Mineral nutrient content of commonly consumed leafy vegetables in northern Ghana

Leafy vegetables serve as the base of soups, a significant component of Ghanaian food recipes. The varying climatic conditions across Ghana and inefficient food distribution channels have resulted in the existence of different food crops in different regions. Anecdotally, Ghanaians generally believe that the consumption of Colocasia esculenta leaf improves iron status. In this study, the levels of mineral nutrients: calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium(Na) and zinc (Zn) in the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa, Amaranthus spinosus, Hibiscus cannabinus, Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata that are popularly used in food recipes in northern Ghana (compose of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions), were compared with the levels in Colocasia esculenta leaf. The leafy vegetables/greens consumed in northern Ghana were sourced from marketcentres in the Northern and Upper East Regions (savannah zone); Colocasia esculenta leaf was obtained from market centres in Ashanti Region (forest zone). The leaves were shredded and air-dried for 7 days. The dried leaves were ground and analysed for the mineral nutrients using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The Ca content of Hibiscus sabdariffa was significantly higher than that of Colocasia esculenta by 1.07-fold difference (p<0.05). However, compared with Amaranthusspinosus, Hibiscus cannabinus, Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata, the level of Ca in the Colocasia esculenta leaf was 1.23- to 1.84-fold significantly higher (p<0.05). The Fe level in the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana was significantly lower (2.92- to 70.60-fold difference, p<0.0001) compared with the Colocasia esculenta leaf. Significant differences (p<0.05) were also observed in thelevels of K, Mg and Zn between the other greens studied and the Colocasia esculenta leaf. The differences were between 1.17- to 1.48-fold (K), 1.08- to 1.54-fold (Mg) and 1.15- to 2.59-fold (Zn). This study shows that the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana contain lower levels of the selected mineral nutrients analysed compared with those of Colocasia esculenta leaf. There is a need to find alternative greens that are available or could be cultivated in this part of the country

Geochemistry of Pegmatites associated with the cape coast granite complex in the Egyaa and Akim Oda areas of southern Ghana

The Cape Coast granite complex, which is associated with  metasedimentary rocks of the Birirmian in Ghana, is characterised by various minor intrusions that include pegmatites. The pegmatites, which are feldspar-rich, occur within, and at the margins of the granite batholiths and the surrounding schists. The major and trace element compositions of the pegmatites sampled from Egyaa and Akim Oda areas have been determined. The data indicates that the pegmatites from these areas have granitic compositions. The rocks are medium-K to high-K, calc-alkaline, S-type granitoids that are peraluminous and magnesian. Lower values of molar CaO/ (MgO + FeO <sub>tot</tot>) coupled with higher values of molar Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/(MgO + FeO<sub>tot</sup>) suggest their derivation from partial melting from metapelitic sources, with the Birimian metasedimentary rocks being the likely source material. The rocks are depleted in Rb, Ba, Nb, Ce and Ti but rich in U, K, La, Hf and Y relative to primitive mantle. The data suggest that the pegmatites from these areas are late orogenic, and were emplaced at upper to middle crustal levels in a volcanic arc geotectonic environment

The crystal structure of the Sgt1-Skp1 complex: the link between Hsp90 and both SCF E3 ubiquitin ligases and kinetochores

The essential cochaperone Sgt1 recruits Hsp90 chaperone activity to a range of cellular factors including SCF E3 ubiquitin ligases and the kinetochore in eukaryotes. In these pathways Sgt1 interacts with Skp1, a small protein that heterodimerizes with proteins containing the F-box motif. We have determined the crystal structure of the interacting domains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sgt1 and Skp1 at 2.8 Å resolution and validated the interface in the context of the full-length proteins in solution. The BTB/POZ domain of Skp1 associates with Sgt1 via the concave surface of its TPR domain using residues that are conserved in humans. Dimerization of yeast Sgt1 occurs via an insertion that is absent from monomeric human Sgt1. We identify point mutations that disrupt dimerization and Skp1 binding in vitro and find that the interaction with Skp1 is an essential function of Sgt1 in yeast. Our data provide a structural rationale for understanding the phenotypes of temperature-sensitive Sgt1 mutants and for linking Skp1-associated proteins to Hsp90-dependent pathways

