ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Instrument constituencies and transnational policy diffusion: the case of conditional cash transfers

The purpose of this paper is to improve knowledge of the transnational diffusion of public policies. It argues that existing studies on the subject do not provide an adequate understanding of the mechanisms through which diffusion takes place, nor do they sufficiently address the roles specific organizations and individuals play in driving or determining the policy transfer process. We address these shortcomings by studying the diffusion of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes from Latin America to Ghana and the Philippines over the past decade. We use the concept of ‘instruments constituency’ to delineate and trace the various actors and channels involved in the diffusion of CCTs. The comparative case studies show that these constituencies, dedicated to the articulation, adoption, and expansion of particular policy instruments, are central players in transnational diffusion of policies. This finding has significant implications for the study of policy transfer and diffusion, identifying a heretofore neglected actor in these processes. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Source: UG
Instrumental and Sensory Texture Profile Attributes of Fufu from Cassava-Plantain Flour

Texture is one of the key desirable sensory attributes of fufu, a cassava-based staple of most West Africans. To optimize the processing parameters for cassava-plantain fufu flour, a convenient form of traditional pounded fufu, the texture attributes of the reconstituted fufu flour were assessed and characterized using instrumental and sensory methods. Local foods that are common in Ghana were used as descriptors to exemplify the texture attributes being assessed and conventional pounded fufu was used as a control. Parameters assessed included hardness, adhesiveness, gumminess and springiness. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and mean separations were calculated by the general linear model procedures. The ranges of values for some of the sensory attributes were: hardness: 1.24-1.99, gumminess: 2.43 - 4.00 and adhesiveness:1.57 - 2.71. With the exception of type of breakdown, all the texture attributes of the reconstituted fufu from the cassava-plantain flour samples were comparable with that of the pounded fufu. The study thus established that sensory texture profile analysis can be effectively used for assessing the texture attributes of cassava-plantain fufu.

Source: UG
Instrumental neutron activation analysis of iodine levels in fourteen seaweed species from the coastal belt of Ghana.

Fourteen seaweed species were sampled from October 1997 to May 1999 along the rocky shores of Ghana, which is being washed by the Gulf of Guinea (part of the Atlantic Ocean). Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to measure the iodine levels in the species, with the basic aim of selecting seaweed species that are rich in iodine and hence can be used as supplement in the diet of humans. This is to help solve the problems associated with iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). The levels of iodine found in the seaweed species ranged between 55 to 804 ppm. The precision, expressed in terms of relative standard deviation, and accuracy of measurements are within ±5–10%. The results show high variability in and between species and among sampling sites. The high values of iodine concentrations in the macroalgae suggest that these marine organisms can be used as supplement in the diet of humans.

Source: UG
Instruments used to assess quality of life of older adults in African countries: a scoping review

Background: Over 60% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, live in informal settlements (slums) with little or no resources. To be prepared to meet the needs of older people living in slums, it is necessary to know more about their quality of life (QoL). The objective of this review is to identify instruments, which can be used by researchers to assess the QoL of older adults living in African countries, especially those dwelling in slums. Methods: A scoping review was performed using the databases Scopus, PubMed, and ISI Web of Science to retrieve studies published from January 2008 – September 2020. Studies were included if they reported generic QoL instruments, focused on adults with a mean age ≥ 50 and were conducted in African countries. Results: In total, 18 studies were included using 7 unique instruments to measure QoL (EUROHIS-QOL-8, SWLS, WHOQOL-OLD, the WHOQOL-BREF, SF-36, SF-12 and RAND-38). All instruments could be interviewer-administered and had 5–36 items. However, little is known about their psychometric properties (validity and reliability), timeinvestment and cultural sensitivity of the domains included in the instruments. Conclusions: Even though this review retrieved instruments used to assess QoL of older adults in African countries, there is a need for further research on adjustment and validation of currently existing QoL instruments. In addition, the development and validation of a new instrument which can be used in (illiterate) older populations, living in slums in Africa should be considered.

