scholarly journals The Impact of the 2014-16 Global Commodity Price Declines on Sub-Saharan African Financial Economy

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
Ashford C. Chea
Keyword(s):  
Financial Sector ◽  
Commodity Price ◽  
Real Economy ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Growth Prospects ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Financial Economy ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the article has been to ascertain the impact of the global commodity price declines on SSA’s financial economy. Analysis showed that the global commodity price deterioration impacted SSA financial systems in many areas including increased borrowing costs, financial sector strains, and tighter private sector funding conditions. The article analyzes the traditional role of the financial sector in channeling capital to support the real economy in SSA. Also discussed are the linkages of the price shock on the continent’s financial economy. Finally, the paper outlined the outlook and growth prospects for SSA financial sector stability and long-term development.

Of shame and humiliation in Ladri di biciclette: 'Ciccio formaggio' and 'Tammurriata nera'

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-254
Author(s):  
Joseph Francese
Keyword(s):  
Marital Relationship ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Self Image ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cycle Of Poverty

Abstract In what follows I analyse how two Neapolitan songs enhance viewer perspective of the personalities of the protagonists of the classic film of Italian neorealism, Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves) by De Sica (1948), Antonio Ricci and his son Bruno. The first, 'Ciccio formaggio', casts into relief Antonio's masculine self-image, particularly his reaction to the impact of unemployment on his traditional role of pater familias and to the possibility of public humiliation, should he fail to retrieve his bicycle. While 'Ciccio' sheds light on the tension in the marital relationship, 'Tammurriata' allows the viewer to consider Bruno's marginalization within a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty, thus shifting focus, at least partially, from the father to the long-term effects on the son (for which Antonio feels shame born of inadequacy).

Covid-19 In Man: A Very Dangerous Affair.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Lisco ◽  
Vito A. Giagulli ◽  
Giovanni De Pergola ◽  
Anna De Tullio ◽  
Edoardo Guastamacchia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Immune System Dysfunction ◽  
Data Support ◽  
Systemic Spread ◽  
The Impact

Background: The novel pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has becoming a public health issue since March 2020 considering that more than 30 million people were found to be infected worldwide. Particularly, recent evidences suggested that men may be considered as at higher risk of poor prognosis or death once the infection occurred and concerns surfaced in regard of the risk of a possible testicular injury due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: Several data support the existence of a bivalent role of testosterone (T) in driving poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19. On one hand, this is attributable to the fact that T may facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry in human cells by means of an enhanced expression of transmembrane serine-protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). At the same time, younger man with normal testicular function compared to women of similar age are prone to develop a blunted immune response against SARS-CoV-2, being exposed to less viral clearance and more viral shedding and systemic spread of the disease. Conversely, low levels of serum T observed in hypogonadal men predispose them to a greater background systemic inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and immune system dysfunction, hence driving harmful consequences once SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred. Finally, SARS-CoV-2, as a systemic disease, may also affect testicles with possible concerns for current and future testicular efficiency. Preliminary data suggested that SARS-CoV-2 genome is not normally found in gonads and gametes, therefore sex transmission could be excluded as a possible way to spread the COVID-19. Conclusion: Most data support a role of T as a bivalent risk factor for poor prognosis (high/normal in younger; lower in elderly) in COVID-19. However, the impact of medical treatment aimed to modify T homeostasis for improving the prognosis of affected patients is unknown in this clinical setting. In addition, testicular damage may be a harmful consequence of the infection even in case it occurred asymptomatically but no long-term evidences are currently available to confirm and quantify this phenomenon. Different authors excluded the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in sperm and oocytes, thus limiting worries about both a potential sexual and gamete-to-embryos transmission of COVID-19. Despite these evidence, long-term and well-designed studies are needed to clarify these issues.

scholarly journals Long-term changes in the plant ecology of an African savanna landscape and the implications for ecosystem theory and conservation management

