Nutritional status and access to clean fuels: Evidence from South Asia

Indoor air pollution due to solid fuels is among the ten most important risk factors in global burden of disease leading to respiratory diseases, anaemia, blindness and other disorders. This study examines the correlations between fuel choice and the nutritional status of children. We also explore if factors such as income, kitchen location and education play any role in conditioning fuel choice. Our results suggest that the choice and use of fuel has long lasting effects on the growth and health of children. It is also associated with a higher frequency of respiratory disorders. We find that agricultural households predominantly use unclean fuels.malnutrition, stunting, indoor air pollution, fuel choice, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, International Development,

Strain induced metal-insulator transition in ultrathin films of SrRuO3_3

The ultrathin film limit has been shown to be a rich playground for unusual low dimensional physics. Taking the example of SrRuO$_3$ which is ferromagnetic and metallic at the bulk limit, one finds that it becomes antiferromagnetic and insulating at the three monolayers limit when grown on SrTiO$_3$. The origin of the insulating state is traced to strongly orbital dependent exchange splittings. A modest compressive strain of 1% of the SrTiO$_3$ substrate is then found to drive the system into a highly confined two-dimensional 100% spin polarized metallic state. This metal-insulator transition driven by a modest strain could be useful in two state device applications.Comment: Accept in Phys. Rev.

Effects of Noise on Speech Perception in Children Using Cochlear Implants: A Systematic Review

Deaf children often use cochlear implants in settings where background noise is present. This study was designed to review the literature on speech perception in noise abilities of children with cochlear implants. A systematic search of the database Academic Search Premier was used to identify papers. A total of 13 articles were included in this review from an original 144. Results were found to be consistent with other studies. From this review, multiple factors were found to improve speech perception in noise, including using bilateral implants and increased experience with the implants. However, more studies are needed to determine if children are comprehending the information they hear. Additionally, this review makes suggestions for information to be included in future study reports, especially participant age at implantation and language experience

The Peculiar Circumstances of Eminent Domain in India

The question of a constitutional property regime governing eminent domain gave rise to nuanced and principled debates in the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the Indian Constitution between 1947 and 1950, and in subsequent Parliamentary meetings regarding constitutional amendments. However, these extensive deliberations resulted in a clause that only addressed the most superficial aspects of property rights in India. Similarly, the statutory frameworks that govern state acquisition of land, in particular The Land Acquisition Act, 1894, provide only another part of the puzzle. This paper starts earlier in history-at the inception of eminent domain in India-in order to put this institution into its colonial context. I argue that this concept of compulsory land acquisition by the government, as inherited from the British and encapsulated in the Constitution, statutory law, and in practice, is inappropriate for the reality of how property rights are held and exercised in India and incapable of being reformed toward the socially inclusive purposes for which property rights were originally included in the Constitution. Because of this discord, efforts to re-formulate the law of eminent domain continue to fall short of real transformation of the property rights regimes in India

