ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Effect of socio-economic factors in utilization of different healthcare services among older adult men and women in Ghana

Background: The older adult population is increasing all over the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, due to poverty and low policy coverage, older adults are not well catered for. The effect of socio-economic inequality in the use of healthcare services among older adult men and women in Ghana was investigated in this paper. Methods: The data employed in the study were drawn from Global Ageing and Adult Health survey SAGE Wave 1 Ghana and was based on the design for the World Health Survey 2003, SAGE Wave 0, Ghana. The survey was conducted in 2007-2008 and collected data on socio-economic characteristics and other variables of the 5573 individuals interviewed. Results: Using generalized logit model, the study found that health status is a very strong determinant of the type of healthcare services preferred by older adults Ghanaians. Men with higher income preferred the private health facilities, while those who completed tertiary education, those with health insurance and those who self-rated their health as very bad, bad or moderate preferred public facility. Self-employed men and those in informal employment, preferred other health facilities outside the formal public health service. Women with primary and secondary education, preferred the private health facilities. Women with health insurance, those in middle and upper class income quintiles or those with self-rated bad and moderate health status or being relatively younger preferred the public facility to other health services. Self-employed women and those in informal employment preferred traditional treatment. In Ghana, there are important socio-economic gradients in the use of some healthcare services. In both sexes, those without insurance and rural residents preferred the pharmacy and traditional treatment. Conclusion: These differences may be due to socio-economic inequities but could also indicate that the existing health facilities are not always used in an optimal way. Patient factors may be equally important as supply factors in explaining the differential use of health services. The public health systems in Ghana still have a major role in improving the health of older adults. National commitments in providing basic essential infrastructure and personnel to health centres for the citizenry is imperative. Policy readjustment of the national health insurance scheme to make it truly accessible to the aged is essential.

Source: UG
Effect of Sodium Thiosulfate Pre-Treatment on Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Kidney Transplantation.

We recently reported in a rat model of kidney transplantation that the addition of sodium thiosulfate (STS) to organ preservation solution improved renal graft quality and prolonged recipient survival. The present study investigates whether STS pre-treatment would produce a similar effect. In vitro, rat kidney epithelial cells were treated with 150 µM STS before and/or during exposure to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. In vivo, donor rats were treated with PBS or 2.4 mg/kg STS 30 min before donor kidneys were procured and stored in UW or UW+150 µM STS solution at 4 ◦C for 24 h. Renal grafts were then transplanted into bilaterally nephrectomised recipient rats which were then sacrificed on post-operative day 3. STS pre-treatment significantly reduced cell death compared to untreated and other treated cells in vitro (p < 0.05), which corresponded with our in vivo result (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in other parameters of tissue injury. Our results suggest that STS pre-treatment may improve renal graft function after transplantation.

Source: UG
Effect of soil moisture status on seed quality of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verde.) cultivars in Ghana

Studies were carried out in Ghana, to determine seed quality of Bambara groundnut, using two cultivars; Jabajaba (cream-seeded) and Chichele Balgu (red-seeded), under three soil moisture regimes of 30-40, 50-60 and >70%. Soil moisture significantly (LSD 5%) affected seed size, protein and tannin contents of Bambara groundnut. Tannin content was lower at >70% soil moisture than at 50-60% soil moisture but highest at 30-40% soil moisture. The 50-60% soil moisture favored good seed size and protein content than at 30-40 and >70% soil moisture regimes. The 30-40% soil moisture did not favor good quality seed development of Bambara groundnut cultivars. At each moisture regime, cream-seeded cultivar (Jabajaba) recorded lower seed sizes, higher protein and lower tannin contents than red-seeded cultivar (Chichele Balgu). Selecting cultivars with high protein and low tannin contents and growing them under optimum conditions that favor 50-60% soil moisture regime will improve seed quality of Bambara groundnut. © 2012 Knowledgia Review, Malaysia.

Source: UG
Effect of solid state fermentation on the physico-chemical, functional and textural properties of nixtamalized maize

