Automatic Aggregation Enhanced Affinity Propagation Clustering Based on Mutually Exclusive Exemplar Processing

Affinity propagation(AP)is a widely used exemplar-based clustering approach with superior efficiency and clustering quality.Nevertheless,a common issue with AP clustering is the presence of excessive exemplars,which limits its ability to perform effective aggregation.This research aims to enable AP to automatically aggregate to produce fewer and more compact clusters,without changing the similarity matrix or customizing preference parameters,as done in existing enhanced approaches.An automatic aggregation enhanced affinity propagation(AAEAP)clustering algorithm is proposed,which combines a dependable partitioning clustering approach with AP to achieve this purpose.The partitioning clustering approach generates an additional set of findings with an equivalent number of clusters whenever the clustering stabilizes and the exemplars emerge.Based on these findings,mutually exclusive exemplar detection was conducted on the current AP exemplars,and a pair of unsuitable exemplars for coexistence is recommended.The recommendation is then mapped as a novel constraint,designated mutual exclusion and aggregation.To address this limitation,a modified AP clustering model is derived and the clustering is restarted,which can result in exemplar number reduction,exemplar selection adjustment,and other data point redistribution.The clustering is ultimately completed and a smaller number of clusters are obtained by repeatedly performing automatic detection and clustering until no mutually exclusive exemplars are detected.Some standard classification data sets are adopted for experiments on AAEAP and other clustering algorithms for comparison,and many internal and external clustering evaluation indexes are used to measure the clustering performance.The findings demonstrate that the AAEAP clustering algorithm demonstrates a substantial automatic aggregation impact while maintaining good clustering quality.

Exclusive Fibula Osteosynthesis for Treating Open Fractures Gustillo I-III B of the Distal Half of the Leg Bones in a Resources-Limited Setting

Introduction: Management of open leg bones fractures is a challenging health issue for the surgeon, particularly true in resource-limited settings. In this study, we evaluate exclusive fibular osteosynthesis in the treatment of open fractures of the distal half of the leg bones as a therapeutic option in our context. Methods: This is a prospective, experimental, multicenter study of 30 open fractures of the distal half of the leg bones treated with exclusive fibula osteosynthesis, conducted in 3 hospitals in the DRC from January 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016. Results: The age range of 20 to 40 years grouped 22 (73.4%) patients, the sex ratio was 1:1 and the unemployed were the most involved with 16 (53.3%) cases. The Gustilo II, I, III B and III A types represented 40%, 33.3%, 20% and 6.7%, respectively. The fractures were located in the distal third in 12 (40%) cases, in the middle third in 11 (36.7%) cases, and in both malleoli in 7 cases (23.3%). Osteosynthesis of the fibula by screw plate was applied in 22 (73.3%) patients and pinning in 8 (26.7%). Satisfactory reduction of the tibial fracture site was achieved in 29 (96.7%) cases and 100% bone healing was achieved within an average of 10 weeks. Four (13.3%) loss of alignment, 1 (3.3%) infection, 1 (3.3%) skin necrosis and 2 (6.7%) ankle stiffness complicated our fractures. Conclusion: Exclusive osteosynthesis of the fibula as a common technique for fractures of the distal half of the leg bones allowed us to reduce, immobilize and consolidate the tibial fracture in the required time and to preserve the mobility of the ankle.

Outage Probability Analysis for D2D-Enabled Heterogeneous Cellular Networks with Exclusion Zone:A Stochastic Geometry Approach

Interference management is one of the most important issues in the device-to-device(D2D)-enabled heterogeneous cellular networks(HetCNets)due to the coexistence of massive cellular and D2D devices in which D2D devices reuse the cellular spectrum.To alleviate the interference,an efficient interference management way is to set exclusion zones around the cellular receivers.In this paper,we adopt a stochastic geometry approach to analyze the outage probabilities of cellular and D2D users in the D2D-enabled HetCNets.The main difficulties contain three aspects:1)how to model the location randomness of base stations,cellular and D2D users in practical networks;2)how to capture the randomness and interrelation of cellular and D2D transmissions due to the existence of random exclusion zones;3)how to characterize the different types of interference and their impacts on the outage probabilities of cellular and D2D users.We then run extensive Monte-Carlo simulations which manifest that our theoretical model is very accurate.

