Search

Abstract A four-level double lambda closed atomic configuration is considered to study the polarization plane rotation of the probe beam through cold as well as thermal Rb $$^{87}$$ 87 atomic medium by varying the spontaneously generated coherence (SGC). Magnetic field and strong coupling field are applied to the atomic configuration. The light-matter interaction leads to enhanced the magneto-optical rotation. The intensity of the applied fields plays promising role in the generation and enhancement of birefringence. It ultimately enhances the polarization plane rotation of the probe beam in the Doppler medium. In the presence of both SGC and Doppler broadening effects, the optical rotation and transmission of the weak light beam are modified and controlled as well, which have potential applications in magnetometery and laser frequency stabilization.

We examine the magneto-optical and image state rotation (MOR) of left and right circularly plane-polarized light pulse through a double Λ-type four-level configuration of Rubidium atom via Kerr field and Doppler broadening in the presence of the static magnetic field. The medium’s behavior is different for both orthogonal components of the probe beam, causing linear dichroism or circular birefringence. Enhanced and lossless MOR is obtained by applying the control field through a closed-loop birefringent system. We observe a magnified angle of rotation of probe field in Doppler broadened medium. It is shown that due to the Kerr nonlinearity, the rotation angle of the probe beam is generated and modified through cold and Doppler broadened medium. Moreover, almost complete polarization rotation is observed for a particular set of parameters. The MOR can be effectively utilized in designing new TM/TE polarization modes, optical communication, polarization spectroscopy, lider with backscattering depolarization, precision measurements, and magnetometry.

V-series nerve agents are very lethal to health and cause the inactivation of acetylcholinesterase which leads to neuromuscular paralysis and, finally, death. Therefore, rapid detection and elimination of V-series nerve agents are very important. Herein, we have carried out a theoretical investigation of carbon nitride quantum dots (C2N) as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of V-series nerve agents, including VX, VS, VE, VG, and VM. Adsorption of V-series nerve agents on C2N quantum dots is explored at M05-2X/6-31++G(d,p) level of theory. The level of theory chosen is quite adequate in systems describing non-bonding interactions. The adsorption behavior of nerve agents is characterized by interaction energy, non-covalent interaction (NCI), Bader’s quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), frontier molecular orbital (FMO), electron density difference (EDD), and charge transfer analysis. The computed adsorption energies of the studied complexes are in the range of −12.93 to −17.81 kcal/mol, which indicates the nerve agents are physiosorbed onto C2N surface through non-covalent interactions. The non-covalent interactions between V-series and C2N are confirmed through NCI and QTAIM analysis. EDD analysis is carried out to understand electron density shifting, which is further validated by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. FMO analysis is used to estimate the changes in energy gap of C2N on complexation through HOMO-LUMO energies. These findings suggest that C2N surface is highly selective toward VX, and it might be a promising candidate for the detection of V-series nerve agents.

Abstract Background & aims Chronic migraine poses a global health burden, particularly affecting young women, and has substantial societal implications. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Greater Occipital Nerve Block (GONB) in individuals with chronic migraine, focusing on the impact of local anesthetics compared with placebo. Methods A meta-analysis and systematic review were conducted following the PRISMA principles and Cochrane Collaboration methods. Eligible studies included case-control, cohort, and randomized control trials in adults with chronic migraine, adhering to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition (ICHD3). Primary efficacy outcomes included headache frequency, duration, and intensity along with safety assessments. Results Literature searches across multiple databases yielded eight studies for qualitative analysis, with five included in the final quantitative analysis. A remarkable reduction in headache intensity and frequency during the first and second months of treatment with GONB using local anesthetics compared to placebo has been reported. The incidence of adverse events did not differ significantly between the intervention and placebo groups. Conclusion The analysis emphasized the safety and efficacy of GONB, albeit with a cautious interpretation due to the limited number of studies and relatively small sample size. This study advocates for further research exploring various drugs, frequencies, and treatment plans to enhance the robustness and applicability of GONB for chronic migraine management.

