School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences
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Item Assessing the impact of land use and land cover change on the Densu Delta wetland using Markov chain modeling and artificial neural networks(Environmental Challenges, 2024) Laar, C.; Annan, K.B.K; Abdul-Wahab, D.; et al.This study investigates the dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the Densu Delta wetlands, a critical ecosystem in Ghana. Here, satellite images spanning from 1998 to 2023 were used to analyse the spatio temporal patterns of LULC changes and their implications for water bodies, wetlands, vegetations, bare lands and urban areas in the Densu Delta wetland. Employing advanced techniques such as Markov chain modelling and artificial neural networks (ANNs), the research assesses and predicts LULC alterations. Significantly, the largest loss of LULC is observed in the Densu Delta wetland, where wetlands transition to waterbody cover type (14.02 km2 ). Model validation for 2023 attests to the accuracy of the model, boasting a correctness percentage of 70% and a kappa value of 0.74. In-depth analyses explore regional variations in the Densu Delta wetlands, revealing distinct patterns in the rates of LULC change before and after 2013. Notably, urbanization emerges as a prom inent factor post-2013, with urban areas experiencing remarkable rates of change in the wetland. Transition matrices underscore the intricate interplay of different land cover classes over the years. Simulated LULC pre dictions for 2033 and 2043 highlight the urban land cover type as having the highest positive change, recording approximately 0.39% for the Densu Delta wetland. The wetland land cover in the Densu Delta wetland exhibit negative changes of about − 0.52%. The synthesis of LULC data enhances our understanding of the complex interactions shaping these critical ecosystems. This research offers valuable insights for sustainable environ mental conservation, emphasizing the pivotal role of informed urban planning policies. It also unveils potential challenges posed by climate change, advocating for a holistic approach to preserve these vital wetland ecosystems.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 Assessing the effects of geographical origin and production practices on the levels of heavy metals in honey from three regions in Ghana(International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2024) Klutse, C.K.; Adotey, D.K.; Serfor-Armah, Y.; Boateng, R.Y.; Forson, A.To evaluate the impact of production methods and geographical origin on honey quality, honey from three regions in Ghana was analysed using INAA and FAAS for the presence of some selected metals. Five metals were found in all the ninety samples as Mg (321.1 mg/kg), Cu (56.2 mg/kg), V (8.18 mg/kg), Fe (3.28 mg/kg), and Pb (0.0400 mg/kg). Co and Cr were detected in 12% and 45% of the samples respectively but As, Cd, and Hg were not detected. The concentrations of Pb varied significantly based on production practices. Cu, Mg, and V showed differences based on geographical sources, according to the Kruskal Wallis test at p < 0.05. Co was below the WHO levels for drinking water and Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg and V were above the WHO levels. Ultimately, the honey source, as opposed to production practices, affected the metal content and potentially, honey consumption can have health risks.Item The evolution of media reportage on GMOs in Ghana following approval of first GM crop(https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2024.2365481, 2024) Gakpo , J,O.; Baffour - Awuah, D.Ghana’s parliament in 2011 passed the Biosafety Act to allow for the application of genetically modified organism (GMO) technology in the country’s agriculture. In a vibrant democracy, there have been extensive media discussions on whether GM crops will benefit or harm citizens. In June 2022, the state GMO regulator, the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), approved the country’s first GM crop (Bt cowpea) for environmental release, declaring the crop does not present an altered environmental risk or a food/feed safety concern. This study identified 3 of the country’s most vibrant digital news outlets and did a content analysis of all GMO stories reported 18 months pre and post-approval to assess whether the approval changed the focus of GMO issues the media reports on. 91 articles were identified. The results show media reports on the likely impact of GMOs on the country’s food security shot up after the approval. However, media reports on the possible health, sociocultural, and environmental impact of GMOs declined. We observe the media and the public appear interested in deliberations on how the technology could address or worsen food insecurity and urge agricultural biotechnology actors in Ghana to focus on that in their sensitization activitiesItem Natural radioactivity level and evaluation of radiological hazard in the soil around a gold mining area in the North Region of Burkina Faso(International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2022) Kabore, K.; Darko, E.O.; Bambara, L.T.; et al.The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil samples from the North Region of Burkina Faso around the mining site of Kalsaka were measured by gamma spectrometry using high purity germanium detector. Radiological hazard assessment due to such natural radioactivity was also investigated. The average activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found