ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Heavy metals in sediments of the gold mining impacted Pra River basin, Ghana, West Africa

Total concentrations of Hg, Al, Fe, As, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Co, V, and Zn were determined in surface sediments collected from 21 locations within the gold mining impacted Pra River basin in southwestern Ghana. Samples were collected during both the rainy and dry seasons. We hypothesized that in the rural southwestern portion of Ghana, the lack of industrial activities makes artisanal gold mining (AGM) by Hg amalgamation the main source of water resource contamination with heavy metals. Therefore, metals showing concentration trends similar to that of Hg in the studied system are likely impacted by AGM. We found that total-Hg (THg) concentrations in riverine sediments are rather low as compared to other aquatic systems that are impacted by similar mining activities. Measured THg concentrations ranged from 0.018 to 2.917 mg/kg in samples collected in the rainy season and from about 0.01 to 0.043 mg/kg in those collected during the dry season. However, the determination of the enrichment factor (EF) calculated using shale data as reference background values showed signs of severe contamination in most of the sampled sites. In the dry season, THg concentrations correlated positively and significantly to the concentrations of As (r = 0.864, p < 0.01), Cu (r = 0.691, p < 0.05), and Ni (r = 0.579, p < 0.05). Based on our previously stated hypothesis, this could then be an indication of the impact of AGM on ambient levels of these 3 elements. However, the determined concentrations of Cu, and Ni co-varied significantly with Al, suggesting that natural sources do account for the observed levels. Accordingly, both AGM and metal inputs from weathered natural deposits are likely co-responsible for the observed levels of Cu and Ni. In contrast, the lack of correlation between As and Al tends to suggest an impact of AGM on As levels. Overall, our data suggest that besides Hg and to some extent As, the impact of AGM on ambient levels of investigated metals in the gold mining impacted Pra River remains negligible. Finally, the increase in metal concentrations from the dry to the rainy season underlines the impact of changes in hydrologic conditions on levels and fate of metals in this tropical aquatic system. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc.

Source: UG
Hebrewisms of West Africa from Nile to Niger with the Jews

Robert T. Hill of the United States Geological Survey, writing towards the close of the last century, was emphatic in his statement: "The Jamaican negroes are sui generis; nothing like them, even of their own race, can elsewhere be found-not even elsewhere in the 'West Indies. They are omnipresent. The towns, the country highways, and the woods ring with their laughter and merry songs: they fill the churches and throng the highways, especially on market-days, when the country roads are black with them: and they are witty and full of queer stories and folk-lore." 1 He is speaking of the native Blacks, the real peasantry of the Island. During a five-years' residence in Jamaica, when much of the time was spent in the "bush" in close contact with the simple unaffected children of the soil, the present writer, in his turn, was deeply impressed by a striking difference between the Jamaican Black and all the other negro types that he had ever encountered.

Source: UG
Helicobacter pylori cagA and vacA genes in dyspeptic Ghanaian patients

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is prevalent in Ghana. The development of gastro-duodenal disease is dependent on virulence of the infecting strain, host susceptibility and environmental factors. Helicobacter pylori cagA and vacA strains induce more inflammation, ulceration and oncogenesis. Here, for the first time we present data on H. pylori cagA and vacA genes and their association with gastro-duodenal disease in Ghana. A total of 159 patients with dyspepsia at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, were investigated for H. pylori with urease-CLO, of which 113 (71.1%) were positive. Genomic DNA was extracted from antral biopsies using QIAGEN DNeasy kit. Detection of H. pylori vacA and cagA genes were determined by PCR as previously described. Results: In total, 110 (69.2%) vacAs1, 71 (44.7%) vacAm1, 35 (22.0%) vacAm2, 77 (48.4%) cagA-(hydrophilic region) and 109 (68.6%) cagA-(internal duplication region) were detected. In multivariate analysis, duodenal ulcer was more likely than other diagnoses to have detectable cagA-(hydrophilic region) (OR 3.1 CI 1.2-7.9) or vacAs1m1 (OR 6.5 CI 1.2-34.0). Conclusions: Majority of biopsies were colonized with H. pylori harboring both cagA and vacA. H. pylori cagA-(internal duplication region) was more prevalent than cagA-(hydrophilic region). Duodenal ulcer was more likely than other diagnoses to have detectable cagA-(hydrophilic region) or vacAs1m1.