This is the first study to use discrete choice experiment in exploring the stated choice preference of blended learning preference among the university students in the context of Bangladesh. As a prerequisite in developing student engagement learning strategies, we investigate the choice preference of university students towards different types of blended learning to explore relevant concerns and challenges in order to plan for successful implementation of this option. Around 306 responses from the students belonging to Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) and North South University (NSU) are considered representing both public and private universities in Bangladesh. Conditional logit model is used to explore the choice preference of the respondents based on the attributes. We find that university students explicitly dislike recorded videos as the primary mode of instruction as there is minimum human interaction using this method. Students with mobile internet also prefer offline classes to online classes, whereas students with broadband internet prefer the opposite choices. The policy implications of these findings hold global relevance in devising student engagement strategies towards blended learning such as for other developing economies in South Asia which were forced to transition to online learning as an adaptation response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) prioritize halving global per capita food waste at retail, consumer, production, and food supply chain by 2030. This aligns with promoting circular economy principles for enhanced sustainability. The circular economy offers a transformative approach to the food industry by promoting environmental health, human well-being, and economic prosperity. This bibliometric analysis examines how circular economy principles can drive sustainability in food businesses, which closely aligning with SDGs 12.3 (food waste reduction), 12.5 (waste reduction), 13.2 (climate policy integration), and 13.3 (climate adaptation). Through a bibliometric analysis of 1000 relevant articles sourced from the Web of Science (spanning from 2005 to 2023), we evaluated the progress, challenges, and opportunities in this field. Utilizing analytical tools such as Biblioshiny (Bibliometrix) package of R-Studio and VOSviewer, the researchers identify key trends and research hotspots through thematic maps, co-occurrence networks, co-citation analysis, keyword analysis, and collaboration networks. This research highlights that the circular economy can transform the food industry by implementing sustainable waste management practices, optimizing supply chains and resource utilization to minimize environmental impact. Furthermore, research findings indicate that adopting circular economy principles in the food industry can significantly reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency by transforming food waste into valuable products such as biogas and bio-based materials. This study provides valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and government officials to improve sustainable food production systems. It enhances understanding in a vital area for guiding future endeavours to promote circular economy strategies for a more sustainable and efficient food industry.

BackgroundAccording to one USA Renal Data System report, 57% of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) cases are attributed to hypertensive and diabetic nephropathy. Yet, trends in hypertension related ESRD mortality rates in adults ≥ 35 years of age have not been studied.ObjectivesThe aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the different trends hypertension related ESRD death rates among adults in the United States.MethodsDeath records from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging OnLine Data for Epidemiologic Research) database were analyzed from 1999 to 2020 for hypertension related ESRD mortality in adults ≥ 35 years of age. Age-Adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons and annual percent change (APC) were calculated and stratified by year, sex, race/ethnicity, place of death, and geographic location.ResultsHypertension-related ESRD caused a total of 721,511 deaths among adults (aged ≥ 35 years) between 1999 and 2020. The overall AAMR for hypertension related ESRD deaths in adults was 9.70 in 1999 and increased all the way up to 43.7 in 2020 (APC: 9.02; 95% CI: 8.19-11.04). Men had consistently higher AAMRs than woman during the analyzed years from 1999 (AAMR men: 10.8 vs women: 9) to 2020 (AAMR men: 52.2 vs women: 37.2). Overall AAMRs were highest in Non-Hispanic (NH) Black or African American patients (45.7), followed by NH American Indian or Alaska Natives (24.7), Hispanic or Latinos (23.4), NH Asian or Pacific Islanders (19.3), and NH White patients (15.4). Region-wise analysis also showed significant variations in AAMRs (overall AAMR: West 21.2; South: 21; Midwest: 18.3; Northeast: 14.2). Metropolitan areas had slightly higher AAMRs (19.1) than nonmetropolitan areas (19). States with AAMRs in 90th percentile: District of Columbia, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, and South Carolina, had roughly double rates compared to states in 10th percentile.ConclusionsOverall hypertension related ESRD AAMRs among adults were seen to increase in almost all stratified data. The groups associated with the highest death rates were NH Black or African Americans, men, and populations in the West and metropolitan areas of the United States. Strategies and policies targeting these at-risk groups are required to control the rising hypertension related ESRD mortality.

