Does the group leader matter? The impact of monitoring activities and social ties of group leaders on the repayment performance of groupbased lending Eritrea

This paper analyzes whether the effects of monitoring and social ties of the group leader and other group members on repayment performance of groups differ, using data from an extensive questionnaire held in Eritrea among participants of 102 groups. We hypothesize that the monitoring activities and social ties of the group leader have a stronger positive impact on the repayment performance of groups. The results show that social ties of the group leader do have a positive effect on repayment performance of groups, whereas this is not true for social ties of other group members. We do not find evidence for the hypothesis that monitoring activities of the group leader have a stronger positive impact on group repayment performance. All variables measuring monitoring activities, either of the group leader or the other group members, are found to be statistically insignificant.

Sistem Keselamatan Bagi Awak Kendaraan Bermotor Angkutan Barang Terminal

Di era sekarang ini, Pengabdian kepada masyarakat (PKM) merupakan hal yang sangat berguna untuk dapat membina maupun untuk meningkatkan kualitas keselamatan hidup masyarakat. Angkutan Barang merupakan denyut nadi perpindahan barang dengan moda angkutan mobil barang ke daerah tujuan pengiriman dengan aman dan lancar dengan tujuan untuk memeuhikebutuhan masyarakat, kondisi sekarang masih banyak terjadinya kecelakann lalu lintas yang masih di dominasi oleh angkutan barang berserta awaknya, kedepan nya perlu mendapatkan perhatian khusus demi tercipta transportasi yang aman dan nyaman di masa mendatang. Dengan begitu, melalui beberapa dosen dan taruna yang terlibat, Politeknik Transportasi Darat (Poltrada) Bali melakukan kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat di sekitaran Terminal Barang di daerah Denpasar dengan merujuk terhadap sistem keselamatan bagi awak kendaraan bermotor angkutan barang. Dengan adanya sosialisasi PKM ini, tujuan yang diharapkan adalah angkutan barang beserta awaknya dapat memberikan rasa aman nyaman selama berkendara mengantarkan barang dalam hal ini adalah logistik tersebut sampai ke tujuan dalam keadaan aman dan lancar, dengan penyuluhan ini diharapkan awak kendaraan megetahui sistem keselamatan yang meliputi tata cara megemudi, memahami karakteristik angkutan barang dan persyaratan teknis angkutan barang. Kegiatan ini dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan metode mediasi dan pendidikan masyarakat dengan penyuluhan yang bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pemahaman serta kesadaran akan penting sistem keselamatan angkutan barang. Dari metode tersebut diharapkan sistem keselamatan angkutan barang menjadi tewujud, dan nantinya berpengaruh terhadap angka kecelakaan lalu lintas dari sektor angkutan barang menjadi menurun dari waktu ke waktu, sesuai program RUNK dapat terwujudnya Zero Ancident dari faktor pengguna jalan yang berkeselamatan (safer people) &nbsp

Lactational Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and Infant Neurodevelopment: An Analysis of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Babies Study

BackgroundPolychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic pollutants that were broadly used in the United States until the 1970s. Common exposure to PCBs, DDT, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), the most stable metabolite of DDT, may influence children’s neurodevelopment, but study results are not consistent.ObjectivesWe examined the associations between lactational exposure to PCBs, DDT, and DDE and infant development at 12 months, using data from the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Babies Study, 2004–2006.MethodsWe measured PCBs, DDT, and DDE in breast milk at the third month postpartum. Lactational exposure of these chemicals was estimated by the product of chemical concentrations and the duration of breast-feeding. Infant development at 12 months of age was measured by the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (n = 231) and the Short Form: Level I (infant) of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Indices (n = 218).ResultsNo consistent associations were observed between lactational exposure to PCBs, DDT, and DDE through the first 12 months and the measures of infant development. However, DDE was associated with scoring below average on the gross motor scale of the Mullen among males only (adjusted odds ratio = 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–3.3).ConclusionInfant neurodevelopment at 12 months of age was not impaired by PCBs, DDT, and DDE at the concentrations measured here, in combination with benefits from long duration of breast-feeding in this population

Lactational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and infant growth: an analysis of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Babies Study: Lactational exposure to persistent environmental pollutants

