Deontological Perspective of the Free Secondary Education Policy in Ghana

The Free Senior High School (aka. FSHS) policy of the Ghana government has attracted views from both critics and supporters. The objective for this investigation was to examine the deontological ethics of the FSHS educational policy leadership within the framework of utilitarianism-it is as a “duty” and for “public good”. Critics are questioning the policy leadership, intentionality, feasibility, and sustainability. Supporters are also defending the FSHS as a timely social intervention, for equitable access, and the ability of the national economy to afford by re-strategizing government priorities, national indebtedness, and the entire school management system. The research design was exploratory mixed method using a sample study (N=55) that came from six schools (students, head teachers, teachers, and parents) in one region. Data were analysed under the themes: perceptions, benefits, and challenges. Responses showed that the FSHS seems to be a natural progression from the FCUBE policy that is hailed as successful by the international donors. Respondents confirmed the benefits derived from the FSHS policy as altruistic. The discussions followed the theory of ethical deontology, policy leadership implications, democratization of education in Ghana, and the utilitarian concept for future national development. Recommendations include the Government of Ghana (GoG) should ensure “fitness” and “rightness” to align with national priorities in the economy. Secondly, GoG should fight against corruption and “noise” in the FSHS implementation system. Thirdly, the GoG should consider cost sharing and decentralization of education provision in Ghana. Policy makers (legistrators) should ensure that the education system recognizes Ghanaian children as deserving better quality and the incommensurability of values of Education for All

Autorefraction, Retinoscopy, Javal’s Rule, and Grosvenor’s Modified Javal’s Rule: The Best Predictor of Refractive Astigmatism

The aim of the study was to determine the level of agreement between Javal’s rule, autorefraction, retinoscopy, and refractive astigmatism and to determine which technique is the most suitable substitute when subjective refraction is not applicable using a clinical sample. A total of 36 subjects, 14 males and 22 females, were involved in this study. The intraclass correlation coefficients between subjective refraction, autorefraction, and retinoscopy were 0.895 and 0.989, respectively, for the spherical equivalent. The Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement between subjective refraction and autorefraction; subjective refraction and retinoscopy; and autorefraction and retinoscopy were −2.84 to 3.58, −0.88 to 1.12, and −3.01 to 3.53, respectively, for the spherical equivalent. The intraclass correlation coefficients between spectacle total astigmatism and the following techniques were as follows: retinoscopy (0.85); autorefraction (0.92); Javal’s rule (0.82); and Grosvenor et al. version (0.85). The Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement between subjective refraction and autorefraction; subjective refraction and retinoscopy; subjective refraction and Javal’s rule; and subjective refraction and Grosvenor et al. version were −0.87 to 1.25, −1.49 to 1.99, −0.73 to 1.93, and −0.89 to 1.7, respectively, for the total astigmatism. The study showed that autorefraction and Javal’s rule may provide a starting point for subjective refraction cylinder power determination but only retinoscopy may satisfactorily replace subjective refraction total astigmatism when subjective refraction is not applicable

Ophthalmic Anthropometry among Rural Dwellers in Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe

Introduction The measures of ophthalmic anthropometric parameters may vary among races and ethnic groups but are of immense importance in clinical diagnosis and management of oculo-visual defects. There is paucity of data on these measures among the Zimbabwean population. Purpose  The aim was to determine ophthalmic anthropometric parameters among rural dwellers in Zimbabwe. Methods Six ophthalmic anthropometric parameters including interpupillary distance (IPD), head width (HW), temple width (TW), length to bend (LTB), and apical radius were measured using a pupillometer, PD rule, Head width calipers, Fairbank facial gauge, and ABDO frame rule. Results A total of 471 participants aged 18 to 100 years (mean age = 55.13; SD± 17.33 years). Of the 471 participants, 206 (43.7%) were males and 265 (56.3%) were females. A mean interpupillary distance at far was 65.57 ± 4.80 mm, mean temple width of 12.49 ± 1.53 cm, mean head width of 13.61 ± 1.39 cm and a side length to bend of 10.24 ± 1.20 cm and the apical radius was 9.94 ± 1.37. There was a significant (P < 0.05) difference between the ophthalmic anthropometric parameters of males and females except for temple width and apical radius. Conclusion A narrower interpupillary distance but a wider temple width was observed among adult Zimbabweans. A significant difference in ophthalmic anthropometric parameters between males and females were observed except for temple width and apical radius. This should inform eyewear manufacturers and importers of frames on the facial and ocular parameters of Zimbabweans to improve the aesthetics and ensure a comfortable vision for wearers of already-made near vision spectacles for presbyopes. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(1):99-11

