Raising the Age of Purchase and Use of Tobacco Product in Bangladesh: Benefits and Challenges in Protecting Youth from the Tobacco Epidemic

Background: Tobacco use among young and adolescents is the biggest threat to public health globally. In Bangladesh, every one in 14 youth (13-15 years) uses tobacco in some form. While this problem is growing in the country, we estimate the underage initiation of tobacco use and present evidence that policy measures like increasing the age of purchase and use from the current 18 years to 21 years in the country backed with current tobacco control efforts and adopting vendor licensing will significantly reduce future tobacco burden. Method: We analysed the two rounds of nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data: GATS-1 (2009-10) and GATS-2 (2016-17) and segregated the data for two categories of tobacco consumption (smokers and smokeless tobacco users) based on the age of initiation (21 years). Consumption patterns were also analyaed by using the GATS-2 data. Projections from sub-national level analysis for youth initiating tobacco use before 21 years and change in the prevalence of overall underage tobacco users were calculated based on weighted value. Result: According to GATS-2, around 89% of current tobacco users initiated tobacco use into daily use before the age of 18 years in Bangladesh. Whereas, striking differences were observed (statistically significant) for the average age of initiation of smoking among smokers aged 20-34 increased from 17.4 in 2009 to 19.3 years; and 20.1 to 22 years for SLT. Moreover, more than 24% of them initiated into regular smoking before the age of 15 years. Conclusion: There is an increasing trends of tobacco initiation among the underage youth of Bangladesh. By increasing the age of access, sale, purchase, and use of tobacco from current 18 years to 21 years will significantly reduce youth initiation and taper down the overall adult tobacco use prevalence over the long run in Bangladesh.publishedVersio

Effect of Lanthanum Substitution on the Structural, dielectric, Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Properties of Mechanically Activated PZt Electroceramics

Different compositions of (Pb1-xLax) (Zr0.60Ti0.40)O3 (abbreviated as PLZT x/60/40; x=0, 0.07, 0.08 and 0.10) ceramics were prepared by a combinatorial approach by high energy mechano-chemical ball milling and cold isostatic pressing (CIP). X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission as well as scanning electron microscope were used for the micro-structural and morphological studies. The average particle size of PLZT milled powders was measured from the TEM images and was found to be in the nm range.XRD patterns of the sintered PLZT x/60/40 ceramics confirm the perovskite phase formation after heat treatment. SEM of sintered PLZT x/60/40 ceramics show a close packed dense structure. PLZT 8/60/40 ceramics show the fine grains (~1.3 µm) with density ~97 per cent. Dielectric constant and loss were measured as a function of temperature. PLZT 8/60/40 ceramics shows the highest value of room temperature dielectric constant ~2480 at 1 kHz. Ferroelectric studies were done with the help of polarisation (P-E) and strain (S-E) vs. electric field measurements. PLZT 8/60/40 ceramics shows the maximum value of remnant polarisation (~36 µC/cm2) and strain (~0.27 per cent), respectively. PLZT x/60/40 ceramic samples were poled at optimized poling conditions. The measured values of piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) and electromechanical coupling factor (kp) of PLZT 8/60/40 ceramics were found to be, ~690 pC/N and ~71 per cent, respectively

Rapid Mapping of Landslides in the Western Ghats (India) Triggered by 2018 Extreme Monsoon Rainfall Using a Deep Learning Approach

Rainfall-induced landslide inventories can be compiled using remote sensing and topographical data, gathered using either traditional or semi-automatic supervised methods. In this study, we used the PlanetScope imagery and deep learning convolution neural networks (CNNs) to map the 2018 rainfall-induced landslides in the Kodagu district of Karnataka state in theWestern Ghats of India.We used a fourfold cross-validation (CV) to select the training and testing data to remove any random results of the model. Topographic slope data was used as auxiliary information to increase the performance of the model. The resulting landslide inventory map, created using the slope data with the spectral information, reduces the false positives, which helps to distinguish the landslide areas from other similar features such as barren lands and riverbeds. However, while including the slope data did not increase the true positives, the overall accuracy was higher compared to using only spectral information to train the model. The mean accuracies of correctly classified landslide values were 65.5% when using only optical data, which increased to 78% with the use of slope data. The methodology presented in this research can be applied in other landslide-prone regions, and the results can be used to support hazard mitigation in landslide-prone regions

Predisposing factors for phytophthora blight of pigeonpea

A pigeon pea plot at the ICRISAT Centre, Patancheru, India, was observed daily during the 1987 and 1988 rainy seasons for blight infection (caused by P. drechsleri f.sp. cajani). Disease onset occurred on Jul. 10 and on Aug. 4 in 1987 and 1988, respectively. In both years, infection and subsequent disease development occurred when day temp. were <28°C. Rain was recorded on 7 consecutive days prior to disease onset in 1987 and on 5 of 7 days in 1988. An increase in soil inoculum levels was also associated with a decrease in day temp., higher rainfall and cloudy weathe

A review of the inferred geodynamic evolution of the Dharwar craton over the ca. 3.5-2.5 Ga period, and possible implications for global tectonics

