Browsing by Author "Darkwa, E.O"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Electrolyte Physiology Of Selected Serum Electrolytes And Nitric Oxide In Preeclamptics At The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital(2016-07) Darkwa, E.OBrief Background: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder in pregnancy affecting 5-14% of all pregnancies worldwide. Preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life of both the mother and the baby. It is common but its aetiology remains unknown. It is the most common, yet least understood disorder of pregnancy. Despite a steady reduction in maternal mortality from this disorder in more developed countries, the aetiology still remains unclear, recent studies indicate that serum electrolytes and Nitric oxide (NO) levels may play a role in pre-eclampsia since it is vascular endothelial disorder. Magnesium and nitric oxide play important role in peripheral vasodilatation whiles calcium also have an indirect effect on smooth muscle function by increasing magnesium levels. However, the levels of these electrolytes and NO in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia patients are still uncertain. The aim of this study is to measure serum levels of calcium and magnesium in preeclamptic pregnancy and to compare with those in normal pregnancy. Aim: To determine the electrolyte physiology of selected serum electrolytes and nitric oxide in preeclamptics at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Brief Methodology: This was a case-control cross sectional study involving 162 women consisting of 30 preeclamptics, 100 normotensive pregnant women and 32 normotensive non-pregnant women conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology clinic of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Women in each of these categories were sampled consecutively and recruited into the study after obtaining an informed consent. Preeclampsia was diagnosed using the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy criteria. Blood pressure and heart rate of the participants were measured after which 5 ml of venous blood was obtained from each participant. Blood pressure was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. Heart rate was determined by auscultation with a stethoscope and a stopwatch. Determination of serum magnesium and calcium was done using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Variant 240FS manufactured by VARIAN Australia Pty Ltd). Serum sodium and potassium were analysed using Sherwood Flame Photometer (Model 420 by Sherwood Scientific Ltd). Nitric oxide was measured using Griess reagent system by ELISA method (Promega, Madison, USA). Results: The study showed a statistically significant difference in the serum levels of magnesium, sodium and potassium in normotensive non-pregnant women (0.80±0.10, 139.16±4.64, 3.61±0.51), normotensive pregnant (0.77±0.14, 139.00±6.54, 3.75±0.47) and preeclamptic women (0.70±0.15, 136.13±4.17, 3.45±0.54) mmol/L (p=0.006, p=0.009, p=0.009) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the serum levels of calcium (total and ionised) and nitric oxide in normotensive non-pregnant (2.20±0.16, 1.19±0.09, 470.5), normotensive pregnant (2.14±0.34, 1.20±0.11, 1308.3) and preeclamptic (2.13±0.30, 1.15±0.06, 1178.78) women (p=0.564, p=0.091, p=0.447) respectively. Conclusion: This study revealed abnormalities of some selected serum electrolytes which may have a role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. This is evidenced by the finding of a significantly reduced serum magnesium, sodium and potassium levels in preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnant women. However, no change was found in the serum levels of calcium (total and ionised) and nitric oxide levels in preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnant women.Item The Use of Ionising Radiation from 60co Gamma Source in Controlling Mouldiness in Dried Cocoa Beans(University of Ghana, 2001-06) Appiah, V; Oduro, K.A; Darkwa, E.O; Yeboah, P.O; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Crop ScienceMouldiness in stored cocoa beans in Ghana and the production of aflatoxin have been studied. Based on actual weight of discarded beans, mouldy beans have been estimated to constitute 0.13 % and 0.00002 % of marketable beans at the farmers’ level and the buying agents’ depots respectively in the Tafo District. This is contrasted with an estimated value o f 0.16 % obtained in a questionnaire type study involving farmers. Estimated mouldy beans at the Tema port was 0.69 % per year (based on the cut test) representing a financial loss of $1,688,637.19 per year at S989/T should the mouldy beans be discarded. Fifty-eight (58) internally- and externally- borne fungal species were isolated from dried cocoa beans. Of these, forty-eight (48) were internally- borne and ten (10) were superficial. Twenty-nine (29) o f the internally occurring fungi have been recorded for the first time on cocoa beans in Ghana. Twenty-six (26) o f the fungi isolated belong to Aspergillus grou/?. They included A. parasiticus and A. fla vu s, which can produce aflatoxins. Five (5) belong to Penicillium, eight (8) to Fusarium and nineteen (19) to other species. Ionising radiation effectively controlled fungi associated with mouldiness in cocoa beans in a dose - dependent manner. A radiation dose o f 6 kGy completely inactivated the moulds. A. flavus and A. tamarii were the most radiation resistant moulds encountered. The moisture content o f the beans before, during and after irradiation influenced the effect of radiation. The relative humidity during storage and the type o f packaging also influenced the radiation effect. Conidia of-A fla vu s subjected to moist heat at temperatures 20 °C to 60 °C for 2.5, 5 and 10 min respectively were not significantly affected by heating up to 50 °C. Pleating an aqueous conidial suspension at 60 °C for at least 2.5 min reduced the number of fungal colonies by at least 5 log cycles when the suspension was assayed on agar plate media. Heating at 59 °C for 10 min completely inactivated the wet conidia of A. flams. When a combination o f moist heat and radiation was applied to A. flavus, in different media, the inactivation dose was different in each medium. In vitro studies on A. flavus in suspension showed that the fungus could be inactivated by applying a combination o f moist heat at 50°C for 10 min followed by 1.0 kGy radiation. A combination of moist heat at 80 °C and radiation at 3.5 kGy produced the same effect with cocoa beans. Storage o f beans for 28 days at 75% RH suppressed fungal growth while storage at 90% RH resulted in mouldiness o f beans previously inoculated with A. fla m s conidia and treated with heat and radiation. No aflatoxin was detected in cocoa beans after 4 weeks following inoculation with conidia of a toxigenic A. f la w s strain and irradiation at 10 kGy. Without irradiation, inoculated beans became mouldy and produced aflatoxin Bi. Irradiation at 10 kGy could not destroy the already formed aflatoxin. Radiation up to 6 kGy gave cocoa butter with free fatty acid, melting point, saponification value, and unsaponifiable matter levels comparable with factory standards. Exposure of beans to radiation did not have any effect on the rancidity o f the extracted cocoa butter. Exposure of beans to radiation only or to radiation after heat treatment also did not affect the rate at which cocoa butter solidified. No significant differences in taste, colour and flavour were detected in cocoa drink prepared from cocoa powder produced from irradiated beans.