An inventory of fish species at the urban markets of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

This study, which aims at analyzing the nutritional value of fish products sold on the fish markets of Lubumbashi, has been conducted by the World Fish center as part of its regional programme "Fisheries and HIV/AIDS in Africa : investing in sustainable solutions". This report contains a map of fish markets of Lubumbashi with analyses of fish species found at these markets, and information about the most common fish species. In addition, a photographic guide of the various types of fish and fish products in their order of importance, depending on the amounts that are available on Lubumbashi markets. was also compiled.Nutritive value, Fisheries, Research

Evaluating Factors Affecting Clinicians’ Knowledge on Contrast Media: Kenyan Experience

Purpose: Our study aimed to establish exposure to and level of knowledge about contrast media among non-radiological clinicians and evaluate the contributory factors to the status. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and December 2015 through interviews using structured questionnaires. We recruited 197 non-radiological clinicians with experience in use of contrast media in their routine practice. They were of different cadres and years of experience, all working in a large referral hospital in Kenya. Levels of basic knowledge on contrast media were evaluated through a scoring system after each clinician responded to the questions provided. We also sought for training on contrast media among these clinicians and where applicable the source of the same recorded. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied across the different clinicians’ subsets. Results: Thirty-seven respondents representing 18.8% of the study sample had received formal training on contrast media. Mean knowledge score for all clinicians in this study was 14.6 translating to 14.1% of a set maximal theoretical score of 103 points. The standard deviation was 5.5. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test for knowledge mean score among different cadres gave a P value 0.079. Unpaired t-test gave a two- tailed P value 0.2410 for mean score when trained and untrained clinicians were compared. The level of knowledge (mean score) when analysed against years of experience for the clinicians produced statistically significant results with P value 0.001084. Conclusion: Training and knowledge on contrast media can be profoundly low for clinicians. However, there is a possibility of knowledge improving from experience in practice due to multidisciplinary interaction and the implied advantage of encapsulated knowledge

Bio-Drying of Biodegradable Waste for Use as Solid Fuel: A Sustainable Approach for Green Waste Management

The potential for thermal recovery of waste is increasingly gaining impetus among researchers and industries across the globe especially in many developed countries. However, in processing waste for energy recovery, the type and nature of input waste materials particularly those with high moisture content have a significant impact in determining the quality, environmental profile of the waste as well as the thermal properties of the final product. Bio-drying, as a waste to energy conversion technology, tends to reduce moisture content of waste while maintaining the energy content of the processed waste. The current study investigates the effect of input materials (biogenic and non-biogenic materials) on the energy and biogenic contents of waste material by bio-drying process. The results indicated a positive correlation between biogenic and energy contents of the input materials with some variations observed. Further analysis showed that, high proportion of food waste in the waste mix indicated a slight difference in biogenic and energy contents. Conversely, the same proportion of paper in the waste mix showed similar biogenic content with slight variation in energy content

Knowledge on ionizing radiation among non-radiologist clinicians at Kenyatta National Hospital – Kenya

Background: Low dose ionizing radiation used in diagnostic imaging has the potential to cause detrimental health effects. Knowledge of the requesting clinician on ionizing radiation will deter inappropriate and unjustifiable imaging requests.Objective: To document the knowledge of ionizing radiation (IR) among the teaching hospital non-radiologist clinicians.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the largest teaching and referral hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: A total of 170 non-radiology hospital clinicians were recruited into the study after ethical approval and informed consent using simple random sampling method over a six-week period in August -October 2013.Results: Health workers with ionizing radiation (IR) training were more likely to correctly identify all the imaging modalities that use IR compared to those without IR training (50.9% versus 27.5%; OR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.35-5.91). There was significant heterogeneity in knowledge across the cadres (p < 0.0001). Those with formal IR training were able to identify that an abdominal CT has the highest radiation dose compared to those with no formal training (69.8% vs 37.1% p= < 0.001). Length of professional experience, field of clinical training, and formal training in IR of the clinicians had no influence on their knowledge of IR doses. With respect to organ sensitivity only 42% of participants correctly rated bone marrow as a very sensitive organ.Conclusions: The results from this study show that health workers lack the basic knowledge on ionizing radiation doses and its harmful effects. This is likely to impact negatively on their attitude and practice. The implications here are serious for the patient as they are possibly being exposed to unnecessary radiation and its attendant risks which include carcinogenesis.Recommendations: To bridge this knowledge gap, there is need to increase awareness about ionizing radiation through continuous medical education,development of imaging referral guidelines and incorporating modules on medical radiation and its risks during the clinicians’ training programs

An assessment of the Inventory Management Practices of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Northern Region of Ghana

