Under-Utilized Contributions by International Students: Case Study for Education and Research

International social work education in the United States focuses on globalization and international practicum for American students. a readily available resource, international social work graduate students, is rarely utilized. This article discusses a case study of five African students who engage in a process of realigning their academic knowledge to respond to local social development challenges in their home countries. These processes result in profound innovations that are based on theory, indigenous experience, and culturally competent practice

Alumni Perceptions of Their Alma Mater of a Public University in Ghana

The purpose of the study was to examine alumni perceptions of their alma mater, thus University of Education, Winneba – Kumasi Campus (UEW-K) in Ghana. The study was a cross-sectional survey of 750 respondents using structured questionnaire personally administered. A usable 408 questionnaire were returned, representing 54.5% response rate and analysed using SPSS Version 20.0. The study found six (6) items highly rated by the alumni as activities carried out by their alma mater, with the highest being academic programs. Additionally, the alumni rated highly four (4) items they perceived as values they received from the university, with the highest being the qualification they obtained from the university. Furthermore, three (3) items were highly rated by the alumni as their willingness to give to their alma mater, with the highest being the desire to give. Recommendations are also made to management of the university to put in place the necessary measures to improve their activities. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge in the area of management and administration in higher education. Keywords: Alma Mater, Alumni, Giving, Higher Education, Management, Perception, Universit

Vocationalisation of Higher Education in Ghana: Contextual Concerns and Prospects from Lecturers and Students in Accra Polytechnic

In today’s industrial world, vocational and technical education has emerged as the key to the development of every economy and that various experts and educational stakeholders have highlighted on this claim. In view of this, the main objective of this study was to examine the challenges and prospects in the delivery of vocational/technical education at the higher level in Ghana.  We collected data from both primary and secondary sources using Accra Polytechnic (now Accra Technical University), as a case study.  Using the stratified random sampling technique, 130 respondents comprising 100 students and 30 lecturers were selected for the study. A hybrid of quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed for data gathering purposes.  In addition to descriptive statistics, Freidman test and t-test were used to analyse the data.  The findings revealed that vocational/technical education curriculum keeps changing over the period and has assumed different purposes due to the emergence of complex social, technological, economic, demographic and political developments in Ghana. We recommended that, among others, the whole curriculum must be re-oriented towards providing occupational skills, stakeholders must come with unifying vision of exerting influence, set goals, create new ideas, policies, vision and provide direction to ensure that reforms lead to effective delivery of viable vocational education in Ghana. Keywords: Curricula, Context, Higher Institutions, Lecturers, Students, and Vocational   Education

Evaluation of In-Service Training for Senior Staff of a Public University in Ghana

This study is an evaluation of the effectiveness and relevance of an in-service training workshop organized by Human Resource Division of the College of Technology Education, Kumasi of University of Education, Winneba, Ghana for Senior Staff. Data were obtained by the use of questionnaire that covered the content and outcome at the end of the workshop. The study found that: duration of the workshop was adequate but there was insufficient time given for discussions and questioning; there was inadequate material resources such as handouts, softcopies, CDs and slide presentations; the resource persons provided for the workshop were generally good; the training workshop was relevant to the participants in relation to their work; participants benefited from the training in terms of capacity building, awareness of new trends, confidence building and general change of attitude towards work. Recommendations are made for future improvement of such workshop. Keywords: Evaluation, In-Service Training, Resources, Worksho

Immune cell census in murine atherosclerosis: cytometry by time of flight illuminates vascular myeloid cell diversity

