Narrowing the wealth and income gap in Poland, China, and the United States

With the widespread of globalization, the wealth gap continues to widen globally. Due to the enormous differences in national conditions and political systems of various countries, this article selects China, the United States, and Poland as the research objects, and uses a specific time unit as the benchmark, and mainly focuses on the four directions of medical care, education, job opportunities, and pensions. A reader could understand the correlation between the wealth gap and multiple factors deeply in this article. This article analyzes the impact of income disparity on these three countries and proposes solutions to help narrow the gap between the rich and poor in these three countries

Water quality of fresh water bodies in the lower Volta Basin: A case study of lakes Kasu and Nyafie

The study was carried out on water from lakes Kasu and Nyafie, two of the fresh water bodies situated near Asutsuare, an agricultural town in the lower Volta basin of Ghana to determine the level of water quality  parameters. To be able to this, water samples were taken from designated points in both lakes. Sampling was done over a period of seven months (January to July) and the determination of the water quality parameters was carried out using GEMS Water Operational Guide as well as APHA’s Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater. The parameters measured were; temperature, pH, dissolve oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, turbidity, suspended solids, dissolved solids and total solids. Others were nutrients and ions such as; nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, chlorides, sodium and potassium. The rest came under hardness of water, such as calcium, magnesium and total hardness. Though most of the values of the parameters fall within the acceptable limits of WHO values for potable water, turbidity values i.e. 68.0 NTU (Kasu) and 25.2 NTU (Nyafie) as well as BOD values of 73.8 mg/L for Kasu and 49.7 mg/L for Nyafie, were far beyond the WHO guideline limits (5 NTU – turbidity and < 3 mg/L – BOD) for drinking water, thereby reducing the potability,  recreational and aesthetic values of the water in these lakes. Also, despite the fact that the mean DO values for the lakes (5.4 mg/L for Nyafie and 7.0 mg/L for Kasu) fall short of the WHO minimum value of 8.0 mg/L, the lakes cannot be said to be polluted to signal the unset of eutrophication.Keywords: water quality parameters, runoff water, fresh water bodie

Extraction and Determination of Phthalates Content in Polyethylene Food Contact Materials on the Ghanaian Market

The use of polyethylene food packages in the food industry in Ghana as opposed to the traditional forms of packages is increasing with different designs and compositions. These materials contain compounds such as phthalates which have the tendency to leach into food during storage or processing. Phthalates are widely used in industry as plasticizers in everyday products like personal care products and food packages. These compounds, however, can be present in high concentrations in some materials.  Thus, the determination of phthalates in polyethylene food contact materials was investigated using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Five different polyethylene food contact materials were purchased from markets within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly domain. These were soxhlet extracted and identified by a GC-MS instrument. Four phthalates at varying concentrations were detected in the five categories of the polyethylene food contact materials analysed. Benzyl Butyl phthalate (BBP) was detected in only one out of the 25 samples analysed with a concentration of 1.43mg/kg. Dibutyl phthalates (DBP) was detected in all samples analysed ranging from 3.59mg/kg to 15.45mg/kg. Diethyl phthalates (DEP) was detected in trace amounts ranging from not detected to 5.32mg/kg. Di 2-(Ethyl Hexyl) phthalates (DEHP) which is one of the common and most widely phthalates detected in food contact materials was detected in large amounts ranging from not detected to 14.30mg/kg. In conclusion, all the four phthalates under investigation were detected in the selected polyethylene food contact materials. Keywords: Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Contact Materials, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Leaching, Soxhle

