Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children aged 6-12 years in Dodoma and Kinondoni Municipalities, Tanzania

A cross-sectional comparison study was conducted to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren428 children aged 6-12 years in Dodoma and Kinondoni municipalities in Tanzania. Anthropometric and body composition measurements were taken for all respondents. A total of 428 children were involved in the study. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6–9 years in Dodoma and Kinondoni were 5.6% (n = 118) and 6.3% (n = 87), respectively. Likewise, 4.2% (n = 118) of children aged 6–9 years in Dodoma were overweight while 8.6% (n = 87) of their counterparts in Kinondoni municipality were overweight. For children aged 10–12 years, 3.9% (n= 118) in Dodoma were obese compared to 5.8% (n = 87) of their peers in Kinondoni. Some 4.9% of the children aged 10–12 years in Dodoma were overweight compared to 5.8% of their counterparts in Kinondoni. The average body fat mass of children aged 6 - 9 years in Dodoma ranged from 21.42-21.81%, while that of their peers in Kinondoni ranged from 21.66-21.98%. The average body fat mass of children aged 10-12 years ranged between 23.95–24.10% in Dodoma and 23.65-24.95% in Kinondoni. There were gender and age differences in body fat mass distribution, with girls and the older children having significantly (

Proximate composition and sensory characteristics of refractance window dried cowpea composite porridges

Undernutrition is a major public health concern in Uganda. Locally available nutrient dense diets can help reduce the problem of undernutrition.  Utilisation of cowpea leaf powder in preparing composite porridge blends depends on sensory acceptance of the consumers. A Nutrisurvey  software was used to formulate two composite flour blends, namely maize and millet in a ratio 2:8 and cowpea-maize in a ratio of 1:9 to achieve the  daily requirement of protein for children. The study developed a process for the production of composite cowpea flour from finger millet flour and  maize flour and followed a one factor design in which maize flour (MF) and millet flour (MMF) was substituted with cowpea leaves flour (CPL). The  composites were dried using refractance window drying technology. The proximate composition of the composite flours were determined using  standard methods while sensory acceptability of porridges was rated on a five-point Likert scale using an untrained panel. Results indicated a  significant (p < 0.05) increase in protein (10.9 to 13.4%), dietary fibre (11.01 to 13.0%) and lipids (4.71 to 5.3%) contents for cowpea-millet composite  porridge. For cowpea-maize composite flour, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in protein (5.9 to 7.6%), dietary fibre (1.47 to 3.3%) and lipids (2.84 to  3.3%) was also observed. Sensory evaluation indicated that between the two composite porridges, the cowpeamillet porridge blend was  significantly (P≤0.05) more appealing in terms of colour (3.61±0.8), aroma (2.96±0.2), taste (3.24±0.6), texture (3.62±0.6) and general acceptability  (3.61±0.8) to the panellists than the cowpea-maize porridge blend. The cowpea-millet and cowpea-maize composite flours can contribute more than  100% of the recommended dietary allowance of protein and carbohydrate requirements for children aged 0-8 years. The study findings indicate that  the cowpea-based composite flours have the potential to make a significant contribution to the improvement in the nutritional status of  infants and children in developing countries

Assessment of Teachers’ Motivation in Public Secondary Schools in Tanzania a case of Namtumbo District Council.