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Western ◽  
Victor N. Mose ◽  
David Maitumo ◽  
Caroline Mburu
Keyword(s):  
Human Impact ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Conservation Management ◽  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Ecosystem Theory ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Studies of the African savannas have used national parks to test ecological theories of natural ecosystems, including equilibrium, non-equilibrium, complex adaptive systems, and the role of top-down and bottom-up physical and biotic forces. Most such studies have excluded the impact of pastoralists in shaping grassland ecosystems and, over the last half century, the growing human impact on the world’s rangelands. The mounting human impact calls for selecting indicators and integrated monitoring methods able to track ecosystem changes and the role of natural and human agencies. Our study draws on five decades of monitoring the Amboseli landscape in southern Kenya to document the declining role of natural agencies in shaping plant ecology with rising human impact. Results We show that plant diversity and productivity have declined, biomass turnover has increased in response to a downsizing of mean plant size, and that ecological resilience has declined with the rising probability of extreme shortfalls in pasture production. The signature of rainfall and physical agencies in driving ecosystem properties has decreased sharply with growing human impact. We compare the Amboseli findings to the long-term studies of Kruger and Serengeti national parks to show that the human influence, whether by design or default, is increasingly shaping the ecology of savanna ecosystems. We look at the findings in the larger perspective of human impact on African grasslands and the world rangelands, in general, and discuss the implications for ecosystem theory and conservation policy and management. Conclusions The Amboseli study shows the value of using long-term integrated ecological monitoring to track the spatial and temporal changes in the species composition, structure, and function of rangeland ecosystems and the role of natural and human agencies in the process of change. The study echoes the widespread changes underway across African savannas and world’s rangelands, concluding that some level of ecosystem management is needed to prevent land degradation and the erosion of ecological function, services, and resilience. Despite the weak application of ecological theory to conservation management, a plant trait-based approach is shown to be useful in explaining the macroecological changes underway.

scholarly journals Blending in: A Case Study of Transitional Ambidexterity in the Financial Sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1690
Author(s):  
Beniamino Callegari ◽  
Ranvir S. Rai
Keyword(s):  
Financial Sector ◽  
Economic Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Ambidexterity ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Innovative Capabilities ◽  
Financial Firm ◽  
The Relationship

Organizational ambidexterity is widely recognized as necessary for the economic sustainability of firms operating in the financial sector. While the management literature has recognized several forms of ambidexterity, the relationship between them and their relative merits remain unclear. By studying a process of implementation of ambidextrous capabilities within a large Scandinavian financial firm, we explore the role of top-down reforms and bottom-up reactions in determining the development of sector-specific innovative capabilities. We find that blended ambidexterity follows naturally from the attempt to correct the tensions arising from harmonic ambidextrous blueprints. The resulting blended practice appears to be closely related to the reciprocal model of ambidexterity, which appears to be a necessity rather than a choice, for large firms attempting to develop innovative capabilities. Consequently, we suggest to re-interpret current taxonomies of ambidexterity not as alternative blueprints, but rather as stages in a long-term process of transition.

The Role of UBI in Mitigating the Effects of Psychosocial Stressors: A Review and Proposal

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110051
Author(s):  
Rashmi Gupta ◽  
Jemima Jacob ◽  
Gaurav Bansal
Keyword(s):  
Role Stress ◽  
Psychosocial Stressors ◽  
Basic Income ◽  
Economic Stability ◽  
The Past ◽  
Individual Outcomes ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Psychosocial stressors and social disadvantages contribute to inequalities in opportunities and outcomes. In the current paper, we use an epidemiological perspective and highlight the role stress plays on individuals by reviewing the outcomes of major stressors such as poverty and unemployment. We further analyzed the psychological and physical cost of these stressors and their long-term impact. We examined the role of universal basic income and closely looked at income experiments that were implemented in the past, in terms of their effectiveness in enhancing the community as well as individual outcomes and propose the UBI as a tool for alleviating the impact of these stressors. At a time when a major pandemic (e.g., COVID-19) threatens economic stability and health globally, we believe the UBI is relevant now, more than ever.

