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In comparison to Europe, Asia, and America, the African manufacturing sector performs poorly. This is largely attributable in part to inadequate use of advanced manufacturing concepts and technologies, as well as the insufficiently skilled workforce. African manufacturing companies must adopt and implement advanced manufacturing technologies and concepts such as flexible manufacturing systems in order to boost growth and accelerate development in the sector. In this study, we conducted multi-case studies on the implementation of flexible manufacturing systems in the manufacturing sectors of two West African countries (The Gambia and Ghana). Six manufacturing companies from The Gambia and eight from Ghana were chosen. Many of the companies involved in the study are small businesses that specialize in mechanical parts/system production, welding, and fabrication. The findings revealed that the use of advanced manufacturing technologies and concepts, as well as the adoption of flexible manufacturing systems, is extremely low. The results also show that the major obstacles to the adoption and implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies are, cost and, lack of qualified personnel. Companies have agreed to adopt and implement advanced manufacturing technologies and concepts if the opportunity arises. They also require more information on some cutting-edge technologies before deciding whether to adopt and implement them. Some of the other major challenges faced by African manufacturing companies include, high energy costs and unstable power supply, poor transportation network, and, lack of adequate finance.

Background: Studies conducted in public hospitals in Ghana have provided empirical evidence of an inadequate level of quality of health care services, both in terms of objective measures of client opinions and those of health care providers. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess client satisfaction with the quality of healthcare delivery at the Child Health Department of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH). Methods: A mixed-methods cross-sectional study design using purposeful and convenience sampling techniques were used to obtain 385 parents or caregivers and 6 health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) from July, 2021 to April, 2022. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, and a semi-structured interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Results: Most (90.9%) of the respondents are of the view that their children’s health needs were catered for in the facility while only 0.2% of respondents strongly disagreed that their child’s health needs were catered for in the facility. The study indicates that the 1st most ranked important satisfactory factor to the client’s healthcare service quality is tangibility with an RII of 1.20 and the least ranked was priority and responsiveness of RII of 0.40 respectively. Conclusions: Child healthcare service patronage in TTH is generally high. Although the needs of the people are met, we recommend that the management of the hospital should prioritize medical and surgical conditions in the hospital by providing equipment and logistics.

Globally, there has been a rapid increase in biodiversity loss, these losses have been attributed to habitat loss and invasive flora and fauna species. Extensive work has been done on the losses brought about by invasive fauna species, however, the impact of invasive flora species has less been explored in Ghana. This review focused on the various alien plant species found in Ghana and the factors that support their spread, establishment, and colonization. Findings indicate that the common invasive plants in Ghana are Chromolaema odorata, Calopogonium mucunoides, Cedrella ordorata, Leucaena leucocephala, Broussonetia papyrifera and Prosopis glasdulosa, Azardiracta indica, Echinochloa colona, and Leucaena leucocephala. The economic losses and environmental impact of these plant species were also reviewed. This review revealed that there is an urgent need to initiate interventions to control the rapid spread of invasive plant species, those measures should be cost-effective and eco-friendly.

2 Corinthians 5:20 belongs to a long chain of verses beginning from 5:11 to 6:13. These verses at large deal with the subject of reconciliation. A concept that emerges from Paul’s teaching is that God through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross is restoring the whole world to himself and has given us also this ministry of reconciliation. However, this paper focuses on three Greek words extracted from the text: Christou, presbeoumen, and katallasso. The study is done mainly through literary activities from existing materials such as Biblical and Akan literature. It first examines, in brief, the background data on Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians to provide a historical milieu for understanding the issues Paul raises. It then continues to discuss the above-mentioned Greek words. It will also be seen that the explanation of the text has been looked at from Akan (Asante Twi) reading of the same text and then engages them within the Akan context. The paper concludes with an invitation to see ourselves as key players in what God is doing in the world.

Local radio has played a significant role in keeping local cocoa farmers informed about their farming activities. However, the experiences of these local farmers who should be the real owners of community radio have not been captured. It would be possible to increase cocoa production if the experiences of local cocoa farmers were given the attention needed. Using a quantitative research approach, the multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 385 respondents. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. Results show that farmers were undecided about their reliance on community radio and the role it plays in disseminating agricultural information. However, they understood the agricultural-related information disseminated on community radio. They agreed that the content and presentation of community radio programs were suitable for them but were undecided on the transmission quality and community involvement. Interference from local leaders was the most severe challenge facing farmers’ use of community radio. In order to improve extension delivery there is a need for policymakers and agricultural extension stakeholders to implement programs that will encourage farmers to set up and rely on community radio as a great alternative source of information for their farming activities. This is also necessary to improve the currently low contact of extension agents with farmers, thus, reducing the extension farmer ratio.

