Motion of a sphere through an aging system

We have investigated the drag on a sphere falling through a clay suspension that has a yield stress and exhibits rheological aging. The drag force increases with both speed and the rest time between preparation of the system and the start of the experiment, but there exists a nonzero minimum speed below which steady motion is not possible. We find that only a very thin layer of material around the sphere is fluidized when it moves, while the rest of suspension is deformed elastically. This is in marked contrast to what is found for yield-stress fluids that do not age.Comment: latex, 4 figure

Mycofloral Diversity and Molecular Characterization of Species Isolated from Farmer-Saved Rice Seeds in the Irrigated Rice Production Districts of the Coastal Savannah Zones of Ghana

Irrigated rice production is the major type of rice production in the Coastal Savannah Zone of Ghana, where farmers rely on their saved seeds for production. A study was carried out to determine the types of storage fungi resident on farmer saved seeds and their distribution in five major rice production areas of the Coastal Savannah Zone. The blotter method was used to isolate fungal species after which they were identified using cultural and morphological features complemented by sequence analysis of the entire Internal Transcribed Spacer (18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region of isolates. Eleven fungal species namely, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Curvularia lunata, Curvularia geniculata, Fusarium equiseti, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Rhizopus oryzae and Trichoderma sp. belonging to 8 different genera were isolated and identified on the rice seeds. Curvularia lunata, with a percentage occurrence of 63.9% was the most prevalent fungal species, while Trichoderma sp. (1.3%) was the least prevalent fungal species from the study area. The high infection rate of seeds by Curvularia species may lead to high incidence and severity of Curvularia leaf spot disease in the study area. &nbsp

Shopping malls as catalyst for sub-urban development in Ghana

The concentration of population in major cities is usually the consequence of the concentration of employment opportunities, goods and services in such cities. These goods and services act as pull factors to the regional population, especially from the suburban or rural areas, to densely populated cities. The resulting migration creates congestion of all kinds in the cities. Suburban communities are, thus, rendered unattractive for living. This situation is prevalent in Ghana where 75% of migrants into major cities are from suburban areas and the rate of urbanization is 4.1%. Decentralizing amenities to suburban areas would initiate re-distribution of population and thus development. This study investigated the possibility of using the Shopping Mall concept as catalyst to both help develop the suburbia and decongest cities in Ghana. The West Hills Mall at Dunkonah, a suburb near Accra was selected for the study. A mixed research method including  questionnaires, interviews, and observations was used for data collection. Out of a total of 1,642 house owners 328 were sampled and interviewed with questionnaire that delved into their origins, whether they are migrants, and the reasons behind their movement. The study concluded that shopping malls could act as catalysts for development.Keywords: Shopping Malls, Catalyst, Decongestion, Suburbanization, Amenitie

Mircorheology and jamming in a yield-stress fluid

Abstract We study the onset of a yield stress in a polymer microgel dispersion using a combination of particle-tracking microrheology and shear rheometry. On the bulk scale, the dispersion changes from a predominantly viscous fluid to a stiff elastic gel as the concentration of the microgel particles increases. On the microscopic scale, the tracer particles see two distinct microrheological environments over a range of concentrations-one being primarily viscous, the other primarily elastic. The fraction of the material that is elastic on the microscale increases from zero to one as the concentration increases. Our results indicate that the yield stress appears as the result of jamming of the microgel particles, and we infer a model for the small-scale structure and interactions within the dispersion and their relationship to the bulk viscoelastic properties

Antibiotic stewardship and its impact on antibiotic use at the child health directorate of a teaching hospital in Ghana

Purpose: The study was intended to ascertain the existence of an antibiotic stewardship programme at the Child Health Directorate of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and assess the knowledge of health professionals about the importance of the antimicrobial stewardship programme. Again, it sort to assess the experience of participants with pharmacotherapy of infections and patient outcomes with generic and innovative brands of antibiotics. The third was to assess reporting on adverse reactions and storage conditions of the antibiotics.Design/Methodology/ Approach: This was a cross-sectional study involving health professionals who participated in the provision of infectious disease management services. Eighty-eight (88) professionals were involved in the study, comprising nurses (n=51), medical doctors (n=21), pharmacists (n=8), biomedical scientists (n=5) and public health officers (n=3).Findings: The majority (75 %, n=66) reported treatment failure with generic brands of antibiotics compared to innovator brands. Thirty-four percent of the participants reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) on antibiotic therapy to superiors instead of filling out ADR forms.Research Limitations: The study was done in one Directorate in the hospital and thus cannot be generalized to reflect the situation in all teaching hospitals in Ghana.Practical implication: The evidence obtained highlighted the need for pragmatic antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) at the directorate to help optimize the management of childhood infections and minimize the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.Originality/Value. This was an original project designed to generate evidence to inform interventions to promote the responsible use of antimicrobials in children

