ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Epiteichismos in the Peloponnesian War

Generally, historians who deal with ancient Greek history and thereby tackle the Peloponnesian War have mostly failed to recognize the full significance or import of the Epiteichismos (Greek; “to build upon”) strategy and its contribution to the rise and the imperialistic ambition of Athens, and Athens’ subsequent defeat during the Peloponnesian War, owing perhaps to their different motive, orientation, philosophy, targeted audience and aim for writing. (De Ste. Croix (1972), Robinson (1962), Westlake (1969), Powell (1988), Pomeroy et al. (1999)). Notwithstanding the fact that Thucydides is the primary source with respect to the account of the Peloponnesian War, traits of the intendment of the Epiteichismos strategy are equally scattered throughout the history of antediluvian warfare. Using a critical analyses of primary and secondary sources, this paper noting the deficiencies in existing secondary sources makes an attempt to give not only a systematic and coherent outline of the significance of the Epiteichismos strategy as the war unfolds, but to also show how both Athens and Sparta exploit this strategy to their respective advantage in the Peloponnesian War

Source: UCC
Epithermal Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Assessment of Micronutrients in fish, Breast Milk and Rice Using Gharr-1: Case Study of Southern Ghana

The concentrations of ten micronutrients; sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), chlorine (Cl), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), in polished Jasmine 85 rice, Sarotherodon melanotheron and breast milk was determined using epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis. The rice samples were collected from farms located in Ashaiman, Afienya, Dawhenya, Aveyime, and Afife, all in Ghana; the breast milk from breastfeeding mothers from the Central Region of Ghana, and the S. melanotheron fish was harvested from the Benya Lagoon, Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. A-three millimetre thick flexible boron was used to cut-off thermal neutrons and access epithermal neutrons only. The standard reference materials used were the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-336; IAEA-407, IAEA-350 and National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) USA SRM 1577b. Relative standardization method was used in the quantification of the elements. Recoveries of the elemental concentrations ranged from 88% to 111% of the certified values. Rice farms from Aveyime and Afife recorded higher concentrations of the micronutrients. Micronutrients in the breast milk yielded the order K > Na > Ca > Mg > Cu > Mn > I and in the rice will be useful in nutrition planning. The S. melanotheron study revealed issues associated with its consumption as it is a delicacy. This knowledge may be useful for the designing of the best management plans for Benya Lagoon’s ecosystems restoration and ensuring the sustainability of the health status of the species in the Lagoon.

Source: UCC
Epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis technique in determining bromine, chlorine, and Iodine in Sarotherodon Melanotheron from the Benya Lagoon, Ghana

Epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis technique was applied in the determination of concentration levels of three halogens - bromine, chlorine, and iodine in Sarotherodon melanotheron (Blackchin tilapia). The species is a delicacy of the people of Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality (KEEA) in the Central Region of Ghana, as such this fish is consumed as a whole. The levels of these halogens in bones, muscles, and gills of the fish samples obtained from the Benya lagoon were determined using the Low Power Ghana Research Reactor-1. Three millimetres thick of flexible boron was used to cut off thermal neutrons in order to assess epithermal neutrons. This procedure yielded an accuracy of 94.7%. The standard reference materials used were the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-336; IAEA-407, IAEA-350 and National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) USA SRM 1577b. The Relative standardization method was used in the quantification of the halogens. The estimated health risk calculated showed high levels of Cl and I above the Maximum Upper Limit (UL) of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for all life stage groups investigated except for children below 8 years. The total mean daily intake of Br was 5342.08 ± 581.64 μg/d, which e ceeded the estimated median daily intake of 2000.00 μg/d – 5000.00 μg/d for food and water. The I levels in the fishes were not encouraging so buttresses its known adverse effect on child development in developing countries. This knowledge may be useful for the designing of the best management plans for Benya Lagoon’s ecosystems restoration and ensuring the sustainability of the health status of the species in the KEEA

