An Evaluation of Challenges Facing Smallholders in Ghana: A Case Study for the Aowin Suaman District

The majority of the Ghanaians populations live in rural areas where their livelihoods depend on smallholding agriculture. Smallholding farmers produce about 28.3% of GDP and 10% of all exports by value.  It is estimated that 85% of cereals, 40% of rice and 100% of starch staple food, including significant exports and raw materials for local industries are produced by this type of farming system. Despite these contributions to food security, the sector is plagued with several challenges which militate against their success. Though, many researchers have discussed these challenges but failed to account for the magnitude and severity of these challenges with quantitative evidence as well as the sequential order of the problems. In an attempt to fill this gap, factor analysis methodology is used to evaluate the weight of each challenge confronting farmers in Ghana. With a semi-structured questionnaire, random sampling technique was used to select 381 farmers and interviewed. The findings revealed that five components containing 28 variables determine about 80% percent variations in the production of smallholders. These factors were named as managerial challenges (26.286% of variance), technological challenges (24.045% of variance), marketing challenges (15.685% of variance), extension services challenges (6.933 % of variance) and health related challenges (6.839% of variance). The magnitude of the factor loadings indicated that the 28 variables are having great toll of smallholders and implementing the output of these findings will significantly reduce all constraints facing farmers by 80%. Keywords: Factor analysis, Marketing challenges, Principal component analysis, Percentage variance, Smallholder

The Experiential Learning Connections between University and Community: Recent Ontario Experience

Experiential Learning (EL), including a range of pedagogical approaches such as co-ops and community service learning, connect the university and its external community. Universities are considering such approaches to meet a number of needs and priorities both on and off-campus. As it unfolds rapidly at the present time, EL becomes the connection between the university and the community beyond its gates, both locally and more extensively. However, university-community or so-called town-gown (TG) connections traditionally focus on research and/or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This thesis focuses on the teaching and learning connections, especially in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS), which face persistent questions about disciplinary relevance and graduate employability. In addition, this thesis is concerned particularly with EL connections as they occur in the university’s local or ‘host’ community. The study shows the rapid and widespread adoption of alternative EL models across universities in Ontario. However, rapid adoption comes with diverse approaches and new tensions including issues of institutional centralization versus decentralization of EL arrangements. Funding challenges and the globalized agendas of universities also impact these local connections. In today’s skill and technology-driven world of work, university-community connections should be prioritized in higher education policy. Keywords: Experiential learning; University-community connections; Ontario; Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Development of a local antibiogram for a teaching hospital in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance threatens adequate healthcare provision against infectious diseases. Antibiograms, combined with patient clinical history, enable clinicians and pharmacists to select the best empirical treatments prior to culture results. OBJECTIVES: To develop a local antibiogram for the Ho Teaching Hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study, using data collected on bacterial isolates from January-December 2021. Samples from urine, stool, sputum, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were considered as well as, aspirates and swabs from wound, ears and vagina of patients. Bacteria were cultured on both enrichment and selective media including blood agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood and MacConkey agar, and identified by both the VITEK 2 system and routine biochemical tests. Data on routine culture and sensitivity tests performed on bacterial isolates from patient samples were retrieved from the hospital's health information system. Data were then entered into and analysed using WHONET. RESULTS: In all, 891 pathogenic microorganisms were isolated from 835 patients who had positive culture tests. Gram-negative isolates accounted for about 77% of the total bacterial species. Escherichia coli (246), Pseudomonas spp. (180), Klebsiella spp. (168), Citrobacter spp. (101) and Staphylococcus spp. (78) were the five most isolated pathogens. Most of the bacterial isolates showed high resistance (>70%) to ampicillin, piperacillin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, penicillin G, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. CONCLUSIONS: The isolates from the various samples were not susceptible to most of the antibiotics used in the study. The study reveals the resistance patterns of E. coli and Klebsiella spp. to some antibiotics on the WHO 'Watch' and 'Reserve' lists. Using antibiograms as part of antimicrobial stewardship programmes would optimize antibiotic use and preserve their efficacy

Randomized Controlled Trial of RTS,S/AS02D and RTS,S/AS01E Malaria Candidate Vaccines Given According to Different Schedules in Ghanaian Children