The study explored teacher’s perceptions about their motivation in studied public secondary schools in Namtumbo district council. Specifically the study assessed out the influence of job satisfaction on teachers’ motivation in studied public secondary schools, examined the effects of reward system on the motivation of teachers, determined the effects of training and development on teachers’ motivation and examined the effects of work situational accelerators for teachers’ motivation in studied public secondary schools in Namtumbo District council. The researcher opted post positivists’ paradigm, along qualitative approach and triangulated descriptive research design. The purposive random sampling techniques selected 60 research participants in four secondary schools. Data were collected through semi structured interviews, documentary and the questionnaires tool. Findings revealed that: job satisfaction affects employees’ motivation to a great extent. Analyzed data suggested perceived fairness in teachers’ promotion system, influencing teachers’ job satisfaction to a little extent, while the work enrolment influenced their job satisfaction to a great extent. The pay given to teachers is worth the service they render as result of training motivation. While relative majority of respondents strongly agreed that training improves teachers’ confidence, relative majority strongly agreed that inadequacy of teaching and learning resources in schools demotivates. The study concluded that; job satisfaction, reward system, professional training, development and working condition affect employees’ motivation. It was recommended to let studied schools ensure school environment is conducive for teachers to raise their jobs motivation and satisfaction. Keywords; Motivation, Work Situations, Reward System, Job Satisfaction

Traditional medicine as an alternative form of health care system: A preliminary case study of Nangabo sub-county, central Uganda

This study was conducted in Nangabo sub-county of Wakiso district. The purpose was to document the common Traditional Medicine (TM) practices; assess the local people's preferences for TM versus western medicine (WM) and lastly to determine the awareness about the importance of TM by local people. Data were collected using semi-structured administered face-to-face with respondents. A total of 120 interviewed. Six focused group discussions (FGDs) were held to validate the questionnaire responses. Data were analyzed descriptively using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings indicated that most (43%) respondents derive their livelihoods from traditional medicine practices. Three forms of TM were reportedherbalism (67%), spiritual counseling (23%) and bone setting (10%). Although the majority (81%) of respondents were quite aware of the importance of TM in the sustenance of health care system, majority (55%) of them shunned TM in preference to WM, largely because of the belief that TM is evil-founded and devilish in nature. Only 45% of the respondents preferred TM to WM. The main reasons given for visiting TM practioners rather than western medical practitioners were that TM is sometimes more effective than WM and that in many instances it has very minimal side effects on the human body. There is, however, a need for Ugandan government to legitimize the practice of TM since it contributes a lot to health care needs in areas where western medicine is insufficiently provided. In addition, there is a need for further research into the efficacy and safety of traditional medicines if it is to be adequately integrated into western medicine.Key words: Traditional medicine, health care, herbalism, spiritual counseling, bone setting, Ugand

Aportes del servicio de farmacia para el uso racional de los medicamentos en neonatología

Trabajo Final Integrador (Especialista en Farmacia Hospitalaria) - - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, 2013.Introducción. Las grandes diferencias farmacocinéticas y farmacodinámicas, obligan a pautar las dosis e intervalos terapéuticos para cada grupo de edad pediátrica. La carencia de fórmulas farmacéuticas pediátricas, sobre todo en neonatos, el empleo de fármacos, unlicensed y off-label, dificultan su administración, y puede implicar efectos adversos y errores de medicación. Objetivo General. Contribuir al uso idóneo, efectivo, seguro y eficiente de los medicamentos dispensados al Servicio de Neonatología (SN) del Nuevo Hospital Río Cuarto (NHRC) San Antonio de Padua. Materiales y Métodos. Estudio analítico, observacional y retrospectivo. Se analizaron los fármacos, en unidades posológicas, costos e importancia en el presupuesto anual 2011, mediante un Análisis de Pareto. Se comparó la información contenida, sobre el uso de estos medicamentos en Neonatología, en los prospectos aprobados por la autoridad sanitaria, en el Vademécum Neonatal de la Sociedad Argentina Pediátrica (SAP) y en dos Formularios Nacionales. Se realizaron búsquedas bibliográficas, en Fuentes Secundarias y Terciarias de información, sobre los medicamentos más utilizados en el SN y se diseñaron Fichas Técnicas (FT). Resultados. Durante 2011 se dispensaron 102 medicamentos, de los cuales 21 representaron el 90,73% del gasto. De 14 medicamentos, analizados en el sitio web del ANMAT, 1 tenía información sobre neonatología en todos sus prospectos, el Vademécum Neonatal sobre 12 medicamentos, mientras que los formularios presentaban información en 9. Se buscó información sobre los medicamentos del Grupo A y B de Pareto, en Fuentes de Información secundarias y terciarias del Centro de Información de Medicamentos (CIME) y del NHRC. La información obtenida, se analizó, y organizó en 14 FT. Conclusiones. De la interpretación del Análisis de Pareto se concluye que 21 medicamentos representaron el 90,73% del gasto anual. De 14 de ellos, solo 1 tenía información en todos sus prospectos para su uso en neonatología y 9 se utilizaron sin licencias. En el vademécum neonatal de la SAP se encontró información para 12. Los dos Formularios Terapéuticos referían información para 9 medicamentos en este grupo etario. Fungo MSM x Al investigar información sobre los medicamentos del Grupo A y B de Pareto, en fuentes de información sobre medicamentos, se obtuvieron resultados tan variables que no fue posible uniformar el contenido de las FT.Fil: Fungo, Marta Stella Maris. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina.Fil: Vega, Elena María. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas; Argentina.Fil: Fontana, Daniela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Hemoderivados; Argentina.Fil: Descalzo, Ana Leonor. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina

