ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Textural and microstructural changes associated with post-harvest hardening of trifoliate yam (Dioscorea dumetorum) pax tubers

The textural and microstructural changes associated with the post-harvest hardening phenomenon of Dioscorea dumetorum tubers were studied to determine how texture relates to microstructure during the hardening process. A 2×2×4 factorial experiment with sample treatment, storage conditions and storage time as variables was performed. The tubers were harvested, matured and stored under prevailing tropical ambient conditions (28°C) and cold room conditions (4°C) for the study. All the samples were evaluated for their hardness (peak force) and adhesiveness (curve areas). Starch microscopy was done on the freshly harvested tubers, hardened tubers and tubers stored under low temperature conditions (4°C) during the study. TA.XT2 analyses on the textural properties revealed consistent increases in the hardness and adhesiveness levels, measured during the hardening process of the tubers. Hardness levels increased markedly to significant levels (P<0.05) in the tubers (from 1208.4 g to 7801.6 g). Similarly, adhesiveness levels increased from 12.5462 to 30.2218 g m in the tubers within 72 h after harvest. Starch microscopy revealed variations in the cell microstructure of the hardened and unhardened tubers. Hardening of D. dumetorum was characterized by thickened cell walls and middle lamella in the cells of the tuber. The hardening varied according tuber treatment and temperature of storage. Several treatments and storage methods were tested and those that limited the contact of the tubers with the external environment were found to slow down the hardening process. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Texture Profile Analysis Applied to Pounded Yam

Textural quality of pounded yam made from tubers of Dioscorea rotundata Poir. and Dioscorea alata L. that were freshly harvested or stored for 4 months were evaluated using texture profile analysis. Significant correlations were obtained between the values for texture attributes evaluated using sensory texture profile analysis and those from instrumental texture profile analysis (ITPA). This implies that ITPA had the ability to measure the textural quality of pounded yam in a way similar to a trained sensory panel and could be used as an objective method to evaluate the textural quality of pounded yam.

Source: UG
“That Is Still our Tradition but in a Modern Form, but it Still Tells our Story”: Transitions in Buildings in Northern Ghana

Traditional building practices, which are typically regarded as repositories of heritage and material culture, are undergoing significant transitions in northern Ghana. This transition is evident in the use of building materials other than locally accessible traditional materials. These transitions are driving creativity and innovation as households strive for continuity of tradition, while at the same time, ensuring the sustainability of their buildings. This article analyses the architectural traditions and building practices in northern Ghana using the building work and commentaries of the people of Gbabshe in peri-urban Tamale as a case study. The results show that building practices are transitioning because of environmental changes, migration, wealth accumulation and access to modern building materials and technology. As the peri-urban community becomes urbanised, the people encounter “modern” building styles, which are appropriated into their traditional architecture, resulting in a hybridization of architecture. The innovative tendencies and philosophical continuities of these builders, and the desire to achieve sustainable buildings and the hybridization of Architecture has implications for the future of earth buildings’ relevance, resilience, sustainability, and sociocultural significance in people’s everyday lives.

Source: UG
A ThDP-dependent enzymatic carboligation reaction involved in Neocarazostatin A tricyclic carbazole formation

Although the biosynthetic pathway of Neocarazostatin A (1) has been identified, the detailed enzymatic reactions underlying the assembly of the carbazole ring still remain largely unknown. We demonstrate here that NzsH, a putative thiamine diphosphate dependent enzyme, can catalyze an acyloin coupling reaction between indole-3-pyruvate and pyruvate to generate a β-ketoacid intermediate. Our findings thus shed light on further characterization of the unusual biosynthetic pathway of the bacterial tricyclic carbazole alkaloids. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016. Although the biosynthetic pathway of Neocarazostatin A (1) has been identified, the detailed enzymatic reactions underlying the assembly of the carbazole ring still remain largely unknown. We demonstrate here that NzsH, a putative thiamine diphosphate dependent enzyme, can catalyze an acyloin coupling reaction between indole-3-pyruvate and pyruvate to generate a β-ketoacid intermediate. Our findings thus shed light on further characterization of the unusual biosynthetic pathway of the bacterial tricyclic carbazole alkaloids. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016.

