Foreign Direct Investment in Cross-Border Infrastructure Projects

In this paper the authors critically review the relevant information and literature that can enhance the feasibility and the successful implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects. They provide detailed information concerning foreign direct investment in the major emerging regions: East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. They also discuss the theoretical and empirical literature which sheds light on the characteristics of transnational infrastructure projects, who should conduct them, and what determines their existence. The literature points to the importance of government involvement in transnational infrastructure projects as there are clear external benefits which will otherwise not be reaped. It also points to the importance of coordination for the success of the project. The Asian Development Bank is well placed to perform that role. Lastly, they provide six cases of cross-border infrastructure projects, two each from East Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. These cases illustrate the critical need for smooth coordination of the diverse groups of team players, top-level backing of the projects, as well as a thorough understanding of all the political and financial factors involved that can influence the success of these projects.cross-border infrastructure; transnational infrastructure projects; foreign direct investment; east asia pacific

The experience of accommodating privacy restrictions during implementation of a large-scale surveillance study of an osteoporosis medication.

PurposeTo explore whether privacy restrictions developed to protect patients have complicated research within a 15-year surveillance study conducted with US cancer registries.MethodsData from enrolling 27 cancer registries over a 10-year period were examined to describe the amount of time needed to obtain study approval. We also analyzed the proportion of patients that completed a research interview out of the total reported by the registries and examined factors thought to influence this measure.ResultsThe average length of the research review process from submission to approval of the research was 7 months (range, <1 to 24 months), and it took 6 months or more to obtain approval of the research at 41% of the cancer registries. Most registries (78%) required additional permission steps to gain access to patients for research. After adjustment for covariates, the interview response proportion was 110% greater (ratio of response proportion = 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 3.3) when the least restrictive versus the most restrictive permission steps were required. An interview was more often completed for patients (or proxies) if patients were alive, within a year of being diagnosed, or identified earlier in the study.ConclusionsLengthy research review processes increased the time between diagnosis and provision of patient information to the researcher. Requiring physician permission for access to patients was associated with lower subject participation. A single national point of entry for use of cancer registry data in health research is worthy of consideration to make the research approval process efficient. © 2016 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Efecto del crédito otorgado por el BAC al desarrollo empresarial en la MIPYME Galaxia del sector talabartero de la ciudad de Estelí, en el segundo semestre del año 2013

La presente investigación brinda información sobre MIPYMES del sector talabartero, en la cual se amplía el conocimiento sobre el financiamiento, y además, que los propietarios conozcan las diferentes alternativas en la gestión y administración de los créditos. Asimismo, los obstáculos que generalmente se tienen con las instituciones financieras. Se considera también, que la investigación servirá como base metodológica para la realización de futuras investigaciones y la pronta solución de problemas económicos que acontecen en la ciudad de Estelí, y los cuales afectan directamente a las empresas del sector talabartería; reconociendo así el principio de desarrollo social como un eje importante de la misión institucional de la Facultad

Anemia among Children Exposed to Polyparasitism in Coastal Kenya

Anemia represents a substantial problem for children living in areas with limited resources and significant parasite burden. We performed a cross-sectional study of 254 Kenyan preschool-and early school-age children in a setting endemic for multiple chronic parasitic infections to explore mechanisms of their anemia. Complete venous blood cell counts revealed a high prevalence of local childhood anemia (79%). Evaluating the potential links between low hemoglobin and socioeconomic factors, nutritional status, hemoglobinopathy, and/or parasite infection, we identified age < 9 years (odds ratio [OR]: 12.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.4, 33) and the presence of asymptomatic malaria infection (OR: 6.8, 95% CI: 2.1, 22) as the strongest independent correlates of having anemia. A total of 130/155 (84%) of anemic children with iron studies had evidence of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA), 16% had non-IDA; 50/52 of additionally tested anemic children met soluble transferrin-receptor (sTfR) criteria for combined anemia of inflammation (AI) with IDA. Children in the youngest age group had the greatest odds of iron deficiency (OR: 10.0, 95% CI: 3.9, 26). Although older children aged 9-11 years had less anemia, they had more detectable malaria, Schistosoma infection, hookworm, and proportionately more non-IDA. Anemia in this setting appears multifactorial such that chronic inflammation and iron deficiency need to be addressed together as part of integrated management of childhood anemia