The access to capital is very crucial for ensuring the financial sustainability of microfinance clients. It is also equally important to determine the demand for microfinance services among the clients. This study aims to identify the factors affecting the demand for Islamic microfinance (IsMF) services among the women micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia. This study has collected a total of 250 samples from the field survey on women micro-entrepreneurs who are also the clients of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM). In addition, Partial Least Squares (PLS) method used to identify the potential factors (4As) i.e., affordability, accessibility, adequacy and awareness affecting the demand for IsMF. The results show that only “accessibility” has significant and positive relation with the demand for IsMF. Besides, the measurements items of accessibility such as distance of IsMF institution, collateral requirement, guarantor requirement, application procedure and process, repayment method, service efficiency, advise and consultation, and number of IsMF centers are the key factors affecting the demand for IsMF services in Malaysia. This paper provides some insights for the policy makers of Islamic microfinance and recommends that IsMF providers should take accessibility factor into greater consideration for the economic upliftment of women in microenterprises in Malaysia

The soundness of financial institutions including banks depends on both internal factors and external factors. The profitability of the banks largely affected by external shocks like oil prices and stock prices. As an oil-exporting country, Saudi economy particularly its banking sector largely rely on the oil prices. This study examines the asymmetric impact of oil prices and stock prices on Saudi Islamic banks’ profitability for the period 2000-2020. Two Saudi Islamic banks’ profitability is examined by the factors like Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA) with the help of a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model. The estimated results are observed to be unbiased and robust. The results of this study show that OILP and STOCKP have significant role in determining the Islamic banks’ profitability in Saudi Arabia. Both higher oil prices and stock prices have positive influence on ROE and ROA of Saudi Islamic banks. This study suggest that development and efficiency of Saudi stock market is important and macroeconomic policy should support the country’s economic diversification. The management of Islamic banks need to focus on effective risk assessment and market monitoring tools to face the fluctuation of oil prices and their stock prices as these factors affect their profitability. Besides, Saudi Islamic banks need to diversify their investment portfolios into more productive and export oriented private sectors such as Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This strategic policy will enable Islamic banks to absorb any future shock of oil prices without affecting their profitability.

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD), postpartum depression (PPD), and insomnia are neuropsychological conditions in which zuranolone is used to improve symptoms and prognosis of the disorder. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy of zuranolone in comparison to other drugs used for treating these conditions. Methods: This meta-analysis included patients aged between 18 and 75 years who were diagnosed with major depressive disorder and postpartum depression with or without insomnia and were administered zuranolone for treatment. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, and animal studies were excluded. The databases used were PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Clinicaltrials.gov, with MeSH terms and relevant keywords for (Zuranolone) and (Depression). The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used for quality assessment. Results: The meta-analysis included eight RCTs that analyzed data from 2031 patients. The meta-analysis revealed statistically significant changes in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and treatmentemergent adverse effects (TEAE) scores in the PPD subgroup. HAM-D and TEAEs scores were also significant in the MDD subgroup, but the changes in the MADRS, HAM-A, and Bech-6 scores were insignificant. Serious adverse events were insignificant in all subgroups. Conclusion: Meta-analysis found a significant improvement in depressive symptoms with zuranolone treatment, especially on day 15. This suggests that zuranolone is a promising therapeutic option for patients with MDD and PPD with or without insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The distinct linkage between tourism and energy has received significant attention due to the recent momentum towards green tourism and environmental sustainability. Given the present growth trajectory of the tourism industry, we examine the selected South Asian countries' tourismrenewable energy nexus. Design - We obtain data (1995 to 2018) from the World Bank (2018) and the BP Statistical Review of World Energy (2018). Methodology - Second generation cointegration tests were conducted to verify the cointegrating relationship. DCCE and ARDL-PMG methods were used for long-run estimation. DumitrescuHurlin panel causality test was conducted to check long-run causalities. Finally, Variance Decomposition analysis was used to assess the effect of tourism on REs in the future Findings - Tourism and renewable energy consumption are positively associated in the long-run. Unidirectional causalities are observed from tourism to renewable energy uses at both the aggregate and disaggregate levels. Furthermore, tourism can significantly explain the predicted variation in the use of different renewable energies for the next 15 years. Originality - To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted to analyse the relationship between tourism and renewable energy consumption at both aggregate and disaggregated levels in South Asia. We also propose tourism-friendly renewable energy policies that may be key for continuing sustainable tourism development in the selected South Asian countries.

