Factors Influencing Child Health at the Periphery of the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

The paper examined some of the factors that influence child health at peripheral settlements of the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. The simple random technique, supported by purposive procedure, was used to select 240 women whose children were above 2 years but less than 5. Formal interview was the main data collection instrument, whilst linear regression, alongside crosstabulation, was the main analytical tool. Results showed that the principal determinants of child health, in the metropolis were mother's education, household income and exclusive breastfeeding (nutrition). Besides, the use of insecticide bed-nets has been established as having a positive impact on child health. Among the recommendations to improve child health in the locality are the adoption of an integrated approach by appropriate government Ministries and institutions to lift women from the buck of ignorance and poverty through the functional literacy and income generation programmes, whilst steps should be taken to ensure effective formal education of the girl-child. It is recommended that a survey on the impact of childhood immunisation on child health, using a larger sample size, be carried out. A schematic model of the determinants of child health has emerged. This survey has an additional merit of deviating from the normal bivariate and purely descriptive approaches to the use of the multivariate model which evaluates the impact of independent variables. Keywords: child health, urban periphery, women's schooling, exclusive breastfeeding Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 28 (1) 2008 pp. 35-4

Applying system dynamics modelling to building resilient logistics : a case of the Humber Ports Complex

This research employs system dynamics modelling to analyse the structural behaviour of the interactions between Disaster Preparedness, Environment Instability, and Resilience in maritime logistics chain as a response to policy change, or strategic risk management interventions, at ports on the Humber Estuary.Port authorities, logistics operators, agencies, transporters, and researchers have revealed that disasters lead to interruptions in free flow of supply chains, and has the potential to disrupt the overall performance of a logistics chain. There is strong evidence about the rise in frequency, magnitude, and disruption potentials of catastrophic events in recent times (e.g. 9/11 attack, the Japanese earthquake/Tsunami and the aftermath nuclear disaster, Hurricanes Katrina and Haiyan, Super Storm Sandy, and many more). However, it appears that risk managers are not able to anticipate the outcomes of risk management decisions, and how those strategic interventions can affect the future of the logistics chain. Management appears to misjudge (or miscalculate) risks, perhaps due to the assumed complexity, the unpredictability of associated disruptions, and sometimes due to individual managerial approach to risk management. The uncertainties and states assumed notwithstanding, investors and regulators have become increasingly intolerant for risk mismanagement. Shipowners and port authorities tend to managing cost instead of managing risk. Hence they appear to invest little time and fewer resources in managing disruptions in their logistics chains even though they seem to frequently conduct risk assessments. We suggest that disaster preparedness that leads to resilience in maritime logistics chain is the best alternative to preventing or reducing the impacts of disruptions from catastrophes.We aim at improving current level of understanding the sources of disruptions in port/maritime logistics system through analysing the interdependencies between key variables. The dynamic models from this research have revealed that there is strong influence relationships (interdependencies) between Disaster Preparedness, Environment Instability, and Resilience. We found that potential sources of disruptions along the spokes of maritime logistics system can be port physics related, however the subtle triggering factors appear to be port size related. We also found that policy interventions geared towards risk management have the potential to produce unintended consequences basically due to unacknowledged conditions. Thus the relevance of the research and the SD models was to provide strategic policy makers with real-time decision evaluation tool that can provide justification for acceptance or rejection of a risk management intervention prior to decision implementation

Viral ultrastructure and sequencing of the P gene of the porcine paramyxo-like virus, ISU-92

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/4095015

Women in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in the Adansi North District, Ghana

In recent times issues concerning women involvement in small-scale economic activities and reasons for their participation have become topical In most cases women are regarded as weaker organisms and therefore not capable of partaking in activities that require more energy to undertake This paper examines the role of women in the artisanal and smallscale mining and how the activity has improved their living conditions The study was underpinned by the sustainable livelihood framework and employed the qualitative research approach in drawing data from a sample of twenty female miners randomly chosen from four mine sites which were selected purposively Besides some family members of the female miners officers from the mining companies and an official each from the District Assembly and Minerals Commission were sampled for the qualitative surve

Scenario analysis and disaster preparedness for port and maritime logistics risk management

System Dynamics (SD) modelling is used to investigate the impacts of policy interventions on industry actors’ preparedness to mitigate risks and to recover from disruptions along the maritime logistics and supply chain network. The model suggests a bi-directional relation between regulation and industry actors’ behaviour towards Disaster Preparedness (DP) in maritime logistics networks. The model also showed that the level of DP is highly contingent on forecast accuracy, technology change, attitude to risk prevention, port activities, and port environment

Geo-spatial analysis of land use and land cover changes in the Lake Bosomtwe Basin of Ghana

This paper examines forest degradation and biodiversity loss in the Lake Bosomtwe Basin of Ghana between 1986 and 2008 from a geospatial perspective. The study was conducted using an integrated approach with Remote Sensing and GIS techniques, and supported with socioeconomic data for forest cover change detection and biodiversity loss. A supervised per-pixel classification approach using a maximum likelihood algorithm was employed to generate land cover maps from Landsat Thematic Mappers of 1986 and 2002, as well as ETM+ of 2008 imagery. Statistical analyses of the land cover classifications indicate that forest cover around the basin has experienced remarkable loss in the past 22 years. Specifically, between 1986 and 2008, the basin lost 18.0% of the total forest cover as a result of anthropogenic activities. Land cover changes were mainly caused by extensive farming and building, with increases of 16224.5ha and 7139.3ha respectively. The paper concludes that the current state of forest cover and biodiversity loss in the basin results from human activities underpinned by complex interaction of socio-economic, institutional and technological processes at multiple scales. This provides a snapshot of the real situation of forest degradation and biodiversity loss in Ghana. Conservation efforts need to be in harmony with short- and long-term interests of the local communities and investors in the tourism and hospitality industry in order to reduce the environmental problems in the Lake Basin.Keywords: Deforestation; forest degradation; land use; land cover; environmental sustainability; Lake Bosomtwe basi

Black entrepreneurship in the U.S.: an historical appraisal, contemporary problems and future prospects (a study in demand for entrepreneurship).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. Thesis. 1971. Ph.D.Vita.Bibliography: leaves 343-362.Ph.D

Effective Communication for Disaster Management and Livelihood Vulnerability Options: A Systematic Review

This paper presents a systematic review of relevant secondary materials on effective communication for disaster management. The paper undertook a copious review of secondary information on the concept of disaster risk communication and its ramifications on livelihood vulnerability, obtained from Google and other search engines data bases. Using the risk perception and planned behaviour theories, we espoused that the drivers of disasters and associated risks can be categorized into anthropogenic (human) and geogenic (natural) in nature. The discourse also revealed that individual’s ability to secure sustainable livelihood, determines their affinity to devote some time and resources towards the compliance of disaster risk information communicated. Since some of the measures of protecting investments and livelihoods could be capital intensive, respondents would, usually want to be gainful in their occupations, or upgrading in their existing jobs, before they could develop the resilient capabilities for disaster management. It can therefore be deduced that people’s vulnerability to risk is influenced largely by both gender and livelihood strategies. A stakeholder integration of efforts, based on the utility of the two theories espoused, should be the guiding framework in generating and disseminating risk communication among disaster risk stake-actors, in their scheme of affairs. Keywords: effective communication, disaster, vulnerability, risk, and livelihood DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-10-04 Publication date:October 31st 202