ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Understanding the role of Aflatoxin B1 in modulating the Type I Interferon Response

Prolonged dietary exposure to Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the major risk factors for the development of primary liver cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AFB1 contamination of some Ghanaian staples has been reported to be very high. AFB1 causes mutations in the tumour suppressor gene TP53. These mutations are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of HCC. However, how AFB1 affects other anti-cancer pathways such as the type I interferon (IFN) pathway is largely unknown. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that AFB1 inhibits the type I IFN response in human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 cells) by directly interfering with key signaling proteins and thus increase the risk of HCC. In this study, the effect of AFB1 on cell viability was investigated by MTS-based assay. The type I IFN response in HepG2 cells was induced using recombinant (r) IFN-α and measured by IFN stimulated response element (ISRE) luciferase reporter gene assay. In addition, the effects of AFB1 on the mRNA levels of JAK1, STAT1 and OAS3 in HepG2 cells stimulated with rIFN-α were determined by RT-qPCR and confirmed by western blotting assay. Exposure of HepG2 cells to AFB1 up to 3200 µM for 24 hours followed by maintenance of cells in AFB1 free media for 24, 48 and 72 hours decreased cell viability in a dose dependent manner. AFB1 also suppressed/inhibited the IFN-α driven activation of a reporter promoter that contained the ISRE. When HepG2 cells which had been stimulated with rIFN-α were treated with AFB1 the mRNA synthesis of JAK1, STAT1 and OAS3 was suppressed/inhibited. AFB1 also inhibited the protein accumulation of STAT1. The biological significance of the inhibition/suppression of the type I IFN pathway by AFB1 was investigated by employing the replication of chandipura virus in HepG2 cells stimulated with or without rIFN-α and treated with or without AFB1. Chandipura virus was titred by plaque assay on L929 cells. Paradoxically when chandipura virus was exposed to AFB1 for 24 hours, the replication of the virus was reduced as measured by a decrease in the virus titer. Results from this study suggest that AFB1 may also induce HCC by inhibiting the type I IFN response pathway which is known to have anti-cancer property. Since AFB1 rather kills the IFN sensitive chandipura virus rather than rescuing them, it is speculated that AFB1 and viruses might not co-operate directly to amplify HCC development and that further studies are required to determine how viruses co-exist with AFB1 to catalyse carcinogenesis caused by AFB1 in human liver.

Source: KNUST
Understanding the role of public relations in metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (a case study of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly).

Communication is an essential tool for effective corporate administration. Therefore, understanding the role of effective communication cannot be underestimated since it has both positive and negative influences on the entire nation’s economy. Unfortunately, despite the important role that public relations play in organisations, they are normally relegated to the background and only sought after during crisis moments. Nevertheless, today practitioners have gradually shifted their focus from technical roles such as press agentry and publicity roles to strategic managerial roles that are considered as essential to organisational performance. This has been severely characterised by government officials taking up the role of the public relations unit; defending and publicizing government initiatives most of the time. Therefore, this study sought to describe and assess the relevance of Public relations units to the execution of the mandates of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. The study then adopted a descriptive research method to conveniently obtain data from fifty (50) employees of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. Convenience sampling was done by giving a fair representation of the various departments within the Assembly. Also a purposed sampling was used to collect data from public relations officials who have within the organision for the past two years. Data were descriptively analysed using descriptive statistics and represented using charts and tables. It was then realised that the understanding of public relations was clear in the minds of the employees, hence, this characterised the assembly with effective internal communication existing amongst employees. Moreover, irrespective of the challenges associated with the unit with respect to inadequate funds and social media intrusion, the competencies of the unit are to salvage the situation in order to guarantee the relevance of the unit in metropolitan development. However, the role of the public relations unit is mostly effective in only government businesses which arevery detrimental to the growth of the entire metropolis. Therefore, better policies should be enacted in order to enhance effective discharge of roles by the public relations unit in KMA.

Source: KNUST
Une analyse des erreurs commises par des etudiants du Français au niveau secondaire a Kumasi

The main objective of this research is to analyze the common mistakes that French students make. Mistakes play a major role in language learning especially in the acquisition of a foreign language. Error analysis is a branch of contrastive analysis; contrastive analysis tries to predict the difficulties that students face in the learning of a foreign language whiles error analysis examines the actual mistakes that students make in the learning process. Over the years, research in language learning has proven that mistakes are inevitable in the learning process as such, they need to be accepted as a useful tool in learning rather than something that needs to be avoided. This research aims at identifying and analyzing the different mistakes that students of French at the Senior Secondary School make, the sources of these mistakes and to propose some recommendations to help with this situation. Key words: French as a Foreign Language, Learning, Mistake, Teacher, Analysis, Interference, Teaching, Learner.

