Synthesis of zeolite from rice husk ash and kaolinite clay for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution.

Zeolite was successfully synthesized using a mixture of kaolinite clay (which served as the alumina source) and rice husk ash (silica source). The aim of this work was to synthesize highly efficient zelolite to remove methyle blue dye from aqueous solution. The synthesized adsorbent was characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and pH at the point of zero charge (pHpzc).

Multifaceted barriers associated with clinical breast examination in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analytical approach.

Objectives: Clinical breast examination (CBE) open the pathway to early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. This study examined barriers to CBE uptake in seven sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.

Methods: Data from the most current Demographic and Health Surveys of Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Kenya Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania was used.

Bridging the health information gap among undergraduate university students: The role of academic libraries.

Background: Although university students are young and seem generally healthy, they do have health information needs that affect their academic work. Some university healthcare services and academic libraries collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide health information to students.

Aims/objectives: The study explored the health information gap among undergraduate students in universities in Ghana.

Nationwide cervical precancer screening in Ghana: concurrent HPV DNA testing and visual inspection under an expanded hub-and-spoke model.

Cervical cancer continues to disproportionately burden women in sub-Saharan Africa, and is the commonest gynecological cancer in Ghana. The Cervical Cancer Prevention and Training Centre (CCPTC), Battor, Ghana spearheaded the Ghana arm of the mPharma 10,000 Women Initiative (mTTWI) between September 2021 and October 2022. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of nationwide concurrent screening using high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) DNA testing and visual inspection methods, as well as factors associated with the screening outcomes.

Genomic Analysis of Virulent, Multidrug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca from Bloodstream Infections, South Africa.

Unlabelled: The study investigated the resistome, virulome and mobilome of multidrug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca clinical isolates.

Methods: A total of 46 suspected Klebsiella species (spp.) were collected from blood cultures within the uMgungundlovu District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease: Brain Tissue Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Interactions.

This study utilises amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease (PD) human brain samples from the GEO database and employs differential expression gene (DEG) analysis to identify genes that are pivotal in both neurodegenerative diseases. Through in depth GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, we elucidated the biological functions and potential pathways associated with these DEGs. Furthermore, by constructing protein‒protein interaction networks, we highlight the significance of shared DEGs in both cellular physiology and disease contexts.

Exploring the synergy between emotional intelligence and self-esteem among university students in Ghana.

Background: The need for educational institutions to create a conducive learning environment for participation of all students in school activities is one of the pillars advocated under Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While there are structures institutionalized to promote students' well-being, universities are faced with a myriad of challenges which can negatively impact mental health and disrupt the overall learning experiences of students. This study explored the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Self-Esteem which have been found to influence the mental health of students.

Comprehensive health risk assessment of urban ambient air pollution (PM, NO and O) in Ghana.

Urbanization and industrialization have drastically increased ambient air pollution in urban areas globally from vehicle emissions, solid fuel combustion and industrial activities leading to some of the worst air quality conditions. Air pollution in Ghana causes approximately 28,000 premature deaths and disabilities annually, ranking as a leading cause of mortality and disability-adjusted life years. This study evaluated the annual concentrations of PM NO and O in the ambient air of 57 cities in Ghana for two decades using historical and forecasted data from satellite measurements.

Employee engagement, perceived organizational support, and job performance of medical staff at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

This study examined the moderating effect of perceived organizational support on the link between employee engagement and the job performance of medical staff at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. The study adopted a purely quantitative approach, using the explanatory research design. Data were collected from 310 full-time nurses and midwives of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in the Central Region of Ghana.

Barriers to orthodox medical care of prostate cancer in Ghana.

Traditional medicine is widely used in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ghana, where it is commonly integrated with modern orthodox medicine. This study examines the barriers that delay the pursuit of orthodox medical care for prostate cancer (PCa) in Ghana's Central region, where a blend of traditional and modern orthodox medicine exists. The preference for indigenous traditional medicine often results in late-stage presentations of PCa, adversely affecting patient outcomes.

Post-COVID-19 conditions and health effects in Africa: a scoping review.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused global devastations in social, economic and health systems of every nation, but disproportionately of nations in Africa. In addition to its grave effects on the global systems, there is continuation or development of new symptoms among individuals who have contracted the virus, with the potential to further stress the health systems on the continent. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review was to collate and summarise the existing research evidence on the prevalence and health effects of post-COVID-19 conditions in Africa.

Exploring reduction of prolonged binocular vision testing time: the agreement between the first and second thirty seconds within one minute of accommodative and vergence facility tests.

The study sought to compare the number of cycles (NOS) for the first and second thirty-seconds (FASTS) within 1 min of accommodative facility (AF) and vergence facility (VF) testing to explore possibilities of reducing testing time to 30 s. In this cross-sectional study, a multistage sample of school children (aged 8-17 years) was taken through ocular-visual screening. Eligible participants (586) underwent refraction, stereo-acuity measurement, AF testing using ± 2D lens flippers, and VF testing using 3 BI/12 BO flipper prisms.

