ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Fine-grained affect detection in learners’ generated content using machine learning

Learners’ adaptation to academic trajectory is shaped by several influencing factors that ought to be considered while attempting to design an intervention towards improving academic performance. Emotion is one factor that influences students’ academic orientation and performance. Tracking emotions in text by psychologists have long been a subject of concern to researchers. This is due to the challenges associated with determining the level of accuracy and consistency of decisions made from analysing such text by psychologists. Lately, Artificial Intelligence has complemented human efforts in tracking emotions in text. This paper provides an overview of machine learning application for detecting emotions in text through a Support vector machine learning system. In addition, we compared the performance of the system’s classifier to WEKA’s Multinomial Naïve-Bayes and J48 decision tree classifiers. Real time data from using the system in counselling delivery and collected students’ life stories were used for evaluating the performance of the classifiers. The evaluation results show that the Support vector machine, implemented in our system, is superior over WEKA’s Multinomial Naïve-Bayes and J48 decision tree classifiers. Nevertheless, the various classifiers performed beyond the acceptable threshold. The implication for the findings goes to indicate that machine learning algorithms can be implemented to track emotions in text, especially from students generated content

Source: UG
A finite volume scheme for simulation of rainwater harvesting process

A finite volume scheme to numerically solve the twodimensional (2D) shallow water equations with source terms is presented. Innovative methods are developed for data reconstruction, flux splitting, evaluation of numerical fluxes, and treatment of source terms. Total variation diminishing (TVD) properties and monotonicity are established without using an approximate Riemann solver. The finite volume scheme is applied for numerical simulation of surface runoff phenomena in a watershed, which is the catchment area of a rainwater harvesting dam. The ground surface topography of the watershed is complex, and unsteady transcritical surface flow dominates the rainwater harvesting process. The simulation results demonstrate that the numerical model is excellent in terms of accuracy, robustness, efficiency, and applicability.

Source: UG
Fintech, foreign bank presence and inclusive finance in Africa: Using a quantile regression approach

Africa is one of the continents with the least inclusive finance. However, with increasing use of mobile phones for financial services or financial technology (Fintech), there are improved opportunities to ‘bank the unbanked”. Also, there is a significant increase in both the presence of foreign banks and Fintech usage. Hence, we examine the moderating role of foreign bank presence on the fintech-inclusive finance nexus over the period 2000–2018. The results show that foreign bank presence does not directly affect inclusive finance but increases the link between Fintech and inclusive finance. We recommend that African countries need to provide a conducive environment, improving the use of Fintech.

Source: UG
Fire risk reduction through a community-based risk assessment: Reflections from Makola Market, Accra, Ghana

This paper explores the level of vulnerability to the hazard of fire that exists in Makola Market in Accra, Ghana, and assesses how this threat can be reduced through a community-based risk assessment. It examines the perceptions of both market-stall occupants and primary stakeholders regarding the hazard of fire, and analyses the availability of local assets (coping strategies) with which to address the challenge. Through an evaluation of past instances of fire, as well as in-depth key stakeholder interviews, field visits, and observations, the study produces a detailed hazard map of the market. It goes on to recommend that policymakers consider short-to-long-term interventions to reduce the degree of risk. By foregrounding the essence of holistic and integrated planning, the paper calls for the incorporation of disaster mitigation measures in the overall urban planning process and for the strict enforcement of relevant building and fire safety codes by responsible public agencies. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

Source: UG
A Fire-Detection and Control System in Automobiles: Implementing a Design That Uses Fuzzy Logic to Anticipate and Respond

Despite the immense benefits of fire detection in road transport, more than 2,000 vehicles are damaged by unexpected fires on a daily basis. On a global scale, incendiary-based losses for the automobile and insurance industries have run in to the billions of dollars in the past decade. One contributing factor is the lack of a sophisticated fire safety system in automobiles. This has been addressed by designing and implementing fuzzy logic control systems with feedback over an Arduino microcontroller system. The automatic system, consisting of flame, temperature, and smoke sensors as well as a re-engineered mobile carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) air-conditioning unit, was tested on a medium-sized physical car. Results suggest that the automobile fire-detection and control system, devoid of false alarms, detects and extinguishes fire in under 20s. An innovative, very promising modular solution for hardware implementation in fire detection and control for automobiles has been developed by using new algorithms and fuzzy logic.

