Edible insects prevent changes to brain monoamine profiles from malnourishment in weaned rats.

Background: Childhood malnutrition can have devastating consequences on health, behavior, and cognition. Edible insects are sustainable low cost high protein and iron nutritious foods that can prevent malnutrition. However, it is unclear whether insect-based diets may help prevent changes to brain neurochemistry associated with malnutrition.Materials and Methods: Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were malnourished by feeding a low protein-iron diet (LPI, 5% protein and ∼2 ppm Fe) for 3 weeks or nourished by feeding a sufficient protein-iron diet (SPI, 15% protein 20 ppm FeSO4) for the duration of the study. Following 3 weeks of LPI diet, three subsets of the malnourished rats were placed on repletion diets supplemented with cricket, palm weevil larvae, or the SPI diet for 2 weeks, while the remaining rats continued the LPI diet for an additional 2 weeks. Monoamine-related neurochemicals (e.g. serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine) and select monoamine metabolites were measured in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.Results: Five weeks of LPI diets disrupted brain monoamines, most notable in the hypothalamus. Two weeks supplementation with cricket and palm weevil larvae diets prevented changes to measures of 5-HT and DA turnover in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Moreover, these insect diets prevented the malnutrition-induced imbalance of 5-HT and DA metabolites in the hippocampus, striatum, and hypothalamus.Conclusion: Edible insects such as cricket and palm weevil larvae could be sustainable nutrition intervention to prevent behavioral and cognitive impairment associated abnormal brain monoamine activities that results from early life malnutrition.

Effects of parents training on parents' knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Attitudes of parents about discussing sexuality issues with adolescents may or may not be influenced by their level of knowledge on such issues. This study seeks to examine parents' training and its effects on parent knowledge and attitudes about sexuality in Accra Metropolis, Ghana. METHODS: This was an intervention study consisting of 145 parents who were recruited through their wards from 12 public junior high schools in Accra Metropolis. Parents were randomized equally into intervention and control groups and the intervention group received a 4 weeks training on adolescent sexuality topics. At pre-intervention and 3 months after parent training, parents answered questions on knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality. Changes in baseline and follow-up within and between groups were compared using the difference- in-difference model and logistic regression. RESULTS: The ages of the parents ranged from 26 to 63 years and 44.1% of them completed middle school. There were 69.9% and 59.7% mothers in the intervention and control groups respectively. At pre-intervention, 21.9% of parents in the intervention group had very good knowledge but this increased significantly to 60% three months after the training. Knowledge about sexuality increased to a lesser degree from 18.1% to 34.7% in the control group. Parents' positive attitudes towards adolescents' sexuality increased by 50% in the intervention group compared to 20% in the control group. There were significant differences in knowledge on adolescent sexuality as parents in the intervention group had a greater positive effect than parents in the control group (28.7%, p-value = <0.001). Regarding attitudes of parents towards allowing adolescents to use family planning services (FPS), there was a greater positive effect on parents in the intervention group compared to those in the control group (37.4%; p- value  = <0.001). Being part of the intervention group increased the odds of parent knowledge on adolescent sexuality by 16-fold (p-value = <0.001), whilst being in the intervention group increased the likelihood of parents' attitudes towards allowing adolescents to use FPS by four fold (p-value = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Training parents for a relatively short period of time can positively impact parents' knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality. This may have beneficial effects on adolescent reproductive health.

Determinants of domestic violence against women in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to identify factors that increased the likelihood of an event of domestic violence as reported by ever married Ghanaian women. METHODS: Data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) was analysed using a multivariate logistic model and risk factors were obtained using the forward selection procedure. RESULTS: Of the 1524 ever married women in this study, 33.6 % had ever experienced domestic violence. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 35 % for women who reside in urban areas. Risk of domestic violence was 41 % higher for women whose husbands ever experienced their father beating their mother. Women whose mother ever beat their father were three times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose mother did not beat their father. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 48 % less likely for women whose husbands had higher than secondary education as compared to women whose husbands never had any formal education. Women whose husbands drink alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose husbands do not drink alcohol. CONCLUSION: Place of residence, alcohol use by husband and family history of violence do increase a woman's risk of ever experiencing domestic violence. Higher than secondary education acted as a protective buffer against domestic violence. Domestic violence against women is still persistent and greater efforts should be channelled into curtailing it by using a multi-stakeholder approach and enforcing stricter punishments to perpetrators.

