Digital Commons Network^™

The Last Frontier For Global Non-Communicable Disease Action: The Emergency Department—A Cross-Sectional Study From East Africa, Christine Ngaruiya, Mbatha Wambua, Thomas Kedera Mutua, Daniel Owambo, Morgan Muchemi, Kipkoech Rop, Kaitlin R. Maciejewski, Rebecca Leff, Mugane Mutua, Benjamin Wachira

Emergency Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have surpassed those due to communicable diseases globally and are projected to do so in Africa by 2030. Despite demonstrated effectiveness in high-income country (HIC) settings, the ED is a primary source of NCD care that has been under-prioritized in Africa. In this study, we assess the burden of leading NCDs and NCD risk factors in Kenyan Casualty Department patients to inform interventions targeting patients with NCDs in emergency care settings.

Materials and methods: Using the WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) tool and the Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), we conducted a …

Taboos Of Masculinity: Positive And Progressive Masculinities, Biko Agozino, Augustine Agu

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

No abstract provided.

The Structural Equation Model Of Nascent Entrepreneurial Behavior Among Undergraduate Students In Thailand, Teerapong Teangsompong, Chaloempon Sritong

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

Previous studies have investigated entrepreneurial behavior but failed to pinpoint nascent entrepreneurial behavior (NEB) and its underlying causal factors. Potential universities are required to cooperate with government agencies to promote and support students, researchers, and entrepreneurs access the resources necessary for innovation-driven enterprises. As entrepreneurial universities, Thai universities will act as the new engine for national growth. This research aimed to develop, validate, and evaluate the invariance of the structural equation model (SEM) of NEB among Thai undergraduate students. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey with a Cronbach’s alpha between 0.723 and 0.903, which was applied to a sample …

Marketing Strategies Used By Medical Libraries Of Public Universities For Their Information Resources And Services In The North-Western Geopolitical Zone Of Nigeria, Mudassir A. Abule, Francis Garaba

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper examined the strategies used for marketing of information resources and services in medical libraries of public universities in the North-western geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The main objectives of the study is to identify the major strategies used in marketing of information resources and services and how to enhance the existing marketing strategies for optimum use of information resources and services.An explanatory sequential mixed methods research was used for the study. The study involved medical libraries of four public universities in the zone under study. A sample of 365 number of students and 4 number of heads of the …

An Evaluative Study On Library Services And Facilities For Specially-Abled Users In The Selected District Libraries Of Arunachal Pradesh, Oyimang Jamoh, Nandita Barman, Amrita Devi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper investigated the provision of library facilities and services for the specially-abled users in the three selected Public Libraries of Arunachal Pradesh. It examined access to the information materials collected in the libraries and the building structure. The data-gathering instruments consisted of a structured questionnaire, observation, and interview method were followed. Findings of the study showed that among the three libraries Pasighat District Central Library has specialized staff to guide the specially-abled user. It was found that among these three public libraries District Library Tezu has better ICT infrastructural facilities as compared to District Library Pasighat and Changlang. Moreover, …

Alcohol Use In Tanzanians With Chronic Psychotic Disorders And Poor Medication Adherence, Emily Simon, Jennifer B. Levin, Carol Blixen, Michelle Aebi, Kristin Cassidy, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Background: The burden of chronic psychotic disorders (CPDs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is significant. Poorly medically adherent patients are more likely to have worse outcomes and require more resources. However, factors impacting effective treatment of CPD in this population are unclear. Aim: Examine the relationship between alcohol use and disease management and compare alcohol risk stratification between the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) in poorly medication adherent Tanzanians with CPD. Setting: Muhimbili National Hospital and ambulatory clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: 100 Tanzanians with CPDs and suboptimal medication …

