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A study of the libraries of the 3 oldest universities in Ghana was undertaken in the 1990-1991 academic year. The University of Cape Coast (UCC), the University of Ghana (UG), and the University of Science and Technology (UST) libraries are organized and administered along lines which are comparable with those adopted or prevailing in the British university library system. University Library Boards in Ghana are committees of the Academic Board-Senate and not joint (Academic Board-Council) ones. They are bodies formally charged with the governance of the university libraries. A perusal of the structure of the Library Boards reveals that they reflect the subject and faculty balance of the universities. At UG, the Chairman of the Board is a professor, while the member-secretary is the Deputy Librarian. At UST, the Library Board is an off-shoot of the Books and Publication Committee. At UCC, the board is an advisory body. The Deputy Librarian is not a full member but can attend meetings.

RT-LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be a valuable approach to scale up COVID-19 diagnostics and thus contribute to limiting the spread of the disease. Here we present the optimization of highly cost-effective in-house produced enzymes, and we benchmark their performance against commercial alternatives. We explore the compatibility between multiple DNA polymerases with high strand-displacement activity and thermostable reverse transcriptases required for RT-LAMP. We optimize reaction conditions and demonstrate their applicability using both synthetic RNA and clinical patient samples. Finally, we validate the optimized RT-LAMP assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in unextracted heat-inactivated nasopharyngeal samples from 184 patients. We anticipate that optimized and affordable reagents for RT-LAMP will facilitate the expansion of SARS-CoV-2 testing globally, especially in sites and settings where the need for large scale testing cannot be met by commercial alternatives.

The Acetazolamide as a chloride-sparing Diuretic in patients Admitted with Heart Failure (ADA-HF) trial will assess the safety and diuretic effect of oral ACZ given alongside a high-dose IV loop diuretic in patients admitted to the hospital with heart failure (HF) and severe fluid retention. Hypochloraemia is common in patients with HF and is associated with worse outcomes, but there are few treatment options available: we will also assess whether ACZ reduces urine chloride loss. The ADA-HF trial is a single centre, open-label, randomized-controlled trial of ACZ 250 mg twice daily plus standard care vs. standard care alone. The trial duration is 4 days. We will recruit 50 patients with severe peripheral oedema due to HF requiring standard care (240 mg of IV furosemide per day given via continuous infusion at 10 mg per hour). The co-primary endpoints are (1) the difference in net fluid loss daily, and over 4 days; and (2) difference in serum chloride concentrations between baseline and day 4. The trial has 80% power to detect a difference in fluid balance of 500-1000 mL per day; and a difference in serum chloride concentration of 1 mmol/L per day. Secondary endpoints include but are not limited to: time to recruit per patient; rate of adverse events; rate of recruitment; and cause-specific rate of drop-out of the study. ACZ may be a useful adjunct to diuretic therapy, but the safety and diuretic efficacy of oral ACZ when used alongside high-dose loop diuretics is unknown. ADA-HF will complement the ADVOR trial and may clarify what role ACZ may have for patients with severe congestion. ISRCTN registry. ISRCTN13060336. Registered on 09/02/2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13060336.

Background and Aim.Ghana is one of the many Sub-Saharan African countries battling malaria. The disease is treated with orthodox medication as well as some home-grown remedies, mainly from plants. This study sought to identify these local remedies being marketed, focusing on the active ingredients being used. Methods. Pharmacy shops were randomly scouted and products were observed. The active ingredients were documented and their frequencies were determined. Results.Forty-four (44) plant species belonging to twenty-eight (28) families were recorded for the treatment of malaria in the survey. The predominant families were the Leguminosae and Meliaceae families. Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Ghanaian quinine or yellow dye root) and Azadirachta indica (neem tree) were the most cited plants. Cryptolepis and neem tree were used 17 and 15 times, respectively, in the finished herbal products for treating malaria. Conclusion. Cryptolepis sanguinolenta and Azadirachta indica (neem tree) are important herbs for the treatment of malaria in Ghana. Locally manufactured herbal antimalarials are important for the treatment of malaria in urban and rural communities in Ghana.