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Susceptibility pattern of some bacterial isolates from chronic Wounds to selected local brands of antibiotics
(KNUST, 2019-06) Kobina, Paintsil Ellis
Chronic wounds continue to be a challenging problem causing morbidity and mortality to mankind and represent a considerable healthcare burden globally. Despite the fact that antibiotics are not the first choice of treatment for chronic wounds, they remain widely used and abused. Also, because of the high demand of antibiotics, substandard and counterfeit antibiotics are getting into the global supply chain and fuelling resistance. Antibiotic resistance impact negatively on chronic wounds by increasing the hospital cost, economic cost and the hospitalization period needed for treatment. The aim of this study was to identify the susceptibility pattern of some bacteria isolates from chronic wounds to selected local brands of antibiotics commonly used in the treatment of these wounds. A total of 260 wound swab samples were collected from chronic wound patients attending SPH and NGH and inoculated into appropriate media. Bacteria pathogens were isolated, identified and characterized using standard microbiological techniques. Seven local brands of commonly used antibiotics identified were bought and tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the clinical isolates was done according to CLSI guidelines. Identification of MRSA and ESBL was also done. A total of 211 (81.2%) wound swab samples produced bacterial growth and 237 isolates were recovered. Staphylococcus aureus (30.8%) was the predominate organism isolated, followed by Pseudomonas spp. (24.9%). Majority of the patients (87.31%) with chronic wounds received antibiotics, metronidazole and cefuroxime are the most common (21.74%) antibiotics prescribed. 30.47% and 25.76% of the patients investigated from NGH and SPH respectively had used herbs on their wounds. The results identified 21 (28.8%) out of 73 Staphylococcus aureus isolates as MRSA and 35% of the Pseudomonas spp. to be ESBL. Five out of the seven local brands of antibiotics tested showed biological activity similar to the standard commercial controls. In this study, the observed susceptibility percentages and mean zones of inhibition of most local brands of antibiotics tested were statistically comparable (p> 0.05) to the standard controls used.
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Multiple Colouring Techniques on Vegetable Tanned Leather for Fashionable Accessories.
(KNUST, 2020-09) Ameyaw, Eunice Acheampomaa
Leather a material sourced from the skins and hides of animals is useful in all aspects of life. This material is used for the production of artefacts which plays both functional and aesthetic purposes ranging from conventional and non-conventional artifacts. Most artifacts used on our body for protection, adornment, are products from leather. Upholstery for the home, offices, recreational centers are sometimes made with leather. For our industries we have protective cloths such as gloves, boots and aprons just to mention a few. Leatherwork today faces numerous setbacks chiefly in the facet of colouring of leather. Tanners and craftsmen are still stuck with the old or indigenous way of colouring leather. In the aid of technological evolution, leather artifacts and leather colouring has seen a significant improvement with the advancement of contemporary skills, technologies and ideas in colouring. Nonetheless, the adoption of these techniques as not been utilized by craftsmen and tanners due to the inadequate knowledge on the use of these colourants, the refusal of tanners to try new way of colouring and the decision by both tanners and craftsmen to maintain the old way of doing things to selvedge their cultural heritage but their source of income hang on the sales of the artefacts and the leather they produce. It is against this lime light that the researcher deemed it imperative to research into how these techniques can be revitalized basing on the inventiveness from already existing finishing and decorative techniques of colouring in the textile and leather industry to expand the aesthetic appeal and creativity in the leather field by adding variety to the existing knowledge. In realizing the objectives set by the researcher, the qualitative research was used. Under which the descriptive and experimental approaches adopted. Some tanneries, crafts centers, sales points in and around Tamale, Savelugu, Bolgatanga were visited. Observations were made unstructured interviews granted. The information gathered from the visit and data gathered from the other web, journals, books, student thesis, and the like new designs were created based on the combination of the existing techniques, colorants identified. The techniques and colourants used were marbling tie-dye, batik, screen printing, screen spraying and sprinkling. Vat dye, suede dye, insoluble dye, auto base paint and acrylic paints were colorants used respectively. The colouring was done by experimenting three techniques with the use of three different colourants on leather, four techniques with the use of three or four colourants on leather and the last one experimentation of five techniques with the use of three or four colorants on leather. Results after experimentation was tested for colour fastness using dry and wet method, test of fastness to light, effect after application colourants by hardness, and pliability. The multiple coloured leather were then combined with matching woven fugu strips for the production of accessories in the production of accessories. Leather tanners, craftsmen, students should take interest in exploring the use of other techniques applicable on both textile and leather for to create variety. Further research should be conducted in the use of more techniques and new colourants.
