Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Kondoa Eroded Area of Central Tanzania

An ethnobotanical study was undertaken to document medicinal plants and explore ailments treated by the plants in Kondoa eroded area of central Tanzania between 2001 and 2002. Semi-structured interviews, Focus Group Discussion and market surveys were administered to 66 Traditional Medical Practitioners to collect the information. Physical observations were made to the sites where plants were harvested. The study documented and deposited voucher specimens of 58 medicinal plant species from 33 plant families and 51 genera used for treating different human and livestock ailments. Roots were the most common plant part used in the preparation of herbal medicine contributing to (54.7%), followed by leaves (15.6%) and sap (10.9%). Most of the medicines were processed to a powdery form in order to extend the life span of the herbal drugs. The study demonstrated that processing of the plants to drugs reduces the frequency of harvest therefore enhancing sustainable use of plant resources in the area. It was established that the knowledge on medicinal plant use remains mostly with the older generation with few youths showing interest. The study recommended for youths involvement in traditional medicine in order to preserve the knowledge from being lost with the older generation. A survey on the trade of medicinal plants to ascertain volume traded and their impacts on Senna abbreviata, Solanum incanum and Aloe secundiflora species is recommended

The development of reading tests for use in a regularly spelled language.

Data are presented on the development of tests of reading skill in rural Tanzanian primary school pupils. Instruction in these schools is in Kiswahili, a regularly spelt language. Using a translation of a standard reading test, children could read aloud all words once they had learnt sound-letter correspondences, regardless of comprehension. In addition, children can appear to pass traditional comprehension tasks by decoding only some of the words. Three graded tests were developed which allow testing of children who either have only some letter knowledge, can read single words, or are proficient readers. The tests require children to both decode and understand the reading material in order to achieve high scores. The tests correlated well with scores on other educational achievement tests, and showed age and school grade differences. It is suggested that these tests are useful measures of reading development in a regularly spelt language. Adaptation to English and validation against standardised instruments is planned

Lack of CD8+ T-cell co-localization with Kaposi’s sarcoma- associated herpesvirus infected cells in Kaposi’s sarcoma tumors

Despite the close association between Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and immune dysfunction, it remains unclear whether tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), by their absence, presence, or dysfunction, are mechanistically correlated with KS pathogenesis. Therefore, their potential capacity to serve as prognostic biomarkers of KS disease progression or control is unclear. Because epidemic-KS (EpKS) occurs with HIV-1 co-infection, it is particularly important to compare TIIC between EpKS and HIV-negative African endemic-KS (EnKS) to dissect the roles of HIV-1 and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in KS pathogenesis. This cross-sectional study of 13 advanced KS (4 EnKS, 9 EpKS) patients and 3 healthy controls utilized single-color immunohistochemistry and dual-color immunofluorescence assays to characterize and quantify KSHV infected cells in relation to various TIIC in KS biopsies. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess differences between groups where P-values \u3c 0.05 were considered significant. The abundance of KSHV infected cells was heterogeneous in KS biopsies. Despite the presence of T-cell chemoattractant chemokine CxCL-9 in biopsies, CD8+ T-cells were sparsely distributed in regions with evident KSHV infected cells but were readily detectable in regions devoid of KSHV infected cells (P \u3c 0.0001). CD68+ (M1) macrophages were evenly and diffusely distributed in KS biopsies, whereas, the majority of CD163+ (M2) macrophages were localized in regions devoid of KSHV infected cells (P \u3c 0.0001). Overall, the poor immune cell infiltration or co-localization in KS biopsies independent of HIV-1 co-infection suggests a fundamental tumor immune evasion mechanism that warrants further investigation

The quality of operation notes after trans-urethral resection of the prostate at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Hospital Tanzania

