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Abstract The hand is a versatile structure that performs numerous tasks, ranging from exertion of great force such as grip, pinch and torque to execution of precise fine motor skills. The aim of current study was to undertake a preliminary study on hand dimensions as potential predictors of female populations native to the forest and savanna zones of Ghana. A total of one hundred (100) female students aged between 17 and 24 years were recruited into this study, comprising of 53 native to the forest zone and 47 native to savanna zone of Ghana between 12th June to 27th July, 2023 at the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Statistically significant positive correlation was observed between left hand length and right hand length (R = 0.923, p = 0.000). From the binary regression model, it could be speculated that left-hand breadth could predict female populations native to the savanna zone (LHB: β = − 2.37, Expβ = 0.09, p = 0.014). However, right-hand breadth and length and left hand length did not show any potential of prediction (RHB: β = 0.900, Expβ = 2.460, p = 0.410; RHL: β = 0.168, Expβ = 1.683, p = 0.803; LHL: β = − 0.300, Expβ = 0.741, p = 0.656). The study therefore may speculate that left handbreadth could have the potential to differentiate female populations native to savanna zone from females native to forest zone in Ghana.

Introduction: Humerus is a long bone that contributes significantly to the total height of an individual. It is sexually dimorphic and is a well-preserved bone postmortem. Height and sex are essential in establishing one's identity and can be estimated from long bones when standing height cannot be easily obtained. Previous studies report that sex and height are population-specific. Hence, the present study sought to establish the relationship between percutaneous humeral lengths and height and formulate models for height and sex determination for the Ghanaian population. Materials and methods: Measurement of standing height and percutaneous humeral lengths were taken from 286 Ghanaian consented participants with no noticeable lower and upper extremities traumas or pathologies. The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and SPSS version 23.0 edition. Correlation analysis was done to determine the correlation of the percutaneous humeral length with height, linear regression and binary logistic analyses were used to derive equations for predicting height and sex from percutaneous humeral length. An independent samples t-test was used to determine the means between males and females, left and right percutaneous humeral lengths. Results: There was a strong positive correlation between standing height and left (r = 0.774) and right (r=0.759) humeral lengths. The left humeral length regression equation was a good height estimator in males (75.4%) and females (71.%). The left and right humeral lengths best predicted the sex for the population, with an accuracy of 78.0% and 77.8% for males and 53.8% and 54.6% for females, respectively. Conclusion: This study has added to the limited data on the use of percutaneous humeral length as a substitute for the determination of standing height and sex in the Ghanaian population, and it is also a significant identification tool which can be employed in the field of forensic anthropometry.

Background: Footprints recovered from crime scenes can assist in establishing the identity (stature, body weight, and sex) of a person. Due to variations (genetic and environmental factors) in the morphology of the foot, several authors have derived populationspecific regression equations for stature and weight estimations. Aims and Objectives: Tribal differences in the footprint dimensions of Ghanaians have not been established. Hence, this study was done to determine if they were tribal differences in footprint dimensions. Materials and Methods: The footprints of Ghanaian females, aged 19–35 years, and belonging to two tribal groups (72 Asante and 73 Fante) were recovered using an ink pad method. Height, body weight, and footprint measurements were obtained following standard procedures. Results: Although Fante females had longer foot lengths and shorter foot breadths than Asante females, the difference was significant (P < 0.001) only in the left big toe-pad length (eta squared = 0.496). Height correlated better with footprint dimensions of Fante (r = 0.246 – 0.809) than Asante (r = 0.214 – 0.660) females. Body weight correlated weakly with footprint dimensions. Unlike in Asante females, foot length measurements did not correlate significantly with body weight among Fante females. Conclusion: The use of mixed population in deriving stature, weight and sex equations is cautioned especially when there is increased genetic diversity. The findings of this study have important applications in forensic anthropometric investigations.

Sex determination is one of the most important primary parameter in human identification. The development of forensic science in the world has provided identification tools and biometric systems for various identity cards. However, there is very little information available in Ghana on sex determination using Second digit: fourth Digit ratio (2D:4D), and hand dimensions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine sex using 2D:4D, and hand dimensions. This quantitative cross-sectional study involved 100 (46 males and 54 females) undergraduate students of the University aged 17–26 years. Measurements of 2D:4D, and hand dimensions of participants were taken with a flatbed scanner (CanoScan LiDe 120) and resultant hand prints images were measured using the parallel dimension tool in Corel DRAW X7 application software. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 20.0). The average hand length, breadth and index were found to be greater in males than in females. The predominant hand index for the study was Dolichocheri (Long fingers with narrow small palm) and the least common was the Hyperdolichocheri (Very long fingers with narrow small palm). The 2D:4D showed sexual differences and the male participants recorded significantly higher values for the right hands but no significant difference for the left. A binary logistic regression analysis was done to determine the sex of the participants using 2D:4D, and hand dimensions. The significance of the study is that, it has provided additional data for forensic work in Ghana.