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The Role of Infographics in News: A Study of its Effective Use in GBC News and TV3 News
(KNUST, 2020-06) ASHLEY, EMMANUEL
Television is well-known as a reliable source for news. According to the results of a research by Bradford (2004) about 65 percent of the human population are visual learners. The fierce competition in the media space and the growing focus on visual language among consumers have led media organizations to look into the potential of visualizing information. Multimodality and interactivity have been identified as inducements to individual’s news processing and infographics as that communication aid which arouses interest, makes understanding of information clearer and helps in the recall and sharing of information. This study investigated the attention given to infographics in Television News, Ghana. Drawing from a comparative perspective of the oldest TV news network – GBC News and one of her closest contemporary competitor – TV3 News, the research sheds more light on representation of Infographics by these two competitors using a quantitative content analysis to identify infographic elements and find out similarities and differences between their representations. The results show quite a significant presence of infographics in the news by the two news networks. Although there were some visualization differences in the various news segments, both channels employed the use of statistical based infographics, the most commonly used type of infographics. In conclusion, the study confirms the positive role of infographics as a communication aid that assists journalists in their reportage and also supports learning, cognitive processing and future recognition and recollection.
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The Use of Jute Sack as a Potential Material for Fashion Accessories in Ghana
(KNUST, 2020-08) OCRAN, AUGUSTINA
In view of the global concern for the environment, jute being natural and eco-friendly has the potential to be used for the production of numerous items in place of other materials that cause harm to humans and the environment at large. Jute is less used in the Ghanaian fashion industry though much is seen in the fashion industry of other countries. The fine textured jute material is expensive and not common in the Ghanaian market. On the other hand, jute sacks are cheaper, available in the market and have some qualities similar to materials for the production of fashion accessories. However, its roughness to skin and limitation in colour and texture deter its usage in the fashion industry. Hence, the aim of this research is to enhance jute sack through various colouring methods and surface treatment to promote its usage in the production of fashion accessories in Ghana. The research idea focused on identifying and analysing the characteristics and types of jute sacks appropriate for fashion accessories. Various colouring techniques such as screen-printing, batik, tie-dye, konkonte resist and spraying with the auto base paint were explored on the identified jute sacks to enhance its aesthetic appeal and usage. The enhanced jute sacks were used to produce five bags for various purposes such as shopping, dressing, travelling, backpack and briefcase to ascertain its effectiveness and usage. The researcher employed the qualitative research method coupled with the descriptive and exploratory designs and adopted observation and semi-structured interview to help draw meaningful analysis and conclusion for the success of the research. The population of the study was limited to jute sack sellers, jute sack users, fashion accessory producers and fashion accessory users in the Ashanti Region specifically Alabar, Adum, Asafo, Ayigya, Central Market and Aboabo, all in Kumasi. The research revealed that the application of the selected surface treatment and colouration techniques on the jute sacks with less stains, dirt and compact weave structure yielded a unique aesthetic value to the original colour of the jute sack. This study will encourage fashion accessory producers to use the enhanced jute sacks to produce interesting accessories thereby improving on their products and also to expand its usage in other fields. Government and other stakeholders should help in the revival of the jute factory in Ghana so that jute cultivated in some parts of the northern Ghana for food and the stalks used for ropes, mats, hats and other domestic purposes can as well be processed into sacks in Ghana. This will create employment and eradicate the cost of importing the jute sacks into the country
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Perceptions of Ghanaian Digital Artists Regarding the Utilization of Digital Technologies in Painting: A Case Study in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
(KNUST, 2022-08) OSMAN, SALIFU
Painting has been in existence for over decades and new styles, theories have been developed and digital technologies have been explored. And every time there is new changes in a particular innovation it suffers rejection and later accepted. Digital technologies like photography had been in existence since decades. Like all the painting mediums, it was rejected. It has been over 50 years since digital art introduction and yet, it has not been fully accepted as an art form (Miller, 2007). This qualitative study seeks to understand the digital artists’ perceptions on the use of digital technologies as an art tools and its benefit to the artists and art education. Grounded theory was used as a methodological guide for the study. Respondents for the study were drawn from Eleven (11) digital art instructors, digital art students (131) and practicing digital artists 30. The research elicited the perception of artists on the use of digital technologies, otherwise known as digital mediums in painting. The study relied on interviewing as a method of data collection, which was triangulated with reviewed literature relating to the research