The geological history and evolution of the Dharwar craton from ca. 3.5–2.5 Ga is reviewed and briefly compared with a second craton, Kaapvaal, to allow some speculation on the nature of global tectonic regimes in this period. The Dharwar craton is divided into western (WDC) and eastern (EDC) parts (separated possibly by the Closepet Granite Batholith), based on lithologi-cal differences and inferred metamorphic and magmatic genetic events. A tentative evolution of the WDC encompasses an early, ca. 3.5 Ga protocrust possibly forming the basement to the ca. 3.35–3.2 Ga Sargur Group greenstone belts. The latter are interpreted as having formed through accretion of plume-related ocean plateaux. The approximately coeval Peninsular Gneiss Complex (PGC) was possibly sourced from beneath plateau remnants, and resulted in high-grade metamorphism of Sargur Group belts at ca. 3.13–2.96 Ga. At about 2.9–2.6 Ga, the Dharwar Supergroup formed, comprising lower Bababudan (largely braided fluvial and subaerial volcanic deposits) and upper Chitradurga (marine mixed clastic and chemical sedimentary rocks and subaqueous volcanics) groups. This supergroup is preserved in younger greenstone belts with two distinct magmatic events, at 2.7–2.6 and 2.58–2.54 Ga, the latter approximately coincident with ca. 2.6–2.5 Ga granitic magmatism which essentially completed cratonization in the WDC. The EDC comprises 2.7–2.55 Ga tonalite–trondhjemite– granodiorite (TTG) gneisses and migmatites, approximately coeval greenstone belts (dominated by volcanic lithologies), with minor inferred remnants of ca. 3.38–3.0 Ga crust, and voluminous 2.56–2.5 Ga granitoid intrusions (including the Closepet Batholith). An east-to-west accretion of EDC island arcs (or of an assembled arc – granitic terrane) onto the WDC is debated, with a postulate that the Closepet Granite accreted earlier onto the WDC as part of a “central Dharwar” terrane. A final voluminous granitic cratonization event is envisaged to have affected the entire, assembled Dharwar craton at ca. 2.5 Ga. When Dharwar evolution is compared with that of Kaapvaal, while possibly global magmatic events and freeboard–eustatic changes at ca. 2.7– 2.5 Ga may be identified on both, the much earlier cratonization (by ca. 3.1 Ga) of Kaapvaal contrasts strongly with the ca. 2.5 Ga stabilization of Dharwar. From comparing only two cratons, it appears that genetic and chronologic relationships between mantle thermal and plate tectonic processes were complex on the Archaean Earth. The sizes of the Kaapvaal and Dharwar cratons might have been too limited yet to support effective thermal blanketing and thus accommodate Wilson Cycle onset. However, tectonically driven accretion and amalgamation appear to have predominated on both evolving cratons.L'histoire géologique et l'évolution du craton de Dharwar ( 3,5–2,5 Ga) sont examinées et sommairement comparées a` celles d'un second craton, celui de Kaapvaal, afin de permettre une certaine spéculation sur la nature des régimes tectoniques globaux durant cette période. Le craton de Dharwar est divisé entre une partie ouest (WDC) et une partie est (EDC), lesquelles sont possiblement séparées par le batholite granitique de Closepet. La division est basée sur les différences lithologiques et des événements génétiques métamorphiques et magmatiques inférés. Une évolution tentative du WDC comprend une protocroûte précoce, 3,5 Ga, formant possiblement le socle des ceintures vertes du Groupe de Sargur, 3,35–3,2 Ga. Ces dernières se seraient formées par l'accrétion de plateaux océaniques reliés `a des panaches. Le complexe gneissique presque contemporain de Peninsular provient possiblement de vestiges sous les plateaux et a conduit au métamorphisme élevé des ceintures du Groupe de Sargur, il y a environ 3,13–2,96 Ga. Vers 2,9–2,6 Ga, le supergroupe de Dharwar s'est formé; il comprend le groupe de Bababudan inférieur (principalement des dépôts fluviaux anastomosés et des dépôts volcaniques subaérien et le groupe de Chitradurga supérieur (un mélange de roches sédimentaires marines clastiques et chimiques et des roches volcaniques subaquatiques). Ce supergroupe est préservé dans des ceintures de roches volcaniques plus jeunes, il témoigne de deux activités magmatiques distinctes, `a 2,7–2,6 Ga et `a 2,58–2,54 Ga, cette dernière activité coïncidant approximativement avec le magmatisme granitique 2,6–2,5 Ga qui a essentiellement complété la cratonisation dans le WDC. La partie est du craton de Dharwar comprend des gneiss TTG (tonalite–trondhjémite–granodiorite) de 2,7–2,55 Ga et des migmatites, des ceintures de roches vertes approximativement contemporaines (dominées par des lithologies volcaniques), avec des restes mineurs d'une croute 3,38–3,0 Ga inférée et de volumineuses intrusions granitoïdes (incluant le batholite de Closepet) 2,56–2,5 Ga. L'accrétion de l'est vers l'ouest d'arcs insulaires du EDC (ou d'un terrane d'arc granitique assemblé) au WDC est discutée, mais il est concevable que le granite de Closepet ait été accrété plus tôt au WDC en tant que partie d'un terrane « Dharwar central ». Un événement final de volumineuse cratonisation granitique aurait affecté, vers 2,5 Ga, tout le craton de Dharwar assemblé. Bien que des événements magmatiques globaux et des changements eustatiques de dégagement vers 2,7-2,5 Ga puissent être identifiés sur les deux cratons, lorsque l’évolution du Dharwar est comparée a` celle du Kaapvall, la cratonisation beaucoup plus précoce (vers 3,1 Ga) du Kaapvall contraste fortement avec la stabilisation du Dharwar vers 2,5 Ga. En comparant seulement deux cratons, il semble qu’a` l’Archéen les relations génétiques et chronologiques entre les processus thermiques du manteau et la tectonique des plaques étaient complexes sur la Terre. Les tailles des cratons de Kaapvall et de Dharwar pouvaient avoir été trop limitées pour déja` soutenir un isolement thermique efficace et ainsi permettre le début d’un cycle de Wilson. Toutefois, l’accrétion poussée par la tectonique et l’amalgamation semblent avoir prédominé sur les deux cratons en évolution. [Traduit par la Rédaction]National Research Foundation and the University of Pretoria, South Africa.This research has also been supported by grant entitled RRF and SHORE (PSC0205) funded by the CSIR, India.http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/journal/cjeshb201

