Fluoride in groundwater and its implications in west Gonja District of Ghana

Fluoride levels in groundwater may cause either enamel fluorosis or dental caries depending on their concentrations when consumed. Research has shown that an estimated 60 % of the total intake of fluoride is through drinking water (Selwitz et al, 2007). Boreholes sunk in the West Gonja district had their groundwater analyzed for fluoride. Using World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of (0.5-1. 5 mg/l) as basis, result revealed that concentration deviates from standard set by WHO. Test boreholes drilled in the communities showed three broad categorisations of fluoride levels in the groundwater as

Statistical Evaluation of Geochemical Au Sample Quality

Exploration and mining activities are based on anomalous occurrence of minerals. The basic concept governing this high risk venture is ‘no ore, no mining’. Hence, the quality of anomalous sample or its accurate determination is of great concern to exploration and mining operations. Regarding erratic mineralisation such as gold (Au), anomalous pattern of no significance whatsoever may appear in geochemical sample data as a result of poor sampling, improper sample handling or error in analytical techniques among other causes. To prevent the frequency of these occurrences, quality control checks coupled with classical statistical probe can form an integral part of the checklist to eliminate these errors. Although duplicate results have often accompanied original Au assays in most analytical reports submitted by laboratories, it is not immediately known upon what b asis the results need to be accepted or rejected. Often, some geologists accept results upon quick sight comparison. A total of three hundred and ninety (390) geochemical soil samples from the Sefwi-Bibiani belt of Ghana together with some blanks and standards were subjected to statistical analysis after following rigorous quality control sampling protocols. The statistical models employed include outlier test, distribution and correlation analysis. The original and duplicate samples were then statistically compared using simple nested One –Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the Chi Square Test and the Student’s t –Test.The ANOVA and the t–Tests revealed no significant analytical error. However, the other tests indicated multimodality of the populations as well as batch effect which culminates into significant procedural error. The investigation concludes that these systematic procedural errors if unchecked could mask true geochemical distribution

Death Rituals in the New Diaspora: Funerals in the Lives of Ghanaians in South Florida

This thesis addresses the lack of attention to practices that take place in settings not considered primarily religious, such as life-cycle rituals in the growing body of literature on religious practices of recently emerging African diaspora communities in the West. It argues that these practices are not only filters for indigenous African religious beliefs but also furnish for African migrants contexts that perform functions similar to those performed by the formal African diaspora religious institutions. Using ethnography, the study investigated the role of death rituals in the lives of Ghanaian members of the United Ghanaians Association of South Florida. The findings show that funerals organized in South Florida for relatives of members of the Association enable this trans-migrant community to participate in the lives of their relatives in Ghana. Funerals also furnish for these migrants contexts for performing aspects of their culture helping to cultivate a shared sense of being together or identity, in the process. The study suggests that to understand the full dynamics of African migrant religious experience, a respectful attention must be paid to all the rites of passage that African migrants perform in the West, not only those within formal religious institutions

Synthesis and microstructural characterization of kaolin-polyethylene composites

In this article, the preparation and characterization of kaolin/polyethylene composites are presented. Microstructural characteristics of six different kaolin–polyethylene composites with varying percentage compositions of kaolin and polymer were produced using a modified melt compounding approach, was explored. The characterization methods employed are scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance mid Infrared (ATR-MIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), compressive, flexural strengths and impact resistance analysis. The implications of the results are discussed for the design of kaolin/polymer composites for constructional purposes.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1548-0569hb201

Understanding active school travel through the Behavioural Ecological Model

Active school travel (AST) is an important source of physical activity for children and a conceptual understanding of AST is necessary to inform promotion efforts. The aim of this article is to provide a conceptual analysis of AST. All currently identified AST formulations include intra-individual variables which are often recommended as intervention targets. However, existing literature lacks clarity on precisely how these intra-individual variables might shape specific AST interventions. Moreover, evaluative studies of AST interventions typically fail to specify an underpinning theory or model. To address this limitation, the Behavioural Ecological Model (BEM), not previously addressed in AST, is presented to guide this area of research. Based on specific examples, we draw attention to the role of potential antecedents and potential reinforcers of AST, as well as potential reinforcers of motorised travel. Antecedents and reinforcers may help to explain choices of school travel mode, and to inform and increase intervention options to promote AST. Consistent with the BEM, the provision of more immediate consequences, such as fun and material prizes, is an evidence-based strategy for increasing AST which is likely to be low-cost and easier to deliver than alternative interventions. This approach to the study of AST is expected to contribute to similar analyses in this and other areas of behaviour change research, and to a more useful discussion and treatment of theoretical and conceptual behavioural models

