The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): Trapping and culturing of wild colonies in Ghana

The larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), are promising candidates to be utilized in alternative organic waste management and for fish and livestock feed production. The scalability of this technology in Ghana will depend on a steady source of large numbers of BSF larvae. The objectives of this study were to identify the most attractive organic manure dumps or heaps in the study area for trapping wild BSF egg clutches and assess the effect of local environmental conditions on the trapping and laboratory rearing of BSF. The study compared the number of egg clutch trapped at different microhabitats including piggery, chicken and sheep waste dumps and on a compost heap. The piggery dump waste was the most suitable site for trapping BSF egg clutches. No egg clutch was deposited nearby poultry and sheep waste microhabitats. Results showed no differences in temperature between microhabitats during egg trapping but relative humidity differed between poultry, sheep and compost, however this did not have any effect on egg clutch trapping. No significant differences in temperature and humidity were observed during larval rearing. Significant differences in weight and length of larvae from both piggery and compost sites were observed on days 5 and 10 after egg hatch. A small scale laboratory colony rearing has been successfully established in Ghana. The design of the larval breeding system appears to be suitable for respective up-scaling that could provide sufficient larval quantities for composting organic waste and producing feed components for livestock and fish

Multivariate Statistical Evaluation of Geochemical Data from Quartz Vein-Associated Gold Mineralisation at the Badukrom Prospect within the Tarkwaian Base

The Kawere conglomerate at the base of the Tarkwaian Group in the Iduapriem Mine appears to show good prospect for hydrothermal gold mineralisation evidenced by major structures mapped from magnetic and Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) geophysical data. Detailed geological mapping and sampling at Badukrom target which lies within the Kawere rocks confirm the presence of multiple structures as well as quartz veins indicative of potential hydrothermal gold mineralisation. Follow up soil sampling conducted within the area revealed a strong anomalous trend from the southern portion. Two diamond drilled (DD) holes pushed to delineate the extent of the anomalous zones returned narrow veins of significant gold intersections. Twenty-five (25) samples of the Badukrom hydrothermal Au mineralisation intersects were sent for analysis to ascertain the optimum pathfinder element suite for the hydrothermal targets within the Iduapriem concession. A total of fifty-nine elements were analysed via ICP-MS and ICP-OES. Multivariate statistical evaluation was carried out on the results to understand the geochemical associations of Au and the other elements to aid future exploration programmes planned for the hydrothermal targets. Multivariate analysis of the geochemical data using Pearson product-moment of correlation suggests a stronger positive correlation of gold with Iron, Antimony, Sulphur, Chromium, Vanadium respectively. However, the Spearman Rank correlation data indicates that, the optimum pathfinder elements for hydrothermal Au are: As, Sb and Te.   Keywords: Tarkwaian Base, Statistical Evaluation, Hydrothermal Mineralisation, Geochemical Dat

Association of Depression and Poor Mental Health With Cardiovascular Disease and Suboptimal Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults in the United States.

Background Depression is a nontraditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Data on the association of depression and poor mental health with CVD and suboptimal cardiovascular health (CVH) among young adults are limited. Methods and Results We used data from 593 616 young adults (aged 18-49 years) from the 2017 to 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized US adults. Exposures were self-reported depression and poor mental health days (PMHDs; categorized as 0, 1-13, and 14-30 days of poor mental health in the past 30 days). Outcomes were self-reported CVD (composite of myocardial infarction, angina, or stroke) and suboptimal CVH (≥2 cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight/obesity, smoking, diabetes, physical inactivity, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake). Using logistic regression, we investigated the association of depression and PMHDs with CVD and suboptimal CVH, adjusting for sociodemographic factors (and cardiovascular risk factors for the CVD outcome). Of the 593 616 participants (mean age, 34.7±9.0 years), the weighted prevalence of depression was 19.6% (95% CI, 19.4-19.8), and the weighted prevalence of CVD was 2.5% (95% CI, 2.4-2.6). People with depression had higher odds of CVD than those without depression (odds ratio [OR], 2.32 [95% CI, 2.13-2.51]). There was a graded association of PMHDs with CVD. Compared with individuals with 0 PMHDs, the odds of CVD in those with 1 to 13 PMHDs and 14 to 30 PHMDs were 1.48 (95% CI, 1.34-1.62) and 2.29 (95% CI, 2.08-2.51), respectively, after adjusting for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors. The associations did not differ significantly by sex or urban/rural status. Individuals with depression had higher odds of suboptimal CVH (OR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.65-1.95]) compared with those without depression, with a similar graded relationship between PMHDs and suboptimal CVH. Conclusions Depression and poor mental health are associated with premature CVD and suboptimal CVH among young adults. Although this association is likely bidirectional, prioritizing mental health may help reduce CVD risk and improve CVH in young adults

