ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessing the nutritional quality of stored grain legume fodders: Correlations among farmers’ perceptions, sheep preferences, leaf-stem ratios and laboratory analyses

Crop residues have the potential to alleviate annual feed shortages and nutrient deficiencies experienced in the dry season in the savanna zones of West Africa. Farmers in West Africa especially value the residues of grain legumes, also known as grain legume fodders (GLFs), as animal feed. In this study, therefore, we assessed the nutritional quality of GLFs as affected by storage conditions using four different methods: farmers’ perception score (FPS), sheep preference score (SPS), leaf-to-stem ratio (LSR), and laboratory analysis of organic matter digestibility (OMD), crude protein content, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF). We also determined correlations among these variables. The fodder of cowpea, groundnut and soybean were stored separately in three locations (rooftop, room and treefork) and with two packaging types (polythene sacks or tied with ropes) for 60, 90 and 120 days. FPS was determined by scoring the perceived quality of GLFs on a scale of 1–10 (1 = bad and 10 = good) based on physical characteristics by a group of farmers. SPS was assessed by a cafeteria feeding trial based on dry matter intake of GLFs by a flock of 12 sheep per village during a 14 hr period. LSR was determined based on the mass of the botanical fractions, i.e. leaf (leaf blade only) and stem (stem and petioles) of 200 g samples separated carefully by the hand. Laboratory analysis was done by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results showed that all quality assessment methods successfully discriminated GLF quality differences among crops. Only farmers and sheep could distinguish quality differences among all storage conditions and packing types, whereas laboratory analyses methods could not. These findings could be due to the fact that farmers use LSR to evaluate feed quality, though colour, texture and smell of the fodder could also contribute. We also found significant correlations (ranging from 0.35 to 0.88) between all the quality assessment methods across all treatments. There were few within crop correlations between the fodder quality assessment methods, i.e. only FPS and LSR for groundnut and cowpea, FPS and CP for groundnut and all laboratory analyses parameters among each other for all crops. Hence, the differences among crops were the important determinants of the correlations. From this study, we conclude that farmers have experience and knowledge about nutritional quality of feed and livestock preference for feed. Development programmes and projects could benefit from using such knowledge when formulating and implementing interventions.

Source: UG
Assessing the Performance of DWT-PCA/SVD Face Recognition Algorithm under Multiple Constraints

Many architectures of face recognition modules have been developed to tackle the challenges posed by varying environmental constraints such as illumination, occlusions, pose, and expressions. These recognition systems have mainly focused on a single constraint at a time and have achieved remarkable successes. However, the presence of multiple constraints may deteriorate the performance of these face recognition systems. In this study, we assessed the performance of Principal Component Analysis and Singular Value Decomposition using Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT-PCA/SVD) for preprocessing face recognition algorithm on multiple constraints (partially occluded face images acquired with varying expressions). Numerical evaluation of the study algorithm gave reasonably average recognition rates of 77.31% and 76.85% for left and right reconstructed face images with varying expressions, respectively. A statistically significant difference was established between the average recognition distance of the left and right reconstructed face images acquired with varying expressions using pairwise comparison test. The post hoc analysis using the Bonferroni simultaneous confidence interval revealed that the significant difference established through the pairwise comparison test was mainly due to the sad expressions. Although the performance of the DWT-PCA/SVD algorithm declined as compared to its performance on single constraints, the algorithm attained appreciable performance level under multiple constraints. The DWT-PCA/SVD recognition algorithm performs reasonably well for recognition when partial occlusion with varying expressions is the underlying constraint.

