The Development of India’s Financial Inclusion Agenda—Some Lessons for Pakistan

Financial Inclusion has assumed a vital position in the Public Policy discourse of developing economies. Provision of financial services to the otherwise excluded strata of the society enhances their potential to climb the economic ladder of opportunity and prosperity. Access to financial services to the otherwise excluded impacts their quality of life and enables the less privileged to increase and diversify their incomes, improve their social and economic conditions. Due to lack of access to financial services, most poor households have to rely on their meagre savings or money lenders which limit their ability to actively participate and benefit from the development process. The main theoretical arguments that economic theory postulates regarding the failure of financial markets in percolating poor and rural areas are of informational asymmetries, difficulties in contract designing and enforcement, greater transaction costs. The demand side aspects may be low demand for such services, arising from illiteracy, less investment opportunities in rural areas and difficult loan contracts [Basu (2006)]. When households are access constrained with respect to financial services, it becomes one of the important reasons for persisting inequalities. Economic theory suggests that unrelenting inequalities has a negative impact on the long term growth prospects of an economy [World Bank (2007)]. While establishing causality between financial development and economic growth has been quite tedious, with no simple answers, the evidence of a strong link between financial development and economic growth has continued to rise [Gattoo and Akhtar (2014)]. The interest in the financial inclusion discourse across developing and developing world stems from the recognition that a strong and vibrant financial system does not necessarily imply increasing financial to all across the societal divide [Honohan (2003)]

Demonstration of silicon-on-insulator mid-infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8µm

The design and characterization of silicon-on-insulator mid- infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8µm is reported. The devices are fabricated on 200mm SOI wafers in a CMOS pilot line. Both arrayed waveguide grating structures and planar concave grating structures were designed and tested. Low insertion loss (1.5-2.5dB) and good crosstalk characteristics (15-20dB) are demonstrated, together with waveguide propagation losses in the range of 3 to 6dB/cm

Gamow-Teller transitions from 24Mg and its impact on the electron capture rates in the O + Ne + Mg cores of stars

Electron captures on nuclei play an important role in the collapse of stellar core in the stages leading to a type-II supernova. Recent observations of subluminous Type II-P supernovae (e.g. 2005cs, 2003gd, 1999br) were able to rekindle the interest in 8 - 10 which develop O+Ne+Mg cores. We used the proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (pn-QRPA) theory to calculate the B(GT) strength for 24Mg \rightarrow 24Na and its associated electron capture rates for incorporation in simulation calculations. The calculated rates, in this letter, have differences with the earlier reported shell model and Fuller, Fowler, Newman (hereafter F2N) rates. We compared Gamow-Teller strength distribution functions and found fairly good agreement with experiment and shell model. However, the GT centroid and the total GT strength, which are useful in the calculation of electron capture rates in the core of massive pre-supernova stars, lead to the enhancement of our rate up to a factor of four compared to the shell model rates at high temperatures and densities.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Impacts of streamflow alteration on benthic macroinvertebrates by mini‑hydro diversion in Sri Lanka

Our study focused on quantifying the alterations of streamflow at a weir site due to the construction of a mini-hydropower plant in the Gurugoda Oya (Sri Lanka), and evaluating the spatial responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to altered flow regime. The HEC-HMS 3.5 model was applied to the Gurugoda Oya sub-catchment to generate streamflows for the time period 1991-2013. Pre-weir flows were compared to post-weir flows with 32 Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration using the range of variability approach (RVA). Concurrently, six study sites were established upstream and downstream of the weir, and benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled monthly from May to November 2013 (during the wet season). The key water physico-chemical parameters were also determined. RVA analysis showed that environmental flow was not maintained below the weir. The mean rate of non-attainment was similar to 45% suggesting a moderate level of hydrologic alteration. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities significantly differed between the study sites located above and below the weir, with a richness reduction due to water diversion. The spatial distribution of zoobenthic fauna was governed by water depth, dissolved oxygen content and volume flow rate. Our work provides first evidence on the effects of small hydropower on river ecosystem in a largely understudied region. Studies like this are important to setting-up adequate e-flows

III-V-on-silicon 2-mu m-wavelength-range wavelength demultiplexers with heterogeneously integrated InP-based type-II photodetectors

A

Nanodrug-Enhanced Radiofrequency Tumor Ablation: Effect of Micellar or Liposomal Carrier on Drug Delivery and Treatment Efficacy

Purpose To determine the effect of different drug-loaded nanocarriers (micelles and liposomes) on delivery and treatment efficacy for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with nanodrugs. Materials/Methods Fischer 344 rats were used (n = 196). First, single subcutaneous R3230 tumors or normal liver underwent RFA followed by immediate administration of IV fluorescent beads (20, 100, and 500 nm), with fluorescent intensity measured at 4–24 hr. Next, to study carrier type on drug efficiency, RFA was combined with micellar (20 nm) or liposomal (100 nm) preparations of doxorubicin (Dox; targeting HIF-1α) or quercetin (Qu; targeting HSP70). Animals received RFA alone, RFA with Lipo-Dox or Mic-Dox (1 mg IV, 15 min post-RFA), and RFA with Lipo-Qu or Mic-Qu given 24 hr pre- or 15 min post-RFA (0.3 mg IV). Tumor coagulation and HIF-1α orHSP70 expression were assessed 24 hr post-RFA. Third, the effect of RFA combined with IV Lipo-Dox, Mic-Dox, Lipo-Qu, or Mic-Qu (15 min post-RFA) compared to RFA alone on tumor growth and animal endpoint survival was evaluated. Finally, drug uptake was compared between RFA/Lipo-Dox and RFA/Mic-Dox at 4–72 hr. Results: Smaller 20 nm beads had greater deposition and deeper tissue penetration in both tumor (100 nm/500 nm) and liver (100 nm) (p<0.05). Mic-Dox and Mic-Qu suppressed periablational HIF-1α or HSP70 rim thickness more than liposomal preparations (p<0.05). RFA/Mic-Dox had greater early (4 hr) intratumoral doxorubicin, but RFA/Lipo-Dox had progressively higher intratumoral doxorubicin at 24–72 hr post-RFA (p<0.04). No difference in tumor growth and survival was seen between RFA/Lipo-Qu and RFA/Mic-Qu. Yet, RFA/Lipo-Dox led to greater animal endpoint survival compared to RFA/Mic-Dox (p<0.03). Conclusion: With RF ablation, smaller particle micelles have superior penetration and more effective local molecular modulation. However, larger long-circulating liposomal carriers can result in greater intratumoral drug accumulation over time and reduced tumor growth. Accordingly, different carriers provide specific advantages, which should be considered when formulating optimal combination therapies

Genetic diversity of Ardi goat based on microsatellite analysis

The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic variability of Ardi goats found in the central regions of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia using 14 microsatellite markers. Allelic richness was considerably high in this population indicating high genetic polymorphism as expected heterozygozity was 0.675. Furthermore, the population showed deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in seven loci. Mean polymorphic information content value was found to be 0.553. Inbreeding coefficient was 0.183 suggesting moderate level of inbreeding. There was also no-significant heterozygote excess on basis of different models of infinite allele. These tests along with the mode-shift test of Ardi goat indicated no bottleneck recently. Thus, it can be recommended that the Ardi genetic variability should be maintained for its unique genetic resources, and there is a scope for further improvement in productivity through an appropriate management and breeding program. In general, results of this study can be used to establish a base of national conservation strategy of Ardi goat population in Saudi Arabia.Key words: Ardi goat, genetic diversity, microsatellite markers, inbreeding, bottleneck