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Determination Of Reference Intervals For Common Chemistry And Immunoassay Tests For Kenyan Adults Based On An Internationally Harmonized Protocol And Up-To-Date Statistical Methods, Geoffrey Omuse, Kiyoshi Ichihara, Daniel Maina, Mariza Hoffman, Elizabeth Kagotho, Alice Kanyua, Jane Mwangi, Caroline Wambua, Angela Amayo, Peter Ojwang, Zul Premji, Rajiv Erasmus

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Due to a lack of reliable reference intervals (RIs) for Kenya, we set out to determine RIs for 40 common chemistry and immunoassay tests as part of the IFCC global RI project.

Methods: Apparently healthy adults aged 18–65 years were recruited according to a harmonized protocol and samples analyzed using Beckman-Coulter analyzers. Value assigned serum panels were measured to standardize chemistry results. The need for partitioning reference values by sex and age was based on between-subgroup differences expressed as standard deviation ratio (SDR) or bias in lower or upper limits (LLs and ULs) of the RI. RIs …

Covid-19 And Stroke In Sub-Saharan Africa: Case Series From Dar Es Salaam, Philip Adebayo, Nadeem Kassam, Omar Aziz, Ahmed Jusabani, Samina Somji, Mugisha Clement

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Low and middle-income countries including those in sub-Saharan (SSA) Africa are experiencing a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. To the best of our knowledge, reports of COVID-19 related strokes are scarce in SSA. The peculiar situation of stroke care in SSA makes COVID-19 associated stroke a bothersome entity as it adds other dynamics that tilt the prognostic balance. We present a case series of COVID -19 related stroke in 3 patients from Tanzania. We emphasized protected code stroke protocol.

Investigating The Direct And Indirect Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Plant Functional Diversity, Jenny Zambrano, Norbert J. Cordeiro, Carol Garzon-Lopez, Lauren Yeager, Claire Fortunel, Henry J. Ndangalasi, Noelle G. Beckman

Biology Faculty Publications

Ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation alter the functional diversity of forests. Generalising the magnitude of change in functional diversity of fragmented landscapes and its drivers is challenging because of the multiple scales at which landscape fragmentation takes place. Here we propose a multi-scale approach to determine whether fragmentation processes at the local and landscape scales are reducing functional diversity of trees in the East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. We employ a structural equation modelling approach using five key plant traits (seed length, dispersal mode, shade tolerance, maximum tree height, and wood density) to better understand the functional responses of trees to …

Furrowed Tongue, Fatten Lip And Facial Droop, Philip Adebayo, Hanifa Mbithe

Internal Medicine, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Magnitude Of Screening For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus In An Urban Setting In Tanzania; A Cross-Sectional Analytic Study, Akampa Mukuve, Mariam Noorani, Ibrahim Sendagire, Miriam Mgonja

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background

Medical screening detects risk factors for disease or presence of disease in otherwise well persons in order to intervene early and reduce morbidity and mortality. During antenatal care (ANC) it is important to detect conditions that complicate pregnancy, like gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Despite international and local guidelines recommending screening for GDM during ANC, there is evidence to suggest that the practice was not being carried out adequately. A major challenge may be lack of consensus on uniform GDM screening and diagnostic guidelines internationally and locally.

The primary objective was to determine the magnitude of screening for GDM among …

Post-Vaccination Pharyngeal-Cervical-Brachial Variant Of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Funmilola T. Taiwo, Daniel E. Ezuduemoih, Philip Adebayo

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is very rare. It is characterized by weakness of the upper extremities associated with bulbar symptoms and facial diplegia. Documented cases were post-infectious, a post-vaccination occurrence has not been documented in the available literature. Even rarer is the occurrence of any variant of GBS following the mumps measles rubella (MMR) vaccine. The neurophysiological hallmark of PCB variant of GBS is a combination of myelinopathy and axonopathy, hence, its consideration as a subtype of the acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) variant. It should be suspected in any case of acute-onset flaccid symmetrical weakness …

Video Analysis Of Newborn Resuscitations After Simulation-Based Helping Babies Breathe Training, Ingunn Anda Haug, Kari Holte, Catherine L. Chang, Carolyn Purington, Joar Eilevstjønn, Anita Yeconia, Hussein Kidanto, Hege L. Ersdal

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Simulation-based Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) training is currently rolled-out in around 80 low-income countries with various results.