Source: UCC
Erythrocyte Shape Change Prevents Plasmodium falciparum Invasion

Normal erythrocytes have biconcave discoid shape that presents large surface area with higher cell surface to vol- ume ratio than that of spherical shape. This appears to allow membrane internalization required for Plasmodium fal- ciparum (Pf) invasion into erythrocytes. Indeed abnormal erythrocyte shape with decreased surface area to volume ratio such as hereditary spherocytosis limits invasion of the parasite. In the present study, using several agents to induce erythrocyte shape changes, we examined whether echinocytic shape change with membrane projections in opposite direction to membrane internalizations and/or stomatocytic shape change with decreased surface area to volume ratio that would be required for internalization, prevent Pf invasion. Having microscopically confirmed echinocytic and/or stomatocytic shape changes and also measured extensibility using an ektacytometer of the treat- ed cells, subsequent Pf invasion assay was performed and parasitaemia determined. Both sodium flouride (NaF) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) induced echinocytic change whereas phospholipase D (PLD), sphingomyelinase (SMase) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) caused stomatocytic change with decreased extensibility of erythrocytes. In both situa- tions, Pf invasion was prevented, indicating that biconcave discoid shape of normal erythrocytes with high surface to volume ratio is required for membrane internalization when Pf invades into erythrocytes.

Source: UCC
Erythrocyte Shape Change Prevents Plasmodium falciparum Invasion

Normal erythrocytes have biconcave discoid shape that presents large surface area with higher cell surface to volume ratio than that of spherical shape. This appears to allow membrane internalization required for Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) invasion into erythrocytes. Indeed abnormal erythrocyte shape with decreased surface area to volume ratio such as hereditary spherocytosis limits invasion of the parasite. In the present study, using several agents to induce erythrocyte shape changes, we examined whether echinocytic shape change with membrane projections in opposite direction to membrane internalizations and/or stomatocytic shape change with decreased surface area to volume ratio that would be required for internalization, prevent Pf invasion. Having microscopically confirmed echinocytic and/or stomatocytic shape changes and also measured extensibility using an ektacytometer of the treated cells, subsequent Pf invasion assay was performed and parasitaemia determined. Both sodium flouride (NaF) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) induced echinocytic change whereas phospholipase D (PLD), sphingomyelinase (SMase) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) caused stomatocytic change with decreased extensibility of erythrocytes. In both situations, Pf invasion was prevented, indicating that biconcave discoid shape of normal erythrocytes with high surface to volume ratio is required for membrane internalization when Pf invades into erythrocytes.

Source: UCC
Erythroivorensin: A Novel Anti-inflammatory Diterpene from the Root-bark of Erythrophleum Ivorense (A Chev.)

The stem- and root-bark of Erythrophleum ivorense (A Chev., family, Fabaceae) are routinely employed in the West African traditional medicine to treat inflammation and a variety of other disease conditions. Although the chemistry and pharmacology of cassaine-type diterpene alkaloids isolated from the stem-bark of the plant are fairly established, the root-bark has not yet been investigated. In the present study, the crude aqueous-alcohol extract of the root-bark was demonstrated to display a time- and dose (30–300 mg/kg p.o.)-dependent antiinflammatory effect in chicks. Comprehensive chromatographic analysis coupled with spectroscopic and X-ray study further allowed the assignment of one of the major anti-inflammatory constituents as a novel cassainetype diterpene, erythroivorensin. The other major constituents were known anti-inflammatory compounds: a triterpene, betulinic acid and a flavonoid, eriodictyol. The dose (10–100 mg/kg p.o.)-dependent antiinflammatory effects of the three compounds were either comparable or more significant than the positive control, diclofenac.

Source: UCC
Erythroivorensin: A novel anti-inﬂammatory diterpene from the root-bark of Erythrophleum ivorense (A Chev.)

