An Analysis on the Efficiency of Philippine Microfinance Institutions: A Stochastic Frontier Approach

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) were created to provide loans and financial services for the poor as commercial banks have requirements that are not accessible to them. The Philippines government soon started using MFIs as a poverty alleviation tool to answer the market failure created by the commercial banking industry since it cannot accommodate the needs of low-income earners due to the high costs attached to it. However, recent studies have shown that MFIs are “mission drifting,” which means that they are deviating from their original social purpose and becoming more financially driven. As a result, this paper estimates the financial and social efficiency of Philippine MFIs using a two-step Stochastic Frontier Approach from 2005 to 2018

Relation of serum total antioxidant status with metabolic risk factors in Korean adults

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation of total antioxidant status (TAS) to metabolic risk factors in Korean adults. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, serum lipids and fasting glucose were determined in 406 men and women. TAS was measured by using commercially available Randox kit. Serum TAS was significantly positively correlated with body weight (p=0.004), body mass index (BMI) (p=0.033), waist circumference (p=0.017), total cholesterol (p=0.038) and triglyceride (TG) (p<0.001). The mean TAS of hypertriglyceridemic subjects (TG ≥150 mg/dl) was significantly higher than that of subjects whose TG was lower than 150 mg/dl (p=0.001). When central obesity, TG, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose and blood pressure were considered as metabolic risk factors, TAS was shown to be elevated with increased number of metabolic risk factors (p=0.004). The positive association between TAS and a number of metabolic risk factors suggests that increased TAS may not always indicate one's healthier condition. In order to help understand TAS as a marker of total antioxidant capacity in humans with various metabolic conditions, it is needed to clarify the factors affecting TAS in relation to changes in metabolic risk factors

Alkali-metal-mediated zincation (AMMZn) meets N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) chemistry : Zn–H exchange reactions and structural authentication of a dinuclear Au(I) complex with a NHC anion

Merging two evolving areas in synthesis, namely cooperative bimetallics and N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), this study reports the isolation of the first intermediates of alkali-metal-mediated zincation (AMMZn) of a free NHC and a Zn–NHC complex using sodium zincate [(TMEDA)NaZn(TMP)(tBu)2] (1) as a metallating reagent. The structural authentication of (THF)3Na[:C{[N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)]2CHCZn(tBu2)}] (2) and [Na(THF)6]+[tBu2Zn:C{[N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)]2CHCZn(tBu2)}]− (4), resulting from the reactions of 1 with unsaturated free NHC IPr (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenylimidazole-2-ylidene) and NHC complex ZntBu2IPr (3) respectively demonstrates that in both cases, this mixed-metal approach can easily facilitate the selective C4 zincation of the unsaturated backbone of the NHC ligand. Furthermore, the generation of anionic NHC fragments enables dual coordination through their normal (C2) and abnormal (C4) positions to the bimetallic system, stabilising the kinetic AMMZn intermediates which normally go undetected and provides new mechanistic insights in to how these mixed-metal reagents operate. In stark contrast to this bimetallic approach when NHC-complex 3 is reacted with a more conventional single-metal base such as tBuLi, the deprotonation of the coordinated carbene is inhibited, favouring instead, co-complexation to give NHC-stabilised [IPr·LiZntBu3] (5). Showing the potential of 2 to act as a transfer agent of its anionic NHC unit to transition metal complexes, this intermediate reacts with two molar equivalents of [ClAu(PPh3)] to afford the novel digold species [ClAu:C{[N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)]2CHCAu(PPh3)}] (6) resulting from an unprecedented double transmetallation reaction which involves the simultaneous exchange of both cationic (Na+) and neutral (ZntBu2) entities on the NHC framework

2021 The SELA Agenda

The SELA Agenda is a collectively and inclusively drafted report that addresses the impact of COVID-19 in the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) region by highlighting investment opportunities in eight policy areas: education, environmental justice, economic recovery, healthcare, housing, nonprofit safety net, civic engagement and regional advocacy. The goal is to lay out a COVID-19 recovery plan that prioritizes the SELA region and ensures the region's recovery and future prosperity by bringing SELA's needs to the attention of elected officials, philanthropy, business sector, and community stakeholders.

