STAFF PARTICIPATION IN FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

Financial Administration has become a vital and a crucial function in modern organizations and educational institutions. This is because financial resources are scarce in relation to the demand for them. As a result, it is imperative to have a very sound administration of public funds allocated to educational institutions. The study sought to investigate “Staff Participation in Financial Administration of Colleges of Education in Ashanti Region, Ghana.” The study was conducted in three Colleges with a sample size of One Hundred and Twenty (120) respondents, selected by using simple randomization and purposive sampling procedures. The main instrument used in the collection of data for the study was questionnaire but at certain instances, an interview guide was employed. The researcher made use of descriptive analysis approach to discuss the data in order to make conclusions. The study unveiled a closed nature of financial administration of the Colleges. As against this discovery, most of the respondents overwhelmingly emphasized that staff participation in financial administration has great significance on the Colleges’ development and as a result, were in favour of the practice of open college financial administration. It is therefore recommended that financial administration of the Colleges be made open to involve staff members. Staff members need to have access to financial information to inform their decisions, and also to motivate them for high performance to improve the Colleges.  Article visualizations

Modellierung und Analyse des Betriebsverhaltens von thermischen Nachverbrennungsanlagen mit regenerativer Abluftvorwärmung

Thermische Nachverbrennungsanlagen mit regenerativer Abluftvorwärmung (kurz: RNVAnlagen) werden zur Reinigung von Abgas- bzw. Abluftströmen eingesetzt, die brennbare Bestandteile enthalten. Dazu werden die Verunreinigungen, oft flüchtige organische Verbindungen wie Lösemittel u. Ä., bei hohen Temperaturen oxidiert und nahezu vollständig in Kohlenstoffdioxid und Wasser umgewandelt. Um den Prozess möglichst wirtschaftlich zu gestalten, wird der Enthalpiestrom des heißen Reingases in Regeneratoren zwischengespeichert und zur Vorwärmung der Abluft genutzt. Obwohl RNV-Anlagen seit Beginn der 1980er Jahre in der Industrie weite Verbreitung gefunden haben, basiert die Auslegung der Anlagen in der Praxis meist auf einfachen Abschätzungsrechnungen und vorhandenen Erfahrungen. Dies ist der Tatsache geschuldet, dass es sich – auch unter stationären Randbedingungen – um einen zeitlich dauerhaft instationären Prozess handelt, dessen Modellgleichungen zwar grundsätzlich bekannt sind, aber sehr hohe Anforderungen an Berechnungsprogramme stellen. Der erforderliche Entwicklungsaufwand ist von den kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen des Anlagenbaus kaum zu erbringen. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit ein vereinfachtes Prozessmodell entwickelt, dass überwiegend auf ingenieurwissenschaftlichen Grundlagen beruht und somit leicht nachvollzogen und implementiert werden kann. Dazu wird gezeigt, dass der instationäre Strömungsumkehrreaktor im zyklisch-stationären Betrieb mit Hilfe der Regeneratortheorie von Hausen als stationärer Wärmeübertragerreaktor aufgefasst werden kann. Für diesen werden die Modellgleichungen formuliert und die Berechnungsmethoden der benötigten Koeffizienten dargestellt. Anhand umfangreicher experimenteller Arbeiten an einer RNV-Anlage im Technikumsmaßstab wird das Modell validiert und verdeutlicht, dass, außer den Parametern der chemischen Kinetik, keine weiteren Anpassungsfaktoren erforderlich sind, um den Prozess im Rahmen der Messfehler adäquat zu beschreiben. In weiteren Simulationen wird die Auswirkung verschiedenster Betriebs- und Anlagenparameter auf die wesentlichen Auslegungsgrößen (Brennstoffbedarf, Reingastemperatur und Druckverlust) untersucht. Herleitungen von Abschätzungsgleichungen für idealisierte Fälle, z. B. für die Maximal- und Brennraumtemperaturen im überautothermen Betrieb oder den Verbrennungswärmebedarf im autothermen Betrieb, sowie ein ausführlicher Anhang runden die Arbeit ab.Thermal post-combustion plants with regenerative air-preheating, also known as Regenerative Thermal Oxidation plants (abbr. RTO-plants), are used for the purification of exhaust gas or exhaust air streams containing combustible components. To acomplish this, the impurities – mostly volatile organic compounds such as solvents and similar – are oxidized at high temperatures and converted to carbondioxide and water almost entirely. To achive a highly efficient process, the enthalpy flow of the hot clean-gas leaving the plants is temporarilly stored in regenerators and used for heating-up of the cold incoming exhaust air. Although RTO-plants found widespread application in industry since the early 1980s, the dimensioning of the facilities is still based on estimate calculations and existing experiences quite often. This is due to the fact, that the process – even under constant boundary conditions – is inherently unsteady in time. The model-equations are principally known but place enormous demands on the computational solution. Especially small and middle-sized manufacturers are hardly able to expend effort on the development. Against this background a simplified model of the process is developed in this work, that is preponderantly based on engineering fundamentals, hence beeing easy to comprehend and to implement. For this purpose it is shown, that, by means of the regenerator theory of Hausen, the tansient reverse-flow reactor in cyclic steady state can be regarded as a stationary heat-exchanger reactor. The model-equations for this system are formulated and methods for the computation of the coefficients therein are described. The model is validated on the basis of extensive experimental work using a RTO-plant in technical scale. Furthermore it is shown, that – besides the parameters of chemical reaction rates – no additional fitting-factors are required to describe the process within the limits of measurement errors. In additional simulations the effects of many different operating and dimensioning variables on the essential design values (massflow of fuel, clean-gas temperature and pressure-drop) are investigated. Derivations of estimate formulae for special cases, e. g. the maximum and combustion chamber temperatures in superadiabatic operation or the fuel consumption in autothermal mode, as well as a circumstantial appendix round off the work

