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While massive open online courses (MOOCs) promise to democratise access to education, the literature reveals a nuanced understanding of engagement in these settings, especially in resource-constrained environments. Blended MOOCs combine MOOCs and physical classroom settings of contents and instructions. This study extends this discourse by focusing on blended MOOCs, which remain under-explored in the context of developing countries. The blended MOOC at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, deals with third-party MOOCs as open educational resources (OERs) integrated with campus-based courses. UCC students have been using such blended MOOCs since 2016, when all level 100 students were mandated to enrol in a course entitled Information Technology Skills (ITS101). ITS101 is aligned to courses in a MOOC platform called Alison as an OER. Students' engagement is key to their continued use and satisfaction with online learning, such as MOOCs. However, among all the e-learning modes, students' engagement is the lowest in MOOCs, leading to high dropout rates. Blended MOOCs are one of the techniques recommended to reverse the undesirability of MOOCs, including engagement. However, few studies have been conducted on students' engagement in blended MOOCs, especially among university students in sub-Saharan Africa using MOOCs as OERs. Thus, this paper aims to measure student engagement in blended MOOCs using the revised Community of Inquiry for university students in a developing country. The rationale is to determine whether factors affect engagement positively or negatively. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used to determine the participants for this study. A list of blended MOOC classes offered at UCC was obtained from the staff's mailing list. In the first stage, academic levels (100, 200, 300 and 800) were randomly selected from the strata using a lottery sampling technique. In the second stage, another simple random selection of blended MOOC courses or classes was used within each selected academic level. All students in the selected classes were then included in the study. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was used to validate the model on the predictive relationships existing among the four presences (cognitive, learning, social and teaching) and engagement. Results from the structural model analysis proved a statistically significant predictive relationship among the constructs within the model. Learning presence had the most significant effect on student engagement. Thus, it should be included as one of the presences in the community of inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to common measures of private capital mobilization, such as the shares of foreign direct and portfolio investment in GDP, many low-income countries perform poorly in attracting private capital flows. However, these indicators do not account for differences in economic characteristics across countries, and thus cannot provide insights on countries' performance relative to their potential levels of private capital flows as determined by their domestic economic structure and constraints. This paper addresses this gap by using nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) to empirically calculate the efficient frontier for private capital mobilization as a function of countries' domestic enabling environment, and then assess each country's performance relative to that of other countries featuring similar domestic conditions. Our results reveal that many low-income countries, particularly in Africa and South Asia, which do not rank high according to achieved levels of private capital flows, are in fact performing on or very close to the efficient frontier. This indicates that these countries are good performers given the limited resources available to them. Tracking the performance of countries and regions over time, we furthermore find that sub-Saharan Africa experienced the strongest increases in DEA efficiency scores between 2007 and 2018, indicating that various countries in this region were catching up with the frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study in this paper investigates how information technology (IT), directly and indirectly, affects capital flows to Sub-Saharan African countries. It also examines the asymmetric effects of IT on capital flows. The general method of moments methodology is employed to estimate a decomposed model of capital flows, which produced results that clearly show the correlative effect of IT is relatively more significant, compared to the effects of other explanatory variables. Furthermore, the results reveal appreciable asymmetric effects of IT on capital flows and the components, with the effects found to be uneven and dissimilar. It is also revealed that capital flows and the components reinforced themselves over time. The salutary effects of IT on capital flows, therefore, need to be sustained. In order to achieve this goal, economic policies should be fashioned to drive the deepening of IT, stable policy environment, synergy among determinants of capital flows, usage of advanced IT in financial markets, awareness of investment opportunities in a real sector, and application of IT in weak sectors. Such policies are most likely to sustain and improve upon the current trend of capital flows to Sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is a crucial issue for developing countries, with many populations suffering from undernourishment. While numerous factors contribute to this issue, the role of natural resources has been neglected. This paper, therefore, examines for the first time how natural resource dependence affects the prevalence of undernourishment in developing countries. Accounting for the effects of total rents and point resources, the results show that natural resource dependence explains the prevalence of undernourishment (including stunting and low birth weight) ceteris paribus. Appraising the natural resources-undernourishment nexus by geographical location suggests that the effect is more pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and low- and lower-middle-income countries. Among the mechanisms to explain this result, we identify control of corruption, democracy, internal conflicts, income inequality, and agricultural investments as potential transmission channels through which natural resources influence undernourishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a problem that is