This analytical cross-sectional study was performed in the clinical chemistry laboratory of the Biochemistry Department of Medical College Baroda & SSG Hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat, on 250 leftover serum samples destined to be discarded. In all these samples, serum TIBC was estimated by direct method, indirect method, as well as calculated method (iron + unsaturated iron binding capacity [UIBC]) along with the measurement of serum TF level. Statistical Analysis Among the different methods, repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis and Bland–Altman plot were used to find out significance of difference. Correlation coefficients were found between different methods of TIBC estimation and serum TF levels. Results The means of TIBC by calculated, indirect, and direct methods were 344.51, 342.23, and 378.24 µg/dL, respectively. The mean of serum TF was 295.3 mg/dL. There was statistically significant difference between TIBC by direct and indirect methods and between direct and calculated methods. There was a strong positive correlation between TIBC by direct method and serum TF (r = 0.888, p Conclusion Among different methods of estimation of TIBC, direct method is more reliable in reference to serum TF levels.

Short half-life and low bioavailability of Venlafaxine hydrochloride (VF), an antidepressant drug, necessitates the frequent administration of VF tablets in a day in order to maintain adequate drug concentration in blood plasma. This generates the need for the development of formulations which could prolong the release of VF and reduce the multiple dosages. The present work explores the combination of Montmorillonite (Mt) with Pluronic F-68 (PF-68) (OrganoMT) for oral delivery of VF. The effect of various parameters including pH of aqueous drug solution, contact time and initial drug concentration on drug loading capacity of OrganoMT has been studied. The synthesized OrganoMT-VF complexes were characterized by various suitable techniques. XRD studies indicated that the VF molecules were intercalated within the OrganoMT layers. In vitro release behavior of VF from OrganoMT-VF complexes shows an extended-release pattern for a period of 30 h and reaches upto 70% and 60% compared to pure VF having complete release time of 5.5 h and 3.5 h in simulated gastric and intestinal fluid respectively. Various kinetic models were employed to elucidate the drug release mechanism where the best fitting was obtained with Korsmeyer Peppas model. The results suggest the possibility of designing an oral extended controlled release formulation for VF to minimize its administration frequency thereby increasing the effectiveness of drug. This improves patient compliance by reducing the dose from 4 times in 24 h to once in 24 h.

PurposeTeams have become the dominant mode of work in contemporary organizations and critical for successful completion of various tasks, projects and overall organizational effectiveness. Organizational factors such as organizational culture have often been investigated as contributing to team performance since it is difficult to develop and engage teams. But the effect of (organizational) team culture on team effectiveness (TE) has received less support. Therefore, this paper examines how factors such as organization team culture (OTC) affect different dimensions of TE in a power sector organization which has undergone a business transformation resulting in adoption of team-based work structures.Design/methodology/approachSurvey instrument capturing the variables of organizational team culture and TE was administered to mid-level managers in a power sector organization in India. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the model fit for the proposed model.FindingsA key finding of the research was that team culture (OTC dimensions) (i.e. participation, communication, trust, training inputs and support and support for teamwork) contribute to TE.Originality/value OTC and its impact on creating effective teams, particularly in the power sector, is an original contribution of this research. The OTC and TE framework may be used to diagnose team weaknesses and concerns and to design effective HR interventions.

Background : Invasive fungal infection (IFI) remains a common complication after lung transplantation, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We have attempted to quantify systematically risk factors of IFI in lung transplant recipients. Methods : Studies were retrieved from Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews and Cochrane central register of controlled trials. All case-control and cohort studies evaluating the risk factors of IFI in adult lung transplant recipients were screened. Two researchers reviewed and assessed all studies independently. We pooled the estimated effect of each factor associated with IFI by using a random effect model. Results : Eight studies were included in the systematic review and five studies were eligible for the meta-analysis. Rates of IFI range from 8-33% in lung transplant recipients. Independent risk factors for invasive aspergillosis (IA) in lung transplantation include previous fungal colonization (OR 2.44; 95% CI 0.08-0.47), cytomegalovirus infection (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.08-3.56) and single lung transplantation (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.08-2.91). Pre-emptive antifungal therapy (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.09-0.48) is a protective factor for IA in lung transplant (OR 0.2; 95% CI 0.08-0.47). Conclusion : Cytomegalovirus infection, previous fungal colonization and single lung transplantation independently increase the risk of IA in lung transplant recipients. Pre-emptive antifungal therapy is a protective factor for IA in the lung transplant population.

