The postcolonial migration state

The evolution of migration policymaking across the Global South is of growing interest to International Relations. Yet, the impact of colonial and imperial legacies on states’ migration management regimes outside Europe and North America remains under-theorised. How does postcolonial state formation shape policies of cross-border mobility management in the Global South? By bringing James F. Hollifield’s framework of the contemporary ‘migration state’ in conversation with critical scholarship on postcolonialism, we identify the existence of a ‘postcolonial paradox,’ namely two sets of tensions faced by newly independent states of the Global South: first, the need to construct a modern sovereign nation-state with a well-defined national identity contrasts with weak institutional capacity to do so; second, territorial realities of sovereignty conflict with the imperatives of nation-building seeking to establish exclusive citizenship norms towards populations residing both inside and outside the boundaries of the postcolonial state. We argue that the use of cross-border mobility control policies to reconcile such tensions transforms the ‘postcolonial state’ into the ‘postcolonial migration state,’ which shows distinct continuities with pre-independence practices. In fact, postcolonial migration states reproduce colonial-era tropes via the surveillance and control of segmented migration streams that redistribute labour for the global economy. We demonstrate this via a comparative study of post-independence migration management in India and Egypt, which also aims to merge a problematic regional divide between scholarship on the Middle East and South Asia. We urge further critical interventions on the international politics of migration that prioritise interregional perspectives from the broader Global South

Design, Analysis and Applications of Wearable Antennas: A Review

Wearable antennas are the vital components for Body Centric Communication (BCC). These antennas have recently gained the attention of researchers and have received a great deal of popularity due to their attractive characteristics and opportunities. They are fundamental in the Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) for health care, military, sports, and identification purposes. Compared to traditional antennas, these antennas work in close proximity to the human body, so their performance in terms of return loss, gain, directivity, bandwidth, radiation pattern, efficiency, and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) is influenced by the coupling and absorption of the human body tissues. Additionally, in the design of these antennas, size, power consumption, and speed can also play a paramount role. In most cases, these antennas are integrated into the clothes, or in some cases, they may be fixed over the skin of the users. When these characteristics are considered, the design of wearable antennas becomes challenging, particularly when textile materials are examined, high conductivity materials are used during the manufacturing process, and various deformation scenarios have an impact on the design’s performance. To enhance the overall performance of the wearable antennas and to reduce the backward radiation towards the human body, metamaterial surfaces are introduced that provide a high degree of isolation from the human body and significantly reduce the SAR. This paper discusses the state-of-the-art wearable/textile/flexible antennas integrated with metamaterial structures composed of wearable/flexible substrate materials, with a focus on single and dual band antenna designs. The paper also reviews the critical design issues, various fabrication techniques, and other factors that need to be considered in the design of wearable/textile/flexible antennas. All the designs presented in this work are of the recent developments in wearable technology

Design and SAR Analysis of AMC-Based Fabric Antenna for Body-Centric Communication

This study focused on the design and analysis of an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC)-based fabric antenna for body-centric communication. The antenna was made of felt and had a loss tangent of 0.044 and relative permittivity of 1.3. The proposed antenna was built to function in the frequency band centered at 2.45 GHz, widely used in wireless communication devices. The antenna’s performance was evaluated using the electromagnetic simulation software CST MWS. A 50 Ω SubMiniature version connector was used to excite the proposed antenna. A 2×2 AMC array was integrated into the antenna below it to improve its performance in terms of radiation efficiency, gain, and backward radiation reduction. The antenna and AMC array were fabricated on flexible fabric substrates. The total volume of the AMC-integrated antenna is 0.55λo×0.55λo×0.016λo . It was demonstrated that adding an AMC array enhanced the radiation properties of the antenna and significantly decreased its back lobes. The on- and off-body maximum gains of the AMC-integrated antenna are (≥ 4.11 dBi) and 5.23 dBi, respectively. Furthermore, employing the AMC array, a significant reduction in the specific absorption rate value, which is (≤ 0.43 W/kg) for human body tissue chest/back and (≤ 0.75 W/kg) for human body tissue arm, was obtained, ensuring safety for human use. The simulated and measured results were in agreement. The tested on- and off-body radiation efficiencies in the frequency band centered at 2.45 GHz is (>67%) and (>83%), respectively. The proposed antenna can potentially be used in various applications such as healthcare monitoring, wearable electronics, and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, where reliable and efficient communication is required in a body-centric environment

