ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the polygyny and intimate partner violence connection: The role of religion and wife’s rank in Nigeria

Objective: The study examines the association between polygyny and intimate partner violence (IPV) by focusing on the Muslim-vs.-Christian context of polygyny and on co-wives’ rank. Background: Although prior research points to a higher incidence of IPV in polygynous unions, the association between polygyny and IPV are not well understood. In particular, the role of broader cultural and religious context of marriage and its connection with intra-marital dynamics have not been examined. Method: The study uses pooled data on over 42,000 women from the 2008, 2013 and 2018 rounds of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey to examine the association of polygynous versus monogamous status of marriage, of Muslim versus Christian religious affiliation, and of co-wife rank within polygynous unions in both religions with women’s reported experience of physical, emotional, and sexual IPV. Multivariate logit and propensity score models (PSM) are fitted, and the Rosenbaum bounds test is used to gauge the robustness of PSM results. Results: Results show a clear disadvantage of polygynously married women, compared to monogamously married ones; IPV experience is more common among Christians than Muslims. Among women in polygynous marriages, senior wives are more likely to experience IPV than junior wives, but this difference is more pronounced among Christians. Results of a Rosenbaum bounds analysis indicate that unobserved selectivity does not present a challenge to causality between polygyny/wife rank and IPV, particularly when analyses are disaggregated by religion. Conclusion: Findings reflect multi-dimensional gender inequalities embedded in the institution of polygynous marriage and their harmful consequences for women’s health and well-being.

Source: UG
Revitalizing minority languages using music: Three South-Guan languages of Ghana in focus

Several interdisciplinary researchers have been interested in the relationship between language and music, thus producing several works in quest of this interdisciplinary connection. This study, on the other hand, attempted to examine how music may be utilized to reinvigorate the understudied minority languages. It focuses on three South Guan languages: Leteh, Kyerepong and Efutu. Studies done in this area have observed that, in notable respects, language and music are systematically comparable. For instance, the two are similarly constructed of functional and meaningful units; both possess phonemic and morphemic properties. Furthermore, the phonemic and Morphological units/properties are used to produce utterances by rules of sequencing and re-combination. This study draws on on the Affective Filter Hypothesis (Krashen, 1982), which emphasizes the importance of positive emotions in language acquisition. Language surveys were conducted in Winneba, Larteh and Adukrom are where the three languages are spoken. The study concludes that the principle behind the use of songs in teaching a second language, it can be extended to the teaching of learning of less-studied languages/minority languages and ultimately, their revitalization.

Source: UG
Revitalizing Self-Help Spirit In The Communities: Are There Roles For Adult Educators To Play?

Self-help spirit, which culminates into selfless services, voluntarism, and free labor by people in communities appears to be waning in Ghana. This free labor service is provided by community members require revitalization. Adult educators have roles to play in revitalizing self-help spirit to build resilient communities., Questions to be addressed are: What is self-help in community development? Who are adult educators and what roles they play in reviving self-help spirit in the communities? This theoretical approach to literature review paper used library research and adapted critical literature review approach. It reviewed 30 out of the 60 documents on self-help, adult educators, and community development. It was observed that self-help, a strategy to improve communities, makes people learn. Through continuous learning and training, people adapt to changes and address problems in their communities. Adult educators are to build inclusiveness, networks, attitudinal change, partnership and mobilization of self-help groups to restore vitality, make communities more vibrant and sustainable

Source: UG
Revitalizing self-help spirit in the communities: Are there roles for adult educators to play?

Self-help spirit which culminates into selfless services, voluntarism, and free labor by people in communities appears to be waning in Ghana. This free labor services provided by community members require revitalization. Adult educators have roles to play in revitalizing self-help spirit to build resilient communities., Questions to be addressed are: What is self-help in community development? Who are adult educators and what roles they play in reviving self-help spirit in the communities? This theoretical approach to literature review paper used a library research and adapted a critical literature review approach. It reviewed 30 out of the 60 documents on self help, adult educators, and community development. It was observed that self-help, a strategy to improve communities, makes people learn. Through continuous learning and training, people adapt to changes and address problems in their communities. Adult educators are to build inclusiveness, networks, attitudinal change, partnership and mobilization of self-help groups to restore vitality and make communities more vibrant and sustainable.

Source: UG
Revitalizing the Maori Language: Focus on Educational Reform

By the beginning of the last quarter of the twentieth century, it had become clear that the Māori language, which was intertwined with Māori culture, was in danger of dying out. The Government of New Zealand, in collaboration with Māori community leaders, invested considerable resources in efforts to revitalize Māori from the 1980s onwards. This study traces the linguistic experience of the Māori people over the period since their first contact with European explorers in 1769, the subsequent reduction of their language to writing, the introduction of a policy of assimilation in the nineteenth century, and reform to grant the language a deserved status in the educational system from the launch of Kōhanga Reo in 1982 till the declaration of the He Taonga Te Reo theme year in 1995 and the aftermath. The educational reform measures include the creation of hundreds of bilingual (Māori and English) schools. The successes of the reform measures as well as their weaknesses and problems are discussed from the standpoint of the Māori language revitalization effort.

