An Ethnographic Study of Audience Viewing of the Telenovela- Kumkum Bhagya at Selected Sites in Ghana

Although telenovelas originated outside Africa, they have gained so much popularity in some African countries with Ghana not being an exception. This popularity has led to the emergence of a new phenomenon of viewing telenovelas at domesticated but open television viewing sites such as hair salons, grocery stores, cafes, gaming centers among others. Since this phenomenon has brought about a gathering of individuals at a common assembly ground, there is the need to explore the ideas that shape meaning making and the kind of interactions that take place. This paper investigates the culture that surrounds the immediate viewing of the Hindi produced telenovela-Kumkum Bhagya at selected sites in Winneba- Ghana. Using the theory of Popular Culture through an ethnographic approach and anchored on interviews, participant observations, and focus group discussions, the paper reveals that viewers of Kumkum Bhagya cut across various classes on the social ladder reiterating the assertion that, in Africa, everyone irrespective of their sex, age, religion, or ethnicity patronizes popular culture. Also, the findings of the study which were grouped into pre-viewing culture, viewing culture and post-viewing culture revealed that the culture that surround the viewing of Kumkum Bhagya are made of planned and unplanned activities which are all geared towards a successful telenovela viewing at the selected sites. Keywords: television, telenovela, Kumkum Bhagya; popular culture, third places, culture, ethnograph

Transfusion-transmitted malaria: donor prevalence of parasitaemia and a survey of healthcare workers knowledge and practices in a district hospital in Ghana

Background Transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) is a risk of transfusion that has not been well described in malaria endemic regions. The risk of the recipient getting malaria is related to the prevalence of malaria in the blood donors. There is however little information on the prevalence of malaria among donors in Akatsi district of Ghana. Further, the knowledge and practices of healthcare workers to TTM is unknown. The study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite infection among blood donors and to evaluate the knowledge and practices of healthcare workers to TTM in the Akatsi district of Ghana. Methods The study was conducted at Akatsi South District Hospital between May and August 2014. To screen for Plasmodium falciparum, 5 µl of capillary blood was obtained by finger prick from 200 participants (100 donors and 100 healthy controls). Plasmodium falciparum screening was done using CareStart™ Malaria Antigen kit. To obtain information regarding TTM knowledge and practices, questionnaires were completed by 100 health workers including nurses, doctors and laboratory staff. Results The prevalence of P. falciparum was the same (10 %) in both donors and controls. All those who were malaria RDT positive were aged 15–25 years. Out of the 100 healthcare workers (31 males and 69 females) surveyed, 45 % of respondents (45/100) had never heard of transfusion-transmitted malaria. Almost all respondents (91 %) had not attended any lecture/seminar/workshop on blood transfusion in the past 12 months. There were 44 respondents (44 %) who wrongly said malaria was being screened for prior to transfusion in their hospital. However, 98.2 % (54/55) of those who had heard about TTM rightly stated that TTM can be prevented. Conclusion The prevalence of P. falciparum parasitaemia is 10 % in healthy blood donors in the Akatsi district and represents a risk for TTM though the extent of this risk is unclear. Knowledge about TTM in healthcare workers in the district is low. Continuous education and in-service training may be a means to improve TTM knowledge and preventive practices by the health workers in the district

An Assessment of Tax Compliance Level of Small Enterprises in Ghana

In the wake of fiscal consolidation and the quest to maximise government revenue for economic development, it is vital to assess the tax compliance level of firms. An understanding of the behaviour and compliance level of businesses provides important policy implications for tax reformations and revenue mobilisation. This paper assesses the tax compliance level of small businesses in the Sunyani Municipality. The study uses a total sample size of 500 small businesses. Using Probit regression models, our findings show that lack of tax education, computational issues and lack of book keeping negatively influence the level of tax compliance amongst small businesses in Ghana.  The results also show that age, duration of business operations, liability assessment and business incorporation are important factors that influence tax compliance among small businesses.  We conclude that continuous tax education at the local level would improve small businesses tax compliance level in Ghana. Keywords: Ghana; Sunyani Municipality; Taxation; Tax compliance; Tax educatio

Development of a Control Strategy for Monitoring the Delaminating Damage in Drilling Of Carbon Composite Laminates

Composite materials have attractive features, such as high strength to weight ratio and high stiffness to weight ratio. However, they are easily damaged during machining operations. A typical damage is delamination, which can occur when fiber reinforced composite laminates are drilled. Control of delamination is critical for the utilization of composite materials. This research seeks to develop a technique to control inter-ply delaminations during the drilling of laminated composites. A statistical factorial design technique is used to develop a model that relates the feed rate, cutting speed, and tool size to the acoustic parameters. A control algorithm is built from the model. The algorithm is used to modify the instantaneous feed rate in order to maintain the acoustic energy below a threshold value. This control strategy is effective in limiting the area of delamination. However, using high cutting speeds avoid the delamination of materials, but leads to high production costs due to excessive tool wear.Keywords: Composite Laminates, Drilling, Damage, Acoustic Emission

Transfusion-transmitted malaria and bacterial infections in a malaria endemic region

