Material Cost Comparison for Masonry and Framed Partition Walls for Buildings in Uganda

In the building construction industry, decisions concerning specifications for the different building components may be made by the client, consultants, contractor, or a combination of these. Choices are usually governed by functionality (strength and safety integrity, durability), aesthetics, cost, material availability, technical know-how, etc. Most of these criteria are easy to quantify except for strength, safety, durability, and cost given that they require rigorous analysis or research. This study set out to determine the cost margin difference that exists between wall types (framed and masonry wall) from a material requirements perspective. This was meant to avail information that can provide decision support to practitioners or clients that need to make a choice between these wall types. Margins for cost differences were computed using a Monte-Carlo simulation-based approach that involved sampling deviates from probability distributions for costs for 1m2 of framed and masonry walls. These costs were built-up through another Monte-Carlo simulation process that utilized material quantities and unit prices as its inputs. There was transformation work done in this simulation experiment to reconcile material quantity conventions used by vendors and manufacturers with those quantities required to erect 1m2 of a physical wall. Keywords: Framed wall, Masonry wall, Cost margin, Probability distribution, Monte-Carlo simulation DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-5-05 Publication date:May 31st 202

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenamases in Escherichia coli isolated from humans and livestock in rural South-Western Uganda

Funding: This work was supported by; The "Holistic Approach to Unravel Antibacterial Resistance in East Africa” project which was a 3-year Global Context Consortia Award (MR/S004785/1) funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council and the Department of Health and Social Care, UK.Background The accumulation of resistance genes in Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains imposes limitations in the therapeutic options available for the treatment of infections caused by E.coli. Production of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) by E. coli renders it resistant to broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics. Globally there is existing evidence of spread of carbapenem-resistant E. coli in both humans and livestock driven by acquisition of the several other carbapenemase genes. Overall, there is little information regarding the extent of KPC gene distribution in E. coli. We set out to determine the prevalence, and evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic patterns of KPC in E. coli isolated from humans and their livestock in rural south western Uganda. Methods A laboratory-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 96 human and 96 livestock isolates collected from agro-pastoralist communities in Mbarara district in south western Uganda. Phenotypic and molecular methods (PCR) were used for presence and identification of KPC genes in the E. coli isolates. A chi-square test of independence was used to evaluate the differences in resistant patterns between carbapenems and isolates. Results The overall prevalence of carbapenem resistance by disk diffusion susceptibility testing (DST) for both humans and livestock isolates were 41.7% (80/192). DST-based resistance was identical in both human and livestock isolates (41.7%). The prevalence of carbapenem resistance based on Modified Hodge Test (MHT) was 5% (2/40) and 10% (4/40) for humans and livestock isolates respectively. Both human and livestock isolates, 48.7% (95/192) had the KPC gene, higher than phenotypic expression; 41.7% (80/192). blaKPC gene prevalence was overall similar in human isolates (51%; 49/96) vs livestock isolates (47.9%; 46/96). Approximately, 19% (15/80) of the isolates were phenotypically resistant to carbapenems and over 70% (79/112) of the phenotypically sensitive strains harbored the blaKPC gene. Conclusion Our results suggest that both human and livestock isolates of E. coli in our setting carry the blaKPC gene with a high percentage of strains not actively expressing the blaKPC gene. The finding of fewer isolates carrying the KPC gene than those phenotypically resistant to carbapenems suggests that other mechanisms are playing a role in this phenomenon, calling for further researcher into this phenomenon.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Lay Perceptions about Tuberculosis among Non-UK-Born African in the United Kingdom

Background: Tuberculosis among non-UK-born Black Africans has been gradually recognized as a public health problem in the UK despite the various interventions implemented. Objectives: To explore the perceptions of non-UK-born Black Africans about TB health risk; to explore the health seeking behavior of the non-UK-born Black Africans in relation to TB and to explore lay views on TB health education and screening as opportunities for health promotion. Methodology and Study Design: A qualitative methodology was used on a purposively selected sample of 12 non-UK-born Black Africans living in Leeds. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to explore the lay perceptions about TB. Thematic analysis was used to derive important themes in accordance to the study objectives. Ethical approval was provided by Leeds Metropolitan University. Setting: Community setting of non-UK-born Black Africans in Leeds, UK. Results: This population holds mixed views and perceptions about tuberculosis, few facilitators and many barriers existed to current TB prevention efforts. The barriers included: language barriers, barriers related to services and systems, immigration status and stigma despite the benefits involved. The potential for black African communities to readily increase the likelihood of behavior change was found as an important finding for this study. Conclusions: Tuberculosis is a preventable public health problem. Involvement of the non-UK-born black Africans communities in the TB prevention may be beneficial for reducing and tackling TB rates in this population. Such an approach is potentially inexpensive and more readily implementable than other suggested strategies such as changes to immigration policies