Many people suffer from ulcer, a disorder of the digestive tract. Simply put, it's an inflamed break in the skin or the mucus membrane lining the digestive tract. Whenever there is a change in the equilibrium, such as increased aggression or decreased mucosal resistance, ulceration develops. Reasons for this could include drug use, poor diet, stress, and other similar factors. Peptic ulcers are a general term for any type of stomach or duodenal ulcer. To develop, peptic ulcers need mucosal defences to be compromised in addition to gastric juice acid and peptic activity. Ulcers can be treated with a variety of synthetic medications. However, compared to herbal remedies, these drugs are more costly and more likely to cause side effects. According to the research, many different ayurvedic doctors and traditional medicine practitioners use different medicinal plants and polyherbal formulations to treat ulcers. Peptic ulcer disease treatment should focus on symptom alleviation, ulcer healing, and preventing recurrence. In this article, we'll take a look at some medicinal plants that have been studied for their potential use in peptic ulcer treatment and prevention, both in ayurveda and Western medicine.

Background: Stunting has been a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little evidence exists on the spatiotemporal variations in under-five stunting within a national context. Objective: This paper examines the spatiotemporal variations in under-five stunting and determinants using data from the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (2000-2016). Methods: Spatial autocorrelation and multilevel logistic regression models were used to conduct the analyses. Results: The stunting prevalence has decreased from 51% to 37%, while the prevalence of severe stunting has decreased by more than half (from 28% to 12%). Wide regional variations in stunting have been consistently observed over the years, which exhibited a higher level of stunting in Tigray (48%), Afar (42%), and Amhara (42%). The results show considerable local and regional variations in under-five stunting levels with diverse patterns of improvements in regional stunting levels over time. Stunting levels were associated with child-level factors such as the sex of a child, birth size, age of a child, birth order, preceding birth interval, and place of birth. Maternal educational attainment, nutritional status, household wealth, toilet facility type, and place of residence were linked to under-five stunting. The regional-level infant mortality rate was associated with under-five stunting. Conclusions: Specially tailored policies and interventions should be devised to address persistent spatial inequalities in stunting by focusing on higher risk populations.

This paper seeks to shed light on the author’s perspective as far as the interplay between the church especially in Ghana, digital technology, and media is concerned. The study was done mainly through literary activity in existing sources from Biblical and materials on technology and media. It employed such methodological tools as descriptive and theological in discussing the subject at hand. It briefly looked at the basic meaning of the church. It then continued by highlighting what technology and media are and discussed how the church, especially in Ghana, can use them in these contemporary times. Through some biblical passages, the study demonstrated that technology and media are part of God’s creation. However, since technology and media are products of human ingenuity and natural resources, they like other creations as Paul argues in the selected passage (Rom. 8:19-23), are also subject to the present corruption of the creation as a result of sin or futility. In other words, technology and media are not excluded from the effects of humanity’s fall into sin. They are also groaning from the pain of sin and waiting eagerly for their redemption from the bondage of decay. Keywords: Church, Technology, Media, Creation

Training students to become ethical geoscientists has generated significant interest, particularly when confronted with the need to consider geoscience practice in light of geo-technological advances and environmental issues associated with resource extraction, pollution, and climate change. In this research, we examine from the perspective of student geoscientists what it means to be an ethical geoscientist. As part of a sedimentology course that explicitly taught ethics through experiential learning, students reflected on what it meant to be an ethical geoscientist. The student reflections (N = 37) collected at the beginning and end of the semester were analyzed using thematic analysis and interpreted. We used an ethics of care framework to generate three themes which described attentiveness to care, responsibility for care, and competency to provide care. First, attentiveness to care described the act of recognizing one’s own need and the need of others and making intentional efforts to address those needs. Student reflections revealed that attentiveness to one’s integrity and reflecting on one’s own actions in their interactions are important characteristic of an ethical geoscientist. Second, responsibility for care described the recognition of the need to care for the things with which we interact. Students described that being responsible for societal and environmental needs, such as promoting scientific literacy and guarding other species, are the hallmarks of an ethical geoscientist. Finally, competency to provide care described the availability of effective knowledge, skills, and materials to ethically provide care. Student reflections captured competencies related to scientific practice in ensuring data precision, accuracy, and maintaining caring and ethical relationships with colleagues as ethical geoscience characteristics. We suggest instructional strategies that explicitly teach ethics and critical reflection to foster students’ sense of care and interest in geology both as a science and ethical practice.