Source: UG
Insufficient access to oral paediatric medicines in Ghana: A descriptive study

Background: Among the most vulnerable people in society are children and this is especially so in their access to health care Off-label prescription of paediatric medicines is known to be associated with safety outcomes some of which may be serious. This study identifies frequently prescribed children's medicines that are not readily available in Ghana and are prepared extemporaneously. Method: All prescriptions for extemporaneous oral preparations for children presented to the local production unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital from November, 2013 were eligible for the study. Information from such prescriptions was recorded in a systematic format. Presence of the prescribed medicine on the World Health Organization Children's Medicine List was ascertained in addition to the anatomical and therapeutic classification code. The registration of the prescribed medicine for paediatric use by the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana was also checked. Descriptive statistics of the data was presented. Results: In all 622 prescriptions for 35 different paediatric formulations were served. Prescriptions from several health facilities including government hospitals (6.6 %, N = 622), private hospitals (2.4 %, N = 622) and the University of Ghana hospital (1.1 %, N = 622) were all honoured. Some of the prescribed medicines (Baclofen, Clonazepam, Hydroxyurea and Lamotrigine) were neither on the World Health Organization Children's Medicine list nor registered with the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana. Most prescribed medicines (88.6 %, N = 35) were for non-communicable diseases. Conclusion: Paediatric prescriptions including off-label medicines are prescribed and formulated extemporaneously in this setting. Steps should be taken to improve access and monitor benefit-risk profiles of paediatric medicines in order to improve treatment outcomes among children.

Source: UG
Insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive and normotensive native ghanaians

Aims/Hypothesis. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among insulin and insulin sensitivity and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in native Ghanaians with and without hypertension. Methods. We measured the anthropometric parameters, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting serum triglycerides, cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting and stimulated glucose, insulin and C-peptide of 200 Ghanaian subjects, who were between 25 to 74 years of age, and residing in the Accra Metropolitan area. Serum glucose, C-peptide and insulin concentrations were measured at baseline (fasting) and also 2 h after 75 gm oral glucose drink. Homeostasis model assessment was used to measure insulin resistance. Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg. Results. There were 53 subjects with hypertension (HBP) and 147 subjects with normal blood pressure (NBP). The mean BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip circumference ratio for HBP and NBP subjects were 27.4±0.8, 24.8±0.4 kg/m 2; 89.8±11.7, 81.1±0.9 cm; and 0.87±0.08, 0.82±0.08 respectively, (p<0.05). The fasting and 2-h plasma glucose concentrations in HBP and NBP subjects were 5.5±0.2, 7.2±0.3 mmol/1 and 5.2±01, 6.8±0.2 mmol/l respectively (p>0.05). The corresponding fasting and 2-h insulin concentrations were 10.0±0.7, 8.0±0.4 uU/ml and 47.3±3.7, 37.3±2.5 uU/ml respectively (p<0.05). The insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) in the HBP and the NBP groups were 2.49±0.2 and 1.95±0.13 (p<0.05). The two groups had similar fasting and stimulated C-peptide, lipids and HDL concentrations. Correlations were found between blood pressure and the concentrations of lipids, HDL, fasting and stimulated insulin and C-peptide, and between fasting insulin and HOMA-IR with lipids and HDL concentrations. On multiple regression analysis, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR did not influence blood pressure variations significantly. Conclusions/interpretation. We found clustering of hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance and truncal obesity in hypertensive Ghanaian subjects but dissociation between insulin resistance, hypertension and atherogenic lipid and lipoprotein profile.

Source: UG
Insurance regulations, risk and performance in Ghana

Purpose – This study aims to examine the hypothesis that the effect of insurer risks on profitability is conditional on regulation, using two main regulatory directives in the Ghanaian insurance market as a case study. Design/methodology/approach – This study used the robust ordinary least square and random effect techniques in a panel data of 30 insurers from 2009 to 2015 to test the research hypothesis. Findings – The results suggest that regulations on no credit premium and required capital have insignificant effects on profitability of insurers. On the contrary, this study documents evidence that both policies mitigate the effect of underwriting risk on profitability and suggests that regulations significantly mitigate the negative effect of underwriting risk to improve profitability. Practical implications – The finding suggests that policymakers and regulators must continue to initiate, design and model regulations such that they help tame risk to improve the performance of insurers in Ghana. Originality/value – This study provides first-time evidence on the role of regulations in controlling risks in a developing insurance market.

Source: UG
Insurance-growth nexus in Ghana: An autoregressive distributed lag boundscointegration approach

This paper examines the long-run causal relationship between insurance penetration and economic growth in Ghana from 1990 to 2010. Usingthe autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds approach to cointegration by Pesaran et al. (1996, 2001), the study finds a long-run positiverelationship between insurance penetration and economic growth which implies that funds mobilized from insurance business have a long run impacton economic growth. A unidirectional causality was found to run from aggregate insurance penetration, life and non-life insurance penetration toeconomic growth to support the ‘supply-leading’ hypothesis. The findings have implications for insurance market development in Ghana.

