Abstract: Sampling insects in and around Napier grass fields revealed that 21 Homopteran insect species exploit Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach 1827) canopy. Leafhopper Cicadulina sp., and plant hoppers; Leptodelphax dymas Young, and Sogatella manentho Horvath, are the most dominant Napier canopy insects. This study developed a Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification of DNA (LAMP) for rapid detection of phytoplasma 16S rDNA. LAMP was simple, sensitive, specific, robust and very ra...
Ageing may impact proximal femoral morphometry in both males and females. However, it is not clear whether the observed sexual dimorphism is attributable to an ageing effect in the post-pubertal period. The potential effect of ageing on sexual dimorphism in the proximal femur is most significantly relevant for forensic and osteoarchaeological research. The study was cross-sectional and comprised 123 participants (females = 72 and males = 51), who were recorded between January 2017 and June 20...
Ageing may impact proximal femoral morphometry in both males and females. However, it is not clear whether the observed sexual dimorphism is attributable to an ageing effect in the post-pubertal period. The potential effect of ageing on sexual dimorphism in the proximal femur is most significantly relevant for forensic and osteoarchaeological research. The study was cross-sectional and comprised 123 participants (females = 72 and males = 51), who were recorded between January 2017 and June 20...
Background and Aims: There are sex differences in blood cell count and hemoglobin (HGB) in adulthood due to differences in the levels of circulating sex hormones. The second‐to‐fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) is the putative marker of prenatal hormone exposure. The 2D:4D or the right‐left difference (Dr‐l) are sexually dimorphic and are correlates of sex hormones in adulthood. The study sought to determine whether sex differences in adult blood cell count and HGB can be partly explained by...
This study aimed to develop predictive models from percutaneous femoral (PFL) and ulna (PUL) lengths for estimating height among a living Ghanaian population. This was a cross-sectional study involving 99 adults (males=52, females=47) between the ages of 19–31yrs. The height, femoral and ulnar lengths of all participants were measured twice using standard anthropometric methods. Regression predictive equation models were developed based on PFL, PUL, age and the combined PFL+PUL. p < 0.05 wa...
The study aimed to determine the relationship between digit ratios among a mother–child population in Ghana. This was a cross-sectional study from December 2020 to April 2021 involving 272 mothers, their daughters (n= 132) and their sons (n= 140). The right (2D:4DR) and the left (2D:4DL) digit ratios were measured using computer-assisted analysis. The data were analysed in SPSS (v23) and GraphPad Prism (v8) at an alpha value of 0.05. The mean±SD age of the mothers was 23.9 ± 3.67 years wh...
Objectives: Postpartum hematological and anthropometric assessment is a requirement for optimal maternal and child health. The study aimed to determine the relationship between the 2D:4D ratio and postpartum hematological and anthropometric variables in adult females. Methods: The study was cross-sectional from December 2020 to April 2021 involving 272 postpartum adult females, aged between 18 and 36 years. The right (2D:4DR) and the left (2D:4DL) digit ratios were measured using computer-ass...
Objectives: The 2D:4D ratio is influenced by prenatal testosterone (PT) and estrogen (PE) exposure in utero. This study sought to determine whether evidence of Manning's hypothesis can still be observed even in the postpartum period. We hypothesize that the offspring 2D:4D ratios will be inversely correlated with maternal postpartum circulating testosterone but positively correlated with estradiol. Methods: This study was conducted between December 2020 and April 2021 and was cross-sectional ...
Sex estimation models form a vital part in Forensic human identification but they are usually population-specific. This study aimed to develop and test sex estimation models for a Ghanaian population using percutaneous lengths of the femur (FL) and ulna (UL). The study was cross-sectional from June to July 2020, involving 99 adults (male: 52, females: 47), aged between 19 and 31years. The lengths of the femur and ulna were measured using standard anthropometric techniques. All measurements we...
Objectives: The 2D:4D ratio is the putative marker of prenatal androgen exposure. Low maternal 2D:4D ratio has been associated with high or male-biased secondary sex ratio. Hitherto, there has not been any study in Ghana regarding the maternal 2D:4D ratio and sex ratio at birth. This study sought to investigate this observation in a Ghanaian population. Method: The study was cross-sectional from December 2020 to April 2021 involving 272 first-time mothers. The mean ± SD age of the mothers wa...
Age and sex estimation models from the proximal femur are population-specific due to genetic and environmental variabilities. Extrapolating a femur-based age or sex estimating model from one population to another will be problematic. Proximal femur-specific age and sex estimation models are limited in Ghana. The study aimed to estimate the age and sex of an adult Ghanaian population using osteometric measurements from the proximal femur. The study was cross-sectional from January to June 2019...
Prenatal androgen exposure has suggested to be associated with lateral preferences in humans as per the Geschwind-Behan-Galaburda (GBG) theory, the Sexual Differentiation Hypothesis (SDH) and the Callosal Hypothesis (CH). The 2D:4D ratio is the putative marker of prenatal androgen exposure. The study aimed to determine the relationship between the 2D:4D ratio and lateral preferences. The study was cross-sectional from May to June 2021 that involved 206 participants (females = 112, males = 94)...
There are variabilities in the sex and height estimation accuracies using variables of the index and ring fingers. This study sought to compare the performance of the absolute length and the length ratio variables of the index and ring fingers in sex and height estimation. The study was cross-sectional from January to June 2021 at the University for Development Studies. The participants were 216 (males=96, females=120) between 18 and 32 years. The index (IF), the ring (RF) finger lengths and ...
Whether one population-specific model for sex and height estimation can be extrapolated to another population has been a source of controversy. This study sought to develop and compare models for sex and height estimation from the percutaneous lengths of the ulna and tibia in a Ghanaian population. The study was cross-sectional from January to June 2021 at the University for Development Studies, Tamale. There were 191 (male=89, female=102) participants between 18 and 30 years of age. The stan...
Background: Standard semen analysis is the surrogate measure of male fertility in clinical practice. According to recent studies, there is a slight increase in percentage of couples who are facing infertility problems globally. This study determined the semen quality trends of men seeking infertility treatment in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study with data from archival records over a period of six years; from January 2015 to December 2020. R...