Stroke is believed to be among the leading causes of adult disability worldwide. It is wreaking havoc on African people, families, and governments, with ramifications for the continent’s socio-economic development. On the other hand, stroke research output is insufficient, resulting in a dearth of evidence-based and context-driven guidelines and strategies to combat the region’s expanding stroke burden. Indeed, for African and other developing economies to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, which aims to guarantee healthy lifestyles and promote well-being for people of all ages, the issue of stroke must be addressed to reduce early death from non-communicable illnesses. This study sought to create a robust predictive model for early stroke diagnosis using an understandable machine learning (ML) technique. We implemented a categorical gradient boosting machine model for early stroke prediction to protect patients’ health and well-being. We compared the effectiveness of our proposed model to existing state-of-the-art machine learning models and previous studies by empirically testing it on a real-world public stroke dataset. The proposed model outperformed the others when compared to the other methods using the research data, achieving the maximum accuracy (96.56%), the area under the curve (AUC) (99.73%), F1-measure (96.68%), recall (99.24%), and precision (93.57%). Functional outcome prediction models based on machine learning for stroke were verified and shown to be adaptable and helpful.

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disease that has a lifetime prevalence of 1% in most of the populations studied. The neuropathology and psychopathology of Schizophrenia are still poorly understood. This is attributed to the paucity of adequate animal models. Schizophrenia is a disorder of the human brain. Consequently, the potency of animal models in Schizophrenia research is limited to certain aspects of the disease. One of the most difficult aspects of modelling Schizophrenia in animals has been the lack of a clear and explicit conceptual framework for this disorder. This review discussed drug-induced animal models of Schizophrenia such as Ketamine (NMDA receptor antagonist), Phencyclidine (NMDA receptor antagonist) etc. It also discussed genetic animal models of Schizophrenia which include but not limited to Schizophrenia susceptibility Genes, Neuregulin-1(NRG1), DAT gene, Zinc finger DHH-type3 containing 8 (ZDHHC8) and Dysbindin. It went further to discuss fetal models Schizophrenia, postweaning social isolation and ended with In-Vitro animal models. The use of animal models to improve understanding of the neurochemical and structural CNS changes that precipitate development of Schizophrenia, rather than a focus on treating the symptoms, is a prerequisite to enable new more effective therapeutic strategies to be developed. Because of the complexity and ambiguity of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in the aetiology of schizophrenia, the challenge of developing more reliable predictive animal models of this disorder, most likely through multiple early-life interventions, is still ongoing.

One of the major challenges faced by female employees is the difficulty in juggling between family and work roles. This affects their career progression in the organization. Therefore, this study aims at examining the buffering role of perceived organizational support in the relationship between family–work conflict and career progression. The study utilizes the quantitative research paradigm and employed the survey research design. Responses from two hundred and twenty (220) female officers of the Ghana Revenue Authority–Customs Division were analysed using Smart PLS – 3.0 and Haye’s (2017) PROCESS macro. The result of the study revealed that family–work conflict is negatively related with career progression (career goal progression, professional ability development, and promotion speed). Perceived organizational support moderated the association between family–work conflict and both professional ability development and promotion speed. However, it did not moderate the relationship between family–work conflict and career goal progression. These findings imply that for female officers to progress in the midst of family–work conflict, organizations must institute support systems and policies to reduce its impact on career progression.

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is an uncommon symmetrical paralysis usually affecting proximal muscles, which occurs in the hyperthyroid state with associated hypokalemia. It is more prevalent in East Asian males and extremely rare in blacks. Data on TPP is scarce in Africa and no report has been made in Ghana. We report a case of a middle-aged Ghanaian man who had three episodes of paralysis in all four limbs occurring at night with the second and third episodes requiring hospital visit. He had no clinical signs of hyperthyroidism during his first hospital visit but had developed clinical and biochemical evidence of hyperthyroidism on the second visit with serum potassium levels of 1.9 mmol/l; and he was eventually diagnosed with TPP. His paralysis resolved with correction of the hypokalemia. It is important to evaluate patients presenting with paralysis comprehensively. Less common differential diagnosis such as TPP may also be considered in such patients to ensure early diagnosis and treatment which can prevent complications.

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of Black Plastic Mulch (BPM) and different rates of NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer on the growth and yield of three chili cultivars under field and protected cultivation. Two levels of mulch (BPM and no mulch), three levels of NPK (0, 200 and 300 kg/ha), and three cultivars “Demond F1” (DF1), “Legon 18” (L18), and “Shito Adope”, (SA) were used. Split application of half of each of the 200 and 300 kg/ha rates were applied two and four weeks after transplanting. Vegetative growth indices, soil moisture, and soil temperature were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks after transplanting. The yield was calculated using AVRDC (1990) formula for chili pepper. The study revealed an increase in soil temperature and moisture under BPM for both studies. Also, 200 kg/ha NPK and BPM led to an increase in vegetative growth and yield for DF1 and SA. However, 300 kg/ha NPK decreased vegetative growth. In addition, there was no significant influence of BPM on the number of fruits harvested. However, for the pot study, BPM led to an increase in the number of fruits for “Legon 18” as compared to the other cultivars. The study, therefore, concludes that 200 kg/ha NPK was the best when cultivating DF1 and SA, for chili growth and development in the savannah ecological zone.

