Does Access and Use OF Financial Service Smoothen Household Food Consumption?

The study relies on Ghana’s Living Standard Measurement Survey to test the hypothesis of no relationship between credit and household food consumption expenditure. We use single stage and pooled least squares given the non-availability of national panel data in Ghana and lack of better instruments in the Living Standard data. While cognisant of the adverse effect of endogeneity we observe that our finding fails to provide enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. This suggests that access to credit does not contribute to the smoothening of household consumption. This observation cuts across different sub-samples based on socio-economic classification. We recommend caution in propagating the ability of credit in smoothening consumption.FINANCE, HOUSEHOLD, CONSUMPTION, INCOME

A re-examination of the exchange rate – interest rate differential relationship in Ghana

This paper revisits the exchange rate and interest rate differential relationship since Ghana adopted the inflation targeting regime. Using macro-data spanning 2002 to 2019 for Ghana and the United States, we show the nonexistence of the relationship in both the short-run and long-run. Further, we show a positive but slow responsiveness of exchange rate to interest rate differential shocks from the short-run to medium term. The long-run result however shows a case of a strong and significant response of exchange rate to interest rate differential shocks. We recommend that the Bank of Ghana address perennial macroeconomic instability, especially on inflation which we conjecture to fuel investment uncertainty and investment insensitivity to interest rate

An LCA of building demolition waste: a comparison of end-of-life carbon emission

Globally, building demolition waste constitutes a considerable environmental problem. The environmental implications are not only associated with volume, but also with carbon embodied in the waste. These adverse environmental impacts associated with the generated waste can be minimised through appropriate waste management strategies. This study proposed a mathematical model from the end-of-life perspective to examine two waste treatment methods. The model was illustrated by a case study of three approved building construction systems by a current UK supermarket referred to as construction methods (CM1), (CM2) and (CM3) to assess the construction system with the least carbon emission. Landfilling and recycling were assumed as waste treatment methods to examine the preferable waste treatment method. Results showed that recycling is the most preferred method of waste treatment method of the supermarket. This was revealed by the amount of demolition waste material recycled (more than 90%) from each of the CM compared to the volume of waste materials landfilled (less than 10%) and the associated carbon emissions. Steel has the highest carbon reduction potential contributing nearly 80% in each case study compared to concrete about 1%. Finally, CM1 has the lowest carbon emission, with both CM2 and CM3 emitting approximately 3% more

Addressing the Severity and Intensity of Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Relevant is the ICT and Financial Development Pathway?

The study examines the effectiveness of financial development, financial access, and ICT diffusion in reducing the severity and intensity of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using data from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators, and the Global Consumption and Income Project (1980–2019), we provide evidence robust to several specifications from the dynamic system GMM and the panel corrected standard errors estimation techniques to show that, compared to financial access, ICT usage, and ICT access, ICT skills is remarkable in reducing both the severity and intensity of poverty. The results further unveil that, though ICT skills reduce the intensity and severity of poverty in SSA, the effect is more pronounced in the presence of enhanced financial development and financial access. Policy recommendations are provided in line with the region’s green growth agenda and the rise in technological hubs of the region

Chemical abundances in Seyfert galaxies : VII. Direct abundance determination of neon based on optical and infrared emission lines

For the first time, neon abundance has been derived in the narrow line region from a sample of Seyfert 2 nuclei. In view of this, we compiled from the literature fluxes of optical and infrared (IR) narrow emission lines for 35 Seyfert 2 nuclei in the local universe (z 0.06). The relative intensities of emission lines were used to derive the ionic and total neon and oxygen abundances through electron temperature estimations (Te-method). For the neon, abundance estimates were obtained by using both Te-method and IR-method. Based on photoionization model results, we found a lower electron temperature [te(Ne iii)] for the gas phase where the Ne2 + is located in comparison with t3 for the O2 + ion. We find that the differences (D) between Ne2 +/H+ ionic abundances calculated from IR-method and Te-method (assuming t3 in the Ne2 +/H+ derivation) are similar to the derivations in star-forming regions (SFs) and they are reduced by a mean factor of ∼3 when te(Ne iii) is considered. We propose a semi-empirical Ionization Correction Factor (ICF) for the neon, based on [Ne II]12.81μm, [Ne III]15.56μm, and oxygen ionic abundance ratios. We find that the average Ne/H abundance for the Seyfert 2s sample is nearly 2 times higher than similar estimate for SFs. Finally, for the very high metallicity regime (i.e. [12 + log(O/H) 8.80]) an increase in Ne/O with O/H is found, which likely indicates secondary stellar production for the neon

