Utilization of non-pneumatic anti-shock garment for the management of obstetric hemorrhage among healthcare providers in north Shewa zone, Ethiopia

BackgroundGlobal maternal deaths have either increased or stagnated tragically. Obstetric hemorrhage (OH) remains the major cause of maternal deaths. Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) has several positive results in the management of obstetric hemorrhage in resource-limited settings where getting definitive treatments are difficult and limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the proportion and factors associated with the utilization of NASG for the management of obstetric hemorrhage among healthcare providers in the North Shewa zone, Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at health facilities of the north Shewa zone, Ethiopia from June 10th-30th/2021. A simple random sampling (SRS) technique was employed among 360 healthcare providers. Data were collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire. EpiData version 4.6 and SPSS 25 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify associated factors with the outcome variable. The level of significance was decided at a value of p of <0.05.ResultsThe utilization of NASG for the management of obstetric hemorrhage among healthcare providers was 39% (95%CI: 34–45). Healthcare providers who received training on NASG (AOR = 3.3; 95%CI: 1.46−7.48), availability of NASG in the health facility (AOR = 9.17; 95%CI: 5.10–16.46), diploma (AOR = 2.63; 95%CI: 1.39–3.68), bachelor degree (AOR = 7.89; 95%CI: 3.1–16.29) and those healthcare providers who have a positive attitude toward utilization of NASG (AOR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.14–2.82) were variables positively associated with the utilization of NASG.ConclusionIn this study, almost two-fifths of healthcare providers used NASG for the management of obstetrics hemorrhage. Arranging educational opportunities and continuous professional development training for healthcare providers, providing in-service and refresher training, and making it available at health facilities may help healthcare providers to effectively use the device, thereby reducing maternal morbidity and mortality

Self-Assembled Superlattices of Polyamines in a Columnar Liquid Crystal

We show that the principle of orthogonal self-assembly, which makes use of mutually noninterfering interactions, is generally applicable to create liquid crystalline (LC) superlattices of polyamines. The structure and phase behavior of mixtures of an acid-modified discotic (A-BTA) with branched and linear poly(ethylene imine) (b-PEI and l-PEI) and the linear organometallic polymer poly(ferrocenyl(3-ammoniumpropyl)methylsilane) (PFS) were investigated. All mixtures were studied by polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray scattering. Mixtures of A-BTA with b-PEI form a disordered oblique columnar LC phase featuring separate columnar microdomains of the polymer as a result of orthogonal hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions. Branching stabilizes the superlattice structure, but l-PEI with a molecular weight up to 250 kDa and PFS can also be incorporated in the nanostructured LC. The results show that the LC superlattice can serve as a general platform to achieve nanostructured functional materials by using various functional polymers

Polar switching in trialkylbenzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamides

The hydrogen-bonded hexagonal columnar LC (Col(hd)) phases formed by benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) derivatives can be aligned uniformly by an electric field and display switching behavior with a high remnant polarization. The polar switching in three symmetrically substituted BTAs with alkyl chains varying in length between 6 and 18 carbon atoms (C6, C10, and C18) was investigated by electro-optical switching experiments, dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS), and solid-state NMR The goal was to characterize ferroelectric properties of BTA-based columnar LCs, which display a macroscopic axial dipole moment due to the head-to-tail stacking of hydrogen-bonded amides. The Col(hd) phase of all three BTAs can be aligned uniformly by a dc field similar to 30 V/mu m. Moreover, C10 and C18 display extrinsic polar switching characterized by a remnant polarization and coercive field of 1-2 mu C/cm(2) and 20-30 V/mu m, respectively. In the absence of an external field, the polarization is lost in 1-1000 s, depending on device details and temperature. DRS revealed a columnar glass transition in the low-temperature region of the LC phase related to collective vibrations in the hydrogen-bonded columns that freeze out below 41-54 degrees C. At higher temperatures, a relaxation process is present originating from the collective reorientation of amide groups along the column axis (inversion of the macrodipole). Matching activation energies suggest that the molecular mechanism underlying the polar switching and the R-processes is identical. These results illustrate that LC phases based on BTAs offer the unique possibility to integrate polarization with other functionalities in a single nanostructured material

Teenage Pregnancy and Its Adverse Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes at Lemlem Karl Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018

