College of Basic and Applied Sciences
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Item Modelling the drivers of land use and land cover change of the great Amanzule wetland ecosystem to inform the development policy of the southwestern oil-rich region of Ghana(Heliyon, 2024-08-20) Adarkwah,F.; Awuni,S.; Hajek,M.; Kübler,D.; Mattah,M.; Gordon,C.; Owusu,H.E.This study focused on the current and future drivers of land-use change and its impact on the Amanzule wetland. It suggests policy implications for reviewing and strengthening existing policies for sustainable land use. This study employed remote sensing and GIS techniques, including participatory rural appraisal techniques. The administration of questionnaires and focus group discussions were conducted in the Ellembelle and Jomoro municipalities, where the Amanzule wetland provides economic and social services. The results showed increased land use over the last 32 years driven by various drivers, including food crop production, rubber plantations, oil and gas establishments, and infrastructure development. The study further revealed that these drivers could influence land-use change in 18 years (2018–2036). Urbanisation, cropland, rubber plantations, and shrubland will drive land-use change in the study area between 2036 and 2054. The Amanzule wetland area is expected to decrease from 272.34 ha in 2018 to 210.60 ha by 2036. The wetland area is expected to further decrease from 210.60 ha in 2036 to 174.33 ha by 2054. Other land use classes, such as mangrove and swamp forests, are also expected to decrease within the same period. The study recommends advocating for a wetland policy, enforcing the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 925 and the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act 919 for sustainable development.Item Production and characterization of coconut shell charcoal-based bio-briquettes as an alternative energy source for rural communities(Heliyon, 2024-08-01) Yirijor,J.; Bere,A.A.T.The increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions has driven interest in the utilization of agricultural residues, such as coconut shells, for bio-briquette production. This study investigates the impact of binder types (cassava and corn) and concentrations (5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%) on the properties of bio-briquettes made from dried coconut shells with two particle sizes (40 mesh and 60 mesh). The experimental evaluation focuses on several performance indicators, including density, shatter index, percentage moisture content (PMC), percentage volatile matter (PVM), percentage ash content (PAC), percentage fixed carbon (PFC), higher heating value (HHV), ignition time, burning time, and boiling time. The results indicate that briquettes with 10 % fine charcoal cassava binder achieved the highest density of 0.764 g/cm3 due to improved compaction. Briquettes with 15 % coarse charcoal corn binder demonstrated the highest shatter resistance at 96.99 %, reflecting their superior structural integrity. The highest PMC and PVM values were observed in briquettes with 15 % coarse charcoal cassava binder, at 8.13 % and 31.25 %, respectively. Conversely, the highest PAC was 16.34 % for 5 % coarse charcoal cassava binder. Briquettes with 10 % fine charcoal corn binder exhibited the highest PFC of 70.79 % and HHV of 31.51 MJ/kg. Boiling times ranged from 15 min 53 s to 36 min 35 s, with the shortest boiling time for briquettes with 10 % fine charcoal corn binder. The findings highlight the superior mechanical properties and energy performance of bio-briquettes with specific binder concentrations and particle sizes. This study demonstrates the potential of coconut shell bio-briquettes as a viable and sustainable energy source, offering economic and environmental benefits through the effective utilization of agricultural waste and reduction of carbon emissions.Item Co-infections of SARS-CoV-2 with respiratory syncytial virus and human influenza A in patients with symptoms of COVID-19 in Ghana: A retrospective study(New Microbes and New Infections, 2024-08-19) Duedu, O.K.; Gyamfi, J.; Ayivor-Djanie, R.; Afenya, G.; Agbuglah, B.I.; Agbogli, K.H.; Essandoh, P.; Kugbemanya, S.; Adiku, K.T.Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic the aetiology of respiratory illnesses were narrowed to SARS-CoV-2. This prevented diagnosis of other pathogens and patients were not notified of the accurate diagnosis of their illnesses when SARS-CoV-2 was absent. It is therefore important to look back and determine what else was present but was missed. Objective: This retrospective study sought to gain insights into prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A alongside SARS-CoV-2 in patients who reported with clinical symptoms of respiratory illnesses. Methods: Samples from patients who had reported of respiratory symptoms were selected at random from a pool. RNA was extracted and RT-PCR was performed for SARS-CoV-2, RSV and Influenza A in parallel. Data on the clinical symptoms was extracted from case-base forms and analysed. Results: Of the 400 symptomatic samples tested, prevalence of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and RSV was 20.3 %, 2.0 % and 0.5 % respectively. Only one sample tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A. About 77 % of the symptomatic cases did not test positive for any of the three agents. Cough (79 %) was the most common symptom followed by fever and chills, headache, sore throat and runny nose. Conclusion: The large proportion of symptomatic cases that tested negative for all three respiratory viruses raises a flag and a need for more investigations into the actual burden of respiratory aetiologic agents during the pandemic. With the low levels of co-infections, parallel