The Science Of Scale For Violence Prevention: A New Agenda For Family Strengthening In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Yulia Shenderovich, Jamie M. Lachman, Catherine L. Ward, Inge Wessels, Frances Gardner, Mark Tomlinson, Daniel Oliver, Roselinde Janowski, Mackenzie Martin, Kufre Okop, Hlengiwe Sacolo-Gwebu, Lindokuhle L. Ngcobo, Zuyi Fang, Liane Peña Alampay, Adriana Baban, Ana A. Baumann, Regina Benevides De Barros, Samuel Bojo, Alexander Butchart, Wilmi Dippenaar, Amon Exavery, Xiangming Fang, Ida Ferdinandi, Heather M. Foran, Nina Heinrichs, Judy Hutchings, Daisy Kisyombe, Greta Massetti, Jaromir Mazak, Henry Mbuyi, Pratibha Singh, Kenneth Polsky, Sabine Rakotomalala, Marija Raleva, Richard Savo, Lucie Cluver

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Ending all violence against children by 2030 is a core part of Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 16. A number of promising violence reduction strategies have been identified in research studies. However, we lack an understanding of the implementation and impact of these programs in respect to their delivery at a large scale or within existing service systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We advocate for greater collaboration between researchers, policymakers, donors, governments, non-governmental organizations, and program managers and staff to study how violence prevention programs operate on a large scale. We describe a new initiative aiming to …

Refugee Camps: In Search Of The Locus Of The Accountability Of The United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (Unhcr) Under International Law, Zachary Lomo

PhD Dissertations

In this dissertation, I investigate the question how, and to what extent, can the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) be held accountable, under international law, for its contribution to the harms to the environment and lives of refugees resulting from refugee encampment in refugee camps that it helps create, fund, and manage? Using data from primary and secondary sources and borrowing from certain theoretical paradigms and schools of thought, I theorise about the policy-context; the decision-making processes that produce refugee encampment; the locus of accountability for the injurious consequences of refugee encampment in refugee-hosting states …

Presence Of Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (Adcc) Against Sars-Cov-2 In Covid-19 Plasma, For Yue Tso, Salum J. Lidenge, Lisa K. Poppe, Phoebe B. Pena, Sara R. Privatt, Sydney J. Bennett, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Michael Belshan, Jacob A. Siedlik, Morgan A. Raine, Juan B. Ochoa, Julia Garcia-Diaz, Bobby Nossaman, Lyndsey Buckner, W Mark Roberts, Matthew J. Dean, Augusto C. Ochoa, John T. West, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Background Neutralizing-antibody (nAb) is the major focus of most ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials. However, nAb response against SARS-CoV-2, when present, decays rapidly. Given the myriad roles of antibodies in immune responses, it is possible that antibodies could also mediate protection against SARS-CoV-2 via effector mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), which we sought to explore here. Methods Plasma of 3 uninfected controls and 20 subjects exposed to, or recovering from, SARS CoV-2 infection were collected from U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies in the plasma samples. SARS-CoV-2 specific …

Outsourcing: A Librarian And Vendor Perspective, Charles F. Hillen

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

If Rumors Were Horses, Katina Strauch

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

The Injustice Of Unfit Clinical Practice Guidelines In Low-Resource Realities, Nanna Maaløe, Anna Marie Rønne Ørtved, Jane Brandt Sørensen, Brenda Sequeira Dmello, Thomas Van Den Akker, Monica Lauridsen Kujabi, Hussein Kidanto, Tarek Mequid, Christian Bygbjerg, Jos Van Roosmalen, Dan Wolf Meyrowitsch, Natasha Housseine

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

To end the international crisis of preventable deaths in low-income and middle-income countries, evidence-informed and cost-efficient health care is urgently needed, and contextualised clinical practice guidelines are pivotal. However, as exposed by indirect consequences of poorly adapted COVID-19 guidelines, fundamental gaps continue to be reported between international recommendations and realistic best practice. To address this long-standing injustice of leaving health providers without useful guidance, we draw on examples from maternal health and the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose a framework for how global guideline developers can more effectively stratify recommendations for low-resource settings and account for predictable contextual barriers of implementation …

Fetal Heart Rate Development During Labour, Jarle Urdal, Kjersti Engan, Trygve Eftestøl, Solveig H. Haaland, Benjamin Kamala, Paschal Mdoe, Hussein Kidanto, Hege Ersdal

