The Effects of Exchange Rate Changes on Trade Balance in Sudan

One of the primary economic objectives of most developing countries is to improve their trade balance. Economists have suggested that trade deficit can be reduced through currency devaluation. This study attempts to determine the effects of devaluation on the trade balance of Sudan and the pass-through effects on Sudan's major export prices by employing Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The results from the study suggest that the elasticities of import demand with respect to the price ratio of imports relative to domestic price and domestic income are high, while that of the real effective exchange rate is low. The elasticities of export demand with respect to price ratio of exports relative to foreign price, foreign income and real effective exchange rate are high. In particular, the export demand for cotton and gum arabic are elastic with respect to the exchange rate and the foreign price. For the trade balance, it is found that the elasticities of trade balance with respect to domestic income, foreign income and real effective exchange rate are all elastic. The sum of the long-run elasticities of demand of exports and imports with respect to their respective prices is greater than one and therefore the Marshall-Lerner condition is satisfied suggesting that devaluation could be a useful policy to improve the balance of payments. The findings of the study also indicate that there is a significant long-run relationship between the real effective exchange rate and trade balance indicating that devaluation could improve the trade balance in the long-run. The results of pass-through of the export prices of cotton is complete suggesting that Sudan is likely to be a price-taker in international market and therefore. devaluation of Sudanese pound will increase the demand for the export of cotton in the long-run. The pass-through for gum arabic is incomplete suggesting that Sudan is likely to be a price-maker in international market and the devaluation of the Sudanese pound may have little impact on the export demand for gum arabic in the long-run

Telemedicine: Blood Pressure Monitoring System for Individual Use through Internet

Hypertension and Hypotension are common diseases in Malaysians and the world at large. If not treated, they predispose the patient to more serious conditions like coronary heart disease and stroke. Regular blood pressure monitoring at home can be helpful in the management of the diseases. Doctors can use the data to evaluate the patient's condition and institute treatment. In this project, an Internet-based Blood Pressure Monitoring System (IBPMS) was developed, as a new application in telemedicine, for monitoring the patient's blood pressure at home. The data is automatically sent to the hospital database via the Internet. This system consisted of both hardware and software. A serial interface card connected to a blood pressure device was designed and tested. The software, which included a graphical display of blood pressure and homepage, was developed. The IBPMS system was designed and tested. The software, Visual Designer, was used to create the system, graphical display and control the operation of the interface card, while Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML) was used to develop the homepage. The complete IBPMS has been designed and experimentally tested with four subjects of ages from 25 to 30 years old. The measurement has been taken under the required room temperature and proper setting. Then these results have been compared with the real readings by using Omron blood pressure monitoring device. The difference is found to be within the range of the standard error. Thus, it can be stated that the developed IBPMS system is a convenient tool to patients for regular blood pressure monitoring at home and an important and useful application to the telemedicine service

The Integration of Structural Knowledge in Studio Design Projects: An Assessment Curriculum in: Architecture Course in SUST

This study is concerned with the effective structures curriculum content in architectural department and the teaching methods that lead to a better integration of architectural concepts with structural solutions for architectural students’ design application. It aims at identifying a better course content and teaching method to improve the students’ design capability to integrate structure principles learned in lecture sessions and architectural design studio, where the principles are being applied. Respondents are B.Sc. (Arch) students from year 1 to year 5 of the academic year 2008/2009 in the Department of Architecture, College of Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology. Descriptive statistic and ANOVA test were employed to attain the stated objectives. The study examined the course content, instruction modes and method of teaching structures subject and investigated the learning outcome with design studio through students’ performance and perception in integrating structural knowledge in their design project. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the design studio coordinators and structure lecturers. The results revealed that 77.8% of respondents faced difficulty in integrating structural knowledge into their design of the project in the studio. Although they found that structure subject interesting but the teaching methods used in its classes did not satisfy their learning needs. Furthermore, the subject content is full of mathematical jargons which relate more to engineers than architects

Potassium silicate for mitigation of irrigation water deficiency for Faba bean intercropped with sugar beet in a sandy soil

