ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The wastewater nutrient removal efficiences of chlorella sorokiniana and scenedesmus obtusiusculus

Urine treatment and nutrient removal was studied on a pilot scale in the DESAH building for a period of 3 months. The essence of the study was to evaluate the practical nutrient removal efficiencies of Chlorella sorokiniana and Scenedesmus obtusiusculus. The microalgae were grown on 3 different media― namely; mixture (mixed treated and untreated urine), untreated urine and control, and their nutrient removal efficiencies were investigated. Urine that has passed through the OLAND RBC system served as treated urine, and Bold’s basal medium served as the control. The OLAND RBC system was able to remove 95.7% of total chemical oxygen demand (COD), 27.1% total nitrogen, 99.7% ammonium, 88.6% total phosphorus and 89.3% ortho-phosphate from the influent urine. Low nutrient removal performance at a very high N: P molar ratios were observed in microalgae in the untreated urine. However, the nutrient removal capacities of microalgae were very high at reduced N: P molar ratios in the mixed medium. Chlorella sorokiniana was able to remove 63.2% TN and 55.8% TP ata low N: P molar ratio of 8.5:1, while Scenedesmus obtusiusculus removed 45.9% TN and 76.3% TP at an N: P molar ratio of 6.9:1. The results indicate that nutrient removal by microalgae is most efficient in mixed OLAND RBC treated and untreated urine culture. Therefore, the integration of the OLAND RBC system when designing microalgae induced wastewater treatment technologies for sanitation purposes is advocated

Source: UCC
Water quality index in the Tarkwa gold mining area in Ghana

Water quality and human health are inextricable linked. Te present study assessed the water quality index (WQI) based on physicochemical analyses of twenty-six ground water sampling stations in the Tarkwa mining municipality in Ghana. In calculating the WQI, seven parameters were considered; pH, nitrate, sulphate, total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, sulphates and turbidity. WQI values range from 100.36 (sampling station B10) to 4294 (sampling station B6). Te mean WQI was 825.89 (i.e. 8 times more than the upper limit for potability). All of the groundwater samples exceeded 100, the upper limit for drinking water potability. The high value of WQI at these stations could be attributed to the higher values of total dissolved solids, and turbidity in the groundwater. Approximately 35% of the samples had WQI values which were up to 5 times or more than the threshold value of 100. Fifteen percent of groundwater samples had WQI values more than ten times the threshold for potability. Pearson correlation coefficients among selected water properties showed a number of strong associations. Turbidity correlated strongly with sulphates. Similarly pH showed strong associations with EC, TDS and sulphates. Multivariate statistical (principal component and cluster) analysis suggest that the data is a two-component system that explains approximately two-thirds of the total variance in the data. The analysis reveals that the groundwater of this urban mining area needs some treatment before consumption

Source: UCC
Water requirement of sunflower (helianthus annuus l.) In a tropical humid-coastal Savanna Zone

Productivity of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is strongly regulated by the availability of water and greatest yield losses occur when water shortage occurs at flowering. Field experiment was carried out to study the water requirement of sunflower in a tropical humid-coastal savanna environment in Ghana to evaluate the response of sunflower to discretionary supplementary irrigation. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used with 5 treatments and 3 replicates. Can-irrigation system was used to irrigate the crop at different levels and time intervals. The results show that all the plant parameters measured (plant height, leaf area index, head diameter and seed yield) increased consistently with an increase in water input until T4 beyond which any increase occurred at a decreasing rate. The field estimate of water requirement of sunflower was determined as the optimum level ofwater required to reach maximum head diameter. Water requirement of sunflower (by the field method) was estimated at 672.4 mm/season or 7.1 mm/day. The consumptive use of sunflower estimated using the Blaney-Criddle method was 4.3 mm/day. The Blaney-Criddle method estimated the water requirement of sunflower at 361.2 mm/season. The field value was considered the water requirement of sunflower since this includes both soil losses and losses in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. It was concluded that even though sunflower is considered to be tolerant to water deficit to some extent, in areas of low rainfall, supplementary irrigation can boost the productivity of the crop

Source: UCC
Water safety planning and implementation in a Ghanaian small-scale water supply system

