The Effects of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War on Inward Foreign Direct Investment

Inward Foreign Direct Investment (IFDI) into Europe and Asian developing countries like Bangladesh is experimentally examined in this study. IFDI in emerging markets has been boosted by global investment and inflow influenced by resource availability and public policy. The economic policy uncertainty on IFDI in 13 countries is explored at a time when the crisis between Russia and Ukraine war is having a global impact. Microeconomic factors affected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, inflation, interest rates, and the currency rate fluctuated with IFDI, which mostly shocked during COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war. With data from the World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) database, we compile a panel dataset covering 2018-2022. The researchers used a mixture of panel and linear regression analysis using a random effect model. Our findings show that the impact of global rates hurts IFDI in 13 selected countries. There is a correlation between a country's ability to enforce contracts and the amount of Inward FDI it receives. Using the top 13 hosts of incoming FDI flows COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine wartime series analysis gives valuable information for policymakers in the remaining countries chosen to attract IFDI inflows.Comment: Volume 2 Issue 4 November 2023 / Pg. No: 408-41

Acute Ischemic Stroke- A presenting feature of SARS-CoV-2 infection

The ongoing pandemic caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now a global concern. Although SARS-CoV-2 primarily involves lung, there are emerging data on involvement of heart, brain, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, liver and others. Amongst neurological manifestations, acute stroke, encephalitis and GBS are reported. Here we describe two RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected patients presented with acute ischemic stroke. The possible background mechanisms are arterial thrombosis due to hypercoagulability, direct and immune-mediated neuronal damage, viral vasculopathy, cardio-embolism etc. BSMMU J 2021; 14 (COVID -19 Supplement): 60-6

Effects of organophosphate insecticide, sumithion on histopathology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the natural pond condition

Sumithion is an organophosphorus insecticide, which is widely used in aquaculture ponds for eradication of aquatic insect (mainly tiger bug) prior to release of larvae. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of an organophosphorus pesticide, sumithion on histoarchitecture of liver and kidney in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) during the period from July to December 2016. It was carried out with four treatments, each with two replications. i.e., ponds with no sumithion (T0), with 0.025ppm sumithion (T1), 0.050 ppm sumithion (T2) and 0.100 ppm sumithion (T3). The water quality parameters, such as pH, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, free CO2, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), phosphate-phosphorus (PO4-P) were not affected by sub lethal doses of sumithion but the values were fluctuated significantly in most of the cases between the ponds throughout the study period. In case of histoarchitecture of liver and kidney, normal structure of liver and kidney cells were observed in the controlled and treated fish. Through the histological analysis of liver, small vacuole, enlarge lumen space of hepatopancreas and disrupted hepatopancreas were found in T1. Disrupted hepatopancreas, increasement intracellular space, regeneration of hepatic cell and hemorrhage were observed in T2. Moreover, enlarge lumen space of hepatopancreas, degenerated hepatic cell, disrupted hepatopancreas were observed in T3. After the histological analysis of kidney, degenerated renal corpuscle, enlargement of blood vessel, disrupted hematopoetic cell were observed in T1. Ruptured collecting duct, large vacuole, enlarge intracellular space were observed in T2. Furthermore, enlarge bowman’s space, degenerated hematopoetic cell hemorrhage and ruptured distal tubule disrupted, enlarge intracellular space and necrosis were observed in T3. The present investigation sufficiently emphasizes that sumithion has adverse effects on the major organs like liver and kidney. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 10(2): 66-75, December 202

Requirement of ESWL after ureterorenoscopy and lithotripsy in the management of upper ureteric stone: comparison between Holmium Yag laser and pneumatic lithotripsy in a referral hospital, Bangladesh

Various methods have been employed for the removal of ureteric calculi all over the world. Both Ureteroscopic Pneumatic and Laser lithotripsy are popular procedures for this purpose. However proximal migration of stone fragments are not uncommon in these procedures while treating upper ureteric stones. Extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) may require to fragment those proximally migrated stones after the ureteroscopic Pneumatic or Laser lithotripsy. To compare the requirement of ESWL in the management of ureteric stone between Holmium Yag Laser and Pneumatic Lithotripsy. This study included 100 patients with upper ureteric stones who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy at the Department of Urology, CMH, Dhaka, between October 2010 and September 2012. Laser lithotripsy was used in 50 patients (Group A), and pneumatic lithotripsy was used in the remaining 50 patients (Group B). In each case, the same ureteroscope, video monitor, baskets, or irrigation devices were used. A kidney ureter and bladder radiograph and ultrasonograph were performed on patients one month and three months after lithotripsy. Patients with migrated fragments or insufficient clearance underwent a supplementary procedure such as ESWL. Mean age was 41.9}10.9 years and 41.3}12.3 years in Group A and Group B respectively. Males were predominant in both groups. Mean stone size was 1.36 } 0.36 cm in Group A and 1.37} 0.36 cm in Group B. Complete stone clearance was 94.0% in Group A and 76.0% in Group B. EWSL requirement rate was significantly higher in Group B (24.0%) than Group A (6.0%). Peri procedural complications like hemorrhage was significantly higher in Group B and mucosal disruption/perforation was almost same in both the groups. EWSL requirement rate was comparatively higher in pneumatic lithotripsy than laser lithotripsy. BSMMU J 2022; 15(2): 111-11

Do side-effects reduce compliance to iron supplementation? A study of daily- and weekly-dose regimens in pregnancy.

