ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
First report of the predatory potential and functional response of the red flower assassin bug Rhynocoris segmentarius (Germar), a natural enemy of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is currently the most devastating invasive arthropod pest of maize in sub-Saharan Africa. Following its first report in Ghana in 2016, control has been reliant mainly on synthetic chemicals. However, biocontrol has been an effective, sustainable, cheaper, and environmentally friendly option for FAW management. We tested the potential of the red flower assassin bug, Rhynocoris segmentarius (Germar) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) as a natural enemy candidate for augmentative biocontrol of FAW in Ghana by assessing its predatory rate and functional response under labo ratory conditions in Ghana. The feeding responses of the five nymphal instars and adults (female and male) of R. segmentarius were tested against three larvae ages of FAW: (i) < 1 day old or newly emerged (NE), (ii) 2 days old, and (iii) 6 days old, at six different prey densities: 5, 15, 25, 30, 35, and 40, respectively. All life-stages of R. segmentarius successfully attacked, killed, and fed on the larvae of S. frugiperda, and exhibited a Type II functional response. However, the first and second nymphal stages of R. segmentarius did not successfully attack or kill six-day-old FAW larvae. Females had a significantly higher attack rate (7.79 ± 1.01) and the shortest handling time (1.17 x 10–1) than all life-stages. Our results suggest that R. segmentarius is a potential candidate for augmentative biocontrol of S. frugiperda.

Source: UG
The First Survey of Bovine Babesia Species Infecting Yaks (Bos grunniens) in Mongolia

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 susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Ghana

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 Trial Geophysical Surveys at Kintampo Open-Air Sites: Results, Recommendations, Research Prospects

Within the scope of a short-term pilot study, the authors conducted trial geophysical surveys at two sites of the late Holocene food-producing Kintampo Complex (ca. 2100-1400 BC) in northern Ghana. Overall goal of research was an evaluation of the potential of employing geophysical prospecting to map the subsurface extent of Kintampo open-air settlements. From an archaeological viewpoint, the results of the surveys were satisfactory but not outstanding in view of post-depositional disturbances at the locations. Based on that knowledge, we argue for the need of developing a systematic archaeological reconnaissance and research program for locating new and virtually undisturbed open-air Kintampo sites. We maintain that such a preliminary measure will be crucial both for investigating hitherto neglected research issues such as Kintampo settlement pattern and landscape exploitation as well as allowing geophysical technologies to fully evolve as central explorative tools in regard to settlement-related spatial questions.

Source: UG
First trimester zonulin levels and adiposity as predictive indices of gestational diabetes mellitus

BackgroundThis study was aimed at determining the levels of serum zonulin during the first trimester in pregnant women and to examine the relationship between zonulin and obesity in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Available evidence suggests that the permeability of the gut may be associated with obesity and insulin resistance both of which are characteristics of GDM.MethodsThis was a prospective longitudinal study in which a cohort of 314 pregnant women was monitored from first trimester at the Volta Regional Hospital, Ho, Ghana. Maternal serum zonulin and lipids were analyzed during the first trimester, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each participant. Glucose challenge tests (GCT) and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were done between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, and diagnosis of GDM was made in accordance with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria.ResultsWomen who developed GDM had elevated serum zonulin levels with sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff points of 80.95%, 80.41%, and > 47.5 ng/mL respectively in predicting GDM. With positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.708 and 0.986, respectively, zonulin has been shown by this study to be a good predictor of GDM. After adjusting for maternal age and BMI, obese pregnant women with elevated plasma zonulin were 109 times likelier to develop GDM as compared to those with normal BMIs.ConclusionsZonulin levels are increased significantly during the first trimester of pregnancy in women with GDM, and these increases precede the onset of GDM.

Source: UG
First Whole Genome Sequencing of Crimean–Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in Tick Species within 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-Principles Approach to Finite Element Simulation of Flexible Photovoltaics.