to be 26.06 ± 1.50 Bq.kg-1, 33.27 ± 1.97 Bq.kg-1, and 133.11 ± 13.69 Bq.kg-1, respectively. The average absorbed dose was 0.038 µGy/h, whereas the annual committed effective dose was 0.050 ± 0.003 mSv.y-1. The average radium equivalent activity concentration was 83.89 Bq.kg–1. The external and internal hazard indices were 0.23 and 0.30, respectively, which are three times less than one. The activity utilisation index was 0.6 bq/kg, with maximum of 0.79 bq/kg. The mean effective dose rate of 0.05 ± 0.003 mSv.y-1 and the mean values of Raeq, Hex and Hin for the studied area are below their respective permissible limits, thus indicating that radiation hazard is not significant in this area.Item Groundwater fluoride contamination in Ghana and the associated human health risks: Any sustainable mitigation measures to curtail the long term hazards?(Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 2021) Sunkari, E.D.; Adams, S.J.; Okyere, M.B.; Bhattacharya, P.This study reviewed groundwater fluoride and the associated human health risks in Ghana. The physical and chemical properties of fluorine that make it soluble in the soil and aquifer materials were carefully reviewed. The pathways through which fluoride gets into groundwater were also reviewed. Fluoride concentrations in groundwater can be as high as 67 mg/L. Its natural concentration in water depends largely on the nature of the geologic formations; fluoride-bearing minerals, anion exchange capacity of aquifer materials (OH− for F− ), pH, temperature and residence time of waters within a particular formation. High F2 concentrations in groundwater are due to geogenic and anthropogenic sources. The fluorosis-endemic parts of Ghana are only restricted to northern Ghana, where elevated groundwater fluoride concentrations (0.05–13.29 mg/L) in the North East Region, Northern Region, Upper East Region, and surrounding communities have been reported. The elevated groundwater fluoride concentrations are as a result of intense water-rock interaction, ion exchange reactions, and mineral dissolution from the Bongo Granitoids and Voltaian sediments. Children in the fluorosis-endemic parts of Ghana are exposed to the intake of more fluoridated water than the other age groups and thus, children have higher non-carcinogenic risks. Although almost all age groups show evidence of dental fluorosis, children are the hypersensitive population. It is recommended that sustainable defluoridation methods such as adsorption, precipitation, membrane separation and ion exchange techniques be employed to curtail the menace of dental fluorosis.Item Colchicine-sensitivity Test in Cassava Leaf Lobes and its Effect on Callus and Somatic Embryo Formation(Indian Journal of Agricultural Research, 2024) Dzimega, D.A.; Amenorpe, G.; Danso, K.E.; et al.Background: Colchicine acts as a polyploidy inducer but at high concentrations, it causes high cell mortality. To improve the efficiency of colchicine polyploidization in cassava, leaf lobe colchicine-sensitivity tests were carried out and LD50 determined at 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.25 g/l colchicine concentrations in the varieties Ankrah, Dagati, Tomfa and Tuaka. Methods: Colchicine-treated leaf lobes were regenerated into callus on either 8 mg/l, 4-D or Picloram. The calli were subsequently regenerated into somatic embryos by NAA. LD50 of 0.09, 0.11, 0.13 and 0.09 mg/L colchicine concentration were determined for Ankrah, Dagati, Tomfa and Tuaka respectively, are in 2, 4, and 5. Similarly, LD50 of 0.12, 0.10, 0.14 and 0.10 mg/L were respectively obtained in Picloram. Result: In 2, 4-D, Ankrah and Tuaka were more sensitive to colchicine than Dagati and Tomfa, whereas in picloram, Dagati and Tuaka showed more sensitivity. Callus proliferation differed significantly among varieties and influenced by the concentration of colchicineItem Psychological contract breach and mental health: the role of equity sensitivity and self-control(Health and Technology, 2024) Wyk, B.V.; Hasford, F.; Nyakale, N.; Vangu, M.Background Computer software for absorbed dose quantification has been widely used in nuclear medicine. Different software tools have been written to improve dose assessment, especially in therapeutic nuclear medicine. Some software tools focusing on computational phantom models from the international commission of radiation protection and units (ICRP) while others on Monte Carlo-simulated models. While many studies have investigated therapeutic nuclear medicine dosimetry,. The authors have noticed that very few papers compare therapeutic software tools to each other; hence, a doctor of philosophy study was embarked on. The aim of our study was therefore to validate our in-house-developed software tool, Masterdose, using the commercial software, OLINDA/EXM 1.0, that was available in our department. Methods: Methodology was based on clinical patient data treated for neuroendocrine tumours with 177Lutetium (Lu)-DOTATATE at a South African hospital. All patients underwent the same SPECT acquisition protocol and were corrected for scatter. partial volume, collimator-detector response, gamma camera calibration, and attenuation. Correction factors were applied to images to convert counts to activity. The first cycle of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for 11 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) patients were compared using the Masterdose and OLINDA/EXM 1.0 software tools at 1, 24, 72, and 168 h. Cumulated activity and the