Governance and Foreign Aid in ASIAN Countries

This paper examines the determinants of flow of foreign aid in the 20 ASIAN countries in a panel framework. The model includes the foreign aid, foreign direct investment, six measures of governance, along with the purely economic variables which have been taken as control variables. Estimation analysis was carried out by using pooled annual time series data from 2002 to 2008 in the framework of fixed and random effect model. Relevance of GMM (1991) and GMM (1998) estimates were also evaluated. We find that there is strong evidence of significantly positive impact of past year's aid flow and regulatory quality on the current year's aid flow while significantly negative impact of exports of goods and services, political stability and control over corruption on the current year's aid flow, weak evidence of the negative impact of population, voice and accountability, and rule of law on the current year's aid flow and weak evidence of significantly positive impact of government effectiveness on the current year's aid flow.Foreign Aid, Governance, Panel Data, Generalized Method of Moments

Biocompatible polymeric materials for regenerative medicine applications

networks are prepared by the interaction of chitosan with poly(methacryloylglycylglycine), which is a synthetic polymer belonging to the class of poly(acrylamides) and is being widely investigated for drug delivery applications. A comprehensive study of the prepared biomaterials including their degradability are done and presented. To recapitulate, the research activity in the present Doctorate Thesis involves the following topics: · Chitosan – A Versatile Material for Regenerative Medicine applications · Statistical Approach of Chitin Deacetylation. · Chitosan-Based Beads for Controlled Release of Proteins · Hybrid Nanoparticles Based on Chitosan and Poly(Methacryloylglycylglycine) · Synthesis and Characterization of Semi Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogel Composed of Chitosan and Poly(methacryloylglycyl glycine

A study on non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic streak retinoscopy and autorefractometry in children

Background: Refractive errors in children should be identified and corrected as early as possible to prevent irreversible vision loss. Therefore, accurate methods of objective refraction should be employed by paediatric eye care providers when examining young children. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic retinoscopy and autorefractometry as objective methods of refraction, and to determine their suitability with subjective acceptance.Methods: The one-year study included 453 children of 3-15 years. Noncycloplegic autorefraction and streak retinoscopy were done. These were followed by cycloplegic autorefraction and streak retinoscopy. Cycloplegia was attained by using atropine sulphate 1% eye drops and cyclopentolate hydrochloride 1% eyedrops for children of 3-7 years and 8-15 years respectively. Postmydriatic subjective refraction was then done. Results were compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Calculated p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Noncycloplegic methods showed underestimation of hypermetropia and overestimation of myopia. The spherical and cylindrical measurements of cycloplegic autorefraction were equivalent to cycloplegic retinoscopy. Axis of cycloplegic autorefraction was better than cycloplegic retinoscopy.Conclusions: The most accurate method of objective refraction is cycloplegic retinoscopy. However, the spherical and cylindrical measurements of cycloplegic autorefraction can be substituted for conventional cycloplegic retinoscopy in young children.

On Fuzzy Soft Matrix Based on Reference Function

In this paper we study fuzzy soft matrix based on reference function. Firstly, we define some new operations such as fuzzy soft complement matrix and trace of fuzzy soft matrix based on reference function. Then, we introduced some related properties, and some examples are given. Lastly, we define a new fuzzy soft matrix decision method based on reference function

Qualitative sign stability of linear time invariant descriptor systems

This article discusses assessing the instability of a continuous linear homogeneous timeinvariant descriptor system. Some necessary conditions and sufficient conditions are derived to establish the stability of a matrix pair by the fundamentals of qualitative ecological principles. The proposed conditions are derived using only the qualitative (sign) information of the matrix pair elements. Based on these conditions, the instability of a matrix pair can easily be determined, without any magnitude information of the matrix pair elements and without numerical eigenvalues calculations. With the proposed theory, Magnitude Dependent Stable, Magnitude Dependent Unstable, and Qualitative Sign Stable matrix pairs can be distinguished. The consequences of the proposed conditions and some illustrative examples are discussed

Caracterização da paracoccidioidomicose-infecção como a forma de resistencia da paracoccidioidomicose humana : comparação com as formas juvenil e adulta da doença