Background:The target delivery channel of RTS,S candidate malaria vaccines in malaria-endemic countries in Africa is the World Health Organisation Expanded Program on Immunization. As an Adjuvant System, age de-escalation and schedule selection step, this study assessed 3 schedules of RTS,S/AS01E and RTS,S/AS02D in infants and young children 5–17 months of age in Ghana.Methodology:A Phase II, partially-blind randomized controlled study (blind to vaccine, not to schedule), of 19 months duration was conducted in two (2) centres in Ghana between August 2006 and May 2008. Subjects were allocated randomly (1:1:1:1:1:1) to one of six study groups at each study site, each defining which vaccine should be given and by which schedule (0,1-, 0,1,2- or 0,1,7-months). For the 0,1,2-month schedule participants received RTS,S/AS01E or rabies vaccine at one center and RTS,S/AS01E or RTS,S/AS02D at the other. For the other schedules at both study sites, they received RTS,S/AS01E or RTS,S/AS02D. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of serious adverse events until 10 months post dose 1.Results:The number of serious adverse events reported across groups was balanced. One child had a simple febrile convulsion, which evolved favourably without sequelae, considered to be related to RTS,S/AS01E vaccination. Low grade reactions occurred slightly more frequently in recipients of RTS,S/AS than rabies vaccines; grade 3 reactions were infrequent. Less local reactogenicity occurred with RTS,S/AS01E than RTS,S/AS02D. Both candidate vaccines were highly immunogenic for anti-circumsporozoite and anti-Hepatitis B Virus surface antigen antibodies. Recipients of RTS,S/AS01E compared to RTS,S/AS02D had higher peak anti-circumsporozoite antibody responses for all 3 schedules. Three dose schedules were more immunogenic than 2 dose schedules. Area under the curve analyses for anti-circumsporozoite antibodies were comparable between the 0,1,2- and 0,1,7-month RTS,S/AS01E schedules.Conclusions:Both candidate malaria vaccines were well tolerated. Anti-circumsporozoite responses were greater with RTS,S/AS01E than RTS,S/AS02D and when 3 rather than 2 doses were given. This study supports the selection of RTS,S/AS01E and a 3 dose schedule for further development in children and infants

T Cell Responses to the RTS,S/AS01E and RTS,S/AS02D Malaria Candidate Vaccines Administered According to Different Schedules to Ghanaian Children

BACKGROUND: The Plasmodium falciparum pre-erythrocytic stage candidate vaccine RTS,S is being developed for protection of young children against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. RTS,S formulated with the liposome based adjuvant AS01(E) or the oil-in-water based adjuvant AS02(D) induces P. falciparum circumsporozoite (CSP) antigen-specific antibody and T cell responses which have been associated with protection in the experimental malaria challenge model in adults. METHODS: This study was designed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity induced over a 19 month period by three vaccination schedules (0,1-, 0,1,2- and 0,1,7-month) of RTS,S/AS01(E) and RTS,S/AS02(D) in children aged 5-17 months in two research centers in Ghana. Control Rabies vaccine using the 0,1,2-month schedule was used in one of two study sites. RESULTS: Whole blood antigen stimulation followed by intra-cellular cytokine staining showed RTS,S/AS01(E) induced CSP specific CD4 T cells producing IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. Higher T cell responses were induced by a 0,1,7-month immunization schedule as compared with a 0,1- or 0,1,2-month schedule. RTS,S/AS01(E) induced higher CD4 T cell responses as compared to RTS,S/AS02(D) when given on a 0,1,7-month schedule. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support further Phase III evaluation of RTS,S/AS01(E). The role of immune effectors and immunization schedules on vaccine protection are currently under evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00360230

Use of inside-out chloroplast thylakoid membrane vesicles for studying electron transport and membrane structure

Inside-out and right-side-out thylakoid vesicles were isolated from spinach chloroplasts by aqueous-polymer two-phase (dextran/polyethylene glycol) partitioning following mechanical fragmentation of thylakoid membranes by Yeda press treatment. Externally added plastocyanin stimulated the whole-chain and PSI electron transport rates in the inside-out thylakoid vesicles by about 500 and 350%, respectively, compared to about 50% stimulation for both assays in the fraction enriched in right-side-out vesicles. The electron transport between PSII and PSI in inside-out thylakoid vesicles appears to be interrupted due to plastocyanin release from the thylakoids by the Yeda press treatment, but it was restored by externally added plastocyanin. The P700 contents of the inside-out and right-side-out vesicles were 1 P700 per 1100 to 1500 chlorophylls and 1 P700 per 500 chlorophylls respectively. Photosystem 1 is not totally excluded from the appressed grana regions (the hypothesized origin of inside-out thylakoid vesicles) as suggested by the concept of extreme lateral heterogeneity of PS I and II in the thylakoid membranes. Although PSI is somewhat depleted in the appressed grana membrane region, there is adequate photochemically active P700, when sufficient plastocyanin is available, to effectively couple PSI electron transfer with the preponderant PSII in linear electron transport. Acetic anhydride chemical modification and uncoupler-induced proton release from dark-adapted membranes are probes for detecting the sequested proton domains in thylakoid membranes. Both assays were used to find out if inside-out membranes retain metastable, localized proton binding domains. Treatment of dark-maintained inside-out thylakoid membrane vesicles with (\sp3H) acetic anhydride showed no uncoupler-induced increase in acetylation of the 33, 24, and 18 kDa polypeptides of the oxygen-evolving-complex, indicating complete loss of the implicated proton domains in these polypeptides. The various steps in the inside-out preparation were studied to discern which step(s) leads to the loss of the metastable domain proton pool. It appears that the Yeda press treatment disrupts the proton domains probably due to the damaging effects of the sonication-like events that occur as particles traverse the Yeda press orifice thus making inside-out thylakoid vesicles unsuitable for localized proton domain studies

