Molecular characterization of resistance and virulence in Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) from the private sector in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Master of Medical Science. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.Abstract available in PDF file

Assessing the use of hydrogels to harvest atmospheric water for agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, Manawatū campus, New Zealand

Agricultural production in arid and semi-arid regions globally faces a growing challenge of water scarcity and initiatives to increase water-availability for crops are needed. The hygroscopicity of hydrogels underpins the real opportunity to desorb water that can be used to support agricultural production in water scarce areas. Research to date has predominantly focussed on direct contact absorption of water in a liquid phase. The opportunity for hydrogels to absorb water from the atmosphere is less studied. Specifically, the impact of relative humidity and temperature on hydrogel hygroscopicity and potential for desorption of this water under environmental pressures that might be expected in a plant root zone are poorly described in literature. Such information will underpin assessment of the extent to which atmospheric water absorption might serve as an alternative water source for plants use in the arid and semi-arid regions. This study was therefore undertaken to ascertain hydrogels hygroscopicity and desorption potential with specific consideration of agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions. The research aimed to provide information on the hygroscopicity potential of different hydrogels, and how different relative humidity percentages and temperature influence hydrogels hygroscopicity and different applied pressures impact water desorption from hydrogels. The effect of relative humidity, time and temperature on hygroscopicity was investigated using replicates of five hydrogels of different composition placed in five different relative humidity chambers (63 %, 76 %, 84 %, 95 % and 100 %) and under three different temperature levels (10 ºC, 20 ºC and 30 ºC ). The results showed that hydrogel type, relative humidity and time influences hygroscopicity significantly, and that the chemical composition of hydrogels can explain hygroscopicity. There was no influence of temperature on absorption. Hydrogels with no N content showed increased absorption of atmospheric water with time, and this is explained through the absence of an N-driven crosslinking effect on water absorption. Absorption of atmospheric water by the best performing hydrogel (Yates Waterwise Water Storage Crystals; at 3.139 g/g at 100 % relative humidity and 30 ºC) in this study was explained by first order model behaviour at 20 ºC for all relative humidity levels except at 63 %. Further research was conducted on the hydrogels defined as the best and worst absorbing in the initial experiments. These hydrogels were placed in contact with liquid water to yield the freely swollen state, and then desorption potential for plant access was investigated using different pressure levels on suction plates. The results clearly showed that increasing pressure increases water desorption between 0.1 and 1 bar pressure. However, between 1 bar and 15 bar no further water is lost. The best absorbing hydrogels identified in this study desorbed more water than the worst. However, this work finds that for both tested hydrogels, pressure beyond 15 bar would be required to desorb hygroscopic water for plant access and use. The study therefore infers that the hygroscopicity potential of hydrogels is optimum for hydrogels with no N content exposed to high relative humidity (above 84 %) over periods of daily cooling from late night and early morning where the dew point might be reached. Such conditions do overlap with some arid and semi-arid regions. However, even where these environmental conditions for optimal absorption are reached, plants are unlikely to be able to desorb the hydrogel water. Therefore, an engineering approach would be needed to physically or mechanical desorb water. In this scenario it is unlikely that hydrogels would be mixed into the soil. Instead, a system could be deployed where hydrogels are exposed to atmospheric water in ‘banks’ which can be closed periodically for desorption. Released water could then be channelled for irrigation. Solar power may be a viable energy source to drive this scenario, although further work is required to fully explore the opportunity

Time-Dependent Alterations in Liver Oxidative Stress due to Ethanol and Acetaldehyde

Binge drinking is a major public health issue and ethanol-related liver insult may play a major role in the pathology of alcoholic liver disease. However, the degree of oxidative stress, cell death and contribution of acetaldehyde to liver damage over a 24-h period has yet to be determined. Herein, we aimed to investigate the effect of acute alcohol and elevated acetaldehyde levels on hepatic oxidative damage, apoptosis, and antioxidant enzyme activity over a 24-h period. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups and animals were pre-injected (intraperitonially [i.p.]) with either saline (0.15 mol/L) or cyanamide (5-mmol/kg body weight), followed by either saline (0.15 mol/L) or ethanol (75-mmol/kg bodyweight). After 2.5, 6 and 24 h, hepatic cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions were analysed for indices of oxidative stress. At 2.5 h, cytosolic glutathione and malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced and increased, respectively, with alcohol treatment. Caspase-3 activity and cytochrome c levels were increased with alcohol treatment at 24 h. The combination of cyanamide and alcohol treatment at 24 h led to a significant increase in serum alanine aminotransferase levels, and reduced albumin and total protein levels. Furthermore, glutathione peroxidase activity and glutathione reductase activity were significantly decreased and increased, respectively. Finally, superoxide dismutase activity was decreased in cytosol and increased in the mitochondria after cyanamide and ethanol treatment, respectively. This study indicates a complex differential effect of alcohol and acetaldehyde, whereby alcohol toxicity in the mitochondria takes place throughout the 24-h period, but raised acetaldehyde has a further detrimental effect on liver function