Source: UG
Assessing the performance of regular surgical nose masks as a sampling method for SARS CoV-2 detection in a cross-sectional stu

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
Assessing the performance of regular surgical nosemasks as a sampling method for SARS-CoV-2 detection in a cross-sectional study

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
Assessing the Potential of Inoculative Field Releases of Telenomus remus to Control Spodoptera frugiperda in Ghana

In response to the threat caused by the fall armyworm to African maize farmers, we conducted a series of field release studies with the egg parasitoid Telenomus remus in Ghana. Three releases of ≈15,000 individuals each were conducted in maize plots of 0.5 ha each in the major and minor rainy seasons of 2020, and compared to no-release control plots as well as to farmer-managed plots with chemical pest control. No egg mass parasitism was observed directly before the first field release. Egg mass parasitism reached 33% in the T. remus release plot in the major rainy season, while 72–100% of egg masses were parasitized in the minor rainy season, during which pest densities were much lower. However, no significant difference in egg mass parasitism was found among the T. remus release plots, the no-release control plots and the farmer-managed plots. Similarly, no significant decrease in larval numbers or plant damage was found in the T. remus release fields compared to the no-release plots, while lower leaf and tassel damage was observed in farmer-managed plots. Larval parasitism due to other parasitoids reached 18–42% in the major rainy season but was significantly lower in the minor rainy season, with no significant differences among treatments. We did not observe significant differences in cob damage or yield among the three treatments. However, the lack of any significant differences between the release and no-release plots, which may be attributed to parasitoid dispersal during the five weeks of observation, would require further studies to confirm. Interestingly, a single application of Emamectin benzoate did not significantly affect the parasitism rates of T. remus and, thus, merits further investigation in the context of developing IPM strategies against FAW.

Source: UG
Assessing the presence of Wuchereria bancrofti in vector and human populations from urban communities in Conakry, Guinea

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
Assessing the Presence of Wuchereria bancrofti Infections in Vectors Using Xenomonitoring in Lymphatic Filariasis Endemic Districts 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
Assessing the Quality of Accountability in Ghana’s District Assemblies, 1993-2008

The article delineates the forms and mechanisms of accountability in Ghana’s District Assemblies (DAs) and probes their efficacy in the current decentralization policy. It provides empirical data on how accountability relationships have improved or not improved local democracy in Ghana. The DAs were created to be pillars of grassroots governance. The devolution of power to the DAs aimed at enhancing a system of local public monitoring and checks on their elected representatives. This was justified that local representatives would be more accessible to the local populace and could be held at close range for their policies and actions than distant national political leaders. The paper notes that the challenges of local accountability are many but they stem from the tendency of the central government to recentralize power by placing grassroots leaders under its influence. The practice of appointing the DCE and thirty percent members of the DAs, and the upward reporting mechanism reflect a growing culture of central controls in order to side step the autonomy of the DAs. The most apposite remedy for overcoming weak grassroots accountability lies in reform measures that allow the direct election of all officials of the DAs by the local populace

Source: UG
Assessing the readiness of small cities in Ghana to tackle overweight and obesity

The rapid rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the associated health problems, is an emerging challenge in Ghana, and for women in particular. This study contributes to the understanding of this emerging phenomenon in Ghana by analyzing it from a community perspective, applying the Community Readiness Model in two small cities in Ghana. A series of Key Informant Interviews were undertaken and analyzed, using the model’s scoring structure and supplementary textual analysis. We find that communities are aware of overweight and obesity as a health issue, but that it is not prioritized or championed. Furthermore, the diet counseling and keep-ft programs put the responsibility on individuals to address, rather than considering the upstream and structural causes and solutions.

Source: UG
Assessing the relationship between feedback strategies and learning improvement from a distance learning perspective

Purpose – Feedback is crucial in a learning process, particularly in an online interaction where both learners and instructors are distantly located. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the association between feedback strategies, embedded course syllabus and learning improvement in the Sakai Learning Management System. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a survey design to collect cross-sectional data from adult distance learning students. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a standard multiple regression model in Stata. Findings – The results show that feedback strategies (timing, mode, quality and quantity) and embedded course syllabus have a significant relationship with learning improvement. However, the feedback strategy – target – is not significantly related to learning improvement though it is the highest feedback strategy. Originality/value – This paper has contributed to the extant literature by providing empirical evidence to support the constructivism theory of learning from a distance learning perspective in a developing country. The study has shown that if the feedback strategies are well managed and applied, they would make a considerable impact on distance education students’ academic pursuits. Hence, the paper provides a pedagogical foundation for short and long-term distance learning policy.