The government revenue – expenditure nexus in Ghana: A wavelet analysis

AbstractThis study explores the nexus among government revenue, government expenditure, and gross domestic product (GDP) across time and/or frequency using a Ghana dataset. It applies the wavelet approaches to investigate the lead-lag nexus, degree of integration and interdependency among public expenditure, public revenue, and gross domestic product (GDP) in the Ghanaian context. The data source is the World Bank and consists of yearly data from 1983 to 2021 yielding 39 observations. While public expenditure and revenue are closely related, and mostly positive throughout both time and frequency, there is a nexus between public spending and revenue at specific intervals and on a regular basis that was bi-directional, bi-causal, and interdependent. Between 1993 and 2021, a bi-directional nexus could be seen; however, most of the arrows pointed to the right. This shows that the co-movements between public spending and revenue are positive and behave similarly as a result. Accordingly, it is anticipated that increased levels of public spending will be met by higher levels of public spending, and vice versa. This is the first application of a wavelet approach to the study of this phenomenon with a Ghana dataset

Conditional effects of local and global risk factors on the co-movements between economic growth and inflation: Insights into G8 economies

World economies have experienced rise in uncertainties which has caused misalignments in the already existing nexus between inflation and economic growth. In addition to this, the presence of nonlinearities, asymmetry, heterogeneity, and structural shocks in time series data concerning substantial fluctuations that span systemic crises have rendered time and/or frequency connectedness worthy of investigation. Due to limited studies in this regard, the authors investigated the risk synchronisation among Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Consumer Price Index (CPI), Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) and Geopolitical Risk with insights from G8 countries. To achieve the study's purpose, estimation techniques employed included the wavelet approaches (bi-wavelet and partial wavelet), and the wavelet multiple as well as the DCC-GARCH Connectedness approach as robustness. A sample period from January 1997 to August 2021 restricted by consistent data availability was considered. It was discovered that most G8 nations have a comparable relationship between their GDP and CPI. Additionally, significant co-movements between the G8 nations' GDP and CPI straddle crises. Furthermore, the relationship between Russia's GDP and CPI was significantly conditionally influenced by geopolitical risk factors. Own country economic policy uncertainty was the main source of shocks for nations like Canada, France, and the US, whereas, in Germany, Italy, and the UK, Global EPU was a crucial conduit for reducing the lead-lag relationship between GDP and CPI. Outcomes from this study imply that uncertainties pose a more persistent and dynamic challenge to the G8 countries' efforts to achieve sustained economic growth, lessen the negative effects of inflation and deflation, and improve national and regional economic integration

Internal audit functions and sustainability audits: Insights from manufacturing firms

AbstractWe examined the nexus between four internal audit functions (IAF) and sustainability audits (SA) of manufacturing firms. The specific IAF employed in this study were; risk management practices (RMP), sustainability sensitivity (SS), internal audit effectiveness (IAE) and enactments, policies, standards, systems and procedures (EPS). In line with the four measures of IAE, the study puts forward to investigate four research hypotheses. The explanatory research design and quantitative research approach were applied to achieve the study’s objective. A sample of 1340 managers of SMEs were invited to complete a standard questionnaire based on extensive evaluations of prior empirical investigations. The samples were chosen using a straightforward random process from a population of 2495 manufacturing companies. The results were estimated using the partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method. Findings from the study divulged that internal audit effectiveness, risk management process and sustainability sensitivity had significant positive relationship with sustainability audits. It is important for the creation of an audit department, the hiring of a permanent internal auditor, the provision of suitable logistics, the training of personnel on the value of internal audit, and the use of internal auditing standards and principles in the report-writing process for an enhanced sustainability audit

The dark and bright side of network complexity: Novel insights from an asymmetric supply chain recovery and disruption approach

AbstractRecent studies have conceptualized the potential for a dark and bright perspective of network complexity in relation to supply chain disruption and resilience respectively. Few empirical studies have been conducted on the relationship among supply chain network complexity, supply chain disruption and supply chain resilience. However, prior studies have not yet investigated how different measures of network complexity relate to both resilience strategies and disruption. The current study, therefore, examines the dark and bright side of supply chain network complexity dimensions using supply chain disruption (SCD) and three supply chain resilience (SCR) strategies (collaboration, flexibility and redundancy) as endogenous variables. The dimensions of the supply chain network complexity utilised in this study are—supply complexity (SNC), customer complexity (CNC), and logistics complexity (LNC) whereas the three SCR strategies considered included; collaboration, flexibility and redundancy. The study uses PLS-SEM and a sample of 690 manufacturing firms in Accra Metropolis. Results show that supply complexity has a positive relationship with both disruption and resilience strategies, while customer complexity is only related to disruption, and logistics complexity is related to all resilience strategies. The study provides theoretical, practical, and political implications