ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Sustenance of human capital: Social support as managerial stress-reliever for women in developing economies.

Although women managers in Ghana represent an unique set of human capital the adverse consequences of job stressors on their performances make their sustenance in organisations a key human resource challenge. Similar to many developing countries the gender orientation of managerial employees in Ghana has changed in the last two decades with many women breaking through the hierarchical glass ceilings to occupy management positions in their organisations. This category of women employees, who also retain their sociocultural roles as wives and mothers needs to be socially supported in their organisations. The dual roles played by these women managers generate added stress to their organisational performances with detrimental consequences, not only to their physical and mental wellbeing, but also to their sustenance as resourceful human capital encouraging the installation of appropriate support coping mechanisms. This issue was explored by examining the relationship between the job characteristics symptoms of stress and the moderating effects of social support among managerial women in some organisations in Ghana. The findings of this study indicate that the exposure of managerial women to many job stressors have harmful effect on their health and impact negatively on their productivity. The stresses of the managerial women were reduced and their career progressions enhanced by the supportive relationship that existed between them and their superiors.

Source: UG
Susu: A Dynamic Microfinance Phenomenon in Ghana

Susu is a popular form of savings in most developing economies. It is practiced in different forms and under different names in both developing and developed countries. In spite of its contribution to the socio-economic development of both developing and developed countries, it remains under-researched. There is therefore the need for further research into this complex financial phenomenon. This paper thus, critically examines existing literature on Susu and other micro savings phenomenon. It shows that Susu is a complex and dynamic social phenomenon. In substance, it discovered that susu shares similarities with other micro savings schemes such as rotating savings and credit schemes, accumulating savings and credit associations as well as Christmas hampers and Christmas clubs in England and the United States respectively. It establishes that similar to other micro savings schemes, the object of Susu is to help rural, poor and low income earners meet their economic, social or communal needs.

Source: UG
Suzuki, T.; Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of GhanaGhana; email: 0897vip@tmd.ac.jp

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
A SYBR Green 1-based in vitro test of susceptibility of Ghanaian Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates to a panel of anti-malarial drugs

Background: Based on report of declining efficacy of chloroquine, Ghana shifted to the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in 2005 as the first-line anti-malarial drug. Since then, there has not been any major evaluation of the efficacy of anti-malarial drugs in Ghana in vitro. The sensitivity of Ghanaian Plasmodium falciparum isolates to anti-malarial drugs was, therefore, assessed and the data compared with that obtained prior to the change in the malaria treatment policy. Methods. A SYBR Green 1 fluorescent-based in vitro drug sensitivity assay was used to assess the susceptibility of clinical isolates of P. falciparum to a panel of 12 anti-malarial drugs in three distinct eco-epidemiological zones in Ghana. The isolates were obtained from children visiting health facilities in sentinel sites located in Hohoe, Navrongo and Cape Coast municipalities. The concentration of anti-malarial drug inhibiting parasite growth by 50% (IC§ssub§50§esub§) for each drug was estimated using the online program, ICEstimator. Results: Pooled results from all the sentinel sites indicated geometric mean IC§ssub§50§esub§ values of 1.60, 3.80, 4.00, 4.56, 5.20, 6.11, 10.12, 28.32, 31.56, 93.60, 107.20, and 8952.50 nM for atovaquone, artesunate, dihydroartemisin, artemether, lumefantrine, amodiaquine, mefloquine, piperaquine, chloroquine, tafenoquine, quinine, and doxycycline, respectively. With reference to the literature threshold value indicative of resistance, the parasites showed resistance to all the test drugs except the artemisinin derivatives, atovaquone and to a lesser extent, lumefantrine. There was nearly a two-fold decrease in the IC§ssub§ 50§esub§ value determined for chloroquine in this study compared to that determined in 2004 (57.56 nM). This observation is important, since it suggests a significant improvement in the efficacy of chloroquine, probably as a direct consequence of reduced drug pressure after cessation of its use. Compared to that measured prior to the change in treatment policy, significant elevation of artesunate IC§ssub§50§esub§ value was observed. The results also suggest the existence of possible cross-resistance among some of the test drugs. Conclusion: Ghanaian P. falciparum isolates, to some extent, have become susceptible to chloroquine in vitro, however the increasing trend in artesunate IC§ssub§50§esub§ value observed should be of concern. Continuous monitoring of ACT in Ghana is recommended. © 2013 Quashie et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Source: UG
Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders and Their Correlates Among Women in Accra, Ghana: A Population-Based Survey

