Patient knowledge and self-management of asthma at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Adult Asthma Clinic.

Objective: This study assessed patients' knowledge of asthma, their level of self-management and satisfaction with care at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Adult Asthma Clinic.

Methods: This study was a quantitative cross-sectional study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Adult Asthma Clinic in Accra. Sixty-eight (68) clinically diagnosed asthma patients who have been attending clinic regularly for reviews for more than six months, were recruited in this study.

Screening for pulmonary hypertension in pregnant women with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) has evolved from a condition predominantly fatal in childhood to a chronic illness impacting many adults, including women of reproductive age. For females with SCD, pregnancy represents one of the greatest health threats, exacerbating existing health challenges and introducing new risks. Despite advancements in healthcare, routine screening for existing complications like pulmonary hypertension (PH) remains inconsistent, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the prevalence of SCD is highest.

Octopus-Inspired Adhesives with Switchable Attachment to Challenging Underwater Surfaces.

Adhesives that excel in wet or underwater environments are critical for applications ranging from healthcare and underwater robotics to infrastructure repair. However, achieving strong attachment and controlled release on difficult substrates, such as those that are curved, rough, or located in diverse fluid environments, remains a major challenge. Here, an octopus-inspired adhesive with strong attachment and rapid release in challenging underwater environments is presented.

Impact of hospital-community diabetes management intervention in Central Region, Ghana: A retrospective study.

Objective: Effective diabetes management remains suboptimal in low-resourced countries including Ghana. We determined the effectiveness of hospital-community link diabetes management intervention on glycaemic control and other outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective study design, using secondary data from the Ghana-Netherlands for Health Foundation diabetes programme.

Radiation-Induced Synthesis and Superparamagnetic Properties of Ferrite FeO Nanoparticles.

Ultra-small magnetic FeO nanoparticles are successfully synthesized in basic solutions by using the radiolytic method of the partial reduction in Fe in the presence of poly-acrylate (PA), or by using the coprecipitation method of Fe and Fe salts in the presence of PA. The optical, structural, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were examined using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and SQUID magnetization measurements. The HRTEM and XRD analysis confirmed the formation of ultra-small magnetite nanoparticles in a spinel structure, with a smaller size for radiation-induced particles coated by PA (5.

Overlooked Activation Role of Sulfite in Accelerating Hydrated Electron Treatment of Perfluorosulfonates.

Photoexcitation of sulfite (SO) is often used to generate hydrated electrons (e) in processes to degrade perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Conventional consensus discourages the utilization of SO concentrations exceeding 10 mM for effective defluorination. This has hindered our understanding of SO chemistry beyond its electron photogeneration properties.

Unveiling the Intimate Mechanism of the Crocin Antioxidant Properties by Radiolytic Analysis and Molecular Simulations.

The successive steps of the oxidation mechanism of crocin, a major compound of saffron, by the free OH radical are investigated by pulse radiolysis, steady-state (gamma) radiolysis methods, and molecular simulations. The optical absorption properties of the transient species and their reaction rate constants are determined. The absorption spectrum of the oxidized radical of crocin resulting from the H-abstraction presents a maximum of 678 nm and a band of 441 nm, almost as intense as that of crocin.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison, Liberia.

Determination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in key populations including prison inmates is crucial for formulating appropriate intervention approaches. However, in many low-income countries, such as Liberia, there is hardly any documentation on HBV prevalence among inmates. This study determined and evaluated the prevalence of HBV infections among incarcerated persons in the Monrovia Central Prison, Liberia.

Pathways of the Dissociative Electron Attachment Observed in 5- and 6-Azidomethyluracil Nucleosides: Nitrogen (N) Elimination vs Azide Anion (N) Elimination.

5-Azidomethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (5-AmdU, ) has been successfully employed for the metabolic labeling of DNA and fluorescent imaging of live cells. 5-AmdU also demonstrated significant radiosensitization in breast cancer cells via site-specific nitrogen-centered radical (π-aminyl (U-5-CH-NH), , and σ-iminyl (U-5-CH═N), ) formation. This work shows that these nitrogen-centered radicals are not formed via the reduction of the azido group in 6-azidomethyluridine (6-AmU, ).

Application of Geant4-DNA for simulating water radiolysis induced by Auger electron-emitting radionuclides.

Auger-emitting radionuclides have potential application in targeted radiotherapy, particularly for metastatic cancers. This possibility, especially, is stemmed from their characteristic short-range (a few μm) in biological systems allowing localization of high dose within small tumours. To explore this potential application, a Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit has been employed to simulate the energy deposition of different radionuclides in a water model.

Contribution of diabetes to amputations in sub-Sahara Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diabetes related amputations remain a major global problem, with devastating complications. We critically appraised relevant literature to quantify the prevalence of diabetes related amputations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An electronic search was performed using the EMBASE and PubMed databases until 2020.

Sickle Cell Disease Genomics of Africa (SickleGenAfrica) Network: ethical framework and initial qualitative findings from community engagement in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Objectives: To provide lay information about genetics and sickle cell disease (SCD) and to identify and address ethical issues concerning the Sickle Cell Disease Genomics of Africa Network covering autonomy and research decision-making, risk of SCD complications and organ damage, returning of genomic findings, biorepository, data sharing, and healthcare provision for patients with SCD.

