Boundary-Layer Flow of Nanofluids over a Moving Surface in the Presence of Thermal Radiation, Viscous Dissipation and Chemical Reaction

The flow problem presented in the paper is boundary-layer flow of nanofluids over a moving surface in the presence of thermal radiation, viscous dissipation and chemical reaction. The plate is assumed to move in the same or opposite direction to the free stream which depends on the sign of the velocity parameter. The partial differential equations appearing in the governing equations are transformed into a couple of nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations. The transformed equations in turn are solved numerically by the shooting method along with the fourth order Runge-Kutta integration technique. Influences of the pertinent parameters in the flow field are exhaustively studied and sequentially explained graphically and in tabular form. For selected values of the parameters involved in the governing equations like Lewis number, the velocity parameter, magnetic parameter, Eckert number Brownian motion parameter, thermophoresis parameter, thermal radiation parameter, Prandtl number, Reynolds number and chemical reaction parameter, numerical results for the velocity field, temperature distribution, concentration, skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are obtained. The results are analyzed and compared with previously published works; they are found in excellent agreement

Antagonistic Effect of Native Bacillus Isolates against Black Root Rot of Faba Bean

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is one of the most important pulse crops grown in eastern Africa. Black root rot (Fusarium solani) is known to cause great yield losses in faba bean, especially in the highlands of Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological control ability of native Bacillus species on the basis of their antagonistic effects against F. solani. The study was conducted in vitro and in a greenhouse. All tested Bacillus isolates significantly (P<0.05) reduced radial mycelial growth of the pathogen. Seven bacterial isolates restricted growth of the pathogen to <14 mm diameter, and showed 39-44% efficacy over the positive control. Isolate BP048 was the most effective, with 43.6% efficacy. The lowest inhibitory effects, 15.5 and 27.8%, were recorded from isolates BS083 and BS0102, respectively. The culture filtrate of the bacterial isolates also inhibited F. solani spore germination. In vivo, the isolates significantly reduced severity of black root rot on artificially inoculated faba bean seedlings. The antagonist Bacillus isolates kept black root rot severity low with more than 50% disease suppression, compared to the untreated control.Keywords: Ethiopia, Fusarium solani, Vicia faba

Poverty and inequality – but of what - as social determinants of health in Africa?

Background: Many African economies have achieved substantial economic growth over the past recent years, yet several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) including those concerned with health, remain considerably behind target. This paper examines whether progress towards these goals is being hampered by existing levels of poverty and income inequality. It also considers whether the inequality hypothesis of Wilkinson and Pickett1 applies to population health outcomes in African states.Methods: Correlation analysis and scatter plots were used to assess graphically the link between variations in health outcomes, level of poverty and income inequality in different countries. Health status outcomes were measured by using four indicators: infant and under-five (child) mortality rates; maternal mortality ratios; and life expectancy at birth. In each of the 52 African nations, the proportion of the population living below the poverty line is used as an indicator of the level of poverty and Gini coefficient as a measure of income inequality. The study used a comprehensive review of secondary and relevant literature that are pertinent in the subject area. The data datasets obtained online from UNICEF2 and UNDP3 (2009) used to test the research questions. World Health Organization the three broad dimensions to consider when moving towards better population health outcome through Universal Health Coverage and the Social Determinants of Health framework reviewed to establish the poverty and income inequality link in African countries population health outcomes.Results: The study shows that poverty is strongly associated with all health outcome differences in Africa (IMR, cc = 0.63; U5MR, cc = 0.64; MMR, cc = 0.49; life expectancy at birth, cc = -0.67); income inequality with only one of the four indicators (IMR, cc = 0.14; U5MR, cc = 0.07; MMR, cc = 0.22; life expectancy at birth, cc = -0.49), whereas income inequality is associated with one of the four indicators.Conclusion: The study shows that tackling poverty should be the immediate concern in Africaas a means of promoting better health for all. There is a question mark over whether the findings of Wilkinson and Pickett1 on the relationship between income inequality and health apply to Africa. The reasons for this question mark are discussed. More research is needed to investigate whether the inequality results found in this study are replicated in other studies of African health.Keywords: Health inequalities, poverty, income inequality, MDGs, social determinants of health, Afric

A NSFD method for the singularly perturbed Burgers-Huxley equation

This article focuses on a numerical solution of the singularly perturbed Burgers-Huxley equation. The simultaneous presence of a singular perturbation parameter and the nonlinearity raise the challenge of finding a reliable and efficient numerical solution for this equation via the classical numerical methods. To overcome this challenge, a nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) scheme is developed in the following manner. The time variable is discretized using the backward Euler method. This gives rise to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations which are then dealt with using the concept of nonlocal approximation. Through a rigorous error analysis, the proposed scheme has been shown to be parameter-uniform convergent. Simulations conducted on two numerical examples confirm the theoretical result. A comparison with other methods in terms of accuracy and computational cost reveals the superiority of the proposed scheme

Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and multidrug resistance 1 genes: parasite risk factors that affect treatment outcomes for P. falciparum malaria after artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine.

