ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Bending properties and joint efficiency of some tropical hardwoods finger-jointed in green and dry states

This study investigated the bending properties and joint efficiencies of some tropical hardwoods finger jointed in green and dry states. Two groups of finger-jointed pieces were produced from mill off-cuts of four different tropical timber species using PVA (protovil D3). One group was produced from pieces initially kiln dried to approximately 12 % MC while the other group was produced from green pieces (approx. 25 % MC). Solid wood test samples, treated to similar MCs as the finger jointed samples, served as a reference group. The results showed that the joint efficiencies in MOE of test group finger jointed in dry state ranged between 58 and 89 % for medium and low density species, respectively. A much lower joint efficiencies in MOE were recorded for test groups finger-jointed in green state: 49.4 and 54.7 % for medium and low density species, respectively. For MOR, the minimum and maximum joint efficiencies for test group finger jointed in dry state were 14.5 and 50.7 %, respectively compared to 12.9 and 40.1 %, respectively for test group finger jointed in green state. The results show that the joint efficiency in stiffness appears to be much higher than that in strength. Low density tropical timber species appear to exhibit higher joint efficiency than medium density ones. The synergy between density and moisture condition of wood prior to finger jointing affects the joint efficiency in MOE while only the density of species affects the joint efficiency in MOR. Finger jointing lumber with PVA may be used for non-structural applications. Further research is required to obtain enough data to confirm the possibility of using low density tropical timber species finger jointed in dry state with PVA for structural applications. � 2014 Indian Academy of Wood Science.

Source: UEW
Between entrepreneurship and politics, a biography of alhaji Aliu Mahama, 1946 to 2012

This thesis examines the life and times of Alhaji Aliu Mahama - an engineer, entrepreneur, and statesman from 1946 to 2012. The purpose of this work is to offer a detailed understanding of Alhaji Aliu Mahama's life with an emphasis on his struggles, works, successes, and failures. The study revealed that Alhaji Aliu Mahama was a disciplinarian and a determined person who achieved an uninterrupted education from basic to tertiary. The study also revealed that Alhaji Aliu Mahama had a dramatic rise in his professional career as an engineer and a private entrepreneur. In theory, he had undergone rigorous professional discipline. The thesis further revealed that Alhaji Aliu Mahama was not a novice in politics. One most important observation that came out from this study is that Aliu’s appointment as a running mate and later Vice President in election 2000 was more of a coincidence than design. The study discovered that Alhaji Aliu Mah ama was not interested in becoming a Vice President of the New Patriotic Party and that it was the maneuverings of J. A. Kufour that brought Aliu to the position. This is a qualitative study that relied extensively on oral data. Information was generated through oral interviews from Aliu Mahama's family members, classmates, friends, and elderly citizens, as well as his contemporaries in business and politics. Additional data were solicited from Alhaji Aliu Mahama's personal diaries, graphics, funeral tributes, and archival information. Secondary materials including books, journal articles, and public lectures relating to Aliu's life and political activities were used to corroborate the information obtained from the primary data.

Source: UEW
Beyond pluralizing African childhoods: Introduction

This Special Issue of Childhood moves beyond stereotypical images of African children to document the complex ways in which contemporary realities and processes of social transformations shape and are shaped by children�s everyday lives. In this editorial, we bring together perspectives that are drawn from 10 articles that report findings from six countries: Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda and Ghana. The insights generated reveal the importance of looking beyond the �deficit� model of childhood to instead theorize how children, through their engagements in social, economic, cultural and political life, contribute to the reconfiguration of social and generational dynamics that unfolds in Africa. � 2016, � The Author(s) 2016.

Source: UEW
Beyond the MDG water target to universal water coverage in Ghana: The key transformative shifts required

Ghana achieved its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) water target about a decade before the 2015 deadline. However, as the world shifts focus to achieving sustainable universal water coverage, there is the need for redoubled efforts to keep up this feat. This paper examines the success drivers and the major transformative shifts required to sustain efforts in Ghana�s water sector. The findings indicate that the successes chalked in Ghana�s water sector have been largely fuelled by strong donor support and a well organised institutional and policy framework. About 90% of funding for the sector has been contributed by donors and creditors while actual government expenditure remains below 0.5% of GDP. The country has a strong policy and institutional framework guiding developments in the water sector. Nevertheless, the dwindling donor support, poor cost recovery mechanisms in the sector, ineffective strategies for ensuring human right to water, unbridled pollution of freshwater resources, poor borehole construction, and poor environmental sanitation across the country threaten to unwind the progress made in the sector. Without a paradigm shift, these could potentially derail efforts at achieving and sustaining universal water coverage. The paper discusses how these issues can be addressed to ensure universal access to potable water in the country. � 2018 The Authors.

