Individual fecundity dynamically predicts remaining life expectancy in medflies

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Study of the bivariate survival data using frailty models based on Lévy processes

Frailty models allow us to take into account the non-observable inhomogeneity of individual hazard functions. Although models with time-independent frailty have been intensively studied over the last decades and a wide range of applications in survival analysis have been found, the studies based on the models with time-dependent frailty are relatively rare. In this paper, we formulate and prove two propositions related to the identifiability of the bivariate survival models with frailty given by a nonnegative bivariate Lévy process. We discuss parametric and semiparametric procedures for estimating unknown parameters and baseline hazard functions. Numerical experiments with simulated and real data illustrate these procedures. The statements of the propositions can be easily extended to the multivariate case

A comparative study of the efficacy of amisulpride and olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia attending the outpatient Department of Psychiatry in a tertiary care hospital, Silchar, Assam, India

Background: Schizophrenia is one of the most commonly encountered psychiatric disorders. It is characterized by impairment in perception or expression of reality, leading to occupational and social dysfunction. Now a day’s mainstay of treatment of schizophrenia is by using atypical antipsychotics. Amisulpride and olanzapine are atypical antipsychotics which are commonly used in treatment of schizophrenia. The current study is undertaken to assess the efficacy of amisulpride which is a relatively newer antipsychotics against existing antipsychotic olanzapine.Methods: This was designed as a single-blind, prospective, parallel-group, observational study. Eighty adult patients of either sex were randomized to receive standard doses of the two drugs orally for 12 weeks, with follow up at 4 and 8 weeks. Effectiveness was assessed by change in the score of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score during the treatment period. Data were entered in Microsoft excel and statistical analysis were done using graph pad and p value <0.05 considered to be statistically significant.Results: Out of 80 adults patients 76 patients were evaluated by dividing into two groups, 38 patients were included in each group. Final BPRS score was less for olanzapine as compared to amisulpride (p<0.001). Improvement in CGI score is more in olanzapine group than amisulpride group which became statistically significant from 8th weeks onwards.Conclusions: Both amisulpride and olanzapine are very effective in controlling the symptoms of schizophrenia which is evident by significant decrease in BPRS, CGI-S and CGI-I score, but efficacy of amisulpride is still inferior to olanzapine

Season of birth influences life span of Mediterranean fruit flies, rats and mice

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Alloying of Surface Layers of the Fuel Claddings from Sponge Based E110 Alloy to Increase High Temperature Oxidation Resistance

The results of experiments of parts of cladding tubes from sponge based zirconium E110 alloy near-surface layers doping by means of ion-plasma technologies are presented in this paper. Alloying of material by method of pre-deposited Fe, Y, Mo, Al, Mg, Cr films ion mixing is performed on installation ILUR-03 by means of radialAr+ion beam 3-4 keV average energy. State of modified material layer and oxides, grown on the modified samples in argon-water steam mixture at 1200 ∘C studied by scanning electron and ion microscopy methods, X-ray analysis and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. It is shown that treating modes defined contribute to the barrier for oxygen penetration and material oxidation formation near ion-doped surface

Pharmacoepidemiological survey of schizophrenia in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Prevalence of chronic schizophrenia is somewhat less than 1% of the population but this is one of the most important psychiatric illness due to its early onset, chronicity and associated disability.Methods: A prospective and observational study was carried out on 76 patients for 12 months. Patients of either sex, aged between 18 to 50 years who were diagnosed as schizophrenia according to DSM IV-TR were screened and recruited for the study. Prescriptions were analyzed for socio demographic details and psychotropic drugs prescribed.Results: Out of 76 patients 46 (60.53%) were males, maximum occurred 19 (41.30%) between 18 and 25 years of age. Females were 30 (39.47%), maximum occurred 12 (40%) between 34 - 39 years of age. 52 (68.42%) were from urban area and 24 (31.57%) were from rural area. 26 (34.21%) were illiterate, 24 (31.58%) primary educated, 16 (21.05%) secondary educated and 10 (13.16%) higher secondary and above. 20 (26.32%) were unemployed, students 9 (11.84%), housewives 19 (25%), agricultural workers 10 (13.16%), nonagricultural outdoor workers 4 (5.26%) and nonagricultural indoor workers were 14 (18.42%). Only atypical antipsychotics were prescribed .Olanzapine was prescribed in 30 (39.47%), risperidone 16 (21.05%), amisulpride 13 (17.11%), aripiprazole 11 (14.47%) and quetiapine 06 (7.89%) respectively.Conclusions: The sociodemographic factors associated with schizophrenia are urban locality, illiteracy, low socioeconomic status and unemployment. The treatment pattern observed correlates with the changing trends in the treatment of schizophrenia worldwide

