Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Nigerian economy has suffered huge infrastructure deficits since her independence in 1960, thereby limiting economic growth potential of the country considerably. This research conducted a Granger causality test between Real Gross Domestic Product, infrastructure investment and productivity across manufacturing, agriculture and industrial sectors in Nigeria for the period 1981 – 2012 using multivariate vector error correction model. The co integration test shows that there is a long run relationship between infrastructure investment and economic growth at both at 1 percent and 5 percent levels of significance. Further, the granger causality test indicated a one way causal relationship between infrastructure investments and economic growth in Nigeria running from infrastructure investment to Real Gross Domestic Product growth. We equally established a one way causality relationship between agriculture sector productivity and gross domestic product growth, a one way causal relationship between manufacturing sector productivity and Real Gross Domestic Product growth and a very significant one way causal relationship that runs from infrastructural investment to agriculture sector productivity, all running from the former to the latter. The economic implication of this is that the existing level of infrastructure investment in Nigeria is a significant contributing factor to growth in the level of rea gross domestic product. However, despite the sustained real gross domestic product growth, the Nigerian government has been unable to translate this growth to physical infrastructure development. We conclude that in order to achieve the double digit economic growth needed for a comprehensive economic transformation of Nigeria, the Nigerian government needs to accord greater priority to infrastructure development, particularly in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

This study aims to investigate the relation between foreign direct investment (FDI) and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in Pakistan. The study is based on a basic Cobb-Douglas production function. Population over age 15 to 64 is used as a proxy for labor in the investigation. The other variables used are gross capital formation, technological gap and a dummy variable measuring among other things political stability. We find positive correlation between GDP per capita in Pakistan and two variables, FDI and population over age 15 to 64. The GDP gap (gap between GDP of USA and GDP of Pakistan) is negatively correlated with GDP per capita as expected. Political instability, economic crisis, wars and polarization in the society have no significant impact on GDP per capita in the long run.

4 pp. / This short fact sheet is taken from "Arizona Well Owner's Guide to Water Supply" currently in print. We plan to complete part 2 of this fact sheet by the end of July, 2009. Please note that the text has already been incorporated into the eXtension Community of Practice web page - - I am the author for the COP/Drinking Water group text on chemistry of naturally occurring water contaminants. / Arizona well water is often contaminated with elevated concentrations of naturally occurring constituents that are a human health concern. This short fact sheet is the first in a two-part series about what naturally occurring contaminants may be found in your water supply well and includes a brief discussion on environmental pollutants that originate from land use activities. If you own a well in Arizona, you have the sole responsibility for checking to see if your drinking water is contaminated. Arizona state law does not require private well owners to test or treat their water for purity. The second part of this series outlines what to sample for and how to understand your analytical results.

Literature shows that HIV/AIDS greatly affects the self-esteem of HIV/AIDS directly affected learners (these affected learners are either directly infected, or one or both parents are or had been infected). Studies also show that appropriate motor activities can have a positive influence on a child's self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an appropriate motor development programme on the large muscle skills and the self-esteem of 4 to 6 year old HIV/AIDS directly-affected learners. Eight gross motor and perceptual motor skills, as well as self-esteem was evaluated among 28 directly-affected HIV/AIDS (HIV/AIDS-infected as well as - affected) learners in a pre-primary school for terminally sick children in Promosa, a township of Potchefstroom, South Africa. Evaluation took place before and after the implementation of a 12-week long appropriate large muscle development programme. A co-variance analysis (ANCOVA) was done on post-test scores to correct possible differences between pre-test scores in order to achieve a statistical more significant comparison between the experimental and control groups. The motor scores as well as the self-esteem scores of the experimental group showed statistically significant (p≤0.05) improvements after the programme, in contrast with the scores of the control group which showed no significant improvements after completion of the large muscle development programme. These improvements entailed certain fundamental locomotor and balance skills, and self-perceived competence with reference to certain movement skills, as well as peer acceptance. The results imply that by improving the gross motor and perceptual motor skills of HIV/AIDS directly-affected learners by means of an appropriate motor development programme, the self-esteem and related aspects of these learners may be enhanced. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This thesis attempts to analyze the relationship between economic growth and human capital investments in Taiwan. The study's general hypothesis is that increases in human capital investments will stimulate the growth of gross national product. The data were drawn from official Taiwanese publications from different sources. The first chapter emphasizes the importance of human capital investments. Chapter II reviews the related literature. Chapter III specifies the model and research methods. Chapter IV analyzes the impact of human capital investments on gross national product. The study is summarized and conclusions are drawn in Chapter V. Materials collected to analyze the above problem reveal that human capital investments have a positive and significant effect on economic growth. In fact, human capital investments and economic growth are mutually affected.

A model for the study of the relationship of immunity to cancer is found in AKR mice which harbor Gross virus. This genetically transmitted virus is present in a latent form for months before it spontaneously induces leukemia. Many investigators have demonstrated near normal humoral responses, but abnormal cellular immunity in the preleukemic animal. With increasing age, pathology of the disease is expressed, reflecting diminished immunity. In this study, the ontogeny of humoral antibodies of AKR/J and SWR/J mice was assayed by microagglutination techniques in response to thymus-independent, thymus-dependent, and solubilized antigens. Simultaneous injections of thymusdependent and -independent antigens provided data suggesting an impaired humoral response in the AKR mouse.

