155 research outputs found
Safeguarding cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) germplasm by cryopreservation : the vitrification approach
No full textThe need to conserve biodiversity of cocoa has become paramount due to the action of a range of diseases, pests and environmental hazards. In 1983 bushfire destroyed 60, 000 ha of cocoa plantation in Ghana and as of 1982 185.5 million trees have been cut down in Eastern region of Ghana alone due to Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) infection. In order to safeguard germplasm of cocoa there is the need to use in vitro-based techniques to support in situ conservation. Successful cryopreservation of cocoa has already been demonstrated using an encapsulation-dehydration method but this is a labour intensive protocol requiring a relatively high level of technical skill and the objective of the current work is to explore the efficacy of a vitrification-based approach. Floral-derived secondary somatic embryos (SSE) of cocoa genotype AMAZ 15 were utilised. In order to optimise the vitrification procedure the effect of preculturing SSEs on sucrose and dehydration with plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) was studied. SSEs were precultured on embryo development (ED) medium supplemented with either 0.5 or 0.75 M sucrose for 3 or 5 d and dehydrated with cold PVS2 for 45-105 rin before storage in liquid nitrogen (LN). Preculturing the embryos on 0.5 M sucrose for 5d and dehydrating them in PVS2 for 60 min led to significantly higher post-cryo survival than any other treatment (74.5±6.4%). So as to minimise cryo-injury due to cation- induced free radical formation, nutrient cation sources were removed from the ED solution and/or the recovery medium (ED), the former treatment resulting in a significant benefit. The influence of size of cotyledonary stage SSEs on postcryo' survival was studied for two size ranges. SSEs between 2-3 mm survived better than those between 4-5 mm. The protocol was effective across five other genotypes so far tested without further procedural variation. In order to accelerate bulking up of clones, embryos regenerated following cryopreservation were used as explant sources and the freezing process was not found to have any inhibitory effect on their embryogenic potential. In order to optimise the dehydration process Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to examine SSEs during cooling and warming. Partial vitrification, as evidenced by glass transition and ice melting, was achieved when embryos were exposed to PVS2 for 45 and 60 min which correlated with higher post- cryo survival. Application of somatic embryogenesis and cryopreservation to eradicate Cacao Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) was also studied. While somatic embryogenesis was able to reduce CSSV transmission in genotypes studied the assessment of any 'cryotherapy' effect was limited by the availability of post-cryo regenerants. Methylation sensitive amplified.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
Creating Businesses by Students, Challenges and Prospects: Insights from the University of Cape Coast
No full textThe goal of this study was to look into and explore the challenges (impacts) and opportunities that University of Cape Coast students encounter. To determine the characteristics impacting student entrepreneurship, the researcher used diffusion of innovation theory, McClelland theory, Abraham Maslow\u27s hierarchy, and Keller\u27s arcs model. The study\u27s objectives included analyzing the academic obstacles or impact of student entrepreneurship, social problems or impact of student entrepreneurship, economic challenges or impact of student entrepreneurship, and the possibilities of entrepreneur ventures. The principal research technique was a self-administered questionnaire in this quantitative study. Descriptive statistics were employed to acquire a broad idea of the data distribution. To get a general understanding of the data distribution, descriptive statistics were used. Frequency distribution and percentages were utilized as descriptive statistical techniques. Students feel entrepreneurship has a negative impact on their academics, but they also believe it has major economic, social, and career benefits, according to the research. As a result, most students believe that entrepreneurship is a worthy concept to pursue while at university, but the largest barrier preventing them from doing so is their concern of compromising their academic standing. A new entrepreneurship program has recently been launched at the University of Cape Coast, which is a positive move in the right direction. Students should also be better aware of the many government and non-government groups financial help options accessible to them. The author suggests that future studies use a bigger sample size to address these issues. Larger sample sizes are necessary for each of the components
Characterization of Nigerian strains of Newcastle disease virus
No full textNewcastle disease virus was isolated from outbreaks of the disease in vaccinated and unvaccinated poultry flocks representing commercial and backyard farms in different parts of Nigeria. On characterization, all 12 isolates were found to be velogenic.LR: 20031114; PUBM: Print; JID: 0370617; ppublishSource type: Electronic(1
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Cryopreservation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) somatic embryos by vitrification
