On the contribution of thermal excitation to the total 630.0 nm emissions in the northern cusp ionosphere

Direct impact excitation by precipitating electrons is believed to be the main source of 630.0 nm emissions in the cusp ionosphere. However, this paper investigates a different source, 630.0 emissions caused by thermally excited atomic oxygen O$(^{1}$D) when high electron temperature prevail in the cusp. On 22 January 2012 and 14 January 2013, the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT) radar on Svalbard measured electron temperature enhancements exceeding 3000 K near magnetic noon in the cusp ionosphere over Svalbard. The electron temperature enhancements corresponded to electron density enhancements exceeding $10^{11}$m$^{-3}$ accompanied by intense 630.0 nm emissions in a field of view common to both the EISCAT Svalbard radar and a meridian scanning photometer. This offered an excellent opportunity to investigate the role of thermally excited O$(^{1}$D) 630.0 nm emissions in the cusp ionosphere. The thermal component was derived from the EISCAT Radar measurements and compared with optical data. For both events the calculated thermal component had a correlation coefficient greater than 0.8 to the total observed 630.0 nm intensity which contains both thermal and particle impact components. Despite fairly constant solar wind, the calculated thermal component intensity fluctuated possibly due to dayside transients in the aurora

Direct vision internal urethrotomy in 459 urethral stricture patients at Mulago Hospital, Kampala

Four hundred and fifty nine patients seen with simple urethral strictures between 1990 and 1998 underwent direct vision  urethrotomy.. The procedure was successful in 441 patients and failed in only 18 patients. Postoperative complications included fever in 31 patients, urethral bleeding in 14 and epididymitis in 17 patients. The average  hospital stay for patients who did not develop  complications was 3 days. In  conclusion, direct vision internal urethrotomy can be used to treat simple urethral  strictures. It is an easy and short procedure and only associated with minor complications.Keywords: Direct vision, internal, urethrotomy, urethral and strictur

Prevalence and patterns of undescended testis among primary school pupils in Kampala, Uganda

A cross sectional study was undertaken with the main objective of determining the prevalence and patterns of undescended testis (UDT) among 437 primary  School pupils from randomly selected primary schools in one Division of  ampala in Uganda. The study variables included age, tribe, scrotal findings, side and location of the undescended testis plus associated groin and external genitalia abnormalities. UDT was found in 27 of the 437 children. The right side alone was involved in 17 (63%), the left alone in 5 (18.5%) and was bilateral in five cases (18.5%). Sixteen (59%) of UDT were palpable in the inguinal region while in 11 (41%) could not be palpated. Ultrasonography of the groin area located five of the 11 impalpable testes. This study showed that the prevalence of UDT in the study population was 5.5% and occurred more commonly on the right side and the superficial inguinal pouch was the commonest site.Key words: Prevalence, pattern. Undescended and testis

Modelling South Africa’s incentives under the motor industry development programme

Despite it being a global phenomenon, there is no formal process to guide governments’ offer of incentives to industry. Specific to South Africa, the offer of incentives to the automotive industry to support its competitiveness has had mixed results. Industry trade deficit has consistently increased and investment in R&D has remained minimal. The purpose of the study was to develop a formal model to determine the effect of changes in the value and basis of the Productive Asset Allowance (PAA) incentive on industry competitiveness and on industry trade balance. An overview of the South African automotive industry, automotive policy and industry performance under the country’s Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) was done. This was followed by literature review on investment, investment incentives, R&D and competitiveness. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through observer participation in the study situation and expert opinion interviews. A formal modelling process of the PAA based on the system dynamics modelling protocol followed. The PAA model had to be extended to incorporate the Import-Export Complementation (IEC) incentive structure because of the intertwined nature of the effect of PAA and IEC on industry dynamics. The study findings as per the specific study objectives were as follows: • The prospect of the PAA to support the competitiveness objective was dependent on the extent to which the incentive would motivate technological innovation in the automotive industry. • The often-assumed positive relationship between investment and investment incentives was not universal. Each case of industry incentive offer has to be judged on its own merit. • The PAA had a significant and positive effect on industry investment, but limited ability to support long-term industry competitiveness though R&D and innovative activities. • The IEC rather than the PAA incentive was the major contributor to the industry trade balance trend. • The PAA-IEC incentive model exhibited time-bound constraints. The model demonstrated saturation as benefits awarded to industry tended towards the domestic market size over time. • The PAA-IEC incentive model had no specific policy lever to direct investment into R&D and innovative activities. By this measure the model was not a strong policy framework for supporting long-term industry competitiveness. For the South African automotive industry, the study introduced and showed the usefulness of applying system dynamics modelling in understanding causes of unintended consequences of government incentives to the industry. For countries in which offer of incentives is part of the national industrial policy, the study provided scientific means through which the question of how to structure incentives can be objectively investigated as a means of improving policy decisions on such industry intervention.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009.Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)unrestricte

Comparison of Desarda versus modified Bassini inguinal hernia repair: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Although the tension free inguinal hernia repair with a mesh is the standard technique in many developed countries, its use has remained low in the developing world due to the initial cost of the mesh. The most commonly used method in Mulago hospital is modified Bassini. The main aim of this study was to compare the short-term out come of Desarda’s versus modified Bassini inguinal hernia repair.Methods: One hundred and eight patients each with a unilateral, primary, reducible inguinal hernia were recruited through the surgical out patients department. Patients were randomly assigned to either the Desarda’s or Modified Bassini inguinal hernia repair. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale 1 to 2 hours after the operation, on the 3rd post operative day (POD) and again on the 7th POD. The gait was assessed on the 7th POD for all the patients and again on the 14th POD for those patients who had not attained their normal gait or had any postoperative wound complications on the 7th POD.Results: Of the 108 patients recruited, 88 (81%) were male and 20(19%) female. 3 patients were lost to follow up and 1 had an emergency laparotomy. The mean POD for resumption of normal gait was 3.62 for both methods. There was no statistically significant difference between the days of resumption of normal gait between the two methods (p-value = 0.94). There were no major complications using either of the two methods. There was no statistically significant difference between the two methods as regards the postoperative pain patterns 2 hours postoperative, on 3rd POD and on the 7th POD.Conclusion: There is no difference in short-term outcome between Desarda and modified Bassini inguinal hernia repair as regards resumption of normal gait and patterns of pain

Nasogastric Tube Knotting: Two Case Reports from Kampala, Uganda

Background: Nasogastric tube (NGT) use is common in patients’ care right from basic health units to tertiary hospitals. NGT knotting is a very rare complications associated with its insertion. In this review, we present two cases of NGT knottingencountered in two cases. Case Reports: The two cases presented around the same time in two major hospitals in Kampala. One was a 60-year female (Case 1) and another, a 24-year old female (Case 2). Both cases had been admitted with clinical features of small bowel obstruction secondary to adhesions. At surgery, Case 1 had resection and primary anastomosis for a gangrenous loop of ileum. Case 2 was first managed conservatively failing of which she had a laparotomy. As part of their preoperative management, they had a NGTs inserted, while fully conscious. The NGTs functioned well pre-operative, intraoperative and postoperative. Postoperatively, they both had difficulty NGT removal. Case 1 was a case of “overhand” knotting, while case 2 was a complex, “4-loop”knot, of plastic NGT. Conclusion: A review of literature reveals that no such cases have been documented from the East African region, and offer lesson for surgeons and gynaecologists. Healthcare providers should be aware of this and complication and how to ‘troubleshoot” the problem