The audit expectation gap in Eritrea

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-184)

Assessing the Potential Flood Hazard Exposure, Vulnerability, and Impacts: The Case of St. James Parish, Jamaica

While the region of the Caribbean islands is the least contributor to global greenhouse gases (GHGs), it is extremely vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change, such as but not limited to flooding from sea-level rise, increased storm intensity, and tropical cyclones. Floods are already major hazards causing large-scale socio-economic and environmental impacts in Jamaica. This study used the major factor affecting flood hazards of Montego Bay and surrounding areas of St. James Parish, Jamaica to estimate the chances of experiencing flood hazards in a given year. Accordingly, significantly populated, developed, and agricultural areas are exposed or vulnerable to high and very risky flood hazards. Therefore, given the city’s relative importance to connect Jamaica to the regional economy, although curbing the global GHGs emission is beyond reach, policies of sustainable urban development, and citizens' environmental responsibilities could help the situation Keywords:Flood hazards, Risk Assessment, Analytical hierarchy process, multicriteria analysis, St. James Parish, Jamaica DOI: 10.7176/JEES/13-6-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Quality improvement in maternal, neonatal and child health services in sub-Saharan Africa: A look at five resource-poor countries

Background: Quality improvement (QI) practices can advance maternal, neonatal and child (MNC) health outcomes. Hence, accelerating QI activities to achieve better results should be encouraged. Objectives: This study aims to review QI interventions by conducting a synthesis of available data. Methods: A rapid review methodology and the ‘Google Scholar’ search engine were used. We focused on Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda because their populations are large, they all have a significant burden of MNC deaths, they are all signatories to the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) and members of the Quality of Care (QoC) Network, and all have adopted maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) systems. We also examined documents on the websites of ENAP, QoC Network, World Health Organization, and the ministries of health of all five countries. Results: There was a paucity of information on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), audit and feedback. There was weak integration between national quality policies and strategies and UN initiatives. Only 12 articles and two reports met our inclusion criteria. We found a total of just 20 CPGs on the websites of the various ministries of health. All five countries shared a scarcity of CPGs and poor performance in using MDSR systems. Conclusions: For successful implementation of QI interventions, it is necessary to establish a mechanism for producing evidence-based CPGs and to revitalize the MDSR system. UN initiatives need to be integrated with national programs for impact and sustainability. While our findings do not allow us to make a causal link between the scarcity of CPGs and inadequate QoC in MNC healthcare services, evaluation of national programs, including UN initiatives, is required. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2020; 34(1):59-80]. Key-words: Quality improvement; maternal, neonatal and child health; quality of care; Every Newborn Action Plan; Quality of Care Network; clinical practice guidelines; audit and feedbac

A Social Exchange Model of Psychological Contract Fulfillment: Where Do Promises, Expectations, LMX, and POS Fit In?

We investigated psychological contract (PC) fulfillment using the three building blocks of the social exchange theory: content of the exchange, parties to the exchange, and the process of the exchange. Results from two studies demonstrate that PC fulfillment is related to different outcomes depending on fulfillment conceptualized in terms of promises as opposed to expectations. Expectations fulfillment is a stronger predictor of affective commitment, whereas promises fulfillment is a stronger predictor of turnover. Additionally, we tested hypotheses to examine the multisource effects of PC fulfillment. PC fulfillment by the supervisor and by the organization highlighted the relationship between PC fulfillment, leader–member exchange (LMX), and perceived organizational support (POS). Findings suggest that expectations fulfillment results in higher LMX when the source of fulfillment is perceived to be the manager and expectations fulfillment is related to higher POS when the organization is deemed as the source of PC fulfillment. The results were not significant for promises fulfillment

A Model of Idiosyncratic Deal-Making and Attitudinal Outcomes

Purpose: We disentangle the relationship between the request of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) and the receipt of such deals, and investigate the moderating roles of human capital (gender and industry experience) and social capital (LMX) in this relationship. Attitudinal outcomes of i-deals receipt are also examined. Design: Data were collected from 244 alumni of a Midwestern public university. Findings: The positive relationship between i-deals request and receipt was stronger at higher than at lower levels of LMX. Receiving i-deals was related positively to job satisfaction and affective commitment, and negatively to turnover intention. Research implications: We provide a nuanced perspective of i-deals by separating employees’ request from their receipt of i-deals, and identifying contingent factors that determine whether i-deal requests are successful. Practical implications: For employees, cultivating a strong relationship with one’s supervisor can yield benefits that extend to i-deals negotiation. Providing i-deals to deserving workers can boost employees’ work attitudes. Originality/value: Previous studies have operationalized the i-deals construct as requesting and receiving the deal, thereby excluding the possibility that employees may have requested but did not receive the i-deal. This is one of the first studies to disentangle these two concepts, thereby providing a more balanced and representative view of i-deal-making in organizations

