Knowledge and Attitude to Female Condom Use among Undergraduates of Kigali Health Institute

Background: Proper use of condom prevents Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. Efforts have been made in Rwanda to raise the population awareness on the use of the Female Condom but little is known about the current status of its use among college students. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and use of the female condom among undergraduates of Kigali Health Institute. Methods: A descriptive study was carried out between May and June 2010. The sample was randomly selected from the students of Kigali Health Institute. A questionnaire based study was conducted involving 429 students. It captured the sample characteristics, their knowledge, attitudes and use of the female condom. The data were entered and analysed in SPSS 16.0. Results: About 79% of the students were aware of the female condom, but only 24% knew how to use it. Most respondents believed that the female condom can prevent the unwanted pregnancies (78%), the STIs and HIV/AIDS (81%). About 8% had ever tried it and less than three percent cited it as their contraception method. Conclusion: Awareness of the female condom was high but few students knew how to use it. Overall, favourable attitudes were recorded though neutral ones were higher and use of female condom was very low.Key words: Knowledge, attitude, use, female condo

Modelling the soil water balance of potatoes for improved irrigation management

Soil Water Balance (SWB), is a generic and mechanistic crop growth model that has been successfully used to model the water balance of several crops. Its ability to combine crop water modelling and irrigation scheduling approaches allows it to be used as a research tool and an irrigation management tool. Since SWB is a tool that could be used as decision making tool for farmers, its accuracy in simulating crop growth, development and soil water balance should be high. To highlight the importance of improved irrigation management for potato crop by the means of a mechanistic soil water balance model and the importance of the photoperiod factor in potato modelling in sub-tropical region, two potato experiments were carried out in two contrasting seasons, namely, spring and autumn. Growth and development responses of potato under both well irrigated and water stressed conditions for spring and autumn plantings were examined. This study successfully quantified the water use and potato growth responses to water stress. The water use efficiency varied with irrigation treatments and planting time, and autumn experiment had generally higher values than spring. Unstressed treatment gave the highest tuber yields irrespective of planting season and marketable tuber yield was higher in autumn than spring. Water stress imposed at tuber initiation until end of tuber bulking was revealed to be the most detrimental to biomass and tuber production. This suggests that water stress at tuber initiation and bulking stage should be avoided if high tuber yield is the target. Growth analysis data were used to determine crop parameters for SWB calibration and validation. The model simulated reasonably well growth, development and soil water balance in both unstressed and stressed conditions. However, simulations results of total and harvestable dry matter towards the end of the exponential tuber bulking stage (50 - 65 DAP) were deteriorated. As a result, the model did not simulate accurately the final yield. This is an indication that the model fails to simulate the size of the canopy and its duration. The time at which tuber initiation commences appeared not be affected by the planting seasons since variation of the duration between emergence and tuber initiation in different seasons was small. This small variation could be attributed to the fact that the potato growing season in South Africa (Pretoria) in spring 2004 and autumn 2005 experiences minimum and maximum temperatures which are acceptable for the growth of potato. In Pretoria, emergence and tuberisation take place under relatively cool temperatures late in September and also early in April when temperatures are relatively cool. Consequently, potato grown in this period may escape the early autumn and late spring high temperatures. However, autumn planting experiences an abrupt change of day lengths from long days to short days towards tuber initiation. This brusque change of day length may change the crop physiology and affect the subsequent normal course of plant growth. If the day length factor could be integrated into SWB, it appears that the model will better simulate potato growth and development. The poor simulation results of total dry matter and harvestable dry matter early in the growing season suggest that the model should be improved by allowing it to simulate the start of tuber initiation. A linear function of average temperature between a base and an optimal temperature corrected with photoperiod factor was found to be the most appropriate method to estimate thermal time required for tuber initiation. This method suggests that the time of tuber initiation can be estimated from its thermal time within two days.Dissertation (MSc (Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007.Plant Production and Soil ScienceMScunrestricte

