ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The age of opportunity: prevalence of key risk factors among adolescents 10–19 years of age in nine communities in sub-Saharan Africa

objective To measure health-related behaviours and risk factors among sub-Saharan African adolescents. methods Cross-sectional study in nine communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda between 2015 and 2017. Community-representative samples of males and females 10–19 years of age were selected. All communities used a uniform questionnaire that was adapted from the WHO Global School-based Student Health Survey. Weighted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each indicator and stratified by age and sex using SAS version 9.4. All prevalence estimates were pooled across communities through randomeffects meta-analyses in Stata version 14. results A total of 8075 adolescents participated in the study. We observed a high prevalence of inadequate fruit consumption (57–63%) and low physical activity (82–90%); a moderate prevalence of inadequate vegetable consumption (21–31%), unprotected last sex (38–45%), age at first sex <15 years (21–28%) and bullying and physical fighting (12–35%); and a low prevalence of mental health risk factors (1–11%) and alcohol and substance use risk factors (0–6%). We observed a moderate to high prevalence of daily soft drink consumption (21–31%) for all adolescents. Among sexually active adolescents 15–19 years, 37% of females reported ever being pregnant and 8% of males reported to have ever made someone pregnant. Bullying (23%) and physical fighting (35%) were more common among younger male adolescents . The prevalence of low mood was generally higher among older (15– 19 years) than younger adolescents (10–14 years). The proportion of adolescents reporting alcohol, drug or cigarette use was very small, with the exception of khat use in Ethiopia. conclusion Overall, diet and physical activity, violence, sexual and reproductive health, and depression are important risk factors for these sub-Saharan African communities. These findings suggest that more evidence is needed including novel efforts for the collection of sensitive information, as well as a need to move towards community-tailored interventions to reach adolescent populations with varying needs.

Source: UG
Age, genotype and sex effects on growth performance of local chickens kept under improved management in Ghana

Characterisation of animal genetic resources has been recognised globally as an important step towards their sustainable use. Body weight data of local chickens (213 forest and 160 savannah chickens) and 183 French free-ranging SASSO T44 chickens kept under improved management were collected from hatch to 40 weeks of age and analysed to determine the effects of age, genotype and sex on their growth performance. At all ages, SASSO T44 chickens had significantly (P < 0.05) higher weights (2.6-3.2 kg at 28 weeks) than the local chickens (1.2-1.7 kg at 28 weeks). The rate of growth at the earlier ages in the local genotypes (5.57-7.80 g/day) was lower than the range of 13.81-15.42 in SASSO T44 chickens. Except at hatch, savannah chickens were significantly heavier (P < 0.05) than the forest chickens at all ages. Male chickens had significantly (P < 0.05) superior growth rates than females across all genotypes except from the 20th to the 28th week. Growth trends in both sexes depicted linear increase in body weights; however, the rate of increase in body weights was higher in males as compared to females, thus showing clear sexual dimorphism. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the growth rates of SASSO T44 chickens and local genotypes at the later ages (20-28 weeks). Local chickens from the savannah zone had better growth rate than forest chickens. The significant effect of ecozone on the growth potential of local chickens is an indication that their productive potential could be improved through interventions in the environment such as provision of feed and some veterinary care. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Source: UG
Age-related changes in the gross anatomy of the reproductive organs, and associated steroid hormone profiles in male and female guinea fowls (Numida meleagris)

Owing to the paucity of information on the reproductive biology of guinea fowls, a study involving a total of 132 birds was conducted, and this documented the developmental changes in the gross anatomy of the reproductive organs of males and females from hatching until 32 weeks of age (WOA), and associated steroid hormone changes. Testicular anatomical biometric traits increased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 8 WOA, and stabilised between 16 and 20 WOA, while peripheral testosterone concentration peaked at 20 WOA. Correlations among all testicular biometric characteristics were strong and positive (p < 0.0001). Similarly peripheral testosterone concentrations strongly (p < 0.01) and positively correlated with all the testicular anatomical biometric traits. In the female guinea fowl, the ovary and oviduct were discernible and measurable at hatching. Significant (p < 0.0001) increases were seen in ovarian and relative ovarian weights, and oviducal weights and lengths between 24 and 28 WOA. Plasma 17β-oestradiol decreased gradually to a very minimum at 16 WOA, and then began to increase gradually until 28 WOA when it plateaued. Peripheral progesterone concentrations on the other hand increased gradually from 4 WOA and peaked at 12 WOA, and then fluctuated considerably thereafter. Correlations among ovarian/oviducal anatomical parameters were strong (p < 0.0001) and positive. Similarly, peripheral oestradiol concentrations strongly (p < 0.0001) and positively correlated with all ovarian/oviducal anatomical parameters. Testicular anatomical biometric traits stabilised between 16 and 20 WOA, coinciding with peak peripheral testosterone concentrations, while ovarian/oviducal parameters recorded huge increases between 24 and 28 WOA, and may be under the influence of oestradiol.

