Assessment of the Trend and Development of Regional Economy in Central Asia

Assessment the trend of regional economic development is significant to address the economic situation and developmental policy. This study assesses the regional economic development in Central Asia since 1992. Several developmental indicators were applied. The results demonstrated that the regional economy was gradually growing. Relatively, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan enjoyed a rapid economic growth. Production of oil increased in Kazakhstan as exporting rose to China whereas declined in Uzbekistan – shifted to natural gas. Central Asia is moving gradually toward industrial and trade economic sector. Nevertheless, enormous natural resources were exported from Central Asia to China and Russia, and strong economic relationship was established with Europe, India and Algeria. Therefore, this research is significant for general understanding in economic growth of Central Asia, and it may be helpful for further studies.

Using the Newcomb–Benford law to study the association between a country’s COVID-19 reporting accuracy and its development

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred controversies related to whether countries manipulate reported data for political gains. We study the association between accuracy of reported COVID-19 data and developmental indicators. We use the Newcomb–Benford law (NBL) to gauge data accuracy. We run an OLS regression of an index constructed from developmental indicators (democracy level, gross domestic product per capita, healthcare expenditures, and universal healthcare coverage) on goodness-of-fit measures to the NBL. We find that countries with higher values of the developmental index are less likely to deviate from the Newcomb-Benford law. The relationship holds for the cumulative number of reported deaths and total cases but is more pronounced for the death toll. The findings are robust for second-digit tests and for a sub-sample of countries with regional data. The NBL provides a first screening for potential data manipulation during pandemics. Our study indicates that data from autocratic regimes and less developed countries should be treated with more caution. The paper further highlights the importance of independent surveillance data verification projects.

Impacts of Antenatal Educational Interventions base on BASNEF Model on Mothers' Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Breast-feeding self-efficacy is defined as a mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her child. It is one of the variables affecting breastfeeding duration and consequently developmental indicators in child, which have been rarely studied. This study aimed to Impacts of antenatal educational interventions base on BASNEF Model on mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy: a Quasi-experimental study. This was a quasi-experimental study done on 100 nulliparous mothers referred to the selected clinics in Shiraz. Sampling was done by random method. The intervention was held based on BASNEF components in four educational sessions besides a session on cognitive norms, while the control group received the routine education. The mean score of breast-feeding self-efficacy was measured both before and after the intervention by Fax and Dennis questionnaire besides its correlation with child physical developmental indicators. SPSS18 was applied to analyze the data through paired t-test, independent t-test, and Chi-square test. The mean age of participants was 23.86 ± 4.30 and 24.4 ± 4.18 in BASNEF and control groups, respectively. After the intervention, there was a significant difference in the mean score of self-efficacy in the intervention group compared to the control group (p <0/001). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between breast-feeding self-efficacy and infants' weight at the age of 3 months besides height at the age of 1 and 3 months (p<0.05). BASNEF based breastfeeding training was related to the rise in breastfeeding self-efficacy in nulliparous pregnant women and subsequently improvement of children's physical growth indicators.

Who Manipulates Data During Pandemics? Evidence From Newcomb-Benford Law

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred controversies related to whether countries manipulate reported data for political gains. We study the association between accuracy of reported COVID-19 data and developmental indicators. We use the Newcomb-Benford law (NBL) to gauge data accuracy. We run an OLS regression of developmental indicators (EIU index, GDP per capita, healthcare expenditures, and universal healthcare coverage index) on goodness-of-fit measures to the NBL. We find that democratic countries, countries with the higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, higher healthcare expenditures, and better universal healthcare coverage are less likely to deviate from the Newcomb-Benford law. The relationship holds for the cumulative number of reported deaths and total cases but is more pronounced for the death toll. The findings are robust for second-digit tests, for a sub-sample of countries with regional data, and in relation to the previous swine flu (H1N1) 2009–2010 pandemic. The NBL provides a first screening for potential data manipulation during pandemics. Our study indicates that data from autocratic regimes and less developed countries should be treated with more caution. The paper further highlights the importance of independent surveillance data verification projects.JEL classification: F5, I10, I18, O1, O57, P52.

Comparison of morphology, development and expression patterns of hsf and hsp11.0 of Cotesia chilonis under normal and high temperature

Cotesia chilonis (Munakata) is the dominant parasitic wasp of the rice pest, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), and is a valuable parasitic wasp for the prevention and control of C. suppressalis. In this study, developmental indicators and expression of Cchsp11.0 (heat shock protein 11.0) and Cchsf (heat shock factor) were compared for C. chilonis at 27 °C and 36 °C. Developmental duration, morphology, emergence rate, and number of C. chilonis offspring were shortened at 36 °C while the ratio of females to males increased. Cchsp11.0 and Cchsf were highly expressed in the 1st instar stage at 36 °C, and Cchsp11.0 expression gradually decreased as C. chilonis matured; Cchsf expression was not correlated with Cchsp11.0 expression. Compared with 27 °C, the expression pattern of Cchsp11.0 and Cchsf was also not consistent, and Cchsp11.0 expression increased significantly at the adult stage. In conclusion, mildly high temperatures impact growth, development and reproduction of C. chilonis and stimulate the expression of Cchsp11.0 and Cchsf, and Cchsp11.0 and Cchsf play different roles in different developmental stages of C. chilonis at normal and high temperature.

