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Natural fiber reinforced composites are potentially useful materials with respect to environmental concerns. The geometry or the forms of the reinforcement in a composite greatly influences the mechanical properties of the composite. The common forms of jute reinforcement are chopped fiber, sliver, yarn, woven fabric, knitted fabric and nonwoven mat. In the present study, Composites were fabricated by incorporating jute sliver in unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin. Jute sliver (JS) reinforced unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin composites [JS/UPE] were prepared by compression molding technique. Jute fiber content in the composites were varied from 10-60% by weight and mechanical properties were measured in both longitudinal (along fiber/sliver axis) and transverse direction. Composite comprised of 50% jute sliver showed the best mechanical properties. At optimized fiber content (5o% fiber by weight) the value TS, TM, BS, BM and IS of jute sliver reinforced UPE composite, JS/UPE, were found to 140.25 MPa, 6.75GPa, 160.5. MPa, 13.7 GPa and 27.2 KJ/m2 in longitudinal direction and 18.32 MPa, 0.8 GPa, 44.1 MPa, 1.3 GPa and 5.2 KJ/m2 in transverse direction respectively.

There is little information about the impact of household structure and composition on elderly mortality in developing countries. This study examines the impact of relationship to head of household, and the presence of co-resident spouses and sons on elderly mortality in rural Bangladesh with a particular focus on age and gender differences.A total of 9365 individuals agedor = 60 at baseline (5128 males and 4237 females) in the Matlab Surveillance area in rural Bangladesh were followed for a period of 8 years (1974-1982) with all predictors (the presence of a spouse, one or more co-resident adult sons, relationship to head of household, household economic status, age and disability status) being measured at the beginning of follow-up. Cox proportional hazard models were used in the analysis.Being the head of household had a significant impact on reducing elderly mortality for both men and women. The presence of a spouse reduced mortality for all elderly men but had a significant beneficial impact only on women whose husbands were heads of households. Finally the presence of one or more co-resident adult sons reduced mortality for elderly women but not for elderly men. For all three of the above predictors there was a decline in effect with the age of the elderly.Relationship to head of household and the presence of spouses and sons have powerful impacts on reducing mortality for elderly men and women in rural Bangladesh with the effects varying significantly by gender and age. Furthermore, individual rather than joint access to material resources is an important determinant of elderly mortality.

Increases in the number of children living in single-parent (usually female-headed) households and in the proportion of mothers who work outside their homes have raised concern in the United States about the effects of these trends on the well-being of children and the possible need for policy intervention. This paper discusses the arguments for and against policies that affect families. We review a number of such policies and what research suggests about their likely effects. The policies discussed...include those concerning child support welfare income taxes child and dependent care family leave family planning programs to improve parenting skills and family function and economic growth. (EXCERPT)