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (p,p’-DDT) and 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE), the most stable metabolite of p,p’-DDT, are persistent organic pollutants and environmental endocrine disruptors. Infant exposure to these chemicals through breast feeding may influence children’s growth, but this potential adverse effect could be complicated by the co-existing benefits of breast feeding. This study examined the associations between lactational exposure to these chemicals and infant growth in the first 12 months by using data from the Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition Babies Study in central North Carolina, United States, 2004–2006. The study population was restricted to the infants who were breastfed for 6 months or longer. PCBs, p,p’-DDT and p,p’-DDE were measured in breast milk at 3 months postpartum. Lactational exposure through 12 months was estimated as the product of chemical concentrations and the duration of breast feeding. The infant’s weight and length were recorded from the medical record for each routine pediatric well-child visit in the first 12 months. Women-child pairs who breastfed for 6 months or longer and returned the growth card (n=210), were included in the study. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the associations between chemical concentrations in breast milk and longitudinal infant weight and length measurements in the first 6 months. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the relationships between lactational exposure to chemicals through 12 months and the z-scores of infant weight, length and weight-for-length at 12 months. Overall, no association was observed. Breast feeding for 6 months or longer, with lactational exposure to PCBs, p,p’-DDT and p,p’-DDE at the low background level concentrations studied here, results in no measurable influence on infant growth in the first 12 months

Vacuum Choices and the Predictions of Inflation

In the presence of a short-distance cutoff, the choice of a vacuum state in an inflating, non-de Sitter universe is unavoidably ambiguous. The ambiguity is related to the time at which initial conditions for the mode functions are specified and to the way the expansion of the universe affects those initial conditions. In this paper we study the imprint of these uncertainties on the predictions of inflation. We parametrize the most general set of possible vacuum initial conditions by two phenomenological variables. We find that the generated power spectrum receives oscillatory corrections whose amplitude is proportional to the Hubble parameter over the cutoff scale. In order to further constrain the phenomenological parameters that characterize the vacuum definition, we study gravitational particle production during different cosmological epochs.Comment: 10 two-column pages, 1 figure; uses RevTeX

Transient Responses to NOTCH and TLX1/HOX11 Inhibition in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma

To improve the treatment strategies of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL), further efforts are needed to identify therapeutic targets. Dysregulated expression of HOX-type transcription factors occurs in 30–40% of cases of T-ALL. TLX1/HOX11 is the prototypical HOX-type transcription factor. TLX1 may be an attractive therapeutic target because mice that are deficient in TLX1 are healthy. To test this possibility, we developed a conditional doxycycline-regulated mouse model of TLX1-initiated T-ALL. TLX1 induced T-ALL after ∼5–7 months with penetrance of 15–60%. Similar to human TLX1-type T-ALLs, the TLX1-induced tumors were arrested at the cortical stage of T-cell development and acquired activating NOTCH1 mutations. Inhibition of NOTCH signaling abrogated growth of cell lines derived from the TLX1-induced tumors. NOTCH inhibition also transiently delayed leukemia progression in vivo. Suppression of TLX1 expression slowed the growth of TLX1 tumor cell lines. Suppression of TLX1 in vivo also transiently delayed leukemia progression. We have shown that TLX1 functions as a T-cell oncogene that is active during both the induction and the maintenance phases of leukemia. However, the effect of suppressing NOTCH or TLX1 was transient. The tumors eventually “escaped” from inhibition. These data imply that the biological pathways and gene sets impacted by TLX1 and NOTCH have largely lost their importance in the fully established tumor. They have been supplanted by stronger oncogenic pathways. Although TLX1 or NOTCH inhibitors may not be effective as single agents, they may still contribute to combination therapy for TLX1-driven acute leukemia

Progranulin plasma levels as potential biomarker for the identification of GRN deletion carriers. A case with atypical onset as clinical amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment converted to Alzheimer's disease

