Relationships of Selected Key Logistics Factors and Logistics Performance Index of Sub-Saharan African Countries

Logistics and supply chain bottlenecks are magnified with inefficient business processes and can result in increases of trade costs. Logistics Performance Index is a measure of how well different countries perform in their logistics activities to increase trade efficiencies. This study tries to explore the relationship of critical logistics factors with logistics performance index (LPI) developed by the World Bank. By taking Rwanda as a case study, the paper also explores the performance differences in logistics between landlocked and coastal countries, among countries within the same region, and income group. It shades light how a landlocked and low-income country was able in a decade to improve its logistics performance. The findings of two-stage least square provides a single estimated logistics index. It can explain the multiple logistic indicators which can be used to improve the ability to compete and improve logistics performance. Moreover, countries in the study, as well as other countries can utilize this estimated index to target policy actions to improve logistics operations

Causal Relationship of Logistics Performance Gross Domestic Product and Governance

This study investigates the short-run and long-run relationship between a country’s logistic performance, GDP, and governance. Although several studies have explored the relationship between governance indicators and economic growth, up to now, no attempt has been made to quantify the relationship and direction of causality between logistic performance, GDP, and governance for African countries. Using data from forty-seven African countries for the period 2007-2018, we conduct our empirical analyses using the panel error correction model. The contribution of this study is by using a panel-data approach to a variety of factors, it attempted to explain the variance in the LPI for the selected countries

Performance Prediction of Data-Driven Knowledge summarization of High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) literature implementing Natural Language Processing algorithms

The ability to interpret spoken language is connected to natural language processing. It involves teaching the AI how words relate to one another, how they are meant to be used, and in what settings. The goal of natural language processing (NLP) is to get a machine intelligence to process words the same way a human brain does. This enables machine intelligence to interpret, arrange, and comprehend textual data by processing the natural language. The technology can comprehend what is communicated, whether it be through speech or writing because AI pro-cesses language more quickly than humans can. In the present study, five NLP algorithms, namely, Geneism, Sumy, Luhn, Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), and Kull-back-Liebler (KL) al-gorithm, are implemented for the first time for the knowledge summarization purpose of the High Entropy Alloys (HEAs). The performance prediction of these algorithms is made by using the BLEU score and ROUGE score. The results showed that the Luhn algorithm has the highest accuracy score for the knowledge summarization tasks compared to the other used algorithms

Generation of macroscopic quantum-superposition states by linear coupling to a bath

We demonstrate through an exactly solvable model that collective coupling to any thermal bath induces effectively nonlinear couplings in a quantum many-body (multi-spin) system. The resulting evolution can drive an uncorrelated large-spin system with high probability into a macroscopic quantum-superposition state. We discuss possible experimental realizations.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Physical Review Letters (in press

The State of Addis Ababa 2021: Towards a Healthier City

The 'State of Addis Vol. II: Toward a healthier city' was written by an international multidisciplinary team, as the pandemic was unfolding. The report assesses the relationship between urban form and function and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Addis Ababa. It explores what is meant by a healthy city, and why planning for and investing in a healthy city, matters to Addis Ababa. It goes on to investigate the state of health, urban infrastructure and social services in the city. The socio-economic and health impacts of the pandemic are also explored further, together with the institutional response to the public health emergency. The findings provide insights on the role of urban form and infrastructure to urban health and urban resilience. Finally, the authors highlight a post-pandemic agenda for a healthier, more resilient city

Efficiency of TB service provision in the public and private health sectors in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The Ethiopian Government has identified efficiency of TB services as a key priority in planning and budgeting. Understanding the magnitude and sources of inefficiencies is key to ensuring value for money and improved service provision, and a requirement from donors to justify resource needs. This study identifies the cost of providing a wide range of TB services in public and private facilities in Ethiopia.METHODS: Financial and economic unit costs were estimated from a health provider´s perspective, and collected retrospectively in 26 health facilities using both top-down (TD) and bottom-up (BU) costing approaches for each TB service output. Capacity inefficiency was assessed by investigating the variation between TD and BU unit costs where the factor was 2.0 or more.RESULTS: Overall, TD unit costs were two times higher than BU unit costs. There was some variation across facility ownership and level of care. Unit costs in urban facilities were on average 3.8 times higher than in rural facilities.CONCLUSION: We identified some substantial inefficiencies in staff, consumable and capital inputs. Addressing these inefficiencies and rearranging the TB service delivery modality would be important in ensuring the achievement of the country´s End TB strategy

Soil N2O and CH4 emissions from fodder maize production with and without riparian buffer strips of differing vegetation

Purpose Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are some of the most important greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the 21st century. Vegetated riparian bufers are primarily implemented for their water quality functions in agroecosystems. Their location in agricultural landscapes allows them to intercept and process pollutants from adjacent agricultural land. They recycle organic matter, which increases soil carbon (C), intercept nitrogen (N)-rich runof from adjacent croplands, and are seasonally anoxic. Thus processes producing environmentally harmful gases including N2O and CH4 are promoted. Against this context, the study quantifed atmospheric losses between a cropland and vegetated riparian bufers that serve it. Methods Environmental variables and simultaneous N2O and CH4 emissions were measured for a 6-month period in a replicated plot-scale facility comprising maize (Zea mays L.). A static chamber was used to measure gas emissions. The cropping was served by three vegetated riparian bufers, namely: (i) grass riparian bufer; (ii) willow riparian bufer and; (iii) woodland riparian bufer, which were compared with a no-bufer control. Results The no-bufer control generated the largest cumulative N2O emissions of 18.9 kg ha−1 (95% confdence interval: 0.5–63.6) whilst the maize crop upslope generated the largest cumulative CH4 emissions (5.1±0.88 kg ha−1 ). Soil N2O and CH4-based global warming potential (GWP) were lower in the willow (1223.5±362.0 and 134.7±74.0 kg CO2-eq. ha−1 year−1 , respectively) and woodland (1771.3±800.5 and 3.4±35.9 kg CO2-eq. ha−1 year−1 , respectively) riparian bufers. Conclusions Our results suggest that in maize production and where no riparian bufer vegetation is introduced for water quality purposes (no bufer control), atmospheric CH4 and N2O concerns may result.The Department of Higher Education and Training (New Generation Gap of Academics Program) and National Research Foundation-Thuthuka.https://www.springer.com/journal/11104dm2022Plant Production and Soil Scienc