Investments in basic public infrastructure and their effects on economic growth in a developing country: The case of Cameroon.

The literature review conducted in this study indicates that there is no unanimity regarding the definition of infrastructure and its impact on growth. While some economists argue that focusing on logistical infrastructure, such as transportation, telecommunications, water, and energy, would be beneficial for governments, others emphasise the importance of social infrastructure, such as health and education. Given the diverse range of opinions, further investigation is required, particularly in the context of Cameroon's infrastructure. The objective of this article is to evaluate the impact of investing in fundamental public infrastructure on economic growth in Cameroon. The study compares the elasticities of various infrastructure types on growth and private investment. With data from WDI 2020, a generalized method of moments is utilised, revealing that the energy sector has the highest contribution. In the majority of studies relating to infrastructure; many are those who are limited to overall infrastructures without however specifying them. Furthermore, the particularity of our study is that we are not interested in the stock of infrastructure, but rather in the amount of investment actually allocated. We are therefore trying to jointly see their repercussions on economic growth and the behaviour of private investments, something which had not yet been done in Cameroon to our knowledge. Therefore we find that the impacts of investments actually allocated do not have the same effects on the growth and behaviour of private investments; for example, everything happens as if there is a crowding out effect between the telecommunications sector and the behaviour of private investments. Macroeconomic performance in Cameroon is positively influenced by investment in road and telecommunications infrastructure. A 1% increase in investment in this sector leads to a 0.0536% boost in economic growth and a 0.329% increase in the private sector. Compared to other forms of infrastructure investment, this sector has a strong impact on the country's economic development. A 1% increase in investment in this sector leads to a 0.0536% boost in economic growth and a 0.329% increase in the private sector. These results allow on the one hand to see the infrastructures which contribute the most to economic growth in a country like Cameroon which is still struggling to take off in its development process. But they will also further densify the public-private partnership which is very important for the quantity but also the quality of infrastructure.

Pattern and Magnitude of Treatment Delay among TB Patients in Five States in Southern Nigeria

Prompt diagnosis and early treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) cases is an important strategy in TB prevention and control. Thus; passive case finding of TB suspects; sputum examination for diagnosis; and prompt treatment using Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) are key elements in the national guideline for TB control programme. The aim of this study is to determine the time interval between diagnosis of smear-positive TB cases and the commencement of treatment in DOTS facilities in southern Nigeria. The study was carried out in 20 healthcare facilities supported by TB Control Assistance Program (TB-CAP) involved in TB management in southern Nigeria; which comprised tertiary; secondary; and primary healthcare facilities including public and private facilities. Data were collected through review of clients' and facility records covering July-September 2009. Data collected were sociodemographic characteristics; sputum-smear result; date of diagnosis; and date of commencement of treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 software. Of the total 2;507 TB suspects examined for Acid-Fast Bacillus (AFB); 323 were diagnosed to be Sputum-Smear-Positive (SS+ve); However; 269 new smear positive cases were commenced on treatment within the period; thus 54 (17.0) of the new SS+ve cases defaulted initially. One hundred and two (38) of them commenced TB treatment within 3 days of smear examination for diagnosis; while 59 (22) commenced 4-6 days after diagnosis. The study revealed significant delay in commencement of TB treatment for most new smear positive TB cases in southern Nigeria and underlines the need to further explore factors responsible for delay in commencement of TB treatment following diagnosis

Polymicrobial periodontal pathogen transcriptomes in calvarial bone and soft tissue.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia are consistently associated with adult periodontitis. This study sought to document the host transcriptome to a P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T.forsythia challenge as a polymicrobial infection using a murine calvarial model of acute inflammation and bone resorption. Mice were infected with P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia over the calvaria, after which the soft tissues and calvarial bones were excised. A Murine GeneChip(®) array analysis of transcript profiles showed that 6997 genes were differentially expressed in calvarial bones (P < 0.05) and 1544 genes were differentially transcribed in the inflamed tissues after the polymicrobial infection. Of these genes, 4476 and 1035 genes in the infected bone and tissues were differentially expressed by upregulation. Biological pathways significantly impacted by the polymicrobial infection in calvarial bone included leukocyte transendothelial migration (LTM), cell adhesion molecules, adherens junction, major histocompatibility complex antigen, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, and antigen processing and presentation resulting in inflammatory/cytokine/chemokine transcripts stimulation in bone and soft tissue. Intense inflammation and increased activated osteoclasts were observed in calvarias compared with sham-infected controls. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis confirmed that the mRNA level of selected genes corresponded with the microarray expression. The polymicrobial infection regulated several LTM and extracellular membrane pathway genes in a manner distinct from mono-infection with P. gingivalis, T. denticola, or T. forsythia. To our knowledge, this is the first definition of the polymicrobially induced transcriptome in calvarial bone and soft tissue in response to periodontal pathogens.