Source: UG
Age-related pattern and monocyte-acquired haemozoin associated production of erythropoietin in children with severe malarial anaemia in Ghana

Abstract Background Malaria continues to be a global health challenge, affecting more than half the world&#8217;s population and causing approximately 660,000 deaths annually. The majority of malaria cases are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and occur in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the major complications asscociated with malaria is severe anaemia, caused by a cycle of haemoglobin digestion by the parasite. Anaemia due to falciparum malaria in children has multifactorial pathogenesis, which includes suppression of bone marrow activity. Recent studies have shown that haemozoin, which is a by-product of parasite haemoglobin digestion, may play an important role in suppression of haemoglobin production, leading to anaemia. In this study we correlated the levels of erythropoietin (EPO), as an indicator of stimulation of haemoglobin production, to the levels of monocyte acquired haemozoin in children with both severe and uncomplicated malaria. There was a significantly negative correlation between levels of haemozoin-containing monocytes and EPO, which may suggest that haemozoin suppresses erythropoiesis in severe malaria. A multiple linear regression analysis and simple bar was used to investigate associations between various haematological parameters. Methods To examine the levels of erythropoietin in the age categories, the levels of erythropoietin was measured using a commercial Enyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Giemsa-stained blood smears were used to determine percentage pigment containing monocytes. The haemozoin containing monocytes was expressed as a percentage of the total number of monocytes. To obtain the number of haemozoin containing monocytes/&#956;L the percentage of haemozoin containing monocytes was multiplied by the absolute number of monocytes/&#956;L from the automated haematology analyzer. Results The levels of erythropoietin in younger children (&lt;3 years) was significantly higher than in older children with a similar degree of malaria anaemia (Hb levels) (p&#8201;&lt;&#8201;0.005). Haemozoin-containing monocytes were relatively higher in severe malaria anaemia patients compared to those with uncomplicated malaria (p&#8201;&lt;&#8201;0.001). Conclusions Age purportedly has a direct effect on background levels of erythropoietin. With corresponding decreased levels of erythropoietin in older children with the same degree of severe malarial anaemia, conceivably, the bone marrows of younger children with acute malaria may be less sensitive to erythropoietin.

Source: UG
Age-specific reference levels of serum prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume in healthy Arab men

OBJECTIVE: To determine age-specific reference ranges for serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration and prostate volumes in a population of healthy Arab men. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 396 healthy Arab men (from Kuwait and Oman) aged 15-79 years and from across the social spectrum. Men aged >40 years had a digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate to determine prostate volume. The serum PSA level was measured using commercial kits, and age-specific ranges for PSA levels and prostate volume determined. RESULTS: The serum PSA ranges (ng/mL) for each age range in Arab men were: 40-49 years, 0-0.9; 60-69, 0-2.7; 70-79, 0-5.5 ng/mL; the respective prostate volumes were 8-22, 9-30 and 10-33 mL. The serum PSA level and prostate volume correlated with age (P < 0.001). Arab men had lower serum PSA levels and prostate volumes than those reported for Caucasians, but similar to those reported for Asians (Japanese and Chinese). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Arab men have lower PSA levels and prostate volumes than Caucasians. The levels are slightly lower than those reported in the Japanese and, as in the Japanese, low PSA levels and small prostate volumes might be related to the low incidence of clinical prostate cancer in Arab men.

Source: UG
Ageing and the changing role of the family and the community: An African perspective

Global ageing, the major social issue of the twenty-first century, will have greater social repercussions for developing countries. The fastest increase of older persons in terms of ratio in relation to younger people is happening in developing countries, and in Africa segregation of older people in rural areas will become manifest. While beneficial changes for women have accompanied modernization in many of the developing countries, the situation of older women appears to be particularly precarious. Social changes brought about by modernization are also profoundly affecting the traditional systems of care for older people. Even though most older people requiring care are still looked after within the informal structures of the family, this can no longer be taken for granted as we move into the new century. This paper critically reviews social protection systems and the resource constraints which characterize developing countries and warns against blind development of social security systems based on those of the industrialized countries. The paper argues for the design of intergenerational support back into mainstream social relations so that older persons are not marginalized and put at risk through social protection programmes which reinforce physical vulnerability stereotypes and stress welfare needs over and above older people’s social and economic contributions to society. International Social Security Association, 2002.

Source: UG
Ageing Happily in Ghana: How Does Social Inclusion Contribute?