Source: UG
Firm characteristics and the use of investment decision techniques in the global south: Evidence from Ghana

This study uses a survey approach to investigate how managers associated with thirty (30) firm characteristics subgroups apply thirty-seven (37) investment decision techniques in practice in a frontier market covering: capital budgeting, cost of equity, cost of capital, and adjustments for other types of systemic risk. The results show that 27 out of 30 firm subgroups significantly apply a payback period, and 0 out of 30 firm subgroups significantly apply any of the cost of equity estimation techniques investigated, deviating from the current literature. Nineteen out of 30 firm subgroups significantly apply a single common firm-wide discount rate for all projects, which is in line with global trends but inappropriate. It seems that frontier market managers are leaning toward simplicity as payback period, no cost of equity estimation and using a single common firm-wide discount rate do not properly account for time and risk. This may lead to less optimal investment decisions: resulting in firm value degradation. Promoting policies that reduce uncertainties in frontier markets may encourage the dominant use of net present value, cost of equity estimation and opportunity risk-adjusted cost of capital techniques to support firm value maximisation. Subjects: Economics; Finance; Corporate Finance; Business, Management and Accounting; Accounting; Corporate SocialResponsibility & Business Ethics;

Source: UG
Firm level innovation in Ghana: overcoming limits and constraints

This special issue compiles papers from across the African continent, ranging from Tanzania and Ethiopia in the East to Nigeria in the West.11. These papers were selected after a thorough double-blind review process. Two independent reviewers assessed each paper and several of the papers had to undergo multiple review rounds. We are immensely grateful to all the scholars who gave their time and expertise to the review process. View all notes The six papers included in the collection adopt different but complementary theoretical and methodological approaches. This introductory article proceeds by highlighting some aspects of the innovation landscape in Africa, with particular emphasis on the prevalence of innovation and the distribution of information sources across countries. It then discusses the most important constraints to innovation in Africa and shows how the articles in this compilation advance the related research agenda. Finally, a number of issues on which knowledge remains limited are raised.

Source: UG
Firm Productivity in the Presence of Binding Fiscal Constraints in Africa

We examine two key questions in this paper. First, we investigate the implications of fiscal indiscipline or otherwise on firm productivity in Africa. Fiscal policy is known to boost growth by altering work and investment incentives, promoting human capital accumulation, and enhancing total factor productivity at the micro-level (IMF, 2015). Many factors have been studied in explaining total factor productivity in Africa or its sub-regions but the role of fiscal policy in explaining firm productivity remains understudied. Yet fiscal policy is considered a binding constraint in Africa. Fiscal indiscipline is known to crowd-out the private sector and seriously undermines private sector leadership in ensuring all inclusive, broad-based growth. We measure firm-level total factor productivity using a Cobb-Douglas production function, when we regress on firm characteristics and fiscal policy indicators. In estimations with controls for country and year fixed effects, we find results that suggests firms reporting finance as a severe obstacle have relatively lower productivity levels, productivity declined with age, and audited firms are more productive than those not audited. The level of government debt to GDP, we found, had significant implications for the relation between access to finance severity and firm productivity. Fiscal Indiscipline (in its various forms) severely constraints firm productivity. The implications are that fiscal mismanagement has implications for firm-level productivity.

Source: UG
Firm Specific, Financial Development and Macroeconomic Determinants of Credit Union Lending

Credit unions are set up to providefinancial services, especially loans to members in acooperative setting. The increasing competition from banking and non-bankingfinancial institutionsimplies credit unions must providefinancial products and services with a clear understanding offactors that interact in this competitive industry. This paper evaluates the discretional and non-discretional factors that tend to influence loans credit unions grant their members. Fromfixed effectmodel estimate, discretional factors such as size, profitability, management quality and solvencypositively associate with credit union loan business whiles loan loss, net worth, non-loan incomeand non-loan activities associate negatively. Contractionary monetary policy creates an increase inloan demand in the credit union. Credit union managers should monitor developments taking placein the loanable funds market as increasing overhead cost of banks may imply a possible increasein loan demand leading to diseconomies of scale. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Source: UG
The First Cases of Lassa Fever in Ghana

Most research activities involve the use of molecular methods such as regular PCR (PCR), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), genomic sequence and analysis using different software, genetic engineering, probe hybridization techniques, biological and molecular cloning, evaluation of immune markers for laboratory diagnosis of infections, serological assays involving the use of rapid tests, ELISA-based evaluations and immunofluorescent assay techniques.

