Failure of pre-natal ultrasonography to prevent urinary infection associated with underlying urological abnormalities.

PubMed

Lakhoo, K; Thomas, D F; Fuenfer, M; D'Cruz, A J

1996-06-01

To analyse the reasons underlying the failure of routine pre-natal ultrasonography to prevent the subsequent development of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children with predisposing urological abnormalities. This retrospective study comprised 39 children (22 females and 17 males) who had at least one documented UTI, the presence of an anatomical anomaly of the urinary tract recognized as predisposing to UTI and had undergone ultrasonography of the urinary tract undertaken in fetal life as part of routine maternal ante-natal ultrasonography. Four categories of patients were defined: Group A, those with normal findings on pre-natal ultrasonography and no urological abnormality detected; Group B, those with a urological abnormality detected but where there was a subsequent failure of communication among clinicians; Group C, those with a urological abnormality but who received inappropriate or sub-optimal post-natal management and; Group D, those with a urological abnormality but who had a UTI despite appropriate post-natal management. In each case, the most severe documented episode of UTI was categorized as: Grade I, asymptomatic bacteriuria; Grade II, mild/moderate symptomatic UTI and; Grade III, severe symptomatic UTI necessitating hospital admission. Group A comprised 22 (56%), Group B three (9%), Group C two (5%) and Group D 12 children (31%). Of the 22 children in Group A, nine experienced a UTI of sufficient severity to necessitate hospital admission. Of the 12 children in Group D only one required hospital admission. The failure of pre-natal ultrasonography to identify the underlying predisposing urological abnormality was the most important factor contributing to subsequent UTI in post-natal life. Failure of communication and inappropriate post-natal management were numerically unimportant. In some children, UTI occurred despite pre-natal detection of their underlying anomaly and appropriate post-natal management. However, in this group the UTI was less

Natal and breeding philopatry of female Steller sea lions in southeastern Alaska.

PubMed

Hastings, Kelly K; Jemison, Lauri A; Pendleton, Grey W; Raum-Suryan, Kimberly L; Pitcher, Kenneth W

2017-01-01

Information on drivers of dispersal is critical for wildlife conservation but is rare for long-lived marine mammal species with large geographic ranges. We fit multi-state mark-recapture models to resighting data of 369 known-aged Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) females marked as pups on their natal rookeries in southeastern Alaska from 1994-2005 and monitored from 2001-15. We estimated probabilities of females being first observed parous at their natal site (natal philopatry), and of not moving breeding sites among years (breeding philopatry) at large (> 400 km, all five rookeries in southeastern Alaska) and small (< 4 km, all islands within the largest rookery, Forrester Island Complex, F) spatial scales. At the rookery scale, natal philopatry was moderately high (0.776-0.859) for most rookeries and breeding philopatry was nearly 1, with < 3% of females switching breeding rookeries between years. At more populous islands at F, natal philopatry was 0.500-0.684 versus 0.295-0.437 at less populous islands, and breeding philopatry was 0.919-0.926 versus 0.604-0.858. At both spatial scales, the probability of pupping at a non-natal site increased with population size of, and declined with distance from, the destination site. Natal philopatry of < 1 would increase gene flow, improve population resilience, and promote population recovery after decline in a heterogeneous environment. Very high breeding philopatry suggests that familiarity with neighboring females and knowledge of the breeding site (the topography of pupping sites and nearby foraging locations) may be a critical component to reproductive strategies of sea lions.

