Scalar Nonets in Pole-Dominated QCD Sum Rules

The light scalar nonets are studied using the QCD sum rules for the tetraquark operators. The operator product expansion for the correlators is calculated up to dimension 12 and this enables us to perform analyses retaining sufficient pole-dominance. To classify the light scalar nonets, we investigate the dependence on current quark mass and flavor dynamics. Especially, to examine the latter, we study separately SU(3) singlet and octet states, and show that the number of annihilation diagrams is largely responsible for their differences, which is also the case even after the inclusion of the finite quark mass. Our results support the tetraquark picture for isosinglets, while that for octets is not conclusive yet.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure, Talk given at Chiral Symmetry in Hadron and Nuclear Physics (Chiral07), November 13-16, 2007, Osaka Univ., Japa

The Impact of Socio-Demographic Factors on Domestic Tourism Consumption Expenditure in Ghana

This study applies quantile regression approach to analyse socio-demographic factors that affect domestic tourism consumption expenditure in Ghana. The approach uses household domestic tourism expenditure as a response variable. The internet access of the household, whether a household owns a mobile phone, and /or at least one car or not are represented as proxies for information and transport accessibility, respectively. Other variables included to constrain household domestic travel budgets are yearly household income and household loan. The rest are demographic characteristics such as age and educational level of household heads. The empirical results show that relatively older and well educated household heads with higher earnings are prepared and willing to expend more on domestic tourism in Ghana. The results further show that, in Ghana, household loans are one of the major constraints of domestic tourism spending for medium and heavy spenders, but positively and significantly influence light domestic tourism expenditure households. Internet access, ownership of a car and mobile phone have no relation with the amount of money spent on domestic tourism in Ghana. Keywords: domestic tourism, quantile regression, tourism consumption expenditure, socio-demographic variables, same-day visitors and overnight tourists. DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/41-05 Publication date:May 31st 201

Modelling Domestic Tourism Demand for Ghana

The research analyses the demand for tourism goods and services in Ghana by domestic tourists. For this purpose, it uses the Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LAIDS) model (static and dynamic) to estimate price and expenditure/income elasticities for the study. The tourism goods and services include: accommodation; food and drinks; transport; recreation, culture and sporting activities; shopping; and other services. The uncompensated and compensated price and expenditure/income elasticities were calculated from the estimated parameters of the LAIDS model, static and dynamic. The results show that all own-price elasticities are negative and significant for uncompensated and compensated elasticities, while expenditure/income elasticities are positive and significant. The findings show that, by short-run, the demand for tourism goods and services in Ghana is price inelastic and expenditure/income elastic, and are normal goods and services. KEY WORDS: Static, dynamic, uncompensated, compensated, AIDS, elasticity. DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/40-0

ANALISIS PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM KEGIATAN BANK SAMPAH DI KECAMATAN MAPANGET

Permasalahan  mengenai  sampah  tampak  sederhana  tetap  perlu  penanganan  khusus.  Walikota  Manado tahun 2019 meresmikan Program Bank Sampah Mandiri Lestari di Kecamatan Mapanget The Gade Clean and  Gold  (Memilah  Sampah  Menabung  Emas)  di kelurahan  Paniki  Bawah  Kecamatan  Mapanget  Kota Manado  dengan  harapan  ini  dapat  membuat  pemikiran  masyarakat  mengenai  sampah  bisa  berubah menjadi  ke  pola  pikir  lebih  memanfaatkan  sampah  lebih  baik  lagi.  Oleh  sebab  itu  penelitian ini mempunyai focus penelitian kepada analisis partisipasi masyarakat dalam kegiatan Bank Sampah di Kecamatan Mapanget. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengidenfitikasi pengelolaan atau manajemen bank sampah, menganalisis partisipasi masyarakat dalam pengelolaan yang ada di bank sampah di Kecamatan Mapanget. Penelitian menggunakan metode analisis data untuk mengukur tingkat partisipasi masyarakat yang  ada  di  bank  sampah  Kecamatan  Mapanget  menggunakan  analisis  deskriptif  kuantitatif  dengan mengukur tingkat capaian responden dalam kuesioner menggunakan aplikasi SPSS. Dari hasil kuesioner yang diolah dari aplikasi SPPS dan Microsoft Excel menunjukan bahwa tingkat capaian responden ada 3 tahap pada tahap awal atau tahap pembentukan bank sampah menunjukkan pada tingkat informing yang berarti pada tahap ini masyarakat hanya diberitahu akan ada pembentukan program bank sampah tetapi tidak   terlibat   dalam   proses.   Pada   tahap   kedua   atau   tahap   pengolah   tingkat   capaian   responden menunjukkan tingkat partisipasi berada pada consultation yang berarti masyarakat telah terlibat didalam proses ini dimana sebagian masyarakat yang telah menjadi nasabah dengan mengolah sampah dari rumah masing-masing dengan memisahkan berdasarkan jenis tetapi usulan dan masukkan belum tentu didengar. Dan  pada  tahap  akhir  proses  bank  sampah  menunjukkan  partisipasi  masyarakat  berada  pada  tingkat informing  ini  berarti  masyarakat  hanya  mengetahui  hasil  akhir  dari  pengolahan  bank  sampah  hanya didistribusikan kepada pengelola pihak ketiga untuk dijual tetapi tidak mengambil bagian didalamnya. Kata kunci: Bank Sampah, Manajemen Bank Sampah, Tingkat Partisipasi, Partisipasi Masyaraka

