ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Fruit Processing Plant Tsetsi, Abura Dunkwa.

The main objectives of this study were to design a well structured fruit processing plant to process oranges and pineapples into fresh juices and concentrates and to stimulate agricultural production by creating a ready market for the orange and pineapple farmers. The study was implemented through a review of literature focusing on commodity- specific cases of agro-processing enterprises. Case studies and informal discussions with key players in agro-processing were also conducted. The study found that the current market forces and the prevailing economic environment tend to favour more growth of medium-scale enterprises. It was therefore necessary to design a simple processing plant which is sensibly laid out and where one requirement co-relates to another with a lower initial cost.

Source: KNUST
Fruit processing plant, Akorley-Somanya, Eastern Region

To facilitate coordinated development of the fruit production industry and participation of all stake holders in both the public and private sector including the farmers, Emphasis must be laid on the development of fruit processing factories all around the country. Although various initiatives have been taken in the recent past for promoting industrial growth in the country: Bold and forward looking measures would be required if Ghana is to capitalise on its unique strengths which the fruit production industry possesses to the socio-economic development of the country. The growth potential for this Fruit Processing Industry is enormous as the demand for processed fruit products is increasing in the domestic as well as in the overseas markets. In view of this, the State has to promote this sector through public investment and also by facilitating private investment in the development of more processing industry and supportive infrastructure in this sector. The methods of extending the storage life of fruits include refrigeration, regulation and modification of the storage atmosphere, hypobaric storage, packaging in plastic films, chemical treatments etc. The practicability and economic justification for the use of some of these methods in Ghana could be doubtful, since the investment, maintenance and operating costs are not compatible with the market values of fruits especially mango, orange and pineapple. Also these methods can only extend the shelf life of the fruits for only some few days or weeks. (2-10 days) The most feasible approach would be to process them to juice and other more stable products by the establishment of more processing plants to add value to these products. This thesis therefore seeks to come out with a design of modern fruit processing plant which will be in a position of processing these fruits for both local and international consumption.

Source: KNUST
Frying Oil Quality Improvement and Control of Acrylamide Formation Using Whole Plant Extracts From Renealmia Battenbergiana

The study was conducted to improve upon the quality of frying oil by extending the frying life and control acrylamide formation using optimized Renealmia battenbergiana extract incorporated refined bleached deodorized (RBD) palm olein. A 3 × 3 full factorial design comprising of three treatment factors (extracting temperature, time and extract-oil concentration) varied at three levels respectively (25°C, 45°C, 65°C; 0.5 h, 1.0 h, 1.5 h; and 1% , 3%, 5%) was used. The optimized incorporation condition was consequently found to be 1 % extract-oil concentration at 25 °C under agitation contact time of 0.5 h. The frying quality of the optimized Renealmia battenbergiana incorporated oil compared to the native oil (N oil) and citrate treated oil (CT oil) was also evaluated. The physicochemical parameters measured were % free fatty acid (%FFA), peroxide value (PV), iodine value (IV) and acrylamide content. All frying quality parameters were found to be significant (p<0.05) with respect to the type of frying oil and the frying cycles. Renealmia battenbergiana incorporated oil effectively retarded the formation of acrylamide in fried yam slices by 14.99% compared to the native untreated oil. The native oil was found to be unfit for frying after cycle 2 whiles both Renealmia battenbergiana incorporated oil and citrate treated oil were fit for frying after cycle 3 of repeated frying based on the quality parameters measured. The overall sensory analysis proved that for all cycles, citrate treated (CT) oil gave the most desirable fried products, followed by the Renealmia battenbergiana incorporated oil.

Source: KNUST
Fruits and vegetables consumption in tertiary institutions in Ghana: A case study of University of Education, Winneba

There has been upsurge in the effect to promote vegetables and fruits consumption multisectorially in Ghana. This study, therefore, sought to find out the levels and factors that influenced fruits and vegetables consumption among students in tertiary institutions in Ghana, with the University of Education (four campuses) as the study area. Purposive and quota sampling techniques were used in selecting students (262), retailers(42) and producers(38) as respondents for the survey and simply random sampling for........................