Source: UG
Assessing the Relationship between Individual Level Dietary Intake and the Occurrence of Preeclampsia/Eclampsia and Haemorrhage among Pregnant Women in Eastern Region of Ghana: A Prospective Cohort Study

Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE-E) and haemorrhage are dangerous diseases that occur in pregnancy. This study seeks to assess the relationship between individual-level dietary intake and the occurrence of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and haemorrhage among pregnant women in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The prospective cohort study involved all pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy (>28 weeks gestational age) reporting for antenatal care (ANC) in seven Hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study used a 24-hour repeated dietary recall to elicit dietary intake information from pregnant women until delivery. The majority of pregnant women in this study had adequate consumption of phosphorus far above the RDI, coupled with an inadequate intake of calcium, excess intake of sodium, and manganese. The average dietary intake for carbohydrates in this study was rather higher than the RDA. There was a statistically significant association between PE-E and the intake of vitamin C. A statistically significant association exists between the intake of calcium and vitamin A and haemorrhage. The findings show that pregnant women who consumed adequate and excess amounts of vitamin C reduced their odds of developing PE-E by 41.7% and 39.8%, respectively. The results show that pregnant women who had an excess intake of calcium were 6.128 times the odds of developing haemorrhage compared to those who had inadequate intake. Again, pregnant women who had adequate intake of vitamin A were 4.351 times the odds of developing haemorrhage compared to those who had inadequate intake. It is recommended that more nutrition specialists to be trained and posted to counsel pregnant women on nutrition in pregnancy to avert the consequences of PE-E and haemorrhage.

Source: UG
Assessing the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and urban environmental quality in Accra, Ghana.

The influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on health inequalities is widely known, but there is still poor understanding of the precise relationship between area-based socioeconomic conditions and neighborhood environmental quality. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic conditions which predict urban neighbourhood environmental quality. The results showed wide variation in levels of association between the socioeconomic variables and environmental conditions, with strong evidence of a real difference in environmental quality across the five socioeconomic classes with respect to total waste generation (p < 0.001), waste collection rate (p < 0.001), sewer disposal rate (p < 0.001), non-sewer disposal (p < 0.003), the proportion of households using public toilets (p = 0.005). Socioeconomic conditions are therefore important drivers of change in environmental quality and urban environmental interventions aimed at infectious disease prevention and control if they should be effective could benefit from simultaneous implementation with other social interventions.

Source: UG
Assessing the relationships between human capital, innovation and technology adoption: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

In spite of growing body of research on human capital and innovation, our understanding of the effects and roles of human capital in enhancing innovation and technology adoption in the developing world particularly sub-Saharan Africa remains limited. Using a sample of 45 sub-Saharan African countries from 1960 and 2010, we measure innovation and technology adoption using the Malmquist productivity index approach, and examine the effects of human capital on innovation and technology adoption using different panel data techniques. The study uncovers that the overall mean estimates over the period shows a decline of 0.08% for innovation and a moderate increase of 1.7% for the adoption of technology. Indeed, many countries in the sample experienced technical regress or decline in innovation, but the estimates for most countries showed an improvement in adoption of technology. Human capital appears to exert a positive and statistically significant impact on adoption of technology whilst, its effect on innovation is found to be insignificant. © 2017 Elsevier Inc.

Source: UG
Assessing the reliability of the 1986 and 1996 Lesotho census data

The present study attempts to assess the quality of reported age-sex distributions of Lesotho's 1986 and 1996 censuses using conventional demographic techniques. First, the data presented in single years are examined to identify patterns of digit preference and then Whipple's Myers' and Bachi's indexes are computed in order to furnish a clear picture of the magnitude of deficiencies that might have occurred. The findings show that there is a tendency to prefer even numbers and avoid odd numbers in census enumeration in Lesotho. Also, the Whipple's index declined from 115 in 1986 to 106 in 1996, while the Myers' and Bachi's indexes respectively declined from 11 and 7 in 1986 to 9 and 6. These results suggest that there are deficiencies in the Lesotho data. A closer assessment of the data is undertaken by curtailing part of the erratic fluctuations in single year age distribution via grouping the data in quinary ages and applying the age-sex accuracy index. The index yields a value of 35 for the 1986 census and 32 for the 1996 census. The findings show that, though there are some distortions in the reported age-sex distributions of Lesotho, the data are fairly accurate and point to a modest improvement in quality over the decade.