Background: Promoting happiness has become increasingly important in old age for a wide range of reasons. In this study, we aim to examine the association between social inclusion (SI) and happiness among older adults in Ghana and identify the mediating factors. Methods: The study included 1201 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 (mean age = 66.4 SD 11.9 years; 63.3% female) from the 2016–2018 Ageing, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behaviour Study. We assessed happiness with a self-rated and cross-culturally vali dated item on a five-point scale. SI was operationalised using the modified Berkman–Syme Social Network Index. The hypothesised associations were evaluated by hierarchical regressions and bootstrapping techniques from Hayes’ PROCESS macro programme. Results: The prevalence of happiness was 24.3% (all of the time), 43.6% (most of the time), 28.3% (little of the time), and 3.7% (none of the time). After controlling for potential confounders, higher SI was associated with increased levels of happiness (odds ratio (OR) = 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16–2.51). Aside from family/friends contacts, all other SI domains positively influenced happiness (OR = 1.45–1.81). The link between SI and happiness was mediated by depressive symptoms (65.2%), generalised anxiety (30.1%), and sleep problems (9.5%). Conclusions: Our data suggest that psychological factors may largely explain the positive SI-happiness link. Efforts should target these factors to promote happiness in old age. Longitudinal analysis may confirm our findings

Source: UG
Ageing in Ghana: A Public Health and Cultural Perspective

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Agency problem and hedging in agri-food chains: model and application

The last four decades have seen the transformation of food supply chains from being supply-driven to becoming much more closely integrated with consumer demand. With this development, the transaction mechanism in food marketing channels has changed from open market mechanism to coordination through the use of contract-supply arrangements between farmers and food processors and retailers. In this paper, we assess the interaction of marketing channel members through the use of contracts and its impact on incentives, coordination costs, risk aversion, risk allocation and risk management strategies. For this purpose we specify a three-stage principal-agent supply chain model involving producers, wholesalers, retailers and a futures market. We compare the situation with and without futures market. The empirical results regarding the Dutch ware potato marketing channel during 1971-2003 reveal that as a result of increases in incentives to producers and wholesalers, the coordination costs of the marketing channel decreased significantly, both with and without futures trade. The coordination costs of the marketing channel in the case with a futures market appear to be lower than without futures, demonstrating the informational (that is, price discovery) role of futures markets.

Source: UG
Agency Conflict and Bank Interest Spreads in Ghana

This study examines the relationship between interest rate spreads in the Ghanaian banking industry and variables that reflect convergence/divergence between managerial goals and corporate goals of which the key variables are executive compensation and bank ownership structure. Using data covering the period 1999–2011, this study employs a panel regression to examine how agency factors affect interest rate spreads in Ghana. The results of the study indicate that executive compensation is associated with higher net interest margins, suggesting that managers operate on higher margins since they can extract excess rents. The findings of the study also show that asset size, the level of concentration in the banking industry, the level of capital held by banks, the reserve requirement, and the level of inflation all positively contribute to the observed high interest spreads. Our results are robust to the control of several bank‐specific, industry‐specific, regulatory and macroeconomic factors

Source: UG
Agenda for a Discussion of African Initiatives in Christianity: The WestAfrican/Ghanaian Case

Contrary to the long-held erroneous thesis that Christianity was imposed on the African and that it would experience a demise after the exit of European colonizers and missionaries, Christianity is not only thriving in Africa, but Africa is fast becoming a major center of world Christianity. This paper attempts to show that the African is willing to accept the gospel because it resonates with the African worldview and that the African has willingly and consistently been part of the evangelizing team, eventually (or even sometimes initially, as we shall show) owning it and propagating it with his/her own resources. This paper tries also to map out various dimensions of African initiatives which the student of African Christianity could explore.

Source: UG
The Agenda for Good Governance and Development in Africa: An Assessment of the Relevance of the African Peer Review Mechanism

