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Background: A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 is currently causing a worldwide pandemic. The first cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were recorded in Ghana on March 12, 2020. Since then, the country has been combatting countrywide community spread. This report describes how the Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) is supporting the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to diagnose infections with this virus in Ghana. Methods: The National Influenza Centre (NIC) in the Virology Department of the NMIMR, adopted real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) assays for the diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 in January 2020. Samples from suspected cases and contact tracing across Ghana were received and processed for SARS-CoV-2. Samples were 'pooled' to enable simultaneous batch testing of samples without reduced sensitivity. Outcomes: From February 3 to August 21, the NMIMR processed 283 946 (10%) samples. Highest number of cases were reported in June when the GHS embarked on targeted contact tracing which led to an increase in number of samples processed daily, peaking at over 7,000 samples daily. There were several issues to overcome including rapid consumption of reagents and consumables. Testing however continued successfully due to revised procedures, additional equipment and improved pipeline of laboratory supplies. Test results are now provided within 24 to 48 hours of sample submission enabling more effective response and containment. Conclusion: Following the identification of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2infection by the NMIMR, the Institute has trained other centres and supported the ramping up of molecular testing capacity in Ghana. This provides a blueprint to enable Ghana to mitigate further epidemics and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, the oxidation‐induced crack healing of Al2O3 containing 20 vol.% of Ti2AlC MAX phase inclusions as healing particles was studied. The oxidation kinetics of the Ti2AlC particles having an average diameter of about 10 μm was studied via thermogravimetry and/or differential thermal analysis. Surface cracks of about 80 μm long and 0.5 μm wide were introduced into the composite by Vickers indentation. After annealing in air at high temperatures, the cracks were filled with stable oxides of Ti and Al as a result of the decomposition of the Ti2AlC particles. Crack healing was studied at 800, 900, and 1000°C for 0.25, 1, 4, and 16 hours, and the strength recovery was measured by 4‐point bending. Upon indentation, the bending strength of the samples dropped by about 50% from 402 ± 35 to 229 ± 14 MPa. This bending strength increased to about 90% of the undamaged material after annealing at 1000°C for just 15 minutes, while full strength was recovered after annealing for 1 hour. As the healing temperature was reduced to 900 and 800°C, the time required for full‐strength recovery increased to 4 and 16 hours, respectively. The initial bending strength and the fracture toughness of the composite material were found to be about 19% lower and 20% higher than monolithic alumina, respectively, making this material an attractive substitute for monolithic alumina used in high‐temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efforts to control and eradicate polio as a global health burden have been successful to the point where currently only three countries now report endemic polio, and the number of cases of polio continues to decrease. The success of the polio programme has been dependant on a well-developed network of laboratories termed the global polio laboratory network (GPLN). Here we explore collaborative opportunities with the GPLN to target two of the 18 diseases listed as a neglected tropical diseases (NTD) namely soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and Schistosomiasis (SCH). These were chosen based on prevalence and the use of faecal materials to identify both polio, STH and SCH. Our study screened 448 faecal samples from the Ghana GPLN using three triplex TaqMan assays to identify Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Ancylostoma spp, Trichuris trchiura, Strongyloides stercoralis and Schistosoma spp. Our results found a combined helminth prevalence of 22%. The most common helminth infection was A. lumbricoides with a prevalence of 15% followed by N. americanus (5%), Ancylostoma spp. (2.5%), Schistosoma spp. (1.6%) and S. stercoralis (1%). These results show that it is possible to identify alternative pathogens to polio in the samples collected by the GPLN platform and to introduce new diagnostic assays to their laboratories. The diagnostic methods employed were also able to identify S. stercoralis positive samples, which are difficult to identify using parasitological methods such as Kato-Katz. This study raises the possibility of collaboration with the GPLN for the surveillance of a wider range of diseases which would both benefit the efforts to control the NTDs and also increase the scope of the GPLN as a diagnostic platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]