Source: KNUST
Fuel Properties and Emission Characteristics of Biodiesel Fuel Produced from Waste Cooking Oil Using CaO/CaFe2O4 catalyst

Abstract This study investigates the fuel properties and emission characteristics of biodiesel derived from waste cooking oil (WCO) feedstock utilizing a novel CaO/CaFe2O4 composite catalyst. The biodiesel production process involves transesterification, yielding a renewable and environmentally friendly fuel source. Fuel properties such as density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, cetane number, and calorific value of the produced biodiesel and its blends were determined and compared with the ASTM biodiesel standard. The chemical composition of the fatty acid methyl ester of the produced biodiesel was confirmed with a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer and a Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrometer was used to determine the functional groups and chemical bonds present in the biodiesel. The characteristics of the exhaust emissions of the different blends of biodiesel with petro-diesel (B20, B50, and B80) as well as pure biodiesel (B100) and petro-diesel (D100) were evaluated through the exhaust gas emissions analysis at a constant speed of 1500 rpm in a four-stroke diesel engine. Exhaust gas emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX ), were measured. The results indicate that the WCO produced biodiesel meets the ASTM standard specifications for these properties, showcasing its potential as a feasible alternative to petrodiesel. Additionally, emission study results indicate that utilizing B20, B50, and B80 blends resulted in reduced CO, HC, and CO2 emissions when compared to petro-diesel fuel amounting to (7.88, 25.29, and 31.26%), (9.24, 5.54, and 27.85%) and (10.04, 6.02, and 21.96%) respectively. All biodiesels (blend or raw) emit more NOX than petro-diesel

Source: KNUST
Fuel Scheduling by Linear Programming for Volta River Authority (VRA) - Aboadze Thermal Power Plant Project

By means of a Linear Programme (LP) model, an Optimal Fuel Scheduling Scheme has been obtained for the Aboadze Thermal Plant in Takoradi. The model which used weekly power output, Light Crude Oil, (LCO) delivery and inventory of the storage tanks as decision variables was solved using a computer code in Fortran. It was found out that LCO delivery to the two plants should be 25000 barrels to plant t1 and 15000 barrels to plant 2 in the first week, 23000 and 17000 barrels to plant 1 and plant 2 respectively in the second week. In the third week, the scheduled is 23000 and 18000 barrels of LCO to plant I and 2 respectively.. The inventory of the storage tanks at the end of the 3week period for the main problem was 18767 and 12169 barrels of LCO to plant 1 and plant 2 respectively. The optimal solution remained insensitive to 25% Tolerance in the model parameters.

Source: KNUST
The function and aesthetics of Ga Kpashimo Songs

Homowo, the ceremony of “hooting at hunger” is the annual festival of the Gas. It is the most widely observed of the traditional Ga harvest rituals, celebrated by families in every Ga town. It is the festal day on which Ga families assemble in their ancestral homes to share a ritual meal with dead and living family members. This festival extends from four days in most towns to four weeks in Accra. One of the most interesting aspects of this traditional festival is one of the days when people in that particular community are free to voice out their pent-up feelings about all the negative things that might have happened throughout the year, condemn the culprit(s) where necessary and give commendation or thanks where praise is due as pertains in the Ga Kpashimo Songs of the Teshie people. All these are done amid singing and dancing enveloped in much obscenity on a day set aside during the festive season for such purpose. This happens only during that period of time and no more. During this time of the festival very pertinent and sensitive issues in society are denounced through songs but it is unfortunate how the audience just enjoy the sheer spectacle and walk away; the audience get carried away in the euphoria climaxing the festival so much that much of what is sung about is quickly forgotten. This essay on the aesthetics of the Ga Kpashimo songs is my contribution to existing knowledge on the subject. This thesis attempts to prompt readers to have a second look at the Kpashimo songs, for beneath their apparent obscene presentation very important and sensitive messages are presented. Aside this, the songs rendered are fused with powerful literary figures of speech which clearly qualify them as aesthetic objects. With the help of background research, the song texts have been critically appraised within their contexts, showing how the embedded literary devices affect the meaning of the messages transmitted. This discourse also concludes that both verbal and visual artistry is employed to give full meaning to the song texts, hence it is therefore necessary for the audience not to get carried away alone in the pleasure the Kpashimo songs give and dismiss the whole show as vulgar or profane, but to take in the pertinent issues talked about in the songs for the necessary corrective measures to take place. Again I hope my readers will agree with me, after reading this dissertation that the Ga Kpashimo songs possess the innate qualities that qualify them as excellent works of art.

Source: KNUST
Functional diversity and team innovation: evidence from public agricultural-based research institutions in the Ashanti Region.