Efficacy of a newly formulated foam on gingival inflammation: a pilot study

Periodontal disease, gingivitis and periodontitis are conditions that are a result of local response to supragingival dental plaque that forms due to poor personal oral hygiene. This is initiated by accumulation of bacterial biofilm on the teeth that leads to inflammatory changes in the gingival tissue. The pathogenesis of periodontitis has a multi-level architecture, composed of bacterial composition, environmental and genetic factors. Disruption of the oral biofilm by mechanical methods is one of the best alternatives for preventing periodontal disease. The present intervention study aimed at decreasing the gingival inflammation in 36 patients with gingivitis or mild to moderate periodontitis by administration of a new dental product composed of antioxidants (dental foam). This study was conducted as a proof-of-concept study over 42 days and aimed to observe the earliest changes in gingival inflammation as measured by gingival index and bleeding on probing. Clinical periodontal parameters including gingival index, bleeding on probing, plaque index and probing pocket depth were assessed at baseline, and 14, 28 and 42 days after baseline. Subjects in both treatment (n=24) and control (n=12) groups were given standard oral hygiene instructions including brushing with a standard toothbrush (Oral B® Pro health medium) and standard toothpaste (GLO Science Toothpaste) twice a day. Subjects in test group used the dental foam in addition to the standard toothpaste twice a day, while control group subjects did not use any additional product. The statistical analyses were performed to compare the mean changes from baseline to each post baseline time points using Student’s t-test. All statistical tests were conducted at p< 0.05 level of significance. There was a statistically significant reduction in the primary endpoints, gingival index (p=0.003) and bleeding on probing (p=0.007) in the test group when compared to the control group over 42 days. There were no statistically significant differences in the secondary outcomes, plaque index (p=0.07) and pocket depth (p= 0.12) between two groups. Oral hygiene care including mechanical plaque removal with standard tooth brushing in combination with application of newly developed dental product (dental foam) has shown significant reduction in gingival inflammation when compared to standard tooth brushing alone and reveals beneficial effects in patients with gingivitis and mild to moderate periodontitis

Саse reроrt оf fetal liver cirrhosis due to gestational alloimmune liver disease in а primigravida femаle, in north east region of India

Fetal liver failure is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, presenting as acute liver failure and/or congenital cirrhosis. There are several causes of fetal liver failure and early diagnosis is mandatory to elucidate the etiology and determine a specific treatment or the best management strategy. Gestational alloimmune liver disease associated with neonatal hemochromatosis (GALD-NH) is a rare cause of fetal liver failure. It should be considered in any neonate with fetal signs of liver failure with no other identifiable causes. GALD-NH is often diagnosed late and patients are therefore referred late to specialized centers, delaying treatment. This case highlighted the consequences of late diagnosis and treatment of GALD-NH and emphasizes the importance of a high grade of suspicion of this disease in order to refer the patient to a specialized center soon enough to perform the appropriate treatment

Саse reроrt оf unusual presentation of heterоtrорiс рregnаnсy: anembryonic and ectopic pregnancy with opposite fimbrial block in а primigravida femаle

Heterоtорiс рregnаnсy is defined аs the со-existenсe оf an intrаuterine аnd extrаuterine gestаtiоn. The inсidenсe is quite lоw аnd estimаted tо be 1 in 30,000 оf sроntаneоus рregnаnсies althоugh it is beсоming соmmоner in the present times with аssisted reрrоduсtive teсhnique. It саn be а life-threаtening соnditiоn аnd саn be eаsily missed with the diаgnоsis being оverlооked. We рresented а rаre саse оf sроntаneоus heterоtорiс рregnаnсy with аnembryоniс intrаuterine gestаtiоn sас аnd ruрtured eсtорiс gestаtiоn in left adnexal with а blind ending right fimbriа. Аn eаrly diаgnоsis leаds tо а signifiсаnt reduсtiоn in mоrbidity аnd mоrtаlity with suсh саses аnd helрs tо imрrоve their оverаll рrоgnоsis

Semiotic analysis of Indian television advertisements and its impact on consumers: an exploratory study

Everyday consumers are exposed to a huge and wide variety of advertisements. These advertisements fall into different categories of communication media such as television, print media e.g., magazines and newspapers, cinema or billboards, radio etc. Advertising now reaches far more people than it used to with traditional media since it has major presence in new digital media which has also transformed immensely in recent time. These advertisements deliver and also utilise a wide range of meaning, symbols and messages also called semiotics in their advertisements. Importantly, large part of any individual is surrounded by lot of signs and symbols, however, the way they comprehend these sign, symbols and meaning differ from one to other individual. Since, India is a vast country with vivid and varied culture and demographics, it becomes a challenge for advertisers to target and attract right consumers through their advertisements. In such a situation it is essential for advertisers to understand the choice consumers have for advertisements and the differential impact it has on the consumers. Our study shows the differential impact advertisements have through their themes, colours, to be more specific, impact that semiotics have on consumers and how it can be made more effective and targeted by understanding the language and impact of semiotics on consumers in India