The role of education in filling the gender gap in financial inclusion in low-income economies

This study aims to investigate whether gender predicts financial inclusion and whether education can fill the gender gap in financial inclusion when controlling for the effects of supply side factors of financial inclusion in low-income economies. This study aims to investigate whether gender predicts financial inclusion and whether education can fill the gender gap in financial inclusion when controlling for the effects of supply side factors of financial inclusion in low-income economies. The findings provided support for the gender gap in financial inclusion using the most basic measure of financial inclusion. However, using formal savings and access to credit, the gender gap hypothesis is not supported. Moreover, the results revealed that education reduces the gender gap in the basic form of financial inclusion. However, this study could not find any significant difference between men and women’s financial inclusion in terms of saving at a bank or borrowing from a bank though men tend to save more than women informally. The current study contributes to the literature by examining the role of education in the relationship between gender gap and financial inclusion when controlling for the effects of heterogeneous infrastructure and the supply side factors of financial inclusion among the selected countries

Continuous quality assessment; development of a simple computer based model for audit

Objective: Accurate assessment of quality of care is a fundamental first step in the process of quality improvement. The vast amount of data generated in a hospital mandates some form of computerization for management of information. We describe a locally developed simple computer based program to access relevant information from a hospital patient management network. The objective was to reduce the amount of manual work involved for busy clinicians attempting to audit quality of care.Methods: A single surgical procedure, Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy was chosen. Quality indicators were identified by literature review as conversion rate from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy and length of hospital stay (LOS). A simple query was developed to extract the required information from hospital database. Commercially available spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel) was used to calculate the rates. Outliers were defined as LOS more than 1 standard deviation from the mean. The second part of the study involved a manual review of case notes to validate the program and determine the causes for deviation from the mean.Results: The program was able to access and process data as planned. In a one-year period from March 1997 to February 1998, two hundred and thirty one laparoscopic cholecystectomies were attempted. Twenty-three were converted to open procedures given a conversion rate of 9.96%. On manual review of case notes no false positives or false negatives were found. The reasons for conversion were similar to those described in the literature. The mean length of stay for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was 3.39 days and 7.17 days for converted cases. The commonest reason for delay in discharge was noted to be non-availability of elective operating time.CONCLUSION: We have successfully developed and used a simple computer based program to access information stored in hospital patient management systems. Quality of care indicators identified from literature were used as standards. Outliers with respect to these were reviewed in detail to identify causes for deviation. The program was validated by manual review

A nonsense mutation in S-antigen (p.Glu306*) causes Oguchi disease

Contains fulltext : 110974.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: Genetic studies were performed to identify the causative mutation in a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) presenting Mizuo-Nakamura phenomenon, a typical Oguchi disease symptom. The patient also had dural sinus thrombosis (DST), thrombocytopenia, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Mutation analysis was done by sequencing two candidate genes, S-antigen (SAG; arrestin 1), associated with Oguchi type 1, and rhodopsin kinase (GRK1), associated with Oguchi type 2. In addition, the C677T variation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene was also screened in the family, to determine its probable association with hyperhomocysteinemia in the patient. RESULTS: Sequencing of the SAG and GRK1 resulted in identifying a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (c.916G>T; p.Glu306*) in SAG, which in unaffected siblings either was present in a heterozygous state or absent. The C677T heterozygous allele in the MTHFR gene was found to be associated with hyperhomocysteinemia in the patient and other family members. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of Oguchi type 1 in a Pakistani patient due to a nonsense mutation (c.916G>T; p.Glu306*) in SAG. The neurologic and hematological abnormalities likely are not associated with the SAG variant

Folk Knowledge and Perceptions about the Use of Wild Fruits and Vegetables–Cross-Cultural Knowledge in the Pipli Pahar Reserved Forest of Okara, Pakistan

