Investigation of the origin and distribution of heavy metals around Ebenezer Dam, Limpopo Province, South Africa

This study was based on the outcome of the soil geochemical survey which was conducted by the Council for Geoscience around Ebenezer Dam during 1995-1996, the results of which indicated high concentrations of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and arsenic (As). The current study therefore focused on the origin and distribution patterns of Pb, Zn, Cu, As and Cr withinthe environs of Ebenezer Dam and their potential impacts on the environment and human health. The work involved soil, sediment, rock and water sampling and analysis. Atomic absorption and x-ray fluorescence spectrometry were used to determine the metal concentrations. The occurrence of anomalous concentrations of these metals in the study area was established. The anomalies registered maximum concentrations of (mg/g): 57 for Pb, 157 for Zn, 313 for Cu, 73 for As and 888 for Cr. The concentrations of these metals in sediments along the streams were high near the anomalies, but decreaseddownstream. Concentrations of heavy metals in water around the Ebenezer Dam were found to be less than 0.01 mg/g ,except for As which was less than 1.0 mg/g. Thus Pb, Zn, Cu and Cr values were below the target water quality ranges for domestic, irrigation, livestock watering and aquatic ecosystem use. The study confirmed that the distribution of heavymetals in this area is localised within and around the source rocks that are felsic in nature, namely; granites and pegmatites that formed domes in the area

Assessing the long-term welfare effects of the biological control of cereal stemborer pests in East and Southern Africa: Evidence from Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia

The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), undertook a biological control (BC) programme for control of stemborers from 1993 to 2008, to reduce cereal yield losses due to stemborer attack in East and Southern Africa. The programme released four biological control agents—the larval parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia sesamiae, the egg parasitoid Telenomus isis and the pupal parasitoid Xanthopimpla stemmator—to control the economically important stemborer pests Busseola fusca, Chilo partellus and Sesamia calamistis. Two of the natural enemies that were released got established and spread to many localities in the region. This study adopted the economic surplus model based on production, market and GIS data to evaluate the economic benefits and cost-effectiveness of the programme in three countries—Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia. Findings show that the biological control intervention has contributed to an aggregate monetary surplus of US$1.4 billion to the economies of the three countries with 84$ 272 million for both crops and ranged from US$142 million for Kenya to US$ 39 million for Zambia. The attractive internal rate of return (IRR) of 67% compared to the considered discount rate of 10%, as well as the estimated benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 33:1, illustrate the efficiency of investment in the BC research and intervention. The estimated number of people lifted out of poverty through the BC-programme was on average 57,400 persons (consumers and producers) per year in Kenya, 44,120 persons in Mozambique, and 36,170 persons in Zambia, representing an annual average reduction of poor populations, respectively of 0.35, 0.25 and 0.20% in each of the three countries. These findings underscore the need for increased investment in BC research to sustain cereal production and improve poor living conditions

Electronic data collection to enhance disease surveillance at the slaughterhouse in a smallholder production system

Globally, meat inspection provides data for animal health surveillance. However, paper-based recording of data is often not reported through to higher authorities in sufficient detail. We trialled the use of an electronic meat inspection form in Kenyan slaughterhouses, in lieu of the currently used paper-based format. Meat inspectors in two ruminant slaughterhouses completed and submitted an electronic report for each animal slaughtered at their facility. The reports, which captured information on the animal demographics and any eventual condemnations, were stored in a central database and available in real-time. A stakeholder meeting was held towards the end of the study. Over the 2.75 year study period, 16,386 reports were submitted; a downward linear trend in the monthly submissions was noted. There was a week effect, whereby more reports were submitted on the market day. Of the slaughtered animals, 23% had at least a partial condemnation. The most frequently condemned organs were the liver, lungs and intestines; the primary reasons for condemnations were parasitic conditions. Lack of feedback and difficulty capturing animal origin information were the primary challenges highlighted. The study demonstrated that electronic data capture is feasible in such challenging environments, thereby improving the timeliness and resolution of the data collected

'This Place Used to be a White British Boys' Club': Reporting Dynamics and Cultural Clash at an International News Bureau in Nairobi