Noise Pollution in Teshie-Nungua Schools

Schools located in the Teshie-Nungua area a suburb of Accra, have their background noise levels above 55 dB, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended noise level in educational facility. A maximum noise level (Lmax) value of 95.8 dB and a minimum noise level (Lmin) value of 51.6 dB were recorded. In this paper, a Quest Technologies 210 Model sound level meter equipped with a microphone had been used to measure noise levels in schools around the Teshie-Nungua area. It has been shown that about 90 % of the measured schools presented equivalent noise levels (Leq) above 72.5 dB. Pupils were exposed to a high noise pollution level (LNP) value of 95.8 dB and the day and night noise levels (Ldn) in and around the target schools were all above 72 dB. About 98% of schools in the Teshie-Nungua area do not have acoustic materials to minimize noise levels has been established. It was observed that schools in the study area are located in mixed commercial and semi-commercial areas. Nearly 80 % of survey respondents ranked Constant Traffic as number one source of noise. These measured noise levels have the potential to adversely affect the hearing of the pupils in these schools if the required sound proof mechanism is not put in place. Keywords: Equivalent noise level, Noise level, Noise pollution, Teshie-Nungua

Migration of Inorganic Antimony into Polyethylene Terephthalate Bottled Water Marketed in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

The migration of inorganic antimony from polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles into waters stored in them was investigated using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Six popular brands of bottled water marketed in the greater Accra region of Ghana were used. These were held under various storage conditions and their dissolved Sb monitored over a period. In addition, the Sb in the plastic containers and some physicochemical properties of the waters were determined. The determined Sb in the plastic containers revealed amounts ranging from 123.46 to 146.45mg/kg. The determined physicochemical properties were pH (6.78-7.43); Ca2+ (1.61-12.39mg/L); Mg2+ (1.00-4.96mg/L); HCO3− (6.18-55.41mg/L); and total dissolved solids (8.70-70.40mg/L). Differences in the residual amounts of Sb showed dissimilarities existed in the quality of the plastics used in packaging. The physicochemical properties were seen to have no effect on migration. Sb levels in the water stored in the plastic containers were observed to increase with time under all the storage conditions for all the brands of plastic bottled water. The plastic bottled waters were, however, found not to have Sb exceeding the world health organisation maximum contaminant level within the period taking into consideration the specified limited time of expiry. Keywords: Migration; physicochemical properties; plastic bottles; spectrophotometry; storage conditions

Assessing the Relationship between Socioeconomic Conditions and Urban Environmental Quality in Accra, Ghana

The influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on health inequalities is widely known, but there is still poor understanding of the precise relationship between area-based socioeconomic conditions and neighborhood environmental quality. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic conditions which predict urban neighbourhood environmental quality. The results showed wide variation in levels of association between the socioeconomic variables and environmental conditions, with strong evidence of a real difference in environmental quality across the five socioeconomic classes with respect to total waste generation (p < 0.001), waste collection rate (p < 0.001), sewer disposal rate (p < 0.001), non-sewer disposal (p < 0.003), the proportion of households using public toilets (p = 0.005). Socioeconomic conditions are therefore important drivers of change in environmental quality and urban environmental interventions aimed at infectious disease prevention and control if they should be effective could benefit from simultaneous implementation with other social interventions

A study of autopsy procedures in Ghana: Implications for the use of autopsy data in epidemiological analyses

Fobil JN, Kumoji R, Armah HB, et al. A study of autopsy procedures in Ghana: Implications for the use of autopsy data in epidemiological analyses. Journal of Public Health in Africa. 2011;2(1):e7.The study of cause of death certification remains a largely neglected field in many developing countries, including Ghana. Yet, mortality information is crucial for establishing mortality patterns over time and for estimating mortality attributed to specific causes. In Ghana, in deaths occurring in homes and those occurring within 48 hours after admission into health facilities, autopsies remain the appropriate option for determining the cause of death. Although these organ-based autopsies may generate convincing results and are considered the ‘gold standard’ tools for ascertainments of causes of death, procedural and practical constraints could limit the extent to which autopsy results can be accepted and/or trusted. The objective of our study was to identify and characterise the procedural and practical constraints as well as to assess their potential effects on autopsy outcomes in Ghana. We interviewed 10 Ghanaian pathologists and collected and evaluated procedural manuals and operational procedures for the conduct of autopsies. A characterisation of the operational constraints and the Delphi analysis of their potential influence on the quality of mortality data led to a quantification of the validity threats as moderate (average expert panel score = 1) in the generality of the autopsy operations in Ghana. On the basis of the impressions of the expert panel, it was concluded that mortality data generated from autopsies in urban settings in Ghana were of sufficiently high quality to guarantee valid use in health analysis

