Task scheduling in computing faces the dual challenge of fair resource allocation and thermal imbalance, which can lead to overuse of some resources, overheating, throttling, and hardware degradation. Traditional schedulers, such as First-Come First-Served (FCFS), focus on throughput but ignore fairness in load distribution and temperature, while basic Reinforcement Learning (Rl) approaches...
Background: Structural congenital anomalies like orofacial clefts (OFCs) occur prenatally. OFCs mostly present as cleft lip (CL), cleft palate (CP) or both, with incidence varying from 1/500 to 1/2500 births depending on human ancestral populations. Affected individuals suffer from severe feeding, speech, middle ear infections, and dental challenges. Genetics and environmental risk factors...
Mangroves are very effective in capturing, transforming, and storing CO2 in the atmosphere
into coastal sediments for long-term carbon storage and thus plays significant role in
controlling greenhouse gas emissions and reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. Whereas studies on mangrove forests have focused on cover losses, this study delves into the carbon losses associated with mangrove losses....
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterised by high blood glucose, primarily due to the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or the body’s failure to use the produced insulin. High blood glucose has been reported to suppress the type 1 interferon (IFN-1) response, an innate immune response pathway that prevents infections and cancers. However, the effect of high glucose on the...
Background: Within the Ghanaian Creative Arts curriculum, pronunciation of discipline-specific vocabulary is central to articulating concepts and processes with clarity. Yet, learners at Suame Methodist Basic 7 often struggle with leatherwork-related terms such as tanning, grain, and upholstery, largely due to traditional teacher-centred pedagogies that overlook auditory and visual...
Assistive technologies (ATs) that support mobility and accessibility in transport for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) remain limited, with provision often restricted to basic personal aids and little integration into public transport systems in developing countries. This gap undermines inclusive urban mobility and leaves many PwDs underserved. Against this backdrop, this study provides...
Locating a potential groundwater exploitation point can be challenging, especially in the Voltaian formation of Ghana. The wet well success rate in the formation using current geophysical techniques has not been encouraging; it is under 50%. Remote sensing and GIS have proven to be valuable tools in hydrological analysis and groundwater studies elsewhere. This work aims to use remote sensing...
This study technically explores the integration of leather and jute cords in the production of interior wall hangings, with particular emphasis on features of African indigenous motifs. While Ghana’s artistic traditions are widely expressed through pottery, textiles and carvings, limited attention has been given to wall hangings décors that combine sustainable local materials with cultural...
Climate change continues to threaten the sustainability of food systems, particularly for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana’s Ejura Sekyedumase Municipality, these impacts are compounded by gender disparities that influence access to resources and adaptation strategies. This study employs an interdisciplinary framework grounded in Feminist Political Ecology to identify...
Antimicrobial resistance, particularly in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria, poses a major health challenge. This study asked: Do extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Senna siamea exhibit antibacterial, antibiofilm, and synergistic activities against ESBL-producing and other pathogenic bacteria?
Objectives: To determine phytochemical composition,...
The transition to sustainable construction is critical for reducing the environmental footprint of the building sector while supporting economic growth and social well-being. In Ghana, and particularly in Tarkwa, a mining town where construction plays a central role in infrastructure and employment, the adoption of sustainable construction practices remains limited. While global studies...
Background: Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is the third most common congenital craniofacial anomaly after orofacial clefts (OFCs), characterised by asymmetry of the face and underdevelopment of facial structures due to defects in the first and second pharyngeal arch derivatives. Irrespective of its clinical significance, the genetic basis of CFM remains poorly understood, particularly in...
This paper examines cultural pathways as a strategy for designing walkable environments that foster exploration, engagement, and community interactions. Cultural pathways are pedestrian connections that integrate cultural, historical, and artistic elements into the urban landscape. They transform ordinary streets into lively corridors where walking becomes a meaningful cultural experience...
Abstract
Lost-time injuries (LTIs) remain a significant challenge across industries, particularly in high-risk sectors such as oil and gas, construction, mining, manufacturing, and transportation. Traditional safety management approaches are largely reactive, relying on post-incident analysis and compliance, which limits their effectiveness in preventing injuries. This study investigates...
Cycloaddition reactions are foundational in the synthesis of biologically and industrially relevant heterocycles, including isoxazoline and spirocyclic frameworks. However, understanding and predicting regio- and site-selectivity in these processes, especially for complex polycyclic systems, remains a significant challenge. Here, we use high-performance density functional theory (DFT)...
The contamination of water resources by toxic mercury (Hg(II)) ions poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health, necessitating efficient and sustainable remediation strategies. In this study, magnetic CuS/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were synthesized via a green route using castor oil as a renewable solvent and stabilizer. The composites were designed to exploit the strong thiophilic...
A sweetpotato-based complementary food was formulated to enhance the use of locally available ingredients to address micronutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamin A deficiency in Ghana. Five complementary food blends were formulated using orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), Bambara groundnut, and brown rice flours with the possibility to meet the nutritional requirements of infants aged 6...
Language and culture are inextricably tied. Language is a convoluted part of human existence. Where language exist, human beings exist and verse versal, with language their identity is revealed in their way of life technically known as culture. Culture comprises a wide variety of human behaviours and phenomena that cannot be attributed directly to genetic inheritance. Thus, the society is the...
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antileishmanial and Wound Healing Properties of Selected Medicinal Plants
( Joseph Famiyeh Eduful, Vivian Etsiapa Boamah, Nicholas Adjei Bae, Hayford Odoi, Yaw Duah Boakye, Theresa Agana, Christian Agyare)
Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.
Email:...
The hotel industry is an indispensable driver of Ghana’s tourism sector, contributing significantly to the national economic growth. Nonetheless, hotel buildings are resource - intensive and consumes large amount amount of energy and water as well generating a lots of waste and emissions. Globally, sustainable building practices have emerged as a strategies for curtailing the environmental...
The study was conducted primarily to explore how digital political marketing, particularly social media, influences the voting behaviour of first-time youth voters with a focus on the 2024 presidential elections in Ghana. The study targeted first-time youth voters from a selected tertiary institution within the Birim Central Municipality in the Akim-Oda Constituency. An exploratory research...
ABSTRACT
Background: Nutrigenetics explains how the genetic makeup of people affects their ability to metabolise specific nutrients, with the primary goal of enhancing health through a personalised diet. This study identifies genetic variants that may impact nutrient metabolism in families affected by orofacial clefts (OFCs).
Methods: A total of 130 case-parent trios were recruited from...
Employee loyalty is vital for organizational success, influencing retention, productivity, and long-term growth. However, loyalty is increasingly threatened by decline in trust in management, changing workforce expectations, and high turnover. It is therefore not surprising that, issues relating to trust and loyalty and other employee and organizational outcomes needs have been widely studied...
In the present study, the color changes and moisture uptake of Koto (Pterygota macrocarpa K. Schum.), a pale yellow and non-durable wood, were investigated under heat treatment conditions at 160, 180, and 200 C for 3 hours under dry air conditions. The results indicated a reduction in luminance and moisture uptake as the temperature increased, which is attributed to the degradation of...
Background: Sutures of the human cranium remain patent postnatally to enhance cranial growth to accommodate the growing brain. Craniosynostosis ensues from the premature fusion of cranial sutures, adversely impacting brain growth. The condition has a multifactorial aetiology, with ~30% of cases being syndromic. The current study deciphered the contribution of genetic risk factors to CS...
Colonisation, globalisation, and rapid urban transitions have significantly altered the built environment of indigenous communities, often eroding their cultural identities and sustainability. While the environmental, economic, and social pillars of sustainability are well recognised, culture as a dimension of sustainability remains underexplored and largely neglected in development...
Buildings are the backbone of urban development and one of the greatest contributors to global environmental degradation. In rapidly urbanising cities like Kumasi, Ghana, sustainable urban development is urgent. In this regard, the roof, which is most exposed to solar radiation, is a key area of intervention. Among the strategies being adopted globally is the green roof. Green roofs can...
Abstract
One of the key logs used for lithological differentiation and the analysis of facies in petroleum reservoir characterization is the Gamma Ray (GR) log, however these logs are mostly limited or incomplete especially in frontier basins. This presents a challenge in predicting lithologies for reservoir characterization and seismic to well integration. This research develops a machine...
Drying is a traditional preservation method that reduces moisture, thereby improving the stability of fish and minimizing physical and chemical changes during storage. In West Africa, especially in Ghana and Nigeria, smoke-drying catfish has long been practiced. However, little attention has been given to how drying conditions affect different size categories of catfish. This study...
Background: Dysregulation of the intricate molecular and cellular processes governing the formation of orofacial complex may culminate in congenital orofacial clefts (OFCs). OFCs may present as cleft lip (CL), cleft palate (CP), cleft lip and palate (CLP) and facial clefts or Tessier. The aetiology of the condition is complex, with both genetic and environmental contributions. Twins provide a...
Accurate prediction of reservoir fluid behavior is fundamental for efficient reservoir management and optimized hydrocarbon recovery. Traditional reservoir engineering approaches, while robust, often face challenges in capturing complex fluid dynamics and integrating diverse datasets from well testing and fluid property analysis. This research presents a hybrid artificial intelligence (AI)...
The decline of marine biodiversity and species abundance due to human-induced pressures poses a significant threat to global ocean health and human livelihoods. This study investigates the institutional voids and governance dynamics that hinder the effective conservation of marine megafauna in coastal communities within the Western Region of Ghana. The study addresses a crucial gap in...
Introduction: Pharmaceutical effluents disposal has become problematic due to poor waste management in the pharmaceutical industry. These effluents eventually cause pollution of the water bodies which endangers human and aquatic lives. However, the effluents which are usually composed of phenolic compounds that are degraded by oxidative enzymes (laccase, lignin and manganese peroxidases) that...
Background: Accessory breast tissue is a developmental abnormality characterised by extra breast tissue along the milk line. It has a prevalence of ~2-6% in humans, being more common in African and Asian ancestries, and in women. It has profound physical and psychosocial effects on affected individuals. Strikingly, research into the genetic aetiology of accessory breasts is limited, especially...
Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health concern in Ghana, where prevalence is high despite the availability of an effective vaccine. Informal sector workers represent a large proportion of the national workforce but have limited access to preventive health services. This study assessed hepatitis B vaccination coverage and its predictors among informal...
Background: A complex interplay of environmental and dietary exposures shapes child cognition and growth. While nutritional status is often assumed to mediate these effects, evidence on the relative importance of direct versus indirect pathways remains limited.
Objective: This study examined the direct and indirect relationships between climate exposures, dietary patterns, and child...
Elmina is an ancient coastal town in Ghana's central region. It faces challenges common to many African slums, including inadequate housing, poor sanitation, limited water supply, and socio-economic neglect. These vulnerabilities are intensified by its coastal setting and by its heavy dependence on small-scale fisheries. This makes Elmina a critical site for exploring climate resilience and...
Background: Malaria and iron deficiency (ID) are major public health problems in Ghana, especially among children under five years. Iron is an essential micronutrient required during childhood development. Though ID is detrimental, it could also be a protective state against severe Plasmodium falciparum infection, as parasites need host iron for oogenesis. Thus, it is important to determine...
Mosquito borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika virus and chikungunya impose a disproportionate heavy public health burden in Africa. While adult mosquitoes which are vectors of these diseases are widely studied, there is a persistent neglect in the developmental stages of the mosquitoes. Yet, these early stages are critical since vector control strategies often target larvae and pupae...
ABSTRACT
Background:
Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are common congenital malformations often complicated by adverse drug reactions (ADRs), highlighting the importance of pharmacogenomic insights. Genetic variation in drug-metabolising and transporting enzymes may underlie variable drug responses in affected populations. This study investigated rare pathogenic variants in pharmacogenes among OFC...
Climate change poses significant challenges to the built environment, particularly in tropical regions such as Ghana, where rising temperatures threaten the thermal performance and energy efficiency of office buildings. This study investigated the thermal performance of office buildings in Kumasi under future climatic data. The performance of the building is analyzed for both current and...
Introduction: This retrospective study estimated the survival patterns and mortality predictors among burn patients admitted to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana, where burn-related mortality remains high due to challenges in providing comprehensive care.
Methods: Data from 457 burn patients admitted from January 2021 to December 2023 were extracted from the Lightwave Health...
Abstract
This paper explores the link between midwifery tutors’ competency in comprehensive abortion care (CAC) and their attitude toward teaching CAC in Ghana. This study was motivated by the fact that although Ghana recognised that unsafe abortion is the second highest contributor to the country’s maternal mortality ratio and adopted Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) with its operational...
The shift of Agro-food hubs towards a circular economy requires technology that optimises resources, reduces waste, and promotes sustainability. Digital twinning creates virtual replicas through simulations and real-time monitoring to facilitate synergies among various value-chain actors. This fosters industrial symbiosis and strengthens local circular ecosystems. The purpose of this research...
Mosquito-borne diseases remain a pressing global health challenge, particularly in regions where effective surveillance and control of vector populations are limited. Accurate and timely identification of mosquito genera is essential for designing targeted interventions, as species such as Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex are responsible for transmitting life-threatening diseases including malaria,...
Odor from untreated industrial effluent presents serious environmental and public health threats. This study investigated P-32 Powdered Activated Carbon’s (PAC) potential in deodorizing untreated effluent from Kumasi Abattoir Ghana (KAG) and comparing its cost-effectiveness to traditional dilution method through cost analysis (CA). Odor quantification was performed using sensory evaluations...
This paper presents the design and validation of an integrated framework to enhance organizational digital forensic readiness through the application of artificial intelligence / machine learning. Motivated by the increasing volume, the variety of log and analytics data in modern IT settings, as well as the ongoing deficiencies in proactive evidence gathering. The study formulates a Design...
Abstract
Ensuring good dietary habits has been associated with better academic performance and cognitive outcomes. Female nursing students are often faced with dietary challenges due to academic stress, financial constraints, and the limited availability of healthy foods, which significantly affects their nutritional status. This study investigated the influence of dietary habits on the...
ABSTRACT
Background
Due to public health and environmental concerns, controlling genotoxic impurities in pharmaceutical products is a regulatory requirement. Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that can identify and quantify these impurities even in very small quantities due to their sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy.
Objectives
This systematic review therefore seeks...
Children thrive when they are given the space to explore, imagine, and learn through play. Yet, in cities like Tema, Ghana, these spaces are disappearing or failing to meet the developmental needs of the children they serve. This study explores how parks, when thoughtfully designed, can become powerful tools for nurturing creativity and learning in children. By integrating STEAM (Science,...
Background: Widowhood is a significant psychosocial stressor linked to adverse health outcomes, yet its causal impact on cognitive ageing remains underexplored in sub-Saharan Africa. Most existing studies are cross-sectional and prone to bias. We applied a target trial emulation framework to rigorously evaluate the effect of widowhood on cognitive decline among older adults in...
Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the most common congenital craniofacial defect. Its aetiology involves genetic and environmental risk factors and their interactions. Significantly, the incidence of OFCs varies by human ancestry. The transatlantic slave trade and high migration rate have increased interactions and admixture of genomes across populations. However, few studies have...
Purpose: In several countries, invasive aquatic plants (IAP) have plagued most river systems, limiting their utilization. However, there is limited information on the conversion of this significant feedstock to biochar with agricultural value. Consequently, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of biochar from IAP (Arthropteris orientalis), its co-compost and mixtures on...
Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major global health threat, underscoring the need for effective surveillance tools for species identification and activity monitoring. We present a Mosquito-Tracker which is an IoT enabled, AI-driven bioacoustic and climate monitoring system for real-time mosquito surveillance. The device is built using low-cost hardware suite such as microcontroller, GSM/GPS,...
Market infrastructure is central to the socio-economic and cultural life of African cities, however, redevelopment initiatives most often than not prioritize the glitz and glamour of physical transformation over the lived experiences and behavioural patterns of market users. This systematic literature review examines how post-occupancy evaluation (POE) and user behaviour analysis have been...
The overuse of antibacterial agents in human and veterinary medicine has led to reduced effectiveness, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a global health threat. While high-income countries have established robust antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems, low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, face significant gaps in...
Abstract
Background: Despite historical urban advantages in maternal healthcare utilization, recent policy interventions in Ghana may have altered traditional patterns of institutional delivery disparities. This study sought to examine current patterns of institutional delivery between urban and rural women in Ghana using recent data and decompose the factors contributing to observed...
Oilfield scale formation remains a persistent challenge, contributing to production decline through permeability impairment and flow assurance issues in both surface and downhole equipment. Scaling also drives up operational costs by necessitating expensive workover operations and chemical treatments. In addition, scale management has environmental implications, including the disposal of...
Avibacterium paragallinarum (A. paragallinarum) is the etiological agent of infectious coryza, a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes substantial economic losses in the global poultry industry through increased mortality and reduced egg production. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), poses a severe threat to effective disease management. This study aimed to analyze...
Objectives and Scope:
The Tano basin offshore Ghana is being studied to strategically help achieve net-zero goals within the oil and gas industry across the West African sub region. The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and the Petroleum Commission of Ghana hold years of subsurface data and knowledge to analyze and choose conducive reservoirs for CCUS project, playing key role in the...
Meningitis in West Africa exhibits strong seasonal patterns shaped by climatic conditions, yet changing climate patterns, rapid urbanization, and uneven surveillance complicates outbreak predication beyond the traditional meningitis belt. In this study, we developed Ghana’s first spatially explicit, climate-informed epidemiological model of meningitis that integrates case data, carriage and...
ABSTRACT
African bony tongue (Heterotis niloticus) commonly called “supaku” has a huge potential for culture; it attains 2-4 kg body mass in one year under semi-intensive culture and has high market value across West/ Central Africa. However, it is primarily processed as salted and fermented fish (momone) with very limited value-added products postharvest. The limitation of diversified...
The public transport systems in most Sub-Saharan African cities (SSA) lack a standardized fare structure, resulting in arbitrary pricing that disproportionately affects both commuters and operators of various socio-demographic groups. This study addresses the need for a fair, transparent, equitable and adaptive fare system by developing a kilometre-based pricing model using AI. By analyzing...
The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) presents a critical challenge to modern medicine and underscores the urgency of exploring alternative therapeutic strategies. Essential oils (EOs), rich in bioactive secondary metabolites, are recognized for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, their practical use is limited by volatility and susceptibility to...
Malaria remains a global health threat causing high mortalities among children under 5 years old in the tropics and sub-tropics. The prevalence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, underscoring the need for selective new leads. Natural products have long served as a rich source of novel antimalarials and extracts and isolates of Salacia debilis (SD) have shown potent antiplasmodial...
Background
Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy is well recognized for its mortality and morbidity rate in both mother and foetus. Globally, it affects about 5% of all pregnancies. This rate is slightly higher in developing countries (1.8-16.7%) such as Ghana. In clinical settings, it is classified as early onset preeclampsia (developed after 20 weeks but less than 34 weeks of...
In contrast to most industrialized countries, the majority of Sub-Saharan African cities continue to struggle with the growing demand for public transport (PT). Freetown, Republic of Sierra Leone, is exploring proposals to implement the first dedicated bus lane PT system (DBLPT) with high-quality buses on selected corridors. This study leverages AI-based and statistical modelling to calibrate...
The transportation of captured CO2 represents a critical bottleneck in large-scale Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) deployment, particularly in developing economies. While existing research predominantly focuses on CO2 capture technologies and storage solutions, the transportation value chain, especially pipeline transport optimization, remains underexplored in Sub-Saharan...
Malaria, driven by drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, necessitates novel therapeutic targets. The parasite’s mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 (cyt bc1) complex, distinct from its human counterpart, is a validated target for selective inhibition. Quinolone derivatives from the medicinal plant Crinum firmifolium offer potential as novel inhibitors. This study investigated the inhibitory potential...
Dengue outbreak has become frequent in Ghana lately. Despite the influence
of climate change on dengue transmission, there is little information on how
Ghana's changing climate is driving these outbreaks. This study investigates
the role of climate change on the re-emergence of dengue outbreaks in Ghana
using a climate-driven basic reproduction number (R₀) model with temperature
and...
Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent globally. Recurrent TB episodes, defined as individuals diagnosed more than twice between 2019 and 2023, pose significant public health challenges, contributing to poor treatment outcomes, prolonged morbidity, and ongoing transmission, with an incidence of 468 per 100,000 population in...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic and multidrug‑resistant pathogen, is a leading cause of hospital‑acquired infections, including pneumonia. Its pathogenicity is closely linked to quorum sensing (QS), a communication system that regulates virulence factor production and biofilm formation through transcriptional regulators such as LasR, RhlR, PqsR, and IqsR. Despite extensive efforts to...
Floods pose a persistent threat in sub-Saharan urban areas, exacerbating vulnerabilities through interactions between natural hazards and social structures. This study explores how residents' and government institutions' experiences of flood causes, impacts, and management strategies shape urban resilience in Ashaiman, Ghana—a flood-prone informal settlement. Grounded in Protection Motivation...
Abstract
Background:
Mental illness encompasses a range of disorders affecting cognition, mood, and behavior, with significant implications for public health. Globally, around 970 million individuals are affected, with women disproportionately impacted. In Ghana, mental illness affects an estimated 13% of the population and is the second leading cause of years lived with disability. Recent...
Understanding land cover dynamics and their implications on sedimentation is critical for sustainable reservoir management in rapidly urbanizing catchments. This study assessed land cover changes from 1990 to 2030 across the Owabi, Barekese, and Odaso sub-catchments in Ghana and their impact on sedimentation risk and water supply sustainability. Classification models demonstrated robust...
Background: Malaria transmission in Ghana varies across ecological zones, shaped by vector diversity and the spread of insecticide resistance. Understanding how Anopheles species composition, biting behavior, and resistance alleles influence local transmission is essential for guiding targeted control strategies.
Methods: The study was conducted in two ecological zones of Ghana: Afamanso in...
Mobile government (m-government) services have emerged as critical tools for enhancing public service delivery, yet adoption rates in developing countries such as Ghana remain suboptimal despite high rates of mobile penetration. This study addresses the gap in understanding the factors that influence m-government adoption in Ghana, citizens increasingly demand for accessible digital government...
Musculoskeletal Disorders and their Associated Risk Factors among Artisans at Suame Magazine, Kumasi, Ghana
Lordina Abass Appiah1, Ebenezer Otu Ayeboafo Ansah2, Francis Junior Opoku1, Margaret Ama Odoom1, Emmanuella Darko3, Elizabeth Aseidua Amoanu1, Mabel Mawuenam Amemaxa1, Eric Adjei Boadu4, Philip Apraku Tawiah1, Barbara Gyapong-Korsah1, Samuel Nkansah Darko5, Daniel Boateng2, Kofi...
The escalating threat of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens is compounded by their dual-membrane defenses, which severely limit the efficacy of conventional antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide a promising alternative, yet their application is restricted by cytotoxicity and rapid proteolytic degradation.
Manudysins, rationally engineered derivatives of the human...
Waste cupels from fire assay methods are considered as hazardous wastes because they are heavily contaminated with lead oxide (PbO) after cupellation therefore posing environmental hazards and disposal challenges. This work deals with the recovery of lead from used/spent cupels and transforming it into lead oxide suitable for reuse in the cupellation process and other applications. The spent...
Background: Accurate diagnosis of Mansonella perstans infection is essential for effective disease detection, treatment, and control programs. The Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay serves as a sensitive, straightforward molecular tool suitable for resource-limited environments. It is a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable diagnostic method. The LAMP assay employs three pairs...
Low salinity water (LSW), carbonated water (CW), micellar solutions, acids are some of the smart fluids injected into the reservoir to optimize recovery. Though, these fluids help to improve the oil recovery, they also have a detrimental effect on the integrity of the oil and gas production facility due to material degradation resulting from corrosion. The aim of this study is to develop a...
The discharge of arsenic-contaminated mine wastewater poses severe ecological and health risks in mining communities. This study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of three plant species, Chrysopogon zizanioides (Vetiver grass), Typha latifolia (Cattail), and Pteris vittata (Chinese brake fern) for treating arsenic-contaminated pit wastewater at the Ghana Manganese Company, Nsuta-Tarkwa....
Abstract
Introduction: The World Health Organisation reports that unsafe healthcare causes millions of injuries or deaths every year worldwide. Low—and middle-income countries alone record 134 million adverse events annually, and 2.6 million of these events result in deaths in healthcare settings. The nature of job demand and burnout among nurses in the Emergency Department can account for...
PROTEIN ANALYSIS OF GABOON VIPER (BITIS GABONICA) VENOM OBTAINED FROM GHANA
Harriet D. Kodjie, Lolynda S. Ocloo, Prince A. Agyemang, Jeffrey N.A Bonsu, Mark Opoku, Caleb Kesse Firempong
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
E-mail: calebuse @yahoo.com /...
Background
Diabetes prevalence is increasing, but the rate is faster in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) than in other regions. It is a matter of concern among people living with HIV (PLWH) in SSA due to the long years of diabetogenic antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the epidemiological transition of chronic diseases in the region. For this reason, the current study sought to explore the burden of...
In the oil and gas industry, the oil recovery efficiency is optimized by injecting water of different ionic composition such as low salinity brine, carbonated brine and other smart fluids into the reservoir to alter the wetting state of the rock thereby increasing recovery. However, the reservoir also contains its in-situ Formation Water (FW), and hence mixing of these two brines of different...
Background: Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a debilitating skin disease prevalent in tropical regions. Secondary bacterial infections may complicate this condition, necessitating comprehensive bacteriological investigations to inform effective treatment. This study aimed to determine the presence and prevalence of Pseudomonas spp., Klebsiella spp., and Escherichia spp. in...
Background: Illegal small-scale gold mining (galamsey) in Ghana has resulted in widespread contamination of water bodies with toxic heavy metals, posing significant risks to public health and environmental sustainability. This study addresses the research question: How can heavy metals be removed from polluted water in a cost-effective and eco-friendly manner without introducing secondary...
Road distresses, such as potholes and alligator cracks, are major safety hazards that lead to increased maintenance costs and vehicle damage. Traditional manual inspection methods are time-consuming, subjective, and often inaccurate. This study introduces an automated, real-time road distress detection system that uses deep learning algorithms, specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)...
Fresh salad vegetables are widely consumed, and repeated microbial analysis on these vegetables over the years persistently indicates the presence of microbial contaminants in the salad vegetables that pose food safety risks to the consumer. Standard, culture-based detection methods are mostly used in the detection of bacteria. These culture-based methods are biased toward detecting...
Philipina Acheampong¹, Michael Konney Laryea¹, and Lawrence Sheringham Borquaye¹,²
¹Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana
²Central Laboratory, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana
Email: philipinacheampong32@gmail.com
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a critical global health challenge, largely driven...
Background: Depression among first time postpartum mothers may influenced how their babies are fed. Despite reported cases of depression in Bamvim community in Northern region, little studies have assessed the effect of depression and its relationship with child feeding.
Aim: To examine the effect of maternal postpartum depression on child feeding among first time mothers in Tamale...
Background: Green rooibos tea, known for its rich polyphenol content and potential metabolic benefits, has gained interest as a potential natural intervention for weight management. However, its effect on resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition, hydration, and appetite-related sensations remains largely unexplored. This randomised crossover study examined the short-term effects of green...
The abstract summarises the bioactivity assessment, isolation and characterisation of compound/s from fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa.The compound isolated was N-(2-phenylethyl) tetracosanamide.
Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) remain a major public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Machine learning (ML)-based risk prediction models present opportunities for early identification and intervention, yet there is limited evidence of their application and predictive performance in LMICs. The review aimed to map the existing evidence on ML...
This work aims to determine the environmental impacts associated with the manufacturing phase of polyethylene carrier bags produced from recycled plastic waste in Ghana using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach according to ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. A “gate-to-gate” approach was used, considering 100,000 polyethylene carrier bags produced/year as a functional unit. The analysis...
This research combines the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with geospatial technologies (GIS/RS) to evaluate groundwater potential in the Bole District of Ghana, focusing on climate-smart agriculture (CSA). It considers seven environmental factors—precipitation, drainage density, lineament density, geology, slope, soil characteristics, and land use/land cover—using AHP to create a...
Rapid urbanization is profoundly transforming land use and surface thermal environments in West African cities, with implications for urban heat island (UHI) intensification and climate resilience. Unfortunately, the influence of urban growth and spatial determinants on surface temperature variability remains underexplored in Sekondi–Takoradi and across Ghana. This research addresses this gap...
Residential facilities in hot climates, like Ghana, account for significant cooling demands that are driven by high cooling loads due to high ambient temperatures. This study explores the potential of utilizing borehole water cooling systems as an alternative to conventional air-cooled air conditioning systems for space cooling in Ghana. The study compares the performance characteristics,...
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) faces challenges in designing mathematics assessments to measure higher-order cognitive skills which are needed for workplace readiness. Despite the recognised importance of competencies like critical thinking and problem-solving in the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) era, assessment practices often remain focused on procedural knowledge...
The increasing popularity of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) across multiple application domains necessitates robust autonomous landing capabilities on diverse and challenging platforms. It also requires coping with environmental disturbances such as wind gusts, ground effect, and aerodynamic drag.
Conventional controllers such as PID and linear MPC are effective for flat-surface landings but...
Globally, a variety of materials are used regularly in substantial quantities in the field of architecture and interior design, culminating in scarcity of natural resources and environmental implications. Conserving environmental resources has social, cultural, physical, and economic consequences. Nonetheless, there exist lack of comprehensive literature and policies on sustainable interior...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major global health threat, causing over a million deaths annually and reducing the effectiveness of antibiotics. This highlights the need for alternative treatments. Ethnomedicinal plants like Piper guineense and Aframomum melegueta, traditionally used for infections and wounds.This investigates explores their antibacterial and biofilm-inhibitory...
Issues of quality control remains a major concern in the herbal industry. Herbal products lack standardization due to complex and variable phytochemical constituents. Among the various ways in solving this, is the use of chemical markers to control quality and effectiveness. This study aimed at developing phytochemical standards for antimalaria herbal products documented in the Recommended...