increasingly of concern to global fisheries resources and the aquatic environment. Nearly 2% of all fishing gear used in marine fisheries is lost to the ocean annually. This has negative impacts on the aquatic ecosystem, which includes but not limited to ghostfishing mortality to commercial, recreational and protected species, degradation of benthic habitat, and change to the ecosystem. Fishing gear left in the sea can drift ashore affecting recreational use of beaches and shorelines and poses hazards to navigation. Most of the research on ALDFG has been in the marine fisheries of the developed world with very few studies in the inland fisheries, mostly in the developing world of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. This paper reviews and synthesizes literature about the status of ALDFG in inland fisheries globally. Only 16 studies, between 1970 to 2023, that referenced ALDFG causes, levels, impacts, and preventive measures were found. Thus, this review highlights that ALDFG in inland fisheries remains a highly understudied area of aquatic plastic pollution. Further studies are recommended to fully understand its status, extent, and potential environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hip arthroplasty and revision surgery are growing exponentially in OECD countries. In developing countries, it is an infrequent intervention and its practice is limited. It is exposed to a higher rate of infectious and mechanical failures than in developed countries. The aim of the actual study is to provide a review of the literature on total hip arthroplasty series in sub-Saharan Africa followed by an overview of the interest and perspectives of the use of dual mobility (DM) cups. Materials and methods: Scopus, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and Safoonline databases were searched including papers published at any date. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. All papers from South Africa were excluded. Results: We identified 22 series of total hip arthroplasty in 14 SSA countries. The practice of total hip arthroplasty is not very widespread. The cups used are mostly conventional implants, and complications (mechanical and infectious) are frequent. Discussion: The interest for the use of dual mobility cups in sub-Saharan Africa can be summarized in two points: mechanical and socio-economical. Dual mobility cups provide more mechanical stability and a reduction in the overall cost of treatment by reducing the rate of complications. These prospects will make it possible to evaluate this medical device in the long term in a hostile environment conductive to complications. Conclusion: The use of dual mobility deserves to be developed in African settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the numerous strides that have been made towards ensuring food security since the launch of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the gap between the rich and poor across and within countries is still worryingly too large. Around 57.7% of the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) population is food insecure compared to 26.4% of the world population. It is therefore necessary to make concerted efforts to improve food security in Sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the developing world particularly among the poorest and most vulnerable groups. This paper employs propensity score matching analysis to explore gender heterogeneity in the impact of bonding and bridging social capital on household food security on the basis of a nationally representative sample of Zimbabwean households. It offers five major findings. First, female headed households are more likely to have bonding social capital than their male counterparts. Second, there are no gender differences in the household's ability to possess bridging social capital. Third, household spatial proximity to households with social capital improves the probability of the household possessing social capital. Fourth, both bonding and bridging social capital improves household food security. Finally, female headed households are more able to increase food security than those headed by males when they have both bonding and bridging social capital. The study argues that coping strategies should target putting the family at the core of inclusive development agendas such as food and nutrition assistance programmes in order to maximise the likelihood of easing food insecurity within communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst there is a rich body of literature linking globalization with economic disparities between rich and poor nations, there is very little situated understanding of causal links, if any, between globalization and health gaps between nations. Set against this background, this paper contributes to the empirical literature by investigating globalization as a channel of the health gap between countries in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Results from a dynamic panel data analysis show that globalization has statistically insignificant impact on the health gap between the OECD and SSA countries. Rather, economic and demographic structures, measured by the age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) and GDP per capita growth emerged as the main determinants of the health gap between SSA and OECD countries. The paper draws out some policy implications which may usefully impact programmes aimed at checking health inequities between developing and developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global appeal to protect the environment, combat climate change, eradicate poverty, and ensure access to a high quality of life and prosperity for all. The next decade is crucial for determining the planet's direction in ensuring that populations can adapt to climate change. This study aims to investigate the progress, challenges, opportunities, trends, and prospects of the SDGs through a bibliometric analysis from 2015 to 2022, providing insight into the evolution and maturity of scientific research in the field. The Web of Science core collection citation database was used for the bibliometric analysis, which was conducted using VOSviewer and RStudio. We analyzed 12,176 articles written in English to evaluate the present state of progress, as well as the challenges and opportunities surrounding the SDGs. This study utilized a variety of methods to identify research hotspots, including analysis of keywords, productive researchers, and journals. