Population ageing in Bangladesh and its implication on health care

In Bangladesh as in other regions of the world, the population ages 60 years and older is growing faster than the total population. Growth in the elderly population relative to other age groups challenges existing health services, family relationships and social security. With continued population ageing, the loss of cognitive function will potentially cause enormous social and economic burden on families, communities and, to the country. Using the census and secondary data, the paper investigates that increasing longevity and declining fertility are combining to convert the population age structure from young to old. This combination is resulting implications on the family health care and unmet need of health care services in the public sector. The support index shows that there will be fewer persons to support elderly population in future with implications in traditional family care. The care index shows the cost of burden for long term care associated with the shift in the population age structure. As a consequence Bangladeshi societies will confront population aging without traditional kin support

Declining incidence of esophageal cancer in the Turkmen Plain, eastern part of the Caspian Littoral of Iran: A retrospective cancer surveillance

Background: Previous studies have shown that upper gastrointestinal cancers are the most common cancers in Caspian Littoral, and rate of esophageal cancer (EC) in Iranian Turkmens residing in the Eastern part of littoral are among the highest in the world. Our aim was to reassess the rate 30 years later and following socioeconomic changes in the region. Methods: A comprehensive retrospective search was undertaken to find all new cancer cases during the 1996-2000 period. Diagnosis of cancer was based on histopathological reports in 68.2, clinical and/or radiological evidence in 29.7 and death certificate only (DCO) in 2.1 of the cases. Results: A total of 5143 new cancer cases were registered of whom 3063 (59.6) were males. The median (IQR) age was 60 (44-69) years. Age-standardized rates (ASR) for all cancers in males and females were 134.7 and 104.5 per 100,000, respectively. Based on ASR, the top five common cancers in males (excluding skin cancer) were cancers of esophagus (43.4), stomach (27.8), colorectal (10.7), bladder (7.8) and oral cavity (6.3), while in females cancer of esophagus (36.3) was followed by cancers of breast (15.7), stomach (8.3) colorectal (6.6) and cervix (3.6). Conclusion: We conclude that EC incidence rate has decreased to less than half the rate reported 30 years ago, while the incidence rates of colorectal and breast cancers have increased significantly. © 2006 International Society for Preventive Oncology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Structure, bonding and magnetism in cobalt clusters

The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Co$_n$ clusters ($n=2-$20) have been investigated using density functional theory within the pseudopotential plane wave method. An unusual hexagonal growth pattern has been observed in the intermediate size range, $n=15-$20. The cobalt atoms are ferromagnetically ordered and the calculated magnetic moments are found to be higher than that of corresponding hcp bulk value, which are in good agreement with the recent Stern-Gerlach experiments. The average coordination number is found to dominate over the average bond length to determine the effective hybridization and consequently the cluster magnetic moment.Comment: 12 pages and 9 figure

Determinants of male participation in reproductive healthcare services: a cross-sectional study

Background The role of male’s participation in reproductive healthcare is now well-recognized. The present study investigated the role of men in some selected reproductive health issues, characterizing their involvement, including factors influencing their participation in reproductive healthcare services. Methods This study was conducted in the working areas of urban and rural implemented by NGOs. The sample-size was determined scientifically. The systematic sampling procedure was used for selecting the sample. The study included 615 men aged 25-45 years. Bivariate analysis was performed between male’s involvement as the dependent variable with several independent variables. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the effects of risk factors on the participation of men in reproductive health care services. Results The mean age of the respondents was little over 34 years while their mean years of schooling was 3.7, and their mean monthly income was about Tk 3,400 (US$ 1 = Tk 70) at the time of the study. Rickshaw-pulling and driving was the main occupation of the respondents from the urban while farming were main occupation in the rural area respectively. About two-thirds of the respondents discussed reproductive health issues with their wives and accompanied them to healthcare facilities. The current contraceptive-use rate was 63% among the men who attended the evening clinics. Results of bivariate analysis showed a significant association with education, occupation, income, access to media, and number of living children. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that secondary to higher education level, number of living children, paid employment status, long marital duration, and access to media were important correlates of males’ involvement in reproductive healthcare services. Conclusions The results imply that a greater integration of reproductive healthcare matters with the Millennium Development Goals and increasing perception of men through enrollment in various components of reproductive activities will produce synergistic effects

Distribution of soil fractions and location of soil bacteria in a vertisol under cultivation and perennial grass