Source: UG
The 2019 - 2020 Nigerian Border Closure and Its Implications on West African Regional Integration

On 20th August, 2019, the administration of Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, closed the state's land borders with Chad, Benin, Cameroon, and Niger to prevent the illegal movement of goods in order to safeguard local industries and boost domestic production. The closure of the border to its neighbouring countries raised a lot of eyebrows by various scholars, prompted considerable criticism from other African states and raised doubts about the country's commitment to economic integration within the West African sub-region. The viability of every integration process subsists on the willing commitment of member states to abide by the dictates of their charter. For instance, the charter of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) is driven by its free movement protocols, which is organised under the broader ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS). The study investigated the implications Nigeria’s border closure had on regional integration, particularly how it affected the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Adopting a qualitative approach, the study found that progress toward achieving the goals of regional and intra continental trade agreements was slowed due to the closure of Nigeria’s border. The closure of Nigeria's border put the free trade agreement of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the new African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in jeopardy. The study concluded that while Nigeria has shown commitment to ECOWAS integration, closing its borders was not the best course of action and that there were more viable ways of addressing its concerns. The study recommended that to combat the widespread breakdown of border controls, countries should rely on modern technology by installing electronic surveillance equipment at their many checkpoints.

Source: UG
The affordable medicines facility-malaria-A success in peril

Abstract The Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm) has put into place a bold financing plan for artemisinin-combination therapy in a pilot phase in seven countries covering half the population at risk of malaria in Africa. A report of the AMFm independent evaluation, conducted by ICF International and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, describes the success of the programme in the pilot sites: Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar) and Uganda, comparing availability and affordability of high-quality artemisinin-combination therapies before and after AMFm launched. Proof of concept was achieved: AMFm increased availability and kept prices low, meeting its initial, ambitious benchmarks in most settings. Despite this overwhelming success, opposition to the programme and dwindling resources for malaria control conspire to cripple or kill AMFm.

Source: UG
The Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN): from concept to practice

Background: Africa is contending with unhealthy food environments that are, in part, driving increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases, alongside persistent undernutrition. This current paradigm requires expanded efforts – both in the volume and nature of empirical research, as well as the tools and capacity of those who conduct it. High-quality and context-relevant research supports the development and implementation of policies that create healthy food environments. Aim and approach: This paper sets out the concept of the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN) initiative recently established by the Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (MEALS4NCDs) prevention project. Central to the Africa FERN initiatives are: 1) building research capacity for innovative food environment research in Africa; 2) improving South-South, and South-North partnerships to stimulate a robust food environment research and monitoring in Africa and 3) sustaining dialogue and focusing priorities on current and future needs for enhanced food environment research and monitoring in Africa. Conclusion: The FERN initiative presents an opportune platform for researchers in Africa and the global North to weave the threads of experience and expertise for research capacity building, collaboration and advocacy, to advance food environment research.

Source: UG
The African Plant Breeders of Tomorrow

Advances in agricultural productivity in Africa have lagged, as reflected by the fact that varieties have often popular with farmers for more than 14 years (Walker et al. 2015). The distribution and adoption of improved crop varieties has been stymied in part by an insufficient number of plant breeders on the continent. Would-be plant breeders often chose to pursue MS- and PhD-degree programs in the USA or Europe, and more than half of these did not return to Africa to practice their profession once graduated (Ali et al. 2007). The University of Ghana determined to change this by establishing the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) in 2007, in partnership with Cornell University, to offer quality education and training in Genetics and Plant Breeding to African students. Supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) as part of a strategy to launch a Green Revolution in Africa, WACCI aimed to create a sizeable, innovative workforce to increase agricultural productivity and ensure food security, especially for the people of west and central Africa. Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a visionary leader, was appointed to establish and direct WACCI. He determined to create a pathway from BS to MS to PhD in plant breeding at the University of Ghana to serve students from both English-speaking and French-speaking countries and to attract both men and women into the program, to establish WACCI as a leading institution for plant breeding education on the global stage.

