Introduction: Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the recommended interventions to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Yet in most Sub-Saharan African countries, high rates of ANC coverage coexist with high maternal and neonatal mortality. The main objectives of this study is to examine the adequacy of services provided to pregnant women and to document preferred places of delivery among women living in rural communities in Lagos, Nigeria. \n\nMaterials and methods: We enrolled 829 women in child-bearing age (WCBA) in a descriptive study conducted at two rural coastal communities of Lagos, Nigeria between October 2012 and March 2013. Respondents were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using STATA 13. Confidence level was set at 95% and p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.\nResults: A total of 829 women in reproductive age (<25 =31.0%; 25-35 = 48.9%; ≥35 = 20.1%) were included in this descriptive study. Majority of them were married (660, 79.0%), had attained secondary level education (680, 82.0%), of parity 1-2 (347, 41.8%) and of Yoruba ethnic group (670, 80.8%). Health facility was the most common preferred place of delivery (691, 83.2%). Those aged 25-34 years were about 4 times more likely to have had ANC (χ²=52.1, P-value=0.000, OR=3.9, 95%CI=2.65, 5.68) when compared to those <25 years. 81.7% of respondents said that a pregnant woman with health problems should visit the nearest health facility while 15.3% said she should visit the nearest TBA. Respondents aged 25-34 years (54.2%) were about twice likely to deliver at health facilities than other age groups (χ²=18.38, P-value=0.000, OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.4, 2.5) and married respondents twenty times more than single respondents (χ²=235.88, P-value=0.000, OR=20.0, 95%CI=12.7, 31.6). Overall, immunization was the most common (496, 59.8%) ANC service rendered to pregnant women, though it explains an insignificant 3.3% of choice of delivery place in previous pregnancy (R2=0.033, F-statistics=2.15, P-value=0.14) but a significant 2.4% in the current preferred delivery place (R2=0.024, F-statistics=16.03, P-value=0.0001). There were also significant positive correlations between immunization and previous place of delivery (r=1.40, Std. Err=0.69, t=2.03, P-value=0.04, 95%CI=0.05, 2.75) and current preferred place of delivery (r=3.57, Std. Err=1.33, t=2.69, P-value=0.007, 95%CI=0.97, 6.18).\nConclusion. The quality of ANC given to pregnant women attending ANC in rural Lagos was found to be inadequate. Preference of delivery place is not determined by quality of services given at ANC.

The results by development of physical, mathematical and numerical models for parametric excitation and suppression of oscillations on the interfaces separating continuous media, for carrying out computing, physical and natural experiments by revealing the new phenomena and parametric effects, and for their use in improvement the existing and creation the perspective highly efficient technological processes are presented. Scientific novelty of this work consists in development of the theory and applications of parametric excitation and suppression of oscillations on the boundaries of continua on the samples of three tasks’ classes: flat and radial spreading film flows of viscous incompressible liquids, conductive as well as non-conductive ones; surfaces of phase transition from a liquid state into a solid one; and heterogeneous granular media. The external actions considered are: alternating electromagnetic, vibration, acoustic and thermal fields. Along with linear the non-linear parametric oscillations are investigated (including strongly non-linear) too and the results of theoretical studies are confirmed and supplemented with the corresponding experimental data. The general and specific peculiarities of parametrically excited oscillations and the new parametric effects revealed are discussed for technical and technological applications. First the general statement and substantiation of the problems studied is considered, and then the various parametric oscillations in continua are analyzed from common methodological base. Also the assessment of a current state of the problems, analysis of their features, prospects of further development and the main difficulties of the methodological, mathematical and applied character are presented.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is ubiquitous and persistent environmental pollutant and food contaminant. It’s neurotoxic, especially for the developing nervous system. The main source of human exposure to MeHg is seafood. It is well established that exposure to toxic elements such as mercury or arsenic during gestation and lactation may potentially cause adverse effects on the development of fetuses and neonates. The aim of the present work was to find out whether and how exposure at different gestational periods to MeHg affects early developmental millstones and neurobehavioral functions in maturity. Therefore, the earlier developmental and neurobehavioral effects in the offspring on postnatal day (PND) (1-28) were studied following maternal exposure to methylmercury (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5mg.kg/day) by oral gavages from gestation day (GD) 8 to till parturition. It’s a period of timing of neurulation and orgenogenesis. Neither maternal toxicity nor any noticeable signs or symptoms were observed with all exposure/treatment groups. Maternal weight gain (%) during gestation was reduced significantly only in those animals that had received 1.0 and 1.5mg/kg/dayMeHg treatment groups on day 8 of gestation. There were no absorption or early deliveries observed in all dose levels MeHg exposures, except two pups of deaths in each MeHg-treated groups, In contrast, dam treated with 1.5mg/kg/day MeHg-treatment group alone caused reduction in pups, dead fetuses, as well as the percentage of post implantation loss were significantly affected. The length of gestation was increased and/or delays in delivery at 1.5mg/kg/day MeHg treatment group. The number of dams that delivered viable litters reduced in dose dependant manner. The number of live pups per dam treated with 1.5 mg/kg/day MeHg treatment group affected significantly. There was a significant increased in percentages of pups’ mortality with 1.5 mg/kg/day MeHg group on PD1-4. However, the values of the viability index (i.e. percentage of pups surviving beyond PND4) as well as resorption per litter were significantly affected with 1.5-mg/kg/day MeHg dose group. These results, combined with those of our earlier study, suggest that gestational exposure would enhance the MeHg-induced maternal and embryo/fetal toxicity, confirmed the high-teratogenic potential of MeHg suggest to pay increased attention to MeHg concerning its exogenous use during pregnancy.