Orientador: Maria Heloisa Souza Lima BlottaTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias MedicasResumo: A paracoccidioidomicose (PCM) pode ser classificada em três grupos principais: PCM-infecção (PI); forma adulta (FA) e forma juvenil (FJ). O presente trabalho teve como objetivo comparar a resposta imunológica nesses diferentes grupos, por meio da análise da cinética da expressão do RNA mensageiro (RNAm) de citocinas e quimiocinas (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-g, TGF-b, TNF-a, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10) por RT-PCR, e caracterizar fenotipicamente as células produtoras dessas citocinas por citometria de fluxo. Como resultado obtivemos que indivíduos do grupo PI expressam precocemente maior quantidade de RNAm para IFN-g, TNF-a, CXCL9 e CXCL10, quando comparados aos pacientes com a FJ da PCM, e níveis similares de CXCL10 e IFN-g e aumentados de CXCL9 e TNF-a quando comparados aos pacientes com a FA. A expressão do RNAm para citocinas Th2 (IL-4, IL-10, IL-5 e TGF-b), de maneira geral, foi maior e mais precoce em indivíduos com a FA ou FJ, quando comparados aos indivíduos do grupo PI. Em relação a expressão proteica, observamos que indivíduos do grupo PI apresentam um número maior de células produtoras de IFN-g, TNF-a, IL-2, CXCL9 e CXCL10 quando comparados aos dois grupos de pacientes. A produção de IFN-g foi observada principalmente em células CD3+CD8+, enquanto que IL-2 e TNF-a foram detectados principalmente em células CD3+CD4+. Em relação à expressão de moléculas de superfície, observamos que monócitos de indivíduos do grupo PI apresentam maior expressão de CD80 e menor expressão de CD86 e CD54, quando comparados aos indivíduos com a FA ou FJ, e maior expressão de HLA-DR e CD11a quando comparados aos indivíduos com a FJ da PCM. Nossos resultados indicam que a cinética diferencial de produção de RNAm para citocinas do tipo Th1 ou Th2 pelos grupos estudados pode direcionar a resposta imunológica após a infecção, originando as diferenças clínicas observadasAbstract: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) presents three major forms: PCM-infection (PI); adult form (AF) and juvenile form (JF). The aim of this study was to compare the immunological response in these groups through the analysis of the kinectics of mRNA expression of some cytokines and chemokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-lO, IFN-y, TGF p, TNF-a, CXCLS, CXCL9 and CXCLlO) by RT-PCR, as well as, to characterize the phenotype of the cytokines producing cells by flow cytometry. The results showed that PI individuaIs express earlier and higher levels of mRNA for IFN-y, TNF-a, CXCL9 and CXCLIO when compared to JF patients and similar levels of CXCLlO and IFN-y and higher levels of CXCL9 and TNF -a when compared to AF ones. On the other hand, the mRNA expression ofTh2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-IO, IL-5 and TGF-P) was higher and earlier in JF and AF groups when compared to PI individuaIs. In relation to protein expression, we observed that PI group presents a higher percentage of cells producing IFN-y, TNF-a, IL-2, CXCL9 and CXCLIO when compared to both groups ofpatients. The production ofIFN-y was predominantIy done by CD3+CDS+ T cells, whereas IL-2 and TNF-a production was higher in CD3+CD4+ cells. Monocytes ofPI individuaIs also presented higher expression of CDSO and lower expression of CDS6 and CD54 when compared to JF and AF patients, and higher expression of HLA-DR and CDIIa only when compared to JF patients. These results indicate that the differential kinetic of mRNA expression of ThI or Th2 cytokines observed in the different forms of PCM may modulate the immunological response resulting in the different outcomes observed in this diseaseDoutoradoCiencias BiomedicasDoutor em Ciências Médica

Management of a case of symblepharon by freshly prepared amniotic membrane transplantation: a clinical case report

Amniotic membrane transplantation has been in common therapeutic use for a variety of ocular disorders. Authors present a case of a 50-year-old man who was diagnosed to be a case of total symblepharon following an episode of membranous conjunctivitis who was treated with freshly prepared Amniotic membrane transplantation with satisfactory cosmetic result

Corneal ulcer: an epidemiological, microbiological and clinical study of cases attending Assam medical college and hospital, Dibrugarh, India

