Forgiveness, Buybacks, and Exit Bonds: An Analysis of Alternate Debt Relief Strategies

The 1980s have seen the issue of Third World debt rise to prominence as one of the foremost concerns for economic policy-makers. The foreign indebtedness of many developing countries has risen to such high levels that the casual observer is forced to wonder if the debt will ever be paid back. Many scholars are now arguing that the debt obligations of some of the most heavily indebted countries (HICs)are so large that they act as a severe disincentive to investment. These disincentives, in turn, reduce growth rates in the HICs, thereby making future repayments even less likely. Many explanations for the onslaught of the debt crisis have been offered. The late Seventies and early Eighties saw a rapid rise in interest rates as well as an equally rapid deterioration of the terms of trade of many HICs. Many sovereign debtors, which had been excellent investment opportunities for creditor banks, were suddenly insolvent. Low output shocks further exacerbated repayment possibilities. Faced with the possibility of non-payment, creditors entered into rescheduling negotiations with sovereign borrowers. These rescheduling have involved bargaining over the amount of repayment that will be made

A field study on hydraulic performance of drip irrigation system for optimization of operating pressure

Drip irrigation technology will undoubtedly plays an important role in the future of the agriculture. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of drip system with five operating pressure viz. I1 (0.4 kg/ cm2), I2 (0.6 kg/cm2), I3 (0.8 kg/cm2), I4 (1.0 kg/cm2), I5 (1.2 kg/cm2). It was observed that the average discharge of drippers was 1.08 lph, 1.24 lph, 1.50 lph, 1.62 lph and 1.74 lph and emission uniformity was 80.55%, 84.89%, 86.30%, 88.88% and 90.80 in each treatment respectively and coefficient of variation was observed 0.12, 0.13, 0.12, 0.11, and 0.09. Flow component was found 0.450 and the value of k was 0.572 while R2 was observed 0.986.Based on the result it can be concluded that the operation of drip irrigation system at 1.2 kg/cm2 pressure head, gives the maximum efficiency in respect of discharge, emission uniformity and coefficient of variation

Experiments on Direct Dark Matter Search with Two-phase Emission Detectors

AbstractEmission detectors, invented 45 years ago in MEPhI, found their unique application in modern experiments searching for cold dark matter in the form of weakly ionizing massive particles (WIMPs). The current best limits for the interaction cross sections of supersymmetric WIMPs having a mass of 100GeV/c2 with nucleons were measured with emission detector LUX containing 360kg of liquid xenon as detector medium installed in Davis’ cave at Homestake mine in South Dakota. Emission detectors of the next generation G2, with an active detector mass of about 10 tons, will either unambiguously detect WIMPs or rule out all current theoretical predictions for WIMP existence. Detectors of the G3 generation will be used for multiple purposes including detection of double beta neutrinoless decay and low-energy neutrino

Effect of boundary condition on shear behaviour of rock joint

The presence of inherent discontinuities within a rock mass poses significant influence on its shear strength-deformation characteristics. Therefore, it is important to study the rock joint performance within the laboratory for the safe and economical design of underground structures (such as mine roadways) in jointed rock mass, stability analysis of jointed rock slopes and foundation design on a fractured rock mass. To study the rock joint mechanics and principles governing its shear behaviour, this research is focused on the behaviour of natural rough rock joint within the laboratory under Constant Normal Load (CNL) and Constant Normal Stiffness (CNS) boundary condition using servo-controlled direct shear apparatus at the University of Wollongong, Australia. It was observed from the experimental results that the CNS testing procedure truly simulates the shearing mechanism of an actual field unlike CNL, and the shear strength evaluated rock joint is underestimated under the CNL boundary condition. Also, the shear strength envelope under CNS exhibits non-linearity in contrast with the bilinear strength envelope under CNL boundary condition

Strategies to Optimize Global Cleft Care

Orofacial clefts represent the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly worldwide. This condition is best managed by an interdisciplinary team of specialists, often with gratifying results for both the patient and the care providers. Despite recent advances in the management, it remains a challenge today to provide cleft care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) due to the lack of basic health care infrastructure and long-term follow-up. International cleft mission trips have traditionally been successful in providing reconstructive plastic surgery to communities with limited resources. More recently, there has been a global effort in the cleft care community to facilitate development of sustainable local cleft care centers that are capable of providing longitudinal, comprehensive care to the indigenous population. This chapter focuses on the elements that are necessary for running a successful international cleft mission and a local cleft care facility, which include the essential personnel, operational protocols, equipment, logistics, patient selection, and follow-up. The challenges and future directions of providing cleft care in LMIC are also discussed

Le français, porte étroite de l’infodocumentation

C’est d’abord sous l’angle de l’infodoc et celui des sciences du vivant qu’un bibliothécaire spécialisé non francophone a découvert nos bibliothèques. L’aide à la recherche était un aspect décisif dans son appréhension de nos établissements

BRCA1-regulated nuclear innate sensing of Herpesviral genome by IFI16 and IFI16’s acetylation is critical for its cytoplasmic trafficking and induction of innate responses: DOI: 10.14800/ics.1076