Source: UG
Rheological properties, melting behaviours and physical quality characteristics of sugar-free chocolates processed using inulin/polydextrose bulking mixtures sweetened with stevia and thaumatin extracts

Demand for use of natural sweeteners and prebiotic compounds for manufacture of sugar-free chocolates has dramatically increased over the past decennium. However, their applicability in product formulation and how these will affect the flow (rheological) and physical quality characteristics still remains a big challenge. This study investigated the rheological properties, melting behaviours and other physical quality characteristics of sugar-free chocolates processed from inulin and polydextrose mixtures as bulking agents sweetened with stevia and thaumatin extracts. Standard reference chocolate was developed using sucrose and the effects of the inulin/polydextrose and stevia/thaumatin ingredients on the rheological properties, melting profiles, colour and hardness of the derived products measured using standard methods. Generally, the sugar-free chocolates showed similar flow (rheological) and melting properties as compared to the reference chocolate. Sucrose replacement with the inulin/polydextrose and stevia/thaumatin extracts resulted in significantly higher Casson viscosity. There were however no significant differences in the melting behaviour and texture of the sugar-free chocolates and the reference. Chocolates containing the sugar substitutes recorded lower onset temperatures and higher peak widths than the reference sample. Inulin and polydextrose mixtures could be used for sugar-free chocolate manufacture with satisfactory physicochemical properties when sweetened with stevia or thaumatin extracts. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Source: UG
Rhesus Negative Woman Transfused With Rhesus Positive Blood: Subsequent Normal Pregnancy Without Anti D production

Clinicians sometimes are confronted with the challenge of transfusing haemorrhaging Rhesus (Rh) D negative patients with Rh D positive blood to save their lives. There are concerns about alloimmunization and future haemolytic disease of the newborn in women of the reproductive age. Another fear is transfusion reaction if they receive another Rh D positive blood in future. We present a 32-year-old Rh D negative woman, who had postpartum haemorrhage in her first pregnancy and was transfused with Rh D positive blood because of unavailability of Rh D negative blood. She did not receive anti D immunoglobin but subsequently had a normal term pregnancy of an Rh positive fetus without any detectable anti D antibodies throughout the pregnancy. In life threatening situations from obstetric haemorrhage, transfusion of Rh D negative women with Rh D positive blood should be considered as the last resort.

Source: UG
Rheumatic Heart Disease Burden in Africa and the Need to Build Robust Infrastructure

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an important public health problem in Africa. Mapping the epidemiology of RHD in volves elucidating its geographic distribution, temporal trends, and demographic characteristics. The prevalence of RHD in Africa varies widely, with estimates ranging from 2.9 to 30.4 per 1,000 population. Factors contributing to this burden include limited access to health care, poverty, lack of research interest, and genetic fragility. Studies have highlighted differences in group A Streptococcus (GAS) incidence among different African countries, emphasizing the importance of effective monitoring and intervention strategies. RHD epidemiological mapping in Africa indicates regional differences and socioeconomic determinants. The high prevalence among females in most studies and among children underscores the urgency for targeted interventions. Diagnosing RHD in Africa faces challenges of inaccessibility of health facilities and trained personnel. Efforts to develop cost-effective and accessible diagnostic tools, such as mobile/portable echo cardiography machines, molecular biomarkers such as Tenascin-C and microRNA expression profile shows promise for accurate diagnosis of RHD, but their validation and utilization is limited due to resource constraints. Furthermore, lack of an effective licensed vaccine for GAS causes significant retardation in RHD control in Africa. Addressing the burden of RHD in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries requires robust RHD biomarkers and effective vaccines. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the landscape of RHD in Africa, covering the bacteri ology of GAS, the burden of GAS infections, exploring diagnostic avenues, challenges, and opportunities in RHD biomarkers, diagnosis, effective prevention strategies, and RHD management in Africa. (JACC Adv. 2024;3:101347) © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Source: UG
Rheumatic Heart Disease Burden in Africa and the Need to Build Robust Infrastructure.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an important public health problem in Africa. Mapping the epidemiology of RHD in volves elucidating its geographic distribution, temporal trends, and demographic characteristics. The prevalence of RHD in Africa varies widely, with estimates ranging from 2.9 to 30.4 per 1,000 population. Factors contributing to this burden include limited access to health care, poverty, lack of research interest, and genetic fragility. Studies have highlighted differences in group A Streptococcus (GAS) incidence among different African countries, emphasizing the importance of effective monitoring and intervention strategies. RHD epidemiological mapping in Africa indicates regional differences and socioeconomic determinants. The high prevalence among females in most studies and among children underscores the urgency for targeted interventions. Diagnosing RHD in Africa faces challenges of inaccessibility of health facilities and trained personnel. Efforts to develop cost-effective and accessible diagnostic tools, such as mobile/portable echo cardiography machines, molecular biomarkers such as Tenascin-C and microRNA expression profile shows promise for accurate diagnosis of RHD, but their validation and utilization is limited due to resource constraints. Furthermore, lack of an effective licensed vaccine for GAS causes significant retardation in RHD control in Africa. Addressing the burden of RHD in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries requires robust RHD biomarkers and effective vaccines. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the landscape of RHD in Africa, covering the bacteri ology of GAS, the burden of GAS infections, exploring diagnostic avenues, challenges, and opportunities in RHD biomarkers, diagnosis, effective prevention strategies, and RHD management in Africa. (JACC Adv. 2024;3:101347).

