Search

This paper sets to find out the effect of the microstructure of wood on the permeability and sorption of the wood of Sterculia rhinopetala and Albizia ferruginea. Permeability, the way of ingress of water into wood mass, is one of the most variable properties of timber and it further influences nearly all the physical properties of wood. Wood exposed to high humidity conditions or to liquid water during use may be subjected to biological deterioration which makes equilibrium moisture content of wood very important. Equilibrium moisture content is the moisture level where the wood neither gains nor loses moisture since it is at equilibrium with the relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding environment. Sixteen randomly sampled specimens of each of the wood of Sterculia rhinopetala and Albizia ferruginea species (heartwood and sapwood) with dimensions 3 cm x 3 cm x 3 cm were exposed at various relative humidity conditions of 30 %, 45 %, 60 %, 75 % and 90 % in a temperature and humidity-controlled climate chamber. The order of water uptake in terms of percentage volume is arranged from the lowest to the highest. Sterculia rhinopetala heartwood had the lowest uptake per volume with a value of 0.31 %. On the uptake per weight Sterculia rhinopetala heartwood again had the lowest uptake whilst Albizia ferruginea had the highest with a value of 6.77 %. The sapwood of Sterculia rhinopetala had a relatively higher uptake per volume value of 0.53 % and a value of uptake per weight of 0.72 % compared to the heartwood. The equilibrium moisture content values of Sterculia rhinopetala suggests that it can have minimal dimensional changes when used in both the Southern and the Northern parts of Ghana.

Existing scholarship documents large worldwide increases in women’s participation in the public sphere over recent decades, for example, in education, politics, and the labor force. Some scholars have argued that these changes follow broader trends in world society, especially its growing liberalism, which increasingly has reconfigured social life around the choices of empowered and rights-bearing individuals, regardless of gender. Very recently, however, a variety of populisms and nationalisms have emerged to present alternatives to liberalism, including in the international arena. We explore here their implications for women’s participation in public life. We use cross-national data to analyze changes in women’s participation in higher education, the polity, and the economy 1970–2017. We find that women’s participation on average continues to expand over this period, but there is evidence of a growing cross-national divergence. In most domains, women’s participation tends to be lower in countries linked to illiberal international organizations, especially in the recent-most period.

Funding: The authors acknowledge the generosity of the funders of this work, the Children’s Data Collaborative – a consortium of the Scottish Government, Data-Driven Initiative, UNICEF, and the University of Edinburgh. Additional salary support is gratefully acknowledged for LM’s/LD’S/AJW’s contributions to this work, from (respectively): LM -- School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee; LD -- School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh; AJW -- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews. Objective : To analyse the Growing Up in Scotland cohort for predictors of obesity at age 12, present at school entry (age 5-6). Methods : The initial model included literature-based risk factors likely to be routinely collected in high-income countries (HICs), as well as “Adverse/Protective Childhood Experiences (ACEs/PCEs)”. Missing data were handled by Multiple Chained Equations. Variable-reduction was performed using multivariable logistic regression with backwards and forwards stepwise elimination, followed by internal validation by bootstrapping. Optimal sensitivity/specificity cut-offs for the most parsimonious and accurate models in two situations (optimum available data, and routinely available data in Scotland) were examined for their referral burden, and Positive and Negative Predictive Values. Results : Data for 2787 children with full outcome data (obesity prevalence 18.3% at age 12) were used to develop the models. The final “Optimum Data” model included six predictors of obesity: maternal body mass index, indoor smoking, equivalized income quintile, child’s sex, child’s BMI at age 5-6, and ACEs. After internal validation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.855 (95% CI 0.852-0.859). A cut-off based on Youden’s J statistic for the Optimum Data model yielded a specificity of 77.8% and sensitivity of 76.3%. 37.0% of screened children were “Total Screen Positives” (and thus would constitute the “referral burden”.) A “Scottish Data” model, without equivalized income quintile and ACEs as a predictor, and instead using Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile and “age at introduction of solid-foods,” was slightly less sensitive (76.2%) but slightly more specific (79.2%), leading to a smaller referral burden (30.8%). Conclusion : Universally collected, machine-readable and linkable data at age 5-6 predict reasonably well children who will be obese by age 12. However, the Scottish treatment system is unable to cope with the resultant referral burden and other criteria for screening would have to be met. Publisher PDF