A 10-year review of indications for penetrating keratoplasty in a tertiary care setting in Karachi Pakistan

Abstract The retrospective study was conducted to determine the indications and outomes of penetrating keratoplasty(PKP) in a tertiary caresetting in Pakistan. All eyes that had undergone PKP between January 2005 and December 2014 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, were included.Data were collected on the indications of PKP, graft survival (graft clarity at final follow-up), andbest corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Kaplan-Meier\\u27s method was usedto analyse graft survival.Out of 437 eyes, 383(87%) were for visual purpose. Trauma-related corneal scarring 113(26.2%) was the leading cause of PKP, followed by keratoconus 74(17.1%), redo graft 56(13%), infection-related corneal opacity 46(10.6%), corneal dystrophy 44(10.2%) and bullous keratopathy 36(8.3%). The probability of graft survival at 30 months was 90% for keratoconusversus 75% for the non-keratoconus grafts. Most of the PKPs in this case series were due to preventable causes. Our long-term PKP results were favourable, with a graft survival ratecomparable to those of other centres

Applications of Metamaterials and Metasurfaces

Metamaterials are efficiently homogenizable arrangements of artificial structural components engineered to achieve beneficial and exotic electromagnetic (EM) properties not found in natural materials. Metasurfaces are the two-dimensional analogue of metamaterials consisting of single-layer or multi-layer stacks of planar structures. Both metamaterials and metasurfaces have great potential to be used in a wide range of applications, e.g., antennas, polarization converters, radar cross section (RCS) reduction, and absorbers, to control the amplitude, phase and polarization of the reflected and transmitted EM waves. This chapter presents a brief overview of the known types and applications of metamaterials/metasurface followed by comprehensive analysis of these surfaces for antennas performance enhancement, polarization conversion, RCS reduction, and wave absorption

Wideband and High Gain Array Antenna for 5G Smart Phone Applications Using Frequency Selective Surface

This work presents an eight element array antenna with single layer frequency selective surface (FSS) to obtain high gain. The eight elements are fed by single port. The FSS consists of 14 × 6 unit cells with one unit cell size is 5 × 5 mm2 having wideband behavior. The antenna uses Rogers RT Duroid 5880 substrate and giving very wide bandwidth from 20 GHz to 65 GHz, covering millimeter wave 5G bands (including 28 GHz, 38 GHz and 60 GHz). The designed FSS is showing stop band transmission characteristics below −10 dB threshold from 25 GHz to 42 GHz and 59 GHz to 61 GHz. The eight element antenna integrated with the FSS reflector, which results an improvement in the gain level from 12 dB to 15 dB at 28 GHz, from 10 dB to 12 dB at 38 GHz, and from 9.5 to 11 dB at 60 GHz. The dimensions of the antenna are 65 × 27 × 0.857 mm3. The proposed antenna shows stable gain and directional radiation patterns. The simulation findings are experimentally confirmed, by testing the fabricated prototypes of the proposed antenna system

Factors affecting maternal nutrition and health: A qualitative study in a matrilineal community in Indonesia

The Minangkabau people of West Sumatra in Indonesia are renowned for their matrilineal culture with property and land passing down from mother to daughter. Despite there being a fairly balanced social status for women in the community, the impact of health inequalities is uneven. This study was therefore carried out to explore the relationship between the social, cultural and economic contexts in such a distinctive community with maternal nutrition and pregnancy-related health outcomes, from the perspectives of the mothers, fathers and care providers. Qualitative methods were used to undertake this study in collaboration with partners from the University of Andalas in a suburban area of Padang district. The data collection method was qualitative, semi-structured interviews (n = 19) with women, men, midwives and community health workers. The data were recorded with informed consent, transcribed in the local language and then translated into English prior to being thematically analysed. The major themes which emerged from the data included ‘Minangkabau matrilineality and role of women’; ‘culture and supportive attitude towards pregnant women’; ‘dietary patterns, attitude and access to food’; and ‘limited access to information about food and nutrition’. The findings showed healthy dietary patterns such as regular consumption of vegetables and fruit among the participants. However, the issues of poverty, access to food, dietary taboos and inadequate nutritional information remained major challenges for the mothers and the families who participated in the study. The evidence from this study suggests that the matrilineal culture of the Minangkabau promotes the empowerment of women and offers an encouraging environment for enhancing reproductive health. This lends itself to co-developing locally sensitive and sustainable complex interventions incorporating professional support and building on family and community back-up, enhancing knowledge and demystifying dietary misinformation to improve maternal health and nutrition

Left atrial volumes and associated stroke subtypes.

