431 research outputs found
Pneumatic Reduction Of Intussusception In Children At The Komfo Anokye Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Objective: To evaluate the role of pneumatic reduction in the management of
intussusception in children in the setting of a sub-Saharan African nation.
Design: Prospective case series.
Setting: Tertiary care teaching hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.
Subjects: Forty four children, aged 4 months to 13 years, 28 boys and 16 girls, were admitted with a clinical diagnosis of intussusception and confirmed by ultrasonography.
Interventions: Twenty two children had air enema reduction of the intussusception
attempted in the operation theatre under general anaesthesia. The average pressure
used for air enema reduction of the intussusceptions was 110.4 mm Hg.
Main outcome measures: Success of pneumatic reduction, morbidity and mortality.
Results: Overall air enema reduction of intussusception was successful in 59.1% of
children who underwent this procedure. There were no deaths among children who
had a successful air enema reduction of intussusception. One child (11.1 %) out of nine
who had laparotomy done after a failed pneumatic reduction died. The average length
of hospital stay was shorter in those with successful air enema reduction (3.8 Β± 2.3 days,
95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 2.4 to 5.2) than those who had a laparotomy performed
for manual reduction of the intussusception after a failed pneumatic reduction (6.7 Β±
5.1 days, 95% CI = 33 to 9.9).
Conclusion: Although the sample size is small, pneumatic reduction of intussusception
in children without peritonitis is possible, practical, and reliable and must be tried
first, preferably under general anaesthesia in our sub-region before proceeding to
laparotomy in case of failure. East African Medical Journal Vol. 85 (11) 2008: pp. 550-55
Effect of Formaldehyde Treatment on Bacteria-Infected Hatching Eggs of Gallus gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758
The effectiveness of formaldehyde egg disinfection is well documented in literature despite its reported toxicity. This study focused on the need for an optimum formaldehyde concentration (FC) that significantly reduces microbial load with minimal damaging effect on egg viability and hatchability. Using a true experimental design, bacterial load on formaldehyde-treated (FT) and control groups of eggs and hatchability were compared. Gram-staining and biochemical tests identified five bacterial species: Escherichia coli, Enterobacter sp., Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus sp. with the two coliform bacteria, E. coli and Enterobacter sp., dominating. Comparison of median differences of bacterial load on eggs before and after formaldehyde treatment by Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed marginal significance in bacterial load reduction (Z = -2.016, P = 0.044). This difference was observed for bacterial load between the control group (CG) and the FT group with FC 30/20 ml/g (U = 3.0, P = 0.047). The hatchability of the CG differed significantly from four FT groups of eggs with FC 30/20 ml/g showing the highest level of significance [ΟΒ² (1) = 14.71; P = 0.0001]. A FC of 30/20 ml/g produced the best domestic fowl egg disinfection compared to other FCs and hatchability decreased with increasing formalin volume
The Relationship between the Quality of Teachers and Pupils Academic Performance in the STMA Junior High Schools of the Western Region of Ghana
The study investigated into the relationship between the quality teachers and students academic performance in Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) Junior High Schools. Descriptive survey design was used and the target population was Junior High School teachers and pupils in the metropolis. Five educational circuits in the metropolis were randomly selected for the conduct of the study. Stratified and systematic sampling techniques were used to sample participants and the sample size was 500. Questionnaire was the main instrument used for the data collection. Pearson Moment Correlation, ANOVA, means, percentages and standard deviations were used to analyse the data. The results of the study showed that even though the quality of teachers was high in terms of their academic and professional qualifications, it did not reflect much in the performance of the students
Incidence of Blood and Meat Spots in Eggs from a Commercial Poultry Farm
A study was conducted in two phases simultaneously in a commercial poultry farm to ascertain whether egg weight, temperature variation in pens, and proximity of birds to a noise source had an influence on the incidence of blood and meat spots in chicken eggs. Phase one involved the random sampling of 60 eggs per week for 15 weeks, making a total of 900 eggs from the pens of a 50-week-old layer strain. Phase two determined the effect of noise from a 3.3 kW electrical gasoline generator on the incidence of blood and meat spots. It lasted for 14 weeks and involved the random sampling of 10 eggs per week directly from two pens (i.e., A & D). Pen A and D were 4.7 m and 68 m away from the noise source respectively. A Chi-square test was conducted to establish the relationship between the parameters, whilst a Cramerβs V test was used to determine the extent of association where differences were deemed significant (p<0.05). Out of the 1040 eggs collected, 63% of the eggs had spots (32% blood spots and 31% meat spots). No association was observed between the occurrence of spots and egg weight, temperature variation, and proximity of birds to a generator
