Hyperuricaemia and other cardiometabolic risks among type 2 diabetes patients

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of further morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetes patients. This study aimed to find the serum lipid profile, serum uric acid levels, other CVD risk factors, and how these factors are affected by diabetes duration in adults with type 2 diabetes. The cross-sectional study, involving 100 subjects, was carried out at the Diabetes Centre, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana. Adult type 2 diabetes patients, 20 years or older, were recruited for the study. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Panel III and American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines were used to find the metabolic status of the patients. Of the 100 patients, 74% and 62% had high systolic blood pressure and abdominal obesity, respectively. Also, high LDL-cholesterol and hypercholesterolaemia were found in 47% and 46% of the patients, respectively. Forty-six percent (46%) of the patients were hyperuricaemic. Cardiovascular disease risk increased with age from 20 to 79 years. The female diabetics had more adverse CVD risk profile than the male diabetics (high LDL, 55% vs. 23.1%; high total cholesterol, 54.1% vs. 23.1%; high triglycerides, 32.4% vs. 30.8%; low HDL, 25.7% vs. 3.8%). Fifty percent (50%) of females compared to 34.6% of males were hyperuricaemic. However, hypertension was more prevalent among males (systolic blood pressure, 76.9%; diastolic blood pressure, 38.5%) than among females (systolic blood pressure, 73%; diastolic blood pressure, 37.8%). In conclusion, the prevalence of hyperuricaemia and other cardiometabolic risks was high among type 2 diabetes patients

Evaluation of red blood cell count as an ancillary index to hemoglobin level in defining the severe falciparum malarial anemia among Ghanaian children in low-resource communities

© 2020 The Author(s) Our study evaluated red blood cell count as supporting hematological index to hematocrit level in predicting severe malarial anemia instead of the hemoglobin levels among malaria-infected children in Ghana. This case-control study was conducted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. The study recruited 139 children, of which 45 were Controls (C), 43 with severe malaria (SM), and 51 with mild malaria (MM). Validated questionnaires were administered to obtain the socio-demographic data from each respondent. Venous blood was obtained for parasitemia count and to determine the hematological profile of each participant. With point of observation, data analysis was done. The mean age of the children was 4.22 ± 2.65 years. Median levels of hemoglobin (Hb) decreased in the order; C \u3e MM \u3e SM (P \u3c 0.0001). There was a reduction in median levels of hematocrit (HCT) (P \u3c 0.0001), RBC (red blood cells count) ( \u3c 0.0001), from the MM to the SM. Among patients with severe malaria, there were a positive significant spearmen\u27s co-efficient correlations between median levels of RBC (r = 0.652, P = 0.005) and HB (r = 0.640, P = 0.006) individually against HCT. However among the mild malaria patients only RBC (r = 0.884, P \u3c 0.001) was positively correlated against HCT. At a cut-off of \u3c 4.0×106/uL for RBC and \u3c 8.8 g/dL for Hb, RBC (90.4%) recorded a slightly high accuracy in predicting severe falciparum malarial anemia than Hb (86.9%) among the cases. Red blood cell count may be a promising indicator to support hematocrit ( \u3c 15%) in defining severe malarial anemia than hemoglobin level ( \u3c 5 g/dL) among malaria-infected children from endemic areas in Ghana

Essential Amino Acid Quality Profile in Neglected and Underutilized Legumes (NULs)

A large number of consumers use plant-based products instead of animal-based products for their nourishment. This calls for a thorough investigation of the capacity of NULs to supply nutrients such as amino acids. Five different NULs protein extracts were profiled to ascertain the presence of the essential amino acids. In order to evaluate the quality, the essential amino acids from each of the NULs were matched against the standard FAO/WHO dietary indispensable amino acids for infants, children and adults. It was found that two of the NULs; Vigna sp. and Phaseolus sp. were the most promising, out of the five studied. Vigna sp. could supply adequate quantities of histidine (26.2 mg/g) for all the three age groups. However, isoleucine (35.9 mg/g) and the aromatic amino acid (phenylalanine + tyrosine) (94 mg/g) can supply adequate quantities for only children and adults. Lysine (53.6 mg/g) and threonine (44 mg/g) on the other hand, could be adequately supplied by Phaseolus sp. for at least, the adults’ requirement. If the digestibilities of the two NULs proteins were evaluated to ascertain the levels of the post-prandial amino acids, and the two NULs were complimented with cereals, the NULs flour could eventually supply the essential amino acids for consumers who use them as food. Keywords: Essential amino acids, Quality, Neglected legumes

Unveiling the mediating nexus of digital transformation on digital leadership and enterprise performance in manufacturing firms