testing may not be needed however, a strong case for multiplex tests for respiratory agents exists.Item Synthesis and Biological Properties of Ferrocenyl and Organic Methotrexate Derivatives(ACS Omega, 2024) Rózga, K.; Błauz, A.; Ayine-Tora, D.M.; et al.Synthesis and biological activity of two series of modified side chain methotrexate (MTX) derivatives are presented, one with a ferrocenyl moiety inserted between the pteroyl and glutamate portions of the molecule and the other with glutamate substituted for short chain amino acids. Ferrocenyl derivatives of MTX turned out to be rather moderate inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) although molecular modeling suggested more effective interactions between these compounds and the target enzyme. More interestingly, ferrocene-decorated MTX derivatives were able to impede the proliferation of four murine and human cell lines as well as their methotrexate-resistant counterparts, overcoming the multidrug resistance (MDR) barrier. They were also able to directly interact with Abcc1, an MDR protein. Of the amino acid pteroyl conjugates, the γ-aminobutyric acid derivative was an efficient inhibitor of DHFR but had no effect on cell proliferation in the concentration range studied while a taurine conjugate was a poor DHFR inhibitor but able to affect cell viability. We postulate that modification of the methotrexate side chain may be an efficient strategy to overcome efflux-dependent methotrexate resistance.Item Digital Platforms in Climate Information Service Delivery for Farming in Ghana(African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021) Sarku, R.; Adiku, P.; Appiah, D.O.; et al.Phone-based applications, Internet connectivity, and big data are enabling climate change adaptations. From ICT for development and agriculture perspectives, great interest exists in how digital platforms support climate information provision for smallholder farmers in Africa. The vast majority of these platforms both private and public are for delivering climate information services and for data collection. The sheer number of digital platforms in the climate information sector has created a complex information landscape for potential information users, with platforms differing in information type, technology, geographic coverage, financing structures, and infrastructure. This chapter mapped the existing climate information services and examined their impact on policy and practices in smallholder farming development in Africa, with a focus on Ghana. Specifically, the chapter provides highlights of digital platforms available to smallholder farmers and agricultural extension agents, analyzes the public and/or private governance arrangements that underpin the implementation of digital climate information delivery, and assesses the potential of these platforms in scaling up the use of climate information. The chapter contributes to understanding the dynamics of climate information delivery with digital tools in Africa and suggests a future research agenda.Item Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of cyberbullying on the academic lives of Ghanaian university students. It also establishes whether cyberbullying victims, perpetrators, victim-perpetrators and bystanders differed in their thoughts on the effects of cyberbullying on students’ academic lives. Design/methodology/approach This study is anchored on Bandura’s theory of triadic reciprocal determinism and Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs. This study uses a cross-sectional survey design and quantitative approach to collect the data from 1,374 students from three public universities. The authors use descriptive statistics and ANOVA techniques to analyse the data. Findings The results show that the effects of cyberbullying on academic life are difficulty concentrating on studies, difficulty studying in groups and difficulty assessing important academic information online. There is also a statistically significant difference among cyberbullying victims, perpetrators, victim-perpetrators and bystanders in their thoughts on the effects of cyberbullying on students’ academic lives.(Journal of Molecular Structure, 2024) Abbasi, M.A.; Siddiqui, S.S.; Ayine-Tora, D.M.; et al.In the research delineate herein, an innovative sequence of new series of multi-functional target molecules (9a-i) having indole-N-phenyltriazole bi-heterocyclic hybrids unified with N-arylated butanamides was synthesized as alkaline phosphatase inhibitor. The structural validation of all the formulated compounds was accomplished through IR, EI-MS, 1 H NMR, 13C NMR and CHN analysis data. The in vitro enzyme inhibitory investigation revealed the efficacy of these bi-heterocyclic derivatives, 9a–i, as potent inhibitors of alkaline phosphatase relative to the standard used. The compound 9h was found to be the most active compound (IC50 = 0.062 ± 0.017 μM), and its inhibitory activity is about 10 times higher than potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) (IC50 = 5.251 ± 0.468 μM). The kinetics mechanism was attributed by evaluating the Lineweaver–Burk plots, which revealed that compound 9h inhibited the alkaline phosphatase non-competitively to form an enzyme –inhibitor complex. The inhibition constant Ki determined from Dixon plots for this compound was 0.045 μM. The computational study was in full agreement with the experimental records and these ligands exhibited good interactions and binding energy values. These molecules also demonstrated mild cytotoxicity toward red blood cell membranes when analyzed through hemolysis. So, based on the presented results, these molecules, being the promising inhibitors of alkaline phosphatase, might be deliberated as suitable medicinal scaffolds to render normal calcification of bones