THE PLASTICITY INDEX OF INORGANIC CLAY

This paper presents a model that can be used to compute the plasticity index of inorganic soil using the correlation between the liquid limit and the plasticity index. The model was developed using British fall cone Atterberg limit test results using 120 inorganic soils of widely varying plasticity, including commercial bentonite, and validated using 136 Atterberg limits test results from the literature. Analysis of the Atterberg limits data of widely varying plasticity characteristics and geological origin indicates that the plasticity index of most inorganic soil follows a well-defined trajectory in the space of liquid limit and plasticity index, which can be modeled mathematically, suggesting that each liquid limit is associated with a unique value of the plasticity index. This paper presents a model that can be used to compute the plasticity index of inorganic soil using the correlation between the liquid limit and the plasticity index. The model was developed using British fall cone Atterberg limit test results using 120 inorganic soils of widely varying plasticity, including commercial bentonite, and validated using 136 Atterberg limits test results from the literature. Analysis of the Atterberg limits data of widely varying plasticity characteristics and geological origin indicates that the plasticity index of most inorganic soil follows a well-defined trajectory in the space of liquid limit and plasticity index, which can be modeled mathematically, suggesting that each liquid limit is associated with a unique value of the plasticity index

Traditional Eye Medicines in Tanzania: Products, Health Risk Awareness and Safety Evaluation

Background information: Eyes are delicate sensory organs necessary to give comfort for our life. Eye treatment requires special attention to avoid serious medical problems including blindness. Traditional eye medicines (TEM) are in most cases of unknown chemical nature, and vital parameters like sterility and pH are not controlled subjecting users to partial or total vision disability. Aims: This work was aimed at systematic presentation of previously documented Tanzania TEM, documenting similar products, assessment of awareness of TEM health risks and safety evaluation. Methodology: Data from previous studies was obtained from published journal articles and books. Ethno pharmacological study was conducted in Kigoma district by interviewing traditional healers and knowledgeable people guided by the structured questionnaire. Awareness on TEM associated health risks and later Safety evaluation was done based on pH values determination and culturing of lizard droppings on three culture media. Results: TEM reported in this study are 80medicinal plants belonging to 42 families, animal excreta and unrefined salt. Among the interviewees, 65% were unaware of health risks associated with the use of TEM. The pH of the tested product was ranging between 2.5 and 6.57. Lizard droppings showed contamination of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and fungi

Early childhood education in Tanzania: Views and beliefs of stakeholders on its status and development

Globally, there is consensus among education stakeholders that early childhood education sets a foundation for children’s development, learning, and future life achievements. While global perceptions of early childhood care and education (ECCE) have been broadly explored in other parts of the world, little is known about ECCE in Tanzania even though it is ideally a compulsory part of formal basic education for every child before joining grade one. This study investigated the status of early childhood education (ECE) in Tanzania by critically analyzing the views and beliefs of stakeholders on its status and development. The study recruited two policy makers, 14 ECE college principals, 34 preprimary college tutors, and three ECE academics using a homogeneous sampling technique. Employing a phenomenological research design, the study used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions (FGD) and documentary analyses in collecting the required data.  Findings revealed that while in the policy and curriculum documents ECE holds equal status with other levels of education, it holds extremely low status among education stakeholders, resulting in ill-prepared preservice ECE teachers and limited parent-school engagement. To improve the quality of ECE in Tanzania, stakeholders suggested improvements in the quality and quantity of preservice teachers, including detachment of preprimary classes from primary schools and establishment of an integrated ECCE policy, guidelines, and practices to be completed by an ECCE joint taskforce.  Further, in-service training for ECE college tutors and principals is critically important, as is concentration of limited resources in few selected teachers’ colleges

Antibacterial, Anti-HIV-1 Protease and Cytotoxic Activities of Aqueous Ethanolic Extracts from Combretum Adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae).

\ud \ud Records have shown that Combretum adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) is used in traditional medicine systems of several tribes in Tanzania. This study focused on the investigation of antibacterial activity, anti-HIV-1 protease activity, toxicity properties and classes of phytochemicals in extracts from C. adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) to evaluate potential of these extracts for development as herbal remedies. Dried plant material were ground to fine powder and extracted using 80% aqueous ethanol to afford root, leaf and stem bark extracts. The extracts were assayed for anti-HIV-1 protease activities, antibacterial activities using microdilution methods and cytotoxicity using brine shrimps lethality assay. Screening for major phytochemical classes was carried out using standard chemical tests. All extracts exhibited antibacterial activity to at least one of the test bacteria with MIC-values ranging from 0.31-5.0 mg/ml. Two extracts, namely, root and stem bark exhibited anti-HIV-1 PR activity with IC50 values of 24.7 and 26.5 μg/ml, respectively. Stem bark and leaf extracts showed mild toxicity with LC50 values of 65.768 μg/ml and 76.965 μg/ml, respectively, whereas roots were relatively non-toxic (LC50 = 110.042 μg/ml). Phytochemical screening of the extracts indicated presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides and saponins. These results provide promising baseline information for the potential development of C. adenogonium extracts in treatment of bacterial and HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections

