Taking forward public procurement reforms in Ghana

The construction industry in Ghana, like many others worldwide, has had its fair share of damning independent reviews. Huge and unsustainable foreign debt, excessive budget deficits, huge contractual payment arrears, poor construction performance, corruption and pressure from international financial institutions, forced the government to commit to a reform of public procurement, which culminated in the passing of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663). The paper outlines the events leading to, and features of, the public procurement reform in Ghana and analyses its potential impact and the unique challenges it presents. Comparisons are also drawn from relevant scenarios in other countries. The paper concludes that while the Procurement Act sets out the legal, institutional and regulatory framework to secure fiscal transparency and public accountability, the sole reliance on traditional contracting and price-based selection limits the scope for the value for money achievable. Expanding the reforms to cover procurement and project delivery methods and strategies, with a focus on ‘best value’, will increase the potential and likelihood of achieving value for money in public construction in Ghana

Enhancing Initial Teacher Education in Kuwait: ‘Cooking on a Low Heat’

This paper reports on a review of initial teacher education (ITE) in Kuwait between 2009 & 2013 sponsored initially by the British Council and latterly by the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). Progress on recommended changes has been described within the local Arabic idiom as “cooking on a low heat”, which means that progress was being made only slowly. Conclusions as to how to make ITE more effective in the country were agreed at an early stage, but development has limited through a process aligned to the principle of non-decision-making. Although one consequence of inaction has been substantial financial cost, the greater cost is the significant proportion of teachers who are performing at below expected levels. The paper concludes that intervention at the higher levels of government is required in order to overcome the stagnation of this reform initiative

Leadership

The EYFS offers leadership challenges within ECEC which are profound and challenging, but not wholly unique to the sector. In other words, there are common features of leadership that apply to all phases of education, but it is recognised that there are specific issues relating to ECEC. This chapter explores those challenges to help identify responses which are appropriate to the sector. The chapter begins by exploring the complexity of ECEC provision in England to identify leadership and management responsibilities within the system. The key role is identified as the formal leader of settings with more than one employee. Differences between leadership and management are discussed, as is leadership as a set of social behaviours. This definition, which extends the simple measure of accountability for formal managers, allows for the exploration of shared or collective leadership approaches to creating and sustaining effective learning environments as well as ensuring the safety and welfare of young children. The discussion then moves towards identifying organisational structures and behaviours which support such ambitions. Issues specific to the sector, such as multi-agency working and a heavily gendered workforce, are explored in the context of leadership theories to guide practitioners as to their role. The chapter closes with some practical tips as to how to move beyond the notion of single accountable executive towards collective and connective leadership within each setting. This chapter aims to to: • Explore issues about leadership in relation to ECEC; • Discuss different styles of leadership and reflect on the core values that underpin ECEC; • Discuss leadership in settings in relation to contributing factors that correspond to the share value system

Natural killer cells in the human uterine mucosa

The presence of granulated lymphocytes in the human uterine mucosa, known as decidua during pregnancy, or endometrium otherwise, was first noted in the nineteenth century, but it was not until 1990 that these cells were identified as a type of natural killer (NK) cell. From the outset, uterine NK (uNK) cells were found to be less cytotoxic than their circulating counterparts, peripheral NK (pNK) cells. Recently, unbiased approaches have defined three subpopulations of uNK cells, all of which cluster separately from pNK cells. Here, we review the history of research into uNK cells, including their ability to interact with placental extravillous trophoblast cells and their potential role in regulating placental implantation. We go on to review more recent advances that focus on uNK cell development and heterogeneity and their potential to defend against infection and to mediate memory effects. Finally, we consider how a better understanding of these cells could be leveraged in the future to improve outcomes of pregnancy for mothers and babies

A Management Model for Specification of Groundwater Withdrawal Permits

The Massachusetts Water Management Act was enacted in 1986 to preserve the State\u27s water resources. The intent of the Act was to allow for sustained economic growth while protecting the natural environment by minimizing the occurrence of low stream flows. As a result of the act, a permit must be obtained for new water withdrawals (including increases on existing withdrawals) of more than 0.1 million gallons per day (0.00438 m3/s). The permits specify the degree to which applicants may withdraw water, and reserve the right to curtail use during low flow seasons. A linear programming model is presented that is capable of assisting regulatory agencies in specifying details of permits for groundwater use. The model links ground water withdrawals with surface streamflow, considering consumptive use and interbasin transfers. The optimization minimizes the depletion of streamflow below a standard while honoring the statistical distribution of allowed withdrawals permitted each applicant. The results specify the amount and timing of allowed withdrawals throughout the year

Rigid and concave, 2,4-cis-substituted azetidine derivatives: A platform for asymmetric catalysis.