This research paper has attempted to scrutinize the international trade sector of India and Pakistan. This is done using the by using the tools of the international trade like J-curve and the Marshall-Lerner condition. The period from 1983-2013 is particularly interesting to study as it involves the various reforms, policy measures and economic situations which led to structural changes in the domestic markets of these countries and as a result affected their international share. The sole stimulus to explore this region came as no study was undertaken to verify the J-curve pattern using the Marshall-Lerner condition in these countries. In order derive the conclusion, an export-import model is created by the annual data of five variables namely; Exports, Imports, GNI, Exchange Rate and the World Income taken from World Bank database (for total exports and imports). This model is analyzed using the best possible econometric technique where all these variables are tested for Stationarity and then for Cointegration via SAS and finally OLS technique has been implied in order to find the import and export elasticity. In order to analyze the J-curve, the trade balance (export – imports) is plotted on a line graph for the 31 year period. Overall, the results of this study suggest a fulfillment of the Marshall-Lerner condition criteria in both the countries but the degree of satisfaction differs due to the export and import elasticity and also indicates the existence of the J-curve in India but it is not justified in Pakistan even though it has very high export elasticity here.\n\nThe findings are also supported with the theoretical aspects. Thus, establishing the relationship between a country’s trade balance and the domestic currency carries practical significance for the nation’s conduct monetary policy. Therefore, this paper serves as a stepping stone towards future research on which the policies can be adopted in India and Pakistan. Also, this will be helpful for the growth and development of the global market as a whole

Objectives: The objective was to assess the impact of perceptional changes in diabetic patients through Medication Therapy Management programme in South Kerala, India. This study was designed exclusively to identify the pharmacist’s role in patient care using the pharmacist-led MTM programme. \nMethods: A 15 item questionnaire was designed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on diabetic patients. KAP questionnaire consists of 7 knowledge questions, 3 attitude questions and 5 practice questions. 104 diabetic patients from general medicine were selected for the study for 6 months duration. The questionnaire was given to the patients before and after providing MTM service to the patients. \nKey findings: The study revealed that the knowledge and attitude of diabetic patients were improved after providing MTM service whereas practice was not improved supporting the previous study evidences. \nConclusion: The study identified that the pharmacist-led MTM programme has the potential to improve optimal diabetes management by involving the patients as a part of the health care team. The ability of the clinical pharmacist to build trusting relationships with patients and providers is essential for the success of such a programme.\nKeywords: Knowledge; Attitude; Practice; Medication Therapy Management; Diabetes

In this work, we designed and constructed a two digit digital counter. The digital circuit counter was designed using BCD 4506 binary counter and 7 segment display outputs. The circuit was modelled using proteus, which showed that the concept used in the design was okay. The circuit was then implemented and tested on a bread board before it was transferred on a mother board. There were two modes of operation of the circuit: through manual switch which incremented on its push and through a 555 timer clock which increments automatically. Finally we were able to achieve a two-digit counter that was able to count between 0-99 using a 4026IC, shadow sensor and a 555 timer. The input clock pulses were from shadow sensor.