Perception of Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorder among Persons Involved in Road Accidents at an Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Alcohol plays a significant role in road traffic accidents in Ghana. However, little is known about the perspectives of victims who suffer road traffic accidents, RTAs, and the extent to which alcohol use disorder is involved.

Methodology: We conducted a three-month cross-sectional study in a teaching hospital involving 102 patients involved in a road accident and presented to the hospital's emergency.

The Renin Angiotensin System as a Therapeutic Target in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem, with limited pharmacological options available beyond symptomatic relief. The renin angiotensin system (RAS) is primarily known as a systemic endocrine regulatory system, with major roles controlling blood pressure and fluid homeostasis. Drugs that target the RAS are used to treat hypertension, heart failure and kidney disorders.

Assessment of corn starch as substitute for agarose in DNA gel electrophoresis.

Objective: The use of agarose in nucleic acid electrophoresis is the gold standard. However, agarose is very expensive and not readily available in resource limited developing countries like Ghana. Hence, finding a more affordable and readily available alternative to agarose will be a major boost to molecular research in developing countries.

A Rare Case of Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis After Epidural Steroid Injection: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare cause of acute paralysis, which if not promptly recognized and treated, can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. TPP can be precipitated by several factors, including a high carbohydrate diet and exercise. This report is of a rare case of TPP after epidural steroid injection in a young man, with a review of the literature of previous cases.

Microglial Activation Results in Inhibition of TGF-β-Regulated Gene Expression.

Chronic inflammation mediated by persistent microglial activation is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The mechanisms underlying chronic microglial activation are poorly understood. We have previously shown that anti-inflammatory TGF-β signaling is inhibited in LPS-treated microglia.

WWL70 attenuates PGE production derived from 2-arachidonoylglycerol in microglia by ABHD6-independent mechanism.

Background: α/β-Hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6) is one of the major enzymes for endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) hydrolysis in microglia cells. Our recent studies have shown that a selective ABHD6 inhibitor WWL70 has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in animal models of traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis. However, the role of ABHD6 in the neuroinflammatory response and the mechanisms by which WWL70 suppresses inflammation has not yet been elucidated in reactive microglia.

Neurorestoration after traumatic brain injury through angiotensin II receptor blockage.

See Moon (doi:10.1093/awv239) for a scientific commentary on this article.Traumatic brain injury frequently leads to long-term cognitive problems and physical disability yet remains without effective therapeutics.

LPS antagonism of TGF-β signaling results in prolonged survival and activation of rat primary microglia.

Accumulating evidence indicates that activated microglia contribute to the neuropathology involved in many neurodegenerative diseases and after traumatic injury to the CNS. The cytokine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), a potent deactivator of microglia, should have the potential to reduce microglial-mediated neurodegeneration. It is therefore perplexing that high levels of TGF-β1 are found in conditions where microglia are chronically activated.

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients in Ghana.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in tropical Africa although there are few data on the prevalence of this disorder. Therefore we initiated a multicenter screening study to identify the prevalence and staging of CKD in 712 patients with known hypertension in four polyclinics in Accra, Ghana. We measured estimated glomerular filtration rate by the six-variable modification of diet in renal disease equation and proteinuria by the protein/creatinine ratio.