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The unruly consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak have hamstrung higher education institutions. This study aims to investigate the perceived impact of COVID-19 on student learning and academic performance through a qualitative approach. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 purposively chosen informants were used. The results indicated that 70% of students perceive a paradigm shift in their learning experience before and after COVID-19. It was discovered that their sociodemographic characteristics influenced 60% of students, and 57% were influenced by their parent's socioeconomic status, which influenced their academic achievements during the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings revealed that 63% of students had faced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 online learning, affecting their academic performance. The study provides insight into the student academic performance during the COVID-19 online education in the Ghanaian context. The study discusses the implications of the findings on higher institutions, government, and parents' household income and recommendations for future research. Higher education institutions, governments, and parents must purchase licensed e-learning tools and provide students and professors with digital skills training to enhance faculty teaching, student learning, and academic performance.

Joseph Kasule. 2022. Islam in Uganda: The Muslim Minority, Nationalism, and Political Power. Rochester: James Currey. 242 pp. Joseph Kasule's Islam in Uganda comprehensively examines Islam's history in Uganda and [...]

School feeding interventions have been flaunted as an effective methodology to improve school enrollment, attendance, retention, stakeholders satisfaction, and annihilate challenges associated in developing countries. However, there is little empirical evidence. The study's objectives were to examine the impact of the GSFP on enrollment and retention, assess stakeholders' satisfaction in the GSFP implementation, and the challenges faced by the program at the DDA. A qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected informants. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically. The study identified a significant increase in enrollment and retention of pupils. Despite, influenced by other factors, the GSFP remained the prominent factor that enhanced enrollment and retention. The study revealed sidelining of the community and other key stakeholders from the running of the program. Stakeholders were virtually ignorant of the selection criteria for both caterers and beneficiary schools and uninvolved in any formal monitoring procedures, contrary to the policy's tenants. This alienation did not allow community ownership and resource contribution hence compromising on program stability and accountability. The absence of proper institutional functioning and stakeholder involvement generated series of issues that challenged program effectiveness and stability. The attendant delay of reimbursement of monies and low budgetary allocation affected food quality and quantity. The alienation of key stakeholders challenged effective program monitoring. The study recommends appropriate measures that promote stability and accountability of the program in the DDA.

Low levels of high-density cholesterol (HDLc) accompany chronic kidney disease, but the association between HDLc and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the general population is unclear. We investigated the HDLc-eGFR association in nondiabetic Han Chinese (HC, n = 1100), West Africans (WA, n = 1497), and African Americans (AA, n = 1539). There were significant differences by ancestry: HDLc was positively associated with eGFR in HC (β = 0.13, P < 0.0001), but negatively associated among African ancestry populations (WA: -0.19, P < 0.0001; AA: -0.09, P = 0.02). These differences were also seen in nationally-representative NHANES data (among European Americans: 0.09, P = 0.005; among African Americans -0.14, P = 0.03). To further explore the findings in African ancestry populations, we investigated the role of an African ancestryspecific nephropathy risk variant, rs73885319, in the gene encoding HDL-associated APOL1. Among AA, an inverse HDLc-eGFR association was observed only with the risk genotype (-0.38 versus 0.001; P = 0.03). This interaction was not seen in WA. In summary, counter to expectation, an inverse HDLc-eGFR association was observed among those of African ancestry. Given the APOL1 × HDLc interaction among AA, genetic factors may contribute to this paradoxical association. Notably, these findings suggest that the unexplained mechanism by which APOL1 affects kidney-disease risk may involve HDLc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In addition to chronic hyperglycemia, there is increasing evidence that genetic factors may be important in the development of diabetes retinopathy (DR). Specifically, polymorphisms of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene (eNOS) have been reported to be associated with multiple health conditions including DR, hypertension, nephropathy, and cardiovascular diseases in several ethnic groups. However, there is a paucity of similar data in African Americans and other African populations. To address this issue, we investigated the potential association between polymorphisms of the eNOS gene and diabetes-related phenotypes in 384 persons with type 2 diabetes and 191 controls from two West African countries (Ghana and Nigeria)., Methods: We genotyped the deletion/insertion (4a/b) and the G894T polymorphisms of eNOS gene in a total of 575 persons., Results: The b/b genotype of the polymorphism was associated with a 2.4 fold increased risk of DR (95% CI 1.39-4.09). In contrast, we did not observe any association between the genotypes or alleles of G894T polymorphism with DR, hypertension, or nephropathy., Conclusions: We observed a significant association between the 4a/b polymorphism of the eNOS and DR in our West African cohort.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia among hospital patients in Kumasi, Ghana, whose diet consists mostly of carbohydrates and little proteins, and assess the effect of age, sex, and the presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus on serum cholesterol concentration., Methods: The hospital-based study included 248 patients (145 women and 103 men) selected by strict random sampling from patients visiting Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital between May 1, 1999, and April 30, 2000. The patients were divided into four groups: patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, both conditions, and without either disease. We measured lipid concentration in the serum of patients and assessed its correlation with age, sex, body mass index, and the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus or hypertension., Results: Almost half of the patients (45%) had serum total cholesterol concentration >5.17 mmol/L and 26% had also serum triglyceride concentration >1.69 mmol/L. High-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol dyslipidemia (HDL< 1.03 mmol/L) was found in 30.5% of the patients, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol dyslipidemia (LDL>2.58 mmol/L) in 72%. Serum total cholesterol concentration was significantly high in the patients with hypertension alone (p=0.01). LDL-cholesterol and serum triglyceride concentrations appeared higher in those who had both hypertension and diabetes, but this was not statistically significant. Serum HDL-cholesterol was higher in the group with diabetes alone but also failed to achieve statistical significance., Conclusion: Dyslipidemia is common in patients visiting hospital in Kumasi, although the regular diet is based on carbohydrates and poor in fat. Steps are needed to curb lipid-related disorders.