Background: Operation notes are very vital in the practice of surgery. They are the only comprehensive account of what took place in theatre. Accurate and detailed documentation of surgical notes after Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is vital. Yet it is usually forgotten in medical teaching. The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSE) safety standards are usually used as the benchmark for the assessment of operation notes.Patients and Methods: The study was descriptive retrospective conducted at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC). All patients who underwent TURP between January and December 2017 were enrolled. The Urology theatre register was used to trace patient identities. The Files were then extracted from the registry. Operation note sheets were analysed by the research team using a structured data collection tool. Two Independent assessors(residents) were used to assess legibility. If both agreed that the notes were decipherable, then they were deemed legible. The content of the notes was assessed for Presence or absence of recorded variables. Utmost confidentiality was kept about the surgeon and the patient.Results: A total of 251 files were assessed. Recording of date, Inpatient number, Post-Operative instructions and whether there were any intraoperative complications was at 100%. However, the time of surgery, Resection technique and Method of introduction of the resectoscope were not recorded at all. Other variables recorded were: Signature of surgeon -99.6%, Patient name-99.6%, Details of prostate chips-89%, Sheath used-81%, Circulating nurse-68%, Working element used-35%, Telescope used-12%, Type of diarthermy-7%, Loop Specifications-0.8% and type of Irrigant at 0.8%. Ninety-eight percent of the  operation notes were legible. Overall 56.6% of the operation notes had recorded variables after TURP.Conclusion: Some variables (Inpatient number, Date of operation, intraoperative complications and Postoperative instructions) were recorded at 100%. Others (Time of operation, Resection technique and method of introduction of resectoscope) were not recorded at all. Overall 56.6% of the variables were recorded and 98% of the notes were legible

Status of Occupational Health and Safety and Related Challenges in Expanding Economy of Tanzania.

Occupational health and safety is related with economic activities undertaken in the country. As the economic activities grow and expand, occupational injuries and diseases are more likely to increase among workers in different sectors of economy such as agriculture, mining, transport, and manufacture. This may result in high occupational health and safety services demand, which might be difficult to meet by developing countries that are prioritizing economic expansion without regard to their impact on occupational health and safety. To describe the status of occupational health and safety in Tanzania and outline the challenges in provision of occupational health services under the state of an expanding economy. Tanzania's economy is growing steadily, with growth being driven by communications, transport, financial intermediation, construction, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. Along with this growth, hazards emanating from work in all sectors of the economy have increased and varied. The workers exposed to these hazards suffer from illness and injuries and yet they are not provided with adequate occupational health services. Services are scanty and limited to a few enterprises that can afford it. Existing laws and regulations are not comprehensive enough to cover the entire population. Implementation of legislation is weak and does not protect the workers. Most Tanzanians are not covered by the occupational health and safety law and do not access occupational health services. Thus an occupational health and safety services strategy, backed by legislations and provided with the necessary resources (competent experts, financial and technological resources), is a necessity in Tanzania. The existing legal provisions require major modifications to meet international requirements and standards. OHS regulations and legislations need refocusing, revision, and strengthening to cover all working population. Capacities should be improved through training and research to enable enforcement. Finally the facilities and resources should be made available for OHS services to match with the growing economy

Facilitating Successful Smart Campus Transitions: A Systems Thinking-SWOT Analysis Approach

An identification of strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) factors remains imperative for enabling a successful Smart Campus transition. The absence of a structured approach for analyzing the relationships between these SWOT factors and the influence thereof on Smart Campus transitions negate effective implementation. This study leverages a systems thinking approach to bridge this gap. Data were collected through a stakeholder workshop within a University of Technology case study and analyzed using qualitative content analysis (QCA). This resulted in the establishment of SWOT factors affecting Smart Campus transitions. Systems thinking was utilized to analyze the relationships between these SWOT factors resulting in a causal loop diagram (CLD) highlighting extant interrelationships. A panel of experts drawn from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and South Africa validated the relationships between the SWOT factors as elucidated in the CLD. Subsequently, a Smart Campus transition framework predicated on the CLD archetypes was developed. The framework provided a holistic approach to understanding the interrelationships between various SWOT factors influencing Smart Campus transitions. This framework remains a valuable tool for facilitating optimal strategic planning and management approaches by policy makers, academics, and implementers within the global Higher Education Institution (HEI) landscape for managing successful Smart Campus transition at the South African University of Technology (SAUoT) and beyond