Effects of soil management on soil characteristics were investigated on the rhizosphere (RPP) and the non-rhizosphere (NRPP) siol of a re-grass vertisol under #Digitaria decumbens and in the soil under continuous cultivation (CC). A low energy technique allowed to separate eight size and density fractions, including macro- and micro-aggregates while preserving soil bacteria. Organic C and N, microbial biomass C and the number of total bacteria (AODC) and of #Azospirillum brasilense and their distribution were determined in soil fractions isolated from the CC, NRPP and RPP soils. Soil macroaggregates (>2000 micrometers) were similarly predomminant in the NRPP and RPP soils when the dispersible clay size fraction (2000 micrometers) and from the root fraction, not from the finer separates. The proportion of organic C as microbial biomass C revealed the low turnover of microbial C in the PP situations, especially in the clay size fraction of the NRPP soil. A common shift of AODC toward the finer separates from planted soils (CC and RPP) revealed the influence of living plants on the distribution of soil bacteria. The relative abundance of #A. brasilense showed the presence of the active roots of #Digitaria in the macroaggregates and their contact with the dispersible clay size fraction of the rhizosphere soil. (Résumé d'auteur

The Role of Δ(1232)\Delta(1232) in Two-pion Exchange Three-nucleon Potential

In this paper we have studied the two-pion exchange three-nucleon potential $(2\pi E-3NP)$ using an approximate $SU(2) \times SU(2)$ chiral symmetry of the strong interaction. The off-shell pion-nucleon scattering amplitudes obtained from the Weinberg Lagangian are supplemented with contributions from the well-known $\sigma$-term and the $\Delta(1232)$ exchange. It is the role of the $\Delta$-resonance in $2\pi E-3NP$, which we have investigated in detail in the framework of the Lagrangian field theory. The $\Delta$-contribution is quite appreciable and, more significantly, it is dependent on a parameter Z which is arbitrary but has the empirical bounds $|Z| \leq 1/2$. We find that the $\Delta$-contribution to the important parameters of the $2\pi E-3NP$ depends on the choice of a value for Z, although the correction to the binding energy of triton is not expected to be very sensitive to the variation of Z within its bounds.Comment: 14 pages, LaTe

Nanoscale color control of TiO2 films with embedded Au nanoparticles

Article in pressWe demonstrate an efficient nanoscale control of the optical properties of TiO2 films by tuning the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) in the embedded Au nanoparticles. The films were grown by reactive magnetron sputtering. SPR tuning was achieved by different annealings, which affected the shape and size of the Au nanoparticles, and also the phase of the dielectric matrix. These changes promoted the variations on the optical properties. As shown by the modeling of the effective dielectric function of the TiO2/Au in the SPR region, the variation of their optical absorption spectra correlates with morphological changes.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PTDC/CTM/70037/2006

Reactivity of [Re\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e(CO)\u3csub\u3e8\u3c/sub\u3e(MeCN)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e] with Thiazoles: Hydrido Bridged Dirhenium Compounds Bearing Thiazoles in Different Coordination Modes

Reactions of the labile compound [Re2(CO)8(MeCN)2] with thiazole and 4-methylthiazole in refluxing benzene afforded the new compounds [Re2(CO)7{μ-2,3-η2-C3H(R)NS}{η1-NC3H2(4-R)S}(μ-H)] (1, R = H; 2, R = CH3), [Re2(CO)6{μ-2,3-η2-C3H(R)NS}{η1-NC3H2(4-R)S}2(μ-H)] (3, R = H; 4, R = CH3) and fac-[Re(CO)3(Cl){η1-NC3H2(4-R)S}2] (5, R = H; 6, R = CH3). Compounds 1 and 2 contain two rhenium atoms, one bridging thiazolide ligand, coordinated through the C(2) and N atoms and a η1-thiazole ligand coordinated through the nitrogen atom to the same Re as the thiazolide nitrogen. Compounds 3 and 4 contain a Re2(CO)6 group with one bridging thiazolide ligand coordinated through the C(2) and N atoms and two N-coordinated η1-thiazole ligands, each coordinated to one Re atom. A hydride ligand, formed by oxidative-addition of C(2)–H bond of the ligand, bridges Re–Re bond opposite the thiazolide ligand in compounds 1–4. Compound 5 contains a single rhenium atom with three carbonyl ligands, two N-coordinated η1-thiazole ligands and a terminal Cl ligand. Treatment of both 1 and 2 with 5 equiv. of thiazole and 4-methylthiazole in the presence of Me3NO in refluxing benzene afforded 3 and 4, respectively. Further activation of the coordinated η1-thiazole ligands in 1–4 is, however, unsuccessful and results only nonspecific decomposition. The single-crystal XRD structures of 1–5 are reported