Senescence can play an essential role in modelling and estimation of vector based epidemiological indicators: demographical approach

In the paper basic epidemiological indicators, produced by an aging population of vectors, are calculated. In the study we follow two lines: calculations for demographically structured population and individual life-history approach. We discuss the advantages and limitations of these approaches and compare the results of our calculations with epidemiological indicators obtained for non-aging population of vectors.Gibraltar, age effect, disease control, gerontology

Differentiation of Russian Region in terms of the agricultural production

The present article examines the regional inequality of agricultural production. The author gives his assessment to the degree of differentiation of the agricultural production in Russian Federation regions. The author has performed the analysis of decomposition of the regional inequality in the agricultural production. The received results indicate the re-enforcement of inequality of the agricultural goods production, including the separate categories of agricultural producers. © IDOSI Publications, 2013

Improvement of instruments of the state cluster-based policy in the contexts of economic entities interrelation assymetry

The present article suggests the mathematical-statistic approach to increase state policy justification in the sphere of territorial clusters' development. The author made an analysis of the current tools of the cluster development planning, as well as has improved the system of indicators and has complemented the categorical instrument. It was shown that with the limited resources at the regional level the cluster approach produces the maximal effect. The present article has detected the role of dualistic interrelations of economic entities at the labour market. It was shown that the separation of the state policy onto the social and economical problems of spatial development produces the synergistic effect through the activation of economical growth points and human potential building. By the example of regions of the Volga federal district the author evaluates the algorithm for detection of the economic cluster and mechanisms of socio-economic status improvement. © IDOSI Publications, 2013

A questionnaire based survey on the knowledge, attitude and practices about antimicrobial resistance and usage among the MBBS students and doctors of a tertiary care teaching Hospital in Silchar, Assam, India

Background: Antimicrobials are agents used to kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms. Now they are most commonly used as well as misused medicine too. Misuse of these agents lead to development of resistance which is now a global concern. Public awareness about antimicrobial resistance is a key factor in combating the situation which includes educating doctors and health care professionals. So the current study is undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) related to antibiotic resistance and usage and among the MBBS students and doctors.Methods: A pre-formed duly validated questionnaire was distributed among the study group and their KAP regarding antimicrobial usage and resistance was assessed by Likert scale whose responses ranges from strongly agree to strongly disagree and always to never. Some questions were of true/false type. One question was choosing the correct answer. In this study, questionnaires were distributed among 270 participants out of which 188 were MBBS students and 82 were doctors. After collection, data were entered in Microsoft excel and simple descriptive statistics were used to generate frequencies, percentage and proportions. Wherever possible the chi-square test or fisher exact test was done to find out any association. * p<0.05 was taken as significant.Results: Response rate was 100% among the study populations. Out of 270 study population, 91% (245) had the knowledge that indiscriminate use of antibiotics cause ineffective treatment with a considerable difference in knowledge between undergraduates and doctors (p<0.05). Also it causes bacterial resistance (96.3%). Around 89% of the total participants agreed that bacteria do not cause common cold and influenza.Conclusions: This study revealed that most of the study population, both undergraduates and doctors were well aware about the emerging problem of antimicrobial resistance. However, responses related to their practices were quite varied. Hence, further educational interventions are needed to improve their practices towards antibiotics use in both the study groups