Coping Mechanisms of Sub-Saharan African Female Immigrants with Breast Cancer

Coping mechanisms of breast cancer is a public health problem among African females, particularly, the Sub-Saharan African female immigrants. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the coping mechanisms of the research group that could be used to develop and implement an intervention program to promote the quality of adaptation to improve the quality of life. The study achieved the objective by the use of 1-to-1 interviews of purposive samples of 2 and 12 using Roy Adaptation Model. Interviewed data were collected from females diagnosed with breast cancer, in treatment, and with remissions. The pilot study (n = 2) result was used to appraise the method of the primary study. The primary study sample (N = 12) data were thematically analyzed using a grounding approach. Summary of the primary copings identified in the study was crying, religion, family support, social support networks, problem-focused, emotion-focused, and relaxation techniques. The rest were positive reappraisal, health insurance/medical staff, and prevention. The findings could not be generalized to the general female immigrant population because of the sample size. However, the study has added to the knowledge and understanding of the coping mechanism of the study population. Coping mechanisms, detecting breast cancer early, and education, constitute the primary interventions that may bring significant social change in the study population

Local Revenue Mobilization Mechanisms: Evidence from the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District in Ghana

This paper examined the local revenue mobilization mechanisms in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District in Ghana. A total of 214 respondents made up of 20 officials of the Assembly and 194 tax payers were involved in the study. The study demonstrated that despite the availability of other sources of local revenue, the Assembly was yet to take advantage of them. The strength of the Assembly’s local revenue collection measures included revenue collectors’ inclusion in tax decisions, house-to-house collection, and database. However, the weaknesses included poor taxpayer participation in tax decisions, inadequate personnel for revenue mobilization and poor cash management systems and accountability mechanisms at the Assembly. Some of the challenges the Assembly faced in improving local revenue generation were unwillingness on the part of the taxpayers to meet tax obligation, low pace of development and political considerations. It is recommended that the Assembly should put in place strong monitoring and supervisory mechanisms to check the revenue collectors, sanctions defaulting collectors, and also create room for private participation in local revenue collection. Keywords: Decentralization, revenue mobilization, subsidiarity principle, fiscal decentralizatio

The Correlates of Financial Dollarization in Ghana

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the dollarization of Ghana's finances. The objects of this study are real output, interest rate differentials, real exchange rates, inflation, and financial developments. The research subjects are based on quarterly data from the World Development Index (WDI) and the Bank of Ghana (BOG) for the years 1999-2022. The research method uses the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach for cointegration. This study finds that the driving factors for financial dollarization in Ghana are real output, interest rate differentials, real exchange rates, inflation, and financial developments. While the dollarization of Ghana's finances is constrained by factors such as inflation, exchange rates, and financial growth, the differential in interest rates and actual output increases the demand for foreign currency in Ghana. This study implies that much is expected from the monetary policy authorities, and there is a need for proper coordination of fiscal and monetary policies to curb the issue of dollarization of finance in Ghana. Keywords: Financial Dollarization; Foreign Currency; ARDL; Ghana; Exchange Rate   Abstrak Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menyelidiki korelasi dolarisasi keuangan Ghana. Objek penelitian ini yakni output riil, perbedaan suku bunga, nilai tukar riil, inflasi, dan perkembangan keuangan. Subjek penelitian didasarkan pada data triwulanan dari World Development Index (WDI) dan Bank of Ghana (BOG) untuk tahun 1999-2022. Metode penelitian menggunakan pendekatan Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) untuk kointegrasi. Studi ini menemukan bahwa faktor pendorong dolarisasi keuangan di Ghana adalah output riil, perbedaan suku bunga, nilai tukar riil, inflasi, dan perkembangan keuangan. Sementara dolarisasi keuangan Ghana dibatasi oleh faktor-faktor seperti inflasi, nilai tukar, dan pertumbuhan keuangan, perbedaan suku bunga dan output aktual meningkatkan permintaan mata uang asing di Ghana. Implikasi dari penelitian ini adalah banyak yang diharapkan dari otoritas kebijakan moneter, ada kebutuhan untuk koordinasi yang tepat dari kebijakan fiskal dan moneter untuk mengekang isu dolarisasi keuangan di Ghana. Kata Kunci: Dolarisasi Keuangan; Mata Uang Asing; ARDL; Ghana; Nilai Tuka