This study looked at the Assin Fosu Small Town Water Supply System in Ghana to verify whether the operation of the scheme is based on a comprehensive water safety plan and how the practice of water safety planning affects the quality of water delivered to the consumers. The study employed document reviews, structured observations, interviews and laboratory analysis of water samples. System design data files and an Operation and Management Contract document were reviewed along with in-depth interviews with key stakeholders of the water supply system. Structured observations were made to assess the management practices of the system managers. Three rounds of sampling of water were done at monthly intervals from 10 randomly selected public standpipes, 3 boreholes and 2 filtration units. Samples were analysed to assess their bacteriological safety and aesthetic (physical) quality (turbidity and colour). Upon detection of bacteriological contamination, the adequacy of disinfection was assessed by measuring the levels of residual chlorine. It was found that the recommended schedule for some key documented water quality control and monitoring activities were not complied with. Consequently, the quality of water delivered to consumers at several public standpipes failed to meet the WHO guidelines for drinking water. Forty percent (40%) of all samples were found with faecal contamination, with 60% and 50% exceeding the WHO’s guideline levels for turbidity and color respectively. It is recommended that the Community Water and Sanitation Agency in Ghana intensifies on-going efforts at ensuring that small-scale water supply systems in the country are managed with comprehensive water safety plans to prevent microbial contamination which could pose significant health risks to the consumers

Source: UCC
Water spillage effects on residents of Weija, Accra

The study examined how the people of Weija are affected by perennial flooding and its effects on their livelihoods as well as their coping mechanisms. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research approaches to collect primary data using multi-stage sampling technique to select 120 flood victims for the study. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel software. The results revealed that anthropogenic activities including farming, construction of new settlements by property developers served as the main contributory factor to siltation leading to reduction of volume capacity of the dam. The local institutions are unable to enforce building permits regulations due to land tenure arrangements which allows the traditional authorities and families to sell land to property developers. Informal settlement in the waterways has further increased the magnitude of the floods and its impact on lives and properties. Due to their vulnerability, they often succumb to the external shocks which affect their ability to rebuild their productive assets which further plunge them into perpetual poverty. The flood has caused undetermined infrastructure damage as well as loss of human lives. Thus, the support of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) was found to be deficient and there is a need for effective response to the dangers of disasters by building individual and community resilience. In conclusion, it is important to note that floods cannot be completely eradicated in the Weija community, but it can be controlled to safe levels ensuring human security. The need to find long lasting solution should be the priority not only for Government but for all stakeholders to join forces to remove all barriers that mitigate against building community resilience by enforcing various land use regulations.

Source: UCC
Wavelength Markers for Malaria (Plasmodium Falciparum) Infected and Uninfected Red Blood Cells for Ring and Trophozoite Stages

Malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, uses haemoglobin in host red blood cells (RBCs) as a major source of nutrient in ring and trophozoite stages. This brings about changes in the morphology and functional characteristics of the RBCs. We investigate malaria infected RBCs and uninfected RBCs-ring and trophozoite stages using multispectral imaging technique. Four spectral bands were found to be markers for identifying infected and uninfected RBCs: 435 nm and 660 nm were common markers for the two stages whiles 590 nm and 625 nm were markers for the ring and the trophozoite stages respectively. These four spectral bands may offer potential diagnostic markers for identifying infected and uninfected RBCs, as well as distinguishing ring and trophozoite stages

Source: UCC
Wavelength Markers for Malaria (Plasmodium Falciparum) Infected and Uninfected Red Blood Cells for Ring and Trophozoite Stages

Malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, uses haemoglobin in host red blood cells (RBCs) as a major source of nutrient in ring and trophozoite stages. This brings about changes in the morphology and functional characteristics of the RBCs. We investigate malaria infected RBCs and uninfected RBCs-ring and trophozoite stages using multispectral imaging technique. Four spectral bands were found to be markers for identifying infected and uninfected RBCs: 435 nm and 660 nm were common markers for the two stages whiles 590 nm and 625 nm were markers for the ring and the trophozoite stages respectively. These four spectral bands may offer potential diagnostic markers for identifying infected and uninfected RBCs, as well as distinguishing ring and trophozoite stages.

