Estimating the Cost of the Design, Production, and Dissemination of Social Media Videos for Social and Behavioral Change: Evidence From Merci Mon Héros in Niger and Côte d'Ivoire

Merci Mon Héros (MMH) is a youth-led multi-media campaign in Francophone West Africa seeking to improve reproductive health and family planning outcomes using radio, television, social media, and community events. One component to this project is the development of a series of youth-driven videos created to encourage both youth and adults to break taboos by talking to each other about reproductive health and family planning. A costing study was conducted to capture costs associated with the design, production, and dissemination of 11 MMH videos (in French) on social media in Côte d'Ivoire and Niger. The total costs to design, produce and disseminate 11 of the campaign videos for MMH in both Côte d'Ivoire and Niger were $44,981. Unit costs were calculated using three different denominators, resulting in average unit costs of $0.16 per reach, $1.29 per engagement, and $4.27 per video view. These findings can be useful for future studies of SBC interventions using social media for framing the analysis and selecting the appropriate metrics for the denominator, as well as for budgeting and planning SBC programs using social media.

Experimentally Investigated the Development and Performance of a Parabolic Trough Solar Water Distillation Unit Concerning Angle-Wise

The PTC performance was evaluated at four (i.e., 25o, 35o, 45o, and 55o) different adjusting Angles and it clearly showed that the adjusting Angles is highly significant, affecting the efficiency of the collector. The PTC received mean solar radiation 513 kJ.m-2.hr-1 with the absorbing temperature of the absorber in PTC was noted 123oC, 115oC, and 113oC consecutively the months of the year with the adjusting angles of 25o, 35o, and 45o respectively. Distilled water from the solar water distillation unit was found to improve the laboratory’s quality and wash equipment in the hospital. PTC’s efficiency noted 26.9%, 26.3%, and 26.1% with the distilled water up to 217, 313, and 343 ml.m-2.day-1 for the adjusting Angles of 25o, 45o, and 35o respectively. From the result, it concluded that to obtain maximum distilled water, the PTC should be set on adjusting Angles of 25o, 35o, and 45o. The average unit price of distillate from the solar still is assessed as Rs. 2.64/L-m2 with a payback period is 365 days. The unit distillate cost is seen to reduce significantly from Rs. 4.92/L to Rs. 1.57/L. It concluded from results that the distilled water of PTC relatively decent quality.

Competitive Advantages and Strategies of the Brown Sugar Industry in Purbalingga

The objectives of this study were a) to determine the competitive advantage of the brown sugar industry based in the sub-district Mrebet, Purbalingga; b) to identify internal factors of the environment (strengths-weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities– threats) that affect the industry’s empowerment and competitive advantage; and c) to find the best strategy for its empowerment and competitive advantage. This research was conducted in the sub-district of Mrebet, which was chosen using purposive sampling because of its potency of local resources and the presence of the brown sugar industry within it. This was descriptive quantitative and qualitative research. The research sample was determined purposively, and consisted of 20 households who were considered to be representative. The formulation of strategies for empowerment and competitive advantage of the brown sugar industry were analyzed using SWOT analysis. The results showed that the average unit cost of competitiveness measured by the indicator of domestic price was 0.46. This means, to produce 1 kg of brown sugar, the farmer spends 46% of its selling price. The strategy to be applied for the brown sugar industry in the sub-district is the Aggressive Strategy. Keywords: advantage, brown sugar, competitive, strategy

Local field potentials in the parietal reach region reveal mechanisms of bimanual coordination

Primates use their arms in complex ways that frequently require coordination between the two arms. Yet the planning of bimanual movements has not been well-studied. We recorded spikes and local field potentials (LFP) from the parietal reach region (PRR) in both hemispheres simultaneously while monkeys planned and executed unimanual and bimanual reaches. From analyses of interhemispheric LFP-LFP and spike-LFP coherence, we found that task-specific information is shared across hemispheres in a frequency-specific manner. This shared information could arise from common input or from direct communication. The population average unit activity in PRR, representing PRR output, encodes only planned contralateral arm movements while beta-band LFP power, a putative PRR input, reflects the pattern of planned bimanual movement. A parsimonious interpretation of these data is that PRR integrates information about the movement of the left and right limbs, perhaps in service of bimanual coordination.

Determination of the Selected Wells Operational Power with Borehole Heat Exchangers Operating in Real Conditions, Based on Experimental Tests

On the basis of experimental studies, the operational power of four borehole heat exchangers (BHE) under real conditions was determined. The research was carried out in 2018–2019. The theoretical power of the BHE was verified with its operating power. The amount of thermal energy absorbed from the ground by individual BHEs, the operating temperatures obtained at the inlet and outlet of the exchanger, the annual brine flow rate, and the average operating power of the tested wells in two heating seasons were compared and analyzed. Both in 2018 and 2019, none of the examined exchangers achieved an average unit capacity of a well. The aim of the work is to verify the specific ground thermal efficiency indicators adopted for the design of the lower heat source, determined using the computational method and the TRT test with data obtained on the basis of experimental tests. The differences between the results of the tests of the operating parameters of the analyzed BHEs were shown. The data obtained in real conditions is valuable in the research and development of the BHE system.