Research Article [3 + 2] versus [2 + 2] Addition: A Density Functional Theory Study on the Mechanistic Aspects of Transition Metal-Assisted Formation of 1,2-Dinitrosoalkanes

The pathways for the transition metal-assisted formation of 1,2-dinitrosoalkane complexes of cobalt and its congeners, have been studied using DFT/M06 with the LACVP * basis set. The activation barriers for the one-step [3 + 2] addition pathway for the formation of 1,2-dinitrosoalkanes, proposed by Bergman and Becker, are generally low compared to the activation barriers for the [2 + 2] addition to form an intermediate, which is the first of the two-step pathway proposed by Rappé and Upton, which are very high. The barriers of the rearrangement of the Rappé intermediates to the final products by reductive elimination involving the second metal-nitrogen -bond are also very high. The reactions of the Co complexes have lower activation barriers than Rh and Ir complexes. The barriers of the reactions involving olefins with electron-donating groups are generally lower compared to the reactions of the parent (unsubstituted) ethylene while the activation barriers for reactions of olefins with electron-withdrawing groups are generally higher compared to the parent (unsubstituted) ethylene. The one-step [3 + 2] pathway remains the most favoured irrespective of the metal centre or the nature of the olefin. The mechanism of the reaction is therefore settled in favour of the [3 + 2] addition pathway

Temperature, microwave power and pomace thickness impact on the drying kinetics and quality of carrot pomace

This study investigated the effect of air temperature, microwave power, and pomace thickness on the drying kinetics and quality of dried carrot pomace. The study established that the drying of carrot pomace occurs in the falling rate period, suggesting that drying was driven by molecular diffusion. The microwave-drying moisture diffusivity increased with microwave power and ranged between 1.57×10–8 and 2.61×10–8 m2/s. As regards convective air-drying, the moisture diffusivity values were between 3.38×10–10 and 8.27×10–10 m2/s. The microwave powerto-mass activation energy was 15.079 W/g for 5 mm, 7.599 W/g for 10 mm and 9.542 W/g for 15 mm dried samples. Meanwhile, the temperature-dependent activation energy for carrot pomace was found to be 27.637 kJ/mol for 5 mm, 17.92 kJ/mol for 10 mm and 38.76 kJ/mol for 15 mm thickness pomace. Generally, drying time decreased with increasing microwave power or air temperature. The ascorbic acid content of the fresh carrot pomace reduced after both microwave and convective air-drying. However, microwave power, and sample thickness had significant effect on the β-carotene content of dried products but air temperature did not have a significant effect. The effect of temperature and sample thickness on brown pigment formation was substantial with air temperature compared to microwave. The study has demonstrated that microwave drying, compared to conventional drying, enhances moisture removal, drying time, and preservation of carotenoids and ascorbic acid. Therefore, microwave drying can be considered as an alternative method for obtaining quality dried carrot pomace

In-Vitro Assessment of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanol Extracts of Six Wound Healing Medicinal Plants

In this study, quantitative values of antioxidant activity of crude methanolic extracts of five Wound healing medicinal plants (Amaranthus spinosus, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Spondia monbin, Corchorus olitorius, and Mallotus oppositifolia) were investigated. The investigation used DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical as a substrate and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay to determine both scavenging ability and the reducing properties. Antioxidant was further analysed quantitatively for flavonoid content, total phenolic content in the crude methanolic extracts using spectrophotometric assay. The result showed that all plants exhibited scavenging ability and strong reducing activity although the ability differed markedly among the various plant samples. The highest scavenging ability (% inhibition) was exhibited by A. leiocarpus (95.86 ± 0.1) followed by C. olitorius (94.19 ± 0.06) while the lowest was from A. spinosus (40.87±2.5). The reducing power was also highest in A. leiocarpus followed by S. monbin; while A. spinosus showed the least reducing power. In quantitative analysis, again A. leiocarpus was found to have the highest phenolic content (1294.81± 3.0 mg/g) with A. spinosus recording the least phenol and flavonoid content. The crude methanol extracts were also screened for their antimicrobial activity against four common pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter sp.) associated with wound infection by well diffusion method. All the extracts were found to inhibit the growth of both gram (+) and gram (-) bacteria organisms tested. Keywords: Radical scavenging effect, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activit

Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis of Malaria Infection Intensity and Mild Disease

Although balancing selection with the sickle-cell trait and other red blood cell disorders has emphasized the interaction between malaria and human genetics, no systematic approach has so far been undertaken towards a comprehensive search for human genome variants influencing malaria. By screening 2,551 families in rural Ghana, West Africa, 108 nuclear families were identified who were exposed to hyperendemic malaria transmission and were homozygous wild-type for the established malaria resistance factors of hemoglobin (Hb)S, HbC, alpha(+) thalassemia, and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. Of these families, 392 siblings aged 0.5–11 y were characterized for malaria susceptibility by closely monitoring parasite counts, malaria fever episodes, and anemia over 8 mo. An autosome-wide linkage analysis based on 10,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms was conducted in 68 selected families including 241 siblings forming 330 sib pairs. Several regions were identified which showed evidence for linkage to the parasitological and clinical phenotypes studied, among them a prominent signal on Chromosome 10p15 obtained with malaria fever episodes (asymptotic z score = 4.37, empirical p-value = 4.0 × 10(−5), locus-specific heritability of 37.7%; 95% confidence interval, 15.7%–59.7%). The identification of genetic variants underlying the linkage signals may reveal as yet unrecognized pathways influencing human resistance to malaria

The Nexus between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial self-competencies: a social enterprise perspective

The purpose of the study was to examine the mediation roles of student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the nexus between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial self-competencies within a social enterprise context. The study used a cross-sectional survey design, with a sampled population of 185 business students from three universities (Accra Technical University, Cape Coast Technical University and the University of Ghana) in Ghana. A PLS-SEM approach was used to examine the relationships among the independent–dependent constructs in the study. Entrepreneurial education had positive and significant relationships to student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, but it showed an insignificant relationship to entrepreneurial self-competencies. Student satisfaction was also found to relate positively and significantly to entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial self-competencies. Furthermore, both student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy were found to fully mediate the nexus between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial self-competencies. The study highlights the crucial roles of student satisfaction and self-efficacy in the implementation of entrepreneurial education in higher education institutions. In a discipline that is characterised by paucity, this study provides a unique and original assessment of the important roles of student satisfaction and student self-confidence in building entrepreneurial competencies among students

Malaria incidence and efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi).

BACKGROUND: Intermittent preventive antimalarial treatment in infants (IPTi) is currently evaluated as a malaria control strategy. Among the factors influencing the extent of protection that is provided by IPTi are the transmission intensity, seasonality, drug resistance patterns, and the schedule of IPTi administrations. The aim of this study was to determine how far the protective efficacy of IPTi depends on spatio-temporal variations of the prevailing incidence of malaria. METHODS: One thousand seventy infants were enrolled in a registered controlled trial on the efficacy of IPTi with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, West Africa (ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT00206739). Stratification for the village of residence and the month of birth of study participants demonstrated that the malaria incidence was dependent on spatial (range of incidence rates in different villages 0.6-2.0 episodes/year) and temporal (range of incidence rates in children of different birth months 0.8-1.2 episodes/year) factors. The range of spatio-temporal variation allowed ecological analyses of the correlation between malaria incidence rates, anti-Plasmodium falciparum lysate IgG antibody levels and protective efficacies provided by IPTi. RESULTS: Protective efficacy of the first SP administration was positively correlated with malaria incidences in children living in a distinct village or born in a distinct month (R2 0.48, p < 0.04 and R2 0.63, p < 0.003, respectively). Corresponding trends were seen after the second and third study drug administration. Accordingly, IgG levels against parasite lysate increased with malaria incidence. This correlation was stronger in children who received IPTi, indicating an effect modification of the intervention. CONCLUSION: The spatial and temporal variations of malaria incidences in a geographically and meteorologically homogeneous study area exemplify the need for close monitoring of local incidence rates in all types of intervention studies. The increase of the protective efficacy of IPTi with malaria incidences may be relevant for IPTi implementation strategies and, possibly, for other malaria control measures