Design: Focus groups using qualitative methods.

Setting: Six cities in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania within communities and secondary care.

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Childhood Body Fatness.

Objective: This study aimed to uncover genetic contributors to adiposity in early life.

Methods: A genome-wide association study of childhood body fatness in 34,401 individuals within the Nurses' Health Studies and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study was conducted. Data were imputed to the 1000 Genomes Phase 3 version 5 reference panel.

Oxidation of Silver Cyanide Ag(CN) by the OH Radical: From Calculation to Molecular Simulation and to Experiment.

We investigate the oxidation of silver cyanide in water by the OH radical in order to compare this complex with the free cation Ag and to measure the influence of the ligands. High-level calculations of the model species enable the calibration of molecular simulations and the prediction of the oxidized species: and its absorption spectrum, with an intense band at 292 nm and a weaker one at 390 nm. Pulse radiolysis measurements of the oxidation of by the OH radical in water yields a transient species with a broad, intense band at 290 nm and a weaker band at 410 nm at short times after the pulse and a blue shift of the spectrum at longer times.

Characterization of Campylobacter associated gastric enteritis among patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in a hospital in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Campylobacter infections in HIV positive patients often present with substantial mortality and morbidity when compared to HIV negative patients.

Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of Campylobacter, antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genetic factors, and risk of Campylobacter infection associated with living in close proximity to domestic animals in HIV patients with gastric enteritis at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.

Methods: Resistance to different antibiotics was assessed with Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

The Sickle Cell Disease Ontology: Enabling Collaborative Research and Co-Designing of New Planetary Health Applications.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common blood disorders impacting planetary health. Over 300,000 newborns are diagnosed with SCD each year globally, with an increasing trend. The sickle cell disease ontology (SCDO) is the most comprehensive multidisciplinary SCD knowledge portal.

Pilot Mobile Phone Intervention in Promoting Type 2 Diabetes Management in an Urban Area in Ghana: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a nurse-led mobile phone call intervention on glycemic management and adherence to self-management practices among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Ghana.

Methods: This was a pilot randomized controlled trial to compare diabetes care as usual to a mobile phone call intervention delivered by nurses in addition to care as usual over a 12-week period in a tertiary referral hospital in Ghana. Sixty patients with T2DM were randomized to either the intervention or the control arm.

A.Eye Drive: Gaze-based semi-autonomous wheelchair interface.

Existing wheelchair control interfaces, such as sip & puff or screen based gaze-controlled cursors, are challenging for the severely disabled to navigate safely and independently as users continuously need to interact with an interface during navigation. This puts a significant cognitive load on users and prevents them from interacting with the environment in other forms during navigation. We have combined eyetracking/gaze-contingent intention decoding with computer vision context-aware algorithms and autonomous navigation drawn from self-driving vehicles to allow paralysed users to drive by eye, simply by decoding natural gaze about where the user wants to go: A.

Cross-sectional study of association between psychosocial stressors with chronic kidney disease among migrant and non-migrant Ghanaians living in Europe and Ghana: the RODAM study.

Objectives: The association between psychosocial stressors (PS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations is unknown. We examined the association between PS and CKD prevalence among rural and urban Ghanaians and Ghanaian migrants living in three European cities. We also assessed if the influence of PS on CKD is partially mediated by primary risk factors (hypertension and diabetes) of CKD.

Predictors of underweight in children under-five years in Ghana.

Background: Underweight is a key indicator of malnutrition in children and results in long term effects such as abnormalities in physical and mental health, behavioural problems, and low educational achievement.

Objective: Using the conceptual framework for child malnutrition by the United Nations Children's Fund, we examined the predictors of underweight in children under five years in Ghana.

Methods: This cross-sectional study made use of data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Cross-sectional study of association between socioeconomic indicators and chronic kidney disease in rural-urban Ghana: the RODAM study.

Objectives: Studies from high-income countries suggest higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among individuals in low socioeconomic groups. However, some studies from low/middle-income countries show the reverse pattern among those in high socioeconomic groups. It is unknown which pattern applies to individuals living in rural and urban Ghana.

Thyroid hormone status in Ghanaian patients with chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: There is limited data on the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Ghanaian individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Studies exploring the effect of thyroid hormones on renal function decline are also scanty. Unrecognized thyroid dysfunction in CKD may increase the burden of adverse health outcomes.

Depression and quality of life in patients on long term hemodialysis at a nationalhospital in Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

Unlabelled: The study examined quality of life and prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients on long term hemodialysis. Further, it explored the impact of socio-demographic characteristics on depression and quality of life.

Design: Study design was cross-sectional.

20 year trends in renal disease mortality in Ghana: A review of autopsies.

Aim: Data on the changing levels in renal morbidity and mortality are scant globally. We sought to assess trends in renal disease mortality and attributable causes over a 20 year period in Ghana.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 20 year autopsy records of the Pathology Departments of leading teaching hospitals in Ghana, (Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi) from January 1994 to December 2013.