This study explores the potential of copper-doped nickel oxide (Cu:NiO) as a hole transport layer (HTL) in flexible photovoltaic (PV) devices using a combined first-principles and finite element analysis approach. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that Cu doping introduces additional states in the valence band of NiO, leading to enhanced charge transport. Notably, Cu:NiO exhibits a direct band gap (reduced from 3.04 eV in NiO to 1.65 eV in the stable supercell structure), facilitating the efficient hole transfer from the active layer. Furthermore, the Fermi level shifts towards the valence band in Cu:NiO, promoting hole mobility. This translates to an improved photovoltaic per formance, with Cu:NiO-based HTLs achieving ~18% and ~9% power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in perovskite and poly 3-hexylthiophene: 1-3-methoxycarbonyl propyl-1-phenyl 6,6 C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) polymer solar cells, respectively. Finally, a finite element analysis demon strates the potential of these composite HTLs with Poly 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)—polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) in flexible electronics design and the optimization of printing processes. Overall, this work highlights Cu:NiO as a promising candidate for high-performance and flexible organic–inorganic photovoltaic cells.

Source: UG
Firsthand Report On Solid Waste Management Practice In The Major Town Of Addis Ababa-Adama Economic Corridor, Ethiopia.

Rapid population growth and economic development in Ethiopia have led to increased solid waste generation due to heightened consumption and a throwaway mentality. This has resulted in overcrowding, informal settlements, poor waste management, public health concerns, and envi ronmental issues. Collecting accurate data on solid waste generation and composition in Ethiopia is challenging because of its limited scope and inconsistencies across the country. This assessment focuses on evaluating solid waste generation and composition in households, commercial es tablishments, and institutions located in the Addis Ababa-Adama corridor in the Oromia province. The research adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect data the solid waste generation rates and composition from major sectors such as households, institutions, and commercial activities. The average generation rates of solid waste per household in the three towns were estimated to be 0.21 ± 0.10, 0.31 ± 0.19, and 0.19 ± 0.13 kg/day/person for Dukem, Bishoftu, and Mojo, respectively. Individuals with higher income levels produced higher amounts of solid waste per person. The average daily waste generation rate in the commercial sector was estimated to be 4.97 kg/day for Dukem, 38.34 kg/day for Bishoftu, and 3.29 kg/day for Mojo. Waste composition analyses revealed that the majority of waste generated was organic waste, with 65 %–69.5 %. A high fraction of organics in municipal solid waste (MSW) offers several advantages, including the production of biogas and compost. Small and medium enterprises are primarily responsible for waste collection, with collection efficiencies estimated at 70 %, 46 %, and 63.2 % for Bishoftu, Dukem, and Mojo, respectively. Uncollected waste ends up in open dumps or is burned.

Source: UG
Fiscal and monetary policy dynamism in the Sub-Saharan Africa frontier markets

This paper investigates the relationship between fiscal and monetary policies on economic growth using countries within the Sub-Saharan Africa Frontier Markets (SSAFMs). In other words, the paper explors the dynamism of fiscal and monetary policy on economy growth in the Sub-Saharan Frontier Markets (SSAFMs). A balanced panel of five countries in the SSAFMs, for a period of 28 years (1985-2012), were used for the estimation. The Granger Causality test as well as the causality testing procedure due Dumitrescu-Hurlin (D-H) was used to establish causalities. To analyze the relationship between fiscal and monetary policy measures on growth the pooled mean group (PM G) estimates and the mean group (MG) estimator results were computed. The study finds that that monetary policy (Granger) causes fiscal policy; stated differently, monetary policy has been the dominant force accommodating the challenging fiscal stance in the SSAFM. Future studies could focus on the effect of macro-prudential policies on economic growth. It is recommended that appropriate monetary policies could be used to address the vulnerabilities that may arise out of the integration of the SSAFMS into the global financial market. The main value of this paper is to empirically project the dynamism of fiscal and monetary policy on economy growth in the Sub-Saharan Frontier Markets (SSAFMs)

Source: UG
The fiscal effects of aid in Ghana

An important feature of aid to developing countries is that it is given to the government. As a result, aid should be expected to affect fiscal behaviour, although theory and existing evidence is ambiguous regarding the nature of these effects. This paper applies techniques developed in the 'macroeconometrics' literature to estimate the dynamic linkages between aid and fiscal aggregates. Vector autoregressive methods are applied to 34 years of annual data in Ghana to model the effect of aid on fiscal behaviour. Results suggest that aid to Ghana has been associated with reduced domestic borrowing and increased tax effort, combining to increase public spending. This constructive use of aid to maintain fiscal balance is evident since the mid-1980s, following Ghana's structural adjustment programme. The paper provides evidence that aid has been associated with improved fiscal performance in Ghana, implying that the aid has been used sensibly (at least in fiscal terms). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Source: UG
Fiscal Incidence in Ghana

We use methods developed by the Commitment to Equity Institute to assess the effects of government taxation, social spending and indirect subsidies on poverty and inequality in Ghana. We also simulate several policy reforms to assess their distributional consequences. Results show that, although the country has some very progressive taxes and well-targeted expenditures, the extent of fiscal redistribution is small, but about what one would expect given Ghana’s income level and relatively low initial inequality. Results for poverty reduction are less encouraging: were it not for the in-kind benefits from health and education spending, the overall effect of government spending and taxation would actually increase poverty in Ghana. Eliminating energy subsidies and at the same time reallocating part of the savings to well-targeted transfer programs could lower the fiscal deficit while reducing inequality and protecting the poor.

