Rights, shares and claims: realising women’s rights in South Asia, working paper: resource mapping for women’s human rights work in Sri Lanka

"Majority of Sri Lanka's aid (to the tune of roughly 80%) has been in the form of either bilateral or multilateral aid, with the major donors being Japan, ADB and the World Bank. There was widespread consensus across the board, that funding opportunities are largely limited for smaller regional organisations, unless they work in tandem with bigger national NGOs. There are several women's rights organisations that are working with communities or on issues that are not considered mainstream and therefore, go unnoticed and unfunded. Moreover, several multilateral funders prefer to work either through the government or a consortium of organisations. This leads to little funds trickling down to smaller organisations with limited focus and ambit of operations.

Rights, shares and claims: realising women’s rights in South Asia, working paper: resource mapping for women’s human rights work in Pakistan

"The study indicates that there are a significant number of NGOs working on women issues in the country. However, the majority has an omni-focused approach – of working with the entire community, rather than exclusively with women issues. Fund raising was a prime concern for majority of the organisations, especially due to the changing funding environment. The limited donor engagement with NGOs working on women issues, especially those at the local level, is the biggest challenge to carrying forward work on women issues. There is a visible change in the last two to three years in the international donors’ approach and strategy towards Pakistan, which could also be a reflection of global trends. Although, there is continuing aid flow for women’s development and human rights in the country, there has been a palpable shift in the donors funding trends towards the NGOs and private sector at large. Donors are shifting focus to more consolidated efforts, to avoid overlap with growing concerns about performance-based output and accountability.

Molecular-receptor-specific, non-toxic, near-infrared-emitting Au cluster-protein nanoconjugates for targeted cancer imaging

Molecular-receptor-targeted imaging of folate receptor positive oral carcinoma cells using folic-acid-conjugated fluorescent Au25 nanoclusters (Au NCs) is reported. Highly fluorescent Au25 clusters were synthesized by controlled reduction of Au+ ions, stabilized in bovine serum albumin (BSA), using a green-chemical reducing agent, ascorbic acid (vitamin-C). For targeted-imaging-based detection of cancer cells, the clusters were conjugated with folic acid (FA) through amide linkage with the BSA shell. The bioconjugated clusters show excellent stability over a wide range of pH from 4 to 14 and fluorescence efficiency of ~5.7% at pH 7.4 in phosphate buffer saline (PBS), indicating effective protection of nanoclusters by serum albumin during the bioconjugation reaction and cell-cluster interaction. The nanoclusters were characterized for their physico-chemical properties, toxicity and cancer targeting efficacy in vitro. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggests binding energies correlating to metal Au 4f7/2˜83.97 eV and Au 4f5/2~87.768 eV. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed the formation of individual nanoclusters of size ~1 nm and protein cluster aggregates of size ~8 nm. Photoluminescence studies show bright fluorescence with peak maximum at ~674 nm with the spectral profile covering the near-infrared (NIR) region, making it possible to image clusters at the 700-800 nm emission window where the tissue absorption of light is minimum. The cell viability and reactive oxygen toxicity studies indicate the non-toxic nature of the Au clusters up to relatively higher concentrations of 500 µg ml-1. Receptor-targeted cancer detection using Au clusters is demonstrated on FR+ve oral squamous cell carcinoma (KB) and breast adenocarcinoma cell MCF-7, where the FA-conjugated Au25 clusters were found internalized in significantly higher concentrations compared to the negative control cell lines. This study demonstrates the potential of using non-toxic fluorescent Au nanoclusters for the targeted imaging of cancer

A novel small diameter nanotextile arterial graft is associated with surgical feasibility and safety and increased transmural endothelial ingrowth in pig