Childhood vision impairment and refractive error in Zimbabwe: A hospital-based retrospective study

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the causes and distribution of vision impairment and refractive error among children in Zimbabwe.METHODS: A hospital-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among children (3-16) who attended the Eye Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe, from January 2010 to December 2020. Patients’ records were collated, and variables such as visual acuity, ocular morbidities, and vision impairment were analysed.RESULTS: During this time, 1038 children with mean age of 10.63 ± 3.54 years visited the facility. The majority of them were males (53.2%). Prior to treatment, 9.9% of the children had vision impairment which reduced to 3.5% after intervention. Uncorrected refractive error accounted for the majority of vision impairment (67.0%), followed by keratoconus (7.8%), corneal opacity/ulceration (6.8%), and amblyopia (6.8%), among other conditions. Astigmatism (60.6%) was the most prevalent type of refractive error followed by myopia (37.5%).CONCLUSION: The prevalence of childhood vision impairment is higher than that found in similar hospital-based studies conducted in Africa. The most common reason for childhood vision impairment was uncorrected refractive error

Sociolinguistics of the Varieties of West African Pidgin Englishes—A Review

Language contact is a key issue in the field of sociolinguistics. One notable phenomenon in the field of language contact is Pidgin English. Historically, Pidgin began as a language marked by traditional interference used chiefly by the prosperous and privileged sections of a community, represented by the unskilled and illiterate class of the society (Quirk et al., 1985). However, nowadays, it has gained status in some communities to the extent that it has become the mother-tongue of such communities. This paper, therefore, investigates the sociolinguistics of the multiplicity of West African Pidgins of Cameroon, Nigeria and Ghana against some sociolinguistic variables of gender, attitudes, code switching, borrowing, slang, and domains of language use. The paper has been structured into two main parts. The first section contains the reviews/synopses of the various papers or works that have been used for the study. The second section deals with a discussion on the prominent sociolinguistic variables found in the various papers

Anti-tussive, muco-suppressant and expectorant properties, and the safety profile of a hydro-ethanolic extract of Scoparia dulcis

Background: Scoparia dulcis is used in Ghanaian folkloric medicine for the management of asthma and its related complications. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating the anti-tussive, muco-suppressant and expectorant properties of hydroethanolic extract of S. dulcis (SDE), and to ascertain its safety for use in asthma and obstructive pulmonary disease management.Methods: The number of coughs induced in guinea pigs using citric acid and the concentration of phenol red secreted in tracheae of mice were measured. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was conducted on the extract using standard procedures. Safety for use of the extract was assessed by conducting an acute and delayed toxicity test.Results: The extract showed a dose-independent inhibition (p ≤ 0.001) of cough elicited by 7.5% citric acid, and a dose-dependent increase (p ≤ 0.05) in the amount of phenol red output in mice tracheae similar to that of ammonium chloride. For the muco-suppressant activity, SDE dose-dependently reduced (p ≤ 0.001) the concentration of ammonium chloride-induced phenol red secretions from mice tracheae. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, steroids, and phenolic compounds. No acute and/or delayed toxic symptoms were observed after an oral administration of up to 5 g/kg of S. dulcis extract.Conclusion: The results showed that S. dulcis extract has anti-tussive, muco-suppressant and, expectorant and/or mucolytic properties; making it a possible remedy for asthma, and obstructive pulmonary disease

Near vision spectacle coverage and barriers to near vision correction among adults in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