Spontaneous lactic acid fermentation is an important process in cereal processing. It is applied to develop and enhance taste and flavour, modify texture and improve the microbial safety of foods. When applied with nixtamalization to maize, it is expected to further improve the functionality, improve nutritional quality and provide an alternative maize-based ingredient. This study was carried out to determine the extent to which fermentation could influence the physico-chemical, functional and textural properties of nixtamalized maize. A 2 x 3 x 3 factorial experimental design with fermentation medium (water, coconut water), fermentation time (0, 24, 48 hours) and blends composition (0:100, 50:50, 100:0 steeped:nixtamalized maize) was performed. The blends were fermented for the specific times and analysed for pH, titratable acidity, water absorption, colour and texture. Traditional maize dough facilitated the fermentation process by acting as a starter culture to produce lower pH and higher acidity in the steeped:nixtamalized maize blends. The fermentation time significantly (p<0.05) influenced the pH, titratable acidity, water absorption capacity, colour and texture of the samples. The pH of all the blends decreased from 6.24 to 4.22 with a corresponding increase in titratable acidity from 0.009 to 0.036 g Lactic/100g sample during fermentation. There was however no significant (p<0.05) difference in the effect of fermentation medium on these indices. The samples with a higher percentage of nixtamalized maize had a deeper yellow colour, that is lower L - value (lightness) and higher b-values (yellowness) than the non- nixtamalized maize and this increased further with fermentation. The texture of the blends of steeped - nixtamalized maize generally decreased with increasing fermentation time for all samples fermented in water as well as in coconut water, however, the texture of the blends of steeped: nixtamalized maize for samples fermented in coconut water had relatively higher but comparable textural values. Maize can therefore be nixtamalized and fermented using both water and coconut water to effectively produce adequate souring or acids resulting in improved physicochemical, functional and textural quality characteristics required for the processing of traditional fermented maize products. Copyright © 2006 The Berkeley Electronic Press. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Effect of some climatic factors on insects associated with citrus agro-ecosystems in Ghana

The present study investigates the effects of some climatic factors on insects associated with citrus orchards in two different agro-ecological zones in Ghana. The study showed that, climatic factors affected insects differently in different agro-ecological zones. There was a negative and highly significant (P˂0.01) correlation between insect abundance and rainfall in the Coastal Savannah zone whereas the correlation between mean temperature and insect abundance was negative and significant (P˂0.05) in the Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest zone. Numbers of insect species peaked differently in some months during the study period due to favourable climatic conditions for their reproduction, growth and activities. The month of February was most favourable for the insects in the Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest zone whiles January was most favourable for the Coastal Savannah zone. Similarly, some months were more favourable for pests of citrus in Ghana; January and February for Ceratitis ditissima and Leptoglossus sp. in both agro-ecological zones and, January and February for Achaea sp. in the Semi-Deciduous Rain Forest and Coastal Savannah respectively. The months of October and September were most favourable for Zonocerus variegatus in the Coastal Savannah zone and Semi-deciduous rain forest zone respectively during the study period. Even though the two different agro-ecological zones had common pests, the proportions and peak periods however varied. The differences are crucial with regards to developing integrated pests management strategies to control insect pests of citrus in Ghana.

Source: UG
Effect of some Ghanaian plant components on control of two stored-product insect pests of cereals

In an attempt to find natural and cheaper methods for the control of stored-product pests of cereals, some traditionally useful Ghanaian plant materials were evaluated. Hexane+isopropyl alcohol extract of leaves of Ocimum viride proved most effective in the control of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), followed by that of Chromolaena odorata. O. viride showed strong repellent activity and thus deterred the insects from feeding. It reduced survival of both insect pests to less than 25% after 10 days of treatment at concentrations of 0.1 mg ml-1 and above. The results show the potential of O. viride and C. odorata in the control of stored-product insects. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Source: UG
The Effect of some oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Progenies on development of the oil palm Leaf miner, Coelaenomenodera lameensis Berti and Mariau (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Ghana.

The oil palm leaf miner, C lameensis is currently the most destructive pest of oil palm in Ghana and other oil palm growing countries in Africa and causes considerable losses in the yield of fresh fruit bunches. Experiments conducted at the Oil Palm Research Institute in Ghana revealed no significant differences (P>0.05) in the duration of the various developmental stages of C. lameensis on five oil palm progenies coded A, B, C, D and E. However, slight variations in the ability of the progenies, to support the development and growth of the oil palm leaf miner were observed. The longest developmental period was on progeny D (100.8 days) and the shortest were on progenies C and E (98.2days). The mean duration of the various development stages were, 18.5 days egg incubation, 46.1 days for larval development, 13.6 days from pupal to external adult and 20.6 days from external adult emergence to egg laying with a total life cycle of 99 days.

Source: UG
The effect of sponsorship on marketing communication performance: A case study of Airtel Ghana

The purpose of this study is to have a clear understanding of how sponsorship contributes positively to marketing communications performance. The methodology is based on social survey technique, which examines opinions, behaviors, and perceptions by asking people questions. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data to ensure a structured approach. An increase in brand awareness, brand preferences, brand recall, projecting the company’s image and above all goodwill, can lead to increased sales, and consequently increase organizational value, indicating that sponsorship contributes positively to marketing communication performance. Due to the limited resources, future research needs to examine sales as an additional factor to measure the effect of sponsorship on marketing communication performance to give a better view of the effect of sponsorship. For firms, the study indicates that sponsorship contributes positively to marketing communication performance and consequently increase organizational value.