Village Baseline Study: Site Analysis Report for Kagera Basin – Rakai, Uganda

The village baseline study of Kyengeza village in the CCAFS site Kagera Basin – Rakai in Uganda took place from 4 to 6 July 2011. Study participants are aware that their food security depends on protecting and appropriately managing natural resources. Nonetheless, there is a general decline in the state of natural resources such as rivers, lakes and forests, and the current use of the same resources is not sustainable over time. The main drivers of such changes in the region are population growth and government policies that have privatised forests and other natural areas previously managed by the village, effectively disempowering the community. There are more organisations operating beyond the locality than those operating in the community. The external organisations started delivering food, tools, medicines and other resources in response to HIV/AIDS. Their ability to mobilise resources, however, is undermining self-help capacity within the village, which is not conducive to sustainable rural development. Radio and organisations are the most frequently used sources of information for agricultural decision- making. There is a relatively active information network compared to other CCAFS sites, and a fair amount of consultation with all kinds of sources of information. This may be linked to high levels of uncertainty associated with climate change and food security

The multifunctionality of ‑o in Rukiga: pronoun, contrastive topic, and mirative marker

This paper discusses the particle -o in Rukiga (Bantu JE14, Uganda), aiming to establish its origin and function. At first sight, the particle appears to be an independent pronoun agreeing in noun class, reported in previous studies as an emphatic pronoun. Based on an extensive analysis of the particle, we argue that, through grammaticalisation, it has developed from a medial demonstrative via the independent pronoun to become a contrastive topic marker. This analysis is supported by various topic and focus tests carried out, which indicate that it combines with topics and is incompatible with focalised referents. We discovered that the particle is also used in exclamative/mirative contexts, expressing (a degree of) unexpectedness and surprise. Our findings indicate that independent morphological topic markers are present in East African languages just as they are in the more analytical West-African languages, and that exclamatives and miratives, which are extremely understudied in Bantu languages, may be associated with the morphological particle -o.NWO276-78-001Descriptive and Comparative Linguistic

Recruitment and retention of women in fishing communities in HIV prevention research

Introduction: Women in fishing communities in Uganda are more at risk and have higher rates of HIV infection. Socio-cultural gender norms, limited access to health information and services, economic disempowerment, sexual abuse and their biological susceptibility make women more at risk of infection. There is need to design interventions that cater for women’s vulnerability. We explore factors affecting recruitment and retention of women from fishing communities in HIV prevention research. Methods: An HIV incidence cohort screened 2074 volunteers (1057 men and 1017 women) aged 13-49 years from 5 fishing communities along Lake Victoria using demographic, medical history, risk behaviour assessment questionnaires.1000 HIV negative high risk volunteers were enrolled and followed every 6 months for 18 months. Factors associated with completion of study visits among women were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Women constituted 1,017(49%) of those screened, and 449(45%) of those enrolled with a median (IQR) age of 27 (22-33) years. Main reasons for non-enrolment were HIV infection (33.9%) and reported low risk behaviour (37.5%). A total of 382 (74%) women and 332 (69%) men completed all follow up visits. Older women (>24 yrs) and those unemployed, who had lived in the community for 5 years or more, were more likely to complete all study visits. Conclusion: Women had better retention rates than men at 18 months. Strategies for recruiting and retaining younger women and those who have stayed for less than 5 years need to be developed for improved retention of women in fishing communities in HIV prevention and research Programs

The Land — An Unused Opportunity for the Return and Production Reactivization of External Migrants