Introduction: Medical imaging or radiography as a profession has evolved considerably. As a result, the radiography/medical imaging program would need to be upgraded to keep up with the changes. The purpose of this study was to find out how final-year radiography students feel about the proposed six-year Doctor of Radiography/Medical Imaging program. Methods: From June to October 2021, a cross-sectional study of final-year radiography students was undertaken at the University of Cape Coast. All students received pilot tested questionnaires through email. There were 29 questions in all, grouped into three sections A, B and C. Data was analyzed statistically with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: This survey drew a total of 83 students, with 62 males (75%) and 21 females (25%) participating. The mean of all the listed items in section B was 1.78 while C was 1.77. This indicated strong optimistic about the proposed program's ability to generate high-quality, exceptional and diverse imaging specialists. Conclusion: The final year students had a favorable perception toward the proposed six-year Doctor of Radiography/Medical Imaging program. As a result, they are confident that the program would result in more flexible imaging experts than the four-year bachelor's degree.

Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) is a mode of teaching usually triggered by disasters and pandemics such as the deadly Coronavirus. This study used a self-reported questionnaire to investigate student perceptions, challenges, and coping strategies during ERT at a public university in Ghana. Using a randomly selected sample of 80 students, the study established the relationships between student perceptions and coping strategies, perceptions, and challenges. Out of the 80 respondents, 76 questionnaires were duly completed and were analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The bootstrapping results indicate that student perceptions of ERT have a significantly positive relationship with their coping strategies, and the challenges have a significant negative relationship with coping strategies. However, student perceptions did not significantly correlate with students’ challenges. Results recommend that the university put appropriate measures in place to reduce the challenges associated with ERT, which will improve students’ perceptions since the pandemic is still raging with a series of waves. Challenges such as lack of access to digital devices and high-speed internet should also be addressed urgently.

The study evaluated factors influencing port users’ intentions to participate in Financial Technology (Fintech) in the ports of Ghana. The study used non-experimental quantitative correlational design and the Extended Unified Theory of the Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) as the theoretical foundation to assess whether performance expectancy (PE), behavioral intention (BI), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), hedonic motivation (HM), price value (PV), and habit (HT) were predictors of the intention of port users to participate in a Fintech program with age as a moderating factor. The sample comprised 407 individuals who work in the port industry and are between 18 and 64 years old; these were randomly selected through the SurveyMonkey platform. The study used principal component analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling to analyze and report the results. Findings show that PE, EE, and HT were predictors of the behavioral intention of port users to participate in a Fintech in the maritime and ports in Ghana. FC, SI, HM, and PV values could not predict BI for port users to enroll on a Fintech program. Neither did age have a moderating effect on the predictors variable influence on behavioral intention. This study offers a deeper insight into the adoption of Fintech in the port industry and sub-Saharan Africa. The findings can help researchers explain the variations in the UTAUT2 theoretical framework predictions relative to different sectors and disciplines. Researchers who intend to use the UTAUT2 theoretical framework to influence port users BI to enroll in the Fintech program will now consider PE, EE, and HT the most effective adoption factors. From a practical perspective, the study will help managers and stakeholders in ports in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa focus on the critical constructs as the first steps to implementing a Fintech program. On the other side, port users will also understand their role relative to performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and the habit to cultivate toward Fintech.

Infective endocarditis (IE), characterized by inflammation of the endocardial surface of the heart and its valves, results from infections caused by Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Acinetobacter species and less commonly fungi. Acinetobacter-induced IE is a relatively rare condition with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Notably, its mortality rate is greater than that of endocarditis induced by the Haemophilus species, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens and Kingella kingae. Although it is rare, Acinetobacter-induced IE caused by A. baumannii might bring unique therapeutic challenges such as increased antibiotic resistance. Therefore, it is vital to understand perfectly the possible pathophysiologic and antibiotic resistance mechanisms adopted by A. baumannii during IE. This review discusses the probable underlying pathomechanisms involved in A. baumannii-induced IE and highlights the potential antibiotic resistance mechanisms, suggesting therapeutic targets for A. baumannii-induced IE.

