Exchange rate fluctuations and manufacturing output: Stylized evidence in Nigeria

One of the key engines of growth in many countries is the manufacturing sector, whose performance is impacted by the movement of the local currency. The manufacturing sector also offers opportunities like increased commerce, innovation, competitiveness, increasing exports, and productivity, which will only be possible when exchange rate is in the form of currency appreciation. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on Nigerian manufacturing output. The Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity technique was used in the study in order to examine the exchange rate oscillations. The result of the model estimation revealed that there is no persistence of shocks in the volatility of the exchange rate in the Nigerian economy. The business cycle stylized facts were also used to examine exchange rate volatility and the result established that exchange rate is highly volatile and has a negative effect on manufacturing output in Nigeria. The Auto Regressive Distributed Lag Bounds test was used to establish the long-run relationship and the result showed that there is a long-run relationship between exchange rate and manufacturing output. The variance decomposition and Impulse Response function were employed and the resul

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Access to Healthcare through Renewable Energy on Female Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria

In low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, agriculture is a vital component of development and poverty reduction. The native population of Nigeria suffers a slew of challenges that stymie agricultural productivity. One aspect is the low level of female agricultural productivity, which is likewise dependent on other factors. The present level of agricultural output in the Nigerian economy in line with the level of demand necessary to meet the desired expectation of the Nigerian populace will continually pose a threat to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially, SDG-2 (achieve food security through agricultural productivity). This reflects the possible relationship that renewable energy especially in the area of healthcare can have on female agricultural productivity, as considered in this study, which can be a major component of the total agricultural productivity of the Nigerian economy. Therefore, an improvement in female access to healthcare through the input of renewable energy is a possible determinant for an increase in total female agricultural productivity. Using wave 4 (2018/2019) of the Living Standard Measurement Studies, Integrated Survey on Agriculture, the impact of female access to healthcare on female agricultural output in Nigeria was investigated in this study (LSMS-ISA). In addition to other tactics, the study employs the propensity score matching technique for the other specified aims. The estimation result reveals that in Nigeria, there is a significant and positive association between female healthcare access made possible by renewable energy provision and female agricultural productio

Male and Female Employment in Agriculture and Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria

The contribution of women to labour in African agriculture is quoted regularly in the range of 60–80%. Using available statistical data, to compare the level of employment and productivity of both male and female on an individual basis, and consequently proffer ways of improve that with a lower turn-out is the one major aim of the study. The contribution of females in the agricultural sector is substantially lower in Nigeria (37%), and some other developing countries. In order to get appropriate estimation of the model, the Augmented Dicky-Fuller and the Phillips-Perron test are used to check the variables level of stationarity. This also helps to explain the existing relationship between and among the following variable: employment in agriculture, male, employment in agriculture, female, trade and inflation. The result informs the need to enhance the employment of female in the Nigerian economy for higher agricultural productivity. Therefore the study suggests that policies geared towards female empowerment in agriculture and services alongside other concerned sectors should be promoted

Biopsychosocial Response to the COVID-19 Lockdown in People with Major Depressive Disorder and Multiple Sclerosis

Changes in lifestyle, finances and work status during COVID-19 lockdownsmay have led to biopsychosocial changes in people with pre-existing vulnerabilities such as MajorDepressive Disorders (MDDs) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Methods: Data were collected as a part the RADAR-CNS (Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse-Central Nervous System) program.We analyzed the following data from long-term participants in a decentralized multinational study:J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 7163. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11237163 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jcm J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 7163 2 of 20 symptoms of depression, heart rate (HR) during the day and night; social activity; sedentary state,steps and physical activity of varying intensity. Linear mixed-effects regression analyses with repeated measures were fitted to assess the changes among three time periods (pre, during and post-lockdown) across the groups, adjusting for depression severity before the pandemic and gender. Results: Participants with MDDs (N = 255) and MS (N = 214) were included in the analyses. Overall,depressive symptoms remained stable across the three periods in both groups. A lower mean HR and HR variation were observed between pre and during lockdown during the day for MDDs and during the night for MS. HR variation during rest periods also decreased between pre- and post-lockdown in both clinical conditions. We observed a reduction in physical activity for MDDs and MS upon the introduction of lockdowns. The group with MDDs exhibited a net increase in social interaction via social network apps over the three periods. Conclusions: Behavioral responses to the lockdown measured by social activity, physical activity and HR may reflect changes in stress in people with MDDs and MS. Remote technology monitoring might promptly activate an early warning of physical and social alterations in these stressful situations. Future studies must explore how stress does or does not impact depression severit

Biopsychosocial Response to the COVID-19 Lockdown in People with Major Depressive Disorder and Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Changes in lifestyle, finances and work status during COVID-19 lockdowns may have led to biopsychosocial changes in people with pre-existing vulnerabilities such as Major Depressive Disorders (MDDs) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Methods: Data were collected as a part of the RADAR-CNS (Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse—Central Nervous System) program. We analyzed the following data from long-term participants in a decentralized multinational study: symptoms of depression, heart rate (HR) during the day and night; social activity; sedentary state, steps and physical activity of varying intensity. Linear mixed-effects regression analyses with repeated measures were fitted to assess the changes among three time periods (pre, during and post-lockdown) across the groups, adjusting for depression severity before the pandemic and gender. Results: Participants with MDDs (N = 255) and MS (N = 214) were included in the analyses. Overall, depressive symptoms remained stable across the three periods in both groups. A lower mean HR and HR variation were observed between pre and during lockdown during the day for MDDs and during the night for MS. HR variation during rest periods also decreased between pre- and post-lockdown in both clinical conditions. We observed a reduction in physical activity for MDDs and MS upon the introduction of lockdowns. The group with MDDs exhibited a net increase in social interaction via social network apps over the three periods. Conclusions: Behavioral responses to the lockdown measured by social activity, physical activity and HR may reflect changes in stress in people with MDDs and MS. Remote technology monitoring might promptly activate an early warning of physical and social alterations in these stressful situations. Future studies must explore how stress does or does not impact depression severity