Introduction. One of the major public health issues across the whole world these days is teenage pregnancy which is defined as being pregnant in the age ranging from 13–19 years. About 11% of all births which occurred worldwide accounted for girls aged 15 to 19 years. From these, 95% teenage deliveries occur in low- and middle-income countries. World health 2014 statistics show that complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second cause of death for 15–19-year-old girls globally. The aim of this study was to determine adverse obstetrical and perinatal outcomes of teenage pregnancy among deliveries at Lemlem Karl General Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018. Result. This study result showed that 17.5% of the teenagers and 6.8% of the adults deliver low birth weight neonates. From the total teenage mothers, about thirty-five (11.3%) of them had developed pregnancy-induced hypertension, whereas about thirteen (4.2%) of adults develop pregnancy-induced hypertension. Regarding cesarean delivery, forty (12.9%) of those teenage mothers deliver by a cesarean section while 58 (18%) of the adult mothers deliver by cesarean delivery. Teenage pregnancy was significantly associated with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes, a cesarean delivery (AOR: 0.57; 95% CI, 0.36–0.90), episiotomy (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI, 1.25–3.39), and low birth weight (AOR: 2.22; 95% CI, 1.13–4.36), and premature delivery were 2.87 (1.49–5.52). This study shows that adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes were significantly associated with teenagers than adult mothers. Therefore, giving health education on focused ANC is very important to bring change to the teenager at this study area

Symmetry breaking in the self-assembly of partially fluorinated benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamides

The interplay of two subsequent aggregation processes results in a symmetry-breaking phenomenon in an achiral self-assembling system. Partially fluorinated benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide molecules self-assemble into a racemic mixture of one-dimensional P- and M-helical aggregates, followed by bundling into optically active higher-order aggregates or fibers (see picture)

Helical self-assembly and amplification in chirality in fluorinated, preorganized discotic systems (mixing on the molecular level with apolar discs)

The synthesis and self-assembly properties of a fluorinated C3-symmetrical 3,3'-bis(acylamino)-2,2'-bipyridine discotic (1) in the mesophase and in solution are described. First, 3,4,5-tris-(1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H-perfluoroundecyl-1-oxy)benzoyl chloride was coupled to mono-t-BOC protected 2,2'-bipyridine-3,3'-diamine to afford after deprotection the corresponding fluorinated aromatic amine on a multigram scale. Then, three-fold reaction of this amine with trimesyl chloride yielded the target C3-symmetrical fluorinated disc. The latter displayed columnar liquid crystallinity over a temperature range of more than 350 K in which helical rectangular and hexagonal columnar mesophases were detected by X-ray diffraction measurements. 1H-NMR spectroscopy showed a preorganized structure due to strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the amide N–H's and bipyridine nitrogen atoms, even in the presence of a large excess of hexafluoroisopropanol. This preorganized structure allows the formation of helical self-assemblies in fluorinated solvents, as was established using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The fluorinated disc and two chiral hydrocarbon analogues (a C3-symmetrical and a desymmetrized disc) were mixed in a 1:10 v:v mixture of methoxynonafluorobutane (MNFB) and 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane (Freon 113). Importantly, the C3-symmetrical hydrocarbon disc dissolves only in the presence of fluorinated disc in the latter solvent mixture, proving a mutual interaction. CD spectroscopy performed on these mixtures points to a preference for alternating self-assemblies of fluorinated and chiral hydrocarbon discotics

Thermotropic Phase Behavior of Trialkyl Cyclohexanetriamides

The thermotropic phase behavior of symmetric cyclohexanetriamides carrying various linear and branched alkyl chains was investigated using calorimetry, microscopy, solid-state NMR, dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, and X-ray scattering techniques. Cyclohexanetriamides carrying C-6 or longer linear alkyl chains formed columnar plastic phases with a pseudocentered rectangular lattice. Those with C-8 or longer alkyl chain also showed a nematic liquid crystalline phase. Cyclohexanetriamides carrying branched octyl chains displayed columnar phases with rectangular lattices, except for the triamide with the highly branched tetramethylbutyl group. The occurrence of less symmetrical columnar phases is ascribed to the mode of stacking of cyclohexanetriamides which leads to noncylindrical columns. Dielectric relaxation spectra also featured highly cooperative relaxation processes related to reorientation of the macrodipolar columns in the mesophase, showing the potential of these molecules as building blocks in responsive materials.status: publishe