ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Planning among nurse managers in district hospitals in Ghana

This article reports the results of a study that explored the planning practices of nurse managers at ward level, their knowledge of planning process and the factors that influence effective planning. Although the practice of planning was almost universal, half the participants had no knowledge of the process, and this knowledge gap was traced to a lack of educational preparation before their appointment. In-service training, support from management and staff, and funding were identified as major factors influencing effective planning at ward level. The authors recommend that prospective nurse managers have educational preparation before they take up these positions and nurse managers already in post have capacity-building training in planning. © 2013 RCN Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Planning for cooler cities in Ghana: Contribution of green infrastructure to urban heat mitigation in Kumasi Metropolis

This study investigates the spatial variability of some remote sensing indices representing built-up areas, vege tation, bareness, and urban heat island (UHI), based on time-series Landsat TM/ETM+ and OLI/TIRS datasets archived for 1980–2020 period from the US Geological Survey’s website for Kumasi Metropolitan Area in Ghana. Modules for Land Use Change Evaluation (MOLUSCE) and Cellular Automata Artificial Neural Network (CA ANN) algorithms and simulations in QGIS were used to predict future changes (2020–2050) for land-use systems in Kumasi. Findings revealed urbanization/built-up areas (+108.02%) contributed massively to the decline of forest areas (− 93.34%) and farmlands/shrubs (− 31.53%), thereby making Kumasi lose its once critical green position as the “Garden City of West Africa.” UHI moderately and strongly correlated positively against built-up (R2 =0.78, p < 0.0001) and bareness (R2 =0.96, p < 0.0001) indices, respectively. By contrast, UHI showed a statistically significant inverse relationship with the vegetative index (R2 =0.97, p < 0.0001). Future land-use scenarios revealed more forests, waterbodies, and farmlands/shrubs will be lost, influencing urban tempera ture and water supply. The multipurpose advantages of urban green space are ingrained in the grand urban model. Contextually, the Metropolis’s resilience has been hampered by inconsistency in the performance of institutional roles, competition for land ownership rights over green areas, and little investments or prioritization of green spaces. An integrated collaborative governance framework is proposed to unify actions, address power crisis and factors that influence governance of green infrastructure, UHI and land cover change.

Source: UG
Planning for digitization of university libraries in Ghana: challenges and prospects.

The study investigates the availability of strategic plans or policies for the development of digital libraries in selected universities in Ghana. A case study approach was adopted and interviews were held with three university librarians to determine their views on planning and budgeting for digitization. The findings reveal that all three university libraries have strategic plans, though some are outdated and therefore, rely on policies to ensure that digitization activities are enhanced. Budgetary support for digitization activities range from 16.6% - 50% of the total library budget. The study recommends that the libraries should have an up-to-date strategic plan which includes a specific mission and vision with regard to digital libraries and digitalized resources. They should also consider income-generating activities such as renting portions of their premises for workshops, conferences, exhibitions and seminars which would boost the budgetary support of libraries. This is one of the few articles which examines digitization from a cross section of university libraries in Ghana

Source: UG
Planning for Quality in Balme Library: the Need and Challenge

Although the University of Ghana, Legon has a corporate strategic plan, the Balme Library does not have a formal strategic plan. The main processes which may help the Library to develop such a plan, however, exist. This study identified the need and challenges affecting the development of a strategic plan and also makes recommendations that would assist the Balme Library contribute to the achievement of the mission of the university

Source: UG
Planning for retirement during active service in Ghana: Insights from pensioners in the Greater Accra Region

Workers often participate in pre-retirement planning activities to gain awareness of the likely changes they may experience when they retire to enable them to prepare accordingly. Although pre-retirement planning is essential for successful retirement and healthy aging, studies on pre-retirement plan ning activities among older adults in Ghana are limited. This study explored pre-retirement planning actions that were taken by Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pen sioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was adopted to gather data from 437 pensioners aged 60 years and above through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The results indicate that while in active service, many (309) pensioners were not motivated to plan for retirement due to issues, such as low income, and distrust of financial institutions. When plan ning did take place, the pensioners favored financial planning over social, mental, and physical planning. The respondents also revealed that they did not prepare adequately for retirement due to low salaries, as well as low knowledge on pre-retirement planning. Policies are needed to encourage pre-retirement plan ning among workers in Ghana to enable them to have an appreciable quality of life in old age.

