Breast cancer and self-examination knowledge among Tanzanian women: implications for breast cancer health education

The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge related to breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) among Tanzanian women. This hospital-based study was conducted at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 130 women aged 20-69 years without a known history of breast cancer. Demographic data and subjects responses to a questionnaire addressing the knowledge of the women on breast anatomy and physiology; breast cancer causes; symptoms; breast self examination and treatment were recorded. Our results showed that correct scores ranged between 3% and 95.5% with a mean correct score of 36.1%. Since the average total correct scores fell below 50%, one might conclude that subjects possessed little knowledge related to breast cancer and BSE. However a closer look of the results showed that although correct and incorrect responses were dispersed throughout all content areas, the majority (80-90%) of subjects were more likely to correctly answer items assessing symptoms than any other subset of items but had knowledge deficits regarding when to get medical consultation. In this study, only 47% of subjects knew that they needed to see a doctor when they developed a breast lump. Few subjects correctly answered items assessing breast changes, breast cancer etiologic/risk factors, and BSE technique. The results highlight the need for breast cancer health education to Tanzanian women with an emphasis on breast changes, breast cancer and BSE technique. Tanzania Health Research Bulletin Vol.6(2) 2004: 64-6

The social diagnostics of stroke-like symptoms: healers, doctors and prophets in Agincourt Limpopo Province, South Africa

This paper focuses on the clinical and social diagnostics of stroke-like symptoms in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The research questions addressed here are: what are the lay understandings of strokelike symptoms and what are the health-seeking behaviours of Tsongan Mozambican refugees and South Africans in this area? The study site is ten villages in the Agincourt sub-district of Limpopo Province which are within the health surveillance area of the Agincourt Health and Population Unit (AHPU) of the University of Witwatersrand. The population are Tsongan who speak Shangaan and comprise self-settled Mozambican refugees who fled to this area during the 1980s across the nearby border and displaced South African citizens. The latter were forcibly displaced from their villages to make way for game reserves or agricultural development and moved to this area when it was the former ‘homeland’ of Gazankulu. The team collected data using rapid ethnographic assessment and household interviews as part of the Southern Africa Stroke Prevention Initiative (SASPI). The main findings are that stroke-like symptoms are considered to be both a physical and social condition, and in consequence plural healing using clinical and social diagnostics is sought to address both these dimensions. People with stroke-like symptoms maintain their physical, mental and social well-being and deal with this affliction and misfortune by visiting doctors, healers, prophets and churches

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Firm Resources And Internationalisation Of Smes

This study investigates entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm resources as predictors of SMEs internationalization. The study also examines the mediating and moderating effects of firm resources on the relationship between EO and SME internationalization. The key research question is “to what extent do EO and firm resources predict internationalization of SMEs?” Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts a cross-sectional survey to collect data from a cross industry sample of 248 SMEs, with the use of a multi-dimensional self-administered instrument. A few interviews were also conducted with the SME owners. Findings – The results demonstrate that entrepreneurial orientation and firm’s resources are significantly related to and strongly predict internationalization of SMEs. The study established that besides firm resources being a moderator in SME internationalization, firm resources also provide partial mediation to the relationship between EO and SME internationalization. Implications and limitations – By establishing that EO and firm resources not only individually have significant effects on firm internationalization but also interact to drive SME internationalization, this study contributes to the corpus of literature on internationalization of SMEs in Uganda. The managers of SMEs could enhance the internationalization of their firms by adopting entrepreneurial orientations through innovativeness, proactiveness and risk taking. They should also acquire the requisite physical, human and organizational capital resources. In terms of limitations, the study adopted a cross sectional approach that has deficits of examining the causal-effect relationships. Therefore future studies could consider adopting longitudinal approaches. Originality/value – The paper provides contextual evidence from a developing country that the more the SME owners get inclined to EO (risk taking, proactiveness and creative innovations) and build resources for their firms, the more they can easily join the international business aren

