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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To examine the bacteriological quality of complementary foods (CF) and to correlate the results with diarrhoeal morbidity and nutritional status of Bangladeshi children aged 6-24 months. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 212 CF samples were tested, of which 72 were collected immediately before the first time of feeding ([less than or equal to] 1 h of food preparation) and 140 were collected at second/third time of feeding from 140 households located in urban and rural areas of Bangladesh. Anthropometry, food frequency data and demographic information of the children were collected. RESULTS: Of the first time feeding samples, 3% from each of urban and rural areas were found to be contaminated with faecal coliforms (FC) at ≥ 100CFU/g. E. coli was isolated from 11% and 6% of samples, and B. cereus from 8% and 6% of samples from urban and rural areas, respectively. In contrast, 33% of the second/third time feeding samples from urban areas and 19% from rural areas were contaminated with FC at [greater than or equal to] 100CFU/g (P < 0.05). E. coli was isolated from 40% and 39% of samples, and B. cereus from 33% and 26% of samples from urban and rural areas, respectively. Significantly high numbers of wasted rural children had CF with a high aerobic plate count, which was also significantly associated with diarrhoeal morbidity in children. CONCLUSIONS: Around 40% of CF samples were contaminated with E. coli, which was mainly attributable to food preparation practices. Consumption of contaminated CF appeared to be associated with a higher frequency of diarrhoea and malnutrition in children. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2012.94; published online 18 July 2012 Keywords: complementary food; microbial contamination; diarrhoea; malnutrition, INTRODUCTION Diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death in children worldwide after neonatal disorders and is a leading cause of growth faltering and malnutrition. Every year, around 8.8 million [...]

A probabilistic model based methodology has been applied to describe the relative rate of material loss from the steel surface subjected to simultaneous action of high temperature oxidation and mechanical erosion. Growth of the oxide scales is treated deterministically and erosion is described using an established probabilistic modeling methodology. Oxidation is described with a parabolic growth law to quantify the rate of growth of the oxide scales, namely; nickel, iron, and chromium, respectively. In consonance with the published model, erosion is treated using a probabilistic methodology as spatially random phenomena on the oxide surface. The model has been applied to predict the relative erosive loss of material as a function of time resulted as a consequence of influence oxidation on mechanical erosion in a synergetic manner. Keywords: probabilistic modeling, erosion-oxidation interaction, oxidation kinetics, erosion footprint, scale thickness, gamma function, dimensionless variables

Abstract: The free, out-of-plane vibration of a rotating beam with a non-linear spring--mass system has been investigated. The non-linear constraint appears in the boundary condition. The solution is obtained by [...]

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) of the tumor blood pool is used to study tumor tissue perfusion. The results are then analyzed using percolation models. Percolation cluster geometry is depicted using the wash-in component of MRI contrast signal intensity. Fractal characteristics are determined for each two-dimensional cluster. The invasion percolation model is used to describe the evolution of the tumor perfusion front. Although tumor perfusion can be depicted rigorously only in three dimensions, two-dimensional cases are used to validate the methodology. It is concluded that the blood perfusion in a two-dimensional tumor vessel network has a fractal structure and that the evolution of the perfusion front can be characterized using invasion percolation. For all the cases studied, the front starts to grow from the periphery of the tumor (where the feeding vessel was assumed to lie) and continues to grow toward the center of the tumor, accounting for the well-documented perfused periphery and necrotic core of the tumor tissue.

Estrogens are thought to regulate female reproductive functions by altering gene transcription in target organs primarily via the nuclear estrogen receptor-[Alpha] (ER-[Alpha]). By using ER-[Alpha] 'knock-out' (ERKO) mice, we demonstrate herein that a catecholestrogen, 4-hydroxyestradiol-17[Beta] (4-OH-[E.sub.2]), and an environmental estrogen, chlordecone (kepone), up-regulate the uterine expression of an estrogen-responsive gene, lactoferrin (LF), independent of ER-[Alpha]. A primary estrogen, estradiol-17[Beta] ([E.sub.2]), did not induce this LF response. An estrogen receptor antagonist, ICI-182,780, or [E.sub.2] failed to inhibit uterine LF gene expression induced by 4-OH-[E.sub.2] or kepone in ERKO mice, which suggests that this estrogen signaling pathway is independent of both ER-[Alpha] and the recently cloned ER-[Beta].4-OH-[E.sub.2], but not [E.sub.2], also stimulated increases in uterine water imbibition and macromolecule uptake in ovariectomized ERKO mice. The results strongly imply the presence of a distinct estrogen-signaling pathway in the mouse uterus that mediates the effects of both physiological and environmental estrogens. This estrogen response pathway will have profound implications for our understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of female sex steroid hormone actions in target organs.

