Organochlorine pesticide residues in soil from sugarcane plantations in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Soil samples from the Tanganyika Planting Company (TPC) sugarcane plantations in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, an area of intensive pesticide application, were analysed for historic and current-use pesticidecontamination. Twenty eight samples were collected from 7 stations within and outside the plantations during the dry and the rainy seasons. Solid-liquid extraction and gel-permeation chromatography methods were usedbefore analysis of pesticides by GC-ECD and GC-MS. Blank and spiked recovery tests were used to validate the analytical procedure. DDT and its metabolites (p,p’-DDD and p,p’-DDE), aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor,heptachlor epoxide, HCHs (-a, -b, -d and -g  isomers), and chlordane were detected in more than 90% of the samples analysed in concentrations ranging from below detection limits (bdl) to 745.9 ng/g dw. The detectionand concentration trends were ÓDDT > ÓHCH > Óheptachlor > dieldrin > g-chlordane > aldrin. The highest concentration values were obtained during the dry season and in the application areas. The presence oforganochlorine pesticide residues at concentrations reported in this study two decades after cessation of their use emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring and risk assessments

Pesticide residues in water from TPC sugarcane plantations and environs, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania

We report herein, the analysis of water samples collected from TPC Sugarcane Plantation and its environs in Kilimanjaro region, which is the earliest intensive user of pesticides in Tanzania. A total of 50 water samples collected from 18 sampling sites between 2000 and 2001 were analyzed for pesticide residues. The organochlorines aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, HCHs, endosulfans and DDTs were detected with mean concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 636.7 ng/l. DDT and its metabolites were the most dominant in the detected residues whereas the endosulfans were the least dominant The residues\' concentrations were higher in the sugarcane fields than in the environs, although the fresh use of banned pesticides was evident in samples collected from the plantation's environs. In most of the sites, samples had higher concentrations and frequencies during the dry season than the rainy season. It is worth noting that the water from the rivers in the immediate environs of the plantation, which are also used for domestic purposes, had residue levels below the WHO recommended maximum residue levels for drinking water with the exception of River Kikavu. Tanzania Journal of Science Vol. 31 (1) 2005: pp. 13-2

OLEDs are Lit

This video was created as part of Professor Gary Woods’ ELEC305 Spring 2017 group video assignment. Students were challenged to create a video for a college audience that explains “how something works” and how it is used in the “real world.

Improving surgical quality in low-income and middle-income countries: why do some health facilities perform better than others?

BACKGROUND: Evidence on heterogeneity in outcomes of surgical quality interventions in low-income and middle-income countries is limited. We explored factors driving performance in the Safe Surgery 2020 intervention in Tanzania's Lake Zone to distil implementation lessons for low-resource settings. METHODS: We identified higher (n=3) and lower (n=3) performers from quantitative data on improvement from 14 safety and teamwork and communication indicators at 0 and 12 months from 10 intervention facilities, using a positive deviance framework. From 72 key informant interviews with surgical providers across facilities at 1, 6 and 12 months, we used a grounded theory approach to identify practices of higher and lower performers. RESULTS: Performance experiences of higher and lower performers differed on the following themes: (1) preintervention context, (2) engagement with Safe Surgery 2020 interventions, (3) teamwork and communication orientation, (4) collective learning orientation, (5) role of leadership, and (6) perceived impact of Safe Surgery 2020 and beyond. Higher performers had a culture of teamwork which helped them capitalise on Safe Surgery 2020 to improve surgical ecosystems holistically on safety practices, teamwork and communication. Lower performers prioritised overhauling safety practices and began considering organisational cultural changes much later. Thus, while also improving, lower performers prioritised different goals and trailed higher performers on the change continuum. CONCLUSION: Future interventions should be tailored to facility context and invest in strengthening teamwork, communication and collective learning and facilitate leadership engagement to build a receptive climate for successful implementation of safe surgery interventions

ShangRing versus Mogen clamp for early infant male circumcision in eastern sub-Saharan Africa: A multicentre, non-inferiority, adaptive, randomised controlled trial

Background: Use of medical devices represents a unique opportunity to facilitate scale-up of early infant male circumcision (EIMC) across sub-Saharan Africa. The ShangRing, a circumcision device prequalified by WHO, is approved for use in adults and adolescents and requires topical anaesthesia only. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the ShangRing versus the Mogen clamp for EIMC in infants across eastern sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: In this multicentre, non-inferiority, open-label, randomised controlled trial, we enrolled healthy male infants (aged Findings: Between Sept 17, 2018, and Dec 20, 2019, a total of 1420 infants were assessed for eligibility, of whom 1378 (97·0%) were enrolled. 689 (50·0%) infants were randomly assigned to undergo EIMC by ShangRing and 689 (50·0%) by Mogen clamp. 43 (6·2%) adverse events were observed in the ShangRing group and 61 (8·9%) in the Mogen clamp group (p=0·078). The most common treatment-related AE was intraoperative pain (Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score ≥5), with 19 (2·8%) events in the ShangRing and 23 (3·3%) in the Mogel clamp group. Rates of moderate and severe AEs were similar between both groups (29 [4·2%] in the ShangRing group vs 30 [4·4%] in the Mogen clamp group; difference –0·1%; one-sided 95% CI upper limit of 1·7%; p=0·89). No treatment-related deaths were reported. Interpretation: Use of the ShangRing device for EIMC showed safety, achieved high caregiver satisfaction, and did not differ from the Mogen clamp in other key measures. The ShangRing could be used by health systems and international organisations to further scale up EIMC across sub-Saharan Africa