The purpose of this study was to assess inventory management practices and its effect on the financial performance of SMEs in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design which allowed the collection of primary quantitative data through structured questionnaires. The target population was 1000 owner/ managers of SMEs. Stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 300 SMEs comprising 164 trading 26 manufacturing, 10 hairstyling, 62 dressmaking, and 38 carpentry enterprises. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that SME financial performance was positively related to efficiency of inventory management (EIM) at 1 per cent significance level. The study concluded that stock management practices have influence on the financial performance of SMEs, hence there was need for SME managers to embrace efficient stock management practices as a strategy to improve their financial performance and survive in the uncertain business environment. Keywords: Inventory Management Practices, Financial Performance, SME

Analysis of socio-economic factors and vulnerability of fishermen and female fish traders to HIV/AIDS in fishing camps in the Kasenga-Luapula-Moero region, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo: final report

This report present the matrix and foundation of the study conducted in Katanga, based on the assumption that communities of fishermen in the Kasenga û Luapula û Moero area are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to a mix of several socio-economic factors and the presence of female fish traders in the fishing areas (fishing camps). The present study targeted all the fishing areas extending from Kasenga city through Luapula River to Lake Moero The present study seeks to identify socio-economic factors which are the root causes of the vulnerability of fishermen and female fish traders to HIV/AIDS in the fishing camps. From this perspective, an appropriate intervention will be developed and applied to the Kasenga û Luapula û Moero region with a view to reducing vulnerability factors to HIV/AIDS. Finally, the research team will make recommendations on the implementation of a pilot project geared towards protecting female fish traders and improving their living conditions with regard to their health and business.Nutritive value, Socioeconomic aspects, Fisheries, Research, AIDS

Rapport d'analyse et table de valeur bromatologique de catΘgorie des poissons trouvΘs sur les marchΘs de poisson α Lubumbashi, RΘpublique DΘmocratique du Congo

Le poisson est trΦs capital dans lÆalimentation α Lubumbashi, en RΘpublique DΘmocratique du Congo (RDC), et on trouve des diffΘrentes catΘgories sur les marchΘs de Lubumbashi. Ce rapport est le deuxiΦme rapport dans lÆanalyse de la valeur nutritionnelle des produits de pΩche commercialisΘs aux marchΘs des poisons α Lubumbashi.Nutrition, Food fish, Africa, Congo R.,

Examinee invariant condition of test score equating : the case of school certificate examination in computer studies for examinees across rural and urban areas of selected secondary schools in Malawi

This study examined the invariant condition of equating test scores of examinees for the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) Computer Studies test across rural and urban areas of Zomba District in Malawi. Equating of test scores to create comparable and interchangeable scores in assessment is increasingly becoming popular to most examining bodies. However, the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) and many other examining bodies in Africa and Europe do not embrace test score equating in their assessment systems. The consequences of not equating test scores have not been clearly documented. Furthermore, there are no proper equating designs for some agencies to employ because they administer tests annually to different examinee' populations and they disclose all items after each administration. Therefore, the study sought to establish whether the invariant condition of equating test scores of examinees holds for the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) Computer Studies test across rural and urban areas of Zomba District in Malawi. Data were collected through two Computer Studies tests which were administered to a sample of rural and urban examinees. The data were analysed using means, standard deviations, T-tests and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The study revealed that score distributions and test difficulties were similar across test forms signifying that test score equating is necessary. The classification of examinees into rural and urban geographical areas across the test forms were different before score equating, but similar after score equating. The equating of scores for the two sub-populations of rural and urban examinees displayed similarities in their Standard Error of Equating (SEE) values but they were not the same. The equated scores for rural examinees displayed more equating errors than the equated scores of urban examinees, indicating a better performance in Computer Studies by urban examinees than the performance of rural examinees. The study further revealed that equating of test scores was necessary because it was almost impossible to construct multiple forms of a test that were completely parallel. Even though test developers use the same test specifications to develop test items and make every effort to develop items in one test form as similar as possible to the items in another test form, the study has shown that there is no guarantee that the difficulty levels of the items would be the same. Among the many recommendations made, one major one is that the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) should embrace the practice of equating test scores to improve fairness of decisions which are made on examination results

Pattern of ultrasonographic findings of disorders of the ankle joint complex in patients presenting with ankle pain at the department of diagnostic imaging, university of Nairobi

Introduction: the ankle joint is a frequently injured joint. It is also affected by inflammatory, infectious and tumoral lesions. Ultrasound is a safe and cost-effective imaging tool when evaluating the ankle joint, as most structures are superficial and accessible. The aim of the study was to determine the pattern of ultrasonographic findings of disorders of the ankle joint complex in patients presenting with ankle pain. Methods: a total of 43 consecutive patients with ankle pain referred for an ankle radiograph or ankle ultrasound were examined. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Results: abnormalities were found in 60% of the examinations performed. The abnormalities were more common in female patients accounting for 61.4% of the abnormalities detected. The most common finding was synovial hypertrophy seen in 26% of the patients. Conclusion: ankle ultrasound was able to identify a large number of pathologies. This demonstrates the usefulness of ultrasound in the evaluation of a patient with ankle pain