Research Article: Survival Analysis of Under Five Mortality in Rural Parts of Ethiopia

Child mortality is a factor that is associated with the well-being of a population and it is taken as an indicator of health development and socioeconomic status. According to the 2011 UN report during the last 10 years, the death rate for children under five has decreased by 35% worldwide. UNICEF in 2008 reported that Ethiopia has reduced under-five mortality by 40 percent over the past 15 years. From the EDHS 2011 report child mortality rate in Ethiopia was reduced from 50/1000 deaths in 2005 to 31/1000 deaths in 2011. The Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data are used for the study. In this paper we have attempted to find out the impact of socioeconomic, demographic and environmental factors in the context of under five mortality. In this attempt we first analyzed our data using Kaplan-Meier non-parametric method of estimation of survival function and also using lifetable. We have also used Log-Rank test to compare different survival functions and found that sex, type of birth, religion, mothers' education, birth order, maternity age, source of drinking water and region have statistically significant difference in the under five survival time. We have also used Cox proportional hazard model to identify the covariates which influence the under five mortality. But we found that our data do not fulfill the proportionality assumption of Cox proportional model in case of infant and child mortality. Then we applied stratified Cox proportional model to our data to find out the potential covariates which influence under five mortality and found birth order, mothers' education level, sex, type of birth and the interaction of birth order and sex as vital factors for the deaths occurring under the age of five. The Cox proportional hazard models which were used separately for each stratum also identified mothers' educational level, sex, type of birth, and the interaction of sex and water supply as the risk factors for the death of infants. Whereas for child stratum; type of birth, mothers' education, sex and the interaction of water supply and sex were the risk factors associated with the death of children

Radiative transfer in silylidene molecule

In order to search for silylidene (H2CSi) in the interstellar medium, Izuha et al. (1996) recorded microwave spectrum of H2CSi in laboratory and made an unsuccessful attempt of its identification in IRC +10216, Ori KL, Sgr B2, through its 717-616 transition at 222.055 GHz. For finding out if there are other transitions of H2CSi which may help in its identification in the interstellar medium, we have considered 25 rotational levels of ortho-H2CSi connected by collisional transitions and 35 radiative transitions, and solved radiative transfer problem using the LVG approximation. We have found that the brightness temperatures of 919-818, 918-817, 101,10-919, 1019-918, 111,11-101,10, 111,10-1019 and 121,12-111,11 transition are larger than that of 717-616 transition. Thus, these transitions may help in detection of H2CSi in the interstellar medium

Synthesis and characterization of screen-printed CdS films

Cadmium sulphide films having energy band gap of 2.4 eV found applications in solar cells and electroluminescent devices. CdS polycrystalline films have been prepared on ultra-clean glass substrate by screen-printing technique and then sintered in air. Optimum conditions for preparing good quality screen-printed films have been found. The optical band gaps ‘Eg’ of the CdS films were determined from the UV transmission spectroscopy and were found to be 2.47eV. The Wurtzite structure of CdS films was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. DC conductivity and activation energy of films was also measured in vacuum by two-probe technique

TRADITIONAL AND INDIGENOUS PRACTICES OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS AS IMMUNITY BOOSTERS BY FOLKLORE OF MANDI DISTRICT, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Himachal Pradesh being a hilly State is one of the top repositories of various herbal plants of medicinal aspects. District Mandi, popular as Varanasi of Hills, is one of the twelve districts, with great variations in elevation which provide a suitable habitat for the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. The present paper aimed to document indigenous uses of some therapeutically significant plants which have been utilized by folklore to improve their immunity and to cure immunity-related diseases like cough, cold, and allergies. Indeed, even today when the Corona pandemic has influenced the whole world gravely, provincial fables of the State have kept themselves safe and have indicated their confidence on these plant assets which are being utilized by their predecessors for ages. Herein 21 species belonging to 17 families used as immunity boosters are compiled (8 herbs, 6 shrubs, 6 trees, 1 climber) used by folklore to enhance their immunity. Documentation of traditional knowledge is the need of the hour as it the base of the Naturopathy and Ayurveda. The documentation of the traditional medicinal knowledge will give another point of view to herbal drug researchers for extending and improving the utilization of botanical drugs and their therapeutic applications. Plant-based natural products offer an infinite source of compounds to help to design the pharmacologically important molecular products and novel drug discovery as well

Finite Element Method-based Design and Simulations of Micro-cantilever Platform for Chemical and Bio-sensing Applications

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based cantilever platform have capability for the detection of chemical and biological agents. This paper reports about the finite element method (FEM) based design and simulations of MEMS-based piezoresistor cantilever platform to be used for detection of chemical and biological toxic agents. Bulk micromachining technique is adopted for the realisation of the device structure. MEMS piezoresistive biosensing platforms are having potential for a field-based label-free detection of various types of bio-molecules. Using the MEMMECH module of CoventorWare® simulations are performed on the designed model of the device and it is observed that principal stress is maximum along the length (among other dimensions of the micro-cantilever) and remains almost constant for 90 per cent of the length of the micro-cantilever. The dimensions of piezoresistor are optimised and the output voltage vs. stress analysis for various lengths of the piezoresistor is performed using the MEMPZR module of the CoventorWare®