Source: UG
First count the cost: Privatizing urban waste management services in Sub- Saharan Africa.

While privatisation has benefits, it must be approached with caution. Using qualitative methods, this article presents scenarios for consideration in privatising urban waste management in sub-Saharan Africa. This study employed purposive sampling in organising relevant literature and also used secondary data from journal articles, government reports and documents for analyses. Results indicate that privatisation of urban waste management services should consider the following: the possibility of a market failure; corruption in the private sector, poor service delivery; and prevalence of inefficiency. This study has implications for city managers and planners in deciding whether or not to privatise urban waste management services in sub-Saharan Africa.

Source: UG
First cultivation and characterization of mycobacterium ulcerans from the environment

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
First Detection of Leishmania tropica DNA and Trypanosoma Species in Sergentomyia Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from an Outbreak Area of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Ghana

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
First isolation of a new species of Leishmania responsible for human cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ghana and classification in the Leishmania enriettii complex

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
First molecular identifcation of multiple tick-borne pathogens in livestock within Kassena-Nankana, Ghana

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
The First One Hundred Days of Oil Production in Ghana

This paper discusses the events and happenings in Ghana within the first one hundred days of oil production. Using elite interviews and media reports, the paper chronicles several challenges and problems including lack of transparency, secrecy, consensus building, discontentment, etc that have occurred in the oil industry. Given that these were the same challenges that characterized the preparatory processes prior to oil production, the paper argues that the challenges and problems of the oil industry within the first hundred days of oil production are not mere teething problems but signs of greater challenges to come. The paper concludes on the note that timeous and prompt solution to these challenges is crucial in ensuring that the oil becomes a blessing to the nation in so far as development and promotion of good governance and democracy are concerned

Source: UG
First Report and Distribution of the Indian Mustard Aphid, Lipaphis erysimi pseudobrassicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata) in Ghana

The presence of large colonies of aphids is associated with a devastating novel necrotic disease of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in Ghana that is thought to be of viral etiology. In this study, we used molecular taxonomic tools to identify the aphid species present on these diseased cabbage plants. This was confirmed using two key features for morphological identification, involving the length of cornicles and shape of cauda for the wingless forms of the aphids. Two species of aphids were identified and their distribution in Ghana indicated. One was the generalist aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) but the most abundant was the brassica specialist aphid, Lipaphis erysimi pseudobrassicae (Davis) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), which is one of the most destructive pests of brassica crops in some countries in Africa and other parts of the world. L. erysimi has been reported in Benin, Mali, South Africa, India, China, and United States, but this is the first formal report of L. erysimi pseudobrassicae in Ghana. The correct identification of L. erysimi is crucial, suggesting that it has recently become one of the most common species of aphid found on cabbage plants in Ghana.

Source: UG
First report and population dynamics of the Tobacco Thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on ridged gourd, Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxy in selected export fields in southern Ghana

Thrips attack several crops, causing considerable economic damage. To prevent this damage, sticky traps can be used to monitor their population for the timely execution of management interventions. Ridged gourd or turia (Luffa) acutangula (L.) Roxy is an important Asian vegetable exported regularly to the European Union market from Ghana. However, this vegetable has been intercepted several times at the point of entry because of thrips infestation. The current study is aimed at identifying and monitoring thrips population on turia using blue and yellow sticky traps in six export vegetable production sites in Ghana for two consecutive seasons and three trapping periods. The results showed that Thrips parvispinus (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was the commonest and only species of thrips found attacking turia. The highest and lowest mean number of thrips were recorded from the blue and yellow sticky traps during the dry and the late part of the major rainy seasons, respectively. Thrips population build-up was observed to reach its peak at the flowering stage of the crop. This is the first report of T. parvispinus in Ghana. The implications of this Findings on the export of turia to the EU market have been discussed.