No full textLosses of cultivated cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) due to diseases and continued depletion of forests that harbour the wild progenitors of the crop make ex situ conservation of cocoa germplasm of paramount importance. In order to enhance security of in situ germplasm collections, 2-3 mm floral-derived secondary somatic embryos were cryopreserved by vitrification. This work demonstrates the most uncomplicated clonal cocoa cryopreservation. Optimal post-cryostorage survival (74.5%) was achieved by 5 d preculture of SSEs on 0.5 M sucrose medium followed by 60 min dehydration in cold PVS2. To minimise free radical related cryo-injury, cation sources were removed from the embryo development solution and/or the recovery medium, the former treatment resulting in a significant benefit. After
optimisation with cocoa genotype AMAZ 15, the same protocol was effective across all five additional cocoa genotypes tested. For the multiplication of clones, embryos regenerated following cryopreservation were used as explant sources, and vitrification was found to maintain their embryogenic potential
IASB'S Recent Update on the Extractive Activities Project: A Comment
No full textIn January 2022, the IASB published an article on the Extractive Activities project where Tadeu Cendon explains the IASB's decision on the project. Although the IASB acknowledges the existence of the problem of diversity in accounting practices in the EI, they have decided to tentatively remove the temporary status of IFRS 6 and also limit the scope of the extractive project to exclude some aspects stakeholders find important. This comment is a reaction to the Board's decision and personal reflections of the author. We find that the IASB's decision may not be based on available empirical evidence but other unexplained factors. Based on existing literature we are tempted to believe; the Board might be subject to significant political pressure which is influencing their decision, or they have decided to choose an easier route to avoid fierce opposition or lobbying that is likely to come from powerful players in the industry. We recommend the Board rescinds its decision and address the issue of diversity of accounting practices in the EI in a more holistic fashion
What is the opposite of a knowledge society?
No full textThis chapter offers a critical examination of the "collaborative development model" (UNESCO, 2005) or the Knowledge Societies discourse. By comparing international indicators and flagship publications of the Knowledge Economy and the Knowledge Society, the author uncovers a paradox: How can an idea centered on knowledge, sharing, and openness further cement global and local inequalities? By employing Southern/decolonizing theory, the author suggests a response from the Global South that allows for a more complex, symphonic, and inclusive development paradigm, compared to the Western ideas of linear stages of development. Three core aspects of Knowledge Societies are highlighted: The value of sharing, financing of education, and knowledge-on-knowledge. The author contends that fully embracing the concept of Knowledge Societies entails much more than country level indexing and benchmarking; it means opening up the world in terms of trade, mobility, and data, employing new technology in cross border collaborations and acknowledging our humanity's interconnectedness or ubuntu.</p
The impact of online identity theft on customers’ willingness to engage in e-banking transaction in Ghana: A technology threat avoidance theory
No full textUntil recently, studies regarding e-banking transactions have focused more on motivational factors that trigger the intention to accept and use the e-banking transaction, rather than the de-motivational factors that propel the action. However, in the developing countries like Sub-Sahara economies, the factors associated with the former have not been explored and are still rudimentary in the literature. Drawing from the Technology Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT), the study seeks to examine the impact of online identity theft on customers’ willingness to engage in e-banking transactions in Ghana. A quantitative survey of 393 valid responses from retail bank customers amongst two leading commercial banks in Ghana for the analyses. Results from the PLS-SEM showed that the research constructs; perceived online identity theft’ positively and significantly predict “fear of financial loss”, “fear of reputational damage”, and “security and privacy concern” whilst the former has a negative mediated-relationship between perceived online identity theft and the intention to engage in e-banking transaction. This study is the first of its kind that has extended the application of the TTAT framework into the study of e-banking transactions. The study serves as a practical tool that will enable the banks in their quest to assess customers’ restriction/aversion towards the use of Fintech while ensuring sustainable growth of e-banking transactions in an emerging economy context. The study is limited to only banking institutions in Ghana without considering other players in the financial sub-sector. Future research direction has been suggested in the concluding part of the paper. © 2020 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.Internal Grant Agency of FaME through TBU in Zlin [IGA/FaME/2019/008, IGA/FaME/2020/002]; Department of Management Sciences, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Bonn, Germany; A.I. Lab at the Faculty of Applied Informatics, Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/CebiaTech/2020/001
Diversity Assessment of Some Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Genotypes Cultivated in Northern Ghana Using Morphological and Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) Markers
