ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Differential Patterns of IgG Subclass Responses to Plasmodium falciparum Antigens in Relation to Malaria Protection and RTS,S Vaccination

The Department of Immunology conducts research in the field of immunology of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department has the overall goal of contributing knowledge to better diagnosis, management, control and prevention of infectious and non-infectious diseases in Ghana and worldwide. This is consistent with the overall strategy of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and in line with the strategy of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana.

Source: UG
Differential thermopower of a CNT chiral carbon nanotube

The differential thermopower of a chiral carbon nanotube (CNT) was calculated using a tractable analytical approach. We obtained an expression for the electrical conductivity σ and the thermopower α. The results were numerically analysed. We noted from the values of α that the material can behave as a semimetal, n-type semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor, depending on the parameters of the CNT. We propose the use of the CNT as a thermoelement.

Source: UG
Differentiating oil palm plantations from natural forest to improve land cover mapping in Ghana

Tree crops like oil palm present a unique challenge in land cover mapping, as they are often misclassified as natural forest. The area cultivated with oil palm in Ghana has rapidly expanded since 2000, and production is expected to continue to increase. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite data was used as inputs to a random forest classifier in Google Earth Engine to map mature, closed-canopy oil palm extent in 2019 of a Ghana study area that includes both industrial plantations and smallholders. The combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 bands and derived indices outperformed either satellite alone for mapping industrial oil palm (90.3% overall ac curacy). A separate accuracy assessment for this combined input approach demonstrated high accuracy mapping smallholders as well (80.4% overall accuracy), a key challenge in the West African context. To validate these findings, results were compared with available production information and a global oil palm remote sensing product. The resulting map can inform sustainable oil palm efforts in Ghana, which is understudied in current oil palm remote sensing literature, and the methodology provides an example for future studies of oil palm sourcing areas using only publicly available data.

Source: UG
Differentiating oil palm plantations from natural forest to improve land cover mapping in Ghana

Tree crops like oil palm present a unique challenge in land cover mapping, as they are often misclassified as natural forest. The area cultivated with oil palm in Ghana has rapidly expanded since 2000, and production is expected to continue to increase. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite data was used as inputs to a random forest classifier in Google Earth Engine to map mature, closed-canopy oil palm extent in 2019 of a Ghana study area that includes both industrial plantations and smallholders. The combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 bands and derived indices outperformed either satellite alone for mapping industrial oil palm (90.3% overall accuracy). A separate accuracy assessment for this combined input approach demonstrated high accuracy mapping smallholders as well (80.4% overall accuracy), a key challenge in the West African context. To validate these findings, results were compared with available production information and a global oil palm remote sensing product. The resulting map can inform sustainable oil palm efforts in Ghana, which is understudied in current oil palm remote sensing literature, and the methodology provides an example for future studies of oil palm sourcing areas using only publicly available data.

Source: UG
Differing effects of nonesterified fatty acids and phospholipids on intraerythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum in serum-free medium

Different combinations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) had variable effects on intraerythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum. All stages of the parasite cultured in medium supplemented with cis-9-octadecenoic acid (C18:1-cis-9), hexadecanoic acid (C16:0), phospholipids (Pld) and bovine albumin free of NEFA were similar to those grown in complete growth medium. Three typical growth patterns indicating suppressed schizogony (SS), suppressed formation of merozoites (SMF), and inhibited invasion of merozoites (IMI) resulted from culture in other combinations of lipids. Unsaturated or saturated NEFA with longer or shorter carbon chains than C18:1-cis-9 or C16:0, higher degree of unsaturation, and trans-forms mainly resulted in SS and SMF effects. However, IMI or partial IMI was observed with tetradecanoic acid or octadecanoic acid enriched with C18:1-cis-9, and cis-9-hexadecenoic acid plus C16:0. Isoforms of C18:1-cis-9 also mainly resulted in partial IMI. SMF also occurred with C18:1-cis-9 plus C16:0 in the absence of Pld. Thus different NEFA exerted distinct roles in erythrocytic growth of the parasite by sustaining development at different stages

Source: UG
Digital business ecosystem: Literature review and a framework for future research

Digital innovation has radically changed how organisations collaborate and compete. Coupled with this change are new collaborative value creation networks such as digital business ecosystems (DBEs). DBE is a socio-technical network of individuals, organisations and technologies that collectively co-create value. Since the emergence of DBE over a decade ago, there have been limited attempts to critically review and synthesise the body of knowledge presented over the years. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to fill this gap in DBE research by: (1) developing a comprehensive framework that synthesises and provides an overall direction of DBE research; (2) pointing out gaps in DBE literature; and (3) providing future research directions. To address this purpose, we systematically analysed 101 research articles on DBE. The findings provide insightful revelations to address some limitations in the current DBE research. As such, this study makes important contributions and serves as a useful resource for future DBE studies and practice.

