Urban sprawl and microclimate in the Ga East Municipality of Ghana

Climatic elements such as temperature and rainfall provide great and unquantifiable benefits to human health. However, rapid urban sprawl has the tendency to undermine these health consequences. The relationship between urban sprawl and microclimate in the Ga East Municipality has been assessed to present the extent of sprawl that inhibit temperature and rainfall in recent times. Methodologically, satellite imagery and meteorological data (minimum and maximum temperature and rainfall) from 1990 to 2020 were used. The results indicate that rapid urban sprawl in recent times has significantly undermined the local climate through land use and land cover changes. There was strong statistical relationships between temperature and built-up areas (p \u3c 0.05), grass/shrub cover (p \u3c 0.04) and all vegetation cover (p \u3c 0.03). There was also strong statistical relationship between rainfall and built-up areas (p \u3c 0.03), grass/shrub cover (p \u3c 0.04) and all vegetation (p \u3c 0.02). Thus, expansion in built up areas and reduced grass/shrub cover led to increases in temperature, rainfall and surface water run off while reduction in all vegetation led to increase in both temperature and rainfall. These changes in climate brought about by urban sprawl will affect crop production, increase cataclysmic floods as well as growth of some harmful insects. There is the need for the amalgamation of urban growth and climate change into spatial planning through an all-embracing approach

A Quality Control Scheme for a Commercial Pozzolana Plant: A Case Study of Pozzolana Ghana Ltd

A Quality control scheme was developed for a 200 ton per day commercial pozzolana plant. The scheme was evaluated for the first 34 days of production. Statistical Process Control tech­niques were specifically applied to the mechanical properties of setting times and compressive strength. Results obtained showed that pozzolana samples tested were chemically suitable with total SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 content ≥ 70%. Mechanical tests performed were mostly under control and when out-of-control, they gave valuable indication to plant malfunction or operator errors which were promptly corrected. The results of mechanical properties tested against the three major brands of cement on the Ghanaian market showed that pozzolana gave highest compressive strengths with Dangote CEM I 42.5R ranging between 21.3 MPa - 36.3 MPa at 7 days and 33.8 MPa - 45.1 MPa at 28 days whilst lowest compressive strengths were obtained with Ghacem CEM II B-L 32.5R cement ranging between 16.3 MPa – 23.6 MPa at 7 days and 23.3 MPa – 30.7 MPa at 28 days. Compressive strengths obtained with Diamond CEM II B-L 42.5N cement were average. A mean compressive strength for all brands of ce­ment of 25.2 MPa and 33.6 MPa at 7 days and 28 days respectively were obtained. Keywords: Pozzolana cement, statistical process control, Shewhart chart, compressive strength, setting tim

Risk assessment of exposure to particulate output of a demolition site.

Whilst vehicular and industrial contributions to the airborne particulate budget are well explored, the input due to building demolition is relatively unknown. Air quality is of importance to human health, and it is well known that composition of airborne particles can have a significant influence on both chronic and acute health effects. Road dust (RD) was collected before and after the demolition of a large building to elucidate changes in elemental profile. Rainfall and PM10 mass concentration data aided interpretation of the elemental data. Quantification of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Rh, S, Si, Sn, Ti, V and Zn was carried out. It was found that only Al, K, Mg, Si and S increased in concentration across all size fractions after the building demolition. Risk assessment was then carried out on elements with applicable reference dose values to assess the potential health risks due to the demolition. Significant risk to children was observed for chromium and aluminium exposure. PM10, monitored 40 metres from the demolition site, indicated no abnormal concentrations during the demolition; however, rainfall data were shown to affect the concentration of PM10. The elemental data observed in this study could possibly indicate the role of increased sulphur concentrations (in this case as a result of the demolition) on the buffer capacity of RD, hence leaching metals into rainwater

Commercial appraisal of Pozzolana plant in Ghana

No Abstract.Journal of the Ghana Institution of Engineers Vol. 2 (1) 2004: pp. 41-4

Clam shells aggregates for housing construction

No Abstract.Journal of the Ghana Institution of Engineers Vol. 2 (2) 2004: pp. 22-2

Genital Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy with Intracorporeal Neobladder & Paravaginal Repair

OBJECTIVE: Vaginal prolapse is a known complication after radical cystectomy, requiring additional procedures in 10% of the patients. METHODS: The genital sparing technique preserves the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and vagina, while paravaginal repair involves suturing of the lateral vaginal wall to the arcuate fascia located on the medial aspect of the obturator internus muscle. The procedure begins by placing the patient in a lithotomy position, with a steep Trendelenburg. Standard 6 port cystectomy configuration is utilized with an additional 15 mm port for bowel anastomosis. Initially, the ureters and lateral bladder space are mobilized. Posteriorly a dissection plane is developed separating the bladder from the anterior vaginal wall. Distal dissection is carefully performed in that plane to avoid disrupting the urethral-external sphincter complex. Then the bladder is dropped from anterior attachments, the Dorsal venous complex (DVC) and bladder neck are exposed. Urethra is transected distal to the bladder neck, after circumferential mobilization, to complete the cystectomy, again avoiding disruption of the continence mechanism, and opening the endo-pelvic fascia. Cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection are completed in a standard fashion. The arcuate fascia is identified bilaterally for level I paravaginal repair. The lateral aspect of the paravaginal tissue is secured to this ligament, using 3 interrupted Polydioxanone (PDS) sutures, bilaterally. An ileal Hautman\u27s W pouch neobladder is constructed using 50 cm of the small intestine, similar to the previously reported technique. RESULTS: No intra or postoperative complications were noted. Robot dock time was 8 hours and 23 minutes with an EBL of 100 mL. The patient was discharged on post operative day (POD) 6 and Foley catheter with ureteral stents was removed on POD 27 after a cystogram confirmed no leaks. At 6-month follow-up, the patient reported good continence using a single pad, voiding every 3-4 hours. Fluoro-urodynamics demonstrated 651 mL capacity, low-pressure voiding, minimal residual urine, and no reflux. No prolapse was noted on fluoroscopy and pelvic examination with the Valsalva maneuver. The patient reported a good satisfaction level, regarding her urinary symptoms. CONCLUSION: We report satisfactory short-term outcomes of a feasible technique to prevent postcystectomy prolapse; however, long-term follow-up of a larger cohort can help establish its efficacy

A Comprehensive Review of Outcome Predictors in Low MELD Patients.

Risk scoring for patients with cirrhosis has evolved greatly over the past several decades. However, patients with low Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium scores still suffer from liver-related morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, it is not clear which of these low Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium score patients would benefit from earlier consideration of liver transplantation. This article reviews the literature of risk prediction in patients with cirrhosis, identifies which patients may benefit from earlier interventions, such as transplantation, and proposes directions for future research