Nonholonomic Feedback Control Among Moving Obstacles

A feedback controller is developed for navigating a nonholonomic vehicle in an area with multiple stationary and possibly moving obstacles. Among other applications the developed algorithms can be used for automatic parking of a passenger car in a parking lot with complex configuration or a ground robot in cluttered environment. Several approaches are explored which combine nonholonomic systems control based on sliding modes and potential field methods

HIV risk behaviours among injecting drug users in Northeast India following scale-up of a targeted HIV prevention programme

BACKGROUND: In the Northeast Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland there has been an ongoing HIV epidemic among injecting drug users (IDUs) since the mid-1990s. Project ORCHID is an Avahan-funded HIV prevention project that has been working in selected districts of Manipur and Nagaland since 2004. It supports local partner non-government organisations (NGOs) to deliver a range of harm reduction interventions, and currently reaches approximately 14,500 IDUs across the two states. To assess changes in HIV risk behaviours two Behavioural Tracking Surveys (BTS) were undertaken among IDUs in 2007 and 2009. METHODS: The BTS used respondent driven sampling (RDS) to recruit adult male IDUs (18 years of age and above) from Ukhrul and Chandel districts in Manipur, and Kiphire and Zunheboto districts in Nagaland. This paper reports on analysis of socio-demographics, drug use and injecting practices, sexual behaviour and condom use, knowledge of HIV, and exposure to interventions. Descriptive data were analysed using RDSAT, and odds ratios were calculated in SPSS. RESULTS: The proportion of IDUs reporting NOT sharing needles / syringes at last injection increased substantially in Ukhrul (59.6% to 91.2%) and Zunheboto (45.5% to 73.8%), remained high in Chandel (97.0% to 98.9%), and remained largely unchanged in Kiphire (63.3% to 68.8%). The use of condoms with regular partners was low in all districts at both time points. In Ukhrul, Kiphire and Zunheboto the proportion of IDUs using condoms during sexual intercourse with a casual partner increased substantially to approximately 70-85%, whilst in Chandel the increase was only marginal (57.4% to 63.6%). Exposure to NGO HIV prevention interventions was significantly associated (p<0.05) with lower odds of sharing needles during the previous month (Nagaland, OR=0.63; Manipur, OR 0.35). CONCLUSION: Despite district-level differences, the results from this BTS study indicate that exposure to HIV prevention services, predominately delivered in this region by NGOs, is associated with a reduced likelihood of engaging in HIV risk behaviours. IDUs using HIV prevention services are more likely to engage in safe injecting and sexual practices, and effort is required to sustain / increase opportunities for IDUs to access these services. These outcomes are a noteworthy achievement in a very challenging context

Changes in method specific suicide following a national pesticide ban in India (2011-2014)

Background: This paper investigates whether declines in suicide by insecticide poisoning in India following a national ban on endosulfan in 2011 were associated with changes in other methods of suicide and total suicide rates. Method: Method-specific suicide rates between 2001–2014 were calculated using National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data by sex, age group and region, with observed rates compared to expected rates for the period post-2011. Results: There were an estimated 20,146 fewer male and 8,418 fewer female suicides by insecticide poisoning and 5542 fewer male and 2679 fewer female suicides by all other methods following the national endosulfan ban. Contemporaneously, an estimated 92% (23,812) of male and 60% (6,735) of female suicides prevented by insecticide poisoning and all other methods were offset to increases in suicides by hanging and other poisoning. Joinpoint regression indicated a decrease in suicide by insecticide poisoning following the endosulfan ban (annual percentage change (APC) of -12.18 among males and -11.89 among females between 2010–2014) while an increase in male suicide by hanging was noted between 2009–2014 (APC of 7.05). Limitation: Suicide rates based on the NCRB data might be an underestimation of the true suicide rates. Conclusion: Declines in suicide by insecticide poisoning were largely offset by an increase in hanging suicides among males, however, this phenomenon was much less prominent in females and contributed to declines in total female suicide rates. Prevention strategies must continue to focus on pesticide bans with simultaneous attention on hanging prevention policies to reduce overall suicide rates in India

Integrating Extensive Listening into Coursework through Mobile-Assisted Language Learning

