ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum Rh2b deletion polymorphism across different transmission areas

Despite significant progress in controlling malaria, the disease remains a global health burden. The intricate interactions the parasite Plasmodium falciparum has with its host allows it to grow and multiply in human erythrocytes. The mechanism by which P. falciparum merozoites invade human erythrocytes is complex, involving merozoite proteins as well as erythrocyte surface proteins. Members of the P. falciparum reticulocyte binding-like protein homolog (PfRh) family of proteins play a pivotal role in merozoite invasion and hence are important targets of immune responses. Domains within the PfRh2b protein have been implicated in its ability to stimulate natural protective antibodies in patients. More specifically, a 0.58 kbp deletion, at the C-terminus has been reported in high frequencies in Senegalese and Southeast Asian parasite populations, suggesting a possible role in immune evasion. We analysed 1218 P. falciparum clinical isolates, and the results show that this deletion is present in Ghanaian parasite populations (48.5% of all isolates), with Kintampo (hyper-endemic, 53.2%), followed by Accra (Hypo-endemic, 50.3%), Cape Coast (meso-endemic, 47.9%) and Sogakope (meso-endemic, 43.15%). Further analysis of parasite genomes stored in the MalariaGEN database revealed that the deletion variant was common across transmission areas globally, with an overall frequency of about 27.1%. Interestingly, some parasite isolates possessed mixed PfRh2b deletion and full-length alleles. We further showed that levels of antibodies to the domain of PfRh2 protein were similar to antibody levels of PfRh5, indicating it is less recognized by the immune system.

Source: UG
Analysis of Population Structure and Genetic Diversity in a Southern African Soybean Collection Based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers

Soybean is an emerging strategic crop for nutrition, food security, and livestock feed in Africa, but improvement of its productivity is hampered by low genetic diversity. There is need for broadening the tropical germplasm base through incorporation and introgression of temperate germplasm in Southern Africa breeding programs. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the population structure and molecular diversity among 180 temperate and 30 tropical soybean accessions using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The results revealed very low levels of molecular diversity among the 210 lines with implications for the breeding strategy. Low fixation index ( FST) value of 0.06 was observed, indicating low genetic differences among populations. This suggests high genetic exchange among different lines due to global germplasm sharing. Inference based on three tools, such as the Evanno method, silhouette plots and UPMGA phylogenetic tree showed the existence of three sub-populations. The UPMGA tree showed that the first sub-cluster is composed of three genotypes, the second cluster has two genotypes, while the rest of the genotypes constituted the third cluster. The third cluster revealed low variation among most genotypes. Negligible differences were observed among some of the lines, such as Tachiyukata and Yougestu, indicating sharing of common parental backgrounds. However large phenotypic differences were observed among the accessions suggesting that there is potential for their utilization in the breeding programs. Rapid phenotyping revealed grain yield potential ranging from one to five tons per hectare for the 200 non-genetically modified accessions. Findings from this study will inform the crossing strategy for the subtropical soybean breeding programs. Innovation strategies for improving genetic variability in the germplasm collection, such as investments in pre-breeding, increasing the geographic sources of introductions and exploitation of mutation breeding would be recommended to enhance genetic gain.

Source: UG
Analysis of recharge and groundwater flow in parts of a weathered aquifer system in Northern Ghana

Stable isotope data were used to relate recent meteoric water to groundwater in parts of the Nabogo sub-catchment of the Voltaian Basin. Estimates of the rates of evaporation of recharging groundwater in transit were made on the basis of the stable isotope data. This study finds that groundwater recharge within the weathered zone aquifer system in the study area is of recent meteoric origin. There is, however, evidence of significant evaporation of recharging water in the range of 34–70%, as a result of high temperatures and low relative humidities. This high level of evaporation of rainwater prior to or in the process of recharge is attributed partly to slow infiltration due to significant clay content of the intervening material between the saturated zone and the surface. It suggests limited but variable fortunes in terms of groundwater recharge from precipitation in the area and ties in with previous findings in relation to groundwater recharge estimates. This justified the use of previous estimates of groundwater recharge in other parts of the terrain for the conceptualization of the groundwater flow through a numerical model under steady-state conditions. This study determines that the general groundwater flow is controlled by local flow systems with no obvious preferred direction of flow. Calibrated hydraulic conductivity estimates range between 0.35 and 5.14 m/d. This is consistent with the nature of the material of the aquifer, and will provide the basis for assessing the hydrogeological conditions of the weathered zone. © 2014 IAHR and WCCE.

