Analysing the Factors Influencing Employee Loyalty in the Hotel Industry in Takoradi, Ghana

This study seeks to analyze factors influencing employee loyalty in the hotel industry in the Takoradi municipality, Ghana. The study seeks to identify the benefits of employee loyalty, determine the factors and strategies employed by management of the hotels to boost employee’s loyalty. This study adopted a combination of both descriptive and exploratory research designs which allowed detailed description and analysis of the variables under study. Characteristics of variables are described and presented and their relationships are explained without manipulation. The study employed a stratified sample of 80 out of target population of 140 employees in six hotels within the Takoradi Municipality, Ghana. The study covered all categories of employees; managers, supervisors, clerks, waiters, cooks and cleaners and achieved a response rate of 85.34%. The results of the study revealed that providing assurances to employees, encouraging employees to have a “voice”, in the decision making process, fair treatment, team work, training and compensation policies were identified as the main strategies that the hotels must incorporate into a commitment-based approach. It was also observed that empowerment and involvement of employees in work gives employee’s a feeling of belongingness and recognition and makes them happy with their job. Keywords: Descriptive-exploratory, employee loyalty, hotel industry, Takoradi

Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe Nanocrystalline Thin Film by Chemical Bath Deposition Technique

A well adherent nanocrystalline thin film of cadmium selenide (CdSe) has been successfully deposited from chemical bath containing cadmium acetate, tartaric acid, ammonia and sodium selenosulphate, at a bath temperature of 85 0C and a pH of 9.5. The films were characterized using a variety of techniques. Powder X-ray diffraction revealed a cubic phase of CdSe nanocrystalline thin film with preferred orientation along the (111) plane. The SEM micrographs showed the film surface was composed of spherically shaped grains over the entire glass substrate. The elemental composition of the thin film was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The optical band gap energy was found to be 1.86 eV

Assessing the Life Insurance Industry in Ghana

Insurance has a crucial role to play in every economy. In Ghana, there have been a number of disasters resulting in loss of life and property. This paper attempts to assess the life insurance industry in Ghana through a sample of 330 customers of life insurance companies operating in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study revealed that life insurance companies find it difficult to settle claim payment and subject customers to long processing period while some settlement end up in court. 70% of the customers do not received feedback after lodging complains. These insurance companies however collect their premium promptly. Keywords: insurance, effectiveness, satisfaction, claim, premiu

Antimicrobial Agents: Antibacterial Agents, Anti-biofilm Agents, Antibacterial Natural Compounds, and Antibacterial Chemicals

The surge in antimicrobial resistance coupled with the decline in the antimicrobial drug pipeline calls for the discovery and development of new agents to tackle antibiotic resistance and prevent a return to a post-antibiotic era. Several factors account for resistance of microbes; some are natural and others are acquired. Natural selection, presence of efflux pumps, impermeable cell wall, biofilm formation and quorum sensing are some of the factors. Though it is difficult to outwit the pathogens, the discovery and development of compounds with pleiotropic modes or mechanisms of action different from the conventional drugs currently being used can help us tackle antimicrobial resistance. Natural products have been known to be a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse structures and functional group chirality. Various reports indicate medicinal plants with antibacterial, anti-biofilm, efflux pump inhibition, wound healing effects or properties and others used for upper respiratory and urinary tract infections. There is an urgent need to research into natural products particularly plants for antimicrobial agents including antibacterial agents, anti-biofilm agents, antibacterial natural compounds and antibacterial chemicals. This chapter throws more light on such antimicrobials

Combating Biofilm and Quorum Sensing: A New Strategy to Fight Infections

Biofilms are structured aggregates of bacterial cells that are embedded in self-produced extracellular polymeric substances. Various pathogens initiate a disease process by creating organized biofilms that enhance their ability to adhere, replicate to accumulate, and express their virulence potential. Quorum sensing, which refers to the bacterial cell-to-cell communication resulting from production and response to N-acyl homoserine lactone signal molecules, also plays an important role in virulence and biofilm formation. Attenuation of microorganisms’ virulence such that they fail to adapt to the hosts’ environment could be a new strategic fight against pathogens. Thus, agents or products that possess anti-biofilm formation and/or anti-quorum sensing activities could go a long way to manage microbial infections. The incidence of microbial resistance can be reduced by the use of anti-biofilm formation and anti-quorum sensing agents

Modelling of positive streamers in SF6 gas under non-uniform electric field conditions : effect of electronegativity on streamer discharges

The use of SF6 in electrical insulation and fast-switching applications cannot be overemphasized. This is due to its excellent dielectric properties and high breakdown voltage, which are especially important for practical applications such as gas-insulated switchgears and pulsed power switches where pressurized SF6 is used. Breakdown in the gas occurs via streamer–leader transition; however, this transition is difficult to quantify numerically at atmospheric pressure because of the electronegativity of the gas. In the present work, streamer discharges in SF6 gas at pressures of 10 and 100 kPa were studied using a plasma fluid model implementation. Analysis of the electric field in the streamer body, streamer velocity, diameter, and the effect of the high electronegativity of the gas on streamer parameters are presented for positive polarity in a point-to-plane geometry. The streamers in SF6 for non-uniform background fields are compared to those in air, which have already been studied extensively in the literature

