Taking forward public procurement reforms in Ghana

The construction industry in Ghana, like many others worldwide, has had its fair share of damning independent reviews. Huge and unsustainable foreign debt, excessive budget deficits, huge contractual payment arrears, poor construction performance, corruption and pressure from international financial institutions, forced the government to commit to a reform of public procurement, which culminated in the passing of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663). The paper outlines the events leading to, and features of, the public procurement reform in Ghana and analyses its potential impact and the unique challenges it presents. Comparisons are also drawn from relevant scenarios in other countries. The paper concludes that while the Procurement Act sets out the legal, institutional and regulatory framework to secure fiscal transparency and public accountability, the sole reliance on traditional contracting and price-based selection limits the scope for the value for money achievable. Expanding the reforms to cover procurement and project delivery methods and strategies, with a focus on ‘best value’, will increase the potential and likelihood of achieving value for money in public construction in Ghana

Characterization of Ionizing Radiation Sensitive (IRS) Mutants of Deinococcus Radiodurans R1.

Deinococcus radiodurans is extremely resistant to ionizing radiation and can withstand 5 kGy $\gamma$ radiation without loss of viability or evidence of mutation. Available evidence argues that an efficient DNA repair mechanism is responsible for the resistance these organisms possess to ionizing radiation. The enzymes which coordinate DNA repair in D. radiodurans are poorly characterized. Two new loci have been detected in D. radiodurans, namely, irrB and irrI which provide resistance. Mutational inactivation of either locus resulted in a partial loss of resistance to ionizing radiation. The extent of sensitivity was locus specific and differentially affected by inactivation of the uvrA gene product. An irrB uvrA double mutant was more sensitive to ionizing radiation than was an irrB mutant. In contrast, an irrI uvrA double mutant and irrI single mutant were equally sensitive to ionizing radiation. irrB and irrI mutations also reduced resistance to UV radiation in D. radiodurans which was more pronounced in the presence of an uvrA\sp+ background. Subclones derived from each gene were generated and the loci of each gene were mapped relative to each other. The irrB and irrI genes were separated by approximately 20 kb of intervening sequence in which the uvrA and pol genes are located. A mutation which inactivates the irrB gene does not impair repair of transforming DNA which has been damaged and contains thymine glycol or 8-hydroxyguanosine lesions. Examination of irrB cell extracts for novel DNA binding proteins revealed little information. irrB strains do produce a 23 kD novel protein (IrrB*) in large amounts but IrrB* did not bind to either ssDNA or dsDNA in the presence of 50 mM NaCl. A mutation which impairs the function of the irrI gene product did not affect its potential to reactivate 8-hydroxyguanosine containing transforming DNA, but it failed to reactivate thymine glycol containing transforming DNA. In the absence of the irrI gene product D. radiodurans was extremely sensitive to UV radiation and its DNA underwent extensive degradation. The irrI gene product appears to regulate endonuclease $\alpha$ mediated DNA degradation which occurs following exposure to UV radiation

GRAPHICAL TECHNIQUES IN DEBIASING: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Base rate and conjunction fallacies are consistent biases that influence decision making involving probability judgments. We develop simple graphical techniques and test their efficacy in correcting for these biases. Preliminary results suggest that graphical techniques help to overcome these biases and improve decision making. We examine the implications of incorporating these simple techniques in Executive Information Systems.Information Systems Working Papers Serie

Numerical prediction and experimental verification of cavitation of globe type control valves.

Globe valves are one of the oldest types of valve used for throttling applications for all sizes due to better controllability and wider range. One of the major limitations associated with the use globe valves in liquid application is cavitation and it takes place both in part open and in fully open conditions due to varied reasons. There are different designs of globe valves available but for control valve applications, cage and plug designs are widely employed. Cage and plug design consists of body, valve cage, plug and an actuating mechanism. Actuating mechanism is connected to the valve plug which is a moving part, through valve shaft. There are many investigations reported about the flow visualization and numerical simulation of normal type globe valves. But study on valves with cage and plug design are not reported in detail. The objective of the present study is to provide a three dimensional analysis of flow through a globe valve with cage and plug design with emphasis on the inception and development of cavitation in detail. Cavitation reduction is achieved by breaking the flow in the form of more than one liquid jet, thereby increasing the turbulence inside the valve flow path. The numerical simulation was done using GAMBIT to set up geometry and grid and FLUENT to solve difference equation postulated from the conservation of mass and momentum of the fluid in motion. The k-epsilon model was used for turbulence. Results of five configurations of the cage with constant flow areas and valve stroke are presented in this paper. The numerical results were verified with an experimental program employing total flow measurement and pressure drop created by the valve at full opening. The study was conducted for different jet configurations to generalize the results of the study. Experimental validation was done in the water test facility with an operating pressure of 1.6 MPa and flow rate of 0.05 m3/s. In the study, total area of opening for the flow and the valve stroke were kept constant. Accelerometers and dynamic pressure sensors were employed to sense the severity of cavitation at different differential pressures across the test valve.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/84230/1/CAV2009-final22.pd

Significance of boundary conditions towards sustainable housing strategies

Abstract. Background: For developing nations the development of sustainable communities has to go hand in hand with the achievement of wider goals, where emphasis has to be given to the importance of lifestyle and social change. This inter- disciplinary research draws understanding from the social, cultural and economic studies to define the values and aspirations of the middle class and the associated implications for sustainable housing. Middle-class​ mores are aspirational and aim to achieve Western living standards, moving away from a traditional communitarian social model. Methods and Results: This research presents the results of extensive fieldwork in the Southern-Indian city of Mysore that defines the values held by the emergent middle class in respect to the built environment. Common areas and shared spaces have traditionally been very actively used and have played a crucial role in both passive cooling strategies and the maintenance of socially sustainable communities. Fieldwork shows that attitudes to the built environment are polarised between well-maintained and protected housing interiors and poorly organised and maintained external spaces and examines how these transition spaces are used to reflect these values and concerns. Possible options for the external boundary conditions are tested by generating 3D models and applying an environmental design method, Inte- grated Environmental Solutions (IES). Conclusion: The paper reflects on whether earlier traditions in sustainable building design in South Asia (Mysore) have relevance in a contemporary context and the importance of understanding the changing preferences and values of the newly affluent demographic

Demographic Characteristics of Consumers who Read Grocery Brochures Regularly and Those who are willing to Switch Supermarkets to Buy Advertised Specials: An Analysis.

This study analyzed the influence of demographic and behavioral characteristics on the likelihood of a consumer to read food advertisements in grocery brochures and the likelihood of a consumer to shop at more than one store to purchase advertised specials. Overall, 73% and 46% of respondents read food advertisements and shop multiple stores to purchase advertised specials, respectively. Consumer characteristics which are shown to influence the reading of food advertisements and shopping at more than one food store to buy advertised specials were the possession of education beyond the 2/4 year college degree and the tendency to read ingredient labels.Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing,

Bin packing algorithms for virtual machine placement in cloud computing: a review

Cloud computing has become more commercial and familiar. The Cloud data centers havhuge challenges to maintain QoS and keep the Cloud performance high. The placing of virtual machines among physical machines in Cloud is significant in optimizing Cloud performance. Bin packing based algorithms are most used concept to achieve virtual machine placement(VMP). This paper presents a rigorous survey and comparisons of the bin packing based VMP methods for the Cloud computing environment. Various methods are discussed and the VM placement factors in each methods are analyzed to understand the advantages and drawbacks of each method. The scope of future research and studies are also highlighted