Community support in multicultural neighbourhoods: the case of Tarlabaşı

Urbanization and multicultural neighborhoods are increasingly under the spotlight. As highly diverse areas, multicultural neighborhoods have to accommodate different cultures, sometimes coming together randomly and consisting almost exclusively of lower-income families and those with a need for cheaper accommodation. This paper investigates the intersection between the urban development of multicultural neighborhoods and the social interactions of migrants residing in them

HIV Infection and Sexual Behaviour Among Women With Infertility in Tanzania: A Hospital-Based Study.

Infertility is common in Africa, but virtually no data exist on HIV prevalence among infertile women. Mainly anthropological studies in Africa have shown that infertile women have higher risks of marital instability and possibly also have more sexual partners than fertile women. This study was conducted in a hospital in northwest Tanzania during 1994 and 1995. Women presenting themselves with infertility problems to the outpatient clinic were interviewed, examined and blood was drawn. Women who came to deliver in the hospital, excluding primiparae, were taken as a control group. The analysis was limited to women > or = 24 years. In total 154 infertile and 259 fertile women were included in the study. HIV prevalence was markedly higher among infertile women than among fertile women: 18.2% and 6.6% respectively (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for age, residence and occupation 2.7; 95%-confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-5.3). Data on past sexual behaviour showed that infertile women had more marital breakdowns, more lifetime sexual partners and a higher level of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Women with fertility problems appear to have higher HIV prevalence, which justifies more attention for such women in the context of AIDS programmes. In addition, caution is needed when using sentinel surveillance data from antenatal clinics to monitor HIV prevalence

Conséquences pédagogiques de la bancarisation du salaire de l’enseignant

Résumé : La bancarisation du salaire des fonctionnaires de l’état, dont les enseignants, s’accompagne des avantages et des conséquences néfastes. Aux regards de ces conséquences, nombreux sont ceux qui commencent à exprimer leur ralle bol et estiment que les banques doivent améliorer leur manière de faire les choses en vue d’éviter les conséquences sur le plan pédagogique. Parmi ces conséquences, le retard sur les prévisions des matières inquiète plusieurs enseignants et appellent à de nouvelles réflexions. Rendre fluide, simple et rapide l’opération de paie du professionnel de la craie reste la préoccupation majeure de plusieurs réflexions. Personnaliser les comptes bancaires des enseignants, multiplier les guichets à la banque, entrainer les agents à la rapidité et au respect des enseignants sont des recommandations exprimées dans cette étude. Mots-clés : Conséquence-Bancarisation- Salaire- Enseignan

The isolation and characterization of bovine viral diarrhoea viruses from cattle in South Africa

A limited number of scientific publications dealing with aspects of BVDV infection have emanated from southern Africa. This study describes the isolation of BVD viruses, gene sequence analysis of the 5' non-translated region (5' NTR) of the genome, the generation of phylogenetic data of local strains and the recording of clinical signs associated with each isolate. Specimens (n=352) collected during 1998-1999, from live and dead animals from different farming systems, were obtained from private practitioners, feedlot consultants and abattoirs throughout the country. Specimens from buffaloes (cerus caffer the Kruger National Park were included as specimens from dead animals. Three cell lines and 200 tubes of pooled foetal bovine sera were also processed. Standard cell culture techniques to isolate virus were followed. Techniques designed to detect BVDV antigen or nucleic acid such as antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction, were used on blood, organs and cell lines. The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used for antibody detection. Twenty-five isolates from cattle were confirmed as BVDV with PCR and after analysis of the 5'NTR, the most conserved part of the genome, a phylogenetic tree was constructed. All strains were noncytopathic and were identified as BVDV I, either BVDV Ia (NADL-like) or BVDV Ic or BVDV I* subgroups. BVDV was not detected in 37 lymph nodes obtained from 37 buffaloes in the Kruger National Park. Of the clinical signs in cattle from which virus was isolated, pyrexia and respiratory distress was the most frequent (46,7%), followed by pyrexia and diarrhoea (20%), respiratory disease without pyrexia (20%) and diarrhoea without pyrexia (13,3%). Abortion, congenital malformations, haemorrhagic syndrome and poor growth were also included as criteria for selection of animals for specimen collection.Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2001.Veterinary Tropical Diseasesunrestricte