Introduction to Zoom for Teaching

This document presents an introduction to the basic tools of teaching with Zoom

Konserveringslandbruk, levebrød og avskoging i Zambia

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices such as minimum tillage have been promoted for about two decades as a way to conserve soils and increase agricultural productivity and farm incomes in sub-Saharan Africa, including Zambia. As an integral component of Climate Smart Agriculture, which aims to enhance agricultural productivity and climate change adaptation and mitigation, CA is central to poverty reduction efforts since the majority of rural households in sub-Saharan Africa depend on rainfed agriculture for their livelihoods. However, such multiple objectives associated with CA makes objective assessments of its uptake and impacts difficult. This thesis focuses on minimum tillage, the main component of CA, and addresses four questions on uptake, and impacts on maize yields, livelihoods and deforestation.Konserveringslandbruk (KL), inkludert redusert jordbearbeiding, har vært fremmet i omlag to tiår som et virkemiddel for å bevare jordsmonn og øke produktiviteten i landbruket og bønders inntekter i Afrika sør for Sahara, inkludert Zambia. KL er endel av klimasmart landbruk, som har som mål økt produktivitet, tilpasning til klimaendringer og reduksjon i klimagassutslipp. KL er sentralt i fattigdomsreduksjon siden de fleste rurale husholdninger i Afrika sør for Sahara har landbruk som sitt viktigste levebrød. Ulike målsettinger knyttet til KL gjør objektive vurderinger av opptak og effekter vanskelige. Denne avhandlingen fokuserer på redusert jordbearbeiding, den viktigste komponenten i KL, og svarer på fire spørsmål om opptak og effekter på maisavlinger, levekår og avskoging.Nora

Biohydrogen production by facultative and obligate anaerobic bacterial consortia in fluidized bioreactor

Ph.D., Faculty of Science, University of the Wiwatersrand, 2011Biological production of hydrogen gas has received increasing interest from the international community during the last decade. Most studies on biological fermentative hydrogen production from carbohydrates using mixed cultures have been conducted in conventional continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) under mesophilic conditions. Investigations on hydrogen production in reactor systems with attached or self-immobilized microbial growth have also appeared recently in the literature. These investigations on attached or self-immobilised bacteria involve hydrogen production in the mesophilic and thermophilic temperature range. The present study investigated the design and operational features of anaerobic fluidized granular bed bioreactor (AFGB) system which would facilitate the simultaneous achievement of high productivities (HPs) and high hydrogen yields (HYs).Where high HPs is greater than 120 mmol H2 /(L.h) and HYs greater than 4 mol H2/mol glucose. Theoretical maximum yield for an exponentially growing non-granulated bacterial monoculture will always be less than the thermodynamic maximum of 4 mol H2 /mol glucose: C6H12O6 +4H2O → 2CH3COO- + 4H2 + 4H+ + 2HCO3. The design features included reducing the total non-working or dead volume of bioreactor system. The operational improvements included application of thermophilic temperatures and high rates of de-gassed effluent recycling through the fluidized granular bed. An example of an optimal ratio of effluent recycle rate (R) to bioreactor working volume (V) was (3.0 L/min)/(3.2 L/min) = 0.94 minutes. Under conditions where temperatures were maximised and V/R were minimized the HPs increased to 21.58 L H2 /h. Also under these conditions the HYs increased above 3.0 mol H2/mol glucose. Specific hydrogen productivity for the fluidized granular bed increased from 0.25 L H2 / (g BM.h) or 8.83 mmol H2 / (g BM.h) at 45 oC to 0.525 L H2 / (g BM.h) or 18.03 mmol H2 / ( g BM.h) at 70 oC. A 3.64 fold increase in hydrogen yield occurred with an increase in temperature from 45 oC to 70 oC. XX When expressed in terms of glucose, this represents an increase from 1.34 mol H2 /mol glucose to 4.65 mol H2 /mol glucose. Finally, an evaluation of the net energy production by the AFGB system revealed a positive energy balance, making thermophilic biohydrogen production energetically viable from a commercial perspective

