The rate of home delivery and role of traditional birth attendants are declining rapidly. The aim of this study was to find out the current situation of home delivery and participation of birth attendants in Dhaka City regarding safe motherhood. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in this research. This study found that 53.9% baby was delivered normally and 45.9% baby was delivered by surgical operation during study period. Institutional delivery rate was 75.5% in this study (37.7% in Clinic, 35.6% in Hospital, and 2.3% health care center) and one forth (24.5%) was delivered in home. The type of delivery was significantly related to maternal age, education and income level. In case of birth attendants, 56.2% babies were delivered by health service personnel, 35.2% by TTBA and 8.7% babies were delivered by TBA. Maternal education; pre-pregnancy nutritional status and family income have strong effect on type of birth attendants. Type of birth attendants had strong correlation with maternal age (p=0.000) and family income (p=0.000) and had association with parental education (p=0.000). Types of delivery (p=0.000), place of delivery (p=0.000), bleeding after delivery (p=0.000) were significantly associated with birth attendants. Moreover, infection after delivery (p=0.000), treatment with antibiotics (p=0.000) had significant association with birth attendants. It can be concluded that rate of home delivery and involvement of TBA in pregnancy outcome decreasing day by day which is strongly related with maternal age, education and family income. Type of birth attendants is also related with other obstetric care services in Dhaka City.

An efficient pneumatic charcoal kiln powered with solar panel by fan that blows out heat via a chamber into f ish chamber was developed. The kiln was constructed of local wrought iron materials for cost effectiveness and ease of reproducibility by local farmers. It was evaluated using catfish. The kiln was able to attain drying conditions of 89 0C for 2 hours. The heat distributions within the drying chamber trays were fairly uniform which led to uniform drying of the fish. The kiln was able to reduce a total weight of fresh catfish of 5.0 kg to 4.05 kg after 2 hours with an operating charcoal cost of N 1000. The provision of the pneumatic pump also powered via same solar power and the recirculation of heated air within the fish chamber of the pneumatic kiln helps to eliminate smoke, charcoal dust, Soot fish and burns usually experienced during kiln operations. The temperature distribution within the fish chamber trays, drying kinetics on smoke-dried catfish was conducted and the results proved the effectiveness of the pneumatic charcoal kiln for use among fish handlers and processors in rural settings due to low cost of operating materials and good nutritional quality envisaged.

The Hydroponic Modified Atmospheric Storage (HMAS) was based on water creating humidifying atmosphere and polyethylene seal of porosity 0.05mm to allow gaseous exchange. Oxo-chlorate solution was used to inhibit microbial adhesion and cohesion. Carbon dioxide, oxygen, respiratory quotient, temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) percentage concentration results in hydroponic modified atmospheric storage containing clean water on cucumber were Carbon dioxide (Co2 6-50%), oxygen (O2 20-21%), RQ (-2 to 0.3), Temperature (T, 32-40°c) and Relative Humidity (RH, 36-58%). While those on sodium Oxo- chlorate (NaOCL) solution were (15-64%), oxygen (O2 , 20-21%), Respiratory Quotient (RQ,-3to0.7), Temperature (T, 28-38°C) and Relative Humidity (RH, 41-51%) respectively. The water melon (HMAS) chamber had carbon dioxide (CO2 , 15-69%), oxygen (O2 , 20-21%), Respiratory Quotient (RQ, -3.3 to 0.7), Temperature (T, 32-40°c) and Relative Humidity (RH, 42-65%) for clean water. While sodium oxo-chlorate (NaOCL) solution has (CO2, 6-52%) carbondioxied (O2 , 20-21%) oxygen, (RQ, -2.4 to 0.3) Respiratory quotient, Temperature (T, 29-36°c) and Relative Humidity of (RH, 35-58%). Oxygen and carbon dioxide production rate which has direct influence on bio-material usage were relative and steadily enhanced, hence slowing down senescence and climactericson the cucumber and water melon that stayed for twenty four days. This approach minimized moisture loss, slow down respiration rate and inhibit the development of decay causing pathogens, at best temperature and relative humidity. The respiration rate, temperature, relative humidity, Respiratory Quotient (RQ) and storage durations results reveals that HMAS has the potential to benefit whole and fresh fruits and vegetables post-harvest shelf life. The applications of Hydroponic Modified Atmosphere Storage (HMAS) at simple technology could prolong shelf life of fresh fruits watermelon and cucumber vegetables. This could encourage commercial application of HMAS by fruit and vegetable retailers.

A Feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Balanites Aegyptiaca Seed Bio Meal (BASM) as a substitute for groundnut cake in the diet of growing rabbit. Five experimental diets were formulated representing the following treatments: T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5respectively. T1 (0% BASM) was served as the control diet, while T2, T3, T4 and T5 contained 25, 50 75 and 100% BASM respectively. A total of 100 weaner rabbits of mixed breeds were purchased from the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Zaria, Nigeria. The rabbits were fed the control diet during the one week of adjustment period. They were given vitalyte as anti stress and were dewormed using ivermectin. At the end of one week of adjustment; the rabbits were housed in different hutches and fed their respective experimental diet. Each treatment contained 20 rabbits and these treatments’ (T1-T5 ) each was replicated in four portions and each portion had five rabbits each. Results of BASM on hematology and serum chemistry showed that Balanites aegyptiaca seed meal supplementation levels had no adverse effect on red blood cell counts, white blood cell counts, and packed cell volume and biochemical indices. More so, there was no significant difference in the parameters measured for hematological and biochemical characteristics of rabbits studied. Rabbitfed BASM diet performed significantly like (P>0.05) those fed with the control diet. Inclusion of 25% to100% roasted BASM contain bio nutrient that can be used in rabbit diet to substitute for groundnut cake without any adverse effect especially in the area of study and related ecology.

Background: Breast milk has traditionally been the exclusive food during the period between birth and two years of life. In recent years, the breastfeeding has decreased considerably. There is a belief that hypotonia and decreased reflexes can hinder the breastfeeding of Down syndrome babies; however, it is not true that is an impediment to breastfeeding.

Aim: To assess the technique of breastfeeding mothers of children with Down syndrome in the first 36 hours postpartum and its influence on the duration of breastfeeding.

Material and methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in the medium care service of the San Cecilio University Clinical Hospital of Granada. The variables of breastfeeding technique, age of the mother, childbirth types, level of education, feeding the child receives and duration of exclusive breastfeeding were studied. This observation was made during the 36 hours postpartum. The quality of the breastfeeding was evaluated according to the scale of Good, Average and Poor. To establish these grades, we used the Breastfeeding observation protocol [1].

Results / conclusions: Women whose age is between 26 and 29 years had difficulty in breastfeeding in the f irst 36 hours. Women who had complicated births presented difficulties following the technique of breastfeeding. As the age of the mothers increases, exclusive breastfeeding is prolonged. Women who were misjudged the technique of breastfeeding in the first 36 hours, abandoned it before the first month.