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PurposeThis study aims to identify the benefits and costs of participation in small group consumption communities (SGCCs), and understand how benefits and costs experienced in these communities differ from those experienced in large group consumption communities (LGCCs).Design/methodology/approachThematic analysis of data collected through multi-method approach comprising depth-interviews, participant observation of community events and online community forums was used to identify benefits and costs of SGCC participation.FindingsEight benefits and three costs of SGCC participation were identified. While some benefits and costs were found to be similar to those identified in LGCCs earlier, their experience and manifestation was found to differ significantly in SGCCs.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected from SGCCs located in India (collectivist culture). Hence, findings may not be reflective of individualist cultures.Practical implicationsUnderstanding that benefits and costs of community participation are experienced differently in SGCCs and LGCCs may be useful input for managers wanting to seed/nurture consumption communities. By increasing benefits and reducing costs, managers can transform communities into vibrant social systems, and thereby improve members' engagement and involvement.Originality/valueOf the eight benefits identified in the study, two benefits – Escape and Meaningful Engagement are identified for the first time. The study also explores costs of SGCC participation (an area hitherto under explored) in detail. In addition, the study illustrates how some of the benefits despite being seemingly similar in SGCCs and LGCCs are inherently different.

Literature suggests various ways to augment the income levels of farmers, and livelihood diversification is one among such approaches. However, risk is a critical factor that drives a farmer to diversify. The returns of a farmer are influenced by the amount of risk undertaken. In this paper, efforts have been made to understand various factors that play a key role in coping with risk and possibilities to augment income through diversification, sustaining the income earned, and so on. Though diversification is an established strategy to boost income, this paper presents a systematic approach to diversification and managing risk through the livelihood diversification framework (LDF). The systematic approach paves the way to make livelihood diversification a non-distress-driven strategy through various interventions.

Background: Spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric bupivacaine and adjuvants such as Fentanyl is now the preferred technique for spinal anesthesia, and is the gold standard for caesarean section. The common procedure is to add such adjuvants in a two-syringe before intrathecal injection into hyperbaric bupivacaine. Drug mixing may alter anesthetic solution density and baricity and may change the distribution of medication in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of comparing block characteristics, intraoperative hemodynamics, and postoperative pain relief in Caesarean section under the subarachnoid block (SAB), following administration of hyperbaric bupivacaine and Fentanyl as a mixture. Methods: The research population consisted of 100 patients parturient women undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anesthesia with the age ranges aged 20-52 years. By using computer-generated random numbers to obtain they were allocated to one of the two classes of an evenly sized group (50 each). This is a forward-looking, comparative analysis using an inclusive protocol framework for similarly sized classes. Group A received intrathecally 2ml of 0.5% hyperbaric Bupivacaine (10 mg) and Group B received intrathecally 2ml of 0.5% hyperbaric Bupivacaine (10 mg) + 0.5ml of Fentanyl (25 μg) as a concurrent process.

AbstractHexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) can be biologically reduced to nontoxic and easily separable trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) without generating concentrated wastes. Using a 6–25 gpm pilot‐scale two‐stage, fixed‐bed (FXB), biologically active carbon (BAC) treatment system, approximately 75 μg/L Cr(VI) was consistently removed to less than 7 μg/L with a 10‐min empty‐bed contact time. Potential Cr(VI)‐reducing bacteria, including members from the Dechloromonas and Acinetobacter genera, were present in the system. The system was resilient, and 91% Cr removal was observed when the system was challenged with a 24‐h phosphoric acid feed shutdown, a 3‐day system shutdown, spiking Cr(VI) to 100 μg/L, or operating intermittently with regular shutdown periods of hours to days. The system recovered within 6 h after a 26‐h acetic acid feed shutdown. Readily settling backwash wastewater was generated with characteristics similar to municipal wastewater. Overall, the results indicated that a two‐stage, FXB BAC system can provide an effective and robust option for Cr(VI) removal.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of common ocular disorders in primary and upper primary school children between 5 to12years of age. To screen primary school children studying in government schools. Materials and methods: In the present study, a total of 50 government schools were visited. A total of 5000 children were examined. The materials consisted of Ophthalmic screening kit which has been used to detect the common oculardisorders in school. Results: A total of 5000 children were examined, of which 2491were boys and 2509 were girls. So males (49.82%) and females (50.06%) had an equal representation. The total male children found with visual defects were 168 and total female children found with visual defects were 195. Total number of children found with visual defects were 363. Male and female children with visual defects is 3.36% and 3.9%. Total children with visual defects in the sample is 7.26%.The prevalence rate of myopia, is 1.8%, hypermetropia 0.2%, astigmatism is 0.36%, Refractive errors is 2.36%, bitot's Spots is 1.7%., conjunctival xerosis is 0.9%, Vitamin-A deficiency is 2.6%, squint is 0.42%, cornealopacity is 0.24%, cataracts is 0.16%, ptosis is 0.18%, amblyopia is 0.14%, keratitis is 0.3%, retinal diseases is 0.22%. The prevalence rate of other diseases is 0.64%. Conclusion: High prevalence of overall ocular morbidity and refractive errors among school students in urban South Indian area. It highlights the urgent need to implement at school level, health facility-based, cost-effective strategies, and appropriate eye careprograms targeting school children to reduce the burden of visual impairment among them.

High Voltage High Pulse Power Supply (HVHPPS) is designed with the goal to match fixed load, so thatprecise pulse output can be achieved. Generally the loads involve magnetron, klystron, and particle accelerators etc. The HVHPPS output pulse shape changes with load impedance variation due to various reasons. Due to changes in impedance, the performance of Pulse Power Supply degrades and reflects the power at the source end which causes component failure and system shut down. To overcome such problems, a scale down High Voltage High Pulse Power is designed and developed to match the dynamic impedance variations upto 25 % of mismatch. In earlier days, all HVHPPS were designed using microcontrollers where the problem of pulse to pulse monitoring and computational speed was compromised. The availability of variable and self-defined, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) controller, which provided flexibility to design the pulse to pulse shaping and various vital parameter monitoring, made it possible. This paper presents the design and implementation of HVHPPS over an FPGA platform to meet the fast response requirement. This paper provides a solution for impedance mismatch problems associated with such types of power supply, and also presents specifications for major components in a high voltage pulse power system for various types of load ranges. An experimental test hardware was designed and developed for HVHPPS to implement dynamic impedance algorithm and validate the results.

In 2010, the city of Philadelphia launched a media campaign to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in homes with children as a strategy to combat obesity. Using the integrative model (IM) of behavioral change and prediction, a theory-based precampaign survey of Philadelphia parents was conducted to determine the most effective message content. Results indicated that intention to eliminate SSB consumption is attitudinally driven and suggested that effective messages should highlight feelings of nurturing and concern about child weight gain. Focus group testing led to the selection of a television ad, transit/print ad, and a radio spot that incorporated aspects of the theory-based results from the baseline survey. An online message testing experiment found that exposure to campaign messages increased intention to reduce SSBs and supported the underlying beliefs in the correct direction. These results illustrate how the IM can be applied to the development of a public health intervention.