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Imagery of Sissala Clan Totems as a Resource for the Tumu Paramountcy Textile Regali Imagery, Regalia, Resource, Textile
(KNUST, 2020-07) Boyong Gbene, Issahaku
In many cultures, chiefs are regarded as the custodians of cultural values, beliefs and practices. Their unique position as intermediaries between ancestral spirits and the people they represent, makes them sacred figures and their regalia sacred objects with symbolic significance. These objects are often a representation of an animal/bird or an incident of past history of the traditional area. Tumu traditional area in the Upper West Region is home to a variety of such animals and birds which serve as totems to their clans, yet the regalia of their paramountcy skin have little or no symbolic significance and are nonrepresentative of them (Sissalas). Most Sissala youth are also fast losing sight of the significance of their clan totems that unite and remind them of their ancestry. The study therefore sought to explore Sissala clan totems for design and production of symbolic textile regalia for the Tumu Paramountcy. The ethnographic action research through studio-based paradigm adopting the Universal Design Model by Zeidman (2003) was employed to study, identify, sketch and develop concept images of Sissala clan totems. Seven (7) unique textile regalia were designed and produced which reflect the traditional setting of Tumu paramountcy. The results of the study were discussed and analysed. The study revealed that Sissala clan totems have an endearing bond of unity among the various clans. The findings of the study largely confirmed that clan totems are a great source of inspiration for idea development and designs to artists and craftsmen. The study recommended that the artefacts should neither be displayed in direct sunlight nor washed with soap or detergents-they can simply be cleaned with damp cotton cloth if they are dirty. The new symbolic textile regalia could be used as a source of inspiration for future studies. Other researchers should also conduct further studies in the remaining Sissala clans to discover more totems for textile designing and production of artefacts.
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Redesigning and Construction of the Semi-Broad Loom for the Physically Challenged (Mobility) in the Northern Region of Ghana
(KNUST, 2020-11) Amissah Jnr, Alfred
In Ghana, strip weaving is an art in transition inherited from one generation to the other (Frimpong and Asinyo, 2013). The semi-broad loom is a locally manufactured metallic loom which works the same way as the broad loom except with only two shafts and it is used by women. The structure of the semi-broad loom do not inspire the physically challenged (mobility) to indulge in weaving. Hence, the study investigated the possibility of an intervention in art that seem to introduce the physically challenged in the northern part of Ghana to weaving. The study identified and discussed the challenges that prevent the physically challenged persons (mobility) from weaving. It further designed and developed a semi-broad loom for the physically. The qualitative research design was employed for this study. Descriptive research and the Studio/Practice based research method was used. Target Population for the study was ninety while Accessible Population of forty consisting of Master weavers (trainers), and twelve from physically challenged persons, totaling fifty two. Purposive sampling technique was employed with Observations and interviews being the research instrument adopted Tools and materials for Construction of the semi-broad loom were mainly welding tools and materials. It was realized that more women are into weaving than men, due to that the semi-broad loom is the principal loom for weaving in the northern part of Ghana. It was also observed that the physically challenged persons (mobility) do not indulge in weaving due to a number of reasons such as; weaving centers located on the borders of the communities, weaving involving lot of movements, difficulty in creating shed, difficulty in warp let off and dressing of yarns. A new design of the semi-broad loom with levers for creating the shed, locking mechanism and additional shafts was designed and developed which made it possible for the physically challenged persons (mobility) to weave with the loom. It is concluded that available looms for weaving required the use of both legs and hands and most weaving centers were far from the residence. The new semi-broad loom for the physically challenged persons (mobility) was successfully designed and produced. Physically challenged persons (mobility) were able to use the loom to weave, however it took a longer time to complete the task. Weaving centers should embrace the use of the semi-broad loom in their operations in order to contain the physically challenged (mobility). The designed semi-broad loom for the physically challenged persons should be employed by the weavers to help curb the unemployment situation since it is equipped with hand levers and warp beam which enabled them to operate it. Loom developers should consider the semi-broad loom for future development of looms for physically challenged persons.