Development of a One-Way Coupled Diffraction/Trapped Air Model for Predicting Wave Loading on Bridge Superstructure Under Water Wave Attack

In recent years, a number of researchers have applied various computational methods to study wind wave and tsunami forcing on bridge superstructure problems. Usually, these computational analyses rely upon application of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes. While CFD models may provide reasonable results, their disadvantage is that they tend to be computationally expensive. During this study, an alternative computational method was explored in which a previously-developed diffraction model was combined with a previously-developed trapped air model under worst-case wave loading conditions (i.e. when the water surface was at the same elevation as the bottom bridge chord elevation). The governing equations were solved using a finite difference algorithm in MATLAB for the case where the bridge was impacted by a single wave in two dimensions. Resultant inertial and drag water forces were computed by integrating water pressure contacting the bridge superstructure in the horizontal and vertical directions, while resultant trapped air forces (high-frequency oscillatory forces or sometimes called “slamming forces” in the literature) were computed by integrating air pressure along the bottom of the bridge deck in the vertical direction. The trapped air model was also used to compute the buoyancy force on the bridge due to trapped air. Results were compared with data from experiments that were conducted at the University of Florida in 2009. Results were in good agreement when a length-scale coefficient associated with the trapped air model was properly calibrated. The computational time associated with the model was only approximately one hour per bridge configuration, which would appear to be a significant improvement when compared with other computational techniqu

Microbial Quality of Traditional Banana Alcoholic Beverages in Arusha, Tanzania

The objective of this study was to asses the microbial quality and hygienic practices of banana alcoholic beverages produced at Arusha region. The qualitative data were obtained by survey and laboratory analysis. The results from survey which involve interviewing the production attendant selected at random from 12 small scale processing industries showed that out of 12 respondents 66.7% were male and the majority of respondents 75% had primary education level (grade school) and large number of respondents 91.7% were not have any knowledge about food handling. Wine filling is done manually by 75% of all processors. Although all production attendants wash hands before wine fillings but 83.3% use normal soap instead of disinfectant. Total count and coliforms was found ranging from 113-253 × 103cfu/ml, 92-254× 103cfu/ml and 0.075-3.8 × 103cfu/ml, 0.0015-0.77× 103cfu/ml for prebottled and bottled banana alcoholic beverages respectively. Confirmatory test was done for the presence or absence of E-coli and some samples confirmed to have E-coli. No Samonella was detected in any sample. The unhygienic processing and bottling of banana alcoholic beverages lead to serious bacterial contamination. Consuming such contaminated product may cause a public health problem. Keywords: traditional banana alcoholic beverages, microbial quality, hygienic practice

Antiretroviral therapy clinic attendance among children aged 0-14 years in Kahama district, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Background: Efforts made to scale up care and treatment for HIV in Tanzania have started to pay off. The number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has massively increased owing to an increase in investment made. However, this is not reflected in all populations, especially children living with HIV. This study, therefore, aims to determine the magnitude and factors associated with ART uptake among children living with HIV in Kahama district, Tanzania.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among pairs of children aged 0-14 years and their caregivers. A total of 423 randomly selected caregivers of HIV-positive children were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The outcome variable was ART uptake while independent variables constituted of socio-demographic, health facility, and systemic factors.Results: A total of 132 (31%) of all caregivers reported to have missed at least one clinic visit for their children during a period of three months before the survey. Of them, one in four missed at least two clinics. Caregivers cited factors such as lack of transport fare and distance to the health facility as barriers to attend the planned clinics. After adjusting for the important confounders and other covariates, factors associated with ART uptake were being divorced/widowed (AOR= 0.57, 95% CI; 0.33-0.97) and having primary education or more (AOR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11-0, 82).Conclusion: One in every three HIV-positive children miss their scheduled routine ART clinics in Kahama, Shinyanga. Tailored interventions should target caregivers of such children who are divorced or widowed and those with low or no education while addressing distance and transportation challenges in this and other areas with similar contexts. 

