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Introduction This study explores how the emergence of FDA-funded Tobacco Regulatory Science (TRS) research complements and perhaps influenced the direction of tobacco research supported by NIH. Aims and Methods New NIH- and FDA-funded tobacco projects awarded in fiscal years (FY) 2011–2020 were identified using internal NIH databases of awarded grants. Project abstracts and research aims were coded by the authors to characterize research domains and tobacco products studied. Results Between FY 2011 and 2020, NIH funded 1032 and FDA funded 322 new tobacco projects. For the years and grant activity codes studied, the number of new NIH tobacco projects declined while FDA’s increased; combined the number of new projects held steady. Much of NIH research included smoking combustibles (43.7%). The most common products in FDA research were cigarettes (74.8%) and e-cigarettes/ENDS (48.1%). Most NIH (58.6%) and FDA (67.7%) projects included research on the determinants of tobacco use. Another area of apparent overlap was health effects (29.5% NIH and 30.1% FDA). Projects unique to NIH included treatment interventions (33.3%), disease pathology/progression (17.8%) and neurobiology (18.9%). A minority of both NIH and FDA projects included populations particularly vulnerable to tobacco product use. Conclusions In total, support for new tobacco research supported by NIH and FDA combined remained steady for the time period covered, though there was a concomitant decline in NIH tobacco projects with the increase in FDA-funded TRS projects for the activity codes studied. Despite the apparent overlap in some areas, both NIH and FDA support research that is unique to their respective missions. Implications NIH continues to support tobacco research that falls within and outside of FDA’s regulatory authorities. This research still is needed not only to bolster the evidence base for regulatory decisions at the national and state levels, but also to advance a comprehensive scientific agenda that can inform multiple levels of influence on tobacco control, use and addiction. It will be important to continue monitoring FDA-funded TRS and NIH-funded tobacco research portfolios to ensure that the level of support for and focus of the research is sufficient to address the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.

This experiment was conducted to determine the fasting effects on anthropometric parameters and salivary antioxidant properties in girls and boys. Saliva samples were collected from eighteen healthy girls (control-09 & fasting-09 girls) and twelve healthy boys (control-06 & fasting-06 boys). Saliva was collected four times from all the subjects at a time interval of two hours. For anthropometric parameters, body weight, body temperature, pulse rate (PR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was measured during each saliva collection time. Antioxidant parameters of all the saliva samples were evaluated. Most of the anthropometric parameters like temperature, PR, SBP, and DBP of the fasting group was significantly (p

The global population depends on fairly a small number of crops including wheat, rice and maize for food and nutrition, leaving a wealth of genetic resources neglected. Owing to ever increasing demands of the growing world, food production must be increased but research evidences suggests that climate change has adversely affected crop yields, thereby impacting whole agriculture. Exploring the potential reservoir of underutilized crops would provide a highly diversified agricultural production system in sustaining food and nutritional security under climate change. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) is one such crop representing a broad gene pool harboring diverse genetic resources for future agriculture due to their suitability to marginalized environments. Research advancements suggest that buckwheat has immense potential of commercialization due to presence of essential nutrients and therapeutics. With a balance of bioactive components and nutraceuticals, it has the ability to withstand various environmental stresses to make it a suitable candidate crop for future nutritional security initiatives. Despite such potential, efforts pertaining to genetic improvement, including breeding and molecular techniques are not exemplary. In this review, we present a comprehensive coverage of buckwheat germplasm research done till date along with a tangible perspective of integrating breeding and omics-driven approaches to accelerate higher genetic gains. The implementation of this strategy could enhance the nutritional benefits and adaptation to changing climates for future needs.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women globally and in India. Papillary lesions of the breast constitute around 5% of all the breast lesions. They encompasses a morphologically heterogeneous group of lesions, all of which share a growth pattern characterised by the presence of arborescent fibrovascular stalks lined by epithelial cells with or without a layer of myoepithelial cells. Invasive papillary carcinoma is an invasive adenocarcinoma which has predominant papillary morphology >90% in the invasive component. Invasive micropapillary carcinoma is a rare type accounting for only 0.9 to 2.0% of all invasive breast tumours. Encapsulated papillary carcinoma consists of fibrous capsule surrounding a nodule composed of delicate fibrovascular stalks, covered by monomorphic population of neoplastic epithelial cells. Micropapillary carcinoma is characterized by higher incidence of lymph node metastasis and lymphovascular invasion resulting in poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to share the last 13 years experience regarding papillary lesions of breast in the department of pathology in our institute. Material and Methods: A 13-year (2006-2019) retrospective review of database of patients diagnosed with breast cancer was performed. The medical records of 8 patients with papillary breast cancer who underwent surgery were retrieved and their clinical data, surgical treatment and pathological findings were reviewed. Results: A total of 884 patients underwent mastectomy for invasive breast cancer during the 13 year period. Out of 884 patients, eight were diagnosed with papillary carcinoma breast (0.90%). Amongst the eight, three were diagnosed as invasive papillary carcinoma, two as encapsulated papillary carcinoma and rest three as invasive micropapillary carcinoma. The mean age of presentation was 63.3 (range 45-80) years. The tumour size ranged between 3.5 to 6cm in its greatest dimension. Two out of eight patients had lymph node metastasis with no distant metastasis. Conclusion: Papillary carcinoma of the breast is a rare entity, the reported incidence of pure micropapillary carcinomas is 0.9 to 2% of all breast cancers. It is associated commonly with lymph node metastasis at the time of presentation and have relatively poor prognosis. Much lower prevalence of papillary carcinoma breast was seen in our institutional study.