Method: Workflow was analyzed in 76 video-recorded newborn resuscitations performed by regularly HBB-trained nurse-midwives over 3 years in rural Tanzania.

Results: Actual newborn resuscitation practice deviated from HBB intention/guideline: most newborns underwent prolonged suction and stimulation before ventilation; ventilation was delayed and frequently interrupted. Nurse-midwives often worked together.

Conclusions:There is a gap between training intention and clinical practice. HBB trainings should focus more on urgency, ventilation skills, and team training. Combining clinical debriefing with HBB simulations could facilitate continuous learning and …

Postoperative Myocardial Injury In A Patient With Left Ureteric Stone And Asymptomatic Covid-19 Disease, Nadeem Kassam, Omar Aziz, Ally Zain Ismail, Rodgers Swai, Samina Somji, Robert Mvungi, Mustaafa Bapumia, Ali Akbar Zehri, Salim Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was first identified on 8thDecember 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has since spread globally to become an emergency of international concern. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic or present with symptoms ranging from mild clinical manifestations: such as fever, cough, and sore throat to moderate and severe form of the disease such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In some patients, SARS-CoV-2 can affect the heart and cause myocardial injury which is evidenced either by electrocardiographic (ECG) changes …

Invasive Liver Abscess Syndrome Caused By Klebsiella Pneumoniae: First Tanzanian Experience, Nadeem Kassam, Omar Aziz, Samina Somji, Zainab Yusuf Fidaali, Salim Ramzan Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Over the past 20 years there has been growing awareness of community-acquired primary liver abscess caused by strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) especially in patients of Asian descent, a minority of which are characterized by metastatic spread. A common and frequent destructive complication is endophthalmitis as well as the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS), causing suppurative meningitis or brain abscess. Here we report a case of invasive liver abscess caused by K. pneumoniae in an Asian patient who presented to our hospital in Tanzania with bilateral lower limb swelling for 6 weeks with acute onset of difficulty …

Performance Analysis Of Renewable Energy Resources In Rural Areas: A Case Study Of Solar Energy, Jackson Justo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper presents an overview of the recent development trends of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and the performance in the Tanzanian context. The two types of solar power generation that are considered in this paper are: i) solar PV systems and ii) concentrated solar power (CSP). The two are compared in terms of cost of energy and energy storage mechanism. Moreover, the effect of ambient temperature on the solar PV module is analyzed. In addition, a detailed analysis on using solar axis tracking to increase the power generation is also presented. The extent to which the cell surface temperature and …

Comminution Characteristics Of Lithium Bearing Mica Ores From Different Devices, Alphonce Wikedzi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper highlights on the comminution and to the lesser extent liberation properties of two greisen-type lithium bearing-mica ores (L1, L2) subjected to different breakage devices; cone crusher (CC), roller crusher (RC), rotor beater mill (RBM) and a screen mill (SM). The particle size distributions (PSD) of the products from each device were evaluated to search for an appropriate PSD model using Gates-Gaudin-Schuhmann (GGS) and Rosin-Rammler (RR) functions. To determine an appropriate function, coefficients of determination (R2) were used as a criterion. Due to budget constraint, only products from rotor beater mill (RBM) were examined for mineral liberation by an …

Estimating Flood Magnitudes Of Ungauged Urban Msimbazi River Catchment In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Patrick Valimba Dr

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

More often daily climate data have been used in hydrological models to estimate flood flows in small data scarce urban and rural catchments where flow peaking and recession are quick within short periods of few hours. This study assesses magnitudes of error of using daily climate data to simulate flood flow hydrographs of a small urban river catchment, Msimbazi River. Spot discharge measurements were available for Apr-May 2014 and Mar May 2015 periods.10-minutes climate records were available at one station, daily temperatures at two stations while daily rainfall records at several stations within the catchment. Visual analysis characterise rainfall events …

Spatial And Temporal Variation Of Rainfall And Streamflow In The Kikuletwa Catchment Of Upper Pangani Basin, Tanzania, Upendo Msovu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Streamflow and rainfall records from 1980 to 2015 as a (common period for the analyzed stations) were used to analyze the variations of rainfall and streamflow in the Kikuletwa catchment. Also, the analysis of the longest time series available at each station up to 2015 (referred to as the whole series in this study) was conducted to relate past rainfall and streamflow changes, at the tributaries of Kikuletwa River located above the Rundugai natural springs as recommended from previous studies. Various methods such as simple statistics of the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variance, and graphs were used to analyze …