Over the years, the concept of good governance, which guided the study has become the mantra for donor partners, the Global West and some NGOs, as an ideal way of addressing the perennial problems facing developing countries. Good governance eventually became a precondition for aid in Africa in an attempt to propel African leaders to respect human rights, implement economic reforms, ensure alternation of power in a free and fair election, among others. Among other things, African leaders adopted the AU and its constitutive Act in 2002, which as part of its aim is to promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance, as well as sustainable development in Africa. Accordingly, the most significant and striking task that came with the creation of the AU and the adoption of its Constitutive Act is the mandate it has been given to promote democracy and good governance in Africa. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the AU’s accompanying development paradigm has become a prerequisite for good governance. The peer review mechanism, the African Peer Review (APR), was incorporated into the dual efforts of NEPAD and the AU to monitor African Heads of State in an effort to ensure sound governance of their colleagues. The APRM’s ultimate objective is to establish good governance in Africa, which is considered by NEPAD to be the sine qua non for development in Africa. Thus, this research aims to explore the APRM’s efficacy in promoting good governance practices and development in Africa, with much focus on Ghana. The research employed a qualitative method, and more precisely a case study approach, in apprising the APRM. This research uses semi-structured, flexible interview guide as an instrument for data collection, with a sample size of ten. The main finding of this research is that the peer review process through the APRM has ensured the promotion of good governance in Africa, paving the way for ‘open governance’ and inputs from citizens. The peer review mechanism offers a chance for participating nations to become conscious of the strengths and weaknesses of their policy making, governance institutions and procedures, and to share best practices of administrative, political, and financial management. It offers a forum for dialogue, peer learning, and regional and continental cooperation in which the challenges facing African countries, both individually and collectively, can be tackled. Nonetheless, the APRM has encountered some challenges which has impeded its efficiency and effectiveness. These limitations include; the APRM’s voluntary nature, issues with the APRM’s national and continental structures, absence of adequate financing, the lack of political will, and leadership crisis in Africa. It is essential for the APRM to address these barriers in order to achieve its complete potential. The research provides a number of suggestions for this purpose, which would make the APRM more efficient if implemented.

Source: UG
Ages and tectonic implications of the mafic–ultramafic-carbonatite intrusive rocks and associated Cu-Ni, Fe-P and apatite-vermiculite deposits from the Quruqtagh district, NW China

The Tarim Craton is an important tectonic unit and a suitable target to investigate and understand the Proterozoic tectonic framework of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and supercontinent Rodinia. Precambrian ultramafic–mafic-carbonatite rocks are widely distributed in the Quruqtagh domain of NE-Tarim. In the Quruqtagh, Cu-Ni, Fe-P and apatite-vermiculite deposits hosted in the ultramafic-mafic-carbonatite rocks occur in the Xingdi, Qieganbulake, Daxigou, and Kawuliuke. These deposits associated with the ultramafic-mafic-carbonatite rocks in Quruqtagh formed in a period between the Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. The Paleoproterozoic Fe-P deposit is represented by the Daxigou deposit that yielded a SIMS U-Pb zircon age of 2452 ± 10 Ma. The other Cu-Ni, Fe-P and apatite-vermiculite deposits, hosted in the ultramafic–mafic rocks, formed in the Neoproterozoic, represented by the Xingdi, Kawuliuke, and Qieganbulake deposits that formed between 812 Ma and 707 Ma. The Paleoproterozoic mineralization event was coincident with the global collisional events that led to the assembly of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Columbia (Nuna) supercontinent. And the emplacement of these Neoproterozoic ultramafic-mafic-carbonatite rocks was related to a mantle plume event that led to the breakup of the Tarim Craton from the Rodinia supercontinent. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Source: UG
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Filifactor alocis as Associated with Periodontal Attachment Loss in a Cohort of Ghanaian Adolescents

The aims of the present study were to document the presence of Aggregatibacter actinomyctemcomitans and the emerging oral pathogen Filifactor alocis, as well as to identify genotypes of these bacterial species with enhanced virulence. In addition, these data were analyzed in relation to periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and the progression of PPD from the sampled periodontal sites during a two-year period. Subgingival plaque samples were collected from 172 periodontal pockets of 68 Ghanaian adolescents. PPD at sampling varied from 3–14 mm and the progression from baseline, i.e., two years earlier up to 8 mm. The levels of A. actinomycetemcomitans and F. alocis were determined with quantitative PCR. The highly leukotoxic JP2-genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans and the ftxA a gene of F. alocis, encoding a putative Repeats-in-Toxin (RTX) protein, were detected with conventional PCR. The prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans was 57%, and 14% of the samples contained the JP2 genotype. F. alocis was detected in 92% of the samples and the ftxA gene in 52%. The levels of these bacterial species were significantly associated with enhanced PPD and progression, with a more pronounced impact in sites positive for the JP2 genotype or the ftxA gene. Taken together, the results indicate that the presence of both A. actinomycetemcomitans and Falocis with their RTX proteins are linked to increased PPD and progression of disease.

Source: UG
Aggregation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in a Human H5N1 Clade 2.2 Hemagglutinin

Most research activities involve the use of molecular methods such as regular PCR (PCR), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), genomic sequence and analysis using different software, genetic engineering, probe hybridization techniques, biological and molecular cloning, evaluation of immune markers for laboratory diagnosis of infections, serological assays involving the use of rapid tests, ELISA-based evaluations and immunofluorescent assay techniques.

Source: UG