Functioning of ASHAs under National Health Mission in Punjab: An Appraisal

The present paper ascertains the functional efficacy of ASHAs and suggests measures for the optimization of their functioning in Punjab. For carrying out the study, different phases included random selection of three districts followed by two health blocks from each district and three sub centres from each block and subsequently one village from each sub centre. List of eligible women who had delivered a baby during the last three months prior to the survey was prepared and at last stage, five women from each village were selected at random. The findings revealed that the norms, including the age limit, educational qualification, residence and marital status set for the selection of ASHAs revealed clear adherence of the NHM guidelines. However two-thirds of the ASHAs were covering a population of more than 1,000 persons. About 90 percent of the ASHAs couldn’t specify their job responsibilities promptly on the activities related to spreading health awareness among adolescents, promoting hygiene practices, generating awareness on preventive measures on RTI/STI, HIV/AIDS, tobacco and alcoholism. About 94 percent of ASHA workers had received drug kit. However there were delays in the replenishment of drugs. As per NHM guidelines, no drug kit has AYUSH medications in it. Inter-sectoral collaboration among the ASHAs, ANMs, PRImembers and AWWs was more or less satisfactory even though ASHAs intervention in VHSNC meeting was not encouraging due to non-cooperation of other stakeholders. For strengthening of the ASHA programme, it is essential that the factors discouraging them are addressed properly

Comparative analysis of phenolic compound characterization and their biosynthesis genes between two diverse bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties differing for chapatti (unleavened flat bread) quality

AbstractPhenolic compounds (PCs) affect the bread quality and can also affect the other types of end-use food products such as chapatti (unleavened flat bread), now globally recognised wheat-based food product. The detailed analysis of PCs and their biosynthesis genes in diverse bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties differing for chapatti quality have not been studied. In this study, the identification and quantification of PCs using UPLC-QTOF-MS and/or MS/MS and functional genomics techniques such as microarrays and qRT-PCR of their biosynthesis genes have been studied in a good chapatti variety, ‘C 306’ and a poor chapatti variety, ‘Sonalika’. About 80% (69/87) of plant phenolic compounds were tentatively identified in these varieties. Nine PCs (hinokinin, coutaric acid, fertaric acid, p-coumaroylqunic acid, kaempferide, isorhamnetin, epigallocatechin gallate, methyl isoorientin-2’-O-rhamnoside, and cyanidin-3-rutinoside) were identified only in the good chapatti variety and four PCs (tricin, apigenindin, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and myricetin-3-glucoside) in the poor chapatti variety. Therefore, about 20% of the identified PCs are unique to each other and may be ‘variety or genotype’ specific PCs. Fourteen PCs used for quantification showed high variation between the varieties. The microarray data of forty-four phenolic compound biosynthesis genes and seventeen of them on qRT-PCR showed variation in expression level during seed development and majority of them showed low expression in the good chapatti variety. The expression pattern in the good chapatti variety was largely in agreement with that of phenolic compounds. The level of variation of twelve genes was high between the good and poor chapatti quality varieties and has potential in development of markers. The information generated in this study can be extended onto a larger germplasm set for development of molecular markers using QTL and/or association mapping approaches for their application in wheat breeding

Designing a Mathematical Model to Solve the Uncertain Facility Location Problem Using C Stochastic Programming Method

Locating facilities such as factories or warehouses is an important and strategic decision for any organization. Transportation costs, which often form a significant part of the price of goods offered, are a function of the location of the plans. To determine the optimal location of these designs, various methods have been proposed so far, which are generally definite (non-random). The main aim of the study, while introducing these specific algorithms, is to suggest a stochastic model of the location problem based on the existing models, in which random programming, as well as programming with random constraints are utilized. To do so, utilizing programming with random constraints, the stochastic model is transformed into a specific model that can be solved by using the latest algorithms or standard programming methods. Based on the results acquired, this proposed model permits us to attain more realistic solutions considering the random nature of demand. Furthermore, it helps attain this aim by considering other characteristics of the environment and the feedback between them