ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Development of a low-cost solar-powered water supply system for small-scale drip irrigation farms in Sub-Saharan Africa: Dosing tank and bell siphon perspective

A substantial amount of work has been done concerning the use of siphons to automatically start and stop the discharge of fluid in many applications, except for application as a water supply system for smallholder drip irrigation systems. Thus, the main aim of this study was to develop a siphon apparatus and apply it to regulate the low-flow-rate water supply from a solar-powered pump as intermittent doses to pressurize small-scale drip irrigation farms in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A siphon apparatus was assembled from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and installed in a 210-L tank. A drip irrigation system covering an area of 500 m2 was connected to the tank containing the siphon, and water was lifted into the tank by a low-capacity 12-V pump that was powered by a 50-W solar panel. The siphon apparatus in the tank was tested over extended periods of time and was shown to work reliably and consistently by automatically and intermittently discharging water to pressurize the drip irrigation laterals, thus being able to irrigate while largely unattended. Test results showed that the inflow rate of 4.75 L min-1 successfully caused the siphon to start, and the average coefficient of discharge for the siphon was found to be 0.35. Results from water application uniformity tests calculated using the method established by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) showed average to good discharge uniformity from emitters. The setup cost of the system was USD 415, whereas the net farm income obtained by accounting for all variable costs and annualized capital cost of the irrigation setup was USD 69.We conclude that it should be fairly easy and economically feasible to adapt the dosing siphon, low-flow-rate pump, and solar panel to other small-scale drip irrigation systems that are currently being promoted in SSA. © 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Source: UG
Development of a malaria T-cell vaccine for blood stage immunity.

We have defined a strategy for the development of a T-cell vaccine for blood stage immunity, taking into consideration the central role of T cells and MHC restriction in malaria immune responses. We have used the AMPHI computer algorithm lo identify putative T-cell epitopes from conserved regions of 11 Plasmodium falciparum asexual stage proteins. Ten of the eleven proteins arc currently candidates for vaccine development. Using this algorithm we selected 22 putative T-cell epitope peptides und 8 control peptides. These peptides were used to test the T-cell responses of three defined populations of Caucasians who have (1) recovered from P. falciparum malaria. (2) been exposed, but never clinically infected, (3) never been exposed or infected. Preliminary analysis of our data shows population differences in T-tell responses to putative T-cell epitope peptides. Ultimately, these studies will help to identify those T epitopes that can be incorporated into a T-cell vaccine for protective immunity.

Source: UG
Development of a Method for Compliance Detection in Wearable Sensors

One of the crucial elements in studies relying on wearable sensors for quantification of human activities (like physical activity or food intake) is the assessment of wear time (compliance). In this paper, we propose a novel method based on the Automatic Ingestion Monitor v2 (AIM-2), deployed for measuring nutrient and energy intake. The proposed method was developed using data from a study of 30 participants for two days each (US dataset) and tested with an independent dataset (Ghana dataset) on 10 households (30 Participants, 3 days for each, a total of 90 days). The signals from the accelerometer sensor of the AIM-2 were used to extract features and train the gradient-boosting tree classifier. To reduce the error in the classification of non-compliance in situations where the sensor changes its position with respect to gravity, a two-stage classifier followed by post-processing was introduced. Previously, we developed an offline compliance classifier, and this work aimed to develop a classifier for a cloud-based feedback system. The accuracy and F1-score of the developed two-phase classifier based on K-fold validation for the training and validation dataset were 95.37% and 96.93%, and for the Ghana dataset, were 95.86% and 92.56%, respectively, showing satisfactory performance results. The trained classifier can be deployed to monitor compliance with device wear in real-time applications.

Source: UG
Development of a microtiter plate hybridization-based PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for identification of clinically relevant human group A rotavirus G and P genotypes

The main research focus of the Electron Microscopy and Histopathology Department in the past 20 years has been in the areas of enteric diarrhoeas with special emphasis on rotavirus. Through its diarrhoea surveillance studies, the Department has helped to firmly establish rotaviruses as a major cause of diarrhoea in children, and document the circulation of unusual rotavirus genotypes in Ghana. The Department has also recently expanded its diagnostic repertoire to include the identification and characterization of noroviruses, astroviruses, and other enteric viruses.