For two decades, the international scholarly publishing community has been embroiled in a divisive debate about the best model for funding the dissemination of scientific research. Some may assume that this debate has been thoroughly resolved in favour of the Open Access (OA) model of scientific publishing. Recent commentaries reveal a less settled reality. This narrative review aims to lay out the nature of these deep divisions among the sector's stakeholders, reflects on their systemic drivers and considers the future prospects for actualising OA's intended benefits and surmounting its risks and costs. In the process, we highlight some of inequities OA presents for junior or unfunded researchers, and academics from resource-poor environments, for whom an increasing body of evidence shows clear evidence of discrimination and injustice caused by Article Processing Charges. The authors are university-appointed researchers working the UK and South Africa, trained in disciplines ranging from medicine and epidemiology to social science and digital science. We have no vested interest in any particular model of scientific publication, and no conflicts of interest to declare. We believe the issues we identify are pertinent to almost all research disciplines.

La bronquiolitis es definida como la inflamación y obstrucción de las vías aéreas inferiores, el agente causante es el virus respiratorio sincitial. Los síntomas más frecuentes son: fiebre, congestión nasal, taquipnea, sibilancias, estertores, e incluso crepitantes. La incidencia de bronquiolitis al año es de 3,4 millones y alrededor de 199.000 mueren en países subdesarrollados. Entre el 5-16% de pacientes hospitalizados requieren apoyo ventilatorio e ingresan a unidades especiales, ataca principalmente a menores de 2 años. La prevención contra el virus respiratorio sincitial es poca, dado a que no existe vacuna; se ha propuesto el uso de inmunoglobulinas o anticuerpos como un medio de prevención, sin embargo, el costo es muy elevado y los beneficios no son significativos. El objetivo principal es determinar si el salbutamol es más eficaz que la solución salina en pacientes pediátricos con bronquiolitis. El tratamiento ya sea con salbutamol o solución salina son los más utilizados, se analizará cuál de los dos es más eficaz, algunos estudios confirman que el salbutamol puede retrasar el alta hospitalaria, otros afirman lo contrario.

A study into the mechanical properties of Neem wood was done to explore the possibility of its usage as a structural material. This paper presents the results of some investigations into the strength properties of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and compares them with those of Odum (Milicia excelsa) and European Oak (Quercus spp.) which are well known structural wood species in Ghana and Europe, respectively. The properties were determined using British (BS 373, 1957) and American timber testing specifications (ASTM D143, 1983) using testing methods for small, clear specimens of wood. The results showed that at 12% moisture content the wood has a density of 740 kg/m3 with a mean modulus of rupture of 8317 N/mm2, compressive strength parallel to the grain of 318.8 N/mm2, modulus of elasticity of 8644 N/mm2, and shear strength parallel to the grain of 17 N/mm2. The bending strength (MOR) of Neem is about 30% lower than that of Odum and about 2% higher than Oak. The modulus of elasticity of Neem is about 39% lower than Odum and 43% lower than Oak. The strength properties in the present work suggest that the wood of Neem has a potential for utilisation in structural applications.

This study investigated the plastic waste challenges to the environment of some parts of Takoradi Technical University’s (TTU) main campus, Effiakuma - new site, Takoradi-Ghana. The study, therefore, explored the concept of Garbage in, Garbage out waste disposal in producing functional art objects (flower vases) from the realization of the plastic waste challenges. Under the qualitative approach, the studio-based inquiry was adopted for the study. The studio data collection was done using personal interviews and direct observation to solicit data from 15 purposively sampled respondents. The sample size for the study consisted of two TTU management staff, five art lecturers, and eight students. The studio data were analyzed using a visual analysis tool and a studio-based production process. This process allowed the study to reflect on the practical explanation of exploring plastic waste in art. The production process of the studio-based practice brought some practicability and viability of plastic waste as a material into art, as was evident in the flower vase produced. The study concluded that art lecturers and student artists on TTU's main campus should focus on the viability of plastic waste as creative materials for art.