Source: UG
Digital cities and villages: African writers and a sense of place in short online fiction

This article analyses how young African writers challenge stereotypes about the continent through their imagination of places in online short stories. These stories appear on the literary websites Brittle Paper, Jalada, Saraba, Flash Fiction Ghana, Adda and African Writer Magazine, with a focus on cities and villages. Authored by ten writers from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi and Egypt, the stories contain elements of fiction that risk perpetuating negative stereotypes about Africa as they imagine their respective settings. However, textual analysis supported by an appreciation of context reveals how the writers use these stereotypes as basis to craft strong African narratives. By doing so, the writers emphasize the effect that places have on characters, theme, setting and the image of Africa. Ultimately, the roles that urban and rural spaces play in online fiction are multifaceted and enhance the African narrative in complex ways

Source: UG
Digital content marketing and consumer brand engagement on social media- do influencers’ brand content moderate the relationship?

Digital content marketing (DCM) has been found to be effective in engaging consumers with brands, particularly on social media. Complementing DCM pursuits with social media influencers’ (SMIs) brand content can further enhance the ameliorating results. This study aimed to empirically assess DCM’s relationship with consumer brand engagement on social media and how SMI’s brand content moderates this relationship. Through a quantitative approach, the empirical data was purposefully collected from 1022 respondents via a web-based survey questionnaire. The findings indicate that DCM campaigns with information, entertainment, commercial and emotional focus have positive relationships with consumer brand engagement, except when DCM campaigns have negative emotional elements. Moreover, the brand content of SMIs significantly moderates the relationship between DCM elements and brand engagement. However, DCM campaigns with negative emotional elements have a negative relationship on brand engagement when SMI is a moderator. This study is significant as it empirically tests the interplay among DCM, SMIs, and brand engagement on social media, contributing to the literature on this topic.

Source: UG
Digital Device Ownership and Learning Environment Preferences of Students in South Africa and Ghana

This paper explores differences in access to technology and configuration of preferences for learning environments among design students in two universities of technology in South Africa (ISA) and Ghana (IG). Laptops and Smartphones ownership influenced and supported design students’ learning. In IG, there was a 97% Laptop ownership as against 69% in ISA. IG does not have computer laboratories; hence Laptop ownership is a pre requirement for Design programs. Oppositely, ISA has fourteen computer laboratories for Design programs. There is no statistically significant difference between male and female design students in their choice of learning environments for academic success. Design students are not enthusiastic about accessing library resources via handheld devices. Towards academic success, students ranked low, their institutions’ Learning Management Systems. We recommend a blended approach when designing learning environments for Design Education, while promoting the use of media platforms for content management due to device ownership among students.

Source: UG
Digital Dissemination of Neo-Prophetic Theologies in Ghana: Societal Impact and Challenges in the Age of Social Media.

Social media has become a primary platform for the spread of Neo-Prophetic theologies, particularly within Ghana’s Pentecostal movement. Through a qualitative research approach, this study examines how contemporary Ghanaian prophetic ministries affect religious behaviours and become integrated into society. The online Neo-Prophetic content frequently features prosperity gospel, spiritual warfare narratives, and extraordinarily sensational prophecies. Data was collected through group and individual interviews, participant observation, and analysis of content on Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram across a variety of participants from Christian traditions. The results show a significant impact on the worldviews, behaviours, and decision-making of believers. While some prophetic leaders exploit their followers economically and psychologically, many adherents reported finding spiritual fulfilment within these ministries. The potential fallout from the digital revolution within prophetic recognition creates both potentially enriching and potentially harmful pathways in personal spirituality. Government agencies and civil society organisations, among others, have devised countermeasures in the form of public education campaigns and legislative action to help assess religious content on social media. The study recommends integrating media literacy and critical thinking in Ghanaian schools’ curricula, strengthening the regulatory framework and enforcement, and fostering interfaith dialogue and community engagement would go a long way to minimise the impact of these Neo-Prophetic theologies. The study contributes to a scholarly understanding of the intersection of religion and technology, media studies in religious contexts, the Pentecostal and charismatic movements in Ghana, and contemporary Ghanaian Christianity.

