A safety and security audit of the Kakum National Park: observed reality versus managerial perspectives

Although Safety and Security (SnS) is a popular theme in the existing literature, the narrative has mostly focused on the broader destination and relatively, little is known of the SnS situation at the level of the individual components. This paper sought to appraise the safety and security situation at Ghana’s most visited attraction- the Kakum National Park, using a heuristic adaptation of the World Tourism Organization’s safety and security checklist. Through observations and interviews with management, an assessment of the safety and security situation at KNP was undertaken. It was found that even though safety and security measures at the park are generally inadequate, management does not consider the park to be under any real threat. The study also found that the Park management had a deliberative assessment of the security situation which reflected in three mindsets of collective security, passiveness and cautious security. The study recommends a change in philosophical outlook from passiveness to proactivity as an important first step towards making the KNP safer. Along with this philosophy, change would be the specific interventions in the areas of documentation, equipment and training

Case 1 : The Fire Under the Shed: The Cornerstone Fuelling Our Plight

In Ghana, smoke from biomass fuel cook stoves leads to acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in children under five. Akosua Agborson, a research fellow, had the opportunity to work with the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS) team at the Kintampo Health Research Centre to address this public health issue. The GRAPHS team is responsible for reducing air pollution and improving cook stoves for households in Ghana. Akosua decided to support the GRAPHS team by doing a case research study on gari processing involving biomass fuel. She focused on gari processors because Ghana is the sixth largest producer of gari (cassava grits) in the world. Akosua and the GRAPHS team interviewed gari processors, community leaders, and the district government officer in order to understand the levels of knowledge about health risks and the perceptions of air pollution attributable to biomass fuel used in the gari processing industry

Malaria vaccine deployment in Africa: focus on Ghana

The announcement by the Ghana Health Service /Ministry of Health at the beginning of May to begin the pilot implementation of the malaria vaccine – RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix®) – manufactured by GSK Biologicals was greeted with rumours about conspiracy theories of secretagenda to depopulate Africa through the use of vaccines and all the other stories that are often propagated by the anti vaxxers. This was not unlike the fear and panic spread throughout the country that prevented investigators from conducting clinical trials on new vaccines against the Ebola virus disease a few years ago

Re: Musings on malaria morbidity and mortality after the new Mosquirix® vaccine

Importance of pilot implementation and Phase IV studies and pending questions: The Malaria Vaccine Implementation Project (MVIP) is coordinated by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) and led by African health authorities in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. In Ghana, the MVIP is led by Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service and evaluatedby a consortium of researchers from University of Ghana, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Agogo Malaria Centre, and the Research and Development Division of Ghana Health Service. The project is designed to address several outstanding questions related to the public health use of the vaccine. Additionally, Phase IV studies are ongoing to further assess the safety of the vaccine in Ghana (Kintampo and Navrongo) as a standardregulatory requirement for new vaccines. Indeed, this approach has been used for the introduction of other vaccines in Ghana such as the human papilloma virus vaccine.2 Specifically, the MVIP will provide data to the Ministry of Health and partners on how best to deliver the required four doses of the vaccine in routine settings; assess the vaccine’s full potential role in reducing childhood deaths; and establish the vaccine’s safety profile inthe context of routine use. Since the Phase III study was not intended to measure the impact of the vaccine on mortality, the data from MVIP will confirm or refute theimpact of the malaria vaccine on mortality as determined in the mathematical models outlined by Penny M et. al.

Systematics and historical biogeography of the old world butterfly subtribe Mycalesina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae).

