Crowdfunding awareness and adoption intentions in Africa: Empirical evidence from Tanzania

Purpose – Crowdfunding is a viable alternative to access finance to overcome the limited capital problem among developing countries. Despite the low rate of crowdfunding adoption in Africa, there is a dearth of literature on the continent, specifically on adoption drivers and behavioural intentions. This thesis aims to investigate the drivers of crowdfunding adoption intentions in Africa and fully understand the impact of awareness on crowdfunding, both as an antecedent and a dependent variable. Design/Methodology/approach – The hypotheses developed are based on the extended theory of planned behaviour by incorporating the challenges highlighted in previous conceptual papers. This study utilises an approach based on quantitative research. An online survey was administered that collected data from 471 respondents in Tanzania. The authors further used PLS-SEM for analysis and implemented several quality tests to ensure the robustness of the results. Findings – The empirical results in this study reveal that attitudes and interests towards crowdfunding and prior contribution experiences are the crucial drivers of crowdfunding contribution intentions. Furthermore, education and training, as well as subjective norms, play an essential role in increasing crowdfunding awareness. Also, crowdfunding awareness was found to have a positive and significant influence on interest, self-efficacy, and perceived behavioural control. Finally, awareness, interest, perceived IT infrastructure and social trust had a favourable impact on attitude towards crowdfunding. Originality/value – First, the study provides empirical insight into the crowdfunding concept in the sluggish growth context. Second, it clarifies the impact of awareness on crowdfunding, both as an antecedent and dependent variable (identification of effective strategies for increasing awareness among potential backers). Third, it further helps to refine existing models and develop new ones that better reflect the unique characteristics of different regions. Keywords Crowdfunding, Theory of planned behaviour, Awareness, Adoption, Intentions, Africa, Tanzania

Crowdfunding awareness and adoption intentions in Africa: Empirical evidence from Tanzania

Purpose – Crowdfunding is a viable alternative to access finance to overcome the limited capital problem among developing countries. Despite the low rate of crowdfunding adoption in Africa, there is a dearth of literature on the continent, specifically on adoption drivers and behavioural intentions. This thesis aims to investigate the drivers of crowdfunding adoption intentions in Africa and fully understand the impact of awareness on crowdfunding, both as an antecedent and a dependent variable. Design/Methodology/approach – The hypotheses developed are based on the extended theory of planned behaviour by incorporating the challenges highlighted in previous conceptual papers. This study utilises an approach based on quantitative research. An online survey was administered that collected data from 471 respondents in Tanzania. The authors further used PLS-SEM for analysis and implemented several quality tests to ensure the robustness of the results. Findings – The empirical results in this study reveal that attitudes and interests towards crowdfunding and prior contribution experiences are the crucial drivers of crowdfunding contribution intentions. Furthermore, education and training, as well as subjective norms, play an essential role in increasing crowdfunding awareness. Also, crowdfunding awareness was found to have a positive and significant influence on interest, self-efficacy, and perceived behavioural control. Finally, awareness, interest, perceived IT infrastructure and social trust had a favourable impact on attitude towards crowdfunding. Originality/value – First, the study provides empirical insight into the crowdfunding concept in the sluggish growth context. Second, it clarifies the impact of awareness on crowdfunding, both as an antecedent and dependent variable (identification of effective strategies for increasing awareness among potential backers). Third, it further helps to refine existing models and develop new ones that better reflect the unique characteristics of different regions. Keywords Crowdfunding, Theory of planned behaviour, Awareness, Adoption, Intentions, Africa, Tanzania

Antiphospholipid antibodies and single nucleotide polymorphisms in patients with venous ulcer in the population of Latvia