Inclusive Education in the Context of Ethnocultural Diversity: Understanding the Process of Exclusion to Act in the School - A Secondary Publication

This paper reveals that the implementation of inclusive education is an unfinished challenge,both within the system and for individual self-improvement.This process of changing practices,by continually questioning the school’s responsibility for the(re)production of inequalities,exclusion,and unequal social relations,is riddled with obstacles,unpredictable situations,and strong emotions.In particular,the researchers point out that many systemic mechanisms of school culture contribute to replicating and reifying hierarchical school experiences and exacerbating processes of institutional discrimination against immigrant backgrounds and/or racialized students.The empirical research presented also highlights the school staff’s deficit thinking toward immigrant students and their parents.The results show that staff tend to use linguistic and cultural gaps between students and the school system to explain academic failure.Be that as it may,the researchers as well as the school actors and students interviewed in this paper suggest multiple ways to improve inclusion in the school context,stressing the importance of giving voice to the various actors in order to move toward institutional transformation.

Exclusive-nor sum-of-sum逻辑及其最小化研究

对DRM(dual Reed-Muller)逻辑的非标准形表示形式和之同或和(exclusive-nor sum-of-sum,ENSOS)进行研究,并给出一种启发式的ENSOS逻辑最小化算法。该算法采用立方体覆盖表示ENSOS,对立方体迭代应用XNOR连接运算实现ENSOS逻辑的化简。为在算法结果质量与算法效率之间进行折中,该算法在进行立方体的XNOR连接时采用前瞻和回溯策略。使用基准函数进行验证的实验结果表明,所提出的算法能够获得更为精简的逻辑表达式。

Use of exclusive enteral nutrition in adults with Crohn's disease: A review

Exclusive enteral nutrition(EEN)is well-established as a first line therapy instead of corticosteroid(CS)therapy to treat active Crohn’s disease(CD)in children.It also has been shown to have benefits over and above induction of disease remission in paediatric populations.However,other than in Japanese populations,this intervention is not routinely utilised in adults.To investigate potential reasons for variation in response between adult studies of EEN and CS therapy.The Ovid database was searched over a 6-mo period.Articles directly comparing EEN and CS therapy in adults were included.Eleven articles were identified.EEN therapy remission rates varied considerably.Poor compliance with EEN therapy due to unpalatable formula was an issue in half of the studies.Remission rates of studies that only included patients with previously untreated/new CD were higher than studies including patients with both existing and new disease.There was limited evidence to determine if disease location,duration of disease or age of diagnosis affected EEN therapy outcomes.There is some evidence to support the use of EEN as a treatment option for a select group of adults,namely those motivated to adhere to an EEN regimen and possibly those newly diagnosed with CD.In addition,the use of more palatable formulas could improve treatment compliance.

Practice environment related barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among HIV-positive mothers in Blantyre, Malawi

Rates of exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi remain low despite the acknowledged benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the infant’s wellbeing and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Creating an environment supportive of exclusive breastfeeding is critical to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding among HIV-positive mothers. However, little is known on factors that influence the environment within which HIV-positive mothers in Malawi practise exclusive breastfeeding. Therefore, the exploratory qualitative study on which this article is based was conducted at the Chatinkha maternity unit of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi from April 16, 2009 to May 8, 2009 to explore perceived practice environment related barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among HIV-positive mothers. Data were obtained through indepth interviews with 16 purposively selected breastfeeding HIV-positive mothers between 18 and 35 years old and two focus group discussions with women of unknown HIV status. Semi-structured interview and focus group guides were utilised. Content analysis of data was done. Five main themes emerged regarding factors that may influence the environment within which exclusive breastfeeding was practised: 1) availability of resources;2) societal norms and cultural practices;3) mother-baby proximity;4) health workers’ attitudes and 5) disclosure of the mothers’ HIV status. A multi-sectoral approach to promote exclusive breastfeeding is suggested. This?should include community involvement because it is in the community where breastfeeding norms and cultural practices associated with breast-feeding are propagated.

Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice and Its Factors in Rural Areas of Burkina Faso

Background: The recommendation of the WHO and UNICEF is that all infants should be exclusively breastfed up to 6 months of age. Identifying associated factors to exclusively breastfeeding is crucial to improve this key public health intervention. The objectives of the study were to investigate rates of exclusive breastfeeding and to identify potential associated factors. Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study design was conducted in three health districts. Cluster sampling was used. For the community based cross-sectional study, a total of 1832 infants was included. Exclusive breastfeeding have been investigated among the 563 under 6 month’s infants. The associations between exclusive breastfeeding and independent variables were tested using the Chi-square test. Crude Odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals were used to investigate the factors independently associated with exclusively breastfeeding. Results: Proportion of infant 0 - 5.9 months of age who are fed exclusively with breastmilk was 40.0%. Ear of age for mother was found to be more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding, COR [95CI%] = 2.11 [1.24 - 3.60] for 15 - 20 years of age and 2.0 [1.22 - 3.26]. Receiving advices, on exclusive breastfeeding was found to be more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding, COR: 2.07, 95% CI: [1.44 - 2.98]. Mothers who have practice early initiation to breastfeeding were found to be more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding COR: 1.62, 95% CI: [1.15 - 2.27]. Skilled delivery was found to be more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding than non-skilled deliveries, COR: 1.66, 95% CI: [1.16 - 2.35]. Low numbers of living children by mother, young children, were found to be more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding continues to be low in rural areas of Burkina Faso. As Exclusive breastfeeding is associated to lower morbidity and mortality risk, improving the skills of health providers to give adequate feeding support to the mothers is critical for promoting exclusively breastfeeding.

Exclusive enteral nutrition in children with crohn＇s dis

Exclusive enteral nutrition involves the use of acomplete liquid diet, with the exclusion of normaldietary components for a defined period of time,as a therapeutic measure to induce remission inactive Crohn＇s disease （CD）. This very efficaciousapproach leads to high rates of remission, especiallyin children and adolescents newly diagnosed withCD. This intervention also results in mucosal healing,AbstractExclusive enteral nutrition involves the use of acomplete liquid diet, with the exclusion of normaldietary components for a defined period of time,as a therapeutic measure to induce remission inactive Crohn＇s disease （CD）. This very efficaciousapproach leads to high rates of remission, especiallyin children and adolescents newly diagnosed withCD. This intervention also results in mucosal healing,

The Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Its Sociodemographic Determinants amongst Nursing Mothers at a Tertiary Health Care Institution in South East, Nigeria

Background: Breastfeeding is a natural and critical act that provides nutrients and energy for the infant and young child;and through a public health intervention such as exclusive breastfeeding, it improves the survival rates of the infant. Objective: To determine the breastfeeding practices and the sociodemographic determinants of exclusive breastfeeding amongst nursing mothers present at the Imo state university teaching hospital Orlu. Methods: A cross sectional analytical study design was used that included all nursing mothers present within a 4 week study period. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were done with frequencies and summary statistics. Chi square statistics were computed to determine significant associations and binary logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic predictors of exclusive breastfeeding practice. P value was set at 0.05 significant level. Results: While most of the respondents were aware of exclusive breastfeeding (92.5%), only 24% of the respondents were practicing exclusive breastfeeding. Work and school activities, and the feeling that breast milk was insufficient for the needs of the baby were the reasons for not practicing exclusive breastfeeding for a majority of the respondents (56.6%). Furthermore, 61% of those that were practicing non-exclusive breast feeding gave a cereal or infant formula in addition to the breast milk for 3 to 6 months. It was further revealed that there were statistically significant relationships between breastfeeding practice and maternal age (p = 0.003), level of maternal education (p = 0.005) and maternal occupation (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Understanding and taking into cognizance the sociodemographic characteristics will enable the design, and adequate delivery of appropriate and effective strategies that improve exclusive breastfeeding practice.

Threshold values of traffic flow for the provision of exclusive bus lanes

A simulation network model was established using VISSIM software and verified by the T- test. The model took into consideration the road conditions, pedestrian crossing, traffic composi- tion, bus stops and traffic signal. The operating characteristics of buses and cars under different flow conditions were studied using the simulation model, and the speed-flow models of buses and cars were established based on the simulation results. Finally, the threshold values of traffic flow for the provision of exclusive bus lanes was determined with the target of optimal travel benefits （per capi- ta） , which would provide a basis for the planning and design of exclusive bus lanes on urban roads.