absorbed dose were compared for the two software tools. The absorbed dose difference was then compared using statistical Bland-Altman analysis. Results Masterdose and OLINDA/EXM 1.0 had different peptide receptor radionuclide therapy methodologies. This led to different results obtained for the software tools. The cumulative activities of Masterdose and DTK was 10.5% and 10.9% for the kidneys and tumors, respectively. On average, tumor-absorbed doses were nine times those of the kidneys. Bland–Altman analysis shows a non-systematic difference between the two software. Conclusion On average, the relative percentage difference between the cumulated activities and absorbed dose of the two software were 10.7%.Item Dosimetric evaluation of VMAT automated breast treatment plans: Towards the establishment of an institutional plan acceptability criteria(Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering, 2023) Acquah, G.F.; Hasford, F.; Tagoe, S.N.A.; et al.Introduction: To evaluate the clinical suitability of the current facility-based treatment plan protocol in establishing acceptability criteria. Material and methods: Automated Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT) treatment plans were retrospectively evaluated for intact breast and chest-wall cancer patients from January 2021 to January 2023. Results: A total of 94 patients were planned and treated using automated contouring and VMAT planning technique. The number of patients planned and treated for intact breast and chest-wall were 41 (43.6%) and 53 (56.4%), respectively. The mean intact breast volumes for optimization (Brst_opt) receiving 95% and 105% of the prescribed doses were 92.80% ± 1.11 and 1.54% ± 1.02, respectively. Their corresponding mean chest-wall volumes for optimization (Chst_opt) were 90.65% ± 3.19 and 2.28% ± 2.99, respectively. For left-sided cases, the mean heart dose received was 4.61 Gy ± 1.76 and 5.18 Gy ± 1.55 for intact breast plans and that for chest-wall plans, respectively. The mean ipsilateral lung volume receiving 20 Gy of the prescribed dose was 12.22% ± 3.86 and 13.19% ± 3.74 for intact breast plans and chest-wall plans, respectively. For the Brst_opt and Chst_opt dose metrics were calculated; the mean homogeneity index (HI) was 0.14 ± 0.03 and 0.15 ± 0.04, mean uniformity index (UI) was 1.09 ± 0.03 and 1.11 ± 0.03, and mean conformity index (CI) were 0.92 ± 0.04 and 0.91 ± 0.04, respectively. Conclusions: The dosimetric evaluation shows a good dose distribution in the target volumes with minimal doses to the organs at risk (OAR). Assessment of the current data affirms the clinical usefulness of the facility-adopted protocol in achieving quality treatment plans for intact breast and chest-wall irradiations. The establishment of plan acceptability criteria will help achieve improved overall treatment outcomesItem Assessment of the Impact of Turbo Factor on Image Quality and Tissue Volumetrics in Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using the Three-Dimensional T1-Weighted (3D T1W) Sequence(International Journal of Biomedical Imaging, 2023) Manson, E.N.; Inkoom, S.; Mumuni, A.N.; Shirazu, I.; Awua, A.K.Background. The 3D T1W turbo field echo sequence is a standard imaging method for acquiring high-contrast images of the brain. However, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) can be affected by the turbo factor, which could affect the delineation and segmentation of various structures in the brain and may consequently lead to misdiagnosis. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of the turbo factor on image quality and volumetric measurement reproducibility in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods. Brain images of five healthy volunteers with no history of neurological diseases were acquired on a 1.5 T MRI scanner with varying turbo factors of 50, 100, 150, 200, and 225. The images were processed and analyzed with FreeSurfer. The influence of the TFE factor on image quality and reproducibility of brain volume measurements was investigated. Image quality metrics assessed included the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of white matter (WM), CNR between gray matter/white matter (GM/WM) and gray matter/cerebrospinal fluid (GM/CSF), and Euler number (EN). Moreover, structural brain volume measurements of WM, GM, and CSF were conducted. Results. Turbo factor 200 produced the best SNR (median = 17 01) and GM/WM CNR (median = 2 29), but turbo factor 100 offered the most reproducible SNR (IQR = 2 72) and GM/WM CNR (IQR = 0 14). Turbo factor 50 had the worst and the least reproducible SNR, whereas turbo factor 225 had the worst and the least reproducible GM/WM CNR. Turbo factor 200 again had the best GM/CSF CNR but offered the least reproducible GM/CSF CNR. Turbo factor 225 had the best performance on EN (-21), while turbo factor 200 was next to the most reproducible turbo factor on EN (11). The results showed that turbo factor 200 had the least data acquisition time, in addition to superior performance on SNR, GM/WM CNR, GM/CSF CNR, and good reproducibility characteristics on EN. Both image quality metrics and volumetric measurements did not vary significantly (p > 0 05) with the range of turbo factors used in the study by one-way ANOVA analysis. Conclusion. Since no significant differences were observed in the performance of the turbo factors in terms of image quality and volume of brain structure, turbo factor 200 with a 74% acquisition time reduction was found to be optimal for brain MR imaging at 1.5 T.