This action research project evaluates students’ use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) for an extensive listening (EL) module in a listening course over a 15-week semester. In EL, language learners listen to large amounts of high-interest content that is roughly within the “comfort zone” of their comprehension to improve such listening abilities as comprehension, vocabulary, confidence, and motivation. In this project, three classes of Japanese freshmen and sophomores (N=67) completed the module as part of their course homework. Students used mobile devices, primarily smartphones, to stream their choice of videos from a commercial website with an online library. Also, they carried out language learning tasks including listening comprehension, vocabulary recognition, and speaking. A mixed method design was employed to assess student use of the module and their attitudes toward using their smartphones for educational purposes. An online 21-item survey indicated that students recognized the benefits of EL but had mixed attitudes toward using their smartphones as an educational tool. Successful student engagement was tracked in forms of videos watching; lines from the videos, spoken aloud, and vocabulary items studied; suggesting a promising technology for language learning. In addition, the two most engaged and the two least engaged participants in each class were interviewed, indicating the importance of teachers monitoring students and encouraging them

Single-kernel ionomic profiles are highly heritable indicators of genetic and environmental influences on elemental accumulation in maize grain (Zea mays)

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A mental health training program for community health workers in India: impact on knowledge and attitudes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Unmet needs for mental health treatment in low income countries are pervasive. If mental health is to be effectively integrated into primary health care in low income countries like India then grass-roots workers need to acquire relevant knowledge and skills to be able to recognise, refer and support people experiencing mental disorders in their own communities. This study aims to provide a mental health training intervention to community health workers in Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka, India, and to evaluate the impact of this training on mental health literacy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A pre-test post-test study design was undertaken with assessment of mental health literacy at three time points; baseline, completion of the training, and three month follow-up. Mental health literacy was assessed using the interviewer-administered Mental Health Literacy Survey. The training intervention was a four day course based on a facilitator's manual developed specifically for community health workers in India.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>70 community health workers from Doddaballapur, Bangalore Rural District were recuited for the study. The training course improved participants' ability to recognize a mental disorder in a vignette, and reduced participants' faith in unhelpful and potentially harmful pharmacological interventions. There was evidence of a minor reduction in stigmatizing attitudes, and it was unclear if the training resulted in a change in participants' faith in recovery following treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings from this study indicate that the training course demonstrated potential to be an effective way to improve some aspects of mental health literacy, and highlights strategies for strengthening the training course.</p

Opioid substitution therapy in manipur and nagaland, north-east india: operational research in action

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is good evidence for the effectiveness of opioid substitution therapy (OST) for injecting drug users (IDUs) in middle and high-income countries but little evidence regarding the provision of OST by non-government organisations (NGOs) in resource-poor settings. This paper reports on outcomes of an NGO-based OST program providing sub-lingual buprenorphine to opiate dependent IDUs in two north-east Indian states (Manipur and Nagaland), a region where conflict, under-development and injecting of heroin and Spasmoproxyvon (SP) are ongoing problems. The objectives of the study were: 1) to calculate OST treatment retention, 2) to assess the impact on HIV risk behaviours and quality of life, and 3) to identify client characteristics associated with cessation of treatment due to relapse.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study involves analysis of data that were routinely and prospectively collected from all clients enrolled in an OST program in Manipur and Nagaland between May 2006 and December 2007 (n = 2569, 1853 in Manipur and 716 in Nagaland) using standardised questionnaires, and is best classified as operational research. The data were recorded at intake into the program, after three months, and at cessation. Outcome measures included HIV risk behaviours and quality of life indicators. Predictors of relapse were modelled using binary logistic regression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of all clients enrolled in OST during the month of May 2006 (n = 713), 72.8% remained on treatment after three months, and 63.3% after six months. Statistically significant (p = 0.05) improvements were observed in relation to needle sharing, unsafe sex, incidents of detention, and a range of quality of life measures. Greater spending on drugs at intake (OR 1.20), frequently missing doses (OR 8.82), and having heroin rather than SP as the most problematic drug (OR 1.95) were factors that increased the likelihood of relapse, and longer duration in treatment (OR 0.76) and regular family involvement in treatment (OR 0.20) reduced the likelihood of relapse.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings from this operational research indicate that the provision of OST by NGOs in the severely constrained context of Manipur and Nagaland achieved outcomes that are internationally comparable, and highlights strategies for strengthening similar programs in this and other resource-poor settings.</p