Source: UG
Rhodophyta seaweed species as bioindicators for monitoring toxic element pollutants in the marine ecosystem of Ghana.

Six seaweed species of the Rhodophyta family were sampled for atwo-year period from June 1996 to August 1998 along the Atlanticcoast of Ghana (part of the Atlantic Ocean). The species wereanalysed to determine the levels of eleven chemicalelements namely: Al, As, Br, Cd, Fe, La, Mn, Ni, Hg, V and Zn byInstrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Al, Br, Ni, andZn were measured in all the seaweed species studied. The elementAl generally showed the highest concentrations in most of thespecies analysed while Hg levels were the lowest. Precision andaccuracy of the method have been evaluated and the detectionlimits also calculated. The results showed high variability inand between species, among sampling sites and times ofcollection. The high values of metal concentrations in themacroalgae suggest that these marine organisms can be used asbiological indicators for studing marine pollution.

Source: UG
Riboceine and N-acetylcysteine protect normal prostate cells from chemotherapy-induced oxidative stress while selectively modulating the cytotoxicity of methotrexate and docetaxel in prostate (PC-3) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells

Background: Cancer chemotherapy often results in severe side effects due to its non-selective cytotoxicity toward rapidly dividing normal cells. These adverse effects are largely driven by oxidative stress resulting from elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Riboceine (RIB), a synthetic precursor of glutathione (GSH), and N- acetylcysteine (NAC), a clinically used antioxidant, hold promise in mitigating oxidative damage; however, their impact on chemotherapy efficacy and the molecular mechanisms involved remain incompletely understood. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the cytoprotective potential of RIB and NAC against methotrexate (MET)- and docetaxel (DOC)-induced toxicity in normal and cancer cells, and to explore mechanistic pathways using inte grative network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches. Methodology: Cytotoxic effects of MET and DOC, alone or in combination with RIB or NAC, were assessed in normal prostate epithelial (PNT-2), prostate cancer (PC3), and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines using the Resazurin assay. Intracellular ROS and GSH levels were quantified using DCF and OPA fluorescence assays, respectively. Network pharmacology, protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and molecular docking were conducted using Swis sTargetPrediction, STRING, ShinyGO, Cytoscape, and AutoDock Vina platforms. Results: MET and DOC showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity in PNT-2 and PC3 cells, but limited efficacy in chemo resistant MCF-7 cells. RIB and NAC significantly reduced ROS and restored GSH levels in PNT-2 cells, protecting them against oxidative injury. These antioxidants preserved anticancer effects in PC3 cells but reduced chemotherapy efficacy in MCF-7 cells, likely due to elevated redox buffering and transporter expression. Network analyses identified BCL-2, MAPK8, and SOD among key antioxidant and apoptotic targets. However, no direct experimental validation of these mechanisms was performed, and apoptotic markers such as Annexin V or caspase-3 were not assessed. Conclusion: RIB and NAC provide selective cytoprotection to normal prostate cells during chemotherapy while maintaining anticancer effects in sensitive prostate cancer cells. However, their concurrent use in resistant cancers like MCF-7 may reduce drug efficacy, warranting cautious clinical application. Time-shifted antioxidant administration (e.g., post-chemotherapy) could be explored as a strategy to balance protection and efficacy. Future studies should include in vivo validation, apoptosis profiling, and protein-level mechanistic assays to confirm the predicted pathways.