Nutrient and bioactive analyses of forests foods for policy making on food and nutrition security in Central Africa

A serious public health challenge may be envisaged in central Africa, especially with a growing population, rapid westernization of traditional African diets and increasing demand for sufficient essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, having the second largest tropical rainforest basin in the world, forest foods that are widely consumed in Central Africa contain adequate essential nutrients such as carotenoids, flavonoids, proanthocyanins, polyphenols, vitamins C and E, Fe, Se, Ca and Na. This review purports that forest foods can considerably contribute towards meeting human nutrient requirements by replacing imported western foods that are generally more expensive and lower in essential nutrients. We recommend that forest foods should be considered in setting nutrition education strategies and formulating policies governing food and nutrition security in Central Africa

Lunnyu soils in the Lake Victoria basin of Uganda: Link to toposequence and soil type

We compared the physico-chemical characteristics of Lunnyu soils using soil type and slope position in order to explain their variability in the Lake Victoria basin of Uganda. Lunnyu patches located on four different soil types (chromic lixisol, mollic gleysols and plinthic ferralsols) were selected. At each patch, the slope was divided into shoulder, back-slope and foot-slope. Five locations along the contour of each landscape position and at distance of 20 to 30 m were located and soil samples taken at two depths (0 to 20 cm and 20 to 40 cm). The soils were analyzed for pH, available P, texture, and exchangeable bases. Lunnyu patches on chromic lixisol and mollic gleysols had higher pH, P, sand, clay and silt compared to those on plinthic ferralsols and petrifferic lixisol. Neither of the soil properties was influenced by landscape position. Soil pH, Ca, Mg, and K were higher in topsoil compared to subsoil. Neither slope position nor the type of lunnyu has showed consistent differences in all the soil properties. Results suggest a pedological explanation in which pH and texture could influence occurrence of the lunnyu soils. We recommend further studies of the pedological properties of the soils and other trace elements that this study has not investigated.Key words: Lunnyu soil, toposequence, soil type, Uganda

Graphite dendrites in cast iron and their fundamental role in the control of morphology to obtain aero-eutectic graphite

This work analyzes the growth of graphite in the eutectic system of gray cast iron, focusing on laminar type A and undercooled type D morphology, and a modified morphology, such as vermicular or compact graphite. The objective of the study is to find an optimal graphite structure, from which a new class of lightweight materials results that has been called aero-eutectic graphite (AEG). The method to obtain AEG consists of dissolving the gray iron ferrous matrix by means of a chemical attack. From experiences of unidirectional solidification, it has been found that laminar graphite grows in a non-faceted way, coupled to austenite, while in vermicular the growth is through foliated dendrites. This characteristic allows vermicular graphite to have a higher specific intrinsic surface area. According to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, the surface of the vermicular was 106.27 m2 g−1, while those corresponding to type A and D were 83.390 m2 g−1 and 89.670 m2 g−1, respectively. AEG with graphite type D was used as a cathode in Li-O2 batteries with satisfactory results, reaching more than 70 charge and discharge cycles, and 150 cycles at this time and still cycling, using Ru(bpy)3(ClO4)2 as redox mediator.Fil: Roviglione, Alicia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Tesio, Alvaro Yamil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy - Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy - Gobierno de la Provincia de Jujuy. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Fungo, Fernando Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: Gregorutti, Ricardo Walter. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

