Economic Consequences of War: Evidence from Sri Lanka

We propose a theoretical and econometric framework to evaluate the impact of war on economic growth of a developing country with an open economy. The theoretical framework encompasses both the neoclassical and endogenous growth models. The econometric model is derived from the theoretical framework and an Autoregressive Distributed Lag framework is used for the estimation. We test this framework using Sri Lankan data. The war had significant and negative effects both in the short and long-run (annual average of 9% of GDP). High returns from investment in physical capital did not translate in sizable positive externalities. No significant effects of openness on growth in the long-run are found; however, effects are significant in the short- run. Inconsistent politically driven policies towards openness are the likely reason. As the ethnic conflict has finally come to an end, a policy framework with appropriate institutional reforms is needed for rapid growth and development.

A Polypill for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: A feasibility study of the World Health Organization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The feasibility of conducting a large-scale Polypill clinical trial in developing countries remains unclear. More information is needed regarding the efficacy in reducing the risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), side effects, improvement in adherence and physician/patient "acceptability" of the Polypill.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted an open-label, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial involving three sites in Sri Lanka that enrolled a total of 216 patients without established CVD. The trial compared a Polypill (75 mg aspirin, 20 mg simvastatin, 10 mg lisinopril and 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide) to Standard Practice. After randomization, patients were followed monthly for three months. Pre-specified primary outcomes included reduction in systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and estimated 10-year CVD risk. We also evaluated the recruitment process and acceptability of the Polypill by both physicians and patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients were recruited in a six-month period as planned. Two hundred three patients (94.0%) completed the treatment program and returned for their three-month follow-up visits. No safety concerns were reported. These findings suggest a high rate of patient acceptability, a finding that is bolstered by the majority of patients completing the trial (90%) indicating that they would take the Polypill "for life" if proven to be effective in reducing CVD risk. Approximately 86% of the physicians surveyed agreed with and supported use of the Polypill for primary prevention and 93% for secondary prevention of CVD. Both the Polypill and Standard Practice resulted in marked reductions in systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and 10-year risk of CVD. However, the differences between the treatment groups were not statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We successfully completed a Polypill feasibility trial in Sri Lanka. We were able to document high acceptability of the Polypill to patients and physicians. We were unable to estimate the risk factor reductions on the Polypill because the control group received similar treatment with individual drugs. The Polypill was however simpler and achieved comparable risk factor reductions, highlighting its potential usefulness in the prevention of CVD.</p> <p>Trial registration number</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/NCT00567307">NCT00567307</a></p

An Investigation of non-compliance with Building Regulations in Heritage Areas; A Case Study in Galle Fort-Sri Lanka

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has identified and listed some of the sites as World Heritage Areas based on the special cultural and physical significance of each. Responsible governments have introduced certain special regulations to maintain and improve the quality of the said sites, aiming to preserve the natural setting. Galle Fort in Sri Lanka is one such sites listed by UNESCO and to protect the heritage value, historical value and the archeological value of the site, several special regulations introduced by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) of Sri Lanka through the gazette No. 1604/29 on 05th June, 2009.. Currently, the authorities are facing difficulties ensuring to the said provisions by the occupiers. The research intends to identify the level of compliance to regulations introduced by the Urban Development Authority. To identify the violations of the regulations, observation was conducted in 83 buildings inside the said area from a systematic random sample. Face to face interviews through a self-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the reasons for the noncompliance to the regulations from a random sample of 44 property owners. Thirdly a focus group discussion was conducted with invited seven numbers of professionals from Galle Heritage Foundation, UDA Galle, Galle Municipal council, Archeological Department and with the Grama Niladhari. Descriptive analysis shows that 11 numbers of regulations have been violated by at least one occupier ranging from 4% to 30% while the majority violated the regulation on mar characters on roof (Characters which disturbing to the appearance on the roof). Minor violations are identified in the regulation of constructing ponds and swimming pools. Several reasons were identified on the noncompliance with the regulations by the occupiers. First, majority are reluctant to adhere to the regulations as they believe that the regulations are acting as a barrier to their promotions to attract tourists. Second, some members have poor awareness on the importance of the regulations. The focus group discussion pointed out to similar results which showed that there is a lack of awareness of people about the guidelines, the slow process of taking actions to regularize the shortcomings and the political influence to implement some of the regulations as the main reasons. Accordingly, it can be concluded that unawareness of the guidelines and the attitudes of the occupiers are the most influencial factors on the shortcoming of adherence to the regulations. It is recommended to hold several awareness programmes to change the individual’s minds to understand the value of the regulations. Key words - Heritage Areas, Building Regulations, Noncompliance, Perception

Hypersensitive response, cell death and histochemical localisation of hydrogen peroxide in host and non-host seedlings infected with the downy mildew pathogen Sclerospora graminicola