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background Fresh stillbirths (FSB) and very early neonatal deaths (VEND) are important global challenges with 2.6 million deaths annually. The vast majority of these deaths occur in low- and low-middle income countries. Assessment of the fetal well-being during pregnancy, labour, and birth is normally conducted by monitoring the fetal heart rate (FHR). The heart rate of newborns is reported to increase shortly after birth, but a corresponding trend in how FHR changes just before birth for normal and adverse outcomes has not been studied. In this work, we utilise FHR measurements collected from 3711 labours from a low and low-middle …

Professional Image Of Nursing And Midwifery In East Africa: An Exploratory Analysis, Eunice Ndirangu, Ahmed Sarki, Columba Mbekenga, Grace Edwards

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Evidence suggests that there is a negative image of nursing and midwifery that does not promote these professions as attractive career options. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies documenting how nursing and midwifery is perceived in East Africa and where such studies exist they are country-specific. The aim of this study was to explore views regarding the image of nursing and midwifery among nurses and midwives in three East African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Methods: An exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study administered online using Survey Monkey Questionnaires assessed the views and perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding the …

Library Newsletter : Spring 2021, Office Of The University Librarian

Office of the University Librarian Reports

CONTENT:

- Greetings

- COVID-19 : Changed the Library Scene

- Transforming AV-LRC to Digital Scholarship Centre

- Impressions by our Leaders

- Impressions by Students

- Technology in Place

- Upcoming Projects

- Obituary

Developing Students’ Curiosity Through Chemistry Hands-On Activities: A Case Of Selected Community Secondary Schools In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Esther Kibga, Emmanuel Gakuba, John Sentongo

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Curiosity is the inner drive for learning or ‘hunger for learning’ which is among the twenty-firstcentury learning competencies. Students in their earliest stage ought to exhibit curiosity to stirup knowledge acquisition and exploration, yet the development of curiosity in the context of education is considered to be unusual. This research assesses how chemistry students develop and express curiosity in a hands-on learning environment. A sample of 169 senior three students from three community secondary schools in Dar es Salaam was involved in this study. Besides, the study examined how hands-on activities in chemistry lessons can be incorporated as a pedagogical …

Knowledge About Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine Usage Among Nurses At A Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania, Wilson Paulo Lomnyack, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Stewart Mbelwa, Kahabi Isangula, Zephania Saitabau Abraham

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) provides an air pressure that maintains the patency of the airway in patients with a variety of breathing problems. Nurses provide the hour to hour management of patients who require CPAP. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of nurses about CPAP machine usage at the tertiary hospital in Tanzania which serves the largest number of patients who require CPAP.

Method: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from March to June 2019 at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) where 149 nurses who consented …

The Pesticide Residue Level Of Watermelon In Xinjiang Main Producing Area And Its Difference Evaluation, Zhang Yan-Ming, Ma-He-Ba-Li Tuo-Hu-Ta-Er-Han, Shen Qi, Wang Cheng, Tao Yong-Xia

Food and Machinery

In this study, 237 watermelon samples from 19 counties and cities (A-S) in Xinjiang were taken as research objects, and 60 pesticide residues in the samples were investigated and analyzed. On this basis, pesticide residues and pollution levels in each producing area were evaluated through single pollution index, Nemero comprehensive pollution index, and acute and chronic dietary risk. The detection rate of 15 pesticide residues was 46.84%. Pyrimethanil, amidine and carbendazim were the main pesticide residues, accounting for more than 10%. 7 and 2 samples of grade II pollution (relatively safe) were collected from E city and D county, 1 …

Research & Debate—Pier Competitor: Testimony On China’S Global Ports, Isaac Kardon

Naval War College Review

The United States–China Economic and Security Review Commission convened a daylong hearing on the global power-projection capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on 20 February 2020. What follows is a version of the testimony with which the author responded to the commission’s questions on Chinese bases and access points, drawing on an original data set of the ninety-five overseas port terminals that Chinese firms—primarily three entities, two of which are central state–owned enterprises—own, operate, or both.