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive literature review by utilizing the Web of Science database. The results show that 31% of SDG-related research productivity originates from the USA, China, and the UK, with an average citation per article of 15.06. A total of 45,345 authors around the world have contributed to the field of SDGs, and collaboration among authors is also quite high. The core research topics include SDGs, climate change, Agenda 2030, the circular economy, poverty, global health, governance, food security, sub-Saharan Africa, the Millennium Development Goals, universal health coverage, indicators, gender, and inequality. The insights gained from this analysis will be valuable for young researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and public officials as they seek to identify patterns and high-quality articles related to SDGs. By advancing our understanding of the subject, this research has the potential to inform and guide future efforts to promote sustainable development. The findings indicate a concentration of research and development on SDGs in developed countries rather than in developing and underdeveloped countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do foreign direct investment (FDI) and international business ventures promote positive social and economic development in emerging nations? This question will always prove contentious. First, the impacts differ according to context. Second, the social consequences and spillover effects of knowledge diffusion and technology-sharing may be limited and hard to measure. Third, contributions to enhancing social responsibility and improving living standards in host countries are delayed in effect, causally complex, and also hard to measure. Outcomes often critically depend on collaboration of governments, international institutions, the business world, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Research in this area is challenging and requires interdisciplinary collaboration between economists, financial experts, sociologists, ethicists, and other specialists. This paper explores: (1) the evidence to support the proposition that FDI and international business improve social conditions in less-developed countries, and: (2) how these improvements are linked to strategies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical business practice. The paper draws insights from development, FDI, poverty alleviation, and bottom-of-the-pyramid (BOP) literature. Applications are demonstrated using examples from poverty-stricken areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper attempts not only to argue theoretically but also to provide practical evidence. The approach is simultaneously descriptive, analytical, and prescriptive in order to address a wide audience. It also highlights issues and trends for further academic research and presents the viewpoint that some limitations lie in the nature of ethics frameworks widely referenced in business and that these often fail to consider the compatibility of ethical constructs with relevant incentives. In this vein, we explore the application of Homann's framework for advantage and incentive-based ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedded systems and applications have recently emerged as a domain of high interest to the general public in developing countries. Unfortunately, these countries lack the technological infrastructure for the design, testing, and implementation of projects in the domain. This paper presents a Very Simple Programming Kit (VSPK) for Embedded Systems suitable for practical training, project design, and testing in the domain for use in developing countries. The microcontroller-based system makes it easy to test, teach and train in various areas of embedded systems including programming, communication, signal acquisition and processing, remote control, and domotics. A VSPK prototype has been produced and is used for real-time simulation of Embedded applications. This operation involves the VSPK, the PIC programmer, the PC and the application program to be tested progressively and the displays observed on the LCD and LEDs. The debugging process is easily performed and errors are detected and corrected. The main features of VSPK are low production cost, low power consumption, flexible peripheral pin selection, integrated LCD module, and simple hardware and software environment. Unlike similar kits available for educational purposes, VSPK possesses some advantages such as an integrated graphic color LCD, a configurable internal oscillator, numerically controlled oscillators, testing LEDs, testing buttons, and complete access to multiple programming languages. Two experimental and simple tests for validation of VSPK have been carried out, and the results show that VSPK performs satisfactorily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the adequacy of simple access to technology for acquiring active citizenship skills. The paper posits questions and then provides tentative answers to the questions: Is acquiring the latest technology a prerequisite for Kenyan students to join the social media revolution? Is access to the latest developments in digital social media networks an absolute prerequisite for training our students to be responsible citizens in democracies? What other components of good citizenship education for building democracies exist? How can we incorporate them into Kenyan classrooms so that when the digital social media revolution finally arrives in Kenya for all, her young people will more likely to be involved as responsible citizens rather than mindless revolutionaries following a mob without knowing why. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigate to what extent tax incentives are effective in attracting investment in Sub-Saharan Africa. We test the neo-classical investment theory prediction that tax incentives, by lowering the user cost of capital, raise investment. Next to tax incentives, we also estimate the impact on investment of other investment climate variables that are under direct control of the government, such as the transparency and complexity of the tax system, and the legal protection of foreign investors. In developing countries these variables might be as important as or even more important than the tax variables themselves. Therefore, we analyze the policy changes in tax incentives and in the other investment climate variables for 12 CFA Franc Zone countries over the period 1994–2006. Because of their common currency (the CFA Franc) and common language (French) these countries constitute an exceptional basis of comparison to evaluate their ‘policy experiments’. The use of panel data econometrics with fixed country and year effects allows us to isolate the impact of the policy changes on investment, as if it were a difference in differences analysis with multiple policy changes. We find no robust positive relationship between tax holidays and investment in the CFA Franc zone. However, increasing the number of legal guarantees for foreign investors and reducing the complexity of the tax system helps to attract investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses how correct is the view that a rise in income inequality is unavoidable in a globalizing economy characterized by rapid skill-biased technical change. To do so, it reviews the inequality trends recorded in the main developed and developing region during the last three decades. The data show that inequality rose in almost 70% of the countries with data during the years 1980–2000. These years were characterized by rapid internal and external liberalization and privatization. Yet, this trend was reversed during the subsequent decade, when Latin America and parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia recorded a decline in inequality. The evidence also suggests that while globalization and technical change may indeed increase inequality, domestic factors and policies were often behind the inequality increases of the last three decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply multivariate filtering techniques to quantify structural unemployment (NAIRU), potential output, output gap and unemployment gap for South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius and Ghana. NAIRU estimates are especially relevant for these inflation-targeting or hybrid inflation-targeting economies, allowing them to assess level of domestic slack and any potential build-up of inflationary pressures. Our findings suggest that increased government spending on education, a competitive exchange rate, and boosting the level of financial development (measured as the market capitalization of listed companies) can play a role in lowering NAIRU in these Sub-Saharan African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between the monetary regime: pegged, currency board, dollarization, and the exchange rate pass-through for a sample consisting of 15 Sub-Saharan Africa countries and 12 Latin American countries. The research findings about pass-through rates will shed light on the feasibility of a monetary union for Sub-Saharan Africa. The inclusion of the latter country group was deemed desirable to explore pass-through behavior in several monetary regime options not often used in Sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends work on measures of population proportions sterile to propose a new estimator of an individual woman's age at sterility and consequently her sterility status at given ages. Accuracy and reliability, examined in a simulation study, appear satisfactory. From World Fertility Survey data for five African countries, the proportions sterile by age estimated by the individual measure and by the population estimator are almost identical. Cameroon and Kenya show substantial variation in prevalence and incidence of sterility across ethnic groups and by number of marriages. Unexpectedly, the evidence suggests that sterility increased from 1960 on in Kenya and remained unchanged in Cameroon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While climate change is a global phenomenon, it has significantly stifled agricultural productivity in the Global South due to changes of key atmospheric elements including extreme temperatures and unpredictable rainfall over the last fifty years. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in sub-Saharan Africa where rainfed agriculture is the dominant livelihood strategy, climate change is increasingly undermining rural livelihoods. Despite several policy efforts to improve climate adaptation in this context, smallholders' lack of access to credit constitutes one of the crucial dimensions of climatic vulnerability. Using an ordered logistic regression model, this study analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 1,100) in the Upper West Region to examine the relationship between smallholder farmers' access to credit and their perceived climate change resilience. Findings show that households with access to credit from informal sources were more likely (OR = 1.73, p ≤ 0.05) to report good resilience compared to those without access. Households that received remittances were also more likely (OR = 3.26, p ≤ 0.001) to report good resilience compared to non-receiving households. Further, households that did not rear any livestock surprisingly emerged more likely (OR = 2.00, p ≤ 0.001) to report good resilience compared to those that reared livestock. On the contrary, households that had experienced any climatic events in the past 12 months before the study were less likely (OR = 0.29, p ≤ 0.01) to report good resilience compared to households that did not experience any events. These findings highlight the potential contribution of informal credit sources to improving rural agricultural productivity and climate change resilience. Informal credit sources may be capable of providing smallholder farmers with the needed access to more flexible financial credit options. The study provides policy recommendations on what might be useful to vulnerable groups, and others in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable production and use of small-scale biogas energy are required to ensure clean household energy access in developing countries, including the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. This is influenced by market risks, which can be identified as political, economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental (PESTLE). This study examines peer-reviewed and grey literature for the period from 2000 to 2020 to identify the PESTLE constraints and assess their impact on the sustainable development of the technology in the SSA region. The production of biogas with small-scale plants is commonly done by rural and peri-urban households. Results show that economic constraints are the most dominant and reducing at a slow pace. This is followed by political constraints, which have received much attention in the last two decades. Despite the policy improvements, broader national bioenergy policies and interventions are still to make significant gains, especially in the