The Sexual Experience of Married Middle-Aged Women as a Source of Mental Wellbeing: Perceptions, Challenges and Coping Mechanisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-203
Author(s):  
Tal Braverman-Uriel ◽  
Tal Litvak-Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Sexual Experience ◽  
Women's Leadership ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Significant Development ◽  
And Coping ◽  
The Impact

The impact of sexuality on mental wellbeing in women in long-term relationships has only been partially investigated. Emphasis has been on quantitative research studies that do not capture the breadth of the field. The present study looked at how and to what extent women maintain sexual desire in long-term relationships, and how sexuality affects their mental wellbeing. The study used a qualitative narrative approach and included semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 Israeli women aged 40–55 from similar socioeconomic backgrounds and in longstanding, permanent relationships. The findings indicate significant development over the years in the perception of the role of sexuality and its impact on mental wellbeing. The path to good sexuality can and should follow women’s leadership and initiative. Such women have the desire to make an impact, willingness to make an effort, and even an actual ability to exert influence. The interviewees’ tools, strategies, insights and ways of coping can serve as models for other women seeking better sexuality in a long-term relationship.

scholarly journals Aging, Health, and Quality of Life for Older People Living With HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review and Proposed Conceptual Framework

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Siedner
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Objective: The number of people living with HIV (PLWH) over 50 years old in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to triple in the coming decades, to 6-10 million. Yet, there is a paucity of data on the determinants of health and quality of life for older PLWH in the region. Methods: A review was undertaken to describe the impact of HIV infection on aging for PLWH in sub-Saharan Africa. Results: We (a) summarize the pathophysiology and epidemiology of aging with HIV in resource-rich settings, and (b) describe how these relationships might differ in sub-Saharan Africa, (c) propose a conceptual framework to describe determinants of quality of life for older PLWH, and (d) suggest priority research areas needed to ensure long-term gains in quality of life for PLWH in the region. Conclusions: Differences in traditional, lifestyle, and envirnomental risk factors, as well as unique features of HIV epidemiology and care delivery appear to substantially alter the contribution of HIV to aging in sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, unique preferences and conceptualizations of quality of life will require novel measurement and intervention tools. An expanded research and public health infrastructure is needed to ensure that gains made in HIV prevention and treamtent are translated into long-term benefits in this region.

scholarly journals Has erosion globally increased? Long-term erosion rates as a function of climate derived from the impact crater inventory

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hergarten ◽  
Thomas Kenkmann
Keyword(s):  
Time Scale ◽  
Impact Crater ◽  
Regional Effect ◽  
Tropical Zone ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
River Loads ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Worldwide erosion rates seem to have increased strongly since the beginning of the Quaternary, but there is still discussion about the role of glaciation as a potential driver and even whether the increase is real at all or an artefact due to losses in the long-term sedimentary record. In this study we derive estimates of average erosion rates on the time scale of some tens of million years from the terrestrial impact crater inventory. This approach is completely independent from all other methods to infer erosion rates such as river loads, preserved sediments, cosmogenic nuclides and thermochronometry. Our approach yields average erosion rates as a function of present-day topography and climate. The results confirm that topography accounts for the main part of the huge variation of erosion on Earth, but also identifies a significant systematic dependence on climate in contrast to several previous studies. We found a fivefold increase in erosional efficacy from the cold regimes to the tropical zone and that temperate and arid climates are very similar in this context. Combining our results to a worldwide mean erosion rate we found that erosion rates on the time scale of some tens of million years are at least as high as present-day rates and suggest that glaciation has a rather regional effect with a limited impact at the continental scale.

scholarly journals Environment and Potential Affecting Investment Decision for Accommodation Business: Case of Less Visited Area in Samut Songkhram and Phatthalung Province

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 1706-1717
Author(s):  
Krisada Sungkhamanee, Piyadhida Sungkhamanee
Keyword(s):  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
Short Term Investment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role

Investment decisions have great importance in different sectors of various countries and these decisions are the basis on which the outcomes of the investments are based. However, there might be certain factors that might lead to the incorrect long term and short term investment decisions. In this regard, the current study has been conducted with the core motive to explore the impact casted by the environment and potential factors i.e. salience and overconfidence on the long term investment decisions for accommodation business along with the moderation of a variable i.e. financial literacy. To fulfill this objective, the researcher has collected data from the investors of accommodation businesses in Thailand. The collected data has been subjected to different statistical techniques and tools for analysis purpose and the results have been obtained. The results obtained by the analysis of the collected data indicate that salience and overconfidence have significant impact on the long term investment decision. In addition, the moderating role of financial literacy has also been found as significant in the study. The results suggest that the investors of the accommodation business must consider the aspects of salience and overconfidence before taking any long term investment decision to avoid failure of the investment decision.    

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