Key Points HMB is associated with rare and common variants in genes related to anemias and bleeding disorders.These are the first exome-sequencing results from patients with HMB, as well as their comparison with control exomes., Visual Abstract, Adolescents with low von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels and heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) experience significant morbidity. There is a need to better characterize these patients genetically and improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of bleeding. We performed whole-exome sequencing on 86 postmenarchal patients diagnosed with low VWF levels (30-50 IU/dL) and HMB and compared them with 660 in-house controls. We compared the number of rare stop-gain/stop-loss and rare ClinVar “pathogenic” variants between cases and controls, as well as performed gene burden and gene-set burden analyses. We found an enrichment in cases of rare stop-gain/stop-loss variants in genes involved in bleeding disorders and an enrichment of rare ClinVar “pathogenic” variants in genes involved in anemias. The 2 most significant genes in the gene burden analysis, CFB and DNASE2, are associated with atypical hemolytic uremia and severe anemia, respectively. VWF also surpassed exome-wide significance in the gene burden analysis (P = 7.31 × 10−6). Gene-set burden analysis revealed an enrichment of rare nonsynonymous variants in cases in several hematologically relevant pathways. Further, common variants in FERMT2, a gene involved in the regulation of hemostasis and angiogenesis, surpassed genome-wide significance. We demonstrate that adolescents with HMB and low VWF have an excess of rare nonsynonymous and pathogenic variants in genes involved in bleeding disorders and anemia. Variants of variable penetrance in these genes may contribute to the spectrum of phenotypes observed in patients with HMB and could partially explain the bleeding phenotype. By identifying patients with HMB who possess these variants, we may be able to improve risk stratification and patient outcomes.

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home (WFH) was introduced wherever it was possible around the world. For working parents (employees with at least one dependent child), it was not simply WFH, but it also included challenges related to a new way of learning from home for their children. The pandemic changed the way people worked in organisations; we’ve all had to adjust our daily routines to cope with it and we are still learning how to do so. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of working parents and examine the factors that contributed to their resilience while working from home during New Zealand’s first lockdown in March–April 2020. Ten in-depth, semistructured interviews were undertaken with working parents (having at least one school-aged child) drawn from sectors such as banking, education and professional services in the Wellington region. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Study results highlight that WFH was effective in enabling business continuity facilitated by virtual tools. However, participants reported high levels of stress as a result of uncertainty due to the pandemic and balancing work–family life, which had a negative impact on their performance and productivity. The key implication for organisations is to be mindful of the unique needs and challenges that working parents face when working from home. They need to nurture a culture of empathy while providing the right work set-up, including the use of virtual tools to connect and collaborate for WFH effectiveness. The study provides insight into the experiences of working parents and possible factors that contribute to resilience during a pandemic.

The activity of 137Cs was measured in different terrestrial samples around Kakrapar Gujarat site. Transfer Factor and Ecological half-life of 137Cs was evaluated. 137Cs activity observed in these matrices are comparable with pre-operational baseline activity and there is no build up of activity. Transfer Factor of soil to grass, leaf, cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables for 137Cs was observed to be in the range of 0.01–1.49, 0.06–0.64, 0.03–0.92, 0.03–3.99, 0.01–0.34 and 0.01–0.20, respectively. Ecological half-life (years) of 137Cs for soil, grass, leaf, cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables and milk was found to be 11.8, 5.9, 5.9, 5.7, 3.9, 7.7, 9.0 and 7.2 respectively.

This research examines the perception of work stress among primary school teachers in the Wellington region. Specifically, it focuses on the way teachers perceive work stress, the contributing factors and the coping strategies employed. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is the qualitative approach and methodology chosen to examine the way teachers make sense of their stress experiences. The educational sector in New Zealand has undergone enormous legislative and organisational change and in the recent past there have been nationwide primary school teacher strikes. While research on teacher stress in New Zealand in relation to the 1989 major reforms has been published, there has been little recent qualitative research on work stress in primary school teachers. This study shows that these teachers experience moderate to high levels of stress because of work overload, the multiplicity of sources of stress, the emotional demands of the role and the frustration and constraints they face in role performance. Even so, these teachers derive satisfaction from the core job of teaching and utilise positive coping strategies to manage their stress and work demands, with most of them intending to stay in the role. However, the sustainability of the role of teaching is a concern, as societal misperceptions about teaching and lack of respect for them pose challenges for those continuing in the profession long term. This study contributes to the base literature on teacher stress in the New Zealand context and offers recommendations for supporting the well-being of primary school teachers.