CONSTITUTIVE MATERIAL MODEL FOR BLOCK MASONRY AND ITS MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

This research work aims at the development of a material model for concrete block masonry used in the load-bearing wall as well as masonry infill. To accomplish this, various tests were performed on concrete block (solid) units and concrete block masonry assemblage. A concrete block having a size of 12 x 8 x 6 inches, were fabricated in a mortar ratio of 1:4, 1:2:2, 1:8 and 1:4:4. The compressive strength of concrete block prisms having size 24.36 x 8.04 x 18.72 inches, was also determined by conducting the compressive strength test. The shear strength of square prisms, having size 26.76 x 8.04 x 25.20 inches, was found by applying diagonal loading. To investigate the bond shear strength of concrete block masonry, triplet tests were carried out on block masonry prisms. Before conduct, a test on block assemblage specimens, the constituent materials of block assemblage i.e. block and mortar were also tested for different properties. The average compressive strength of concrete block (12”x8”x6”) was 302.25 psi and the average unit weight was 119.83 lb/ft3. The compressive strength of mortars of 1:4, 1:2:2, 1:8 and 1:4:4 was 2367, 1752,815 and 1332 psi respectively.

Analysis of unit costs at the Polish international truck freight transport companies in 2019 - eastern markets

The article represents the next part of the periodical publications of the Department of Economic Research in the field of cost analysis of the Polish international freight transport companies. It summarises and makes comparative assessments of the average unit costs of these companies for the 2019 in relation to the results of the previous period. The survey involved carriers operating on the Eastern markets. The article presents the statistical characteristics of the entities surveyed, taking into account their size, determined based on the number of the fleet’s heavy goods vehicles operated. It also shows how, the average costs of one vehicle-kilometre (veh-km) of mileage for a truck above 12.0 Mg GVW, are shaped, according to the size of the companies and taking into account the destinations of transport. The generic costs structure of the companies examined, has also been analysed. Presented in the tabular and graphic form is the evolution of unit costs for both 2019 and the whole 2009-2019 period.

Comparative analysis of the unit costs of the Polish International freight transport companies operating on the EU markets, in the years 2009-2019

The article represents the next part of the periodical publications of the Department of Economic Research in the field of cost analysis of the Polish international freight transport companies. It summarises and makes comparative assessments of the average unit costs of these companies for 2019 in relation to the results of the previous period. The survey involved both, the carriers operating on the eastern markets and in the European Union countries. The article presents statistical characteristics of the companies surveyed, taking into account their size, determined, based on the number of the fleet’s heavy goods vehicles being operated. It also shows how the average costs of a single vehicle-kilometre (veh-km) of mileage, for a truck above 12.0 Mg GVW are shaped, according to the size of the companies and taking into account the direction of transport (EU countries). The generic structure of the costs of the companies examined has been analysed. The evolution of unit costs for both 2019 and the whole period 2009-2018 were presented in tabular and graphic form.

APPROACH TOWARDS SACROCOCCYGEAL FISTULA: A PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL AND COMPETITIVE INTERPRETATION

Background: Sacrococcygeal fistula, also known as Pilonidal sinus is an acute or chronic infection in the subcutaneous fatty tissue, mainly in the natal cleft. The condition, though not life threatening, is socially embarrassing and adversely affects the quality of life of patients. In Ayurvedic literature Sacrococcygeal fistula is better correlated and treated as Nadi Vrana. Acharya Sushruta had explained Para-surgical procedure with the intervention of medicated Seton (Kshara Sutra) as one of the treatment modalities. The ideal method of treatment of Sacrococcygeal fistula should be effective with a low recurrence rate, short hospital stay and economical. Aim: This study is an attempt to evaluate the efficacy of Arka Ksharasutra in the management of Sacrococcygeal fistula. Methodology: A total no. of 10 patients having signs and symptoms of Sacrococcygeal fistula were selected for Arka Ksharasutra ligation under local anesthesia and the Seton was changed every week during the entire treatment period. Results: In this study all the patients i.e.,100% were males with age between 25-35 years. The length of initial track was 3.6 to 5.5 cm and average Unit Cutting Time was 7.23 days/cm in previously non-operated cases and 11.26 days/cm in previously operated cases, average being 8.2days/cm. There was no post-operative complication and recurrence even after 3 months of follow-up. Conclusion: Arka Ksharasutra is laced with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, bactericidal and anti- inflammatory properties which minimizes the use of antibiotics and also demolished the recurrence of symptoms.

The Labour Market Effects of International Trade in the Presence of Vertical Product Differentiation: Some Methodological Remarks in Retrospect

The paper retrospectively analyses the issue of the impact of international trade on developed countries’ labour markets in the 1990s, when the majority of academic opinion denied the role of trade in the misfortunes of unskilled workers. An analytical framework is proposed in which intra-industry trade is explained in terms of countries’ factor endowments and factor intensities of goods. Unlike the traditional Heckscher–Ohlin model of inter-industry trade, the model suggested here is more consistent with stylised facts about North–South trade. The paper also proposes a method for empirically assessing factor substitution effects at the product level. Inferring the factor content of intra-industry trade from the inter-sectoral relationship between factor intensity and average unit values of exports, the paper found that the labour market effects of intra-industry trade add significantly to the estimated factor market impact of trade.