ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Effects of trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and interferential current on pain threshold in cold induced pain among apparently healthy subjects

Purpose: Studies on the relative efficacy of Interferential Current (IFC) and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is still inconclusive. This study compared the pain threshold of IFC and TENS on experimental cold induced pain among apparently healthy volunteers. Materials and methods: The subjects were 60 consented apparently healthy individuals (30 males, 30 females). Their age ranged between 20 and 25 years with mean age of 23.1±1.49. Subjects were randomly assigned into any of the 3 groups (IFC, TENS or Placebo). An Enraf-Nonius Endomed 582 ID electrical stimulator was used to generate TENS or IFC. The placebo group did not receive stimulation via a connected dummy stimulator. Stimulation was done on the forearm of the subjects while the hand was deep into cold water maintained at 0°C. The duration of time that the subjects could tolerate the pain and self reported pain intensity were outcome measures. Results: The results revealed no statistical significance in pain intensity among the three groups (F=1.18; p>0.05). Similarly, the pain threshold among the three groups showed no significant difference (F=1.36; p>0.05). Conclusion: No significant difference was found in the pain threshold and pain intensity using either TENS or IFC or placebo on cold induced pain among apparently normal volunteers.

Source: UG
The Effects of Transnational Movement of Nomadic Herdsmen on the Activities of Settled Farmer Communities in Ghana.

The study focuses on the activities of trans-national nomadic herdsmen, principally, how these activities affect settled communities. The study employs interviews and identifies the trends and movement patterns of transnational nomads. These movements usually occur in the months of December and January, that is the period of the arrival of the herder, and during June and July, which mark the return movements of the herder. These movements occasion some relationships with settled communities, which are both mutually beneficial and sometimes contentious. Various contentious relationships have had their triggers, which have been grouped into immediate and remote causes. The study identifies that the common cause of conflict between the settled farmers and the transnational herders often has to do with competition for resource use along the valleys of the Sissili River, which have seen significant expansions of commercial farms. The study further noted that the relationship between the settled communities and the transnational nomads have had a long-standing peaceful relationship which allowed for the settlement of some herders. The assessment of the peaceful relation between the settled communities revealed that, in conflict situations, the roles of the traditional authorities are significantly used for the resolution. It was noted that these institutions have worked to put measures that ensured the passage of transnational herdsmen through the study area and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Some of these strategies and measures are the basis upon which this study recommends the use of traditional setups for the peaceful resolution of disputes instead of the supra-community policies, which often do not consider the local dynamics of the conflict. The study identifies its limitation with respect to time, space and resources and recommends a longitudinal research into the problem since that would allow for a study into the various facets of the socio-cultural dynamics of the problem. It also recommends that state policies towards dealing with conflicts between transnational herdsmen and settled farmers should adopt a bottom up approach to allow for an understanding into the local socio-cultural dynamics of the groups relationship.

Source: UG
Effects of trauma mattress on dose and image quality of paediatric whole-body computed tomography examinations

Background Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) is the preferred first line investigation for patients with suspected multiple traumas. To decrease the potential for increased spinal injury, bearing devices, including trauma mattress, are recommended for adequate spine immobilisation. This study assesses the effect of trauma mattress on the dose and image quality of WBCT examinations. Methods This was a phantom-based experimental study. Two different paediatric whole-body anthropomorphic phantoms from Kyoto Kagaku were used: newborn (PBU-80) and 5-year-old (PBU-70). Optimised WBCT protocols were scanned with and without a trauma mattress. The effective dose (ED) from each protocol was estimated from CT-Expo software and from the product of the dose length product and dose conversion coefficient (DLP-E(k)) methods, while image quality was assessed subjectively and objectively. Results The use of trauma mattress increased the mean ED and decreased the SNR of the 5-year-old phantom examinations by 7.0% (p = 0.776) and 21.4% (p = 0.194) respectively. In contrast, there was a 43.9% increase in ED (p = 0.019) and a 16.5% decrease in SNR (p = 0.221) when trauma mattress was used for the newborn phantom examinations. The differences in the mean ED from CT-Expo and the DLP-E (k) were not statistically significant (p = 0.258 and 0.278 for newborn and 5-year-old phantoms, respectively). The median organ doses estimated from all examinations performed without a trauma mattress were significantly lower than examinations performed with a trauma mattress (p = 0.001). The use of the trauma mattress increased the average tube voltage, tube current, volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol), and the dose-length product (DLP) by 1.3%, 63.9%, 48.3%, and 47.3%, respectively. However, a significant increase was only observed in the tube current (p = 0.014). Conclusion The use of trauma mattress increased the ED and decreased the SNR during the WBCT examinations, albeit at different levels for the newborn and 5-year-old phantoms. Consequently, medical imaging professionals should restrict the use of bearing devices to examinations that justifiably require them. Appropriate adjustments in scan protocols for different body habitus and the use of alternative immobilisation techniques, where necessary, will further enhance patient safety during paediatric WBCT examinations.