Modeling And Control Of Solar Pv With Battery Energy Storage For Rural Electrification, Irene Masenge

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

In rural areas where electric power grid network is rarely available, power generation from renewable energy resource such as solar photovoltaic (PV) is mostly accomplished in standalone mode. The standalone solar PV system requires energy storage device to achieve reliable power supply to the end users. This paper presents modelling and coordination control of solar PV with battery energy storage system (BESS) for rural-electrification applications. The proposed control is accomplished via a bidirectional buck-boost converter with the objective of maintaining voltage at the DC bus constant. Simulation results based-on MATLAB/Simulink platform confirms good performance of the proposed system

Acute Toxicity, Antidiarrhoeal And Antioxidant Activities Of Methanolic Leaf Extract Of Baphia Macrocalyx In Mice, Regina Malekela, Jacob Mwakalinga, Rosta Antony, Flora Stephano

Tanzania Journal of Science

The aim of the current study was to assess the acute toxicity, antidiarrhoeal and antioxidant potentials of methanolic leaf extract of Baphia macrocalyx (BM) in mice. Acute toxicity test of BM extract was performed based on OECD guideline 423. Results revealed that the extract did not produce any changes in general behaviour, body weight or mortality of the tested mice even at the highest oral administered dose (2000 mg/kg body weight). The antidiarrhoeal effect was examined using castor oil induced diarrhoea test. Results showed that BM extract delayed the onset of diarrhoea, decreased frequency of defaecation and reduced the severity …

Assessment Of Biochemical Changes During Fermentation Process For Production Of Traditional Fermented Cassava Meal “Mchuchume”, Severino Alphonce, Lilian Kaale

Tanzania Journal of Science

“Mchuchume” is a ready to eat fermented cassava food whose production is accomplished by a consortium of microorganisms, some of which may be probiotic in nature and others pathogens to humans and of no use in the fermenting system. This work made characterization of biochemical changes evolved at different times in local (open) and biotechnological (closed) fermentation methods. The study also assessed organoleptic properties of final products. Acidification was observed in the retting water as pH ranged from 6.32 to 4.25 and titratable acidity from 0.02% to 0.32%. A decrease in total reducing sugars (6.59 to 4.03 mg/g) in fermenting …

The Geochemical Compositions And Origin Of Sand Dunes In The Olduvai Gorge–Eastern Serengeti Plains, Northern Tanzania, Dalaly Kafumu

Tanzania Journal of Science

This paper reports the composition and origin of black sand dunes that occur in the eastern Serengeti plains near the Olduvai Gorge hominid site in Tanzania.  Grain size analysis reflected light microscopic examination, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis identified very fine to coarse sand fraction mineral grains of between 0.065 mm and 1 mm, composed of augite, fassaite and omphacite pyroxenes; garnet and sillimanite silicate mineral grains.  The pyroxene minerals (augite, omphacite and fassaite) constitute 95.4% by volume of the sand dunes. The other mineral grains are silicate minerals that include garnet and sillimanite, together form the remaining 4.6% …

Monitoring Impervious Surface Area Dynamics To Assess Urbanisation Of A Catchment: Msimbazi River Valley Dar Es Salaam, 1989 - 2015, Befrina Igulu, Elisante Mshiu

Tanzania Journal of Science

This work examined the effects of land use and cover change on the impervious surface as a measure of urbanisation together with its driving factors such as population growth and economic development. The spatial and temporal variations of the impervious surface area were extracted from the Landsat images of the years 1989, 1995, 2005, and 2015. Data analyses involved the selection of the endmember through Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) and Linear Spectral Mixed Analysis (LSMA) on the images. Four dominant land cover types were mapped as results, which are forest, non-forest vegetation, bare-land, and built-up area. The non-forest vegetation and …

Geochronology Of Massif-Type Anorthosites From The Ubendian Belt, Tanzania, Nelson Boniface

Tanzania Journal of Science

Massif-type anorthosites occur in East Africa at the margins of the Tanzania Craton in the Ubendian Belt. The massif assemblage constitutes of mafic-composition plutons (meta-anorthosite and meta-gabbro), ultramafic plutons, and titaniferous iron-ore. Silicic ortho-gneisses (tonalitic, dioritic, and granodioritic intrusives) also occur in the vicinity of the said massif-type anorthosites. This article presents ages of meta-anorthosites and meta-gabbros. The new U-Pb zircon age indicates that meta-gabbros and meta-anorthosites crystallized between 1915 ± 24 and 1905 ± 24 Ma concomitantly with the silicic magmatic bodies. Geochronological databases indicate that the period between 1920 and 1850 Ma HP-LT metamorphic interface was formed at …