Effect Of Job Security And Job Satisfaction On The Commitment Of Library Personnel In Academic Libraries In Ogun State Nigeria, Babatunde Ogunbanjo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Commitment of library personnel refers to the extent to which they relate with the goals and aspirations of their respective libraries and their desire to work for the realisation of the goals and, the readiness to be with their respective libraries. All employees, including academic librarians look for attractive salaries, creativity and innovation and job security. These factors fit well into the “Maslow Theory of Needs”. This study adopted a survey design. Two Hundred and ninety personnel drawn from public tertiary institutions in Ogun state participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to gather data and the data was …

Stage-Specific Action Of Juvenile Hormone Analogs, Ramaseshadri Parthasarathy, Subba Reddy Palli

Entomology Faculty Publications

The discovery of juvenile hormones (JH) and their synthetic analogs (JHA) generated excitement and hope that these compounds will replace first- and second-generation insecticides that have not so desirable environmental and human safety profiles. However, JHAs used commercially during the past four decades did not meet these expectations. The recent availability of advanced molecular and histological methods and the discovery of key players involved in JH action provided some insights into the functioning of JHA in a stage and species-specific manner. In this review, we will summarize recent findings and stage-specific action of JHA, focusing on three commercially used JHA, …

F-Wave Parameters And Body Mass Index In Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Philip Adebayo, Rose E. Mwakabatika

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background

Severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) readily lends itself to both clinical and electrophysiological recognition. The uncertainty sometimes is in identifying and quantifying motor involvement in mild and, perhaps, in moderate CTS. Our study aimed to evaluate F responses in mild and moderate CTS and determine the contribution of BMI to the F-wave parameters.

Methods A retrospective review of the clinical and electrophysiological data of patients with CTS seen at the clinical neurophysiology laboratory of Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam, between 1 August 2017 and 31 July 2019 was retrieved. Carpal tunnel syndrome was graded according to the electrophysiological …

Perceived Risk Factors Of Dysmenorrhea Among Female Undergraduates In University Of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, Ibrahim Ologele, Precious Daniel Oyiza, Ogunsola Tijani

Tanzania Journal of Science

Dysmenorrrhea is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism among female undergraduates in University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Therefore, the study investigated the perceived risk factors of dysmenorrhea among female undergraduates in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Descriptive research design of survey type was used for the study. Population for this study comprised of female undergraduates in the University of Ilorin for 2018/2019 academic session. Multi-stage sampling technique of simple, proportionate, purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select 263 respondents that participated in the study. The researcher developed a questionnaire which was validated by 3 experts from the …

Potential Of Fungi Isolated From Diesel Contaminated Soil To Degrade Diesel, Oluwafemi Oyewole, Ramat Raji, Suzan Okeke, Gift Chukwuma, Japhet Yakubu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Diesel is a complex mixture and a common pollutant, consisting mainly of aliphatic hydrocarbons ranging from C9 to C23 and a number of aromatic compounds. The main purpose of this study was to isolate fungi from diesel contaminated soil for biodegradation of diesel contaminated soil. Two fungal species (Aspergillus flavus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were isolated from a diesel contaminated site using cultural and biochemical characterisation. The isolates were screened for their ability to utilize diesel as carbon source. The biodegradation rate of the fungi isolated was measured by determining the optical density using spectrophotometry. The fungal isolates were further tested …

Isolation And Quantification Of Flavonoids From Kigelia Africana (Lam.) Benth Fruit And Bark And Their Antiradical And Antibacterial Activities, Pamhidzai Dzomba, George Mhini

Tanzania Journal of Science

Kigelia africana is an evergreen deciduous tree used in Zimbabwe folklore medicine for wound and diabetes ulcers healing. This paper reports the isolation and quantification of flavonoids from stem barks and fruits of K. africana as well as their antibacterial and antiradical activities. Flavonoids in ethanol and ethyl-acetate extracts were quantified using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and were found to be 213.490 ± 0.001 mg/L and 36.614 ± 0.001 mg/L, respectively per quercetin equivalent. The preparative and analytical thin layer chromatography was used to profile the flavonoids from fruits and barks using ethyl-acetate and petroleum ether (3:7 v/v) mobile solvent systems. Ethanol …