Source: UG
The African urban food environment framework for creating healthy nutrition policy and interventions in urban Africa

This study developed, validated, and evaluated a framework of factors influencing dietary behaviours in urban African food environments, to inform research prioritisation and intervention development in Africa. A multi-component methodology, drawing on concept mapping, was employed to construct a framework of factors influencing dietary behaviours in urban Africa. The framework adapted a widely used socio-ecological model (developed in a high-income country context) and was developed using a mixed-methods research approach that comprised: i. Evidence synthesis consisting of a systematic review of 39 papers covering 14 African countries; ii. Qualitative interview data collected for adolescents and adults (n = 144) using photovoice in urban Ghana and Kenya; and iii. Consultation with interdisciplinary African experts (n = 71) from 27 countries, who contributed to at least one step of the framework (creation, validation/evaluation, finalisation). The final framework included 103 factors influencing dietary behaviours. Experts identified the factors influencing dietary behaviours across all the four levels of the food environment i.e. the individual, social, physical and macro levels. Nearly half (n = 48) were individual-level factors and just under a quarter (n = 26) were at the macro-environmental level. Fewer factors associated with social (n = 15) and physical (14) environments were identified. At the macro level, the factors ranked as most important were food prices, cultural beliefs and seasonality. Factors ranked as important at the social level were household composition, family food habits and dietary practices. The type of food available in the neighbourhood and convenience were seen as important at the physical level, while individual food habits, food preferences and socioeconomic status were ranked highly at the individual level. About half of the factors (n = 54) overlap with those reported in an existing socio-ecological food environment framework developed in a high-income country context. A further 49 factors were identified that were not reported in the selected high-income country framework, underlining the importance of contextualisation. Our conceptual framework offers a useful tool for research to understand dietary transitions in urban African adolescents and adults, as well as identification of factors to intervene when promoting healthy nutritious diets to prevent multiple forms of malnutrition.

Source: UG
The Antiproliferative Activity of Syzygium malaccense Fruit.

The Clinical Pathology Department conducts research that contributes to intervention strategies and safeguards of public health in Ghana. In view of this the Department carries out research into plant medicine development, drug interactions and regulation, bio-monitoring and prevention of poisoning from environmental toxicants (e.g. mycotoxins specifically aflatoxins and toxic heavy metals). The Department also provides specialized laboratory services in support of public health programmes.

Source: UG
The architecture of the Buem Structural Unit: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Pan-African Dahomeyide Orogen, West Africa.

The Buem Structural Unit (BSU) occurs about 50 km west of the high-pressure (HP) rocks of the Pharusian suture zone (PSZ) of the Dahomeyide Orogen, West Africa. Shale and sandstone intercalations form the base of the BSU, followed by serpentinised peridotite, gabbro, massive and pillow basalts (fragment of oceanic crust), jasper/ chert, and limestone/dolostone, with sandstone and diamictite forming the top of the BSU. The package was deformed at lower greenschist-facies conditions during the Pan-African orogeny. The N-S-trending BSU has been affected by three deformational events. The main deformation event D2, which transposed bedding-parallel D1 fabrics, produced a steeply ENE-dipping S2 tectonic foliation. S2 is axial planar to upright or west-verging isoclinal and chevron F2 folds. Top-to-the-west D2 shear zones in the sandstone, shale and serpentinised peri dotite are associated with a down-dip ENE-plunging L2 stretching lineation. The mafic-ultramafic rocks occur as D2 tectonic slices, marking the boundaries between thrust sheets within the BSU. The D2-related N-S trending structural and short-wavelength (< 1 km) magnetic grain of the BSU is superimposed on ENE-trending long wavelength (> 1 km) magnetic anomalies that are continuous along trend with the regional structures of the West African Craton (WAC) and are interpreted as signals from the basement rocks of the BSU. D2 deformation is interpreted to result from overthrusting of the BSU onto the southeastern margin of the WAC during collision of the WAC and Benino-Nigerian Shield (BNS). Meter-scale, steep and open F3 kink and crenulation folds with steeply SE-dipping axial planes are sporadically observed throughout the entire BSU. D3 deformation is inferred to reflect a period of NW-SE-shortening. Deformation history of the BSU shares structural similarities with the one of the PSZ. We, therefore, interpret the BSU as an allochthonous fold and thrust belt with a geodynamic evolution involving subduction of the WAC beneath the BNS and the ensuing collision between the two terranes. The tectonic framework of the BSU suggests a geodynamic evolution of the Dahomeyide Orogen evolving from initial accretion of oceanic crust and deposition of passive margin sedimentary sequences, and their inversion due to continent-continent collision during the Pan-African orogeny.