In the mouse, the process of implantation is initiated by the attachment reaction between the blastocyst trophectoderm and uterine luminal epithelium that occurs at 2200-2300 h on day 4 (day 1 = vaginal plug) of pregnancy. Several members of the EGF family are considered important in embryo-uterine interactions during implantation. This investigation demonstrates that the expression of two additions to the family, betacellulin and epiregulin, are exquisitely restricted to the mouse uterine luminal epithelium and underlying stroma adjacent to the implanting blastocyst. These genes are not expressed during progesterone-maintained delayed implantation, but are rapidly switched on in the uterus surrounding the implanting blastocyst following termination of the delay by estrogen. These results provide evidence that expression of betacellulin and epiregulin in the uterus requires the presence of an active blastocyst and suggest an involvement of these growth factors in the process of implantation. Key Words: betacellulin; epiregulin; uterus; implantation; mouse.

The implementation of soil and water conservation, and improved crop management programs in 1983 in a watershed area of Andhra Pradesh, India, has increased agricultural productivity. There has been an increase in the water-table and per capita income, improvement in the fodder supply, and a reduction in water runoff. Check dams were built and a percolation tank was modernized to store runoff water and check soil erosion. A system was developed to provide seeds, fertilizer and pesticides to the farmers instead of cash loans.

A study determines the transient response of plate heat exchangers subjected to a step change in the inlet temperature from a uniform state. A dispersion model incorporates the effects of flow maldistribution within and between the channels of the heat exchanger to give better simulation than the conventional plug flow model. A first-order system, or a second order system with a delay period, characterizes the dynamic response. The number of plates and the capacity rate ratio affect the initial delay period and the rise time of the response. Number of transfer units affect the rise time only.

A study shows that cannabinoid ligands act on the preimplantation mouse embryo. Cannabinoid receptors could be used to control possible adverse effects of cannabinoids seen during pregnancy. Normal embryonic development and implantation require regulation of embryonic cAMP and Ca2+ levels through ligand-receptor signaling. The preimplantation mouse embryo contains both brain and spleen type cannabinoid receptor mRNAs.

Marijuana appears to affect the uterus. The psychoactive drug and its cannabinoid derivatives have delta(super 9) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as their active component. Adverse effects of these drugs may occur during interactions with uterine cannabinoid receptors. The brain-type cannabinoid receptor (CB1-R) mRNA is expressed in the mouse uterus. THC inhibits forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP, indicating that the uterine CB1-R is coupled to guanine nucleotide-binding protein.

Clinical trials of a birth control vaccine that contains a heterospecies dimer of the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and an alpha subunit of ovine luteinizing hormone reveal that this vaccine prevents pregnancies in women. Antibody titers of greater than 50 nanograms per ml are effective in controlling human fertilization while those of less than 35 nanograms per ml cannot control fertility. Antibody response spontaneously declines with time without booster injections and fertility is regained when vaccine concentrations fall below the required concentration.

In this paper a new method for master production scheduling (MPS) is presented. The objective of this new method is to minimize schedule instability in the order driven company. In such companies the order arrival process is highly uncertain, and the production of an item is usually scheduled only after an order is received. Further, the customer usually demands a short delivery lead time. The new MPS method combines a rolling schedule approach with an overtime or subcontracting capability, and is labelled as MPS with incremental capacity allocation and a rolling horizon (MPS-IR). Two features distinguish this new approach. First, rather than allocating the entire production capacity of a future period at once, the MPS-IR does so in an incremental fashion over multiple periods. Second, rather than scheduling the entire demand for a future demand at once, the MPS-IR does so in an incremental fashion over multiple periods. In experimental tests the MPS-IR was found to outperform a Gantt chart based scheduler.

The fabrication process and the characteristics of indium tin oxide/SnO2/CdTe and indium tin oxide/SnO2/CdS/CdTe solar cells were investigated. The results showed that in the case of the former, the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current were higher than that observed in the latter. Current collection was greater in ITO/SnO2/CdTe, and its junction transport can be controlled either by tunneling or recombination. On the other hand, the dominant junction transport mechanism in the ITO/SnO2/CdS/CdTe cell was tunneling.