No full textIn Ghana, sesame is cultivated in some districts of northern Ghana. Genotypes cultivated are land races that are low yielding leading to decline in production. There is the need for improvement of these land races to generate high yielding cultivars. Characterization of genetic diversity of the sesame land races will be of great value in assisting in parental lines selection for sesame breeding programmes in Ghana. Twenty-five sesame land races were collected from five districts in northern Ghana noted for sesame cultivation. Seeds collected were planted in three replicates in randomized complete block design and were evaluated for a number of morphological characters. Data collected were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a dendrogram showing similarity between the accessions were drawn. Data on number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, and plant height at flowering were subjected to analysis of variance using GenStat Discovery Edition 4. Molecular genetic diversity was assessed by using thirty eight SSR markers widely distributed across sesame genome to characterize the materials. Twenty-one out of the 38 primers were polymorphic. Cluster analyses using the Euclidean similarity test and a complete link clustering method were used to make a dendrogram out of the morphological data. Analysis of variance showed that capsule number was significantly different; a range of 54.9 and 146.7 was produced. The number of seeds per capsule varied significantly and the variation between highest and lowest accession in seed production was 33%. Plant height was also significantly different ranging from 60.6 to 94.1 cm. Using morphological traits the accessions clustered into two major groups and two minor groups and variation among accessions were 10-61%. On the other hand, SSR marker-based dendrogram revealed five major and two minor groups. It showed that variation among the accessions was low, 10-20%. Heterozygosity was 0.52, total alleles produced were 410, and average allele per locus was 19.52. Six accessions, C3, C4, S5, W1, W3, and W5 fell in five different clusters in the SSR dendrogram and in six clusters in the morphomolecular based dendrogram. These accessions were noted for high capsule number per plant and seeds number per capsule and are recommended for consideration as potential parental lines for breeding programme for high yield
Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Systematic Review
No full textOur present day knowledge in the area of medicine in Ancient Egypt has been severally sourced from medical papyri several of which have been deduced and analyzed by different scholars. For educational purposes it is always imperative to consult different literature or sources in the teaching of ancient Egypt and medicine in particular. To avoid subjectivity the author has found the need to re-engage the efforts made by several scholars in adducing evidences from medical papyri. In the quest to re-engage the efforts of earlier writers and commentaries on the medical papyri, we are afforded the opportunity to be informed about the need to ask further questions to enable us to construct or reconstruct both past and modern views on ancient Egyptian medical knowledge. It is this vocation the author sought to pursue in the interim, through a preliminary review, to highlight, comment and reinvigorate in the reader or researcher the need for a continuous engagement of some pertinent documentary sources on Ancient Egyptian medical knowledge for educational and research purposes. The study is based on qualitative review of published literature. The selection of those articles as sources was based on the focus of the review, in order to purposively select and comment on articles that were published based either on information from a medical papyrus or focused on medical specialization among the ancient Egyptians as well as ancient Egyptian knowledge on diseases and medicine. It was found that the Egyptians developed relatively sophisticated medical practices covering significant medical fields such as herbal medicine, gynecology and obstetrics, anatomy and physiology, mummification and even the preliminary form of surgery. These practices, perhaps, were developed as remedies for the prevailing diseases and the accidents that might have occurred during the construction of their giant pyramids. It must be stated that they were not without flaws. Also, the key issues raised from these literatures are but a few among the Egyptian medical corpus across the academic and publishing world. It should therefore afford researchers, students and readers the opportunity to continue the educational dialogue on the medical practices of the Ancient Egyptians
Decision science: a multi-criteria decision framework for enhancing an electoral voting system
No full textThe deployment of effective and efficient information and communication technologies (ICTs) remains a major priority for the smooth running of electoral management systems worldwide. To guarantee the integrity of the electoral voting process and ensure the reliability of the electoral results, selecting the correct vendor with the requisite expertise is a key success factor that cannot be ignored. This paper proposes a framework for selecting a vendor to offer support and implementation services using the Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP) programme as a case study. Our proposed framework uses a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology comprising the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Consistency tests and sensitivity analysis are carried out to check the quality of the expert’s inputs and the robustness of our approach respectively. Our work offers a better understanding of the role a hybrid AHP-TOPSIS method plays in selecting a suitable vendor to play an effective role in enhancing the voter system’s credibility in a democratic process. Again, the study extends the application of MCDM methods to areas such as supplier selection for electoral voting systems. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Tomas Bata University in Zlin [IGA/CebiaTech/2021/001]IGA/CebiaTech/2020/001, IGA/CebiaTech/2021/001, IGA/FaME/2020/002; Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlín
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