The decline in primary school enrolment in Kenya

school attendance;Kenya;economics of education;educational policy;primary education

Gender analysis of sexual and reproductive health information access and use: a study of university student communities in Tanzania

This paper examines the state of access to and use of SRH information services in four universities in Tanzania in the context of gender dynamics and relations. The study was conducted among student communities at the University of Dar es Salaam, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mzumbe University and Sokoine University ofAgriculture. The overall research design integrated both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The major methods of data collection were survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview. A final sample of 194 undergraduate students was selected conveniently with 51% males and 49% females. The key finding of this study was that gender does not influence SRH information access and use. The baseline conditions of SRH information and service provision in the four universities revealed the following. First, SRH information services were available but not adequate. Second, students could access a wide range of sources of SRH information but the actual use was concentrated and limited to only three major sources which were radio, television and friends. Specialized information sources such as health workers and brochures/leaflets were rarely used. Third, awareness of the availability of SRH services in the Universities was not wide spread among students and a significantly large percentage of students think that they cannot access SRH information in the universities and have a negative attitude towards the provision of SRH information services in the universities. Major factors that influenced access to and use of SRH information and services in the universities in Tanzania were diverse in nature. Despite the challenges, the findings have revealed that the following opportunities exist: extensive SRH knowledge among students, a reasonable degree of availability of SRH services, and an increasing demand for these services from students. Finally, the paper makes detailed recommendations on SRH service provision; gender mainstreaming in SRH service provision; family planning; IEC and BCC; marketing and promoting SRH services, etc

Galaxy Zoo:reproducing galaxy morphologies via machine learning

We present morphological classifications obtained using machine learning for objects in SDSS DR6 that have been classified by Galaxy Zoo into three classes, namely early types, spirals and point sources/artifacts. An artificial neural network is trained on a subset of objects classified by the human eye and we test whether the machine learning algorithm can reproduce the human classifications for the rest of the sample. We find that the success of the neural network in matching the human classifications depends crucially on the set of input parameters chosen for the machine-learning algorithm. The colours and parameters associated with profile-fitting are reasonable in separating the objects into three classes. However, these results are considerably improved when adding adaptive shape parameters as well as concentration and texture. The adaptive moments, concentration and texture parameters alone cannot distinguish between early type galaxies and the point sources/artifacts. Using a set of twelve parameters, the neural network is able to reproduce the human classifications to better than 90% for all three morphological classes. We find that using a training set that is incomplete in magnitude does not degrade our results given our particular choice of the input parameters to the network. We conclude that it is promising to use machine- learning algorithms to perform morphological classification for the next generation of wide-field imaging surveys and that the Galaxy Zoo catalogue provides an invaluable training set for such purposes

The impact of low erythrocyte density in human blood on the fitness and energetic reserves of the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

Background Anaemia is a common health problem in the developing world. This condition is characterized by a reduction in erythrocyte density, primarily from malnutrition and/or infectious diseases such as malaria. As red blood cells are the primary source of protein for haematophagous mosquitoes, any reduction could impede the ability of mosquito vectors to transmit malaria by influencing their fitness or that of the parasites they transmit. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of differences in the density of red blood cells in human blood on malaria vector (Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto) fitness. The hypotheses tested are that mosquito vector energetic reserves and fitness are negatively influenced by reductions in the red cell density of host human blood meals commensurate with those expected from severe anaemia. Methods Mosquitoes (An. gambiae s.s.) were offered blood meals of different packed cell volume(PCV) of human blood consistent with those arising from severe anaemia (15%) and normalPCV (50%). Associations between mosquito energetic reserves (lipid, glucose and glycogen)and fitness measures (reproduction and survival) and blood meal PCV were investigated. Results The amount of protein that malaria vectors acquired from blood feeding (indexed by haematin excretion) was significantly reduced at low blood PCV. However, mosquitoes feeding on blood of low PCV had the same oviposition rates as those feeding on blood of normal PCV, and showed an increase in egg production of around 15%. The long-term survival of An. gambiae s.s was reduced after feeding on low PCV blood, but PCV had no significant impact on the proportion of mosquitoes surviving through the minimal period required to develop and transmit malaria parasites (estimated as 14 days post-blood feeding). The impact of blood PCV on the energetic reserves of mosquitoes was relatively minor. Conclusions These results suggest that feeding on human hosts whose PCV has been depleted due to severe anaemia does not significantly reduce the fitness or transmission potential of malaria vectors, and indicates that mosquitoes may be able exploit resources for reproduction more efficiently from blood of low rather than normal PCV