Source: UG
Helicobacter pylori gastritis: A histopathological and bacteriological study

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to investigate five readily available methods for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection (both invasive and non-invasive) in order to establish the local definition of the disease in our hospital because of the regional variations in the prevalence, strains of organism and antibiotic susceptibility. Methods: Two histological methods (HE and immunohistochemistry, IHC) and microbiological methods (culture, urease test and Gram stain of tissue smears) for processing gastric antral biopsies were compared in a prospective study in 115 consecutive patients. H. pylori positivity by these methods was correlated with histopathological changes in the antral biopsies. Susceptibility of the H. pylori isolates to various antibiotics was performed by the modified disc diffusion test. Results: There was no significant difference between HE and IHC in the demonstration of H. pylori. Using culture as the 'gold standard' for specificity, both had specificity of 91 and 86%, respectively. However, when HE was used as a standard for sensitivity, the other methods had the following sensitivities: culture 69%, Gram stain 86%, biopsy urease 85%, and IHC 91%. Higher density of H. pylori infection correlated with higher culture positivity and more with the presence of active chronic gastritis than with chronic inactive gastritis. Of the antibiotics tested, only metronidazole showed appreciable resistance against the H. pylori isolates. Conclusion: We recommended the use of HE and culture in the definition of H. pylori infection at the local level, together with drug sensitivity testing to ensure an appropriate eradication strategy.

Source: UG
Helicobacter Pylori Variants with ABC-Type Tyrosine Phosphorylation Motif in Gastric Biopsies of Ghanaian Patients

Background. Helicobacter pylori pathogenicity and disease severity are determined by the tyrosine phosphorylation motifs of CagA protein. This study is aimed at detecting the presence of H. pylori and identifying the CagA tyrosine phosphorylation motifs in Ghanaian patients. Material and Methods. A total of 94 archival genomic DNA samples from gastric biopsies were used for the study, and H. pylori was detected by amplifying the 16S rRNA gene. The 3′-end variable region of the cagA gene was amplified, and the entire 3′-end was sequenced and translated into amino acids. Results. H. pylori was detected in 53.2% (50/94) of the samples, and all the detected bacteria harboured the cagA gene. Two variants of the bacteria were identified based on the size of the amplified cagA gene: 207 bp and 285 bp. The 207 bp and 285 bp variants accounted for 74% and 22%, respectively, and 4% showed both fragments. Translated amino acid sequence of the cagA gene showed EPIYA-A, EPIYA-B, and EPIYA-C (ABC type) motifs, indicating the Western variant. The CagA protein C-terminal showed insertion of amino acids in the sequence flanking the EPIYA-A motif at the N-terminal and a complete deletion of the EPIYA-CC and EPIYA-CCC motifs together with the flanking sequences. Conclusions. H. pylori identified were Western variant (ABC type) with unique amino acid insertions, suggesting unique variants in Ghanaian patients. Further investigation is however required to understand the role of the molecular diversity of the variant in gastric disease outcome.

Source: UG
Helicobacter pylori-associated chronic antral gastritis in Kuwait - A histopathological study

In order to study the causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) and various inflammatory reactions in gastric antral mucosa, we have reviewed 268 endoscopic gastric biopsies in the Department of Pathology of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Teaching Hospital in Kuwait. Of the 219 HP-positive biopsies, 95.4% showed chronic gastritis (CG), 59.8% active chronic gastritis (ACG) and 78.5% lymphoid hyperplasia (LH). The prevalence of LH, CG or ACG, either alone or in combination, increased with increasing density (grade) of HP colonization, assuming statistical significance for LH and ACG (P < 0.05), especially when these changes in Grade 1 HP cases were compared to those of Grades 2 and 3 combined. Moreover, the grade of LH by itself also showed statistically significant correlation (P < 0.01) with the grade of inflammation. Our results confirm a causal relationship between HP colonization of gastric mucosa and the various forms of gastritis, and also provide evidence in support of induction of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) by HP, an observation which may have significance in the genesis of gastric MALTomas.

Source: UG
Helicobacter pylori-associated upper gastrointestinal disease in Saudi Arabia: a pathologic evaluation of 298 endoscopic biopsies from 201 consecutive patients.