Source: UG
Digital economy, financial development and energy transition in Africa: Exploring for synergies and nonlinearities

The transition to sustainable energy for all is a crucial aspect of the sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 7, which underscores the need for clean and affordable energy. This requires the development of digital infrastructure and a strong financial system. As a result, this study contributes to knowledge by exploring the synergies and nonlinear effects of the digital economy and financial development on renewable energy, which remains underexplored. To this effect, this study recruits the dynamic panel threshold and the generalised method of moments estimations to evaluate the linear, synergies and nonlinearities among these factors using a panel of forty-seven African countries. The key empirical results are stated as follows: (1) renewable energy is positively impacted by the digital economy; (2) the impact of the digital economy on renewable energy is moderated by financial development. This suggests that to ensure the propelling effect of the digital economy on renewable energy, there is a need for a stable and robust financial system; and (3) the study further found nonlinear effects of the digital economy and financial development on renewable energy, which takes a U-shaped relationship, implying that low level of digitalisation and financial development may hinder the transition to renewable energy, while high levels of these factors are essential to expedite the transition to a more sustainable energy system. Hence, African countries must embrace digitalisation and commit significant financial resources to developing their digital infrastructure to facilitate the achievement of the net zero agenda.

Source: UG
Digital Entrepreneurship in Business Enterprises: A Systematic Review

This study systematically reviews extant contemporary literature on digital entrepreneurship in peer-reviewed journal articles over six years (2013– 2018) from six journal databases. It involved a systematic literature review of 101 papers from 53 journals focusing on the publication outlets, yearly trends, themes, and associated theoretical and conceptual approaches, methodologies, sources and geographical distribution of digital entrepreneurship research. The findings suggest that extant literature mostly lacked sound theoretical underpinnings. More work adopting appropriate and proven theoretical approaches is needed. Most of the reviewed papers also focused mainly on issues relating to the technology itself than those relating to the enterprise or the entrepreneur. The capabilities and capacities of enterprises, as well as the strategies in implementing digital technologies and harnessing the opportunities of digitalization, are key issues that have not hitherto received much attention. The study contributes to the understanding of the conceptualization of the digital entrepreneurship phenomenon. Future research should consolidate the understanding of the field, with models and frameworks that recognize digital entrepreneurship as an academic research field in its own right, and also consider the impact of enterprise capabilities and capacities on digital entrepreneurship.

Source: UG
Digital financial inclusion and inclusive development in lower middle-income countries: the enabling role of institutional quality

Purpose – This study aims to explore how institutional quality links digital financial inclusion to inclusive development in lower-middle-income countries, considering heterogeneities. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses dynamic generalized method of moments to analyze a balanced panel data set of 48 lower-middle- income countries (LMICs) from 2004 to 2022, sourced from various databases. It assesses four variables and conducts checks for study robustness. Findings – The study reveals a positive link between digital financial inclusion and inclusive development in LMICs, confirming theoretical predictions. Empirically, nations with quality institutions exhibit greater financial and developmental inclusion than those with weak institutions, emphasizing the substantial positive impact of institutional quality on the connection between digital financial inclusion and inclusive development in LMICs. For instance, the interaction effect reveals a substantial increase of 0.123 in inclusive development for every unit increase in digital financial inclusion in the presence of strong institutions. The findings provide robust empirical evidence that the presence of quality institutions is a key catalyst for the benefits of digital finance in inclusive development. Originality/value – This study offers insights into digital financial inclusion and inclusive development in LMICs. It confirms a positive relationship between digital financial inclusion and inclusive development, highlighting the pivotal role of institutional quality in amplifying these benefits. Strong institutions benefit deprived individuals, families, communities and businesses, enabling full access to digital financial inclusion benefits. This facilitates engagement in development processes, aiding LMICs in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: UG
Digital financial inclusion and income inequality in WAEMU: What causality for what heterogeneity?

