The use of personal values in living standards measures

The Living Standards Measure (LSM), a South African marketingsegmentation method, is a multivariate wealth measure based onstandard of living. This article reports on whether a rationale canbe found for the inclusion of psychological variables, particularlypersonal values, in this type of multivariate segmentation. Schwartz’s(1992; 2006) values model was used to operationalise personalvalues.15Data were collected by means of a survey from a nationallyrepresentative sample (N = 2 566) of purchase decision-makers. ThePortrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) (Schwartz, Melech, Lehmann,Burgess, Harris & Owens 2001) was used to measure personalvalues. Centred value scores were used to statistically control forvariation among respondents in rating themselves on the PVQ. The10 LSM groups were collapsed into four LSM super groups to providea more rigorous analysis of measured personal value diff erencesbetween LSM groups. The statistical analyses included descriptiveand inferential statistics. 16 The findings in general supported Schwartz’s theory of basic human values. Respective values could be allocated among diff erent wealthbased consumer segments, which explained variances between these groups. It would be advisable to further investigate howthese diff erences can be applied in marketing. Although the LSMsegmentation approach has been adapted somewhat, the principalfi nding of this research remains applicable

Neonatal morbidity and mortality in the pediatric ward at the Ambohimiandra Antananarivo Madagascar hospital

Background: The 28 firsts days of life have high-risk of diverse aggression. To achieve the goal of ODD3 in reducing preventable neonatal death, our study was to evaluate main pathologies of newborn, newborn’s mortality.Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study extending over a period of 8 months, December 2014 to July 2015.Results: We collected 132 newborn, the sex ratio was 1.13. Main newborn’s pathologies are neonatal infection (59.85%). Mortality rate was 14.39% and majority of neonatal death occurs early (73.68% of all deaths). Main causes of death are neonatal infection by septic shock. The most lethal pathology was hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We have identified as a risk factor for neonatal death: admission age of 24 hours or less (OR 7; 95% CI 2.5-20.10; p = 0.00006), presence of resuscitation at birth (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.28-9.44, p = 0.01), Apgar index less than 7 at the fifth minute (OR 4.22, 95% CI 2.25-14.87, p = 0.03) and birth weight less than 2500g (OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.39-10.36, p = 0.006).Conclusions: The mortality rate remains high. The prevention of low birth weight, asphyxia and infections has shown strategies to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality

Measuring aerosol size distributions with the aerodynamic aerosol classifier

The Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier (AAC) is a novel instrument that selects aerosol particles based on their relaxation time or aerodynamic diameter. Additional theory and characterization is required to allow the AAC to accurately measure an aerosol's aerodynamic size distribution by stepping whilst connected to a particle counter (such as a Condensation Particle Counter, CPC). To achieve this goal, this study characterized the AAC transfer function (from 32 nm to 3 μm) using tandem AACs and comparing the experimental results to the theoretical tandem deconvolution. These results show that the AAC transmission efficiency is 2.6 to 5.1 times higher than a combined Krypton-85 radioactive neutralizer and Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA), as the AAC classifies particles independent of their charge state. However, the AAC transfer function is 1.3 to 1.9 times broader than predicted by theory. Using this characterized transfer function, the theory to measure an aerosol's aerodynamic size distribution using an AAC and particle counter was developed. The transfer function characterization and stepping deconvolution were validated by comparing the size distribution measured with an AAC-CPC system against parallel measurements taken with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), CPC and Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI). The effects of changing AAC classifier conditions on the particle selected were also investigated and found to be small (<1.5%) within its operating range

Effects of multiple injection strategies on gaseous emissions and particle size distribution in a two-stroke compression-ignition engine operating with the gasoline partially premixed combustion concept

[EN] In order to improve performance of internal combustion engines and meet the requirements of the new pollutant emission regulations, advanced combustion strategies have been investigated. The newly designed partially premixed combustion concept has demonstrated its potential for reducing NOx and particulate matter emissions combined with high indicated efficiencies while still retaining proper control over combustion process by using different injection strategies. In this study, parametric variations of injection pressure, second injection and third injection timings were experimentally performed to analyze the effect of the injection strategy over the air/fuel mixture process and its consequent impact on gaseous compound emissions and particulate matter emissions including its size distribution. Tests were carried out on a newly designed two-stroke high-speed direct injection compression-ignition engine operating with the partially premixed combustion concept using 95 research octane number gasoline fuel. A scanning particle sizer was used to measure the particles size distribution and the HORIBA 7100DEGR gas analyzer system to determine gaseous emissions. Three different steady-state operation modes in terms of indicated mean effective pressure and engine speed were investigated: 3.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2000 r/min, 5.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2000 r/min, and 5.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2500 r/min. The experimental results confirm how the use of an adequate injection strategy is indispensable to obtain low exhaust emissions values and a balance between the different pollutants. With the increase in the injection pressure and delay in the second injection, it was possible to obtain a trade-off between NOx and particulate matter emission reduction, while there was an increase in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions under these conditions. In addition, the experiments showed an increase in particle number emissions and a progressive shift in the particles size distribution toward larger sizes, increasing the accumulation-mode particles and reducing the nucleation-mode particles with the decrease in the injection pressure and delay in the third injection.The authors kindly recognize the technical support provided by Mr Pascal Tribotte from RENAULT SAS in the frame of the DREAM-DELTA-68530-13-3205 Project.Bermúdez, V.; Ruiz-Rosales, S.; Novella Rosa, R.; Soto-Izquierdo, L. (2018). Effects of multiple injection strategies on gaseous emissions and particle size distribution in a two-stroke compression-ignition engine operating with the gasoline partially premixed combustion concept. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part D Journal of Automobile Engineering. 233(10):1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954407018802960S1192331

