A Guide to Solar Power Forecasting using ARMA Models

We describe a simple and succinct methodology to develop hourly auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) models to forecast power output from a photovoltaic solar generator. We illustrate how to build an ARMA model, to use statistical tests to validate it, and construct hourly samples. The resulting model inherits nice properties for embedding it into more sophisticated operation and planning models, while at the same time showing relatively good accuracy. Additionally, it represents a good forecasting tool for sample generation for stochastic energy optimization models

Environmental health quality of life of the aged with disability in selected districts in the Upper West region of Ghana

A substantial proportion of the aged population will have to face frailty and dependency. As a result, environmental health care for the aged with disability has become a public health concern. Therefore, the study examined the environmental Health Quality of Life (QOL) of the aged with disability in selected districts in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study employed a census survey and questionnaires to collect data from 810 aged with disability. Independent-samples t-test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical tools were used. The analysis revealed a significant difference [F (807) = 22.318 value, p = 0.000] in environmental health QOL across age of the respondents, such that those aged 60-69 years had the highest mean score and those 80 years and older with lowest mean score. Further, mean scores were higher for those with physical disability than those with visual disability with a significant difference [t (808) = 4.085, p = 0.000] in environmental health QOL between type of disability. The study revealed the important role played by the background characteristics of the aged with disability in influencing their environmental health QOL. The study recommends that family members and governmental agencies continue to assist in the provision of environmental needs of the aged with disability

Interrogating Factors Encumbering E-Government Projects In Zimbabwe

a journey of public sector transformation through the adoption and implementation of e-government projects. E-government projects are viewed as vehicles of organisational capacity embedded with transparent, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness. In a bid to bring about transmogrification in the public sector, the Zimbabwean government has implemented a number of e-government projects. To this end, this research paper seeks to examine the factors that are hindering the success of these projects and offer remedial actions that can be adopted to guarantee project success

Mutations in Lamin and How It Causes Multiple Tissue-Specific Disorders

Lamins are the major components of the nuclear lamina where they provide a platform for the binding of proteins to the chromatin and confer mechanical stability (Dittmer and Misteli.,2011). Mutations in the human LMNA gene result in at least 15 distinct disorders ranging from muscular dystrophies to neurological disorders to lipodystrophies (Vytopil et al.,2003). Interestingly, some mutant forms of lamin protein aggregate, which may be toxic to the cells. However, it is unknown how specific mutations in lamin give rise to tissue-specific disease. I hypothesize that certain tissues are susceptible to specific lamin mutations due to the inability of tissue-specific quality control mechanisms to degrade those mutant forms, leading to protein aggregation and cellular toxicity. I will be testing if tissue-specific disease mutations in Lam Dm0, one of the fly homologs of LMNA (Gene that codes for Lamin), cause the protein to aggregate in muscles and neurons. Lamin can be post-translationally modified by the addition of a farnesyl group that helps anchor Lamin into the nuclear envelop. We find that the unfarnesylated form (the predominant form) and the farnesylated form of the different Lam Dm0mutant proteins have different expression patterns in the muscle. In addition, we find that the p38 MAPK (p38Kb) interacts with the CASA (Chaperone Assisted Selective Autophagy) complex to regulate the degradation of Lam Dm0. Future experiments will characterize how these mutant forms of Dm0 affect the functionality of the muscles and neurons in flies and if these forms can be targeted for degradation by p38Kb and the CASA complex

An Investigation into Organisation Capacity for National Disaster Management in Zimbabwe: The Case of the Department of Civil Protection

Across the globe, disasters – both natural and man-made – have threatened humanity. These disasters had grave and devastating impact on human life, infrastructure, and the environment as evidenced by the February 2000 Cyclone Eline and March 2019 Cyclone Idai. This research sought to investigate the Department of Civil Protection`s (DCP) capacity in national disaster management. The research examines how the DCP handled cyclones from 2000-2019 in Chimanimani District. Organisational capacity was assessed on the basis of its core principles which are: leadership, management and operations, community engagement, service and evaluation. The study discovered that inadequate financial and human resources, poor emergency response systems, weak learning and lessons drawing, reactive disaster management, weak pre-disaster management community engagement, poor reconstruction and failure to harmonise military and DCP operational structures are factors undermining DCP`s capacity for national disaster management. The research recommends that government should avail adequate resources, DCP should be proactive in disaster management, should openly contract-out reconstruction works, and collaborate with universities to strengthen organisational learning capacity, align military and DCP operational structures and processes and let Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) distribute food and other humanitarian aid

The Shadow Pandemic: Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on Zimbabwean Informal Sector in Chiredzi District

COVID-19 has disrupted the business sector globally, ushering developed and developing economies into an unprecedented recession beyond anything experienced in nearly a century. Governments across the globe have adopted a myriad of preventive measures. These remedial actions vary from one country to the other. Nonetheless, in Zimbabwe the government gave a blind eye on the informal sector as evidenced by the adopted preventive measures which neglected the plight of informal traders. To this end, this research interrogates the shadow pandemic in the Zimbabwean informal sector using Chiredzi District as an illustrative case study. Documentary review and key informed interviews were at the core of research methodology. The study found out that informal economy businesses are excluded from government grants, closure of businesses, failure to pay rentals, disruption of the supply chain, psychological impact and family dysfunctional are the quandaries causing a shadow pandemic. Inclusion of informal economy businesses in policies and government grants, government should negotiate with landlords, informal traders should be allowed to operate and inclusive social nets are the possible remedial actions that the government can adopted