Source: UG
Insured clients out-of-pocket payments for health care under the national health insurance scheme in Ghana

Background: In 2003, Ghana implemented a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) designed to promote universal health coverage and equitable access to health care. The scheme has largely been successful, yet it is confronted with many challenges threatening its sustainability. Out-of-pocket payments (OOP) by insured clients is one of such challenges of the scheme. This study sought to examine the types of services OOP charges are made for by insured clients and how much insured clients pay out-of-pocket. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional health facility survey. A total of 2066 respondents were interviewed using structured questionnaires at the point of health care exit in the Ashanti, Northern and Central regions of Ghana. Health facilities of different levels were selected from 3 districts in each of the three regions. Data were collected between April and June 2018. Using Epidata and STATA Version 13.1 data analyses were done using multiple logistic regression and simple descriptive statistics and the results presented as proportions and means. Results: Of all the survey respondents 49.7% reported paying out-of-pocket for out-patient care while 46.9% of the insured clients paid out-of-pocket. Forty-two percent of the insured poorest quintile also paid out-of-pocket. Insured clients paid for consultation (75%) and drugs (63.2%) while 34.9% purchased drugs outside the health facility they visited. The unavailability of drugs (67.9%) and drugs not covered by the NHIS (20.8%) at the health facility led to outof- pocket payments. On average, patients paid GHS33.00 (USD6.6) out-of-pocket. Compared to the Ashanti region, patients living in the Northern region were 74% less at odds to pay out-of-pocket for health care. Conclusion and recommendation: Insured clients of Ghana’s NHIS seeking health care in accredited health facilities make out-of-pocket payments for consultation and drugs that are covered by the scheme. The out-of-pocket payments are largely attributed to unavailability of drugs at the facilities while the consultation fees are charged to meet the administrative costs of services. These charges occur in disadvantaged regions and in all health facilities. The high reliance on out-of-pocket payments can impede Ghana’s progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goal 3, seeking to end poverty and reduce inequalities. In order to build trust and confidence in the NHIS there is the need to eliminate out-of-pocket payments for consultation and medicines by insured clients.

Source: UG
Intact Transition Epitope Mapping - Targeted High-Energy Rupture of Extracted Epitopes (ITEM-THREE).

Epitope mapping, which is the identification of antigenic determinants, is essential for the design of novel antibody-based therapeutics and diagnostic tools. ITEM-THREE is a mass spectrometry-based epitope mapping method that can identify epitopes on antigens upon generating an immune complex in electrospray-compatible solutions by adding an antibody of interest to a mixture of peptides from which at least one holds the antibody's epitope. This mixture is nano-electrosprayed without purification. Identification of the epitope peptide is performed within a mass spectrometer that provides an ion mobility cell sandwiched in-between two collision cells and where this ion manipulation setup is flanked by a quadrupole mass analyzer on one side and a time-of-flight mass analyzer on the other side. In a stepwise fashion, immune-complex ions are separated from unbound peptide ions and dissociated to release epitope peptide ions. Immune complex-released peptide ions are separated from antibody ions and fragmented by collision induced dissociation. Epitope-containing peptide fragment ions are recorded, and mass lists are submitted to unsupervised data base search thereby retrieving both, the amino acid sequence of the epitope peptide and the originating antigen. ITEM-THREE was developed with antiTRIM21 and antiRA33 antibodies for which the epitopes were known, subjecting them to mixtures of synthetic peptides of which one contained the respective epitope. ITEM-THREE was then successfully tested with an enzymatic digest of His-tagged recombinant human β-actin and an antiHis-tag antibody, as well as with an enzymatic digest of recombinant human TNFα and an antiTNFα antibody whose epitope was previously unknown.

Source: UG
Intact Transition Epitope Mapping - Thermodynamic Weak-force Order (ITEM - TWO)

We have developed an electrospray mass spectrometry method which is capable to determine antibody affinity in a gas phase experiment. A solution with the immune complex is electrosprayed and multiply charged ions are translated into the gas phase. Then, the intact immune-complex ions are separated from unbound peptide ions. Increasing the voltage difference in a collision cell results in collision induced dissociation of the immunecomplex by which bound peptide ions are released. When analyzing a peptide mixture, measuring the mass of the complex-released peptide ions identifies which of the peptides contains the epitope. A step-wise increase in the collision cell voltage difference changes the intensity ratios of the surviving immune complex ions, the released peptide ions, and the antibody ions. From all the ions´ normalized intensity ratios are deduced the thermodynamic quasi equilibrium dissociation constants (KDm0g # ) from which are calculated the apparent gas phase Gibbs energies of activation over temperature ( Gm g T 0 # ). The order of the apparent gas phase dissociation constants of four antibody – epitope peptide pairs matched well with those obtained from in-solution measurements. The determined gas phase values for antibody affinities are independent from the source of the investigated peptides and from the applied instrument. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD016024. Significance: ITEM - TWO enables rapid epitope mapping and determination of apparent dissociation energies of immune complexes with minimal in-solution handling. Mixing of antibody and antigen peptide solutions initiates immune complex formation in solution. Epitope binding strengths are determined in the gas phase after electrospraying the antibody / antigen peptide mixtures and mass spectrometric analysis of immune complexes under different collision induced dissociation conditions. Since the order of binding strengths in the gas phase is the same as that in solution, ITEM – TWO characterizes two most important antibody properties, specificity and affinity.