Purpose: To determine the near vision spectacle coverage and barriers to obtaining near vision correction among adults aged 35 years and older in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana.Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study design was adopted and 500 out of 576 participants aged 35 years and older were examined from 12 randomly selected clusters in Cape Coast, Ghana. All participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination which included: distance and near visual acuities measurements and external and internal ocular health assessments. Distance and near refractions were performed using subjective refraction technique. Information on participants’ demographics, near vision correction status, near visual needs and barriers to acquiring near vision correction were obtained through a questionnaire administered as part of the study.Results: The mean age of participants was 52.3±10.3 years of whom 280 (56%) were females and 220 (44%) were males. The near vision spectacle coverage was 25%, 33% “met need” for near vision correction in the presbyopic population, and 64% unmet need in the entire study population. After controlling for other variables, age (5th and 6th decades) and educational level were associated with “met need” for near vision correction (OR=2.7 (1.55-4.68), p =0.00, and OR=2.36 (1.18-4.72), p=0.02 respectively). Among those who needed but did not have near vision correction, 64 (26%) did not feel the need for correction, 55 (22%) stated that they were unaware of available interventions, and 53 (21%) found the cost of near vision correction prohibitive.Conclusion: There was a low near vision spectacle coverage in this population which suggests the need for strategies on health education and promotion to address the lack of awareness of spectacle need and cost of services.Keywords: Presbyopia, near vision, spectacle coverage, unmet needs, Ghan

Charakterisierung und Funktion von HCN Kanälen im Kontext kardialer Rhythmogenese und hippocampaler Oszillationsmuster

Der hyperpolarisations-aktivierte und durch cyklische Nukleotide modulierbare Kationenstrom Ih (If im Herzen) und sein Vorkommen in verschiedensten Zelltypen sind schon seit langer Zeit bekannt. Die genetischen und molekularen Grundlagen, die diesen Strom vermitteln, wurden vor einigen Jahren entschlüsselt. Er wird durch sogenannte HCN Kanäle vermittelt, die in 4 Subtypen (HCN1 - 4) vorkommen. HCN Kanäle werden in vielen Geweben exprimiert, darunter in kardialen Sinusknotenmyozyten sowie in hippocampalen Prinzipal- und Interneuronen. In den letzten Jahren wurden alle Subtypen elektrophysiologisch charakterisiert. In Zellen des Sinusknotens wird der Anstieg der diastolischen Depolarisation maßgeblich vom Schrittmacherstrom If bestimmt. In den vergangen Jahren wurden mehrere Studien veröffentlicht die belegen, dass heterozygote Mutationen im HCN4 Gen zu erblichen Herzrhythmusstörungen führen können. In dieser Arbeit wurden zwei HCN4 Mutanten untersucht, die aus zwei verschiedenen Patientenfamilien stammen. Mutationsträger der ersten Familie leiden an einer deutlichen Sinus-Bradykardie, sind jedoch chronotrop kompetent. Die Mutation wird durch eine Insertion von 13 Nukleotiden an Position 1933 im HCN4 Gen verursacht. Dies hat einen frame shift zur Folge, wodurch ein frühzeitiges Stop-Codon entsteht. Der folgende Kettenabbruch führt zu einer trunkierten cyklischen Nukleotid-Bindedomäne (HCN4-695X). Die elektrophysiologische Charakterisierung ergab, dass der HCN4-695X Kanal insensitiv gegen cAMP ist. Weiterhin konnte gezeigt werden, dass die cAMP-Sensitivität in der heteromeren Konfiguration dominant-negativ supprimiert wird. Dieser Befund, sowie die chronotrope Kompetenz Herzfrequenzsteigerung durch beta-adrenerge Stimulation) der Patienten sprechen dafür, dass If nicht allein für die Herzfrequenzregulation verantwortlich ist. Die K530N Mutation ist mit einer leicht bradykarden Herzfrequenz assoziiert. In höherem Lebensalter (>55 Jahre) entwickelt sich eine Sinusknotendysfunktion mit chronischem Vorhofflimmern und Tachykardie-Bradykardie Symptomatik. Die HCN4 K530N Mutation liegt im sogenannten C-Linker, einer intrazellulären Domäne des Kanalproteins. Hier führt eine Punktmutation zum Austausch des positiv eladenen Lysins (K) durch das neutrale Asparagin (N). Die elektrophysiologische Charakterisierung ergab, dass erst in der heteromeren Konfiguration drastische Unterschiede zum Tragen kommen. Die Aktivierungskurve des heteromeren Kanals verschob sich in Richtung negativerer Potentiale, so dass wesentlich stärkere Hyperpolarisationen zur Aktivierung benötigt werden. Unter basalen Bedingungen dürfte daher der Beitrag des If zur diastolischen Depolarisation geringer sein als bei nativen Kanälen. Der langsamere Anstieg des Membranpotentials bis zum Erreichen der Aktionspotentialschwelle kann die leichte Bradykardie erklären. Neben der Schrittmacherfunktion im Herzen spielen HCN Kanäle auch bei der Integration neuronaler Signale und bei der Genese rhythmischer Netzwerkaktivität eine wichtige Rolle. Dies wurde am Beispiel der sharp wave-ripple (SPW-R) Komplexe untersucht, einem Aktivitätsmuster hippocampaler Netzwerke, das zur Konsolidierung des Raumgedächtnisses beiträgt. Auch in in vitro Schnittpräparationen sind diese SPW-Rs zu beobachten. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde der Effekt der Blockade von Ih in horizontalen Hippocampusschnitten untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass eine Blockade des Ih die Frequenz der spontan auftretenden SPW-Rs in der CA1 Region reduzierte. Weiterhin hatte die Blockade des Ih eine Erhöhung der SPW-R Amplituden zur Folge. Dies zeigt, dass Ih eine wichtige Funktion bei der zeitlichen Verarbeitung von Signalen in neuronalen Netzwerken hat. Zusammenfassend lässt sich festhalten, dass Ih essentiell für die Erhaltung rhythmischer und synchroner Aktivität ist

