Ghana Institute of Languages

Artisanal gold mining can enhance natural radioactivity in nearby environmental media. This study assessed health risks and environmental impacts associated with the release of natural radionuclides in Atiwa West, Ghana. Activities of naturally occurring radionuclides were measured in soil samples (Ra-226, Th-232, K-40) and water samples (Ra-226, Ra-228, K-40) by HPGe γ-spectrometry; Ra-226 in vegetation was estimated from soil activities using a transfer factor. The mean activity concentrations in soils were 22.1 ± 2.1 Bq/kg (Ra-226), 27.5 ± 2.3 Bq/kg (Th-232) and 198 ± 22 Bq/kg (K-40). At several water locations, Ra-226 and Ra-228 exceeded the WHO screening levels for drinking water of 1.0 Bq/L and 0.1 Bq/L, respectively. Radiological hazard indices attributable to inhalation and ingestion were evaluated. Overall, soil radiological risks were low; however, approximately 22% of sites recorded values above the global average annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE). In some locations, the committed effective dose from drinking water surpassed the WHO screening threshold of 0.1 mSv/y, with the associated excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) exceeding 2.9 × 10−4. Overall, the mining-affected waters presented a greater potential radiological impact than the soils, underscoring the need for water quality management and periodic monitoring in artisanal mining areas.

BackgroundAlthough TB services are free in Ghana, TB case detection remains low and mostly limited to public facilities. To address this, a Public-Private Mix (PPM) Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) model was introduced, involving community private healthcare providers and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to boost TB case detection rates.MethodsThis impact evaluation focuses on four key interventions targeting vulnerable populations in Ghana’s two largest metropolitan areas between the last quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2020. Screening and TB register data were collected from implementing facilities, along with TB case notifications from 2015 to 2022 for both intervention and control areas. Comparative interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the interventions on quarterly TB case notifications.ResultsDuring the intervention period, a total of 563,868 persons were screened for TB, 12,121 of these were presumptive for TB and 590 persons were diagnosed with TB. Of the diagnosed TB cases, 95.3% (562) were bacteriologically confirmed. The overall TB screening yield was 104.6 cases per 100,000 population. In the intervention area, TB case notifications increased from 1,392 cases in 2018 to 1,462 cases in 2019 while they decreased from 853 to 778 in the control area. The ITS analyses detected positive post-intervention trend differences in all forms of TB and bacteriologically confirmed TB notification case rates between the intervention and control areas.ConclusionExpanding free TB services through a PPM DOT model and sustained community engagement can increase TB case detection in urban areas. National TB programs should adopt and scale this approach to enhance TB surveillance and control.

Governance of the ocean and its biodiversity is deeply entangled within social, political and cultural histories. The evolution of marine science has been subject to similar influences, and we (the authors) consider these factors to create, embed and reinforce knowledge hierarchies in ocean governance processes and associated research that set societal patterns of prioritisation and exclusion. Such knowledge hierarchies have constructed dominant Western-oriented knowledge systems as ‘rational’ and ‘objective’ approaches to environmental governance in contrast to non-Western knowledge systems and have led to a dominance of natural (normal) sciences over centralised biodiversity governance. The extraction and incorporation of traditional knowledge into the Western-oriented scientific canon through myriad historical and contemporary processes in ocean biodiversity governance often reproduce knowledge hierarchies, do not benefit knowledge holders and are often considered incomplete, inappropriate or absent. As we address current ocean biodiversity and conservation challenges, researchers must be aware of the history of knowledge extraction, impositions and assumptions within their fields. Researchers must also actively acknowledge and address these histories in their work to avoid marginalisation and support ethical, empathetic, and rigorous knowledge production that meets the needs of society. In this paper, through a development of the concept of knowledge hierarchies, we explore case studies of research diverse in geography and discipline ranging from action research in Namibia, the application of arts-based methodologies in legal proceedings to research focused at an international level, and the concept of ocean literacies, all of which are located under the umbrella of a project specifically targeting transformative ocean governance. It becomes evident that knowledge hierarchies are multi-layered, perpetuating, and often reproduced even when attempting to address hierarchies through such methods as the integration or ‘bringing together’ of diverse knowledge systems. Effective change will therefore require sensitive and multi-faceted approaches to knowledge hierarchies, including processes of embracing discomfort, which will be important to work with, as well as through. While there will be continued tensions between hierarchies, it is a sine qua non that researchers need to build a commitment to understanding where powers lie, rather than ignoring such imbalances or, similarly, by idealising approaches.

Background: Extemporaneous compounding is the preparation of medicines for individual patients when no commercially available authorized form exists. Unlike registered medications, these products are not subjected to various tests for quality by Regulatory Authorities. Data on compounded medications in Ghana is currently inadequate or unavailable. There is the need to collate data that can be used to influence policy and to regulate preparation of extemporaneous products. Aim: To establish the prevalence, scope and quality of extemporaneously compounded medicines at selected hospitals in Accra, Ghana. Methodology: Prescriptions presented at the pharmacies in selected hospitals were reviewed to determine the requests that needed to be extemporaneously prepared as well as the prevalence and the scope of formulations. Three of the most frequently compounded medications were procured and subjected to microbial contamination tests using the pour plate method followed by differential tests if microbes were present. Content analysis of the active ingredients was determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results: 641 requests comprising 49 different extemporaneous products were collated from the hospitals studied. Hydroxyurea, furosemide and spironolactone suspensions were the three most frequently prescribed. Patients aged from 0-2 years had majority of the prescriptions. Conclusion: A population of patients still exist who depend on compounding for their drug needs. 49 different formulations were prepared at one of the hospitals visited. Samples of products analyzed were of good quality.