Factors associated with stunting in Dodoma region, Tanzania

Child undernutrition is a major public health concern, claiming the lives of numerous children below five years of age in the developing world. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with stunting of children of age 6 – 23 months in Dodoma Municipality and Chamwino District in Dodoma region. Dodoma region located in the central zone of Tanzania was chosen for this study because of its high prevalence (56%) of stunting among children under five years of age. A systematic random sampling technique was used to choose wards, villages, and households that had children aged 6 - 23 months, resulting in 394 households participating in this cross-sectional study. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information and infant feeding practices. Anthropometric measurements were taken as per WHO standard procedures. A repeated 24-hour dietary recall was used to assess food intake among the study population. Multivariate logistic regression using backward stepwise selection method was used to obtain independent factors of stunting. The overall prevalence of stunting was 40.4% (95% CI; 29.8; 50.9), Chamwino District had a higher prevalence of stunting (44.3%) compared to Dodoma municipality (26.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, age of introduction of complementary food [AOR = 13.3; (95% CI: 2.6 – 67.6)], maternal education [AOR = 5.5; (95% CI: 1.0 – 9.8)], residence in Chamwino District [AOR = 3.2; (95% CI: 1.3 – 5.9)] were factors associated with stunting. About half of the study population (49%) was introduced to complementary foods early, the median age was four months instead of 6 months as recommended by WHO. Infant’s diet was mainly cereal-based, other foods such as animal food source, fruits, and dairy products were consumed by 18%, 11% and 7.1% of children respectively. The dietary pattern of infants was not diversified as 47.7% of infants scored 1 to 3 points out of 12 points categorized as low dietary diversity. Failure to attain normal growth pattern is the most prevalent form of undernutrition in childhood. Associated factors are many, diverse and interrelated. The present study identified maternal education, early introduction of complementary foods and being a resident of Chamwino District as factors to be associated with stunting. Prioritization of identified factors serves as a highlight for better planning of nutrition intervention programs that intend to promote child growth.Key words: Stunting, nutrition status, 6 – 23 months, dietary diversity and complementary foo

Causes, magnitude and management of burns in under-fives in district hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Objectives: To determine the causes, magnitude and management of burns in children under five years of age who were admitted in the district hospitals of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. Methods: In this study, a total of 204 under fives were enrolled. Questionnaires were used to elicit if the parent/caretaker had the knowledge of the cause of the burns, what was done immediately after burn injury, first aid given immediately after burn, source of the knowledge of first aid and when the child was taken to the hospital. Also the questionnaire was cited with data on the management of burns in the hospitals through observation and checking the treatment files. Results: Forty nine percent were males while 50.5% were females. Most of the children (54.9%) were aged between 1-2 years. 78.4% had scalds while 21.6% had flame burns. No children were found to have burns caused by chemicals or electricity. Most of the burns (97.5%) occurred accidentally, although some (2.5%) were intentional. 68.6% of these burn injuries occurred in the kitchen. Immediately after burn 87.3% of the children had first aid applied on their wounds while 12.7% didn\u27t apply anything. Of the agents used, honey was the most used (32.8%) followed by cold water (16.7%). The source of knowledge on these agents was from relatives and friends (72.5%), schools (7%), media (6%) and medical personnel (14%). The study further revealed that analgesics, intravenous fluids, antiseptics and antibiotics were the drugs used for treatment of burns in the hospital and that there was no specialized unit for burns in the hospitals. Conclusions: Causes of childhood burns are largely preventable requiring active social/medical education and public enlighten campaigns on the various methods of prevention. The government to see to it that hospitals have specialized units for managing burn cases and also the socio-economic status of its people be improved

Formulation of a novel mixed dried vegetables product for improved iron, zinc and vitamin A accessibility

This research article published by Taylor & Francis online, 2018Micronutrients are an important part of human nutrition that support survival and functioning of the body. Vegetables play a major role in the supply of micronutrients to human diet. In this study, different ratios of F1 (1:1:1), F2 (2:1:1), F3 (1:1:2) and F4 (1:2:1) by weight of solar-dried Moringa oleifera leaves (ML), Ipomoea batatas leaves (IBL) and Daucus carota (DC) were studied to determine the optimum mix for a novel product formulation. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) was used for the evaluation of iron and zinc, while β-carotene was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results for iron in the formulated products were 39.71, 58.54, 19.41 and 50.98 mg/100g for F1, F2, F3 and F4, respectively. On the other hand, zinc values were 1.75, 2.15, 1.40 and 1.80 mg/100g for F1, F2, F3 and F4, respectively. Beta-carotene values were 3.58, 4.16, 4.34 and 2.40 mg/100g for F1, F2, F3 and F4, respectively. A significant variation in zinc, iron and β-carotene among all formulations (p < 0.05) was observed. Formulation F2 was highly associated with zinc (R2 = 0.963) and iron (R2 = 0.998) and based on these parameters was selected as the best novel vegetable product formulation. Therefore, mixed solar-dried vegetables powder at a ratio of 2:1:1 for ML, IBL and DC, respectively, can be promoted to ensure the supply of iron, zinc and β-carotene in the diet throughout the year

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli in raw milk value chain in Arusha, Tanzania