Extra gonadal sclerosing stromal tumour in the transverse mesocolon

Sclerosing stromal tumour (SST) is a rare benign sex cord stromal tumour of the ovary. We report a case of sclerosing stromal tumour of the mesentery in a 32-year-old Para one who presented with intra abdominal mass, menstrual irregularity and secondary infertility. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the completely excised tumour was consistent with sclerosing stromal tumour, immunoreactive only to vimentin. No ovarian tissue was found in the sectioned tumour. Her menses became regular and she conceived 3 months after complete excision and delivered after 9 months. Hormonal assay was not done because SST was least suspected. From literature this is the first case of SST in the transverse mesocolon reported in the West African subregion, and may probably be one of the rare cases of hormonally active SST.Keywords: Extragonadal, sclerosing stromal tumour, Hormonally active, secondary infertility, Ghan

The Association of Central Corneal Thickness and Intraocular Pressure Measures by Non-Contact Tonometry and Goldmann Applanation Tonometry among Glaucoma Patients.

BACKGROUND፡ The aim of this study was to determine whether Central Corneal Thickness (CCT) is associated with intraocular pressure measurement (IOP) with a Non-contact tonometer and the Goldmann applanation tonometer in glaucoma patients.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved two hundred and thirty-two eyes of clinically diagnosed glaucoma patients receiving care at a referral facility. IOP measurements were obtained using both the Non-Contact Tonometer (NCT) and Goldmann Applanation Tonometer (GAT). The association between age, ethnicity, and CCT, as well as CCT on the measures of NCT and GAT, were analyzed.RESULTS: There were 64(55.2%) males and 52 (44.8%) females and their ages ranged from 18 to 85 years (mean age = 47.72; SD ±15.75 years). There was a weak positive correlation between the CCT and NCT findings in the right eye (r = 0.19, n = 116, p < 0.05) and in the left eye (r = 0.25, n = 116, p < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between CCT and GAT measurements. Age had a significant correlation with CCT while gender and ethnicity had no significant correlation.CONCLUSION: The study found a significant association between CCT and NCT. However, there was no significant association between CCT and GAT. CCT had an association with age but independent of gender and ethnicity since there was no significant relationship between these variables