Theoretical Modeling of the Impact of Salt Precipitation on CO2 Storage Potential in Fractured Saline Reservoirs

Deep saline reservoirs have the capacity to hold large volumes of CO2. However, apart from the high brine salinity, which poses an injectivity challenge, a high percentage of saline reservoirs are also fractured. The mechanisms of drying and salt precipitation and the resulting impact on CO2 injection are unique in fractured reservoirs. Analytical models were developed to investigate the impact of salt precipitation on CO2 injectivity and storage capacity. Two types of fractured saline reservoirs were considered: type I fractured reservoirs, where storage capacity and injectivity are contributed by only fractures, and type II fractured reservoirs, where both fractures and the adjacent rock matrix blocks contribute to CO2 storage and injectivity. We found that, depending on the initial brine salinity, salt precipitation could severely impair CO2 injectivity and reduce storage capacity. Salt precipitation had a fourfold impact on CO2 injectivity compared to storage capacity. Type I reservoirs with high irreducible brine saturation were less susceptible to salt clogging in the fractures. The results also suggest that fractures with rectangular aperture were less likely to be plugged by salt compared to elliptical fractures. Contrary to previous reports, some fractured deep saline reservoirs may not be suitable for CO2 storage. Generally, type II fractured reservoirs were found to be more suitable for CO2 storage in terms of susceptibility to salt clogging. The findings provide valuable understanding of the mechanisms and effect of drying and salt precipitation on CO2 storage potential, making a strong case for CO2 storage in naturally fractured deep saline reservoirs.publishedVersio

Circumcising daughters in Nigeria: To what extent does education influence mothers' FGM/C continuation attitudes?

Education has been adjudged as an important behavioural change intervention and a key player in combating Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). An assumed pathway is that it influences FGM/C attitudes. However, empirical evidence that explores this assumption is scarce. Hence, our study examines whether the associative effect of FGM/C continuation attitudes on circumcision of daughters is influenced by the level of a mother's education in Nigeria. We extracted data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The study focused on youngest daughters that were born in the last five years preceding the survey. A sample of 5,039 children with complete data on variables of interest to the study were analysed. The main outcome variable for this study is "circumcision among youngest daughters". The key explanatory variables were maternal "FGM/C continuation attitudes" and "education". At 95% confidence interval, we conducted a two-level logistic regression modelling and introduced interaction between the key independent variables. In the study's sample, the prevalence of FGM/C was 34%. It was lower for daughters whose mothers had higher education (12%) and believe FGM/C should discontinue (11.1%). Results from the multivariate analysis show statistically significant odds of circumcision for a daughter whose mother has had higher education and believes FGM/C should discontinue (OR-0.28, 95%CI: 0.08-0.98). For women who believe FGM/C should discontinue, the probability of daughter's circumcision reduced by 40% if the mother has attained higher education. Among those who believe FGM/C should continue, the probability of daughter's circumcision worsened if the mother had attained higher education (64%), however, this result was influenced by mothers' experience of circumcision. Education influences FGM/C attitudes, nonetheless, women's cutting experience can be a conduit for which the practice persists. Promoting female education should be accompanied by strong political commitment towards enforcing laws on FGM/C practice

Community-Based Interventions as Opportunities to Increase HIV Self-Testing and Linkage to Care Among Men Who Have Sex With Men – Lessons From Ghana, West Africa

MSM in Ghana encounter challenges in accessing HIV services and may experience barriers to HIV self-testing due to multiple forms of stigma present in health care settings. We worked with community-based organization partners to implement three interventions that successfully engaged and retained MSM which provides an opportunity for linkage to self-testing and medical care. These interventions were (1) Many Men Many Voices (3MV) a locally-led culturally grounded group-level HIV prevention program, (2) Auntie's Corner: a mobile-app based connecting MSM to health monitoring by a registered nurse and (3) HIV Education, Empathy, & Empowerment (HIVE3): a mobile-app based peer support intervention for MSM living with HIV. The 3MV intervention may be effective in improving HIV self-testing due to its effectiveness in engaging MSM, increasing HIV testing, and improving MSM understanding of the need for HIV testing. The utilization of apps like Auntie's Corner could positively impact HIV self-testing among MSM because it increases contact with nurses and reporting of symptoms. In HIVE3, participants expressed appreciation of the security and privacy that protects their identities as MSM and the peer mentors' abilities to make referrals to the nurses in Auntie's Corners. The confidentiality component has proven key among MSM and connecting MSM to self-testing through apps to report their process and receive care could increase utilization. Together, we show the efficacy of using the community-engaged process in reaching and engaging highly stigmatized populations like Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, and its potential in increasing HIV self-testing and linkage to HIV care