Blockchain technology is found to have its applicability in almost every domain because of its advantages such as crypto-security, transparency, immutability, decentralized data network. In present times, a smart healthcare system with a blockchain data network and healthcare 4.0 processes provides transparency, easy and faster accessibility, security, efficiency, etc. Healthcare 4.0 trends include industry 4.0 processes such as the internet of things (IoT), industrial IoT (IIoT), cognitive computing, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fog computing, edge computing, etc. The goal of this work is to design a smart healthcare system and it is found to be possible through integration and interoperability of Blockchain 3.0 and Healthcare 4.0 in consideration with healthcare ground-realities. Here, healthcare 4.0 processes used for data accessibility are targeted to be validated through statistical simulation-optimization methods and algorithms. The blockchain is implemented in the Ethereum network, and with associated programming languages, tools, and techniques such as solidity, web3.js, Athena, etc. Further, this work prepares a comparative and comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art blockchain-based smart healthcare systems. The comprehensive survey includes methodology, applications, requirements, outcomes, future directions, etc. A list of groups, organizations, and enterprises are prepared that are working in electronic health records (EHR), electronic medical records (EMR) or electronic personal records (EPR) mainly, and a comparative analysis is drawn concerning adopting the blockchain technology in their processes. This work has explored optimization algorithms applicable to Healthcare 4.0 trends and improves the performance of blockchain-based decentralized applications for the smart healthcare system. Further, smart contracts and their designs are prepared for the proposed system to expedite the trust-building and payment systems. This work has considered simulation and implementation to validate the proposed approach. Simulation results show that the Gas value required (indicating block size and expenditure) lies within current Etherum network Gas limits. The proposed system is active because block utilization lies above 80%. Automated smart contract execution is below 20 seconds. A good number (average 3 per simulation time) is generated in the network that indicates a health competition. Although there is error observed in simulation and implementation that lies between 0.55% and 4.24%, these errors are not affecting overall system performance because simulated and actual (taken in state-of-the-art) data variations are negligible.

In this paper, we present a number of simulation results on the study of edge computing and deploy the performance of voice and video streaming along with a proposed solution to avoid the degradation of streaming. The primary goal of this paper is to analyze media streaming in the long-distance communications associated with edge devices. We analyze and estimate the end-to-end traffic performance by comparing different streaming techniques. By considering certain network scenarios, we calculate critical levels of packet drop and the throughput between the routers, clients and servers. The performance of the network is monitored by calculating the traffic with different bit rates and point-to-point utilization and throughput by assigning different routing protocols. The network architecture has been improved with the use of traffic shaping and by creating the background traffic that is mainly created to see if packets are prioritized when we use packet shaping to prioritize the data.

Algae of diverse genera, due to their complex metabolic capacities, are obtaining increasing focus from researchers in the field of algal-biotechnology. Although algal-derived products hold a firm grip in the market, the value of most of the algal products is currently low. However, the genetic improvements of algal feedstocks and innovative food ideas are opening up new platforms for algal products. The commercialization of algal products has provided new platforms for green alternatives to conventional fuels, foods, pharmaceuticals and other industrially important products. One half of the planet's photosynthesis is performed by algae; thus, these are the best candidates for economical and sustainable commercial feedstocks for a variety of products. The use of algae for food and other life supporting activities has evolved since the very origin of civilization and is still evolving. Varied organizations have emerged and are coming forward as industrial algal producers creating a competitive market for algal products. Market penetration potential has always remained an obstacle for novel algal products but can be overcome through sustainable commercialization of algae-based products that can lead to a strong bio-economy.

