General Common Fixed Point Theorems and Applications

The main result is a common fixed point theorem for a pair of multivalued maps on a complete metric space extending a recent result of Đorić and Lazović (2011) for a multivalued map on a metric space satisfying Ćirić-Suzuki-type-generalized contraction. Further, as a special case, we obtain a generalization of an important common fixed point theorem of Ćirić (1974). Existence of a common solution for a class of functional equations arising in dynamic programming is also discussed

Coincidence and common fixed point theorems for Suzuki type hybrid contractions and applications

Coincidence and common fixed point theorems for a class of Suzuki hybrid contractions involving two pairs of single-valued and multivalued maps in a metric space are obtained. In addition, the existence of a common solution for a certain class of functional equations arising in a dynamic programming is also discussed.The authors thank the referees for their deep understanding, appreciation, and suggestions to improve upon the original typescript. They are also thankful to the Spanish Government for its support of this research through Grant DPI2012-30651, and to the Basque Government for its support of this research trough Grants IT378-10 and SAIOTEK S-PE12UN015. Further, they acknowledge the financial support by the University of Basque Country through Grant UFI 2011/0

Geospatial mapping of antimalarial plants used by the ethnic groups of Anuppur district (Madhya Pradesh, India)

261-271The present ethnobotanical study was conducted to document indigenous knowledge and practices for treatment of malaria in Annupur district, Madhya Pradesh, India. This paper also reports on geographical distribution of prevalent antimalarial plants. Information was collected from 29 traditional healers and 240 other informants about their socio-economy and knowledge of plants by means of semi-structured questionnaires-SSQ and interview-SSI. Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates were recorded for marked locations and integrated in ArcGIS to develop geospatial map. A total of 19 plants belonging to 15 families were identified against malaria. Majority of these were growing wild in forest area (57.89%). Andrographis paniculata was the most cited plant (19.23%) followed by Vitex negundo (10.57%). Highest AMI was recorded for A. paniculata (0.338), whereas, lowest (0.029) for Schefflera vinosa and Datura metel. Synergic antimalarial recipes prepared from two or more plants were preferred over single plant recipe. Roots (63.15%) were the most frequently used plant part followed by leaves (42.10%) and seeds (21.05%). This is the first ethnopharmacological documentation of antimalarial plants in Central India. It highlights potential sources for the development of novel antimalarial remedies from indiginous traditional knowledge. The spatial maps facilitate the access of local tribal population to these plants

The 1990 vertical distribution of two important halons (F-12B1 and F-13B1) in the tropics

The first vertical profiles of F-12B1 and F-13B1 had been obtained in the tropical troposphere and stratosphere by us in 1987. The measurement of these substances responsible for almost the entire anthropogenic contribution to the stratospheric BrO(x) budget is important in the tropics, as tropical upwelling provides their injection along with that of other pollutants, into the stratosphere. To ascertain the trends of these distributions and foster the data, the 1987 experiment was repeated in April 1990. Like 1987, the MPAE cryogenic whole air sampler was launched on a balloon from Hyderabad, India (17.5 deg N), and 14 samples were collected between 10 and 35 km altitude. The results obtained by means of GC and GC-MS analyses showed that the atmospheric abundance of both F-12B1 and F-13B1 is increasing at a fast rate, respectively by about 15 percent and 10 percent per year. From 1987 to 1990, F-12B1 and F-13B1 tropospheric mixing ratios have been growing from 1.2 and 1.3 ppt to 1.8 and 1.7 ppt, respectively. The vertical profiles will be discussed

Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets to Prevent Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Indian Subcontinent; Methodological Lessons Learned from a Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