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: Many patients with COVID-19 have been treated with plasma containing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]) is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 177 NHS hospitals from across the UK. Eligible and consenting patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either usual care alone (usual care group) or usual care plus high-titre convalescent plasma (convalescent plasma group). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936. Findings: Between May 28, 2020, and Jan 15, 2021, 11558 (71%) of 16287 patients enrolled in RECOVERY were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1399 (24%) of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1408 (24%) of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days (rate ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·93–1·07; p=0·95). The 28-day mortality rate ratio was similar in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including in those patients without detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at randomisation. Allocation to convalescent plasma had no significant effect on the proportion of patients discharged from hospital within 28 days (3832 [66%] patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 3822 [66%] patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·94–1·03; p=0·57). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients meeting the composite endpoint of progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death (1568 [29%] of 5493 patients in the convalescent plasma group vs 1568 [29%] of 5448 patients in the usual care group; rate ratio 0·99, 95% CI 0·93–1·05; p=0·79). Interpretation: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, high-titre convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab in adult patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 with both hypoxia and systemic inflammation. Methods: This randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy [RECOVERY]), is assessing several possible treatments in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the UK. Those trial participants with hypoxia (oxygen saturation &lt;92% on air or requiring oxygen therapy) and evidence of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein ≥75 mg/L) were eligible for random assignment in a 1:1 ratio to usual standard of care alone versus usual standard of care plus tocilizumab at a dose of 400 mg–800 mg (depending on weight) given intravenously. A second dose could be given 12–24 h later if the patient's condition had not improved. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered with ISRCTN (50189673) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04381936). Findings: Between April 23, 2020, and Jan 24, 2021, 4116 adults of 21 550 patients enrolled into the RECOVERY trial were included in the assessment of tocilizumab, including 3385 (82%) patients receiving systemic corticosteroids. Overall, 621 (31%) of the 2022 patients allocated tocilizumab and 729 (35%) of the 2094 patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days (rate ratio 0·85; 95% CI 0·76–0·94; p=0·0028). Consistent results were seen in all prespecified subgroups of patients, including those receiving systemic corticosteroids. Patients allocated to tocilizumab were more likely to be discharged from hospital within 28 days (57% vs 50%; rate ratio 1·22; 1·12–1·33; p&lt;0·0001). Among those not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, patients allocated tocilizumab were less likely to reach the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilation or death (35% vs 42%; risk ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·77–0·92; p&lt;0·0001). Interpretation: In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council) and National Institute of Health Research

AVELUTION - När framtidsutveckling blir affärsutveckling. Affärsutveckling baserat på de nyttor ett varumärke genererar

Business development is to bring forth the entire company and through effective, market renewal processes to create sustainable profitability.1 This might be difficult, especially for smaller companies who lack the experience and also tools to make correct forecast.2 The purpose of my thesis is to investigate and explain how a small business can remain flexible and create products in new markets by making the brand appealing and credible. In my thesis I have investigated how a company can extract benefit from its brand and identify the benefits which are the most unattended in a new market. By doing so, the company can systematically develop concepts for new business opportunities. I hope that my thesis may provide tools and ease business development process for smaller businesses. The purpous of my thesis I have studied theories of business development, brand and brand extension. In these theories I have used existing methods and I have created my own methods of business development. Through this thesis I have worked with Avelution AB (a small that produce products for recovery and comfort). I tested the theory and methods with Avelution which has resulted in a business development strategy as well as two concepts that show how Avelution in the future might develop its business based on the benefits Avelution and its products create