Modelling the Economic Growth Rate of Ghana using the Solow Model

The main objective of this study was to use the Solow growth model (Augmented Cobb-Douglas production function) as a basis to model the economic growth of Ghana during the period 1990 to 2010. Economic growth around the world has not been equal for a long time. Some economies grow faster than others. Economists have predicted that the slower growing economies will eventually converge to the faster growing economies at some point in time. In this study, we model the economic growth of Ghana using the Solow production model and applying growth differential equations. Starting from the estimates of the parameters from other studies, the growth model was simulated for the period 1990 to 2010. The recording and computation of the data was done using Matlab, SPSS and Excel. The computations were Capital, Labour force, Total Factor Productivity, and Total Production and the results from models were compared with the real GDP growth figures and variations noted. The estimations from the model were compared with the actual figures from the Ghana Statistical Service, World Bank and Bank of Ghana. The model provides a good approximation of the dynamics of the Ghanaian economy for the 1990 to 2010 periods, with respect to the dynamics of the real aggregate GDP growth and to the ratios of the main macroeconomic variables, like production per worker, capital-output ratio or capital per worker. The results showed a very close relationship between the actual and calculated growth rates over the periods 1990 to 2010. The actual average growth rate over the period was 4.5% as compared to the calculated average value of 4.21%. In conclusion, there was a correlation between the actual growth rates and the calculated but the strength was weak. Keywords: Solow growth model, Economic growth of Ghana, Real GDP growth, Macroeconomic variables, actual and calculated growth rat

History’s Role in Policy Making: Proffering Solutions and Questions for Humanity and the Ghanaian Context

Concerning history, several people across the globe perceive or think that it is mostly about past events and also about dead people. Some trained historians, whether in ancient histories or contemporary histories, have sometimes vehemently concluded that the historian or the writer of history cannot draw conclusions but he can only make inferences or better still ask questions. Such carefulness of the historian does not only add to his tactfulness but also makes the ordinary reader aiming at policy to rush for quick-fix information, ‘non-history’. To a large extent when the works of historians have been used by policy makers, they are not cited. They are used in a way that the ordinary reader or beneficiary might not have a clue that history had a part to play in the birthing of such policy. This history and policy essay gleans information from essential academic sources to push forward an argument for history’s role in policy making. It does look at some relevant questions for Ghana where the authors lecture in history and political studies

Sports anaemia and anthropometric evaluation of footballers at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Introduction: Sports anaemia is a physiological activity that occurs amongst footballers and may be due to poor diet, over-training, as well as an increase in plasma volume in endurance training activities. High plasma volume leads to changes in haematological parameters that may impact on endurance of footballers. The objective of the study was to determine the correlation between haematological and an-thropometric indices and their role in sports anaemia in a tropical setting. Methods: Venous blood was taken into EDTA for 12 soccer players of KNUST soccer team before training and after training for the first (W1) and fifth (W5) weeks of training sessions. Complete blood count analysis was done for each blood sample and anthropometric parameters such as height, weight, body mass index, body fat percent and lean body mass were also measured. Cross-tabulations with mean and standard deviation or median and range were computed. Paired t-test & and Mann-Whitney test for parametric and non-parametric data computations were carried out and a p-value ≤ 0.05 was taken to rep-resent significant difference between data groups. Results: There was significant reduction in haemoglobin (p =0.003), haematocrit (p =0.002), mean cell volume (MCV) (p =0.034) and red blood cell (RBC) count (p=0.011) as a result of a significant expansion of plasma volume (p= 0.006). Neutrophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil counts were reduced significantly (p= 0.043, 0.001 and 0.007, respectively) after the training at W5. Lean body mass (LBM) inversely correlated with haemoglobin (r= -0.787, p= 0.002) and haematocrit (r= -0.588, p= 0.044). Body fat percentage (BFP) also negatively correlated with lymphocyte count (r= -0.700, p= 0.011). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between body mass index (BMI) and plasma volume change after the training programme (r=0.689, p= 0.013). Conclusion: The results suggest that sports anaemia was induced by an increase in plasma volume that resulted in changes in haematological parameters.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