Source: UG
Plant analysis by butterflies: Occurrence of cyclopentenylglycines in Passifloraceae, Flacourtiaceae, and Turneraceae and discovery of the novel nonproteinogenic amino acid 2-(3′-cyclopentenyl)glycine in Rinorea

Following records about feeding habits of nymphalid butterflies, a novel nonproteinogenic L-amino acid, (S)-2-(3′-cyclopentenyl)glycine (11), was discovered in Rinorea ilicifolia, a species where the presence of a cyclopentanoid natural product of this kind was neither known nor anticipated from the taxonomic point of view. Another novel amino acid, (2S,1′S,2′S)-2-(2′-hydroxy-3′-cyclopentenyl)glycine (12), the stereochemistry of which was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, was shown to occur in species belonging to Flacourtiaceae, Passifloraceae, and Turneraceae. These species, many of which serve as hosts for nymphalid butterflies (Acraeinae, Heliconiinae, Argynninae), also produce 2-(2′-cyclopentenyl)glycine. Cyclopentenylglycines are proposed to be novel chemical recognition templates for plant-insect interactions. Ratios between the epimers of (2S)-2-(2′-cyclopentenyl)glycine, which co-occur in plants, were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Contrary to a previous report, the (2S,1′R) epimer always appears to predominate over the (2S,1′S) epimer. Stereochemical aspects of biosynthesis of natural cyclopentanoid cyanogenic glycosides are discussed in relation to these findings.

Source: UG
Plant fruit extracts enhance the in vitro propagation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) on Murashige and Skoog media

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a versatile legume with diverse nutritional and nutraceutical properties that serve as a food security and medicinal crop for millions of households across Africa. An efficient protocol was developed to propagate shoot tip and cotyledonary node explants from six cowpea breeding accessions in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal media supplemented with either banana extract, coconut water, orange or tomato juice. Micropropagation performance was compared to MS medium supplemented with B5 vitamins. A total of 500 plantlets were obtained in vitro across treatments and MS basal media supplemented with tomato juice had the highest micropropagation performance (154 plantlets), followed by banana extract (112 plantlets), orange juice (107 plantlets), and coconut water (82 plantlets). Three accessions (AGRAC 216, TA, and Asontem) were found to be the most amenable to in vitro propagation using plant-derived extracts. Overall, this study successfully established that plant-derived extracts can support in vitro cowpea propagation in the absence of synthetic plant growth regulators.

Source: UG
Plant Growth Inhibitory Activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa Calyx and the Phytotoxicity of Hydroxycitric Acid Lactone

Weeds pose major constraints in crop production. The use of allelochemicals and allelopathic species can provide an effective alternative for sustainable weed management. In a previous study that evaluated the allelopathic activity of wild and cultivated plants in Turkey, Hibiscus sabdariffa demonstrated the strongest inhibitory potential. This study aimed to estimate the phytotoxic influence of the H. sabdariffa water crude extracts on Lactuca sativa L. in a bioassay experiment. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to identify two major compounds, hydroxycitric acid lactone and hydroxy citric acid, and their plant growth inhibitory activities were evaluated by bioassays. Hydroxycitric acid lactone had a stronger growth inhibitory activity on L. sativa L. and was estimated as a major allelochemical in H. sabdariffa calyx. The high concentration (16.7% of the dry weight of the calyx) and strong inhibitory effect (EC50, 73.7 ppm) of the hydroxycitric acid lactone could demonstrate the growth inhibitory activity of the H. sabdariffa calyx extract. This study showed that hydroxycitric acid lactone, a major compound in the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a plant growth inhibitor.

Source: UG
Plant MAPK cascades: Just rapid signaling modules?

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major phytohormone mediating important stress-related processes. We recently unveiled an ABA-activated MAPK signaling module constituted of MAP3K17/18-MKK3-MPK1/2/7/14. Unlike classical rapid MAPK activation, we showed that the activation of the new MAPK module is delayed and relies on the MAP3K protein synthesis. In this addendum, we discuss the role of this original and unexpected activation mechanism of MAPK cascades which suggests that MAPKs can regulate both early and longterm plant stress responses. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
Plantains: Gluco-friendly usage

Plantains are a staple food for a large proportion of the world's population. Rich sources of carbohydrates, they are considered taboo by most diabetes care providers. For persons living with diabetes, however, they are a preferred food item. This multi country authored article discusses the nutritional and culinary qualities of plantains. It discusses how to consume the fruit in a glucose-safe manner, by reducing the glycaemic load and total caloric load due to a low glycaemic index. Simple ways of modifying plantain preparation and serving are suggested, to help patients take this foodstuff without impacting glucose control.