Virtual research and learning communities in Latin America : The CEVALE2VE case

New strategies for the adaptation of higher scientific education to the requirements of the network society are briefly discussed, in particular the pivotal role played by virtual research and learning communities in the Latin American region. The Centro Virtual de Altos Estudios de Altas Energias (CEVALE2VE) is singled out in reference to the virtual graduate course on particle physics that was given at several Venezuelan and Colombian national universities and research institutions during the semesters September 2014 - February 2015 and March 2016 - July 2016. Different course implementation aspects are reviewed to encourage and facilitate similar regional initiatives in the near future.Peer reviewe

Effect of Long-Term Hormone Therapy on Telomere Length in Postmenopausal Women

Telomeres undergo attrition with each cell division, and telomere length is associated with age-related diseases and mortality in the elderly. Estrogen can influence the attrition of telomeres by diverse mechanisms. This is a retrospective case control study that investigated the influence of long-term hormone therapy (HT) on telomere length in postmenopausal women. We recruited 130 postmenopausal women from 55 to 69 years of age for this study, and divided them into two groups. The first group included 65 women who had been on estrogen and progesterone therapy for more than five years (HT group). The other group was composed of 65 women matched in age to the HT group who had never had HT (non-HT group). The relative ratios of telomere length of study subjects to a reference DNA from a healthy young female were measured using quantitative PCR. Plasma levels of lipid profiles, total antioxidant status (TAS), C-reactive proteins (CRP), fasting glucose levels, and estradiol levels were measured. Age at menopause, vitamin use, and exercise, alcohol, and cigarette smoking histories were also assessed in a questionnaire. Mean duration (± SD) of HT was 8.4 ± 2.3 years. Prevalence of vitamin use and regular exercise were higher in the HT group than in the non-HT group (p<0.01). Relative telomere length ratios in the HT group were significantly greater than those in the non-HT group (p<0.01). HT was significantly correlated with the relative telomere length ratio in multivariate analysis when potential confounding variables were controlled for (p<0.05). In conclusion, telomere lengths were longer in postmenopausal women who had a history of long-term HT than in postmenopausal women without HT. Long-term HT in postmenopausal women may alleviate telomere attrition

CD209 in inflammatory bowel disease: a case-control study in the Spanish population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The etiology of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD), considered together as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), involves environmental and genetic factors. Although some genes are already known, the genetics underlying these diseases is complex and new candidates are continuously emerging. The <it>CD209 </it>gene is located in a region linked previously to IBD and a <it>CD209 </it>functional polymorphism (rs4804803) has been associated to other inflammatory conditions. Our aim was to study the potential involvement of this <it>CD209 </it>variant in IBD susceptibility.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a case-control study with 515 CD patients, 497 UC patients and 731 healthy controls, all of them white Spaniards. Samples were typed for the <it>CD209 </it>single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4804803 by TaqMan technology. Frequency comparisons were performed using χ²tests.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No association between <it>CD209 </it>and UC or CD was observed initially. However, stratification of UC patients by <it>HLA-DR3 </it>status, a strong protective allele, showed that carriage of the <it>CD209</it>_G allele could increase susceptibility in the subgroup of <it>HLA-DR3</it>-positive individuals (p = 0.03 OR = 1.77 95% CI 1.04–3.02, <it>vs. </it>controls).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A functional variant in the <it>CD209 </it>gene, rs4804803, does not seem to be influencing Crohn's disease susceptibility. However, it could be involved in the etiology or pathology of Ulcerative Colitis in <it>HLA-DR3</it>-positive individuals but further studies are necessary.</p

Glutathione S-transferase genotypes modify lung function decline in the general population: SAPALDIA cohort study

BACKGROUND: Understanding the environmental and genetic risk factors of accelerated lung function decline in the general population is a first step in a prevention strategy against the worldwide increasing respiratory pathology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deficiency in antioxidative and detoxifying Glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene has been associated with poorer lung function in children, smokers and patients with respiratory diseases. In the present study, we assessed whether low activity variants in GST genes are also associated with accelerated lung function decline in the general adult population. METHODS: We examined with multiple regression analysis the association of polymorphisms in GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 genes with annual decline in FEV1, FVC, and FEF(25–75 )during 11 years of follow-up in 4686 subjects of the prospective SAPALDIA cohort representative of the Swiss general population. Effect modification by smoking, gender, bronchial hyperresponisveness and age was studied. RESULTS: The associations of GST genotypes with FEV1, FVC, and FEF(25–75 )were comparable in direction, but most consistent for FEV1. GSTT1 homozygous gene deletion alone or in combination with GSTM1 homozygous gene deletion was associated with excess decline in FEV1 in men, but not women, irrespective of smoking status. The additional mean annual decline in FEV1 in men with GSTT1 and concurrent GSTM1 gene deletion was -8.3 ml/yr (95% confidence interval: -12.6 to -3.9) relative to men without these gene deletions. The GSTT1 effect on the FEV1 decline comparable to the observed difference in FEV1 decline between never and persistent smoking men. Effect modification by gender was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that genetic GSTT1 deficiency is a prevalent and strong determinant of accelerated lung function decline in the male general population