A Historical narrative of the British Colonial Administration's Clamp down on Witch finding Shrines amongst the Asante People of the Gold Coast

The paper focuses on the issue of witchcraft at the Gold Coast and Asante in particular. Information from archival sources and secondary sources has been gleaned to form a historical narrative covering the period 1907 to 1940. The dilemma of the indigenous people concerning witchcraft, the attempts of Indigenous Priest Healers (IPH) to cure and the trite efforts of the British Colonial Administration to clamp-down some of the shrines of the IPHs considered to be engaged in witch-finding have been looked at

Weight management among school-aged children and adolescents: A quantitative assessment in a Ghanaian municipality

BACKGROUND: Childhood and adolescent overweight, obesity and underweight have become an issue of grave concern to both the developed and developing countries in context of global burden of non-communicable diseases. Unhealthy weight status is a significant public health issue for developing countries, of which Ghana is not excluded. This study evaluated the prevalence of overweight, obesity and underweight and its related factors among school-aged children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 1004 participants were randomly selected from six schools. A structured questionnaire on demography and socioeconomic status of students\u27 parents/guardians was completed by the selected students. Anthropometric parameters were measured, and body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. BMI-for-age z-scores were used to categorize anthropometric data of the children as underweight, normal, overweight or obese. A cut-off value of \u3e 0.50 was used to define obesity by WHtR. RESULTS: Overweight prevalence of 13.8% and 12.6 was observed among basic school and high school students respectively based on BMI classification. Obesity prevalence of 8.8% was found in basic school students and 8.9% among high school students. Underweight was observed in 114 (11.3%) basic school students and 86 (8.6%) high school students. There was a difference in sex prevalence in unhealthy weight-behaviours; with more girls being overweight (19.4% vs 7.6%, p \u3c 0.001) and obese (10.2% vs. 7.3%, p = 0.177) compared to boys. High WHtR found in 10.5% of basic students and 5.0% of high school students, with a statistical difference. Overweight/obesity was significantly associated with taking snacks before bed among basic school students [aOR = 10.45(5.95-18)] and high school students [aOR = 10.23(5.95-18.37)] respectively. Watching TV [aOR = 0.39(0.22-0.70)], sleeping during leisure periods [aOR = 0.43(0.23-0.81)] and bicycling as a means of transport [aOR = 0.37(0.19-0.72)] to school was protective of obesity among basic school students. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of unhealthy weight-related behaviours was observed among school-aged children in the Bekwai Municipality. Snacking before bed was a major factor promoting obesity among school-aged children while leisure behaviours such as TV watching, and sleeping were protective of obesity. Therefore, it is recommended to promote and support healthy eating habits among school-aged children which are likely beneficial in reducing the risk of childhood unhealthy weight-related behaviours

Prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension and its related risk factors among undergraduate students in a Tertiary institution, Ghana

Objectives: This study sought to provide information about pre-hypertension and hypertension status among undergraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 540 students. Participants were interviewed using questionnaires and their blood pressures (BP), height, weight were measured and Body Mass Index ‘BMI’ and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Repeated measurements were obtained on two successive times in students with persistently elevated BP. Data obtained was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Final prevalence was adjusted for loss-to- follow up on participants with first elevated BP from the reading and logistic regression used to evaluate risk factors. P-value less than .05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Twelve (2.2%) of the students were hypertensive, whilst pre-hypertension was prevalent in 26.1% of the student. Family history of hypertension [OR = 1.68(0.73–1.68)], kidney failure [OR = 1.38(0.34– 5.60)], stroke [OR = 1.10(0.64–1.91)] and heart failure [OR = 1.03(0.27–3.94)] were associated with increased risk of developing pre-hypertension; however no significant association was observed (p > .05). WHtR and BMI were independent positively correlated with blood pressure status after controlling for gender and age (p < .05). Further analysis revealed that, obesity detected by WHtR [OR = 3.67 (1.13–11.94), p = .031] and BMI [OR = 6.89(0.71–66.48), p = .0005] were significant predictors of hypertension using logistic regression analysis.Conclusion: The study revealed considerable prevalence rates of pre-hypertension and hypertension among undergraduate students, with significant risk factors such as obesity detected by BMI and WHtR. Gender as male was also significant for pre-hypertension and hypertension. Sound prevention and control programmes of hypertension should be devised among students, to improve their knowledge and lifestyle practices early in life.Keywords: Hypertension, Pre-hypertension, Obesity, Tertiary students, Ghan