The development of reading tests for use in a regularly spelled language.

Data are presented on the development of tests of reading skill in rural Tanzanian primary school pupils. Instruction in these schools is in Kiswahili, a regularly spelt language. Using a translation of a standard reading test, children could read aloud all words once they had learnt sound-letter correspondences, regardless of comprehension. In addition, children can appear to pass traditional comprehension tasks by decoding only some of the words. Three graded tests were developed which allow testing of children who either have only some letter knowledge, can read single words, or are proficient readers. The tests require children to both decode and understand the reading material in order to achieve high scores. The tests correlated well with scores on other educational achievement tests, and showed age and school grade differences. It is suggested that these tests are useful measures of reading development in a regularly spelt language. Adaptation to English and validation against standardised instruments is planned

Patterns of Elbow Fractures and Complications of Those Seen Late in Children Treated at KCMC in Northern Tanzania

No Abstract

Chemical Composition and Bioactive Potential of Extracts from Diospyros capricornuta F. White against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus

Diospyros capricornuta is an endemic species widely distributed along the coast of Tanzania that is used as food condiments and traditional medicine. The chemical compositions of Diospyros capricornuta leaves, stem-bark, and root-bark extracts; and their bioactive potentials against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus were investigated. The leaves, stem-bark, and root-bark samples of D. capricornuta were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus and the resultant extracts were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 14 compounds were identified from the extracts, whereby 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol was the most abundant compound in all extracts. The growth and aflatoxin production inhibitions against A. flavus and A. parasiticus were determined via antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic bioassays of the extracts at the concentrations of 0.0, 62.5, 125.0, and 250.0 µg/mL using a poisoned-food method. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique was used to quantify the aflatoxins after bioassays to evaluate aflatoxin inhibitions. The stem-bark extracts at the highest dose of 250.0 µg/mL inhibited aflatoxin production by A. flavus for over 99% and A. parasiticus for over 94%. Overall, the results show that the leaves, stem-bark, and root-bark extracts of D. capricornuta are potential inhibitors against A. flavus and A. parasiticus-the producers of aflatoxins. Keywords: Diospyros capricornuta; Growth inhibitions; Aflatoxin inhibitions; Aspergillus flavus; and Aspergillus parasiticus

Assessment of Bacterial Contamination in Herbal Medicine Products Vended in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Traditional medicines are widely used in Tanzania; however, the microbiological safety of herbal medicine products (HMPs) is unknown. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine microbial levels and antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria isolated from HMPs vended in Morogoro Municipality. Fifty samples of HMPs were collected from vendors in six wards in the municipality. Bacterial contamination was determined through total viable count and bacterial isolation while susceptibility to the selected antimicrobials was determined by agar disc diffusion method. About 88% of the tested HMPs significantly (p<0.05) had higher total bacterial counts than WHO recommended levels. Ten percent of HMPs were contaminated with the pathogenic E. coli and 8% with S. aureus. The isolated bacteria were only susceptible to ciprofloxacin but were resistant to the rest of the tested antimicrobials at standard doses. Unhygienic handling practices and limited safety knowledge by the HMPs vendors was also observed. Use of the unregulated but vended HMPs may put the users at risk of acquiring infections with pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria that portends increased treatment challenges

Severe seizures in pigs naturally infected with <i>Taenia solium</i> in Tanzania

AbstractNeurocysticercosis (NCC) caused by Taenia solium is a serious neurological disease. In humans neurological symptoms have been thoroughly studied and documented, however, there is limited information on clinical signs in pigs infected with T. solium cysticerci. Among the scientific community, it is in fact believed that pigs with NCC rarely show neurological signs. The aim of this study was to describe clinical manifestations associated with NCC in pigs and correlate the manifestations to the number and distribution of cysticerci in brains of naturally infected pigs in Tanzania. Sixteen infected and 15 non-infected control pigs were observed for 14 days during daylight hours, and subsequently videotaped for another 14 consecutive days using close circuit television cameras. All occurrences of abnormal behaviour (trembling, twitching, mouth and ear paralysis, ataxia, dribbling, salivating, eye blinking, walking in circles) were recorded. At the end of the recording period, pigs were slaughtered and their brains dissected, cysticerci counted and locations noted. During the recording period, two infected pigs were observed having seizures. Some of the observed autonomic signs during a seizure were chewing motions with foamy salivation and ear stiffening. Motor signs included tonic muscle contractions followed by a sudden diminution in all muscle function leading to collapse of the animal. Stereotypic walking in circles was observed on several occasions. At dissection, both pigs had a high number of brain cysticerci (241 and 247 cysticerci). The two pigs with seizures were also older (36 months) compared to the others (18.3 months, ± 8.2 standard deviation). Results of this study have shown that pigs with NCC can develop clinical signs and suffer from seizures like humans with symptomatic NCC. Results of this study could potentially open up a new experimental pathway to explore the aetiology of neurological symptoms in humans with NCC associated epilepsy

Differences between tree species in hydraulic press calibration of leaf water potential are correlated with specific leaf area

. To determine the usefulness of the J-14 Hydraulic Press (Campbell Scientific, Inc., Logan, Utah, U.S.A.) in estimating leaf water potential, we calibrated the J-14 Press against a Scholander-type pressure chamber for leaves of various tree species. The species tested were: Acer saccharum, Acer negundo, Acer rubrum. Populus tremuloides, Populus grandidentata, Quercus rubra , and Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera). The regression calibrations were linear with standard errors about the regression less than 0.1 MPa. The regression equations for the four genera were significantly different, with the y- intercept increasing and the slope decreasing in order of decreasing specific leaf area (SLA). There were no significant differences between species of the calibration lines within the genera Acer and Populus. These data may indicate that leaves with lower SLA resist mechanical compression by the hydraulic press, causing the J-14 Press to be less sensitive to differences of leaf water potential. Therefore the J-14 Press is only a relative measure of leaf water status and does not measure leaf water potential.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73416/1/1365-3040.ep11591871.pd

Harnessing innovation platforms for sustainable intensification R4D experiences from Kongwa and Kiteto, Tanzania

United States Agency for International Developmen

Spatial Clustering of Porcine Cysticercosis in Mbulu District, Northern Tanzania

Taenia solium is a tapeworm that causes two different disease conditions. In its adult stage, it inhabits the small intestine of human, a condition known as taeniosis, which is characterised by mild symptoms including abdominal disconfort. In the larval stage, T. solium can infect humans and various animal species, mainly pigs, causing cysticercosis. Taeniosis is acquired through consumption of inadequately cooked infected meat, while cysticercosis is acquired through ingestion of tapeworm eggs in foodstuffs contaminated with faeces from a human tapeworm carrier. Cysticercosis of human central nervous tissues (neurocysticercosis) causes serious syndromes such as epilepsy. Transmission of T. solium is facilitated by several factors such as presence of tapeworm carriers, poor sanitation and poor pig husbandry, which allow pigs to access human faeces. Nevertheless, the role of these factors in parasite transmission may vary with different cultural settings. Following an incidence and a prevalence studies in a rural area of northern Tanzania, there was a significant spatial clustering of porcine cysticerocis, suggesting focal distribution of transmission risk factors, which could be targeted for interventions. The study also revealed that despite the low sensitivity of the lingual examination method to detect porcine cysticercosis, it could highlight the potential ‘hotspots’ of the infection