Background: The emergence of AMH as a reliable biomarker for assessing ovarian reserve and optimization of assisted reproductive technology (ART) remains a promising tool for the evaluation and prediction of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) outcomes. This study assessed the association between serum AMH levels and maternal age in females receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in Ghana. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at a specialized fertility center in Ghana. Descriptive analysis was performed, and the differences between maternal age and AMH categories were assessed by the Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: We included 426 women with mean (±SD) age and AMH levels of 35.25 ± 6.33 years and 2.80 ± 2.60 ng/mL, respectively. Women with very-low AMH levels (0.94 ± 73 ng/mL) were older (>40 years), whereas the younger (20–25 years) group had higher levels (4.85 ± 3.34 ng/mL). There was a significant negative correlation between women’s age and serum AMH levels (R = −0.46; p < 0.001). None of the younger women had AMH levels 40years). In addition, none of the older women had AMH levels >4 ng/mL with only 5% having AMH levels between 2.20 and 4.0 ng/mL. Conclusions: AMH levels ≤0.3 ng/mL are archetypal of 70% of Ghanaian women >40 years old receiving fertility treatment. A combined assessment of AMH levels and age supports clinical decisions in predicting ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and may be valuable in predicting of IVF success. Further research to evaluate the combined use of age, AMH, and other ovarian reserve markers in assessing ovarian response to COS is recommended.

Abstract Background Growth and development of craniofacial structures are of importance since their anthropometry is useful in maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, orthodontics and forensic medicine. Surgeons consider the specific facial structures of such patients to help obtain accurate results. Ghana is however less-endowed with data regarding facial anthropometry for the aforementioned applications. Therefore, the study aimed to bring out the differences between the facial measurements of the male and female participants in order to generate baseline data for Ghanaians, taking into consideration the Bonos and Ewes living in the Bono region of Ghana. Twenty-four anthropometric facial measurements were taken from a total of 291 healthy individuals (152 Bonos and 139 Ewes), aged 18–60 years using Shahe Vernier callipers. Results The study revealed Bono males had significantly longer faces than that of the Bono females (upper face height 2 and total face height). For maxillary height, mandibular width and mouth width, the mean values of Bono males were significantly greater than that of the Ewe males. There was a statistically significant difference concerning nasal length and anatomical nose width among the participants (p < 0.05). Bono male participants had significantly greater values than Ewe males in both endocanthion-exocanthion and endocanthion-endocanthion measurements. Conclusions The results of this study support the assertion regarding the existence of tribal variations and sexual dimorphism associated with facial measurements and have provided additional data for facial morphology for biometric and forensic applications as well as facial reconstruction especially among the study populations in Ghana.

Facial parameters are of utmost importance in identification and racial morphological classification. Facial indices serve as identification tools when used alongside hand print patterns for forensic and biometric purposes such as health insurance, voters’ identity card, driver's license and passports among others. There is paucity of information on facial types and their distribution patterns with respect to ethnicity, age and sex in Ghana. Therefore, the aim of this study was to generate baseline data on facial dimensions among the Bonos and Ewes living in the Bono Region of Ghana. A total of 291 healthy individuals (152 Bonos and 139 Ewes), aged 18–60 years were recruited for the study. The results of the present study showed that male facial parameters were numerically higher than those of the female participants. The predominant facialtype was hyperleptoprosopic (98.96%) and the least was leptoprosopic (1.03%). There were more Bono participants (51.89%) that were hyperleptoprosopic compared to the Ewes (47.07%). Also, among the hyperleptoprosopic participants, there were more males (55.32%) than females (43.29%). Very few males (0.003%) and females (0.006%) were leptoprosopic.The Bono participants recorded significantly greater morphological facial height and facial breadth than the Ewes. The results of the present study affirm population variation in facial anthropometry and reinforce the need to establish specific facial standards for each tribe of the Ghanaian population. This study has provided data for facial morphology for biometric and forensic purposes as well as facial reconstruction in Ghana.

Height and sex play crucial roles in the identification of an individual. Height is influenced by nutrition, genetics and, climatic conditions, among others. In most developed countries, there exist well-structured osteometric data for the determination of height and sex. However, there is little anthropometric data for the determination of height and sex in Ghana. This study aimed at determining the height and sex of participants using percutaneous femoral lengths. The height and percutaneous femur length were measured, and sex was determined as indicated on the data collection form. Regression analysis and binary logistic regression were used for height and sex determination respectively. Five hundred five individuals participated in this study with 261 males and 244 females. Males were significantly taller than females (p