Central African region. In order of significance, the Southern, East, and West Africa regions have made greater progress in reducing the constraints. To achieve the sustainable development of the technology, there is a need to further address the PESTLE constraints at national and regional levels. This study partly deduces that the unsustainable production, use, and inadequate regulation of the small-scale biogas sector are delaying its transition in the SSA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data for low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) are used to investigate the effect of the demographic transition on economic growth at sub-national level. We introduce a detailed classification of demographic window phases, determine how these phases are distributed among and within LMICs, and analyze the relationship between the demographic window of opportunity (DWO) and economic growth for 1921 urban and rural areas of sub-national regions within 91 LMICs. Many areas in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have entered the window, but most of Sub-Saharan Africa is still in the traditional or pre-window phase. Our analyses reveal higher growth rates in areas passing through the DWO. Positive growth effects are particularly strong in rural and more educated regions and in countries with lower levels of corruption. Policy measures aimed at effectively using the DW for achieving growth should combine investments in education and rural development with better governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses several alternative panel data estimation techniques (pooled ordinary least squares, fixed effects, and random effects) to examine the effect of domestic savings, foreign aid, the evolution of capital mobility over time, and openness on investment rates for a sample of 29 sub-Saha ran African countries over the time period 1980 to 2001. The empirical evidence suggests the presence of capital mobility in line with previous studies of developing economies and that capital mobility has gradually increased over time. Moreover, foreign aid and openness both have positive and significant impacts on investment rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 88% of children in sub-Saharan Africa will not be able to read by the time they complete primary school. We explore this phenomenon by using household data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey to examine the link between school travel time and children's learning outcomes. Using district variations in school density to resolve endogeneity associated with children's travel time to school and their learning outcomes, we find that more than 90% of children travel on foot to school and this negatively affects their ability to read and write in English or French as well as their ability to read and write in their native languages. We further show that boys, children in rural areas and those who travel more than the 75th percentile travel time (30 minutes) have poorer learning outcomes. Our findings highlight number of class hours missed and poor health as the main channels through which school travel time affects learning outcomes. Policy initiatives to improve children's learning should consider reducing the costs associated with their school travel time. Considering that governments have limited resources with competing needs, policies aimed at reducing travel time should generally target children who commute more than 30 minutes to school and those in rural locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the pile of literature on firm growth dynamics, studies that use large census data have been greatly rare for developing countries mainly due to a paucity of data. This study, however, relies on a deep analysis of complete microdata of Ethiopian manufacturing firms over a very long enough period (22 years). Hence, this study adds to the ongoing debates on the firm growth dynamics, since we provided appealing econometric findings mainly emanating from the inclusive methodological approach implemented and the complete long period census data used, as it helped us to provide clear and consistent evidence against Gibrat's law. The results revealed that conditional on survival, younger and smaller firms grow faster. On the contrary, there is a pattern of negative persistence growth, where positive growth is followed by a negative growth after a year. Overall these findings show the presence of firms formed by subsistence-seeking entrepreneurs in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study covers the period 1981–2014 and uses an unbalanced panel data set for 85 developing countries. It assesses the effect of remittances through per capita GDP on FDI inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and compares its performance in attracting FDI with the other developing regions. The results show a positive effect of remittances on FDI, but it depends on the level of per capita GDP of the host country. That is, an increase in remittances by one standard deviation, on average, increases FDI inflows by 0.09% a year. Remittances have a positive effect on FDI in 43 countries, and eight of them are in SSA. In addition, a SSA country receives about 0.8% more FDI than the average country in ASIA, but there is no difference between SSA and Latin America and the Caribbean, and SSA and the Middle East and North Africa. Further, the growth rate of the host country's GDP has a positive effect on FDI, which supports the market size hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review we summarize the world-wide epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with special emphasis on low-income countries, notably those of the sub-Saharan continent. We discuss definitions and classification systems used in pediatric AKI literature. At present, despite some shortcomings, traditional Pediatric Risk Injury Failure Loss and End Stage Kidney Disease (pRIFLE) and Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) systems are the most clinically useful. Alternative definitions, such as monitoring serum cystatin or novel urinary biomarkers, including cell cycle inhibitors, require more long-term studies in heterogenous pediatric AKI populations before they can be recommended in routine clinical practice. A potentially interesting future application of some novel biomarkers could be incorporation into the 'renal angina index', a concept recently introduced in pediatric nephrology. The most reliable epidemiological data on AKI in children