Regional Disparities in Ghana: Policy Options and Public Investment Implications

Ghana has achieved sustained growth and poverty reduction during the 1990s, but such growth did not benefit the three poor northern regions and the development gap has increased between the south and north. One of the most important reasons is that much of the growth has been generated by export agriculture in which northern Ghana has little contribution if any. This paper sets out to identify avenues for pro-poor growth in Ghana, focussing on agricultural opportunities, particularly in northern Ghana. Using an economywide, multimarket model and based on time series production data between 1991 and 2000 and Ghana Living Standards Survey data of 1991/92 and 1998/99, this paper analyzes the possible poverty reduction trends up to 2015 by assuming different patterns of growth. The results show that agriculture-led growth has a larger poverty reducing effect than nonagriculture-led growth. Within agriculture, growth in staple crop production reduces poverty more than export crops. In northern Ghana, the staple crops whose growth exerts the largest effect on poverty reduction are groundnut, cassava and cowpea. However, despite the large effects of the agriculture-led growth, the projections of poverty rates in the regions, particularly Upper East are still high implying a need for complementary avenues for poverty reduction. A review of the literature shows that while the north generally is a net migration area, the rewards of migration have been limited because people who migrate have no skills and are, therefore, limited to entering the informal job market where wages are low. The implication is to enhance this labour with education and skills. Ultimately, the regions must attract production investment to boost economic activity and generate local growth. The state must play a leading role in investing in productive and social infrastructure as a way of facilitating the environment for private sector operators

Regional disparities in Ghana: Policy options and public investment implications

"The development pattern in Ghana is characterised by a north-south divide in which the north lags far behind the south... This paper sets out to identify avenues for pro-poor growth in Ghana, focussing on agricultural opportunities, particularly in northern Ghana. Using an economywide, multimarket model and based on time series production data between 1991 and 2000 and Ghana Living Standards Survey data of 1991/92 and 1998/99, this paper analyzes the possible poverty reduction trends up to 2015 by assuming different patterns of growth. The results show that agriculture-led growth has a larger poverty reducing effect than nonagriculture-led growth... A review of the literature shows that while the north generally is a net migration area, the rewards of migration have been limited because people who migrate have no skills and are, therefore, limited to entering the informal job market where wages are low. The implication is to enhance this labour with education and skills. Ultimately, the regions must attract production investment to boost economic activity and generate local growth. The state must play a leading role in investing in productive and social infrastructure as a way of facilitating the environment for private sector operators.: from Authors' AbstractPro-poor growth, Pro-poor policies, Regional inequality, Poverty reduction, Agricultural growth, Economywide modeling, Public investment,

The N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein B-100: structural characterization by homology modeling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Apolipoprotein B-100 (apo B-100) stands as one of the largest proteins in humans. Its large size of 4536 amino acids hampers the production of X-ray diffraction quality crystals and hinders in-solution NMR analysis, and thus necessitates a domain-based approach for the structural characterization of the multi-domain full-length apo B.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The structure of apo B-17 (the N-terminal 17% of apolipoprotein B-100) was predicted by homology modeling based on the structure of the N-terminal domain of lipovitellin (LV), a protein that shares not only sequence similarity with B17, but also a functional aspect of lipid binding and transport. The model structure was first induced to accommodate the six disulfide bonds found in that region, and then optimized using simulated annealing.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The content of secondary structural elements in this model structure correlates well with the reported data from other biophysical probes. The overall topology of the model conforms with the structural outline corresponding to the apo B-17 domain as seen in the EM representation of the complete LDL structure.</p

Characterization of Freshwater Natural Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM): Mechanistic Explanations for Protective Effects Against Metaltoxicity and Direct Effects on Organisms