Background: Cardio embolism and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis are two major mechanisms of stroke. Studies investigating associations between advanced echocardiographic parameters and stroke mechanisms are limited. Methods: This study is a standardized review of 633 patients admitted to the stroke service of a tertiary care hospital following a standardized stroke investigation and management pathway. Stroke subtypes were characterized using the Causative Classification System, using the hospitals online radiologic archival system with CCS certified stroke investigators. Patients with two mechanisms were excluded. Results: Patients with cardioembolic stroke had a higher proportion of atrial fibrillation (p \u3c 0.001), acute myocardial infarction (p \u3c 0.001) and ischemic heart disease (p \u3c 0.001). On electrocardiogram (ECG) and transthoracic Echo (TTE), patients with cardioembolic stroke had a greater atrial fibrillation (p \u3c .00), left ventricular thrombus (p \u3c .00), left ventricular ejection fraction \u3c30% (p \u3e\u3c .00) and global hypokinesia (p \u3c .00) Patients with cardioembolic stroke had higher mean left atrial volume indices (LAVi) (p \u3c 0.001), mean left ventricular mass indices (LVMi) (p \u3c 0.05) and mean left atrial diameters (LAD) (p \u3c 0.05). At LAVi of 29–33 ml/m2 , the risk of atherothrombotic stroke increased. The risk of cardioembolic stroke increased with LAVi of 34 ml/m2 and above. Conclusion: Left atrial volume indices may be linked to specific stroke phenotype. At mild increases in left atrial dimensions, the risks of atherosclerotic stroke are high, and probably reflect hypertension as the unifying mechanism. Further increases in left atrial dimensions shifts the risk towards cardioembolic stroke

Enhancing diabetes care in LMICs: Insights from a multinational consensus

The International Cardio-Metabolic Forum held a plenary session to establish a multinational consensus on the challenges faced in diabetes management within lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) and their potential solutions. Stakeholders, including patients, family/caretakers, healthcare professionals, and healthcare policymakers & organizations, participated in discussions. The audience of 280 doctors from 15 different countries (Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Myanmar, Georgia, Nigeria, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Tanzania, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, South Sudan and Libya) was divided into 4 groups led by Group Leaders to represent each stakeholder group. Questionnaires addressing key challenges and solutions specific to each group were used to facilitate consensus development. Participants voted on relevant options based on their clinical experience. SLIDO software was used for polling, generating separate results for each group. The insights shared by healthcare professionals highlighted the importance of improving medication accessibility and cost-effectiveness for patients, emphasizing the need for adherence to treatment plans and lifestyle modifications. The significance of balanced nutrition with low glycemic index food for enhancing quality of life was recognized. Caregivers of diabetic patients with comorbidities face increasing demands for care, particularly in relation to age-related milestones. Healthcare professionals emphasized the challenges posed by cultural beliefs and health awareness, underscoring the importance of teamwork and early referral for managing comorbidities. Healthcare policymakers need to focus on disease education, awareness programs, screening guidelines, and advocacy for community and clinical screening. By addressing these challenges, a more comprehensive and effective approach to diabetes management can be achieved in LMICs, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with diabetes

Design and SAR analysis of wearable antenna on various parts of human body, using conventional and artificial ground planes

This paper presents design and specific absorption rate analysis of a 2.4 GHz wearable patch antenna on a conventional and electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) ground planes, under normal and bent conditions. Wearable materials are used in the design of the antenna and EBG surfaces. A woven fabric (Zelt) is used as a conductive material and a 3 mm thicker Wash Cotton is used as a substrate. The dielectric constant and tangent loss of the substrate are 1.51 and 0.02 respectively. The volume of the proposed antenna is 113×96.4×3 mm3. The metamaterial surface is used as a high impedance surface which shields the body from the hazards of electromagnetic radiations to reduce the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). For on-body analysis a three layer model (containing skin, fats and muscles) of human arm is used. Antenna employing the EBG ground plane gives safe value of SAR (i.e. 1.77W/kg2W/kg). The efficiency of the EBG based antenna is improved from 52 to 74%, relative to the conventional counterpart. The proposed antenna can be used in wearable electronics and smart clothing