Source: UEW
Bilateral climate finance and food security in developing countries: A look at German donations to Sub-Saharan Africa

This study seeks to assess whether the German bilateral climate finance (GCF) geared toward the agriculture sector of 35 SSA countries is helping achieve food security. In measuring food security, the study employed principal component analysis to generate an index for all four food security dimensions proposed by FAOSTAT-food availability, access, stability, and utilization. A general composite food security index was also generated. System-GMM was used to estimate the influence of GCF on all the food security components. The findings show that GCF improves food availability and general food security in SSA, but government expenditure is inadequate to do so. It was also found that agricultural technology or capacity moderates the effect of GCF on food availability and overall food security. Based on the findings of the study, it is clear that bilateral climate finance flow invested in agricultural technology coupled with an increase in government agricultural expenditure from the current 6% to 10% as proposed by the Malabo declaration will put SSA on a path to achieving food security. It is recommended that SSA countries deepen incentives to attract FDI inflows to the region due to its role in improving food security via food access. � 2022 The Authors. Food and Energy Security published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Source: UEW
Bilingual education with bilingual plays: Abdallah's ‘The Witch of Mopti’ as a model.

Many African countries that were colonised imbibed the coloniser's language as their own and used them as their national language. The local languages have mostly been relegated to domestic communication. There have been however, recent debates to introduce local languages as national language and to be used as medium of instruction in schools. This paper contributes to these debates and proposes the use of drama in the teaching and learning of local languages. It argues that drama uses dialogue, gestures, movements, props and can integrate music and dances which are created in context for selective and appropriate language and culture. Drama becomes even more potent in aiding the learning of language when it is written in multilingual dialogue as in the plays of Mohammed Ben Abdallah. The paper employs conceptual analysis to discuss Abdallah's The Witch of Mopti in which he uses bilingual dialogue as a model that could aid the learning of a local language.

Source: UEW
Bioaccessibility of lead in airborne particulates from car battery repair work

The bioaccessibility of Pb in air particulate matter from two car battery repair workshops in Kumasi (Ghana) was measured (64 full shift personal aerosol samples). An artificial lung lining fluid simulant (Hatch solution) was applied for leaching the bioaccessible fraction in half of the samples, the other half was leached with synthetic gastric juice. At both locations, the Pb solubility (median) in gastric juice (89% and 92%) is substantially higher than in Hatch solution (4.9% and 5.6%). The high solubility of Pb in gastric juice may be related to the presence of Pb oxides. The low bioaccessibility of Pb in Hatch solution is in good agreement with previous work on mine tailings, urban aerosol, car exhaust, welding fumes and indoor dust. The high bioaccessibility of Pb in the gastrointestinal tract underpins the importance of improving the personal hygienic behavior at the workplace. It is recommended that air monitoring of Pb should include the extrathoracic aerosol fraction using inhalable aerosol samplers, as particles of this size fraction are most likely transferred to the gastrointestinal tract in addition to the non-lung-soluble particles transported from the lung by mucociliary and phagocytosis clearance. � 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Source: UEW
Bioactivity and secondary metabolite from the static cultures of mango endophytic fungi.

The surge for endophytic fungi over the years have contributed immensely to the production of effective drug therapeutics to buttress the fighting race of various ailments caused by microorganisms. The discovery of secondary metabolites through the culturing of these fungi has been phenomenal, contributing enormously to the pharmaceutical industry in their quest to find lasting solutions to different kind of diseases that have engulfed our planet. Endophytic fungi obtained from mango leaf was cultured in a 3% malt extract and 6% glucose in two 2 dm3 flat-bottomed flask for eight weeks with a temperature range of 25-29 0C. The broth was harvested and extraction was carried out using ethyl acetate to obtain the organic layer. It was then concentrated using the rotary evaporator. Chromatographic study (TLC) was carried out on the crude extract to separate compounds present into their respective components in fractions. They were then triturated with hexane, chloroform, petroleum ether and methanol. After several weeks, yellowish solid crystals were seen at the bottom of the test tube labelled ABM-EN (15). It was filtered and dried for characterization using NMR and for antimicrobial and antioxidant activity testing. The following NMR analysis which consists of 1H NMR, 13C-NMR, COSY, DEPT-135, HSQC and HMBC showed a lactone ring with two carboxylic moieties, methyl, methylene and a methine group. The IR analysis as well confirmed the functional groups in the structure. From literature, the structure of the compound was identified as Spiculisporic acid. It is a microbial biosurfactant with anti-oxidative stress actions having the empirical formula, C17H28O6 with a formula mass of 328.405 g/mol. The antimicrobial test results showed that the crystal (ABM-EN) is not sensitive against four bacteria strains; E. faecalis (NCTC 13379), S. pyogenes (NCTC 12696), K. pneumoniae (NCTC 13348), S. aureus (NCTC 12973) and one fungus; C. albicans (ATCC 90028) but has a very high antioxidant activity of percentage inhibition (+/-MSD) 23.38(+/-0.88) at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL at 517 nm.