In a recent paper, Nagpal et al. voiced concerns about the limited or biased use of scientific evidence to support public health interventions to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is one of the major NTDs and does not escape this problem. Transmission is vector-borne and the Indian subcontinent is the region reporting most of the VL cases worldwide. In this region, the main causative species is Leishmania donovani and Phlebotomus argentipes is the vector. Transmission is considered anthroponotic and peridomestic—occurring at night when female sand flies bite people sleeping inside their house. The World Health Organization and the governments of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh set out in 2005 to eliminate VL from the region by 2015 through a combination of early treatment of cases and vector control. However, while recent advances in diagnostic tools and drugs have significantly improved case management strategies, the available vector control tools against P. argentipes remain limited. The elimination initiative promotes the use of indoor residual spraying (IRS) of households and cattle sheds to reduce vector density, but the evidence underpinning the effectiveness of IRS in this region is scanty. Historical observations show that L. donovani transmission declined concomitantly with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) spraying during the 1950s–60s to eradicate malaria. In the aftermath of this malaria eradication campaign, very few VL cases were observed in endemic regions until the mid-seventies, when there was resurgence of a VL epidemic in India. To date, there are no randomized trials showing the effect of IRS on the incidence of clinical VL, though some studies showed a reduction in vector density. When the VL elimination initiative was launched in 2005, there were no clear alternatives for IRS as a vector control strategy. Insecticide treated nets (ITNs) were proposed as an alternative or complement to IRS on the basis of analogy arguments regarding their given efficacy against malaria or on data from observational studies suggesting ITNs reduce the risk of VL; but as for IRS, there were no randomized trials evaluating the effect of ITNs on L. donovani transmission. In this context, a number of field studies were conducted in the Indian subcontinent in the past decade to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of ITNs and other vector control tools on VL. Most of these studies have been reviewed in detail in two recent papers. The only two studies evaluating the impact of vector control interventions on clinical outcomes found conflicting results. First, the KALANET project, a cluster randomised controlled trial (CRT) in India and Nepal, showed that mass-distribution of ITNs did not reduce the risk of L. donovani infection or clinical VL. Then, an intervention trial in Bangladesh suggested that widespread bed net impregnation with slow-release insecticide may reduce the frequency of VL. Technical (e.g., type of nets and insecticides, lack of replicas and randomisation in Bangladesh) and biological factors (e.g., insecticide susceptibility and sand fly behaviour) may explain the different results observed. This apparent contradiction raises the question about the role that ITN may play in controlling VL in the Indian subcontinent but has also triggered a lot of discussion on methodology and evidence levels required when evaluating vector control tools for VL. In this paper, we would like to summarise the lessons learned from the KALANET CRT in terms of methodology to inform the generation of future evidence and discuss interpretation of findings against this background

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture, a diagnostic dilemma in the presence of eventration: a case report

Eventration of the diaphragm is the condition where the muscle is permanently elevated, but retains its continuity and attachments to the costal margins. Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is a recognized consequence of high velocity blunt trauma to the abdomen usually a result of motor vehicle accident. Multi-slice CT and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the pre-operative evaluation of trauma patients, diaphragmatic rupture can be still overlooked if not evaluated with the fair degree of clinical suspicion, more so if it is associated with an eventration of diaphragm - as was in our case

Longlasting insecticidal nets for prevention of Leishmania donovani infection in India and Nepal: paired cluster randomised trial

Objective To test the effectiveness of large scale distribution of longlasting nets treated with insecticide in reducing the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in India and Nepal

COVID-19 vaccination up-take in three districts of Nepal

Vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be an issue in terms of global efforts to decrease transmission rates. Despite high demand for the vaccines in Nepal, the country still contends with challenges related to vaccine accessibility, equitable vaccine distribution, and vaccine hesitancy. Study objectives were to identify: 1) up-take and intention for use of COVID-19 vaccines, 2) factors associated with vaccine up-take, and 3) trusted communication strategies about COVID-19 and the vaccines. A quantitative survey was implemented in August and September 2021 through an initiative at the Nepali Ministry of Health and Population Department of Health Services, Family Welfare Division. Data were collected from 865 respondents in three provinces (Bagmati, Lumbini, and Province 1). Ordinal multivariate logistic regression was utilized to determine relationships between vaccination status and associated factors. Overall, 62% (537) respondents were fully vaccinated and 18% (159) were partially vaccinated. Those respondents with higher education (p \u3c .001) and higher household income (p \u3c .001) were more likely vaccinated. There were also significant differences in vaccine up-take across the three provinces (p \u3c .001). Respondents who were vaccinated were significantly more likely to perceive vaccines as efficacious in terms of preventing COVID-19 (p = .004) and preventing serious outcomes (p = .010). Among both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, there was a high level of trust in information about COVID-19 vaccines provided through local health-care workers [e.g. nurses and physicians]. These results are consistent with other findings within the South Asia region. Targeted advocacy and outreach efforts are needed to support ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaigns throughout Nepal