Background Modern health surveillance and planning requires an understanding of how preventable risk factors impact population health, and how these effects vary between populations. In this study, we compare how smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity are associated with all-cause mortality in Canada and the United States using comparable individual-level, linked population health survey data and identical model specifications. Methods The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) (2003–2007) and the United States National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (2000, 2005) linked to individual-level mortality outcomes with follow up to December 31, 2011 were used. Consistent variable definitions were used to estimate country-specific mortality hazard ratios with sex-specific Cox proportional hazard models, including smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity, sociodemographic indicators and proximal factors including disease history. Results A total of 296,407 respondents and 1,813,884 million person-years of follow-up from the CCHS and 58,232 respondents and 497,909 person-years from the NHIS were included. Absolute mortality risk among those with a ‘healthy profile’ was higher in the United States compared to Canada, especially among women. Adjusted mortality hazard ratios associated with health behaviours were generally of similar magnitude and direction but often stronger in Canada. Conclusion Even when methodological and population differences are minimal, the association of health behaviours and mortality can vary across populations. It is therefore important to be cautious of between-study variation when aggregating relative effect estimates from differing populations, and when using external effect estimates for population health research and policy development.

Countries worldwide are currently endeavoring to safeguard the long-term health of their populations through implementing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), in line with the United Nation's 2015-30 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Canada has some of the world's strongest legislation supporting equitable access to care for medically necessary hospital and physician services based on need, not ability to pay. A constitutional challenge to this legislation is underway in British Columbia (BC), led by a corporate plaintiff, Cambie Surgeries Corporation (CSC). This constitutional challenge threatens to undermine the high bar for UHC protection that Canada has set for the world, with potential adverse implications for equitable international development. CSC claims that BC's healthcare law—the Medicare Protection Act (MPA)—infringes patients' rights under Canada's constitution, by essentially preventing physicians who are enrolled in BC's publicly-funded Medicare plan from providing expedited care to patients for a private fee. In September 2020, after a trial that ran for 3.5 years and included testimony by more than 100 witnesses from around the world, the court dismissed the plaintiffs' claim. Having lost their case in the Supreme Court of BC, the plaintiffs' appealed in June 2021. The appellate court's ruling and reasons for judgment are expected sometime in 2021. We consider the evidence before the court from the perspective of social epidemiology and health inequalities, demonstrating that structural features of a modern society that exacerbate inequalities, including inequitable access to healthcare, can be expected to lead to worse overall societal outcomes.

Objectives: To develop a Critical Appraisal tool for non-computational-specialist public health professionals to assess the quality and relevance of modelling studies about Test and Trace (and Protect – TTP) programmes’ impact on COVID-19 transmission.Study Design: Decision-making tool developmentMethods: Using Tugwell et al.’s Health Care Effectiveness equation as a conceptual framework, combined with a purposive search of the relevant early modeling literature, we developed six critical appraisal questions for the rapid assessment of modeling studies related to the evaluation of TTP programmes’ effectiveness.Results: By applying the Critical Appraisal tool to selected recent COVID-19 modeling studies we demonstrate how models can be evaluated using the six questions to evaluate internal and external validity, and relevance.Conclusions: These six critical appraisal questions are able to discriminate between modeling studies of higher and lower quality and relevance to evaluating TTP programmes’ impact. However, these questions require independent validation in a larger and systematic sample of relevant modeling studies which have appeared in later stages of the pandemic.

In this study, life cycle assessment (LCIA) was used for the assessment and evaluation of the environmental performance of the Khaya lumber manufactured by three firms in Ghana. The work mainly aims to assess all possible effects to the environment, measure the carbon footprint for Ghana Khaya lumber and offer an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Ghana Khaya lumber. The results show that the average environmental effect of the Khaya lumber per cubic meter in relation to GWP was 253 kg-CO2-Eq; AP, 3.9 kg SO2- Eq; EP, 2.6 kg Phosphate (PO4)-Eq; POCP, 0.56 kg Ethylene-Eq. The GWP, AP, EP and POCP match very well the results of LCIA for 1 m3 rough-sawn, kiln dried US lumber cradle to gate for 19 diverse species and the LCA results for environmental product declaration of tropical plywood production in Malaysia and Indonesia. The EPD results give useful, confirmed and equivalent information concerning the possible environment effect of Khaya lumber manufactured by three firms in Ghana. A detailed and clear LCA for the timber industry offers industry with precise areas for making physical and economic savings to benefit the wealth of the environment and industry. Key words: Environmental assessment, tropical timber, life cycle assessment.

