Seroprevalence of ToRCH Pathogens in Southeast Asia

ToRCH is the acronym for several pathogens associated with pregnancy complications and sequelae in the unborn or newborn child. Particularly primary infections during pregnancy are associated with increased risk. Seroprevalence data of ToRCH infections are important, especially in countries with weak disease surveillance systems, to estimate immunity and vaccination levels, as well as exposure rates and thus the risk of infection during pregnancy. A systematic literature search spanning a 30-year time period was conducted to identify serosurveys on ToRCH pathogens in Southeast Asia. The 96 identified studies showed that some pathogens were well studied, while only limited data were available for others. Studies from the better-developed countries of the region were more abundant. Moreover, seroprevalence data were often limited to a certain geographical region within the country or to certain cohorts, there was an evident lack of recent serosurveys, and the study quality was often not adequate. Well-designed and area-wide serosurveys of ToRCH pathogens are clearly warranted. If combined with risk factor analysis, these studies may guide the development and implementation of effective measures for infection prevention, especially during pregnancy. In addition, educational programs for health care workers and for pregnant women during antenatal care are urgently needed

A cross sectional study to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of rational antibiotic prescription among resident doctors

Background: Irrational prescription is a major contributor to the antimicrobial resistance. Resident doctors are the major focus of interventional programs aimed at rational prescription of antibiotics. So, their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding rational antibiotic prescription need to be assessed to plan future strategies.Methods: A questionnaire based cross sectional study among interns and resident doctors of a Government Medical College was conducted. Questionnaire consisted of questions to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of resident doctors in rational antibiotic prescriptions and multiple-choice questions to assess practice of hospital antibiotic policy.Results: 80 participants were enrolled in the study. All participants responded to yes or no questions and 47 answered multiple choice questions. 40% were aware of the current hospital antibiotic policy and 29% knew the term antibiotic stewardship. Only 15% were confident in their knowledge on antimicrobial resistance. 87.5% think there is no use in prescribing an antibiotic in common cold. 36.3% overprescribes antibiotics in their daily practice. Only 32.5% practiced de-escalation. 90% were educating patients regarding correct use of antibiotics. 90% send samples for culture and sensitivity but only 22.2% waited for results to start antibiotics.Conclusions: There is a need for approaches that includes implementation of antibiotic policy and to plan for effective teaching programs regarding antibiotic resistance and importance of rational prescription of antibiotics which can improve the quality of antibiotic prescription and minimize antibiotic resistance

Orbital angular momentum exchange in an optical parametric oscillator

We present a study of orbital angular momentum transfer from pump to down-converted beams in a type-II Optical Parametric Oscillator. Cavity and anisotropy effects are investigated and demostrated to play a central role in the transverse mode dynamics. While the idler beam can oscillate in a Laguerre-Gauss mode, the crystal birefringence induces an astigmatic effect in the signal beam that prevents the resonance of such mode.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, regular articl

Network sensitivity to geographical configuration

Gravitational wave astronomy will require the coordinated analysis of data from the global network of gravitational wave observatories. Questions of how to optimally configure the global network arise in this context. We have elsewhere proposed a formalism which is employed here to compare different configurations of the network, using both the coincident network analysis method and the coherent network analysis method. We have constructed a network model to compute a figure-of-merit based on the detection rate for a population of standard-candle binary inspirals. We find that this measure of network quality is very sensitive to the geographic location of component detectors under a coincident network analysis, but comparatively insensitive under a coherent network analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for proceedings of the 4th Edoardo Amaldi conference, incorporated referees' suggestions and corrected diagra

Multiple case-study analysis of quality management practices within UK Six Sigma and non-Six Sigma manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises

This paper examines multiple case-study analysis of quality management practices within UK Six Sigma and non-Six Sigma manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises

Plans for a 10-m Submillimeter-wave Telescope at the South Pole

A 10 meter diameter submillimeter-wave telescope has been proposed for the NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Current evidence indicates that the South Pole is the best submillimeter-wave telescope site among all existing or proposed ground-based observatories. Proposed scientific programs place stringent requirements on the optical quality of the telescope design. In particular, reduction of the thermal background and offsets requires an off-axis, unblocked aperture, and the large field of view needed for survey observations requires shaped optics. This mix of design elements is well-suited for large scale (square degree) mapping of line and continuum radiation from submillimeter-wave sources at moderate spatial resolutions (4 to 60 arcsecond beam size) and high sensitivity (milliJansky flux density levels). the telescope will make arcminute angular scale, high frequency Cosmic Microwave Background measurements from the best possible ground-based site, using an aperture which is larger than is currently possible on orbital or airborne platforms. Effective use of this telescope will require development of large (1000 element) arrays of submillimeter detectors which are background-limited when illuminated by antenna temperatures near 50 K.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Perfectionism and training distress in junior athletes: A longitudinal investigation

Perfectionistic athletes may train harder and for longer than non-perfectionistic athletes, leaving them susceptible to elevated levels of training distress. So far, however, no study has investigated the relationships between perfectionism and training distress, a key indicator of overtraining syndrome. Furthermore, no study has determined psychological predictors of overtraining syndrome. Using a two-wave design, the present study examined perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, and training distress in 141 junior athletes (mean age 17.3 years, range 16-19 years) over 3 months of active training. Multiple regression analyses were employed to test cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between perfectionism and training distress. In all analyses, perfectionism emerged as a significant predictor, but strivings and concerns showed differential relationships. When the cross-sectional relationships were regarded, perfectionistic concerns positively predicted training distress (p .05). The findings suggest that sports scientists who wish to identify athletes at risk of overtraining syndrome may monitor athletes’ perfectionistic concerns as a possible risk factor

Expanding the scope of ligand substitution from [M(S2C2Ph2] (M = Ni2+, Pd2+, Pt2+) to afford new heteroleptic dithiolene complexes

The scope of direct substitution of the dithiolene ligand from [M(S2C2Ph2)2] [M = Ni2+ (1), Pd2+ (2), Pt2+ (3)] to produce heteroleptic species [M(S2C2Ph2)2Ln] (n = 1, 2) has been broadened to include isonitriles and dithiooxamides in addition to phosphines and diimines. Collective observations regarding ligands that cleanly produce [M(S2C2Ph2)Ln], do not react at all, or lead to ill-defined decomposition identify soft σ donors as the ligand type capable of dithiolene substitution. Substitution of MeNC from [Ni(S2C2Ph2)(CNMe)2] by L provides access to a variety of heteroleptic dithiolene complexes not accessible from 1. Substitution of a dithiolene ligand from 1 involves net redox disproportionation of the ligands from radical monoanions, –S•SC2Ph2, to enedithiolate and dithione, the latter of which is an enhanced leaving group that is subject to further irreversible reactions