Examining Recent Climate Changes in Ghana and a Comparison with Local Malaria Case Rates

Data Availability Statement: The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.This study investigated recent climate changes in Ghana and compared these changes to a new malaria case rates dataset for 2008–2022. The analysis was implemented at three spatial scales: national, regional, and by ‘climate zone’ (i.e., coastal, savannah, and forest zones). Descriptive statistics, qualitative discussion and correlation analysis were used to compare the climate variability to the malaria case rates. The climate analysis identified a general warming over the period with a mid-2010s maximum temperature peak in the forest and savannah zones, also associated with changes in the annual temperature cycle. Malaria case rates increased between 2008 and 2013, decreased sharply in 2014, and then decreased steadily from 2015 to 2022 for all scales. The sharp decline was broadly coincident with a change in the temperature regime that would provide a less favourable environment for the malaria vectors (precipitation and humidity showed no comparable changes). These coincident changes were particularly noticeable for an increase in maximum temperatures in the savannah and coastal zones in the key malaria transmission months after 2014. Correlation analysis showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) relationships between malaria case rates and mean and maximum temperatures at the national scale, and malaria case rates and mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures for the coastal climate zone (precipitation and humidity showed no significant correlations). However, more sophisticated methods are required to further understand this multidimensional system.This research received no external funding

An Assessment of the Methods of Development in the Essays of Business Students in Ghanaian Private Universities: A Case Study

Abstract The study is an attempt to assess the methods of development in the compositions of students who are reading various business-oriented courses in private universities in Ghana. This area has received little attention from researchers in Ghana. Two private universities-Christian Service and Ghana Baptist University College-were the two selected cases. Prior investigations exposed students&apos; writing flaws in the form of wrong usage of the features of a particular method of development when writing essays. Therefore, the literature reviewed was mostly based on these gaps indicated. The primary data collected from the field were from texts (classroom-based and take-home-based texts). Basically, probability sampling techniques were employed to sample the population of the cases selected. All the data gathered were descriptively analysed. The findings showed that students have problems composing descriptive and comparison and contrast paragraphs or essays. But, the study brought to light that students handled narrative, argumentative, and cause and effect essays knowledgeably. It was recommended that enough attention should be given to the teaching and learning of descriptive and comparison and contrast essays. It is our expectation that the findings and recommendations of the work would influence the decisions of policy makers in the field of English language

Morphological diversity and relationships among the IPGRI maize (Zea mays L) landraces held in IITA

Genetic variability estimates in maize (Zea mays L) landraces is an important information for trait improvement for food and nutrition security. Genetic diversity information in the Sub-Sahara African maize landraces is lack- ing. Agromorphological trait evaluation is a practical approach for genetic diversity estimation. Our objective was to assess genetic diversity among 60 IPGRI maize landraces held in IITA, Ibadan, against a check, «Obatanpa GH». Twenty-one quantitative traits and five qualitative traits were field-evaluated in Ghana in 2011 and 2012 wet seasons in a three-replicated randomized complete block design experiment. Large phenotypic variation was identified in all traits except cob colour, principal grain colour, and number of ears per plant. A moderate within population variation based on pooled Shannon Diversity Index was 0.68 ± 0.28. Between population variation was largest in earliness, anthesis-silking interval, and grain yield. Genetic similarity of 0.11 ± 0.00 based on squared correlation coefficient confirmed a large variability among accessions. Two major clusters, I and II, were separated on the basis of maturity characteristics, anthesis-silking interval, plant and ear heights, and grain yield. The first two principal components explained 67.89 % of the total variance. Four genotypes, TZm-1125 and TZm-1117 (5.0 Mg ha-1), TZm-1119 (5.4 Mg ha-1), and TZm-1139 (6.2 Mg ha-1) competed with the check (5.8 Mg ha-1) in grain yield. The IPGRI genotypes represent a large genetic reserve awaiting exploitation for trait improvement

Carbapenem- and cefiderocol-resistant Enterobacterales in surface water in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana

Background: MDR pathogens including ESBL- and/or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE and CPE) increasingly occur worldwide in the One Health context. Objectives: This proof-of-principle study investigated the occurrence of ESBL-PE in surface water in the Ashanti Region in Ghana, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and investigated their additional genotypic and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance features as part of the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS). Methods: From 75 water samples overall, from nine small to medium-sized river streams and one pond spatially connected to a channelled water stream in the greater area of Kumasi (capital of the Ashanti Region in Ghana) in 2021, we isolated 121 putative ESBL-PE that were subsequently subjected to in-depth genotypic and phenotypic analysis. Results: Of all 121 isolates, Escherichia coli (70.25%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.14%) were the most prevalent bacterial species. In addition to ESBL enzyme-production of mostly the CTX-M-15 type, one-fifth of the isolates carried carbapenemase genes including blaNDM-5. More importantly, susceptibility testing not only confirmed phenotypic carbapenem resistance, but also revealed two isolates resistant to the just recently approved last-resort antibiotic cefiderocol. In addition, we detected several genes associated with heavy metal resistance. Conclusions: ESBL-PE and CPE occur in surface water sources in and around Kumasi in Ghana. Further surveillance and research are needed to not only improve our understanding of their exact prevalence and the reservoir function of water sources in SSA but should include the investigation of cefiderocol-resistant isolates