In a prospective study, histopathological examination 298 upper gastrointestinal (UGI) biopsies, obtained from 201 consecutive patients, was made. Patients were referred with mild to severe dyspeptic symptoms. The aim of the study was to compare the rate of identification of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the histologically normal gastric mucosa with that in histologically confirmed gastritis or peptic ulcer disease. The gastroduodenal mucosa was histologically normal in 35 patients (17.4%); among those patients, H. pylori was identified in only three (9%). Chronic gastritis was histologically confirmed in 162 patients (80.6%). H. pylori was identified in 123 (76%) of those patients. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.00001). Furthermore, when cases with a histological diagnosis of superficial chronic active gastritis (SCAG) are considered separately, the identification rate of H. pylori increases to 88% (121 of 137). When this rate is compared with that of 8% (two of 25), found in superficial chronic quiescent gastritis (SCQG), the difference is highly significant (p less than 0.00001). Of 38 endoscopically diagnosed peptic ulcers, H. pylori was identified in the gastric mucosa of 34 (89%). The organisms were always seen in the antral gastric mucosa, but never in duodenal mucosa. Identification of H. pylori correlates significantly with the histologic activity of chronic gastritis, in both peptic ulcer disease and non-ulcer dyspepsia.

Source: UG
Helicobacter pylori-induced alteration of epithelial cell signaling and polarity: A possible mechanism of gastric carcinoma etiology and disparity

Gastric cancer, a disease of disparity associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, is the world's second leading cause of cancer deaths. The pathogen H. pylori target the epithelial adhesion receptors, E-cadherin, and β1-integrin, to modulate the host cytoskeleton via disruption of the epithelial cell polarity necessary for maintaining the infection, but how this leads to the development of the carcinoma is widely unclear. While Rho family GTPases' signaling to the cytoskeleton and these receptors is required for initiating and maintaining the infection, the responsible effectors, and how they might influence the etiology of the carcinomas are currently unknown. Here we discuss the potential role of the Cdc42-IQGAP1 axis, a negative regulator of the tumor suppressors E-cadherin and β1-integrin, as a potential driver of H. pylori-induced gastric carcinoma and propose avenues for addressing its disparity. Chronic dysfunction of the IQGAP1-signaling pathway, resulting from H. pylori-induced disruption of cell polarity, can explain the pathogenesis of the carcinoma, at least, in subsets of infected population, and thus could provide a potential means for personalized medicine. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Source: UG
Helminth-induced ige and protection against allergic disorders

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
Help seeking behaviors of international students: Stigma, acculturation, and attitudes towards counseling

International students' pursuit of education in the United States (US) is mutually beneficial to both international students and the economy of the United States. Students often experience culture shock or transitional stress upon arrival. Despite these challenges, research indicates that international students are not likely to seek professional counseling to manage or resolve their issues. In the event that they seek help they are known to prefer medical instead of psychological help. Authors in this chapter review the influence of stigma and acculturational variables on help seeking behaviors of international students. The authors also discuss implications for international students and institutions of higher education, and conclude with recommendations that may be beneficial to international students, student counseling services, and institutions of higher education in the United States. © 2016 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Help-Seeking Behavior of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana: The Role of Trust and Perceived Risk of Injur

Although several studies have investigated the socio-cultural underpinnings of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ghana, few explore the help-seeking behavior of the victims. This study examined the help-seeking behavior of female victims of IPV in Ghana. Specifically, it explored the role of perceived risk of injury and trust in determining whether and where victims seek help and their likelihood of seeking help in the event of future abuse. The study used nationally representative cross-sectional data (N = 1689) and logit regression techniques to address these research objectives. The majority of respondents who had suffered IPV had not sought help after experiencing violence. However, of these, a substantial proportion said they would do so in the future. Respondents with high perceived risk of injury from physical and emotional violence were significantly more likely to seek help from both formal and informal support networks than those who saw themselves at no risk. Those with high levels of trust in formal and informal institutions were more likely to seek help from these networks. Compared to those who did not, respondents who thought IPV should be kept private were less likely to seek help, especially in future abuse. Finding suggest policy makers should educate women about IPV, especially their risk of violence. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Source: UG
Help-Seeking Behavior of Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana: The Role of Trust and Perceived Risk of Injury

Although several studies have investigated the socio-cultural underpinnings of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ghana, few explore the help-seeking behavior of the victims. This study examined the help-seeking behavior of female victims of IPV in Ghana. Specifically, it explored the role of perceived risk of injury and trust in determining whether and where victims seek help and their likelihood of seeking help in the event of future abuse. The study used nationally representative cross-sectional data (N = 1689) and logit regression techniques to address these research objectives. The majority of respondents who had suffered IPV had not sought help after experiencing violence. However, of these, a substantial proportion said they would do so in the future. Respondents with a high perceived risk of injury from physical and emotional violence were significantly more likely to seek help from both formal and informal support networks than those who saw themselves at no risk. Those with high levels of trust in formal and informal institutions were more likely to seek help from these networks. Compared to those who did not, respondents who thought IPV should be kept private were less likely to seek help, especially in future abuse. Findings suggest policymakers should educate women about IPV, especially their risk of violence.

