Recent Progress in the Development of Indole-Based Compounds Active against Malaria, Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis

Human protozoan diseases represent a serious health problem worldwide, affecting mainly people in social and economic vulnerability. These diseases have attracted little investment in drug discovery, which is reflected in the limited available therapeutic arsenal. Authorized drugs present problems such as low efficacy in some stages of the disease or toxicity, which result in undesirable side effects and treatment abandonment. Moreover, the emergence of drug-resistant parasite strains makes necessary an even greater effort to develop safe and effective antiparasitic agents. Among the chemotypes investigated for parasitic diseases, the indole nucleus has emerged as a privileged molecular scaffold for the generation of new drug candidates. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the indole-based compounds developed against important parasitic diseases, namely malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, by focusing on the design, optimization and synthesis of the most relevant synthetic indole scaffolds recently reported.

PANDEMI COVID-19 INDONESIA: KAJIAN PEMIKIRAN, KEBIJAKAN RITUAL IBADAH, DAN EKONOMI ISLAM (MAQASID ASY-SYARIAH)

Since Covid-19 pandemic occurred, the government and authorities in Indonesia have restricted almost all community activities in Indonesia, including various activities in houses of worship having an impact on the socio-economic vulnerability of Muslims. This study was to describe the phenomenon of the condition of Muslims affected by the pandemic, by providing a Muslim perspective as well as explaining how Islam responds to the epidemic phenomenon, restriction policies, and socio-economics. This study applied a literature study with a qualitative approach to obtain descriptive and qualitative analytical data. The data were collected through reviewing literature and data about the current situation of Covid -19 pandemic and the ongoing dynamics of Muslim people. This study was a literature study collaborating between Islamic perspectives with contemporary phenomena and theories so that they contributed to strengthening the argument that Islam and its experiences were still very relevant to today's conditions. The result showed that: first, Islam provided jabariyah and qadariyah perspectives for Muslims in responding to the pandemic phenomenon; second, Islam provided relevant perspectives in policy formulation during the pandemic, and; third, Islam emphasized that Maqasid Asy-Sharia was a strategy and concept in overcoming the economic vulnerability of the community during and after the pandemic.

Idle Youth and Macroeconomics in Latin America

This paper analyzes the macroeconomic repercussions of the existence of idle youth in a cross-section of Latin American countries. The results indicate that idle youth has a close association with the indices of gender inequality and governance, and with informality. By estimating a series of equations, it was possible to infer that idle youth exerts adverse effects on economic growth, the domestic saving rate and economic vulnerability. It is also reported that the prevention of idle youth rests on substantial increases in tax revenues so as to increase social spending.

Structural Economic Vulnerability and the Utilization of Unilateral Trade Preferences: Does Development Aid Matter?

This article has investigated the effect of structural economic vulnerability on the utilization of non-reciprocal trade preferences (NRTPs) offered by the 'Quadrilaterals' and whether development aid flows alter this effect. It considers two major blocks of NRTPs, namely the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programs and 'other trade preferences programs'. The analysis uses a panel dataset of 84 beneficiary countries of both NRTPs and development aid, over the period of 2002-2019. Results reveal that a rise in the level of structural economic vulnerability reduces the utilization rates of both GSP programs and other trade preference programs. At the same time, when the level of structural economic vulnerability falls, countries tend to use both blocks of NRTPs in a complementarity way. While development aid inflows foster the utilization of the two blocks of NRTPs, the increase of these resource inflows in the context of greater structural economic vulnerability leads beneficiary countries to strengthen the utilization of other trade preferences programs at the expense of the utilization of GSP programs. The implications of these results are discussed in the conclusion section of the article.

Money, Power, and Relationships: Economic Vulnerability in Girls’ Lives and Risk for Partner Violence Among Girls in Ibadan, Nigeria

This study explored the experience of economic vulnerability and its effect on girls’ future aspirations, relationships, and financial reliance on male partners, as well as risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) and related health consequences. Thirteen Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted among 122 female adolescents aged 15–19 years. Participants reported that lack of economic resources limits girls’ ability to be economically independent by reducing opportunities to receive education or enter into a trade. Economic vulnerability decreases girls’ ability to become economically independent, increasing financial reliance on male partners, and in turn, increasing risk for IPV, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancy.

Life in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic: the experiences and responses of households in Guimaras and Miagao, Iloilo

This paper assesses the experience and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic of households in the province of Guimaras and the municipality of Miagao to gain insights and lessons that can be applied during similar disruptions in the future. Survey data using a questionnaire were collected in July to early August 2020 from 580 households in Guimaras and 401 households in Miagao using convenience sampling. As a health threat, COVID-19 caused many households to feel unsafe and worried. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the economic vulnerability of households to disruptions affecting their livelihood and income sources. The effects on loss of livelihood and income sources were worse with lower-income households whose income status and the ability to meet basic needs were worse than the pre-pandemic period. The paper recommends several approaches and interventions to improve household resilience and to be better prepared for similar challenges and threats in the future.

Productive Capacities, Economic Growth and Economic Growth Volatility in Developing Countries: Does Structural Economic Vulnerability Matter?

Recent years’ global shocks (e.g., the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic) and environmental shocks — such as natural disasters — have heightened the vulnerability of developing countries to future shocks, and can compromise their development prospects. International institutions and researchers have advocated that the strengthening of productive capacities in these countries would help enhance the resilience of their economies to shocks, and promote sustainable development. This paper has examined the effect of productive capacities on economic growth and economic growth volatility in developing countries, in particular when they face a high level of structural economic vulnerability. The analysis covers 117 developing countries over the period of 2000–2018. It shows that productive capacities not only promote economic growth, but also reduce economic growth volatility. On the other hand, structural economic vulnerability reduces economic growth (in particular when it exceeds a certain level), and induces greater volatility of economic growth. Interestingly, productive capacities promote economic growth and reduce economic growth volatility in countries that face a high degree of structural economic vulnerability. These findings support the recommendation by international institutions and researchers that if they were to enhance the resilience of their economies to shocks, and promote sustainable economic growth, developing countries (in particular the poorest ones) should strengthen their productive capacities.

Vulnerability pathways to mental health outcomes in children and parents during COVID-19

We examined pathways from pre-existing psychosocial and economic vulnerability to mental health difficulties and stress in families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from two time points from a multi-cohort study initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic were used. Parents of children 6–18 years completed questionnaires on pre-COVID-19 socioeconomic and demographic factors in addition to material deprivation and stress due to COVID-19 restrictions, mental health, and family functioning. Youth 10 years and older also completed their own measures of mental health and stress. Using structural equation modelling, pathways from pre-existing vulnerability to material deprivation and stress due to COVID-19 restrictions, mental health, and family functioning, including reciprocal pathways, were estimated. Pre-existing psychosocial and economic vulnerability predicted higher material deprivation due to COVID-19 restrictions which in turn was associated with parent and child stress due to restrictions and mental health difficulties. The reciprocal effects between increased child and parent stress and greater mental health difficulties at Time 1 and 2 were significant. Reciprocal effects between parent and child mental health were also significant. Finally, family functioning at Time 2 was negatively impacted by child and parent mental health and stress due to COVID-19 restrictions at Time 1. Psychosocial and economic vulnerability is a risk factor for material deprivation during COVID-19, increasing the risk of mental health difficulties and stress, and their reciprocal effects over time within families. Implications for prevention policy and parent and child mental health services are discussed.