Source: UEW
Biography and analysis of selected works of Kojo Antwi (Mr Music Man)

The paucity of literature on the allegories of Ghanaian popular musicians and the unavailability of musical scores have caught attention of scholars in the field of Music Education, creative ethnomusicology as well as other cognate disciplines. The study, therefore, sought to unearth the biography and works of Kojo Antwi, a popular musician in Ghana. Using case study design as well as theories of humanistic personality and sight over sound, one hundred and forty six works from seventeen albums of Kojo Antwi were collected and five of his popular works which were hits were selected and transcribed into sheet music for archival purposes. Interview and document analysis were used to detail his biography which encompassed his formative years, education and musical career. Formal and textual analyses were used to determine his style in terms of melody, time signature, harmony, form, texture, and the sources of his texts. It was seen that Kojo Antwi is an allegory of popular music studies, an icon of Ghanaian highlife and a beacon of prolific compositions of popular music. It is envisaged that the life and works of Kojo Antwi are used as academic material for music literature and biographical studies.

Source: UEW
Biological control of black pod disease of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. in vitro and in the field

Phytopathogenic fungi, Phytophthora palmivora and Phytophthora megakarya continue to be a major threat to cocoa production worldwide. To counter these drawbacks, producers rely heavily on agrochemicals leading to pathogen resistance and environmental hazards. There is also increasing demand by cocoa consumers for pesticide-free seeds. Therefore, biological control through the use of natural microbial antagonists is more rational and safer crop management option. The plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, ESI was selected in vitro, among seven other Bacillus species as the most promising, using the zone of inhibition techniques. The B. amyloliquefaciens together with two other laboratory contaminants, Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. were used to control black pod disease of cocoa caused by P. palmivora and P. megakarya on detached cocoa pods and under field conditions. Even though all the eight bacterial isolates inhibited the black pod fungi in vitro, B. amyloliquefaciens, ESI inhibited P. palmivora with the highest inhibition zone of 21.21 mm and P. megakarya with 16.00 mm. The Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. also inhibited P. palmivora with an inhibition zone of 22.41 and 16.81 mm, respectively. Detached cocoa pod areas protected with broth suspensions of the three microbial antagonists and challenged with a zoospore suspension of P. palmivora, completely prevented black pod lesion development. Field pods sprayed with individual microbial broth suspensions and their mixtures and also challenged with a zoospore suspension inoculum, controlled black pod disease with percentage disease control ranging from 53.33-66.67% in the minor season and 40.00-66.67% in the major season. Results clearly show that these antagonists have the potential to be developed as biocontrol agents for the management of black pod disease of cocoa. Key words: Biocontrol agents, pathogenic fungi, microbial antagonists, inoculum, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp.

Source: UEW
Biological control of black pod disease of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. in vitro and in the field

Phytopathogenic fungi, Phytophthora palmivora and Phytophthora megakarya continue to be a major threat to cocoa production worldwide. To counter these drawbacks, producers rely heavily on agrochemicals leading to pathogen resistance and environmental hazards. There is also increasing demand by cocoa consumers for pesticide-free seeds. Therefore, biological control through the use of natural microbial antagonists is more rational and safer crop management option. The plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, ESI was selected in vitro, among seven other Bacillus species as the most promising, using the zone of inhibition techniques. The B. amyloliquefaciens together with two other laboratory contaminants, Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. were used to control black pod disease of cocoa caused by P. palmivora and P. megakarya on detached cocoa pods and under field conditions. Even though all the eight bacterial isolates inhibited the black pod fungi in vitro, B. amyloliquefaciens, ESI inhibited P. palmivora with the highest inhibition zone of 21.21 mm and P. megakarya with 16.00 mm. The Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. also inhibited P. palmivora with an inhibition zone of 22.41 and 16.81 mm, respectively. Detached cocoa pod areas protected with broth suspensions of the three microbial antagonists and challenged with a zoospore suspension of P. palmivora, completely prevented black pod lesion development. Field pods sprayed with individual microbial broth suspensions and their mixtures and also challenged with a zoospore suspension inoculum, controlled black pod disease with percentage disease control ranging from 53.33-66.67% in the minor season and 40.00-66.67% in the major season. Results clearly show that these antagonists have the potential to be developed as biocontrol agents for the management of black pod disease of cocoa.