Source: UG
Assessing the Role of Culture in Female entrepreneurship in Contemporary Sub-Saharan society:Insights from The Nabadam District of Ghana

This study explores the role of cultural practices on female entrepreneurship with some insights from the Nabdam district of Ghana. The views of twenty (20) female entrepreneurs were gathered through face-to-face in-depth interviews, which were analyzed according to identified themes. The key finding of the study is that, because of cultural influences and norms, entrepreneurship is perceived to be a field for uneducated women as highly educated women seek formal employment than self-employment. Also, the value and respect for traditions was found to be a limiting factor to the growth and expansion of female-owned enterprises. Therefore, this study concludes that the general poor performance of female entrepreneurs in the study area can be attributed to long-held traditional beliefs and practices rather than managerial inability on the part of women. The stereotype threat theory is used to explain the state of female entrepreneurship in the study area. Therefore, there is a call on policy makers to formulate policies that could eliminate the negative impact of culture on female-owned businesses.

Source: UG
Assessing the Role of International Election Observation in Enhancing Democracy in Africa: A Comparative Study of the 2012 Election in Ghana and the 2017 Elections in Kenya

Election observation has become a feature of democratic elections in most parts of the world as well as a key indicator of the credibility of elections. Consequently, continental, regional and sub-regional bodies have moved to form their own groups to observe and, in some instances, monitor elections in countries within their regions. Notwithstanding the relevance of election observation missions, there have been criticisms relating to the extent to which the actions of such missions enhance democracy in Africa. Using the 2012 and 2017 elections in Ghana and Kenya respectively, this study sought to examine the relevance of international elections observation missions in enhancing democracy in Ghana and Kenya. It was revealed that notwithstanding the generally positive contribution that election observation missions make to the electoral process and by extension democracy in African countries, there are a number of challenges that limit the contribution of the observation missions to democracy in the respective countries. These include deficit in the technology currently being deployed for elections around the continent and the technological competence deployed by observation missions. It was also revealed that the restrictive mandates granted to election observation missions by election management bodies in respective countries limits the extent of influence exerted by the observation missions on the democratic process of respective countries. Furthermore, it was noted that a high expectation gap arising out of a general misunderstanding of the populace about the function of observation missions relative to the mandates accorded such missions by the host country often affects public opinion of the contribution of observation missions to enhancing democracy in respective countries. The research questions were examined qualitatively using direct interviews, questionnaires and scholarly data. A review of literature was presented in line with the study objectives and research questions; and findings from the study were discussed in relation to the literature and framework that guided the study. The study recommended that to guarantee a positive contribution of international observation missions towards enhancing democracy in Africa, the above challenges ought to be comprehensively addressed through measures such as the co-optation of technologically competent personnel into missions and a reconsideration of the mandate of election observation missions by election management bodies in respective countries.

Source: UG
Assessing the Role of Trust in Merchant Adoption of Mobile Payments in Ghana

Encouraged by the crucial need to understand merchant adoption of mobile payment, this study explores the role trust play in the adoption of mobile payment by merchant and the enablers for merchant’s trust in mobile payment systems. This was done by Conceptualising the characteristics of the service provider and technology characteristics as the two dimensions that could influence merchant adoption of mobile payments. The study was done through the lenses of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Trust-Theoretic Model and adopted a qualitative approach where two merchants were selected from the health sector. The findings demonstrate that the role of merchant trust is very critical for adoption due to m-payment technology and security risk. Hence, sufficient trust-building structures in mobile payment space are essential for the adoption of mobile payment by merchants. Moreover, the findings indicate mobile service provider characteristics and the mobile technology characteristics are both imperative toward building trust in mobile payment systems for merchants’ adoption. The study also found that the trust of both technology and service provider has a far more critical influence on merchants’ adoption of mobile payments than perceived usefulness or ease of use. The study, therefore, recommends that service providers should consider the opportunity to nurture merchant trust because merchant trust acts as a fundamental enabler for the adoption of mobile payments. Other implications are also discussed.

Source: UG