Introduction: To comply with its new mental health bill, Ghana needs to integrate mental health within other health and social services. Mental disorders represent 9% of disease burden in Ghana. Women are more affected by common mental disorders, and are underrepresented in treatment settings. This study examines physical and social correlates of mental illness in adult women in Accra, Ghana, so as to inform general clinical practice and health policy. Methods: The SF-36 and K6 forms and 4 psychosis questions were administered in three languages to 2,814 adult women living in Accra, as part of a larger cross-sectional population-based survey of women’s health. The validity of these tools was assessed through correlations within and between measures. Risk factors for mental distress were analysed using multivariate regression. Health service use was also described using statistical frequencies. Results: Both the SF36 and K6 appear valid in a female Ghanaian population. Low levels of education, poverty and unemployment are negatively associated with mental health. Physical ill health is also associated with mental distress. No association was found between mental distress and religion or ethnicity. Some additional risk factors were significant for one, but not both of the outcome variables. Only 0.4% of women reported seeing a mental health professional in the previous year, whereas 58.6% had visited a health centre. Conclusion: The implications for women are that marriage is neither good nor bad for mental health, but education and employment are strong protective factors. Researchers should note that the SF36 and K6 can be used in a Ghanaian population, however more research is needed to determine the cut-off point for serious mental illness on the K6, as well as research into mental disorders in a mixed-gender population.

Source: UG
Syn-mineralization hydrous fluid activity in giant Jinchuan magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit in North China Craton

Giant magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposits in the world are hosted mainly in pristine gabbro-dolerite sills (e.g., the first largest in the Noril'sk region) and norite bodies (e.g., the second largest in Sudbury, Duluth, and Voisey's Bay), implying the petrogenic relationship between the giant deposits and anhydrous parental magmas. In contrast, the third largest Jinchuan deposit is hosted in dunite- and lherzolite-dominated peridotite bodies and characterized by the presence of hydrous minerals (e.g., hornblende and phlogopite) and intensive serpentini zation of olivine. The role of water in the formation of the magmatic Ni-Cu sulfide deposit remains unclear. To reveal the potential linkage between sulfide mineralization and ‘water’ (i.e., hydrous minerals), a detailed petrographic investigation of the Jinchuan deposit and the associated mineral chemistry analyses have been conducted in this study. The distribution of serpentinization of olivine in the Jinchuan deposit is unevenly, being more pervasive in the sulfide-bearing rocks compared to sulfide-free rocks. The degree of serpentinization de creases systematically in general sequence outwardly from the core net-textured dunite to the outer disseminated lherzolite at orebody-scale. In the sulfide-bearing rocks, the serpentinization is more intensively observed in the sulfide-rich portions compared to the sulfide-poor portions at thin section-scale. We consider sulfide content dependent serpentinization as ‘selective alteration’, which is distinct from post-magmatic modifications and should have occurred coevally with sulfide liquid emplacement and sulfide crystallization. The selective alter ation with dependence on sulfide contents is caused by hydrous fluids released from sulfide crystallization, because the crystallized sulfides cannot structurally accommodate hydrous components which previous latching onto the sulfide liquid. The olivine grains in sulfide-bearing rocks are reversely zoned with respect to Ni (Ni-poor cores, Ni-rich rims) and Co (Co-rich cores, Co-poor rims) which can be interpreted by stages of sulfide liquid olivine Ni-Co exchange and Fe-Ni exchange. Comparison of intra-grain elemental distributions of olivine grains shows that hydrous fluid activity enhanced elemental exchange between olivine and sulfide liquid. Interestingly, the presence of hydrous minerals, protects olivine from selective alteration, suggesting that the hydrous minerals were formed during syn-mineralization fluid activity. These features are linkage between the inferred fluids compounded with sulfide droplets in previous experiments and their transfer and fate in natural magmatic sulfide deposits. The selective alteration proposed here, formed during the syn-mineralization stage and indicate that the fluid activity is instrumental in the formation of magmatic sulfide ores. The selective alteration may be a common characteristic in ultramafic rock-hosted magmatic sulfide deposits and a pathfinder for mineral exploration.