Background: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) may lead to leg ulceration (CVI stage C6) (Nicolaides A.N. et al., 2000). Some authors published that genetic risk factors are observed more frequently in patients with CVI stage C6. Also, an increased level of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) is observed in patients with CVI stage C6. CVI stage C6 more frequently develops in CVI stage C3 patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) when compared to CVI stage C3 patients without APA. Objective: To identify the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes F5 (rs6025), F2 (rs1799963), SELE (rs5361), SERPINC1 (rs2227589), FGG (rs20066865), CYP4V2 (rs13146272), F11 (rs2289252), GP6 (rs1613662) and APA antibodies with CVI stage in the population of Latvia. Methods: The study group consisted of 188 CVI patients. APA was detected in 89 CVI patients. The diagnostics of CVI was based on clinical and duplex ultrasound data (Philips Sparq, 2012). APA was detected using ELISA assay (according to the manufacturer’s protocol (Demeditec Diagnostics GmbH, Germany)). Statistical analysis was performed using Plink 1.06. Software and Fisher exact tests. Results: Polymorphism of gene F11 (rs2289252) showed an association with CVI stage C6 (OR=1.81 (p=0.024). A statistically significant elevation of APA was observed in patients with CVI stage C6 when compared to patients with CVI stage C3 (p=0.05). Conclusions: The polymorphism of gene F11 (rs2289252) and positive APA showed an association with CVI stage C6.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Thin- layer drying of diced cassava roots

Fresh cassava (Manihot spp) roots were obtained from a farm and used in this study. They were peeled and diced using a special dicing machine into cubes of side 0.5 cm. The cubes were dried in thin layers (one to three layers) in a drier that was specifically designed and fabricated inthe Department of Agricultural Engineering and Land Planning, Morogoro, Tanzania for the purpose. The drier had a motor driven fan, a heater and a tray chamber, with thermometers for determining entry and exit temperature (dry and wet bulb) conditions of the air. The input variables were: depth of thin layer (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm), drying temperature of the air (55 and 65 oC) and drying time (from 0 min until the sample attained equilibrium, at intervals of 25 min). The response variable was themoisture content of the cassava cubes. Weather conditions during the experiments were also monitored. A parallel sun drying experiment was carried out to compare thin layer drying on the sun and thin layer drying in the fabricated dryer. For the fresh cassava that was used in the experiments, a duplicate sample was placed in an oven at 75 oC for 7 hours to determine the initial moisture content. The results indicated that the average moisture content of fresh cassava roots was about 75.4%(w.b.). Both temperature and depth of layers were found to affect the drying characteristics of cassava cubes, with single layer and higher drying temperature giving faster approaches to equilibrium moisture content. Comparing sun drying of one layer at an average temperature of 25 oCwith artificial drying at the above named temperatures, it was found that sun drying took 2 to 3 days to reduce the moisture content to Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC), while this was achieved within 150 min and 125 min with artificial drying at 55 oC and 65 oC respectively. The generallyaccepted thin layer drying equations were fitted to the drying data of cassava cubes, and the Page model was found to agree with the drying data of one, two and three layers with high accuracy for artifial drying, but not for sundrying. The exponential model only agreed accurately with drying of one layer

Development of digital health messages for rural populations in Tanzania: Multi- And interdisciplinary approach

publishedVersio

Vijana Vijiweni II: A cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a microfinance and peer health leadership intervention for HIV and intimate partner violence prevention among social networks of young men in Dar es Salaam Global health

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, remain important public health problems with devastating health effects for men and women in sub-Saharan Africa. There have been calls to engage men in prevention efforts, however, we lack effective approaches to reach and engage them. Social network approaches have demonstrated effective and sustained outcomes on changing risk behaviors in the U.S. Our team has identified and engaged naturally occurring social networks comprised mostly of young men in Dar es Salaam in an intervention designed to jointly reduce STI incidence and the perpetration of IPV. These stable networks are locally referred to as “camps.” In a pilot study we demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a combined microfinance and peer health leadership intervention within these camp-based peer networks.Methods designWe are implementing a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention combining microfinance with health leadership training in 60 camps in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Half of the camps have been randomized to the intervention arm, and half to a control arm. The camps in the intervention arm will receive a combined microfinance and health leadership intervention for a period of two years. The camps in the control arm will receive a delayed intervention. We have enrolled 1,258 men across the 60 study camps. Behavioral surveys will be conducted at baseline, 12-months post intervention launch and 30-month post intervention launch and biological samples will be drawn to test for Neisseria gonorrhea (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) at baseline and 30-months. The primary endpoints for assessing intervention impact are IPV perpetration and STI incidence.DiscussionThis is the first cluster-randomized trial targeting social networks of men in sub-Saharan Africa that jointly addresses HIV and IPV perpetration and has both biological and behavioral endpoints. Effective approaches to engage men in HIV and IPV prevention are needed in low resource, high prevalence settings like Tanzania. If we determine that this approach is effective, we will examine how to adapt and scale up this approach to other urban, sub-Saharan African settings.Trial registrationClinical Trials.gov: NCT01865383. Registration date: May 24, 2013