COVID-19 disease pandemic is affecting the lives of millions of people in one or another manner. To handle the COVID-19 pandemic situation, technological aspects play a vital role in parallel to medical and healthcare facilities. With the use of existing infrastructure, technologies such as artificial intelligence, neural network, blockchain technology, cloud computing, drone-based monitoring, etc. have given the important observations and awareness to many. It is observed that with the combined efforts of technology and healthcare system, recognition of the outbreak is much faster compared to earlier infections. However, many are working continuously to collect and analyze the available COVID-19-related data and introspect the future. The whole of this work is performed to maximize the use of technology and reduce the risk of a continuous outbreak. This work has discussed the recent work done over the use of technologies in handling the COVID-19 scenario. Here, a comparative analysis of various parameters in each technological aspect is discussed to have an understanding of the preferred approaches in different places. Further, brief surveys are conducted in each technological aspect for a better understanding of technological advantage in handling pandemic.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. It is similar to influenza viruses and raises concerns through alarming levels of spread and severity resulting in an ongoing pandemic worldwide. Within eight months (by August 2020), it infected 24.0 million persons worldwide and over 824 thousand have died. Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are very helpful in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. This work investigates the drone-based systems, COVID-19 pandemic situations, and proposes an architecture for handling pandemic situations in different scenarios using real-time and simulation-based scenarios. The proposed architecture uses wearable sensors to record the observations in Body Area Networks (BANs) in a push-pull data fetching mechanism. The proposed architecture is found to be useful in remote and highly congested pandemic areas where either the wireless or Internet connectivity is a major issue or chances of COVID-19 spreading are high. It collects and stores the substantial amount of data in a stipulated period and helps to take appropriate action as and when required. In real-time drone-based healthcare system implementation for COVID-19 operations, it is observed that a large area can be covered for sanitization, thermal image collection, and patient identification within a short period (2 KMs within 10 minutes approx.) through aerial route. In the simulation, the same statistics are observed with an addition of collision-resistant strategies working successfully for indoor and outdoor healthcare operations. Further, open challenges are identified and promising research directions are highlighted., Comment: 25 pages, 29 figures

Low-resistance and high quality contacts are necessary for utilizing the electronic applications of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs). Earlier reported work on decreasing the contact resistance is mainly based on techniques those results in either oxidation or degradation of samples. So, achieving ohmic junction behavior of metal and semiconducting TMDs is the need of the hour to boost nanoelectronics. In this work, MoS2 thin films are synthesized using modified thermal chemical vapor deposition technique. Indium electrodes are deposited on these films and Indium-MoS2 junction is studied.

Background While female involvement in voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) has been studied among adults, little is known about the influence of adolescent females on their male counterparts. This study explored adolescent females’ involvement in VMMC decision making and the postoperative wound healing process in South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Methods Across 3 countries, 12 focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 90 adolescent females (aged 16–19 years). Individual in-depth interviews were conducted 6–10 weeks post-VMMC with 92 adolescent males (aged 10–19 years). Transcribed and translated qualitative data were coded into categories and subcategories by 2 independent coders. Results Adolescent female participants reported being supportive of male peers’ decisions to seek VMMC, with the caveat that some thought VMMC gives males a chance to be promiscuous. Regardless, females from all countries expressed preference for circumcised over uncircumcised sexual partners. Adolescent females believed VMMC to be beneficial for the sexual health of both partners, viewed males with a circumcised penis as more attractive than uncircumcised males, used their romantic relationships with males or the potential for sex as leveraging points to convince males to become circumcised, and demonstrated supportive attitudes in the wound-healing period. Interviews with males confirmed that encouragement from females was a motivating factor in seeking VMMC. Conclusions Adolescent female participants played a role in convincing young males to seek VMMC and remained supportive of the decision postprocedure. Programs aiming to increase uptake of VMMC and other health-related initiatives for adolescent males should consider the perspective and influence of adolescent females.

Radix entomolaris (RE) is the presence of an extra root in the lingual aspect of the mandibular molars. This is a rare anatomic variant, prevalence of which ranges between 5.96 and 6.67% in the Indian population. For a successful endodontic management, detection of these extra roots is important. In conventional radiography, these extra roots tend to be overlapped; thus, cone- beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides a noninvasive technique to study the internal and external anatomy and aids in proper detection. The endodontic treatment of RE requires some modifications in the endodontic treatment as compared with the common two-rooted anatomic variant. This article presents a clinical case report of successful detection and endodontic man- agement of mandibular first and second molar with extralingual root using CBCT as a diagnostic tool. This case report involves the endodontic treatment and presence of extra roots in both the mandibular first molar and second molar simultaneously in a single patient of Indian origin, which is a rare finding and has not been reported in endodontic literature till date. How to cite this article Qureshi R, Agarwal M, Singh MP, Singh SK, Sharma K. Endodontic Management of a Rare Ana- tomic Variation of Radix Entomolaris in Mandibular First and Second Molar using Cone-beam Computed Tomography as a Diagnostic Aid. Int J Prosthodont Restor Dent 2017;7(1):30-33.