Adequate clinical and parasitologic cure by artemisinin combination therapies relies on the artemisinin component and the partner drug. Polymorphisms in the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) and P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 (pfmdr1) genes are associated with decreased sensitivity to amodiaquine and lumefantrine, but effects of these polymorphisms on therapeutic responses to artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) have not been clearly defined. Individual patient data from 31 clinical trials were harmonized and pooled by using standardized methods from the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network. Data for more than 7,000 patients were analyzed to assess relationships between parasite polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1 and clinically relevant outcomes after treatment with AL or ASAQ. Presence of the pfmdr1 gene N86 (adjusted hazards ratio = 4.74, 95% confidence interval = 2.29 - 9.78, P < 0.001) and increased pfmdr1 copy number (adjusted hazards ratio = 6.52, 95% confidence interval = 2.36-17.97, P < 0.001 : were significant independent risk factors for recrudescence in patients treated with AL. AL and ASAQ exerted opposing selective effects on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1. Monitoring selection and responding to emerging signs of drug resistance are critical tools for preserving efficacy of artemisinin combination therapies; determination of the prevalence of at least pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y should now be routine

Effect of Sotagliflozin on Total Hospitalizations in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Worsening Heart Failure A Randomized Trial

In the SOLOIST-WHF (Effect of Sotagliflozin on Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Post Worsening Heart Failure) trial, sotagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, reduced total occurrences of cardiovascular deaths, hospitalizations for heart failure, and urgent visits for heart failure relative to placebo by 33%

AIDS knowledge and attitudes in a Turkish population: an epidemiological study

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate and present some pertinent comments concerning Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) knowledge, attitudes and misconceptions among the general population in a city of west Turkey. This study was deemed important and relevant due to the increasing importance of AIDS in Turkey and the other countries. METHODS: Using a multistage area sampling method, a random sample of individuals aged 11–83 years, living in 65 different quarters in the city of Eskisehir, Turkey during September, October and November 2004 were interviewed. RESULTS: In all, 1048 respondents completed the survey. In most items, respondents displayed a fairly good to excellent degree of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Individuals with higher degrees of education indicated more correct responses in all items relating to knowledge of HIV/AIDS. In general, the respondents' attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS were found to be tolerant and positive, with one answer choice showing that the majority of the respondents agreed with the statement that those with HIV/AIDS must be supported, treated and helped (90.7%). Moreover, the proportions of the respondents' misconceptions were found to be significantly low for all the items. However, nearly one fourth of the respondents agreed with the misconceptions 'AIDS is a punishment by God' and 'One is not infected with HIV/AIDS if engaged in sport and well nourished'. CONCLUSION: In general HIV/AIDS related knowledge was high and people showed positive attitudes. However, people continue to hold misconceptions about AIDS and these need to be addressed by health education programs targeting those at higher risk

Healable Cellulose Iontronic Hydrogel Stickers for Sustainable Electronics on Paper

The authors acknowledge the support from FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the Ph.D. scholarships SFRH/BD/126409/2016 (I.C.) and SFRH/BD/122286/2016 (J.M.). The authors would like to acknowledge the European Commission under project NewFun (ERC-StG-2014, GA 640598) and project SYNERGY (H2020-WIDESPREAD-2020-5, CSA, proposal no 952169). This work was also supported by the FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program and the National Funds through the FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project No. POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007688, reference UID/CTM/50025, project CHIHC, reference PTDC/NAN-MAT/32558/2017. The authors would also like to thank their colleagues Daniela Gomes and Ana Pimentel from CENIMAT/i3N for the SEM and DSC-TGA measurements, respectively.Novel nature-based engineered functional materials combined with sustainable and economically efficient processes are among the great challenges for the future of mankind. In this context, this work presents a new generation of versatile flexible and highly conformable regenerated cellulose hydrogel electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and self-healing ability, capable of being (re)used in electrical and electrochemical devices. They can be provided in the form of stickers and easily applied as gate dielectric onto flexible indium–gallium–zinc oxide transistors, decreasing the manufacturing complexity. Flexible and low-voltage (<2.5 V) circuits can be handwritten on-demand on paper transistors for patterning of conductive/resistive lines. This user-friendly and simplified manufacturing approach holds potential for fast production of low-cost, portable, disposable/recyclable, and low-power ion-controlled electronics on paper, making it attractive for application in sensors and concepts such as the “Internet-on-Things.”.publishersversionpublishe