End of the Ebola virus outbreak: time to reinforce the African health system and improve preparedness capacity

Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

Comparison of direct and precipitation methods for the estimation of major serum lipoproteins

Background: There is increase in use of direct assays for analysis of high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol by clinical laboratories despite differences in performance characteristics with conventional precipitation methods. Calculation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in precipitation methods is based on total cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoproteins, thus may cumulatively carry errors of individual methods. Adoption of direct assays is expected to decrease turnaround time and save on cost.Objectives: To compare direct and precipitation methods for estimation of major serum lipoproteins.Design: Cross sectional study.Setting: Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: Three hundred and eighty four (384) participants were recruited for the study.Results: There was no significant difference in high density lipoprotein cholesterol estimated by direct and precipitation methods p=0.091 as well as low density lipoprotein cholesterol estimated by direct method and Friedwald’s formulae p=0.093.Conclusion: Both direct and precipitation methods give similar results. Selection should be based solely on workload, availability and technical expertise

The possibility of positive selection for both F18(+) Escherichia coli and stress resistant pigs opens new perspectives for pig breeding

International audienc

Gender and Age Analysis on Factors Influencing Output Market Access by Smallholder Farmers in Machakos County, Kenya

Output markets are key prerequisite for enhancing agriculture-based economic growth and increasing rural incomes. However majority of smallholder farmers rarely access output markets. The study determined factors influencing smallholder farmers in Yatta district to access output market based on data collected from 160 households. The data was disaggregated in terms of gender and age and analyzed using SPSS and STATA version 10. Descriptive results revealed a gender and age disparity in accessing output market. Tobit model result indicated that households with access to extension, credit, land, own means of transport, and are members in groups are more likely to access output market.   Nevertheless access to output market was reduced by enterprise diversification, higher education level, household size, age and marital status of household head. To enable farmers to access output market, there is need for policies that promote group membership, improve physical infrastructure, and facilitate access to credit (for example free interest loan) as well as extension services especially to women and youths. Keywords: output market, gender, age-group, disaggregation

Breed preferences and breeding practices in smallholder dairy systems of the central highlands of Kenya

This paper describes, for smallholder dairying in the central highlands of Kenya, the sources of foundation stock, farmers’ breed preferences and breeding practices for the major dairy breeds. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional characterization study of smallholder dairy systems in the central highlands of Kenya. The study began with a pilot survey in Kiambu district during June-July 1996 where a random sample of 365 households was interviewed. For this study, respondents were asked to state the sources of their dairy foundation stock and the reasons for selecting their current breeds. Subsequently the survey was extended during March-April 1998 to another eight districts in the central Kenya when 1390 households were randomly sampled. Complementary information on herd breeding history was collected through targeted surveys of 50 sample households representative of the major dairy systems in the region. Respondents were asked about the breed of sire mated to the first dairy cow owned and the sire breeds mated to the heifer progeny. The respondents were asked to rate their preference for a breed on a scale of 1 (1=least preferred) to 4 (4=most preferred) for each of ten characteristics: milk yield, fat yield, body weight, growth rate, fertility, disease resistance, feeding behaviour, market demand, slaughter/butcher value, and longevity. Majority of the farmers (68%) indicated specifically selecting the breed of sire for mating but only 37% used AI service and 63% used bull service. High milk yield was the most important criteria for selecting a dairy breed. As result, Friesian and Ayrshire were the most preferred breeds. Ayrshire was favoured over Friesian for disease resistance and feeding behaviour but not for market value and body weight. Common breeding practice was pure breeding for Friesian, and upgrading of Guernsey to Friesian and to a lesser extent Ayrshire. Breeding practises reflected producers’ efforts to maximise the proportion of Friesian genes in their herds

The Effect of Balanced Processing on the Performance of Employees of Commercial Banks in Kenya

The study investigated the effect of Balanced Processing of Information on the performance of employees of commercial banks in Kenya. The independent variables that were measured include private knowledge, internal experiences and externally based evaluative information. These independent variables were regressed against performance of employees, whose indicators include efficiency, productivity, turnover and quality of work output. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used. The population was 31,605 employees of 38 commercial banks in Kenya. The study sample was 395 respondents, which was attained using proportionate stratified sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from respondents. The study formulated the null hypothesis and tested it using the spearman correlation coefficient aided by the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 28.0.0.0. The analysis results at 0.05 level of significance showed that Balanced Processing of information has a statistically significant effect on the performance of employees of commercial banks in Kenya. The findings would be useful to commercial banks in Kenya and other organizations in evaluating their leaders’ Balanced Processing behaviour in order to improve performance of their employees. Keywords: Balanced processing, employee performance, private knowledge, internal experiences, externally based evaluative information. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/14-16-04 Publication date:August 31st 202