Source: KNUST
Unequal distribution of resistance-conferring mutations among Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium africanum strains from Ghana

Isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RMP) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolates are mainly based on mutations in a limited number of genes. However, mutation frequencies vary in different mycobacterial populations. In this work, we analyzed the distribution of resistance-associated mutations in M. tuberculosis and M. africanum strains from Ghana, West Africa. The distribution of mutations in katG, fabG1-inhA, ahpC, and rpoB was determined by DNA sequencing in 217 INH-resistant (INHr ) and 45 multidrug-resistant (MDR) MTC strains isolated in Ghana from 2001 to 2004. A total of 247 out of 262 strains investigated (94.3%) carried a mutation in katG (72.5%), fabG1-inhA (25.1%), or ahpC (6.5%), respectively. M. tuberculosis strains mainly had katG 315 mutations (80.1%), whereas this proportion was significantly lower in M. africanum West-African 1 (WA1) strains (43.1%; p < 0.05). In contrast, WA1 strains showed more mutations in the fabG1-inhA region (39.2%, p < 0.05) compared to M. tuberculosis strains (20.9%). In 44 of 45 MDR strains (97.8%) mutations in the 81-bp core region of the rpoB gene could be verified. Additionally, DNA sequencing revealed that 5 RMP-susceptible strains also showed mutations in the rpoB hotspot region. In conclusion, although principally the same genes were affected in INHr M. tuberculosis and M. africanum strains, disequilibrium in the distribution of mutations conferring resistance was verified that might influence the efficiency of molecular tests for determination of resistance

Source: KNUST
Unraveling the effect of gender dimensions and wood fuel usage on household food security: evidence from Ghana

Food security discussions have heightened particularly with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 which focuses on hunger and malnutrition. This study investigates gender dimensions of food security and examines the role of wood fuel on households’ food security in Ghana. Data from the most recent round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS VII, 2016/2017) were used for this investigation. By employing the Exogeneous Switching Treatment Effect Regression to analyze food security, it was found that significant heterogeneities exist among different gender groups. The largest differences exist between male headed households and de jure female headed households. Further, this study finds that among female headed households, there remain substantial differences in food security. Wood fuel usage, household size and residing in the northern part of the country were found to reduce food security among households while education and income increase household food security. These findings are important for enhanced policy targeting to address food insecurity.

Source: KNUST
The unpredictable - accident and chance in traditional and contemporary African art

Artists since the days of prehistory have been aware of the influence of chance and natural accidental occurrences. These may stir up immediate associations and serve as an inspiration to create, or repressed, may arise later from the subconscious level as the artist works, causing him to alter the course of his original plan. In their natural environment, the textures and amorphous drip-marks on cave a wall is were often a starting point for paintings and engravings. These effects suggested forms which the cave artists were used to seeing in their surroundings. Likewise, African traditional sculptors were aware of rite resemblance to natural forms suggested by the distortion of trunks, branches and roots of trees. Modern artists have deliberately exploited various techniques relying on chance results to arrive at effects which might enhance their works and evoke certain impressions. As works of art deteriorate over a period of time through handling and weathering, they may still be appreciated - even in this state - unpredicted at the time they were created. The creative process itself is unpredictable. The psychological implications concerning individual artist’s reactions to subliminal intrusions are discussed herein. These intrusions arise from repressed aspect of artists’ personalities which surface in their work without conscious planning. Their own mental background as well as their approach to the working process will determine how they handle such chance intrusions. Traditional African artists were bound by stylistic conventions, often based on religious beliefs. All the same, they could incorporate chance occurrences into their work - whether external stimuli from the environment or subliminal intrusions during creation — as long as these did not interfere with the required messages to be conveyed and were within acceptable forms. In fact, innovation occurred in spite of these conventions and it is possible even to identify the hand of a particular artist through his subtle stylistic idiosyncrasies.