Communication politique et élection présidentielle en République Démocratique du Congo : Analyse de contenu des thématiques proposées par les candidats

Résumé : Cet article aborde la question de la communication politique durant les échéances électorales en République Démocratique du Congo. Plus concrètement, il présente le profil des candidats, identifie et catégorise les thèmes portés par ces acteurs pendant la campagne. Ceci a conduit à analyser et finalement à dégager l’orientation d’axe des thèmes les plus récurrents et à justifier en donnant des raisons de ces résultats. A ce jour, la participation féminine à ce scrutin à la présidentielle reste faible. L’on note la présence de plus des candidats hommes que femmes, soit deux candidates sur les vingt-six au total pour ces échéances électorales de décembre 2023. Plus d’une vingtaine des candidats à la magistrature suprême dont la majorité est inscrite en indépendant ou appartenant à des partis / regroupements politiques et des plateformes électorales. La plus grande sensibilité des thèmes de campagne portés par les candidats est dans la promesse d’un changement dans un futur proche, une fois élu, le candidat pourra le réaliser. Au cours de cette étude, le recours à la méthode d’analyse de contenu dans son approche qualitative, soutenue par les techniques documentaire et d’observation directe, s’est avéré nécessaire. Sur le plan temporal, cette étude couvre une partie de la période de la campagne électorale, soit du 19 novembre au 10 décembre 2023. Et, le volet spatial, concerne la République démocratique du Congo dans le contexte de la campagne pour la présidentielle. Mots-clés : Communication Politique, Election, Campagne électorale, Marketing Politique, RD Cong

Characterization of mycobacteria SPP. and antimycobacterial activities of plant derived compounds from Anacardiaceae family

The treatment of tuberculosis (TB) is currently a challenge due to multi- and extensively drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium bovis and M. tuberculosis cause clinically indistinguishable tuberculosis in humans. Both M. bovis and M. tuberculosis have been isolated from humans and animals. Plant species contain antimicrobial compounds that may lead to new anti-TB drugs. To conduct in vitro antimycobacterial assays, it is important to include current clinical isolates as new strains of bacteria might be circulating under the ongoing climate change environment. The overall goal and objectives of this study were to isolate and characterize mycobacteria species from South Africa, to test some selected plant species of the Anacardiaceae family for antimycobacterial activity using some of the newly isolated and reference strains of mycobacteria followed by cytotoxicity evaluation of the most active plant species, and finally the isolation and characterization of at least one compound from the most active and least toxic plant. This study led to the discovery of a new isolate of Mycobacterium Avium Complex species from black wildebeest. Other non-tuberculous mycobacteria and M. bovis isolates were identified from other animal species. Five out of 15 plant species screened showed good activity against Mycobacterium species. Five antimycobacterial compounds were isolated from Searsia undulata, the most active plant species. Two out of the five compounds were identified, and one compound appears to be novel, but both compounds have been isolated for the first time from Searsia undulata. An incidental finding was the potential anticancer property of extracts of Searsia undulata. Recommended future activities include isolation and identification of more active compounds from Searsia undulata which were visible in bioautography analysis, as well as synergy evaluation of antimycobacterial activities of the different compounds with current anti-tubercular drugs.Environmental SciencesPh. D. (Environmental Science

Potential health benefits of zinc supplementation for the management of COVID-19 pandemic

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the etiological agent for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The COVID‐19 pandemic has created unimaginable and unprecedented global health crisis. Since the outbreak of COVID‐19, millions of dollars have been spent, hospitalization overstretched with increasing morbidity and mortality. All these have resulted in unprecedented global economic catastrophe. Several drugs and vaccines are currently being evaluated, tested, and administered in the frantic efforts to stem the dire consequences of COVID‐19 with varying degrees of successes. Zinc possesses potential health benefits against COVID‐19 pandemic by improving immune response, minimizing infection and inflammation, preventing lung injury, inhibiting viral replication through the interference of the viral genome transcription, protein translation, attachment, and host infectivity. However, this review focuses on the various mechanisms of action of zinc and its supplementation as adjuvant for vaccines an effective therapeutic regimen in the management of the ravaging COVID‐19 pandemic.Agriculture and  Animal Healt