Abstract Background Transposable elements (TE) comprise nearly half of the human genome and their insertions have profound effects to human genetic diversification and as well as disease. Despite their abovementioned significance, there is no consensus on the TE subfamilies that remain active in the human genome. In this study, we therefore developed a novel statistical test for recently mobile subfamilies (RMSs), based on patterns of overlap with > 100,000 polymorphic indels. Results Our analysis produced a catalogue of 20 high-confidence RMSs, which excludes many false positives in public databases. Intriguingly though, it includes HERV-K, an LTR subfamily previously thought to be extinct. The RMS catalogue is strongly enriched for contributions to germline genetic disorders (P = 1.1e-10), and thus constitutes a valuable resource for diagnosing disorders of unknown aetiology using targeted TE-insertion screens. Remarkably, RMSs are also highly enriched for somatic insertions in diverse cancers (P = 2.8e-17), thus indicating strong correlations between germline and somatic TE mobility. Using CRISPR/Cas9 deletion, we show that an RMS-derived polymorphic TE insertion increased the expression of RPL17, a gene associated with lower survival in liver cancer. More broadly, polymorphic TE insertions from RMSs were enriched near genes with allele-specific expression, suggesting widespread effects on gene regulation. Conclusions By using a novel statistical test we have defined a catalogue of 20 recently mobile transposable element subfamilies. We illustrate the gene regulatory potential of RMS-derived polymorphic TE insertions, using CRISPR/Cas9 deletion in vitro on a specific candidate, as well as by genome wide analysis of allele-specific expression. Our study presents novel insights into TE mobility and regulatory potential and provides a key resource for human disease genetics and population history studies.

We examine the interactive link between oil prices and the stock market in the 4 selected South Asian countries using a Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model for 1997–2018. We find a positive relationship between the world oil price and stock market index, and the response of the stock market index to positive and negative oil price shocks is asymmetric. Our results further reveal that higher oil prices in the world market stimulate stock price, suggesting that the South Asian countries do not follow the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). We recommend that the policymakers take initiatives to make the South Asian stock market more efficient by removing the barriers to stock market development, developing the country’s infrastructure, enhancing the stock market’s capacity, and restoring the confidence of the market participants within the region.

Purpose – Tourism and urbanisation are two significant determinants of economic growth and have been identified as top contributors to CO2 emissions. We examine the nexus among tourism, urbanisation, and CO2 emissions in South Asia by providing empirical evidence using panel data analysis. Design – Annual data from 1995-2019 is collected from the World Development Indicator 2020 for five South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan. Methodology – Durbin-Hausman panel cointegration and LM Bootstrap panel cointegration tests are conducted to check long-run cointegration. Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality test is used to detect causal relationship among the variables. Moreover, the PDOLS, PMG ARDL, c-up FMOLS and Generalised Linear Model are used to estimate long-run coefficients of the variables. Findings – We reveal unidirectional causalities running from urbanisation to tourism, urbanisation to CO2 emissions, and tourism to CO2 emissions. Additionally, when heterogeneity of the variables is taken into account, both tourism and urbanisation show positive and significant effect on CO2 emissions in the long-run. Originality of the Research – To our knowledge, no previous study investigates the relationship among tourism, urbanisation and CO2 emissions is South Asia. Our results will guide policy makers to design policies that will promote urbanisation and tourism growth in an environmentally sustainable way.