Aims: Atherosclerosis is characterised by the abundant infiltration of myeloid cells starting at early stages of disease. Myeloid cells are key players in vascular immunity during atherogenesis. However, the subsets of vascular myeloid cells have eluded resolution due to shared marker expression and atypical heterogeneity in vascular tissues. We applied the high-dimensionality of mass cytometry to the study of myeloid cell subsets in atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice were fed a chow or a high fat (western) diet for 12 weeks. Single cell aortic preparations were probed with a panel of 35 metal-conjugated antibodies using Cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF). Clustering of marker expression on live CD45+ cells from the aortas of ApoE-/- mice identified 13 broad populations of leucocytes. Monocyte, macrophage, type 1 and type 2 conventional dendritic cell (cDC1 and cDC2), plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC), neutrophil, eosinophil, B cell, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell, γδ T cell, natural killer (NK) cell and innate lymphoid (ILC) cell populations accounted for approximately 95% of the live CD45+ aortic cells. Automated clustering algorithms applied to the Lin-CD11blo-hi cells revealed 20 clusters of myeloid cells. Comparison between chow and high fat fed animals revealed increases in monocytes (both Ly6C+ and Ly6C-), pDC and a CD11c+ macrophage subset with high fat feeding. Concomitantly, the proportions of CD206+ CD169+ subsets of macrophages were significantly reduced as were cDC2. Conclusions: A CyTOF-based comprehensive mapping of the immune cell subsets within atherosclerotic aortas from ApoE-/- mice offers tools for myeloid cell discrimination within the vascular compartment and it reveals that high fat feeding skews the myeloid cell repertoire towards inflammatory monocyte-macrophage populations rather than resident macrophage phenotypes and cDC2 during atherogenesis

Abortion in Ghana: Legal or Illegal? An Observation at the Abura Dunkwa District Hospital

Background: Elective abortion with its medico-legal controversies is a major worldwide debatable topic. The question whether to legalize abortion or not continues to be a contentious affair.  The public interest nature of this debate has led to the emergence of two advocacy groups: Pro-Life and Pro-Choice. The former argues that the unborn fetus is human with life. The latter strongly postulates that women should have choices of what happens to their body. Whilst this debate lingers on, we decided to do a four month clinical observation of the reality on the ground in Ghana’s Abura Dunkwa Ditrict Hospital.  Methods: This was a clinical observational study. It covered a four month clinical management of abortion related patients at the Abura Dunkwa district hospital of Ghana.  History of presenting complaints and social/ family histories were particularly noted in details. We then compared our observation against abortion laws around the world and Ghana in particular. Findings: we observed that the lack of publicity and agreed interpretation of Ghana’s abortion laws have resulted in criminal abortions leading to complications such as incomplete abortion, hemorrhage, sepsis, etc. We also discovered that many criminal abortions   in fact met Ghana’s abortion Acts’ ‘exceptions for termination of pregnancy’Conclusion: Ghana’s abortion Acts  though do not make abortion legal, the laws have permitted enough grounds for justifiable  terminations of pregnancies,   yet ignorance of the law has led to women’s continued engagement in criminal and unsafe abortions leading to severe morbidities and  mortalities Keywords: Abortifacients, hemorrhage, sepsis, morbidity, mental health, adjustment disorder DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/61-02 Publication date: April 30th 201

Groundwater quality, sanitation and vulnerable groups: case study of Bawku East District

The effect of human hygienic behaviour on the quality of groundwater was investigated using standard methods for trace elements and bacteria pollution indicators in Bawku East District of Ghana in 2006. No iron was detected in water; manganese levels were higher in wells than boreholes and fluoride levels exceeded the WHO standard (1.5mg/l) by 0.5-1.0mg/l in one well and a borehole at Bawku. Typical bacteria numbers deviated from normal trends (i.e.1014, 1011, 108, and 104 for total coliforms, faecal coliforms, E. coli and enterococci in the well water compared to 106, 105, 103 and 102 in the boreholes respectively). The six UNICEF boreholes were within the WHO guideline of zero helminthes (100-1 ml) but the wells were not. Hence, quality of the boreholes was higher than the wells for drinking purposes

The prevalence and pattern of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy among women with breast cancer receiving care in a large community oncology practice