Title: Motor performance of pupils with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objectives: The aim of the work was to determine the level of fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities of the pupils with diagnosis ADHD at schools specialized on these pupils and compare it with the fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities of children without this diagnosis at common elementary school. Further work objective was to determine the level of gross motor skills of lower limbs and laterality of paired organs (hand - foot) within above mentioned groups of pupils. Methods: To determine the level of fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities, gross motor skills of lower limbs, laterality of the upper and lower extremities of the pupils with and without ADHD aged 9-11 years we used these types of tests: "Spiral", "Dotting test", "Beads" (the level of fine motor skills of the upper extremities); "Pack", "Small plate tapping", "Big plate tapping" (the level of gross motor skills of upper extremities); "Tapping the leg" (the level of gross motor skills of the lower limbs); "Typing out the Rhythm" (the laterality of the lower limbs); "Bell" and "Matches" (the laterality of the upper extremities). Results: The fine motor level of dominant hand was in the case of ADHD diagnosed pupils...

i Abstract: This thesis assesses the impact of economic, institutional and demographic factors on the life and non-life gross written premiums of insurance companies. A dynamic panel data regression using the system generalized method of mo- ments is applied on data of 29 European countries collected by EIOPA covering the period from 2005 to 2013. The results reveal that economic and institutio- nal factors drive both life and non-life insurance industry. On the other hand, we cannot confirm that demographic factors are significant determinants of the growth in GWPs. Subsequently, the hypothesis that there are substantial cross-countries differences among the importance of different macroeconomic determinants on the insurance sector development is explored and confirmed. This work shines new light on the development of the quantitative macro- prudential framework used to determine different economic scenarios affecting insurance companies' balance sheets. Moreover, a broader set of panel data and more variables explaining the growth in insurance sector bring new contributi- ons to the current discussion in academic literature.

M.Com. (Economic Development and Policy Issues) / There is an observable correlation, over time, between domestic savings rates and GDP growth rates: countries with relatively high savings rates over time also enjoying comparably high GDP growth rates. Aggregate saving in South Africa has been in decline and, currently, is at a historic low. Unflattering comparisons between South Africa and faster-growing emerging market economies have led to suggestions that South Africa's low domestic savings rate poses a constraint on the country's ability to grow faster. While the literature, both international and domestic, is relatively rich in studies on the determinants of foreign direct investment as well as the determinants of savings, none of the work done on South Africa has made use of disaggregated savings data to understand whether there is an observable difference in the marginal propensity to save of these economic sectors. In order to successfully raise the level of saving, much more focus needs to be applied to whether there is a difference in the relationship between growth and the components of aggregate saving i.e. which „source‟ of saving if any would yield the greatest impact on GDP and therefore should be encouraged from a policy point of view. The results of the econometric analysis demonstrate that the greatest responsiveness of savings to GDP growth occurs amongst corporates. Since corporates have a choice between retaining earnings and distributing earning as dividends (thus increasing household income) it is clear that tax-rates are an important lever through which government can encourage savings. In essence, a greater level of savings may be achievable if corporates are encouraged to retain earnings, rather than distribute these as dividends to the household sector which has exhibited a relatively weak propensity to save.

Au cours de ces trois dernières décennies l’économie chinoise a multiplié son PIB par 15. Pour soutenir une forte croissance interne et assurer ses approvisionnements en matière première et énergétique, la Chine s’est tournée vers l’Afrique en y augmentant rapidement et fortement ses investissements directs étrangers lors des dix dernières années. Deuxième partenaire commercial africain, investisseur stratégique, allié au développement et pourvoyeur financier, ce pays bouleverse les rapports de force qui s’étaient instaurés depuis les indépendances sur le continent. L’objet de ce travail est d’évaluer l’impact des IDE chinois sur le taux de croissance de 38 pays africains partenaire de la Chine entre 2003 et 2011. Nous avons articulé notre réflexion sur la question suivante : la coopération sino-africaine permet-elle aux pays africains de lutter contre la pauvreté, le chômage dans leur pays et surtout d’entamer un véritable processus de développement économique ? Pour répondre, nous avons analysé le mode de croissance chinois, les fondements de la politique africaine de la Chine, les raisons qui poussent les entreprises chinoises à aller investir en Afrique, les impacts politiques et économiques de la Chine en Afrique et enfin nous avons réalisé une étude empirique mesurant les effets des IDE chinois en Afrique. Nos résultats économétriques montrent que les IDE chinois n’ont pas d’effet significatif sur le PIB par tête de ces 38 pays africains, notamment à cause de la politique des entreprises chinoises en Afrique qui encourage les investissements dans les secteurs qui créent moins d’emploi local et qui ne permettent pas de vrai transfert de technologie. / For the last three decades, the Chinese economy has multiplied it GDP by 15. In order to maintain a strong home economical growth and insure a constant supply of raw material and energy, China turned towards the African continent by quickly and firmly multiplying its foreign direct investments during the last ten years. By becoming the second largest business partner of Africa, as well as a strategic investor, a financial supplier and associated for the development; China has now overturned the balance of powers which had been established since the decolonization of Africa. The purpose of this study is to estimate the impact of the Chinese FDI on the growth rate of 38 African countries between 2003 and 2011. We have centred our reflection on the following questions: What are the impacts of the economical cooperation between China and African countries on poverty, unemployment and; does this cooperation encourage the possibility to start a real process of economic development in Africa? In order to come to a conclusion on this matter, we have analyzed the way through which China achieves economical growth, the foundations of China’s African Policy, as well as the reasons for Chinese companies to invest in Africa and the political and economical impacts of China’s Policy in Africa. Finally, we led an empirical study measuring the effects of the Chinese FDI in Africa. Thanks to our econometric study, we came to the conclusion that the Chinese FDI has no significant effect on the GDP per capita of these 38 African countries. Because they are invested in sectors which end up creating less local employments and which, eventually do not allow a real transfer of technologies …