Polypharmacy is a common issue when caring for older adults. Albeit clinically justified for some patients, it is critical that the interprofessional team constantly reevaluates the patient’s medication list to minimize negative consequences such as adverse drug events or prescribing cascade. There are many reasons polypharmacy occurs, but it is the role of every healthcare professional to try to address it, especially the pharmacist. Pharmacists can play a key role in educating older adults and their care team about medication-related problems such as drug interactions and potential side effects.

Plan sponsors of Medicare Part D must provide beneficiaries who receive a comprehensive medication review (CMR) with a written summary using the Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management Standardized Format (SF). The SF is a means to advance consistency in the CMR program by providing a template of expected content. However, barriers remain with beneficiary use and integration into existing electronic health records. The current study assessed Medicare beneficiary, caregiver, and case manager perceptions of the SF through five focus group interviews with a total of 23 participants. Qualitative analysis found that beneficiaries and case managers preferred a consolidated SF document to share and update their entire health care team. Beneficiaries suggested adding information to the SF on dosage, timing, drug interactions, cost, and less expensive alternatives. Identifying elements of the SF that are perceived as useful to beneficiaries will allow for a more streamlined SF that may enhance interoperability among the health care team. [ Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45 (4), 7–13.]

The Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Program Standardized Format (SF) is a written summary of a comprehensive medication review (CMR) that must be provided to Medicare Part D beneficiaries. Concerns have been raised regarding the number of pages of the SF, mailing costs, the static nature of the document, and the lack of integration into beneficiaries' electronic health records. To date, limited research exists on beneficiaries' perceptions of the SF.To evaluate the perspectives of beneficiaries regarding the utility of the SF to inform potential modifications for optimal use.An online survey, designed based on the standard approach to measuring patient satisfaction with health service attributes and previous qualitative research, was distributed through Medicare Part D plans to beneficiaries who had received a CMR in the past year. Survey distribution began July 1, 2018, and data collection ended on October 31, 2018. Descriptive statistics are reported for demographic information; health status; perceived value and helpfulness of the SF and its 3 components (cover letter, medication action plan [MAP], personal medication list [PML]); updates to the SF; alternate formatting; and integration of the SF into health records.A total of 9,975 surveys were sent electronically by 4 Medicare Part D plans to beneficiaries who had received a CMR in the past year. Of the 434 unduplicated survey respondents (response rate of 4.3%), 58.5% were aged 65 to 84 years; 60% identified themselves as white; and 49.1% had at least a college education. The most commonly reported comorbidities were diabetes (50.5%) and high cholesterol (43.1%), with 10.7% of respondents rating their health as "very good" or "excellent" and 27.4% choosing "poor" or "fair." Beneficiaries rated how well the SF helped improve different aspects of their medication management (e.g., solving medication-related problems, keeping track of medications, correctly using medications, and understanding why medications are being taken), with 40.8%-44.9% choosing "very good" to "excellent" for each aspect. Helpful sections included "What we talked about" and "What I need to do"for the MAP, and medication name, strength, dosage form, and "How and why I use the medication" for the PML. Less helpful were the fill-in sections of the MAP, with 48.6% reporting that they did not write in any information. In contrast, 44.7% of the participants noted that they updated their PML. A wallet card version of the PML, if available, would be used by 54.6% of participants. About one third of Medicare beneficiaries shared the SF with their doctor, and 26% of the participants gave copies of their medication summary to their relatives.Fewer than half of the respondents perceived the SF as very good or excellent in helping them to manage their medications. This national survey provides Medicare beneficiary-focused evidence that more work is needed to improve the usability and portability of the SF. This can be achieved by allowing flexibility in the design of the SF, while including essential elements.This study was funded by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), which provided a grant to the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to conduct this study. Carden and Kumbera are AMCP employees. Brandt reports a grant from IMPAQ and consulting fees from Rand, outside of this study. Pellegrin is a member of the AMCP MTM Advisory Board. The other authors have nothing to disclose.