Source: UG
Plantations, outgrowers and commercial farming in Africa: agricultural commercialisation and implications for agrarian change

Whether or not investments in African agriculture can generate quality employment at scale, avoid dispossessing local people of their land, promote diversified and sustainable livelihoods, and catalyse more vibrant local economies depends on what farming model is pursued. In this Forum, we build on recent scholarship by discussing the key findings of our recent studies in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. We examined cases of three models of agricultural commercialisation, characterised by different sets of institutional arrangements that link land, labour and capital. The three models are: plantations or estates with on-farm processing; contract farming and outgrower schemes; and medium-scale commercial farming areas. Building on core debates in the critical agrarian studies literature, we identify commercial farming areas and contract farming as producing the most local economic linkages, and plantations/estates as producing more jobs, although these are of low quality and mostly casual. We point to the gender and generational dynamics emerging in the three models, which reflect the changing demand for family and wage labour. Models of agricultural commercialisation do not always deliver what is expected of them in part because local conditions play a critical role in the unfolding outcomes for land relations, labour regimes, livelihoods and local economies.

Source: UG
Plantations, outgrowers and commercial farming in Africa: agricultural commercialisation and implications for agrarian change

Whether or not investments in African agriculture can generate quality employment at scale, avoid dispossessing local people of their land, promote diversified and sustainable livelihoods, and catalyse more vibrant local economies depends on what farming model is pursued. In this Forum, we build on recent scholarship by discussing the key findings of our recent studies in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. We examined cases of three models of agricultural commercialisation, characterised by different sets of institutional arrangements that link land, labour and capital. The three models are: plantations or estates with on-farm processing; contract farming and outgrower schemes; and medium-scale commercial farming areas. Building on core debates in the critical agrarian studies literature, we identify commercial farming areas and contract farming as producing the most local economic linkages, and plantations/estates as producing more jobs, although these are of low quality and mostly casual. We point to the gender and generational dynamics emerging in the three models, which reflect the changing demand for family and wage labour. Models of agricultural commercialisation do not always deliver what is expected of them in part because local conditions play a critical role in the unfolding outcomes for land relations, labour regimes, livelihoods and local economies. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Source: UG
Planting to feed the city?: Agricultural production, food security and multi-spatial livelihoods among urban households in Ghana

The 2010 population and housing census in Ghana revealed that more than half of the Ghanaian population lived in urban centers. Critical to the phenomenon of urbanization is the question of how to sustainably feed the urban population especially the urban poor as rapid urbanization has the tendency to urbanize poverty. This has led to renewed policy debate about the implications of farming in cities to the food security of urban residents. This thesis aims at contributing to the debate by delineating the non-market sources of food and analyze their implications for urban households in terms of food security. In doing this, the thesis analyzes the interplay that exist between the various agricultural engagements by urban households in both urban and rural areas as well as food transfer receipts to urban households and how they contribute to household food security in small and medium sized cities in Ghana. The thesis employs a mixed methods approach-quantitative and qualitative methods- to investigate the concept of urban food security. The analytical framework employed is grounded on the access pillar to household food security. The findings of the thesis are presented in three articles preceded by a ‘kappa’. I argue that the debate on the contribution of urban agriculture to urban household food security seems to over concentrate on urban agriculture alone without accounting for the other food provisioning opportunities available to the household including food production in peri-urban and rural spaces. Expanding the scope also helps to account for other non-market food sources such as food transfer receipts that are found to play important roles in the food security of urban households. The thesis establishes that, households with multiple food provisioning opportunities, especially those who engage in both urban and rural agriculture have better food security outlook than those who do not. The implications from the findings is that policies aimed at addressing urban food security through own food provisioning should not be treated in isolation. Rather, such policies should account for the active rural-urban interactions characteristic of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and how they could be harnessed to complement each other for better food security and livelihood outcomes.

Source: UG
Plants used for treatment of malaria in communities around the Bobiri forest reserve in Ghana

The study collected and analyzed information on the diversity of plants used for the treatment of malaria in communities living near the Bobiri Forest Reserve in Ghana, using a structured questionnaire to interview 150 individuals. Forty-two plant species belonging to 27 families were identified as being used locally in treating malaria. The plant leaves were the most commonly used plant part, and the majority (92.9%) of the medicinal preparations were decoctions obtained by boiling the plant parts. About 75% of the people collected plants for treatment of malaria from their immediate surroundings (within 100 m of their homes), whereas the others were collected in the wild. Respondents indicated as major threats to the medicinal species of plants: drought (49.3%) followed by farming (15.7%), over-harvesting (13%), and brush fires (11%). The results of the study suggest a need for conservation and sustainable harvesting strategies. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
Plants used in Wechiau Community Hippopotamus Sanctuary in Northwest Ghana

An ethnobotanical study of plants used by the indigenous people living in the Wechiau Community Hippopotamus Sanctuary in northwestern Ghana was conducted using structured and semi-structured interviews, and participant- observation methods. A total of 77 species of plants in 27 families were identified as commonly used by the communities in the sanctuary. The plants were reported used in 7 out of the 13 major plant-use categories defined by Cook (1995). The plants were mostly used as medicines (61%), materials (38%), fuel (33%), and human food (26%). The results of this study show that a larger proportion of the plants in the sanctuary are used by the communities as their sources of livelihoods and cultural activities. This demonstrates the need for ethnobotanical data for management of community-based conservation sites in the development of strategies for sustainable use of plants.

