The importance of socio-economic context for social marketing models for improving reproductive health: Evidence from 555 years of program experience

BACKGROUND: Over the past two decades, social marketing programs have become an important element of the national family planning and HIV prevention strategy in several developing countries. As yet, there has not been any comprehensive empirical assessment to determine which of several social marketing models is most effective for a given socio-economic context. Such an assessment is urgently needed to inform the design of future social marketing programs, and to avoid that programs are designed using an ineffective model. METHODS: This study addresses this issue using a database of annual statistics about reproductive health oriented social marketing programs in over 70 countries. In total, the database covers 555 years of program experience with social marketing programs that distribute and promote the use of oral contraceptives and condoms. Specifically, our analysis assesses to what extent the model used by different reproductive health social marketing programs has varied across different socio-economic contexts. We then use random effects regression to test in which socio-economic context each of the models is most successful at increasing use of socially marketed oral contraceptives and condoms. RESULTS: The results show that there has been a tendency to design reproductive health social marketing program with a management structure that matches the local context. However, the evidence also shows that this has not always been the case. While socio-economic context clearly influences the effectiveness of some of the social marketing models, program maturity and the size of the target population appear equally important. CONCLUSIONS: To maximize the effectiveness of future social marketing programs, it is essential that more effort is devoted to ensuring that such programs are designed using the model or approach that is most suitable for the local context

Jet Vane Thrust Vector Control: A Design Effort

A jet vane is a type of device used for thrust vectoring of missiles and is located in the aft region of missile rocket nozzles. The solid rocket motors that use this TVC device can have an aluminum content of up to 18% by weight. Because of this, solid aluminum particles are present in the rocket motor gas stream. In order for the jet vane to function properly, it must be designed to survive the thermal and erosive environment of this gas stream, A jet vane design optimization using flow, thermal, and materials technology was performed in order to improve the jet vane. The intent is to evolve a methodology that can be used to develop a jet vane that is lighter in weight and/or smaller in size than the current configuration. A reliable and easy-to-use design procedure was sought to optimize the jet vane configuration. A combined analytical and experimental effort was undertaken in the process

Computational code for conjugate heat transfer problems: An experimental validation effort

A coupled finite volume/boundary element method was previously developed to solve the transient conjugate problem of convective heat transfer over and conduction heat transfer within a solid body. In this approach, the flowfield and forced convection heat transfer external to the body is resolved by numerically solving the time dependent Navier-Stokes equations using a finite volume method, while the temperature field within the body is resolved by numerically solving the heat conduction equation using a boundary element method. The boundary discretization utilized to generate the computational grid for the external flowfield provides the boundary discretization required for the boundary element method. Coupling of the to fields is accomplished by enforcing interface continuity of heat flux and temperature. Transient heat transfer data needed to verify the code was obtained in a series of experiments reported herein. Details of the experimental setup and test conditions are provided. Numerical results have thus far shown very good agreement with obtained experimental data

The Topos of Music III: Gestures Musical Multiverse Ontologies

New element of the Topos book brings together progress in diverse field Presents gesture theory, including a gesture philosophy for music, the mathematics of gestures, concept architectures and software for musical gesture theory, and the multiverse perspective Presents applications of gesture theory, including counterpoint, modulation theory, and free jaz

Casein Kinase 1δ Is an APC/CCdh1 Substrate that Regulates Cerebellar Granule Cell Neurogenesis

SummaryAlthough casein kinase 1δ (CK1δ) is at the center of multiple signaling pathways, its role in the expansion of CNS progenitor cells is unknown. Using mouse cerebellar granule cell progenitors (GCPs) as a model for brain neurogenesis, we demonstrate that the loss of CK1δ or treatment of GCPs with a highly selective small molecule inhibits GCP expansion. In contrast, CK1δ overexpression increases GCP proliferation. Thus, CK1δ appears to regulate GCP neurogenesis. CK1δ is targeted for proteolysis via the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/CCdh1) ubiquitin ligase, and conditional deletion of the APC/CCdh1 activator Cdh1 in cerebellar GCPs results in higher levels of CK1δ. APC/CCdh1 also downregulates CK1δ during cell-cycle exit. Therefore, we conclude that APC/CCdh1 controls CK1δ levels to balance proliferation and cell-cycle exit in the developing CNS. Similar studies in medulloblastoma cells showed that CK1δ holds promise as a therapeutic target