Abstract The study assessed gender‐based violence (GBV) in Northern Ghana with a focus on intimate partner violence (IPV), other forms of violence against women, and the general perception held on gendered‐based violence in the regions. The causal factors militating against the general development of women are also closely examined. It draws on the ecological model to unpack the dynamics of GBV in Northern Ghana with the general objective of promoting gender equality in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study analyzed qualitative and quantitative data from 450 males and females sampled in three districts in Northern Ghana. The study finds that where there is a misunderstanding in conjugal relationships, men are likely to resort to the use of violence to resolve it. The sociocultural acceptance of GBV could mean that both genders do not perceive male violence as deviant behavior. Imperatively, governmental and nongovernmental agencies should prioritize challenging cultural norms that normalize deviant behaviors.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most lethal type of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death with the lowest 5-year survival rate. Heterogeneity, difficulty in diagnosis, and rapid metastatic progression are the causes of high mortality in pancreatic cancer. Recent studies have shown that Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancers, and these patients have a worse prognosis. Recently, PRMT5 as an anti-cancer target has gained considerable interest. In this study, we investigated whether inhibition of PRMT5 activity was synergistic with blockade of TGF-β1 signaling, which plays an important role in the construction of the desmoplastic matrix in pancreatic cancer and induces therapeutic vulnerability. Compared with T1-44, a selective inhibitor of PRMT5 activity, the combination of T1-44 with the TGF-β1 signaling inhibitor Vactosertib significantly reduced tumor size and surrounding tissue invasion and significantly improved long-term survival. RNA sequencing analysis of mouse tumors revealed that the combination of T1-44 and Vactosertib significantly altered the expression of genes involved in cancer progression, such as cell migration, extracellular matrix, and apoptotic processes. In particular, the expression of Btg2, known as a tumor suppressor factor in various cancers, was markedly induced by combination treatment. Ectopic overexpression of Btg2 inhibited the EMT response, blocking cell migration, and promoted cancer cell death. These data demonstrate that the combination therapy of T1-44 with Vactosertib is synergistic for pancreatic cancer, suggesting that this novel combination therapy has value in the treatment strategy of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Although accumulating evidence indicates that alternative splicing is aberrantly altered in many cancers, the functional mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that epithelial and mesenchymal isoform switches of leucine-rich repeat Fli-I-interacting protein 2 (LRRFIP2) regulated by epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) correlate with metastatic potential of gastric cancer cells. We found that expression of the splicing variants of LRRFIP2 was closely correlated with that of ESRP1. Surprisingly, ectopic expression of the mesenchymal isoform of LRRFIP2 (variant 3) dramatically increased liver metastasis of gastric cancer cells, whereas deletion of exon 7 of LRRFIP2 by the CRISPR/Cas9 system caused an isoform switch, leading to marked suppression of liver metastasis. Mechanistically, the epithelial LRRFIP2 isoform (variant 2) inhibited the oncogenic function of coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) through interaction. Taken together, our data reveals a mechanism of LRRFIP2 isoform switches in gastric cancer with important implication for cancer metastasis.

ABSTRACT Adolescents living in sub-Saharan Africa have increased exposure to adverse life experiences (ALEs). The current study examines gender differences in the prevalence of ALEs, mental health outcomes and association between ALEs and mental health outcomes of school-going adolescents in Ghana, West Africa. A sample of 1,886 adolescents (1,174 females) completed mental health and ALEs self-report measures. A series of descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. Results revealed girls report higher mental health problems than boys. However, there was gender similarity in the prevalence of ALEs, except for substance misuse and trauma to head that were reported more by boys. The effect of ALEs on mental health outcomes was largely invariant across gender. Substance misuse, victimization experiences and school-level stress significantly predict depressive symptoms in both boys and girls. Interventions targeting the ALEs investigated in this study would help improve the mental health of boys and girls.

This mini review brings to bear a situation that occurred in the rural areas of West Africa where the inhabitants accused others of being responsible for the loss of their genitals. The town of reference is Zorse, which is inhabited by the Kusasi tribe in the North Eastern part of Ghana. Anthropologists and psychologists explain anxiety assault as a fear reaction that emanates from a people’s belief that a person can cause sex organs to vanish or shrink. Charles Mather used ethnography to describe detailed accounts of happenings. This current paper provides a systematic review of happenings based on the information gathered from the script of Mather. It is revealed that the explanations offered are also grounded in bioengineering and psychology.

Most studies of stalking and other forms of intrusive behavior are conducted in the West. Little is known about the phenomenon in the African context. The present work represents the first dedicated stalking study conducted in Ghana. Based on a sample of 371 male and female university students, this study explored the gender distribution of overall perceptions and experiences, and frequency and duration of personal worst experiences of stalking and intrusive behavior. Several significant gender differences were noted. Females were generally more likely than males to perceive a range of intrusive activities as unacceptable. Females and males were equally likely to have experienced aggression and surveillance, and unwanted attention types of behaviors, while males were more likely than females to have experienced persistent courtship and impositions, and courtship and information seeking types of behaviors. In respect of their worst experience of intrusive behavior, females were more likely to report unwanted communications, aggressive courtship, property damage, and harassment of third parties, whilst males were more likely to have been threatened with harm. More than half of our participants (55.5%) were judged to have been stalked. Given the devastating nature and impact of stalking victimization, the findings may provide impetus to increase awareness of stalking in Ghana and add urgency to calls for anti-stalking legislation.