The impact of electronic information resource use on research output: experiences from Universities in Tanzania

This paper examines the impact of the use of electronic information resources on research output in the universities in Tanzania. Research for this paper was conducted in five public universities in Tanzania with varied levels of access to electronic information resources. The selection of the sample universities was purposive. Data was collected using face-to-face interviews, questionnaires and key informant interviews. Analysis of data employed descriptive and quantitative techniques. Empirical data revealed that the use of online information resources has a positive impact on various research activities and milestones such as research proposal submission, research proposal funding, research report writing and journal article publishing. The results therefore provide empirical support for a positive relationship between the use of electronic information resources and research output and publishing in general. This was demonstrated in the increased number of proposals prepared, submitted and funded, research reports submitted, journal articles published and chapters in books and books published with increased access to and use of electronic information resources. Results also show that although researchers who are actually using the scholarly databases are small in number the core group of researchers using these resources is growing and the use of resources is becoming more frequent and diverse. The major challenges observed include ineffective marketing strategies on the availability of the resources, inadequate training of end users, questionable content relevance of some of the resources and issues of sustainability of access given high levels of donor dependency for subscriptions. Finally, limited variations in terms of intensity of use of resources were observed between junior and higher ranking academics; and younger and older members of faculty. The paper makes a number of recommendations

Money talks: moral economies of earning a living in neoliberal East Africa

Neoliberal restructuring has targeted not just the economy, but also polity, society and culture, in the name of creating capitalist market societies. The societal repercussions of neoliberal policy and reform in terms of moral economy remain understudied. This article seeks to address this gap by analysing moral economy characteristics and dynamics in neoliberalised communities, as perceived by traders in Uganda and sex workers in Kenya. The interview data reveal perceived drivers that contributed to a significant moral dominance of money, self-interest, short-termism, opportunism and pragmatism. Equally notable are a perceived (i) close interaction between political–economic and moral–economic dynamics, and (ii) significant impact of the political–economic structure on moral agency. Respondents primarily referred to material factors usually closely linked to neoliberal reform, as key drivers of local moral economies. We thus speak of a neoliberalisation of moral economies, itself part of the wider process of embedding and locking-in market society structures in the two countries. An improved political economy of moral economy can help keep track of this phenomenon

Indoor application of attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) in combination with mosquito nets for control of pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes.

BACKGROUND: Attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) sprayed onto vegetation has been successful in controlling Anopheles mosquitoes outdoors. Indoor application of ATSB has yet to be explored. The purpose of this study was to determine whether ATSB stations positioned indoors have the potential to kill host-seeking mosquitoes and constitute a new approach to control of mosquito-borne diseases. METHODS: Insecticides were mixed with dyed sugar solution and tested as toxic baits against Anopheles arabiensis, An. Gambiae s.s. and Culex quinquefasciatus in feeding bioassay tests to identify suitable attractant-insecticide combinations. The most promising ATSB candidates were then trialed in experimental huts in Moshi, Tanzania. ATSB stations were hung in huts next to untreated mosquito nets occupied by human volunteers. The proportions of mosquitoes killed in huts with ATSB treatments relative to huts with non-insecticide control treatments huts were recorded, noting evidence of dye in mosquito abdomens. RESULTS: In feeding bioassays, chlorfenapyr 0.5% v/v, boric acid 2% w/v, and tolfenpyrad 1% v/v, mixed in a guava juice-based bait, each killed more than 90% of pyrethroid-susceptible An. Gambiae s.s. and pyrethroid-resistant An. arabiensis and Cx. quinquefasciatus. In the hut trial, mortality rates of the three ATSB treatments ranged from 41-48% against An. arabiensis and 36-43% against Cx. quinquefasciatus and all were significantly greater than the control mortalities: 18% for An. arabiensis, 7% for Cx. quinquefasciatus (p<0.05). Mortality rates with ATSB were comparable to those with long lasting insecticidal nets previously tested against the same species in this area. CONCLUSIONS: Indoor ATSB shows promise as a supplement to mosquito nets for controlling mosquitoes. Indoor ATSB constitute a novel application method for insecticide classes that act as stomach poisons and have not hitherto been exploited for mosquito control. Combined with LLIN, indoor use of ATSB has the potential to serve as a strategy for managing insecticide resistance