The stem- and root-bark of Erythrophleum ivorense (A Chev., family, Fabaceae) are routinely employed in the West African traditional medicine to treat inﬂammation and a variety of other disease conditions. Although the chemistry and pharmacology of cassaine-type diterpene alkaloids isolated from the stem-bark of the plant are fairly established, the root-bark has not yet been investigated. In the present study, the crude aqueous-alcohol extract of the root-bark was demonstrated to display a time- and dose (30–300 mg/kg p.o.)-dependent anti- inﬂammatory effect in chicks. Comprehensive chromatographic analysis coupled with spectroscopic and X-ray study further allowed the assignment of one of the major anti-inﬂammatory constituents as a novel cassaine- type diterpene, erythroivorensin. The other major constituents were known anti-inﬂammatory compounds: a triterpene, betulinic acid and a ﬂavonoid, eriodictyol. The dose (10–100 mg/kg p.o.)-dependent anti- inﬂammatory effects of the three compounds were either comparable or more signiﬁcant than the positive con- trol, diclofenac.

Source: UCC
Essays on Financial Inclusion, Financial Literacy, Financial Inclusion Inequality and Poverty in Ghana

ABSTRACT Access to financial services is crucial for economic activities and reduces poverty irrespective of gender and location. However, the analyses of financial inclusion, financial inclusion inequality and financial literacy on poverty have been neglected. This thesis examines the effects of financial inclusion, financial literacy and financial inclusion inequality on poverty in Ghana. Specifically, the study seeks to determine variations in financial inclusion between males and females, in urban and rural areas and assess whether these gaps have increased over time. Again, the study evaluates the combined and relative effects of financial inclusion and financial literacy on household poverty in Ghana. Finally, the study investigates the effect of financial inclusion inequality on poverty at the district level. The study adopts the counterfactual decomposition, Ordinary Least Square (OLS), Instrumental Variable (IV), and ordered logit estimation techniques. Financial inclusion inequality is calculated using the Generalized Entropy class of inequality measures with data from the Financial Inclusion Insight National survey (2015) and Ghana Living Standard Survey Rounds 6 and 7 (2013/14 and 2016/17). The study finds the existence of financial inclusion gaps with the gender gap reducing by 6.0 percent between 2013 and 2017 and conversely increasing by 42.0 percent between urban and rural areas over the same period. Again, the study finds that financial inclusion and financial literacy reduce multidimensional poverty by 15.4 and 0.9 percent respectively. However, the combined effect reduces multidimensional poverty by 18.9 percent. Finally, the study shows that a one percent increase in financial inclusion inequality presents a 17.9 percent likelihood for a household head to be poor. The study recommends that the Bank of Ghana should revise the capital requirement for financial institutions downwards to encourage financial institutions to operate in rural areas. Also, the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation should review the existing national telecommunication policy to improve coverage in rural areas. Again, the Management of the District Assembly should liaise with the National Commission for Civic Education to promote financial inclusion at the district level.

Source: UCC
Essays On Financial Inclusion, Financial Literacy, Financial Inclusion Inequality And Poverty In Ghana

