Local Government Efficiency in Western Australia

The State government of Western Australia is currently working through a significant program of local government reform that has as a core objective a reduction in the number of local councils. The perception that there are economies of scale in service delivery is a key reason behind the State government’s desire to see a reduction in the number of councils in Western Australia. The following article uses the technique of Data Envelopment Analysis to measure the technical and scale efficiency of councils in Western Australia. The average pure technical efficiency score for Western Australian councils was found to be 83 per cent, and the average scale efficiency score was found to be 94 per cent. This suggests that pure scale effects are not a major source of inefficiency. Detailed returns to scale analysis for the 73 councils where complete data was available revealed that 17 councils were operating at the optimal scale, 26 were operating below the optimal scale, and 30 were operating above the optimal scale.Data Envelope Analysis, Local Government, Efficiency, Productivity Analysis,

X-ray production in low energy proton stopping

The X-ray yields of stopping protons in an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy are calculated for use in predicting radiation damage in encased electronic devices

Nuclear fragmentation studies for microelectronic application

A formalism for target fragment transport is presented with application to energy loss spectra in thin silicon devices. Predicted results are compared to experiments with the surface barrier detectors of McNulty et al. The intranuclear cascade nuclear reaction model does not predict the McNulty experimental data for the highest energy events. A semiempirical nuclear cross section gives an adequate explanation of McNulty's experiments. Application of the formalism to specific electronic devices is discussed

Association of socioeconomic status with sex ratio at live birth in individuals living in the slums of Sholapur city, India

Background: The existence of female feticide in India is well known. However, limited data are available on the association of socioeconomic status (SES) on sex ratio at live birth in disadvantaged populations, despite the fact that 33% of the population of India live on less than $1.25 per day. Objective: To study the association of SES with sex ratio at live birth in individuals living in the slums of Sholapur city, India. Materials and Methods: We used the data collected as a part of a social work intervention in the slums of Sholapur city, Maharashtra, from January 2007 to August 2011. Two measures of SES were used, location of birth (government hospital compared to private hospital) and eligibility for means-tested financial support after delivery. Results: Data were available for 1391 infants. The infants born in government hospitals were more likely to be male compared to those born in private hospitals (sex ratio of 1.45 compared to 1.14, respectively, p = 0.03). Similarly, infants whose parents were eligible for post-delivery financial support had a trend to a higher sex ratio (1.47 compared to 1.18, p = 0.057). Maternal age was independently and inversely associated with sex ratio at live birth with a linear relation (OR per year increase in maternal age 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–1.00, p = 0.03). Conclusion: In this particular population, two measures of less affluent SES were associated with higher sex ratio at live birth. However, care should be taken while generalizing these observations to other disadvantaged groups living in India, but this represents an area of research where more epidemiological work is required, as these differences perpetuated over generations may have substantial demographic consequences

Weight, height, and midupper arm circumference are associated with haemoglobin levels in adolescent girls living in rural India: A cross‐sectional study

We aimed to explore the association of physical parameters with haemoglobin (Hb) levels to test the hypothesis that impaired physical development is associated with anaemia. A cross‐sectional survey study recruited adolescent girls (13 to 17 years) living in rural areas of Maharashtra state of India. Data were collected on physical parameters include height, weight, and midupper arm circumference (MUAC). Hb levels were measured using Sahli's haemometer. Linear regression was conducted to test the hypothesis. Data were collected from 1,010 girls on physical parameter and Hb levels. The majority of the adolescent girls were diagnosed with anaemia (87%). The regression analysis adjusted for age gave a significant association of Hb levels with all three variables (MUAC, weight, and height). Hb increased by 0.11 g/dl with an each centimetre of increase in MUAC (95% confidence interval, CI, [0.08, 0.15], P < .001). Each kilogram of increase in the body weight showed an increase in Hb levels (0.02 g dl, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03], P = .001). With an each centimetre of increase in height, Hb increased by 0.01 g dl (95% CI [0.00, 0.02], P = .022). There was a consistent association between three measures of somatic growth and anaemia in the study population. It is likely that life‐course exposures from conception onwards contribute to this, and the public health implications are that preventing anaemia is a challenge that requires a multifaceted interventional approach. Understanding the importance of the timing of these life exposures will help design interventions that can achieve optimal results

Effects of cosmic rays on single event upsets

Assistance was provided to the Brookhaven Single Event Upset (SEU) Test Facility. Computer codes were developed for fragmentation and secondary radiation affecting Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) in space. A computer controlled CV (HP4192) test was developed for Terman analysis. Also developed were high speed parametric tests which are independent of operator judgment and a charge pumping technique for measurement of D(sub it) (E). The X-ray secondary effects, and parametric degradation as a function of dose rate were simulated. The SPICE simulation of static RAMs with various resistor filters was tested