Economic assessment of use of pond ash in pavements

The paper introduces a new type of industrial waste-based subbase material which can replace conventional subbase material (CSM) in pavement construction. Utilisation of this industrial waste, namely pond coal ash produced from a thermal power plant in road construction will help to reduce the disposal problem of this waste and also will help to reduce the problem of scarcity of CSM. Lime and fibre were also added to the pond ash at various percentages to improve the suitability of this type of mix as subbase material. The optimum service life of pavement is studied with the help of numerical modelling and the cost benefit is also presented in the current study. The study reveals that stabilisation of the coal ash with 2% lime may produce an optimal material and, even though a greater thickness may be required to deliver the same pavement performance, direct cost savings of around 10% may be achieved in addition to less easily quantifiable environmental benefits. Design charts are provided to exploit the findings

Work related risk factors for low back pain among nurses in a tertiary level hospital, Dhaka -Bangladesh

Background: Low back pain, the most commonly reported musculoskeletal problem, is a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems with the indirect cost being predominant. This is highly recommended to reveal the information concerning LBP prevalence and its‟ associated risk factors among the working population to develop an effective and efficient preventive approach and intervention program. Nursing professionals are at great risk of developing LBP through the world reported in different studies. However, there is scarcity of evidence regarding symptoms prevalence and associated risk factors in the context of Bangladesh. Objectives: The objectives were to find out the socio – demographic information of nurses; prevalence of LBP, to find out the most commonly affected body parts, duration of lower back pain among the nurses and nurses-oriented tasks/factors associated with lower back pain in tertiary level hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 participants who were selected by using convenient sampling. The Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence and association between Musculoskeletal Symptoms and socio-demographic factors and to identify physical risk factors of musculoskeletal symptoms among the nurses. Result: In this study, Physical factor for back pain by heavy loads (more than 5kg) were 77% and did not low back pain were 23%.Job related risk factors for back pain by heavy loads (more than 5kg) were 97% and did not low back pain were 3%.Among 100 participants 66% participant’s said that they had pain in the last 12 months&nbsp;&nbsp; and 34% participant said that they had no pain during the last 12 months. There was significant association between Low back pain and how long the Nurses working in this hospitalConclusion: Now a days work related musculoskeletal disorders is the greatest problem in the world among the working population. At a same time, nurses are also suffering from different musculoskeletal disorders. Subsequently, this study shows that there is a high risk of musculoskeletal symptoms among the nurses. It will be managed by reducing physical risk factors through effective ergonomic management

Investigation of the effects of selected bio-based carburising agents on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of gray cast iron

The mechanism of graphite formation on gray cast iron metal during carburisation process using organic nanocarbon (ONC) was investigated at 900 �C for a holding time of three (3) hours. TEM and XRD were employed to characterize the pulverised nano-carbon to determine their phases and bonding potentials. Also, SEM/EDS, XRD and Vickers’ hardness tester were employed to determine the microstructure, phase compositions as well as hardness and wear properties of the carburised material. The microstructural result showed that, there was uniform carbon diffusion into the substrate material which led to layers of graphite formation and subsequent surface modifications for each of the selected nano-carbon used. Also, the XRD results revealed variations in the peak patterns for each of the substrate carburised with different organic carbon with substrates showing graphite and iron phases as observed in that carburised in pulverised palm kernel shell having broad peaks at 35.50o, 44.4o, 65.12o and 82.395o. This is traceable to amorphous properties and crystalline behaviour of the organic carbon. Further to this, the micro-hardness measurement showed that substrate carburised using pulverised palm kernel shell performed better compared to other substrates in other media with a micro hardness value of 355.8 (HV) against as-received which is 116.9 (HV). Thus, this is a novel and possible method of improving the properties of grey cast iron to meet the increasing demand in gear applications