Consumer Ambivalence toward Contraception: Towards an Integrative Framework

Purpose – This paper aims to introduce a comprehensive conceptual framework to study the influence of “consumer ambivalence towards contraception” and “intercourse frequency” along with attitudes toward contraception and satisfaction with most familiar contraceptive method, on contraceptive usage and intentions. Design/methodology/approach – A team of trained female interviewers used a structured questionnaire to conduct a clinic-intercept survey with 588 sexually active female consumers in two major hospitals and six randomly chosen clinics in Singapore (response rate = 29 per cent). Findings – Consumer attitudes toward contraception, satisfaction with most familiar contraceptive method and intercourse frequency have a positive effect on contraceptive usage. Consumer ambivalence toward contraception has a negative effect on usage and intentions and it negatively moderates the effects of attitudes, satisfaction and intercourse frequency. Research limitations/implications – This paper explores the role of consumer ambivalence toward contraception in general and not toward specific contraceptive methods. Moreover, it does not measure differences in the impact of personal cultural values and orientations of the participants on contraceptive usage. These could be useful avenues for future research. Practical implications – By clarifying the reasons for inconsistent contraception usage, this research will help health-care professionals, social workers and welfare organizations develop more focused consumer education programs and communication campaigns to reduce consumer ambivalence about contraception and improve contraception usage rates. Originality/value – This paper extends prior research on consumer ambivalence by exploring its direct and moderating impact on contraceptive usage, an important issue for female health and well-being. The authors also show intercourse frequency as a moderator in this process

The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae: A review of its biology and management

The melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is distributed widely in temperate, tropical, and sub-tropical regions of the world. It has been reported to damage 81 host plants and is a major pest of cucurbitaceous vegetables, particularly the bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), muskmelon (Cucumis melo), snap melon (C. melo var. momordica), and snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina). The extent of losses vary between 30 to 100%, depending on the cucurbit species and the season. Its abundance increases when the temperatures fall below 32° C, and the relative humidity ranges between 60 to 70%. It prefers to infest young, green, soft-skinned fruits. It inserts the eggs 2 to 4 mm deep in the fruit tissues, and the maggots feed inside the fruit. Pupation occurs in the soil at 0.5 to 15 cm below the soil surface. Keeping in view the importance of the pest and crop, melon fruit fly management could be done using local area management and wide area management. The melon fruit fly can successfully be managed over a local area by bagging fruits, field sanitation, protein baits, cue-lure traps, growing fruit fly-resistant genotypes, augmentation of biocontrol agents, and soft insecticides. The wide area management program involves the coordination of different characteristics of an insect eradication program (including local area options) over an entire area within a defensible perimeter, and subsequently protected against reinvasion by quarantine controls. Although, the sterile insect technique has been successfully used in wide area approaches, this approach needs to use more sophisticated and powerful technologies in eradication programs such as insect transgenesis and geographical information systems, which could be deployed over a wide area. Various other options for the management of fruit fly are also discussed in relation to their bio-efficacy and economics for effective management of this pest

Impact of health education on unmet needs of contraception in urban slums of Chandigarh, India

Background: Unmet need points to gap between some women reproductive intention and their contraceptive behavior. Unmet need for contraception is mainly attributed to lack of information, negative attitude, fear of adverse effects and social influences. The objective of this study was to investigate awareness and practice of contraceptive usage. And to estimate unmet need of contraception in the studied population and to identify the factors associated with it, and to evaluate impact of health education on unmet needs of contraception.Methods: A community-based longitudinal study was conducted in four randomly selected urban slum areas (colonies) of Chandigarh, India. A systematic two-stage random sample design was adopted.Results: Overall contraceptive awareness rates among women and men were increased from 84.1% to 96.3% and from 82.2% to 95.5% in post-interventional survey as compared to baseline survey. Contraceptive prevalence rates were found to be 57.3% and 65.5% respectively in pre interventional and post interventional surveys, against contraceptive awareness rates of 81.7% and 95.5% respectively, resulting in gaps between knowledge and practice to be unmet needs of contraception to the extents of 24.4% and 30.0% respectively in the two surveys.Conclusions: There is an urgent need of adopting some population specific integral strategies for changing social norms and attitudes of couples regarding reproductive issues, increase in contraceptives awareness as well as practice for reductions in unmet needs of contraception and unwanted/unplanned pregnancies

Compact anisotropic spheres with prescribed energy density

New exact interior solutions to the Einstein field equations for anisotropic spheres are found. We utilise a procedure that necessitates a choice for the energy density and the radial pressure. This class contains the constant density model of Maharaj and Maartens (Gen. Rel. Grav., Vol 21, 899-905, 1989) and the variable density model of Gokhroo and Mehra (Gen. Rel. Grav., Vol 26, 75-84, 1994) as special cases. These anisotropic spheres match smoothly to the Schwarzschild exterior and gravitational potentials are well behaved in the interior. A graphical analysis of the matter variables is performed which points to a physically reasonable matter distribution.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Gen. Rel. Gra

Development of a micro-optofluidic temperature sensor

A fluorescent micro-optofluidic temperature sensor is developed using a temperature sensitive dye. The sensor can measure temperatures in microregions up to 70 ºC and is applicable in lab-on-a chip devices. It is fabricated using soft lithography method and uses Rhodamine B dissolved in water as a temperature indicator