Research priorities for climate mobility

The escalating impacts of climate change on the movement and immobility of people, coupled with false but influential narratives of mobility, highlight an urgent need for nuanced and synthetic research around climate mobility. Synthesis of evidence and gaps across the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report highlight a need to clarify the understanding of what conditions make human mobility an effective adaptation option and its nuanced outcomes, including simultaneous losses, damages, and benefits. Priorities include integration of adaptation and development planning; involuntary immobility and vulnerability; gender; data for cities; risk from responses and maladaptation; public understanding of climate risk; transboundary, compound, and cascading risks; nature-based approaches; and planned retreat, relocation, and heritage. Cutting across these priorities, research modalities need to better position climate mobility as type of mobility, as process, and as praxis. Policies and practices need to reflect the diverse needs, priorities, and experiences of climate mobility, emphasizing capability, choice, and freedom of movement

Development and validation of a diagnostic prediction model for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: VAPOR 1, protocol for a prospective multicentre case-control study

\ua9 Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ Group. Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to have extremely poor patient outcomes, unlike other cancer types which have seen significant improvements in their treatments and survival. A major contributing factor is that PDAC is often detected at an advanced, incurable stage. In the UK, nearly half of patients have stage 4 disease at the time of diagnosis, which has a profound effect on treatment options and, ultimately, survival. To address the challenge of early detection of PDAC, this study aims to develop and validate a clinical prediction model based on a non-invasive breath test. The proposed breath test aims to assist general practitioners in the triaging of patients who present with symptoms that do not meet current criteria for urgent suspected PDAC pathway referral. Methods and analysis: The Volatile organic compound Assessment in Pancreatic ductal adenOcaRcinoma (VAPOR 1) study is a prospective, multicentre, case-control study that aims to recruit 771 participants from England, Wales and Scotland. These include adult participants, aged ≥18 years, in three cohorts: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; benign pancreatic controls (chronic pancreatitis or new-onset diabetes); healthy controls with a normal pancreas on imaging. A one-off breath sample will be obtained from participants who have fasted for at least 6 hours, and participant demographics and clinical data will be recorded. Breath samples will be analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present. Relationships between VOCs of interest and the presence of PDAC will be explored, and a clinical prediction model will be developed using statistical and machine learning methods and internally validated. Ethics and dissemination: The VAPOR 1 study has received approval from the South East Scotland Research Ethics Committee 02, and from the Health Research Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (REC 22/SS/0061). Results of this study will be published in open-access peer-reviewed journals, and disseminated through pancreatic cancer conference presentations. In addition, lay summaries shared on our website, social media platforms and through our charitable funder, Pancreatic Cancer UK, will enable engagement with patients and the wider public

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP STYLE AND EMPLOYEES' COMMITMENT : A STUDY OF GHANA OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED.

ABSTRACT In today’s world, there is a lot of focus on the importance of leadership behavior and style to the operations of organizations and at the same time, organizations are struggling to attract and retain talented employees. Even though there are many factors that contribute to employee’s decision to either stay in an organization or not, the main aim of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between leadership style and skilled employees’ commitment. This research identified the leadership styles in Ghana Oil Palm Development Company Limited (G. O.P. D. C. Ltd) through ratings using the adapted Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, which was formulated from Bass and Avolio (1997), the Full Range Leadership Development Theory and rated the employees’ commitment using an adaptation of Meyer and Allen’s (1997) Three-Component Model of employee commitment. This was enhanced by using semi structured interview to explore the problem further. Eight leaders were rated high for transformational leadership behaviors, six transactional and one leader for laissez-faire. Their employee groups were identified with affective, normative and continuance commitments respectively. Other factors identified as contributing to the skilled employee’s decision to leave or remain in the organization included the stages of their working lives, perceived employment options and their sense of devotion to their organization and family commitments. Overall, findings from this study suggest that leadership behaviors do play important roles in determining commitment within an organization. However, the high turnover rate of skilled employees at GOPDC cannot be attributed only to the style of leadership in the organization. In conclusion, it can be said that leadership behaviours result in different levels of commitment among skilled employees. However, other factors also impact on the decision of skilled employees to either remain or leave an organization

The Role of NGOs in Canada and the USA in the Transformation of the Socio-Cultural Structures in Africa

This paper aims to explain how International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) in Canada and the United States of America assist in maintaining the West’s hegemonic position in ongoing globalisation process, with specific reference to Africa. The process begins at the local community level with ordinary citizens in North America. These people are exposed to ‘development pornography’through a plethora of visual, text and audio input via the mass media and popular culture, which present the African lifeworld as inferior and primitive, and African people as helpless, hapless, and in the throes of an unending series of epidemics on the short road to extinction. African cultures are portrayed as backward, atavistic, stuck in their primeval past, and needing ‘modernisation’ from the West. This African lifeworld is used to describe and portray Africa in ways that justify the importance of civil society organisations (CSOs) – charities,aid workers, business people, missionaries and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – in ‘intervening’ in the African continent’s seemingly inexorable human crises. INGOs, in turn, use this image as ‘compassion usury’, tugging on the heartstrings of North Americans to donate generously to various projects in Africa. Large amounts of money, goods and time are donated by ordinary people to help re-make the so-called inferior traditional lifeworlds of Africans inaccordance with Western visions. In return, these donors receive generous rewards for their contributions, in the form of tax deductions, community recog-nition, and development fund awards. Many of these donors are so motivated that they become development tourists who regularly visit Africa, bringing back ‘mercy-soliciting’ images to raise funds and create jobs for NGOs. Horrific pictures further reinforce negative stereotypes and misconceptions about Africa. Inthis way CSOs, particularly those recognised in Canada and the USA as international NGOs, not only unwittingly export and impose North American values on Africans, but also serve and maintain the global status quo of Western hegemony and African dependence