This study examines the asymmetric effects of oil prices, money supply, and the Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) on sectoral stock prices in Saudi Arabia. By applying a nonlinear auto-regressive distributive lag (NARDL) approach to monthly data spanning from January 2007 to December 2016, we found that the positive shocks of oil prices were more than the negative ones in the building and construction, energy and utilities, and petrochemical sectors, while higher oil prices adversely influenced the stock price of the bank and financial service sector. We identified the long-run and short-run asymmetric relationships of the Saudi stock market development on the stock prices of bank and financial services, energy and utilities, and the petrochemical sector and only a long-running asymmetric relationship with the building and construction sector. We also found the absence of long-run and short-run asymmetric impact of money supply on three sectors, namely, building and construction, energy and utilities, and the petrochemical sector except for the bank and financial service sector where only a long-running asymmetric relation was observed. These findings are appropriate for investors and portfolio managers to make judicious investment decisions. Policymakers should diversify their economic sectors apart from the oil dependencies to achieve the Vision 2030.

We examine the long-run relationship between tourism development and economic growth using the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model for Bangladesh using annual data from 1980-2016. We find an asymmetric relationship between tourism and Bangladesh's economy since a one percent increase in tourism receipt increases economic growth by about 0.19 percent. On the contrary, due to a one percent decline in the tourism receipt, economic growth will decrease by about 0.66 percent. So, the decline in tourism receipt will have a higher negative impact on economic growth than the increase in the tourism receipt in Bangladesh, which result is important for current pandemic situation in tourism due to Covid-19. We also reveal that the impact of positive change in the tourism revenue on GDP stabilizes around 8 years; however, an adverse change on GDP does not stabilize in 15 years. We recommend that a systematic allocation of resources is required to promote and stimulate the tourism industry in Bangladesh for a favourable impact on the country's long-run economic development. Keywords: Tourism Development; Economic Growth; NARDL; Bangladesh; Asymmetry JEL Classifications: C32, O50, Z32 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijefi.11040

The relationship between energy and output is one of the key issues in economic literature. Existing empirical studies have mainly used the neoclassical one-sector aggregate production function to examine the energy-output nexus and revealed inconclusive results. To address this issue, in this paper, we develop a two-sector model differentiating the energy sector from the conventional production sector to study the energy-output linkage for the Bangladesh economy. Using the annual data from 1985 to 2018, we conduct several unit root tests and reveal that our variables are stationary at their first difference. We further use the Johansen-Juselius cointegration and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds tests and find that the variables are cointegrated in the long-run. By using three robust estimators (Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS), and Dynamic ARDL), we reveal that a 1% increase in energy can increase the output by 0.06–0.10% in the long-run. We also run the Granger causality test and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to check the long-run and short-run causality. Our results find a unidirectional causality running from energy to output in the long-run but not in the short-run. We recommend that a reliable supply of energy needs to be ensured for future sustainable development in Bangladesh.

Microfinance is one of the fastest growing sectors in Bangladesh and in many parts of the world. Over the last few decades, this sector has been supportive in achieving various socio-economic goals in Bangladesh. The country has made remarkable progress in sectors like education and health, and most importantly it has contributed significantly in poverty alleviation. Although the microfinance mostly concentrates at the micro level, it has direct effect on the macro economy. A forefront Microfinance provider like Grameen Bank has been playing a key role for the socio-economic wellbeing of the people living in the rural areas as well as for the economic development of rural economy. This study aims to investigate the long run dynamic relationship among its loan financing and clients’ deposit and economic growth in Bangladesh. By considering annual time-series data of these variables, a widely used cointegration test and Granger’s causality test have been applied to examine the long run relationship among these variables. The result shows that both financing and depositing aspects of Grameen Bank have positive effect on economic growth of Bangladesh in the long run. It is recommended that Grameen Bank should allow its operations without any external pressure for the sake of sound economic growth of the country.