Study on the Safety of Human Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells Transplantation in Young Animals and Its Efficacy on Myelination

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which can differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes during embryonic development, are an important potential source for myelin repair or regeneration. To date, OPCs from human sources (hOPCs) remain limited. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the safety and remyelination capacity of hOPCs developed in our laboratory by transplanting them into the lateral ventricles of Sprague–Dawley rats of different ages. The toxicity, biodistribution, and tumor formation abilities of the injected hOPCs were examined by evaluating rats’ vital signs, developmental indicators, neural reflexes, along with hematological, immunological, and pathological assessments. In addition, the hOPCs were transplanted into the corpus callosum of shiverer mice to verify cell myelination efficacy. Overall, our results showed that transplanted hOPCs into young mice showed no toxicity against their organ function or immune system, engrafted only in the brain, and caused no tissue proliferation or tumor formation. In terms of efficacy, the transplanted hOPCs formed myelin in the corpus callosum, alleviated the trembling phenotype of shiverer mice, and promoted normal development. The transplantation of hOPCs is safe and can effectively form myelin in the brain, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the future clinical transplantation of hOPCs.

Analysis of Developmental Chronology of South Korean Compressed Growth as a Reference from Sustainable Development Perspectives

Global challenges including overpopulation, climate change, and income inequality have increased, and a demand for sustainability has emerged. Decision-making for sustainable development is multifaceted and interlinked, owing to the diverse interests of different stakeholders and political conflicts. Analysing a situation from all social, political, environmental, and economic perspectives is necessary to achieve balanced growth and facilitate sustainable development. South Korea was among the poorest countries following the Korean War; however, it has developed rapidly since 1955. This growth was not limited to economic development alone, and the chronology of South Korean development may serve as a reference for development in other countries. Here, we explore the compressed growth of South Korea using a narrative approach and time-series, comparative, and spatial analyses. Developmental indicators, along with the modern history of South Korea, are introduced to explain the reasons for compressed growth. The development of the mid-latitude region comprising 46 countries in this study, where nearly half of Earth’s population resides, was compared with that of South Korea; results show that the developmental chronology of South Korea can serve as a reference for national development in this region.

Financial inclusion Growth in Haryana

The present study was undertaken to develop a composite index (Index of Financial inclusion) that shows a general overview of Haryana and ranks different districts of Haryana based on this index. The Wroclaw Taxonomic method was used to construct the financial inclusion index as it addresses assumptions regarding various developmental indicators themselves and their weighting. A further comparison was made between the financial inclusion index for 2010 and 2018 to examine growth over the last decade. The findings showed that financial inclusion in Haryana moved up to firm from above average. However, the state was still finding it difficult to attain its key financial inclusion indicators. The study also found a higher disparity between high and low categories of the stage of development. Only two districts, Gurugram and Panchkula, have higher financial inclusion in all districts of Haryana. Government and other regulatory authorities should expand the network of bank branches and ATMs, especially in rural areas, to have easy access and availability of bank services.

COVID-19 Global Risk: Expectation vs. Reality

Background and Objective: COVID-19 has engulfed the entire world, with many countries struggling to contain the pandemic. In order to understand how each country is impacted by the virus compared with what would have been expected prior to the pandemic and the mortality risk on a global scale, a multi-factor weighted spatial analysis is presented. Method: A number of key developmental indicators across three main categories of demographics, economy, and health infrastructure were used, supplemented with a range of dynamic indicators associated with COVID-19 as independent variables. Using normalised COVID-19 mortality on 13 May 2020 as a dependent variable, a linear regression (N = 153 countries) was performed to assess the predictive power of the various indicators. Results: The results of the assessment show that when in combination, dynamic and static indicators have higher predictive power to explain risk variation in COVID-19 mortality compared with static indicators alone. Furthermore, as of 13 May 2020 most countries were at a similar or lower risk level than what would have been expected pre-COVID, with only 44/153 countries experiencing a more than 20% increase in mortality risk. The ratio of elderly emerges as a strong predictor but it would be worthwhile to consider it in light of the family makeup of individual countries. Conclusion: In conclusion, future avenues of data acquisition related to COVID-19 are suggested. The paper concludes by discussing the ability of various factors to explain COVID-19 mortality risk. The ratio of elderly in combination with the dynamic variables associated with COVID-19 emerge as more significant risk predictors in comparison to socio-economic and demographic indicators.

The geographical and income differences in the determinants of African sovereign credit ratings

PurposeThe importance of obtaining a sovereign credit rating from an agency is still underrated in Africa. Literature on the determinants of sovereign credit ratings in Africa is scarce. The purpose of this research is to determine what the determinants are for sovereign credit ratings in Africa and whether these determinants differ between regions and income groups.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 19 African countries' determinants of sovereign credit ratings are compared between 2007 and 2014 using a panel-ordered probit approach.FindingsThe findings indicated that the determinants of sovereign credit ratings differ between African regions and income groups. The developmental indicators were the most significant determinants across all income groups and regions. The results affirm that the identified determinants in the literature are not as applicable to African sovereigns, and that developmental variables and different income groups and regions are important determinants to consider for sovereign credit ratings in Africa.Originality/valueThe results affirm that the identified determinants in the literature are not as applicable to African sovereigns, and that developmental variables and different income groups and regions are important determinants to consider for sovereign credit ratings in Africa. Rating agencies follow the same rating assignment process for developed and developing countries, which means investors will have to supplement the allocated credit rating with additional information. Africa can attract more investment if African countries obtain formal, accurate sovereign credit ratings, which take the characteristics of the continent into consideration.