Delinquent behaviours of adolescents have become a major issue of concern to many countries in the world. The purpose of this study was to find out the influence of psychosocial factors on delinquent behaviours of adolescents. Using a descriptive survey design and a proportionate sampling technique, a total of 327 form two Senior High School students (SHS) were drawn from Nyakrom SHS, Siddique SHS, Fankoba SHS and Swedru School of Business to participate in the study. A 45-item questionnaire with a reliability coefficient 0.72 was adopted for data collection. The study was guided by a research question and hypothesis. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse data on the research question whilst multiple regression analysis was used to analyse data on the hypothesis. The study revealed that psychosocial factors such as the school, peers and the family were responsible for influencing delinquent behaviours of adolescents. To help curb delinquent behaviours among adolescents, the study recommended that adolescent students should be vigorously sensitized by school counsellors, headmasters and teachers on some psychosocial factors that can easily lead them to engage in delinquent behaviours.

Background Serotype 24F is one of the emerging pneumococcal serotypes after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). We aimed to identify lineages driving the increase of serotype 24F in France and place these findings into a global context. Methods Whole-genome sequencing was performed on a collection of serotype 24F pneumococci from asymptomatic colonisation (n=229) and invasive disease (n=190) isolates among individuals younger than 18 years in France, from 2003 to 2018. To provide a global context, we included an additional collection of 24F isolates in the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing (GPS) project database for analysis. A Global Pneumococcal Sequence Cluster (GPSC) and a clonal complex (CC) were assigned to each genome. Phylogenetic, evolutionary, and spatiotemporal analysis were conducted using the same 24F collection and supplemented with a global collection of genomes belonging to the lineage of interest from the GPS project database (n=25 590). Findings Serotype 24F was identified in numerous countries mainly due to the clonal spread of three lineages: GPSC10 (CC230), GPSC16 (CC156), and GPSC206 (CC7701). GPSC10 was the only multidrug-resistant lineage. GPSC10 drove the increase in 24F in France and had high invasive disease potential. The international dataset of GPSC10 (n=888) revealed that this lineage expressed 16 other serotypes, with only six included in 13-valent PCV (PCV13). All serotype 24F isolates were clustered in a single clade within the GPSC10 phylogeny and long-range transmissions were detected from Europe to other continents. Spatiotemporal analysis showed GPSC10-24F took 3–5 years to spread across France and a rapid change of serotype composition from PCV13 serotype 19A to 24F during the introduction of PCV13 was observed in neighbouring country Spain. Interpretation Our work reveals that GPSC10 alone is a challenge for serotype-based vaccine strategy. More systematic investigation to identify lineages like GPSC10 will better inform and improve next-generation preventive strategies against pneumococcal diseases. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Background: Obesity is associated with adverse health events among diabetic patients, however, the relationship between obesity fluctuation and risk of microvascular complications among this specific population is unclear. We aimed to examine the effect of waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) variability on the risk of diabetic microvascular outcomeMethods: Annually recorded anthropometric data in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study was used to examine the association of WC and BMI variability defined as variability independent of mean, with the risk of microvascular outcomes, including neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov., no. NCT00000620).Results: There were 4,031, 5,369, and 2,601 cases of neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy during a follow-up period of 22,524, 23,941, and 23,850 person-years, respectively. Higher levels of WC and BMI variability were associated with an increased risk of neuropathy. Compared with the lowest quartile, the fully-adjusted HR (95% CI) for the highest quartile of WC and BMI variability for neuropathy risk were 1.21 (1.05 to 1.40) and 1.16 (1.00 to 1.33), respectively. Also, higher quartiles of BMI variability but not WC variability were associated with increased risk of nephropathic events. The fully-adjusted HR (95% CI) for the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile of BMI variability was 1.31 (1.18 to 1.46). However, the results for retinopathic events were all insignificant.Conclusion: Among participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus, WC and BMI variability were associated with a higher risk of neuropathic events, whereas BMI variability was associated with an increased risk of nephropathic events.

Introduction: Infants are at risk of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization and infection. The aim of this study was to investigate S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) colonization among infants, including the prevalence, predictors of colonization, and antibiogram. Methodology: The study was cross-sectional, and involved infants aged less than one year recruited at the Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Sociodemographic and clinical data of the participants were gathered with a structured questionnaire. Nasal swabs were also obtained from them and bacteriologically cultured. S. aureus was confirmed with the coagulase test, and MRSA was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the mecA gene. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of S. aureus was done using the Kirby-Bauer method. Results: The carriage prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA were 34.9% (45/129) and 17.10% (22/129), respectively. Colonization with coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) was protective of both S. aureus (OR = 0.008; p < 0.001) and MRSA (OR = 0.052; p = 0.005) carriage. Maintenance of good hand hygiene prevented S. aureus carriage (OR = 0.16; p < 0.001). S. aureus resistance to antibiotics decreased across penicillin (96%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (61%), tetracycline (61%), erythromycin (39%), gentamicin (39%), fusidic acid (26%), rifampicin (17%), clindamycin (7%), and linezolid (0%); 68.8% S. aureus were multidrug resistant. Conclusions: S. aureus and MRSA prevalence were high among the infants. Colonization with CoNS and good hand hygiene maintenance were predictive of MRSA and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) colonization, respectively.