Source: UG
Plaque and growth characteristics of different polioviruses isolated from acute flaccid paralysis in Northern Nigeria

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
Plasma antibodies from malaria-exposed pregnant women recognize variant surface antigens on plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in a parity-dependent manner and block parasite adhesion to chondroitin sulfate A.

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

Source: UG
Plasma levels of some coagulation parameters in Steady State HBSC disease patients

Introduction: sickle cell disease is a collection of autosomal recessive genetic disorders. It includes homozygous HbSS and double heterozygote combinations such as HbSC. Central and West Africa bears a significant burden of HbSC disease.Methods: prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen concentration (FC) and platelet count (PC) weredetermined in 41HbSC and HbSS patientsin steady state along with 40 apparently healthy HbAA controls. One way ANOVA test was used to compare means;p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: there was no significant difference in mean PT for the study groups (p = 0.192). Mean PC was highest in HbSS patients: 445.7 +/- 128.3 X 10 9/ L compared to HbSC: 330.0 +/- 97.7 X 10 9/ L andHbAA:245 +/- 77.7 X 10 9/ L (p= 0.000).Mean APTT was 28.1 +/- 3.8 seconds in controls,24.1+/- 66 seconds in HbSS patients and 21.8 +/- 3.8 seconds in HbSC patients (p = 0.000). Mean FCin HbSS was 1.6 +/- 0.7 g/L , 3.2 +/- 0.6 g/L in HbSC and 2.9 +/- 0.4 g/L in HbAA (p =0.000).Conclusion: a significant difference exists in PC, APTT and FC in HbSC patients compared to HbSS patients and HbAA controls. Elevated FC and shortened APTT may play a role in complications more characteristic of HbSC such as retinopathy and osteonecrosis. These suggestHbSC is not merely a milder form of HbSS; both diseases should be seen as different entities with regards to approaches for management. © 2014, Mauryne Debola Ajuwon et al.

Source: UG
Plasma levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in Ghanaian children with vaccine-modified measles.

To understand the pathogenesis of vaccine-modified measles (VMM), we measured plasma levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 (Th1 cytokines), IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), IL-12, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in children with uncomplicated measles, who had anti-measles IgG antibodies and with a history of immunization on admission (day 0), day 14 and day 60. We compared these to levels in healthy, age-matched, immunized children. Plasma levels of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-12 were significantly higher in VMM patients on day 0 compared to healthy controls (p = 0.023; p = 0.018; p = 0.001) respectively. In contrast, plasma IL-4 was lower in VMM patients on day 0 when compared to the controls (p = 0.009). Plasma levels of IL-12 remained consistently high on days 14 and 60 (p = 0.001; p = 0.04), whilst IL-10 levels fell significantly on the same days (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) respectively. Kinetically, IFN-gamma and IL-10 levels decreased consistently from day 0 to days 14 and 60 in VMM patients. In contrast, IL-4 levels increased from day 0 to day 14 and day 60. Our results therefore suggest that VMM is associated with an early up-regulation of Th1 cytokine production and a down-regulation of Th2 cytokine production. The strong Th1 response may be associated with the induction of IL-12 and memory cells, thus contributing to the early resolution of the infection and lack of complications.

Source: UG
Plasma transferred arc intergranular and transgranular orientation processing route

This study introduces a novel Plasma Transferred Arc Welding (PTAW) processing route for depositing high- performance NiCrBSi coatings on structural steel. The innovation of this work lies in the strategic use of a low standoff distance (5 mm) in combination with low arc currents (60 A and 70 A) to tailor the coating’s micro structure for superior wear and corrosion resistance, addressing a significant challenge in extending the lifespan of machine tools. The coating prepared at 60 A (C60A) demonstrated a significant improvement in properties compared to the one prepared at 70 A (C70A). Quantitatively, the C60A coating achieved a maximum micro hardness of 754.0 HV 0.5 , a 26.8 % reduction in corrosion current density, and a 38 % lower wear rate (p < 0.01). These enhancements are attributed to a more refined microstructure, a higher volume fraction of beneficial FCC texture components, and a lower density of geometrically necessary dislocations (1.04 × 10¹³ m⁻² for C60A vs. 1.08 × 10¹³ m⁻² for C70A). This research provides a viable pathway for fabricating durable and reliable Ni-based coatings for demanding industrial applications.

Source: UG