Effect of school-based nutrition interventions among primary school children in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Preadolescents are passing through an intensive growth and development period that will benefit from healthy eating practices. For those attending school, school environments offer several potential benefits and have been demonstrated to influence the quality of dietary intakes and consequentially, nutritional status of school-aged children (SAC). Considering the amount of time children spend in school and the enormous potential of evidence-based interventions, the purpose of this review is to critically appraise peer-reviewed literature addressing the impact of school-based interventions on the nutritional status of SAC aged 6-12 years in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search will be conducted in the following databases and online search records: Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Global health, Global Index Medicus, Cochrane library, Hinari and Google Scholar using search terms and keywords codeveloped with two librarians. An additional search will also be conducted from the reference list of identified literature. Search results of titles and abstracts will be initially screened for eligibility criteria by two independent reviewers and where there is disagreement, a third reviewer will be consulted. Articles meeting these criteria will then undergo a full-text review for the eligibility and exclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool will be used to assess the risk of bias. Data from articles meeting all study criteria will be extracted, analysed and synthesised. A meta-analysis will also be conducted if sufficient data are available. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review is limited to publicly accessible data bases not requiring prior ethical approval to access. The results of the systematic review will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as conference and stakeholder presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022334829.

Comparison of the AmpFire and MA-6000 polymerase chain reaction platforms for high-risk human papillomavirus testing in cervical precancer screening.

High-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) testing for primary cervical precancer screening offers an opportunity to improve screening in low-middle income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to compare the analytic performances of the AmpFire and MA-6000 platforms for hr-HPV DNA testing in three groups of women screened for hr-HPV types in Ghana: group 1 with 33 GeneXpert-archived ThinPrep/liquid-based samples subjected to both tests, group 2 with 50 AmpFire-archived dry brush samples subjected to MA-6000 testing, and group 3 involving 143 cotton swab samples simultaneously subjected to both tests without archiving. The overall agreement rates were 73 %, 92 %, and 84 %, for groups 1-3, respectively, and 84 % (95 % CI, 78.6-88.6) for the entire group. Neither AmpFire nor MA-6000 was more likely to test hr-HPV positive in all three groups and the combined group. Group 1 showed fair agreement without statistical significance (κ = 0.224, 95 % CI, -0.118 to 0.565), while group 3 showed significant moderate agreement (κ = 0.591, 95% CI, 0.442-0.741). Group 2 showed an almost perfect significant level of agreement (κ = 0.802; 95 % CI, 0.616-0.987). Thus, both platforms showed statistically significant moderate to near-perfect agreement for detecting hr-HPV in cervicovaginal samples, with variation according to archiving conditions and duration between sample collection and retesting. For LMICs using these platforms for COVID-19 testing, as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the platforms can become available for running other tests such as hr-HPV DNA testing for cervical precancer screening.

Cytotoxicity assessment of Aflatoxin B1 after high voltage atmospheric cold plasma treatment.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, and is a known carcinogen in humans and animals. High voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) technology has already shown promise to decontaminate AFB1 in food and feed. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of AFB1 after HVACP treatment. AFB1 (100 µM) was treated at 85 kV with HVACP for 0, 2, 5, 10, and 20 min. HepG2 cells were exposed to HVACP-treated AFB1 for 72 h and assessed for cell viability, caspase-3 activity, DNA fragmentation, and protein carbonyls for each treatment time. Cell viability, caspase-3 activity, DNA fragmentation levels, and protein carbonyls contents of HepG2 cells exposed to HVACP-treated AFB1 after 20 min was not significantly different compared to non-exposed HepG2 cells (P > 0.05). However, their contents were significantly higher in non-exposed cells compared to the other HVACP treatment times (P < 0.01). Twenty minutes of HVACP treatment for AFB1 significantly reduced AFB1 cytotoxicity and oxidative damage and showed potential as a safe aflatoxin decontamination technology.