Africa has long been portrayed by Western media as a dark and conflict-ridden continent. Such reports have traditionally been produced by white journalists in the field, writing for a distant audience ‘back home’. In recent years, significant structural changes in the foreign news industry have seen the near-demise of foreign correspondents and the increasing use of locally hired journalists. This research explores the increasingly important role of local correspondents in the production of international news reports, and asks whether their presence may start to change how Africa is depicted in the West. This investigation is framed by a cultural analysis of the Reuters newsroom in Nairobi during the post-election crisis of 2007–08. This newsroom provides a microcosm of the media industry, in which Western and local journalists disagreed and debated the role of the media in a crisis. This clash of values offers a springboard for exploring the potential ability of local national journalists to shape the news: Do they have the power to challenge Western reporting modes, or are they simply reproducing the values of this system? This article concludes that the current situation is somewhere between the two: Westerners continue to dominate international reporting, but there are indications that a slow and sometimes uncomfortable synthesis is beginning to emerge

Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease‐Lactate and Prediction of Inpatient Mortality in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163652/3/hep31199.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163652/2/hep31199_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163652/1/hep31199-sup-0001-Supinfo.pd

Animal-related factors associated with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in children younger than five years in western Kenya: A matched case-control study

Background Diarrheal disease remains among the leading causes of global mortality in children younger than 5 years. Exposure to domestic animals may be a risk factor for diarrheal disease. The objectives of this study were to identify animal-related exposures associated with cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children in rural western Kenya, and to identify the major zoonotic enteric pathogens present in domestic animals residing in the homesteads of case and control children. Methodology/Principal findings We characterized animal-related exposures in a subset of case and control children (n = 73 pairs matched on age, sex and location) with reported animal presence at home enrolled in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study in western Kenya, and analysed these for an association with MSD. We identified potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens in pooled fecal specimens collected from domestic animals resident at children’s homesteads. Variables that were associated with decreased risk of MSD were washing hands after animal contact (matched odds ratio [MOR] = 0.2; 95% CI 0.08–0.7), and presence of adult sheep that were not confined in a pen overnight (MOR = 0.1; 0.02–0.5). Variables that were associated with increased risk of MSD were increasing number of sheep owned (MOR = 1.2; 1.0–1.5), frequent observation of fresh rodent excreta (feces/urine) outside the house (MOR = 7.5; 1.5–37.2), and participation of the child in providing water to chickens (MOR = 3.8; 1.2–12.2). Of 691 pooled specimens collected from 2,174 domestic animals, 159 pools (23%) tested positive for one or more potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella, diarrheagenic E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or rotavirus). We did not find any association between the presence of particular pathogens in household animals, and MSD in children. Conclusions and significance Public health agencies should continue to promote frequent hand washing, including after animal contact, to reduce the risk of MSD. Future studies should address specific causal relations of MSD with sheep and chicken husbandry practices, and with the presence of rodents

May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension

Aims Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk

A facility-based study of women' satisfaction and perceived quality of reproductive and maternal health services in the Kenya output-based approach voucher program

Background: This is a facility-based study designed to assess perceived quality of care and satisfaction of reproductive health services under the output-based approach (OBA) services in Kenya from clients’ perspective. Method: An exit interview was conducted on 254 clients in public health facilities, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations and private facilities in Kitui, Kilifi, Kiambu, and Kisumu counties as well as in the Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya using a 23-item scale questionnaire on quality of reproductive health services. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability test, and subgroup analysis using linear regression were performed. Results: Clients generally had a positive view on staff conduct and healthcare delivery but were neutral on hospital physical facilities, resources, and access to healthcare services. There was a high overall level of satisfaction among the clients with quick service, good handling of complications, and clean hospital stated as some of the reasons that enhanced satisfaction. The County of residence was shown to impact the perception of quality greatly with other social demographic characteristics showing low impact. Conclusion: Majority of the women perceived the quality of OBA services to be high and were happy with the way healthcare providers were handling birth related complications. The conduct and practice of healthcare workers is an important determinant of client’s perception of quality of reproductive and maternal health services. Findings can be used by health care managers as a guide to evaluate different areas of healthcare delivery and to improve resources and physical facilities that are crucial in elevating clients’ level of satisfaction