ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Plant litter turnover, soil chemical and physical properties in a Ghanaian gold- mined soil revegetated with Acacia species

The effects of stand-age of Acacia sp on plant litter turnover and decomposition, soil physical properties and nutrient elements were studied in revegetated gold-mined soils. Litter in the 3- and 6-year plantation soils were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the forest soil, whilst 9- and 12-year old revegetated soils had litter significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the forest soil. Biomass decomposition constants measured in all treatments were statistically similar, ranging from 1.03 in the forest soil to 0.94 in the revegetated treatments. Total N concentrations were higher in the forest, 12- year and 9- year revegetated treatments and varied from 0.20% to 0.50%. Organic carbon concentrations followed the increasing trend 3- year < 6- year < 9-year < 12- year < forest. Exchangeable K concentrations measured in all the soils were lower than 0.6 cmol kg,-1 . Field moisture capacity (12.6 – 20.3 %) and infiltration rates (25.2 – 31.1 cm h-1 ) in the 3-year, 6-year and 9-year stands were significantly lower than in the forest and 12-year stand whilst soil bulk density values were higher in the 3-year, 6-year and 9-year than in the forest and 12- year stands. The study indicates that after 12 years of revegetation with Acacia sp, soil physical characteristics such as bulk density, moisture holding capacity and infiltration rates improved to levels comparable to those found under un-mined soils and that revegetation is a good strategy for restoring the fertility of gold-mined soils

Source: UCC
Plants used as abortifacients and contraceptives in some communities on the fringes of Subri river forest reserve in Ghana

Ethnobotanical survey was undertaken in four communities located on the fringes of the Subri River Forest Reserve in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region, Ghana. Twelve informants, three each from the four communities were called upon to assist with collection of data. The informants who include community leaders, herbalists and traditional birth attendants assisted in field expeditions. They also provided relevant information to a structured questionnaire used to solicit information on the plants of abortifacient and contraceptive importance. In all, 18 angiosperm species distributed in 14 families were identified as being efficacious. Most of the species belong to the family Euphorbiaceae. The crude drugs are prepared mainly by grinding and by decoction of the plant parts. The drugs are administered mainly as enema or by oral and vaginal insertion. There is a high rate of patronage of herbal preparation among the women folk in the four communities where the study was undertaken

Source: UCC
Plasmodium falciparum genetic factors rather than host factors are likely to drive resistance to ACT in Ghana

Background: Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) partner drugs, currently used in Ghana are lumefantrine, amodiaquine and piperaquine. Plasmodium falciparum isolates with reduced susceptibility to these partner drugs may affect treatment outcome. Mutations in pfmdr1 gene is linked to reduced parasite susceptibility to amodiaquine and lumefantrine. In addition, the potency of the partner drugs in vivo depends on the metabolism by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme in the host. Mutations in the CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 genes are linked to reduced metabolism of amo‑ diaquine and lumefantrine in vitro, respectively. This study investigated the host and parasite genetic factors affecting the susceptibility of the malaria parasite to ACT partner drugs. Methods: Archived samples from 240 patients age ≤ 9 years participating in anti-malarial drug resistance survey in Ghana, and given artemether with lumefantrine (AL) or artesunate with amodiaquine (AA), were selected and ana‑ lysed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger sequencing was used to determine the polymorphisms in CYP2C8, CYP3A4 and pfmdr1 genes. Results: For CYP3A4, all had wild type alleles, suggesting that the hosts are good metabolizers of lumefantrine. For CYP2C8 60% had wild type alleles, 35% heterozygous and 5% homozygous recessive alleles suggesting efficient metabolism of amodiaquine by the hosts. For pfmdr1 gene, at codon 86, 95% were wild type (N86) and 5% mutant (Y86). For codon 184, 36% were wild type (Y184) and 64% mutant (F184) while for codons 1034, 1042 and 1246, 100% (all) were wild type. The high prevalence of N86-F184-D1246 haplotype (NFD) suggest presence of parasites with reduced susceptibility to lumefantrine and not amodiaquine. Delayed clearance was observed in individuals with mutations in the pfmdr1 gene and not cytochrome 450 gene. Both synonymous and non-synonymous mutations were observed in the pfmdr1 at low prevalence. Conclusion: The outcome of this study indicates that the parasite’s genetic factors rather than the host’s are likely to drive resistance to ACT in Ghana

Source: UCC
Plastic Pollution in Sediments and Marine Fish Species from Two Artisanal Fishing Hotspots Along the Coast of Ghana