Detecting the Companions and Ellipsoidal Variations of RS CVn Primaries: I. sigma Geminorum

To measure the properties of both components of the RS CVn binary sigma Geminorum (sigma Gem), we directly detect the faint companion, measure the orbit, obtain model-independent masses and evolutionary histories, detect ellipsoidal variations of the primary caused by the gravity of the companion, and measure gravity darkening. We detect the companion with interferometric observations obtained with the Michigan InfraRed Combiner (MIRC) at Georgia State University's Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array with a primary-to-secondary H-band flux ratio of 270+/-70. A radial velocity curve of the companion was obtained with spectra from the Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph (TRES) on the 1.5-m Tillinghast Reflector at Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO). We additionally use new observations from the Tennessee State University Automated Spectroscopic and Photometric Telescopes (AST and APT, respectively). From our orbit, we determine model-independent masses of the components (M_1 = 1.28 +/- 0.07 M_Sun, M_2 = 0.73 +/- 0.03 M_Sun), and estimate a system age of 5 -/+ 1 Gyr. An average of the 27-year APT light curve of sigma Gem folded over the orbital period (P = 19.6027 +/- 0.0005 days) reveals a quasi-sinusoidal signature, which has previously been attributed to active longitudes 180 deg apart on the surface of sigma Gem. With the component masses, diameters, and orbit, we find that the predicted light curve for ellipsoidal variations due to the primary star partially filling its Roche lobe potential matches well with the observed average light curve, offering a compelling alternative explanation to the active longitudes hypothesis. Measuring gravity darkening from the light curve gives beta < 0.1, a value slightly lower than that expected from recent theory.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 11 pages, 6 figures, 8 table

Incidencia del crédito de FUNDEMUJER en el desarrollo económico de MIPYMES en Estelí

El presente trabajo determina la incidencia del crédito facilitado a mujeres, para el desarrollo económico de Micro, Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas en la ciudad de Estelí en el año 2013. El desarrollo de este estudio se hizo tomando en cuenta el enfoque cuantitativo. El universo de estudio fue de 434 mujeres empresarias que trabajan con crédito otorgados por la fundación con un tipo de muestreo probabilístico aleatorio simple, los instrumentos utilizados en el estudio fueron la encuesta y entrevista semi estructurada. Una limitante para el desarrollo económico de las empresarias es la falta de empleo existente en el país, esto hace que las mujeres recurran a solicitar créditos en entidades financieras, para poder crear sus negocios o mejorarlos. Es fundamental que FUNDEMUJER realice capacitaciones sobre la importancia de establecer un sistema de registro contable en los negocios para conocer las utilidades que éste presenta y la importancia de invertir en publicidad para dar a conocer lo que se oferta, también promover el ahorro en las empresarias de tal forma que tengan un soporte para utilizarlo para algún imprevisto o bien para la inversión del negocio, y motivar a las empresarias a tener una visión positiva para el éxito del negocio.    Palabras claves: FUNDEMUJER, Crédito, Desarrollo económico, MIPYMESABSTRACTThis study determined the incidence of credit provided to women, for the economic development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the city of Estelí in 2013. The development of this study was made taking into account the quantitative approach. The study group was 434 businesswomen working with credit granted by the foundation with a type of random probability sampling simple, the instruments used in the study were semi structured interview survey. A limiting factor for the economic development of women entrepreneurs is the lack of existing jobs in the country, this makes women to borrow in financial institutions, in order to create or improve their businesses.It is essential that FUNDEMUJER perform training on the importance of establishing a system of accounting in business for profit and it shows the importance of investing in advertising to publicize what is offered, also promote the habit of savings in entrepreneurs so they have a support to use in case of unexpected situations or business investment, and motivate entrepreneurs to have a positive vision for business success.Keywords: FUNDEMUJER, Credit, Economic Development, MIPYME