BACKGROUND: Butterflies of the subtribe Mycalesina have radiated successfully in almost all habitat types in Africa, Madagascar, the Indian subcontinent, Indo-China and Australasia. Studies aimed at understanding the reasons behind the evolutionary success of this spectacular Old World butterfly radiation have been hampered by the lack of a stable phylogeny for the group. Here, we have reconstructed a robust phylogenetic framework for the subtribe using 10 genes from 195 exemplar taxa. RESULTS: We recovered seven well supported clades within the subtribe corresponding to the five traditional genera (Lohora, Heteropsis, Hallelesis, Bicyclus, Mycalesis), one as recently revised (Mydosama) and one newly revised genus (Culapa). The phylogenetic relationships of these mycalesine genera have been robustly established for the first time. Within the proposed phylogenetic framework, we estimated the crown age of the subtribe to be 40 Million years ago (Mya) and inferred its ultimate origin to be in Asia. Our results reveal both vicariance and dispersal as factors responsible for the current widespread distribution of the group in the Old World tropics. We inferred that the African continent has been colonized at least twice by Asian mycalesines within the last 26 and 23 Mya. In one possible scenario, an Asian ancestor gave rise to Heteropsis on continental Africa, which later dispersed into Madagascar and most likely back colonised Asia. The second colonization of Africa by Asian ancestors resulted in Hallelesis and Bicyclus on continental Africa, the descendants of which did not colonise other regions but rather diversified only in continental Africa. The genera Lohora and Mydosama are derivatives of ancestors from continental Asia. CONCLUSION: Our proposed time-calibrated phylogeny now provides a solid framework within which we can implement mechanistic studies aimed at unravelling the ecological and evolutionary processes that culminated in the spectacular radiation of mycalesines in the Old World tropics

Conserved patterns of integrated developmental plasticity in a group of polyphenic tropical butterflies

Background: Developmental plasticity is thought to have profound macro-evolutionary effects, for example, by increasing the probability of establishment in new environments and subsequent divergence into independently evolving lineages. In contrast to plasticity optimized for individual traits, phenotypic integration, which enables a concerted response of plastic traits to environmental variability, may affect the rate of local adaptation by constraining independent responses of traits to selection. Using a comparative framework, this study explores the evolution of reaction norms for a variety of life history and morphological traits across five related species of mycalesine butterflies from the Old World tropics. Results: Our data indicate that an integrated response of a suite of key traits is shared amongst these species. Interestingly, the traits that make up the functional suite are all known to be regulated by ecdysteroid signalling in Bicyclus anynana, one of the species included in this study, suggesting the same underlying hormonal regulator may be conserved within this group of polyphenic butterflies. We also detect developmental thresholds for the expression of alternative morphs. Conclusions: The phenotypic plasticity of a broad suite of morphological and life history traits is integrated and shared among species from three geographically independent lineages of mycalesine butterflies, despite considerable periods of independent evolution and exposure to disparate environments. At the same time, we have detected examples of evolutionary change where independent traits show different patterns of reaction norms. We argue that the expression of more robust phenotypes may occur by shifting developmental thresholds beyond the boundaries of the typical environmental variation

Estimating malaria parasite density: assumed white blood cell count of 10,000/μl of blood is appropriate measure in Central Ghana.

BACKGROUND: White blood cells count (WBCc) is a bedrock in the estimation of malaria parasite density in malaria field trials, interventions and patient management. White blood cells are indirectly and relatively used in microscopy to estimate the density of malaria parasite infections. Due to frequent lack of facilities in some malaria-endemic countries, in order to quantify WBCc of patients, an assumed WBCc of 8.0 X 10(9)/L has been set by the World Health Organization to help in estimating malaria parasite densities. METHODS: This comparative analysis study, in Central Ghana, compiled laboratory data of 5,902 Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite positive samples. Samples were obtained from consented participants of age groups less than five years. Full blood counts (FBC) of participants' samples were analysed using the ABX Micros 60 Haematology Analyzer. Blood slides were read by two competent microscopists to produce concordant results. All internal and external quality control measures were carried out appropriately. Parasite densities were calculated using participants' absolute WBCc and assumed WBCc of 5,000 to 10,000 per microlitre of blood. RESULTS: From the 5,902 Pf malaria positive samples, the mean (SD) WBCc and geometric mean parasite density were 10.4 (4.6) × 10(9)/L and 7,557/μL (95% CI 7,144/μL to 7,994/μL) respectively. The difference in the geometric mean parasite densities calculated using absolute WBCs and compared to densities with assumed WBCs counts were significantly lower for 5.0 × 10(9)/L; 3,937/μL, 6.0 × 10(9)/L; 4,725/μL and 8.0 × 10(9)/L; 6,300/μL. However, the difference in geometric mean parasite density, 7,874/μL (95 % CI, 7,445/μL to 8,328/μL), with assumed WBCc of 10.0 × 10(9)/L was not significant. CONCLUSION: Using the assumed WBCc of 8.0 X 10(9)/L or lower to estimate malaria parasite densities in Pf infected children less than five years old could result in significant underestimation of parasite burden. Assumed WBCc of 10.0 × 10(9)/L at 95 % CI of geometric mean of parasite density statistically agreed with the parasite densities produce by the absolute WBCc of participants. The study suggests where resources are limited, use of assumed WBCc of 10.0 × 10(9)/L of blood to estimate malaria parasite density in central Ghana. Preferably, absolute WBCc should be used in drug efficacy and vaccine trials