Source: UG
An integrated approach to environmental risk assessment of cumulatively impacted drainage basin from mining activities in southwestern Ghana

Acid rock/mine drainage and metal leaching constitute major environmental management risks in the mining industry. This paper assesses the environmental risks due to acid rock/mine drainage, and the metal leaching potential of multiple mines of gold and manganese on the Ankobra River Drainage Basin in Southwestern Ghana. The basin is a hub of mining activity in Ghana, hosting several mines. A combination of mineralogical, and static geochemical acid drainage predictive investigation of overburden of varied geological units, complimented with hydrochemical drainage quality analysis was used to assess potential environmental risks posed by acid-generating lithologies and mine spoil. Mineralogical investigations revealed sulphide-bearing lithological units with profound compositional variations due to the incorporation of potentially toxic heavy metals and metalloids, in association with carbonates and silicates. Accounting Base Accounting (ABA) and Net acid generation potential pH (NAGpH) tests delimited two tailing sites as potentially acid generating with NAGpH of 3.5 and 4.8, respectively. Five other samples, representing specific lithological units in the stratigraphic sequence, with net acid neutralization potential ratio (NNPR) less than 5.0, were classified as being potentially acid generating according to the categorization requirement of the US Forestry Service. The rest of the samples exhibited moderate to very strong buffering capabilities. The assessment also evaluated drainage quality of the network of streams and rivers constituting the basin and identified sources of drainage contaminants. Acidic waters emanate from identified acid generating sources, while high metal load regimes were identified with both low pH waters and high pH regimes, coincident with high sulphide and carbonate alteration sites, respectively. The study results show that Zn, Cu, Ni, As, Co, Sb, SO 4 2-, pH, alkalinity and conductivity are essential and adequate parameters in routine environmental risk monitoring programmes of mines in the area. Sites characterized by low pH (&lt;5.5) with high sulphate and metal ions are suggestive of acid mine drainage, while sites with high pH (&gt;7.5), metal ions and sulphate are suggestive of net acid neutralizing. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Source: UG
An Integrated Approach to Unravelling Smallholder Yield Levels: The Case of Small Family Farms, Eastern Region, Ghana

Yield levels and the factors determining crop yields is an important strand of research on rainfed family farms. This is particularly true for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which reports some of the lowest crop yields. This also holds for Ghana, where actual yields of maize, the most important staple crop, are currently about only a third of achievable yields. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the factors underpinning these yield levels is key to improving them. Previous research endeavours on this frontier have been incumbered by the mono-disciplinary focus and/or limitations relating to spatial scales, which do not allow the actual interactions at the farm level to be explored. Using the sustainable livelihoods framework and, to a lesser extent, the induced innovation theory as inspiring theoretical frames, the present study employs an integrated approach of multiple data sources and methods to unravel the sources of current maize yield levels on smallholder farms in two farming villages in the Eastern region of Ghana. The study relies on farm and household survey data, remotely-sensed aerial photographs of maize fields and photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) with farmers. These data cover the 2016 major farming season that spanned the period March–August. We found that the factors that contributed to current yield levels are not consistent across yield measures and farming villages. From principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR), the timing of maize planting is the most important determinant of yield levels, explaining 25% of the variance in crop cut yields in Akatawia, and together with household income level, explaining 32% of the variance. Other statistically significant yield determinants include level of inorganic fertiliser applied, soil penetrability and phosphorus content, weed control and labour availability. However, this model only explains a third of the yields, which implies that two-thirds are explained by other factors. Our integrated approach was crucial in further shedding light on the sources of the poor yields currently achieved. The aerial photographs enabled us to demonstrate the dominance of poor crop patches on the edges and borders of maize fields, while the PEIs further improved our understanding of not just the causes of these poor patches but also the factors underpinning delayed planting despite farmers’ awareness of the ideal planting window. The present study shows that socioeconomic factors that are often not considered in crop yield analyses—land tenure and labour availability—often underpin poor crop yields in such smallholder rainfed family farms. Labour limitations, which show up strongly in both in the MLR and qualitative data analyses, for example, induces certain labour-saving technologies such as multiple uses of herbicides. Excessive herbicide use has been shown to have negative e ects on maize yields.

Source: UG