Source: UG
Analysis of School Enrollment in Ghana: A Sequential Approach

n this paper, we depart from the standard way of analyzing school enrollment by accounting explicitlyfor educational selectivity in order to examine the determinants of child school enrollment in Ghana.Using data from the Ghana Living Standard Survey round 6 (GLSS 6), we estimate a three-stepsequential logit model for the determinants of secondary school enrollment and its dependence oncompleting primary school. We ﬁnd that family resources such as parental education, household incomeand the gender of the head of the household play a role in households’ child schooling decisions.Educated parents are relatively more likely to enroll their children in primary school and keep them inschool until they complete primary education. As well, we show that educated parents do not promote agender-biased investment in the schooling of children at the primary level. While household welfare doesnot inﬂuence children’s entry into primary school importantly, their completion of primary schooldepends on household welfare. The study sheds more light on the pro-male bias phenomenon regardingentry into primary school and primary school completion. Policies to promote the achievement ofSustainable Development Goal 4 in Ghana must be grade sensitive.

Source: UG
Analysis of sedimentation rates in the Densu river channel: The result of erosion and anthropogenic activities in the Densu Basin

Sediment is important in determining the morphology of river systems. The Densu basin has come under intense anthropogenic activities such as farming, sand winning, bushfires, among others, which are impacting on the fluvial processes, forms and channel morphology of the river. The study investigated sedimentation of the river channel in the light of these human activities along its banks. Fluvial processes include erosion and deposition particularly at the lower and middle courses, which is fashioning the morphology of the river channel. Data on river sedimentation was determined through sediment load analysis. The results of bed load show well-graded particles, particularly results of low flows throughout the river's course. Generally, the percentage of coarser materials (gravels, sediments > 5 mm) was low, while the percentage of sand in the bed material was high in all the stations at high flows, over 80% in Ashalaja, 70% in Mangoase and moderate at Akwadum (about 50%). Clay particles were low or absent in the sampled stations during high flows. Fluvial sediment transport for suspended load during high flows was high and low for the low stages. The highest suspended sediment discharge was 475.641 tonnes/day at Akwadum at 2.18 m and the lowest was 0.492 tonnes/day at 0.53 m also at Akwadum. Sediment discharge increased downstream from Akwadum to Ashalaja at both low and high flows, which was attributed to a number of variables such as a reduction in vegetative cover and increase in discharge downstream. The middle course experienced active channel erosion whilst deposition (channel braiding) was prevalent at the lower course.

Source: UG
An analysis of short-run response of export and domestic agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Short-run responses of export and domestic shares of total agricultural output to changes in stocks of domestic savings (SAV), development assistance (ODA), private foreign commercial capital (PFX) and other variables is investigated. A profit function approach is used. Time series data for 19 sub-Saharan African countries are pooled into three panels using similarities in changes in economic policy regime. Statistical evidence suggests that for the panel of countries that were undertaking liberalized economic reforms, the slope coefficients of some of the variables in the models have changed significantly between 1970-1980 and 1981-1993. For the 1981-1993 period, the impacts of ODA, PFX and SAV on export and domestic shares were different for this panel. The effect of increases in agricultural labor was different across the three panels. There is also evidence that productivity growth in the export agriculture sub-sector is negative in all the groups. It is recommended that to halt the decline in export share of agricultural output in the group of countries that have undertaken substantial improvements in economic policy environment, efforts must be made to reduce the negative impact of domestic savings and agricultural labor, while at the same time working to reduce the bias of development assistance against food security. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Source: UG
An analysis of socio-demographic patterns in child malnutrition trends using Ghana demographic and health survey data in the period 1993-2008