This study was conducted in an attempt to fill the vacuum and contribute to the debate on the relationship between functional diversity and team innovation as well as the effect of collaboration and culture in such a relationship, using Public Agricultural-based Research Institutions in the Ashanti region to investigate their relationship. Consequently, the study focused on assessing the nature of functional diversity within the research institutions, the relationship between functional diversity and team innovation, the mediating role of collaboration in such a relationship and the moderating role of culture (power distance, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity-femininity in such a relationship). Concurrently, the study reviewed literature on the concepts of functional diversity, team innovation, culture, team collaboration and the theories underpinning functional diversity. A mixed research method was employed in the study where structured questionnaire and semistructured interview were used to elicit information from the respondents. Also, questionnaire was designed and self- administered to 251 researchers in three selected case study institutions. Quota and purposive sampling techniques were employed concurrently in the selection of respondents for the study. A total of 12 respondents from the three institutions were interviewed. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using a variety of methods including: simple regression, hierarchical regression and thematic analysis. The study yielded some interesting results and provided deeper insight into functional diversity and team innovation. The study revealed that functional diversity was positively related to team innovation. It was also found that, collaboration partially mediated the relationship between functional diversity and team innovation. Again, the study revealed that functionally diverse groups are more innovative when they exhibit: low uncertainty avoidance, femininity and low power distance. These findings were further confirmed by the interviews conducted. The study thus recommends that, management of the teams should encourage: internal team communication, honesty, respect, and trust. This would foster team unity and commitment which would enable members to share diverse expertise towards the creation and execution of new ideas towards the improvement of agricultural productivity in the country.

Source: KNUST
The fundamental matrix of the general random walk with absorbing chain - application to student flow in an educational institution

This paper presents an application of Markov Analysis of student flow in an educational institution. Historical data of random sample of 1200 students of Kwabenya Atomic Cluster of Schools was investigated. Was first shown that, the Fundamental Matrix of the Markov Analysis can be determined in elementary manner via the adjugate of matrix (I – Q). The Fundamental Matrix of Markov Chain is the inverse of the matrix (I – Q) where Q results after matrix P have been partitioned into canonical form. P is a transition probabilities matrix with entries Pij which satisfy conditions (i) Pij ≥ 0 (ii) ∑Pij = 1. i Results indicated that: (i) a first year student has about 0.93 probability of graduating (ii) first year, second year students stay on average of four (4) terms at their respective levels before they pass on to the next level of study, while senior students stays an average of two (2) terms (iii) A third year student has a probability of one (1) of progressing to graduation stage. Thus, there is a certainty that a student would progress to graduating stage once he/she get to the senior stage. (iv) A percentage of 6.6% of incoming first year students withdraw from their study and (v) the probability of progression to a higher level and graduating increases as students move on to a higher level in the system

Source: KNUST
Further Studies on the pharmacological and toxicological profile of crude extracts of heliotropium indicum linn.

Heliotropium indicum Linn has various medicinal uses in the treatment of disease conditions such as abdominal pains, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, skin rashes, wounds, hypertension, ocular infections, convulsion, dizziness and also used as a component of ‘’abemuduro’’ (a local herbal preparation used mostly by Asante women to manage post - labour inflammatory reactions). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the pharmacological activity of crude extracts of Heliotropium indicum on isolated smooth muscle preparations, the cardiovascular system of the anaesthetised cat, isolated rabbit and frog hearts and also the analgesic and some toxicological effects in in vivo and in vitro studies to explain some of its reported local uses. In vitro studies of the effects of the crude extracts on smooth muscle preparations ( Isolated guinea – pig ileum, isolated rabbit jejunum, and isolated rat uterus) showed contractile activity which was possibly mediated by stimulating muscarinic and nicotinic receptors, since the contractions were readily inhibited by atropine and hexamethonium. Two prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors indomethacin and diclofenac sodium could not modify the effects of the crude extracts and oxytocin on the isolated pregnant and non – pregnant rat uterus preparations. The crude extracts of Heliotropium indicum showed significant (P < 0.05) stability to plasma cholinesterase comparable to those of methylcholine and carbamylcholine. In vivo and in vitro studies of the effects of crude extracts on the cardiovascular system of the anaesthetized cat showed negative inotropic and chronotropic effects. The cardiovascular effects of the crude extracts could be mediated through M2 – receptor stimulation or by direct action on the heart muscle. Crude extracts of Heliotropium indicum (30 - 300 mg/kg-1) insignificantly [F 3,8 = 2.633, P = 0.5391, F 3, 8 = 8.633, p = 0.3321] inhibited both the first and second phases of formalin induced pain as compared to those of morphine and diclofenac sodium (1 – 10 mg/kg-1) [F3,8 = 2.699, P = 0.3926 and F3, 8 = 1.442, p = 0.9923; F3, 8 = 1.678, P = 0.9234, and F3, 8 = 2.344, p = 0.4121] respectively. Oral doses of 3 g/kg in mice and 5 g/kg in rats of the crude extracts were tolerated, however, in crude extract treated rats histopathological damages were observed in the liver, kidney, lungs, and heart.