This paper takes a critical look at Ghana’s one district one factory industrial policy in relation to climate change. This is important because climate variability and change as a result of industrialization can stand as hazard to impending advancement and expansion in Ghana. Industrial policy can contribute significantly to economic, ecological as well as communal sustainability. This paper aim to clarify the need for industrial policy because of climate change as well as to determine its effects on the one-district, one-factory industrial policy in Ghana. A far-reaching work examination was done on detailed comparative account of the role played by industrial Policies due to climate change in development and growth. This search resulted in the selection of four implications namely: international coordination, green industrial policy, energy efficiency and diversifications; and trade policies, which were missing in the 1D1F industrial policy in Ghana. Key words: Climate change, energy; industrial policy, trade policy, sustainable development

BACKGROUND: An estimated one- to two-thirds of incident HIV infections among US men who have sex with men (MSM) occur within the context of a primary relationship. The existing, yet limited, literature on sexual risk behavior among same-sex couples suggests that MSM with main partners are more often to report having lower perceived HIV risk, higher unrecognized HIV infection, and increased frequency of condomless anal intercourse (CAI) with their primary partner. Furthermore, numerous studies document the strong relationship between polydrug use and binge drinking with HIV infection among MSM. However, more research is needed that identifies how individual- and relationship-level factors are related to polydrug use and binge drinking in the context of same-sex male relationships. METHODS: We used baseline data collected as part of a prospective randomized controlled trial of 160 same-sex male couples (total N = 320 individuals). In 2015, recruitment commenced in three U.S. cities: Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA and Chicago, IL. Participants completed a self-report assessment using an audio-computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) system during their baseline enrollment visit. We collected information on participants’ socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, age, employment/student status, etc.), drug and alcohol use, individual- and relationship-level variables of interest, as well as relationship quality. Multinomial logistic regression models were fit for three different categories of polydrug use (using 3 or more drugs) and of binge drinking (consuming six or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion, at least once per month) for which 1) both partners exhibit the behavior, 2) only the respondent exhibits the behavior, or 3) only the partner exhibits the behavior. RESULTS: Participants’ age ranged from 18 to 69 (mean = 35.9). The sample majority (77.5%) was White (248/320), with 12.2% Black (39/320), and 10.3% multiracial (33/320); 68.4% had completed a college degree); and 9.6% were unemployed. A high proportion (62.2%) reported any drug use, including marijuana; 45% reported using drugs other than marijuana and 18.1% reported polydrug use. Overall, 22.2% reported current binge drinking. Age discordance and being in a long-term relationship (six or more years) were associated with a decreased odds of polydrug use among couples; being in an interracial dyad, recent history of arrest, living with HIV, and self-reported clinically significant depressive symptoms were associated with an increased odds of polydrug use. Additionally, being the older partner and reporting higher levels of internalized homophobia decreased odds for binge drinking, while recent history of arrest, living with HIV, and feeling more loved in their relationship were associated with an increased odds of binge drinking. DISCUSSION: Findings have implications for developing interventions to reduce substance use and promote health among same-sex male couples. Future research would benefit by using longitudinal study designs to understand the individual-, relationship-, and structural-level factors that potentiate polydrug use and binge drinking among same-sex male couples.

Purpose: The physical health care needs of transgender women are not being adequately addressed in the United States. The current study adds to the literature on the state of health care among young transgender women (YTW) by describing the occurrence of unmet health needs among a sample of YTW and providing unique data on psychosocial and demographic factors associated with access to adequate care. Methods: Baseline data were analyzed from Project LifeSkills, an intervention study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). YTW (N=300) between the ages of 16 and 29 were recruited from the Boston and Chicago metropolitan areas between 2012 and 2015. Data were collected on health care experiences, indicators of social marginalization, and sociodemographic information. The final analytic sample (N=273) was restricted to participants with complete data; participants that were removed did not significantly differ demographically from the final analytic sample retained. Bivariate logistic regression models examined the association between having unmet health care needs and sociodemographics, social marginalization, and health care utilization indicators. A final adjusted multivariable logistic regression model was constructed with independent variables that were statistically significant in bivariate models. Results: Overall, nearly a quarter (23%) of YTW indicated that they had unmet health care needs. In the final multivariable model adjusted for enrollment city, avoiding health care due to cost (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.05–3.76) and experiencing prior transgender-specific discrimination in a medical setting (aOR=4.54, 95% CI=2.30–8.95]) were associated with a greater odds of having unmet health care needs. Conclusion: YTW face significant barriers to accessing health care in the United States. Among this sample, prior experiences of discrimination and inability to afford health care increased YTW odds of having unmet health care needs. Efforts to improve the unmet health care needs among YTW should promote access to affordable, gender-affirming care.