Source: UG
Effect of spontaneous fermentation and amylase-rich flour on the nutritive value, functional and viscoelastic properties of cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize

Studies were conducted to evaluate the combined effects of spontaneous fermentation and amylase-rich flours (ARF) on some nutritive value, functional and viscoelastic properties of cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize. A 2 x 3 x 3 factorial design, with fermentation medium, fermentation time and ARF level, was performed. The blends were fermented for the specific times and analysed for their titratable acidity, pH, water absorption capacity, viscoelastic properties, texture, protein and mineral content. Fermentation and ARF addition influenced titratable acidity, pH, water absorption, viscoelastic properties and texture of the cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize. Addition of ARF decreased the viscoelastic properties, texture and pH of all the blends with a corresponding increase in acidity. Slight increases in protein and ash contents were noted with products fermented in coconut water, but ARF addition had only a marginal effect. Thus, fermentation and ARF addition could be applied to cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize to enhance the functionalities with reduced viscosity and texture suitable for weaning food formulations.

Source: UG
Effect of storage and cooking time on the antioxidant properties of two commonly used ghanaian vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are good sources of antioxidants. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of storage and cooking time on the antioxidant properties of two commonly used Ghanaian vegetables: Corchorus olitorius and Solanum macrocarpon locally known as "adeimey" and "gboma" respectively. The storage conditions were: Left to stand overnight at room temperature, refrigerated for one day and refrigerated for one week, and cooked for ten and thirty minutes at 100°C. The reducing power and the total carotenoid content were determined by measuring absorbance using a Shimadzu UV-120-02 spectrophotometer at 700nm and 450 nm respectively. The free radical scavenging activity was determined by the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) method. The antioxidant activity (AOA) ranged from 91.59 to 38.42%. The total carotenoid content (TCC) varied from 5.10 to 27.30 mg/100 g. The reducing power ranged from 9.52 to 50.59%. The results show that Solanum macrocarpon and Corchorus olitorius are good sources of antioxidants with the later exhibiting higher antioxidant properties than the former. However the AOA, TCC and reducing power decreased drastically when the vegetables were refrigerated for one day and one week and cooked for thirty minutes at 100°C. Similarly the AOA, TCC and reducing power decreased slightly when the stored vegetables were cooked for ten minutes. These findings suggest modification in the storage and cooking practices of these green leafy vegetables to ensure retention of antioxidants for the best nutritional value and health benefit. The results also indicate that in areas where refrigeration is not possible, vegetables can be left overnight at room temperature to preserve the antioxidants in them. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2012.

Source: UG
The effect of sunlight and drying methods on the strength of Ghanaian Real Wax printed fabrics

The effect of sunlight and drying methods on the strength of Real Wax printed cotton fabrics produced in Ghana was determined. Warp and weft specimens were washed using the Standard Launder-Ometer (Gyrowash 315). Each laundered or unlaundered specimen was aired or dried on a flat surface or on clothesline in the sun or shade for 42h. The breaking strengths of controlled and treated specimens were determined using the tensile testing machine (Hounsfield H5K-S) and the average percentage loss in strength calculated. The analysis of variance and least significant difference for the separation of means were used to test significant differences between the treatments. Whether dried or aired, sunlight caused more loss in strength than shade. Laundered specimens lost more strength in the sun or shade than those unlaundered. Specimens dried or aired on a flat surface in the sun or shade lost more strength than those on clothesline. There were significant differences (P≤0.05) as a result of the different treatments in the warp direction. For the weft specimens, there was a significant difference between only the aired and washed specimens. Conclusions and future research directions are discussed. © 2017 Wiley. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
The Effect of Supervisor’s Abuse on Hotel Employees’ Job Satisfaction, Affective Organizational Commitment and Work Engagement

Our study examines the impact of abusive supervision on affective organizational commitment (AOC). The study further examines work engagement (WENG) and job satisfaction (JSAT) as mediating mechanisms in the relationship between abusive supervision and AOC. The aforesaid hypothesized relationships were tested utilizing data gathered from frontline employees in upscale hotels in two waves in Ghana. We tested the hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that abusive supervision is not significantly related to AOC. However, the findings demonstrate that WENG and JSAT fully mediate the relationship between abusive supervision and AOC. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Source: UG
Effect of temperature on immature development and longevity of two introduced opiine parasitoids on Bactrocera invadens

