ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Comparison of childhood household injuries and risk factors between urban and rural communities in Ghana: A cluster-randomized, population-based, survey to inform injury prevention research and programming

Background: Childhood household injuries incur a major proportion of the global disease burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, household injury hazards are differentially distributed across developed environments. Therefore, we aimed to compare incidence of childhood household injuries and prevalence of risk factors between communities in urban and rural Ghana to inform prevention initiatives.Methods: Data from urban and a rural cluster-randomized, population-based surveys of caregivers of children <5 years in Ghana were combined. In both studies, caregivers were interviewed about childhood injuries that occurred within the past 6 months and 200 meters of the home that resulted in missed school/work, hospitalization, and/or death. Sampling weights were applied, injuries and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were described, and multi-level regression was used to identify and compare risk factors. Results: We sampled 200 urban and 357 rural households that represented 20,575 children in Asawase and 14,032 children in Amakom, Ghana, respectively. There were 143 and 351 injuries in our urban and rural samples, which equated to 594 and 542 injuries per 1,000 child-years, respectively (IRR 1.09, 95%CI 1.05-1.14). Toddler-aged children had the highest odds of injury both urban and rural communities (OR 3.77 vs 3.17, 95%CI 1.34-10.55 vs 1.86-5.42 compared to infants, respectively). Urban children were more commonly injured by falling (IRR 1.50, 95%CI 1.41-1.60), but less commonly injured by flame/hot sub stances (IRR 0.51, 95%CI 0.44-0.59), violence (IRR 0.41, 95%CI 0.36-0.48), or motor vehicle (IRR 0.50, 95%CI 0.39-0.63). Rural households that cooked outside of the home (OR 0.36, 95%CI 0.22-0.60) and that also supervised older children (OR 0.33, 95%CI 0.17-0.62) had lower odds of childhood injuries than those that did not. Conclusions: Childhood injuries were similarly common in both urban and rural Ghana, but with different patterns of mechanisms and risk factors that must be taken into account when planning prevention strategies. However, the data suggest that several interventions could be effective, including: community-based, multi-strategy initiatives (e.g., home hazard reduction, provision of safety equipment, establishing community creches); traffic calming interventions in rural community clusters; and passive injury surveillance systems that collect data to inform violence and broader prevention strategies.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of different methods of diagnosis of trichomonas vaginalis infection in Ghana.

This study was carried out to compare the TV latex agglutination test (LAT), the lnpouch TV culture technique and the wet preparational examination (wet prep) in the diagnosis of T.vaginalis infection. The study was designed to give better understanding of the three tests and recommend the most suitable one for use in health facilities in Ghana. One thousand five hundred (1500) pregnant women were recruited for the study. Three vaginal swabs were obtained from each patient by midwives. The first swab was used for the wet, preparational second for the LAT and the third for the Inpouch culture. All the three tests performed very well with the LAT detecting 95 (98.9%) positives and 1405 ( 93.7%) negatives with sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive (PVP) and predictive value negative (PVN) of 98.6%, 98.4%, 99.7% and 75.8% respectively. The Inpouch TV culture and the Wet preparational detected 70 (72%) and 69 (71.9%) positives and 1403 (95.3%) and 1431 (95.4%) negatives with sensitivities of 95.9% and 94.5% and specificities of 100% respectively. The Inpouch culture and the wet preparational also exhibited PVP of 100% and PVN of 99.8% and 99.7% respectively. The LAT had very good operational characteristics compared to the lnpouch The LAT had very good operational characteristics compared to the Inpouch culture and the wet preparational e. The LAT was rapid, easy to perform and results easy to interpret. Although all three tests compare favorably, in terms of test performance, the LAT was the best in terms of operational characteristics. The LAT is recommended for use in health facilities in the Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of Energy Intensities at the Ghacem Cement Factories at Tema and Takoradi