Source: UCC
Wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy with 2f signal detection: application to molecular oxygen detection

Wavelength modulation spectroscopy using second harmonic (2f) signals is one of the modulation techniques in absorption spectroscopy used to improve the absorption signal by noise reduction. This second harmonic (2f) signal has been simulated using MATLAB, a new approach based on numerical integration, to investigate the influence of normalized modulation amplitude, m and the optimal 2f signal was found to occur at m = 2.1. Experimentally, free molecular oxygen gas was measured at three different temperatures and at different optical pathlength using the 2f signal of the wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy technique. The technique made it possible to verify the fact that, the longer the pathlength, the greater the intensity of the absorption signal. However the intensities of the 2f signal, which depict the absorption of molecular oxygen gas, were found to decrease with increasing temperatures. Using gas in scattering medium absorption spectroscopy (GASMAS) technique which is a modification of the wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy set-up, molecular oxygen gas was probed in highly scattering media of locally branded polyurethane foams; Latex foam and Ash foam and polystyrene foam. The experiment revealed that for maximum 2f signal detection in the scattering media, the width of the scattering sample should be at least equal to the detection area of the detector. The thicknesses of the scattering samples were found to be inversely related to the intensities of their signals.

Source: UCC
Ways of refusing invitations in English among members of a college of education community in Ghana

Refusing an invitation from another person is potentially face-threatening and therefore with knowledge of such potential danger, interlocutors employ different ways of minimising such threats. This paper is an attempt to contribute to the ongoing discussion on the maintenance of face in the performance of face threatening acts such as refusals. By means of ethnography of communication and theories of face and politeness, the paper analyses and discusses some ways of refusing invitations among members of the Berekum College of Education. The paper identifies two main ways of saying no to invitations, direct and indirect, and tries to find out how these ways are influenced by sex differences as well as age and social status. The study concludes that the different ways of refusing invitations are largely influenced by the above mentioned variables. The paper has implications for social relations and cross-cultural understanding

Source: UCC
"We call them miracle babies": How health care providers understand neonatal near-misses at three teaching hospitals in Ghana

Neonatal mortality is a significant problem in many low-resource countries, yet for every death there are many more newborns who suffer a life-threatening complication but survive. These “near-misses” are not well defined, nor are they well understood. This study sought to explore how health care providers at three tertiary care centers in Ghana (each with neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)) understand the term “near-miss.” Eighteen providers from the NICUs at three teaching hospitals in Ghana (Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, and Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in Cape Coast) were interviewed in depth regarding their perceptions of neonatal morbidity, mortality, and survival. Near the end of the interview, they were specifically asked what they understood the term “near-miss” to mean. Participants included nurses and physicians at various levels and with varying years of practice (mean years of practice = 9.33, mean years in NICU = 3.66). Results indicate that the concept of “near-misses” is not universally understood, and providers differ on whether a baby is a near-miss or not. Providers disagreed on the utility of a near-miss classification for clinical practice, with some suggesting it would be helpful to draw their attention to those at highest risk of dying, with others suggesting that the acuity of illness in a NICU means any baby could become a ‘near-miss’ at any moment. Further efforts are needed to standardize the definitions of neonatal near-misses, including developing criteria that are able to be assessed in a low-resource setting. In addition, further research is warranted to determine the practical implications of using a near miss tool in the process of providing care in a resource-limited setting and whether it might be best reserved as a retrospective indicator of overall quality of care provided

Source: UCC
“We don’t understand english that is why we prefer English”: primary school students’ preference For the language of instruction in mathematics

This paper reports on a study which sought to investigate how social and political influences affect students’ preference for language of instruction in mathematics in Ghana, where the language of instruction from grade 4 onwards in school is not the students’ main language. 4 focus group interviews were carried out with 16 primary school students, randomly selected from 4 primary schools, comprising a mix of average, above average and below average achieving schools in the Cape Coast metropolis of Ghana. Qualitative analysis of the results brought to light evidence of social and political influences on students’ preference for English as the language of instruction in mathematics.