Concerns about covert HIV testing are associated with delayed presentation of suspected malaria in Ethiopian children: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Early diagnosis is important in preventing mortality from malaria. The hypothesis that guardians' fear of covert human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing delays presentation of children with suspected malaria was tested. METHODS The study design is a cross-sectional survey. The study population consisted of guardians of children with suspected malaria who presented to health centres in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Data were collected on attitudes to HIV testing and the duration of children's symptoms using interview administered questionnaires. RESULTS Some 830 individuals provided data representing a response rate of 99% of eligible participants. Of these, 423 (51%) guardians perceived that HIV testing was routinely done on blood donated for malaria diagnosis, and 353 (43%) were aware of community members who delayed seeking medical advice because of these concerns. Children whose guardians suspected that blood was covertly tested for HIV had longer median delay to presentation for evaluation at health centres compared to those children whose guardians did not hold this belief (three days compared to two days, p < 0.001). Children whose guardians were concerned about covert HIV testing were at a higher odds of a prolonged delay before being seen at a health centre (odds ratio 1.73, 95% confidence intervals: 1.10 to 270 for a delay of ≥ 3 days compared to those seen in ≤ 2 days). CONCLUSION Children whose guardians believed that covert testing for HIV was routine clinical practice presented later for investigation of suspected malaria. This may account for up to 14% of the delay in presentation and represents a reversible risk factor for suboptimal management of malaria

Weight, height and midupper arm circumference are associated with haemoglobin levels in adolescent girls living in rural India: A cross-sectional study

Objective:We aimed to explore the association of physical parameters with haemoglobin (Hb) levels to test the hypothesis that impaired physical development is associated with anaemia.Methods:A cross-sectional survey study recruited adolescent girls (13 to 17 years) living in rural areas of Maharashtra state of India. Data were collected on physical parameters include height, weight and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC). Haemoglobin (Hb) levels were measured using Sahli's haemometer. Linear regression was conducted to test the hypothesis. Results:Data were collected from 1,010 girls on physical parameter and Hb levels. The majority of the adolescent girls were diagnosed with anaemia (87%). The regression analysis adjusted for age gave a significant association of Hb levels with all three variables (MUAC, weight, height). Hb increased by 0.11 g/dl with an each centimetre of increase in MUAC (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.15,

Impact of g-factors and valleys on spin qubits in a silicon double quantum dot

We define single electron spin qubits in a silicon MOS double quantum dot system. By mapping the qubit resonance frequency as a function of gate-induced electric field, the spectrum reveals an anticrossing that is consistent with an inter-valley spin-orbit coupling. We fit the data from which we extract an inter-valley coupling strength of 43 MHz. In addition, we observe a narrow resonance near the primary qubit resonance when we operate the device in the (1,1) charge configuration. The experimental data is consistent with a simulation involving two weakly exchanged-coupled spins with a g-factor difference of 1 MHz, of the same order as the Rabi frequency. We conclude that the narrow resonance is the result of driven transitions between the T- and T+ triplet states, using an ESR signal of frequency located halfway between the resonance frequencies of the two individual spins. The findings presented here offer an alternative method of implementing two-qubit gates, of relevance to the operation of larger scale spin qubit systems

In-hospital mortality following surgical lung biopsy for interstitial lung disease in the USA: 2000-2011

Rationale: Surgical lung biopsy can help to determine a specific diagnosis in interstitial lung disease, but has associated risks. Most currently available mortality data are derived from case series and may not be generalizable to broader populations. Objectives: We aimed to assess in-hospital mortality following surgical lung biopsy for interstitial lung disease in a national secondary care dataset from the United States. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2000-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Cases were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM) codes for interstitial lung disease and surgical lung biopsies. Lung resections and cases of lung cancer were excluded. Weighted data were used to estimate numbers of biopsies nationwide and in-hospital mortality, and multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for sex, age, geographic region, co-morbidity, type of operation and provisional diagnosis. Measurements and Main Results: We estimated there to be around 12,000 surgical lung biopsies performed annually for interstitial lung disease in the United States, two-thirds of which were performed electively. In-hospital mortality was 1.7% for elective procedures, but significantly higher for non-elective procedures (16.0%). Male sex, increasing age, increasing co-morbidity, open surgery and a provisional diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or connective tissue disease related interstitial lung disease were risk factors for increased mortality. Conclusions: In-hospital mortality following elective surgical lung biopsy for interstitial lung disease is just under 2%, but significantly higher for non-elective procedures. Identified risk factors for death should be taken into account when counselling patients on whether to pursue a histological diagnosis