Building Knowledge-Based Economies in Africa: A Systematic Review of Policies and Strategies

Compared to other regions of the world, Africa is lagging in its drive toward knowledge-based economies. This study systematically reviews the literature in order to highlight the policies and strategies with which African countries can accelerate their current drive towards building knowledge-based economies. These are discussed in terms of three pillars of the World Bank’s knowledge economy framework. They are the indices for: (i) education and skilled population, (ii) information and communication technology and (iii) economic incentives and institutional regime

The Comparative Economics of ICT, Environmental Degradation and Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study examines how information and communication technology (ICT) could be employed to dampen the potentially damaging effects of environmental degradation in order to promote inclusive human development in a panel of 44 Sub-Saharan African countries. ICT is captured with internet and mobile phone penetration rates whereas environmental degradation is measured in terms of CO2 emissions per capita and CO2 intensity. The empirical evidence is based on Fixed Effects and Tobit regressions using data from 2000-2012. In order to increase the policy relevance of this study, the dataset is decomposed into fundamental characteristics of inclusive development and environmental degradation based on income levels (Low income versus (vs.) Middle income); legal origins (English Common law vs. French Civil law); religious domination (Christianity vs. Islam); openness to sea (Landlocked vs. Coastal); resource-wealth (Oil-rich vs. Oil-poor) and political stability (Stable vs. Unstable).Baseline findings broadly show that improvement in both of measures of ICT would significantly diminish the possibly harmful effect of CO2 emissions on inclusive human development. When the analysis is extended with the abovementioned fundamental characteristics, we observe that the moderating influence of both our ICT variables on CO2 emissions is higher in the group of English Common law, Middle income and Oil-wealthy countries than in the French Civil law, Low income countries and Oil-poor countries respectively. Theoretical and practical policy implications are discussed

Duodenal Transection without Pancreatic Injury following Blunt Abdominal Trauma

With the inventions of faster cars and even more faster motorbikes there is a worldwide increase in road traffic accidents, which has increased the incidence of blunt abdominal trauma but still duodenal injury following a blunt abdominal trauma is uncommon and can pose a formidable challenge to the surgeon and failure to manage it properly can result in devastating results. It may typically occur in isolation or with pancreatic injury. Here, we report a case of an isolated transection of the third part of the duodenum with normal pancreas following a blunt abdominal trauma. The initial clinical changes in isolated duodenal injury may be extremely subtle before life‑threatening, peritonitis develops. Hence, a high index of suspicion, on the basis of mechanism of injury and physical examination is the key in early detection of duodenal injury especially in a rural hospital like ours where the facilities for computed tomography scan are not available.Key words: Duodenal injury, peritonitis, transectio

Provenance of heavy minerals with special reference to ilmenite of the Honnavar beach, central west coast of India

Heavy mineral assemblage and geochemistry of ilmenite from the Honnavar beach, Karnataka, central west coast of India have been studied to understand their provenance. The heavy mineral assemblage of ilmenite, magnetite, zircon, hornblende, epidote, sphene, kyanite, garnet and staurolite indicates its derivation from mixed sources of gneissic/granitic, basic and high-grade metamorphic rocks. Trace element content of ilmenite like Co, Cr, V and Ni suggests gneissic to basic provenance. The study indicated that the heavy mineral suite, characterizing the Precambrian gneissic, granitic and basic rocks, has been derived from the hinterland and the river Sharavati brings these minerals. The heavy minerals, characterizing high-grade metamorphic sources like garnet, kyanite and staurolite appear to be reworked and derived from the offshore/palaeo-beach and brought out by combined action of alongshore current from south and waves to the present beach