The study empirically investigates the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) andorganizational performance from the perspective of European multinational firms. Further, the ...studyexamines the effectiveness of corporate reputation as a moderator on CSR-organizational performancelinkages. Final data comprised 340 responses collected from senior executives/managers working in Euro-pean multinational firms. A two-stage approach was used to analyze the association: stage 1 involvedtheoretical model construction using the strategic paradigm of literature; in stage 2, hierarchical regres-sion analysis was performed to examine the relevant relationships. Results have shown that CSR, whenexercised towards external stakeholders, influences organizational performance. Moreover, this influ-ence has been found to vary between well-established, reputable firms and business firms with weakerreputations.
The use of nanoemulsion in augmenting dermal and transdermal effectiveness of drugs has now well established. The development of nanoemulsion based semisolid dosage forms is an active area of present ...research. However, thickening or liquid-to-semisolid conversion of the nanoemulsions provides opportunities to the formulation scientist to explore novel means of solving instability issues during transformation. Extending knowledge about the explicit role of nature/magnitude of zeta potential, types of emulsifiers and selection of appropriate semisolid bases could place these versatile carriers from laboratory to industrial scale. This article reviews the progressive advancement in the delivery of medicament via nanoemulsion with special reference to the dermal and transdermal administration. It is attempted to explore the most suitable semi solid dosage form for the particular type of nanoemulsion (o/w, w/o and others) and effect of particle size and zeta potential on the delivery of drugs through dermal or transdermal route. Finally, this review also highlights the basic principles and fundamental considerations of nanoemulsion manufacture, application of nanoemulsion based semisolid dosage forms in the dermal/transdermal administration and basic considerations during the nanoemulsion absorption into and through skin.
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SnSe/SnSe
2
is a promising versatile material with applications in various fields like solar cells, photodetectors, memory devices, lithium and sodium-ion batteries, gas sensing, photocatalysis, ...supercapacitors, topological insulators, resistive switching devices due to its optimal band gap. In this review, all possible applications of SnSe/SnSe
2
have been summarized. Some of the basic properties, as well as synthesis techniques have also been outlined. This review will help the researcher to understand the properties and possible applications of tin selenide-based materials. Thus, this will help in advancing the field of tin selenide-based materials for next generation technology.
SnSe/SnSe
2
has diverse applications like solar cells, photodetectors, memory devices, Li and Na-ion batteries, gas sensors, photocatalysis, supercapacitors, topological insulators, resistive switching devices due to its optimal band gap.
We describe the novel electrochemical multicomponent reaction (e-MCR) of readily available isocyanides, thiols and carboxylic acids to form N -substituted S -thiocarbamate derivatives that are found ...in several biologically active compounds. The effectiveness of the μ-electro flow reactor (μ-EFR) was showcased through significant reduction in electrolyte volume during the reaction, achieving gram-scale production of 4a within a short 12 min residence time using a Pt/Pt flow cell.
Objective
To assess the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on obstetric care and outcomes.
Methods
A prospective observational single‐center study was performed, including all antenatal and parturient ...women admitted from April to August, 2020. Data were collected regarding number of admissions, deliveries, antenatal visits, reason for inaccessibility of health care, and complications during pregnancy, and compared with data from the pre‐COVID period of October 2019 to February 2020.
Results
There was a reduction of 45.1% in institutional deliveries (P < 0.001), a percentage point increase of 7.2 in high‐risk pregnancy, and 2.5‐fold rise in admission to the intensive care unit of pregnant women during the pandemic. One‐third of women had inadequate antenatal visits. The main reason for delayed health‐seeking was lockdown and fear of contracting infection, resulting in 44.7% of pregnancies with complications. Thirty‐two symptomatic women who tested positive for COVID‐19 were managed at the center with good maternal and fetal outcomes.
Conclusion
Although COVID‐19 does not directly affect pregnancy outcomes, it has indirect adverse effects on maternal and child health. Emergency obstetric and antenatal care are essential services to be continued with awareness of people while maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene.
There are indirect adverse effects of COVID‐19 on maternal health as the rate of complications increases.