Groundwater recharge influenced by ephemeral river flow and land use in the semiarid Limpopo Province of South Africa

Determining the sustainability of groundwater use in drylands with high climate variability is complex. Central to this determination is an understanding of groundwater recharge and associated processes and controls. Groundwater recharge in drylands can occur by diffuse and focused recharge (focused recharge being associated with intense episodic rainfall events and ephemeral river flow, predicted to increase and intensify with climate change). This study evaluated the relative significance and dominant controls on these two recharge processes. Ten groundwater hydrographs with multidecadal observations were collated from the Limpopo Province, South Africa, based on their proximity to river channels and rain gauges, representing diversity in local climate, landscape, vegetation, and hydrogeological conditions. The hydrographs showed that groundwater-level rises are sensitive to rainfall intensity during the rainy season, with generally larger increases after years with large episodic rainfall events, which disproportionately contribute to groundwater replenishment. Recharge processes and annual recharge volumes were quantified using the water-table fluctuation method and the numerical model HYDRUS-1D. This allowed for the inference of additional recharge contributions from focused recharge in proximity to ephemeral rivers, up to a factor of five relative to diffuse recharge. The analysis revealed synchronicity and linear correlation between annual river discharge and recharge close to the river, substantiating the importance of focused recharge close to the river network. The study showed that recharge in drylands is subject to large spatial and temporal variation and that consideration of focused and episodic recharge is critically important for managing groundwater resources at various scales in these regions

Demonstration of InAsBi photoresponse beyond 3.5 μm

An Indium Arsenide Bismide photodiode has been grown, fabricated, and characterized to evaluate its performance in the Mid Wave Infrared region of the spectrum. Spectral response from the diode has been obtained up to a diode temperature of 225 K. At this temperature, the diode has a cut off wavelength of 3.95 μm, compared to 3.41 μm in a reference Indium Arsenide diode, indicating that Bismuth has been incorporated to reduce the band gap of Indium Arsenide by 75 meV. Similar band gap reduction was deduced from the cut off wavelength comparison at 77 K. From the dark current data, shunt resistance values of 8 and 39 Ω at temperatures of 77 and 290 K, respectively, were obtained in our photodiode

Parathyroid hormone secretion is controlled by both ionised calcium and phosphate during exercise and recovery in men

The mechanism by which PTH is controlled during and after exercise is poorly understood due to insufficient temporal frequency of measurements. Objective: To examine the temporal pattern of PTH, PO4, ACa and Ca2+ during and after exercise. Design and setting: A laboratory-based study with a cross-over design, comparing 30 min of running at 55%, 65% and 75%VO2max, followed by 2.5-h of recovery. Blood was obtained at baseline, after 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min of exercise and after 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60, 90 and 150 min of recovery. Participants: Ten men (age 23±1 y, height 1.82±0.07 m, body mass 77.0±7.5 kg) participated. Main Outcome Measures: PTH, PO4, ACa and Ca2+ Results: Independent of intensity, PTH concentrations decreased with the onset of exercise (-21 to -33%; P≤0.001), increased thereafter and were higher than baseline by the end of exercise at 75%VO2max (+52%; P≤0.001). PTH peaked transiently after 5–7.5 min of recovery (+73 to +110%; P≤0.001). PO4 followed a similar temporal pattern to PTH and Ca2+ followed a similar but inverse pattern to PTH. PTH was negatively correlated with Ca2+ across all intensities (r=-0.739 to -0.790; P≤0.001). When PTH was increasing, the strongest cross-correlation was with Ca2+ at 0 lags (3.5 min) (r=-0.902 to -0.950); during recovery, the strongest cross-correlation was with PO4 at 0 lags (8 min) (r=0.987 to 0.995). Conclusions: PTH secretion during exercise and recovery is controlled by a combination of changes in Ca2+ and PO4 in men

In-situ fluorescence spectroscopy is a more rapid and resilient indicator of faecal contamination risk in drinking water than faecal indicator organisms

Faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) are limited in their ability to protect public health from the microbial contamination of drinking water because of their transience and time required to deliver a result. We evaluated alternative rapid, and potentially more resilient, approaches against a benchmark FIO of thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) to characterise faecal contamination over 14 months at 40 groundwater sources in a Ugandan town. Rapid approaches included: in-situ tryptophan-like fluorescence (TLF), humic-like fluorescence (HLF), turbidity; sanitary inspections; and total bacterial cells by flow cytometry. TTCs varied widely in six sampling visits: a third of sources tested both positive and negative, 50% of sources had a range of at least 720 cfu/100 mL, and a two-day heavy rainfall event increased median TTCs five-fold. Using source medians, TLF was the best predictor in logistic regression models of TTCs ≥10 cfu/100 mL (AUC 0.88) and best correlated to TTC enumeration (ρs 0.81), with HLF performing similarly. Relationships between TLF or HLF and TTCs were stronger in the wet season than the dry season, when TLF and HLF were instead more associated with total bacterial cells. Source rank-order between sampling rounds was considerably more consistent, according to cross-correlations, using TLF or HLF (min ρs 0.81) than TTCs (min ρs 0.34). Furthermore, dry season TLF and HLF cross-correlated more strongly (ρs 0.68) than dry season TTCs (ρs 0.50) with wet season TTCs, when TTCs were elevated. In-situ TLF or HLF are more rapid and resilient indicators of faecal contamination risk than TTCs