Climate change is driving rising temperatures worldwide, intensifying the risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat stress, heat stroke, and exhaustion. In Ghana, however, the health risks associated with extreme heat are often underestimated, as most existing assessments rely on subjective perceptions rather than scientifically validated indices. This study addresses this gap by assessing...
Title: Assessing mental health literacy among students of KNUST Senior High School?
Authors: A. Yeboah1, R.O. Adjei1, S.K. Nartey1, N. Tagoe1
Affiliation:?
1Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology?
Abstract?
Background: Adolescents tend to have limited mental health literacy, significantly
affecting their ability to identify any signs of distress they may experience, their...
Global warming is a challenge affecting mankind ant its environs. To mitigate global warming, there is the need to adopt the pathway toward achieving global net-zero emission targets. Ghana is set to achieve net-zero by 2060 having updated its previous target from 2070. This requires Ghana to begin implementation of mitigation techniques to help in this decarbonization. Carbon Capture,...
Assessing the Effect of Illegal Mining on Selected Rivers in Obuasi Using Daphnia Magna and Lemna Minor
Yaw Mensah Quansah *,1, Lyndon Nii Adjiri Sackey1, Isaac Ayew Aidoo1
1Department of Environmental Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
*Corresponding Author: Yaw Mensah Quansah, paulquansah98@gmail.com, +233 552330409
Presentation format preferred: Oral...
Background: Onchocerciasis remains a major public health challenge in tropical regions despite decades of ivermectin-based Mass Drug Administration (MDA). While infection rates have declined, elimination still requires effective macrofilaricidal therapies targeting adult worms. Rifampicin (RIF), a potential macrofilaricide, has demonstrated superior anti-Wolbachia activity in vitro and in...
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are central to Ghana’s footwear industry, yet concerns about inconsistent product quality continue to constrain their growth and competitiveness. This study investigates how quality control (QC) practices shape product outcomes and consumer perceptions in Kumasi and Accra. A case study design was adopted, guided by Total Quality Management (TQM),...
The growing use of digital platforms in education will create opportunities to tackle ongoing challenges in mathematics, where abstract concepts often hinder student performance. Based on multimedia learning theory, which suggests that students learn more effectively from a combination of words and pictures than from words alone, this study will examine the impact of YouTube tutorial videos on...
Imported waste oil, particularly used engine oil, poses significant environmental and public health risks due to its toxic constituents. This study assessed the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of Ghanaian customs officers regarding the regulation of imported waste oil, a hazardous material containing heavy metals and PCBs. As frontline enforcers of international and national...
ABSTRACT
B: Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot), belonging to the Amaranthaceae family, is considered a vegetable with very high antioxidant content. It contains unique phytochemicals that provide numerous therapeutic advantages. METHOD: This study utilized freeze-dried beetroot leaf, stalk, and bulb powder to comparatively assess their proximate and mineral content, phytochemical composition,...
PREFERENCE: POSTER
Key words: Aedes mosquitoes, Arboviruses, Lethality, Logistic regression, Public health.
Background: Mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are important vectors of arboviruses such as dengue, zika, and chikungunya, posing major public health challenges globally. Conventional control measures, including insecticide-treated nets and spraying,...
Background: Metabolic syndrome is an increasing public health concern worldwide, contributing to a high morbidity and mortality rate among adults. Understanding the role of lifestyle and occupational factors is critical in reducing its burden.
Objective: This study investigated the relationship between work stress, physical activity and dietary pattern on Metabolic syndrome (MetS) among...
This research proposal examines the significant cost differences in AWS deployments between developed and developing areas. It emphasizes essential services like EC2, S3, and Lambda to measure these variations, explore their technical, economic, and geopolitical causes, and evaluate their effects on digital innovation in developing nations, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Utilizing a...
As cities grow increasingly complex, wayfinding presents a significant challenge to urban
mobility and accessibility. However, user behavior in wayfinding remains largely
underexplored within architectural and urban design discourse. This study systematically
reviews wayfinding in cities through the lens of behaviorism, examining how cognitive and
environmental stimuli influence navigation...
Natural products remain a vital source of novel therapeutic agents, making the investigation of their bioactive potential and chemical composition both timely and essential. Aningeria robusta, a tropical hardwood tree widely used in African ethnomedicine for treating infections and inflammation, has received limited scientific scrutiny. Preliminary phytochemical screening of its extract...
Water pollution from heavy metals and suspended particulates is a major environmental concern, particularly in streams impacted by mining activities. This study evaluated the remediation potential of biomass-based adsorbents for treating heavy metal–contaminated water from the Kawere Stream within the Ghana Manganese Company concession at Nsuta Tarkwa. Biochar produced from coconut shells...
Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) is a mitochondrial enzyme essential for
transporting long chain fatty acids into mitochondria for β-oxidation by converting acyl
CoA to acylcarnitines. Its activity is regulated by malonyl CoA to prevent concurrent fatty
acid synthesis and degradation. CPT1A dysregulation is implicated in obesity, hypoketotic
hypoglycemia, neurodegenerative and...
The solvothermal synthesis of metal sulfide nanoparticles often face challenges such as the use of toxic solvents, the complexity of multi-source precursors, and difficulties in controlling crystal phase and morphology. Castor oil, rich in hydroxylated fatty acids, serves not only as a solvent but also as a potential structure-directing agent. This study presents a sustainable solvothermal...
Composting provides a sustainable pathway for organic waste management, converting biodegradable residues into nutrient-rich soil amendments that enhance soil fertility and support climate-smart agriculture. This study applied a chemometric and model-driven framework to evaluate compost quality across 20 randomly selected facilities in Ghana, integrating physicochemical, microbial, and...
Cleft lip and palate are among the most common birth differences worldwide, touching not only a child’s appearance but also their ability to eat, speak, and grow with confidence. For families, the
diagnosis often brings emotional strain and financial challenges, while for health systems, it requires lifelong surgical and supportive care. Researchers have long recognized that both genetic and...
Background: Climate variability is increasingly recognized as a driver of child undernutrition, yet the non-linear relationships between specific climatic variables and nutrition remain unclear. This study uses machine learning to identify and quantify key climatic predictors of undernutrition among children.
Methods: In a mixed-method approach, a cross-sectional study assessed nutrition and...
Background
Several communities face the cyclical challenge of living with situations where climate change events and triggers push members to migrate at their own planned and prepared timelines or against their own prepared timelines often termed voluntary and involuntary climate-induced migration. There are others who express no desire to migrate despite the exposure to climate change...
Carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) is a global public health threat, yet its emergence in neglected tropical disease (NTD) settings remains underexplored. Lymphatic filariasis (LF), characterized by chronic lymphedema and wounds, may create the conditions that pressure-select for antimicrobial resistance. We performed whole-genome sequencing of six (6) CREC isolates from LF patients...
Postharvest losses in fish processing remain a critical challenge in Ghana, with traditional smoking methods often compromising product quality and posing health risks associated with exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study addressed the question of how different smoking fuels (charcoal, charcoal briquettes, and traditional firewood) affect the nutritional quality, PAH...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic and multidrug‑resistant pathogen, is a
leading cause of hospital‑acquired infections, including pneumonia. Its pathogenicity
is closely linked to quorum sensing (QS), a communication system that regulates
virulence factor production and biofilm formation through transcriptional regulators
such as LasR, RhlR, PqsR, and IqsR. Despite extensive efforts...
c-Myc is a key transcription factor involved in regulating cell growth and proliferation; however, its intrinsically disordered structure has made it a challenging target for traditional drug discovery. Effective transcriptional activity requires dimerization with MAX, enabling it to bind DNA and regulate gene expression. However, the disordered nature of its N-terminal transactivation domain...
Antibiotic resistance continues to compromise the effectiveness of existing therapies and heightens the risk of serious public health outcomes, posing a significant global health threat. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), essential components of innate immunity, offer a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum activity and lower propensity...
Background: The metopic, bi-coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures of the human cranium remain patent at different times after birth to allow for cranial growth that accommodates the developing brain. Craniosynostosis occurs when these sutures fuse prematurely, affecting brain development. Around 30% of craniosynostosis cases are syndromic, caused by single gene mutations and rarely by...
Background: Severe malaria remains a threat in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to morbidity and mortality despite control efforts. In Ghana’s Ashanti region, it overwhelms healthcare during seasonal peaks.
Objectives: Examine severe malaria admissions and deaths in health facilities from 2018 to 2022 to identify trends in the Ashanti region.
Methods: We analyzed over 55,000 admission...
Keywords: Giardia, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, leafy vegetables, protozoan contamination, food safety.
Background: Fresh, leafy vegetables are essential for human nutrition but can serve as vehicles for intestinal protozoa when exposed to unhygienic conditions. Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Cryptosporidium spp. are intestinal protozoa that pose a significant public...
Introduction: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are among the common congenital anomalies, presenting significant health, societal, and economic challenges. While extensive research has focused on single nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions, these do not fully account for the genetic architecture of OFCs. Copy number variants (CNVs), especially in African populations, remain...
Being subjected to increased noise levels can adversely affect both health and work productivity. In Ghana, few studies have been done, with little to no attention paid to how noise exposure affects the auditory health and productivity of basic school teachers. In order to bridge the knowledge gap, this study was necessary. The research sought to address the following inquiries: (i) Do the...
The association of anaemia with maternal and perinatal mortality poses a significant public health threat. This challenge is often exacerbated among adolescent pregnant women in low and middle-income countries. However, the prevalence of anaemia and its causes among pregnant teenagers in Ghana remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant teenagers and...
Maize is a key staple crop in Ghana, yet changing climate conditions are making traditional planting decisions increasingly unreliable threatening maize yield and food security. Though the climate of Ghana has changed little is known about how these changes has disrupted the Growing Degree Days (GDD) of maize in the country. In this work, we used a climate-based model to determine the GDD...
ABSTRACT
This research focuses on improving lithium-ion battery performance and safety by developing a smarter Battery Management System (BMS). Lithium-ion batteries power everything from phones to electric cars, but their performance and safety depend heavily on how well they’re monitored and managed. Traditional BMS designs treat the whole battery pack as a single unit, which can hide...