Hydrogen evolution reaction at lead/carbon porous electrodes studied by a novel electrochemical mass spectrometry set-up

Lead–acid batteries are robust, low-cost, and have a large power-to-weight ratio. Recently, small amounts of carbon-based materials with a high surface area have been included in the Pb electrode as additives to improve the high-rate partial state of charge. However, carbon-based materials also enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction during the charging process at the negative active material (NAM), which is undesirable and dangerous. Therefore, in the current communication, a promising differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) set-up suitable for studying the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at technical NAM electrodes in lead–acid batteries (LABs) is reported for the first time.Fil: Mondino, Tomas Miguel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: García, Gonzalo. Universidad de La Laguna; EspañaFil: Pastor, Elena. Universidad de La Laguna; EspañaFil: Fungo, Fernando Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: Planes, Gabriel Angel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; Argentin

Degradabilidad ruminal de gramíneas forrajeras y no forrajeras de un pastizal de planicie bajo pastoreo bovino en función de la distancia a la aguada

El inadecuado manejo del pastoreo en el pastizal natural ha conducido a su sobrepastoreo y degradación. Los cambios producidos en el valor nutritivo de las especies nativas del pastizal a lo largo del año y las altas frecuencias de defoliación podrían explicar cambios en la estructura de los mismos. El objetivo del proyecto fue medir la variación de la degradabilidad ruminal de tres gramíneas nativas, dos forrajeras, Piptochaetium napostaense y Nassella longiglumis y una no forrajera, Nassella tenuissima, luego de la estación de pastoreo y en función de la distancia a la aguada. El trabajo se realizó en un pastizal de planicie, al sur de la provincia de La Pampa. Se utilizaron vacas Aberdeen Angus preñadas, de alrededor de 400 kg, que pastorearon de junio a octubre, en cuatro potreros (repeticiones) de 12 ha cada uno (0,3 U.G. ha­1), con una fuente de agua común. Se establecieron tres áreas respecto a la aguada, cerca: 100­150 m; intermedia: 800­900 m y lejos: 1550­1650 m. Los muestreos se realizaron inmediatamente antes del comienzo del pastoreo (inicial) e inmediatamente después de éste (final). El ensayo se conformó de doce parcelas (estaciones) para cada especie y tiempo, que surgieron de la combinación de los cuatro potreros y las tres distancias. Una vez obtenidas las muestras, éstas fueron secadas y molidas a 3mm. Se tomaron las 36 muestras de cada tiempo de corte y se formaron con ellas "pooles" por especie y distancia a la aguada, quedando un total de 9 muestras por tiempo. Mediante la técnica "in situ", con bolsitas de nylon suspendidas en el rumen de 3 novillos Hereford fistulados (repeticiones), se determinó la degradabilidad efectiva, incubando las muestras durante 9, 15, 24, 48, 72, 96 horas en el rumen. La solubilidad inicial (tiempo 0) se determinó mediante inmersión en baño María a 39 °C durante 15 minutos. Los resultados fueron analizados por ANOVA y las diferencias de medias por prueba de Tukey. No hubo diferencias significativas en la variable bajo análisis a medida que aumentó la distancia a la aguada. Para las fechas de pastoreo solo se encontró diferencias significativas en favor de la degradabilidad efectiva para Nassella tenuissima en el tiempo final. Directora: Rabotnikof, Celia Mónica Co­Directora: Lentz, Betiana Celest