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, digital transformation has become an imperative for organizations seeking to stay competitive and relevant. The relentless advancement of technology has brought about unprecedented opportunities and challenges, necessitating a shift in leadership paradigms to embrace the digital era fully. This investigation seeks to test the nexus between digital leadership, digital transformation, and enterprise performance. Empirically, the Smart PLS approach was employed to test the affiliation between digital leadership and enterprise performance, through the mediating effect of digital transformation. We collected data on manufacturing firms consisting of 471 managers across the various regions of Ghana. The finding indicates that digital leadership and digital transformation exhibit a positive affiliation with enterprise performance. Finally, digital transformation had a favorable mediating effect on the nexus between digital leadership and enterprise performance. Practitioners and firms would be motivated to seize the advantages of digital transformation as an opportunity to improve firm performance. Again, manufacturing firms that want to be leaders in the digital space have to acquire the services of a digital leader as part of their management portfolio team. This study contributes to the literature by providing new theoretical explanations for the inconsistent affiliation between digital leadership, digital transformation, and enterprise performance. This investigation also assists enterprises in reevaluating their digital strategies

Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics of Anaemic Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Bolgatanga Regional Hospital

The study determined the sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of pregnant women which contribute to the risk of developing anaemia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 pregnant women attending their first antenatal visit at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital Antenatal Clinic. Anaemia was significantly associated (p<0.05) with younger maternal age, parity, gravidity, trimester of pregnancy, and source of drinking water. Multivariate logistic regression identified the following factors with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI): unemployment (aOR = 4.76 (CI: 2.26–11.33); p<0.0001), rural dwelling (aOR = 3.10 (CI: 2.16–4.91); p=0.0071), primigravida (aOR = 2.13 (CI: 1.34–3.18); p=0.0201), nulliparity (aOR = 1.92 (CI: 1.23–2.86); p=0.0231), first antenatal visit at second trimester (aOR = 1.71 (CI: 1.33–3.12); p=0.0149) and first antenatal visit at third trimester (aOR = 2.73 (CI: 1.24–4.35); p=0.0017), drinking from well and boreholes (aOR = 2.78 (CI: 2.27–5.21); p<0.0001), and the presence of domestic livestock (aOR = 2.15 (CI: 1.33–3.68); p=0.0019). This study has shown the various sociodemographic and obstetric factors which significantly contribute to anaemia in pregnancy

Biochemical and hematological changes among anemic and non-anemic pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the Bolgatanga regional hospital, Ghana

Background: Anemia in pregnancy may not only be associated with maternal morbidity and mortality but can also be detrimental to the fetus. A definitive diagnosis of anemia is a pre-requisite to unravelling possible cause(s), to allow appropriate treatment intervention. It is hypothesised that measured hemoglobin (HGB), complemented by biochemical and other hematological parameters would enhance anemia diagnosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 400 pregnant women comprising 253 anemic and 147 non-anemic pregnant women, attending an antenatal clinic at Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Ghana. Venous blood was collected and hemoglobin genotype, complete blood count and biochemical parameters [ferritin, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TfS), C-reactive protein (CRP) and bilirubin] were determined. Thick blood films were prepared for malaria parasitemia, while early morning stool and midstream urine samples were examined for enteric and urogenital parasites, respectively. Results: There were significantly reduced levels of HGB (p \u3c 0.0001), HCT (p \u3c 0.0001), MCV (p \u3c 0.0001), iron (0.0273), ferritin (p = 0.018) and transferrin saturation (0.0391) and increased WBC (p = 0.006), RDW (p = 0.0480), TIBC (p = 0.0438) and positivity of CRP in anemic, compared to non-anemic pregnant women. Anemic women were associated with increased proportion of hemoglobinopathies (AS, SS and SC), Plasmodium falciparum, Schistosoma hematobium and intestinal parasite infections. Conclusion: Anemic pregnant women are associated with a significant derangement in hematological and iron indices that implicate iron deficiency. This was influenced by hemoglobinopathies and parasitic infections

Moderating environmental leadership on corporate social responsibility and green innovation of SMEs performance

The contribution and knowledge of environmental leadership has been questioned on how they aid institutions in their CSR and innovative thinking. The purpose of the investigation was to explore the role of Small and Medium Scale enterprises in emerging nation on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green process innovation (GRNI) can help enterprises to achieve environmental (ENVP) and financial performance (FINP). For the analysis of the indicators data was collected from SMEs in the manufacturing sectors of Ghana through questionnaire of 215 participants. The "SmartPLS 3" model was employed to analyze the affiliation between the investigated indicators. The findings demonstrated that CSR had a material impact on ENVP but not on FINP and GRNI. However, GRNI had a favorable and material affiliation with ENVP and FINP of SME's. On exploring the moderating effect of environmental leadership (ENVL) had a favorable affiliation between CSR and green process innovation. The research made a significant contribution to the green theory and practically to researchers and practitioners in manufacturing and other industries who are serious about implementing environmental sustainability and are seeking for a suitable method are anticipated to benefit from this study. It provides a generic approach to implementing CSR that links SME owners and managers, green technologies, green practices, and process management

Parasitic infections among pregnant women at first antenatal care visit in northern Ghana: A study of prevalence and associated factors.