लोकतंत्र शासन का एक ऐसा स्वरूप है जिसमें सर्वोच्च सत्ता जनता में निहित रहती है और जनता इस सत्ता का प्रयोग नियमित अन्तराल में होने वाले स्वतन्त्र निर्वाचनों मे ंएक प्रतिनिधित्व प्रणाली के माध्यम से प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से करती है। किसी शासन व्यवस्था को प्रामाणिक एवं व्यापक लोकतंत्र या सफलतापूर्वक क्रियाशील लोकतंत्र तभी कहा जा सकता है जब सच्चा लोकतंत्र किसी भी देश विशेष की जनता की आशा-आकांक्षाओं को पूरा करने से ही अपना सही मार्ग ढूंढ सकता है अपनी एक सही व्यवस्था की खोज कर सकता है भारतीय लोकतंत्र ने इनमें से अनेक आवश्यक शर्तो को पिछले कई वर्षो में पूरा किया है लेकिन इसे अनेक चुनौतियों का सामना भी करना पड़ रहा है जिसमें जाति, धर्म साम्प्रदायिकता, भ्रष्टाचार, धार्मिक कट्टरवाद आदि है जिनका सामना करने की आज भी जरूरत है। भारतीय लोकतंत्र की चुनौतियों का सामना करने के लिए कुछ ऐसे सुधारात्मक उपाय करने की जरूरत है जो सार्वभौम हो, अर्थात सबके लिए हो, लेकिन लोकतंत्र तभी सफल हो सकता है जब इसके नागरिक अपने चिन्तन तथा व्यवहार में समानता, स्वतंत्रता, सामाजिक न्याय, उत्तरदायित्व एवं सबके लिए आदर जैसे लोकतांत्रिक मूल्यों को आत्मसात करेंगें। इसके साथ ही सफल लोकतंत्र के लिए आवश्यक है कि नागरिकों को धर्म, जाति, साम्प्रादियकता से ऊपर आना होगा तथा धर्म निरपेक्षता को बढ़ावा देना होगा एवं लोकतंत्र के लक्ष्यों को मूर्त रूप देने के लिए अग्रणी भूमिका भी निभानी जरूरी है। लेकिन वर्तमान दौर में भारतीय लोकतंत्र गम्भीर चुनौतियाँ एवं जातिवाद, साम्प्रदायिकता एवं धार्मिक कट्टरवाद का सामना कर रहा है। यही तत्व लोकतंत्र प्रणाली की कार्यशीलता एवं स्थिरता को कमजोर करते हैं अनुमान लगाया जाता है कि जाति व्यवस्था का अभ्युदय प्राचीन समाज में श्रम विभाजन के संदर्भ में हुआ था जो धीरे-धीरे जन्म पर आधारित कठोर-समूह वर्गीकरण में परिवर्तित हो गया। दिन प्रतिदिन इस व्यवस्था का स्वरूप जाटिल होता चला गया और सच यह है कि जातिवाद ही सामाजिक-आर्थिक असमानता को कायम रखने हेतु उत्तरदायी है। हमारे समाज की जाति आधारित असमानता भारतीय लोकतंत्र के लिए एक गम्भीर चुनौती बनी हुई है। जाति एवं राजनीति के मिश्रण से जातियों का राजनीतिकरण एक अति गंभीर स्थिति है एवं वर्तमान भारतीय राजनीति में जातिवादकरण से हमारे लोकतंत्र में गम्भीर चुनौतियां उत्पन्न हो गई है। वर्तमान उदारीकरण एवं भूमड़लीकरण के युग के बावजूद जातिगत चेतना हमारे समाज से कम नहीं हुई है और जातियों को अधिकांशतः वोट बैंक राजनीति के रूप में उपयोग किया जा रहा है। धार्मिक कट्टरवाद भी साम्प्रदायिक ताकतों को धर्म एवं राजनीति दोनों का शोषण करने को बढ़ावा देता है। वास्तव में धर्म कट्टरवाद एक विचारधारा की तरह कार्य करती है जो रूढ़िवादिता की वकालत करती है ये धर्म हमारे बहुधर्मी समाज में हमारे सह असितत्व के ढांचे को तोड़ रहा है और यह एक पंथ निरपेक्ष संस्कृति के विकास के मार्ग में बड़ा बाधक है यह धार्मिक कट्टरता एवं साम्प्रदायिकता हमारे लोकतांत्रिक राजनीतिक स्थायित्व के लिए खतरा एवं मानवीय एवं मिश्रित संस्कृति की यशस्वी परम्परा को बर्वाद कर रहा है। अतः निष्कर्ष के रूप में हम यह सकते है कि भारतीय लोकतंत्र को ये सभी तत्व खोखला कर देंगे क्योंकि भारतीय समाज जातिगत-भेदभाव, धर्मबंधन से इस कदर जकड़ा हुआ है कि ना केवल समाज के बीच खाई पैदा हो रही है बल्कि यह तत्व राष्ट्रीय एकता के मार्ग में भी बाधा पहुंचाने का कार्य कर रही है। प्रसिद्ध समाजशास्त्री एम.एन. श्रीनिवास का मत है कि ’’परंपरावादी जाति व्यवस्था ने प्रगतिषील और आधुनिक राजनीतिक व्यवस्था को इस प्रकार प्रभावित किया है कि ये राजनीतिक संस्थायें अपने मूलरूप में कार्य करने में समर्थ नहीं है।’’ वास्तव में धर्म एवं जातिवाद भारतीय लोकतंत्र में बाधक सिद्ध प्रतीत हो रही है। अतः आवश्यक है धर्म निरपेक्ष राज्य ही लोक कल्याणकारी राज्य की स्थापना को सफल बना सकती है। इसके लिए देश के बुद्धिजीवी और राजनैतिक नेता इस संदर्भ में ईमानदारी के साथ सोचे और इस समस्या एवं इससे उत्पन्न अन्य समस्याओं का समाधान करने हेतु गंभीरतापूर्वक प्रयास करें। वैसे भी लोकतंत्र व्यक्ति की इकाई को मानता है ना कि जाति या समूह को, जाति, धर्म, और समूह के आतंक से मुक्त रखना ही लोकतंत्र का आग्रह है।

