Population Structure and Exploitation of Three Commercial Tree Species in Nguru ya Ndege Forest Reserve, Morogoro – Tanzania

Forests in tropical environments are unstable and hardly maintain fixed climax species composition over long periods. They are victims of modifications by variety of factors including human influences that result in long lasting disturbances. Having observed this, we investigated the population structure and rate of exploitation for three commercial tree species namely, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Pterocarpus angolensis and Afzelia quanzensis in Nguru ya Ndege Forest Reserve. Objectives were to determine the density, DBH distribution and the harvesting rate. We employed simple random procedure to select sampling points, where a map of the reserve was used to divide the study area into 100 equal grids. Fifty grids were then picked randomly, and within these grids, 20 by 20 m quadrats were established for counting stumps and trees with DBH ≥ 4 cm. In addition, saplings with DBH of ≤ 4 cm were counted inside 5 by 5 m quadrats placed within the 20 by 20 m quadrats. Results showed that, the density of P. angolensis was 19 stems/ha, A. quanzensis 8 stems/ha and D. melanoxylon 3.1 stems/ha. DBH graphs showed characteristic inversed J shapes for P. angolensis and A. quanzensis, but broken pattern for D.melanoxylon. Harvesting rates (stumps/ha) was 4.5 for A. quanzensis, 4.0 for P. angolensis and 1 for D. melanoxylon. We concluded that, all target species were found facing harvesting pressure, with the population structure of D. melanoxylon being disturbed. We recommended that harvest of trees in the reserve should be controlled.Keywords: Density, DBH distribution, Illegal harvest, Tropic

Lived experience of healthcare professionals providing safe abortion in Rwanda

BACKGROUND: Various countries have ratified the law declaring that safe abortion is a fundamental women’s right. Rwanda has expanded legal grounds for abortion in Law n° 68/2018 of 30/08/2018, determining offenses and penalties in general. This study aimed to gain an in- depth understanding of how physicians, midwives and nurses perceive safe abortion service provision and their experience of providing the service in Rwanda. METHODS: A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological method with transcendental theory devised by Husserl Edmund was used to guide this study. A non-random purposive sampling recruited twenty-three informants, and a semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. The data analysis used NVivo pro 12 software to categorize and code ideas, while the eight steps of transcendental descriptive phenomenology were used to generate the final themes. RESULTS: Four themes with ten sub-themes were generated: (1) personal feelings and beliefs (humiliation and stigma, guilty and wonder); (2) resilient mechanisms (Clients’ protection, institutional support, appreciation of the law); (3) training and (4) informants’ recommendations (integrated service, community awareness, psychological support, follow-up). CONCLUSION: Healthcare providers’ willingness to provide safe abortion services depend on the individual’s beliefs about abortion. Professionalism and resilient mechanisms are key to sustaining the safe abortion service provision in addition to the law determining offenses and penalties in general in Rwanda

The role of emergency department HIV care in resource-poor settings: lessons learned in western Kenya

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa and other high prevalence regions continues to overwhelm health care systems. While there has been a global response to improve the delivery of antiretroviral therapy in these high prevalence regions, there are few models that have developed an adequate plan to deal with HIV specifically in resource-poor emergency department settings. In this manuscript, we report on the experience scaling up HIV care at one emergency department in a large referral hospital located in western Kenya. Specifically, we describe how rapid bedside HIV testing helps to narrow the differential diagnosis of disease processes in acute care patients and how HIV screening of patients discharged from the emergency department can detect HIV-infected individuals

Local Authority planning provision for Event Management in Ireland: A Socio-Cultural Perspective

The increasing popularity of the event sector in Ireland has resulted in many community events being developed and marketed to international and domestic tourists alike. This growth has had an effect on host communities in a positive and negative manner. This paper assesses the current levels of Local Authority socio-cultural planning provision and guidelines for event management in Ireland. To achieve this, a content analysis approach was used to illustrate which Local Authorities in the Republic of Ireland employed socio-cultural tools and indicators for event management. Accordingly, analysis revealed a lack of Local Authority socio-cultural planning guidelines or policies for event management. However, this offers and opportunity to be improved by implementing and applying best practice indicators in socio-cultural policies and guidelines for event management in Ireland

On the structure of fuzzy groups

The structure of fuzzy groups is examined. We characterize products and weak products of fuzzy (abelian) groups in terms of canonical homomorphisms. We give a characterization of fuzzy internal direct sums in terms of a generating fuzzy set, and show that the internal direct sum is isomorphic to the external direct sum. We give a characterization of free (abelian) fuzzy groups that is more general and more elegant than that of [G-M]. We define the notion of a cyclic fuzzy group, and show that finitely generated fuzzy groups are direct sums of cyclic fuzzy groups

Flotation behaviour of sulphide mineral size fractions with controlled contact angle