A field experiment was carried out at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Ismailia governorate (Lat. 30° 35' 30" N, Long. 32° 14' 50" E, 10 m a.s.l.), Egypt, during 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons to determine the suitable rate of potassium silicate that could mitigate the effect of irrigation water deficiency on productivity of both faba bean and sugar beet under intercropping system. Three irrigation treatments (I1 (120% ETo), I2 (100% ETo) and I3 (80% ETo)) and three rates of sprayed potassium silicate (Si0 unsprayed-control), Si1 (200 ppm) and Si2 (300 ppm)) were used. The results showed the highest intercropped faba bean and sugar beet yields and their components were attained under spraying with Si1 under the three irrigation treatments in both growing seasons. Furthermore, spraying intercropped faba bean and sugar beet with Si1 under I2 and I3 relieved water deficiency and increased the yields, compared to no spraying. The 2-year average values of applied irrigation water to sugar beet intercropping system were 9252, 7730, 6184 m3/ha under I1, I2 and I3, respectively. Using cereal units analysis revealed that the highest values WUE and WP were found under application of I3, namely 0.29 CU/mm and 0.36 CU/mm for WUE and 0.24 CU/mm and 0.25 CU/mm for WP in the first and second seasons, respectively. The highest values of WER were 1.41 and 1.42 obtained from the interaction between irrigation with I2 and spraying with Si1 in the first and second season, respectively. Thus, it could be concluded that to mitigate the effect of irrigation deficiency applied to faba bean intercropped with sugar beet, spraying with 200 ppm of potassium silicate should be applied. Keywords: Deficit irrigation, potassium silicate, Cereal Units analysis, water use efficiency, water productivity, waterequivalent rati

Construction d’un Balanced Scorecard du Centre Hospitalier Régional de Laâyoune au Maroc

Le pilotage de performance revêt une grande importance dans une organisation dans la mesure où cette opération permet de suivre le processus de réalisation des objectifs organisationnels et de mettre en place des actions correctives en conséquence. Considéré comme un outil de pilotage stratégique, le Balanced Scorecard (Tableau de bord prospectif) de Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton permet aux organisations de définir leur vision et de formuler leur stratégie en respectant l’équilibre de quatre perspectives (Finance, Client, Processus internes, Apprentissage / Développement). L’adaptation de ce modèle dans le contexte hospitalier ne cesse d’accroitre vu les avantages dont il procure pour que la structure hospitalière puisse définir sa stratégie et la mettre en œuvre en concertation avec tous les professionnels de santé. Cet article a pour objectif de décrire le processus de construction d’un balanced scorecard au niveau du Centre Hospitalier Régional de Laâyoune au Maroc au travers d’une recherche action dans laquelle ont été impliquées des personnes ressources relevant de cet établissement

Livestock: A Reliable Source of Income Generation and Rehabilitation of Environment at Tharparkar

This paper attempts to identify the farming and growth rate of livestock and demographic conditions helping in its growth and focus is specially to examine: (i) to know the trend of growth of performance of livestock farming; (ii) to promote fencing of farmland and conservation of rangeland for fodder (iii) to find the new topics for further research. Hypothesis given bellow are tested in the light of above objectives: (i). it is hypothysed that livestock farming is reliable source of income generation; (ii). it is also hypothysed that reforming of farmland and rangeland will provide abundant fodder and will prove sustainable source of income generation and rehabilitation of environment. Two alternatives hypothesis are also set: (i). livestock farming is not reliable source of income generation, if properly managed too. (ii) reforming of farmland and rangeland will not provide abundant fodder and will prove sustainable source of income generation and rehabilitation of environment. The study reveals that the important component of agriculture sector is livestock and is an insurance against harvest failures and a source of easily cashable investment capital. It has more than 22 percentage of share of whole province’s livestock. Agriculture dependent families are 81 percent and 92 percent families have opinion that livestock is the only first level sustainable source of livelihood in Tharparkar and needs more attention of researchers to evaluate it.Livestock, Trends, Comparison, Tharparkar, Growth rate, Rehabilitation, Reforming