Hypersensitive response, cell death and release of hydrogen peroxide as measures of host and non-host defense mechanisms upon inoculation with the downy mildew pathogen Sclerospora graminicola were studied histochemically at the light microscopy level. The materials consisted of coleoptile tissues of the highly susceptible (cv. HB3), highly resistant (cv. IP18293) and induced resistant pearl millet host seedlings and non-host sorghum (cv. SGMN 10/8) and cotyledon of french bean (cv. S9). Resistance up to 80% protection against the downy mildew pathogen was induced in the highly susceptible HB3 cultivar of pearl millet by treating the seeds with 2% aqueous leaf extract of Datura metel for 3 h. Time course study with the pathogen inoculated highly resistant pearl millet cultivar revealed the appearance of hypersensitive response in 20% of seedlings as necrotic spots as early as 2 h after inoculation. In contrast, a similar reaction was observed in the highly susceptible pearl millet cultivar only 8 h after inoculation with the pathogen. In induced resistant seedlings, appearance of hypersensitive response was recorded 4 h after inoculation. Delayed hypersensitive response was observed in both the non-host species at 10 h after inoculation. Hypersensitive response in the seedlings of the highly resistant pearl millet cultivar 24 h after inoculation showed 100% hypersensitive response, which was not observed in susceptible and non-host species, although the induced resistant seedlings showed 90% hypersensitive response after that period of time. Cell death in the tissues of the test seedlings was also observed to change with time. Statistical analysis revealed that the tissues of highly resistant pearl millet seedlings required 2.9 h to attain 50% cell death. Tissues of induced resistant and highly susceptible pearl millet seedlings required 4.65 and 6.50 h respectively. In non-hosts, 50% cell death was not recorded. Quantification of hydrogen peroxide in the tissue periplasmic spaces of the test seedlings revealed 2.94 h as the time required for 50% hydrogen peroxide accumulation in the tissues of highly resistant pearl millet seedlings. Tissues of induced resistant and highly susceptible pearl millet seedlings needed 3.76 and 5.5 h respectively. Fifty percent hydrogen peroxide localisation in non-hosts could not be recorded. These results suggested the involvement of hydrogen peroxide, cell death and hypersensitive response in pearl millet host defense against S. graminicola

Functional Microanatomy of the Feather-Bearing Integument: Implications for the Evolution of Birds and Avian Flight

A selective regime favoring a streamlining of body contours and surfaces is proposed as having been instrumental in driving the morphological and functional transformations of an unfeathered reptilian integument into a featherbearing avian one. This hypothesis is consistent with a new, structurally and functionally coherent analysis of the microanatomy of the avian feather-bearing integument as a complex, integrated organ system that includes an intricate, hydraulic skeleto-muscular apparatus of the feathers, a dermo-subcutaneous muscle system of the integument, and a subcutaneous hydraulic skeletal system formed by fat bodies. Key elements of the evidence supporting the new hypothesis are (1) the presence of depressor feather muscles that are not needed as antagonists for the erector feather muscles, but can counteract external forces, such as air currents; (2) the fact that the highly intricate feather-bearing integument represents a machinery to move feathers or to stabilize them against external forces; (3) the crucial role of the coat of feathers in streamlining the body contours and surfaces of birds; (4) the aerodynamic role of feathers as pressure and turbulence sensors and as controllable temporary turbulators; and (5) the critical role that a streamlined body plays in avian flight and is likely to have played in the evolutionary transformations from ecologically and locomotorily versatile quadrupedal reptiles to volant bipedal birds without passing through parachuting or gliding stages. These transformations are likely to have occurred more than once. The ancestral birds were probably small, arboreal, hopping, and using flap-bounding, or intermittent bounding, flight

Theory of nonlinear magneto-convection and its application to solar convection problems. Part Two

Nonlinear magneto convection is discussed with the introduction of turbulent eddy diffusivities in the representative eddy simulation of the turbulent motion. It is found that the turbulent magnetoconvection is characterized by the effective Rayleigh number of about 4 times the critical Rayleigh number and by the effective Nusselt number of about 2. The solar convection zone is modelled into several representative zones, of which each zone has a characteristic scale such as shown by granule, supergranule and global convection cell. In the kinematic regime (the Chandrasekhar number Q &lt; 1), the flux tube formation or the intensification of the magnetic field into thinner tubes results in the field strength as strong as about five times the imposed field strength at each zone. Thus, weak diffuse flux tubes (~50 G) in the deepest zone can account for 103-G fields at the supergranulation zone by the successive intensification in deeper zones. As a thermodynamical aspect of magnetoconvection, the sunspot darkness is shown to be a shallow layer (≲ 2 x 103 km) phenomenon, which is due to the decrease of the eddy diffusivities and the increased Chandrasekhar number, setting a larger superadiabatic temperature gradient in the presence of a strong field (≲2 x 108 G). Shallow layer convections such as penumbral grains, umbral oscillations and faculae are also discussed