Map Conflation using Piecewise Linear Rubber-Sheeting Transformation between Layout and As-Built Plans in Kumasi Metropolis.

Context and backgroundAccurately integrating different geospatial data sets remain a challenging task because diverse geospatial data may have different accuracy levels and formats. Surveyors may typically create several arbitrary coordinate systems at local scales, which could lead to a variety of coordinate datasets causing such data to remain unconsolidated and in-homogeneous.Methodology:In this study, a piecewise rubber-sheeting conflation or geometric correction approach is used to accomplish transformations between such a pair of data for accurate data integration. Rubber-sheeting or piecewise linear homeomorphism is necessary because the different plans’ data would rarely match up correctly due to various reasons, such as the method of setting out from the design to the ground situation, and/or the non-accommodation of existing developments in the design.  Results:The conflation in ArcGIS using rubber sheet transformation achieved integration to a mean displacement error of 1.58 feet (0.48 meters.) from an initial mean displacement error of 71.46 feet (21.78 meters) an improvement of almost 98%. It is recommended that the rubber sheet technique gave a near exact point matching transformation and could be used to integrate zone plans with As-built surveys to address the challenges in correcting zonal plans in land records.  It is further recommended to investigate the incorporation of the use of textual information recognition and address geocoding to enable the use of on-site road names and plot numbers to detect points for matching

Evaluation of red blood cell count as an ancillary index to hemoglobin level in defining the severe falciparum malarial anemia among Ghanaian children in low-resource communities

© 2020 The Author(s) Our study evaluated red blood cell count as supporting hematological index to hematocrit level in predicting severe malarial anemia instead of the hemoglobin levels among malaria-infected children in Ghana. This case-control study was conducted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. The study recruited 139 children, of which 45 were Controls (C), 43 with severe malaria (SM), and 51 with mild malaria (MM). Validated questionnaires were administered to obtain the socio-demographic data from each respondent. Venous blood was obtained for parasitemia count and to determine the hematological profile of each participant. With point of observation, data analysis was done. The mean age of the children was 4.22 ± 2.65 years. Median levels of hemoglobin (Hb) decreased in the order; C \u3e MM \u3e SM (P \u3c 0.0001). There was a reduction in median levels of hematocrit (HCT) (P \u3c 0.0001), RBC (red blood cells count) ( \u3c 0.0001), from the MM to the SM. Among patients with severe malaria, there were a positive significant spearmen\u27s co-efficient correlations between median levels of RBC (r = 0.652, P = 0.005) and HB (r = 0.640, P = 0.006) individually against HCT. However among the mild malaria patients only RBC (r = 0.884, P \u3c 0.001) was positively correlated against HCT. At a cut-off of \u3c 4.0×106/uL for RBC and \u3c 8.8 g/dL for Hb, RBC (90.4%) recorded a slightly high accuracy in predicting severe falciparum malarial anemia than Hb (86.9%) among the cases. Red blood cell count may be a promising indicator to support hematocrit ( \u3c 15%) in defining severe malarial anemia than hemoglobin level ( \u3c 5 g/dL) among malaria-infected children from endemic areas in Ghana

Evaluation of individual and combined markers of urine dipstick parameters and total lymphocyte count as a substitute for CD4 count in low-resource communities in Ghana

We evaluated the individual and combined levels of urine dipstick and total lymphocyte count (TLC) as surrogate markers for CD4 count in a low-resource community in Ghana. This cross-sectional study recruited 200 HIV-infected patients from the Saint Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Fosu, Ghana. Complete blood count, CD4 count, and urine dipstick analysis were measured for participants. The threshold values were determined as