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) exerts direct and indirect influences on aquatic organisms. In order to better understand how DOM causes these effects, potentiometric titration was carried out for a wide range of autochthonous and terrigenous freshwater DOM isolates. The isolates were previously characterized by absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Proton binding constants (pKa) were grouped into three classes:acidic (pKa ≤ 5), intermediate (5 \u3c pKa ≤ 8.5) and basic (pKa \u3e 8.5). Generally, the proton site densities (LT) showed maximum peaks at the acidic and basic ends around pKa values of 3.5 and 10, respectively. More variably positioned peaks occurred in the intermediate pKa range. The acid–base titrations revealed the dominance of carboxylic and phenolic ligands with a trend for more autochthonous sources to have higher total LT. A summary parameter, referred to as the Proton Binding Index (PBI), was introduced to summarize chemical reactivity of DOMs based on the data of pKa and LT. Then, the already published spectroscopic data were explored and the specific absorbance coefficient at 340 nm (i.e. SAC340), an index of DOM aromaticity,was found to exhibit a strong correlation with PBI. Thus, the tendencies observed in the literature that darker organic matter is more protective against metal toxicity and more effective in altering physiological processes in aquatic organisms can now be rationalized on a basis of chemical reactivity to protons

The Influence of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) on Sodium Regulation and Nitrogenous Waste Excretion in the Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is both ubiquitous and diverse in composition in natural waters, but its effects on the branchial physiology of aquatic organisms have received little attention relative to other variables (e.g. pH, hardness, salinity, alkalinity). Here, we investigated the effects of four chemically distinct DOM isolates (three natural, one commercial, ranging from autochthonous to highly allochthonous, all at ∼6 mg C l−1) on the physiology of gill ionoregulation and nitrogenous waste excretion in zebrafish acclimated to either circumneutral (7.0–8.0) or acidic pH (5.0). Overall, lower pH tended to increase net branchial ammonia excretion, net K+ loss and [3H]PEG-4000 clearance rates (indicators of transcellular and paracellular permeability, respectively). However, unidirectional Na+ efflux, urea excretion and drinking rates were unaffected. DOM sources tended to stimulate unidirectional Na+ influx rate and exerted subtle effects on the concentration-dependent kinetics of Na+ uptake, increasing maximum transport capacity. All DOM sources reduced passive Na+ efflux rates regardless of pH, but exerted negligible effects on nitrogenous waste excretion, drinking rate, net K+ loss or [3H]PEG4000 clearance, so the mechanism of Na+ loss reduction remains unclear. Overall, these actions appear beneficial to ionoregulatory homeostasis in zebrafish, and some may be related to physicochemical properties of the DOM sources. They are very different from those seen in a recent parallel study on Daphnia magna using the same DOM isolates, indicating that DOM actions may be both species and DOM specific

A practical maintenance framework for production equipment manufactuers and users :"an analysis of maintenance strategies for SME's"

PhD ThesisThe work presented here concerns a Practical Maintenance Framework (PMF) for Small and Medium size Enterprises (SME's) aimed, ultimately, at implementing Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Typically, the successful implementation of TPM requires large financial and human resource commitments, which are usually unrealistic in SME's. So it is usually the larger companies that are more willing and able to dedicate resources for TPM development. The PMF introduced in this work support SME's in four ways; the Model is simple and flexible for companies to implement, and typically it does not require a significant financial commitment during its implementation. Further improvements can be achieved shortly after implementation. Finally, the Model does not involve specialist TPM teams or committees; instead there is a single team to which every person in the company will be attached to. PMF is a framework that operates in an iterative and interactive process of improvement, review and analysis. The PMF is mainly built on a quantitative measure of performance basedo n data collection and subsequenta nalysiso f Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) originally introduced by Nakajima (1988). In addition, in this research, we show how a simplified version of this OEE measure can be usefully adopted in certain circumstances to calculate the efficiency of a production line. To illustrate some of our work we present and discuss results from one of many case studies, which demonstrate the value of maintenance strategies such as PMF. Both PMF and the OEE measure are shown to be effective when used to improve equipment efficiency. Finally, the research suggests a way that can help both equipment manufactures and equipment users to cooperate with an aim to produce more efficient equipment and products.HRH General Mohammed Al-Faisal

Release of soluble metal ions from copper based dental alloys mesured by ICP-MS

Describes the release of soluble metal ions from copper based dental alloys mesured by ICP-MS. Presented at the annual congress of the british toxicology society