come from high-outcome countries and are frequently focused on critically ill pediatric intensive care unit populations. In these patients AKI is often secondary to other systemic illnesses or their treatment. Based on a recent literature search performed within the framework of the 'AKI 0by25' project of the International Society of Nephrology, we discuss the scarce and often inaccurate data on AKI epidemiology in low-income countries, notably those on the African continent. The last section reflects on some of the many barriers to improvement of overall health care in low-income populations. Although preventive strategies for AKI in low-income countries should essentially be the same as those in high-income countries, we believe any intervention for earlier detection and better treatment of AKI must address all health determinants, including educational, cultural, socio-economic and environmental factors, specific for these deprived areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research explores the impact of interactive, multimedia literacy software (ABRA) on the reading skills of early elementary students in Kenya. Twelve grade two English teachers and their students from six schools were randomly divided in half: an experimental group ( N = 180) where ABRA was part of their English Language instruction and a control group ( N = 174) where regular instruction was used. After the pre-test student data were collected, a three-day initial training and planning session were held for the experimental teachers on how to use ABRA to teach literacy. Every week each experimental class was bussed to a computer lab with full access to ABRA for one 90-min lesson. Teacher support included the alignment of ABRA lesson plans with the Kenyan English Language norms, weekly web conferences with the trainer, as well as technical and pedagogical help from staff at the lab site. After the 13-week intervention, significant and substantial gains in reading comprehension were found for ABRA students as measured by GRADE, a standardized test of literacy. In addition, ABRA students outperformed their peers in control classes on the core end-of-year subject exams including English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the World Bank Enterprise Survey data, we analyze performance gaps between male- and female-owned companies in three regions-Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA), Latin America (LA), and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Among our findings are significant gender gaps between male- and female-owned companies in terms of firm size, but much smaller gaps in terms of firm efficiency and growth (except in LA). Part of the reason women run smaller firms is that they tend to concentrate in sectors in which firms are smaller and less efficient (in ECA and SSA). By contrast, we find no evidence of gender discrimination in access to formal finance in any of the three regions, although in ECA women are less likely than men to seek formal finance. Finally, while female entrepreneurs receive smaller loans than their male counterparts, the returns from each dollar they receive is no lower in terms of overall sales revenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The past decade has provided new insights into the causes and optimal treatment of infant hydrocephalus in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, I review what we have learned in East Africa about the characteristics, management, and outcomes of hydrocephalus associated with neural tube defects, with particular emphasis on its primary treatment by endoscopic third ventriculostomy combined with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC). Methods: New data from an updated review of the CURE Children's Hospital clinical database is combined with previously published observations to summarize what we have learned to date. Results: Hydrocephalus associated with myelomeningocele (MM) accounted for 11.8% of 2,780 new cases of hydrocephalus reviewed, and that associated with encephalocele (EC) accounted for 0.5%. Treatment for hydrocephalus was required in 51% of infants with MM and 32% of those with EC. Aqueductal stenosis or obstruction was observed in 82.7% of patients with MM and 71% of those with EC. ETV/CPC successfully treated hydrocephalus without any further surgery in 76% of infants with MM and 80% of those with EC, and was superior to shunting in regard to the incidence of treatment failure, operative mortality, and infection. Shunting in MM infants has no apparent developmental advantage. Although 5-year mortality for infants with neural tube defects in Uganda is significantly greater than their unaffected peers, this appears to be dramatically reduced by the 'observer effect' of community-based rehabilitation. Conclusions: Primary management by ETV/CPC avoids the increased danger of shunt dependence in sub-Saharan Africa for most infants with hydrocephalus associated with neural tube defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Surgery for children in developing nations is challenging. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is an important surgical treatment for childhood hydrocephalus and has been performed in developing nations, but with lower success rates than in developed nations. It is not known if the lower success rate is due to inherent differences in prognostic factors. Methods: We analyzed a large cohort of children (≤20 years old) treated with ETV in developed nations (618 patients from Canada, Israel, United Kingdom) and developing nations of sub-Saharan Africa (979 patients treated in Uganda). Risk-adjusted survival analysis was performed. Results: The risk of an intra-operative ETV failure (an aborted procedure) was significantly higher in Uganda regardless of risk adjustment (hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI), 11.00 (6.01 to 19.84) P < 0.001). After adjustment for patient prognostic factors and technical variation in the procedure (the use of choroid plexus cauterization), there was no difference in the risk of failure for completed ETVs (HR, 95% CI, 1.04 (0.83 to 1.29), P = 0.74). Conclusions: Three factors account for all significant differences in ETV failure between Uganda and developed nations: patient prognostic factors, technical variation in the procedure, and intra-operatively aborted cases. Once adjusted for these, the response to completed ETVs of children in Uganda is no different than that of children in developed nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]