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AbstractSeveral constraints influence the duration estimation of construction activities. Labour productivity is one of the critical limitations, which affects the estimate of activity duration. Various factors affecting construction labour productivity are studied in detail in the literature; the same is not considered to determine the duration of activities. Therefore, this research proposes an activity duration estimation framework to estimate the duration of construction work-packages concerning the standard norms and factors affecting labour productivity. The authors considered 16 factors that affect the labour productivity mentioned in the literature sources. Three expert’s suggestion is obtained to determine the loss in labour productivity for all the 16 factors. Based on these inputs and labour constant values from the standard document, activity durations are calculated. A genetic algorithm optimization approach is adopted to determine the optimal duration to execute six construction work-packages. The proposed framework also allows the project managers to include project constraints while deciding the overall duration. The result showcases a realistic duration estimation for the assumed conditions in a real-time construction project. The proposed activity duration estimation framework is flexible to incorporate labour productivity values from any other standard norms.

Current guidelines recommend vaccination against SARS-CoV2 for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The long-term review of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in pwMS is limited.

(BJOG. 2021;128:1928–1937. [Epub June 1, 2021])Cesarean delivery (CD) is recognized as an important life-saving intervention that also carries adverse risks. Following the dramatic rise in CD globally, health organizations have provided recommendations for avoiding preventable CD. Previous analysis of trends in CD coverage have examined global, regional, and national-level rates, but exclude other socioeconomic analysis. Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are the focus of this study with the intention of identifying groups vulnerable to avoidable CD and strategies to prevent these cases.

Ayurveda is a renowned traditional medicine practiced in India from ancient times and Clitoria ternateais one such prospective medicinal herb incorporated as an essential constituent in a brain tonic called as medhya rasayan for treating neurological disorders. This work emphasises the significance of the plant as a brain drug there by upholding Indian medicine. The phytochemicals from the root extract were extricated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry assay and molecular docking against the protein Monoamine oxidase was performed with four potential compounds along with four reference compounds of the plant. This persuades the prospect of C. ternateaas a remedy for neurodegenerative diseases and depression. The in silico assay enumerates that a major compound (Z)-9,17-octadecadienal obtained from the chromatogram with a elevated retention time of 32.99 furnished a minimum binding affinity energy value of −6.5 kcal/mol against monoamine oxidase (MAO-A). The interactions with the amino acid residues ALA 68, TYR 60 and TYR 69 were analogous to the reference compound kaempferol-3-monoglucoside with a least score of −13.90/−12.95 kcal/mol against the isoforms (MAO) A and B. This study fortifies the phytocompounds of C. ternateaas MAO-inhibitors and to acquire a pharmaceutical approach in rejuvenating Ayurvedic medicine.

Some people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are at increased risk of severe Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and should be rapidly vaccinated. However, vaccine supplies are limited, and there are concerns about side-effects, particularly with the ChAdOx1nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca) vaccine.

The widespread collection of unofficial fees at health facilities is a common form of rent-seeking behaviour in Bangladesh. Typically, unofficial fees come in the form of cash payments for the performance of required services, for direct purchase of drugs and medical-surgical requisites, and for service access. Using observational and interview methods, this study explores linkages between official and unofficial fees at three Bangladesh health facility levels; primary care Thana Health Complexes, secondary or district hospitals, and medical college hospitals. The study estimates payment levels for different income classes and different payor types at these facilities, thereby highlighting potential equity, price and institutional questions associated with unofficial fees. Not only does the practice have clear income and equity effects, there also appear to be direct effects upon patient satisfaction, perception of quality, and the ability to pay for health services. The article concludes with a discussion of 'rent capture' processes at Bangladesh facilities and the effect of unofficial fees in six areas of health sector reform: displaced official policies, reduced merit goods production, upward income redistribution, distorted human resource development, growth of facility inefficiency, and obstruction of market reforms.

Summary

A new solid-phase extraction procedure using a polyurethane foam plug column has been tested for the preconcentration of traces of carbaryl (50-400 ppb) present in water. The plug was Soxhlet extracted with chloroform, the solvent was evaporated, the residue was dissolved in methanol, and the carbaryl was determined spectrophotometrically. Recovery was 73-80, 82-88, 91-97, and 94-98% from deep-well water, river water, rain water, and distilled water, respectively.

To test whether low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of sensorimotor cortex (SM1) has prolonged effects on somatosensory function, eight subjects were given 900 TMS pulses over the left hand SM1 (0.9Hz, 90 of the resting motor threshold) or at sites 3 cm anterior or posterior to it. Tactile threshold of the right hand was increased for a short duration after rTMS over SM1, but two-point discrimination and median nerve SEPs were unaffected after rTMS at any sites.