Hepatic safety and tolerability of cipargamin (KAE609), in adult patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: a randomized, phase II, controlled, dose-escalation trial in sub-Saharan Africa

Background The novel anti-malarial cipargamin (KAE609) has potent, rapid activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Transient asymptomatic liver function test elevations were previously observed in cipargamin-treated subjects in two trials: one in malaria patients in Asia and one in volunteers with experimentally induced malaria. In this study, the hepatic safety of cipargamin given as single doses of 10 to 150 mg and 10 to 50 mg once daily for 3 days was assessed. Efficacy results, frequency of treatment-emerging mutations in the atp4 gene and pharmacokinetics have been published elsewhere. Further, the R561H mutation in the k13 gene, which confers artemisinin-resistance, was associated with delayed parasite clearance following treatment with artemether–lumefantrine in Rwanda in this study. This was also the first study with cipargamin to be conducted in patients in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods This was a Phase II, multicentre, randomized, open-label, dose-escalation trial in adults with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in five sub-Saharan countries, using artemether–lumefantrine as control. The primary endpoint was ≥ 2 Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Grade increase from baseline in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST) during the 4-week trial. Results Overall, 2/135 patients treated with cipargamin had ≥ 2 CTCAE Grade increases from baseline in ALT or AST compared to 2/51 artemether–lumefantrine patients, with no significant difference between any cipargamin treatment group and the control group. Cipargamin exposure was comparable to or higher than those in previous studies. Hepatic adverse events and general safety and tolerability were similar for all cipargamin doses and artemether–lumefantrine. Cipargamin was well tolerated with no safety concerns. Conclusions This active-controlled, dose escalation study was a detailed assessment of the hepatic safety of cipargamin, across a wide range of doses, in patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Comparison with previous cipargamin trials requires caution as no clear conclusion can be drawn as to whether hepatic safety and potential immunity to malaria would differ with ethnicity, patient age and or geography. Previous concerns regarding hepatic safety may have been confounded by factors including malaria itself, whether natural or experimental infection, and should not limit the further development of cipargamin

Revision of the Bicyclus ignobilis species-group (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) with descriptions of two new species

The ignobilis-group of the genus Bicyclus Kirby 1871 is revised. The species-group contains six species with a distinct wing pattern, but limited intraspecific variation, distributed across tropical African rainforest. We investigate a set of more than 1000 specimens from a range of museum collections, including some type material, and thoroughly update the biogeographical knowledge for the group. We also describe two new species as members of the group. The included species are: Bicyclus ignobilis (Butler 1870) stat. rev., B. rileyi Condamin 1961, B. maesseni Condamin 1971, B. brakefieldi Brattström 2012, B. ottossoni sp. nov. and B. vandeweghei sp. nov. Due to observing a gradual morphological cline within B. ignobilis without any sharp transitions we suppress the previously identified subspecies B. ignobilis eurini Condamin & Fox 1963 syn. nov. and B. ignobilis acutus Condamin 1965 syn. nov