Access to financial servIces is crucial for economic activities and reduces poverty irrespective of gender and location. However, the analyses of financial inclusion, financial inclusion inequality and financial literacy on poverty have been neglected. This thesis examines the effects of financial inclusion, financial literacy and financial inclusion inequality on poverty in Ghana. Specifically, the study seeks to determine variations in financial inclusion between males and females, in urban and rural areas and assess whether these gaps have increased over time. Again, the study evaluates the combined and r~ i ,ltlve effects of financiai inclusion and financial literacy on household i \' 'C')'ty in Ghana. F in:,l~/. ;'he study investigates the effect of financial ;i~' Imi;loi nequality ij , \ ,"" ''0 :~,:y ilt the district level. The study adopts the ', (~,u ~\~ rt'act ua l decomr'_ '," , .' J . H~i nary Least Square (OLS), lnstrumental VW';;l ble (lV), and orde(" :,; : ,.;": estimation techniques. Financial inclusion inequality is calculated using the Generalized Entropy class of inequality measures with data from the Financial Inclusion Insight National survey (2015) and Ghana Living Standard Survey Rounds 6 and 7 (2013114 and 2016117). The study finds the existence of financial inclusion gaps with the gender gap reducing by 6.0 percent between 2013 and 2017 and conversely increasing by 42.0 percent between urban and rural areas over the same period. Again, the study finds that financial inclusion and financial literacy reduce multidimensional poverty by 15.4 and 0.9 percent respectively. However, the combined effect reduces multidimensional poverty by 18.9 percent. Finally, the study shows that a one percent increase in financial inclusion inequality presents a 17.9 percent likelihood for a household head to be poor. The study recommends that the Bank of Ghana should revise the capital requirement for finallcial institutions downwards to encourage financial institutions to operate in rural areas. Also, the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation should review the existing national telecommunication policy to improve coverage in rural areas. Again, the Management of the District Assembly should liaise with the National Commission for Civic Education to promote financial inclusion at the district level

Source: UCC
Essays on transport mode choice, fuel and ict expenditures in Ghana

The main objective of this study was to identify the drivers of transport fuel expenditure and mode choice in Ghana. Specifically, the study analysed the effects of ICT expenditure on transport fuel market participation and consumption decisions of households; examined the effect of real value of travel time on transport mode choice; and assessed how the effect of ICT expenditure on transport fuel intensity differs among household demographic factors (sex). The double hurdle model was applied to five waves of the Ghana Living Standard Surveys to analyse the first objective. The results show that ICT expenditure, income, household size, urbanisation and education are among the significant variables that relate positively to transport fuel market participation and consumption decisions of households in Ghana. The results also indicate that transport fuel is income and ICT elastic. For the second objective, the study fitted a multinomial logit model to data from the National Household Travel Surveys. It was noticed that relative risk of lost labour productivity and distance are among the significant considerations for transport mode choice between motorised transport versus non-motorised transport among workers in Ghanaian society. Finally, three logistic regressions were estimated for objective three, using data from the GLSS Seven. Interestingly, the result shows that female-headed households in the lower income group have the highest odds of being less fuel intensive than male-headed households. The study, therefore, suggests various policy implications based on the drivers that influence transport fuel market participation and consumption decisions, and those that drive transport mode choice as well as transport fuel intensity of households in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Essentials of cardiac MRI in clinical practice

Cardiac MRI (CMRI) is considered the “gold” standard for non-invasive characterization of cardiac function and viability as it allows the assessment of regional and global cardiac function, mass, volumes, myocardial perfusion, and tissue characterization. With its excellent soft-tissue differentiation, CMRI is the most important imaging modality for differentiating tumour from thrombus, dis- tinguishing malignant from benign masses, and helps determine the extent of pericardial and myocardial inva- sion in cardiac masses. It is also indicated for evaluating cardiomyopathies, myocardial ischaemia or infarction, coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and complex congenital abnormalities. Methods A literature review was conducted to evaluate the MRI pulse sequences that are applicable in CMRI, common artefacts, and breathing techniques. Results The use of turbo spin-echo (TSE) is ideal for black blood imaging as it is used for morphological cardiac imaging, and the hydrogen spins exposed to both the refocusing pulse and excitation signal at the same location produce the signal void which is advantageous for differentiating the “black” blood and soft-tissues i.e. fat (white) or throm- bus (gray). However, even though TSE sequences can per- mit acquisition of single slices during a breath hold, the use of single-shot (SS)-TSE sequences may be recom- mended as they are even faster permitting the acquisition of a complete stack of image slices during one breath- hold. The trade-off is that SS-TSE provides less contrast than TSE sequences. Bright blood imaging is usually acquired using steady-state-free-precession (SSFP) as it yields a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the “white” blood as opposed to the TSE sequences. Other pulse sequences that can be employed to complement these sequences include phase contrast velocity-encoded (PC- VE) sequences and 3D contrast-enhanced magnetic reso- nance angiogram (CE-MRA) which allow for volume and velocity measurements. Artefacts in CMRI are often due to superimposition of respiratory and cardiac motion dur- ing the imaging time. Whereas ECG gating can be used to compensate for cardiac motion as it is more precise and usually produces a superior result, on the other hand, breath-hold techniques significantly reduce respiratory artefacts. However, in patients who cannot perform breath-hold or in severe arrhythmia patients who might require free breathing method, techniques i.e. time-of- flight (TOF)-magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), phase-contrast MRA, and 3D whole-heart-SSFP can be employed. Conclusions MRI has an important role to play in imaging cardiac morphology and function. Diagnostic assessment of the heart requires high quality images with excellent SNR and spatial resolution. The use of TSE for cardiac mor- phology and complementing with SSFP sequences are important to reveal subtle cardiac abnormalities; how- ever by including other sequences i.e. PC-VE and 3D- MRA, detailed diagnostic information can be better revealed.