Accurate liquid level sensing is very essential in applications such as pharmaceutical, water, chemical and oil storage, where even minor errors can result in overflow, leakage, or pump failures that may result in explosions, environmental contamination, and costly downtime. However, current sensing methods still suffer from limited accuracy under dynamic conditions, sensitivity to...
Introduction:
With global increases in life expectancy due to advances in healthcare and technology, the ageing population is growing rapidly, accompanied by health challenges such as frailty. This study aimed to develop a diagnostic model for identifying frailty among older Ghanaian adults using machine learning approaches.
Methods:
Data from Waves 1 and 2 of the WHO Study on Global Ageing...
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Hyponatremia is a frequent yet under-appreciated complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its presence is associated with adverse clinical outcome or mortality, with lacked data on its prevalence and diagnostic evaluation among patients with CKD in Ghana. This study assessed the diagnostic utility of urine biomarkers in evaluating hyponatremia among patients with...
Reliable condition assessment of concrete structures without destructive methods remains a persistent challenge in civil engineering. The focus of this study is to examine whether a single high-frequency GPR system can combine dielectric characterization of concrete with rebar detection in structural integrity assessment. This is important because dielectric characterization provides insight...
Background: Nutrition transition and persistent food insecurity in Ghana are increasingly linked with poor physical and mental health. However, how dietary behaviours shape cardiometabolic outcomes and psychological distress in food-insecure settings remains underexplored.
Objective: This study examines the relationship between dietary patterns, food insecurity, and cardiometabolic risk, as...
The evolution of commerce in the digital age has significantly changed the ways in which consumers engage with and interpret pricing information. In contrast to conventional retail settings where prices tend to be fixed, modern-day e-commerce platforms utilise advanced behavioural strategies such as indicators of scarcity, signals of social proof, and tailored recommendations to shape consumer...
Heavy metal contamination from scrap collection activities poses growing ecological and health risks, yet localized assessments in Ghana remain limited. This study assessed the ecological and contamination risks of heavy metals (Cr, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) in soils from a scrap collection site at Tutuka, Obuasi. A total of 30 soil samples were collected across three depth intervals (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm,...
Synthetic food dyes are widely used in Ghana, yet their ecological effects on freshwater ecosystems remain understudied. This study investigated the acute toxicity of five commonly used synthetic food dyes (Tartrazine, Allura Red, Sunset Yellow, Carmoisine, and Green S) on two standard aquatic test organisms, Daphnia magna and Lemna minor. The tests on Daphnia magna and Lemna minor were...
Background: Paracetamol is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic, valued for its safety and accessibility. However, its poor aqueous solubility limits bioavailability, making dissolution a crucial step for absorption. Since body fluids contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, whose concentrations may vary in conditions like chronic kidney disease and inflammatory bowel disease,...
As the human population grows and more areas in the world urbanise and industrialise, certain contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), are increasing uncontrollably in our water bodies, which poses public health risks. Contributing to ensuring access to portable water and public health protection, this study assessed the levels, spatial distribution and sources of HMs in water resources of...
Background: About 7% of the global adult population has been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, and this harmful use of alcohol is associated with several neuropsychiatric deficits. Current pharmacotherapies treat a limited range of these deficits, often necessitating the use polypharmacy, which can lead to non-adherence and treatment failure. Therefore, new treatment modalities that can...
Background: Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental global goal envisioned by the UN, yet it remains a challenge for many developing countries, including Ghana. This is largely due to pollution from various human activities, such as illegal mining and agricultural runoff. Conventional water treatment methods are often costly, making them inaccessible to rural communities. Hence, there...
Although exercise-based interventions are widely used, conventional exercise programmes are often used more than flexibility exercise programmes. However, limited research exists comparing the effectiveness of these exercise programmes, especially among students with back pain. Hence, the study investigates the effects of conventional versus flexibility exercise training programmes on the pain...
Abstract
The hospitality industry is a significant contributor to energy consumption with hotels contributing substantially to environmental footprint. This study employs a systematic content analysis of recent literature to map the conceptual landscape of research on energy efficiency innovations in hotels . The aim of the study is to identify and categories the predominant innovations...
Banana and plantain cultivation in Ghana is predominant and contributes substantially to the economy of the country. The banana/plantain plant, after fruit harvesting, generates significant agricultural waste in the form of the pseudo-stem, which is mostly discarded. About 100 million tons of banana/plantain agro-waste are discarded annually. The pseudo-stems of the plant consist of natural...
Laboratory sample referral is essential for epidemic-prone infectious disease surveillance and response particularly in areas where settlements are dispersed and timely laboratory result is needed for public health action. Delayed results lead to inadequate healthcare workers satisfaction with laboratory sample referral system which affects adequate service delivery. Nonetheless, there is...
Abstract
Public health in urban marketplaces is threatened by microbiological contamination from poor sanitation and chemical contamination from environmental pollution. This study investigated both the ecological risk from heavy metal soil contamination and the socio-behavioral factors influencing sanitation practices among food handlers at the Obuasi Central Market. A mixed-methods approach...
Introduction: Food insecurity remains a pressing global challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where poor nutrition negatively affect maternal and child health. It is estimated that 1.3 billion tonnes of food go wasted annually, representing a significant loss of nutrients. Enzymatic waste valorization provides an economical and eco-friendly approach for converting food...
Confronted by erratic rainfall and rising temperatures, smallholder farmers require robust adaptation strategies, this study evaluates the adoption, perceived effectiveness, and barriers to Conservation Agriculture (CA) among smallholder farmers in Ghana’s Atwima Mponua District. The study used a mixed-methods approach including surveys of 200 farmers and a hybrid decision support model...
Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, where climatic factors such as temperature and rainfall strongly influence transmission. The VECTRI model, a climate-driven malaria model widely applied across Africa, has not been evaluated to predict malaria cases in Ashanti region, Ghana. This study assesses VECTRI’s performance in predicting malaria cases at monthly...
Background: The diagnosis of microalbuminuria remains the gold standard for confirming early diabetic nephropathy. However, emerging studies indicate that microalbuminuria is typically identified after a significant glomerular damage has occurred. Hence, there is a need for more sensitive and accurate biomarkers for predicting early nephropathy among Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). Tubular damage...
ABSTRACT
Malaria remains a deadly parasitic disease that is common in tropical regions and affects approximately 4 billion people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria recorded 247 million cases, with 619,000 mortalities globally in 2021. Over 90% of the global disease burden occurs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Light microscopy remains the gold standard of diagnosis, but...
Medicinal plants are widely used for asthma management in Ghana, yet scientific validation and proper documentation of their use remain limited. As such providing an evidence repository is essential to improving traditional medicine records and also providing credible support for their therapeutic claims. The present study sought to document medicinal plants used in the management of asthma in...
The leather tanning industry in Ghana relies predominantly on Acacia nilotica (Bagaruwa), whose seasonal availability and overexploitation present serious sustainability challenges. This dependency creates supply risks, increases transportation costs, and undermines the competitiveness of local tanneries. This study explores alternative plant-based tanning agents such as cashew bark...
This research investigates the potential of Mfensi clay in the production of souvenirs to enhance Ghana’s artistic, cultural, and economic landscape. Although pottery traditions in Ashanti Region communities such as Pankrono, Afari, and Mfensi are well established, their products are rarely positioned as souvenirs within the tourist market. This study addressed the gap by creatively...
Background: Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men, contributing significantly to the global cancer burden. Several communities, especially in developing countries, have resorted to herbal remedies due to perceived potency and minimal side compared to standard cancer agents.
Aim: The study sought to assess the antiprostate cancer potential of the stem bark extract of Z....
Background
The use of herbal medicine during pregnancy is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, yet its regulation, safety, and clinical implications are often overlooked. In Ghana’s Fanteakwa North District, pregnant women often turn to traditional remedies without guidance. Understanding the drivers of this behavior is critical to safeguarding maternal and fetal health. This study examined...
Background: Market vendors are critical to Ghana’s food economy but remain underrepresented in health research.
Objective This study investigates the complex interrelationships between food security, mental health, dietary patterns, and body composition among vendors in the Kumasi metropolis.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 vendors from four major markets. Data...
Background: Food security, psychosocial stress, and physical activity could influence glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study sought to assess the relationship between food security, psychosocial stress and glycemic status of individuals with T2DM attending the outpatient clinic at Kumasi South Government Hospital.
Methods: In this...
Background: Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS), characterised by micrognathia, glossoptosis, airway obstruction, and frequently cleft palate, presents significant clinical and genetic complexity, particularly within African populations, where its genetic aetiology remains understudied. This study examines the genetic architecture of PRS in a Ghanaian cohort with orofacial clefts (OFCs).
Materials...
Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the most frequent congenital craniofacial anomalies that occur during embryonic development. OFCs can occur as a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate (CL/P) and a cleft palate only (CP). The incidence is ~1 per 700 live births worldwide. OFCs may occur in isolation (nonsyndromic) or with other anomalies, such as limb deformities (syndromic)....
Urban renewal is increasingly extending from city centers to peripheral neighborhoods. Ayeduase, a suburb of Kumasi, has undergone rapid transformation over the past two decades, driven largely by the expanding student population of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This study examines the dynamics of gentrification in Ayeduase and their implications for residents,...
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed and second most lethal cancer globally. The challenge of early detection is often due to non-specific or absent early symptoms. This leads to low detection rates and poor health outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings including Ghana. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of hematological parameters such as...
Background: According to the World Health Organization, the proportion of older adults (60 years and above) is expected to double from 12% - 22% between 2015 and 2050. Global healthcare systems face serious issues due to this demographic shift, especially in low and middle-income countries where resources are low and inadequate. This study examined the accessibility and usability of health...
Heavy metals are environmental pollutants with high toxicity, persistent occurrence, and can
bioaccumulate. Rapid industrialization and urbanization are increasing the contamination of heavy
metals from activities such as e-waste recycling and improper waste disposal, leading to a severe
impact on human health. This study aimed to identify the pollution sources of heavy metals and...