Functional Health Literacy and Self-Care Behaviors Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients at a University Teaching Hospital in Kigali

Background Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a significant health burden in high-income countries and emerging in sub-Sahara African countries, including Rwanda. Prevention and treatment of T2DM are imperative and need to focus on functional health literacy and self-care practices among people with diabetes. Objective To determine if functional health literacy is associated with self-care behaviors among T2DM patients. Method This study was a descriptive cross-sectional design conducted at a University Teaching Hospital in Kigali. The sample comprised of 223 T2DM patients recruited from the university outpatient department. The questionnaire was developed from two studies.  Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results Results indicated a low-level of functional health literacy, with a wide range of scores from 6.5% to 93.5%, and a mean of 51.66 (SD 15.77).The majority of 123 (55.3%) had inadequate functional health literacy and self-care behaviors. There was a strong association between functional health literacy and self-care behaviors (p < 0.001). Conclusion The level of functional health literacy among T2DM patients needs to be increased and patients should be highly encouraged to adhere to self-care behaviors. Future research could involve an interventional study to discover the best method to educate T2DM patients. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; functional health literacy; self-care behaviors; patients T2DM; sub-Saharan Afric

The Relationship between Bodyweight Status and Weight Perception Explains Differences in Calories Ordered in a Food Choice Exercise

Understanding food choice is critical to be able to address the rise in obesity rates around the globe. In this paper, we examine the relationship between measured (BMI, using self-reported height and weight) and perceived weight status with the number of calories ordered in a controlled online food choice exercise. A total of 1044 participants completed an online food choice exercise in which they selected ingredients for a sandwich from five categories: meat/protein, cheese, spread/dressing, bread, and vegetables. We examine the number of calories ordered by participants and use linear regression to study the relationship of BMI category relative to self-reported perceived weight status with calories ordered. As a comparison to previous literature, we also examine the relationship between relative weight status and self-reported dieting behavior using logistic regression. We find that participants perceiving themselves to have a higher BMI than their BMI calculated using height and weight ordered significantly fewer calories and were more likely to report dieting than participants who perceived themselves to have a lower BMI than their calculated BMI. The relationship between perceived weight status and measured weight status explains behavior in a food choice task. Understanding how people perceive their weight may help design effective health messages

Does contract farming improve Cassava production, price determination and farmer’s income in Ruhango district in Rwanda?

This study analyses the impact of contract farming on cassava production, price determination and farmer’s income in Ruhango district in Rwanda. It uses a participatory assessment method using an interactive tool commonly named “it takes two to tango”. Data were collected from cassava farmers and a Cassava Processing Plant employees. The findings show that the contract farming did not contribute to cassava production improvement. The contract farming did not help in the availability and accessibility of agricultural inputs such as planting material and fertilizer used in cassava farming. Findings of the study also show that the contract farming did not lead to mutual cassava price determination. Regarding the income, farmers indicated that the contract farming did not lead to the increase in income. The Cassava Processing Plant should support the farmers in improving cassava production through the training on land preparation, management of the planting material, fertilizing, cropping, weeding and harvesting. The price of fresh cassava should be fully determined together by the farmers and the Cassava Processing Plant. Improvement in cassava production and mutual price determination should help the farmers to have consistent income. Keywords: Contract farming, Cassava production, Cassava Processing Plant, Rwand

Early Initiation of Breastfeeding Among Postpartum Mothers at Two Rwandan Hospitals