Phylogenetic Analysis of the Bee Tribe Anthidiini

The phylogenetic relationships among members of long tongue bee tribe Anthidiini (Megachilidae: Megachilinae) were investigated at the Department of Entomology and Wildlife, University of Cape Coast (Ghana) and the Agricultural Research Council, Pretoria (South Af-rica) from July, 2006 to May, 2007. Ten museums located in three continents loaned the 990 specimens used for the studies. Thirty-three ingroup taxa out of the 37 known genera of the world’s Anthidiini and two outgroup genera, were included in a cladistic analysis of the tribe based on 51 adult external morphological characters. The cladograms yielded three major clades which have been erected as subtribes for the world’s Anthidiini, namely Afranthidina, Anthidina and Euaspina. Monophyly of the Anthidiini was confirmed. Based on the result of the cladistic analysis and biogeographic data, it is suggested that the origin and center of radiation for the Anthidiini probably occurred in the southern pantropic region (Southern Africa to South East Asia) of Gondwana. A second and independent migration to the Neotropical region by the prob-able ancestors of the current Neotropic genera is also conceivable

Development of Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) in Selected Organic Market Waste Fractions in Accra, Ghana

Aims: To assess the effect of organic waste and their formulations on the development of the black soldier fly larvae. Study Design: The experiment used one time feeding (lump feeding) of feedstocks obtained from organic market waste fractions and their combinations. The arrangement of composting containers followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Place and Duration of Study: The study took 3 months and was conducted at the BSF laboratory of the Soil and Environmental Science Research Centre, Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. Methodology: Two hundred and forty (240) hand counted 5 day old BSF larvae were inoculated onto 2 kg each of organic market waste fractions and their combinations in 60 L plastic containers covered with a mesh. Equal quantities of the above feedstock without larvae served as control. The arrangement of the containers followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Moisture content, larval growth parameters, temperature, relative humidity, prepupal development were recorded. Results: Whiles moisture contents of most of the feedstock decreased gradually over the trial period, that of fruit waste only, fruit waste + corn husk and fruit waste + vegetable waste increased with time and was higher at the end of the trial than at the beginning. Composting temperature in all the feed stocks never reached the thermophilic stage and was between 29 – 38°C. The lowest temperature of 28.88°C was recorded in the mixture of vegetable waste and fruit waste whiles the highest, 37.55°C was recorded in the mixture of corn husk and uncooked food waste compost. Composting humidity ranged between 59 and 87% with significant differences being observed across treatments on days 0, 10, 15, 20 and 25. Larvae reared on a mixture of all the feedstock was significantly the heaviest (176.66 mg). Significant differences were observed in larval length and those fed with a mixture of fruit waste and uncooked food waste were the longest (17.66 mm). A highly significant number of eclosed adults, number of females and the number of egg clutches were observed among treatments. Conclusions: Vegetable waste only, fruit waste only and a combination of vegetable waste + uncooked food waste; fruit waste +uncooked food waste; and a combination of all the wastes were the most preferred organic waste as they produced the optimum larval characteristics. The composting bins should be fitted with an outlet for leachates from the compost to drain out to avoid increase in compost moisture which will create anaerobic conditions that might delay compost maturity

Maternal Glycemic Spectrum and Adverse Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes in a Multiracial US Cohort.

Diabetes mellitus (pregestational (PDM) and gestational (GDM)) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). However, studies exploring the association of APOs with maternal glycemia among women without PDM/GDM are limited. We utilized data from 4119 women (307-PDM; 582-GDM; 3230-non-PDM/GDM) in the Boston Birth Cohort (1998-2016). Women in the non-PDM/GDM group were subdivided by tertiles of 1 h, 50 g oral glucose load test at 24-32 weeks: T1: 50-95 mg/dL (n = 1166), T2: 96-116 mg/dL (n = 1151), T3: 117-201 mg/dL (n = 913). Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the association of maternal glycemia with APOs-preterm birth (PTB) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP)-and adverse perinatal outcomes-high birth weight (HBW), cesarean section (CS), and sub-analyses by race-ethnicity. Compared to women in T1, women in T2 and T3 had a higher prevalence of pre-existing hypertension (T1: 2.8% vs. T2: 5.2% vs. T3: 6.3%) and obesity (T1: 13.3% vs. T2: 18.1% vs. T3: 22.9%). Women in T2 and T3 had higher odds of HBW (adjusted odds ratio aOR T2: 1.47 [1.01-2.19] T3: 1.68 [1.13-2.50]) compared to women in T1. Additionally, women in T2, compared to T1, had higher odds of HDP (aOR 1.44 [1.10-1.88]). Among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) women, those in T2 and T3 had higher odds of HDP compared to T1 (aOR T2 1.67 [1.13-2.51]; T3: 1.68 [1.07-2.62]). GDM and PDM were associated with higher odds of HBW, CS, PTB, and HDP, compared to women in T1. In this predominantly NHB and Hispanic cohort, moderate maternal glycemia without PDM/GDM was associated with higher odds of HBW and HDP, even more strongly among NHB women. If confirmed, a review of current guidelines of glucose screening and risk stratification in pregnancy may be warranted