Agriculture for development in Ghana: New opportunities and challenges

"This paper has been prepared in support of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) roundtable in Ghana. The study also takes a fresh perspective on the role of agriculture for development in light of the global food crisis. It addresses two main questions: what are the impacts of Green-revolution type agricultural growth to reach the CAADP goal in Ghana? Given the large investments required to achieve such productivity-led growth, what is the sector's contribution to the overall economy? Results from the dynamic computable general equilibrium model suggest that by closing the existing yield gaps in crop production and supporting essential growth in the livestock sector Ghana can achieve CAADP's 6 percent growth target. In this process, agriculture supports the rest of the economy through substantial and largely invisible monetary transfers to the nonagricultural sectors, which are primarily driven by the reduction of domestic food prices. Thus, CAADP growth benefits both rural and urban households, and reduces poverty by more than half within 10 years. However, widening regional disparities between the North and the rest of Ghana will increasingly pose a challenge for the development. Additional measures more targeted towards generating growth in the lagging North will be necessary to bridge the income gap and reach Ghana's poorest of the poor." from Author's AbstractAgriculture, Poverty, Computable general equilibrium (CGE), Development strategies, Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP),

Epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in culture-positive hospitalized patients in selected hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan

Objective: To study the prevelence of antibiotic resistance and the prevalent bacterial isolates in hospitalized patients in Khartoum hospitals. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional prevalence study was carried out during the period of April–November 2015 in Khartoum; 226 bacterial cultures were included. Identification of isolates using standard biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibilities were determined using disc diffusion method. Results were interpreted according to the standards of the British society of antimicrobial chemotherapy. Results: Eight bacterial species were isolated: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., and Acinetobacter spp. S. aureus was the most prevalent, the majority of which were resistant to methicillin/oxacillin (MRSA). Cultures in our study were mainly from urine (36.7%), blood samples (37.2%), and wound cultures (19%). More than 90% of the tested isolates were resistant to cefuroxime; 54% and 73.8% of Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates, respectively, were resistant to ceftazidime. Furthermore, there was a high meropenem resistance among Gram-negative isolates tested. Multi-resistant Acinetobacter spp. as well as vancomycin-resistant S. aureus was isolated. Gram-negative isolates showed good susceptibilities to aminoglycosides as well as ciprofloxacin. However, the high resistance rate to these antibiotics was observed in Gram-positive isolates in these hospitals. Conclusion: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was the most prevalent organism. Gramnegative isolates showed good susceptibilities to aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin. There were high resistance rates to cefuroxime, ceftazidime, and meropenem. Five vancomycin-resistant S. aureus were identified

Optimum strategic management system for Lesotho roads network through RONET model

Published ArticleThe paper presents the application of World Bank's Model RONET to optimize strategic management system for Lesotho roads network. The Lesotho road network condition deteriorated considerably during the 2000s due to underfinancing of operations and maintenance. In recent years, as the financial situation in Lesotho has improved, financing for the road sector has gradually increased, focusing on the most hazardous and highly trafficked parts of the road network. However, the overall budget allocated to the sector remains inadequate to maintain the entire district road network in a stable condition. This research is going to present the application of World Bank's model Road Network Evaluation Tool (RONET) to strategic network level analysis of the Lesotho road network. The goals of the presented study are to obtain the optimum maintenance and rehabilitation strategy and related budget, estimate the impact of different funding levels on the future quality and estimate the economic consequences of budget constraints. The application of RONET model will lead to an optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy with a good balance between rehabilitation, periodic and recurrent maintenance. The implementation of optimal maintenance and rehabilitation strategy would cause major improvement compared to current condition of the network. Implementation of higher than optimal maintenance and rehabilitation leads to substantially higher roads directorate costs and consequently lower net benefits, while the implementation of the lower than optimal maintenance and rehabilitation standards would lead to considerably worse network condition for slightly lower agency costs. This means that even minor budget constraints would result in considerably higher total road transport costs in the country's economy