Plastic pollution is a global environmental challenge that threatens marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. The focus of this thesis was to evaluate the level of plastic pollution along the coast of Ghana and also, to examine microplastic contamination in some marine fish species. The study was conducted at two of the largest artisanal fishing harbours– Elmina and Tema – in Ghana, West Africa. Macroplastic (> 2.5 cm or 25 mm) and mesoplastic (5 mm to 25mm) litter on and within the beach sediments of the harbour was analysed based on international guidelines for monitoring marine litter. Followed by microplastic (≤ 5 mm) contamination analyses of two commercial fish species, Angola dentex (Dentex angolensis) and Barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) landed in the harbours, using the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis. The marine litter analyses (macroplastic) indicated a diversity of plastic materials mostly dominated by single-use plastics (water sachet and takeaway bags). The results from the mesoplastics analyses specify the dominance of styrofoam and hard plastic fragments as the dominant materials. The FTIR results showed a higher occurrence of microplastics in Dentex angolensis at Elmina, with microfibers accounting for 60-100% of the ingested microplastics. Five different polymer groups were identified, with polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyurethane being the most commonly consumed polymers. Although plastic ingestion was low, it could be traced to the plastics evaluated along the coast. All stakeholders must pay attention to addressing pollution, especially plastics, to prevent further contamination of marine life.

Source: UCC
Plastic waste to fuel via pyrolysis: A key way to solving the severe plastic waste problem in Ghana

The accumulation of plastic waste on the globe, with its harmful environmental impact is on the rise. Development of an efficient conversional method for heterogeneous plastic waste streams would not only provide a solution to this problem, but also, provide a boost to local economies. This study, seeks to exploit the possibility of employing pyrolysis as a means of converting a mixture of plastic waste materials into a resource; to recover crude fuel oil from the waste and also reduce the environmental impacts. Pyrolysis was conducted in a fixed bed reactor at 350 oC with nitrogen gas flow of 200 ml/min for 2 hours, 40 minutes cracking time. The resulted crude product was analyzed by various analytical methods such as FT-IR, GC-MS, and Kinematic Viscosity. The results from the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis shows that the fuel oil produced is made up of 21 functional groups which is a blend of aliphatic and aromatic groups of compounds; aliphatic compounds are the most abundant. Also according to the GC-MS results obtained, the fuel oil contains substances that are within the diesel fuel range (C12-C24), with behenic alcohol as the highest peaked compound. The crude fuel oil has a kinematic viscosity of 1.036 mm2 s-1, which decreases with increasing temperature. The results show that the crude fuel oil obtained has the possibility to be used as an alternative fuel for wide range of purposes in the future. In this regard, pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste studied here presents an efficient, clean and effective means of removing plastic debris from the environment. Plastic waste isn’t the whole problem, how we handle it also count. Thus the responsibility is on us to be smart on how we handle plastic; as pollution, or as an economical resource

Source: UCC
Plastic wastes to pavement blocks: A signifcant alternative way to reducing plastic wastes generation and accumulation in Ghana

This study explored the conversion of plastic wastes into pavement blocks in Ghana. The physical and chemical properties of the pit sand, sea sand, plastic wastes, and pavement block were determined. The FTIR identified Quartz and Kaoline minerals as the main components of the sand samples, whereas those of the plastic wastes were polyethylene and polypropylene. The SEM showed that the plastic-pit sand pavement block (PPPB) had fibrous surface with smaller pore volume and grain size than the plastic-sea sand pavement block (PSPB). At 20% plastic composition, the water absorptivity of PPPB and PSPB maximized at 3.98% and 4.60%, respectively. Larger quantity of plastic decreased the block water absorptivity but improved the compressive strength. The maximum compressive strengths of the PPPB and PSPB were 36.96 N/mm2 and 27.81 N/mm2, respectively. The maximum tensile strength of PPPB (8.2 N/mm2 ) exceeded the PSPB (6.1 N/mm2 ). Furthermore, increasing the plastic composition improved the average penetration resistance of both pavement blocks. The results suggest that converting plastic wastes into pavement blocks is feasible, and can help reduce the rapid accumulation of plastic wastes in Ghana

Source: UCC
Plastination: a modern approach to chiropractic teaching

Plastination is a unique methodfor the preservation of biological materialfor teaching and research. The plastinated specimens are dry, odorless, non-toxic and durable. They can be manipulated by teachers and students without protective equipment like gloves. Invented in 1978 by Doctor Gunther von Hagensfrom the University ofHeidelberg, this technique, that involves the replacement ofwater by a curable polymer, has spread rapidly all around the world and is actually used in over 250 universities and colleges. To our knowledge, the Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, is the first institution to use plastinated specimens for teaching anatomy, neuroanatomy, pathology and radiology to students in chiropractic.

