Macroeconomic Effects of Fiscal Policies: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and the Philippines

This paper studies macroeconomic effects of fiscal policies in four Asian countries - Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines - by means of structural macroeconometric model simulations. It is found that short-term fiscal multipliers from an untargeted increase in government expenditure are positive but much less than those from an increased expenditure targeted to capital spending. The multiplier effects from fiscal expansion via a tax rate reduction are found to be typically much less than through higher spending. The effectiveness of automatic stabilizers in general, and more specifically whether expenditure or tax-side stabilizer is more effective, differs across countries.Fiscal policy, Growth, Public finance, Deficit

Social ecology of resilience and Sumud of Palestinians

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of theoretical perspectives and practical research knowledge in relation to ‘resilience’, the resilience of Palestinians in particular, and the related concept of ‘Sumud’. ‘Sumud’ is a Palestinian idea that is interwoven with ideas of personal and collective resilience and steadfastness. It is also a socio-political concept and refers to ways of surviving in the context of occupation, chronic adversity, lack of resources and limited infrastructure. The concept of ‘resilience’ has deep roots, going back at least to the 10th century when Arabic scholars suggested strategies to cope with life adversity. In Europe, research into resilience extends back to the 1800s. The understanding of resilience has developed over four overlapping waves. These focus on: individual traits; protective factors; ecological assets; and (in the current wave) social ecological factors. The current wave of resilience research focuses on the contribution of cultural contextualisation and is an approach that is discussed in this paper, which draws on Arabic and English language literature located through a search of multiple databases (CINAHL, British Nursing Index, ASSIA, Medline, PsycINFO, and EMBASE). Findings suggest that ‘Sumud’ is linked to the surrounding cultural context and can be thought of as an innovative, social ecological, approach to promoting resilience. We show that resilience is a prerequisite to ‘Sumud’, meaning that the individual has to be resilient in order to stay and not to leave their place,position or community. We close by pressing the case for studies which investigate resilience especially in underdeveloped countries such as Palestine, and which reveal how resilience is embedded in pre-existing cultural contexts

Challenges for nurses who work in community mental health centres in the West Bank, Palestine

Background: Nurses in Palestine (occupied Palestinian territory) work in a significantly challenging environment. The mental health care system is underdeveloped and under-resourced. For example, the total number of nurses who work in community mental health centres in the West Bank is seventeen, clearly insufficient in a total population of approximately three million. This research explored daily challenges that Palestinian community mental health nurses (CMHNs) face within and outside their demanding workplaces. Methods: An interpretive qualitative design was chosen. Face-to-face interviews were completed with fifteen participants. Thirty-two hours of observations of the day-to-day working environment and workplace routines were conducted in two communities’ mental health centres. Written documents relating to practical job-related policies were also collected from various workplaces. Thematic analysis was used across all data sources resulting in four main themes, which describe the challenges faced by CMHNs. Results and conclusion: These themes consist of the context of unrest, stigma, lack of resources, and organisational or mental health system challenges. The study concludes with a better understanding of challenges in nursing which draws on wider cultural contexts and resilience. The outcomes from this study can be used to decrease the challenges for health professionals and enhance the mental health care system in Palestine

Translanguaging and academic writing in English-only classrooms: a case-study from Bangladeshi higher education

The study applied a translanguaging approach in a writing skill development class in the English department of a Bangladeshi public university. Data were collected through classroom observation, a pedagogical intervention, a focus group discussion with students, and a semi-structured interview with the class teacher. The study findings challenge monolingual approaches to academic writing in particular and demonstrate how a planned translanguaging approach allows teachers to relate English content to learners' local language(s) and experience, thus promoting greater understanding and metalinguistic awareness while also affirming the bilingualism and supporting bilingual learners in their classrooms. These findings have implications for policy and practices designed to improve learning outcomes, as well as to enhance the satisfaction and self-esteem of multilingual students studying in an otherwise monolingual classroom located in multilingual countries

Low-Level Environmental Cadmium Exposure Is Associated with DNA Hypomethylation in Argentinean Women

Background: Cadmium, a common food pollutant, alters DNA methylation in vitro. Epigenetic effects might therefore partly explain cadmium’s toxicity, including its carcinogenicity; however, human data on epigenetic effects are lacking

Rehabilitation interventions for depression symptoms among cancer patients in Palestine: A systematic review

BackgroundDepression enhances the disease burden in patients with cancer. Psychological interventions and the rehabilitation of depression are required as a part of palliative care for cancer patients to improve their quality of life and mental health.The aim of the study was to review the literature about depression rehabilitation interventions among patients with cancer in Palestine.MethodThe electronic databases used: PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, and Google Scholar to search for systematic review articles for the review study.ResultsA total of 23 articles were reviewed, including five from Palestine and five from Arab and Islamic nations. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions used to decrease symptoms of depression and enhance mental health among cancer patients represent the majority of interventions for depression rehabilitation in cancer patients. Interventions for depression rehabilitation among cancer patients in Palestine are only available from the perspective of palliative care, which also involves family education, managing the symptoms of cancer patients, and providing psychological support.ConclusionIn Palestine, non-pharmacological interventions, such as psychological interventions, are the primary options for treating and recovering from symptoms of depression. The management of symptoms in cancer patients also has a favorable impact on mental health and recovery from depression. In Palestine, there is a need for improvement in palliative care, particularly interventions for depressive symptoms. The main reason Palestinian patients with cancer have such limited treatment and recovery options are because of Israeli occupation

Study of the hydromineral regulation of Typhlonectes compressicauda according to the seasonal variation

Introduction. Typhlonectes compressicauda is a viviparous gymnophionan amphibian living in tropical areas of South America. This lengthened amphibian is submitted to seasonal variations characterized by the rainy season (from January to June) and the dry season (from July to December). The mineral homeostasis in amphibians is partly ensured by the neurohormones arginine-vasotocin (AVT), and mesotocin (MST). These two hormones were localized in the hypothalamus, and their receptors, mesotocin receptors (MTR) and vasotocin receptors (VTR2) in the kidney. The aim of the study was to better understand the physiology of the hydromineral regulation of the studied species. Material and methods. The specimens of T. compressicauda male and female adult were divided into 6 groups: males in the rainy season, males in the dry season, females pregnant in the rainy season, females pregnant in the dry season, females not pregnant in the rainy season, females not pregnant in the dry season. We studied the expression of hormones (AVT, MST) and their receptors (MTR, VTR2) in the hypothalamus and the kidney, respectively, by immunohistochemical and histological techniques. We also studied the expression of aquaporin-2 (AQP2), a water-channel protein in the kidney. Results. We found that the MST (diuretic hormone) and its receptor were more intensively expressed during the rainy season, whereas the period of maximal AVT (anti-diuretic hormone) and VTR2 expression was the dry season. A quantitative analysis showed significant differences in the number of labeled cells in the hypothalamus depending on the seasonal variation. The expression of AQP2 was observed in renal tubules during both seasons with an increased intensity during the dry season. Conclusion. The expression of the MST/AVT in brain, their receptors MTRs/VTR2, and AQP2 in kidney changed in T. compressicauda according to the seasonal variations. A direct relationship between the seasonal cycle and reproduction cycle was demonstrated in this species