The expression and regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R)gene in blastocysts were examined to elucidate the roles of transforming growthfactor-alpha and the EGF-R in embryo implantation. The results showed that dormant blastocysts express low levels of EGF-R. However, upon activation by estradiol-17-beta, the EGF-R mRNA levels increased by eight-fold. These resultsindicate that maternal steroid hormones regulate the expression of EGF-R.

Agrihorticultural farming (AH) proved superior to annual cropping (AC), agroforestry (AF), and agrosilviculture (AS) for a semi-arid Alfisol, but all are feasible and sustainable. AH had the greatest initial cost but a value/cost ratio of 2.16; AC had 1.95; AF, 1.69; and AS, 1.52. AS had 3.8% runoff, AH 4.9% (with a steeper land slope), and AF 10.6%.

The effect of growth conditions and the microstructure of electrodeposited cadmium telluride thin films on the characteristics of n-CdS/p-CdTe thin-film solar cells were investigated. The results showed that the efficiency of the solar cells were determined by the growth conditions and the microstructure of the material. Cells made with crystalline films had higher efficiencies than those made with structurally imperfect films. CdTe deposits of good cells had less grain boundaries than cells made with structurally imperfect CdTe.

The magnetic properties of heat-treated, copper (Cu)-containing high-strength low-alloy (HSLA-100) steel and the variations of the magnetic properties during tensile deformation were studied. For samples aged at temperatures below 775 K, precipitation of nanosized coherent Cu particles occurred, causing an increase in hardness but a decrease in coercivity. For higher aging temperatures, the Cu precipitates coarsened and then were able to pin domain walls. As a result, magnetic coercivity increased. During tensile deformation of selected heat treated samples, the interaction of dislocations with the coherent and incoherent Cu precipitates influenced the magnetic properties. Systematic variation of coercivity with plastic strain was found for brittle and ductile types of fracture of the materials. Index Terms--Fracture, high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA), magnetic properties, nondestructive evaluation, plastic deformation.

This study aimed to determine the effect of the presence of under-5 siblings ([greater than or equal to] 1) in a household on childhood malnutrition in urban Bangladesh. During 2000 and 2013, a total of 16 948 under-5 children were enrolled in the Diarrhoeal Disease Surveillance of icddr,b. Under-5 siblings were categorised as [greater than or equal to] 1 and none except the child himself. In univariate analysis, the presence of siblings was associated with 1.13 (risk ratios = 1.13; 95% CI:1.06--1.20) times higher risk of being stunted, 1.17 (1.09-1.25) times for wasted and 1.19 (1.13-1.26) times underweight compared with their peers who did not have siblings. In multivariate analysis, such associations remained significant for stunting (1.08; 1.01-1.15), wasting (1.12; 1.04-1.21) and underweight (1.13, 1.06-1.19) after controlling for possible confounders such as age of child, sex, parental education, maternal employment, family size, wealth quintile and time (year). The presence of under-5 siblings increases the risk of malnutrition in children in urban Bangladesh. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2015.75;published online 13 May 2015, INTRODUCTION Childhood malnutrition is still a major contributor in impediment of controlling associated mortality and morbidity despite a number of significant efforts for achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4). (1,2) [...]

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) (ripples) with different spatial characteristics are seen after irradiation of single-crystalline zinc oxide surfaces with multiple linearly polarized femtosecond pulses in air. The current models of femtosecond laser-induced LIPSS are analyzed and an explanation is provided why high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) is seen in the subpicosecond range for below band-gap excitation of dielectrics and semiconductors.

Additions to Thomas V. Marcella's analytical approach to the second law of thermodynamics are presented. Marcella's approach is suitable for beginners' courses in physics. However, he failed to quantitatively define the theory of unavailable energy in his study. From a study by Maiti and Sengupta, it can be deduced that the degradation of energy does not always occur in proportion to the change in entropy.

Das, S.K., P.C. Ray, and G. Pohit. Large amplitude free vibration analysis of a rotating beam with non-linear spring and mass system. Journal of Vibration and Control (United Kingdom) 11(12):1511-1533, [...]

A solution procedure was presented to address the multiobjective transportation problem (MOTP) in which the source and destination parameters as well as the objective functions' coefficients are in the form of interval. The procedure initially involves transformation of the MOTP into a classical MOTP. It also involves conversion of the interval source and destination parameters' constraints into deterministic ones. It entails the use of the fuzzy programming technique to solve the transformed classical multiobjective transportation problem.