The Adaptation of the Horn of Africa Immigrant Students in Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges first generation immigrant students from the Horn of Africa encountered in their college learning in the United States and the strategies they used to succeed. The participants in the study were ten first generation immigrant students from the countries in the Horn of Africa. A case study was used as a qualitative methodological approach and three data sources namely questionnaire, intensive interviews, and observations were used to collect and analyze data. The results revealed that language difficulties, financial problems, lack of culture awareness, time constraints, and inadequate guidance are challenges the first generation immigrant students encountered. The participants used socializing with classmates, socializing with people from their own counties, ignoring or denying anything that causes them discomfort, and attending college events as coping mechanisms to overcome the challenges in the colleges they are attending in the United States

Characterisation of stable isotopes to identify residence times and runoff components in two meso-scale catchments in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

Measurements of the stable isotopes oxygen-18 (¹⁸O) and deuterium (²H) were carried out in two meso-scale catchments, Chemoga (358 km²) and Jedeb (296 km²) south of Lake Tana, Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. The region is of paramount importance for the water resources in the Nile basin, as more than 70% of total Nile water flow originates from the Ethiopian highlands. Stable isotope compositions in precipitation, spring water and streamflow were analysed (i) to characterise the spatial and temporal variations of water fluxes; (ii) to estimate the mean residence time of water using a sine wave regression approach; and (iii) to identify runoff components using classical two-component hydrograph separations on a seasonal timescale. <br><br> The results show that the isotopic composition of precipitation exhibits marked seasonal variations, which suggests different sources of moisture generation for the rainfall in the study area. The Atlantic–Indian Ocean, Congo basin, Upper White Nile and the Sudd swamps are the potential moisture source areas during the main rainy (summer) season, while the Indian–Arabian and Mediterranean Sea moisture source areas during little rain (spring) and dry (winter) seasons. The spatial variation in the isotopic composition is influenced by the amount effect as depicted by moderate coefficients of determination on a monthly timescale (<i>R</i>² varies from 0.38 to 0.68) and weak regression coefficients (<i>R</i>² varies from 0.18 to 0.58) for the altitude and temperature effects. A mean altitude effect accounting for −0.12&permil;/100 m for ¹⁸O and −0.58&permil;/100 m for ²H was discernible in precipitation isotope composition. <br><br> Results from the hydrograph separation on a seasonal timescale indicate the dominance of event water, with an average of 71 and 64% of the total runoff during the wet season in the Chemoga and Jedeb catchments, respectively. <br><br> Moreover, the stable isotope compositions of streamflow samples were damped compared to the input function of precipitation for both catchments. This damping was used to estimate mean residence times of stream water of 4.1 and 6.0 months at the Chemoga and Jedeb catchment outlets, respectively. Short mean residence times and high fractions of event water components recommend catchment management measures aiming at reduction of overland flow/soil erosion and increasing of soil water retention and recharge to enable sustainable development in these agriculturally dominated catchments

A perturbation model for normal and sickle cell blood microcirculation

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-144).Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that alters red blood cells such that their hemoglobin cannot effectively bind and release oxygen. This causes issues that affect how the cell operates in the smallest vessels of the body. In the past, computational models have been used to study the microcirculation to gain a better understanding of blood disorders such as sickle cell disease. A fast, time efficient computational model has been developed to analyze perturbations in the microcirculation caused by sickle cell disease. The model uses a finite difference, Crank-Nicholson scheme for the flow and oxygen computation, while using the level set computational method to advect the red blood cell membrane on a staggered grid. A number of initial and boundary conditions were tested in the model. The simulation data shows several important parameters to be significant in the perturbation of the blood flow and oxygen concentration profiles. Specifically, the Hill coefficient, arterial oxygen partial pressure, oxygen partial pressure at 50% hemoglobin saturation, and cell membrane stiffness are significant factors.by Yonatan Tekleab.S.M

Lived Experiences of Diversity Visa Lottery Immigrants in the United States

Every year approximately 50,000 people immigrate to the United States through the avenue referred to as the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery. In this article, the authors present a literature review of immigration to the U.S. through the DV Lottery, reflect on their own immigration histories, and utilize phenomenology to investigate and describe participant feelings, expectations, and experiences as DV Lottery immigrants. Participants experienced mixed feelings, including high expectations prior to and difficulties after immigrating to the U.S. Findings presented include (a) life experienced in the U.S.; (b) access to learning and training opportunities; and (c) recommended support future DV Lottery immigrants