Source: UCC
Establishing a niche in research: Rhetorical strategies in undergraduate and postgraduate writings in the department of English, University of Cape Coast

One key means of negotiating entry into a particular discourse in a research community is via the problem statement section in both research articles and dissertations/theses. Students are mostly confronted with the challenge of establishing a research space. This paper investigates the rhetorical strategies employed by Language students in the Department of English, University of Cape Coast, to establish a niche in their introduction sections. A total of fifty-two introductions were collected from both undergraduate dissertations and postgraduate theses. The data was subjected to a qualitative content analysis. The results of the analysis indicated that both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students employed Indicating a Gap as their best choice to establish a niche, with the PGs using it more than the UGs. Both groups of students used Establishing Problem and Need as their next preferred option to create a research space. However, it was only the PGs who used Counter-claiming as the third strategy. These findings of this study have implications for the scholarship on students‟ academic writing and pedagogy

Source: UCC
Establishing clients’ satisfaction levels with automated library based service

Purpose – Library automation is required in academic libraries to meet the dynamic demands of clients. Thisstudyaimstoinvestigatethelevelofclients’satisfactionofSamJonahlibraryautomation. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilized the descriptive research design by using an exploratory case study research method. A disproportionate stratiﬁed random sampling was used to select 322 respondents (undergraduates, postgraduates and lecturers/researchers) who consented to participate in thestudy.Questionnaireandinformalinterviewwereusedforthedatacollection. Findings – The study showed that more than half of the clients of Sam Jonah library were moderately satisﬁed with the library’s automation. Clients mostly access internet/Wi-Fi andreference service.Patronage of the services including photocopying, borrowing of books (circulation), e-resources/academic databases, institutional repository, library website and the OPAC was not encouraging. Increase in user education was recommendedtoimprovetheirusage. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to only one academic library, namely, SamJonahlibraryoftheUniversityofCapeCoast,Ghana. Originality/value – The study provides insight into a case study of satisfactory level of clients in accessingautomatedservicesofSamJonahLibrarytoserveasabasisforfurtherresearch.

Source: UCC
Establishing ethos and envisioning a new Africa: Kwame Nkrumah’s invention at the 1958 All-African People’s Conference

In 1958, Kwame Nkrumah, the Prime Minister of Ghana, called for a conference of independent heads of state in Africa. It was a novelty in Africa. The conference was to provide a formal continental platform for the political deliberation of Africa by Africans. The paper carefully focuses on the nuances and purpose of Nkrumah’s invention. First, the work argues that Nkrumah strategically invented a rhetoric which sought to establish his ethos as a Pan Africanist whose leadership was crucial in the quest to free Africa from colonial domination. Secondly, the paper examines, through Nkrumah’s rhetoric, how the deliberative nature of the Accra conference was turned into an epideictic one. This paper has implication(s) for the role of rhetoric in the decolonization of Africa

Source: UCC