Indian community health insurance schemes provide partial protection against catastrophic health expenditure

BACKGROUND: More than 72% of health expenditure in India is financed by individual households at the time of illness through out-of-pocket payments. This is a highly regressive way of financing health care and sometimes leads to impoverishment. Health insurance is recommended as a measure to protect households from such catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). We studied two Indian community health insurance (CHI) schemes, ACCORD and SEWA, to determine whether insured households are protected from CHE. METHODS: ACCORD provides health insurance cover for the indigenous population, living in Gudalur, Tamil Nadu. SEWA provides insurance cover for self employed women in the state of Gujarat. Both cover hospitalisation expenses, but only upto a maximum limit of US$23 and US$45, respectively. We reviewed the insurance claims registers in both schemes and identified patients who were hospitalised during the period 01/04/2003 to 31/03/2004. Details of their diagnoses, places and costs of treatment and self-reported annual incomes were obtained. There is no single definition of CHE and none of these have been validated. For this research, we used the following definition; "annual hospital expenditure greater than 10% of annual income," to identify those who experienced CHE. RESULTS: There were a total of 683 and 3152 hospital admissions at ACCORD and SEWA, respectively. In the absence of the CHI scheme, all of the patients at ACCORD and SEWA would have had to pay OOP for their hospitalisation. With the CHI scheme, 67% and 34% of patients did not have to make any out-of-pocket (OOP) payment for their hospital expenses at ACCORD and SEWA, respectively. Both CHI schemes halved the number of households that would have experienced CHE by covering hospital costs. However, despite this, 4% and 23% of households with admissions still experienced CHE at ACCORD and SEWA, respectively. This was related to the following conditions: low annual income, benefit packages with low maximum limits, exclusion of some conditions from the benefit package, and use of the private sector for admissions. CONCLUSION: CHI appears to be effective at halving the incidence of CHE among hospitalised patients. This protection could be further enhanced by improving the design of the CHI schemes, especially by increasing the upper limits of benefit packages, minimising exclusions and controlling costs

Understanding the Interplay Among Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Moral Disengagement, and Academic Cheating Behaviour During Vocational Education: A Three-Wave Study

The literature has suggested that to understand the diffusion of unethical conduct in the workplace, it is important to investigate the underlying processes sustaining engagement in misbehaviour and to study what occurs during vocational education. Drawing on social-cognitive theory, in this study, we longitudinally examined the role of two opposite dimensions of the self-regulatory moral system, regulatory self-efficacy and moral disengagement, in influencing academic cheating behaviour. In addition, in line with the theories highlighting the bidirectional relationship between cognitive processes and behaviour, we aimed to also examine the reciprocal influence of behaviour on these dimensions over time. Overall, no previous studies have examined the longitudinal interplay between these variables. The sample included 866 (62.8% female) nursing students who were assessed three times annually from the beginning of their vocational education. The findings from a cross-lagged model confirmed that regulatory self-efficacy and moral disengagement have opposite influences on cheating behaviour, that regulatory self-efficacy negatively influences not only the engagement in misconduct but also the justification mechanisms that allow the divorce between moral standards and action, and that moral disengagement and cheating behaviour reciprocally support each other over time. Specifically, not only did moral disengagement influence cheating behaviour even when controlling for its prior levels, but also cheating behaviour affected moral disengagement one year later, controlling for its prior levels. These findings suggest that recourse to wrongdoing could gradually lead to further normalising this kind of behaviour and morally desensitising individuals to misconduct

The Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH): building for the future.

The challenges of sustainable development are ever more pressing, and the skills, interests and capabilities of the SEGH member are well-placed to continue to make more meaningful contributions to the environment, society and well-being. We reflect on the historical development of the society, its response to the dynamic international research landscape and the great opportunities ahead. In 2018, SEGH implemented a new board structure after 2–3 years of consultation, with approval of a new constitution and a new strategy across the large number of international board members. While regions were represented by sections in Europe, Asia/Pacific and the USA, the structure required renewal in order to be more representative of the distribution of members and website traffic that had evolved in preceding years. In addition, the society wanted to improve its position for future growth opportunities across rapidly developing regions