The flotation response of chalcopyrite has been characterized as a function of particle size and advancing contact angle. The advancing contact angle of individual size fractions was manipulated to different values, measured using the Washburn technique. A flotation feed sample was constituted from the individual size fractions. Parameters such as frother concentration, impeller rotational speed, and superficial gas velocity were the same in each flotation test. The chalcopyrite sample, in the absence of any steps to intentionally manipulate the contact angle, displayed advancing contact angles which varied with particle size fraction. In the presence of a standard thiol collector, the advancing contact angle was also particle size dependent, with the -20 micron fraction displaying the lowest contact angle. Flotation tests showed that the chalcopyrite size fractions above 20 microns floated independently of each other, and that the flotation response was the same for the same particle contact angle and size fraction across different flotation tests. The flotation response was characterized by the maximum recovery at infinite flotation time and the distributed rate constant, assuming a single floatable fraction existed within each size fraction. When the distributed and undistributed rate constants were compared, the latter gave a greater dependency on contact angle as it took into account the non-floating fraction. The two rate constants converged at high advancing contact angles as the non-floating fraction approached zero. Further work on mineral floatability characterization will lead to the development of calibration curves of rate constant against particle size and contact angle, a tool that could be used to benchmark flotation response.S. Muganda, M. Zanin and S. Gran

Benchmarking flotation performance: Single minerals

Chalcopyrite, conditioned with sodium dicresyl dithiophosphate (DTP), was floated under standard and well-defined hydrodynamic conditions. The advancing contact angle values of the flotation feed and products were measured and the flotation response benchmarked against a calibration previously established for the chalcopyrite-amyl xanthate (KAX) system. Furthermore, the flotation response of pyrite, separately conditioned with KAX and DTP, was also evaluated under the same hydrodynamic conditions. When the advancing contact angle of chalcopyrite conditioned with DTP was the same (within 5°) as that of chalcopyrite conditioned with KAX, the flotation response was, within experimental error, the same. For both chalcopyrite and pyrite, heterogeneity of the advancing contact angle within the feed size fractions was demonstrated by significant differences in contact angle values measured on the flotation concentrate and tailings size fractions. The mean contact angle of the chalcopyrite and pyrite particles remained constant, within experimental error, through both flotation and sample preparation under the test conditions. The flotation response of chalcopyrite at 2% solids (w/w) was the same, within experimental error, as that at 30% solids (w/w) in the presence of silicate gangue, suggesting non-interaction of this gangue mineral with chalcopyrite under the test conditions. The operational advancing contact angles inferred for pyrite using the calibration established for the chalcopyrite-KAX system were, however, lower than the measured feed advancing contact angles, while the maximum recovery of pyrite was also lower than for chalcopyrite for the same feed advancing contact angle values, in the contact angle range less than 80°. The difference in flotation response between these two minerals for the same feed contact angle values was interpreted in terms of a difference in critical contact angle value for stable bubble-particle attachment. The critical advancing contact angle values for the pyrite size fractions were higher than values for chalcopyrite for size fractions above 20 μm. This difference in critical advancing contact angle was attributed to the difference in mineral specific gravity between chalcopyrite and pyrite. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.S. Muganda, M. Zanin and S.R. Gran

Conservation leadership programme: Project Reporting

Conservation Leadership Programme: Project Reporting FINAL REPORTOur study focused on endangered bird species, Sokoke pipit, which has a very small range, and its habitat is declining owing to clearance for cultivation, intensive charcoal production and logging. Our aim was to generate information relevant for conservation of Sokoke pipit in Zaraninge forest. We collected data for density estimation using distance sampling techniques, alongside recording habitat data. We also collected data regarding familiarity of species among surrounding local communities, which was followed by awareness-rising on missing knowledge. Result showed that S. pipit preferred least disturbed habitats with tall trees that are less influenced by human activities. Analysis using DISTANCE program revealed that the pipit population is very low in Zaraninge forest (1.6 individuals/km2). Furthermore, in this forest, the species is only restricted in the forest core habitats. Although some members of the local community claimed to know the species, results showed that there were confusion of our species with other birds especially House sparrow and other species of pipit. We concluded that S. pipit in Zaraninge forest avoided areas that experienced frequent human interference including places next to pineapple and maize fields. Overall, the findings appeared to suggest that local communities in the study area had little knowledge about the study species

Benchmarking the flotation performance of ores

A porphyry copper ore containing chalcopyrite as the principal copper bearing mineral, and pyrite as the only other sulphide mineral, was treated in batch flotation tests under well defined physical conditions. The size-by-size flotation response was benchmarked against established calibration curves to infer an operational contact angle of the sulphide minerals as a function of particle size. The inferred operational contact angle values of the sulphide minerals were validated by independent measurements of contact angle on the concentrates and, in the case of chalcopyrite, by an indirect approach using Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Recovery, flotation rate, and inferred operational contact angle increased with collector addition across all size fractions, with the intermediate and coarse size fractions benefitting the most from increased collector addition. The directly measured and inferred operational contact angles were in reasonable agreement, with an R 2 value of 0.7 across all size fractions. There was good agreement between the advancing contact angle values determined using ToF-SIMS and those calculated from direct contact angle measurement on the 53-75 μm size fraction for the case of chalcopyrite. A method for benchmarking flotation response has been developed, which may lead to better flotation process diagnostics and modelling. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.S. Muganda, M. Zanin, S.R. Gran

Influence of particle size and contact angle on the flotation of chalcopyrite in a laboratory batch flotation cell

Abstract not availableS. Muganda, M. Zanin, S.R. Gran