This research article published by American Journal of Research Communication, Vol 2(9), 2014This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in milk value chain in Arusha, Tanzania. A total of 75 raw milk samples were collected from smallholder dairy farmers, street vendors and outlet shops in Arusha and Arumeru districts. A questionnaire survey was also used to assess hygienic practices along the chain. Salmonella and E. coli were detected in 28/75 (37.33%) and 68/75 (90.67%) samples, respectively. Bangata ward in Arusha showed relatively high prevalence of Salmonella spp. (42.11%) while Akeri ward in Arumeru showed relatively low prevalence (31.58%). In milk value chain, the highest prevalence was observed in street vendors (43.75%) while the lowest prevalence was in dairy farms (33.33%). Mean count for E. coli from milk producers, vendors and shops were 3.0 x 103 , 8 x 103 and 6.6 x 103 cfu/mL, respectively, indicating a significant (p < 0.05) increase in E. coli load along the chain. Furthermore, confirmatory test showed that Salmonella isolates were predominantly identified as Salmonella enterica serovar Arizonae. Besides, Salmonella and E. coli, other enterobacteria detected were Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Serratia marcescens. Taken together, qualitative and quantitative findings revealed that poor animal husbandry, poor hygienic practices, lack of refrigeration and less awareness of the zoonotic pathogens had a significant impact on the prevalence of detected bacteria, posing a public health risk

Screening local cereal-based beverages in Tanzania for yeast contaminants

This research article published by International Journal of Biosciences, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2021During spontaneous fermentation of cereals; yeasts ferment carbohydrates to produce alcohol and they also provide vitamins, amino acids, peptides, and nucleotides needed by lactic acid bacteria as well as produce flavour compounds. Nevertheless, spontaneous fermentation is prone to yeast contamination from the surroundings which pose a health risk of opportunistic yeast infection. A study was carried out involving culturing, isolation and identification of yeast contaminants present in the local cereal-based beverages namely Kindi, Kimpumu, Togwa and Mbege purposively sampled and collected from Morogoro, Mbeya and Kilimanjaro regions in Tanzania between February and May 2019. The results disclosed 24% of the yeasts actively involved in the fermentation were opportunistic and identified as Candida zeylanoides, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus gattii, Rhodotorula minuta, Candida ciferrii, and Candida dubliniensis. Such contamination levels from the studied samples sets a base for further research to establish mechanisms of reducing exposure of cereal-based beverage consumers to pathogenic effects of the opportunistic yeasts which may include infections by Candida spp

Nutrient composition and selected physicochemical properties of fifteen Mchare cooking bananas: A study conducted in northern Tanzania

This research article published by Elsevier, 2019This study investigated the proximate composition, selected minerals potassium (K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) and some quality attributes of fifteen Mchare cooking bananas mainly consumed in northern Tanzania. Analyses were conducted using the standard methods to ascertain bananas’ potential in food-based strategies in order to improve nutrition-sensitive agriculture and address hidden-hunger. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared. There were significant differences in all parameters assessed. Results further indicated that the moisture content ranged from 66 to 74 g/100 g; ash 0.66 to 1.50 g/100 g; fat 0.10 to 0.60 g/100 g; fiber 1.0 to 3.0 g/100 g; carbohydrate 22 to 30 g/100 g. Mineral content ranged from 306 to 469 mg/100 g; 3.0 to 6.0 mg/100 g; 0.4 to 1.0 mg/100 g and 0.10 to 0.20 mg/100 g for K, Ca, Fe and Zn respectively, indicating potential nutritional significance. The total titratable acidity (TTA) ranged from 1.5 to 2.3%, total soluble solids (TSS) 1.0 to 2.0 ° Brix while pH ranged from 5.4 to 6.0 suggesting a substantial contribution to the sensory attributes of bananas, which is an important sensory attribute for consumers. Cooking bananas could, therefore, play a key role in contributing to alleviating hidden-hunger and food insecurity through developing new food recipes

Cytotoxicity activity of some wild mushroom species from Southern Highlands of Tanzania

This research article was published in the American Journal of Research Communication Vol 2(9), 2014The crude extracts from six wild mushroom species (Russula cellulata, Afrocantharellussymoensis, Lactarius sp, Lactarius denigricans, Russula kivuensis, Amanita muscaria and Amanita phalloides) collected from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania were evaluated for cytotoxicity effects against Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii. The lethal concentration which kills 50% of the larva, LC50 (μg/mL) of the wild mushroom extracts was evaluated. The results showed that, A. muscaria ethanol (MS1E) and petroleum ether (MS1PE) extracts exhibited highest cytotoxicity activity with LC50 of 11.00 and 13.72 μg/mL respectively. Lactarius. denigricans ethanol extract (BM10E) also possessed highest cytotoxicity activity with LC50 of 12.77 μg/mL as compared to its petroleum ether extract (BM10PE) with LC50 of 18.96 μg/mL, followed by chloroform (BM10C) and acetone (BM10A) extracts with LC50 of 32.56 μg/mL and 47.79 μg/mL respectively. In contrast, petroleum ether extract of A. symoensis (BM6PE) showed non-toxic effect on Brine shrimp larvae with LC50 of 202.96 μg/mL. The study on cytotoxicity effect of wild mushrooms will give an insight into possibility of isolating stronger anticancer agents