IS INDONESIA’S CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE OPTIMAL? EVIDENCE FROM AN INTERTEMPORAL APPROACH

This study investigates whether Indonesia’s Current Account (CA) balance is intertemporally solvent. We provide fresh evidence on Indonesia’s CA deficit solvency by considering post-crisis period data and conducting sub-sample analysis. Our findings suggest that Indonesia’s CA is not solvent. We notice evidence of excess lending prior to the global financial crisis of 2008 and excess borrowing in the postcrisis period. Policymakers need to focus on the composition of capital flows and management of volatile capital flows since discouraging foreign capital inflows may serve as a deterrent to economic growth

External shocks, consumption-smoothing and capital mobility in India: evidence from an intertemporal optimization approach

We examine the solvency of India’s current account (CA) in the post-liberalization period using intertemporal optimization approach to the CA. Using quarterly data ranging from 1996Q1 to 2014Q2, we estimate a benchmark consumption-smoothing model and an extended model that incorporates external shocks. Overall, we find that the predicted optimal CA in both the models can track the actual CA movements and the extended model performs better over the benchmark model. Further, we also find that the optimal CA is more volatile than the actual CA which implies that the capital flows have been less than optimal and thus makes an interesting case for further liberalization of the capital account. Our findings suggest that policies aimed at further liberalization of capital flows will allow larger CA deficits to achieve higher economic growth since it will help agents to further smoothen their consumption without worrying about risks associated with insolvency

Accuracy of different imaging modalities prior to biventricular repair in Tetralogy of Fallot

The aim of the present study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive tests in patients  with Tetralogy of Fallot prior to biventricular repair, and the need of invasive angiocardiography in specific  subgroups. A retrospective analysis was performed for paediatric patients with Tetralogy of Fallot who  underwent biventricular repair in three consecutive months. Patients were divided into two groups  according to their age: below and above 5 years. We compared the findings of different imaging modalities (e.g. echocardiography, multi-detector Computed Tomography (CT) and invasive angiocardiography) to intraoperative findings to determine their accuracies in different subgroups. Results showed that echocardiography is reliable for preoperative imaging, especially in younger children   (sensitivity=71.43%) and its findings are ‘moderately’ concordant with intraoperative findings  (kappa=0.439). For patients above 5 years of age, its sensitivity (29.41%) declines and findings are  ‘poorly’ concordant with intraoperative findings (kappa=0.093). With addition of multi-detector CT, the  findings of non-invasive means are ‘perfectly’ concordant with the intraoperative findings (kappa=1) in children below 5 years and ‘moderately’ concordant with those (kappa=0.4) in children above 5 years. The findings of CT are ‘moderately’ concordant with those of invasive angiocardiography (kappa=0.4). Tetralogy of Fallot patients below 5 years can directly be subjected to surgery with work-up including detailed echocardiography only. If anatomy is not clearly delineated, CT helps and invasive  angiocardiography is not essential. In patients above 5 years, CT has an important role in defining  anatomy. The need for catheterization is limited to hemodynamic evaluation of prior shunt and  embolization of aorto-pulmonary collaterals.KEY WORDS: Tetralogy of Fallot; Pulmonary artery; Aorto-pulmonary collaterals; Echocardiography; Computed Tomography; Invasive angiocardiograph

TECHNIQUES USED FOR BIOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION IN RELATION TO FORENSIC ANALYSIS

The aim of this review was to apply the knowledge & technology of science for the definition & enforcement of such laws. The forensic analysis is investigation the crime and examines material evidence. In forensic analysis various biochemical investigation techniques are used to examine the crimes like Hair analysis, Polygraphic test, serology test and finger print analysis. Several instruments are used in forensic analysis like IR, Chromatography, UV and Mass spectrophotometer. The characterization results showed that Forensic pharmacists engage in work relating to litigation, the regulatory process, or the criminal justice system

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ORAL FLOATABLE IN-SITU GEL OF RANITEDINE HYDROCHLORIDE

Objective: The present investigation deals with the formulation, optimization and evaluation of sodium alginate based floating oral In situ gel of Ranitedine HCl. Sodium alginate used as a polymer and CaCO3 was used as a cross-linking agent. In-situ forming polymeric formulation drug delivery systems is in sol form before administration in the body, but once administered, undergoes gelation in-situ to form a gel. The formulation of gel depends upon factors like temperature modulation, pH changes, presence of ions and ultraviolet irradiation from which drug gets released in sustained and controlled manner. Methods: The objective of this study was to develop a novel in- situ gel system for sustained drug delivery using natural biodegradable polymers. The system utilizes polymers that exhibit sol-to-gel phase transition due to change in specific physicochemical parameters. Results: In-situ gel was formed at a gastric pH from designed set of experiments, it was evident that formulation containing 2 % of sodium alginate control the release of drug for longer duration. The in-situ gel exhibited the expected, viscosity, drug content, pH, in vitro gelling capacity, in vitro floating ability and sustained drug release. Conclusion: The formulated in situ gel for Ranitedine Hydrochloride was found to be stable in situ gel. It was found to have better floating efficacy and in vitro release profile characteristics. Better efficiency and results of batch F-6 gives newer alternative use of natural biodegradable polymers in situ gel formulation. Key Words: Oral In-situ gel, Sustained Release. Sodium alginate, Calcium Carbonate, Ranitedine HCl

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Testing the intertemporal sustainability of current account in the presence of endogenous structural breaks: Evidence from the top deficit countries

We examine the sustainability of the current account (CA) deficits among the top deficit countries occurring consistently in the period after the global financial crisis period. Hence, we chose four developed economies, namely, Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, and three emerging market economies, namely, Brazil, India, and Turkey. The results indicate that information about structural breaks, occurring around the GFC period, improves the cointegration results significantly. We find that five out of the seven countries, except Australia and the UK, exhibit sustainable CA deficits. Further, results with disaggregated CA indicates that the services account is sustainable in all countries while goods account is unsustainable in Australia, the UK, and India. Overall, our findings reveal the possibility of aggregation bias in affecting the CA sustainability results. Thus, CA deficits are not necessarily bad for an economy if it can generate sufficiently large future net export surpluses to pay its current net foreign outstanding debt

IS INDONESIA’S CURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCE OPTIMAL? EVIDENCE FROM AN INTERTEMPORAL APPROACH

This study investigates whether Indonesia’s Current Account (CA) balance is intertemporally solvent. We provide fresh evidence on Indonesia’s CA deficit solvency by considering post-crisis period data and conducting sub-sample analysis. Our findings suggest that Indonesia’s CA is not solvent. We notice evidence of excess lending prior to the global financial crisis of 2008 and excess borrowing in the postcrisis period. Policymakers need to focus on the composition of capital flows and management of volatile capital flows since discouraging foreign capital inflows may serve as a deterrent to economic growth.</jats:p