The Experimental and Simulation Study of Selective Catalytic Reduction System in a Single Cylinder Diesel Engine Using NH 3

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology has been widely used in automotive applications in order to meet the stringent limits on emission standards. The maximum NOx conversion efficiency of an SCR depends on temperature and mass flow rate of an exhaust gas. In order to assess the suitability of Cordierite/Pt catalyst for low temperature application, an experimental work is carried out using single cylinder diesel engine for different load conditions by varying ammonia induction rate from 0.2 kg/hr to 0.8 kg/hr. The simulation is carried out using AVL FIRE for the validation of experimental results. From the study, it has been found that for 0.6 kg/hr ammonia induction rate the maximum conversion is achieved, whereas, for 0.8 kg/hr, conversion is reduced due to desorption of ammonia. Also it has been found that, at 75% of load, for all mass flow rates of ammonia the conversion was drastically reduced due to higher exhaust gas temperature and higher emission of unburnt hydrocarbons. More than 55% of NOx conversion was achieved using Cordierite/Pt catalyst at a temperature of 320°C

Providers' knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis using vignettes:Evidence from rural Bihar, India

BACKGROUND: Almost 25% of all new cases of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide are in India, where drug resistance and low quality of care remain key challenges. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study of healthcare providers' knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of TB in rural Bihar, India, from June to September 2012. Using data from vignette-based interviews with 395 most commonly visited healthcare providers in study areas, we scored providers' knowledge and used multivariable regression models to examine their relationship to providers' characteristics. FINDINGS: 80% of 395 providers had no formal medical qualifications. Overall, providers demonstrated low levels of knowledge: 64.9% (95% CI 59.8% to 69.8%) diagnosed correctly, and 21.7% (CI 16.8% to 27.1%) recommended correct treatment. Providers seldom asked diagnostic questions such as fever (31.4%, CI 26.8% to 36.2%) and bloody sputum (11.1%, CI 8.2% to 14.7%), or results from sputum microscopy (20.0%, CI: 16.2% to 24.3%). After controlling for whether providers treat TB, MBBS providers were not significantly different, from unqualified providers or those with alternative medical qualifications, on knowledge score or offering correct treatment. MBBS providers were, however, more likely to recommend referrals relative to complementary medicine and unqualified providers (23.2 and 37.7 percentage points, respectively). INTERPRETATION: Healthcare providers in rural areas in Bihar, India, have low levels of knowledge regarding TB diagnosis and treatment. Our findings highlight the need for policies to improve training, incentives, task shifting and regulation to improve knowledge and performance of existing providers. Further, more research is needed on the incentives providers face and the role of information on quality to help patients select providers who offer higher quality care

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Not AvailableGillnets are commonly used in inland lakes due to their simplicity in construction and operation, efficiency, and low energy usage. The Vembanad lake is one of the most prominent lakes in Kerala, contributing significantly to the small-scale and artisanal fisheries, in which gillnets are the predominant gear. There have been studies on the effect of gillnet panel colour on the selective capture of fish species, primarily in the open ocean and rivers. Although a considerable number of studies exist on the species profile and fish catching methods in the lake, the efficiency of coloured webbing for gillnets is not available. The efficiency of coloured webbing for gillnets is not documented, which, if available, would be a crucial input for implementing gearbased technical measures for conservation in gillnets in the lake. In this regard, a study was conducted along Vembanad lake and the lower reaches of the Muvattupuzha river to compare the catch efficiency and species profile of transparent gillnets typically employed in the region with gillnets fabricated using blue and green coloured webbing. The results demonstrated a considerable increase in CPUE for green-coloured gillnets (708.9±12.8 grams per operation) compared to blue and transparent gillnets, which had CPUE values of 397.9±80.2 and 293.7±70.6 grams per operation, respectively. Significantly higher catches of Horabagrus brachysoma and Etroplus suratensis were obtained with the green-coloured gillnets than with the control (Transparent). Lengthwise data showed that green-coloured nets captured larger individuals of E. suratensis, but significant difference was not observed in other species. The number of E. suratensis captured in each gillnet contributed to the most dissimilarity in all comparisons, followed by Gerres sp. and H. brachysoma, according to similarities percentage analysis conducted to comprehend the species assemblage structure. This is the first report on the effect of gillnet colour on the catch efficiency of gillnets in Vembanad lake, and the results, which indicate species-specific differences in capture, will be one of the many inputs necessary for implementing gear-based technical measures in the gillnet fishery in the lake.Not Availabl

Evaluation of a social franchising and telemedicine programme and the care provided for childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia, Bihar, India

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact on the quality of the care provided for childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia in Bihar, India, of a large-scale, social franchising and telemedicine programme - the World Health Partners' Sky Program. METHODS: We investigated changes associated with the programme in the knowledge and performance of health-care providers by carrying out 810 assessments in a representative sample of providers in areas where the programme was and was not implemented. Providers were assessed using hypothetical patient vignettes and the standardized patient method both before and after programme implementation, in 2011 and 2014, respectively. Differences in providers' performance between implementation and nonimplementation areas were assessed using multivariate difference-in-difference linear regression models. FINDINGS: The programme did not significantly improve health-care providers' knowledge or performance with regard to childhood diarrhoea or pneumonia in Bihar. There was a persistent large gap between knowledge of appropriate care and the care actually delivered. CONCLUSION: Social franchising has received attention globally as a model for delivering high-quality care in rural areas in the developing world but supporting data are scarce. Our findings emphasize the need for sound empirical evidence before social franchising programmes are scaled up

Replication data for: Causal Effects of Health Shocks on Consumption and Debt: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Bus Accident Injuries

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Causal Effects of Health Shocks on Consumption and Debt: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Bus Accident Injuries

Endogeneity in the health-wealth relationship presents a challenge for estimating causal effects of health shocks. Using a quasi-experimental study design, comprising exogenous shocks sustained as bus accident injuries in India, with, "controls," drawn from travelers on the same bus routes one year later, I present new evidence of causal effects of health shocks on household consumption and debt. Using primary household survey data, I find that households faced with the health shock-related expenditures, which were on average equal to two months of household income, are able to smooth consumption on food, housing, and festivals, with small reductions in education spending. Debt was the principal mechanism used by households to mitigate effects of the shock, leading to significantly larger levels of indebtedness among the exposed.Health Shocks, Causal Effects, Quasi-experimental, Health Expenditure, Consumption Smoothing, Debt, Road Traffic Accidents

Multitasking and Heterogeneous Treatment Effects in Pay-for-Performance in Health Care: Evidence from Rwanda

Performance-based contracting is particularly challenging in health care, where multiple agents, information asymmetries and other market failures compound the critical contracting concern of multitasking. As performance-based contracting grows in developing countries, it is critical to better understand not only intended program impacts on rewarded outcomes, but also unintended program impacts such as multitasking and heterogeneous program effects in order to guide program design and scale-up. We use two waves of data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Surveys collected before and after the quasi-randomized roll-out of Rwanda’s national pay-for-performance (P4P) program to analyze impacts on utilization of healthcare services, health outcomes and unintended consequences of P4P. We find that P4P improved some rewarded services, as well as some services that were not directly rewarded, but had no statistically significant impact on health outcomes. We do not find evidence that clearly suggests multitasking. We find that program effects vary by baseline levels of facility quality, with most improvements seen in the medium quality tier

Replication Data for: Touching Beliefs: Using Touchscreen Technology to Elicit Subjective Expectations in Survey Research

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