Chemical abundances in Seyfert galaxies, VII : direct abundance determination of neon based on optical and infrared emission lines

For the first time, neon abundance has been derived in the narrow line region from a sample of Seyfert 2 nuclei. In view of this, we compiled from the literature fluxes of optical and infrared (IR) narrow emission lines for 35 Seyfert 2 nuclei in the local universe (z ∼ 8.80]) an in- crease in Ne/O with O/H is found, which likely indicates secondary stellar production for the neon.Fil: Armah, Mark. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Dors, Oli L.. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Aydar, C. P.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Cardaci, Monica Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Hägele, Guillermo Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Feltre, Anna. Universidad de Bologna; ItaliaFil: Riffel, R.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Riffel, R. A.. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria; BrasilFil: Krabbe, A. C.. Universidade Do Vale Do Paraíba; Brasi

Oxygen abundances in the narrow line regions of Seyfert galaxies and the metallicity–luminosity relation

We present oxygen abundances relative to hydrogen (O/H) in the narrow line regions (NLRs) gas phases of Seyferts 1 (Sy 1s) and Seyferts 2 (Sy 2s) active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We used fluxes of the optical narrow emission line intensities [3 500 < λ(Å) < 7 000] of 561 Seyfert nuclei in the local Universe ( z 0.31) from the second catalogue and data release (DR2) of the BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey, which focuses on the Swift-BAT hard X-ray ( 10 keV) detected AGNs. We derived O/H from relative intensities of the emission lines via the strong-line methods. We find that the AGN O/H abundances are related to their hosts stellar masses and that they follow a downward redshift evolution. The derived O/H together with the hard X-ray luminosity (LX) were used to study the X-ray luminosity–metallicity (LX–ZNLR) relation for the first time in Seyfert galaxies. In contrast to the broad-line focused (LX–ZBLR) studies, we find that the LX–ZNLR exhibit significant anticorrelations with the Eddington ratio (λEdd) and these correlations vary with redshifts. This result indicates that the low-luminous AGNs are more actively undergoing interstellar medium enrichment through star formation in comparison with the more luminous X-ray sources. Our results suggest that the AGN is somehow driving the galaxy chemical enrichment, as a result of the inflow of pristine gas that is diluting the metal rich gas, together with a recent cessation on the circumnuclear star-formation

Comparative analysis of the whole life carbon of three construction methods of a UK-based supermarket

The built environment has been a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. It, therefore, has a vital role to play in the reduction efforts of future climate change. While the design of buildings may determine future energy use for cooling, heating, and lighting during the operational stage of the building, this study aims to observe the effect of the building design on the operational as well as the whole-life carbon emissions. Past studies have focused on either the operational carbon or the embodied carbon of a building. Using a cradle-to-grave assessment of a typical UK supermarket, this study explores the relationship between embodied carbon and operational carbon. Additionally, it examines the effects of the variables between three approved construction methods of the same design on the whole life of carbon. These methods are a steel structural frame and cladding panel external wall, steel frame and poroton walls, precast concrete and glulam frame and precast concrete walls. The findings of this research will contribute to mitigation strategies for the environmental impacts of supermarket building construction whilst providing a framework for future assessment of the whole-life carbon of supermarket buildings. Practical Application: Employing the life cycle assessment methodology, this paper examines the potential of minimising both embodied and operational carbon by observing the whole life carbon. Highlighting the influence of the GHG emission contributing factors in each stage on each other. Additionally, the recommended methodology for the supermarket building types of this case study, could be adapted for other types of buildings. The findings could also augment carbon emission research and guide the development of supermarket buildings to low carbon intensive. Furthermore, collaboration with the industry in carrying out this research aids in adopting the findings as practical and theoretical guides for engineers and designers in reducing the building sector’s harmful environmental impact