HIV Stigma and Status Disclosure in Three Municipalities in Ghana.

Background: HIV-related stigma and HIV status disclosure are important elements in the continuous fight against HIV as these impact the prevention efforts and antiretroviral treatment adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in many communities. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to examine the prevalence and experience of various types of HIV-related stigma and HIV status disclosure among PLWHA in Volta region. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to collect quantitative data from 301 PLWHA. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and present data on socio-demographic variables. Correlation analysis was done to determine factors associated with HIV stigma and status disclosure while a Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine differences in internalized HIV stigma. Findings: The mean age of the participants was 44.82 (SD: 12.22), 224 (74.4%) were female, and 90% attained at least primary education. A Pearson r analysis revealed that ethnicity (r[299] = 0.170, p = 0.003), religious affiliation (r[299] = -0.205, p = 0.001) and social support (r[299] = 0.142, p = 0.014) significantly predicted disclosure of HIV status. Fear of family rejection (62%) and shame (56%) were reasons for non-disclosure of HIV status. A Mann-Whitney's U-test revealed that females are more likely than males to internalize HIV stigma. Community-related HIV stigma in the form of gossip (56.1%), verbal harassment (30.9%), and physical harassment (8.6%) was reported. Conclusion: A high rate of HIV status disclosure was found with social support, ethnicity, and religious affiliation being the associated factors. Internalized HIV stigma is prevalent among PLWHA while community-related stigma impacts HIV status disclosure. Strengthening social support systems and implementing culturally appropriate educational interventions may help in reducing community-related HIV stigma.

Nutritional, Microbial, and Sensory Evaluation of Complementary Foods Made from Blends of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato and Edible Insects.

Improved formulations of complementary foods (CFs) with animal-source foods (ASFs) is an important strategy to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF). However, ASFs are expensive in many food-insecure settings where edible insects abound. CFs were developed from flours of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and cricket (OFSCri) or palm weevil larvae (OFSPal) or soybean (OFSSoy) in the ratio 7:3. Nutritional and microbial quality of the novel CFs were determined and compared with Weanimix (recommended maize-peanut-soybean blend). Sensory evaluation of porridges was rated on a five-point hedonic scale among 170 Ghanaian mothers. OFSCri (20.33 ± 0.58 g/100 g) and Weanimix (16.08 ± 0.13 g/100 g) met the protein requirement of 15 g/100 g from CFs. Although Fe content was significantly higher for OFSCri (1.17 ± 0.03 mg/100 g), none of the CFs met the recommended levels for Fe. All the CFs were free from Salmonella, and aerobic plate count was significantly below permissible levels. All the CFs were ranked above the minimum threshold (hedonic scale = 3; neither like nor dislike) of likeness for the sensory attributes. Crickets and palm weevil larvae can be blended with OFSP and could be sustainable, culturally appropriate alternative ASFs for IYCF, but long-term studies are needed to evaluate their efficacy.

Alternative Protein and Iron Sources from Edible Insects but Not Solanum torvum Improved Body Composition and Iron Status in Malnourished Rats.

Solanum torvum (STO) and edible insects are potential dietary approaches to prevent malnutrition. Hence, we determined the effect of STO and insect powders on improving nutritional status in malnourished rats. Malnutrition was induced in rats by feeding 5% protein, ~2 ppm Fe (LPI) diet for 21 days. During the 14 day repletion, five groups of rats (n = 8) were fed diets supplemented with Acheta domesticus (cricket, ADO), Rhynchophorus phoenicis fabricius (palm weevil larvae, RFA), STO, ADO + STO (TAD), and casein + ferrous sulfate (PIS, positive control), as well as a non-supplemented group (negative control, LPI). A normal (NOM) group was fed protein-Fe sufficient (PIS) diet throughout the study. Body composition was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The hemoglobin (Hb) repletion method was used to assess relative biological value (RBV, compared to PIS) of the supplemented groups. No differences were found in weight gain, bone mineral content, lean and fat mass, and organ weights among the edible insects and PIS groups, but these results differed from STO and the LPI groups. An increase in Hb Fe and RBV with ADO and RFA was comparable to PIS. ADO and RFA could be excellent sources of protein and bioavailable Fe, making it a sustainable, low-cost food source to prevent malnutrition in humans.