Partner alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence against women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: Intimate partner violence is increasingly gaining attention as the leading form of violence against women globally, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Given that substance abuse, especially alcohol consumption has long been associated with aggressive behaviour, emotional abuse, and sexual misconduct, it is surprising that studies on the potential association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence are scarce. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data of 89,229 women aged 15 to 49 in sexual unions from 21 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Percentages with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were used to present the results of the prevalence of partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between partner’s alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence. The regression analysis results were presented using adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% CI. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The pooled prevalence of partner alcohol consumption was 36.3% [36.0–36.6]. The highest prevalence of partner alcohol consumption was found in Burundi (67.1%) with Mali (3.9%) recording the lowest prevalence. Similarly, the overall prevalence of physical violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence among the women were 19.7% [19.2–20.2], 25.0% [24.5–25.5], and 9.7% [9.3–10.1], respectively. In the pooled data, women whose partners consumed alcohol were more likely to experience physical violence [aOR = 2.37, 95% CI = 2.24–2.50], emotional violence [aOR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.86–2.07], and sexual violence [aOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.89–2.18] compared to those whose partners did not consume alcohol. In all the 21 countries, women whose partners consumed alcohol had higher odds for physical and emotional violence. The odds of sexual violence was higher among women whose partners consumed alcohol compared to their counterparts whose partners did not in 20 countries, except Namibia. Conclusions: We found that partner’s alcohol consumption increases women’s likelihood of experiencing physical, emotional, and sexual violence in sub-Saharan Africa. There is the need to implement behavioural change interventions targeted at male partners to reduce alcohol consumption. The findings call for the need to effectively create and organize support networks in addressing intimate partner violence among married and cohabiting women

Colorectal cancer survival rates in Ghana: A retrospective hospital-based study

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the commonest cancers associated with diverse prognosis times in different parts of the world. Despite medical interventions, the overall clinical outcomes and survival remains very poor for most patients in developing countries. This study therefore investigated the survival rate of colorectal cancer and its prognostic factors among patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana. METHODOLOGY: In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 221 patients diagnosed with CRC from 2009 to 2015 at the Surgical and Oncological units of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana were employed. The survival graphs were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the Log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was used to assess prognostic factors. All analyses were performed by SPSS version 22. RESULTS: The median survival time was 15 months 95% CI (11.79-18.21). The overall survival rate for CRC over the 5 years period was 16.0%. The survival rates at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th years were 64% 95% CI (56.2-71.1), 40% 95% CI (32.2-50.1), 21% 95% CI (11.4-30.6) 16% 95% CI (8.9-26.9) and 16% 95% CI (7.3-24.9). There was a significant difference in the survival rate of colorectal cancer according to the different stages (p = 0.0001). Family history [HR = (3.44), p = 0.029)], Chemotherapy [HR = (0.23), p = CONCLUSION: The study has clearly demonstrated that survival rate for CRC patients at KATH, Ghana is very low in a 5 years period. This is influenced by significant number of clinical and pathological prognostic factors. Identification of prognostic factors would be a primary basis for early prediction and treatment of patients with colorectal cancer

Chemical properties of Terminalia catappa wood

Ghana’s forest is fast depleting as a result of over-dependency on the traditionally known timber species and high demand for wood products for structural works. This study seeks to determine the chemical properties and basic density of Terminalia catappa wood and its potential for structural application. Three mature trees of Terminalia catappa were acquired based on the diameter at the breast height (dbh) greater than 40 cm. In this study 160 samples of wood were used for the chemical properties and density tests. Chemical analyses were performed by using the TAPPI standards. The study revealed that there were higher cellulose and hemicellulose contents in the sapwood than in heartwood, and in the branchwood than in stemwood. Lignin and extractives content were higher in the heartwood than in sapwood, and in the stemwood than in branchwood. The basic density of the sapwood ranged from 473 to 649 kg/m³ and in the heartwood from 444 to 579 kg/m³ being the highest in the base portion and the lowest in the branches. The difference in wood density, which is greater in the base area than the branches, emphasizes how crucial it is to take wood quality into account for the best possible use across various tree portions. The study also clarifies the wood's suitability for structural and non-structural uses. These findings have the potential to influence sustainable forest management strategies and encourage the use of alternative timber to supplement the resource base

Association of wrist circumference and waist-to-height ratio with cardiometabolic risk factors among type II diabetics in a Ghanaian population

The study determined the association of wrist circumference (WrC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with cardiometabolic risk factors among diabetics in a Ghanaian population. This cross-sectional study involved 384 diabetic patients at Begoro District Hospital, Ghana. Blood pressure, anthropometrics, and biochemical indices were measured. The overall prevalence of dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and hypertension was 42.4%, 76.3%, and 39.8%, respectively. The optimum cut-off range of WrC to identify individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk was 17.5 to –17.8 cm for men and 16.0 to 16.7 cm for women while that of WHtR was 0.52 to 0.61 for men and 0.53 to 0.59 for women. WrC for women was a significant independent predictor for MetS [aOR = 3.0 (1.39–6.72), ] and systolic blood pressure [aOR = 2.08 (1.17–3.68), ]. WHtR was a significant positive predictor for triglycerides [aOR = 3.23 (0.10–3.82), ] for women. Using Framingham risk scores, 61% of the subjects had elevated 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with no significant difference in gender prevalence. WrC [aOR = 6.13 (0.34–111.4), ] and WHtR [aOR = 2.52 (0.42–15.02), ] were associated with statistically insignificant increased odds of moderate-to-high risk of developing CVDs in 10 years. The use of gender-specific cut-offs for WrC and WHtR may offer putative markers for early identification of CRFs