Background and Methods: Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health but the presence of transfusion transmissible infections can have untoward consequences. When undetected, these infections can cause significant morbidity and mortality to transfusion recipients. On the other hand, a high prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI) leading to rejection of a large proportion of donated blood can result in blood shortages and subsequent increase in mortality. Malaria and bacterial infections are transfusion transmissible but there is limited data concerning these infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Although the burden of transfusion-transmitted malaria in malaria endemic countries are unknown, it is recommended that all donated blood is screened for malaria parasites and presumptive treatment be given to transfusion recipients. Bacterial contamination in sub-Saharan Africa has been reported to occur in between 8 - 17% of stored blood but the effect of contamination on transfusion recipients has not been determined. Syphilis is currently the only bacterial infection for which routine screening is recommended but screening is not being performed in many blood centres including Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana where this study took place. This study examined the effects of transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) and bacterial infections (including syphilis) on transfusion recipients in a malaria endemic area. Four malaria screening tests were compared to assess their usefulness in the context of African blood banks. Pregnant women, children and immune-compromised transfusion recipients from the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Medicine and Oncology in KATH were enrolled into the study. Results: Anti-malarial drugs were routinely prescribed with paediatric transfusions. Fifty patients were evaluated after receiving blood transfusions that were positive for P. falciparum by PCR and seven recipients developed PCR-detectable parasitaemia. In only one recipient (2%) was TTM confirmed. The prevalence of P. falciparum malaria in transfused blood was 4.7% (21/445) by microscopy, 13.7% (60/440) by rapid diagnostic test, 18% (78/436) by polymerase chain reaction and 22.2% (98/442) by enzyme immunoassay. Bacterial contamination was found in 11.5 %( 95% CI 7.0-16.0%) (23/200) of donated blood units but only half of the recipients were observed to developed adverse signs of transfusion related sepsis. The mean duration of storage of blood was 2 days. The prevalence of syphilis sero-positivity in donated blood was 8.0% (95% CI 4.3-11.7%). Seroconversion took place in an 8 year old girl, after receiving a syphilis sero-positive unit of blood. Conclusions: This thesis has shown that malaria parasites may be commonly detected in donor blood but TTM occurs infrequently in recipients living in malaria endemic areas. The high rate of bacterial contamination and its associated transfusion related sepsis poses a safety risk to transfusion recipients. Transfusion-transmitted syphilis remains a risk for transfusion recipients in blood centres with a high prevalence and short duration of storage of donor blood

Relationship between Indigenous Bradyrhizobia Population and the Degree of Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation among Promiscuous Soybean (Glycine max (L) Merill) Lines in Five Ghanaian Soils

In the light of conflicting reports, the earlier expectation that the promiscuous Tropical Glycine cross (TGx)  varieties developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan would relieve farmers in Africa of the need to inoculate their soybean crops for optimum nitrogen fixation and yield has become questionable and calls for more verification. Soil must contain enough compatible bradyrhizobia population for optimum nodulation and nitrogen fixation of promiscuous soybean lines.The presence of indigenous bradyrhizobia nodulating promiscuous soybean was determined using the Most Probable Number (MPN) technique. Soil series such as Chichiwere contained 6.0 x 103 cells/g soil as against the minimum required level of 40x101 in Bekwai soils indicating that the soils contained enough bradyrhizobia for nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Greenhouse experiments were carried out at the University of Ghana-Legon to determine the effect of indigenous bradyrhizobia on nodulation, nodule dry weight %N and total N in five soils with local  names Aveime (a Chromic cambisol)  Hatso ( a Gleic cambisol), Adenta (a Ferric acrisol), Chichiwere (a Dystric fluvisol), and Bekwai (a Ferric acrisol) in which  nodulation, nodule dry weight, growth, nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen fixing abilities of three nodulating uninoculated soybean cultivars, comprising three promiscuous soybean lines bred in International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)-Ibadan, Nigeria such as Anidaso (TGx 813-6D), TGx 1448-2E and TGx 1903-8F soybean were examined using a non-nodulating soybean  variety as the reference crop. Nitrogen fixed by the indigenous bradyrhizobia strains was measured by total nitrogen difference method between the fixing crop and the reference one. Chichiwere soil had the highest nodule number, nodule dry weight, shoot dry weight, total N accumulation as well as the highest N fixed recording an average of 66.8mgN/ plant equivalent to 86.4%N in the plant. TGx 1903-8F, the best symbiotic soybean cultivar in this study fixed as high as 91.0mgN/ plant indicating that even though more bradyrhizobia were found in Chichiwere soil series most were not compatible for nodule infection and nitrogen fixation. The nitrogen fixed by these soybean cultivars in descending order were as follows TGx 1903-8F< Anidaso< TGx 1448-2E. Keywords: Anidaso, Bradyrhizobium japonicum,  nitrogen fixation,  non-nodulating soybean, promiscuous soybean

Effect of Bradyrhizobium japonicum Population on Nodulation, Nitrogen Fixation and Dry Matter Yield on Soybean (Glycine max L Merrill) in Some Ghanaian Soils