Tannerella forsythia infection-induced calvarial bone and soft tissue transcriptional profiles.

Tannerella forsythia is associated with subgingival biofilms in adult periodontitis, although the molecular mechanisms contributing to chronic inflammation and loss of periodontal bone remain unclear. We examined changes in the host transcriptional profiles during a T. forsythia infection using a murine calvarial model of inflammation and bone resorption. Tannerella forsythia was injected into the subcutaneous soft tissue over calvariae of BALB/c mice for 3 days, after which the soft tissues and calvarial bones were excised. RNA was isolated and Murine GeneChip (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) array analysis of transcript profiles showed that 3226 genes were differentially expressed in the infected soft tissues (P < 0.05) and 2586 genes were differentially transcribed in calvarial bones after infection. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcription levels of selected genes corresponded well with the microarray results. Biological pathways significantly impacted by T. forsythia infection in calvarial bone and soft tissue included leukocyte transendothelial migration, cell adhesion molecules (immune system), extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, adherens junction, and antigen processing and presentation. Histologic examination revealed intense inflammation and increased osteoclasts in calvariae compared with controls. In conclusion, localized T. forsythia infection differentially induces transcription of a broad array of host genes, and the profiles differ between inflamed soft tissues and calvarial bone.

Molecular characterization of Treponema denticola infection-induced bone and soft tissue transcriptional profiles.

Treponema denticola is associated with subgingival biofilms in adult periodontitis and with acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis. However, the molecular mechanisms by which T. denticola impacts periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone resorption remain unclear. Here, we examined changes in the host transcriptional profiles during a T. denticola infection using a murine calvarial model of inflammation and bone resorption. T. denticola was injected into the subcutaneous soft tissue over the calvaria of BALB/c mice for 3 days, after which the soft tissues and the calvarial bones were excised. RNA was isolated and analysed for transcript profiling using Murine GeneChip arrays. Following T. denticola infection, 2905 and 1234 genes in the infected calvarial bones and soft tissues, respectively, were differentially expressed (P

Porphyromonas gingivalis infection-induced tissue and bone transcriptional profiles.

Porphyromonas gingivalis has been associated with subgingival biofilms in adult periodontitis. However, the molecular mechanisms of its contribution to chronic gingival inflammation and loss of periodontal structural integrity remain unclear. This investigation aimed to examine changes in the host transcriptional profiles during a P. gingivalis infection using a murine calvarial model of inflammation and bone resorption. P. gingivalis FDC 381 was injected into the subcutaneous soft tissue over the calvaria of BALB/c mice for 3 days, after which the soft tissues and calvarial bones were excised. RNA was isolated from infected soft tissues and calvarial bones and was analysed for transcript profiles using Murine GeneChip((R)) arrays to provide a molecular profile of the events that occur following infection of these tissues. After P. gingivalis infection, 6452 and 2341 probe sets in the infected soft tissues and calvarial bone, respectively, were differentially expressed (P

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy induces alveolar bone regeneration.

UNLABELLED: Periodontal inflammation with alveolar bone resorption is a hallmark of periodontitis. We hypothesized that extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) could promote the regeneration of alveolar bone following Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced periodontitis in rats. Rats were infected with P. gingivalis for 10 wks, which caused alveolar bone resorption. The rats were then treated with a single episode of 100, 300, or 1000 impulses of shock wave on both cheeks at energy levels 0.1 mJ/mm(2). Alveolar bone levels were determined at 0, 3, 6, and 12 wks following ESWT and compared with those in untreated controls. Infected rats treated with 300 and 1000 impulses demonstrated significantly improved alveolar bone levels at 3 wks compared with untreated controls, and the improved levels remained for at least 6 wks in most rats. The results demonstrated effective regeneration of alveolar bone by ESWT and suggested that ESWT should be evaluated as an adjunct in the regeneration of periodontal tissues following periodontal disease. ABBREVIATIONS: ESWT, extracorporeal shock wave therapy; PCR, polymerase chain-reaction.