Source: UCC
Plastination: a modern approach to chiropractic teaching

Plastination is a unique method for the preservation of biological material for teaching and research. The plastinated specimens are dry, odorless, non-toxic and durable. They can be manipulated by teachers and students without protective equipment like gloves. Invented in 1978 by Doctor Gunther von Hagens from the University ofHeidelberg, this technique, that involves the replacement ofwater by a curable polymer, has spread rapidly all around the world and is actually used in over 250 universities and colleges. To our knowledge, the Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, is the first institution to use plastinated specimens for teaching anatomy, neuroanatomy, pathology and radiology to students in chiropractic. This paper describes the various steps of the method (fixation, dehydration, impregnation and curing) and presents some examples of the utilization of plastinated specimens.

Source: UCC
The plight of working children at Mankessim, Ghana

Children serve as social assets or domestic and economic activities. It is therefore not uncommon to see children in Ghana working under the instructions of their parents. In some instances, children are engaged in economic enterprises due to household poverty. Whereas some of these activities initiate children into adulthood, others affect their school attendance and development. The paper explores some of the activities children engage in at Mankessim in the Central Region of Ghana. It justifies that some of these activities constitute labor; and discusses other actors that contribute to household poverty in the area. Data were obtained rom 152 children engaged in various economic activities. Findings revealed that 69% of the children were asked by their mothers to work. Half of the children between 6 and 11 years and more than one-third aged 11-17 worked or over five hours a day. Sixty-six per cent complained of tiredness. In-school children missed school at least once a week to work while 10% dropped out of school due to work improving standards of living of women and strengthening societal organizational values are crucial in addressing the plight of working children in the area

Source: UCC
Polarity of Sentence Recognition with Phrase-Level Sentiment Analysis

The rate of growth of Internet services has resulted in an exponential increased on Opinions on the web. The retail industry as well as all other industries needs a technique of detecting and analyzing customer’s opinion on a particular product. The plurality of these expressed opinions on the web will not permit manager to make good analysis of the product, be it positive or negative opinion. This paper presents technique of filtering opinionated sentence and polarity judgment by combining linguistic clue and machine learning methods such as CRF and SVM from the rest of the sentences. The method is based on linguistic pattern and scoring of subjectivity terms, automatically identifies the opinionated sentences and their polarities. The approach achieves a comparativeperformance with the current state of the art opinion mining systems

Source: UCC
Polarization instability shift in birefringent single mode optical fibers

An intensity-dependent change in ellipticity of an input light beam leads to a characteristic shift in polarization instability. The presence of dichroism gives rise to self-induced ellipticity effect in the polarization state of an intense input light oriented along the fast axis of a birefringent single mode optical e optical fiber and results in a higher critical value of input power at which the fiber effective beat length becomes infinite

Source: UCC
The police and the prosecutorial system in Ghana: An assessment of the police prosecutors in the western north region of Ghana police service

Police prosecutors have been part of the prosecutorial system of Ghana since the colonial period. Since the extension of prosecutorial powers to the police in Ghana in the colonial era, police prosecutors have played an enormous role in the functioning of the prosecutorial system in the country. In the Western-North Region of Ghana, there is palpable evidence of the work of police prosecutors in the prosecutorial system. In each district police station in the Western-North Region, there are two police prosecutors except Bibiani and Sefwi Wiawso where there are five police prosecutors each. Despite their enormous contributions to the functioning of the prosecutorial system, police prosecutors in the Western-North Region face a number of challenges that affect their capacity to discharge their duties efficiently. This study examined the capacity of police prosecutors in the Western-North Region. It measured their capacity against a number of variables – professional competence, educational standard, technological and other logistics. A qualitative method was applied to the study, and the main data collection instruments used were document study, case study, questionnaires and interviews. Primary data from the field were gathered from the various districts in the Western-North Region. The study found that lack of technological capacity and professional competence negatively impinge on the capacity of police prosecutors in the Western-North Region. The study recommended that police prosecutors in the Western-North Region should be empowered with laptops to advance their work. Furthermore, it recommended that police prosecutors with the qualification to enroll in the universities in Ghana to pursue law programs should be encouraged please.

