Women’s Empowerment as It Relates to Attitudes Towards and Practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting of Daughters: An Ecological Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys From 12 African Countries

Background: Women’s empowerment may play a role in shaping attitudes towards female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) practices. We aimed to investigate how empowerment may affect women’s intention to perpetuate FGM/C and the practice of FGM/C on their daughters in African countries.Materials and methods: We used data from Demographic and Health Surveys carried out from 2010 to 2018. The countries included in our study were Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d´Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Togo. This study included 77,191 women aged 15–49 years with at least one daughter between zero and 14 years of age. The proportion of women who reported having at least one daughter who had undergone FGM/C as well as the mother’s opinion towards FGM/C continuation were stratified by empowerment levels in three different domains (decision-making, attitude to violence, and social independence) for each country. We also performed double stratification to investigate how the interaction between both indicators would affect daughter’s FGM/C.Results: The prevalence of women who had at least one daughter who had undergone FGM/C was consistently higher among low empowered women. Tanzania, Benin, and Togo were exceptions for which no differences in having at least one daughter subjected to FGM/C was found for any of the three domains of women’s empowerment. In most countries, the double stratification pointed to a lower proportion of daughters’ FGM/C among women who reported being opposed to the continuation of FGM/C and had a high empowerment level while a higher proportion was observed among women who reported being in favor of the continuation of FGM/C and had a low empowerment level. This pattern was particularly evident for the social independence domain of empowerment. In a few countries, however, a higher empowerment level coupled to a favorable opinion towards FGM/C was related to a higher proportion of daughters’ FGM/C.Conclusion: Women’s empowerment and opinion towards FGM/C seems to be important factors related to the practice of FGM/C in daughters. Strategies to improve women’s empowerment combined with shifts in the wider norms that support FGM/C may be important for achieving significant reductions in the practice.

A novel approach for EMHD Williamson nanofluid over nonlinear sheet with double stratification and Ohmic dissipation

The current article highlights the non-Newtonian Williamson nanofluid with electro-magnetohydrodynamic (EMHD) flow over a nonlinear expanding sheet. Thermal and solutal stratification effects are considered due to the higher temperature difference and the impact of variable viscosity along with Ohmic dissipation is also incorporated. Transformation is applied for the conversion of physical partial differential equations (PDEs) into non-dimensional higher order nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). A well-known analytical approach known as the homotopy analysis method (HAM) is effectively applied to solve the differential equations. Different non-dimensional emerging parameters such as Weissenberg and Hartman number, Brownian motion and stratification parameters, stretching index, viscosity parameter, and Lewis number are used to check their impacts on velocity, concentration, and temperature profiles. To acquire the optimal solution through HAM, [Formula: see text] -curves are drawn. In the tabulated form, the numerical values for the non-dimensional Nusselt number and skin friction are arranged.

Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer Features of Hybrid Casson Nanofluid Flow with the Magnetic Dipole Past a Stretched Cylinder

The main purpose of this research is to scrutinize the heat and mass transfer in the Casson hybrid nanofluid flow over an extending cylinder in the presence of a magnetic dipole and double stratification. The nanofluid contained chemically reactive hybrid nanoparticles (Ag, MgO) in the conventional fluids (water). The effects of viscous dissipation, radiation, and concentration stratification were taken into consideration. In the presence of gyrotactic microorganisms and the Non-Ficks Model, the flow was induced. Incorporating microorganisms into a hybrid nanofluid flow is thought to help stabilize the dispersed nanoparticles. For viscosity and thermal conductivity, experimental relations with related dependence on nanoparticle concentration were used. To acquire the nonlinear model from the boundary layer set of equations, suitable similarity transformations were employed. The built-in function bvp4c of Matlab software was utilized to solve the transformed equation numerically. The graphical results were obtained for temperature, velocity, concentration, and microorganism distribution for various parameters. The numerical amounts of drag friction, heat transport rate, and motile density number for different parameters are presented through tables. It is seen that the fluid velocity is augmented by the increase of the curvature parameter, while a decrease occurs in the fluid velocity with an increase in the magnetic and slips parameters. The comparison of the present study with previously available studies is discussed, which shows a good agreement with published results.

Association of intensity of ventilation with 28-day mortality in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure: insights from the PRoVENT-COVID study

Background The intensity of ventilation, reflected by driving pressure (ΔP) and mechanical power (MP), has an association with outcome in invasively ventilated patients with or without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is uncertain if a similar association exists in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with acute respiratory failure. Methods We aimed to investigate the impact of intensity of ventilation on patient outcome. The PRoVENT-COVID study is a national multicenter observational study in COVID-19 patients receiving invasive ventilation. Ventilator parameters were collected a fixed time points on the first calendar day of invasive ventilation. Mean dynamic ΔP and MP were calculated for individual patients at time points without evidence of spontaneous breathing. A Cox proportional hazard model, and a double stratification analysis adjusted for confounders were used to estimate the independent associations of ΔP and MP with outcome. The primary endpoint was 28-day mortality. Results In 825 patients included in this analysis, 28-day mortality was 27.5%. ΔP was not independently associated with mortality (HR 1.02 [95% confidence interval 0.88–1.18]; P = 0.750). MP, however, was independently associated with 28-day mortality (HR 1.17 [95% CI 1.01–1.36]; P = 0.031), and increasing quartiles of MP, stratified on comparable levels of ΔP, had higher risks of 28-day mortality (HR 1.15 [95% CI 1.01–1.30]; P = 0.028). Conclusions In this cohort of critically ill invasively ventilated COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure, we show an independent association of MP, but not ΔP with 28-day mortality. MP could serve as one prognostic biomarker in addition to ΔP in these patients. Efforts aiming at limiting both ΔP and MP could translate in a better outcome. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov (study identifier NCT04346342).

Investigation of binary chemical reaction in magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow with double stratification

This article addresses MHD nanofluid flow induced by stretched surface. Heat transport features are elaborated by implementing double diffusive stratification. Chemically reactive species is implemented in order to explore the properties of nanofluid through Brownian motion and thermophoresis. Activation energy concept is utilized for nano liquid. Further zero mass flux is assumed at the sheet’s surface for better and high accuracy of the out-turn. Trasnformations are used to reconstruct the partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations. Homotopy analysis method is utilized to obtain the solution. Physical features like flow, heat and mass are elaborated through graphs. Thermal stratified parameter reduces the temperature as well as concentration profile. Also decay in concentration field is noticed for larger reaction rate parameter. Both temperature and concentration grows for Thermophoresis parameter. To check the heat transfer rate, graphical exposition of Nusselt number are also discussed and interpret. It is noticed that amount of heat transfer decreases with the increment in Hartmann number. Numerical results shows that drag force increased for enlarged Hartmann number.