Does the Participation in the Microcredit Programs Increase Consumption of Participating Households? The Case of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh

This paper assesses empirically the impact of the participation in the microcredit program of the Grameen Bank on consumption of participating households. A household level survey was carried out for collecting data (N=521). The results of the empirical estimations indicate that the participation of a household in the microcredit program of the Grameen Bank increases consumption of participating households significantly. But there is non-linearity in the increasing trend in consumption of participating households. The consumption level goes up gradually with the increase in the membership duration up to five years of membership, but the growth rate starts declining after that period of membership.Microcredit, Consumption, Impact Assessment, Grameen Bank, Bangladesh, Agricultural Finance, Consumer/Household Economics, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty,

Does the Participation in the Microcredit Programs Contribute to the Development of Women Entrepreneurship at the Household Level? Experience from Bangladesh

Microcredit, Women Entrepreneurship Development, Bangladesh, Consumer/Household Economics,

Microfinance and Environment: Does the Participation in the Microcredit Based Social Forestry of Proshika in Bangladesh Improve Environmental Literacy?

The study intends to assess the impact of the participation in the microcredit based social forestry program of Proshika in Bangladesh on the environmental literacy of participating households. The analysis is based on a household-level survey of 450 households. Considering the endogeneity in program participation, the instrumental variable (IV) technique has been used to achieve the objective of the paper. The results indicate that the participation in the social forestry program of Proshika significantly enhances the environmental literacy of participating households.Microcredit, Social Forestry, Environmental Literacy, Proshika, Bangladesh,

Prevalence and Costs of Childhood Diarrhoea in the Slums of Dhaka

The study suggests that more focus on water storage and hand washing in media campaigns combined with more concerted efforts by the state to provide clean water to slum communities would greatly assist in controlling the incidence of childhood diarrhoea. Epidemics of diarrhoeal diseases and cholera mainly occur twice a year, coinciding with hot and humid summer months and during and after the monsoon floods. The paper identifies the risk and duration of child diarrhoea, its relationship to engineering, behavioural and socio-economic factors, and computes the economic costs to slum households

Assessment of Wild Edible Fruits Consumed through the Tribal People of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh

The present study was conducted with the ethno-botanical survey, documentation and future potentialities of the wild edible fruits used through the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). The wild edible fruits play an important role in meeting the food and nutritionneeds of the tribal people living in the CHTs. This paper deals with documentation of 49 types of wild edible fruits plant speciesbelonging to 25 families used by the tribal people of CHTs. Their botanical names, families, local name, habit and fruit ripening time are discussed. Suggestions have been made to improve the quality (variety) of wild fruits through domestication, hybridization, grafting and also for their chemical analysis for improved food values and economic properties. Attempts should be taken to protect the wild edibles fruit species in the vanishing from natural forests. Also the general public should be encouraged to cultivate and use these wild fruits in addition to the conventional fruits by improving the varieties and nutritional value of the wild fruits through research

Assessment of Wild Edible Fruits Consumed through the Tribal People of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh

598-603The present study was conducted with the ethno-botanical survey, documentation and future potentialities of the wild edible fruits used through the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). The wild edible fruits play an important role in meeting the food and nutritionneeds of the tribal people living in the CHTs. This paper deals with documentation of 49 types of wild edible fruits plant speciesbelonging to 25 families used by the tribal people of CHTs. Their botanical names, families, local name, habit and fruit ripening time are discussed. Suggestions have been made to improve the quality (variety) of wild fruits through domestication, hybridization, grafting and also for their chemical analysis for improved food values and economic properties. Attempts should be taken to protect the wild edibles fruit species in the vanishing from natural forests. Also the general public should be encouraged to cultivate and use these wild fruits in addition to the conventional fruits by improving the varieties and nutritional value of the wild fruits through research

Is healthcare a "necessity" or "luxury"? An empirical evidence from public and private sector analyses of South-East Asian countries?

South-East Asian Regional (SEAR) countries range from low- to middle-income countries and have considerable differences in mix of public and private sector expenditure on health. This study intends to estimate the income-elasticities of healthcare expenditure in public and private sectors separately for investigating whether healthcare is a "necessity" or "luxury" for citizens of these countries. Panel data from 9 SEAR countries over 16 years (1995-2010) were employed. Fixed- and random-effect models were fitted to estimate income-elasticity of public, private and total healthcare expenditure. Results showed that one percent point increase in GDP per capita increased private expenditure on healthcare by 1.128%, while public expenditure increased by only 0.412%. Inclusion of three-year lagged variables of GDP per capita in the models did not have remarkable influence on the findings. The citizens of SEAR countries consider healthcare as a necessity while provided through public sector and a luxury when delivered by private sector. By increasing the public provisions of healthcare, more redistribution of healthcare resources can be ensured, which can accelerate the journey of SEAR countries towards universal health coverage

Is There Co-Movement of Agricultural Commodities Futures Prices and Crude Oil?

Demand and Price Analysis, Risk and Uncertainty,

Pomegranate juice attenuates acetaminophen induced hepatotoxicity in rat model of experiment

Background: Pomegranate fruit has high contents of various polyphenols and antioxidants due to which it possesses variety of therapeutic properties. In particular, pomegranate fruit peel and flowers have exhibited high antioxidant activity in different studies. Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the most common cause of drug induced liver toxicity including both accidental and intentional types. In our study, we investigated the protecting mechanism of pomegranate fruit juice (PJ) against toxicity caused by APAP in Wistar rats.Methods: Rats were fed with 0.2% (w/v) pomegranate fruit extract as prophylaxis to counter single dose of APAP (2 g/kg, p.o). After that variation in levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) were marked.Results: A single dose of APAP elevated serum toxicity markers including lipid peroxidation. A simultaneous sharp depletion of glutathione and its metabolizing enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) was observed. Oral doses of PJ at (0.1% & 0.2% w/v) caused a significant (P<0.001) reduction in toxicity marker enzymes. A striking elevation in antioxidant armory was seen as in response to PJ.Conclusion: The results provide a clear picture of the defensive effect of PJ against APAP induced hepatic toxicity