ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
A quick and cost effective method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
A randomized trial of artesunate-amodiaquine versus artemether-lumefantrine in Ghanaian paediatric sickle cell and non-sickle cell disease patients with acute uncomplicated malaria

Abstract Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder common in malaria endemic areas. In endemic areas, malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among SCD patients. This suggests the need for prompt initiation of efficacious anti-malarial therapy in SCD patients with acute malaria. However, there is no information to date, on the efficacy or safety of artemisinin combination therapy when used for malaria treatment in SCD patients. Methods Children with SCD and acute uncomplicated malaria (n&#8201;=&#8201;60) were randomized to treatment with artesunate-amodiaquine (AA), or artemether-lumefantrine (AL). A comparison group of non-SCD children (HbAA genotype; n&#8201;=&#8201;59) with uncomplicated malaria were also randomized to treatment with AA or AL. Recruited children were followed up and selected investigations were done on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 28, 35, and 42. Selected clinical and laboratory parameters of the SCD patients were also compared with a group of malaria-negative SCD children (n&#8201;=&#8201;82) in steady state. Results The parasite densities on admission were significantly lower in the SCD group, compared with the non-SCD group (p&#8201;=&#8201;0.0006). The parasite reduction ratio (PRR) was lower, clearance was slower (p&#8201;&lt;&#8201;0.0001), and time for initial parasitaemia to decline by 50 and 90% were longer for the SCD group. Adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) on day 28 was 98.3% (58/59) in the SCD group and 100% (57/57) in the non-SCD group. Corresponding ACPR rates on day 42 were 96.5% (55/57) in the SCD group and 96.4% (53/55) in the non-SCD group. The fractional changes in haemoglobin, platelets and white blood cell counts between baseline (day 0) and endpoint (day 42) were 16.9, 40.6 and 92.3%, respectively, for the SCD group, and, 12.3, 48.8 and 7.5%, respectively, for the non-SCD group. There were no differences in these indices between AA- and AL-treated subjects. Conclusions The parasite clearance of SCD children with uncomplicated malaria was slower compared with non-SCD children. AA and AL showed similar clinical and parasitological effects in the SCD and non-SCD groups. The alterations in WBC and platelet counts may have implications for SCD severity. Trial registration Current controlled trials ISRCTN96891086.

Source: UG
A record of change in oyster environment through high-resolution geochemical analysis of Late-Holocene sediments from Coastal Ghana

The near-coast environments where oysters occur are among the most impacted by humans globally, especially during the Late-Holocene. Yet, in West Africa, there is no documented historical record of change in these environments. We provide insight into the changing geochemical conditions of two oyster environments through high-resolution analysis of total organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N), and trace elements, in two cores retrieved from the Densu estuary and the Anyanui (Keta) Creek in Ghana. Drastic shifts in sedimentation rate occurred in the Keta and Densu cores around 1996 CE and 960 CE respectively. At these times, comparatively, low levels of C and N were found in the Densu core. Increasing C and N levels and decreasing δ13C upcore aligned with the observed shift in sedimentation rate in the Keta core. The C/N ratios in the Keta core suggest allochthonous organic matter (OM) dominance in the creek. The Densu core showed periodic changes in C/N ratios from very high values (>20) between 1918 BCE and 1321 BCE, to values between 20 and 11 between 1321 BCE and 1977 CE and below 10 from the late 1970s CE to the present day, suggesting a varying degree of transformation in the catchment basin. Extremely high Sulfur (S) and moderate to significant Iron (Fe) increases suggest reducing conditions in the Keta sediments. Moderate Calcium (Ca), Zinc (Zn), and Strontium (Sr) concentrations in the upper part of the Densu core suggest a stronger influence of marine processes in the Densu in recent times. The findings reflect the impacts of catchment basin modification on the health of the two coastal environments, likely to impact the growth, productivity, and sustainability of the fishery of the West African mangrove Oyster.