Incidencia del crédito de FUNDEMUJER en el desarrollo económico de MIPYMES en Estelí

This study determined the incidence of credit provided to women, for the economic development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the city of Estelí in 2013. The development of this study was made taking into account the quantitative approach. The study group was 434 businesswomen working with credit granted by the foundation with a type of random probability sampling simple, the instruments used in the study were semi structured interview survey. A limiting factor for the economic development of women entrepreneurs is the lack of existing jobs in the country, this makes women to borrow in financial institutions, in order to create or improve their businesses.It is essential that FUNDEMUJER perform training on the importance of establishing a system of accounting in business for profit and it shows the importance of investing in advertising to publicize what is offered, also promote the habit of savings in entrepreneurs so they have a support to use in case of unexpected situations or business investment, and motivate entrepreneurs to have a positive vision for business success.El presente trabajo determina la incidencia del crédito facilitado a mujeres, para el desarrollo económico de Micro, Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas en la ciudad de Estelí en el año 2013. El desarrollo de este estudio se hizo tomando en cuenta el enfoque cuantitativo. El universo de estudio fue de 434 mujeres empresarias que trabajan con crédito otorgados por la fundación con un tipo de muestreo probabilístico aleatorio simple, los instrumentos utilizados en el estudio fueron la encuesta y entrevista semi estructurada. Una limitante para el desarrollo económico de las empresarias es la falta de empleo existente en el país, esto hace que las mujeres recurran a solicitar créditos en entidades financieras, para poder crear sus negocios o mejorarlos.Es fundamental que FUNDEMUJER realice capacitaciones sobre la importancia de establecer un sistema de registro contable en los negocios para conocer las utilidades que éste presenta y la importancia de invertir en publicidad para dar a conocer lo que se oferta, también promover el ahorro en las empresarias de tal forma que tengan un soporte para utilizarlo para algún imprevisto o bien para la inversión del negocio, y motivar a las empresarias a tener una visión positiva para el éxito del negocio

Age-Stratified Profiles of Serum IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α Cytokines Among Kenyan Children with Schistosoma haematobium, Plasmodium falciparum, and Other Chronic Parasitic Co-Infections.

In a study of children having polyparasitic infections in a Schistosoma haematobium-endemic area, we examined the hypothesis that S. haematobium-positive children, compared with S. haematobium-negative children (anti-soluble worm antigen preparation [SWAP] negative and egg negative) have increased systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and decreased down-regulatory IL-10. A total of 804 children, 2-19 years of age, were surveyed between July and December 2009 and tested for S. haematobium, Plasmodium falciparum, filariasis, and soil-transmitted helminth infections. Plasma levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 were compared for S. haematobium-positive and S. haematobium-negative children, adjusting for malaria, filaria, and hookworm co-infections, and for nutritional status, age group, sex, and geographic location. IL-10 was significantly elevated among children infected with S. haematobium, showing bimodal peaks in 7-8 and 13-14 years age groups. IL-10 was also higher among children who were acutely malnourished, whereas IL-10 levels were lower in the presence of S. haematobium-filaria co-infection. After adjustment for co-factors, IL-6 was significantly elevated among children of 5-6 years and among those with P. falciparum infection. Lower levels of IL-6 were found in malaria-hookworm co-infection. High levels of TNF-α were found in children aged 11-12 years regardless of infection status. In addition, village of residence was a strong predictor of IL-6 and IL-10 plasma levels. In adolescent children infected with S. haematobium, there is an associated elevation in circulating IL-10 that may reduce the risk of later morbidity. Although we did not find a direct link between S. haematobium infection and circulating pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α levels, future T-cell stimulation studies may provide more conclusive linkages between infection and cytokine responses in settings that are endemic for multiple parasites and multiple co-infections