Source: UG
Effects of two exercise training techniques on walking function in adult patients with stroke.

BACKGROUND: Patients with stroke usually demonstrate activity limitations manifested by reduced ability to perform daily functions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of treadmill walking and overground walking exercise training on walking function in adult patients with stroke. METHODS: Participants were forty (40) patients with stroke comprising 22 males and 18 females. Inclusion criteria included absence of any co-morbidity that could affect rehabilitation. They were randomly assigned to 2 exercise training groups (20 in each group). All study subjects received conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation for 12 weeks. During the same period, subjects in Group A had treadmill walking exercise training (TWET) while those in Group B had overground walking exercise training (OWET) in addition to the conventional physiotherapy. Outcomes were measured as (i) Ten-metre walk time and (ii) Six-minute walk distance. They were evaluated at entry into the study and at the end of every 4 weeks. Results at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12 were used for analysis. For each of the 2 groups, paired t-tests were used to evaluate the significance of the differences between the pre-intervention (week 0) mean scores on both tests and the mean scores at weeks 4, 8 and 12. RESULTS: With 12 weeks of exercise training, both TWET and OWET produced significant improvement in walking function (P < 0.05). However, OWET resulted in significantly greater reduction (26.8%) in mean walking time over 10 metres than TWET (22.6%); and significantly greater increase (45.2%) in mean walking distance over 6 minutes than TWET (31.0%). CONCLUSION: Exercise training, especially overground walking, could be integrated into the traditional rehabilitation care given to adult patients with stroke.

Source: UG
Effects of two pre-treatments, blanching and soaking, as processing modulation on non-enzymatic browning developments in three yam cultivars from Ghana

Non-enzymatic browning develops in dry-cooked foods and those with high carbohydrate develop acrylamide, a neurotoxin and potential carcinogen. However, some non-enzymatic browning products have reducing properties. We hypothesized that non-enzymatic browning and reducing power, a measure of antioxidant activity, of processed yam are affected by pre-treatment. Peeled yam cultivars (KM, RKD and SO89) in chunks were pre-soaked (0, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h) in distilled water or pre-blanched (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min) in steam. Pre-treated samples were deep-fried at 180 °C for 15 min or roasted at 220 °C for 30 min. Soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH of yam tissues and soaking water were determined. pH of the soaked yam tissues showed a positive relation with non-enzymatic browning. Pre-soaked fried KM and roasted RKD showed a significant decrease in non-enzymatic browning intensities. The reducing power of the cooked yams ranged between 78.94 and 185.92 % of ascorbic acid, and was affected by the different pre-treatment and dry-cooking methods.

Source: UG
The Effects Of Us Covid-19 Policy Responses On Cryptocurrencies, Fintech And Artificial Intelligence Stocks: A Fractional Integration Analysis

This paper assesses the impact of US policy responses to COVID-19. pandemic on various technology-related assets such as cryptocurrencies, financial technology, and artificial intelligence stocks using fractional integration techniques. More precisely, it analyzes the behavior of the percentage returns in the case of nine major coins (Bitcoin—BITC, Stella—STEL, Litecoin—LITE, Ethereum—ETHE, XRP) (Ripple), Dash, Monero—MONE, NEM, Tether—TETH) and two technology-related stock market indices (the KBW NASDAQ Technology Index—KFTX, and the NASDAQ Artificial Intelligence Index (AI) over the period 1 January 2020–5 March 2021. The results suggest that fiscal measures such as debt relief and fiscal policy announcements had positive effects on the series examined during the pandemic. when an increased mortality rate tended instead to drive them down; by contrast, monetary measures and announcements appear to have had very little impact, the Covid-19 containment measures are none at all.