Source: UG
A Review Of Food And Nutrition Communication And Promotion In Ghana

Dietary perception, behavior, and nutritional status can all be influenced by exposure to information. Behavior change communication that is appropriately designed and implemented is critical for motivating optimal dietary behavior. On the other hand, inadvertent or deliberate misinformation can drive unhealthy dietary behaviors. As part of the process to develop food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) for Ghana, this rapid evidence review examined the nature, extent, sources, and medium of food and nutrition information dissemination and promotion in Ghana. PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Open Access Theses Dissertations (OATD) databases were searched systematically using keywords to identify relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature. The review included 31 documents, after excluding 1,302 documents for ineligibility (based on irrelevant titles, abstracts, and duplicates). Limited reporting of undernutrition was found in print and electronic media. Unhealthy foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages, snacks, yogurt, instant noodles, candy/chocolate, and ice cream were frequently advertised through various communication media. Children are highly exposed to food advertisements, which target them. Promotional characters, animation, billboards, front-of-store displays; product-branded books, and toys are common strategies for food marketing and advertisement in Ghana. The most frequently reported sources of health and nutrition information were television, radio, social media, health professionals, families, and friends. Children and adults experienced changes in food preferences and choices as a result of exposure to food advertising on television. The commonly used traditional media were radio and television; printed newspaper use has declined tremendously in the past decade. Social media use (particularly WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube) is highest in urban areas, and is growing rapidly; young adults are the most active users of social media platforms. Experts recommend regulation as a mitigation for nutrition miscommunication and inaccurate promotion. The current review highlights the need for regulation of food marketing, and advertisement to safeguard a healthy food environment in Ghana.

Source: UG
A Review of the Ethnomedicine, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of the Genus Parinari

Parinari is a genus of woody medicinal plants with expansive ethnomedicinal uses. While extensive data are available for several members of this genus, this information is generally scattered. This review therefore crystallizes major reports relating to the ethno medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and biological activities of this genus for easy accessibility. The rich therapeutic applications of this genus include their use as antimalarial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-snake venom, and anticancer agents. However, the overarching biological theme for this genus appears to be their application in treating infection and infection related diseases. These bioactivities have largely been attributed to molecules isolated from this genus and categorized under; kaurene-type diterpenoids, triterpenoids (ursane, oleanane, and lupane types), flavonoids, steroids, and phenolic compounds. While data is available for most parts of the plants, the stem appears to be the most used part. Given the varied medicinal uses of this genus, and yet the scarcity of information on many Parinari species, studies on the ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and bio logical activities that fully explore the medicinal potential of this genus for drug discovery are critical. These include the need for comprehensive phytochemical profiling to uncover novel compounds, detailed studies on mechanisms of action, and translational research to validate clinical efficacy. Additionally, comparative ethnobotanical studies, standardization of extraction methods, and sustainable harvesting practices are critical to fully realizing the medicinal potential of Parinari species.

Source: UG
A situational analysis of pharmacovigilance plans in the Global Fund Malaria and U.S. President's Malaria Initiative proposals

Abstract Background Pharmacovigilance programmes can monitor and help ensure the safe use of medicines that are critical to the success of global public health programmes. The widespread deployment of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) by national malaria control programmes as part of the overall Global Malaria Action Plan for malaria control to elimination and eradication makes ACT an excellent candidate for pharmacovigilance activities. In 2008, The Roll Back Malaria partnership issued guidelines for inclusion of pharmacovigilance in Global Fund and other related proposals. In light of this recommendation and the rapid scale-up of ACT worldwide, an analysis of Global Fund Round 8 proposals and the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) 2009 Malaria Operational Plans was conducted to assess if and how pharmacovigilance has been incorporated into countries' national malaria plans and donor budget requests. Methods The Global Fund - Malaria Round 8 proposals for the 26 countries and the PMI Malaria Operational Plans (MOPs) for fiscal year 2009 for the 15 countries that were approved and received funding from either the Global Fund - Malaria Round 8 or PMI were accessed through the programme websites. The analysis consisted of conducting word counts and key word in context analyses of each proposal and plan. Results Twelve out of 26 (46%) of the Global Fund proposals mentioned that established pharmacovigilance systems were present in their countries. Four of the fifteen PMI MOPs (27%) mentioned that established pharmacovigilance systems were present in their countries. Only seven of the 26 (27%) Global Fund proposals included a request for funding for new or current pharmacovigilance activities. Seven of 15 (47%) MOPs included a request for funding for pharmacovigilance activities. Conclusions There were relatively few requests for funding for pharmacovigilance activities, demonstrating a lack of emphasis placed on pharmacovigilance systems in recipient countries. The findings stress the need for more active direction to strengthen active surveillance and passive adverse event reporting systems to augment the issuance of guidance documents.

Source: UG
A Supervised Machine Learning Statistical Design Of Experiment Approach To Modeling The Barriers To Effective Snakebite Treatment In Ghana.