Gender diversity and empowerment of mid-career women in the workplace have rightfully gained importance over the last decade. However, there is a paucity of research pertaining to the position of mid-career women in higher education institutions (HEI) in India. The data suggest that while there has been an increase in the number of women in the academic sphere, yet there is a visible lack of women in the top academic leadership positions across Indian HEIs. This chapter explores the HR practices adopted by top public and private universities to support women's career progression. Using a mixed-method approach, the chapter identifies barriers to women's growth in academia. And finally, the authors make suggestions for promoting female academicians by comparing existing practices to those practised in gender-equal countries across the globe.

Screen viewing time is the total time spent by a child on any digital/electronic device. The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence and predictors of excessive screen viewing time in children in Ujjain, India. This cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted through house-to-house survey by using the three-stage cluster sampling method in 36 urban wards and 36 villages of Ujjain district, India. Excessive screen viewing time was defined as screen viewing for > 2 h/day. The prevalence of excessive screen viewing time was 17.83%. Risk factors identified using the multivariate logistic regression model were: age (OR: 1.5, P < 0.001); mobile phone use before bedtime (OR: 3.17, P = 0.008); parents’ perception about the child habituated to screen (OR: 14.03, P < 0.001); television in bedroom (OR: 48.69, P < 0.001); morning mobile screen viewing time (OR: 9.27, P < 0.001); not reading books other than textbooks (OR: 9.71, P < 0.001); and lack of outdoor play for >2 h (OR: 4.20, P < 0.001). Presence of eye pain was a protective factor for excessive screen viewing time (OR: 0.12, P = 0.011). The study identified multiple modifiable risk factors for excessive screen viewing time.

Screen viewing time is the total time spent by a child on any digital/electronic device. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of excessive screen viewing time in children in Ujjain, India. This cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted through a house-to-house survey using the three-stage cluster sampling method in 36 urban wards and 36 villages of Ujjain District, India. Excessive screen viewing time was defined as screen viewing for >2 h/day. The prevalence of excessive screen viewing time was 18%. Risk factors identified using the multivariate logistic regression model were age (OR: 1.63, p < 0.001); mobile phone use before bedtime (OR: 3.35, p = 0.004); parents’ perception about the child’s habituation to screen time (OR: 8.46, p < 0.001); television in the bedroom (OR: 35.91, p < 0.001); morning mobile screen viewing time (OR: 6.40, p < 0.001); not reading books other than textbooks (OR: 6.45, p < 0.001); and lack of outdoor play for >2 h (OR: 5.17, p < 0.001). The presence of eye pain was a protective factor for excessive screen viewing time (OR: 0.13, p = 0.012). This study identified multiple modifiable risk factors for excessive screen viewing time.