Urbanization and industrial expansion in cities like Suame pose significant environmental and health effects, particularly through heavy metal contamination. This study examines the levels and ecological risks of selected heavy metals, including mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr), in soils from the Suame Municipal Area in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. A total...
Background
Obesity and overweight refer to abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body that presents a risk to health. Growing concerns about the negative impact of obesity have driven many people to pursue weight loss. Herbal supplements that promise rapid weight loss have become very popular in Ghana. In the absence of scientific proof of efficacy and safety however, the acceptance...
Histopathological Patterns of Liver Biopsies in Ghana: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Bernard Petershie1,2, Yolanda Ashie1,2, Richmond N. Y. Yeboah1, Vera A.S. Ghomli
Faith Asasenkasa1, Kafui Akakpo3.
Institutions:
KNUST (1), KATH (2), UCC (3)
Abstract
Background: Liver diseases constitute a critical health problem in Ghana, where conditions such as hepatocellular carcinoma,...
Presentation Format: Poster
Abstract
Groundwater from mechanized boreholes in Ayigya, a rapidly urbanizing peri-urban community in Kumasi, serves as the primary potable water source but is increasingly affected by urban runoff and inadequate waste disposal. This study presents a comprehensive hydrogeochemical assessment and health‐risk evaluation of fifteen borehole samples. Physicochemical...
Background: Poultry meat is one of the most consumed protein sources worldwide, but it also serves as a potential reservoir for foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). The presence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli in poultry poses significant risks to food safety, public health, and the effective treatment of diseases.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the presence...
Mosquito-borne diseases continue to be a major public health concern. Globally, about 700 million people are infected with mosquito-borne pathogens. In Ghana, many households are affected by mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, filariasis, dengue fever, and yellow fever. These diseases pose a significant burden on the healthcare system in Ghana. The diversity of mosquito species in Ghana,...
Changing climatic conditions and agricultural practices are major concerns for agriculturalists across the globe because these conditions impact soil quality, which in turn influences the nutritional quality of crops grown. This study therefore examines how climate trends and farming practices influence soil quality in the Bono East Region of Ghana. Using a cross-sectional design,...
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects many of Ghana’s rural communities with poor access to safe water and sanitation. Past studies highlight the importance of climate variables on Schistosomiasis transmission but much is not known about their influence on schistosomiasis prevalence in Ashanti Region of Ghana. In this study, we examined the influence of climate...
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months provides optimal nutrition, strengthens immunity, and protects infants against infections. However, gaps in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices may contribute to malnutrition in early childhood.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding on the...
Background: Dietary habits significantly influence the nutritional status of individuals, with poor dietary habits contributing to malnutrition. In children, dietary habits are shaped by various factors including parental influence, food availability, cultural and social factors, and school environment.
Objective: The study aimed to determine the impact of Nutrition-Friendly School...
The increasing global prevalence of microbial infections, oxidative stress, and inflammatory disorders necessitates the development of novel therapeutic agents with minimal side effects. Plant-derived medicines, particularly those rich in bioactive compounds like phenolics and flavonoids, offer promising alternatives. Azadirachta indica (neem), a widely used medicinal plant in traditional...
Although antifungal medications are readily available, treating candidiasis still presents a number of difficulties. The growth of drug-resistant strains of Candida is a major concern and requires development of alternative treatment options. Ghanaian medicinal plant research has been explored in herbal medicine for their antifungal properties. However, concerns persist regarding the efficacy...
Background: University students face unique health challenges, including poor diets, stress, and food insecurity, which may increase risks of anaemia and cardiometabolic risk disorders. However, evidence from Ghana remain limited.
Objective: This study examined the influence of stress, food security, physical activity, and dietary patterns on cardiometabolic disorders and anemia among...
Parallel analysis of contemporary ladies’ dressing bags in Kumasi’s informal sector has revealed that floral and global fashion-inspired patterns dominate the decorations on bag used, with limited representation of indigenous Ghanaian aesthetics. This study therefore investigates the innovative integration of African pottery forms and motifs into the design and production of ladies’ dressing...
Good leather surface quality is very vital in leather artefact production. Having a bad or unpleasant leather surface for artefact production hinders product quality and patronage, and appreciation of such products at large. Leathers produced by local tanners and craftsmen in their attempt to satisfy customers and also meet market demands encounter some surface disorders including post-mortem...
Background: Child nutrition and health in Nalerigu in the North East Region of Ghana remain severely challenged by food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable populations, particularly children aged 6-23 months. Despite extensive research on nutrition and child health in the area, a notable gap persists in understanding the role of intra-household decision-making and its effect on...
Despite iron being a benign, abundant, and active material for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction into
fuels, the role of layer deposition thickness on its efficiency is not known. Density functional
theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to investigate how the thickness of Fe slabs influence
CO₂ activation. Specifically, we examined the adsorption of CO₂ on Fe surfaces ranging from a...
Keywords: Single-use plastics, Food service providers, Sustainability, KNUST.
Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) in food services contribute to environmental pollution and pose health risks. This study investigates Single-Use Plastic (SUP) usage among food vendors and consumers at KNUST campus, highlighting its significant risks. Surveys of 80 food vendors and 130 consumers assessed usage patterns,...
The sensitivity to the subtle facial changes demands a dedicated attention model that models a geometric layout of faces in video sequences to enable the self-attention-based architectures to understand the structural and dynamic aspects of the facial data for engagement monitoring. Convolutional networks lack this. We present a convolution-free approach to video-based facial expression...
Background: Transmission of bacteria via hands of healthcare workers a critical factor in the spread of infections within and beyond hospital settings. While much research has focused on hospital fomites, little is known about the role of healthcare workers’ private vehicles as potential reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria.
Objective: This study assessed bacterial contamination on high-touch...
Background: Public touched surfaces such as Automated Teller Machine (ATM) keypads can serve as reservoirs for pathogenic microorganisms, facilitating their transmission in the community. The fourth industrial revolution has brought the bare importance of automation.
Objectives: This study aimed to isolate and characterise bacteria and fungi from selected ATM keypads at the Kwame Nkrumah...
ABSTRACT
The stem bark of Holoptelea grandis, a medicinal plant belonging to the family ulmaceae, is used ethnomedicinally for managing arthritis, rheumatism, oedema and ophthalmia. It is also used as vermifuge and a laxative in some parts of Africa. The aim of this study is to isolate, purify and characterize some active compounds from the stem bark methanol extract of H. grandis and...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that demands the discovery of new, affordable therapeutic agents. This study explored the stem bark of Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe (Malvaceae), a plant used in West African traditional medicine, as a potential source of antimicrobials. Crude extracts were prepared by solvent partitioning and subjected to bioassay-guided chromatographic...
Amidst urbanization, land market dynamics have been the steering force of urban transformation in Ghana. In this study, we systematically review empirical literature to interrogate the underlying drivers, actors, and mechanisms shaping land speculation and large-scale land acquisitions in Ghana, and how these processes undermine efforts toward sustainable urban development. Anchored on three...
ABSTRACT
Despite active responses to galamsey by Ghanaian authorities, policy and practice have emphasised while paying less attention to whether water-related terminology is understood by the public. This study, therefore, explores how hydro-lexical items function across scientific, professional and everyday registers in English and in the Akan language. Using a qualitative textual and...
Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major global health challenge, particularly in regions where surveillance infrastructure is limited. Acoustic monitoring provides a non-invasive, low-cost method for tracking mosquito populations, yet automated recognition remains challenging. Most existing approaches rely on small datasets and focus on binary detection or genus-level classification, with...
The effects of Citrus sinensis peel extracts in ethanol and n-hexane on housefly and mosquito larvae were investigated in this study. Larval mortality rose as concentrations between 50 and 400 ppm increased over the course of 48 hours. The ethanolic extract contained alkaloids, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, and saponins whereas terpenoids, steroids, saponins,...
In gold ore fire assay, litharge (PbO) is used as a fluxing agent to collect gold from the sample. This process produces a slag that retains residual lead and other impurities. Improper disposal of this slag in landfills can result in lead leaching into the environment, posing ecological risks. This study quantified the annual fire assay slag output from a typical Ghanaian laboratory,...
Introduction
Aphrodisiac use, encompassing herbal remedies and pharmaceuticals, is driven globally by cultural expectations and sexual dysfunction prevalence. In sub-Saharan Africa, herbal practices prevail, shaped by masculine norms and accessibility. In Ghana, 66.4% of youth use aphrodisiacs, propelled by peer pressure, marketing, and performance expectations. Qualitative research on...
Urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa intensifies environmental challenges such as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) and the effects of Urban Pollution Island (UPI), which threaten public health and sustainable development. In Greater Kumasi, rapid urban expansion is contributing to significant variations in Land Surface Temperature (LST), declining air quality, and heightened health risks,...
This article presents MeatScan, a curated image dataset developed to support deep learning-based binary classification of cow meat as fresh or spoiled. The dataset comprises 11,000 high-resolution RGB images (5627 fresh and 5373 spoiled) captured in real-world Ghanaian environments, including open-air markets, butcher shops, and cold storage facilities. Images were labeled based on observable...
The objective was to employ a locally engineered bio-based adsorbent, P-32 Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC), as an intervention strategy to minimize non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with untreated abattoir effluent in Ghana. This prototypic and hypothesis-driven study used standard methods to determine the levels of contaminants; phosphate (PO43-) and nitrate (NO3-), cadmium...
Filarial Lymphedema wounds are highly susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, which delay healing and make chronic wounds difficult to manage. S. sciuri, an opportunistic pathogen, has been implicated in the wounds of Filarial lymphedema patients, which remain poorly characterized at the molecular level. Investigating its virulence traits and resistance mechanisms is essential to inform...
Background: Ghana’s ageing population is experiencing a rising burden of cognitive decline, yet limited evidence exists on the role of physical activity in cognitive health among older adults in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the association between physical activity and cognitive function in older Ghanaian adults and explored whether functional ability mediates this...