Source: KNUST
University Art Education in the context of 1974-1998 education reform in Ghana

A critical review of the current education reform in Ghana at the tertiary level, reveals that the role of University art education is crucial to the success of the reform. Ghana’s policy on Higher Education emphasizes education for national development. This policy entails that all educational programmes must be relevant to societal needs, especially to the on - going social transformation processes in Ghana. Against this background, a close examination of present content of University art education reveals that art programmes are not sufficiently relevant to present developmental needs of Ghana. The content of various art disciplines as taught at the University level cannot adequately meet the artistic needs of Ghana. In this light, this research has made proposals for improving upon the content of art programmes at the University level. No claim is being made over an absolute content for University art education. This research is only a pace-setter aimed at gingering the minds of Higher Education planners to present societal needs of Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Unusual forms in wood as inspiration for creative sculpture

Numerous art flourish in Ghana but carved wood sculpture has been the most popular indigenous art. Carved wood sculpture has been from tree trunk or block of wood with little or no attention to extended parts of the tree. This idea of carving from block of wood has made carved sculpture from unusual wood forms not popular. Carving from unusual wood forms has been practised by few trained artist from art schools. Those who use wood with unusual forms depend greatly on stem-branches which suggest an image in them. Projections from the main stem are carved into arms and head of human figure or animals. Carving wood with unusual forms like parasitic plants, fungus infested trunks, insect infested branches and root with extended growth is not practised widely by sculptors. The main reasons could be: 1. Sculptors do not take the time to look for such wood pieces 2. Unlike stem wood, wood with unusual forms are not easily available. 3 Sculptors have to spend some money in terms of labour and time to remove some of such wood from the soil and other areas. 4 Many sculptors lack the skill to identify the hidden image in such wood, making it difficult for them to use such wood.

Source: KNUST
Update of network planner results using 2012 data for Greater Accra and Northern Region with special emphasis on the effects of inter-household distance

The Government has over the last few decades intended to increase energy access in Ghana but in spite of the good intentions, existing plans, policies and programmes have not delivered the best results. This thesis work seeks to use and support the GIS-based programme model for implementing the policies and Plans to increase Energy Access plans in Ghana. It has been shown that the penetration rate has a major influence on the total cost of all the electrification options as well as the connection cost per household. A lower penetration rate tends to lower the total cost of all the electrification whereas the connection cost per households increases since the same general infrastructural cost is pooled among fewer number of households. The results also indicates that reducing the mean inter-household distance (MID) tend to shift more communities to be grid compatible since the total cost per household will be lower and hence lower cost for grid technology. It shows that the MID is the deterministic factor of the required length of LV grid lines for the connecting households. It can also be pointed out that lowering the diesel fuel cost per litre results in a higher percentage of diesel mini-grid compatible communities. Diesel cost also affects the other electrification technologies. The Network Planner (NP) is a great tool that has helped in prioritizing areas for increased energy access by proposing the most cost-effective electrification option within a specified time horizon. In terms of social implication the NP can be used as a supporting tool for the extension of electricity access to communities that are not electrified.

Source: KNUST
Uptake of family planning by public health workers in Kumasi Metropolis-Ghana

Introduction: Family planning is essential to reducing the total fertility rate and ultimately maternal morbidity and mortality as well as contributing positively in infant wellbeing. It is speculated that even the highly knowledgeable Ghanaian in the area of family planning still has low level of family planning patronage. Public health workers are the ﬁrst link of a chain, the most peripheral element of the health system and it is through them that family planning services are expected to get to the people of Ghana. Research information on the uptake of family planning among the health workers in the Kumasi Metropolis will help provide specific questions and answers relating to the usage, the impact on health care delivery and invariably the way forward. It was upon these grounds therefore that the current study seeks to investigate the socio economic and demographic factors influencing public health workers adoption of family planning methods. Methods: A cross sectional design was used for the study. The study adopted descriptive and explanatory methods in the analysis of the study. The sample size for the study was 331 health workers from all the five public hospitals in Kumasi Metropolis. The respondents of the study were selected using a multistage sampling technique. This study adopted the binary probit regression to assess the socio-economic and socio-demographic factors influencing public health workers adoption of family planning methods. Results: The study found a significant association between the usage of FP and the age, marital status, and parity of public health workers in Kumasi Metropolis. About 41.1% and 13.1% of the health workers were currently using the condoms and withdrawal respectively as their main family planning methods. The majority (63.8%) was not satisfied with the family methods. Currently 72% of the public health workers in the Kumasi metropolis are using various methods of family planning. Some of the public health workers who failed to adopt the family planning methods were as a result of the absence of their preferred method. Conclusion: The majority of the non-adopters of the family planning methods were dissatisfied with the methods for a number of reasons including fear of side effects, discomfort of the methods and fear of sterility; they need more education and the introduction of alternative family planning methods with minimal side effects and discomfort. The study therefore proposes that the public health units should make available all the types of family planning methods with minimal side effects in order to attract more patronage, and public education of the male on the need for FP methods.