Background To evaluate the efficacy of tulsi extract mouthrinse in reducing halitosis as compared to chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide mouthrinses using spectrophotometric analysis. Material and methods It was a parallel, single center, double blinded randomized controlled trial of 15 days duration. A total of 300 participants were screened, out of which 45 subjects those fulfilled inclusion criteria of age range 17-35 years were included in the trial. The participants were randomly provided with tulsi, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine mouthwashes (control group) to use 10 ml twice daily for 15 days. Clinical measurements were taken at baseline and 15 days using arbitrary 0-5 scale for organoleptic odor assessments, spectrophotometric analysis for Volatile Sulphide Compounds (VSCs) from saliva samples, Loe & Silness gingival index and Silness & Loe plaque index. Results After intervention, organoleptic, VSCs, gingival and plaque scores showed statistically significant decrease in all the three study groups. The mean percentage reduction in VSC and organoleptic scores was significantly greater in chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide groups than in the tulsi group and the mean percentage reduction in plaque and gingival scores was significantly greater in chlorhexidine group than in hydrogen peroxide and tulsi group. Conclusions Tulsi may not have the efficacy of chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide mouthrinses. But, Tulsi is effective in reducing halitosis, plaque and gingivitis and with its lack of side effects & cost effectiveness, can be an effective & economic tool to deal with halitosis. The spectrophotometric technique appears to be a promising method for evaluation of oral malodor. Key words:Halitosis, tulsi mouthwash, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, spectrophotometric analysis.

Objective: The study's objective is to compare the effects of usual care group (UCG) versus accelerated rehabilitation group (ARG) on pain, range of motion (ROM), and function. Methods: A total of thirty participants participated in the study; they were randomly allocated to two groups. They were allocated to either the UCG or AR group, and baseline characteristics were documented. Outcome measures were measured on two occasions, before starting treatment protocol and second after completing the study's protocol. The interventions were administered for 2 weeks, with four sessions a week for eight sessions. The principal outcome measure was pain measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale. The secondary outcome measure was ankle ROM and function measured on the Lower Extremity Functional Scale. Results: Within-group analysis showed significant improvements in both the groups. There was no significant difference between the groups at the end of the treatment protocol. Conclusion: The groups did not differ at 2 weeks postacute inversion ankle sprains in the measured outcome measures.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers with a 5-year patient survival rate of 8.2% and limited availability of therapeutic agents to target metastatic disease. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a dense stromal cell population with unknown contribution to the progression or suppression of tumor growth. In this study, we describe a microengineered tumor stromal assay of patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells to study the heterotypic interactions of patient pancreatic cancer cells with different types of stromal fibroblasts under basal and drug-treated conditions. The population dynamics of tumor cells in terms of migration and viability were visualized as a functional end point. Coculture with cancer-associated fibroblasts increased the migration of cancer cells when compared to dermal fibroblasts. Finally, we imaged the response of a bromodomain and extraterminal inhibitor on the viability of pancreatic cancer clusters surrounding by stroma in microengineered tumor stromal assay. We visualized a codynamic reduction in both cancer and stromal cells with bromodomain and extraterminal treatment compared to the dimethyl sulfoxide-treated group. This study demonstrates the ability to engineer tumor–stromal assays with patient-derived cells, study the role of diverse types of stromal cells on cancer progression, and precisely visualize a coculture during the screening of therapeutic compounds.

IntroductionEuropean agencies evaluate the adverse events (AEs) of asthma drugs in studies. The impact of these evaluations on reimbursement decisions remains unclear.MethodsAdult asthma evaluations were accessed from initial regulatory decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) through reimbursement evaluations. Omalizumab and reslizumab were chosen for the comparison of an older with a newer asthma drug. A timeline was then constructed to evaluate the effect of AEs on reimbursement recommendations. Evaluations from the United Kingdom (NICE) were not used because their documents are not as complete or in depth, including those from Sweden (TLV) and Germany (IQWIG).ResultsOmalizumab was first approved as add-on therapy to improve asthma control in October 2005. Of the 6 decisions made between 2006 and 2012, safety information was found in 4 of them, all from 2006 and evaluated by either Scotland (SMC) or France (HAS). These desicions all received either a ‘Do not recommend’ or a ‘Recommend with restrictions’ decision. Reslizumab was first approved as add-on therapy for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma in August 2016. Of the 9 decisions made in 2017, safety information was found in 5 decisions evaluated by IQWiG, Germany (G-BA), HAS, or SMC, which gave them a Do not recommend, Recommend with restrictions, or Recommend decision. Of the Do not recommend decisions, both the omalizumab and reslizumab safety evaluations mentioned common AEs (worsening asthma) and less common AEs (malignant tumors). Of the Recommend with restrictions decisions, the same AEs were seen. Only reslizumab had Recommended decisions. In the safety evaluation, there were no specific AEs named.ConclusionsThe impact of AEs on reimbursement decisions could not be detected when comparing omalizumab and reslizumab reviews, as other factors may contribute to the decisions. Further research should be conducted to explore this issue.

