The Relationship Between Foreign Aid and Growth: A Comparative Analysis of Low Income, Lower-Middle Income and Upper-Middle-Income African Countries

The research is financed from Humanities and Social Science Youth Foundation of Ministry of Education of China（13YJCZH133） Abstract Our paper studies 53 African economies by segregating them into 27 Africa low-income economies (ALICs), 18 Africa lower-middle-income economies (ALMICs) and 8 Africa upper-middle-income (AUMICs) economies according to United Nations (UN) income threshold categorization. The paper uses panel data of aid and GDP (economic growth) with control variables from 1990 to 2015 to investigate the direction and causal linkage between aid and economic growth in a quest to fill the void created by previous empirical literature in generating inconclusive results on the effects of foreign aid on economic growth through aggregate countries studies. Our study addresses this gap by employing Pedroni (1999) panel cointegration method to test the cointegration relationship between the series and the granger causality is investigated by the pooled mean group estimator (PMGE). Then, we investigate whether or not a strong relationship between aid and economic growth holds by using Pedroni (2001) method of Panel FMOLS and DOLS estimates. The results established the existence of cointegration relationship between aid and growth in all the three income sub-groups. There is also evidence of bidirectional granger causality between aid and economic growth in low- income and lower-middle income sub-groups. The results however record unidirectional causality in the case of African upper-income sub-group. There are mixed panel FMOLS and DOLS findings for the groups. The panel results indicate a strong relationship between aid and growth for the lower and upper-middle-income economies and no strong relationship for the low-income countries. The issues of strong aid-growth relationship in the individual country case analysis present a new perspective to policy makers to understand by taking into consideration the specific degree of GDP growth in each country in order to formulate effective aid-based policies to propel growth. Keywords: foreign aid, economic growth, Africa, disaggregated aid, Causality Analysi

Pedestrian risk perception of marked and unmarked crosswalks in Kumasi, Ghana

Pedestrians constitute the majority of all urban road crashes in Ghana, yet there is inadequate supply of pedestrian facilities, and road-user behaviours have been cited as a major contributing factor to the high crash rates. This study seeks to investigate how pedestrians perceive risk at different crosswalks. The study adopted a mixed-method approach, where secondary crash data for 30 selected crosswalks was correlated with corresponding primary data that consisted of pedestrian surveys. The crash data from 2011 through 2014 was obtained from the database of the Building and Road Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-BRRI) in Kumasi, and supplemented with a survey of 900 pedestrians. The results revealed that pedestrians perceived marked crosswalks to be safer than unmarked crosswalks, but this is contrary to the crash records. Also, most of the crashes were registered for crosswalks located across multilane highways. In light of these results, it is recommended that the safety features of crosswalks be re-examined, while restricting indiscriminate crossing by channelling pedestrians to designated protected crossing points, installing traffic control devices and other speed-calming devices at identified high-risk crosswalks, and signalising crosswalks that are located on multilane roads. It is also recommended to intensify road safety campaigns and public education on safe road-crossing practices, while enforcing traffic safety laws to influence road-user behaviours

Dataset for electronic and optical properties of Y2O2S and Er dopped Y2O2S calculated using density functional theory and simulated x-ray near edge spectra

The computational data presented in this paper refer to the research article “Optical properties and simulated x-ray near edge spectra for Y2O2S and Er doped Y2O2S”. We present the data used to calculate the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the Y2O2S and its Er+3 doped counterparts at various concentrations using density functional theory (DFT) and simulated X-ray near edge (XANES) spectra. We report electronic information from DFT and DFT+U generated from the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) using PAW pseudopotentials. We also report VASP calculated optical properties for the host Y2O2S using the independent particle approximation (IPA), the random phase approximation (RPA), the many-body GW0 approximation, and the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) approximation, under the 10-atom unit cell. The IPA calculations are repeated using the 80-atom unit cell for both the host Y2O2S and the Y2O2S:Er+3 counterparts. The optical properties data include the frequency-dependent real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, the absorption and extinction coefficients, the refractive index, and the reflectivity. FEFF10 XANES calculations are performed on the Y K-, L1-, L2-, and L3-edges, as well as on the Er M5-edge