Cement factories at Tema and Takoradi were among the number of industries that were established after the nation attained independence in 1957. They were intended to provide cement for the infrastructure developments that were going on at that time, reduce importation bills on cement and create employment. This was intended to support the government policy of changing the agrarian society into industrialized one. As the nation industrialized and increased its Gross National Product (GNP), there was a clear trend towards higher consumption of energy. There was a rapid increase in the demand for electricity which the Electricity Company of Ghana, the supply authority, could not meet. It became necessary, therefore, to look at demand-side management of the power sector. This research has studied the production of cement at Ghacem cement factories at Tema and Takoradi. Major energy consuming items were identified and listed. Electric energy consumption data documented at the two factories, from the year 2000 to 2005, were obtained. The load factor was computed, on monthly basis, for the six-year period, for the two factories and graphs drawn to show the variations. Power factor at the two factories were found to be low so causes of the low levels of power factor were identified and ways of improving the power factor were suggested. Lists, showing the currents which would have been drawn by the two plants, had the power factor been improved to unity had been provided. Finally, electric energy intensities were also computed on monthly basis, graphs were drawn to depict the differences. The results were compared and discussed. The maximum difference of the energy intensity was found to be 10% in favour of Takoradi factory. The research identified this outcome to the installation of extra powerful dust plants at the Tema factory to control environmental pollution and the occasional use of vi concrete plant and shortcrete mortar plant which are not available at the Takoradi factory.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of gauge rainfall measurements with TRMM satellite estimates over Kumasi

Rainfall is an essential resource for socio-economic activities especially in developing countries. I Rainfall variability in Sub-Saharan Africa has been reported by Owusu et al. (2012), Nicholson et al. (2003), Amekudzi et al. (2015). I To improve our understanding of the spatio-temporal variations of rainfall rigourous validation has been carried out all over the world by comparing in-situ measurements with satellite estimates. (Friesen 2002; Amekudzi et al., 2011; Adeyewa and Nakamura 2003; Haque et al., 2013). I In the tropics, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) has been specifically dedicated to monitoring rainfall intensity and distribution

Source: KNUST
Comparison of Glycated Albumin and Glycated Hemoglobin levels in the management of type 2 diabetic patients in the Tema Metropolis of Ghana.

Glycated Albumin (GA) has been proposed as an important index in assessing chronic glycaemic control in diabetic patients other than glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), besides it reflects shorter periods of glycaemia. This study sought to validate the use of Glycated Albumin and Glycated Hemoglobin, as biomarkers of glycaemic control among Ghanaian diabetes patients. Venous blood samples were taken from 200 participants of whom 150 were type 2 diabetic patients and 50 healthy individuals without diabetes. The blood samples were analyzed for fasting glucose, lipid profile, renal function (BUN, CRT and eGFR), serum total protein and albumin on fully automated analyzer, Roche COBAS Integra 400 Plus System. The A1 fast fraction – cation exchange method was used to estimate the level of glycated hemoglobin whilst the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent one-step process assay (ELISA) was used for the assay of the Human Glycosylated Albumin (GA) level in the samples. Blood glucose, Glycated hemoglobin, Glycated albumin, GA/HbA1c and serum albumin were significantly (P< 0.05) increased in the patients with diabetes compared to the non-diabetics. Renal assessment indicated significant differences (P< 0.05) in levels of serum urea, creatinine and sodium with increased levels in the diabetic patients. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was also significantly (P<0.0001) reduced in the diabetics (eGFR value) compared to the non-diabetes (eGFR value). The proportion of excellent control of blood glucose assessed using GA, 11.3%, was lower than that assessed by HbA1c (16.7%). Also, glycemic control assessed by GA showed a greater proportion of poor control (35.3%) than when assessed by HbA1c (28.7%). Across the various age groups, diabetic nephropathy (29.3%) was more prevalent in the diabetic patients aged between 70-79 years and retinopathy (43.3%) more prevalent in the patients aged 60-69 years. Correlation between the levels of HbA1c and Glycated albumin among patients with diabetes a showed a highly significant relationship (P<0.001). Poor glycaemic control determined by HbA1c and GA were highly associated with Obesity and reduced kidney function. Glycated albumin reflects glucose excursions more strongly than HbA1c; hence GA might be a more sensitive index for some diabetic complications than HbA1c.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of land cover image classification methods (Case Study: Ejisu-Juaben District)

The use of remote sensing techniques for land cover classification have gain more and more importance and recent direction in research works indicates that image classification of satellite images for land cover information is the preferred choice. Various methods for image classification have been developed based on different theories or models. In this study, three of these methods Maximum Likelihood classification (MLC), Subpixel classification (SP) and Backpropagation Neural Network classification (BPNN) are used to classify a landsat etm+ image of the Ejisu-Juabeng district of Ghana into seven land cover classes and the results compared. MLC and BPNN are hard classification methods but SP is a soft 4 Classification. Hardening of soft classifications for accuracy determination leads to loss of information and the accuracy may not necessary represent the strength of class membership. Therefore in the comparison of the methods, the top 20% compositions per land cover class of the SP were used instead. Results from the classification, indicated that output from SP was generally poor although it perform well with land covers such as forest that homogeneous in character. Of the two hard classifiers, BPNN gave a better output than MLC. Overall, BPNN gave the best results with an accuracy of 92.50%, whiles MLC gave an accuracy of 78.95%.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of mapping trees on farmlands using markov random field super-resolution mapping and maximum likelihood classifier

