http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/36 2026-04-04T14:07:01Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/4630 Examination of traditional medicine and herbal pharmacology and the implications for teaching and education: A Ghanaian Case Study Asabre-Ameyaw, A.; Dei, G.J.S.; Raheem, K. This article presents the preliminary findings of a pilot study of the practice, uses, and effectiveness of traditional medicine in Ghana. Based on in-depth interviews with local key practitioners and users of traditional medicine, the article points to some of the educational significance of local cultural knowledge on the environment and the relevance of such knowledge for science education in Ghana. In the discussion the authors briefly highlight general themes relating to local understandings of traditional medicine, the distinctions between traditional and plant medicine, contestations between traditional medicine and orthodox medicine, local conceptions of health and a healthy individual, the economics of health, and the lessons of science and public education. Although the findings of the study are preliminary, the article argues that much is to be gained for educational purposes through the critical study of traditional medicine, particularly in terms of the promotion of science and community education in Ghana. 2009-12-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/356 Acute phase responses vary between children of HBAS and HBAA genotypes during plasmodium falciparum infection Tetteh M.; Addai-Mensah O.; Siedu Z.; Kyei-Baafour E.; Lamptey H.; Williams J.; Kupeh E.; Egbi G.; Kwayie A.B.; Abbam G.; Afrifah D.A.; Debrah A.Y.; Ofori M.F. Purpose: Haemoglobin genotype S is known to offer protection against Plasmodium falciparum infections but the mechanism underlying this protection is not completely under-stood. Associated changes in acute phase proteins (APPs) during Plasmodium falciparum infections between Haemoglobin AA (HbAA) and Haemoglobin AS (HbAS) individuals also remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate changes in three APPs and full blood count (FBC) indices of HbAA and HbAS children during Plasmodium falciparum infection. Methods: Venous blood was collected from three hundred and twenty children (6 months to 15 years) in Begoro in Fanteakwa District of Ghana during a cross-sectional study. Full blood count (FBC) indices were measured and levels of previously investigated APPs in malaria patients; C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin and transferrin measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays. Results: Among the HbAA and HbAS children, levels of CRP and ferritin were higher in malaria positive children as compared to those who did not have malaria. The mean CRP levels were significantly higher among HbAA children (p=0.2e-08) as compared to the HbAS children (p=0.43). Levels of transferrin reduced in both HbAA and HbAS children with malaria, but the difference was only significant among HbAA children (p=0.0038), as compared to the HbAS children. No significant differences were observed in ferritin levels between HbAA and HbAS children in both malaria negative (p=0.76) and positive (p=0.26) children. Of the full blood count indices measured, red blood cell count (p=0.044) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels (p=0.017) differed between HbAA and HbAS in those without malaria, with higher RBC counts and lower Hb levels found in HbAS children. In contrast, during malaria, lymphocyte and platelet counts were elevated, whilst granulocytes and Mean Cell Haematocrit counts were reduced among children of the HbAS genotypes. Conclusion: Significant changes in APPs were found in HbAA children during malaria as compared to HbAS children, possibly due to differences in malaria-induced inflammation levels. This suggests that the HbAS genotype is associated with better control of P. falciparum infection-induced inflammatory response than HbAA genotype. � 2021 Tetteh et al. Tetteh, M., Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, Laboratory Department, District Hospital, Begoro, Ghana; Addai-Mensah, O., Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Siedu, Z., Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Kyei-Baafour, E., Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Lamptey, H., Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Williams, J., Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Kupeh, E., Laboratory Department, Tema Polyclinic, Tema, Ghana; Egbi, G., Nutrition Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; Kwayie, A.B., Laboratory Department, District Hospital, Begoro, Ghana; Abbam, G., Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, University Clinic Laboratory, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana; Afrifah, D.A., Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Debrah, A.Y., Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Ofori, M.F., Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/324 Fibroblast growth factor 21: a novel long-acting hypoglycemic drug for canine diabetes Jiang X.; Liu S.; Wang Y.; Zhang R.; Opoku Y.K.; Xie Y.; Li D.; Ren G. Currently, insulin is commonly used in the clinical management of canine diabetes. However, it must be injected preprandially causing much inconvenience to the owners. Therefore, the development of long-acting hypoglycemic agents has attracted much attention in the scientific community. This study aimed to investigate the long-acting hypoglycemic effect of canine fibroblast growth factor 21 (cFGF-21) in diabetic dogs. Diabetic dogs were administered with cFGF-21, polyethylene glycol-modified cFGF-21 (PEG-cFGF-21), or insulin once a day, once every 2, 3, or 4 days subcutaneously. The results showed that cFGF-21 and PEG-cFGF-21 maintained blood glucose comparable to normal levels for 2 and 3 days respectively while insulin maintained the blood glucose for only 2 h after a single injection. After treatment with cFGF-21, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was significantly improved with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) close to the normal levels. In addition, cFGF-21 significantly repaired islet ? cells, increased insulin content, and protected the pancreas from streptozotocin-induced injury. Furthermore, cFGF-21 exhibited both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in the pancreas. We conclude, therefore, that cFGF-21 and PEG-cFGF-21 can maintain blood glucose comparable to normal levels for 2 and 3 days respectively after a single dose. The long-acting efficacy of cFGF-21 can be attributed to improvement in oxidative stress and the reduction of inflammation in the pancreas. � 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Jiang, X., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China; Liu, S., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China; Wang, Y., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China, Shanghai Hailu Biological Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 200000, China; Zhang, R., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China; Opoku, Y.K., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China, Department of Biology Education, Faculty of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana; Xie, Y., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China; Li, D., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China, Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceut CO LTD, State Key Lab New Tech Chinese Med Pharmaceut Pro, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China; Ren, G., Biopharmaceutical Lab., College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China, Biopharmaceutical Teaching and Research Section, College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Road, Harbin, 150030, China 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://41.74.91.244:8080/handle/123456789/316 Land use land cover dynamics and fragmentation-induced changes in woody plant community structure in a mining landscape, Ghana Kumi S.; Addo-Fordjour P.; Fei-Baffoe B.; Belford E.J.D.; Ameyaw Y. The study assessed the dynamics of mining land use land cover changes and consequent fragmentation impacts on woody plant community structure in the Ahafo Region, Ghana. Landsat images were utilised to determine land use and cover changes using a supervised classification method. Plant community structure was determined within 60 (20 � 20 m) plots that were randomly laid in equal numbers in fragmented and intact forests. Our findings showed that the mining landscape experienced a substantial land use/cover change between 2003 and 2018, with considerable forest cover loss at the expense of increasing cover of plantation, settlement/bare surface, mine site, and waterbody. Woody plant species diversity was significantly lower in the fragmented forest around the mine. Likewise, fragmentation caused a shift in plant species composition in the fragmented forest, whose composition was less homogenised compared to the intact forest. Plant abundance did not differ significantly between the two forests, but it was invasive and cultivated tree species that increased the total abundance of woody plants in the fragmented forests. The mining landscape was dominated by an invasive alien species, Broussonetia papyrifera which poses an ecological threat to native species. In conclusion, our findings suggest that mining contributed to intense land use/cover dynamics and fragmentation that impaired woody plant community structure around the mine. There is the need to accord priority to management intervention that would seek to manage and conserve the remaining forest fragments and its biodiversity in the mining landscape. � 2021 The Author(s) Kumi, S., Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Addo-Fordjour, P., Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Fei-Baffoe, B., Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Belford, E.J.D., Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Ameyaw, Y., Department of Biology Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z