A series of single enantiomer, 2,4-cis-disubstituted amino azetidines were synthesised and used as ligands for copper-catalysed Henry reactions of aldehydes with nitromethane. Optimisation of ligand substituents and the reaction conditions was conducted. The enantiomeric excess of the formed products was highest when alkyl aldehydes were employed in the reaction (>99% e.e.). The absolute stereochemistry of one representative azetidine derivative salt was determined by analysis of the Flack parameter of an XRD single crystal structure. The origin of selectivity in catalysis was investigated computationally, revealing the importance of the amino-substituent in determining the stereochemical outcome. A racemic platinum complex of a cis-disubstituted azetidine is examined by XRD single crystal structure analysis with reference to its steric parameters, and analogies to the computationally determined copper complex catalyst are drawn. A preliminary example of the use of a cis-disubstituted azetidine scaffold in thiourea H-bonding catalyst is noted in the supporting information

Transcriptional control of occludin expression in vascular endothelia: regulation by Sp3 and YY1

Endothelium differentiates in response to tissue-specific signals; brain endothelium expresses tight junctions and transporters which are absent from other endothelia. The promoter of the tight junction protein occludin exhibited strong activity in a brain endothelial cell line, hCMEC/D3 but was inactive in lung endothelial cells. Expression of occludin in brain endothelium corresponded with binding of Sp3 to a minimal promoter segment close to the transcription-start site. However, in lung endothelium Sp-transcription factors did not bind to this site although they are present in the cell nucleus. In contrast, repression of occludin in lung endothelium was associated with the binding of YY1 to a remote site in the promoter region, which was functionally inactive in brain endothelium. The work identified a group of transcription factors including Sp3 and YY1, which differentially interact with the occludin promoter to induce expression of occludin in brain endothelium and repression in other endothelia. The mechanism controlling occludin expression is similar to that which controls tissue-specific expression of the transferrin receptor in brain endothelium, leading to a scheme for endothelial differentiation, in which activation or repression of tissue-specific proteins is maintained by a set of transcription factors which include Sp3 and YY1

Biokonsentrasi dan Bioakumulasi Mercury (Hg) Pada Lamun Enhalus Acoroides Di Teluk Kayeli Kabupaten Buru Provinsi Maluku

Gold reserves on Gunung Botak (Bald Mountain), Buru Island, were discovered in 2011. Since then, thousands of illegal miners have used amalgamation methods to extract gold in the areas of Gunung Botak and Gogrea, Buru Island. The resulting waste is disposed of into the environment directly without any treatment process so it is very dangerous for humans and the environment. This research was conducted to determine the ability of the Enhalus acoroides type of seagrass to accumulate heavy metal mercury (Hg) in the aquatic environment. This research shows that the heavy metal mercury has been distributed in the water sediments along Kayeli Bay. Mercury bio-concentration (accumulation) Gunung Botak, Kayeli Bay, Mercury (Hg), bioconcenstration, Seagrass, Enhalus acoroides, Kayeli Baywas found in Enhalus acoroides seagrass, in leaves (0.0243-0.0373 mg/Kg), and in rhizomes (0.0453-0.0663 mg/Kg). This result shows that the Kayeli Bay ecosystem has been contaminated with mercury

PPAR<i>γ</i> agonist-loaded PLGA -PEG nanocarriers as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease: in vitro and in vivo studies

Objective: The first aim of this study was to develop a nanocarrier that could transport the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist, pioglitazone (PGZ) across brain endothelium and examine the mechanism of nanoparticle transcytosis. The second aim was to determine whether these nanocarriers could successfully treat a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: PGZ-loaded nanoparticles (PGZ-NPs) were synthesized by the solvent displacement technique, following a factorial design using poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG). The transport of the carriers was assessed in vitro, using a human brain endothelial cell line, cytotoxicity assays, fluorescence-tagged nanocarriers, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, confocal and transmission electron microscopy. The effectiveness of the treatment was assessed in APP/PS1 mice in a behavioral assay and by measuring the cortical deposition of β-amyloid. Results: Incorporation of PGZ into the carriers promoted a 50x greater uptake into brain endothelium compared with the free drug and the carriers showed a delayed release profile of PGZ in vitro. In the doses used, the nanocarriers were not toxic for the endothelial cells, nor did they alter the permeability of the blood–brain barrier model. Electron microscopy indicated that the nanocarriers were transported from the apical to the basal surface of the endothelium by vesicular transcytosis. An efficacy test carried out in APP/PS1 transgenic mice showed a reduction of memory deficit in mice chronically treated with PGZ-NPs. Deposition of β-amyloid in the cerebral cortex, measured by immunohistochemistry and image analysis, was correspondingly reduced. Conclusion: PLGA-PEG nanocarriers cross brain endothelium by transcytosis and can be loaded with a pharmaceutical agent to effectively treat a mouse model of AD