Health-seeking behaviours of young women with sexually transmitted infections: Analysis of the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey
Aaron Asibi Abuosi1, Solomon Kwesi Ackon2, Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba3
1 Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana Business School, Accra, Ghana,
2 Ankaful Leprosy/ General Hospital, Ankaful, Central...
Background & Objectives:
Reading and academic performance are closely tied to efficient visual processing skills, yet locally validated tools for assessment in Ghana are lacking. This study aimed to establish age- and grade-specific normative values for the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test among Ghanaian children to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide interventions for visual...
Malaria remains a major global health burden, with over 600,000 deaths and millions of infections annually. A key diagnostic feature of Plasmodium spp. is the presence of hemozoin, a birefringent crystalline by-product of hemoglobin digestion, which can be detected under cross-polarised light. Conventional polarised light microscopes capable of imaging hemozoin are often prohibitively...
Ghana’s forestry sector underpins national economic growth, employment, and ecosystem stability; however, it is experiencing rapid degradation due to agricultural expansion, illegal logging, mining, and institutional weaknesses. This study addresses the central research question: What constitutes the optimal allocation of resources for forest conservation in Ghana to ensure both economic...
The growing demand for sustainable fuel alternatives highlights the need to optimize agricultural waste briquettes, as their current performance in terms of energy output and durability remains limited for consistent daily use. In this study, briquettes were produced from carbonized agricultural wastes (cocopeat, corn cobs and bean shell) using starch and clay as binder. Central Composite...
Flavored yogurt which includes fruit yogurt is more popular with consumers, the addition of fruit to yogurt improves the flavor making the yogurt product more appealing to consumers. Dragon fruit has been used in yogurt production to enhance the nutritional and physiological characteristics of the final product. However, limited information exists on optimizing the processing parameters of...
This study reports the synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of five chalcone derivatives bearing methyl, methoxy, and chlorine substituents. The compounds were synthesized via a modified Claisen–Schmidt condensation and characterized using proton and carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H and ¹³C NMR), Mass Spectrometry (MS), and Infrared (IR) spectroscopy.
The in vitro antimicrobial...
Background: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a major global concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Parent–adolescent SRH communication is widely recognized as a protective factor against risky sexual behaviors, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancies. This study explored the approaches Ghanaian parents use to communicate SRH...
Rapid urbanization in mining-related activities in Obuasi, Ghana, have created complex land use challenges, including environmental degradation, conflicting land uses and weak stakeholder engagement. Conventional top-down planning approaches have proven inadequate in addressing these issues, necessitating more inclusive frameworks. This study examines how Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP)...
Despite the advancements in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology, there has been limited research on systematically evaluating how biofilter volume scaling impacts water quality and fish performance in medium-scale operations. This study addresses that gap by comparing two RAS designs for African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) culture. The research specifically evaluated a...
The escalating global demand for sustainable aquaculture practices coupled with increasing environmental regulations necessitate innovative, cost-effective solutions for wastewater treatment and water reuse in African agricultural systems. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetland system specifically designed for...
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) causes an estimated 4.95 million deaths annually, with the WHO identifying ESKAPE pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, as highly resistant to most antibiotics. A major AMR mechanism in S. aureus is the NorA efflux pump, a multidrug transporter that expels antibiotics, reducing intracellular concentrations to subtherapeutic levels. In this study,...
Title: Pharmacy Academic and Research Electives: Participation Trends, Outcomes, and Policy Implications
Background: The Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST, offers an optional three-week credit-bearing academic elective program for its fifth-year students. Notably, there remains a significant gap in systematic evaluation of the program’s benefits, challenges, and outcomes....
Ghana’s gold mining sector plays a crucial role in national economic development with fire assay method serving as a technique for accurate determination of precious metal content. One key component of this process is the use of cupels, a small porous ceramic material used in cupellation process to quantify the amount of Gold present in ore. As part of the process, lead metal is absorbed into...
Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse, is a growing concern in Africa, where reliance on traditional medicine remains high. This study asked: How do medicinal plants used by Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMPs) in Kumasi contribute to infertility management through their phytochemical composition?
Objectives: To document the...
Antimalarial drug resistance poses a significant threat to global malaria control, underscoring the urgent need for new therapeutic agents. Medicinal plants have historically yielded effective antimalarial remedies. Salacia debilis, traditionally used in African ethnomedicine to treat malaria and malaria-like illnesses, remains largely underexplored. This study investigated the antimalarial...
Abstract
Asante Juaben, the capital of the Asante Juaben Municipality, is rapidly growing in population
and urbanisation. The community relies on a mechanised small-town water system, hand-dug
wells and boreholes for its domestic water needs. Increasing population and rapid urbanisation
are resulting in increasing waste generation, which is not being properly managed. This
situation has...
Malaria continues to pose a serious global health threat and remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting millions of people. Despite ongoing efforts to control the disease and the availability of antimalarial therapies, the rise in resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs has exacerbated the health burden in these regions, urging the need for...
ABSTRACT
Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs), including cleft lip and/or palate, are among the most prevalent congenital anomalies, affecting approximately 1 in 700 births worldwide. However, there is significant variation in incidence based on human ancestry, suggesting the existence of ancestry-specific and enriched genetic risk factors. These conditions result from incomplete fusion of...
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, yet data on treatment outcomes and their determinants in Northern Ghana are limited. This study examined the prevalence, trends, and determinants of unsuccessful treatment outcomes among children with TB at Tamale Teaching Hospital from 2016 to 2024. A retrospective review of secondary data was conducted on...
Background: The rise of asymptomatic malaria parasitemia in pregnant women poses a significant public health challenge in Ghana, contributing to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes.
Methodology: This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic malaria among 240 pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at Ejisu Government Hospital and KNUST Hospital, Ashanti...
Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 17.3 million deaths annually. It is characterized by abnormal lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, including elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and reduced HDL cholesterol. This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of...
Background: Malaria and anaemia remain significant contributors to adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Although preventive strategies such as Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) and Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) are widely promoted, there is limited empirical evidence on their combined prevalence across...
ABSTRACT
PREFERENCE: POSTER
Keywords: Soil-transmitted helminths, association, prevalence, risk factors, hookworm,
Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are neglected tropical diseases common in tropical regions with poor sanitation. They are more prevalent in children, with a global trend showing declines in some areas but persistence in others, and data gaps remain....
Urinary schistosomiasis is a disease of great public health concern and remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among children globally. The disease, which is often characterized by painful urination and haematuria is common among children and people living in communities near streams and rivers. Weija remains one of the communities in Accra with several streams and rivers...
Abstract
Background: Food safety remains a global public health concern with street-vended foods posing significant risks due to poor hygiene practices and inadequate knowledge among vendors. This study addressed the research question: What is the level of knowledge, attitude, and hygienic practices (KAP) of grilled fish vendors, and how does this relate to microbial contamination and...
Rising temperatures under climate change has contributed to a range of heat-related illnesses such as heat stress, heat stroke, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion, especially in urban areas. Despite the changes in Ghana’s climate and the rapid urbanization, much is not known about the risk level of urban populations to heat-related illness in the country. In this study, we evaluated the risk of...
Groundnut paste is a popular food in Ghana, widely used in traditional soups and stews. However, concerns about its safety and quality persist, especially in informal markets where hygiene is suspected not to be at its best. This study evaluated the safety and quality of groundnut paste sold in three major Kumasi markets: Kejetia, Race Course, and Tech Zongo, comparing them with a control...
Background: Illegal small-scale gold mining (galamsey) in Ghana has resulted in widespread contamination of water bodies with toxic heavy metals, posing significant risks to public health and environmental sustainability. This study addresses the research question: How can heavy metals be removed from polluted water in a cost-effective and eco-friendly manner without introducing secondary...
PROTEIN ANALYSIS OF SAW-SCALED VIPER (ECHIS CARINATUS) VENOM OBTAINED FROM GHANA
Gideon Asumadu, Mariamah Musah, Jeffery Ansong Obeng, Mark Opoku, Caleb Kesse Firempong
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
E-mail: calebuse @yahoo.com /...
About 70% of human cancer is driven by the heterodimerization of c-Myc oncoprotein and its obligate partner, Max. Despite the fact that c-Myc is involved in vital cellular processes such as cell cycle progression, apoptosis, cell differentiation and metabolism, it exerts its oncogenic functions when it complexes with Max, enabling DNA binding and gene activation. While several small molecular...
Cereals and legumes have found utmost acceptance by many people across the globe due to their great contribution to health and the economy. This study was conducted to determine the proximate and mineral compositions as well as the functional properties of composite flours from cereal-legume blends to create the awareness of its health benefits to the public since most people are oblivious of...
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a major global health challenge, driven largely by multidrug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.). In Ghana, AMR-related infections were associated with an estimated 4.95 million deaths in 2019. With the declining efficacy of...
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affects an estimated 6–7 million people globally, predominantly in low‑income regions of Latin America, sub‑Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Despite its significant health burden, drug discovery for Chagas disease remains neglected, with current treatments being outdated, of limited efficacy, and often associated with severe side effects. This...
Background: Mandibuloacral dysplasia (MAD) is a progeria disease with postnatal age of manifestation, and clinical signs start manifesting by 2 years. Accelerated ageing, skeletal abnormalities and lipodystrophy characterise the condition. MAD type (MADA) and MAD type B (MADB) result from homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in LMNA and ZMPSTE24 genes, respectively. The current study...
Background: Malaria remains a significant public health challenge, particularly for pregnant women and
their unborn children. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends intermittent preventive
treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in endemic regions. However, data on adherence to
IPTp-SP among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) in Ghana is limited. This study...
The treatment of high-strength abattoir effluent remains a critical environmental and public health challenge. This study evaluates the efficacy of P-32 powdered activated carbon (PAC), a locally engineered bio-based adsorbent in reducing levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in effluent from the Kumasi Abattoir Ghana (KAG). Standard methods were used in...
Background
Reference intervals (RIs) are essential for interpreting laboratory results and guiding clinical decision-making. However, most pediatric RIs currently used in Ghana are derived from Western populations and may not reflect local physiological norms. This study aimed to establish age- and sex-specific haematological and biochemistry RIs for children in Asante Akim North, Ashanti...
Background: Food insecurity is a growing challenge in low- and middle-income countries and may worsen outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study sought to assess the relationship between food security, glycemic status, lipid profile, and lifestyle factors among individuals receiving standard diabetes care in the Tafo Municipality, Kumasi.