In as much as the noted ability of the promiscuous TGx soybean varieties developed by the International Instituteof Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan to nodulate profusely with indigenous bradyrhizobia confers advantages wherelack of fertilizers and suitable inoculants act as disincentives to growing the crop, the ability of these nodules tofix nitrogen should be even more important. Selection for promiscuous nodulators in different soils musttherefore go hand in hand with their nitrogen fixing abilities. The symbiotic performance of promiscuoussoybeans depends upon the population size and survival of bradyrhizobia on the field. A pot experiment wasconducted in the greenhouse within the Geography Department in University of Ghana-Legon using soilscollected from ten farmer’s field located in one Agro Ecological Zone (Coastal savanna) to determine nodulation,nitrogen fixation and dry matter yield by indigenous bradyrhizobia in five Ghanaian soils using threepromiscuous soybean varieties and one American type, Bragg, a non promiscuous variety. Nodulation by thethree promiscuous soybean varieties (Bengbie [TGx 536-2D], TGx 1835-10E, and TGx 1830-20E) rangedbetween 21 to 25 and the non-promiscuous variety (Bragg) recorded 13. Hake soil series which contains thehighest bradyrhizobia cell count (6.0 x 103 cellgsoil-1 also produced the highest number of nodules 22. Hakeagain produced the highest nodule dry weight, (176.0mg), shoot dry weight (3.85g), Total nitrogen (N)(106.0mgN plant-1), Total N fixed (88.9mgN plant-1) and %N fixed (69%). TGx 1830-20E also maintain itssuperiority in nodule dry weight (220.0mg plant-1) production, Total N (105.3mgN plant-1), Total N fixed(88.5mgN plant-1) and % N fixed (83.43). Bragg performed poorly in terms of nodule dry weight (67.0mg plant-1), Total N (83.8mg plant-1), Total N fixed (67.0mg plant-1) and %N fixed (78.05). The Most Probable Number(MPN) counts on sand grown soybean indicated 6000, 5300, 4700, 3600 and 3200 native B. japonicum cells g-1in Hake, Goi, Simpa, Agawtaw and Prampram soils respectively. The nodulation, N content and dry matter yieldresults showed that Ghanaian soils contain effective bradyrhizobia capable of nodulating soybean and N2fixation rendering inoculation unnecessary.Keywords: Agrecological zone. Effective bradyrhizobia. Nitrogen fixation. Nodulation Promiscuous soybea

An Evaluation of Teaching – Learning of Drawing at School of Applied Arts, Takoradi Polytechnic

Drawing is described as the bases of all art work when an art idea is conceived. It can only materialize into concrete form when it has gone through a process of designing which basically involves drawing. The ability of an artist to draw is very paramount in the art profession. The bases for selecting students to pursue an art programme is their ability to pass the requisite examination which includes drawing but still this research would show that standard of drawing among some students in Takoradi Polytechnic is very low. Descriptive research method based on qualitative research approach was adopted. This method was used to describe research methodology, through results discussion and findings. This paper examines the problem of poor drawing standards in an attempt to find solutions. The paper would provide insight into the problems which include poor foundation of students drawing abilities, inadequate facilities for teaching drawing in the polytechnics, the methodology used in teaching and the general attitudes of students towards drawing lectures. The paper finally prescribes remedies that would address the listed problems above. Keywords: drawing, teaching, learning, methodology, facilities

Assessment of friction between a rolling cylindrical element and a deformable flat surface

A cost-effective friction coefficient measuring technique was developed and tested. The technique involved the mounting of two sensing elements on the surface of rolls, in a manner that sought to measure simultaneously the normal and the tangential stresses during rolling. The instrumented roll termed “SGRoll” was segmented into two parts along the axial direction in order to position the sensing elements into the roll body. An experiment was run on a laboratory rolling mill equipment using 1100 aluminum as the work material. The experimental results showed that the friction coefficient decreased gradually as the workpiece entered the roll until no slip point and then decreased rapidly as the work piece exited the roll.Keywords: Friction, Force, Coefficient, SGRoll, Roll Angl

Deepening the Knowledge on Information Security Management in Developing Countries: Evidence from Ghana

Following the seamless integration of the internet with computer information systems and the rapid increase in the number of people worldwide who possess the skills needed to launch cyber-attacks on public communication systems, businesses and organizations can hardly assume adequate security by depending on anonymity and geographical location. The basis of this study deepens knowledge on information security management in developing countries. This study uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine the information security management practices of Social Security and National Trust in Ghana. Findings from results from the study suggest significant indications of human factor vulnerabilities and threats to information security. Findings also suggest that high levels of vulnerability to an external attack. Other findings however indicate management level recognition of education and training as very essential in improving information security practices. Although the results of this study may not be generalizable, we recommend that the issue of education and training on information security management should be made top priority on the IT agendas of all organizations in Ghana. A further study is proposed to assess the value placed on information security management within the context of developing countries and the factors that influence these values. Keywords: Information Security Management, Cyber-attack, developing countries, computerization, security policy, security awareness, education and trainin