Background Breastfeeding in the first hour post birth can decrease neonatal morbidity and mortality. Disease prevention and health outcomes differ immensely between newborns who receive human milk and those who do not. Rwanda has high breastfeeding rates, though factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) are unknown. Objective To assess factors associated with EIBF among mothers in immediate postpartum units at two hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional study design and a convenience sample of 187 mothers were used. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. A Chi-square test showed the relationship between EIBF and sociodemographic factors. Results The findings showed less than one quarter (20.5%) breastfed within the first hour after birth. The majority was < 25 years (52.4%), had some primary education (27.7%) employed (66.7%), urban dweller (58.1%), attendance of one ANC visit or more (81.3%), vaginal birth (58.8%), and did not receive EIBF health education (92.0%). The majority (78.5%) was too tired to initiate breastfeeding, and many supplemented (41.9%) due to perceived insufficient breastmilk. Conclusion Most mothers did not initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. Sociodemographic factors were associated with EIBF. A program to promote, protect, and support EIBF is urgently needed the community. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2020;3(2):181-19

Formation des équipes pays du projet TARSPro sur l’approche services climatiques participatifs et intégrés pour l’agriculture (PICSA)

Du 27 au 31 mars 2023, a eu lieu l’atelier de formation des équipes pays du projet « Technologies et Innovations Agricoles pour l’Accroissement de la Résilience des Systèmes de Production et des Exploitations Familiales en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre (TARSPro) sur l’approche services climatologiques participatifs et intégrés pour l’agriculture (PICSA) à SAMI Hôtel, à Ouagadougou au Burkina Faso. L’atelier a regroupé au total 19 participants des systèmes nationaux de recherche agricole (SNRA) et des agents des services nationaux de météorologie du Bénin, du Burkina Faso, du Mali, du Niger et du Tchad (cf. liste de présence en annexe 1 du présent rapport). L’atelier a été animé par l’Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT qui appuie le Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricole (CORAF) dans la mise en œuvre du projet TARSPro à travers une assistance technique en vue d’une intégration efficace de l’Agriculture Intelligente face au Climat (AIC) dans la mise en œuvre dudit projet. L’atelier de formation sur l’approche PICSA vise à outiller les équipes pays de TARSPro pour les rendre aptes à aider les producteurs à prendre des décisions adéquates fondées sur des données scientifiques climatiques et météorologiques historiques et spécifiques à leurs localités, des options de cultures, d’élevage et autres activités de subsistance localement pertinentes et ce, avec l'utilisation d'outils participatifs d’aide à la prise de décision

Synthesis and characterization of mixed-ligand diimine-piperonal thiosemicarbazone complexes of ruthenium(II): Biophysical investigations and biological evaluation as anticancer and antibacterial agents

We have used a novel microwave-assisted method developed in our laboratories to synthesize a series of ruthenium-thiosemicarbazone complexes. The new thiosemicarbazone ligands are derived from benzo[d][1,3]dioxole-5-carbaldehyde (piperonal) and the complexes are formulated as [(diimine)2Ru(TSC)](PF6)2 (where the TSC is the bidentate thiosemicarbazone ligand). The diimine in the complexes is either 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline. The complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic means (NMR, IR and UV–Vis) as well as by elemental analysis. We have studied the biophysical characteristics of the complexes by investigating their anti-oxidant ability as well as their ability to disrupt the function of the human topoisomerase II enzyme. The complexes are moderately strong binders of DNA with binding constants of 104 M−1. They are also strong binders of human serum albumin having binding constants on the order of 104 M−1. The complexes show good in vitro anticancer activity against human colon cancer cells, Caco-2 and HCT-116 and indeed show some cytotoxic selectivity for cancer cells. The IC50 values range from 7 to 159 μM (after 72 h drug incubation). They also have antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains of pathogenic bacteria with IC50 values as low as 10 μM; little activity was seen against Gram-negative strains. It has been established that all the compounds are catalytic inhibitors of human topoisomerase II

Analyse des perturbations anthropiques des espaces verts le long du gradient urbain un gradient urbain-rural de la ville de Bujumbura (Burundi)

peer reviewedAnalysis of Anthropogenic Disturbances of Green Spaces along an Urban-Rural Gradient of the City of Bujumbura (Burundi). Land 2023, 12, 465