Source: UG
First report of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in Ghana, West Africa

Tomato and pepper plants exhibiting wilt symptoms were collected from fields in seven villages in Northern (Vea, Tono, Pwalugu), Ashanti (Agogo, Akumadan), and Brong Ahafo (Tanoso, Tuobodom) regions of western Ghana in November 2012. The plants were wilted without leaf yellowing or necrosis. Disease incidence was generally low, with less than 20% symptomatic plants observed. Most of the plants collected produced visible bacterial ooze in water in the field. Ooze was plated on 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride-amended (TZC) medium. Isolated colonies were fluidal, irregularly round, white with pink centers, gram-negative, and oxidase positive. One strain from each of seven fields was selected for further study. All strains induced a hypersensitive reaction on tobacco. Randomly selected strains SM855-12 and SM857-12 tested positive in R. solanacearum ImmunoStrip assays (Agdia Inc., IN). An end-point PCR assay with primer set 759/760 (3) generated an R. solanacearum-specific 280-bp amplicon for all seven strains. Two of these strains were biovar I and the remaining five were biovar III based on utilization of cellobiose, lactose, maltose, dulcitol, mannitol, and sorbitol. A phylotype-specific multiplex PCR assay that recognizes four geographically linked monophyletic groups within R. solanacearum (1) indicated that one strain (SM855-12) was phylotype III (African origin), whereas the other six were phylotype I (Asian origin). All strains were subjected to repetitive sequence-based PCR (Rep-PCR) with BOXA1R and REP1R/REP2 primers (4). Strain SM855-12 was grouped with the phylotype III reference strain UW 368 and the remaining six strains were grouped with the phylotype I reference strain GMI 1000. A pathogenicity test was performed with bacterial wilt-susceptible tomato line OH7814. Inoculum was prepared from 48-h cultures of strains SM855-12, SM856-12, and SM858-12 grown on casamino acid peptone glucose (CPG) medium at 30°C. Roots of ten 4-week-old tomato plants per strain were drench-inoculated with 5 ml of a 108 CFU/ml bacterial suspension after wounding with a sterile scalpel. Non-inoculated control plants were drenched with 5 ml distilled water after root wounding. Plants were kept in a greenhouse at 25 to 30°C. By 12 days after inoculation, 80 to 100% of inoculated plants were wilted, whereas no symptoms appeared in non-inoculated plants. Bacteria re-isolated from wilted plants were confirmed to be R. solanacearum using techniques mentioned above. Although an association of bacterial wilt with tomato/pepper was mentioned previously (2), to our knowledge, this is the first documented report of bacterial wilt caused by R. solanacearum in Ghana. The presence of Asian strains (phylotype I) may be the result of one or more accidental introductions. Awareness of this disease in Ghana will lead to deployment of management strategies including use of resistant varieties and grafting desirable varieties onto disease-resistant rootstocks.

Source: UG
First report of Kingella kingae infection in a paediatric population in Accra, Ghana

Introduction: Kingella kingae is recognized as a frequent source of childhood bacteremia and the commonest agent of skeletal system infections in children 6 months - 4 years old. Several factors, including difficulty in detecting this fastidious organism in routine laboratory assays, result in underdiagnosis of the infections. Species-specific nucleic acid amplification assays, however, significantly improve the detection of K. kingae in blood samples. The aim of this study was to detect K. kingae infection in young children in Accra, Ghana. Methods: a cross-sectional based study was carried out in three hospitals in Accra. Children with febrile illness and directed by a clinician for blood culture were recruited. Blood samples collected were analysed by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using universal prokaryotic and K. kingae rtxA primers. Results: blood samples from 232 children (mean age 20.10 ± 12.57 months) were analysed. Bacteremia (72.4%) was the highest clinical diagnosis particularly in the 12-24 months age group. Only 7 (3.1%) samples showed bacterial growth and were negative for Kingella. PCR with universal prokaryotic primers succeeded in 223 (96.1%) out of 232 samples. PCR with K. kingae rtxA toxin primers was positive for 12 (5.4%) samples, all diagnosed as bacteremia, out of the 223 samples. Eleven (91.7%) out of the 12 K. kingae PCR positives were culture-negative. Conclusion: Kingella kingae was detected only by PCR specific for the K. kingae rtxA toxin. Kingella kingae may be a potential cause of bacteremia and hence febrile illness in young children living in Accra, Ghana.

Source: UG