Analyses Of Land Cover Changes From 1981 To 2016 In Pande Game Reserve, Tanzania, Cosmas Mligo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Pande Game Reserve is among the protected areas in the coast of Tanzania. The reserve is heavily degraded because of illegal anthropogenic disturbances. The patterns of land cover changes which occurred in the reserve between 1981 and 2016 were determined using GIS and remote sensing techniques. Five land cover types, namely woodland, bushland, grassland, natural forest and bare soils were detected. The base map of 1981 indicated natural forest covering 965 ha (63.2%) followed by bushland with an area of 462ha (30%), grassland covering 7% (100 ha) where the woodland and bare soils did not exist in the reserve.  The …

Stabilizing Capability Of Gum Arabic On The Synthesis Of Poly(Styrene-Methylmethacrylate-Acrylic Acid) Latex For The Generation Of Colloidal Crystal Films, Ikhazuagbe Ifijen, Stanley Omorogbe, Muniratu Maliki, Ifeanyi Odiachi, Aireguamen Aigbodion, Esther Ikhuoria

Tanzania Journal of Science

This article describes the generation and characterization of colloidal crystals from particles of gum arabic (GA) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfate (SDBS) emulsified poly(styrene methylmethacrylate-acrylic acid) (P(St-MMA-AA) latex. The colloidal latex was synthesized using GA and SDBS as the emulsifying agents and then used to generate colloidal crystal films via the vertical deposition technique. Dynamic light scattering analysis placed the average particle diameter, polydispersity and Zeta potential at about 122 nm, 0.014 and –36.20 mV for the as-synthesized GA emulsified terpolymer latex and 213 nm, 0.006, –35.60 mV for the SDBS emulsified terpolymer latex, respectively. Thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry …

Short Wavelength Infrared Spectral Characterization Of The Mineralogy Of Gokona And Nyabigena Andesite-Hosted Gold Deposits In North Mara, Tanzania, Emmanuel Kazimoto

Tanzania Journal of Science

The mineralogy of Gokona and Nyabigena gold deposits in Tanzania have been studied using Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Spectrometry technique with an aim to fingerprint hydrothermal system responsible for the formation of the deposits and establish pertinent mineralogical signatures for gold deposition. Gokona and Nyabigena deposits are hosted in porphyritic andesite to basaltic andesite that contains plagioclase phenocrysts, pyroxene, hornblende and Fe-Ti oxides as primary minerals. Other minerals are actinolite, chlorite, epidote, albite and hematite, which indicate metamorphism of the rock under greenschist facies conditions. Hydrothermal alteration of the rock produced chlorite, sericite, carbonates (ankerite, siderite and calcite), pyrite and …

1-D Transport Behaviour Of Emerging Contaminants In The Unidirectional Flowing Surface Waters Of The Msimbazi River, Hossein Miraji, Eunice Mureithi, Othman Othman, Faustin Ngassapa

Tanzania Journal of Science

The primary objectives of this investigation of environmental pollution were to assess spatio-temporal concentrations and predictions of transport behaviour of pollutants in aqueous media. In order to attain these goals for the Msimbazi river, the analytical and numerical solutions to the 1-D advection-dispersion equation (ADE) implemented the first-type inlet condition. The MATLAB software was used to solve the analytical equation resulting from the ADE equation. The solution to the ADE model enabled effective prediction of contaminants’spatial distribution within a distance of 200 m from a point source in the direction of flowing water. Among the first and third-types inlet conditions, …

Device–To-Device Association Algorithm For Optimal Neighbour Selection And Channel Sharing In 5g Cellular Networks, Chiza Christophe, Omar Hamad, Libe Massawe, Abdi Abdalla

Tanzania Journal of Science

The integration of device-to-device (D2D) communication in 5G cellular networks has generated the possibility of multiple transmission modes in a single cell. This has motivated scholars to investigate different mode selection and D2D association algorithms that guarantee the selection of proper transmission mode. However, the complexity of algorithms and tractability of devices in the cell are still remarkably challenging. This paper, therefore, presents a utility based D2D association algorithm that ensures optimal neighbour selection by using numerical linear algebra to minimize computational complexity. Simulation results show that the minimum utility based D2D association increases the expected values of attached devices …