Background: Corneal ulcer is one of the important ophthalmic conditions causing significant morbidity especially in the developing countries. This study was carried out to evaluate the common etiological agents, predisposing factors, age, gender and occupational distribution and to study the clinical features and management of all corneal ulcers.Methods: A total of 50 cases of corneal ulcers who attended the Ophthalmology outpatient department (OPD) of Assam medical college and hospital, Assam, India, over a 6 months period were included in the study. A detailed history was taken and examination done as per the proforma. Microscopy and culture were performed on all corneal specimens obtained.Results: Corneal ulcers were common in 3rd to 5th decades of life with Male to Female ratio of 1.3:1. Majority of patients were farmers or hired agricultural workers. Ocular trauma was the major predisposing factor in majority of cases (32%). Out of 50 cases, 31 (62%) were culture positive. 19 were bacterial isolates and 12 were fungal isolates. All patients were treated according to standard treatment protocol and majority (95.5%) patients responded well to treatment.Conclusions: This study has revealed that suppurative corneal ulcers are caused by both bacterial and fungal agents with bacterial preponderance in this geographical area. Early and accurate diagnosis and intensive treatment is the need of hour for saving the eye and preventing the catastrophe of lifelong blindness

A clinical study of patients attending disability clinic in a tertiary care hospital of Assam, India

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the various types of congenital or acquired disorders causing permanent disability and their association with age, sex and visual acuity in patients attending disability clinic of department of ophthalmology, Jorhat medical college and hospital, Assam, from January 2018 to December 2018.Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. 200 patients were enrolled in the duration of January 2018 to December 2018 and were analyzed for anomalies, etiology, sex and age at presentation.Results: Out of 200 cases analysed, 116 males and 84 females (Male: Female = 1.38:1) observed. The most common age group at presentation was 11-20 years (28.5%). 23% of cases were congenital. The most frequent ocular anomaly noted was microphthalmos (19%) followed by uveal coloboma (15%) and phthisis bulbi (14%).Conclusions: In a developing country like India, a large proportion of the childhood and adult blindness is avoidable. Action is needed to prevent blindness from vitamin A deficiency, measles, external ocular infections and chemical injuries. Specialist paediatric and optical services are required to manage cataract and glaucoma. Further work is indicated to elucidate the causes of anophthalmos, microphthalmos and coloboma. It would be useful to document the changing patterns in the causes of ocular disability to allow early action against emerging avoidable causes

Increased RNAi efficacy in Spodoptera exigua via the formulation of dsRNA with guanylated polymers

Lepidoptera comprise some of the most devastating herbivorous pest insects worldwide. One of the most promising novel pest control strategies is exploiting the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism to target essential genes for knockdown and incite toxic effects in the target species without harming other organisms in the ecosystem. However, many insects are refractory to oral RNAi, often due to rapid degradation of ingested dsRNA in their digestive system. This is the case for many lepidopteran insects, including the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua, which is characterized by a very alkaline gut environment (pH > 9.0) and a strong intestinal nucleolytic activity. In this research, guanidine-containing polymers were developed to protect dsRNA against nucleolytic degradation, specifically in high pH environments. First, their ability to protect dsRNA against nucleolytic degradation in gut juice of the beet armyworm S. exigua was investigated ex vivo. Polymers with high guanidine content provided a strong protection against nucleolytic degradation at pH 11, protecting the dsRNA for up to 30 h. Next, cellular uptake of the dsRNA and the polyplexes in lepidopteran CF203 midgut cells was investigated by confocal microscopy, showing that the polymer also enhanced cellular uptake of the dsRNA. Finally, in vivo feeding RNAi bioassays demonstrated that using these guanidine-containing polymer nanoparticles led to an increased RNAi efficiency in S. exigua. Targeting the essential gene chitin synthase B, we observed that the mortality increased to 53% in the polymer-protected dsRNA treatment compared to only 16% with the naked dsRNA and found that polymer-protected dsRNA completely halted the development of the caterpillars. These results show that using guanylated polymers as a formulation strategy can prevent degradation of dsRNA in the alkaline and strongly nucleolytic gut of lepidopteran insects. Furthermore, the polymer also enhances cellular uptake in lepidopteran midgut cells. This new delivery strategy could be of great use in further fundamental research in lepidopterans, using RNAi as a research tool, and could lead to future applications for RNAi-based pest control of lepidopteran insects