Safe Childbirth and Motherhood in African Great Lakes Region: External Pelvimetry in Nulliparae and Scheduled Caesarean Section

The authors have carried out a literature review of targeted relevant research with a focus on two countries of the African Great Lakes Region, i.e. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The aim was to find a common thread between nulliparity and timely caesarean section through external clinical pelvimetry. Higher rates of nulliparity and caesarean section were found with poor outcome in terms of foeto-maternal prognosis. External clinical pelvimetry presented in Rwandan and Congolese nulliparae the same characteristics during pregnancy and at delivery: lower average values in comparison with multiparae who never experienced caesarean section; average values significantly lower in women who underwent caesarean than in those who delivered naturally; and a gradual and significant decrease in caesarean section rate as pelvic sizes increased. Cephalopelvic disproportion, the main cause of mechanical dystocia, was associated with significantly lower pelvic average values. On the basis of an appropriate tool to predict cephalopelvic disproportion and taking as an illustration of complication the case of obstetrical fistulas, the authors finally advocate the use of the pelvimeter to screen in time pelvises at higher risk for cephalopelvic disproportion in resource-constrained environment

Levels and causes of adult mortality in rural Tanzania with special reference to HIV/AIDS

Data from a longitudinal study in northwest Tanzania were used to assess the levels of adult mortality and the leading causes of death. Adult mortality in this rural area was high and 42 per cent of persons aged 15 will die before their sixtieth birthday at current mortality rates. Mortality in this population with an HIV prevalence of about six per cent in 1994-95, has increased by about one-third because of HIV/AIDS, and further increase is likely. Other infectious diseases cause nearly a quarter of deaths and non-communicable diseases are still a relatively minor cause. The occurrence of the AIDS epidemic may have further delayed the onset of the epidemiological transition in many parts of Africa

Measuring Inequalities in the Distribution of Health Workers: The case of Tanzania.

The overall human resource shortages and the distributional inequalities in the health workforce in many developing countries are well acknowledged. However, little has been done to measure the degree of inequality systematically. Moreover, few attempts have been made to analyse the implications of using alternative measures of health care needs in the measurement of health workforce distributional inequalities. Most studies have implicitly relied on population levels as the only criterion for measuring health care needs. This paper attempts to achieve two objectives. First, it describes and measures health worker distributional inequalities in Tanzania on a per capita basis; second, it suggests and applies additional health care needs indicators in the measurement of distributional inequalities. We plotted Lorenz and concentration curves to illustrate graphically the distribution of the total health workforce and the cadre-specific (skill mix) distributions. Alternative indicators of health care needs were illustrated by concentration curves. Inequalities were measured by calculating Gini and concentration indices.\ud There are significant inequalities in the distribution of health workers per capita. Overall, the population quintile with the fewest health workers per capita accounts for only 8% of all health workers, while the quintile with the most health workers accounts for 46%. Inequality is perceptible across both urban and rural districts. Skill mix inequalities are also large. Districts with a small share of the health workforce (relative to their population levels have an even smaller share of highly trained medical personnel. A small share of highly trained personnel is compensated by a larger share of clinical officers (a middle-level cadre) but not by a larger share of untrained health workers. Clinical officers are relatively equally distributed. Distributional inequalities tend to be more pronounced when under-five deaths are used as an indicator of health care needs. Conversely, if health care needs are measured by HIV prevalence, the distributional inequalities appear to decline. The measure of inequality in the distribution of the health workforce may depend strongly on the underlying measure of health care needs. In cases of a non-uniform distribution of health care needs across geographical areas, other measures of health care needs than population levels may have to be developed in order to ensure a more meaningful measurement of distributional inequalities of the health workforce