BackgroundParasitic infections remain widespread in developing countries and constitute a major public health problem in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is prevalent among children under 5 years and pregnant women; however, studies among the later high risk group is limited in the northern part of Ghana. Here, we evaluated the prevalence and associated factors of parasitic infections among pregnant women at first antenatal care visit in northern Ghana.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Upper East Region-Ghana. A total of 334 consecutive consenting pregnant women were included. Questionnaires were administered to obtain socio-demographic data. Venous blood, stool and urine samples were collected for parasite identification using microscopy. Factors associated with parasitic infections were evaluated using regression models. Statistical analysis was performed using R.ResultsParasitic infections identified were giardiasis (30.5%), P. falciparum malaria (21.6%) and schistosomiasis (0.6%). Polyparasitic infection was identified in 6.6% of the population. Increasing age [Age of 20-29 years: AOR = 0.16, 95% CI (0.06-0.38); Age of 30-39 years: AOR = 0.21, 95% CI (0.08-0.50); Age >39 years: AOR = 0.30, 95% CI (0.11-0.83)] was associated with lower odds whiles presence of domestic animals [AOR = 1.85, 95% CI (1.01-3.39)], being in the second trimester of pregnancy [AOR = 2.21, 95% CI (1.17-4.19)], having no formal education [AOR = 3.29, 95% CI (1.47-7.35)] and basic education as the highest educational level [AOR = 6.03, 95% CI (2.46-10.81)] were independent predictors of increased odds of giardiasis. Similarly, having no formal education [AOR = 2.88, 95% CI (1.21-8.79)] was independently associated with higher odds of P. falciparum malaria. The use of insecticide treated net (ITN) [AOR = 0.43, 95% CI (0.21-0.89)] and mosquito repellent [AOR = 0.09, 95% CI (0.04-0.21)] were independent predictors of lower odds of P. falciparum malaria.ConclusionGiardiasis and P. falciparum malaria are common among pregnant women in northern Ghana. The major associated factors of giardiasis are lack of or low level of formal education, the presence of domestic animals and being in the second trimester of pregnancy. Increasing age confers protection against giardiasis. Likewise, lack of formal education is an associated factor for P. falciparum malaria among pregnant women in northern Ghana. The use of ITN and mosquito repellents reduce the risk of P. falciparum malaria. Given the possible role of parasitic infections in adverse pregnancy outcomes, our findings highlight the need for regular screening and treatment of infected women in the northern parts of Ghana. Public health education and improving socio-economic status could help reduce the risk of parasitic infections among pregnant women in the region

Blood collection tubes impact expression of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in human whole blood assay

Background: T-lymphocyte subsets CD4 and CD8 play important role in host immune responses. However, little attention has been given to the impact of time lapse and the various anticoagulant blood collection tubes on the expression frequency and activation status of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. To this end, we explore the impact of time (t<1 h and t=4 h) and collection tubes (EDTA and heparin) on the expression frequency and activation status of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells among healthy Ghanaian individuals. Methods: A cohort of healthy individuals (n=9) is recruited, and blood samples obtained in Ghana for the frequency of CD4+and CD8+ T cells at various time points (<1 h and 4 h). The proportions of activation of these immune markers were profiled using immunophenotyping. Results: Significant statistical differences in the activation frequency of CD69 expressing CD4+T cells (t < 1 h and t=4 h; p=0.02) and CD69 expressing CD8+ T cells from EDTA tubes at times (t < 1 h and t=4 h; p=0.05) was observed. No significant difference were observed with CD69 expressing cells in Heparin tubes. Notably, CD8+ T cell activation frequency was observed to be consistently higher than that of CD4+ T cell at the various study time points and in the collection tubes used. No marked alterations were observed witth the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the samples collected at the time points; <1 h and at 4 h. Conclusion: The study shows that activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in EDTA tubes differed significantly between both time points (t <1 h and t=4 h) but not in the heparin collection tubes. Therefore, it is important to take into account the elapsed time and the type of blood collection tubes when performing phenotypic characterization of activated immune markers