In Vitro Evaluation of Rosemary Essential Oil: GC-MS Profiling, Antibacterial Synergy, and Biofilm Inhibition.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become precarious, warranting investments in antimicrobial discovery. To investigate the antibacterial activity of rosemary essential oil (REO), alone and in combination with selected conventional antibiotics. REO was subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (including minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination) and investigation of anti-pre-biofilm and antibiofilm activities.

Spatial Variation and Predictors of Women's Sole Autonomy in Healthcare Decision-Making in Bangladesh: A Spatial and Multilevel Analysis.

Knowing the spatial variation and predictors of women having sole autonomy over their healthcare decisions is crucial to design site-specific interventions. This study examined how women's sole autonomy over their healthcare choices varies geographically and what factors influence this autonomy among Bangladeshi women of childbearing age. Data were obtained from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18.

The association of telomere length and religiosity: A systematic review.

Objective: Religiosity is a complex construct comprised observance, intrinsic beliefs, meditative practice, and communal elements. Religiosity has been associated with reduced mortality and improved overall health, but understanding the underlying biological associations is evolving. As increased telomere length has been associated with increased longevity, this project presents a systematic review of studies investigating the relationship between religiosity and telomere length.

Association between gene polymorphisms and glaucoma susceptibility among Africans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study sought to analyze the effect of allele mutations and gene functions specific to glaucoma susceptibility among Africans.

Methods: Potentially relevant studies were retrieved from major bibliographic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Data were extracted and study-specific estimates were meta-analyzed using various models to obtain pooled results.

Characterizing populations prioritized for PrEP in 19 African countries: a review of national guidance.

Introduction: While African countries have expanded access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) since 2015, regional targets for PrEP uptake remain unmet. Understanding which populations are prioritized for PrEP at the policy level is an important step in determining the scope of PrEP distribution across Africa and identifying gaps in programme implementation. We reviewed national guidance to characterize populations prioritized for PrEP in Africa.

Health economics of snakebite envenomation: A sub-Saharan African perspective.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is affected by the high direct and indirect costs of snakebite envenomation. With >30% of global mortality, different economic barriers still exist, and effective strategies must be employed to avert the burden and promote quality of life. With the WHO target of reducing the number of snakebites by one-half by 2030, different aspects concerning snakebite envenomation economics must be evaluated, and potential strategies must be developed.

Factors associated with vaccine default in Southern Ghana based on data from the RTSS malaria vaccine trial in Cape Coast.

Malaria has been a severe global and public health concern for the last couple of decades. Ghana, like many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is most affected by the disease, with children facing dire consequences. The recent introduction of the RTS, S malaria vaccine holds great potential in reducing malaria fatalities in children.

Dimensions of well-being and social harmony of older persons in Ghana: A secondary analysis of longitudinal survey data of the 2014/15 Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE Wave 2).

Objectives: A crucial factor in healthy ageing is age-friendly environments for older persons. The opportunities that come with getting older as well as the safety of older persons are influenced by their social surroundings and overall well-being, yet, there is a dearth of research focus on this subject. This study examined the association between dimensions of well-being and the social harmony of older persons in Ghana.

Feasibility of the use of Kangaroo mother care in the transfer of preterm and low-birth-weight infants: a two-arm nonrandomized controlled cluster feasibility study of neonatal transport in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Background: Despite progress made towards SDG 3, sub-Saharan Africa lags behind the rest of the world, accounting for over 50% of global neonatal deaths. The increased number of hospital births in the region has not reciprocated the reduction in neonatal mortality rates. Sick newborns face uncertain journeys from peripheral facilities to specialized centres arriving in suboptimal conditions, which impacts their outcomes, due partly to the scarcity of dedicated neonatal transport services.

Oxidative Stress and Cancer Risk in Schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is considered one of the most devastating parasitic diseases globally, coming second only to malaria in terms of morbidity. The disease-causing parasite can inhabit the body for over a decade, leading to imbalances in the host's metabolic systems. The flukes and their eggs can illicit various immunological and metabolic complications resulting in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Understanding cervical cancer prevention in Africa: a qualitative systematic review of the role of men.

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is a preventable noncommunicable disease if detected early through screening for precancers and appropriately managed. The causal link with high-risk human papillomavirus infection is established, making elimination possible through the WHO multipronged 90:70:90 strategy. However, practical CC elimination efforts need to address issues within the sociocultural context that can facilitate or hinder prevention strategies.

Exploration of demographic prevalence of mild cognitive impairment using Montreal cognitive assessment: A cross-sectional pilot study in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.

Background: The Global prevalence of dementia is projected to rise, particularly in low and middle-income countries like Ghana. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an intermediate phase between normal cognitive aging and dementia, is characterized by an objective and subjective decline in cognitive abilities. Individuals with MCI have a greater likelihood of progression to dementia.