Background Snakebite envenoming is a serious condition that affects 2.5 million people and causes 81,000–138,000 deaths every year, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. The World Health Organization has set a goal to halve the deaths and disabilities related to snakebite envenoming by 2030. However, significant challenges in achieving this goal include a lack of robust research evidence related to snakebite incidence and treatment, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to combine established methodologies with the latest tools in Artificial Intelligence to assess the barriers to effective snakebite treat ment in Ghana. Method We used a MaxDiff statistical experiment design to collect data, and six supervised machine learning models were applied to predict responses whose performance showed an advan tage over the other through 6921 data points partitioned using the hold-back validation method, with 70% training and 30% validation. The results were compared using key met rics: Akaike Information Criterion corrected, Bayesian Information Criterion, Root Average Squared Error, and Fit Time in milliseconds. Results Considering all the responses, none of the six machine learning algorithms proved superior, but the Generalized Regression Model (Ridge) performed consistently better among the candidate models. The model consistently predicted several key significant barriers to effec tive snakebite treatment, such as the high cost of antivenoms, increased use of unorthodox harmful practices, lack of access to effective antivenoms in remote areas when needed, and resorting to unorthodox and harmful practices in addition to hospital treatment. Conclusion The combination of a MaxDiff statistical experiment design to collect data and six machine learning models allowed the identification of barriers to accessing effective therapies for snakebite envenoming in Ghana. Addressing these barriers through targeted policy interventions, including intensified advocacy, continuous education, community engagement, healthcare worker training, and strategic investments, can enhance the effectiveness of snakebite treatment, ultimately benefiting snakebite victims and reducing the burden of snakebite envenoming. There is a need for robust regulatory frameworks and increased antivenom production to address these barriers.

Source: UG
A SYBR Green 1-based in vitro test of susceptibility of Ghanaian Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates to a panel of anti-malarial drugs

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
A Synopsis of Cattle Performance In Zimbabwe’s ‘Initial’ Resettlement Areas After Land Reforms And Redistribution

Cattle performance was monitored over a two year period in a resettlement area, a spatial land-use product of Zimbabwe’s land reforms post-independence. A total of 30 farmers each owning at least 5 cattle in 3 selected villages of a 20 village resettlement scheme were targeted for the study. Participating village rangelands were assessed monthly for biomass yield in different physiognomic cover classes. Cattle in the study were monitored over a two year period for reproduction (calving rate and frequency, re-calving rates) and exit records (sales, slaughters, deaths, exchange, and buy-in) under farmer management conditions. Cattle weights, exit and reproduction records were analyzed as measures of performance. The study found low to medium calving rates (25-40%) and low re-calving rates (16 -26%), with diminished nutrition and low off-take (7.3% to 18.7%) as major impediments to cattle performance. Monthly cattle weights fluctuated with quantity of available grazing biomass, and were lowest during the dry months (September to December). Cows and heifers were affected more by diminished nutrition than steers. The study concluded that improving nutrition, increasing off-take and possibly availing bulls in resettlement areas were appropriate actions to increase cattle performance in the short to medium term, complimented by adequate veterinary practices.

Source: UG
A systematic review and meta-analysis show a decreasing prevalence of post-stroke infections

Background Infection is a common complication in the acute phase after stroke; a systematic review in 2011 reported a post-stroke infection prevalence of 30%. Despite the plethora of primary data on post-stroke infections in recent times, a systematic review that synthesizes the data to provide comprehensive information to guide preventive, control, and management efforts is yet to be undertaken. This systematic review, therefore, aimed at bridging this gap by describing the epidemiology of post-stroke infections including the global prevalence and the associated mortality rates. Methodology A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science resulting in 2210 studies, of which 73 studies covering 32,109,574 stoke patients were included in the systematic review. Prevalence data on defined post-stroke infections were extracted for analysis in RStudio version 4.3.3. Results The pooled prevalence of post-stroke infections and mortality rates were 9.14% and 15.91% respectively. The prevalence of post-stroke infections was highest for pneumonia (12.4%), followed by urinary tract infection (8.31%). Geographically, the prevalence of post-stroke infections for the various continents were Europe (10.41%), Africa (10.22%), South America (8.83%), North America (8.15%), Asia (8.09%), and Australia (7.88%). Common etiological agents of post-stroke infections included multidrug-resistant organisms particularly, Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.4-31.8%), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (9.8-15.4%), and Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (38.5%). Conclusion This systematic review indicates about a 3-fold decline in the global prevalence of post-stroke infections in the last decade. Pneumonia is the most common post-stroke infection. Europe and Africa have the highest prevalence of post-stroke infections.

