Spatiotemporal co-existence of two Mycobacterium ulcerans clonal complexes in the Offin River Valley of Ghana

In recent years, comparative genome sequence analysis of African Mycobacterium ulcerans strains isolated from Buruli ulcer (BU) lesion specimen has revealed a very limited genetic diversity of closely related isolates and a striking association between genotype and geographical origin of the patients. Here, we compared whole genome sequences of five M. ulcerans strains isolated in 2004 or 2013 from BU lesions of four residents of the Offin river valley with 48 strains isolated between 2002 and 2005 from BU lesions of individuals residing in the Densu river valley of Ghana. While all M. ulcerans isolates from the Densu river valley belonged to the same clonal complex, members of two distinct clonal complexes were found in the Offin river valley over space and time. The Offin strains were closely related to genotypes from either the Densu region or from the Asante Akim North district of Ghana. These results point towards an occasional involvement of a mobile reservoir in the transmission of M. ulcerans, enabling the spread of bacteria across different regions

A sero-epidemiological approach to explore transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans

The debilitating skin disease Buruli ulcer (BU) is caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. While various hypotheses on potential reservoirs and vectors of M. ulcerans exist, the mode of transmission has remained unclear. Epidemiological studies have indicated that children below the age of four are less exposed to the pathogen and at lower risk of developing BU than older children. In the present study we compared the age at which children begin to develop antibody responses against M. ulcerans with the age pattern of responses to other pathogens transmitted by various mechanisms. A total of 1,352 sera from individuals living in the BU endemic Offin river valley of Ghana were included in the study. While first serological responses to the mosquito transmitted malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and to soil transmitted Strongyloides helminths emerged around the age of one and two years, sero-conversion for M. ulcerans and for the water transmitted trematode Schistosoma mansoni occurred at around four and five years, respectively. Our data suggest that exposure to M. ulcerans intensifies strongly at the age when children start to have more intense contact with the environment, outside the small movement range of young children. Further results from our serological investigations in the Offin river valley also indicate ongoing transmission of Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of yaws

Optimizing Decision-Making in a Cerebral Palsy Model Using Reinforcement Learning

This study presents an original interdisciplinary investigation into how reinforcement learning (RL) can model motor and cognitive defects and potentially improve motor and cognitive functions in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), a non-progressive neurological disorder that impairs movement and adaptability. Integrating computational neuroscience and machine learning, the research applies policy gradient methods and Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) to simulate adaptive learning in agents with and without CP-related constraints. The central aim is to compare the cumulative rewards of optimal policies, derived from value iteration, and human-like learning policies using the REINFORCE algorithm, both with and without the Bellman baseline. The Bellman baseline serves to reduce gradient variance, simulating efficient cognitive feedback mechanisms. Two probabilistic frameworks are developed: the Innate Policy, representing uniform state knowledge from birth, and the Adaptive Policy, which models real-world learning through stationary state distributions shaped by an agent’s experience. Simulations across 1,000 randomized environments with 10 states and 11 actions showed that REINFORCE with a Bellman baseline (non-CP model) significantly outperformed its non-baseline counterpart (cpREINFORCE, CP model), with a mean reward difference of 4.13 and a p-value of 1.32 × 10⁻⁴⁹ (p \u3c 0.001). These findings support the hypothesis that baseline-guided reflects the adaptive strategies observed in individuals with CP undergoing effective therapy. By mathematically modeling motor and cognitive defects, this research provides a novel computational framework to understand and simulate motor and cognitive challenges associated with CP. It advances the intersection of neuroscience and machine learning, with potential applications in clinical treatment design and adaptive rehabilitation strategies targeting neural adaptability

The magnitude of trade misinvoicing in Ghana and Hungary : commodity and trading partner level analysis

The substantial and the persistent nature of trade misinvoicing in developing countries trade with advanced nations has gained considerable attention in academia and in policy cycles, especially due to its linkages with corruption and tax evasion, and its impact on global trade and domestic resources mobilization. Using the Harmonised System (HS) revision 2 commodity codes of the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics (UN-COMTRADE) in 2017, this paper examines the magnitude and the nature of trade misinvoicing in Ghana and Hungary with a specific focus on the commodities, as well as the trading partners that are heavily involved in these misinvoicing practices. The evidence at both commodity and trading partner level indicate that Ghana and Hungary lose billions of dollars from trade due to misinvoicing practices in their economies. The results also highlight the need for both governments to increase their access to data, especially at their border sites, and possibly track custom valuations declared at their border stations to that of their trading partners to detect any possible trade corruption and institute sanctions against the companies and individuals involved to deter others from engaging in it