Mutual Learning during Post-implementation. A study of designing a maternal and child health application in rural Tanzania

Cooperation between users and designers requires mutual learning about the information system to be developed, and research has provided guidelines and techniques for how to achieve it. However, for designers working in contexts where they experience a wide knowledge gap between themselves and prospective users, attaining mutual learning (ML) in these settings can be challenging. This study demonstrates an action research project carried out at a rural clinic in Tanzania to develop and implement an electronic medical record system. In that setting, techniques such as hands-on training, prompted reflections and extensive support after implementation helped the nurses (system users) to learn how to use the system. Similarly, these techniques helped the designers to learn about the clinical work. Large parts of the ML therefore took place during and after the system implementation when there was a real system to mutually learn from

Prevention of Vesicovagina fistula : a literature review and experience from Zambia

The purpose of bachelor thesis was to learn about Vesicovagina Fistula (VVF) disease, to obtain information about its’ prevention measures and to find a solution on how these measures could be implemented. The aim was to find if certain measures could used by medical personal to help prevent future occurrence of this disease in pregnant women specifically in Zambia at University Teaching Hospital. The data presented here was collected by research of existing articles and books. The research method used was qualitative comprised of systematic literature. In addition, content analysis was used in the data collection. A collection of literature from various sources was required and compared with the research findings tocome up with meaningful results. The results showed that direct prevention can occur during delivery when skilled medical personnal identify women and girls at risk of VVF or through community-based programs such as social education on the prevention of this disease. It was observed that, prevention should involve alleviation of poverty and improvement in education, maternity services and health care. Further more, it was observed that accessible emergency obstetric care is necessary to decrease the burden of obstetric fistulae in Zambia and Africa at large. It could be accomplished through increased and improved health care facilities and education of health care providers and patients

Characterization, host bioassay, and in vitro culture of indigenous entompathogenic nematodes and their bacterial symbionts