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the normal changes that occur at the distal femoral epiphysis of rats and determine whether recurrent bouts of malaria altered them in anyway. Materials and Methods: The 1st phase of the study made use of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats aged 4 weeks. Two rats were culled each week for 15 weeks, the femoral bones of the rats were then harvested. Histological sections of the distal femora were prepared and studied. The 2nd phase involved 32 animals that were randomly assigned to four groups of 8 animals each. (Group A to D) Group A was given oral antimalarial drugs only, Group B was inoculated with Plasmodium berghei (NK65) only, Group C was inoculated with P. berghei (NK65) and treated with oral antimalarial drug, and Group D animals were neither inoculated nor given antimalarial drugs. At the end of the experiment histological sections of the femoral epiphysis of the rats were prepared and studied. Results: The microscopic architecture of the epiphyseal cartilage changed significantly as the animals aged. Significant differences were observed in mean bone thickness of the various experimental groups. There was however no significant difference in the mean cartilage thickness when comparison was made within the various groups. Conclusion: Although recurrent bouts of malaria infection appear not to alter the normal histological changes that occur in epiphyseal bone and cartilage layers, it most likely has an adverse effect on the rate of bone tissue deposition.

The shape and dimensions of the external ear convey information about the sex, age and ethnicity of the bearer. In developing countries such as Ghana, the potential inherent in ear morphometric indices for personal identification has not been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide baseline data on auricular dimensions and sex related differences among the Dagaabas in the Upper West Region of Ghana. A total of 263 individuals comprising 116 males and 147 females between the ages of 15-75 years and are permanent Dagaaba residents in Kaleo and Loho communities in the Nadowli-Kaleo District of the Upper West Region of Ghana were recruited for the study. The height and four bilateral linear auricular dimensions were measured using a sliding digital caliper: Ear height, ear width, lobular height and lobular width. The results of this study showed bilateral asymmetry between the right and left ears in both sexes. With the exception of right ear height, all measurements in the left ear were larger than the right. Apart from the lobular indices, all linear auricular measurements showed significant sexual dimorphism with males recording higher values than females.

Objective Zambia is among the world’s top 10 countries with higher fertility rate (5.5 births/woman); unmet family planning need for births spacing (14%) and limiting births (7%). Women in rural Zambia (24%) are reported to have unmet need for family planning than those in urban areas (17%). This study was conducted to ascertain factors associated with modern contraceptive use among rural Zambian women.Design Cross-sectional study.Setting Rural Zambia.Participants Secondary data of 4903 married or cohabiting rural women (15–49 years) after filtering out the pregnant, urban based and unmarried women from 2013 to 2014 Zambian Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) were analysed using SPSS V.22. Multiple logistic regression, Pearson’s χ2 and descriptive statistics were performed to examine factors associated with modern contraceptive use.Results Factors that were positively associated with contraceptive use were respondent’s education (secondary adjusted ORs (AOR = 1.61, p≤0.002); higher (AOR = 2.39, p≤0.050)), wealth index (middle class, (AOR = 1.35, p≤0.005); rich (AOR = 2.04, p≤0.001) and richest (AOR = 1.95, p≤0.034)), high parity (1–2 (AOR = 5.31, p≤0.001); 3–4 (AOR = 7.06, p≤0.001); 5+ (AOR = 8.02, p≤0.001)), men older than women by

Craniofacial measurements can be considered to be one of the important tools for determination of the inter-racial and intra-racial morphological characteristics of the head and face. As such, facial indices serve as prominent identification tools in combination with fingerprint patterns for biometric and forensic purposes in the developed world. However in Ghana, although emphasis is placed on the face in the photographic recognition systems used in the issuance of passports, very little information is available on facial phenotypes and its prevalence with respect to ethnicity and sex. Therefore, the aim of this study was to classify the facial types among the Dagaabas and Sisaalas in the Upper West Region of Ghana. In the study, a total of 387 healthy individuals (202 females and 185 males), between 18 and 60 years of age were recruited. The study main finding was that, the males had higher facial height and breadth than females. Facial indices were recorded as 98% and 99% for female and male Dagaabas respectively. The Sisaala male and female participants’ facial indices recorded 102% and 104% respectively. Thus as high as 83% and 72% of the Sisaalas and Dagaabas respectively had hyperleptoprosopic facial type. Keywords: Prosopic, Facial index, Facial types, Facial breadth, Facial height

ABO blood group and body mass index (BMI) have individually been appraised as risk factors for certain diseases. From statistical perspective, it may be important to examine the relationship between the ABO blood antigen and BMI. This cross-sectional study involved 412 participants aged 18 to 46 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Weight and height of participants were measured for BMI calculation; blood group determination was done using antisera. Blood group O was the most prevalent (51.2%), while Rhesus-positive individuals constituted 90.3%. 6.3% of the participants were obese, while 18.7% were overweight. There was significant (p=0.006) higher prevalence of obesity in females (10.3%) than in males (3.4%). The study did not observe any significant difference by association of ABO blood group with gender (p=0.973), BMI (p=0.307), or Rhesus status (p=0.723). Regarding gender (p=0.400) and BMI (p=0.197), no statistically significant difference was observed between Rhesus blood groups. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, blood type O, and rhesus positive observed among students in this study is largely similar to what has been reported in published studies in Ghana and from other countries. Overweight and obesity were not associated with ABO blood groups or Rhesus in this study.