This article analyzes cross-national and longitudinal variations in the incorporation of nonhuman animals into country constitutions and legislation. We argue that incorporation follows from the scientific rationalization and human rights-based ontological elaboration of nonhuman animals in world society, carried by a growing number of intergovernmental agreements and international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs). To test our ideas, we use event-history analyses on original data from 195 countries for the period 1972–2020. The models of constitutional incorporation show mixed results, with positive effects from human rights and INGOs but negative effects from science and intergovernmental agreements. The models of legislative incorporation show consistent positive effects from world factors, even when controlling for a range of domestic factors. Legal incorporation suggests an extension of the boundaries of “society,” driven by the rising prominence of highly rationalized and elaborated models of nonhuman animals, replete with dignity, sentience, and even tentative forms of rights and personhood.

Orientadores: Valeriano Antunes de Oliveira, Roberto Andreani Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matemática, Estatística e Computação Científica Resumo: Nesta tese, são obtidas condições necessárias de otimalidade de primeira e segunda ordem para problemas de controle ótimo discreto com restrições mistas de igualdade e desigualdade usando as abordagens do formalismo de Dubovitskii-Milyutin e da teoria dada por Ben-Tal e Zowe. Sob condições de regularidade do tipo Mangasarian–Fromovitz estendido e Ben-Tal-Zowe relaxado são obtidas condições não degeneradas. Além disso, condições não degeneradas para certos problemas particulares foram também obtidas por meio de uma outra abordagem. Essencialmente, esta abordagem diferente consiste em descartar restrições redundantes (mistas e de contorno) e, fazendo uso do Teorema da Função Implícita, embutir as restrições restantes na dinâmica e na função objetivo do problema. Com os problemas trabalhados, estas condições podem ser vistas como uma generalização das condições já obtidas em trabalhos recentes Abstract: In this thesis, first and second order necessary optimality conditions are obtained for discrete optimal control problems with mixed equality and inequality constraints using the approaches of the Dubovitskii-Milyutin formalism and the theory given by Ben-Tal and Zowe. Under regularity conditions of the extended Mangasarian–Fromovitz and relaxed Ben-Tal-Zowe types, non-degenerate conditions are obtained. Furthermore, non-degenerate conditions for certain particular problems were also obtained through a different approach. Essentially, this other approach consists in discarding redundant constraints (both mixed and boundary) and, by making use of the Implicit Function Theorem, embed the remaining constraints in the dynamics and in the objective function of the problem. With the problems worked out, these conditions can be seen as a generalization of the conditions already obtained in recent works Doutorado Matemática Aplicada Doutor em Matemática Aplicada CAPES 001

We assess the extent and quality of High-Income Countries’ (HIC) practices in monitoring Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health (SIH) through routine data collection/collation and analysis systems. Official websites of government authorities of eligible countries were examined for any reports containing data on SIH, which were assessed for quality from an epidemiological perspective, using published guidelines for monitoring of socioeconomic inequalities in health status.Despite the global commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 10, and recommendations of the WHO 2008 Commission of Social Determinants of Health, most of the thirty-six HIC whose websites were searched appear not to be routinely monitoring SIHs. Only seven HIC websites were found to have SIH monitoring reports that were readily discoverable on their official websites. Only two countries (England and Scotland) have been publishing such trends in detail for more than a half-decade. Although an SIH monitoring system is not itself a sufficient condition for reducing SIH, it is likely a necessary one. For countries that are planning to establish a system, lessons from others who have established such systems include the value of routinely and automatically post-coding of major health outcomes, with robust assignment of average socio-economic status to each local area.