Influence of Food Security Status and Anemia-Related Knowledge on Perceptions About 2 Nutritious Underutilized Foods Among Ghanaian Caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Nutritious underutilized foods (NUFs) significantly contribute to sustainable dietary diversity but are often unused for many reasons. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the influence of food security status (FSS) and anemia-related knowledge (ARK) on perceptions about Solanum torvum (turkey berry) and Rhynchophorus phoenicis Fabricius (palm weevil larvae) among Ghanaian caregivers. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 891 caregivers (aged 20-49 years), who have children 6 to 59 months old, from Upper Manya Krobo district (Eastern region), Kumasi metropolitan (Ashanti region), Ho municipality (Volta region), La-Nkwantanang-Madina, and Ga West municipality (Greater-Accra region), Ghana. Food security status, ARK, and perceptions about the 2 NUFs were obtained using pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to determine effect of FSS and ARK on perception outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of caregivers were food secure, while 13.9%, 28.4%, and 21.7%, respectively, were mildly, moderately, and severely food insecure. Most caregivers (62.0%) scored above 70% on ARK. High favorable perception was significantly lower for palm weevil larvae than that for turkey berry. Food secure caregivers were 4.5 times more likely to have poor favorable perceptions about palm weevil larvae than food insecure caregivers (P = .03). However, food secure caregivers were 2.9 times more likely to have high favorable perceptions about turkey berry than food insecure caregivers (P < .001). Caregivers' knowledge about anemia was associated with high favorable perception about turkey berry by 3.3-fold (95% confidence interval: 2-5.5, P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition education about turkey berry and palm weevil larvae is needed to encourage their use for promoting nutrient density of complementary and household foods.

Assessment of Acute Serum Iron, Non-Transferrin-Bound Iron, and Gastrointestinal Symptoms with 3-Week Consumption of Iron-Enriched Aspergillus oryzae Compared with Ferrous Sulfate.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a widespread nutritional deficiency, and iron supplementation, especially with ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), is the most common strategy to treat IDA; however, compliance is often poor with daily FeSO4 owing to negative side effects. In a previous study, iron from iron-enriched Aspergillus oryzae [Ultimine® Koji Iron (ULT)] was absorbed similarly to FeSO4. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to assess the safety of consuming ULT in terms of increasing non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) and gastrointestinal distress. METHODS: Young female participants (n  = 16) with serum ferritin <40 µg/L were randomly assigned to a double-blind, 9-wk crossover study with a 3-wk placebo/washout period between treatments. Oral FeSO 4 and ULT supplements containing 65 mg Fe were administered daily for 21 consecutive days. On day 1, serum iron (SI), percentage transferrin saturation (%TS), and NTBI were measured for 8 h on the first day of iron consumption. Changes in biochemical indicators were evaluated after 3 wk consumption. Side effects questionnaires were completed weekly on 2 randomly selected weekdays and 1 weekend day for the entire study. RESULTS: SI, %TS, and NTBI were all markedly higher during hours 2-8 (P < 0.001) with FeSO4 than with ULT. Oxidative stress, inflammatory, and kidney and liver function markers remained unchanged with both supplementations compared with placebo. Changes in iron status markers were not significantly different among the 3 treatments. Individual or global side effects were not significantly different among all treatments. Even when common side effects of nausea, constipation, and diarrhea were combined, FeSO4 treatment had a significantly higher effect than ULT (P = 0.04) and placebo (P = 0.004) only at week 3, but the difference was not significant between ULT and placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Low NTBI production and fewer common gastrointestinal side effects with ULT suggest that it is a safe oral iron supplement to treat IDA. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04018300.

Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Primary School Children in Three Districts of the Volta Region Of Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic factors influence the prevalence of malaria infection in endemic areas. This study evaluated the socioeconomic risk factors for Plasmodium falciparum infection in primary school children in the Volta region of Ghana. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved selected primary school children from the region; questionnaires were administered, and blood samples were collected for malaria detection using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and microscopy. RESULTS: A total of 550 primary school children were enrolled in this study. The predominant occupation of the parents was trading (mothers, 334, 60.73%; fathers, 254, 46.18%) and farming (mothers, 156, 28.36%; fathers, 170, 30.91%). Three hundred and five (305; 55.45%) children tested positive for malaria with RDT and microscopy. Male sex (AOR=1.53), rural area (Afegame school) (AOR=4.01) and parental farming occupation (AOR=6.39), were independently associated with P. falciparum infection. CONCLUSIONS: Plasmodium falciparum infection was significantly found in children in rural areas of Ghana with low socioeconomic status in this study.

Assessing the ownership, usage and knowledge of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) in Malaria Prevention in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Malaria remains one of the top five killer diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and its burden is skewed towards pregnant women and children under five. Insecticide Treated Bed-Net (ITN) usage is considered one of the most cost-effective, preventive interventions against malaria. This study sought to assess ownership, usage, effectiveness, knowledge, access and availability of ITNs among mothers with children under five in the Hohoe municipality. METHODS: In August 2010 a cross-sectional survey was carried out in 30 communities, selected using the WHO 30 cluster sampling technique. In the selected communities, mothers/caregivers with children under five years were selected using the snowball method. Data were collected through questionnaires and direct observation of ITN. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data collected. RESULTS: A total of 450 mothers/caregivers were interviewed and their mean age was 30 ± 7 years. ITN ownership was 81.3%, and usage was 66.4%. The majority (97.8%) of the mothers/caregivers said ITNs were effective for malaria prevention. Awareness about ITNs was high (98.7%) and the majority (52.9%) had heard about ITNs from Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Clinic and antenatal care ANC clinic (33.6%). Over 60% of the ITNs were acquired through free distribution at RCH clinics, clinic and home distribution during mass immunization sessions. The majority of the mothers/caregivers (78.6%) knew the signs and symptoms of malaria, what causes malaria (82.2%) and who is most at risk (90%). CONCLUSION: Behaviour change communication strategies on ITN use may need to be further targeted to ensure full use of available ITNs.

Nutritional status of children 0-59 months in selected intervention communities in northern Ghana from the africa RISING project in 2012.

BACKGROUND: Poor nutritional status during childhood and its long-term impact on economic growth and wellbeing is well known. This study assessed the nutritional status of children in selected communities in northern Ghana, to serve as baseline data for the Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project that sought to improve farm-household nutrition through agriculture. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among children 0-59 months in selected communities in the Northern (Tibali and Cheyohi No. 2), Upper West (Goli and Zanko) and Upper East (Bonia and Sambulgu) regions of northern Ghana. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on background characteristics of caregivers and children. Weight and height were measured for children following World Health Organization (WHO) procedures and transformed into z-scores using the WHO Anthro. RESULTS: All the caregivers (522) were females; majority (73.4 %) had no formal education, 82.7 % were married and 70.5 % engaged in farming. In all, 533 children were recruited: Northern region (38.6 %), Upper West (33.4 %) and Upper East (28.0 %). Majority (52.5 %) of the children were males. The mean age was 32 ± 19 months. Levels of stunting, underweight and wasting were 27.2, 17.6 and 8.2 % respectively. Stunting, underweight and wasting levels increased within the first two years of life. Overall, 33.8 % of the children in northern Ghana were malnourished; 20.2 % were from the Northern region, 7.0 and 6.8 % were from Upper East and Upper West respectively. CONCLUSION: Different forms of malnutrition still exist as a public health problem in various communities in northern Ghana and need to be curtailed using effective agriculture-nutrition sensitive interventions.