Labour Market Effects of Trade Liberalisation: The Case of Mauritius

This article uses a partial equilibrium approach to measure the impact of trade liberalisation on the demand elasticity of labour in the apparel industry in Mauritius, a sector where, in general, those in the work force are poor. The findings reveal that there is no evidence that trade liberalisation has increased the overall labour demand elasticity with respect to wages, though it has increased the demand elasticity for female workers. We further examine the relationship between trade liberalisation measures and characteristics of poor households and find that the overall results are mixed and inconclusive, probably due to the high level of data aggregation. Keywords: trade liberalisation, poverty alleviationtrade liberalisation, poverty alleviation, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Financial Economics, International Development, International Relations/Trade, Political Economy,

Does Infrastructure Alleviates Poverty in Developing Countries?

Infrastructure has largely been ignored in the assessment of poverty in developing countries. This paper attempts to make some contribution in the establishing the ingredients to alleviate poverty by exploring the impact of infrastructure on the urban poor in sample of 20 developing countries, over the period 1980-2005. The results from the static fixed effect and also the dynamic GMM model both reveal that transport and communication infrastructure are indeed an efficient tool in fighting urban poverty. Panel causality analysis also validated the results. Hence the main policy concern is how to improve access of the urban poor to such an asset.Urban Poverty, Infrastructure, Developing Countries

Determination of some dissolved trace metals from groundwater in Mauritius using inductively-coupled plasma -mass spectrometry

The concentrations of some dissolved trace metals: aluminium, chromium, manganese, nickel, copper, zinc,  cadmium and lead (Al, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were determined in groundwater in the Flic en Flac and Grand River North West (GRNW) areas to assess groundwater contamination arising from agricultural and industrial activities of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Mauritius during 1998. Inputs of dissolved Al, Ni,  Cu, Cd and Pb originating from both anthropogenic and natural activities and leading to the contamination of the  groundwater at both Flic en Flac and GRNW were not significant in 1998. However, dissolved Zn was  significantly higher in rainwater compared to Flic en Flac groundwater samples. The data demonstrated the potential for concentrations of some dissolved trace metals in groundwater samples to be below the proposed revised pollution limits in Mauritius. However, dissolved Cr in groundwater samples in the GRNW catchment area, which may arise from textile industries exceeded the proposed revised environmental inland water limits in Mauritius. There is at present an urgent need to review the guidelines for groundwater standards for trace metals in Mauritius which are to be proposed under Sections 34 and 74 of the Environmental Protection Act 1991 and cited as the new Environmental Protection Regulations 2000.Keywords: Dissolved tracemetals, ICP-MS, groundwater, rainwate

X-ray propagation through a quasi-ordered multilayered structure

We investigate the propagation of short wavelength transverse electric x-rays through a quasiordered  (Fibonacci) atomically commensurate multilayered structure using a transfer matrix model which treats each atomic plane as a diffraction unit. The reflectance spectrum has a rich structure being dominated by peaks associated with certain critical points of the system. Peaks around these special points exhibit self-similarity with a scaling factor approximately equal to the cube of the golden mean. At a critical point itself, the  electromagnetic energy distribution is neither localised nor extended. The Landauer resistance at the reflection  peaks exhibits a power law behaviour at low Fibonacci generation numbers but eventually increases exponentially; in the presence of absorption, the Landauer resistance reaches a plateau after its initial power law behaviour. The persistence, in the presence of absorption, of some reflectivity peaks at small angles of incidence is in line with current interest in the use of quasi-ordered multilayered structures as short wavelength near-normal incidence x-ray mirrors.Keywords : X-rays, Fibonacci multilayered structure

Prostaglandin e2 receptors in abdominal aortic aneurysm and human aortic smooth muscle cells

AbstractBackgroundProstaglandin (PG) E2 (PGE2) appears to have a role in stimulating production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in diseased aortic tissue. These actions are mediated by cellular receptors for PGE2 EP receptors.ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to identify EP receptors associated with production of IL-6 by aortic explants.MethodsBiopsy specimens of abdominal aortic aneurysm were used for explant culture and preparation of messenger RNA. The presence of EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4 receptors in tissue and cells was investigated with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. IL-6 and cyclic adenosine monophosphate were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsPGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 (EP 2/3/4 agonist) reversed partially the indomethacin suppression of IL-6 secretion from explant cultures, whereas butaprost (EP2 receptor agonist) and sulprostone (EP 1/3 receptor agonist) had no effect. Aortic biopsy specimens expressed EP2, EP3-III, and EP4 receptors. Aortic smooth muscle cells expressed EP2 receptor and four variants of EP3 receptor, ie, EP3-Ib, EP3-II, EP3-III, and EP3-IV, but PGE2 did not stimulate secretion of IL-6. In contrast, PGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 stimulated secretion of IL-6 from aortic macrophages.ConclusionsIn aortic explants, PGE2 stimulates IL-6 secretion by activation of EP4 receptors, present in macrophages

Benefits of delivering Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) training to police: An individual perspective

Across the United Kingdom, vulnerability is the biggest area of demand for police. However, evidence demonstrates that some forces may not be equipped to respond to the volume and nature of this demand. Beyond their statutory duties, operational police are often unaware of how to best respond to vulnerability within their roles. For many police officers and staff, there is limited training available to develop the skills needed to provide frontline support to vulnerable individuals and to signpost and refer to agencies who can provide the appropriate needs-based services. The Early Action Together (E.A.T.) program is delivering transformational change across Wales to support police and partners who wish to adopt a whole-systems response to vulnerability that enables early intervention and prevention. Drawing on the evidence around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the impact these early experiences can have on life outcomes, training is delivered to police and partners to embed ACE- and trauma-informed approaches into everyday practice. Evaluation of the training is already evidencing some key benefits of using this approach, with officers identifying and applying rootcause understanding of crime and harm and developing public understanding of existing early intervention assets and pathways of support in their local area. However, careful consideration and planning are required to ensure that these approaches continue to be embedded beyond the life of the program