\ua9 2024 by the authors.Wild fruits and vegetables (WFVs) have been vital to local communities for centuries and make an important contribution to daily life and income. However, traditional knowledge of the use of wild fruits is at risk of being lost due to inadequate documentation. This study aimed to secure this knowledge through intermittent field visits and a semi-structured questionnaire. Using various ethnobotanical data analysis tools and SPSS (IBM 25), this study identified 65 WFV species (52 genera and 29 families). These species, mostly consumed as vegetables (49%) or fruits (43%), were predominantly herbaceous (48%) in wild and semi-wild habitats (67%). 20 WFVs were known to local communities (highest RFC), Phoenix sylvestris stood out as the most utilized species (highest UV). Surprisingly, only 23% of the WFVs were sold at markets. The survey identified 21 unique WFVs that are rarely documented for human consumption in Pakistan (e.g., Ehretia obtusifolia, Euploca strigosa, Brassica juncea, Cleome brachycarpa, Gymnosporia royleana, Cucumis maderaspatanus, Croton bonplandianus, Euphorbia prostrata, Vachellia nilotica, Pongamia pinnata, Grewia asiatica, Malvastrum coromandelianum, Morus serrata, Argemone mexicana, Bambusa vulgaris, Echinochloa colonum, Solanum virginianum, Physalis angulata, Withania somnifera, Zygophyllum creticum, and Peganum harmala), as well as 14 novel uses and five novel edible parts. Despite their ecological importance, the use of WFVs has declined because local people are unaware of their cultural and economic value. Preservation of traditional knowledge through education on conservation and utilization could boost economies and livelihoods in this and similar areas worldwide

Consensus Nomenclature for Reporting Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Data: Consensus on Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Nomenclature Study Group

© 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology Purpose: To establish a process to evaluate and standardize a state-of-the-art nomenclature for reporting neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) data. Design: Consensus meeting. Participants: An international panel of retina specialists, imaging and image reading center experts, and ocular pathologists. Methods: During several meetings organized under the auspices of the Macula Society, an international study group discussed and codified a set nomenclature framework for classifying the subtypes of neovascular AMD and associated lesion components. Main Outcome Measures: A consensus classification of neovascular AMD. Results: The study group created a standardized working definition of AMD. The components of neovascular AMD were defined and subclassified. Disease consequences of macular neovascularization were delineated. Conclusions: The framework of a consensus nomenclature system, a definition of AMD, and a delineation of the subtypes of neovascular AMD were developed. Establishing a uniform set of definitions will facilitate comparison of diverse patient groups and different studies. The framework presented is modified and updated readily, processes that are anticipated to occur on a periodic basis. The study group suggests that the consensus standards outlined in this article be used in future reported studies of neovascular AMD and clinical practice

Characterization of Anti-bacterial Compounds from the Seed Coat of Chinese Windmill Palm Tree (Trachycarpus fortunei)

The increasing of multidrug resistance in bacterial associated infections has impaired the current antimicrobial therapy and it forces the search for other alternatives. In this study, we aimed to find the in vitro antibacterial activity of seed coat of Trachycarpus fortunei against a panel of clinically important bacterial species. Ethanolic extracts of target tissues were fractionated through macro porous resin by column chromatography, using ethanol as an organic solvent with a concentration gradient of 0–100%, each along with 20% concentration increment. The minimum inhibitory (MIC) concentrations of all fractions were measured. It is found that 20% ethanolic fraction showed the most significant inhibition against tested bacterial species. All fractions were analyzed by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography/mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) and compounds were identified by comparing mass spectra with standard libraries. By pairing the identified compounds from different fractions with the antibacterial activity of each fraction, it was shown that compounds stearamide (7), 1-(4-Fluorophenyl)-2-(methylthio)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (9) and 2,4,5 triacetoxybiphenyl (10) topped in the list for anti-bacterial activity. Further experiment with pure chemicals verified that compounds 9 and 10 have antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Whereas, the lowest MIC value (39.06 μg/mL) was obtained by compound 10 against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Hence, the seed coat of T. fortunei with its antimicrobial spectrum could be a good candidate for further bactericidal research

Genome Wide Identification, Characterization and Evolutionary Analysis of T6SS in Burkholderia cenocepacia Strains

Pathogens of the Burkholderia genus are causing diseases in a diverse variety of hosts. After the discovery of T6SS, it was found to play a pivotal role in virulence and other pathogenicity factors in different pathogenic Burkholderia species. For this study, three strains of Burkholderia cenocepacia were selected from different ecological niches; J2315 from humans, MC0-3 from the rhizosphere of maize, and YG-3 from the Populus tree. The sequenced genomes were retrieved from PATRIC. It was found that B. cenocepacia J2315 and MC0-3 strains had only 1 cluster of T6SS in their genomes while the YG-3 strain had 3 clusters. The circular genomic map and phylogenetic tree suggested major differences in T6SS clusters 2 and 3 of the YG-3 strain from other clusters. From the results obtained in the study and reviewing the literature, it was concluded that all 3 strains harbor T6SS-1 type cluster that is involved in causing virulence in eukaryotic organisms and several bacterial species. This factor of causing virulence in the bacteria species might be helpful for B. cenocepacia strains J2315, MC0-3 and YG-3 in survival and niche adaptation