The joint effect of human capital and income inequalities on HIV/AIDS prevalence: An exploratory investigation

The evidence of higher income inequality leading to increased HIV prevalence through channels of coercion and migration has emerged. This coupled with previously established macroeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS connotes reverse causality that is likely to develop a cyclical effect. The plausible cyclicality can be identified through the mergence of a three stage relationship. Initially from income inequality to HIV prevalence; then from HIV prevalence to reduced human capital formation and subsequently generating human capital inequality via reduced investment in human capital of affected households and back to income inequality. We hypothesize that the effect of this plausible cyclicality is likely to increase the effect of income inequality on HIV prevalence. Our aim is to assess the effect of productivity gaps measured by human capital dispersion on the relationship between income inequality and HIV prevalence. Deriving 1999 dataset on human capital dispersion which is measured by years of schooling, quality of school system and rates of return for 99 countries, we estimate its linear dependence effect with income inequality on HIV prevalence. We find a more significant and increased effect of income inequality on HIV prevalence of more than three times. This study sets the platform for using current datasets and generates a policy discussion for addressing productivity gaps as one of HIV/AIDS interventions.HIV/AIDS Prevalence; Human Capital; Inequality; Income ; Education

Does Access and Use OF Financial Service Smoothen Household Food Consumption?

The study relies on Ghana’s Living Standard Measurement Survey to test the hypothesis of no relationship between credit and household food consumption expenditure. We use single stage and pooled least squares given the non-availability of national panel data in Ghana and lack of better instruments in the Living Standard data. While cognisant of the adverse effect of endogeneity we observe that our finding fails to provide enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. This suggests that access to credit does not contribute to the smoothening of household consumption. This observation cuts across different sub-samples based on socio-economic classification. We recommend caution in propagating the ability of credit in smoothening consumption.FINANCE, HOUSEHOLD, CONSUMPTION, INCOME

The Twin Questions of Personalized Medicine: Who Are You and Whom Do You Most Resemble?

Personalized medicine is typically described as the use of molecular or genetic characteristics to customize therapy. This perspective at best provides an incomplete model of the patient and at worst can lead to grossly inappropriate practices. Personalization of medicine requires two characterizations: a well-grounded understanding of who the patient is and an equally robust understanding of the subpopulation that most resembles that patient in the context of the decisions at hand. These characterizations are readily represented probabilistically and can be used to drive decision-making in a rational manner that maximizes the positive outcomes for the patient

The construction and evaluation of a test designed to measure aesthetic perception of televised drama.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University

Efficient Decoupling of Multiphysics Systems for Uncertainty Propagation

Uncertainty propagation through coupled multiphysics systems is often intractable due to computational expense. In this work, we present a novel methodology to enable uncertainty analysis of expensive coupled systems. The approach consists of offline discipline level analyses followed by an online synthesis that results in accurate approximations of full coupled system level uncertainty analyses. Coupling is handled by an efficient procedure for approximating the map from system inputs to fixed point sets that makes use of state of the art L1-minimization techniques and cut high dimensional model representations. The methodology is demonstrated on an analytic numerical example and a fire detection satellite system where it is shown to perform well as compared to brute force Monte Carlo simulation

A Study of Equivalence of SUSY Theories using Adinkras and Super Virasoro Algebras

Supersymmetry (SUSY) theories describe a wide number of quantum field theories with supersymmetric particles interacting. By using two methods, Adinkras and Super Virasoro algebras (SVAs), more information is gained about SUSY theories: (a.) when two representation may be considered equivalent, that is, describing the same physics, and (b.) the derivation of OPE's that do not rely on Wick rotations. Adinkras [1] are objects that encode important information about the theory in graphs. These graphs can be translated into matrices through what is now called a Garden Algebra. In a specfiic example, (d=4, N=4 SUSY theories,) it is found that there are six classes of SUSY theories through studying the Adinkras by one definition. However, using a criterion that is motivated by physical considerations of four dimensional field theories, this number is reduced to only three. Super Virasoro Algebras are close relatives of Super Conformal Algebras that contain a Lie algebra. They can be used to find Operator Product Expansions which are related to two-point correlation functions. By comparison of two different realizations of SVAs (the Geometrically Realization GR and the one developed by Hasiewicz, Thielemans, Troost [2],) we show that one is contained inside the other which allows some new OPEs to be calculated

Liposomal discovery of diacylglycerol (DAG)-binding proteins and the use of signaling lipids to improve nanodrug delivery