Source: KNUST
Ga and Adangbe canoe culture: a composite art form for studio practice exploration

Considering canoe as a work of art, this thesis project sought to use fundamental known theories of art to examine canoe as a composite art form involving painting and sculpture in order to find out the artistic nexus underlying canoe art among the Gas and Adangbes from Accra to Ada and subsequently exploring the data in studio practice. The data collection and analysis involved literature review, fieldwork review and studio practice experimentation. Survey findings by the Ghana Canoe Frame Survey (2004) were used as the research frame to determine sample size of each research site and to ascertain individual subjects possessing significant comparable and representative character in carving and painting. Non-participant observation technique was used to examine the pre-hull and initial hull making stages of the Ga and Adangbe canoe. Participant observation was also employed in the completion stages for one (1) Adangbe canoe by the researcher in order to have hands on experience for better understanding of the canoe making process. Structured and unstructured interview techniques were employed to elucidate information for the identification, description and analysis of the Ga and Adangbe canoes into their artistic categories. In all, findings show four (4) artistic categories of Ga and Adangbe canoes (Isotropic, Optimized, Orthotropic, and Hydrostatic) corresponding to four (4) distinctive compositional structures (Isocomp, Opticomp, Orthocomp and Hydrocomp). Additionally, five (5) distinctive visual elements were categorized with varying subdivisions. Furthermore, the findings were explored in the studio by translating ideas from Ga and Adangbe canoe art into twenty (20) digital paintings by the researcher. These digital paintings with their titles ranging from “security” to “Samai” have been described and analyzed in the thesis report. Based on findings from this research thesis project, the researcher conclude that Ga and Adangbe canoes are versatile cultural art objects with several connections for art-theory practice and exploration vis-à-vis art teaching and learning through studio practice. It is recommended that further research into canoe art will be a good catalyst for promoting swimming and canoeing to attract local and international tourists. Also, efforts should be made by hotel operators with boats, to employ canoe artists to include some of the Ga and Adangbe pictograms on their boats. Furthermore, as a national policy, a university or teacher training college course should be structured around Ga and Adangbe canoe art to integrate this versatile cultural art into main stream curriculum as among coastal dwellers.

Source: KNUST
Ga proverbs and symbolism as basis for painting

The purpose of this painting thesis is to find ways by which the researcher could popularise Ga proverbial symbolism which is being overshadowed and being lost to urbanisation that promotes the colonial philosophy of “all black is bad all white is good. This is seen of remarks made by most on the street and sometimes in intellectual circles. Due to this negative attitude many subconsciously do not want to associate with their culture which they mistakenly view as archaic or even degrading. Further this misconception is not just a local attitude [i.e. peculiar only to the Gas] but nationwide, this psychologically threatens the extinction of Ga proverbs amongst contemporary Ga youth. The Ga people have a rich cultural heritage amongst which is the art of proverbs. Also because a few that was documented in books for the purpose of teaching is even out of print, this art is being lost among the contemporary generation. The researcher thus hopes to renew interest in these rich indigenous traditional values for contemporary usage, making it easier for people to remember them. The researcher has made a collection of some these proverbs and developed ideographs to represent these proverbs for easy visual recollection and enhancement of their educational value. The researcher has used these ideographs dubbed ADASHI symbols in painting to popularise their conceptual and aesthetic values in today’s contemporary society. The researcher hopes that this modest contribution to his people and society as a whole will go a long way to add up to the advancement of the poetic essence of the Ga language

Source: KNUST
The Gambaga “witches’” colony: its artistic and other cultural life

The “witches’” Camp at Gambaga in the East Mamprusi District of the northern Region, is a place where women who are accused of witchcraft take refuge under the protection of the Gambaga chief (the Gambag-rana). Although there have been some achievements from the initiative of the Gambaga ‘Out Cast Home Project’, very little has been done to expose the positive and negative attributes of the camp. The study examined the trend of events that take place at the camp from the artistic and cultural perspectives. The core objective was to identify the problems of the inmates and bring them to the public domain for possible assistance. The exercise was made possible by means of questionnaire, interviews, photographs, on site seeing and note taking, and a literature from relevant sources. The study found that the accommodation facilities of the inmates were in dilapidated state. Most of the cultural practices revealed, which the “witches” go through, were also cruel and forcible. The inmates and other concerned people who were interviewed, were of the view that something needs to be done to improve the living conditions at the camp. The “witches” stand to benefit from this study due to the recommendations made to Community Based Organization, Women Organizations, the Government Agencies such as the CHRAJ and the National Commission for Civic Education to extend their programme in aid of the women and also forestall further occurrences.

Source: KNUST