Source: KNUST
“An update of the geology of the South Eastern portion of the Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited (A. G. C.) concession at Obuasi, using airborne geophysical data”

High-resolution airborne geophysical surveys have become fundamental and indispensable tools as far as an integrated approach to modern geological mapping is concerned. They became even vital in the tropics where rock exposures are not always available, in which case conventional geological prospecting, cannot predict the trend of ore formation with reasonable certainty. Thus, Ashanti Goldflelds Company (A. G. C.) Limited, a leading gold mining company based in Ghana, contracted Aerodat Incorporated of Canada, to undertake an airborne geophysical survey to reveal the areas or trends of potential mineralization as well as the lithologies on their property. A helicopter borne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys was conducted over the concession. A fixed wing exclusive geophysical survey had been conducted over the southwestern part of Ghana prior to the helicopter survey and the radiometric data covering the concession was made available to the company. Although much exploration has been done in the southeastern portion of the consolidated concession of A. G. C., it has been by the conventional method of looking for rock exposures. The aeromagnetic survey was useful in providing information on the broad geology. It clearly distinguished between the Upper Birimian and the Tarkwaian in the study area. Magnetic highs were observed more over the Tarkwaian than the Upper Birimian. The magnetics, however, could not define the lithological units within the study area. A fault was observed in the study area from the analytic signal image. The EM survey, from which apparent resistivities and effective depths were calculated, also distinguished between the Upper Birimian and the Tarkwaian in that the Tarkwaian was more resistive. The Kawere group with its associated conglomerates was found to be conductive due to the fluvial association. Together with the radiometrics however, there was some clear lithological distinction between the metavolcanics, conglomerates and the quartzite on the A. G. C. property.

Source: KNUST
Urban agriculture and food security in Ghana: a case study of the Kumasi Metropolis

The difficult economic conditions have shrunk job opportunities, especially in urban areas. Consequently, many dwellers in the urban, centers, especially migrants, are confronted with many social and economic problems including unemployment, inadequate accommodation, and lack of good drinking water. In the Kumasi Metropolis changing socio-economic conditions, particularly increasing unemployment and increasing population pressure have resulted in heightened food insecurity among residents. The purpose of the study therefore was to find out the extent to which urban agriculture can contribute to food security in the Kumasi Metropolis. The specific objectives were to determine who practices what form of urban agriculture, identify the factors that affect a household’s decision to cultivate and identify constraints related to urban agriculture in the study area. The study employed the descriptive survey design and covered 20 selected suburbs within the metropolis. The research was based on data collected from a total of 80 urban farmers. The main instrument used for the collection of the data was a structured questionnaire which was supplemented with field observations and personal interviews. The main findings of the study were that: Most urban farmers in the city were females and/or part-time farmers. The study also showed that the main occupation for majority of the respondents was trading, public/civil servants and labourers/security personnel. The study also revealed that most of the respondents were long-term city residents who have lived in the city for a long time before starting their urban agricultural activities. The study also showed that it is not true that urban agriculture is mostly practiced by recent migrants to the city who have not been assimilated to the city life. The major form of urban agriculture was home garden. Poultry rearing (mainly layers and broilers), vegetable farming and aquaculture were also practiced to some extent by respondents. Farms were commonly found on building plots, government/public lands, and road/railway sides. The study showed that insufficient income was the primary reason for the practice of urban agriculture in the metropolis. In other words, urban agriculture was predominantly a coping strategy adopted by households whose incomes were insufficient for providing adequate food. However, this was not the only reason. Others practiced it because they liked gardening or associated it with a settled life style. The main constraints faced by urban farmers in the metropolis were shortage of land (access and security of tenure), water availability, theft and destruction of crops by livestock. The study s1owed that urban agriculture is a reality and has a future in the Kumasi Metropolis, and for that matter the whole of Ghana, if properly planned and coordinated. It is a positive social response to tackling food insecurity and unemployment in cities and urban centers.

Source: KNUST