Source: UG
Fiscal policy, private investment and economic growth: the case of Ghana

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the relationship between disaggregated government fiscal policy variables; private capital investment and economic growth in Ghana, as well as the similarities and differences in the impact of these variables on private investment (PI) and economic growth. Design/methodology/approach – Cointegration and error-correction models are used, with time series properties of the variables investigated using augmented Dickey-Fuller test and cointegration of the variables tested using Engel-Granger two step procedure. Findings – The findings indicate that changes in government recurrent expenditure, current government capital expenditure and international trade taxes are significant for growth while changes in tax on domestic goods and services, tax on international trade and tax on income and property matter for private capital investment. The major difference between the impact of fiscal policy on PI and economic growth, however, lies in the direction of the impact. Practical implications – Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that different policies be pursued in the promotion of PI and economic growth. Also, given the low correlation between PI and economic growth, it is recommended that the Ghanaian private sector be focused on and fully developed in order to perform its role as an engine of growth. Originality/value – Growth has been shown to be influenced by government expenditure and international trade taxes while private capital investment is influenced by taxes on domestic goods and services, international trade and on income and property. Fiscal policy authorities will find these useful.

Source: UG
Fiscal Space for Health in Sub-Saharan African Countries: An Efficiency Approach

The study argues that potential savings from efficiency could be effective alternative to increasing health system financing in SSA. Health system efficiency estimates were derived from the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and used to compute potential gains from efficiency. Data was sourced from the World Bank's world development indicators for 45 SSA countries in 2011. The results reveal that average potential saving in health expenditure from improved efficiency was 8.09% and 2.24% of GDP per capita in the DEA and SFA models, respectively. Countries with relatively higher potential gains from efficiency include Sierra Leone, Liberia, Lesotho and Swaziland. On the other hand, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Madagascar and Mauritius recorded low potential gains from efficiency. The results imply that in the face of significant economic challenges and burden on government budget, improving health expenditure efficiency to create some fiscal space will be an important step.

Source: UG
Fish Abundance and Diversity During the Pre- and Post-Impoundment Periods of the Black Volta at Bui, Ghana

The fisheries of the Black Volta near the Bui dam in Ghana were studied during the pre- and post-impoundment periods between February 2011 and December 2012. The primary objective was to assess the ecological impact of the dam on the fisheries. During the survey, a sampling unit was considered as a fishers’ catch per canoe per day. A three-level stratified random sampling approach was adopted. The first stratum which was defined by four designated hydrological seasons in the study area was as follows: dry season (January to March); pre-wet season (April to June); wet season (July to September); and post-wet season (October to December). The second stratum was defined by the three impoundment periods: pre-impoundment (March to May 2011); immediate post-impoundment (June to December 2011); and late post-impoundment (January to December 2012). The third stratum, on the other hand which was defined to improve sampling for accuracy was: above the dam site or reservoir area with sampling station at Bui (old town currently submerged); and below the dam site area with sampling station at Bamboi. Sixty-three fish species belonging to thirty-eight genera and twenty families were recorded in commercial gill net catches while thirteen species in nine genera and six fish families were recorded in experimental gill nets during the study. The change from riverine to lacustrine conditions during the formation of the reservoir, led to the immediate reduction in the numbers of a variety of fish families, including Latidae, Clarotidae and Distichodontidae which were very sensitive to oxygen depletion. The trend found in this study was towards the development of a community of herbivore fish species such as Sarotherodon galilaeus, Labeo coubie and Labeo senegalensis. The study revealed that the impoundment altered the fisheries characteristics of the downstream station. Hence, river management strategies should be implemented by fisheries managers and officials of the Bui Power Authority to lessen the impact of the dam on the downstream ecology.