Mineral Nutrient Content Of Commonly Consumed Leafy Vegetables In Northern Ghana

Leafy vegetables serve as the base of soups, a significant component of Ghanaian food recipes. The varying climatic conditions across Ghana and inefficient food distribution channels have resulted in the existence of different food crops in different regions. Anecdotally, Ghanaians generally believe that the consumption of Colocasia esculenta leaf improves iron status. In this study, the levels of mineral nutrients: calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na) and zinc (Zn) in the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa , Amaranthus spinosus , Hibiscus cannabinus , Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata that are popularly used in food recipes in northern Ghana (compose of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions), were compared with the levels in Colocasia esculenta leaf. The leafy vegetables/greens consumed in northern Ghana were sourced from market centres in the Northern and Upper East Regions (savannah zone); Colocasia esculenta leaf was obtained from market centres in Ashanti Region (forest zone). The leaves were shredded and air-dried for 7 days. The dried leaves were ground and analysed for the mineral nutrients using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The Ca content of Hibiscus sabdariffa was significantly higher than that of Colocasia esculenta by 1.07-fold difference (p<0.05). However, compared with Amaranthus spinosus, Hibiscus cannabinus, Solanum macrocapon and Vigna unguiculata, the level of Ca in the Colocasia esculenta leaf was 1.23- to 1.84-fold significantly higher (p<0.05). The Fe level in the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana was significantly lower (2.92- to 70.60-fold difference, p<0.0001) compared with the Colocasia esculenta leaf. Significant differences (p<0.05) were also observed in the levels of K, Mg and Zn between the other greens studied and the Colocasia esculenta leaf. The differences were between 1.17- to 1.48-fold (K), 1.08- to 1.54-fold (Mg) and 1.15- to 2.59-fold (Zn). This study shows that the leafy vegetables commonly consumed in northern Ghana contain lower levels of the selected mineral nutrients analysed compared with those of Colocasia esculenta leaf. There is a need to find alternative greens that are available or could be cultivated in this part of the country

Relationship between antibiotic resistance and sickle cell anemia: preliminary evidence from a pediatric carriage study in Ghana

Eric S Donkor,1 Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko,2 Christabel C Enweronu-Laryea3 1Department of Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; 3Department of Child Health, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, GhanaBackground: Antibiotics are frequently used among people with sickle cell anemia (homozygous SS or HbSS disease), especially for prophylaxis. However, the relationship between antibiotic resistance and people with HbSS disease has not been adequately studied, especially in the developing world. The objectives of the study were (1) to compare antibiotic resistance patterns of nasal Staphylococcus aureus between children with HbSS disease and children without HbSS disease (healthy children) and (2) to evaluate nasopharyngeal carriage of antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae among children with HbSS disease.Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study, and the subjects were children under 12 years old. Nasal swabs were collected from 50 children with HbSS disease and 50 children without HbSS disease. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from another group of 92 children with HbSS disease. The nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs were cultured for S. aureus and S. pneumoniae, respectively. Susceptibility testing was carried out on the S. aureus and S. pneumoniae isolates for various antibiotics, including penicillin, ampicillin, cefuroxime, erythromycin, cloxacillin, and cotrimoxazole.Results: The carriage rates of S. aureus among pediatric subjects with HbSS disease and those without HbSS disease were 48% and 50%, respectively (P > 0.05). S. pneumoniae carriage among the pediatric subjects with HbSS disease was 10%. Antibiotic resistance patterns of S. aureus carried by children with HbSS disease and children without HbSS disease were similar, and the S. aureus resistance rates were >40% for the various antibiotics, with the exception of erythromycin and cloxacillin. Low levels of S. pneumoniae resistance (0%&ndash;11%) were observed for the various antibiotics tested except cotrimoxazole, which showed an extremely high-percentage resistance (100%).Conclusion: Sickling status is not a risk factor for carriage of S. aureus. In this cohort of Ghanaian children with HbSS disease, S. aureus is higher in carriage and more antibiotic-resistant, compared to S. pneumoniae.Keywords: Paediatric, sickle cell anaemia, antibiotic resistance, Ghan

Domestic Private Sector Participation in Small-Town Water Supply Services in Ghana:Reflections on Experience and Policy Implications

2013-2014 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journa