Exclusive Ω_(ccc)^(＋＋)Ω_(ccc)^(--) Production from Z^0/r~＊ Decays

Based on the quark model the cross section for the e~＋e^-→ Z^0/r~＊→Ω_（ccc）^（＋＋）Ω_（ccc）^（--） exclusive process is investigated at the tree level. Compared with the Z^0→Ω^-Ω~＋ decay, our result shows that the Z^0 boson favors decaying into charmed baryon pairs. The results are also compared with the calculation of inclusively charmed baryon production.

Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration among Mothers Attending Immunization Clinic in a Tertiary Health Facility in Enugu, Nigeria

Background: Breastfeeding is cost effective means towards the realization of some key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030 particularly in resource limited settings. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the predictors of exclusive breastfeeding duration among mother and child pairs utilizing a tertiary immunization clinic facility. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Respondents were mother-and-child pairs who were recruited consecutively. Relevant maternal and child characteristics were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 (p Results: Four hundred and twenty seven mother-child pairs were studied. Majority of the mothers have at least secondary education, 383 (80.7%). 407 (95.3%) of the mothers fully understood the actual meaning of EBF. 189 (42.7%) reported practicing EBF in their index child for six months. Maternal perception of insufficient milk production, 52/99 (52.5%) was the most common reason for practicing EBF for Maternal education and occupation and gender of the child were significantly associated with completion of EBF for 6 months among respondents. Conclusion: EBF duration in the current study is low and is significantly associated with maternal education, maternal occupation and gender of the child. Improving girl child education, complementing baby friendly hospital initiative with baby friendly community initiative should be adopted to improve EBF duration in our setting.

Relationship between Early Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding and Continuation of Breastfeeding until 24 Months in Parakou in 2016

Introduction: Early breastfeeding is recommended by the WHO as one of the essential practices for child nutrition. Objective: To identify the relationship between early breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and continuation of breastfeeding up to 24 months of age. Patients and Methods: This research is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted in the District of Parakou (Benin) in November 2016. Sampling was probabilistic and used the WHO cluster sampling technique. Children aged 6 to 24 months and their mothers were included. The main variables investigated during the study were related to practices of early breastfeeding, EBF and continuation of breastfeeding until 24 months of age. The data collected through direct interview were entered and processed using the Epi-info 7.2 software. Chi-squared test was used to compare proportions;the differences existing between the proportions were considered as significant if p Findings: Among the 420 children included, the prevalence of EBF was 26.67%. EBF and continuation of breastfeeding up to 24 months were statistically related to early breastfeeding with p values estimated at 0.014 and 0.047, respectively. Conclusion: Improving and enhancing the performance of breastfeeding practice should be possible by promoting early breastfeeding.

Determinates of Childhood Pneumonia and Diarrhea with Special Emphasis to Exclusive Breastfeeding in North Achefer District, Northwest Ethiopia: A Case Control Study

Studies showed that exclusive breast feeding reduced infant morbidity and mortality. In low income countries such as Ethiopia where under-five mortality is very high, the role of exclusively breastfeeding could be even more critical. However, studies assessing the place of exclusive breast freeing in the prevention of childhood illnesses in our area are scarce. The aim of the study was to identify determinant factors of childhood pneumonia and diarrhoea. An institution based case control study was conducted in Achefer District in July, 2012. The cases were 122 children of 7 - 24 months old who had repeated attack of diarrhoea or pneumonia over three months prior to the survey while controls were 122 children who visited well baby clinic for vaccination. Data were collected by using pre-tested and structured questionnaire, and analysed using SPSS version 16 for windows. Logistic regression was performed, and strength of associations was estimated using odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. About 83% of the controls and only 12.3% of the cases were exclusively breast fed. Children who were exclusively breast fed were 83 times less likely to develop pneumonia or diarrhea than those who were not exclusively fed. Marital status, monthly income, prelacteal feeding, and late initiation of breast feeding were found to have statistically significant association with childhood diarrhea and pneumonia. This study brought local evidence that exclusive breast feeding had a protective effect against common childhood infectious diseases—pneumonia and diarrhoea—in the study area. Therefore, culture sensitive and plausible health education is recommended to strengthen exclusive breast feeding practices in order to decrease mortality and morbidity of infants and children from pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Impact of Educational Materials on the Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding Assured by Women Who Delivered at the Souissi Maternity Hospital in Rabat