Early Childhood Education in Ghana: Perceptions of Stakeholders in the Western Region of Ghana
The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of the stakeholders in early childhood education and their perceptions affect the performance of their roles in the implementation of early childhood education programmes. Parents, community members, early childhood education teachers, members of religious organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations formed population of the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample the early childhood schools and stratified sampling technique participants in each district. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and structured interview guide. Data collected were summarised using percentages, means, standard deviations and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient The Stakeholder in the Western Region of Ghana have low perception of early childhood education and this adversely affects the performance of their roles to ensure effective implementation of early childhood programmes and policies in the region. There is a relationship between their perceptions and the level of performance of their roles. It is recommended that Religious organizations, District and Municipal Assemblies as well as non-governmental organizations should be encouraged to participate actively in the implementation of early childhood programmes and policies in the regio
The range of abdominal surgical emergencies in children older than 1 year at the komfo anokye teaching hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Background : Acute abdominal conditions are a common reason for
emergency admission of children. Little is available in the literature
about such conditions in our subregion, especially Ghana. Objective :
The aim of this study was to investigate the range of emergency
abdominal surgical conditions amongst children in the subregion, with
particular reference to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
A prospective survey of all children older than 1 year undergoing an
emergency abdominal surgery was carried out. Methods : Details of all
children (except infants) operated for an acute surgical abdominal
condition over a 5-year period were entered into a specially designed
form, capturing patient characteristics, surgical causes of the
emergency, operative procedure, complications, morbidity and mortality
rates. Results : Nine hundred fifty-five children aged > 1 year but
< 15 years were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 8.8 \ub1
3.2 years. The leading causes of surgical abdominal emergencies were
typhoid perforation (TP) of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), 68%;
acute appendicitis, 16%; abdominal trauma and intestinal obstruction
(including intussusception), 4.7% each; irreducible external hernias,
2.5%; primary peritonitis, 1.0%; gallbladder disease and gastric
perforation, 0.8% each. Many children died from the TP group; case
fatality for TP alone was 12.6%. The overall mortality was 9.7%.
Morbidity was influenced by the presence of major peritoneal
contamination, continuing peritonitis and surgical site infections
(SSIs), which led to long hospital stay. Conclusions : In our hospital,
TP of the GIT, acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, irreducible
external hernias and primary peritonitis were the most common abdominal
emergencies encountered in children after infancy. The high morbidity
and mortality in TP is attributable to ignorance, poor sanitation and
delay in reporting to hospital for treatment
Assessment of the quality and quantity of naturally induced antibody responses to EBA175RIII-V in Ghanaian children living in two communities with varying malaria transmission patterns
Abstract Background Recent global reports on malaria suggest significant decrease in disease severity and an increase in control interventions in many malaria endemic countries, including Ghana. However, a major driving force sustaining malaria transmission in recent times is the asymptomatic carriage of malaria parasites, which can enhance immune responses against parasite antigens. This study determined the prevalence and relative avidities of naturally induced antibodies to EBA175RIIIβVLl in asymptomatic children living in two communities with varying malaria transmission patterns. Methods An asexual stage Plasmodium falciparum antigen, EBA175RIIIβVLl was expressed in Lactococcus lactis, purified and used in indirect ELISA to measure total and cytophilic IgG concentrations and avidities in children aged between 6 and 12Β years. The children were selected from Obom and Abura, communities with perennial and seasonal malaria transmission, respectively. Venous blood samples were collected in July and October 2015 and again in January 2016. The multiplicity of infection and the genetic diversity of EBA175RIII circulating in both sites were also assessed using polymerase chain reaction. Results Asymptomatic parasite carriage in the children from Obom decreased from July (peak season), through October and January, however parasite carriage in children from Abura was bimodal, with the lowest prevalence estimated in October. Antibody concentrations over the course of the study remained stable within each study site however, children living in Obom had significantly higher EBA175RIIIβVLl antibody concentrations than children living in Abura (PΒ <Β 0.05, MannβWhitney test). Over the course of the study, the relative antibody avidities of EBA175RIIIβVLl IgG antibodies were similar within and between the sites. Conclusion Naturally acquired IgG concentrations but not relative antibody avidities to EBA175RIIIβV were significantly higher in Obom where malaria transmission is perennial than in Abura, where malaria transmission is seasonal