Over the past 50 years, a number of homegrown solutions and international development assistance have been initiated and implemented to address the West Africa Sahel region’s biodiversity resources decline. This ranges from indigenous/community led natural resources regeneration and land restoration techniques, funding and technical support in developing protected areas, military aid, specialized training of forest rangers and massive education of populace on biodiversity protection. Terrorist activities have negatively affected the biodiversity management in West Africa Sahel. However, there is a paucity of information about the impacts of terrorist activities on biodiversity management in West Africa. Therefore, this study tries to close this knowledge gap by describing and highlighting the impact of terrorism on biodiversity in West Africa Sahel. The authors used a systematic review of data through search engines like Google scholar, Z-library, Mendeley, Researchgate and Jstor for reports, scientific articles, books, field notes and other already published materials. The authors also consulted videos and media reports on YouTube, France24, PBS news etc. The study highlighted the key impacts of terrorist activities on biodiversity management. Some of these include the kidnaping of foresters, hijacking and controlling the management protected area like the case of Park W, destroying forest/bush fires, the use of explosive and poaching. These activities destroy animals’ habitats and therefore causing biodiversity depletion. The authors recommend the enhancement of the framework of protect areas, enhance the management of conflicts between population around protected areas as some sustainable solutions to biodiversity management. The Sahel states should strengthen their cooperation in building the capacities of the citizens in reducing the viability of terrorism through sustainable green jobs.

The safety of humans is of paramount importance in the vegetable production chain. Evidence of microbial and parasitic contamination of these products poses a great threat to consumers. This is an emerging issue the world is battling, and it is still in the process of unravelling. However, one of the contributing factors responsible for the rapid spread of these pathogens to millions of people among other factors is the distribution of food in our food systems. The purpose of this study was to draw the attention of producers, retailers, consumers, and various stakeholders to the occurrence and potential hazard of these organisms, their contamination origin, and food safety protocols. Among the food system, vegetables play a major role, and their consumption has increased as they form a larger portion of daily diets. This urge for healthy diets coupled with changing dietary habits and human population explosion has therefore accelerated their production. This has resulted in parasitic and microbial contamination gaining grounds in salad vegetables, and as such, a wide range of microbes such as Escherichia coli O157: H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Shigella, and Staphylococcus, and parasites such as Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica, Cystoisospora belli, Toxoplasma gondii, Trichuris trichiura, and Ascaris lumbricoides have been isolated from them. Therefore, major routes for salad vegetable contamination and prevention methods have been pointed out in this review article. The topic of protective countermeasures will also be covered here in this review. Notwithstanding, several control measures have been reported to be effective and efficient in removing or eliminating pathogens, including treatment of irrigation water and fertilizers, use of disinfectants like vinegar and saltwater, irradiation, ozone, and bacteriophages. Though consumption of vegetables and salads is encouraged due to their nutritional advantage, appropriate systems should be put in place to ensure their safety.

Emergency contraceptive (EC) is a family planning method that can be used after the failure of barrier contraceptive methods, sexual assault, and/or missed oral contraceptive pills to prevent pregnancy. Improving access and use of modern contraceptives such as EC has been suggested, among another healthcare continuum, as the solution to the global population dilemma. However, there is a paucity of data on modern contraceptive use and associated factors in Ghana’s impoverished and low-resource settings. If this continues into the future, the effective planning and implementation of sexual and reproductive programs in these regions could be hampered. This study, therefore, sought to examine the level of knowledge on EC, attitude towards EC, utilization, and barriers to EC among reproductive-age women between 15 and 24 years in the East-Gonja Municipality of Ghana. The study was conducted in Salaga, the administrative capital of the East-Gonja Municipality, using a school-based, descriptive cross-sectional study design. The study population comprised 295 female students from Salaga Senior High School (SHS). Data were collected using structured, self-administered questionnaires, and descriptive analyses were performed to determine respondents’ level of knowledge, attitude, utilization, and barriers to EC. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyze the data. About 62% of the respondents had inadequate knowledge about EC. More than half (56.5%) of the sample who reported prior awareness of EC showed a negative attitude toward EC. Less than half (48.5%) of the respondents who indicated had ever engaged in vaginal intercourse with a man reported ever-use of EC. The major reason for EC non-use was fear of stigma (62.0%). Although the majority of the respondents were aware of EC, most of them demonstrated inadequate knowledge and poor attitude toward EC, the former being a major reason for EC non-use. Our findings suggest the need for comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education and improved access to modern contraceptives among adolescents and youth in the East-Gonja municipality.

