A Model for Critique at the Design Studio for Higher Education

The article describes a step by step approach to effective critique at the design studio. The study was conducted at the Department of Communication Design, Faculty of Art- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. This study exploits the potential of using a model for the teaching and learning of critiques in the art and design education. The use of a model is developed so that lecturers and students offering studio courses and are practicing critiques can adapt in similar instructional delivery. Exploratory and participatory action research approach was adopted. The research tools employed were; questionnaire, observation and interviews, to examine students and lecturers’ knowledge and understanding of critique, preparation before the practice at the studio and if there is a need for a guide to help students in effective critiquing. Literature was reviewed on criticism, the design studio, design appreciation, models of criticism, forms of critiques, the language of critiquing, and how to conduct an effective critique sessions in the design studio. The data analysis revealed that there is still a need for a model to serve as a guide for students for effective analysis of design works. This helped to improve critique responses, communication and interactivity, creativity and collaborative skills among students at the studio. Keywords: Critiques, Art criticism, Design studio

Assessing The Implementation Challenges of the Procurment Act of Ghana: The Newmont Ghana Experience

The Public Procurement Act of 2003 was initiated to address the weaknesses which were impregnated in the Public Financial Management Reform Programme (PUFMARP). The goals of the Acts among others were to harmonise public procurement processes, practices, and secure judicious economic and efficient use of state funds and to possibly ensure that public procurement is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. The research therefore assessed the challenges influencing the implementation of the Public Procurement ACT 663 and its Amended Act 914 on procurement practitioners, where the main variables included strategic planning, regulation enforcement and organizational culture. Through a survey research design, the study targeted procurement officers’and contractor bodies working with Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd. Convenience sampling technique was used to select a sample of 50 respondents. Interviews and questionnaires were used in the data collection. Quantitative data collection was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics using Microsoft Excel and presented through frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that 75% of the respondent believed that Newmont’s strategic plan has the relevant performance pillars. The study showed that 47.5% said the impact of regulation enforcement on Newmont’s procurement activities is moderate. The findings also revealed that 47.5% of the respondent strongly agreed on the issue that Newmont’s culture favors good procurement procedures.In conclusion, the outcome suggested that, the Public Procurement Act can be carried out effectively if the strategic plan, regulation enforcement and organizational culture support the procurement systems in place. On recommendation, the researcher observed that Procurement process should uphold integrity and ensure that there are no malpractices and there is informed decision-making

A comparative study of challenger-incumbent strategies in Ghanaian presidential campaign: the case of John Agyekum Kufuor

In recent years, growing research interest in challenger-incumbent campaign communication has provided illuminating insights into the kinds of strategies favoured by challengers and incumbents in presidential elections. However, most of these studies tend to focus on two or more presidential candidates. This has resulted in little knowledge about the rhetorical strategies of the same candidate who contested as a challenger in a previous election, became president and won again as an incumbent in the next election. In this paper, we explore and compare challenger-incumbent strategies as they manifest in the presidential campaign of John Agyekum Kufuor’s (JAK) who won the 2000 presidential elections as a fresh candidate and, for a second term, won in 2004, as an incumbent. A qualitative analysis of four of his campaign speeches in both elections revealed that as a challenger, JAK presented  himself as an agent of change and resorted to negative campaigning rooted in bellicose rhetoric. He marketed himself with can-do optimism that portrayed him as the quintessence of the cure-all for Ghana’s socio-economic problems. Conversely, as an incumbent, JAK adopted temperate rhetoric amidst self-promotion on the wings of his accomplishments and personal qualities. He appropriated the ethos of traditional rulers to present a viable image of himself as a performing president. The findings of the study have implications for presidential candidates, particularly, for challengers who are eager to win elections and incumbents keen to maintain power.Keywords: challenger campaign, candidate, incumbent, presidentia

Presentation and Treatment Outcomes of Liberian Children Age 5 Years and Under Diagnosed With Severe Malaria