The irradiation of nanomaterials with energetic particles has significant effects on the properties of target materials. In addition to the well-known detrimental effects of irradiations, they have also some beneficial effects on the properties of nanomaterials. Irradiation effect can change the morphology of the materials in a controlled manner and tailor their mechanical, structural, optical and electrical properties. Irradiation induced modifications in the properties of nanomaterials can be exploited for many useful applications. With the aim of getting better performance of electronic devices, it is necessary to discuss the irradiation induced changes in the nanomaterials. In order to improve the irradiation hardness of electronic components, it is also crucial to have a fundamental understanding of the impact of the irradiation on the defect states and transport properties of the host material. In the present article, we review some recent advances on the irradiation induced effects on the properties of semiconducting nanomaterials. We have reviewed the effect of different types of irradiations which includes γ-irradiation, electron beam irradiation, laser irradiation, swift heavy ion irradiations, thermal induced, and optical induced irradiations, etc. on the various properties of semiconducting nanomaterials. In addition, the irradiation induced defects are also discussed.

To reduce the cost of solar electricity, there is an enormous potential of thin-film photovoltaic technologies. An approach for lowering the manufacturing costs of solar cells is to use organic (polymer) materials that can be processed under less demanding conditions. Organic/polymer solar cells have many intrinsic advantages, such as their light weight, flexibility, and low material and manufacturing costs. But reduced thickness comes at the expense of performance. However, thin photoactive layers are widely used, but light-trapping strategies, due to the embedding of plasmonic metallic nanoparticles have been shown to be beneficial for a better optical absorption in polymer solar cells. This article reviews the different plasmonic effects occurring due to the incorporation of metallic nanoparticles in the polymer solar cell. It is shown that a careful choice of size, concentration and location of plasmonic metallic nanoparticles in the device result in an enhancement of the power conversion efficiencies, when compared to standard organic solar cell devices.Contents of Paper

Aim: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of use and need for dental prostheses and to associate need with the life course determinants in young adults of age 18–35 years in Udupi taluk, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted on a total of 580 individuals those attended dental screening camps organized at random locations. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to participants to assess their life course determinants such as socioeconomic, behavioral, and psychological circumstances followed by an oral examination to assess their prosthetic status (WHO, 1997). Bivariate analysis followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for independent variables and the outcome. Results: The need and use of dental prostheses was observed in 38% and 2.2% of young adults, respectively. Adjusted multivariable analysis revealed that life course determinants such as parental rearing style (OR = 7.66 [95% CI: 3.88–15.14]) and interaction between expenditure at 10 years of age and economic hardships at 10 years of age (OR = 9.63 [95% CI: 3.12–29.72] and OR = 6.43 [95% CI: 1.89–21.88]) were significantly associated with the need for prostheses. Conclusion: The need for dental prostheses in the young adults can be related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances during childhood, and thus the concept of life course approach has been highlighted.

This paper reports the effect of doping on the charge transport in nanocrystalline CdSe thin film. The X-ray study confirms that the doping is achieved and the physical properties are improved. The energy resolution of a semiconductor radiation detector depends on the charge transport properties of the semiconductor and the mobility-lifetime (μτ) product is a key figure of merit for the charge transport. μτ product in nanocrystalline CdSe, CdSe:In and CdSe:Zn thin films has been estimated from temperature dependence of the photoconductivity, which increases with increase in temperature and doping. Also, μτ product of electrons in pure and doped nanocrystalline CdSe thin films has been determined by spectral photoconductivity at different applied voltages. Both the μτ and photoconductivity increase linearly with the bias voltage but the wavelength dependence remains qualitatively similar in all samples. The μτ products increase at photon energies > energy gap, which indicates that the recombination process depends on the excitation energy. The doped CdSe thin films have higher drift length in comparison with undoped films which suggest that these thin films can be used in charge collecting devices.

Nanocrystalline cadmium selenide (nc-CdSe) thin films have been prepared by thermal evaporation using the inert gas condensation (IGC) technique. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show that the CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) are spherical in shape. Constant photocurrent method (CPM) is used to determine the value of absorption coefficient in low absorption region of as-deposited, annealed and light soaked nc-CdSe thin films. Values of optical band gap ( E g ) have been determined by using Tauc's relation for as-deposited, annealed and light soaked nc-CdSe thin films from the α values evaluated from reflection and transmission measurements. We have used a derivative procedure to sub-gap absorption spectra in order to get information on the energetic distribution of the occupied density of states below Fermi level. Constants such as optical gap E g , Urbach edge E u have been obtained from CPM spectra in as-deposited, annealed and light soaked nc-CdSe thin films. Concentration of defect states has also been calculated in as-deposited, annealed and light soaked nc-CdSe thin films.