NTCP gene polymorphisms and hepatitis B virus infection status in a Ghanaian population

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: SLC10A1 gene codes NTCP, a receptor through which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gets access into hepatocytes- A stage of the viral cycle necessary for replication. Polymorphism variants of SLC10A1 play roles in HBV infection, viral clearance, treatment outcome, and complications, in diverse ethnic groups and countries. However, no such study has been conducted in the Ghanaian population, a country with HBV endemicity. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted to investigate the presence of three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene (rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287) and assessed the risk of HBV infection among the Ghanaian population. Method: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the presence of the SNPs among 292 participants comprising 146 HBV infected persons as case-subjects and 146 HBV non-infected persons as control-subjects. Results: The minor allele frequency (T) of rs2296651 was present in a significantly high proportion of cases compared with the control group (11.6% vs. 3.1%, p \u3c 0.0001). The homozygote recessive variant of rs61745930 was present in 2.7% of the control group and 5.5% of the case group. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies of rs4646287 were 9.3 and 8.2% among the control and the case group, respectively (p = 0.767). Under the dominant (CC) genetic model of inheritance, rs2296651 was found to be protective of HBV infection [OR = 0.18 (0.07-0.44)], whereas under the co-dominant and additive model, rs2296651 was a potential risk factor for HBV infection [OR = 5.2 (95%CI: 2.1-12.8); 3.5 (95%CI: 1.6-7.6], respectively. Variants of rs61745930 and rs4646287 were not associated with HBV infection (p \u3e 0.05). Polymorphisms in SLC10A1, however, did not show any significant association with HBV infectivity (p \u3e 0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights some polymorphism proof that variants rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287 exist in HBV-infected individuals in Ghana. Although variant rs2296651 was found to be associated with HBV infection, this association warrants more studies. Polymorphisms in SLC10A1 were not associated with HBV infectivity among the Ghanaian population. Further investigation is warranted to assess the offensive role of the relationship between rs2296651 and HBV infectivity

Evaluation of Individual and Combined Markers of Urine Dipstick Parameters and Total Lymphocyte Count as a Substitute for CD4 Count in Low-Resource Communities in Ghana

We evaluated the individual and combined levels of urine dipstick and total lymphocyte count (TLC) as surrogate markers for CD4 count in a low-resource community in Ghana. This cross-sectional study recruited 200 HIV-infected patients from the Saint Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Fosu, Ghana. Complete blood count, CD4 count, and urine dipstick analysis were measured for participants. The threshold values were determined as <350 cells/μl for CD4, <1200 cells/μl for TLC, and ≥+ on urine dipstick analysis. The mean age of participants was 43.09 years. Proteinuria ≥ + [aOR = 4.30 (3.0–18.5)], leukocyturia ≥ + [aOR = 2.91 (1.33–12.5)], hematuria ≥ + [aOR = 2.30 (1.08–9.64)], and TLC < 1200 cells/μl [aOR = 3.26 (3.94–15.29)] were significantly associated with increased risk of CD4 count < 350 cells/μl. Using the individual markers, the best substitute marker for predicting CD4 count < 350 cells/μl was proteinuria at a cutoff point ≥ 2++, AUC of 0.973, sensitivity of 97.6%, specificity of 100.0%, PPV of 100.0%, and NPV of 89.1%. A combination of ≤ 1200 TLC + ≥ 2++ (leukocyturia + proteinuria + hematuria) yielded an AUC of 0.980, sensitivity (72.8%), specificity (100.0%), PPV (100.0%), and NPV (97.9%). Proteinuria could serve as a noninvasive screening tool, but the combination of proteinuria, leukocyturia, hematuria, and TLC serves as a better substitute marker for CD4 count in monitoring the disease progression among HIV patients in low-resource communities