Background: The practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EB) in Morocco has witnessed a worrying decline in recent decades, contrary to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) which advocates it during the first six months as a significant public health tool. The present study aims to assess the impact of educational materials on mothers’ behaviour with regard to keeping up EB as long as six months, at least. Methods: This is a cohort study with a prospective collection of data over a period of one year, through a questionnaire-based survey of 500 women who delivered at the Souissi Maternity Hospital in Rabat. The subjects were divided into an intervention group sensitized, during the medical visit, by means of information delivered orally about breastfeeding and a booklet containing instructions on breastfeeding management and the benefits of EB, especially when extended for the first six months;and a control group attending the same operation with no awareness-rising through educational materials. To assess EB rates, the subjects had been followed for six months through telephone. Results: 372 women who delivered were followed, 194 from the intervention group and 178 from the control group. The remaining 128 women not followed were lost sight of. A higher percentage of mothers in the intervention group exclusively breastfed their babies up to the age of six months compared to the control group, 55.2% against 38.8% (p = 0.002). The main reason produced by most mothers who ceased to exclusively breastfeed their babies is milk insufficiency. Conclusion: The postnatal nutritional education strategy based on the distribution of educational materials has considerably raised the number of women who exclusively breastfed their babies until the age of six months.

Effects of long-term grazing exclusion on vegetation structure,soil water holding capacity,carbon and nitrogen sequestration capacity in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Grazing exclusion is one of the primary management practices used to restore degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.However,to date,the effects of long-term grazing exclusion measures on the process of restoring degraded alpine meadows have not been evaluated.In this study,moderately degraded plots,in which the vegetation coverage was approximately 65%and the dominant plant species was Potentilla anserina L,with grazing exclusion for 2 to 23 years,were selected in alpine meadows of Haibei in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Plant coverage,plant height,biomass,soil bulk density,saturated water content,soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)were evaluated.The results were as follows:(1)With aboveground biomass and total saturated water content at 0-40 cm depth,the average SOC and TN contents in moderately degraded alpine meadows increased as a power function,and the plant height increased as a log function.(2)The average soil bulk density at 0-40 cm depth first decreased and then increased with increasing grazing exclusion duration,and the minimum value of 0.90 g·cm^(-3) was reached at 15.23 years.The plant coverage,total belowground biomass at 0-40 cm depth,total aboveground and belowground biomass first increased and then decreased,their maximum values(80.49%,2452.92g·m^(-2),2891.06 g·m^(-2))were reached at 9.41,9.46 and 10.25 years,respectively.Long-term grazing exclusion is apparently harmful for the sustainable restoration of degraded alpine meadows.The optimal duration of grazing exclusion for the restoration of moderately degraded alpine meadows was 10 years.This research suggests that moderate disturbance should be allowed in moderately degraded alpine meadows after 10years of grazing exclusion.

Legal Issues and Scientific Constraints in the Environmental Assessment of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Mexico