Source: UG
Development of a Mobile Application Platform for Self Management of Obesity Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Obesity is a major global health challenge and a risk factor for the leading causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several types of cancer. Attempts to manage and regulate obesity have led to the implementation of various dietary regulatory initiatives to provide information on the calorie contents of meals. Although knowledge of the calorie content is useful for meal planning, it is not sufficient as other factors, including health status (diabetes, hypertension, etc.) and level of physical activity, are essential in the decision process for obesity management. In this work, we present an artificial intelligence- (AI-) based application that is driven by a genetic algorithm (GA) as a potential tool for tracking a user’s energy balance and predicting possible calorie intake required to meet daily calorie needs for obesity management. The algorithm takes the users’ input information on desired foods which are selected from a database and extracted records of users on cholesterol level, diabetes status, and level of physical activity, to predict possible meals required to meet the users need. The micro- and macronutrients of food content are used for the computation and prediction of the potential foods required to meet the daily calorie needs. The functionality and performance of the model were tested using a sample of 30 volunteers from the University of Ghana. Results revealed that the model was able to predict both glycemic and non-glycemic foods based on the condition of the user as well as the macro- and micronutrients requirements. Moreover, the system is able to adequately track the progress of the user’s weight loss over time, daily nutritional needs, daily calorie intake, and predictions of meals that must be taken to avoid compromising their health. The proposed system can serve as a useful resource for individuals, dieticians, and other health management personnel for managing obesity, patients, and for training students in fields of dietetics and consumer science.

Source: UG
Development of a proteochemometric-based support vector machine model for predicting bioactive molecules of tubulin receptors

Microtubules are receiving enormous interest in drug discovery due to the important roles they play in cellular functions. Targeting tubulin polymerization presents an excellent opportunity for the development of anti-tubulin drugs. Drug resistance and high toxicity of currently used tubulin-binding agents have necessitated the pursuit of novel drug candidates with increased therapeutic potency. The design of novel drug candidates can be achieved using efficient computational techniques to support existing efforts. Proteochemometric (PCM) modeling is a computational technique that can be employed to elucidate the bioactivity relations between related targets and multiple ligands. We have developed a PCM-based Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach for predicting the bioactivity between tubulin receptors and small, drug-like molecules. The bioactivity datasets used for training the SVM algorithm were obtained from the Binding DB database. The SVM-based PCM model yielded a good overall predictive performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 87%, Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 72%, overall accuracy of 93%, and a classification error of 7%. The algorithm allows the prediction of the likelihood of new interactions based on confidence scores between the query datasets, comprising ligands in SMILES format and protein sequences of tubulin targets. The algorithm has been implemented as a web server known as TubPred, accessible via http://35.167.90.225:5000/.

Source: UG
The development of a scale measuring consumers' selection of retail banks in Ghana

Ghana, one of the fastest growing liberalized developing economies in Africa, has, in recent years, established a nationwide rural bank system and has witnessed an increase in the entry of foreign retail banks. Although there are increased activities and interest about bank offerings and bank-customer relationships in Ghana (Dadzie, Akaah, and Dunson, 1989), to date, researchers have overlooked the factors underpinning consumers' selection criteria of retail banks in Ghana (Owusu-Frimpong, 1999). This exploratory research complements extant studies on retail bank selection by developing a scale providing insights into consumers' selection of retail banks in Ghana. The results identify three key factors, namely, "competence," "recommendation by parents," and "free banking/no bank charges" that are important in the decisions and selection of retail banks. The reliability and validity of the scale were assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Conclusions, managerial implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Source: UG
Development of a standard phantom for diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging quality control studies: A review

Various materials and compounds have been used in the design of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW MRI) phantoms to mimic biological tissue properties, including diffusion. This review thus provides an overview of the preparations of the various DW-MRI phantoms available in relation to the limitations and strengths of materials/solutions used to fill them. The narrative review conducted from relevant databases shows that synthesizing all relevant compounds from individual liquids, gels, and solutions based on their identified strengths could contribute to the development of a novel multifunctional DW-MRI phantom. The proposed multifunctional material at varied concentrations, when filled into a multi-compartment Perspex container of cylindrical or spherical geometry, could serve as a standard DW-MRI phantom. The standard multifunctional phantom could potentially provide DW-MRI quality control test parameters in one study session

Source: UG
Development of a temperature-switch PCR-based SNP typing method for mycobacterium ulcerans

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
Development of an Afordable ELISA Targeting the SARS‑CoV‑2 Nucleocapsid and Its Application to Samples from the Ongoing COVID‑19 Epidemic in Ghana

