Substrate temperature dependence of structure and optical properties of ZnTiO:Er/Yb thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition.

ZnTiO:Er,Yb thin film phosphors were successfully deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at different substrate temperatures. The distribution of the ions in the films was investigated and the chemical analysis showed that the doping ions were homogeneously distributed in the thin films. The optical response of the phosphors revealed that the reflectance percentages of the ZnTiO:Er,Yb vary with the silicon substrate temperature due to the differences in the thickness and morphological roughness of the thin films.

Alcohol use during pregnancy in rural Lesotho: "There is nothing else except alcohol".

Objective: Reducing alcohol use during pregnancy is a pressing public health priority in Sub-Saharan Africa, but insight into the factors that influence prenatal drinking practices is lacking. This study investigated perceptions of, and motivations for, alcohol consumption during pregnancy and associated practices in a rural district of Lesotho.

Methods: A combination of purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to identify pregnant women and mothers with young children from the general community, as well as from alcohol-serving venues.

Structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of Eu doped ZnO nanoparticles.

The structure, particle morphology and luminescent properties of europium (Eu) doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by co-precipitation method are discussed. When excited using a 325nm He-Cd laser, undoped ZnO NPs exhibited weakly the well-known ultraviolet excitonic recombination emission (at ~384nm) and strongly broad band visible emissions associated with defects (at ~600nm). In addition, the ZnO NPs exhibited green emission at ~600nm associated with defects when excited using a monochromatized xenon lamp.

Improving early childhood care and development, HIV-testing, treatment and support, and nutrition in Mokhotlong, Lesotho: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Since 1990, the lives of 48 million children under the age of 5 years have been saved because of increased investments in reducing child mortality. However, despite these unprecedented gains, 250 million children younger than 5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) cannot meet their developmental potential due to poverty, poor health and nutrition, and lack of necessary stimulation and care. Lesotho has high levels of poverty, HIV, and malnutrition, all of which affect child development outcomes.