Source: UG
Effects of walking with a cane on balance and social participation among community-dwelling post-stroke individuals

Aim. Walking devices such as canes and frames are often prescribed to post-stroke individuals to enhance their balance and walking, and thus facilitate community reintegration and social participation. The aim of this study was to observe social participation and balance in post-stroke hemiparetic patients and compare the performance of those walking with a cane (AD group) and without a cane (WAD group). The relationships between cane usage and activity participation and balance were also studied. Methods. In this ex post facto research study, balance and social participation were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) in 50 individuals with hemiparesis secondary to first incidence hemispheric stroke. The study included 25 AD subjects (mean age 59.88±2.04 years) and 25 WAD subjects (mean age 55-84±11.30 years) who were consecutively recruited from the physiotherapy units of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and the 37 Military Hospital in Accra (Ghana). Before recruitment into the study, both groups of subjects were matched for age, height, weight, BBS and CHART scores at the point of discharge from the inpatient units of the two hospitals, the duration of stroke, and the duration of physiotherapy post-stroke. Results. Mann-Whitney U statistics showed that the AD group had comparatively higher mean participation scores (U=22.37; P=0.00) and lower mean balance performance (BBS score U=30.68; P=0-00) than their WAD counterparts. Spearman's correlation coefficient also revealed a significant negative correlation between the BBS and CHART scores in both groups (AD rho=-0.063; P-0.00 and WAD rho=-0.037; P=0.05). Conclusion. These findings indicate that post-stroke individuals who used a cane to aid in walking had poorer balance and less social participation than their age-matched counterparts who walked unaided. As balance improved (higher BBS score), participation also improved (lower CHART score) in both groups. In spite of the small sample size, the outcome of this study suggests that prescription of a cane for a post-stroke individual should be carefully considered by the physiotherapist, especially if the focus of rehabilitation includes restoration of balance functions and social participation.

Source: UG
Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women In Nadowli District (Upper-West Region-Ghana)

The present study was conducted to find out the effect of widowhood rites on the psychosocial well - being of widows in Nadowli District of the Upper West Region (Ghana). T he study generally examined three aspects of the well - being of the widows viz psychological, economic and social of widows mainly as a result of the ordeal they go through during widowhood rites. The psychosocial Well - being Scale (PSWS) was used to collect data on eighty widows from Nadowli District. The statistical analysis was done mostly by the t tests. Findings indicated that the younger widows experience higher levels of psychological effects of widowhood than the older widows. In addition, results sho wed that younger widows tend to experience higher economic setbacks. However, results indicated that there was no difference in social effect widowhood between younger and older widows. Based on this it is recommended that the District Assemblies, Traditio nal Authorities, NGOs and Gender Based Organizations should come together and abolished some of the widowhood rites that tend to have negative psychosocial well - being on the widows in the Nadowli District.

Source: UG
Effects of wobble board training on weight distribution on the lower extremities of sedentary subjects

Inequality of weight distribution on the lower extremities affects the posture and gait performance of an individual. The effect of wobble board training on weight distribution on the lower extremities is presently unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a six week wobble board exercise training program on the weight distribution in the lower extremities. Subjects (n = 16) in the wobble board group were trained three times a week for the period of six weeks. The subjects in the control group (n = 13) did not receive any training. Weight distribution symmetry scores improved by 9% and 2% in the wobble board and control groups, respectively, no significant difference was found between the two groups' pre-training weight distribution on the lower extremities. The two-ways repeated analysis of variance revealed a significant F ratio between the two groups (P < 0.001). LSD post hoc analysis showed significant improvements in the symmetry of the weight distribution at the 4th and 6th week of training compared to pre-training value within the wobble board group, while no significant improvement was recorded within the control group. Our findings implied that the wobble board exercise program could be used to improve the symmetry of weight distribution on the lower extremities in sedentary subjects. © 2008 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Effects of Work Environment on Staff Training Transfer in Ghanaian Technology Universities and Polytechnics

This study sought to determine the effect of post-training work environment on the transfer of middle-level staff competencies from 2 technical universities and 2 polytechnics in the northern sector of Ghana. The mixed study was sequential explanatory research. Respondents were drawn from the Netherlands Programme for Post-Secondary Education and Training Capacity (NPT/GHA) 45 leadership and management capacity building project for the middle-level technical universities and polytechnics staff. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide were used to gather data from respondents made up of 24 (58.5%) academic staff and 17 (41.5%) administrative staff totaling 41 respondents for the study. The closed-ended items were analysed using statistical product and service solutions version 19 and results reported using means and standard deviations. Open-ended items were thematically analysed to support results from the closed-ended item analysis. The results revealed that respondents found the relevance of staff training, learned new things and noticed an improvement in their competencies for their career prospects. However, the perception of the respondents pointed to the fact that there was little or no support from colleagues in transferring the competencies acquired from training. The study also revealed that respondents had low motivation to transfer training competencies. Since technical universities and polytechnics produce critical human resources for the industry, the post-training work environment was critical for staff training transfer with many implications for the management, leadership, growth and development of the institutions. The study recommended that training programmes should be aligned with the institutional vision, mission and goals. Again, resources committed to staff training should also budget for enhancements of the work environment to accommodate training transfer using modern technologies.