Source: UCC
Policing tourism: the emergence of specialist units

Specialist tourist police units are a recent development in many countries where tourism is important to the economy and where crimes associated with tourism are recognized. However, such developments are scarcely universal. This paper focuses on three contrasting examples: the UK, where there are no specialist tourist police, despite a clear relationship between tourism and crime and disorder; Ghana, where tourist police have been introduced relatively recently; and the USA, where tourist police units are an established art of policing structures in tourist areas like Florida. After describing the current situation in each area, the paper concludes with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of specialist units and the reasons why contrasting policies have emerged

Source: UCC
Policy implementation and bureaucracy in Ghana Audit Service in the Central Region

Policy failure has been a concern for social scientists for some time now, yet there are no clear answers as to why certain policies do not achieve their intended purpose. Moreover, studies on policy implementation in service institutions neglect the audit service. This study investigated the challenges of policy implementation in the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) with emphasis on bureaucracy in the Central Region of Ghana. The study was a cross sectional survey and was quantitative in nature. The study used primary data collected in October, 2015. Percentage distributions, cross tabulations, bar graphs and pie charts were used in the analysis. It was found out that the service does not have a policy implementation team and employees are fairly unhappy about the way in which policies are organised and implemented in the service. The key challenges of policy implementation include resource constraints, bureaucracy, poor communication, and poor disposition of clients. Respondents were also dissatisfied with level of computerisation and the level of decentralisation of operations, discretion exercised by staff, and unavailability of a well-organised database and networking system. It has been recommended that the service should institute a policy implementation team to improve upon the way policies are organised and interpreted as well as educate employees on all policies. The service should ensure resource adequacy and improve upon communication in the service. The government should also educate the general public on the work of the GAS to improve the disposition of clients of the GAS. The GAS should speed up the implementation of the ICT policy. Finally, the service should also be fully decentralised and allow auditors some level of discretion.

Source: UCC
Policy Rate and Non-Performing Loans in Ghana

The study examined policy rate and non-Performing loans in Ghana. The study employed ordinary least square, Johansen cointegration method, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Error Correction Model (ECM) to achieve the objectives of the study. The findings revealed that total debt service, annual broad money supply, and total trade as a percentage of GDP affect policy rate in the country. Further, the study revealed that policy rate has positive and significant effect on NPLs. Again, the lag levels of non-performing loan negatively affect the present level of banks non-performing loan. Furthermore, the study found that the deviations from the equilibrium of the NPLs quickly adjust with an approximately 1-year period. Again, in the short-run, the lags of the dependent variable-non-performing loan positively affect the NPLs in present levels. However, in the long-run, the relationship is negative although the results are not statistically significant. Besides the study recommends that Bank of Ghana must strengthen monetary policy regulation, particularly the policy rate to ensure that commercial banks lend with lower interest rate. Again, the government of Ghana must implement export-based policies to increase the percentage of trade earnings

Source: UCC
Policy Strategies for a Performing Arts Sector: An Analysis of Cultural Policy Support for the Performing Arts in Ghana

In this study, I analyze cultural policy support for a sustainable performing arts sector in Ghana. Even though some areas of public policy are seen as raison d’etre, that of arts and culture have not received much attention from public policy analysts in Ghana. I examine the strategic goals of cultural policy that exist in Ghana and the how the performing arts could serve as an avenue for the creation of sustainable jobs and wealth. I also investigate the factors mitigating the smooth implementation of cultural policy in Ghana and, finally, examine the kind of evaluation instruments or methods for cultural policy towards the performing arts that should be developed. I adopt a purely qualitative mode of inquiry using observations, expert interviews and documents to analyze cultural policy support for the performing arts in Ghana. The findings reveal that cultural policy in Ghana encompasses diverse areas yet interconnected to achieve cultural goals. Therefore, support in the area of arts and cultural education and institutional enhancement is provided. The findings also indicate that the lack of resources, political interferences within the cultural field, inadequate budget and funding are factors mitigating the smooth implementation of cultural policy in Ghana. Again, the findings show that the performing arts contribute to job and wealth creation for the youth. Furthermore, the results indicate that general evaluation has not been done as far as cultural policy is concerned. I, therefore, conclude that cultural policy reflects the totality of the way of life of the Ghanaian people. For this reason, proper support systems are needed so that the arts and cultural sector will not overly depend on government.

Source: UCC