A global view of the OCA2-HERC2 region and pigmentation

Mutations in the gene OCA2 are responsible for oculocutaneous albinism type 2, but polymorphisms in and around OCA2 have also been associated with normal pigment variation. In Europeans, three haplotypes in the region have been shown to be associated with eye pigmentation and a missense SNP (rs1800407) has been associated with green/hazel eyes (Branicki et al. in Ann Hum Genet 73:160–170, 2009). In addition, a missense mutation (rs1800414) is a candidate for light skin pigmentation in East Asia (Yuasa et al. in Biochem Genet 45:535–542, 2007; Anno et al. in Int J Biol Sci 4, 2008). We have genotyped 3,432 individuals from 72 populations for 21 SNPs in the OCA2-HERC2 region including those previously associated with eye or skin pigmentation. We report that the blue-eye associated alleles at all three haplotypes were found at high frequencies in Europe; however, one is restricted to Europe and surrounding regions, while the other two are found at moderate to high frequencies throughout the world. We also observed that the derived allele of rs1800414 is essentially limited to East Asia where it is found at high frequencies. Long-range haplotype tests provide evidence of selection for the blue-eye allele at the three haplotyped systems but not for the green/hazel eye SNP allele. We also saw evidence of selection at the derived allele of rs1800414 in East Asia. Our data suggest that the haplotype restricted to Europe is the strongest marker for blue eyes globally and add further inferential evidence that the derived allele of rs1800414 is an East Asian skin pigmentation allele

Visco-elastic and physico-mechanical properties of bananas and plantains by quasi-static and dynamic methods

ThesisThesis, University of Guelph, 199

WHAT CAN TANZANIA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM LEARN FROM OECD COUNTRIES?

Abstract Healthcare systems around the world have different shapes that are largely affected by socio-economic and political situations of a particular country. It is essential for the population to have better health services which requires the country to have better health policies, enough funding for health care sector, and a well structured delivery system. Tanzania like any other developing countries continue to face different challenges in healthcare sector greatly influenced by poor economy despite of recent economic improvement. The need to look for alternatives and restructure its healthcare system is crucial . OBJECTIVE: To describe and characterize Tanzania's healthcare system, following the presentation of different healthcare system models and to find out opportunities and constraints - and thus key challenges - confronting Tanzania in the development of the healthcare system. METHODOLOGY: The study employed a qualitative approach with descriptive comparative analysis by comparing Tanzania (as a developing country) and Germany (as a developed country) with the intention of identifying key differences and characteristics of Tanzania healthcare system. Data were collected from public documents and literatures as the methods to collect data/information about Tanzania and Germany healthcare system.. Germany was used to contrast and challenge the Tanzania healthcare system. The study used public documents, literatures and case studies. RESULTS: Based on descriptive comparative analysis between Tanzania and Germany's healthcare systems and models of healthcare financing, the key characteristics and challenges of Tanzania healthcare system were identified. Work force crisis, insufficiency funding mechanism, low enrolment among health insurance schemes and inadequate access to healthcare services were among of the key challenges found to characterise the Tanzania healthcare system. However, this case study used examples from successful developing countries to illustrate alternative ways of developing its healthcare system