Source: UEW
Biology teachers’ attitudes towards teaching science process skills in selected SHS in Atebubu-Amantin and Pru districts

This study sought to assess the attitudes of biology teachers towards the teaching of practical work and science process skills. It specifically investigated how science process skills were taught in 5 Senior High Schools in the Pru and Atebubu-Amantin Districts of the Brong Ahafo Region. It also sought to find out the attitude of biology teachers towards practical work and the factors that influence these attitudes. A mixed method approach was adopted for this study. The data collection instruments employed for the study were interview guide, observation scale and attitude scale. In all, ten biology teachers in the Pru and Atebubu -Amantin districts participated in the study. The findings of the study revealed that biology teachers do not entirely teach the science process skills of observing and comparing, questioning, predicting, conducting investigations, recording results and evaluating and communicating findings although many of them had knowledge of these process skills. The attitude of biology teachers was such that despite their conviction that science process skills are important aspects of biology lessons, they still adopted the conventional method of teaching instead of the enquiry based approach. The attitude of teachers was found to be influenced by the teachers’ understanding of science process skills and the resources available to teach practical work and process skills. Teachers’ attitude was also influenced by learner attitude and the school environment. The study concluded that biology teachers are apathetic towards the teaching of process skills in spite of the relevance of practical work. Meanwhile, this attitude of teachers is influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors that need to be addressed to improve their attitude towards process skills.

Source: UEW
Biology teachers’ knowledge, attitude and use of laboratory practices of learner-centered teaching techniques in Jirapa Municipality

The study aimed to explore Biology Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitude and use of laboratory practices of learner-centered teaching techniques in Jirapa Municipality. The survey design was adopted for the study. Four SHSs in the municipality with a sample population of 37 biology teachers were purposively sampled for the study. Questionnaires were the main instrument adopted for data collection. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze the data. Observations were made during practical lessons conducted by a biology teacher from St. Francis Girls’ SHS and another from Ullo SHS. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The study revealed that teachers carried out practical lessons for students and gave clear explanation before students performed practical work. The knowledge level of Biology teachers in organising practical work was high, which moderately influenced their attitudes toward practical work. It is recommended that Senior High School Biology teachers in the Jirapa Municipality should make botanical gardens in their schools and should organise field trips to enhance teaching and learning. Again, Senior High School Biology teachers in the Jirapa Municipality should make students perform practical work in groups and then individual, train students to perform practical work within stipulated time, mark student’s practical work and provide immediate feedback. This will make students do their corrections and perform better in Biology practical examinations. Notwithstanding, Ministry of Education, Jirapa Municipal Education office should launch science education project in the study area which focuses on school laboratory establishment and facility fulfilling as well as enhancing knowledge and skills of biology teachers. Lastly, a great awareness on the importance of biology science education has to be given to female students by role model professionals, educational structural organizations and science teachers

Source: UEW
Biology topics perceived as difficult to learn by senior high school biology students in the Mampong and Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipalities

The study was aimed at identifying topics perceived as difficult to learn in Senior High School biology, and how they can be solved in the Mampong and Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipal Assemblies of Ghana. Descriptive survey and purposive sampling technique were employed, and the data analysed using descriptive statistics. Twelve (12) biology teachers 50 out of 300 Senior High School students constituted the sample. The data was collected using questionnaire and interviews. All the biology teachers and students were interviewed. Results of the study show most difficult topics in descending order of difficulty as: classification, Mendalian genetics, protein synthesis, cell division (mitosis and meisosis), genes and chromosomes, skeletal system, cellular respiration, the Calvin cycle and evolution. Again, the following are reasons why students experience challenges when learning these difficult topics: the topics were characterized by complex terms and vocabulary, the abstract nature of the topics, the broad nature of the topics, teachers not conducting practical laboratory work but taught theoretically, lack of teaching and learning resources, and teachers’ failure to cite practical examples students can relate with. The study also revealed that some teachers could not handle the difficult topics as evidenced by their poor explanation of concepts. The study established a variety of strategies that could help students learn the difficult topics effectively. These strategies included: strict lesson planning by teachers, the provision and effective use of teaching and learning resources, promoting active learner-centered teaching strategies, and employing effective communication skills characterized by clear explanations coupled with real-life practical examples. Based on the findings, appropriate recommendations were made.

Source: UEW