The Effects of Business Failure Experience on Successive Entrepreneurial Engagements: An Evolutionary Phase Model
This study draws insights from the literatures on entrepreneurial learning from failure and organizational imprinting to develop an evolutionary phase model to explain how prior business failure experience influences successive newly started businesses. Using multiple case studies of entrepreneurs located in an institutionally developing society in Sub-Sahara Africa, we uncover four distinctive phases of post-entrepreneurial business failure: grief and despair, transition, formation and legacy phases. We find that while the grieving and transition phases entailed processes of reflecting and learning lessons from the business failure experiences, the formation and legacy phases involve processes of imprinting entrepreneursβ experiential knowledge on their successive new start-up firms. We conclude by outlining a number of fruitful avenues for future research
Human capital and strategic persistence:An examination of underperforming workers in two emerging economies
Despite the considerable research on strategic persistence, there remains a lack of understanding as to why companies persist with underperforming workers. Our study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by integrating the concepts of the paradox of success, external legitimacy, nepotism and the escalation of commitment perspectives to develop an integrated explanation for persistence with underperforming workers. Drawing on insights from two emerging economies in Africa: Ghana and Nigeria, we uncovered that persistence with underperforming workers stems from information hoarding, favouritism through tribalism and externally imposed constraints. Our study also articulates the underlying processes inherent in such persistence. The wider implications for theory and public policy are examined
ΠΡΠ΅Π½ΠΊΠ° ΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΡ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ Ρ ΠΈΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΎΠ΄Π° ΡΠ°ΡΡΡΡΠ° ΡΠΈΡΠΊΠ° Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΠΈΠΏΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠ°
Π ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°Π½ΠΎ, ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎ ΠΈΠ·ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΈΡΡ ΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ, ΡΡΠΈΡΡΠ²Π°Ρ Π·Π°ΡΡΠ°ΡΡ, ΡΠ²ΡΠ·Π°Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ Ρ ΠΎΠ±Π΅ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ΠΌ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΡΠ°, ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄Π»ΠΎΠΆΠ΅Π½Ρ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ²ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΏΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΈΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Π°Π½Π°Π»ΠΈΠ·Π° ΡΠΈΡΠΊΠΎΠ². ΠΡΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ»ΠΆΠ°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠ΅Ρ
Π½ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΠΉ ΠΈ ΠΎΠ±Π»Π°ΡΡΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΏΡΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΈ ΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΠΎΠ°ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΡ
ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΠΎΠ². ΠΡΠΎ ΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ²ΡΠ·Π°Π½ΠΎ Ρ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΡΠΈΡΠΊΠΎΠΌ Π·Π»ΠΎΠ½Π°ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΈΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠ°Π΄ΠΈΠΎΠ°ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΡ
ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΠΎΠ², ΠΏΠΎΡΡΠΎΠΌΡ Π²Π°ΠΆΠ½ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±Π΅ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΡΡ ΡΠΈΠ·ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΡΡ Π·Π°ΡΠΈΡΡ ΡΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΎΠ², ΡΡΠΎΠ±Ρ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡΡΠΎΡΡΡ ΡΡΠΈΠΌ ΡΠ³ΡΠΎΠ·Π°ΠΌ ΠΈ ΠΈΡΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π°ΡΡ Π°ΡΠΎΠΌΠ½ΡΡ ΡΠ½Π΅ΡΠ³ΠΈΡ Π² ΠΌΠΈΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡ
. ΠΡΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΡΡΡ ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ, ΡΡΡΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ²Π»Π΅Π½Π½ΡΡ
Π½Π° ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠ΅, ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎ ΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡΡ ΠΏΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ Π°Π½Π°Π»ΠΈΠ·Π° ΡΠΈΡΠΊΠΎΠ², ΡΠ²ΡΠ·Π°Π½Π½ΡΡ
Ρ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΎΠΌ
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