Secondary bacterial infections of buruli ulcer lesions before and after chemotherapy with streptomycin and rifampicin

Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans is a chronic necrotizing skin disease. It usually starts with a subcutaneous nodule or plaque containing large clusters of extracellular acid-fast bacilli. Surrounding tissue is destroyed by the cytotoxic macrolide toxin mycolactone produced by microcolonies of M. ulcerans. Skin covering the destroyed subcutaneous fat and soft tissue may eventually break down leading to the formation of large ulcers that progress, if untreated, over months and years. Here we have analyzed the bacterial flora of BU lesions of three different groups of patients before, during and after daily treatment with streptomycin and rifampicin for eight weeks (SR8) and determined drug resistance of the bacteria isolated from the lesions. Before SR8 treatment, more than 60% of the examined BU lesions were infected with other bacteria, with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most prominent ones. During treatment, 65% of all lesions were still infected, mainly with P. aeruginosa. After completion of SR8 treatment, still more than 75% of lesions clinically suspected to be infected were microbiologically confirmed as infected, mainly with P. aeruginosa or Proteus miriabilis. Drug susceptibility tests revealed especially for S. aureus a high frequency of resistance to the first line drugs used in Ghana. Our results show that secondary infection of BU lesions is common. This could lead to delayed healing and should therefore be further investigated

Changing Cultural Norms Through Educational Leadership: Voices from Ghanaian Women Principals

The purpose of this phenomenology study was to understand the experiences of women principals located in Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) district of the Central Region of Ghana, a patriarchal and traditional society. Specifically, this study examined how cultural factors positively or negatively influenced women access to the principal role and influenced their leadership experiences. Using Hofstede et al.’s (2010) six dimensions of national culture as a conceptual framework, this study elucidates the experiences of 12 women school leaders. Findings revealed that these women navigated cultural norms and beliefs in order to exercise their own leadership style and pursue their careers in education. These women leaders were also able to gradually change the teachers’ and community members’ mindsets on women and leadership. This study is significant because it informs educational reforms on gender equity and leadership preparation programs and sheds light on culturally informed leadership practices unique to women

Preparation of School Heads in Ghana: Making a Case for Theoretical Knowledge

This paper examined the preparation of school heads in Ghana. It looked at the academic and professional credentials of the school heads and the criteria for their appointment. The paper also looked at the nexus between the role expectations of school heads and school improvement.  It explored the career path to school administration and the knowledge base of school head preparatory programmes in some selected countries from a discourse analytic perspective. The paper identified the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and core technical skills in leadership and management by aspiring school heads as sine qua non for practitioners to meet the expectations of their job. Policy recommendation included the revision of the criteria for appointing school heads in Ghana to include the requirement for formal academic preparation in educational administration. The paper recommended a comparative study of the administrative styles and problem-solving techniques of school heads who took courses in educational administration and those who did not. Keywords: School administration, preparation programmes, theoretical knowledg

Dilemma of Access and Provision of Quality Basic Education in Central Region, Ghana

A survey research was conducted to find out if reported improvements in access to education in Ghana are reflected in comparable improvements in delivery of quality education. The study examined theoretical constructs on adequacy and quality assurance in education to ascertain the state of quality provision in education, and whether there is a significant difference in existing quality provisions in education and what the quality provisions should be as perceived by the study respondents. Questionnaire and quality indicators observation check list were used to collect data from the study respondents consisting of heads of basic schools in the Central region of Ghana who were selected by simple random sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and gap analysis that utilized paired samples t test procedure.Major findings reported in the study showed that reported improvements in access to education do not correspond to improvements in the provision of educational facilities to assure the delivery of quality education. Also, there was statistically significant difference in existing quality provisions in education and what the quality provisions should be. Keywords: Educational Access, Enrollment, Quality Provisions, Educational Infrastructur