Transport related air pollution and its implications on public health along selected road corridors in lagos metropolis, nigeria

The study investigated the ambient air quality caused by vehicular emission and its implications on the public health around major roadways in Lagos metropolis Nigeria. Field data on vehicular volumes and mix were collected for three months in the morning, afternoon, and evening peak periods for the five (5) selected major routes. Concurrently, air pollutants from vehicles were measured by portable gas detectors on the routes. Questionnaires were administered to the respondent near the routes to investigate the implications of exposure on their health. The concentration level of the air pollutants is highest between 8-9 am morning peak periods and lowest between 12-1 pm afternoon periods. The ambient air quality is polluted on all the studied routes and revealed a strong correlation (p<0.05) between pollutants concentration and traffic flow. The questionnaire results also showed that 74% of the sampled respondents around the corridor suffered from chest pain, frequent cough, nose running and sneezing, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, body weakness, fatigue, eye irritation, loss of appetite, headache, and fast breathing of which 6% of children and 54% of women were the most susceptible. The study recommended measures for the reduction of the negative impacts on ambient air quality and public health in developing African citiesPapers presented at the 40th International Southern African Transport Conference on 04 -08 July 202

Investigating factors affecting Paratransit Travel Times: Perspectives from two Paratransit Routes in Kumasi, Ghana

Paratransit trips on minibus vehicles have reportedly been unreliable, and users are unsatisfied with the quality of service they receive. Providing travel-related information, such as travel time information and introducing interventions along the roadway, may improve service quality and user experiences. To do this, there is a need to understand the nature of paratransit travel time and the factors affecting it. The study investigated factors affecting travel times of paratransit at the route and segment levels on two selected routes in Kumasi. A travel time survey onboard the vehicle was used to collect GPS, stop related and other information with the help of a mobile application. The Backward Stepwise Regression technique was used to determine the most significant factors which were drawn from literature and a careful study of paratransit operations. The results indicated that dwell times rather than stops contributed to paratransit travel times. Deviation from the route was found to increase travel time, contrary to the logic of using deviation to bypass apparent traffic congestion ahead. The study proffered interventions that can help improve travel time and the quality of service and made policy suggestions

Computational and Experimental Study on Undoped and Er-Doped Lithium Tantalate Nanofluorescent Probes

We present a combined density functional theory (DFT) and experimental work on lithium tantalate LiTaO3 (LT) and its Er-doped counterparts. We calculate the electronic and optical properties for both LT and LT:Er+3, with Er occupying either Li or Ta sites, at 4.167 mol%. The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) calculations show that the Er-4 f bands appear closer to the conduction band bottom and to the valance band top, for the first and second doped configurations, respectively. This agrees with changes in the imaginary part of the frequency dependent dielectric function between the doped configurations. There are striking differences between the GGA and the hybrid functional HSE06 calculations for the band structures of the doped configurations. HSE06 accurately predicts the location in energy for all Er-4 f orbitals: These are now spread in energy and appear above and below the Fermi energy. We synthesized LT:Er+3 nanoparticles, validated through X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed increases in the activation energy and lowering of the reaction temperature due to Er+3 doping. The LT:Er+3photoluminescence showed strong f–f emission in the visible and near-infrared regions, in an excellent agreement with the HSE06 electronic information