Introduction The true nature of the population spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in populations is often not fully known as most cases, particularly in Africa, are asymptomatic. Finding the true magnitude of SARS-CoV-2 spread is crucial to provide actionable data about the epidemiological progress of the disease for researchers and policymakers. This study developed and optimized an antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant nucleocapsid antigen expressed in-house using a simple bacterial expression system. Methods Nucleocapsid protein from SARS-CoV-2 was expressed and purifed from Escherichia coli. Plasma samples used for the assay development were obtained from Ghanaian SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals during the pandemic, while seronegative controls were plasma samples collected from blood donors before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Another set of seronegative controls was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Antibody detection and levels within the samples were validated using commercial kits and Luminex. Analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism, and the sensitivity, specificity and background cut-of were calculated. Results and Discussion This low-cost ELISA (£0.96/test) assay has a high prediction of 98.9%, and sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 99%, respectively. The assay was subsequently used to screen plasma from SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR-positive Gha naians. The assay showed no signifcant diference in nucleocapsid antibody levels between symptomatic and asymptomatic, with an increase of the levels over time. This is in line with our previous publication. Conclusion This study developed a low-cost and transferable assay that enables highly sensitive and specific detection of human anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. This assay can be modified to include additional antigens and used for continuous monitoring of sero-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in West Africa

Source: UG
Development of an algorithm for automatic detection of oil slicks from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery in the Gulf of Guinea

Pollution in the marine environment caused by oil spills is of great concern to coastal states due to its ecological, environmental and socio-economic impacts. The main objective of this research was to develop an adaptive oil spill detection algorithm for the Gulf of Guinea, and to estimate the location and spatial extent of oil slick in an acquired SAR imagery. The relevance of the use of space borne data for oil slick monitoring is evident in increased vessel traffic and oil drilling activities off the coast of West Africa. Image processing of acquired SAR image of the region involved the application of a median filter, local thresholding, classification, area calculation, and location extraction. Two dark spots were classified as slicks on Radarsat-2 imagery acquired on 18 May, 2008. The information derived from this research is essential for automatic processing and future implementation of oil slick detection and monitoring programme in the Gulf of Guinea. © 2012 IEEE.

Source: UG
Development of an algorithm to predict coastal buoy temperature from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)

Elizabeth City State University currently operates a TeraScan Grounding station capable of receiving and processing imagery data collected by satellites managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The imagery received in the Infrared spectrum both measures sea surface temperatures and cloud cover for the eastern coast of North Carolina. Once the data sets were collected, they were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance methodology and regression. Strong correlations were observed during the AVHRR-Buoy comparison for two of the three areas under the study. The NOAA-16 AVHRR SST emerged as the most consistent with the insitu data from the ORIN7 Buoy. This was due to its high coefficient of determination. © 2012 IEEE.

Source: UG
Development of an integrated and decentralised skin health strategy to improve experiences of skin neglected tropical diseases and other skin conditions in Atwima Mponua District, Ghana

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Development Of Appropriate In Vivo Technique For Rapid Field Multiplication Of Plantain (Musa Aab) Using Coconut (Cocos Nucifera L.) Water And Indole-3-Acetic Acid

Plantain production in Ghana is challenged by inadequate healthy and uniform-sized planting materials for cultivation. In vitro and rapid field multiplication techniques of plantains have been developed to overcome the problem of obtaining many vigorous and uniform suckers free from pests and diseases. However, in vitro techniques require expensive equipment and expertise that are unavailable to most plantain farmers in Ghana. Therefore, an appropriate and inexpensive technique has to be developed in vivo to increase the multiplication rate of plantain planting materials. This study investigated the effects of coconut water (CW) alone or in combination with varying concentrations of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) on axillary bud initiation, growth, and development of plantain (cv. Asamienu). Coconut water from fully matured dried fruits (13 months old) was supplemented with three different indole-3-acetic acid concentrations, 10-4 M, 10-3 M, and 10-2 M to produce five different coconut water: IAA ratios (v:v), viz: 8:0, 6:2, 4:4, 2:6, 0:8. Distilled water was used as control. These treatment solutions were then injected into the base of developing suckers of plantain. Three weeks after injection treatments, the highest number of well-differentiated buds was obtained from 2 ml of coconut water and 6 ml of 10-2 M IAA (2:6 ratio). Eight ml of coconut water alone (8:0 ratio) also produced the highest number of fully differentiated plantlets. One month after the application of the bud manipulation technique, the highest number of additional well-differentiated axillary buds and fully developed plantlets were produced with 2 ml coconut water plus 6 ml 10-2 M IAA and 4 ml coconut water plus 4 ml 10-2 M IAA, respectively. The study generally showed that treatments with coconut water from fully matured dried fruits alone produced the largest and the most vigorously growing plantlets. On the other hand, coconut water from fully matured dried fruit combined with IAA induced significant proliferation of axillary bud and shoot formation of plantain significantly over the control treatment. These findings demonstrated the potential of using coconut water from fully matured dried fruits alone or in combination with IAA at ratios of (2:6) and (4:4) to improve the multiplication rate of plantain planting materials.