Side-effects of iron supplementation lead to poor compliance. A weekly-dose schedule of iron supplementation rather than a daily-dose regimen has been suggested to produce fewer side-effects, thereby achieving a higher compliance. This study compared side-effects of iron supplementation and their impact on compliance among pregnant women in Bangladesh. These women were assigned to receive either weekly doses of 2 x 60 mg iron (one tablet each Friday morning and evening) or a daily dose of 1 x 60 mg iron. Fifty antenatal care centres were randomly assigned to prescribe either a weekly- or a daily-supplementation regimen (86 women in each group). Side-effects were assessed by recall after one month of supplementation and used for predicting compliance in the second and third months of supplementation. Compliance was monitored using a pill bottle equipped with an electronic counting device that recorded date and time whenever the pill bottle was opened. Of five gastrointestinal side-effects (heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation) assessed, vomiting occurred more frequently in the weekly group (21%) than in the daily group (11%, p<0.05). Compliance (ratio between observed and recommended tablet intake) was significantly higher in the weekly-supplementation regimen (93%) than in the daily-supplementation regimen (61%, p<0.05). Overall, gastrointestinal side-effects were not significantly associated with compliance. However, the presence of nausea and/or vomiting reduced compliance in both the regimens-but only among women from the lower socioeconomic group. In conclusion, weekly supplementation of iron in pregnancy had a higher compliance compared to daily supplementation of iron despite a higher frequency of side-effects. The findings support the view that gastrointestinal side-effects generally have a limited influence on compliance, at least in the dose ranges studied. Efforts to further reduce side-effects of iron supplementation may not be a successful strategy for improving compliance and effectiveness of antenatal iron supplementation

Anaemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy in rural Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of anaemia and its association with measures of iron deficiency (ID) among a group of pregnant women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Pregnant women identified through house-to-house visits and participating in community-based antenatal care activities in a rural location of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. SUBJECTS: The estimates are based on 214 reportedly healthy pregnant women in their second trimester. Information on socio-economic status and reproductive history were obtained through home visits and venous blood samples were collected at antenatal care centres. Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) was measured by HemoCue, serum ferritin (sFt) by radioimmunoassay and serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. ID was defined as presence of either low sFt (8.5 mg l(-1)). RESULTS: The prevalence of anaemia (Hb /=110 g l(-1)) also had ID, but the prevalence was significantly lower than that observed in anaemic women (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high prevalence of anaemia, severe cases were absent. The prevalence of ID increased at lower Hb. However, an increased prevalence was also found among women in the highest category of Hb

Barriers to green supply chain management: An emerging economy context

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Green supply chain management is attracting increasing attention as a way to decrease the adverse environmental effects of industries worldwide. However, considering the context of an emerging economy like Bangladesh, green supply chain management is still in its inception and has not been widely embraced in the textile industry, and therefore barriers hindering its adoption in emerging economy context demand a comprehensive investigation. This research reviews the viewpoints and hurdles in adopting green supply chain management practices in the context of the Bangladeshi textile industry. A questionnaire survey of Bangladeshi textile practitioners of operations and supply chain management division, having a sample size of thirty, was undertaken to identify the barriers, and a hierarchical cluster analysis technique was used in the detailed analysis of this data. Opinions were sought from experts on the significance of the resulting clusters, considering the relative importance of the barriers. Fifteen barriers to the adoption of green supply chain management were identified in the review of the literature, with these barriers then analyzed by using the data collected from Bangladeshi textile industry practitioners. The research indicates that the most important barrier is that there is low demand from customers and financial constraint resulting from short term little financial benefit to businesses, with lack of government regulations also a commonly faced barrier in adopting green supply chain initiatives. This study will provide valuables insights to practitioners and relevant policy makers about the barriers prevailing in the emerging economies towards the adoption of green supply chain management practices, which, in turn, can guide to undertake appropriate steps for alleviating those barriers

Strategically Equivalent Contests

Using a two-player Tullock-type contest, we show that intuitively and structurally different contests can be strategically equivalent. Strategically equivalent contests generate the same best response functions and, as a result, the same equilibrium efforts. However, strategically equivalent contests may yield different equilibrium payoffs. We propose a simple two-step procedure to identify strategically equivalent contests. Using this procedure, we identify contests that are strategically equivalent to the original Tullock contest, and provide new examples of strategically equivalent contests. Finally, we discuss possible contest design applications and avenues for future theoretical and empirical research