Mapping trees is of prime importance due to their notable ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it away for extended periods. In view of this, there have been a number of efforts aimed at maintaining and improving tree stands, notable among them is the REDD+ programme. For such programmes to be effective, there is the need to monitor the rate of increase or loss of forest cover. This is traditionally done by forest inventory, a slow and rather costly process. With the recent advancements in satellite imaging, it is becoming increasingly possible to map features on the ground using remotely sensed data captured by imaging satellites in orbit around the Earth. Due to limitations of small image extent, data availability and in a number of cases, cost, it is not practical to use high resolution satellite images to map trees. Consequently, users often resort to coarser medium resolution images. In view of this challenge and the need to extract more and more information from images, there have been a number of techniques, broadly termed super-resolution mapping techniques, developed to map image pixels at a sub-pixel level. This study compared the relative accuracy of mapping using one such technique, Markov Random Field Super-Resolution Mapping (MRF-SRM), with the Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC), a pixel-based classification algorithm in mapping trees on farmlands in two tests; image classification accuracy and tree canopy identification accuracy. An ASTER image of a community in the Ejisu-Juabeng district of Ghana was classified using the MRF-SRM and the MLC techniques after which tests were conducted to compare the image classification accuracy and tree canopy identification accuracy using field data as reference. It was observed that the MRF-SRM technique yielded higher image classification accuracy (74.29%) than the MLC (65.71%). The test of the tree canopy identification accuracy yielded 17.96% and 34.88% for the MRF-SRM and MLC techniques respectively. The results obtained indicate that the MRF-SRM technique is more suitable for mapping large areas than MLC. MRF-SRM, however, less suitable for identifying small targets as compared to MLC.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of molecular and antibiotic resistance pro®le methods for the population analysis of Bradyrhizobium spp. (TGx) isolates that nodulate the new TGx soybean cultivars in Africa

Aims: Comparison of molecular and antibiotic resistance pro®le methods to identify an easy method that can differentiate between strains of introduced Bradyrhizobium japonicum and the indigenous Bradyrhizobium spp. (TGx) isolates which nodulate the newly developed TGx soybean cultivars in Africa. Methods and Results: Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of 16S rDNA generated by ®ve restriction enzymes, banding patterns in Southern hybridization using nod and nif genes as probes, and resistance patterns of the isolates to nine antibiotics, were used to group 26 Bradyrhizobium spp. (TGx) isolates and four other Bradyrhizobium strains. The clusters of isolates obtained from the four grouping methods were all different, although all methods revealed large genetic diversity among the isolates. Conclusions: Results indicate that the antibiotic resistance pro®le method is as good as the three molecular methods used in this study for phylogenetic grouping of the Bradyrhizobium spp. (TGx) isolates, which may serve as a basis for further characterization of selected isolates from each group. Signi®cance and Impact of the Study: The antibiotic resistance pro®le method can be used as a simple means of assessing genetic variability and grouping of a large number of Bradyrhizobium spp. (TGx) isolates. Representative isolates from each group can then be selected for further characterization.

Source: KNUST
A comparison of multiple imputation technique with linear interpolation method for time series data

This thesis evaluates the performances of Multiple Imputation Technique (MIT) and Linear Interpolation methods for the estimation of missing values in a time series data (CO2 emissions data under the Fuel combustion sub-category of the Energy sector. Under this sub-category, data of two codes namely; i) Energy industries and ii) Manufacturing Industries and Construction were used). The performances of both methods were then compared using two notable indicators; the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and the Mean-Square Error (RMSE). This thesis highlights some advantages and limitations of each method compared with the other, thereby providing suggestions on which method to be used under prevailing conditions.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of precipitable water over Ghana using GPS signals and reanalysis products

Signals from Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) when integrated with surface meteorological parameters can be used to sense atmospheric water vapour. Using gLAB software and employing precise point positioning techniques, zenith troposphere delays (ZTD) for a GPS base station at KNUST, Kumasi have been computed and used to retrieve Precipitable Water (PW). The PW values obtained were compared with products from ERA-Interim and NCEP reanalysis data. The correlation coefcients, r, determined from these comparisons were 0.839 and 0.729 for ERA-interim and NCEP respectively. This study has demonstrated that water vapour can be retrieved with high precision from GNSS signal. Furthermore, a location map have been produced to serve as a guide in adopting and installing GNSS base stations in Ghana to achieve a country wide coverage of GNSS based water vapour monitoring