The most widespread arboviral diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes. Due to the lack of effective therapeutics for most of these diseases, vector control remains the most effective preventative and control measure. This study investigated and compared the species composition, insecticide susceptibility, and resistance mechanisms in Aedes mosquito populations from a forest reserve converted to an eco-park and a peri-domestic sites in urban Accra, Ghana. Immature Aedes were sampled from the study sites, raised to adults, and exposed to deltamethrin, permethrin, DDT, fenitrothion, bendiocarb, permethrin + PBO, and deltamethrin + PBO using WHO tube assays. Melting curve analyses were performed for F1536C, V1016I, and V410L genetic mutations in surviving and dead mosquitoes following exposure to deltamethrin and permethrin. Microplate assay was used to access enzyme activity levels in adult mosquitoes from both populations. Aedes aegypti was found to be the dominant species from both study populations. The susceptibility test results revealed a high frequency of resistance to all the insecticides except fenitrothion. F1534C mutations were observed in 100% and 97% of mosquitoes from the peri-domestic and forest population, respectively but were associated with pyrethroid resistance only in the forest population (P < 0.0001). For the first time in Aedes mosquitoes in Ghana, we report the existence V410L mutations, mostly under selection only in the forest population (HWE P < 0.0001) and conclude that Aedes vectors in urban Accra have developed resistance to many commonly used insecticides. This information is important for the formulation of vector control strategies for Aedes control in Ghana.

Background: Despite contraceptive awareness and availability to the general population, including higher education institutions, unplanned pregnancies continue to increase. Aim: The study assessed contraceptive usage among female health students in the North-East Region, Ghana. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional studydesign was used to assess contraceptive use among 143 female health students. The data was collected using an online survey, analysed descriptively, Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25. A p-value of

The function of obesity in an insulin-resistant syndrome associated with hyper insulinemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerotic diseased illness is vital. Hunger, body weight and lipid profile investigations thus assess Calotropis procera extract in animal models. Adult Wister rats (180-240g) 8 were used in each experimental group. The impact of Cactus Kalahari on hunger, body weight and profile of lipids. (A) Control in weight, (B) obesity and CP+ obesity. Control obesity caused by material of cafeteria cuisine (CD). (CP was induced at (100 mg/kg/day po. for 50 days). Every 10 days, the food give, animal body weight, blood glucose, serum lipids level examined—serum and term tests for Liver Function and Renal Function Tests were checked. Our research has demonstrated that following obesity induction CP pretreatment and administration at 100mg/kg/day p

Modern contraception use is the fundamental fulfilment of women's rights to choose when and how many children to have. The study explored predictors of modern contraceptive use among women in Zimbabwe.Data from the 1999, 2005/2006, 2010/2011 and 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) was used in a secondary analysis that involved 5474 women of reproductive age. The outcome measure was modern contraceptive use as reported by women. Multiple logistic regression was done to determine the predictors of modern contraceptive use.The trend showed that since 1999 to 2015 there has been a steadily increase in modern contraceptive use from 54.9% to 72.9%. The use of contraceptives was lower among age 40 to 49 years (aOR = 0.49,The study asserts that women's financial status, partners educational level, and media exposure might be important in promoting the use of modern contraceptives among women in a union in Zimbabwe and other low-income and middle-income countries.

This descriptive study sought to examine the structural features of Thesis Acknowledgements (TA) from two disciplines in two Ghanaian Universities. Forty TAs were sampled from the fields of Chemistry and English. Hyland’s (2004) generic move structure was modified in analyzing the sampled TAs. The data was also examined on the basis of the two institutions’ academic style guides for conformity. The findings indicate that the structural features of TAs from the two fields differ. It also revealed that out of the seven steps identified in the obligatory Elaborative Move, DoC writers generally use three steps, and DoE writers mostly use four steps. It is further revealed that while writers from the DoC mostly acknowledged contributors for their technical support, writers from DoE acknowledged their helpers for providing materials for the research. It was revealed that the data followed the institutional style guide. The paper argues that though the contextual difference in the TAs from both fields is minimal, subtle variances and parallels still exist between the two fields. Therefore, it is suggested that these variations in linguistic forms that account for the discursive styles of the TAs should be further examined. Finally, additional analysis by corpus analytic tools applied to large data from the research context could complement this study.