Development is a continuous process and is essential to enable the population to attain a better standard of life. But it should not be at the cost of the environment. The challenge of a development pattern striving to harmonize economics with social and environmental needs requires active citizen participation in public issues. Public participation in decisions about development is fundamental to achieving lasting and possible solutions. Using case study from Rajasthan, this paper identifies the procedure followed for public hearing, its deficiencies and outcomes. The research argues that it is the right of citizen on the part of people to participate and the utmost duty of the authority (project proponent) to help conduct a successful public hearing in accordance with laws and in benefit of the society.

Globally, more than 600 million school-age children are at risk of infection with soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and require treatment [1]. These infected children frequently carry the largest burden of disease in a community and are at greater risk of malnutrition and anaemia [2–5], with detrimental effects on educational access and learning as well as mental and physical performance [4,6–10]. Many of these detrimental effects of helminth infection, however, are reversible with antihelminthic drugs [9–11]; thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) advocates reaching a minimum target of regular administration of antihelminthics to at least 75%, and up to 100%, of school-age children at risk of morbidity from STH infection by 2020 [1,12]. The high levels of safety and efficacy of antihelminthic tablets make them ideal for mass drug administration (MDA), and recommended control efforts consist of antihelminthic treatment, administered through MDA, once a year for school-age children in whom STH infection prevalence is between 20% and 49% and twice a year for all school-age children in whom prevalence is at least 50% [13]. By providing easy access to large numbers of children in a structured setting, the school-based deworming model has been successfully used to administer these antihelminthics in multiple settings [14–16]. Thus, school-based deworming, in which the point of care for children is the school and the teachers are administers of the drugs, with critical oversight by health care staff, is recommended in order to cost-effectively and efficiently reach large numbers of children [14–17]. Despite the availability of cheap and efficacious drugs, WHO goals of reaching 75% of at-risk children by 2020 is not on target [18]. Clearly, in order to achieve WHO goals of reaching 75% by 2020, an effort needs to be taken to increase the scale and coverage of deworming programmes to regional and national levels. Box 1 highlights the key elements of a deworming programme implemented in Bihar, which presents a scalable and sustainable school-based model, using the tools available and harnessing existing structures to create a successful, structured deworming programme. Box 1. Key Elements for Success of the Deworming Programme in Bihar Institutional Framework ◆ Ownership of the programme by the government led to increased programme sustainability and continued financial and governmental support. ◆ Additionally, the existence of a multi-sectoral coordination committee (the State School Health Coordination Committee [SSHCC]) provided the necessary supervision, flexibility, and direction to address challenges arising during the programme while ensuring the sustained high profile of the programme. Evidence-Based Design and Implementation ◆ The catalytic role of development partners helped build a strong, evidence-based programme and resulted in overall reduced costs as well as additional high-level government support. Collaboration, Communication, and Coordination ◆ Throughout the design and implementation of the programme, close communication and collaboration among different state government bodies, in particular the health and education sectors, enabled the leveraging of their respective physical infrastructures and human resources and maximized coverage while reducing the overall cost of the programme. ◆ High levels of acceptability of the deworming programme by the community was a result of context-relevant community awareness campaigns that built local ownership of the programme, prevented a purely “top-down” approach to the programme, and increased participation on the deworming day. India is estimated to account for more than a quarter of all children requiring treatment for STH globally [1,19], and in 2009 the State Government of Bihar, in the eastern region of India, planned to initiate a state-wide, evidence-based deworming programme run out of state-schools and with technical support from Deworm the World (DtW). From inception, DtW was technically and administratively supported by Partnership for Child Development (PCD) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and led by PCD’s Executive Director Dr Lesley Drake, who was seconded to DtW to lead the campaign. This joint initiative is reflected in this paper with the term DtW/PCD. Bihar is one of India’s poorest states, with 8.5% of India’s population and only 1.6% of its gross domestic product (GDP) [20]. The population of Bihar was estimated to be over 104 million in the 2011 census [21] with approximately 28% between 6–14 years of age [21]. Surveys conducted in 2010–2011 found a high prevalence of STH throughout Bihar state [22], and subsequent predictive mapping indicated that at least annual, and in some cases biannual, MDA treatment would be required [17]. This paper outlines the political environment, development, and implementation of all stages of this pioneering and sustainable large-scale deworming programme, which led to the treatment of over 17 million school-age children in Bihar state. In addition, the synergistic support provided by all partners ensured a rapid rollout of the programme, which went from conception to implementation to treatment in less than 12 months, and deworming was rolled out across the state over three months.

The nanocrystalline thin films of In doped CdSe are prepared by thermal vaccum evaporation technique using Inert Gas Condensation method at room temperature. The transient photoconductivity measurements are performed at two different light intensities for nanocrystalline In doped CdSe thin fims. Photocurrent decay, even after subtraction of persistent photocurrent, is found to be non–exponential in the present case, indicating the presence of continuous distribution of defect states. Differential life time of excess carriers is also calculated which supports the above argument.

