Ideological Positioning in Presidential Inaugural Addresses: A Comparative Critical Discourse Analysis of President Agyekum Kufour and President John Evans Ata Mills

Scholars have become interested in analysing the language used in the inaugural speeches of African presidents, likely because of the rise of multi-party democracy in a number of African countries. But there have not been many studies done on the ideological analysis of Presidential Inaugural Addresses (PIA), especially for African heads of state. Studies that have already been conducted did not focus on minor indications of ideological orientations and stances presented by these political figures in their political speeches. In this paper, we examined two Presidential Inaugural Addresses (PIAs) delivered by John Agyekum Kufuor and John Evans Atta Mills who were Presidents of the Republic of Ghana. The objective is to outline the covertly expressed ideological positions used in the selected PIAs and to ascertain possible areas of ideological divergence and convergence between the two opposing political leaders. We used a CDA approach to discourse analysis, which is predicated on Fairclough's assumption that discourse analysis aims to investigate the causal relationships between discursive practices and broader social and cultural structures, relations, and processes. More precisely, this study sought to uncover covert ideology that is 'hidden' inside the texts. The study discovered that Kufuor was more direct in his language, promoting his capitalist ideology, criticizing the previous administration, and also having the least self-criticism, whereas Mills was less direct, espoused an ideology of socialism, was less critical of others, and sounded more conciliatory

Peptide hormones and lipopeptides: from self-assembly to therapeutic applications

This review describes the properties and activities of lipopeptides and peptide hormones and how the lipidation of peptide hormones could potentially produce therapeutic agents combating some of the most prevalent diseases and conditions. The self-assembly of these types of molecules is outlined, and how this can impact on bioactivity. Peptide hormones specific to the uptake of food and produced in the gastrointestinal tract are discussed in detail. The advantages of lipidated peptide hormones over natural peptide hormones are summarised, in terms of stability and renal clearance, with potential application as therapeutic agent

Semantic Analysis of Silence in Conversational Discourse

Silence in conversations semantically carries varied interpretations. Since silence is a component of discontinuity in speech, it arises relatively rarely in confrontational discourse that is distinguished by continuous speaking flow and rapid turn-taking. A good conversation should involve back-channel support from the receiver. In some instances, especially during conversations, be it interrogation, peer discussion or formal interaction, one party may relent in responding to an ongoing discussion. Once this happens, the speaker is demotivated to continue and many thoughts begin to run through the mind of the speaker. However, it is especially evident when it happens, and may signify either an expression of control or an absence of control. The work focuses on pauses and differences, analyzes their power roles encrypted in silence. The study adopted a desktop literature review method (desk study). This study further used a behavioral approach while researching and writing this essay, which would involve evaluating the meaning embedded in a silence by considering the environment and the situation at hand in that very moment. The drawing and interpretation of observations and sense which is not a quantitative impact evaluation, was important in this context

Examining the challenges experienced by trainee teachers in use of transitional devices to achieve cohesion in writing in St. Francis and St. Teresa’s Colleges of Education, Ghana

Transitional devices are crucial in achieving cohesion inwritten communication. This study was conducted to investigate the challenges trainee teachers experience with using these transitional devices to achieve cohesion in writing in St. Francis and St. Teresa’s Colleges of Education. The study used thematic analyses to examine data collected from two hundred and forty trainee teachers and eleven tutors from the two colleges using essays and semi-structured interviews. Sampling was done using simple random sampling and purposive technique to select the trainees and census sampling for the lecturers. The findings showed that the trainee teachers have problems with the use of transitional devices because they misplace the transitions, omit the transitions in certain instances, use nonstandard forms of the devices, wrongly spell the devices, and use them incorrectly in terms of grammar

A study on the digitization of supply chains in agriculture - an Indian experience

In the present day context of globalisation, changing information needs of the farmers, increasing pressure of population on the food security system, encouraging the developing economy like India to lookfor various alternatives in supply chain management and its digitization for its efficient and sustainable agricultural development. India is likely to be considered as the food basket to the world constituting 52% of total land under cultivation as compared to global average of 11%. It is also producing 134.5 MT of fruits and vegetables but due to inadequate cold storage and preservation facilities and improper supply chain infrastructure; there is enormous loss of wastages. Supply chains are principally concerned with the flow of products and information between supply chain member organizations procurement of materials, transformation of materials into finished products, and distribution of those products to end customers. Today’s information-driven, integrated supply chains are enabling organizations to reduce inventory and costs, add product value, extend resources, accelerate time to market, and retain customers. Information Technology has started its dent in certain rural livelihoods especially the farmers in developing countries like India. IT can also do wonders in empowering small and marginal farmers who are operating in a complex, diverse and risk prone environment, who have poor access to information, especially regarding the production systems, customers and markets. In India, the limiting factors for farmers wanting to maximize their farm incomes are poor market linkages, poor access to quality farm-inputs, services and technology, lack of information about Government resources, institutions andextension services. ICT systems have pivotal role to play in market led extension activities. ICT s can connect the producers with buyers to initiate and sustain long term, mutually beneficial and sustainable professional relationships

Self-assembled surfactant nano-structures important in drug delivery: A review

133-159Role of self assembled structures as a vehicle is significant over the years. Their applications have been found for all routes of drug delivery. These micro and nano structures are containers loaded with drugs, ideal for targeted and sustained release of the drug. Drug efficacy depends on the drug loaded into the vehicle, temperature, drug solubility, pH, release characteristics, additives and most significantly, the vehicle morphology. This in turn suggests that the same vehicle cannot be used with high efficiency for all types of drugs and locations where the drug delivery has to take place. The status of various self assembled structures and their applications in drug delivery is reviewed in this communication

Flow Cytometry-Based Evaluation and Enrichment of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Dispersions

The uniform aqueous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a vital but challenging task required for their utilization in most technologies. We propose and demonstrate a technique based on forward- and side-scatter analysis on a flow cytometer to characterize the components in a dispersion of multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs). The method simultaneously distinguishes various MWCNT components such as short and long CNTs, nanotube bundles, and particulates. It also detects the emergence of new CNT populations as a result of centrifugation. We use this method, together with classical methods such as UV and Raman spectroscopy, to observe and study the multistep MWCNT dispersion process in various surfactants (Pluronic, Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide). On the basis of the distinct scatter patterns obtained, we confirm and elaborate the surfactant-assisted unzipping mechanism of MWCNT dispersion. We also show that the ultrasonic energy spent after MWCNT unbundling and unwinding can be minimized and the process optimized for each surfactant by correct end point detection through scatter analysis. The ability to enrich nanotube population in dispersion by using the sorting mode of a flow cytometer is confirmed by electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. This method can thus be used for observing and enriching MWCNT components and as a complementary technique to UV spectroscopy for studying and optimizing MWCNT dispersion in surfactants