Source: UG
A fishery in distress: An analysis of the small pelagic fishery of Ghana

The small pelagic fishery contributes substantially to Ghana’s fish production and plays important roles in food and nutritional security. However, the resource is under serious threat due to destructive fishing practices, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), overcapacity of fishing fleets, population growth and climate change. This paper aims to analyze the small pelagic fishery in terms of; mapping of the chain, landings, imports and export, role in food security and management measures to sustain the fishery. Annual landings and imports of five important small pelagic species were obtained from the database of the Fisheries Scientific Survey Division of the Fisheries Commission of Ghana and analyzed for the period 1998–2018. In terms of production, 55% of small pelagic stocks are landed fresh by the artisanal canoes, while 26% come from the inshore fleet, 4% from the industrial fleet and 15% from imports. These are traded in their fresh (65%), frozen (17%) or processed (18%) forms to several actors along the supply chain on national and international markets. The round sardine and anchovy dominated landings while the Atlantic chub mackerel was characterized by a gradual decrease over the period. Per capita small pelagic fish consumption fluctuated over the period analyzed. Imports of small pelagic fish were relatively higher than exports. The decline of these stocks of commercial importance could lead to a domino effect that could diminish the overall contributions to the economy through reduced commercial exports, while at the same time increasing the need for imports, thus threatening the livelihoods and increasing the poverty level of millions of people engaged in the sector and the food security of the nation. Fisheries management authorities should, therefore, as a matter of urgency strengthen fisheries management measures by making clear and bold decisions to reverse the stock decline and to mitigate impacts on society.

Source: UG
The fishery performance indicators: A management tool for triple bottom line outcomes

Pursuit of the triple bottom line of economic, community and ecological sustainability has increased the complexity of fishery management; fisheries assessments require new types of data and analysis to guide science-based policy in addition to traditional biological information and modeling.We introduce the Fishery Performance Indicators (FPIs), a broadly applicable and flexible tool for assessing performance in individual fisheries, and for establishing cross-sectional links between enabling conditions, management strategies and triple bottom line outcomes. Conceptually separating measures of performance, the FPIs use 68 individual outcome metrics-coded on a 1 to 5 scale based on expert assessment to facilitate application to data poor fisheries and sectors-that can be partitioned into sectorbased or triple-bottom-line sustainability-based interpretative indicators. Variation among outcomes is explained with 54 similarly structured metrics of inputs, management approaches and enabling conditions. Using 61 initial fishery case studies drawn from industrial and developing countries around the world, we demonstrate the inferential importance of tracking economic and community outcomes, in addition to resource status. Â© 2015, Public Library of Science.

Source: UG
Fistula-in-ano: A pathological study

A review of 229 cass of fistula-in-ano in our institution has shown that nonspecific inflammatory tissue lines the majority of tracts. Epithelial lining was present in 50 cases and was encountered proportionately more frequently in subjects under 10 years of age, thus supporting a congenital origin as well as infection of anal glands, earlier proposed by other workers. Intestinal contents may have a role in the foreign body response seen in many cases. Locally endemic infectious conditions do not appear to play a significant role in the cause of the disease.

Source: UG
Five Years After; the Impact of a Participatory Technology Development Programme as Perceived by Smallholder Farmers in Benin and Ghana

Purpose: The article reports effects on livelihoods of a participatory technology development effort in Benin and Ghana (2001-2006), five years after it ended.Design: The study uses data from all smallholders who participated in seven experimental groups, each facilitated by a PhD researcher. Baseline data and controls were not available. In their dissertations the researchers had each made claims about the impact of their work on the livelihoods of those involved. These claims guided the study in each group, and referred to both impacts based on the superiority of the technology developed, and increased knowledge or capacity that participants claimed to have gained. Two local social scientists interviewed 187 farmers.Findings: The study found considerable evidence of continued beneficial use of technologies developed with farmers. The most important reason for no longer using a technology or institutional innovation was that smallholders had not been able to sustain the conditions for use. Lasting non-technological effects included more mutual understanding among community members, emancipation vis-à-vis researchers and colleagues, and an experimental attitude and research skills. Such effects were recorded for nearly all groups.Practical implications: Smallholders face small windows of opportunity. Technologies and institutional changes that depend on artificially created conditions are likely to be discontinued once those conditions are withdrawn (for example, access to Neem seeds or agreements about land use between landlords and tenants). The findings draw attention to the conditions that enable smallholders to innovate.Originality/value: The study represents a rare attempt to study impact five years later and compares seven independent cases. © 2013 Wageningen University.

Source: UG