Source: UG
The effects of workplace respect and violence on nurses’ job satisfaction in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey

Background Studies have established the negative effects of workplace disrespect and violence on the personal and professional well-being of nurses. In spite of this, only a few have directly investigated the effects of these issues on nurses’ job satisfaction. In Africa, research on nurses’ job satisfaction continues to focus largely on economic factors. The aim of this paper was, therefore, to investigate the impact of the non-economic factors of workplace violence and respect on the job satisfaction levels of nurses in Ghana. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. It involved 592 qualified practising nurses working in public hospitals in Ghana. Data were collected between September 2013 and April 2014. Results The results showed that, overall, nurses were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their jobs (M = 3.19, SD = .54). More than half (52.7%) of the participants had been abused verbally, and 12% had been sexually harassed in the 12 months prior to the study. The majority of nurses, however, believed they were respected at the workplace (M = 3.77, SD = .70, Mode = 4). Multiple regression analyses showed that verbal abuse and perceived respect were statistically significant predictors of nurses’ job satisfaction. Nurses who experienced verbal abuse and low level of respect were more likely to report low job satisfaction scores. Conclusion It is concluded that non-financial strategies such as safe work environments which are devoid of workplace violence may enhance nurses’ job satisfaction levels. A policy of “zero tolerance” for violence and low tolerance for disrespect could be put in place to protect nurses and healthcare professionals in general.

Source: UG
Effects of xylanase and phytase on digestion site of low-density diets fed to weaned pigs

The effects of xylanase and phytase supplementation on energy digestibility, site of nutrient digestion, and pH content in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and on growth performance were studied in diets with reduced nutrient specifications fed to weaned pigs. The experiment was designed as a 2 x 2 factorial plus a positive control diet containing14.65 MJ digestible energy (DE)/kg, 0.65% total phosphorous (P), and 0.80% calcium (Ca). Phosphorous and Ca contents were reduced by 10% and the DE content by 0.62 MJ/kg in the other 4 diets. Weaned pigs (8.6 ± 0.5 kg initial body weight)were fed 1 of 5 diets for 21 d. Feeding a nutrient reduced diet lowered total tract energy digestibility. Xylanase and phytase improved the total tract DE content of the negative control diet (NC). Xylanase improved energy digestibility of NC in the mid jejunum and over the total tract by 63.0 and 4.6% respectively. Phytase improved the DE content of NC by 0.64 MJ/kg. Feeding a nutrient reduced diet tended to reduce the pH content of the upper small intestine (SI), and phytase raised the pH content of the upper mid SI. Overall phytase improved body weight (BW) and the average daily gain (ADG) of NC. Xylanase and phytase improved total tract DE content and growth performance of weaned pigs fed nutrient reduced diets. Phytase inclusion led to a faster return to alkaline conditions in the upper SI. Exogenous enzymes can be used to improve digestibility of nutrient-reduced diets based on wheat and millrun for weaned pigs. © 2015 Fundacion CIPAV. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Effects of Youth Savings Accounts on School Attendance and Academic Performance: Evidence from a Youth Savings Experiment

Asset-accumulation interventions are promising tools for promoting better educational outcomes. However, little is known about the educational effects of youth-owned assets, particularly in resource-limited countries. The Ghana YouthSave Experiment established a rigorous foundation for exploring youth responses when offered opportunities to save for their education. This study uses data from 2000 junior high YouthSave participants, who were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (in-school or local bank access) or the control group. Treatment effects on school attendance and academic performance are examined using difference-in-difference estimation with bootstrapped standard errors. Treatment effects were significant for attendance but not performance. Findings suggest longer posttreatment follow-up is needed for effects to manifest. This study demonstrates the potential of asset-accumulation programs to contribute to improved behavioral outcomes, and offers insights for the integration of financial capability programs in youth development policies.

Source: UG