The Effects Of Milk Components On Lactoperoxidase Activity, Leonard Fweja, Michael Lewis, Alistair Grandison

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study examined the effects of storage conditions (in particular temperature and media composition) and changes in composition of each milk fraction, and of individual components on lactoperoxidase (LP) activity. The enzyme demonstrated a pulsing characteristic especially in samples stored at 5 °C, however, temperature and media composition did not have great effects on the pulsing behaviour of the enzyme. The results also indicated small but statistically significant variations (P ≤ 0.05) in LP activity between whole milk (control) and acid whey, rennet whey and cream and non-significant variations (P > 0.05) between the control and skimmed milk, and between skimmed …

Comparison Of Experimental And Monte Carlo Simulation Of Angular Distributions Of Bremsstrahlung Photons From 28-Ghz Electron Cyclotron Resonance (Ecr) Ion Source, Mwingereza Kumwenda

Tanzania Journal of Science

Angular distributions of deceleration radiation or bremsstrahlung in German, both experimental and simulated from Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) are not well understood so far. The bremsstrahlung photons of the angular distributions from 28-GHz ECR ion source at Busan Centre of Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) were measured in nine azimuthal angles for the first time. Three round type NaI(Tl) detectors were used to measure the angular distributions of the bremsstrahlung photons emitted at the extraction side of the ECRIS at the same time. Another NaI(Tl) detector was placed downstream from the ECR ion source for monitoring photon intensity. …

Evidence For A Record Of Possible Paleo-Tsunami Or Storm Deposits In The Fluviatile Neoproterozoic Malagarasi Supergroup Of North-Western Tanzania, Charles Kasanzu, Shukrani Manya

Tanzania Journal of Science

Two different localities within the fluviatile Neoproterozoic Malagarasi Supergroup of north-western Tanzania show striking evidence for tsunami related clastic sedimentary deposits. In each locality, the outcrops are characterised by the association of fine grained, thinly laminated shales at the bottom that are overlain by thick deposits of sandstones and conglomerates whose clasts and pebbles vary in size and angularity/roundness. In each case, the two rock units are separated by an erosional surface. The basal shale layers are consistent with deposition in deep shelf environments which are in stark contrast to the immediately overlying conglomerates/sandstones that suggest reworking under high energy …

Preparation And Characterization Of Zns Thin Films Grown By Spin Coating Technique, Oluwatoyin Osanyinlusi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Spin coating technique was used to deposit zinc sulphide (ZnS) thin films successfully onto glass substrates and the effects of the number of spin times on the optical properties investigated. The morphology and structures of the prepared thin films were also confirmed. X-ray diffraction confirmed that spin coated ZnS films exhibited cubic structure, where reflections from (111), (220) and (311) are clearly visible with a preferential orientation along (111) plane. The calculated crystallite size for 1S sample from the XRD data is 8.8 nm. From the optical studies, the thin films exhibit good optical properties with relatively high transmittance (81 …

Current Epidemiological Assessment Of Plasmodium Falciparum And Helminth Co-Infections In Children After A Decade Of Implementation Of Control Programs In Morogoro Region, Tanzania, Christopher Kisiringyo, Winifrida Kidima

Tanzania Journal of Science

A school based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2018 to assess the burden of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum, Schistosoma and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in Mvomero. A total of 374 children (age range =  5–16 years, mean age = 11.3 years) were recruited from five primary schools. Prevalence of asymptomatic P. falciparum infections were 29.9%, S. haematobium 49.7%, hookworm 20.3%, Ascaris lumbricoides 12.6%, Taenia saginata 0.5% and S. mansoni 0.3%. Malaria parasite density increased with increasing children age (r = 0.99). Only 6.5% (12/186) of S. haematobium infected children were presented with heavy infections, whereas all STH-positive …

Soil-Plant Nutrient Cycling In Old Cocoa Farms In A Part Of South Western Nigerian Forest Belt, Olusola Afolayan

Tanzania Journal of Science

Apart from pests and diseases, a vital issue in the early mature of cocoa crop in Nigeria is soil nutrient degradation in relation to the ageing of the farms and annual mining of nutrients via yield harvests. Indigenous production of cocoa in southwest Nigeria has been on without fertilizer applications. This is the basis for the reduction average lifespan and productive years of the plantation. The aim of this study was to quantify the rates of soil nutrient losses via cycling channels in old cocoa farm using cocoa beans, leaves, litters, and pod husks in south western Nigeria forest belt. …