Source: KNUST
Comparison of quantile regression to lognormal and gamma regression using birth weight data

Over the years, positively skewed data such as data from insurance, economics, laboratory, health and so on, have been analysed using conditional mean models such as simple linear regression and logistic regression. Estimation of these models can be seriously deﬁcient if constructed on some non-gaussian settings and cannot be readily extended to non-central location which is precisely where the interest of a social science research often reside. This study therefore seeks to employ a methodology to deal with these problems. This study seeks to estimate the quantiles that describe the entire distribution and also to obtain an appropriate statistical distribution for the birth weight data. Our study used birth weight data from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Quantile, Lognormal and Gamma regression were used in the analysis and Quantile-Quantle plot and Akaike’s Information Criterion(AIC) were the goodness of ﬁt test for the selection of the distribution that ﬁtted the data well. th th th th th Finally we estimated 5 , 25 , 50 , 75 and 95 quantile regression to describe the entire distribution of the data. The lognormal also was selected as a better distribution than the gamma distribution based on their AIC values and the graph of the Q-Q plot.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of robust regression estimators

This study evaluated the performance of the Ordinary Least Squares Estimator (OLSE) method of estimating regression parameters and some robust regression methods. The Least-Trimmed Squares Estimator (LTSE), Huber Maximum like-lihood Estimator (HME), S-Estimator (SE) and Modi ed Maximum likelihood Estimator (MME) were considered in this study. Criteria for the comparison were: coe cients and their standard errors, relative e ciencies, Root Mean Square Er-rors, coe cients of determination and the power of the test. The sensitivity of these robust methods were considered using Anthropometric data from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The dataset was on Total Body fat and Body Mass Index, Triceps skin-fold, Arm Fat as percent composition of the body and Height as predictors. Leverages were introduced rst into two variables, and into all predictors. The percentages were 5%, 10% and 15 % leverages. Also, 10%, 20% and 30% outliers were introduced in addition to 20% error contamination and contamination with data from non-normal distribution were considered. Results showed that robust methods are as e cient as the OLSE if the assumptions of OLSE are met. OLSE was a ected by leverages, outliers, contaminants and non-normality. HME broke-down with leverages in data, and was slightly a ected by outliers, contaminants and non-normality; whilst SE and MME were robust to all aberrations. LTSE was a ected by contaminants, non-normality, high outliers perturbation and was slightly a ected by leverages and low outliers perturbation.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of rainy season onset, cessation and duration for Ghana from RegCM4 and GMet Datasets

The socio-economic sector of West African countries is rain-fed agriculture driven. Information regarding the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season is thus, very essential. In this paper, a comparison of the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season has been carried out using simulated rainfall data from the fourth generation Regional Climate Model (RegCM4) and rain gauge measurements from Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), covering a period of 1998 to 2012. Similar onset and cessation dates were seen in both the simulated and guage rainfall measurements for the various agro-ecological zones, resulting in similar duration of the rainy season. The average duration of the rainy season were less than 200 days for the savannah and coastal zones whereas the duration of the rainy season were beyond 200 days for the forest and transition zones. The bias of these comparisons was less than 30 days and the root mean square error (RMSE) values were less than 15 days for all stations, except Saltpond. The Pearson’s correlation (r) typically ranged between 0.4 and 0.8. However, negative correlations were observed for Tamale in the savannah zone, and the entire coastal zone. These findings are indications that RegCM4 has the potential to clearly simulate the movement of the rain belt, and thus, could fairly determine the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season. The findings have significant contributions to effective water resource management and food security in Ghana, as the thriving of these sectors depend on the dynamics of the rainfall seasons.

Source: KNUST
Comparison of the anisotropic and isotropic macroscopic traffic flow models

Second-order macroscopic vehicular traffic flow models are categorized under two broad headings based on the direction of their characteristics. Faster-than-vehicle waves are often called isotropic models vis-á-vis anisotropic models with slower-than-vehicle characteristic speed. The dispute on the supremacy among these families of models is the motivation for this paper. This paper compares and contrasts six distinctive second-order macroscopic models using a numerical simulation and analysis. Three models are characterized by faster-than-vehicle waves with their corresponding anisotropic counterparts. Simulation results on the formation of deceleration waves and the dissolution of acceleration fans are presented to graphically compare the wave profiles of the selected isotropic and anisotropic traffic models. Observably, these opposing models can all characterize these physical traffic phenomena to the same degree. Thus, faster characteristic speed conceptualization of second-order macroscopic equations does not tantamount to model failure but rather lies in the explanation of this property.

Source: KNUST