Purpose To describe the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and its impact on function and quality of life (QOL) among women treated for breast cancer in a large U.S. Community Oncology practice. Methods Women previously treated with taxane-based chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer completed the EORTC QLQ–C30, QLQ–BR23, and QLQ–CIPN20. Subscales are scored 0–100; higher scores indicate greater symptom severity. Pre-specified hypotheses were tested. Results 126 women with mean age 56.7 years (SD 11.8) were stage I–II (79.4%) or stage III (20.6%) at the time of the survey; 65.1% were White and 27.8% were Black or African American. The mean time since last taxane chemotherapy cycle was 144.9 weeks (SD 112.9). 73.0% reported having CIPN. QLQ–CIPN20 mean scores for the sensory, motor, and autonomic subscales were 18.9 (SD 23.1), 18.6 (SD 18.7), and 17.1 (SD 21.8), respectively. CIPN symptom severity was negatively correlated with global health status/QOL and physical and role functioning (range of r = -0.46 to -0.72). It was not associated with age, body mass index, diabetes, or cumulative taxane dosage, but was greater for Black or African American women (e.g., sensory, p<0.002). CIPN sensory impairment was marginally greater for patients treated with paclitaxel compared to docetaxel (p<0.064). Conclusions CIPN was prevalent in this community oncology practice and significantly impacts function and QOL. These data highlight the importance of developing methods to mitigate CIPN, and for screening for CIPN particularly among Black or African American women

Pointed gaps in the provision, quality, patronage and management of toilet facilities in Bawku East District

The objective was to assess the level of sanitation and hygiene with baseline information on the impact of onsite sanitation facility development on public health in the Bawku East District using hundred and sixty eight (n=168) respondents from five randomly selected communities according to UNICEF water and sanitation support programs for a survey. Public latrine alone accounted for 43% patronage of toilet facilities in the district. Unfortunately, about 70% of the population who preferred household toilets rather patronized open defecation due to poverty and inadequate good toilet facilities at user ratio of 1: over 500 people with very low seat capacities. Among the subjects encountered, 42% were unskilled labourers whilst 27% students, who, could hardly afford the comfort of household toilet facilities

Restoration of degraded forest reserves in Ghana

Deforestation in Ghana has led to a forest loss of almost 20% from 9,924,000 ha in 1990 to 7,986,000 ha today. To restore degraded lands, Forest Landscape Restoration has become a critical approach globally. This study was conducted in Ghana focusing on the examples of two forest landscape restoration projects in the Pamu Berekum Forest Reserve: 10-year-old mixed-stands of two to four native tree species and an exotic species stands, including Triplochiton scleroxylon, Terminalia ivorensis, Ceiba pentandra, Nauclea diderrichii and Cedrela odorata at Pamu Berekum 1 and 4-year-old Tectona grandis and 2-year-old Gmelina arborea monoculture stands at Pamu Berekum 2. Estimates of productivity in the restored forests are described, as well as the effects of the restoration on provision of ecosystem service and benefits obtained by local communities. Stand productivity was assessed as mean annual increment of diameter and height, biomass production, and standing volume. For ecosystem services, carbon stocks were calculated for the restored forests; other ecological benefits, as well as financial benefits, were obtained through interviews with fringe communities. The results indicate that FLR can be implemented successfully using different models provided that local communities are involved during the planning and implementation of interventions. When all stands were projected to 10 years, results show higher productivity in T. grandis (331.77 m3 ha-1) and G. arborea stands (1,785.99 m3ha-1) compared to mixed stand (160.41 m3 ha-1). The Gmelina arborea stand was more productive and had higher carbon stocks (1,350.10 Mg ha-1) relative to the T. grandis stand (159.89 Mg ha-1). Both restoration projects were found to deliver important benefits and ecosystem services at the local and national levels, including direct and indirect benefits. The results provide an example for forest/environmental managers on how FLR might be implemented to create multiple benefits at different levels from local communities to the national level. Thus, these results may be useful for guiding successful restoration activities within the context of the ongoing global Forest Landscape Restoration efforts