Language has long defined the discourse of African literature. Africa’s colonial experience has left its enduring legacy of colonial languages which have been imbibed to the detriment of the usage of indigenous African languages. Accordingly, even in the creation of literary works, the African writer has had to resort to the colonial languages as the medium of expression. Since it is implausible to think of the literature of a people outside the context of their languages, there has arisen a debate on the appropriate language that can be used in African literary expressions. One school of thought represented by Wali and Ngugi see it as absurd to refer as ‘African’, a literary work whose medium of expression is English (a foreign language). They argue that for any literary work to be truly “African”, it has to be written in an African indigenous language. Wali posits that until African writers come to terms with writing literary works in native languages they pursue a dead end. Ngugi also opines that language is so deeply rooted in culture that decolonization is impossible as long as English or any colonial language remain the medium of expression. He argues that using English as the medium of African literary expression amounts to linguistic imperialism. Achebe on the other hand, believes that African writers should embrace writing African literature in any foreign language because this offers African writers a useful means of reaching a wider audience and ensuring African literature a prominent space in the global literary landscape. There is also the alternative of African writers threading the middle ground in this debate by adopting and adapting the foreign language through translating from the foreign language to the local and vice versa to reach a wider audience, achieve universal intelligibility and acceptability. This review essay takes the position that African writers can use the tool of translation to promote the local languages through the process of adoption and adaptation.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family support, spirituality and self-care in Type 2 Diabetes patients in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. It also aimed at determining whether self-efficacy would moderate the relationship between spirituality, family support and self-care. Study Design: A cross sectional study was adopted and 270 diabetes patients living in Greater Accra region were conveniently sampled. The data was collected using questionnaire such as FACIT-sp, DSMQ, SDS and S4-Mad. The IBM SPSS version 2020 was used in analysing the data. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation test and Hierarchical Multiple Regression were used respectively to test for the correlation between variables and moderation role of self-efficacy. Results: Spirituality correlated with self-care (r = .151, p < .05). Also, family support correlated with self-care among T2DM patients (r = .237, p < .01). Self-efficacy moderated the relationship between family support and self-care (ΔR2 = .031, β = .254, p < .05). However, self-efficacy did not moderate the relationship between spirituality and self-care (ΔR2 = .002, β = -.358, p > .05). Conclusion: More spirituality and more social support received by patients are associated with greater self-care. Again, self-efficacy moderates the relationship between family support and self-care but fails to influence the association between spirituality and self-care. Self-efficacy, spirituality and family support are critical in diabetes self-care. It is therefore beneficial that health care providers incorporate psychosocial interventions into health care delivery.

Tunnel form buildings refer to reinforced concrete structures constructed using the tunnel formwork system, which results in a repetitive concrete cellular structure composed only of walls and flat slabs. This widespread low-cost and robust system reaches its popularity for residential buildings in the 70 s and 80 s of the last century. At the time of their design, a 3D finite element analysis has not been conducted. The seismic design relied on building codes that provide approximate fundamental period formula, which commonly depends on structural system type (shear wall, frame), material (steel, reinforced concrete), and the building height. Based on the existing RC tall buildings, both modeling and vibration measurements were carried out to provide a detailed case study as well as to increase the knowledge base of existing buildings frequencies of vibration. The fundamental vibration period obtained from numerical analyses of three real reinforced concrete shear walls buildings (RCSW) located in the Croatian city Osijek, were compared with values obtained using the formulas in the European code EN1998-1:2004 (CEN 2004) and other available literature. Numerical modeling is performed using SAP2000 software. The objectives of the article are experimental identification of the dynamic characteristics (mainly natural frequency) of existing Tunnel form buildings, as well as comparison with values obtained by approximate formulas and a detailed structural model. The results of this study showed a very good agreement between the numerical 3D model and the experimental campaign conducted with the usage of ambient testing. Nevertheless, a serious question arises regarding the confidence of proposed empirical formulas provided in the codes and standards which may lead to imprecise and false results.

COVID-19 is a severe respiratory infection caused by coronavirus 2. (SARS-CoV-2). Even while SARS-CoV-2 predominantly affects the respiratory system, it can cause problems for other important organs as well. Multiple novel variations of concern have appeared since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, including the Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), all of which are linked to increased transmissibility and severity. Both the newly discovered variants and the most recent innovative treatments for the treatment of COVID-19 are discussed in this work. Care for people with this disease is discussed, with an emphasis on the need of clinical interprofessional teams, government health organisations, and community involvement.