Botswana, Africa's Haven of Ethnic Peace and Harmony: Status and Future Prospects

This paper has the dual objectives to highlight some of the factors that account for the absence of ethnic tensions and conflict in Botswana since independence and to reflect on the future of ethnic relations in the country. It identfles factors such as the nature of ethnic relations during the colonial period, the nature of British indfrect rule, the relatively even development across regions occupied by different ethnic groups, deliberate government efforts to create national as opposed to tribal consciousness and the institutions of chieftaincy as having contributed to harmonious ethnic relations. An examinatn of the current situation, however, points to emerging disintegrative ethnic consciousness. This is evident from three factors: I) The political debates centred on ethnic representation in the House of Chiefs and the fairness of sections 77, 78, and 79 of the Constitution that are sweeping across the country; 2) the appointment of a Presidential Commission to review sections 77, 78 and 79 of the Constitution, and 3) the focus the subject of ethnicity has received in the print ,?ledia. It is concluded that Botswana is no longer safe from the ethnic strjfe, tensions and conflicts that have engulfed most other Africa countries, unless deliberate corrective measures are adopted by the state, drawing from other African countries to ident5.' what works and what does not work

Investigating The Re-Usability Characteristics And Limits Of Polypropylene Powder In Laser Sinter Additive Manufacturing

DissertationThe aim of this research was to investigate the re-usability characteristics and limits of polypropylene (PP) powder in laser sinter additive manufacturing (AM). Initially, the objective was to analyse Laser PP CP 60 from Diamond Plastics GmbH, and preliminary work was carried out on it, but the focus eventually turned to Laser PP CP 75 after processing difficulties were experienced with the former material. Polymer laser sintering (LS) subjects feed powders to high temperatures, leading to degradation of their thermal, rheological, and physical properties, impeding their recyclability. Therefore, it is imperative to examine the degree of deterioration or aging of polymers before re-using the materials. The recyclability of polymers is measured based on powder particle size, morphology, density, rheological properties, and thermal characteristics. Attempts were made to determine suitable processing parameters of Laser PP CP 60 polypropylene powder grade from Diamond Plastics in the first part of the analysis. This was followed by experiments to characterize the powder after a single print cycle to quantify degradation at this stage using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and melt flow index testing (MFI). The focus was then turned to the recyclability of Laser PP CP 75 per print cycle by printing a set of test coupons at pre-determined positions in the build volume of an EOSINT P 380 LS machine. The powder remaining in the machine and the cake powder surrounding the coupons after each print cycle was thoroughly mixed using a concrete mixer for about 30 minutes. A sample of the mixed powder was re-introduced into the P 380 machine to print another set of test specimens. In this study, the re-usability of the PP powder was determined by characterizing and comparing the used powder after each cycle with powder from previous cycles and fresh material. It was established from the preliminary testing of Laser PP CP 60 that slightly different process parameter settings were required to those provided by the supplier to achieve the highest ultimate tensile strength, smoothest surface, and best dimensional accuracy of printed parts. The three characterized batches of Laser PP CP 60 powder (virgin, aged, virgin-aged mixture) exhibited poor (not 100% spherical) but acceptable morphology and particle size distribution. It was also found that the sintering window of virgin Laser PP CP 60 increased significantly (by 28%) after a single cycle of printing, from a value of 21.04 ℃ for the virgin powder to 26.95 ℃ for the recycled powder. The degree of crystallinity of virgin Laser PP CP 60 decreased from 13.92% to 12.12% after a single printing cycle and then increased to 12.48% after the addition of 50% virgin material. All the three batches, namely virgin powder, used powder, and a 50% virgin:50% used mixture, showed high degradation temperatures of 457.30 ℃, 456.05 ℃, and 455.95 ℃, respectively. Lastly, the three batches of powder showed low MFI values of 6.1, 6.5, and 6.4 g/10 min in the same order. Turning to Laser PP CP 75, it was concluded that the powder could be re-used for four re-use cycles without having to mix with virgin material because it does not form an “orange peel,” as is the case with polyamide-12 (PA 12) (used here as reference material). Besides, the MFI trend indicates that the viscosity of the material is not significantly degraded, which promotes recyclability. The DSC assessment established that the sintering window of Laser PP CP 75 increased with each re-use cycle. The results indicate that the shrinkage rate and curling of the material might reduce with the number of re-use cycles because a wide and sufficient sintering window prevents crystallization of the polymers during processing. From the TGA test, the breakdown temperature of Laser PP CP 75 was seen to increase slightly with the number of re-use cycles, from 455.53 ℃ (virgin material) to 457.53 ℃ after the 4th re-use cycle. Thus, the material does not break down at the temperatures prevailing during printing, making it suitable for LS processing and re-use. The SEM analysis revealed that the average size of Laser PP CP 75 powder particles is not significantly influenced by re-use cycles, making the powder recyclable. Furthermore, the powder did not exhibit signs of agglomeration for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd re-use cycles. However, this phenomenon was observed in the 4th re-use cycle of printing. Lastly, tensile testing revealed that the material had the highest ultimate tensile strength after the 3rd printing cycle (7.4 MPa), after which the value decreased with recycling. Overall, it can be concluded that PP powder has superior recyclability properties to those of PA 12, which requires mixing with virgin material after every print cycle. Besides, the MFI, particle size and thermal properties are insignificantly altered, which does not hamper the re-use of the material for subsequent printing cycles. Parts printed with virgin Laser PP CP 75 had an average dimensional error of 3.02% and 4.06% after the 4th re-use cycle. Therefore, Laser PP CP 75 might not be commercially suitable because of dimensional accuracy and observed processing difficulties