The largest accidental marine oil spill (4.9 million barrels) in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) seabed (1600 m) caused by the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in 2010, put to the test once again the resilient capacity of the pelagic and benthic realms of this Large Marine Ecosystem. Many are the ecological services provided by its waters (fisheries, tourism, aquaculture and fossil fuel reserves) to neighboring countries (US, Mexico and Cuba). However, the unprecedented volumes of hydrocarbons, gas and chemical dispersants (Corexit) introduced in the system, represent ecological stressors whose deleterious effects are still the subject of civil claims and scientific controversy. Presumably, the short scale effects were confined to the Gulf’s northeastern shallow waters, and the combined actions of weathering, biodegradation, and oil recovery left the system almost under pre-spill conditions. Unfortunately, surface and subsurface oil plumes were detected in the spill aftermath, and their dispersion trajectories threatened Mexico EEZ. Surface oil slicks were detected in the pristine waters of northern Yucatán, while subsurface oil plumes from the Macondo’s well blowout were dangerously advancing southwest towards key fishing grounds in the northwestern GoM. This disaster prompted the Mexican government to implement an ambitious ocean monitoring program adopting a bottom-up approach focused on building a base line for more than 42 physicochemical and biological variables for water, sediment and biota from the continental shelf-slope region of the NW GoM. Technological constraints have precluded systematic observations in the vast Mexican EEZ that could discriminate natural variability and oil seep emissions from antropic disturbances. Therefore, preliminary risk analyses relied on seasonal and historical records. Two years of field observations revealed subtle environmental changes in the studied area attributed to antropic disturbances. Waters maintained oligotrophic conditions and zooplankton and benthic infaunal biomass were also poor. Biomarkers in sediments and biota did not exceed EPA’s benchmarks, and sediment’s fingerprinting (δ13C) indicated marine carbon sources. Geomarkers revealed an active transport from the Mississippi towards the NW GoM of phyllosilicates bearing a weathered oil coating. Consequently, shelf and slope sediment toxicity begins to show an increasing trend in the region. The complexity of hydrocarbons bioaccumulation and biodegradation processes in deep waters of the GoM seems to indicate that meso-and large-scale observations may prove to be essential in understanding the capacity of the GoM to recover its ecological stability.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Mothers Regarding Exclusive Breastfeeding in Rural Areas of Brobo (Côte d’Ivoire)

Introduction:In C?te d’Ivoire, despite awareness raising among mothers by health authorities and health care providers, the exclusive breastfeeding rate is still low, 23%. This rate seems even lower in rural areas. The objective of the study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers regarding exclusive breastfeeding for the reduction of malnutrition in rural areas. Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted in Brobo from July to September 2020. It included consenting mothers of infants aged 0 to 24 months. Mothers’ knowledge, attitudes and practice were assessed by an anonymous structured questionnaire with a performance threshold set at 75%. Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding were investigated by the Chi-square test at the 5% level of significance. Results: The average age of the 183 mothers was 25 years (extremes 13 and 49 years). They were primigravida (33%) and had a low socioeconomic level (84%). The mothers knew the definition of exclusive breastfeeding (33%). They knew that breastfeeding promoted ideal infant growth (64%) and protected against diarrhea and infection (18%). They also knew that breastfeeding reduced the mother’s risk of cancer (16%) and strengthened the mother-infant bond (7%). The mothers interviewed stated that they had put the baby to the breast within the first hour after delivery in 2% and 63% of them gave the baby colostrum. Mothers were confident about breastfeeding (91%) and exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age represented 9%. The factor associated with lack of knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding was not attending school (OR 0.26;95%CI 0.14 - 0.48;p < 0.01) and those associated with good practice of exclusive breastfeeding were not attending school (OR 4.94;95%CI 1.09 - 22.21;p = 0.03) and multiparity (OR 0.30;95%CI 0.09 - 0.97;p = 0.04). Conclusion: The mothers interviewed in the rural areas of Brobo have insufficient knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding exclusive breastfeeding. To improve this situation, we recommend capacity building of mothers through awareness raising.

Bus Priority Control for Dynamic Exclusive Bus Lane

One problem with the existing dynamic exclusive bus lane strategies is that bus signal priority strategies with multi-phase priority request at intersections are not adequately considered.The principle of bus signal priority level was designed based on the isolated multi-phase structure principle consideration of the bus signal priority,and a new priority approach for the dynamic exclusive bus lane was proposed.Two types of priority strategies,green extension and red truncation,were proposed for current phase and next phase buses,respectively.The control parameters including minimum green time,green extension time,maximum green time and bus arrival time are calculated.The case studies for this paper were carried out using four consecutive intersections of Huaide Middle Road in Changzhou City.The signal control scheme was designed using the conventional,exclusive bus lane method,the dynamic exclusive bus lane without signal priority method,and the proposed approach,respectively.The authors used the VISSIM simulation platform to evaluate the efficiency of each approach.Results showed that the method of approach can significantly decrease delays caused by social and conventional buses and make up for the negative impact social buses have on the bus rapid transit(BRT)operation,which allows the method to complement the dynamic,exclusive bus lane design.