Abstract Motivated by the signatures of nonlinear electrostatic waves observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft mission in reconnection jet regions of Earth's magnetotail, we have explored ...the dynamical features of ion-acoustic shock waves in the magnetotail. In this investigation, we have examined the dynamics and characteristics of ion-acoustic subsonic shock waves in non-Maxwellian space plasma comprising of two counterstreaming ion beams with suprathermal electrons, assumed to follow a kappa ( κ ) distribution. A reductive perturbation technique has been adopted to establish an evolution equation for small amplitude electrostatic shock structures. Importantly, subsonic waves only exist when the beam velocity exceeds a certain threshold, beyond which supersonic and subsonic waves may coexist. The combined effects of the beam velocity and the non-Maxwellian electron statistics have been analyzed to examine the characteristics of subsonic shock waves. Both symmetric and asymmetric (in relative beam density) models have been considered, leading to distinct possibilities in the evolution of subsonic shock waves. The findings of the investigation will help unfold the relatively unexplored dynamical characteristics of subsonic shock waves that may form and propagate in the magnetosphere.
The mechanism of protein stabilization by osmolytes remains one of the most important and long-standing puzzles. The traditional explanation of osmolyte-induced stability through the preferential ...exclusion of osmolytes from the protein surface has been seriously challenged by the observations like the concentration-dependent reversal of osmolyte-induced stabilization/destabilization. The more modern explanation of protein stabilization/destabilization by osmolytes considers an indirect effect due to osmolyte-induced distortion of the water structure. It provides a general mechanism, but there are numerous examples of protein-specific effects,
i.e.
, a particular osmolyte might stabilize one protein, but destabilize the other, that could not be rationalized through such an explanation. Herein, we hypothesized that osmolyte-induced modulation of associated water might be a critical factor in controlling protein stability in such a medium. Taking different osmolytes and papain as a protein, we proved that our proposal could explain protein stability in osmolyte media. Stabilizing osmolytes rigidify associated water structures around the protein, whereas destabilizing osmolytes make them flexible. The strong correlation between the stability and the associated water dynamics, and the fact that such dynamics are very much protein specific, established the importance of considering the modulation of associated water structures in explaining the osmolyte-induced stabilization/destabilization of proteins. More interestingly, we took another protein, bromelain, for which a traditionally stabilizing osmolyte, sucrose, acts as a stabilizer at higher concentrations but as a destabilizer at lower concentrations. Our proposal successfully explains such observations, which is probably impossible by any known mechanisms. We believe this report will trigger much research in this area.
Modulation of protein associated water might decide protein-osmolyte interaction, where the rigidity and flexibility of associated water induce stabilization and destabilization, respectively.
Abstract The dynamics of nonlinear ion-acoustic solitary waves in the presence of kinetic (Landau type) damping have been investigated in a collisionless, non-magnetized electron-ion plasma. A cold ...ion fluid model, coupled to a Vlasov-type kinetic equation for the electron dynamics, has been adopted as a starting point. The electron population was assumed to be in a kappa-distributed state, in account of the non-Maxwellian behavior of energetic (suprathermal) electrons often observed in Space. A multiscale perturbation technique has led to an evolution equation for the electrostatic potential, in the form of a modified Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation, incorporating a non-local term accounting for Landau damping (associated with the electron statistics). Exact analytical solutions have been obtained, representing solitary waves undergoing amplitude decay over time. The combined effect of Landau damping and non-Maxwellian electron statistics (via the kappa parameter) on the characteristics of IASWs has been examined. Numerical integration of the evolution equation has been undertaken, to elucidate the importance of kinetic Landau damping on a shock-shaped initial condition. The results of this investigation aim to improve our understanding of the dynamics of nonlinear electrostatic waves under the influence of Landau damping in various space plasma environments.
We proposed the Representative Elementary Area (REA) analysis method and illustrated how it is needed to evaluate representative roughness parameters of surfaces. We used mean height (Sa) roughness ...to study how its variations converge to a steady state as we expanded the area of investigation (AOI) using combined scan tiles obtained through Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. We tested quartz and glass surfaces, subjecting them to various levels of polishing with grit sizes ranging between # 60 and #1200. The scan tiles revealed a multiscale roughness texture characterized by the dominance of valleys over peaks, lacking a fractal nature. REA analysis revealed Sa variations converged to a steady state as AOI increased, highlighting the necessity of the proposed method. The steady-state Sa, denoted as Formula: see text, followed an inverse power law with polishing grit size, with its exponent dependent on the material hardness. The REA length representing Formula: see text of glass surfaces, followed another inverse power law with polishing grit size and an indeterminate relationship for quartz surfaces. The multiscale characteristics and convergence to steady state were also evident in skewness, kurtosis, and autocorrelation length (Sal) parameters. Sal increased to a maximum value before decreasing linearly as AOI was linearly increased. The maximum Sal, termed as Formula: see text, exhibited a linear relationship with REA. In the absence of REA analysis, the magnitude of uncertainty depended on the polishing grit size. Finely polished surfaces exhibited a 10-20% variability, which increased to up to 70% relative to the steady-state Sa with coarser polishing.
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