Background: A small but growing body of research indicates that progress in reducing child malnutrition is substantially uneven from place to place, even down to the district level within countries. Yet child malnutrition prevalence and trend estimates available for public health planning are mostly available only at the level of global regions and/or at country level. To support carefully targeted intervention to reduce child malnutrition, public health planners and policy-makers require access to more refined prevalence data and trend analyses than are presently available. Responding to this need in Ghana, this report presents trends in child malnutrition prevalence in socio-demographic groups within the country's geographic regions. Methods. The study uses the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS) data. The GDHS are nationally representative cross-sectional surveys that have been carried out in many developing countries. These surveys constitute one of the richest sources of information currently available to examine time trends in child malnutrition. Data from four surveys were used for the analysis: 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008. Results: The results show statistically significant declining trends at the national level for stunting (F (1, 7204) = 7.89, p ≤.005), underweight (F (1, 7441) = 44.87, p ≤.001) and wasting (F (1, 7130) = 6.19, p ≤.013). However, analyses of the sex-specific trends revealed that the declining trends in stunting and wasting were significant among males but not among females. In contrast to the national trend, there were significantly increasing trends in stunting for males (F (1, 2004) = 3.92, p ≤.048) and females (F (1, 2004) = 4.34, p ≤.037) whose mothers had higher than primary education, while the trends decreased significantly for males and females whose mothers had no education. Conclusions: At the national level in Ghana, child malnutrition is significantly declining. However, the aggregate national trend masks important deviations in certain socio-demographic segments, including worsening levels of malnutrition. This paper shows the importance of disaggregated analyses of national child malnutrition data, to unmask underlying geographic and socio-demographic differences. © 2013 Amugsi et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Source: UG
Analysis of stakeholder networks for breastfeeding policies and programs in Ghana

Background: Suboptimal breastfeeding practices are driven by multiple factors. Thus, a multi-sectoral approach is necessary to design and implement appropriate policies and programs that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Methods: This study used Net-Map, an interactive social network interviewing and mapping technique, to: a) identify key institutional actors involved in breastfeeding policy/programs in Ghana, b) identify and describe links between actors (i.e., command, dissemination, funding, and technical assistance (TA)), and c) document actors' influence to initiate or modify breastfeeding policy/programs. Ten experts were purposively selected from relevant institutions and were individually interviewed. Interview data was analyzed using social networking mapping software, Gephi (version 0.9.2). Results: Forty-six unique actors were identified across six actor categories (government, United Nations agencies, civil society, academia, media, and others), with one-third being from government agencies. Dissemination and TA links accounted for two-thirds of the identified links between actors (85/261 links for dissemination; 85/261 for TA). Command links were mainly limited to government agencies, while other link types were observed across all actor groups. Ghana Health Service (GHS) had the greatest in-degree centrality for TA and funding links, primarily from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and development partners. The World Health Organization, UNICEF, Ministry of Health and GHS had the highest weighted average relative influence scores. Conclusions: Although diverse actors are involved in breastfeeding policy and programming in Ghana, GHS plays a central role. United Nations and donor agencies are crucial supporters of GHS providing breastfeeding technical and financial assistance in Ghana.

Source: UG
Analysis of strain distribution, migratory potential, and invasion history of fall armyworm populations in northern Sub-Saharan Africa

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) is a noctuid moth pest endemic throughout the Western Hemisphere that has recently become widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a strong expectation of significant damage to African maize crop yield and a high likelihood of further dispersal, putting the rest of the Eastern Hemisphere at risk. Specimens from multiple locations in six countries spanning the northern portion of the infested region were analyzed for genetic markers. The similarity of haplotypes between the African collections was consistent with a common origin, but significant differences in the relative frequency of the haplotypes indicated limitations in migration. The mitochondrial marker frequently used to identify two host strains appears to be compromised, making uncertain previous reports that both strains are present in Africa. This more extensive study confirmed initial indications based on Togo populations that Florida and the Greater Antilles are the likely source of at least a subset of the African infestation and further suggest an entry point in western Africa. The origin of a second subgroup is less clear as it was rarely found in the collections and has a haplotype that has not yet been observed in the Western Hemisphere. © 2018 The Author(s

Source: UG
An analysis of students' knowledge and choice criteria in retail bank selection in sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Ghana

Purpose: This study aims to offers a deeper insight into bank selection of Ghanaian students so as to offer bank managers the opportunity to tailor-measure programmes aimed at attracting and retaining customers. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the problem. The "drop and pick" convenience sampling method adopted resulted in 223 completed questionnaires. The mean ranking and factor analysis methods were employed to identify the major factors that influence the respondent bank selection. Findings: Over all, student customers consider image, attitude and behaviour of staff, core service delivery and technology-related factors as the major issues that influence consumers' decision to open and maintain an account. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of the study relates to the student population used for the study, which limits the generalisability of the findings. The study, however, contributes to the academic knowledge of bank selection and provides insights into the critical factors considered by sample students in their bank selection decisions. Practical implications: In a market where consumers respond differently to a marketing offer, market segmentation becomes a necessity and therefore differences in male and female consumers' selection criteria emanating from this study provide an excellent opportunity for the banks to adopt segmentation-based strategies to serve the customers. Originality/value: In this paper, gender and educational level provide a deeper understanding of bank selection criteria among the Ghanaian bank customers. The four constructs can be used by bank management as bases for designing marketing strategies to deliver efficient service, and engage in relationship marketing practices to attract and retain customers. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
Analysis of study skills employed by Ghanaian high school science students