Progranulin (GRN) mutations are associated with different clinical phenotypes, including Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), Corticobasal Degeneration and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, the range of age at onset is very wide and patients presenting initial symptoms around eighty years have been described. Previous studies demonstrated that progranulin plasma levels determination may be a reliable method to identify GRN deletion carriers. We thus evaluated progranulin plasma levels in all patients followed at our Alzheimer's Centre whose plasma was available (n = 176) and found four patients displaying low values. Three of them carried the CACT deletion in exon 7 and their clinical diagnosis was behavioral variant Frontotemporal Dementia. We also identified a patient carrying a previously reported CAGT deletion in exon 5. Here, we report on this case. The onset of symptoms was at 77 years and the initial diagnosis was of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), which converted to AD six months later. In the following years, the patient also developed behavioral disturbances, gait apraxia and parkinsonian symptoms. At present, she is 84 years old and is still followed-up periodically. This case confirms progranulin plasma levels as a reliable biomarker to identify GRN deletion carriers and discriminate between FTLD and other dementias which may mimic it. We thus encourage the inclusion of this non-invasive and easy test in clinical practice

PELATIHAN TUNE UP SEPEDA MOTOR SEBAGAI PENINGKATAN KOMPETENSI PRAKTIKAL SISWA PADA WILAYAH ULAPAN (UBUD, TEGALALANG, DAN PAYANGAN) UNTUK MENDUKUNG KAWASAN STRATEGIS PARIWISATA NASIONAL (KSPN)

This Community Service Activity Motorcycle Tune Up Training aims to improve the practical competence of students at SMKN 1 Tegalalang so that they can tune up motorcycles effectively, efficiently and safely, including: checking, maintaining, repairing and adjusting motorcycle parts/systems according to the Tune Up procedure, and has an outcome in the form of increasing scientific competence, especially regarding engine parts, electrical parts, and motorcycle chassis parts. The method of this activity is to conduct training for students in grades 10, 11, and 12 of the Automotive Department at SMKN 1 Tegalalang. Training in the form of providing materials and practice in the field with a percentage of 30% for material and 70% for practice. The basis of doing Tune Up on a motorcycle is that every motorcycle that is operated, will eventually experience a situation where the parts of the motorcycle (engine, transmission, frame, etc.) experience fatigue and wear and tear, thereby reducing its performance, including: engine power decline, slow acceleration, wasteful fuel and the possibility of continuing/spreading damage to other component damage and to support the national tourism strategic area (KSPN) especially the ULAPAN area (Ubud, Tegalalang and Payangan) in order to increase the economic factors of the region. This activity was carried out in collaboration with the Bali Land Transportation Polytechnic with SMKN 1 Tegalalang. The result of this Community Service activity is an increase in the practical competence of SMKN 1 Tegalalang students so that later they can be used as provisions to set up a workshop business (MSME level) or workKegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat Pelatihan Tune Up Sepeda Motor ini bertujuan meningkatkan kompetensi praktikal siswa SMKN 1 Tegalalang agar dapat melakukan Tune Up Sepeda motor secara efektif, efisien dan aman, meliputi: memeriksa, merawat, memperbaiki dan menyetel bagian-bagian/sistem-sistem sepeda motor sesuai prosedur Tune Up, dan memiliki outcome berupa peningkatan kompetensi keilmuan khususnya mengenai bagian mesin, bagian kelistrikan, dan bagian chasis sepeda motor. Metode kegiatan ini adalah melakukan pelatihan kepada para siswa kelas 10, 11, dan 12 Jurusan Otomotif  SMKN 1 Tegalalang. Pelatihan dalam bentuk pemberian materi dan praktek di lapangan dengan persentase 30% untuk materi dan 70% untuk praktek. Dasar dari dilakukannya Tune Up pada sepeda motor adalah setiap sepeda motor yang dioperasikan, pada akhirnya akan mengalami suatu keadaan dimana bagian-bagian dari sepeda motor tersebut (mesin, transmisi, rangka, dsb) mengalami kelelahan dan keausan sehingga mengurangi kinerjanya, diantaranya: tenaga mesin menurun, akselerasi lambat, bahan bakar boros dan kemungkinan kerusakan berlanjut/merembet terhadap kerusakan komponen lainnya dan untuk mendukung kawasan strategis pariwisata nasional (KSPN) khususnya wilayah ULAPAN (Ubud, Tegalalang dan Payangan) agar dapat meningkatkan faktor ekonomi wilayah tersebut. Kegiatan ini dilakukan melalui kerjasama Politeknik Transportasi Darat Bali dengan SMKN 1 Tegalalang. Hasil dari kegiatan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat ini adalah peningkatan kompetensi praktikal siswa SMKN 1 Tegalalang sehingga nantinya dapat dijadikan bekal untuk mendirikan usaha bengkel (level UMKM) ataupun bekerj