A computable general equilibrium model of the monetary policy implications for financial stability in South Africa

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) uses interest rates to control inflation. The Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model can contribute to inflation targeting objective and also determine the effects on banks and the economy. We improved the accuracy of the results from previous work on the banking sector CGE model by estimating the elasticities of the reduced form equations of the model instead of arbitrarily choosing them. Our results conform with the established view that lower policy rates lead to an increase in inflation and a reduction in banks' profits. However, because of the adverse supply shocks arising from the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the increase in the GDP is crowded out. The CGE model is a useful tool for the SARB for monetary policy implications on financial stability, informing and providing analysis on its repo rate decision, and determining the consequent effects on the economy

Pengaruh Motivasi Kerja, Disiplin Kerja, dan Kepemimpinan terhadap Prestasi Kerja Pegawai di Badan Perpustakaan Provinsi Sulawesi Utara

Berhasil tidaknya Perusahaan sangat ditentukan oleh kualitas kepemimpinan, karena kedudukan pemimpin sangat sentral di Perusahaan. Motivasi adalah kemauan untuk berbuat sesuatu.Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui apakah motivasi kerja, disiplin kerja, dan kepemimpinan berpengaruh terhadap prestasi kerja pegawai di Badan Perpustakaan Provinsi Sulawesi Utara. Teknik pengambilan sample adalah simple random sampling dengan menggunakan rumus Slovin di dapat sebanyak 60 responden. Metode penelitian asosiatif dengan menggunakan teknik analisis regresi linear berganda.Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa motivasi kerja dan disiplin kerja berpengaruh signifikan terhadap prestasi kerja sedangkan kepemimpinan tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap prestasi kerja, sebaiknya pimpinan lebih memperhatikan disiplin kerja dan memberikan motivasi terhadap para karyawannya agar prestasi kerja karyawannya dapat meningkat. Kata kunci: motivasi kerja, disiplin kerja, kepemimpinan, prestasi kerj

Presentation and outcome of COVID-19 in HIV patients with high viral loads and opportunistic infections: a case series

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is especially severe in patients with underlying chronic conditions, with increased risk of mortality. There is concern that people living with HIV (PLWH), especially those with severe immunosuppression, and COVID-19 may have severe disease and a negative clinical outcome. Most studies on COVID-19 in PLWH are from Asia, Europe and America where population dynamics, antiretroviral treatment coverage and coexisting opportunistic infections may differ from that in sub-Saharan Africa. We report on the clinical profile and outcome of three cases of PLWH co-infected with SARS-CoV-2. They all presented with fever, cough and breathlessness and also had advanced HIV infection as evidenced by opportunistic infections, high HIV viral loads and low CD4 counts. The patients responded favourably to the standard of care and were discharged home. Our findings suggest that PLWH with advanced immunosuppression may not necessarily have an unfavourable disease course and outcome. However, case-controlled studies with a larger population size are needed to better understand the impact of COVID-19 in this patient population