Outcomes and Adverse Effects of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

Aortic valve disease and cancer are significant causes of mortality, especially in older populations. This meta-analysis addresses a critical question in the management of patients with both aortic valve disease and cancer. As these two conditions are major contributors to mortality, determining the best course of treatment can be complex.

Predictors of quality of life of TB/HIV co-infected patients in the Northern region of Ghana.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) co-morbidity continues to be a serious worldwide health issue, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies on the quality of life (QOL) of TB/HIV co-infected patients guide stakeholders on the delivery of patient-centred healthcare. This study evaluated QOL of TB/HIV co-infected individuals and its contributing factors.

Anger and disgust shape judgments of social sanctions across cultures, especially in high individual autonomy societies.

When someone violates a social norm, others may think that some sanction would be appropriate. We examine how the experience of emotions like anger and disgust relate to the judged appropriateness of sanctions, in a pre-registered analysis of data from a large-scale study in 56 societies. Across the world, we find that individuals who experience anger and disgust over a norm violation are more likely to endorse confrontation, ostracism and, to a smaller extent, gossip.

Coping strategies among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDS in Accra-Ghana.

Background: Living with HIV/AIDS is remarkably stressful and has an adverse effect on one's physical and mental health. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the introduction of highly active anti-retroviral therapy has led to an increased number of children with perinatal acquired HIV who are living into adolescence and adulthood. Developing strategies to cope with HIV becomes imperative, especially among these adolescents.

Emotion regulation strategies and psychological health across cultures.

Emotion regulation is important for psychological health and can be achieved by implementing various strategies. How one regulates emotions is critical for maximizing psychological health. Few studies, however, tested the psychological correlates of different emotion regulation strategies across multiple cultures.

Psychotic-like experiences and adverse life events in young people. Does gender matter?

Background: Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and adverse life events (ALEs) are highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa where gendered practices are also common. There is, however, a paucity of data on how the relationship between PLEs and life adversities is influenced by gender. The current study addressed this gap.

Expectations for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Intellectual Disabilities in Ghana: A Comparison Between Service Providers and Parents.

Little is known about care providers' expectations for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) in Ghana. This study used group concept mapping (n = 9) and a quantitative survey (n = 128) to explore and compare service providers' and parents' expectations for children with ASD or ID. Data were analyzed using hierarchical clustering procedures and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA).

Investigation on synthesis of ternary g-CN/ZnO-W/M nanocomposites integrated heterojunction II as efficient photocatalyst for environmental applications.

The rapid industrialization of the world is disparagingly manipulating our environment and natural ecosystem. The researchers are taking keen interest to invent novel material as photocatalyst for non-degradable organic pollutants. Solar energy-driven practices employing semiconductors are a novel approach towards wastewater remediation.

A case-control and seven-year longitudinal neurocognitive study of adults with sickle cell disease in Ghana.

Ageing in sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with a myriad of end-organ complications, including cerebrovascular damage and cognitive impairment (CI). Although CI is very common in SCD, little is known about cognitive functioning and how it changes with age. This study examines cognitive patterns of 63 adults with SCD and 60 non-SCD, age- and education-matched controls in Ghana.

Knowledge of developmental disabilities and referral sources among health workers in two Ghanaian hospitals.

Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about developmental disorders, causes, and referral procedures among health workers.

Does Socio-Economic Status Have Different Impact on Fluid and Crystallized Abilities? Comparing Scores on Raven's Progressive Matrices, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children II Story Completion and Kilifi Naming Test Among Children in Ghana.

Current literature shows an association between intelligence and socio-cultural or socio-economic factors. The available evidence supports a stronger effect of exogenous factors on measures of crystalized intelligence than on fluid intelligence. Despite this, the sources of variability in fluid and crystalized intelligence have not been explored adequately in intelligence research.

Strategic combination of metal-organic frameworks and CN for expeditious photocatalytic degradation of dye pollutants.

The potential of fabricated silver and bismuth Co-N-doped imidazolate embedded into graphitic nitride BiO-Ag(0)/CN@ZIF-67 for the degradation of Methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR) dyes have been reported. The synthesized materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The band gaps of ZIF-67, CN and composites were calculated using Tauc plot.

Examining relations between performance on non-verbal executive function and verbal self-regulation tasks in demographically-diverse populations.

Self-regulation is a widely studied construct, generally assumed to be cognitively supported by executive functions (EFs). There is a lack of clarity and consensus over the roles of specific components of EFs in self-regulation. The current study examines the relations between performance on (a) a self-regulation task (Heads, Toes, Knees Shoulders Task) and (b) two EF tasks (Knox Cube and Beads Tasks) that measure different components of updating: working memory and short-term memory, respectively.

The multifaceted care-seeking practices among caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: Perspectives from mothers and providers in Ghana.

Background: Research on cerebral palsy (CP) has lacked emphasis on knowledge and treatment practices among caregivers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where socio-cultural contexts encourage a variety of treatment alternatives. In this study, we explored the beliefs and experiences that motivate care-seeking practices among caregivers of children with CP in Ghana.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 caregivers, 10 medical providers, and 5 alternative providers in the Greater Accra Region.

Antibiotic-Resistant Pyrexia of Unknown Origin: An Unusual Presentation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

A 74-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with complaints of high-grade fever, productive cough, and difficulty breathing for three weeks, and a significant weight loss in the past six months. Despite a detailed investigation, diagnosis could not be achieved. Multiple empiric regimens were tried but no response was observed.

Validation of the multidimensional WHOQOL-OLD in Ghana: A study among population-based healthy adults in three ethnically different districts.

Objectives: Study of well-being of older adults, a rapidly growing demographic group in sub-Saharan Africa, depends on well-validated tools like the WHOQOL-OLD. This scale has been tested on different populations with reasonable validity results but has limited application in Africa. The specific goal of this paper was to examine the factor structure of the WHOQOL-OLD translated into three Ghanaian languages: Ga, Akan, and Kasem.

Latent structure of psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Evidence from a multi-method taxometric study of a school-based sample in Ghana.

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are subclinical psychotic symptoms that occur outside the context of sleep or are unrelated to drug use. PLEs of varying severity are reportedly very common in adolescence. However, there are concerns about whether the structure of PLEs among adolescents is latently dimensional or categorical ("taxonic").

Perceptions of the appropriate response to norm violation in 57 societies.

Norm enforcement may be important for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation. However, little is known about how preferred responses to norm violations vary across cultures and across domains. In a preregistered study of 57 countries (using convenience samples of 22,863 students and non-students), we measured perceptions of the appropriateness of various responses to a violation of a cooperative norm and to atypical social behaviors.

Impact of Fasting Lipid Profile on Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Having Fatty Liver Disease.

Background and objectives Chronic kidney disease (CKD) share a common pathophysiology with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to identify the lipid derangements in patients of CKD and to associate them with radiological evidence of NAFLD. Material and methods A cross-sectional observational study was performed in a tertiary care hospital, to include all chronic kidney disease patients (n=238) through non-probability consecutive sampling.

Thiolated sodium alginate conjugates for mucoadhesive and controlled release behavior of metformin microspheres.

The absorption of BCS III drugs can be improved by inhibiting the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux and by increasing the mucoadhesion of natural polymers. In the present study, an esterification of sodium alginate (SA) with thioglycolic acid (TGA) was applied for the preparation of thiolated sodium alginate (TSA). The Ellman's test was applied to quantify the thiol group and a di-sulphide bond test was performed to confirm any SS linkages.