Source: UG
Synchronised Cardioversion for Chronic Atrail Fibrillation

Objective: To determine whether elective cardioversion was successful in establishing sinus rhythm in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation and the energy used for the cardioversion using a monophasic defibrillator. Design: This is a retrospective descriptive study. Setting: Intensive care unit of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital. Subjects: Twelve consecutive patients referred by physicians with chronic atrial fibrillation which had not responded appropriately to pharmacological agents. Method: Using the intensive care admissions and discharge register and report book, the patients case notes were retrieved. The pre-cardioversion echocardiography diagnosis and drugs were noted. The results of cardioversion, and the current rhythm status were also reviewed. Results: There were twelve elective cardioversions for chronic atrial fibrillation during the period under investigation. All the patients were on warfarin with INR- 2.2-2.8. Eight of the patients had initial echocardiographic evidence of thrombi in the left atrium. Sinus rhythm was established in 9(75%) of the patients. The mean energy used for the cardioversion was 384.4+167.7J. Of the 3 with failed cardioversion, one was later successfully cardioverted to sinus rhythm. On review, 9(75%) of the patients are still in sinus rhythm 6 months to 15 months after cardioversion. Six of these patients continue with oral amiodarone however. Conclusion: Synchronized cardioversion for chronic atrial fibrillation is safe and may be successful after failure of pharmacologic cardioversion in patients where sinus rhythm is desirable.

Source: UG
Synergies and fragmentation in country level policy and program agenda setting, formulation and implementation for Global Health agendas: a case study of health security, universal health coverage, and health promotion in Ghana and Sierra Leone

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
Synergism between Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 genes could account for the slow recovery of chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strains in Ghana after chloroquine withdrawal

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
Synergistic effects of Albizzia lebbek, Moringa oleifera and Millettia thonningii leaves on weight gain and predicted enteric methane emission in sheep

The digestive tract of ruminants though unique in the utilisation of low quality feed materials also emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 25 times that of carbon-dioxide. Climate smart livestock production necessitated the use of browse leaves with the potential to inhibit methanogens and protozoa activity in the rumen and reduce methane emission. Thus, sixteen forest type ram lambs (13.94 ±1.02 ) were fed Albizzia lebbek (AL)+Moringa oleifera (MO)+Millettia thonningii (MT), AL+MO, AL+MT and MO+MT for twelve weeks. Data collected were feed intake, digestible energy, weight gain, energy loss, nitrogen loss and methane emission by sheep. Rumen methane production (MJ/d) was estimated using a model equation: Methane = 8.25 + 0.07 x Metabolisable Energy Intake. Sheep fed AL+MO had the highest (p<0.0001) average daily gain whilst those fed AL+MO+MT recorded the lowest (p<0.0001). Sheep fed AL+MO+MT emitted the lowest (p<0.0001) methane and those fed AL+MO emitted the highest (p<0.0001) methane. The dry matter intake, digestible energy, energy intake, faecal energy losses, average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency, faecal nitrogen losses, urinal nitrogen losses and methane production were in the range of 588.9-651.5g/d, 15.1-16.7 MJ/kg DM, 17.3-18 MJ/kg DM, 1.26-2.56 MJ/kg DM, 69.94-83.33 g/d, 8.66-11.10 g/d, 60.43-88.01g/animal/d, 11.22-16.99 g/animal/d and 3-5.34 MJ/d respectively. This study demonstrates the synergic action of browse leaves as a climate smart approach in reducing methane production and improving the productivity of sheep. Furthermore, this feeding strategy promotes uniform utilization of browse species leading to the sustainable use of preferred browse species as no one browse species will be heavily utilised.

Source: UG
Synergistic Effects Of Lactobacillus Strains And Acetobacter Pasteurianus On Jujube Puree’s Product Functionality And Quality

Commercial lactic acid bacteria strains and indigenous Chinese acetic acid bacteria were co- and tri-culturally co-cultivated in Junzao jujube puree for the first time to investigate their effects on physicochemical properties and quality attributes. Lactic-acetic acid bacteria fermentation was performed at 37 ◦C for 48 h during the anaerobic fermentation phase and at 30 ◦C for 144 h during aerobic fermentation. FTIR results showed that predominant wave numbers at 1716–1724 cm1 and 2922–3307 cm1 exhibited discernible alterations in the lactic acid co-fermented jujube purees compared to the control sample. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the flavonoid and flavonol contents were responsible for the enhanced 2,2′- azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activities of the fermented jujube purees. Consequently, fermented jujube puree from tricultures of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Acetobacter pasteurianus gave the best results. with the highest phenolic, flavonoid, and flavonol contents and the most improved antioxidative properties and color. Overall, lactic-acetic acid bacteria co-culture holds significant promise in valorizing Junzao jujube purees for functional ingredient development, paving the way for further research into similar interactions with different food matrices or microbial strains.

Source: UG
Synergistic Interaction between Excess Hepatic Iron and Alcohol Ingestion in Hepatic Mutagenesis.