High size dispersion, large average radius of quantum dot and low-volume ratio has been a major hurdle in the development of quantum dot based devices. In the present paper, we have grown CdTe quantum dots in a borosilicate glass matrix using a two-step annealing method. Results of optical characterization and the theoretical model of absorption spectra have shown that quantum dots grown using two-step annealing have lower average radius, lesser size dispersion, higher volume ratio and higher decrease in bulk free energy as compared to quantum dots grown conventionally.

The nanocrystalline thin films of Zn doped CdSe are prepared by thermal vaccum evaporation using the Inert Gas Condensation method at room temperature. The effect of light soaking has been studied using transmission measurements for nanocrystalline Zn doped CdSe thin films. The transmission spectra are recorded in the transmission range 400-2500 nm at room temperature. The results indicate that the optical band gap decreases after light soaking. Photoluminescence spectral variation has also been studied after light soaking.

The nanocrystalline thin films of Cd30Se70 are prepared by thermal vaccum evaporation technique using Inert Gas Condensation method at room temperature. The transmission spectra are recorded using Monochromator-spectrograph [SOLAR TII, MS 2004] in the transmission range 400-850 nm for nc-CdSe thin films. Temperature dependence of energy gap (Eg), refractive index (n) for nc-CdSe thin films have been studied from 290 K to 370 K through the transmission spectra using Swanepoel method. It has been observed that energy gap decreases and refractive index increases with increase in temperature.

Mobility-lifetime (μτ) product for electrons in nanocrystalline CdSe: Cu thin film is determined by spectral photocurrent at different applied voltages. Both the μτ and photocurrent increase linearly with the bias voltage but the wavelength dependence remains qualitatively similar. The μτ product increases at photon energies >Eg, which indicates that the recombination process depend on the excitation energy.

Thin films of CdSe are prepared by Physical Vapor Deposition technique. The nanocrystalline films have been investigated by Steady‐State Photocarrier Grating technique (SSPG) and Steady‐State photoconductivity measurements. The minority carrier diffusion length (Ldiff) is obtained both from the best fit of experimental photocurrent ratio β versus grating period (Λ) and from the “Balberg plot”. The grating quality factor (γo) is 0.85 indicating almost negligible surface roughness present in the sample.

Introduction An analysis of the multidisciplinary treatment of mood disorders used at the short stay psychiatric unit (SSPU) in Mater Dei Hospital, Malta was carried out. Objectives The modalities considered were: • Pharmacological therapy • Electroconvulsive therapy • Psychological therapy • Occupational therapy • Social worker involvement Aims To record whether a multidisciplinary approach (MDA) was being used and whether this affected the clinical outcome. Methods The data used was obtained from a logbook in the SSPU and set up as an excel spreadsheet. The patient selection criteria was: 1. Diagnosed as having mood disorders (unipolar or bipolar depression) 2. Admitted for the first time to SSPU (with no previous admissions to an acute psychiatric ward) in 2008 3. The multidisciplinary approach was defined as the use of 3 or more modalities of treatment. Results 1. 87 patients were selected. In group 1: 6 patients received MDA and group 2: 81 patients did not receive MDA 2. 50% of patients in group 1 and 48% of patient in group 2 belonged to the age group of 46-55 years. 3. 100% for group 1 and 73.3% in group 2 were females. 4. 50% of patient were re-admitted in group one while 58% of patients were re-admitted in group 2. 5. MDA prolonged the average duration till next re-admission by 81 days. 6. The cost per bed is approximately 300euros daily, thus saving 24,300 euros per patient when MDA is used. Conclusions MDA improves patient outcome by preventing or prolonging re-admissions. This should be emphasized in the female population and in the age group of 46-55 years.

Elliptic curve cryptosystem (ECC) is a public key-based cryptosystem. All algorithms in ECC are based on point addition and point doubling arithmetic operations. This explains the active learning process and its usages in teaching elliptic curve cryptography-based contents to undergraduate and graduate students. Here, the emphasis is given to mathematical contents that make the cryptography concepts easy to understand. Mathematical concepts mainly include point addition and doubling with examples. Further, technical observations are made while teaching these contents. For example, to reduce computation cost, there is a need for fast computations method in point addition and doubling operations. Thus, the fast computational algorithms are important to understand with examples for reducing the cost in ECC arithmetic operations. These algorithms reduce the number of steps required to perform cryptography operations by reducing compute addition and doubling operations. Group authentication is one of the major application domains of ECC. This work presents the ECC-based authentication protocols that provide authentication using encryption/decryption, digital signature, and other cryptography primitives. In observations, it is found that the proposed approach is much better quantitatively and quantitatively compared to traditional teaching.