Dissolved Nutrients from Submarine Groundwater in Flic en Flac Lagoon, Mauritius

The aim of this study was to investigate dissolved nutrients in a submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in Flic en Flac lagoon on the west coast of the volcanic island of Mauritius. The SGD enters Flic en Flac lagoon through a thin blanket of unconsolidated sediment through a fracture system and is concentrated along the irregular surface of the buried rock. The results show that the major inputs of dissolved nitrate and phosphate in Flic en Flac lagoon arise from agricultural and domestic sources during periods of heavy rain. Dissolved nitrate (150-470 µg/l) and phosphate (10-115 µg/l) concentrations in the SGD, lagoon and offshore in the Flic en Flac region fell within the range of seawater values in the Pacific region. Rainfall caused dissolved nitrate and phosphate transfer through groundwater conduits in the coralline basement of the lagoon, delivering a significant discharge during the cyclone season in summer. The lagoon is subjected to diffuse SGD flows which may contribute to its high dissolved nutrient values. This will lead to a reduction in the lagoon’s assimilative capacity, exacerbating the problem of excessive nutrient input and associated eutrophication in the lagoon. The submarine groundwater discharge thus merits consideration in Mauritian coastal zone management and similar tropical volcanic lagoonal systems

A comparative study to determine the clinical efficacy of Ramipril versus combination of Ramipril and Telmisartan in reducing microalbuminuria associated with grade 2 hypertension

Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system causes a reduction in urinary protein excretion. It is uncertain whether Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are equally effective antiproteinuric agents as Angiotensin converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or whether the combination of ACE inhibitors with ARBs is preferable to ACE inhibitor alone? Microalbuminuria is a prognostic marker for cardiovascular and renal risk. The objective of the study was to compare the clinical efficacy of Ramipril alone versus combination of Ramipril and Telmisartan by assessing the fall in B.P. and the improvement in the degree of microalbuminuria in stage II hypertensive patients. 60 patients of stage II hypertension without having any other cause of microalbuminuria were selected as subjects for the present study and were randomly distributed in to 2 groups- Group A included 30 patients who were given Ramipril 5 mg/ day and Group B included the same number of patients who were given a combination of Ramipril 5 mg/day and Telmisartan 40 mg/day. Baseline parameters included were measurement of Systolic, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure; microalbuminuria, blood urea, serum creatinine and serum potassium estimations. The drugs under trial were given for 20 weeks. Microalbuminuria was determined at 0 and 20 weeks. The mean percentage fall in microalbuminuria and mean arterial pressure were statistically highly significant (p<0.0001) with combination of Ramipril and Telmisartan (Group B) in comparison to Ramipril (Group A) alone. A highly significant (p‹ 0.0001) mean percentage increase in potassium level was observed in group B at the end of 20 weeks. The side effects were less observed in the combination group. Thus to conclude the combination of Ramipril and Telmisartan provides superior blood pressure (BP) lowering and target organ protection than Ramipril alone, hence the combination of Ramipril and Telmisartan is a better choice to treat and to prevent the progression of the disease.Keywords: Hypertension; Microalbuminuria; Ramipril; Telmisarta

TOWARDS A PERSPECTIVE FOR UNDERSTANDING ANALYSIS OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION OF FEMALE LABOUR FROM ZIMBABWE TO SOUTH AFRICA

The main objective of this paper was to give a broader perspective of irregular migration of female labour from Zimbabwe to South Africa. The paper is premised on a broader study carried out on three provinces of Zimbabwe, namely Masvingo, Manicaland and Matabeleland. Employing a qualitative approach, the paper shows the multidimensional perspectives of migration in general and the specific perspectives relating to irregular migration of female labour from Zimbabwe to South Africa. The paper shows how irregular migration can be understood as a flow process. Furthermore, we come up with a   Ten Ideas Matrix for defining and understanding irregular migration. In the paper, we also develop a comprehensive framework which is an amalgamation of GIS, theoretical as well as empirical literature to help us to hypothesize probable drivers of irregular migration of female labour from Zimbabwe to South Africa.

EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF RECIDIVISM OF UNREGULATED CIRCULAR MIGRATION AMONG ZIMBABWEAN IRREGULAR FEMALE LABOUR MIGRANT DEPORTEES

Employing an exploratory analysis using a sample of 20 female Zimbabwean deportees from South Africa, the paper looks into the main factors which stimulate repeat of unregulated circular migration. Besides this, the study aimed at providing deep insights into the lived experiences of the deportees who have a preference for repeat migration in its unregulated form with implications for policy to Zimbabwe as well as South Africa. The study showed the importance of cost and benefit analysis as an important argument in circular migration decisions by the female deportees.  Findings also show that young women showed strong desire to embark on unregulated circular migration and made up to 35 % of the respondents. Factors such as unpaid salaries from former employers, lack of access to documentation,  attachment with destination country, educational qualifications, experience in circular migrations, unfinished projects at home are some of the factors pushing the deportees to unregulated circular migration.  Despite xenophobia being a threat to most migrants in South Africa, 60 % of the respondents expressed little worry about this societal ill. JEL classification:  j01, j15, j61,i38 Key words: Deportees, Circular Migration, Recidivism, South Africa, Zimbabw