BACKGROUND/AIM Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) and dietary iron overload are the main iron-loading diseases. Fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are complications to HH and dietary iron overload possibly influenced by co-factors. Alcohol may be one such factor. The aim therefore was to determine the extent of synergistic interaction between free hepatic iron and alcohol, complicating dietary iron overload in HCC pathogenesis. METHODS: Four groups of 20 Wistar albino rats were used: group 1 (C) was fed the chow diet; group 2 (Fe) was supplemented with 0.75% ferrocene iron; group 3 (Fe+Al), 0.75% iron and 7% ethanol; and group 4, 7% ethanol (Al) for 12 months. Iron profile, superoxide/nitrite free radicals, lipid peroxidation (LPO)/8-isoprostane (8-IP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), oxidative lipid/DNA damage immunohistochemistry, transaminases (AST/ALT) and Ames mutagenesis tests were performed. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the Fe+Al group for LPO, 8-IP, AST and ALT (p<0.001, 0.001, 0.001 and 0.001, respectively) compared to other groups. A three-fold synergistic interaction was observed for the same parameters. Furthermore, significant differences of p<0.05 and 0.001 were observed for 8-OHdG and mutagenesis, respectively, with an additive synergy in the Fe+Al group. ALT/8-OHdG and ALT/mutagenesis correlated positively (p<0.04 and 0.008, respectively). The immunohistochemistry revealed iron/alcohol multiplicative synergism with hydroxyl radical involvement. CONCLUSION: Mutagenic effects of iron and alcohol are synergistically multiplicative implicating hydroxyl free radicals in hepatocarcingenesis.

Source: UG
The synopsis of cattle performance in Zimbabwe’s ‘Initial’ resettlement areas after land reforms and redistribution

Cattle performance was monitored over a two year period in a settle area, a spatial land-use product of Zimbabwe’s land reform post-independence. A total of 30 farmers each owning at least 5 cattle in 3 selected villages of a 20 village settlement scheme were targeted for the study. Participating village rangelands were assessed monthly for biomass yield in different physiognomic cover classes. Cattle in the study were monitored over a two year period for reproduction (calving rate and frequency, re-calving rates) and exit records (sales, slaughter, deaths, exchange and buy-in) under farmer management conditions. Cattle weights, exit and reproductive records were analysed as measures of performance. The study found low to medium calving rates (25-40%) and low re-calving rates (16-26%), with diminished nutrition and low off-take (7.3 – 18.7%) as major impediments to cattle performance. Monthly cattle weights fluctuated with quantity of available grazing biomass, and were lowest during the dry months (September – December). Cows and heifers were affected more by diminished nutrition than steers. The study concluded that improving nutrition, increasing off-take and possibly availing bulls in resettlement areas were appropriate actions to increase cattle performance in the short to medium term, complemented by adequate veterinary practices.

Source: UG
The Syntax And Semantics Of Gã Future Markers

This paper explores the syntax and semantics of two grammatical markers of future time in Gã (Niger-Congo, Kwa): bàá- and àá-. The coexistence of àá- and over a long period, coupled with their overlapping roles, has led to some inconsistency in their analysis. I show that in modern Gã, bàá- is the most prevalent future marker, with àá- existing much less prominently alongside it. Data from natural speech and elicitation reveal that both markers have modal functions in addition to the temporal function. Bàá can also be used specifically to mark habits. Due largely to the overwhelming frequency of the temporal function in the discourse data, I maintain that the primary function of bàá- is as a future tense marker. It is therefore not purely modal. àá- has all but fallen out of use and has a more modal than temporal function. This study uncovers previously unreported non-temporal uses of bàá- and underscores the crucial role played by frequency in the determination of category function.

Source: UG
Synthesis and Biological Properties of Ferrocenyl and Organic Methotrexate Derivatives

Synthesis and biological activity of two series of modified side chain methotrexate (MTX) derivatives are presented, one with a ferrocenyl moiety inserted between the pteroyl and glutamate portions of the molecule and the other with glutamate substituted for short chain amino acids. Ferrocenyl derivatives of MTX turned out to be rather moderate inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) although molecular modeling suggested more effective interactions between these compounds and the target enzyme. More interestingly, ferrocene-decorated MTX derivatives were able to impede the proliferation of four murine and human cell lines as well as their methotrexate-resistant counterparts, overcoming the multidrug resistance (MDR) barrier. They were also able to directly interact with Abcc1, an MDR protein. Of the amino acid pteroyl conjugates, the γ-aminobutyric acid derivative was an efficient inhibitor of DHFR but had no effect on cell proliferation in the concentration range studied while a taurine conjugate was a poor DHFR inhibitor but able to affect cell viability. We postulate that modification of the methotrexate side chain may be an efficient strategy to overcome efflux-dependent methotrexate resistance.

Source: UG