Sensing of invading DNA virus genomes appear to be triggered by a number of host cell DNA sensors depending on their subcellular localization which stimulate innate anti-viral responses such as the activation of type-I interferons (IFNs) and/or inflammasomes resulting in the  production of inflammatory IL-1? and IL-18 cytokines. With growing understanding of diverse identities whether these proteins function alone or  with other host cell molecules and the post-translational modifications affecting their functions are under intense investigations. Nuclear resident IFI16 have been shown to sense the episomal DNA genomes of herpes viruses resulting in the induction of IFI16-inflammasome and/or interferon responses. Here, we highlight our recent finding regarding the role of cellular  BRCA1, a transcription factor and DNA damage response protein, forming a distinct complex with IFI16 to regulate the nuclear innate sensing of herpes viral DNA and subsequent IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome complex formation and distribution to the cytoplasm leading into caspase-1 and IL-1? production. BRCA1 is also responsible for the cytoplasmic IFI16-STING signalosome activation and induction of IFN-? during de novo KSHV and HSV-1 infection. Our concurrent studies have also revealed that the histone acetyl transferase p300 mediated acetylation of nuclear IFI16 is a dynamic post-genome recognition event responsible for Ran dependent nuclear to cytoplasmic trafficking of IFI16 during herpesvirus infection. This post-translational modification is essential for IFI16-ASC interaction and inflammasome activation as well as for the association with STING in the cytoplasm resulting in IRF-3 phosphorylation, nuclear pIRF-3 localization and interferon-? production. Collectively, these comprehensive studies highlight that BRCA1 plays a hitherto unidentified immunomodulatory role to facilitate the anti-viral functions of IFI16 and acetylation of nuclear IFI16 is a necessary post-translational modification for innate responses during herpesvirus infection. These studies open up a new understanding of virus-host interplay, viral genome sensing and host innate anti-viral defense mechanisms

BRCA1-regulated nuclear innate sensing of Herpesviral genome by IFI16 and IFI16’s acetylation is critical for its cytoplasmic trafficking and induction of innate responses

Sensing of invading DNA virus genomes appear to be triggered by a number of host cell DNA sensors depending on their subcellular localization which stimulate innate anti-viral responses such as the activation of type-I interferons (IFNs) and/or inflammasomes resulting in the  production of inflammatory IL-1β and IL-18 cytokines. With growing understanding of diverse identities whether these proteins function alone or  with other host cell molecules and the post-translational modifications affecting their functions are under intense investigations. Nuclear resident IFI16 have been shown to sense the episomal DNA genomes of herpes viruses resulting in the induction of IFI16-inflammasome and/or interferon responses. Here, we highlight our recent finding regarding the role of cellular  BRCA1, a transcription factor and DNA damage response protein, forming a distinct complex with IFI16 to regulate the nuclear innate sensing of herpes viral DNA and subsequent IFI16-ASC-procaspase-1 inflammasome complex formation and distribution to the cytoplasm leading into caspase-1 and IL-1β production. BRCA1 is also responsible for the cytoplasmic IFI16-STING signalosome activation and induction of IFN-β during de novo KSHV and HSV-1 infection. Our concurrent studies have also revealed that the histone acetyl transferase p300 mediated acetylation of nuclear IFI16 is a dynamic post-genome recognition event responsible for Ran dependent nuclear to cytoplasmic trafficking of IFI16 during herpesvirus infection. This post-translational modification is essential for IFI16-ASC interaction and inflammasome activation as well as for the association with STING in the cytoplasm resulting in IRF-3 phosphorylation, nuclear pIRF-3 localization and interferon-β production. Collectively, these comprehensive studies highlight that BRCA1 plays a hitherto unidentified immunomodulatory role to facilitate the anti-viral functions of IFI16 and acetylation of nuclear IFI16 is a necessary post-translational modification for innate responses during herpesvirus infection. These studies open up a new understanding of virus-host interplay, viral genome sensing and host innate anti-viral defense mechanisms

Health Services Performance for TB Treatment in Two Districts of Punjab –DHQ Sahiwal & BVH Bahawalpur.

Introduction: Pakistan ranks 5th among the 22 countries with the highest incidence levels of tuberculosis (TB) smear-positive case; TB remains the leading killer infectious disease in the world, with 1.7 million death. Objective: The objective of our study is to determine the health services performance for TB treatment in DHQ, Sahiwal and BVH, Bahawalpur with the attributes for treatment. Methodology: For this cross-sectional study 100 TB patients were identified through simple random sampling. Relevant information was collected by using the Primary Care Assessment Tool adapted for TB care. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 22 and presented as number and percentages. Results: Results from both cities  for male and female patients were recorded with respect to “Access to treatment”, ‘Home visits’, “bond”, “professional respond clearly” and “range of services”. The dimension “coordination’, “family focus”, and “Professional ask about living conditions” were also recorded. Conclusion: Incentives to improve care organization and management practices can contribute towards a better performance of health services in TB treatment in Pakistan and all over the world.   Keywords: Health services, Performances, TB treatment