Source: UG
Development of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) on five varieties of Bambara groundnut, Vignasubterranea (L.) Verdcourt, in Ghana

The development of Callosobruchus maculates Fab. on five varieties (Botosinkpila, Sinkpikara, Sinkpibia, Sinkpipiela and Sinkpisabla) of stored bambara groundnut (Vignasubterranea(L.) Verdcourt) seeds wasassessed in the laboratory, under fluctuating temperature and relative humidity of 25.3 to 30.3 oCand 26.7 to75% R.H. Fifteen grammes(15 g) of seeds of each variety treatment were weighed separately into 500 ml bottles and infested with four pairs (male and female) of 0-48 hrs old adult beetles. Each treatment was replicated 5 times. The number of adults that emerged from eggs was lower than the number of eggs laid on seeds of each variety. However, the emerging progenies were on average much lower in the resistant varieties relative to the susceptible ones. Varieties Sinkpibia, Sinkpipiela and Sinkpisabla were relatively susceptible to infestation bythe beetle. Higher numbers of adults emerged from these seeds. The susceptible varieties also suffered more than 50% weight loss after 3 months of storage. Their susceptibility index values ranged from 13-14. Botosinkpila and Sinkpikara varieties produced relatively fewer adults which caused less than 50% weight loss. Susceptibility indices of 12•13 were recorded for these and suggest them to be moderately resistant or tolerant to attack. The two resistant varieties had hard seed coats, with seed coat force values greater than 20 Newton (N) as compared to the soft in the susceptible varieties which had force values of less than 20 N. The significance of these findings to the resource-poor subsistence farmers is discussed

Source: UG
The development of cardiac surgery in West Africa - the case of Ghana.

West Africa is one of the poorest regions of the world. The sixteen nations listed by the United Nations in this sub-region have some of the lowest gross domestic products in the world. Health care infrastructure is deficient in most of these countries. Cardiac surgery, with its heavy financial outlay is unavailable in many West African countries. These facts notwithstanding, some West African countries have a proud history of open heart surgery not very well known even in African health care circles. Many African health care givers are under the erroneous impression that the cardiovascular surgical landscape of West Africa is blank. However, documented reports of open-heart surgery in Ghana dates as far back as 1964 when surface cooling was used by Ghanaian surgeons to close atrial septal defects. Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center is still very active and is accredited by the West African College of Surgeons for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons. Reports from Nigeria indicate openheart surgery taking place from 1974. Cote D'Ivoire had reported on its first 300 open-heart cases by 1983. Senegal reported open-heart surgery from 1995 and still runs an active center. Cameroon started out in 2009 with work done by an Italian group that ultimately aims to train indigenous surgeons to run the program. This review traces the development and current state of cardiothoracic surgery in West Africa with Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center as the reference. It aims to dispel the notion that there are no major active cardiothoracic centers in the West African sub-region.

Source: UG
Development of Cooperative Primer-Based Real-Time PCR Assays for the Detection of Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale

Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale are increasingly gaining public health attention as the global transmission of falciparum malaria is decreasing. However, the absence of reliable Plasmodium species-specific detection tools has hampered accurate diagnosis of these minor Plasmodium species. In this study, SYBR Greenebased real-time PCR assays were developed for the detection of P. malariae and P. ovale using cooperative primers that significantly limit the formation and propagation of primersdimers. Both the P. malariae and P. ovale cooperative primer-based assays had at least 10-fold lower detection limit compared with the corresponding conventional primer-based assays. More important, the cooperative primer-based assays were evaluated in a cross-sectional study using 560 samples obtained from two health facilities in Ghana. The prevalence rates of P. malariae and P. ovale among the combined study population were 18.6% (104/560) and 5.5% (31/560), respectively. Among the Plasmodium-positive cases, P. malariae and P. ovale mono-infections were 3.6% (18/499) and 1.0% (5/ 499), respectively, with the remaining being co-infections with Plasmodium falciparum. The study demonstrates the public health importance of including detection tools with lower detection limits in routine diagnosis and surveillance of nonfalciparum species. This will be necessary for comprehensively assessing the effectiveness of malaria interventions and control measures aimed toward global malaria elimination. (

Source: UG