Source: UG
The Association Between Occupational Smoke Exposures and the Prevalence of Eye and Respiratory Health Conditions Among Commercial Fish Smokers in Abuesi, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Self-Reported Study

Biomass smoke exposure represents a critical health concern, especially for those in occupational settings such as fish smoking. While substantial research has addressed indoor air pollution from domestic cooking, the specific risks faced by fish smokers have received insufficient attention. This study sheds light on the alarming relationship between smoke exposure and health issues among commercial fish smokers in Abuesi, Ghana. Through a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis involving 302 participants, we utilized structured questionnaires and expert eye assessments to gather vital data. Our statistical evaluation, including descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and chi-square tests, revealed a troubling prevalence of respiratory symptoms such as cough, asthma, and breathlessness, all significantly linked to prolonged smoke exposure. Eye health findings were equally concerning, with distant vision impairment affecting 26.37%, eye discomfort reported at 53.02%, and notable rates of cataracts (28.6%) and refractive errors (17.9%). For those suffering from breathlessness, asthma, and pneumonia, the data indi cated that longer exposure durations correlated with more severe health outcomes. Specifically, subjects without breathlessness had an average smoking duration of 14.84years (SD=12.29) compared to just 10.26years (SD=11.15) for those with the symptom—a statistically significant P-value of .014. Asthma and pneumonia exhibited similar trends, highlighting a distressing reality: shorter smoking histories align with more severe health conditions, suggesting that such symptoms might drive smokers to abandon their practices prematurely. Given the serious health risks tied to traditional fish smoking practices, this study strongly advocates for the implementation of improved smoking technologies, better ventilation systems, and comprehensive health education initiatives. These measures are essential to safeguard the health of those involved in this vital industry and reduce exposure to hazardous smoke.

Source: UG
The association of physical activity, body mass index and the blood pressure levels among urban poor youth in Accra, Ghana

Abstract Background Globally, there is an increasing prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) among adults and youth. However, the mechanisms of how the risk factors (physical inactivity and obesity) relate with blood pressure (BP) are not well known especially among the urban poor youth in low and middle income countries. Meanwhile childhood and adolescent physical inactivity and obesity, particularly in conditions of poverty, predispose individuals to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in later life. The aim of this study was to assess the BP levels and to examine its associations with physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) amongst urban poor youth in Accra, Ghana. Methods We studied 201 youth aged 15–24 years in three urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. Height, weight and BP were measured in all subjects. PA levels were assessed using the Edulink Urban Health and Poverty project questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the factors influencing BP levels. Results The proportion of pre-hypertension and hypertension among the youth was 32.3% and 4%, respectively. The rates of pre-hypertension (42.0 vs. 24.8) and hypertension (6.8 vs. 1.8) were higher in males than in females. More than three-quarters (84.1%) of the youth were not physically active. Females were more physically inactive compared to the males (94.7% vs. 70.5%). The average BMI was 22.8 kg/m2. For overweight (17.7 vs. 6.8) and obesity (13.3 vs. 2.3), females had higher rates than males. BMI was positively related to systolic BP, and significantly associated with systolic BP (β = 1.4, p < 0.000 and β = 0.8, p < 0.000; respectively for male and female youth) compared to diastolic BP. Youth with low PA had raised BP. Conclusion The positive association of BMI and BP in the study communities suggests the need for health measures to tackle their increase and related public health consequences. Further studies on BP and other risk factors among the youth of rural populations and other developing countries will be important to stall the rising prevalence and implications for adult morbidity and mortality.

Source: UG
The Associations of Dyadic Coping and Relationship Satisfaction Vary between and within Nations: A 35-Nation Study

Objective: Theories about how couples help each other to cope with stress, such as the systemic transactional model of dyadic coping, suggests that the cultural context in which couples' lives influence how their coping behavior affects their relationship satisfaction. In contrast to the theoretical assumptions, a recent meta-analysis provides evidence that neither culture nor gender influences the association between dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction, at least based on their samples of couples living in North America and West Europe. Thus, it is an open question whether the theoretical assumptions of cultural influences are false or whether cultural influences on couple behavior just occur in cultures outside of the Western world. Method: To examine the cultural influence, using a sample of married individuals (N = 7973) from 35 nations, we used multilevel modeling to test whether the positive association between dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction varies across nations and whether gender might moderate the association. Results: Results reveal that the association between dyadic coping and relationship satisfaction varies between nations. In addition, results show that in some nations the association is higher for men and in other nations, it is higher for women. Conclusions: Cultural and gender differences across the globe influence how couples’ coping behavior affects relationship outcomes. This crucial finding indicates that a couple relationship education programs and interventions need to be culturally adapted, as skill trainings such as dyadic coping lead to differential effects on relationship satisfaction based on the culture in which couples live.

Source: UG