Source: UG
A tuberculin skin test survey among Ghanaian school children

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
Abdominal tuberculosis: A frequent diagnostic challenge

In recent years, abdominal tuberculosis has become rare in many countries even where pulmonary tuberculosis still exists. A case of abdominal tuberculosis is described in a young male who presented with non-specific symptoms together with CT scan findings that simulated abdominal lymphoma. Diagnosis was established during abdominal exploration. The frequency of various presenting manifestations of abdominal tuberculosis are discussed. The report emphasizes the need for a high index of suspicion to save patients unnecessary exploratory laparatomy.

Source: UG
The ability of societies to adapt to twenty-first-century sea-level rise

Against the background of potentially substantial sea-level rise, one important question is to what extent are coastal societies able to adapt? This question is often answered in the negative by referring to sinking islands and submerged megacities. Although these risks are real, the picture is incomplete because it lacks consideration of adaptation. This Perspective explores societies' abilities to adapt to twenty-first-century sea-level rise by integrating perspectives from coastal engineering, economics, finance and social sciences, and provides a comparative analysis of a set of cases that vary in terms of technological limits, economic and financial barriers to adaptation and social conflicts. © 2018 The Publisher.

Source: UG
Ability of the larval ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to locate the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton, 1865) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in bagged and bulk stored rice [Wirtsfindung des larvalparasitoiden habrobracon hebetor (say, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in gesacktem und geschüttetem reis gegenüber der reismotte Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton, 1865) (lepidoptera: Pyralidae)]

The potential of using Habrobracon hebetor for the inundative biological control of Corcyra cephalonica in rice stored in jute bags and in bulk was assessed. Host-finding in the situation of bag storage was tested by preparing small jute bags measuring 18 × 16 cm filled with 5 kg of un-infested rice grains. In the first experiment, 60 larvae of C. cephalonica were released into the bag. The bag was placed in an empty climatized room with an area of 12.3 m2. Sixty H. hebetor adults (sex ratio of 1 male: 2 females) were released at a distance of 1.6 m away from the jute bag. The number of H. hebetor adults that entered the jute bag was counted daily for 8 days by opening the bag and counting the parasitoids. Only 3% of the parasitoids entered the jute bag. In a second experiment, 60 C. cephalonica larvae were placed inside a wire gauze cage within the jute bag. Ten H. hebetor adults were released into the jute bag. The bag was sealed. After 1 week the cage was removed, and the number of C. cephalonica as well as F1 generation of H. hebetor that emerged was recorded. H. hebetor was able to significantly reduce the number of C. cephalonica emerging from the bagged rice; the corrected mortality due to the parasitoid release was 92.13%. The emergence of H. hebetor progeny started on day 9 after the introduction of the parasitoids and continued until day 21. Host-finding in the situation of bulk rice was tested in glass cylinders (50 cm height, Ø = 25 cm) containing caged larvae at horizontal depths of 7 and 14 cm. H. hebetor was able to find its host C. cephalonica in both depths; significantly more F1 H. hebetor adults emerged from hosts placed 7 cm deep. The implications of these results with respect to the suitability of H. hebetor for the biological control of C. cephalonica in bagged and bulk rice are discussed. © Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart.

Source: UG
Ablation of Hepatic Tumors through the Use of a Novel Magnetic Nanocomposite Probe: Magnetic Characterization and Finite Element Method Analysis

The authors recently proposed a novel system for thermoablation—based on nanoheating—that can potentially overcome limitations associated with previously reported techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic performance of the system in the ablation of hepatic tissue, the most frequently ablated. A model nanocomposite system, maghemite nanoparticle-filled polydimethylsiloxane, was prepared, and its magnetic properties were studied as a function of nanoparticle concentration. On the basis of measured magnetic properties, a 3D finite element method (FEM) model was used to explore the development of temperature and thermal damage in nonperfused and fully perfused tissue using alternating magnetic field (AMF) parameters that are acceptable for human use. The FEM model was tested for its validity using an analytical model. The saturation magnetization increased to about 9% of the value of pure maghemite nanoparticles over the range of volume fraction (vol. %) between 1 and 5%. Lesion sizes were shown to be greatly affected by tissue perfusion and time. FEM predictions showed good agreement with results obtained with an analytical model to within 7%. Probes fabricated with magnetic nanocomposite can potentially be used to achieve reasonable lesion sizes in hepatic tissues using human-safe AMF parameters.

Source: UG