Influence Of Covid-19 On The Psychological Wellbeing Of Tertiary Institution Students In Nigeria, Seun Akorede, Ayodotun Ajayi, Atanda Toyin, Gilbert Uwadia

Tanzania Journal of Science

The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to a global lockdown, pending the time medical researchers find a vaccine for the coronavirus. This study examined if loneliness, depression and stress are influences of COVID-19 on the psychological wellbeing of tertiary institutions students in Nigeria. A descriptive research design of survey type was employed for this study. The population comprised all students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria totaling about 4,406,000. One hundred and thirty-seven (137) respondents were sampled for the study. A validated researcher developed questionnaire tested for reliability was used for the study. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. …

Determination Of Aquifer Parameters From Resistivity Data: A Case Of University Of Ilorin Campus, Northcentral Nigeria, Babatunde Onawola, Saminu Olatunji, Oluwatoyin Ologe, Razak Jimoh

Tanzania Journal of Science

A total of twenty-one (21) vertical electrical sounding (VES) data were acquired using Pz-02 resistivity meter within the Precambrian basement area of part of Ilorin Metropolis north central Nigeria to evaluate the hydraulic characteristics of aquifers. The Schlumberger configuration with half-current electrode separation (AB/2) varying from 1 m to 60 m was used. The aquifer hydraulic characteristics such as hydraulic conductivity K and transmissivity T (Ωm2) were calculated from the interpreted VES data using the concept of Dar-Zarrouk parameters. The data, processed with computer software IPI2WIN, indicated three to four geo-electric layers, namely; topsoil, clayey (wet to dry), weathered or …

Antibacterial Activities Of Hyphaene Thebaica (Doum Palm) Fruit Extracts Against Intestinal Microflora And Potential Constipation Associated Pathogens In Yola Metropolis, Nigeria, Joel Ewansiha, Chidimma Ugo, Damaris Kolawole, Lilian Orji

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study aimed at determining the antibacterial activities of Hyphaene thebaica fruit extracts against some intestinal constipation associated bacteria. Qualitative analysis of some phytochemical constituents, agar well diffusion and broth dilution methods were used to determine the zones of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the plant extracts. Phytochemical components viz flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, phenols, alkaloids, glycosides and steroids were detected in the plant extracts, and the test organisms were susceptible to the plant extracts. The diameter zone of inhibition (DZI) obtained with n-hexane extract ranged from 15.10 ± 0.51 mm to 2.0 ± 0.55 mm against K. …

Forest Structure And Climate Change Mitigation Potential: A Case Of Wilolesi And Ikonongo Forested Hills In Iringa Municipality, Tanzania, Evarist Fundisha, Hamidu Seki, Anasia Saria

Tanzania Journal of Science

Vegetation plays major roles in carbon storage and ecosystem functioning by modifying the rate of carbon fluxes thereby mitigating climate change. However, the focus of assessing the potentials for different vegetation on climate change mitigation has for so long been conducted outside cities, towns and municipalities. This study was conducted in Wilolesi and Ikonongo hills located in Iringa as representative of the Municipality forested hills in Tanzania to assess vegetation structure and their potential for climate change mitigation. Random sampling technique was employed to establish 20 rectangular plots of 20 m x 40 m (0.08 ha) in each hill to …

Seismic Attributes Analysis As A Precursor To Hydrocarbon Indicators: A Case Study Of “Ok” Field, Niger Delta, Oluwatoyin Ologe, Mary Olowokere

Tanzania Journal of Science

Seismic data volume was employed to gain more insights into the complexities of the hydrocarbon hosting units within and outside the vicinity of well control in the OK-field Niger Delta to overcome wrong deductions from complexly faulted subsurface configuration for the oilfield exploration programme. The methodology involved integration of well log with seismic data, seismic structural analysis and seismic attributes analysis. Horizons and fault interpretations were carried out to produce subsurface attribute maps. Lithologic panels derived from well log data showed that the study area is characterized by sand-shale interbedding. Two hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs were delineated within the study interval, …