Source: UG
A Ricardian valuation of the impact of climate change on Nigerian cocoa production: Insight for adaptation policy

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relative importance of climate normals (average long-term temperature and precipitation) in explaining net farm revenue per hectare (NRh) for supplementary irrigated and rainfed cocoa farms in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach NRh was estimated for 280 cocoa farmers sampled across seven Nigerian states. It was regressed on climate, household socio-economic characteristics and other control variables by using a Ricardian analytical framework. Marginal calculations were used to isolate the effects of climate change (CC) on cocoa farm revenues under supplementary irrigated and rainfed conditions. Future impacts of CC were simulated using Six CORDEX regional climate model (RCM) ensemble between 2036-2065 and 2071-2100. Findings Results indicate high sensitivity of NRh to Nigerian climate normals depending on whether farms use supplementary irrigation. Average annual temperature increases and precipitation decreases are associated with NRh losses for rainfed farms and gains for supplementary irrigated cocoa farms. Projections of future CC impacts suggest a wide range of NRh outcomes on supplementary irrigated and rainfed farm revenues, demonstrating the importance of irrigation as an effective adaptation strategy in Nigeria. Originality/value This paper uses novel data sets for simulating future CC impacts on land values in Nigeria. CORDEX data constitute the most comprehensive RCMs projections available for Africa.

Source: UG
Rice Grain Cadmium Concentrations in the Global Supply‑Chain

One of cadmium’s major exposure routes to humans is through rice consumption. The concentrations of cadmium in the global polished (white), market rice supply-chain were assessed in 2270 samples, purchased from retailers across 32 countries, encompassing 6 continents. It was found on a global basis that East Africa had the lowest cadmium with a median for both Malawi and Tanzania at 4.9 μg/kg, an order of magnitude lower than the highest country, China with a median at 69.3 μg/ kg. The Americas were typically low in cadmium, but the Indian sub-continent was universally elevated. In particular certain regions of Bangladesh had high cadmium, that when combined with the high daily consumption rate of rice of that country, leads to high cadmium exposures. Concentrations of cadmium were compared to the European Standard for polished rice of 200 μg/kg and 5% of the global supply-chain exceeded this threshold. For the stricter standard of 40 μg/kg for processed infant foods, for which rice can comprise up to 100% by composition (such as rice porridges, puffed rice cereal and cakes), 25% of rice would not be suitable for making pure rice baby foods. Given that rice is also elevated in inorganic arsenic, the only region of the world where both inorganic arsenic and cadmium were low in grain was East Africa.

Source: UG
Rice price volatility and transmission: implications for food security in Ghana

This paper examines price volatility and transmission of rice markets in Ghana and draws implications for food security. Using monthly rice price data from From 2013 to 2019, the paper uses the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) with an Error Correction Model (ECM) to ascertain the availability and accessibility of rice, whilst the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model is considered to measure the stability of the commodity. The paper finds evidence of cointegration between the World and Ghana’s rice market. Findings confirm cointegration in Ghana’s regional markets for both imported and domestically produced rice. This ensures stable long-run relationship, allowing trade flows that guarantees rice availability. The corrections in short-run deviations of price ensure continuous accessibility of rice in the country. Estimates from the volatility model suggest high fluctuation in prices, implying stability in the prices of rice is an issue across all regional markets. The paper recommends efforts to increase domestic production to enhance availability and accessibility of rice. Stakeholders along the rice value chain should be encouraged to invest in competitive riceproduction. government should leverage rice prices with giant import countries to reduce the cost of importation for stable price on the market.

Source: UG
Rice seed integrity evaluation: Developing a rapid onsite system to check seed fraud using a portable NIR spectroscopic device coupled with smartphone technology

Rice seed integrity is critical in ensuring high yield and grain quality; however, seed fraud, particularly the misrepresentation of rice paddy (unhusked rice grain) as rice seed, is a growing concern that threatens sustainability efforts. This study investigates using a portable NIR spec troscopic device, combined with chemometric analysis, for rapid onsite identification of rice seed and paddy varieties for real-time verification of seed authenticity. A total of 280 rice samples, representing four varieties (Agra, Amankwatia, Legon 1, and Jasmine 85) across two categories (seeds and paddy), were analyzed. After applying various pre-processing techniques and prin cipal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant functions 1 and 2 successfully revealed distinct clustering patterns for both the varieties and categories (rice seed and paddy). Among the classification algorithms used, Random Forest (RF) achieved 100 % accuracy for rice seed identification and 97.38 % for paddy identification in the test sets. Support Vector Machine (SVM) demonstrated 98.15 % accuracy in distinguishing between rice seed and paddy for de tecting seed fraud. These results suggest that a portable NIR device can reliably perform varietal identification and seed authenticity checks within the agricultural value chain. This technology has significant potential for use by seed inspectors, farmers, and regulatory officers, offering a non-destructive, real-time solution for the rice industry.

Source: UG