Presentation and outcome of COVID-19 in HIV patients with high viral loads and opportunistic infections: a case series

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is especially severe in patients with underlying chronic conditions, with increased risk of mortality. There is concern that people living with HIV (PLWH), especially those with severe immunosuppression, and COVID-19 may have severe disease and a negative clinical outcome. Most studies on COVID-19 in PLWH are from Asia, Europe and America where population dynamics, antiretroviral treatment coverage and coexisting opportunistic infections may differ from that in sub-Saharan Africa. We report on the clinical profile and outcome of three cases of PLWH co-infected with SARS-CoV-2. They all presented with fever, cough and breathlessness and also had advanced HIV infection as evidenced by opportunistic infections, high HIV viral loads and low CD4 counts. The patients responded favourably to the standard of care and were discharged home. Our findings suggest that PLWH with advanced immunosuppression may not necessarily have an unfavourable disease course and outcome. However, case-controlled studies with a larger population size are needed to better understand the impact of COVID-19 in this patient population

Survival rates of head and neck cancers in Ghana: a retrospective study at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

OBJECTIVE: Data was collected to evaluate the survival rates of head and neck (conjunctiva, oropharyngeal and non-oropharyngeal) squamous cell carcinomas in Ghana. DATA DESCRIPTION: We provided data on a retrospective review of 8 years (January 2004 to December 2009) survival rate of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. The data consist of patient demographic data and clinicopathological findings which includes tumour site, tumour stage and histological grades of the patients. Clinical outcome measurement was death through to January 2013 on record and confirmed from the hospitals birth and death registry department. More than 85% of death cases were confirmed by gender, age, and folder identification numbers from the birth and death registry

District health management and stillbirth recording and reporting: a qualitative study in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

BACKGROUND: Despite global efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, stillbirths remain a significant public health challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. District health systems, largely seen as the backbone of health systems, are pivotal in addressing the data gaps reported for stillbirths. Available, accurate and complete data is essential for District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) to understand the burden of stillbirths, evaluate interventions and tailor health facility support to address the complex challenges that contribute to stillbirths. This study aims to understand stillbirth recording and reporting in the Ashanti Region of Ghana from the perspective of DHMTs. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. 15 members of the regional and district health directorates (RHD/DHD) participated in semi-structured interviews. Sampling was purposive, focusing on RHD/DHD members who interact with maternity services or stillbirth data. Thematic analyses were informed by an a priori framework, including theme 1) experiences, perceptions and attitudes; theme 2) stillbirth data use; and theme 3) leadership and support mechanisms, for stillbirth recording and reporting. RESULTS: Under theme 1, stillbirth definitions varied among respondents, with 20 and 28 weeks commonly used. Fresh and macerated skin appearance was used to classify timing with limited knowledge of antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths. For theme 2, data quality checks, audits, and the district health information management system (DHIMS-2) data entry and review are functions played by the DHD. Midwives were blamed for data quality issues on omissions and misclassifications. Manual entry of data, data transfer from the facility to the DHD, limited knowledge of stillbirth terminology and periodic closure of the DHIMS-2 were seen to proliferate gaps in stillbirth recording and reporting. Under theme 3, perinatal audits were acknowledged as an enabler for stillbirth recording and reporting by the DHD, though audits are mandated for only late-gestational stillbirths (> 28 weeks). Engagement of other sectors, e.g., civil/vital registration and private health facilities, was seen as key in understanding the true population-level burden of stillbirths. CONCLUSION: Effective district health management ensures that every stillbirth is accurately recorded, reported, and acted upon to drive improvements. A large need exists for capacity building on stillbirth definitions and data use. Recommendations are made, for example, terminology standardization and private sector engagement, aimed at reducing stillbirth rates in high-mortality settings such as Ghana

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bobb Family Collection

Photograph of Nora Longhat, Jenny Bobb's daughter, a Delaware Indian. Photo by Reindorf, Cement, Oklahoma Territory

Detaillierter Überblick über Secure Pseudo Random Number Generator Implementierungen

Obwohl Kryptographie nur so sicher wie die Zufallsgeneratoren dahinter sein kann, wird weniger Aufmerksamkeit darauf verwendet, woher die Zufallszahlen kommen und wie sich Theorie und Praxis unterscheiden. Nach einer Einführung in die Theorie und einem Überblick über die Softwarelandschaft werden konkrete Implementierungen genauer untersucht. Eine Diskrepanz zwischen Dokumentation und Implementierung im SHA1PRNG Algorithmus von Java sowie Bias in einem Nitrokey Produkt werden entdeckt.Although cryptography can only be as secure as the random number generators behind them, there is less attention paid to where random numbers come from and how theory and practice differ. After an introduction to the theory of randomness and an overview of the software landscape, concrete implementations are analysed in detail. A mismatch of documentation and implementation in the SHA1PRNG algorithm of Java as well as bias in the output of a Nitrokey product are discovered.Wien, FH Campus Wien, Masterarb., 2017(VLID)247081