Methods: In a...
Background: Oral health is integral to overall well-being, yet limited in its contribution to prevalent health issues.
Objective: This study explores the complex interconnections among oral health, food security, dietary patterns, cardiometabolic risk factors, and mental health in Ghanaian adults.
Methodology: Using a cross-sectional study, socio-demographics, anthropometric, oral health...
Untreated abattoir effluent presents significant environmental and public health risks due to its high load of color-causing and turbidity-inducing compounds. This study evaluated the performance of P-32 powdered activated carbon (PAC), a locally engineered bio-based adsorbent, for color and turbidity removal from Kumasi Abattoir Ghana (KAG) effluent, hypothesizing that turbidity will yield...
Coconut husk derived hydrochar (CHH) was synthesized as possible substitute for expensive adsorbents like activated carbon. The feasibility of using the hydrochar to remove methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solution was investigated through batch adsorption, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. The removal of dye from aqueous solution was feasible but influenced by temperature, pH, adsorbent...
Terrorism remains one of the most serious problems in the global security landscape. From 2007 to 2024, a total of 137, 009 terrorism-related deaths have been recorded. In countries that have records of terrorist attacks, educational institutions have been among the targets of terrorist organizations. For a country like Ghana that has not experienced a terrorist attack, it is not clear if the...
Lateritic soils are widely used as foundation and construction materials in tropical regions, but their behaviour can be significantly altered when exposed to petroleum-based contaminants. Waste motor oil, a common pollutant in areas of intense automobile repair activities such as Suame Magazine in Ghana, can modify soil structure and, consequently, its engineering performance. This study...
The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has generated growing interest in its integration in education, particularly in mathematics. Nevertheless, teachers’ decisions to use AI tools in their instructional activities are contingent upon various contextual and perceptual factors. Guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this study examined...
Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan protozoan parasite that infects nearly all warm-blooded animals, including poultry and humans. Transmission occurs via maternal-fetal transmission, ingestion of tissue cysts in raw or undercooked meat, ingestion of oocysts from contaminated food, water or soil. Despite its global prevalence, epidemiological data on toxoplasmosis in poultry in...
Background: Filarial lymphoedema, commonly called elephantiasis, is a long-term and disabling condition caused by parasitic worms transmitted by mosquitoes. With over 15 million people affected worldwide, it causes swelling in the legs and recurrent painful episodes called acute adenolymphangitis (ADL) attacks, characterized by fevers, chills, and lymph node inflammation. These attacks are...
To reduce post-harvest losses of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), a vital protein source that contributes 50–80% of dietary intake in Ghana, efficient preservation methods are needed. This study investigated how charcoal and briquette fuels influence the drying characteristics, drying kinetics, and energy efficiency of African catfish in an improved smoking oven. Fresh catfish samples...
Globally, river systems are continually undergoing morphological changes due to natural factors and human activities. The Offin River in Ghana has also experienced significant changes due to increased illegal mining, agriculture, and deforestation, which pose serious ecological and social problems. The study used GIS and Remote Sensing Technology to contribute to establishing a baseline on the...
ABSTRACT
Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are common congenital anomalies resulting from complex genetic and environmental interactions. Multiplex families are hypothesised to carry a higher burden of genetic risk factors. Beyond the overt clefts, recent evidence suggests that unaffected relatives in these families may exhibit subtle differences in facial morphology, representing...
Globally, the ramifications of crude oil spills in the environment are overwhelming and well-documented, especially in marine ecosystems. Such spills' short- and long-term catastrophic effects warrant innovative process-oriented, product-oriented, and environmentally conscious adsorbent synthesis to combat residual oil emulsions in aquatic ecosystems efficiently. This research aims to prepare...
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, despite the introduction of infant vaccination programs. Limited data exist on HBV prevalence and risk factors in informal sector populations such as market workers, who may face unique occupational and behavioural exposures. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of...
Teaching any subject is a difficult cognitive activity that requires the teacher to apply knowledge. This study examines the measurement of mathematical content knowledge (MCK) among upper primary school teachers in the Atwima Kwanwoma Municipality, Ghana. It also examines the effects it has on students’ academic performance, while identifying challenges in mastering and teaching mathematics....
The comorbidity of HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) significantly worsens health outcomes and complicates care in low-resource settings. This study assessed the burden of co-morbidity of HIV, TB, and CKD among patients in the Sekyere South Municipal. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2024 at the Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, Agona-Asamang. A...
Background: Food security and eating behaviours are critical determinants of health and psychological well-being, particularly among teachers whose productivity and effectiveness directly impact educational outcomes.
Objective: This study examined the relationship between food security, eating behaviours, and psychological well-being among basic school teachers in the La Nkwantanang Madina...
Background: Food security, unhealthy dietary patterns, and maladaptive eating behaviors are growing concerns among university students, with potential implications for both physical and mental health.
Objective: This study examined the associations between food security, dietary patterns, eating behaviors and mental health among university students.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study...
Healthcare professionals are at increased risk of metabolic disorders due to high work-related stress, irregular schedules and unhealthy dietary habits. However, limited data exist on how lifestyle influences metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hepatic biomarkers among healthcare professionals in Ghana. This study investigated the association between lifestyle exposures (work stress, dietary...
Urban transportation is a vital driver of city development, shaping the urban morphology and influencing the long-term transformation of cities across time. As cities evolve and change, transportation infrastructure must adapt to meet the evolving needs of residents, businesses, and visitors. Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city, demonstrates these dynamics as its transportation infrastructure...
Air pollution is a major but under-characterized environmental health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where rapid urbanization and industrial growth are intensifying exposure risks. Despite its significance, systematic evaluations of air quality research across the region remain limited.
We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and CrossRef for studies published...
Background: In several developed countries, periorbital morphological variation is well documented and used as a diagnostic tool for sex determination. Periorbital parameters are population-specific and reflect the different patterns of craniofacial growth that results from sexual differences. However, there is very little documentation on orbital dimensions and its application in low...
Title: Factors Influencing the Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Among Healthcare Professionals at the Primary Healthcare Level in Bosomtwe District, Ghana
Background: The incidence of diabetes is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with many cases undiagnosed until complications such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) occur. Effective DFU management requires a...
BACKGROUND:
The emergence of drug resistance is driven by the evolutionary pressure of survival, which presents a significant challenge to modern medicine. The continuous use of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anthelmintic drugs could lead to long-term resistance to target proteins, resulting in various side effects. Mannich bases are a highly reactive class of compounds...
Water stress has become an urgent global issue due to rapid population growth, climate change, and urbanization. Sustainable Development Goal 6 underscores that water should be accessible and affordable for all. However, in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, this is not always the case. Limited access to clean water often leads to waterborne diseases such as typhoid fever and gastrointestinal...
Medicinal plants have long served as sources of therapeutic agents for various human ailments. However, their complex chemical compositions may also present toxic effects, underscoring the need for scientific evaluation to ensure safety. Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe, traditionally used in the treatment of arthritis and certain venereal diseases, has not been scientifically assessed for its...
ABSTRACT
Computer-Based Examinations (CBEs) have increasingly adopted randomized question pools to enhance test security and efficiency. While this approach minimizes predictability, it raises fairness concerns as different students may encounter test versions with varying levels of difficulty. This study applied the Two-Parameter Logistic (2PL) model of Item Response Theory (IRT) to evaluate...
The evolution of urban landscapes necessitates innovative approaches to repurpose lost spaces, particularly those beneath elevated transit infrastructure. This research focuses on the transformative potential of the lost spaces under the Pokuase Interchange, aiming to reinvigorate them into multi-use public areas. Employing a pragmatic worldview and a mixed-methods approach, the study...
Background: Cranial sutures are essential developmental structures that separate the cranial bones to enable the bones to grow to accommodate the developing brain. The metopic, bi-coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures must remain patent at different time points in post-natal development, with premature fusion of these sutures leading to craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis may negatively impact...
Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures have received attention due to their tunable bandgaps and
efficient charge separation, making them promising candidates for photocatalytic and optoelectronic
applications. Monolayer materials, in particular, offer enhanced surface area, improved charge carrier mobility,
and distinct electronic band structures. In this study, first-principles...
Hydrous hydrazine decomposition is one of many key promising reactions for clean hydrogen generation, particularly with potential applications in sustainable energy systems. However, the reaction's selectivity towards hydrogen production versus undesired byproducts, such as ammonia and nitrogen oxides, remains a critical challenge. Metal nanoparticles such as Nickel has been found to be...
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder of the red blood cells with highest burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 1 in 100 persons have SCD in Ghana. SCD pain episodes can be reduced by the appropriate use of hydroxyurea (HU). Non-adherence to medication leads to increased health service utilization and costs and further impairs adherence and prognosis. Adherence assessment...
Malaria is a global health problem due to its high incidence of morbidity and mortality, especially in children and pregnant women. However, the Plasmodium parasite frequently develops resistance to chemotherapy, triggering continuous research for effective treatment options for malaria. Therefore, this study investigated the potential anti-plasmodial effect of Voacanga africana...
Freshwater scarcity is a pressing global issue, and higher education institutions contribute significantly to water demand through students’ daily activities. However, little is known about how residential settings influence individual water use. This study investigated the water footprint of students residing in on-campus halls and private off-campus hostels at the Kwame Nkrumah University of...
Urban areas in Ghana are increasingly affected by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, driven by rapid urbanization and declining green spaces. This study examined public perceptions, awareness, and willingness to pay (WTP) for urban heat island mitigation through increased tree coverage in Accra and Kumasi. The study utilized a cross-sectional mixed-methods approach and incorporated the...
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders represent a significant occupational health concern for all healthcare professionals. However, there is a paucity of research regarding the factors contributing to musculoskeletal problems among clinical nurses at Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate occupational risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders among clinical...
Zika virus (ZIKV), a re-emerging arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus, is linked to severe neurological outcomes such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital microcephaly. Understanding host transcriptional responses to ZIKV is essential to uncover mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. The virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquito, and symptoms start to manifest 3-7 days after infection.
In this...