Source: UG
Help-Seeking Behaviors of Male Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Kenya

Very few studies examine the help-seeking behaviors of male survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Kenya or sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from 1,458 male survivors and multinomial logit models, we examined what influences men’s decision to seek help after experiencing IPV. Results show the majority of male survivors did not seek help. Those who did so turned to informal rather than formal sources. The severity of physical violence was the most robust and consistent predictor of help-seeking. Male survivors of severe physical abuse had higher odds of seeking help from informal support networks than not seeking help. Compared to the uneducated, highly educated men were significantly more likely to seek help from formal support networks than to not seek help at all. Sensitization programs are required to educate male survivors of IPV on available sources of support. In particular, barriers to help seeking must be removed to encourage male survivors to find support.

Source: UG
Help-seeking for pre-ulcer and ulcer conditions of mycobacterium ulcerans disease (buruli ulcer) in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Ghana is a Buruli ulcer (BU) endemic country yet there is paucity of socio-cultural research on BU. Examining distinctive experiences and meanings for pre-ulcers and ulcers of BU may clarify the disease burden, illness experience and local perceptions of causes and spread, and environmental features of BU, which are useful to guide public health programmes and future research. This study aimed to explain local meanings and experiences of BU for persons with pre-ulcers and ulcers in the Ga-West and Ga-South municipalities in Accra. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews based on the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue framework were administered to 181 respondents comprising 15 respondents with pre-ulcers and 166 respondents with ulcers. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare categories of illness experiences (PD) and perceived causes (PC) among respondents with pre-ulcer and ulcer conditions. The Fisher's exact test was used to compare the most troubling PD and the most important PC variables. Qualitative phenomenological analysis of respondents' narratives clarified illness experiences and meanings with reference to PC and PD variables. RESULTS: Families of respondents with pre-ulcers and the respondents themselves were often anxious about disease progression, while families of respondents with ulcers, who had to give care, worried about income loss and disruption of school attendance. Respondents with pre-ulcers frequently reported swimming in ponds and rivers as a perceived cause and considered it as the most important PC (53.3%). Respondents with ulcers frequently attributed their BU illness to witchcraft (64.5%) and respondents who claimed they had no water contact, questioned the credibility of health messages CONCLUSIONS: Affected persons with pre-ulcers are likely to delay treatment because of social and financial constraints and the absence of pain. Scepticism on the role of water in disease contagion and prolonged healing is perceived to make ideas of witchcraft as a PC more credible, among respondents with ulcers. Health messages should address issues of locally perceived risk and vulnerability. Guided by study findings, further research on the role of environmental, socio-cultural and genetic factors in BU contagion, is also needed to clarify and formulate health messages and strengthen public health initiatives.

Source: UG
Helping Tanzanian teenage girls avoid pregnancy. Evidence for Policy Series, Regional edition East Africa, No. 3, ed. Boniface Kiteme

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Helping the Helpless: Contribution of Rural Extension Services to Smallholder Farmers’ Climate Change Adaptive Capacity and Adaptation in Rural Ghana

While there is no doubt that extension services play an active role in promoting smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity and adaptation to climate change, there is a dearth of information and research on how this institution champions climate change adaptation in rural farming communities in Ghana. This study employed a qualitative case study design and interviewed 15 extension officers and 26 smallholder farmers to understand how extension services enhance smallholder farmers’ climate change adaptive capacity and adaptation in the rural Adansi North District in Ghana. The findings indicate that extension services adopt multiple strategies to build the adaptive capacity of farmers to climate change. Through the transfer of skills and knowledge, technology and innovations, supply of inputs, technical advice and liaison role with existing local institutions, farmers are able to adapt to climate change. The study further revealed that extension services are hindered by geographical, sociocultural and economic challenges which affect their alignment and fitness to effectively assist smallholder farmers. The study recommends strengthening the capacity of the extension institution. Moreover,more experts must be trained to provide special, targeted and important services to smallholder farmers in respect of climate change sensitization and adaptation

Source: UG
Hematological differences among malaria patients in rural and Urban Ghana

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