and teeth.Item Differential Impact of Land Use Types on Soil Productivity Components in Two Agro-ecological Zones of Southern Ghana(African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation, 2021) Owoade, F.M.; Adiku, S.G.K.; MacCarthy, D.S.; et al.The maintenance of soil productivity is important for sustained crop yield in low-input systems in the tropics. This study investigated the impact of four different land use types, namely, maize and cassava cropping, woodlot/plantations, and natural forests on soil productivity components, especially soil carbon accretion, at six sites within two agro-ecological zones of southern Ghana. Soil properties were significantly different between sites and ecological zones. The coastal savanna zone, which is a low rainfall zone had relatively lower soil carbon storage than the high rainfall forest-savanna transition zone. Soil productivity conditions in the latter zone were much more favorable for cropping than the former. Land use types significantly affected the soil carbon (SOC) storage within the two ecological zones. In the low rainfall zone, soil carbon accretion by maize cropping, cassava cropping, and plantations was 48%, 54%, and 60%, respectively, of the forest carbon stock (47,617 kg/ha). In the transition zone, the soil carbon accretion was over 90% of the forest value (48,216 kg/ha) for all land use types. In effect, the use of land use types in maintaining soil productivity must consider the conditions in a given ecological zone.Item A rare case of intusscusception in a 6-month-old baby(Radiology Case Reports 19, 2024) Fiagbedzi, E.; Arkorful, J.; Appiah, E.; et al.This case report discusses the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and successful management of a rare case of intussusception in a 6-month-old female infant referred to a regional hospital in Ghana. The patient presented with vomiting, lethargy, fever, and currant jelly stool. Differential diagnoses considered included Merkel diverticulum, volvulus, lymphadenopathy, and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Ultrasound imaging revealed a concentric lesion with characteristic signs of intussusception. Ileo-caeco coli intussusception was con firmed as the diagnosis. Surgical management was used for this patient. The postsurgery phase was without any complications. The patient recovered well and was discharged with a switch to oral medications. Infant intussusception is still a disease with a low morbidity rateItem Implications of crop yield distributions for multiperil crop insurance rating in Ghana: a lasso model application(Agricultural Finance Review, 2024) Addey, K.A.; Jatoe, J.B.D.Purpose – The objective of this paper is to examine crop yield predictions and their implications on MPCI in Ghana. Farmers in developing countries struggle with their ability to deal with agricultural risks. Providing aid for farmers and their households remains instrumental in combatting poverty in Africa. Several studies have shown that correctly understanding and implementing risk management strategies will help in the poverty alleviation agenda. Design/methodology/approach – This study examines the importance of crop yield distributions in Ghana and its implication on multiperil crop insurance (MPCI) rating using the Lasso regression model. A Bonferroni test was employed to test the independence of crop yields across the regions while the Kruskal-Wallis H test was conducted to examine statistical differences in mean yields of crops across the ten regions. The Bayesian information criteria and k-fold cross-validation methods are used to select an appropriate Lasso regression model for the prediction of crop yields. The study focuses on the variability of the threshold yields across regions based on the chosen model. Findings – It is revealed that threshold yields differ significantly across the regions in the country. This implies that the payment of claims will not be evenly distributed across the regions, and hence regional disparities need to be considered when pricing MPCI products. In other words, policymakers may choose to assign respective weights across regions based on their threshold yields. Research limitations/implications – The primary limitation is the unavailability of regional climate data which could have helped in a better explanation of the variation across the regions. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine the implications of regional crop yield variations on multiperil crop insurance rating in Ghana.Item Innovations and modifcations of current extraction methods and techniques of citrus essential oils: a review(Discover Applied Sciences, 2024) Brah, A.S.; Obuah, C.; Adokoh, C.K.The genus Citrus of the Rutaceae family remains one of the benefcial fruit crops that produce high quantities of essential oils that have pharmaceutical, biological, and food preservative applications. Despite the numerous benefts of citrus essential oils (CEOs), there is a major challenge in choosing the most efcient extraction method(s) for large-scale pro duction of quality CEOs to meet industrial, research, and domestic demands. This review provides a general overview of the listed citrus species, the chemical composition of their essential oils, medicinal uses, and the major methods of extraction of citrus essential oils from 10 selected citrus species. A meticulous, in-depth review of the various methods of CEOs extraction has been provided, along with their advantages, limitations, and novel modifcations. This compre hensive literature review expounded on the current extraction methods for citrus essential oils and the various modi fcations developed to reduce the extraction time, excessive energy consumption, CO2 production, and quality, as well as to improve the extraction yield.