In developing countries, economic inequality is attracting considerable attention. Many factors, including financial exclusion, are key in explaining income gap in developing countries. This paper examines the effect of access to financial services through digital technologies to address income inequality. Using data from the World Development Indicator (WDI), the Central Bank of West Africa States (BCEAO) and the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID), we estimated a pooled means group estimation (PMGE) and a dynamic fixed effect (DFE) as a robustness test. The results indicate that digital financial inclusion leads to a decrease in income inequality. In the long run, there is a negative and significant effect of digital financial inclusion on inequality. The Short-run results evidenced more of the heterogeneity effect of digital financial inclusion in WAEMU countries due to the diversity, inconclusiveness, and contradictory results of the effect of DFI on inequality.

Source: UG
Digital inclusivity: exploring e-government use among businesses in Ghana

Purpose – Electronic government (e-government) initiatives are critical in bringing about transparency, accessibility and efficiency in public service delivery. Drawing upon e-government literature and the political system theory, this paper aims into the challenges faced by businesses in using e-government applications and how the implementation of e-government can be improved. Design/methodology/approach – Using a qualitative research method, data was gathered through in-depth interviews with top executives of businesses in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings – This study reveals that uneven access to digital technology, security concerns and resistance to change are the main challenges hampering the use of e-government applications by the business sector. Furthermore, this study identifies opportunities for facilitating the implementation of e-government including seeking for feedback from the business community, benchmarking and monitoring and collaboration among government agencies. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the challenge of digital divide, which hinders the full realization of the benefits of e-government services for the business sector. Policymakers need to prioritize e-government programs that bridge the gap by way of improving internet connectivity, digital literacy and access to technology. Policymakers should embark on targeted infrastructure development, information, communication and technology training and programs to advance adoption of the e-government among underserved business communities. Practical implications – Government agencies must conduct training programs on digital skills and cyber security for businesses. In addition, businesses should introduce change management initiatives that promote culture of ingenuity and flexibility. Originality/value – This study contributes to the filling the dearth of knowledge on the discourse on e-government adoption in developing economies, particularly in the context of business to government e-government model.

Source: UG
Digital infrastructure for port container handling and success or failure of stakeholders’ goals: A case study of Ghana

The purpose of this study is to understand the use of digital infrastructure for port container handling and success or failure of stakeholders’ goals. Information Systems (IS) research on digital infrastructure has focused more on health, telecommunication, government, and manufacturing and less on port container handling. IS literature on DI has focused more on e-health, e-government, e-commerce as well as different industries and platforms and less on the use of DI and success or failure of stakeholder goals. To address this gap, we employed affordance theory as an analytical lens and qualitative, interpretive case study as a methodology to investigate the use of digital infrastructure for port container handling in Ghana. The findings show how digital infrastructure conditions success or failure of stakeholder goals. The findings also have implications for research, practice, and policy. This paper contributes to the emerging literature stream on digital infrastructures. The originality of the paper lies in its focus on the use of port container handling systems as a significant IS research phenomenon

Source: UG
Digital Innovation and Taxi Services: The Case of Uru in Ghana

The purpose of this study is to understand how ridesharing as a form of digital innovation in taxi services creates affordances and constraints for riders and drivers in a developing country. Extant studies on digital innovation and taxi services primarily have focused on digital innovation for ridesharing in the taxi industry. However, less is known about how digital innovation for ridesharing in taxi services creates affordances and constraints for drivers and riders. This study, therefore, follows an interpretive case study as a methodology and affordance theory as a lens to understand ridesharing in Ghana. The findings show three digital technology affordances that cause riders and drivers to use digital innovation in taxi services for ridesharing. These are security affordance with riders and drivers background information, automatic billing affordance for affordable transportation, and ubiquitous service affordance with anywhere and anytime service in the cities. The study finally provides concluding thoughts.

Source: UG
Digital platformisation as public sector transformation strategy: A case of Ghana's paperless port

Public sector organisations around the world are deploying digital platforms as part of their transformational strategy. However, prior research has predominantly focused on developed economies with stable institutional environments, while limited studies exist on less developed economies. Notwithstanding the digital divide, in stitutional voids, economic and development challenges facing less developed economies, digital platformisation as a strategy is fuelling technology leapfrogging in public sector transformation. Drawing on a case study of Ghana's paperless port digital transformation and the technology affordance theory, we address the research question: “How can digital platformisation facilitate public sector transformation?” Based on the findings and the technology affordance theory, this study develops a transformational affordance framework (TAF) and offers propositions on how digital platforms can enable public sector transformation.

Source: UG