This study was motivated by the desire to explore the study skills employed by science students in senior high schools (SHS) in the Cape Coast metropolis across the Central Region of Ghana. A total of 600 SHS second-year science students, 354 males, and 244 females, took part in the investigation. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The “Study Skills Scale” the questionnaire was utilized for data collection to determine the kind of study skills employed by the science students, across gender, age range, and school type. The arithmetic mean was used to establish the degree to which students employ study skills strategies in their learning. Similarly, the consequence of gender, age range, and school type on the eight subscales of study skills strategies was determined using a one-way multivariate examination of variance. Findings from the investigation indicated that SHS science learners employ study skills strategies in their learning to a large extent for all the subscales of study skills strategies. However, female students employ the memory and concentration study skills strategies more effectively than their male counterparts; demographic variables, such as age range and school type, do not influence students’ study skills significantly. The implications of this study for policy and practice were discussed.

Source: UG
An analysis of the agricultural science, technology and innovation system for plantain (Musa spp.) in Ghana

This study employs the Agricultural Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) systems analysis framework to assess the policy environment of Ghana, key plantain actors' competencies and performance, and the effectiveness of linkages as indicators of innovation capacity. Data from over 358 respondents were collected. The results of the study show that the food and agriculture, and other subsector, policies specify strategies that directly or indirectly serve as an incentive framework for plantain (Musa spp.) development. Several plantain projects related to technology improvement and dissemination have been implemented and there has been significant growth in plantain yield from 5 to 9.7 t ha-1. The positive changes in habits and practices and competencies of key actors are clear; some farmers have adopted micro-propagation of new cultivars, integrated pest management, zero tillage and use of inorganic fertilizers. There are four firms in plantain flour production, whereas plantain chips (a snack) has been commercialised. However, the strongest linkage is still between farmers and traders; the weakest is between research and policy makers. Hence, the effectiveness of functions of research institution and extension agencies has been questioned. Although there is extension of new information, the adoption of improved technology is not widespread. Low budgetary support to governmental agencies, poor access to financial markets and high cost of inputs are listed as key constraints to improved performance. Government is called upon to increase budgetary allocation to statutory research and development agencies to sustain development and diffusion of new information, as well as policy dialoguing. Non-governmental organisations and the private sector should also intervene more strongly in credit provision and facilitation of farmerbased organisations (FBO). It is suggested that FBOs formalise their operations in order to improve linkages with research and extension institutions and together press for direct subsidy of disease-free micro-plantlets for members.

Source: UG
Analysis of the Causality Links between the Growth of the Construction Industry and the Growth of the Macro-economy in Ghana

A vibrant construction industry in a developing country, that mobilizes human and local material resources in the development and maintenance of buildings, housing and physical infrastructure, is an important means to promote increased local employment and accelerate economic growth. Ghana, a country of about 22 million people, currently has one of the fastest growing economies in West Africa. The Government of Ghana (GOG) has recently set a target of annual economic growth rate of 8% and above, up from annual growth rates of 5–6% in the past five years (2001–05). It intends to use the agricultural sector as the major vehicle for achieving such high growth rates in order for the country to reach the status of a middle income country by 2015. Surprisingly, the construction industry was left out from the list of major growth drivers of the economy. We contend that with the construction industry currently making up the third largest sector of the economy, special attention should be given to this industry as one of the main drivers of economic growth in Ghana. Therefore we conducted a study to analyse the causality links between the growth in the construction industry and the growth in the macro-economy of Ghana, measured by the gross domestic product (GDP), to ascertain whether the construction industry can be used to lead the entire economy on a growth path. The analysis was based on a simple Granger causality test using time series data from 1968 to 2004. We showed that growth in the construction industry Granger-caused growth in GDP, with a three-year lag. The construction industry needs to be considered as one of the major drivers of economic growth in Ghana.

Source: UG