Globally, millions of patients are affected by myocardial infarction or lower limb gangrene/amputation due to atherosclerosis. Available surgical treatment based on vein and synthetic grafts provides sub-optimal benefits. We engineered a highly flexible and mechanically robust nanotextile-based vascular graft (NanoGraft) by interweaving nanofibrous threads of poly-L-lactic acid to address the unmet need. The NanoGrafts were rendered impervious with selective fibrin deposition in the micropores by pre-clotting. The pre-clotted NanoGrafts (4 mm diameter) and ePTFE were implanted in a porcine carotid artery replacement model. The fibrin-laden porous milieu facilitated rapid endothelization by the transmural angiogenesis in the NanoGraft. In-vivo patency of NanoGrafts was 100% at 2- and 4-weeks, with no changes over time in lumen size, flow velocities, and minimal foreign-body inflammatory reaction. However, the patency of ePTFE at 2-week was 66% and showed marked infiltration, neointimal thickening, and poor host tissue integration. The study demonstrates the in-vivo feasibility and safety of a thin-layered vascular prosthesis, viz., NanoGraft, and its potential superiority over the commercial ePTFE. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01268-1

Rights, shares and claims: realising women’s rights in South Asia, working paper: resource mapping for women’s human rights work in Sri Lanka

"Majority of Sri Lanka's aid (to the tune of roughly 80%) has been in the form of either bilateral or multilateral aid, with the major donors being Japan, ADB and the World Bank. There was widespread consensus across the board, that funding opportunities are largely limited for smaller regional organisations, unless they work in tandem with bigger national NGOs. There are several women's rights organisations that are working with communities or on issues that are not considered mainstream and therefore, go unnoticed and unfunded. Moreover, several multilateral funders prefer to work either through the government or a consortium of organisations. This leads to little funds trickling down to smaller organisations with limited focus and ambit of operations.

Rights, shares and claims: realising women’s rights in South Asia, working paper: resource mapping for women’s human rights work in Pakistan

"The study indicates that there are a significant number of NGOs working on women issues in the country. However, the majority has an omni-focused approach – of working with the entire community, rather than exclusively with women issues. Fund raising was a prime concern for majority of the organisations, especially due to the changing funding environment. The limited donor engagement with NGOs working on women issues, especially those at the local level, is the biggest challenge to carrying forward work on women issues. There is a visible change in the last two to three years in the international donors’ approach and strategy towards Pakistan, which could also be a reflection of global trends. Although, there is continuing aid flow for women’s development and human rights in the country, there has been a palpable shift in the donors funding trends towards the NGOs and private sector at large. Donors are shifting focus to more consolidated efforts, to avoid overlap with growing concerns about performance-based output and accountability.

Rights, shares and claims: realising women’s rights in South Asia, working paper: resource mapping for women’s human rights work in Pakistan

"The study indicates that there are a significant number of NGOs working on women issues in the country. However, the majority has an omni-focused approach – of working with the entire community, rather than exclusively with women issues. Fund raising was a prime concern for majority of the organisations, especially due to the changing funding environment. The limited donor engagement with NGOs working on women issues, especially those at the local level, is the biggest challenge to carrying forward work on women issues. There is a visible change in the last two to three years in the international donors’ approach and strategy towards Pakistan, which could also be a reflection of global trends. Although, there is continuing aid flow for women’s development and human rights in the country, there has been a palpable shift in the donors funding trends towards the NGOs and private sector at large. Donors are shifting focus to more consolidated efforts, to avoid overlap with growing concerns about performance-based output and accountability.

Thermal properties of glycine phosphite across ferroelectric phase transition: A photopyroelectric study

A photopyroelectric measurement of the thermal parameters of glycine phosphite (GPI) single crystals across the ferroelectric phase transition temperature has been carried out. The thermal parameters—thermal diffusivity $(\alpha)$, thermal effusivity (e), thermal conductivity (K), and heat capacity $(c_p)$-of GPI single crystals are reported. The para-ferroelectric phase transition is reflected in these thermal parameters as anomalies at the transition point. The anisotropy in thermal wave propagation is established by measuring thermal conductivity along the a, b, and c crystal axes. The anomalous variations in the thermal parameters across the phase transition temperature reveal an order–disorder type transition at 224 K in this crystal

Rights, Shares, and Claims: Realizing Women's Rights in South Asia

"SAWF is a regional women’s Fund, committed to supporting women-led interventions to enhance and strengthen access to women’s human rights and countering violations thereof. It has worked closely with partners to support human rights in the context of conflict, identity, socio-economic deprivations and in relation to violence against women. In its present phase, it is committed to supporting the emergence of a regional human rights movement, which would address national and regional concerns. Its work is focused on developing a regional mandate that is informed by national realities, and is responsive to the rights and needs of the individual woman. The organisation, currently works in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.