Mortality trends among inpatients at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Ethiopia

Introduction: Mortality among people with mental illness is higher than the general population. Given the changes in the health service delivery in the past decade in Ethiopia, evaluating the pattern of mortality during this period may provide policy relevant information. The aim of this study was to assess the mortality pattern in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Ethiopia. Method: A case-control design was employed. Using the Health Management Information System records and clinical records kept at the tertiary hospital; data on inpatient mortality was collected respectively for a period of nine years (2006 -2014). Changes in the service configuration were also tracked over the nine years period to explore the potential impact of changes in management upon mortality. Data was analyzed through simple descriptive methods and logistic regression. Result: A total of 16,081 patients were admitted during the nine year period. The overall mortality rate of inpatients was 2.5/1000 admitted patients. The sex specific all-cause mortality rates were high in females (4.6/1000) than in males (1.8/1000). The mortality rate varied over the nine years between 0.5/1000 to 5.0/1000, with indications of fluctuations commensurate with changes in service organizational changes although these changes were not statistically significant. Although suicide accounted for the death of 12.5% (n=5), most died of natural causes and also primarily of infectious diseases . Conclusion:Mortality occurs mainly from preventable causes including suicide. Service reconfigurations may play important role in mitigating mortality. However, further systematic studies are required to determine the impact of service configurations on mortality and general morbidity

A Jupiter-mass planet around the K0 giant HD 208897

For over 10 years, we have carried out a precise radial velocity (RV) survey to find substellar companions around evolved G,K-type stars to extend our knowledge of planet formation and evolution. We performed high precision RV measurements for the giant star HD 208897 using an iodine (I2) absorption cell. The measurements were made at T\"UB\.ITAK National Observatory (TUG, RTT150) and Okayama Astrophysical Observatory (OAO). For the origin of the periodic variation seen in the RV data of the star, we adopted a Keplerian motion caused by an unseen companion. We found that the star hosts a planet with a minimum mass of m2sini=1.40MJ, which is relatively low compared to those of known planets orbiting evolved intermediate-mass stars. The planet is in a nearly circular orbit with a period of P=353 days at about 1 AU distance from the host star. The star is metal rich and located at the early phase of ascent along the red giant branch. The photometric observations of the star at Ankara University Kreiken Observatory (AUKR) and the HIPPARCOS photometry show no sign of variation with periods associated with the RV variation. Neither bisector velocity analysis nor analysis of the Ca II and Halpha lines shows any correlation with the RV measurements

Research into self-help groups and speed school graduates' experiences of schooling

No description supplie

Magnetobiostratigraphy of the Spathian to Anisian (Lower to Middle Triassic) Kçira section, Albania

Magnetobiostratigraphic data are presented from three Early/Middle Triassic Han-Bulog Limestone successions from Kçira, northern Albania. A total of 206 standard palaeomagnetic samples were obtained for thermal demagnetization and statisticalanalysis from the 42, 10 and 5m thick sections. The reversal-bearing characteristic component, carried by haematite and magnetite, defines a composite sequence of six main polarity intervals (Kçln to Kç3r) in which are embedded four short polarity intervals, one at the base of Kçln and three towards the top of Kçlr. The early acquisition of the characteristic remanence is supported by the lateral correlation of magnetozones between sections. The Early/Middle Triassic boundary, approximated by the first occurrence of the conodont Chiosella timorensis, falls close to the Kçlr/Kç2n polarity transition. This is in good agreement with recently published magnetobiostratigraphic data from the coeval Chios (Greece) sections. The palaeomagnetic pole calculated from the Kçira characteristic directions lies close to the Triassic portion of the apparent polar wander path for Laurussia (in European coordinates). However, a 40-45" clockwise rotation of the external zone of the Albano-Hellenic Belt to the south of the Scutari-Pec Line is thought to have occurred since the Early-Middle Miocene. The Kçira pole acquires a West Gondwana affinity when restored for the Neogene clockwise rotation. If the clockwise rotation was entirely related to Neogene tectonics, the Kçira area was evidently associated with West Gondwana and located at 12-16"N of the western Tethys margin

Towards a better definition of the Middle Triassic magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy in the Tethyan realm

Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data for the Middle Triassic (Anisian) were obtained from the Han-Bulog facies in the Nderlysaj section from the Albanian Alps and the Dont and Bivera formations in the Dont–Monte Rite composite section from the Dolomites region of northern Italy. The Nderlysaj section is biochronologically bracketed between the late Bithynian and early Illyrian substages (i.e., late-early and early-late Anisian), whereas the Dont–Monte Rite section comprises the late Pelsonian and the early Illyrian substages. The data from Nderlysaj and Dont–Monte Rite, in conjunction with already published data, allow us to construct a nearly complete composite geomagnetic polarity sequence tied to Tethyan ammonoid and conodont biostratigraphy from the late Olenekian (late-Early Triassic) to the late Ladinian (late-Middle Triassic). New conodont data require revision of the published age of the Vlichos section (Greece)

Astronomical Site Selection for Turkey Using GIS Techniques

A site selection of potential observatory locations in Turkey have been carried out by using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) coupled with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery which in turn reduced cost and time and increased the accuracy of the final outcome. The layers of cloud cover, digital elevation model, artificial lights, precipitable water vapor, aerosol optical thickness and wind speed were studied in the GIS system. In conclusion of MCDA, the most suitable regions were found to be located in a strip crossing from southwest to northeast including also a diverted region in southeast of Turkey. These regions are thus our prime candidate locations for future on-site testing. In addition to this major outcome, this study has also been applied to locations of major observatories sites. Since no goal is set for \textit{the best}, the results of this study is limited with a list of positions. Therefore, the list has to be further confirmed with on-site tests. A national funding has been awarded to produce a prototype of an on-site test unit (to measure both astronomical and meteorological parameters) which might be used in this list of locations.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, accepted by Experimental Astronom