Autor članka ukazuje da se povratnici s privremenog rada u inostranstvu nedovoljno uključuju u sektor individualne poljoprivrede gdje bi na sopstveekonomski institut, nom gazdinstvu razvili modernu i masovnu proizsarajevo, jugoslavija vodnju za potrebe tržišta. Ni aktuelni vanjski migranti, oni koji su još uvijek na radu u inostranstvu ne planiraju svoju reaktivizaciju u agraru, odnosno ne vežu svoj povratak za poljoprivredu iz koje su najvećim dijelom krenuli u tuđinu. Razloga za takvo njihovo ponašanje veoma je mnogo i oni su razliičite prirode. Autor identifikuje, kako one koji su eksterne, tako i one koji su interne naravi. Nakon identifikacije činilaca koji nepovoljno utiču na obim i intenzitet povratka u agrar daju se prijedlozi mjera i akcija koje bi pomogle i podstakle povratak migranata (njihovih znanja, vještina i, naravno njihovog novčanog kapitala) u agrar.The author of the article shows that returnees from temporary work abroad are not adequately included in the sector of private farming, where they would on their own farms develop modern, mass and market production. The current external migrants, those who are still at work abroad, do not plan reactivization on the land, i.e. they do not intend to return to farming, which most of them left to go abroad. There are many and very varied reasons for this. The author identifies both external reasons, and also those of an internal nature. After showing which factors influence unfavourably the volume and intensity of the return to farming, he proposes measures and actions that would aid and influence the return of the migrants (their knowledge, their skill and, of course, their capital) into farming

FACTORS DETERMINING INTENSITY OF CAMEL ADOPTION IN SEMI-ARID NORTH-EASTERN UGANDA

Integration of camel ( Camelus dromedarius ) production in the traditional livestock systems is increasingly gaining significance as a strategy for household adaptation to prolonged and recurrent droughts in African arid and semi-arid lands. There is increasing interest in promoting camels as a strategy to mitigate the effects of prolonged droughts in communities where camels have not been reared before. However, the intensity of camel adoption and the factors that drive camel adoption process in semi-arid Uganda are not clear. The objective of this study was to determine the level of intensity and socio-economic factors influencing the intensity of camel adoption in Karamoja sub-region in Uganda. Econometric results show that age the of a household head was significantly associated with the intensity of camel adoption; whereas household size, credit access and crop area cultivated significantly decreased with the intensity of camel adoption in the region. Increasing camel adoption was possible with increasing access to capital; as well as carefully balancing the competition for labour with crop cultivation.L\u2019int\ue9gration de la production de chameaux (Camelus dromedarius) dans les syst\ue8mes d\u2019\ue9levage traditionnels prend de plus en plus d\u2019importance en tant que strat\ue9gie d\u2019adaptation des m\ue9nages aux s\ue9cheresses prolong\ue9es et r\ue9currentes dans les regions arides et semi-arides d\u2019Afrique. Il y a un int\ue9r\ueat croissant pour la promotion des chameaux comme strat\ue9gie pour att\ue9nuer les effets des s\ue9cheresses prolong\ue9es dans les communaut\ue9s o\uf9 les chameaux n\u2019ont pas \ue9t\ue9 \ue9lev\ue9s auparavant. Cependant, l\u2019intensit\ue9 de l\u2019adoption des chameaux et les facteurs qui motivent le processus d\u2019adoption des chameaux dans la r\ue9gion semi-aride de l\u2019Ouganda ne sont pas clairs. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de d\ue9terminer le niveau d\u2019intensit\ue9 et les facteurs socio-\ue9conomiques influen\ue7ant l\u2019intensit\ue9 de l\u2019adoption de chameaux dans la sous-r\ue9gion de Karamoja en Ouganda. Les r\ue9sultats \ue9conom\ue9triques ont montr\ue9 que l\u2019\ue2ge du chef de m\ue9nage \ue9tait significativement associ\ue9 \ue0 l\u2019intensit\ue9 de l\u2019adoption de chameaux ; tandis que la taille des m\ue9nages, l\u2019acc\ue8s au cr\ue9dit et la superficie cultiv\ue9e ont consid\ue9rablement diminu\ue9 avec l\u2019intensit\ue9 de l\u2019adoption de chameaux dans la r\ue9gion. L\u2019augmentation de l\u2019adoption de chameaux \ue9tait possible avec un acc\ue8s accru au capital; ainsi que d\u2019\ue9quilibrer soigneusement la concurrence pour la main-d\u2019\u153uvre avec la culture des plantes