Traditional healers' perception on scabies causation and management in Ghana

Introduction: Scabies is an underdiagnosed skin infestation caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. The infection causes severe itching and a skin rash but can be effectively treated using topical or systemic drugs. Scabies outbreaks are commonly reported in resource‐poor countries, including Ghana. Traditional healers play an important role in primary care in rural areas. The role of these traditional healers in the management of scabies has so far not been explored. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the perceptions of traditional healers regarding the causation and management of scabies. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach was employed. Traditional healers in the Asante Akim North and Central districts in Ghana were approached with an interview request. Using a semi‐structured interview protocol, 15 traditional healers were interviewed. The results were coded and analysed, after which seven themes were extrapolated. Results: Scabies infections were frequently reported by traditional healers. Itching and skin rash were unanimously regarded as the major symptoms of scabies. The majority acknowledged the infectious nature of scabies, but no participant reported the causative organism. A dichotomous disease classification was noted, consisting of ‘natural’ and ‘spiritual’ variants each with a unique disease profile and management requirements, as reported by the traditional healers. All but two traditional healers reported to treat scabies using almost exclusively herbs and spiritual rituals. Conclusion: The majority of traditional healers were open to collaboration with allopathic healthcare providers. Collaboration could broaden the primary care network in rural areas, but mistrust and lack of transparency form potential barriers to collaboration. We, therefore, emphasise the need for additional efforts to investigate strategies for future collaboration

Determinants of pesticides use among tomato farmers in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana

Abstract Tomato production plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural households in the forest savanna transitional belt of Ghana. However, the success of tomato cultivation is hindered by the presence of insect pests and diseases, necessitating the use of agricultural inputs. This study aimed to identify the pesticides used in tomato farming, assess their World Health Organization (WHO) active ingredient hazard class, determine the precautionary behaviour associated with pesticide use by tomato farmers, and elucidate the socio-economic factors influencing pesticide usage in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 1009 respondents, who were administered a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to analyse the collected data. The results revealed that tomato farmers utilized 15 types of insecticides (e.g., lambda and chlorpyrifos ethyl based), 8 types of fungicides (e.g., mancozeb and sulphur + copper based), and 6 types of weedicides (mostly glyphosate based) on their crops. Notably, four insecticides and two fungicides types were found to be unregistered products. Lambda-cyhalothrin-based insecticides and mancozeb-based fungicides were predominantly used by the farmers. The assessed pesticides exhibited varying levels of hazard, ranging from slight to moderate. The study found that farmer training was a significant driver influencing insecticide use, while the educational level of farmers and average yield played important roles in determining fungicide use. Socio-economic factors such as being the head of the household, employing farm workers, the cultivated tomato variety, and farmer training influenced weedicide use. The type of tomato variety cultivated emerged as the primary socio-economic driver of pesticide use. The study recommended the establishment and implementation of a systematic monitoring regime for pesticide product marketing and use, with the aim of reducing the utilization of unregistered products by farmers. Implementing these measures supports sustainable tomato farming in the Bono and Ahafo regions of Ghana

Understanding and addressing climate change impacts on cocoa farming in Ghana

It is an undeniable fact that climate change has negative effects on cocoa production and has thus led to reduced yields in Ghana. This has affected cocoa farmers living standards due to their high dependency on income from sales of cocoa dry beans. The study determined the causes, indicators, effects and mitigative strategies of climate change on cocoa farmers farms. Generally, 71.43 % respondents indicated, climate change was caused by deforestation whereas 26.79 %, especially female farmers, associated it with superstitious connotations. Similarly, 72.86 % of the farmers included shade trees on their farms as a mitigative strategy to climate change's effect. While two farmers abandoned farms, others (17.50 %) sought divine intervention. Marginal effects in M-Logit results revealed that, Education, Variety, Training on Climate Change, Radio and Shade trees were significant (p-value < 0.10), under various dependent variables on causes of climate change. Again, Gender, Education, Household size, Migration status, Credit, Farm age, Variety and Training on Climate Change were also significant (p-value < 0.10), under various dependent variables on farmers mitigative strategies to addressing climate change effects. Results imply the need to intensify climate change education to cocoa farmers, especially females, within the district to help achieve targets of SDG 13 as well as enhancing their living conditions

Perilipin 2 downregulation in β cells impairs insulin secretion under nutritional stress and damages mitochondria

Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) is a lipid droplet (LD) protein in β cells that increases under nutritional stress. Downregulation of PLIN2 is often sufficient to reduce LD accumulation. To determine whether PLIN2 positively or negatively affects β cell function under nutritional stress, PLIN2 was downregulated in mouse β cells, INS1 cells, and human islet cells. β Cell–specific deletion of PLIN2 in mice on a high-fat diet reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in vivo and in vitro. Downregulation of PLIN2 in INS1 cells blunted GSIS after 24-hour incubation with 0.2 mM palmitic acid. Downregulation of PLIN2 in human pseudoislets cultured at 5.6 mM glucose impaired both phases of GSIS, indicating that PLIN2 is critical for GSIS. Downregulation of PLIN2 decreased specific OXPHOS proteins in all 3 models and reduced oxygen consumption rates in INS1 cells and mouse islets. Moreover, we found that PLIN2-deficient INS1 cells increased the distribution of a fluorescent oleic acid analog to mitochondria and showed signs of mitochondrial stress, as indicated by susceptibility to fragmentation and alterations of acyl-carnitines and glucose metabolites. Collectively, PLIN2 in β cells has an important role in preserving insulin secretion, β cell metabolism, and mitochondrial function under nutritional stress