Red meat consumption and its association with hypertension and hyperlipidaemia among adult Maasai pastoralists of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Background: Red meat is an important dietary source of protein and other essential nutrients. Its high intake has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, including hypertension (HTN) and hyperlipidaemia (HLP). Despite being physically active, the Maasai at Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) depend heavily on animals' products as their staple food with fewer intakes of vegetables or fruits due to restriction from carrying out agricultural activities within the NCA. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of HTN and HLP and their association with red meat consumption among adult Maasai of NCA. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2018 using multistage sampling technique. Eight hundred and ninety-four (894) participants enrolled from seven villages in three wards within NCA Data were collected using a modified WHO NCDs-STEPS tool. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (BP) measurements, and blood samples for glucose and cholesterol tests were obtained from the study participants. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) for factors associated with HTN and HLP were estimated using Ordinal and Bayesian logistic regression models, respectively. Results: The prevalence of HLP was 23.7 percent. The levels were higher among males than were among the females (29.0% vs. 20.1%, p = 0.002). The prevalence of HTN and pre-HTN (elevated BP) were 9.8 and 37.0 percent, respectively. Both HTN and elevated BP were higher among males than were among females (hypertensive [10.9% vs. 9.0%]; elevated BP [44.0% vs. 32.1%], p<0.001). The prevalence of HLP was significantly associated with level II (PR = 1.56, 95%CrI: 1.10–2.09) and level III (PR = 1.64, 95%CrI: 1.08–2.41) of red meat consumption as opposed to level I. Conclusion: The prevalence of hyperlipidaemia and elevated BP were high among NCA Maasai. We found a significant association between red meat consumption and hyperlipidaemia. Further follow-up studies are warranted to establish a temporal relationship between red meat consumption and both conditions

Lack of CD8+ T-cell co-localization with Kaposi’s sarcoma- associated herpesvirus infected cells in Kaposi’s sarcoma tumors

Despite the close association between Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and immune dysfunction, it remains unclear whether tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), by their absence, presence, or dysfunction, are mechanistically correlated with KS pathogenesis. Therefore, their potential capacity to serve as prognostic biomarkers of KS disease progression or control is unclear. Because epidemic-KS (EpKS) occurs with HIV-1 co-infection, it is particularly important to compare TIIC between EpKS and HIV-negative African endemic-KS (EnKS) to dissect the roles of HIV-1 and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in KS pathogenesis. This cross-sectional study of 13 advanced KS (4 EnKS, 9 EpKS) patients and 3 healthy controls utilized single-color immunohistochemistry and dual-color immunofluorescence assays to characterize and quantify KSHV infected cells in relation to various TIIC in KS biopsies. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess differences between groups where P-values \u3c 0.05 were considered significant. The abundance of KSHV infected cells was heterogeneous in KS biopsies. Despite the presence of T-cell chemoattractant chemokine CxCL-9 in biopsies, CD8+ T-cells were sparsely distributed in regions with evident KSHV infected cells but were readily detectable in regions devoid of KSHV infected cells (P \u3c 0.0001). CD68+ (M1) macrophages were evenly and diffusely distributed in KS biopsies, whereas, the majority of CD163+ (M2) macrophages were localized in regions devoid of KSHV infected cells (P \u3c 0.0001). Overall, the poor immune cell infiltration or co-localization in KS biopsies independent of HIV-1 co-infection suggests a fundamental tumor immune evasion mechanism that warrants further investigation

Food intake and dietary diversity of farming households in Morogoro region,Tanzania