Source: UCC
Wealth Status and Risky Sexual Behaviour in Ghana and Kenya

Background: Emerging evidence seems to suggest that there is some association between individual socioeconomic status and sexual risk-taking behaviour in sub- Saharan Africa. A number of broad associations have emerged, among them, positive, neutral and negative relationships between wealth status and sexual risktaking behaviour. Reduction in the number of sex partners as a behavioural change has been advocated as an important tool in HIV prevention, and affecting such a change requires an understanding of some of the factors that can influence social behaviour, interactions and activities of subpopulations. Objectives: To further explore the determinants of sexual risk-taking behaviour (individuals having multiple sex partners), especially the effects that variations in household wealth status, gender and different subpopulation groups have on this behaviour. Methods: The relationship between wealth status and sexual risk-taking behaviour in the context of HIV/AIDS infection in Ghana and Kenya was assessed using raw data from the 2003 Demographic and Health Surveys of each country. Wealth quintiles were used as a proxy for economic status, while non-marital and non-cohabiting sexual partnerships were considered indicators for risky sexual behaviour. Results: For females, there appears to be an increasing probability of sexual risk taking by wealth status in Kenya, while, in Ghana, an inverted J-shaped relationship is shown between wealth status and sexual risk taking. When controlled for other variables, the relationship between wealth status and sexual risk-taking behaviour disappears for females in the two countries. For males, there is no clearly discernable pattern between wealth status and sexual risk-taking behaviour in Ghana, while there is a general trend towards increasing sexual risk-taking behaviour by wealth status in Kenya. For Ghana, the highest probabilities are among the highest and the middle wealth quintiles; in Kenya, high probabilities were found for the two highest wealth quintiles. Controlling for the effects of other factors, the pattern for Ghana is further blurred (not statistically significant), but the relationship continues to show in the case of Kenya, and is significant for the highest quintile. In general, for both Ghana and Kenya, men in the highest wealth quintile were found to be more likely to have multiple sexual partners than the other groups. Conclusion: The changing phases of HIV infection indicate that it is no longer poverty that drives the epidemic. Rather, it is wealth and a number of other sociodemographic factors that explain sexual risk-taking behaviour that puts people at risk. Understanding local specific factors that predispose individuals towards sexual risk taking could help to expand the range of information and services needed to combat the HIV pandemic.

Source: UCC
Weed competition in maize (zea mays l.) as a function of the timing of hand-hoeing weed control in the southern guinea savanna zone of Nigeria

Field studies were conducted in 2010 and 2011 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria (9°29’ N, 4°35’ E) to evaluate the effect of early weed competition on the growth and yield of maize. The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block (RCBD) with a split-plot arrangement and three replications. The main plots consisted of three weed control treatments included weedy (no herbicide), grass weeds (pre-emergence atrazine) and broadleaf weeds (pre-emergence metolachlor), while the sub-plots consisted of six durations of weed infestation (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 weeks after emergence). The pre-emergence herbicides had a greater effect on weed density and weed dry weight. Weed seedling emergence and weed dry weight increased significantly with an increase in the duration of weed interference. The grasses and broadleaf weeds had a similar influence on the growth and grain yield of maize. Three to five weeks of weed interference gave similar grain yields, which were significantly higher than those obtained in plots that had 6–8 weeks of weed interference. These results suggest that the maize crop must be kept free of weeds for 6–8 weeks after the application of pre-emergence herbicide to minimize weed–crop competition and harvest a good grain yield

Source: UCC
Weed control in lawns in Ghana

The research investigated the effect of various regimes of herbicide application and soil treatments on weed population dynamics in three widely used tropical turfgrass species; Zoysia japonica (Carpet grass), Stenotaphrum secundatum (St. Augustine’s grass) and Chrysopogon aciculatus (Love grass). Turfgrasses were established on 5m × 1.5m plots by sprigging. Soil treatments included the following: a) plots overlaid with 3:1 topsoil/composted cow manure mix at a depth of 100 mm and b) plots with no topsoil or composted cow manure. Plots were then treated with post emergence herbicide (glyphosate) either once or twice. Non-treated plots were also included and served as the control. The research work was randomized and analyzed as unbalanced randomized complete block design. The results showed that the herbicide treatment did not reduce the quantity of germinating weeds on the plots and also there were no significant differences between the herbicide treatments. Boerhavia diffusa (Boerhavia) and Cyperus rotundus (Cyperus) were the predominant weed species. Love grass plots were invaded by higher quantity of weeds compared to the other two turfgrass species

Source: UCC