The prevailing use of chemical pesticides has generated several problems including insecticide resistance, outbreak of secondary pests, safety risks for humans and domestic animals, contamination of ground water and decrease in biodiversity among other environmental concerns (Webster, 1982). These problems and the nonsustainability of control programs based mainly on conventional insecticides have stimulated increased interest in the development and implementation of costeffective, environmentally safe alternatives to chemical pesticides for insect pest control. One of the most promising strategies to help minimize dependence on chemical pesticides has been the recent application of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as biocontrol agents. EPNs in the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabdidae have been shown to have considerable potential as biological control agents. As a natural process, biological control has the potential to play an important role in the suppression of field crop pests in agriculture. EPNs as biocontrol agents have the following advantages: high virulence, safety to non target organisms, ability to search for hosts, high efficacy in favourable habitats, high reproductive potential, ease of mass production, ease of application (Ferron & Deguine, 1996). To isolate the EPNs in South African soil, 200 soil samples were randomly collected from 5 locations in the agricultural research council (ARC) Pretoria, Gauteng province in April 2006; and 5 locations in Brits, North West province in March, 2006. At the different collection sites, soil samples were obtained from soils associated with various types of vegetation. The nematodes were collected from sandy soil by the insect-baiting technique and maintained successfully in vivo for 12 months on Galleria mellonella (G. mellonella), 4 months on Tenebrio molitor (T.molitor); 2 months Pupae and in vitro (lipid agar) for 2 weeks in the laboratory. Out of a total of 200 soil samples that were baited, 2 were found to be positive for EPNs.EPNs. IV In addition to completing Koch’s postulates, the colour of cadavers infected by the putative EPNs were also used as a diagnostic characteristic for categorizing the nematode isolates. Characterization and identification of the EPN isolates were based on morphological characters, as well as on a molecular marker (18S rDNA). On the basis of the morphological and molecular data that was obtained both of the EPNs isolates were placed in the family Heterorhabdidae: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (H. bacteriophora) and Heterorhabditis zealandica (H. zealandica). Also from the phylogenetic trees generated from the 18S rDNA sequence, the indigenous putative H. bacteriophora was shown to be closely related to H. bacteriophora (accession number EF690469) and indigenous putative H. zealandica to H. zealandica (accession number AY321481). The two EPNs were found associated with Gram negative rod-shaped bacteria. The bacterial symbionts of the two isolates were isolated and a region of the 16S rDNA gene was sequenced. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI-BLAST) results of the 16S rDNA sequence obtained showed the endosybiotic bacteria to be Photorhabdus luminescens laumondii (P. laumondii) (H. bacteriophora) and Photorhabdus sp (H. zealandica). Results of the tree showed that isolates from H. bacteriophora appeared to be closely related to P. luminescens subsp laumondii strain TT01 Ay 278646. The isolates from H. zealandica appeared to be most closely related to Photorhabdus sp Accession number: Q 614 Ay 216500). Bioassays were used to determine the infectivity of the two EPNs. In this experiment different infective juvenile (IJs) concentrations (5, 10, 25, 50, 100,200 400 and 500) of the two EPNs were applied per G. mellonella; T. molitor larva and pupae. The bioassay was carried out in two parts. In the first part, mortality data was collected for H. bacteriophora and H. zealandica. The results showed that the degree of susceptibility of G. mellonella, T. molitor larvae and pupae to each nematode species was different. When 24 h post-exposure mortality data for larvae exposed to the IJs of H. bacteriophora and H. zealandica were analyzed, ANOVA showed no differences V in mortality between insects exposed to different H. bacteriophora IJ doses (Fig: 8.1 ABC). However, there were significant differences in mortality between insects exposed to different IJ doses of H. zealandica such as 5 and 500 IJs/insect (Fig: 8.2 ABC) Therefore, no differences were noted when mortality data was compared between IJ doses at both 72 h and 96 h following IJ application to the insects. The highest susceptibility was observed with G. mellonella followed by T. molitor pupae and then T. molitor larvae. According to Caroli et al., (1996), the total mortality of insect such as G. mellonella and other lepidopterans, was reached within 24-72 h of exposure to nematodes at concentrations such as those tested here. In this study similar results were observed with high concentration of nematodes (100, 200 and 500). In the second part of the dose response bioassay, the number of progeny IJs emerging from EPN-infected cadavers was determined for all two EPNs. The results indicate that IJ progeny production differed among the three insect hosts used, the IJ doses they were exposed to, as well as the EPN species (Figs 8.3 & 8.4). The highest number of emerged IJs of H. zealandica was produced by G. mellonella (mean ± SEM: 220500 ± 133933 IJs), followed by T. molitor larvae (mean ± SEM: 152133 ± 45466 IJs) and the lowest then T. molitor pupae (mean ± SEM: 103366 ± 56933 IJs)

Case Study: Westbury, Johannesburg

Planning Honours Report 2016, Wits UniversityThe City of Johannesburg has embarked on corridor-development plan to assist in spatially restructuring the spatially fragmented urban form of Johannesburg, which for a long time has disadvantaged poor inhabitants of city which live far from economic centres. The poor seem to be most affected by the inefficient urban form, and that means the city is at the forefront of the public mandate, to redress the past injustices and allow equitable distribution resources. The Corridors of Freedom plan is a corridor development plan aimed at transforming the city through specialised nodal developments along corridors (supported by Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The research project will focus on the Empire-Perth corridor, particularly on the Westbury precinct. The focus will zero in on the precinct of Westbury, which lies along the corridor. The research project involves assessing the norms and standards of social infrastructure provision in Johannesburg, with a focus on education, health and sport facilities. The assessment will be in correspondence with the Corridors of Freedom plans to provide social infrastructure facilities in Westbury, Johannesburg. Therefore this will be a two-fold assessment of 1) the current norms and standards of the provision of education, health and sport facilities, 2) evaluation of the technical, spatial specifications of the CoF proposed facilities to be provided in Westbury as part of the Strategic Area Framework (SAF).Naional Research FoundationJJ201