The Tanzanian economy depends heavily on agriculture and hence human labor provides much of the power needed for farming activities. This study was carried out to determine the diversity and dietary adequacy of farming households in four selected districts of Morogoro region in Tanzania. Adult household members from 140 households participated in the study. A 24-hour dietary recall, dietary diversity score and frequency of food consumption tools were used to assess and quantify nutrient intake and adequacy of consumed diets in farming households. Tanzania food composition tables were used to compute estimates of the energy intake, macro and micronutrients consumed by farming households. Analysis was done using SPSS version 18 and Microsoft excel version 10. Cereal food group was consumed in relatively large quantities compared to other food groups in the surveyed households. The contribution of cereal group to energy intake was 75-82%, protein 8-16% and fat 9-14%. Stiff porridge made of maize flour was the mostly consumed cereal dish followed by rice. The mean intake of energy per day was inadequate; the intake of energy for men was 1402 kcal/day while for female was 1347 kcal/day meeting only 52% and 72%, respectively of the recommended energy intake. Generally, the consumption of protein from the animal sources was significantly low in all districts. Ninety-nine percent of the households rarely consumed eggs; 83% rarely consumed meat and poultry. Consumption of milk and milk products was inadequate as 92% of the households indicated that they rarely consumed these products. The intake of fat was also low by 53% compared to the recommended intake for adults. The intake of iron, zinc, and calcium was 40, 53 and 64%, respectively, which was not sufficient to meet daily requirements. Low intake of nutrients was generally attributed to inadequate food intake due to low feeding frequency, poorly diversified diets and sub-optimal practices in food preparation and cooking. The results from surveyed areas indicated that all districts are rich in terms of bio-diversity and food availability, nevertheless the consumption of these foods in the study communities was inadequate with regards to quantity and quality. This situation compromises nutritional status and pre-disposes farming households to diseases and infections hence affects work output, labor productivity and wealth generation. Educating farmers on the importance of consuming diversified and adequate diets from different food groups will improve their nutrition situation and stimulate more production hence increased agricultural productivity.Key words: Dietary adequacy, Dietary diversity, Nutrition status, Tanzania farming household

Determinants of isoniazid preventive therapy completion among people living with HIV attending care and treatment clinics from 2013 to 2017 in Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania. A cross-sectional analytical study.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) disease is a common opportunistic infection among people living with HIV (PLHIV). WHO recommends at least 6 months of isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) to reduce the risk of active TB. It is important to monitor the six-month IPT completion since a suboptimal dose may not protect PLHIV from TB infection. This study determined the six-month IPT completion and factors associated with six-month IPT completion among PLHIV aged 15 years or more in Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. METHODS: Secondary analysis of routine data from PLHIV attending 58 care and treatment clinics in Dar es Salaam region was used. PLHIV, aged 15 years and above, who screened negative for TB symptoms and initiated IPT from January, 2013 to June, 2017 were recruited. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for factors associated with IPT completion. Multilevel analysis was used to account for health facility random effects in order to estimate adjusted PR (APR) for factors associated with IPT six-month completion. RESULTS: A total of 29,382 PLHIV were initiated IPT, with 21,808 (74%) female. Overall 17,092 (58%) six-month IPT completion, increasing from 42% (773/1857) in year 2013 to 76% (2929/3856) in 2017. Multilevel multivariable model accounting for health facilities as clusters, showed PLHIV who were not on ART had 46% lower IPT completion compared to those were on ART (APR: 0.54: 95%CI: 0.45-0.64). There was 37% lower IPT completion among PLHIV who transferred from another clinic (APR: 0.63: 95% CI (0.54-0.74) compared to those who did not transfer. PLHIV aged 25-34 years had a 6% lower prevalence of IPT completion as compared to those aged 15 to 24 years (APR:0.94 95%CI:0.89-0.98). CONCLUSION: The IPT completion rate in PLHIV increased over time, but there was lower IPT completion in PLHIV who transferred from other clinics, who were aged 25 to 34 years and those not on ART. Interventions to support IPT in these groups are urgently needed