Developing local managers in the Ghanaian mining industry: an indigenous talent model

© 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide varied conceptualisation of talent management and development (TMD) by building managerial talent development model that is more appropriate to the context of the Ghanaian gold mining industry. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use two sets of data – foundation pillars of TMD and industry and definition of TMD. The authors first create a TMD framework by conducting constructive alternative analysis using the TMD foundation pillars that inform local talent situation, and then use the results and evaluation of industry definition of TMD to build the model. Findings – The authors find that the model departs from the predominantly Western version of human resource management that has characterised TMD in industry. Developed from indigenous perspective, the model is more likely to be effective tool for the development of local managers in industry. Practical implications – From practical viewpoint, the study has provided insight into understanding of expatriate managers to integrate locally relevant experiences, which are of meaning to trainee managers into their development for successful outcome. Originality/value – This is the first study which has explored prevailing talent situation and expectations of local managers in the Ghanaian gold mining industry. The constructed model provides an innovative approach for context-specific approach to the development of its local managers to satisfy the mining sector localisation policy

Starting a Laparoscopic Surgery Programme in the Second Largest Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Background: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is the second  largest hospital in Ghana. Two years have elapsed after performance of the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Objectives: To examine our experience and lessons learned.Design: Retrospective review.Setting: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Subjects: We reviewed leadership support, the role of a surgeon champion, training of physician and OR staff, influence of surgeons from outside Ghana and equipment status. The results of laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed from 2010-2012 were compared with information available from open cholecystectomies over the same period.Results: Evidence of leadership support included equipment purchase and invitation of outside experts yearly from 2008. A KATH surgeon champion was identified in 2010. A dedicated OR team received training and exhibited excellent ownership of equipment preparation. Since 2010, 25 laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been performed, 17 independently by a single surgeon. Average operative time was 1.41 hours and length of stay (LOS) 1.5 days. Conversion rate was 4.0%(1/25). Complication rate was 20.0%(5/25), none involving haemorrhage or injuries to bile ducts or bowel. Median patient satisfaction score was 5 on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is most satisfied. Complication rates and hospital stay were lower than for open cholecystectomy (20.0%vs34.5%, p>0.05 and 1.5days vs 6.6days, p<0.001 respectively). Operative times were on average 27min onger for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (p<0.01).Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy at KATH has become a reality with less complications rates, shorter LOS, and trends towards improved patient satisfaction. Expanding laparoscopic surgery in Ghana requires its inclusion into residency training programmes and public education about its benefits for both patients and physicians

Evaluation of Credit Risk Management Practices in Societe Generale Ghana

The study evaluated the credit risk management strategies of SG-SSB Ghana. The research was an attempt to assess the extent to which the implementation of various credit risk management strategies by the bank has reduced the amount of non-performing loans. In order to answer the research objectives, the case study approach was employed where face-to face interview was conducted to collate the views of a senior credit officer at SG-SSB Ghana Ltd on credit risk management strategies. Besides, information on non-performing loans was obtained from administered questionnaires. The results from the study showed that SG-SSB has a clear, written guideline on credit risk management with the board of directors having an oversight responsibility for implementation. SG-SSB realigns the amount of credit within various sectors grouped into a credit portfolio depending on environmental factors such as political regime, macroeconomic strategy of political regimes, new and existing regulations and legislation, social concerns of operating markets and technological developments within the banking industry in Ghana.  The study recommends that SG-SSB should work in collaboration with credit reference bureau in the country to thoroughly investigate the past credit records of loan applicants so as to reduce the high rate of default

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deaf adults, children and their families in Ghana

This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on deaf adults, children, and their families in Ghana, focusing on issues of inclusion. We ask what it takes to ‘make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’ (United Nations Strategic Development Goal 11) for deaf people in the context of the global pandemic in a low-resource context. The exceptional challenge to inclusion posed by COVID-19 is examined in terms of issues for deaf children and their families, and from the point of view of deaf adults in advocacy and support organisations. The pivotal language and communication issues are shown through a bioecological analysis that illuminates the interdependent dynamics of development and context, and their influence on access to, and understanding of, crucial information. It is argued that the global crisis of COVID-19 exposes and deepens issues of societal exclusion for deaf adults, children, and their families, and provokes wider questions about what inclusion means, and how it can be realised, in different cultural contexts