Selected trace metal concentration in bottom water and sediments of Kyoga basin lakes, and its potential to aquatic pollution

Although other research studies on areas such as the physical-chemical, nutrients and phytoplankton status of Lake Kyoga systems have been given a lot of attention (e.g. Mungoma 1988 and NaFIRRI 2006), efforts to determine the pollution status of this system, especially by heavy metals as one of the worldwide emerging environmental problems, is still limited. Many trace metals are regarded as serious pollutants of aquatic ecosystems because of their persistence, toxicity and ability to be incorporated into food chains (Mwamburi J., and Nathan O.F., 1997). Given the rapid human population growth and the associated economic activities both within the rural and urban areas in Uganda, such fish production systems are becoming very prone to various kinds of pollution including that by heavy metals. Anthropogenic factors such deforestation, use of chemicals and dumping of metallic products, spillages of fuels from outboard engines and many others and or natural processes involving atmospheric deposition by wind or rain, surface run-offs and streams flows from the catchment introduces heavy metals into the lake environment,

Linear CCD-Based Spectrometry Using Either an ASIC or FPGA Design Methodology

At room temperature, high-responsivity charge-coupled devices (CCD) comprising arrays of several thousand linear photodiodes are readily available. These sensors are capable of ultraviolet to near infrared wavelengths sensing with detecting resolutions of up to 24 dots per millimeter. Their applicability in novel spectrometry applications has been demonstrated. However, the complexity of their timing, image acquisition, and processing necessitates sophisticated peripheral circuitry for viable output. In this chapter, we outline the application specifications for a versatile spectrometer that is reliant on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) automation. The sustained throughput is 1.23 gigabit per second 8-bit color readout rate. This approach is attractive because the final FPGA design may be reconfigured readily to a single, branded, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to drive a wider range of linear CCDs on the market. This is advantageous for rapid development and deployment of the spectrometer instrument

Retroesophageal right subclavian artery: A case report and review of the literature

Background: Variations of vessels arising from the aortic arch are numerous. One of the common anatomical variations is the right subclavian artery originating as the last branch of the aortic arch. This is a report of a case of an adult male cadaver with a retroesophageal right subclavian artery.Objective: To highlight the significance of a retroesophageal right subclavian artery, especially its clinical and surgical implications.Method: Is a report of a case of an anomalous vessel found during routine student dissection of the chest region in a male cadaver.Result: The retroesophageal subclavian artery was seen originating as the last branch from the postero-lateral aspect of the thoracic aorta at the vertebral level T4. The heart was normal with no other vascular variations seen in this region.Conclusion: Anatomists and pathologists mainly encounter a retroesophageal right subclavian artery by chance and is usually described as asymptomatic, but several clinical conditions have been associated with its occurrence. This is a clear example of when knowledge of an anatomical variation is helpful in clinical practice.Keywords: Retroesophageal subclavian artery, arterial variation, male cadaver, Ugand

Primary lumbar hernia in an elderly woman: case report

Lumber hernia is a rare posterior abdominal wall defect with fewer than 300 cases reported in literature. It accounts for less than 1.5% of total hernia incidence. Herniation is mainly through the inferior lumber triangle (Petit’s hernia) or through the superior lumber triangle (Grynfeltt’s triangle); with both these anatomical boundaries accounting for 95% of lumber hernias. Lumber hernias are classified as either congenital (20%) or acquired (80%), and the typical presentation is a patient with a protruding bulge in the back with a slow growth. Our patient was a 70-year-old woman who presented at the surgical outpatient department with a swelling on the right flank for two years. She revealed no known cause of the swelling that was progressively increasing in size, with a dull pain. Physical examination and ultrasonography revealed a defect in the posterolateral abdominal wall. Surgical dissection revealed a large hernial sac, which contained retro peritoneal fat, protruding through a 3-4 centimetres defect in the transversalis fascia lining the floor of the superior lumbar triangle. The hernia sac was reduced and the defect closed. There was no recurrence four months post-operative. Lumber hernias are rare, but a good history and physical examination is important to rule out most of the differential diagnoses. Early surgical management is recommended but the surgical approach should be individualised

Retroesophageal right subclavian artery: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Variations of vessels arising from the aortic arch are numerous. One of the common anatomical variations is the right subclavian artery originating as the last branch of the aortic arch. This is a report of a case of an adult male cadaver with a retroesophageal right subclavian artery. Objective: To highlight the significance of a retroesophageal right subclavian artery, especially its clinical and surgical implications. Method: Is a report of a case of an anomalous vessel found during routine student dissection of the chest region in a male cadaver. Result: The retroesophageal subclavian artery was seen originating as the last branch from the postero-lateral aspect of the thoracic aorta at the vertebral level T4. The heart was normal with no other vascular variations seen in this region. Conclusion: Anatomists and pathologists mainly encounter a retroesophageal right subclavian artery by chance and is usually described as asymptomatic, but several clinical conditions have been associated with its occurrence. This is a clear example of when knowledge of an anatomical variation is helpful in clinical practice