Botswana, Africa's Haven of Ethnic Peace and Harmony: Status and

This paper has the dual objectives to highlight some of the factors that account for the absence of ethnic tensions and conflict in Botswana since independence and to reflect on the future of ethnic relations in the country. It identfles factors such as the nature of ethnic relations during the colonial period, the nature of British indfrect rule, the relatively even development across regions occupied by different ethnic groups, deliberate government efforts to create national as opposed to tribal consciousness and the institutions of chieftaincy as having contributed to harmonious ethnic relations. An examinatn of the current situation, however, points to emerging disintegrative ethnic consciousness. This is evident from three factors: I) The political debates centred on ethnic representation in the House of Chiefs and the fairness of sections 77, 78, and 79 of the Constitution that are sweeping across the country; 2) the appointment of a Presidential Commission to review sections 77, 78 and 79 of the Constitution, and 3) the focus the subject of ethnicity has received in the print ,?ledia. It is concluded that Botswana is no longer safe from the ethnic strjfe, tensions and conflicts that have engulfed most other Africa countries, unless deliberate corrective measures are adopted by the state, drawing from other African countries to ident5.' what works and what does not work

Identifying, recording and monitoring adverse effects associated with antriretroviral treatment

South Africa, with an estimated 5.7 million people living with HIV, continues to have one of the largest epidemics in the world. The introduction of HAART resulted in prolonged and improved quality of life of many infected patients. However, adverse effects caused by these drugs have become a major concern as they affect the adherence of patients and in some cases even result in the death of patients. Although much research has been and is still being conducted in the area of understanding, preventing and management of ARV adverse effects, there is still a need for patients to be actively involved in self-monitoring for adverse effects. This will assist health care professionals in early identification of serious or potentially serious ARV effects. This study aimed at evaluating the usefulness of strategies developed and employed in the identification, recording and monitoring of adverse effects. The study was conducted with patients receiving HAART from a private HIV and AIDS clinic in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The research project was approved by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Research and Ethics Committee and the research site. This was an experimental, randomized controlled study carried out over a period of three months (August to October 2009), with a sample size of 160 patients divided into four study groups of 40 patients each. Two monitoring strategies, namely an ARV adverse effect monitoring tool and a patient self-monitoring diary were developed and used for the identification and recording of adverse effects. The four study groups included a Control group, a Tool group, a Diary group and a Tool-Diary group. Willing patients, after signing an informed consent form, were randomly assigned to one of the four groups by participating health care workers at the study site. Data was retrieved from the patient files by the researcher. Descriptive statistical analysis of the findings of the study was conducted using SPSS®. One hundred and forty nine patients were included in the final data analysis. Of the 80 diaries handed out to patients, only 33 were returned and due to errors only 31 were suitable for analysis. Monitoring tools were completed and analysed for 36 patients. The tool was found to be more effective in identifying adverse effects of a physical nature (such as peripheral neuropathy and lipodystrophy) than the usual methods of monitoring employed by the clinic, whilst the diary, used alone, was found to be less effective. Use of the tool and diary combined resulted in the most significant identification and recording of central nervous system related adverse effects and physical adverse effects. However due to the low return rate of the diaries and the majority of the monitoring tool not being completed in many instances the results of this study may not be generalisable. The study results did however suggest that combining the tool and the diary methods of adverse effect identification, yielded the most favourable results when compared to each method alone. This may be attributed to the fact that the tool is useful in identifying objective symptoms and the diaries subjective symptoms, particularly in instances where the patients forget to report their symptoms to healthcare professional whilst at the clinic. The diaries were also reported to improve adherence for more than 90 percentage (n=31) of the patients. More research would be needed in order to verify the exact significance of the tool and the diary in identifying and recording adverse effects and symptoms of adverse effects