Temperature-dependent development, parasitism and longevity of the braconid parasitoids, Fopius arisanus Sonan and Diachasmimorpha longicaudata Ashmed on Bactorcera invadens Drew Tsuruta & White, was evaluated across five constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C). Developmental rate decreased linearly with increasing temperature for both the parasitoid species. Linear and Brière-2 nonlinear models were used to determine the lower temperature threshold at which the developmental rate (1/D) approached zero. For F. arisanus, lower thresholds to complete development estimated with the linear and nonlinear models were 10.1 and 6.9°C, respectively. The total degree-days (DD) required to complete the development estimated by the linear model for F. arisanus was 360. In D. longicaudata, the linear and nonlinear models estimated lower thresholds of 10.4 and 7.3°C, respectively, and the total DD estimated was 282. In F. arisanus, percentage parasitism differed significantly across all temperatures tested and was highest at 25°C (71.1 ± 2.5) and lowest at 15°C (46.4 ± 1.4). Parasitoid progeny sex ratio was female biased at all temperatures except at 20°C. In D. longicaudata, percentage parasitism was highest at 20°C (52.2 ± 4.0) and lowest at 15°C (27.7 ± 2.5). Parasitoid progeny sex ratio was female biased and similar for all temperatures. Adult longevity of both parasitoids was shortest at 35°C and longest at 15°C, and females lived significantly longer than males at all temperatures tested. Our findings provide some guidance for future mass rearing and field releases of the two parasitoids for the management of B. invadens in Africa. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag, GmbH.

Source: UG
Effect of temperature on the development and predatory behaviour of culex (lutzia) tigripes (grandpre and charmoy)

To study the effect of temperature on the development and predatory behaviour of Culex (Lutzia) tigripes, immature stages of the predatory mosquito Cnlex (Lntzia) tigripes were reared at temperatures ranging from 12-37°C and provided Cnlex qiiinqnefasciatns larvae as prey. Larval developmental duration decreased with an increase in rearing temperature until an optimum temperature of 30°C was reached. Above this temperature, the. immatures developed slower. In contrast, pupal developmental duration decreased at temperatures above 30°C, being shortest at 32°C. The lower and upper threshold temperatures for larval development were around 12°C and 34°C respectively. Fourth instars were the most voracious and had the longest developmental time. The daily rate of prédation increased with temperature, with more prey larvae being consumed at 30°C. Although they consumed more prey, Cx. tigripes larvae and pupae were smaller at high temperature. The increase in prey consumption during the entire larval developmental period at 20°C was attributed to a longer larval duration at this temperature. Developmental period and growth of male and female larvae reared at a particular temperature were not significantly different. Depending on temperature, each larva consumed between 160 and 229 Cx. quinqiiefasciatiis larvae during its development. The implications of these findings to the possible use of Cx. tigripes for mosquito control are discussed. © 2000 ICIPE.

Source: UG
The effect of the capitation policy withdrawal on maternal health service provision in Ashanti Region, Ghana: an interrupted time series analysis

Background: Payment methods are known to influence maternal care delivery in health systems. Ghana suspended a piloted capitation provider payment system after nearly five years of implementation. This study aimed to examine the effects of Ghana’s capitation policy on maternal health care provision as part of lesson learning and bridging this critical literature gap. Methods: We used secondary data in the District Health Information Management System-2 and an interrupted time series design to assess changes in level and trend in the provision of ANC4+ (visits of pregnant women making at least the fourth antenatal care attendance per month), HB36 (number of hemoglobin tests conducted for pregnant women who are at the 36th week of gestation) and vaginal delivery in capitated facilities (CHPS) (community-based Health Planning and Services) facilities and hospitals. Results: The results show that the capitation policy withdrawal was associated with a statistically significant trend increase in the provision of ANC4+ in hospitals (coefficient 70.99, p<0. 001) but no effect in CHPS facilities. Also, the policy withdrawal resulted in contrasting effects in hospitals and CHPS in the trend of provision of Hb36; a statistically A significant decline was observed in CHPS (coefficient −7.01, p<0.05), while that of hospitals showed a statistically significant trend increase (coefficient 32.87, p<0.001). Finally, the policy withdrawal did not affect trends of vaginal delivery rates in both CHPS and hospitals. Conclusions: The capitation policy in Ghana appeared to have had a different effect on the provision of maternal services in both CHPS and hospitals; repressing maternal care provision in hospitals and promoting adherence to anemia testing at term for pregnant women in CHPS facilities. Policy makers and stakeholders should consider the possible detrimental effects on maternal care provision and quality in the design and implementation of per capita primary care systems as they can potentially impact the achievement of SDG 3

Source: UG