Analysis of Rwandan Economic Performance Before and After the 1994 Genocide

This article analyses economic performance of Rwanda between 1973 and 2011. The economic history of Rwanda during this period can be divided into three periods i.e. pre-genocide period (1973-1989), inter-genocide period (1990-1994) and post—genocide period(1995-2011). Real GDP (constant 2000 US$) was used as the dependent variable and as a proxy for economic performance. The explanatory variables used were all expressed as percentages of GDP. They included Domestic Investment (DI), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Domestic Savings (DS) and Trade (TR).Chow test based on data for the entire period (1973-2011) rejected the null hypothesis of no structural change/break. After exclusion of observations for the conflict and genocide period, the Chow test  corroborated by the Wald test further showed strong presence of structural break for the pre and post genocide periods. The apparent existence of structural change for the two regimes suggests that the disequilibrium impact of genocide on the Rwandan economy was transitory. This could be explained by the interventions and policies initiated by post genocide leadership to develop, pacify and unite the people of Rwanda. Although structural change was established for the pre and post genocide periods, the change did not emanate from the shift in the intercept, but rather from slope vectors. This means the unobserved qualitative characteristics of the two regimes were similar but that the policies which led to changes in theexplanatory variables impacted differently on performance in the two regimes. Incidentally, it was found out that the bulk of the difference in the models across the two regimes was explained mainly by changes in the intercept, DI and FDI.Keywords: Economic performance, structural change/break, pooled model, fixed effects model, separate regressions, subset of coefficients

An Econometric Evaluation of Microfinance Institutions Performance through Savings Mobilization and Loan Deployment in Northern Uganda

The study investigated microfinance institutions performance through savings mobilization and loan deployment in the Acholi sub region using an econometric approach. The specific objective was to examine the structural stability of the districts on micro savings mobilization and loan deployment within the sub region. The study was carried out in the seven districts of the sub region. Panel data were pooled for all the microfinance institutions in the sub region on the levels of savings, loans, capitalization funds and the number of beneficiaries for the period 2008 to 2011. The application of the econometric techniques were in sequence from the Pooled Regression Model to the differentiation in choice between the Fixed Effect Model and Random Effects Model. Further, the data were tested for heteroscedasticity and covariance structure of the variables so as to ascertain the robustness of the estimators. The districts were structurally unstable due to differential intercepts, which is the underlying average loan deployed for each of the districts and not slopes, which indicate the variations in loan deployment resulting from a unit change in the covariates savings, capitalization funds and the number of borrowers. There is need to increase both equity and debt funds as components of total loanable funds so as to enhance the operations of SACCOs across the districts. Equity funds should be increased internally through upward revision in the per unit share capital to be bought upfront by members who are joining the SACCO. Debt funds could be sourced externally from both local and foreign lending agencies. Keywords: District Structural Stability Tests, Micro Savings and Loans, Acholi Sub Region, Ugand

Completion Time Dynamics Of Doctoral Studies At Makerere University: A Hazard Model Evaluation

Issues related to attrition and completion time of graduate studies are certainly an internationally challenging and important area of higher education literature. In this paper, completion time dynamics of doctoral studies at Makerere University were investigated based on data extracted for all 295 candidates in the commencement cohorts from 2000 to 2005. The total elapsed time, from first enrollment to submission of a final copy of a thesis, was adopted as a measure of completion time and event history (survival) analysis methodology was applied. Results reveal a median completion time of 5.0 years. Following a Cox model, in a range of candidate, candidature, discipline and institutional variables, the rate of completion was higher for candidates at younger ages during commencement, international students, those registered in science-related disciplines, and those in commencement cohorts from 2000 to 2002. The model correctly identified the order of completion times by about 72% of the time

Dynamic Relationship Between Gross Domestic Product and Domestic Investments in Rwanda

This study uses a VAR model to analyse the dynamic relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) and domestic investment (DI) in Rwanda for the period 1970 to 2011. Several selection lag criteria chose a maximum lag of one and a bivariate VAR(1) model specification in levels was adopted. Unit root tests show that both GDP and DI series are nonstationary in levels but stationary in first differences, implying that both are integrated of order one I(1). Tests of cointegration established that GDP and DI are CI(1,1), suggesting there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between the two series. The error correction model indicates that DI adjusts to GDP with a lag whereby 0.2 percent of the discrepancy between long-term and short-term DI is corrected within the year. Granger causality tests show that there is unidirectional causality where GDP causes DI. The bivariate VAR (1) was unstable when estimated at levels, but was stable in first differences. Finally it was found out that GDP almost perfectly predicts DI in the estimated VAR (1) model. The forecasted value of DI in 2011 was 22.6%of GDP while the actual value was 22.7% of GDP. The small discrepancy may be attributed to the appropriate policy measures the Rwandan government and the private sector federation have thus far taken to facilitate investors in their businesses.Keywords: Gross Domestic Product (GDP); Domestic Investment (DI); Granger Causality; Cointegration; Vector Autoregression (VAR) and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM

Extended Candidature And Non-Completion Of A Ph.D. At Makerere University, Uganda

Although student persistence in graduate programs is widely regarded as an important topic in the literature of higher education, many such works focus on the completion of studies. This paper examines the dynamics of attrition resulting in either delayed or non-completion of doctoral studies. Administrative data of 294 Ph.D. students at Makerere University in the 2000 to 2005 enrollment cohorts were analyzed. The total elapsed time from first enrollment to submission of a final dissertation or thesis copy was taken as a measure of completion time. A multinomial logistic was applied for assessing the likelihood of completion and extended candidature, rather than withdrawal, five years after initial enrollment in doctoral studies. In the results, the estimates rates of extended candidature (48.6%) and withdrawal (36.4%) indicate a low timely completion rate of doctoral students at Makerere. The observed associations, modeled by a range of candidate, candidature, and institutional variables, including discipline area, suggest the need for establishing measures to promote progress in doctoral studies at early stages of commencement as well as throughout the course of candidature