Malaria is endemic in Liberia with a prevalence rate of up to 60% in some regions, and it has been a major cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Prior to the recent Ebola epidemic, we undertook a prospective, hospital-based pilot study at the National Referral Hospital in Monrovia, to characterize the presentation, accuracy of diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of children presenting for treatment of malaria. From June 2013 to May 2014, we recruited children 5 years and under who presented to the JFK Medical Center with suspected malaria. We collected both clinical and laboratory data on admission and on discharge. We enrolled 477 patients with an average age of 1.6 years. Demographic factors associated with testing negative for malaria included regular bed net use and prior treatment for malaria. The most common presenting symptoms of severe malaria in this population were headache and seizures. Of 246 patients admitted and treated for severe malaria, 33% tested negative by rapid diagnostic test and blood smear for malaria. The case fatality rate was higher for the patients who tested negative for malaria (4.9%) versus those who tested positive (0.6%). Three children who tested negative for malaria showed evidence of undiagnosed Salmonella typhi infection. These results suggest that malaria may be overdiagnosed and that the diagnoses of other infectious diseases, which present in a similar fashion, may be neglected. These findings underscore the need to develop rapid diagnostic tests to screen for alternative causes of febrile illness

Genotype × Environment Interaction: A Prerequisite for Tomato Variety Development

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most important vegetable crop in the world due to its high level of nutrition particularly in vitamins and antioxidants. It is grown in several ecologies of the world due to its adaptability and ease of cultivation. Besides field conditions, tomatoes are grown in controlled environments which range from hydroponics and simple high tunnel structures to highly automated screen houses in advanced countries. However, the yield and quality of the fruits are highly influenced by the environment. This results in unpredictable performances in different growing environments in terms of quality, a phenomenon known as genotype by environment (G × E) interaction which confounds selection efficiency. Various approaches are employed by plant breeders to evaluate and address the challenges posed by genotype by environment interaction. This chapter discusses various field and controlled environments for growing tomatoes and the effect of these environments on the performance of the crop. The various types of genotype × environment interactions and their effect of the tomato plant are discussed. Finally, efforts are made to suggest ways and methods of mitigating the confounding effects of genotype × environment interaction including statistical approaches

Evaluation of dyslipidaemia using an algorithm of lipid profile measures among newly diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus patients: A cross-sectional study at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana

Background and Objectives: Dyslipidaemia and its associated complications have been reported to increase mortality among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, there is a dearth of data on the incidence of dyslipidemia among Ghanaian patients with T2DM. This study evaluated dyslipidemia among newly diagnosed T2DM patients at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a total of 215 participants at the Presbyterian Hospital, Dormaa-Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to collect demographic data. Predisposing factors of dyslipidemia such as BMI, hypertension, and family history of diabetes were also obtained. Lipid profile was performed on the serum obtained from each respondent. Dyslipidaemia was defined as total cholesterol (TC) \u3e200 mg/dL, triglyceride (TG) \u3e150 mg/dL, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) \u3e100 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)/dL in females. Combinations of the individual parameters of dyslipidaemia were further evaluated. Results: Of the total (215) participants, 86 (40%) were males and 129 (60%) were females, representing a ratio of 1:1.5. High total cholesterol was more prevalent in females (69.0%) than males (53.5%). Generally, dyslipidaemia was predominant among those aged \u3e40 years, with the exception of increased LDL-c (25.1%), which was higher among the 20–40 years age group. The male participants exhibited significantly (p \u3c 0.001) higher percentages of all combined measures of dyslipidaemia—such as high TG and reduced HDL-c (77.9%), high TG and elevated LDL-c (75.6%) and high LDL and low HDL (65.1%). BMI was significantly associated with HDL levels (p = 0.02), whereas family history of diabetes was associated with TC (p = 0.004) and TG levels (p = 0.019). Conclusion: Combined dyslipidaemia is relatively high among newly diagnosed T2DM patients in Ghana, and in those \u3e40 years. Gender is significantly associated with combined dyslipidaemia in T2DM, and males may be at a higher risk than females. BMI and family history of diabetes are potential risk factors of dyslipidaemia in T2DM

Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS): A Fast-Track Tool in Tomato Breeding

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is a complementary tool for conventional breeding where a molecular marker linked to a trait is indirectly selected. Many studies conducted have been able to identify and develop markers for traits such as disease and pest resistance and other abiotic stresses. Despite the availability of these markers, the technology has been extensively used in tomato breeding for the identification of some economic traits in particular disease resistance. In developed countries, MAS is utilized routinely in breeding programs, but this cannot be said for developing countries such as Africa. It is high time Africa as a continent looks at the importance of the technology and invests in it. In addition to MAS, other strategies such as marker-assisted backcrossing and recurrent selection have also been employed for breeding in tomato. The use of MAS in crop improvement will not only reduce the cost of developing new tomato varieties but will also increase the precision and efficiency of selection in the breeding program as well as lessen the number of years required to come up with a new crop variety