Global Emergency Medicine: A Review of the Literature From 2013

Objectives The Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review ( GEMLR ) conducts an annual search of peer‐reviewed and grey literature relevant to global emergency medicine ( EM ) to identify, review, and disseminate the most important new research in this field to a worldwide audience of academics and clinical practitioners. Methods This year 8,768 articles written in six languages were identified by our search. These articles were distributed among 22 reviewers for initial screening based on their relevance to the field of global EM . An additional two reviewers searched the grey literature. A total of 434 articles were deemed appropriate by at least one reviewer and approved by an editor for formal scoring of overall quality and importance. Results Of the 434 articles that met our predetermined inclusion criteria, 65% were categorized as emergency care in resource‐limited settings, 18% as EM development, and 17% as disaster and humanitarian response. A total of 24 articles received scores of 18 or higher and were selected for formal summary and critique. Interrater reliability for two reviewers using our scoring system was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.63 (95% confidence interval = 0.55 to 0.69). Infectious diseases, trauma, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases common in resource‐limited settings represented the majority of articles selected for final review. Conclusions In 2013, there were more emergency care in resource‐limited settings articles, while the number of disaster and humanitarian response articles decreased, when compared to the 2012 review. However, the distribution of articles selected for full review did not change significantly. As in prior years, the majority of articles focused on infectious diseases, as well as trauma and injury prevention. Resumen Objetivos El grupo Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) lleva a cabo una búsqueda anual de revisión por pares y de la literatura gris relevante para la Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias ( MUE ) Global para identificar, revisar y divulgar las investigaciones recientes más importantes en este campo para la audiencia mundial de profesores universitarios y médicos clínicos. Metodología Se identificaron según nuestra búsqueda 8.768 artículos escritos en seis lenguas en 2013. Estos artículos se distribuyeron entre 22 revisores para un despistaje inicial basado en la relevancia para el área de la MUE Global. Dos revisores adicionales buscaron en la literatura gris. Un total de 434 artículos se consideraron apropiados por al menos un revisor y se aprobaron por un editor mediante una puntación formal de calidad e importancia. Resultados De los 434 artículos que cumplieron los criterios de inclusión predeterminados, un 65% se categorizó como atención urgente en escenarios de recursos limitados, un 18% como desarrollo de la MUE y un 17% como grandes catástrofes y respuesta humanitaria. Un total de 24 artículos recibió puntuaciones de 18 o más y se seleccionaron para el resumen formal y la crítica. La concordancia interobservador para los dos revisores usando nuestro sistema de puntuación fue buena con un coeficiente de correlación intraclase de 0,63 (intervalo de confianza 95% = 0,55 a 0,69). Las enfermedades infecciosas, los traumatismos y el diagnostico y tratamiento de las enfermedades comunes en escenarios de recursos limitados representaron la mayoría de los artículos seleccionados para la revisión final. Conclusiones En 2013, hubo más artículos de atención urgente en escenarios de recursos limitados, mientras que el número de artículos de grandes catástrofes y respuesta humanitaria disminuyó respecto a la revisión de 2012. Sin embargo, la distribución de los artículos seleccionados para la revisión total no cambio significativamente. Como en años anteriores, la mayoría de los artículos se centró en enfermedades infecciosas, así como en la prevención de los traumatismos y las lesiones.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108313/1/acem12414.pd

The burden of road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths in Africa:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To estimate the burden of road traffic injuries and deaths for all road users and among different road user groups in Africa. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, Google Scholar, websites of African road safety agencies and organizations for registry- and population-based studies and reports on road traffic injury and death estimates in Africa, published between 1980 and 2015. Available data for all road users and by road user group were extracted and analysed. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis and estimated pooled rates of road traffic injuries and deaths. Findings We identified 39 studies from 15 African countries. The estimated pooled rate for road traffic injury was 65.2 per 100000 population (95% confidence interval, CI: 60.8–69.5) and the death rate was 16.6 per 100 000 population (95% CI: 15.2–18.0). Road traffic injury rates increased from 40.7 per 100 000 population in the 1990s to 92.9 per 100 000 population between 2010 and 2015, while death rates decreased from 19.9 per 100 000 population in the 1990s to 9.3 per 100 000 population between 2010 and 2015. The highest road traffic death rate was among motorized four-wheeler occupants at 5.9 per 100 000 population (95% CI: 4.4–7.4), closely followed by pedestrians at 3.4 per 100 000 population (95% CI: 2.5–4.2). Conclusion The burden of road traffic injury and death is high in Africa. Since registry-based reports underestimate the burden, a systematic collation of road traffic injury and death data is needed to determine the true burden