The use of electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness at Umzimkulu Hospital in Transkei A retrospective study

Out of 1816 patients admitted to Umzimkulu Hospital between 1976 and 1982, 378 (20,8%) received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in combination with drugs. The use of ECT at this hospital is described and comparisons are made between ECT and non-ECT patients using length of stay in hospital as the criterion variable. The percentage of patients receiving ECT dropped from 32% in 1976 to 6% in 1982, when it was discontinued. ECT patients tended to be slightly younger and stayed in hospital a few days more. There was a tendency for all groups of patients, male v. female, first admissions v. previously admitted, to stay in hospital slightly longer if they received ECT. It is suggested that the use of ECT in addition to neuroleptics was probably a reflectio!l of the severity of symptomatology

Dialogue to address the roots of resource competition: Lessons for policy and practice

Conflict management is an intrinsic element of natural resource management, and becomes increasingly important amid growing pressure on natural resources from local uses, as well as from external drivers such as climate change and international investment. If policymakers and practitioners aim to truly improve livelihood resilience and reduce vulnerabilities of poor rural households, issues of resource competition and conflict management cannot be ignored. This synthesis report summarizes outcomes and lessons from three ecoregions: Lake Victoria, with a focus on Uganda; Lake Kariba, with a focus on Zambia; and Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Partners used a common approach to stakeholder engagement and action research that we call “Collaborating for Resilience”. In each region, partners assisted local stakeholders in developing a shared understanding of risks and opportunities, weighing alternative actions, developing action plans, and evaluating and learning from the outcomes. These experiences demonstrate that investing in capacities for conflict management is practical and can contribute to broader improvements in resource governance

Mathematical Model for HIV/AIDS with Complacency in a Population with Declining Prevalence

An HIV/AIDS model incorporating complacency for the adult population is formulated. Complacency is assumed a function of number of AIDS cases in a community with an inverse relation. A method to find the equilibrium state of the model is given by proving a stated theorem. An example to illustrate use of the theorem is also given. Model analysis and simulations show that complacency resulting from dependence of HIV transmission on number of AIDS cases in a community leads to damped periodic oscillations in the number of infectives with oscillations more marked at lower rates of progression to AIDS. The implications of these results to public health with respect to monitoring the HIV/AIDS epidemic and widespread use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs is discussed

An assessment of the readiness for introduction of the HPV vaccine in Uganda

Formative research assessing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine readiness in Uganda was conducted in 2007. The objective was to generate evidence for government decision-making and operationalplanning for HPV vaccine introduction. Qualitative research methods with children, parents, teachers, community leaders, health workers, technical experts and political leaders were used to captureunderstanding of socio-cultural, health system and policy environments. We found low levels of knowledge about cervical cancer and HPV. Vaccination and its benefits were well-understood;respondents were positive about HPV vaccination. Health systems were deemed adequate for HPV vaccine delivery. Schools were identifie as a vaccination venue, given high attendance by girls aged10-12 years. Communication and advocacy strategies to foster acceptance should provide information on cervical cancer, HPV vaccine safety, and side effects. Policymakers requested further detail on costs.Introduction of HPV vaccine could be integrated into existing reproductive health and immunization policies (Afr J Reprod Health 2008; 12[3]:159-172)

A one health approach to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in Wakiso District, Uganda

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), as one of the global strategies to promote responsible use of antimicrobials to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR), remains poor in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We implemented a project aimed at strengthening AMS in Wakiso district, Uganda using a One Health approach. A total of 86 health practitioners (HPs), including animal health workers, and 227 community health workers (CHWs) participated in training workshops, and over 300 pupils from primary schools were sensitized on AMR, AMS, and infection prevention and control (IPC). We further established two multidisciplinary online communities of practice (CoPs) for health professionals and students, with a current membership of 321 and 162, respectively. In addition, a Medicine and Therapeutics Committee (MTC) was set up at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital. The project evaluation, conducted three months after training, revealed that the majority of the HPs (92.2%) and CHWs (90.3%) reported enhanced practices, including improved hand washing (57.3% and 81.0%, respectively). In addition, 51.5% of the HPs reported a reduction in the quantity of unnecessary antibiotics given per patient. This project demonstrates that AMS interventions using a One Health approach can promote understanding of the prudent use of antimicrobials and improve practices at health facilities and in communities

Theories for influencer identification in complex networks

In social and biological systems, the structural heterogeneity of interaction networks gives rise to the emergence of a small set of influential nodes, or influencers, in a series of dynamical processes. Although much smaller than the entire network, these influencers were observed to be able to shape the collective dynamics of large populations in different contexts. As such, the successful identification of influencers should have profound implications in various real-world spreading dynamics such as viral marketing, epidemic outbreaks and cascading failure. In this chapter, we first summarize the centrality-based approach in finding single influencers in complex networks, and then discuss the more complicated problem of locating multiple influencers from a collective point of view. Progress rooted in collective influence theory, belief-propagation and computer science will be presented. Finally, we present some applications of influencer identification in diverse real-world systems, including online social platforms, scientific publication, brain networks and socioeconomic systems.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure

A simplified quantitative real-time PCR assay for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 growth in cell culture

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected millions within just a few months, causing severe respiratory disease and mortality. Assays to monitor SARS-CoV-2 growt