Fantastic beasts and why to conserve them: animals, magic and biodiversity conservation

There is a broad set of human beliefs, attitudes and behaviours around the issue of magical animals, referring to both mythical animals not recognized by science and extant animals that are recognized by science but have magical properties. This is a broad issue ranging from spiritual beliefs around mythical animals living in Malagasy forests, to cultural heritage associated with the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland. Beliefs and behaviours around magical animals can have positive and negative impacts on biodiversity conservation goals. Yet, so far, the discipline of conservation biology has not adequately considered magical animals, neglecting to account for the broader knowledge from outside the natural sciences on this issue, and taking a narrow, utilitarian approach to how magical animals should be managed, without necessarily considering the broader impacts on conservation goals or ethics. Here we explore how magical animals can influence conservation goals, how conservation biology and practice has thought about magical animals, and some of the limitations of current approaches, particularly the failure to consider magical animals as part of wider systems of belief and culture. We argue that magical animals and their implications for conservation merit wider consideration

"After my husband's circumcision, I know that I am safe from diseases": Women's Attitudes and Risk Perceptions Towards Male Circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania.

While male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is little evidence that circumcision provides women with direct protection against HIV. This study used qualitative methods to assess women's perceptions of male circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania. Women in this study had strong preferences for circumcised men because of the low risk perception of HIV with circumcised men, social norms favoring circumcised men, and perceived increased sexual desirability of circumcised men. The health benefits of male circumcision were generally overstated; many respondents falsely believed that women are also directly protected against HIV and that the risk of all STIs is greatly reduced or eliminated in circumcised men. Efforts to engage women about the risks and limitations of male circumcision, in addition to the benefits, should be expanded so that women can accurately assess their risk of HIV or STIs during sexual intercourse with circumcised men

Ethnopharmacological survey of Samburu district, Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ethnobotanical pharmacopoeia is confidently used in disease intervention and there is need for documentation and preservation of traditional medical knowledge to bolster the discovery of novel drugs. The objective of the present study was to document the indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and their extinction threats in Samburu District, Kenya.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Field research was conducted in six divisions of Samburu District in Kenya. We randomly sampled 100 consented interviewees stratified by age, gender, occupation and level of education. We collected plant use data through semi-structured questionnaires; transect walks, oral interviews and focus groups discussions. Voucher specimens of all cited botanic species were collected and deposited at University of Nairobi's botany herbarium.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data on plant use from the informants yielded 990 citations on 56 medicinal plant species, which are used to treat 54 different animal and human diseases including; malaria, digestive disorders, respiratory syndromes and ectoparasites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The ethnomedicinal use of plant species was documented in the study area for treatment of both human and veterinary diseases. The local population has high ethnobotanical knowledge and has adopted sound management conservation practices. The major threatening factors reported were anthropogenic and natural. Ethnomedical documentation and sustainable plant utilization can support drug discovery efforts in developing countries.</p

<b>THE PLASTICITY INDEX OF INORGANIC CLAY</b>

This paper presents a model that can be used to compute the plasticity index of inorganic soil using the correlation between the liquid limit and the plasticity index. The model was developed using British fall cone Atterberg limit test results using 120 inorganic soils of widely varying plasticity, including commercial bentonite, and validated using 136 Atterberg limits test results from the literature.Analysis of the Atterberg limits data of widely varying plasticity characteristics and geological origin indicates that the plasticity index of most inorganic soil follows a well-defined trajectory in the space of liquid limit and plasticity index, which can be modeled mathematically, suggesting that each liquid limit is associated with a unique value of the plasticity index.</p

VALIDATION OF NUCLEAR GAUGE DENSITY-METER READINGS AGAINST SAND REPLACEMENT METHOD

This paper presents wet density and moisture content comparative test results of surface nuclear gauge density-meter against sand replacement method. The test results were obtained by carrying out field density parallel testing, whereby the density and moisture readings were determined first using a nuclear gauge density-meter followed by the sand replacement method. The use of “multiple shift coefficients” developed from a linear regression model as a means of adjusting and calibrating the nuclear gauge density-meter readings against sand replacement test results is propose