The protein signaling activities of the glycerolipid diacylglycerol (DAG) form the impetus for the projects described herein. DAG’s governance of cellular functions involves activation of peripheral membrane proteins (PMPs) at bilayer surfaces, which includes the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) to regulate oncogenesis. In addition to enzymatic signal transduction, DAG influences membrane mechanics and is a central lipid metabolite. Relatively little is known about DAG when compared to more common signaling lipids such as phosphatidylinositol polyphosphates (PIPns). This is due in part to the surreptitious nature of PMP operation and the complexity of natural bilayers. We developed a liposomal platform to identify PMP binding as a function of specific lipids. Synthetic, photocrosslinking lipids with clickable tags are incorporated into liposomes to capture and enrich proteins. Affinity-based protein profiling (AfBPP) experiments initially demonstrated proteome-wide increases in affinity when using DAG or phosphatidic acid (PA) as chase lipids. With the aid of collaborators at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), we optimized our AfBPP protocol to label select proteins as a function of liposomal DAG content when a generic lipid probe was also present in the membrane. The generic probe strategy varies natural lipid content with consistent probe concentration between liposomal treatments, this is called the lipomimetic approach. Lipid specific probes have also been applied to liposomal AfBPP, which is termed the lipospecific approach.In a separate project, we tested to see if DAG could potentiate the cell-association of a liposomal delivery system (LDS). LDSs are a rapidly expanding field; most existing nanodrugs are liposomal. Strategies for increasing LDS efficacies often undermine clinical translatability. Incorporating natural signaling lipids into nanodrugs architectures is a clinically viable targeting strategy. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) decorated (PEGylated) liposome bearing a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) was doped with DAG and/or PS and significant, dose-dependent increases in association to target cells were observed. We also advanced LDSs with new technologies for controlling vesicle release and fusion. Liposomes have limitless utility as theranostic tools and platforms for biochemical investigations. Herein, we bring liposomal technologies closer to their scientific and clinical potentials

Learning models for effective propagation of sustainable construction practices in the built environment / Samuel Ekung & Isaac Odesola

The drive to achieve sustainable built environment has made learning new skills relating to Sustainable Construction Practices (SCP) imperative. This study investigated whether learning method can improve uptake of SCP through knowledge enhancement. Using survey research strategy, data from 206 construction professionals in Nigeria were collected and analysed. The results revealed that Andragogy and Experiential learning models strongly correlated SCP transfer requirements, and are therefore, appropriate models to embed SCP within existing ethos in the built environment. The study espoused the critical roles of experience and hands-on-project as prerequisite reinforcements for effective learning of SCP

Tissue and Process Specific microRNA–mRNA Co-Expression in Mammalian Development and Malignancy

An association between enrichment and depletion of microRNA (miRNA) binding sites, 3′ UTR length, and mRNA expression has been demonstrated in various developing tissues and tissues from different mature organs; but functional, context-dependent miRNA regulations have yet to be elucidated. Towards that goal, we examined miRNA–mRNA interactions by measuring miRNA and mRNA in the same tissue during development and also in malignant conditions. We identified significant miRNA-mediated biological process categories in developing mouse cerebellum and lung using non-targeted mRNA expression as the negative control. Although miRNAs in general suppress target mRNA messages, many predicted miRNA targets demonstrate a significantly higher level of co-expression than non-target genes in developing cerebellum. This phenomenon is tissue specific since it is not observed in developing lungs. Comparison of mouse cerebellar development and medulloblastoma demonstrates a shared miRNA–mRNA co-expression program for brain-specific neurologic processes such as synaptic transmission and exocytosis, in which miRNA target expression increases with the accumulation of multiple miRNAs in developing cerebellum and decreases with the loss of these miRNAs in brain tumors. These findings demonstrate the context-dependence of miRNA–mRNA co-expression

Curriculum Feuding and Implementation Challenges: The Case of Senior High School (SHS) Social Studies in Ghana

The subject Social Studies in the Senior High Schools (SHS) curricula (3 & 4 year policy) in Ghana is taught mostly by graduate teachers from the country’s two teacher preparation universities-University of Cape Coast and University of Education (i.e. UCC and UEW) and graduates from other universities. Documentary analysis of their programmes reveals differences in how the subject is structured to prepare teachers to teach it at the SHS level. Qualitatively, an interpretative design was used. Documents of Social Studies course structures were analysed vis-à-vis the SHS Social Studies syllabus. The study revealed that: (a) Teacher Training Institutions (i.e. UCC & UEW) subscribe and use a particular conception of Social Studies curriculum for the production of Social Studies education graduates; and (b) Although social studies is seen as an integrated body of knowledge, there is an issue of acceptable level of integration. It was recommended that Social Studies curricula of both universities should be harmonized to focus more on attitudes and values cultivation as well as skills development of students. Key-words: Conceptions of Social Studies. Social Studies curriculum. Social Studies curriculum implementation