Natal and breeding philopatry of female Steller sea lions in southeastern Alaska

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Information on drivers of dispersal is critical for wildlife conservation but is rare for long-lived marine mammal species with large geographic ranges. We fit multi-state mark-recapture models to resighting data of 369 known-aged Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) females marked as pups on their natal rookeries in southeastern Alaska from 1994–2005 and monitored from 2001–15. We estimated probabilities of females being first observed parous at their natal site (natal philopatry), and of not moving breeding sites among years (breeding philopatry) at large (> 400 km, all five rookeries in southeastern Alaska) and small (< 4 km, all islands within the largest rookery, Forrester Island Complex, F) spatial scales. At the rookery scale, natal philopatry was moderately high (0.776–0.859) for most rookeries and breeding philopatry was nearly 1, with < 3% of females switching breeding rookeries between years. At more populous islands at F, natal philopatry was 0.500–0.684 versus 0.295–0.437 at less populous islands, and breeding philopatry was 0.919–0.926 versus 0.604–0.858. At both spatial scales, the probability of pupping at a non-natal site increased with population size of, and declined with distance from, the destination site. Natal philopatry of < 1 would increase gene flow, improve population resilience, and promote population recovery after decline in a heterogeneous environment. Very high breeding philopatry suggests that familiarity with neighboring females and knowledge of the breeding site (the topography of pupping sites and nearby foraging locations) may be a critical component to reproductive strategies of sea lions. PMID:28591130

Project Pró-natal: population-based study of perinatal and infant mortality in natal, Northeast Brazil.

PubMed

Ramos, A M; Maranhão, T D; Macedo, A S; Pollock, J I; Emond, A M

2000-01-01

The Pró-Natal project is a collaborative initiative that aims to improve maternal and infant health in a deprived community in Natal, Northeast Brazil. To assess the perinatal and infant mortality in this population of 40,000, we have collected over a 2-year period a consecutive series of 39 autopsy examinations on deaths under 1 year of age. During this period there were 2212 live births in the study population. The 14 perinatal deaths are described using the Wrigglesworth classification, and the 25 infant deaths, using a clinicopathological system. The contribution of normally formed stillbirths was small (14%), which probably reflects the underreporting of stillbirths in this community. The most common cause of death in the live births was complications of prematurity (43%). Specific causes (22%) of perinatal deaths were predominantly infections, including one case of congenital syphilis. Perinatal asphyxia was diagnosed in 14%, and there was one case (7%) of a chromosome abnormality. Infant deaths were predominantly due to respiratory (45%) and gastrointestinal infections (28%), with chronic malnutrition as an underlying cause in 80% of cases. Prenatal care could theoretically have prevented three of the perinatal deaths, and a further six deaths could have been avoided by improved management of labor and the immediate neonatal period. Prevention of malnutrition and improved treatment of acute infections would contribute to a reduction in infant mortality in this population. The Pró-Natal project will use these data to design preventative interventions to reduce perinatal and infant mortality in this community.

Natal movement in juvenile Atlantic salmon: a body size-dependent strategy?

Treesearch

Sigurd Einum; Anders G. Finstad; Grethe Robertsen; Keith H. Nislow; Simon McKelvey; John D. Armstrong

2012-01-01

If competitive ability depends on body size, then the optimal natal movement from areas of high local population density can also be predicted to be size-dependent. Specifically, small, competitively-inferior individuals would be expected to benefit most from moving to areas of lower local density. Here we evaluate whether individual variation in natal movement...

A genetic test of the natal homing versus social facilitation models for green turtle migration.

PubMed

Meylan, A B; Bowen, B W; Avise, J C

1990-05-11

Female green turtles exhibit strong nest-site fidelity as adults, but whether the nesting beach is the natal site is not known. Under the natal homing hypothesis, females return to their natal beach to nest, whereas under the social facilitation model, virgin females follow experienced breeders to nesting beaches and after a "favorable" nesting experience, fix on that site for future nestings. Differences shown in mitochondrial DNA genotype frequency among green turtle colonies in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean are consistent with natal homing expectations and indicate that social facilitation to nonnatal sites is rare.

Hilton College Farm School, Natal, South Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beveridge, Sue

1989-01-01

The Hilton College Farm School is a primary school providing for the educational needs of children in a rural area of Natal, South Africa. Described are the school's historical development, funding sources, staffing, and development of an affiliated pre-primary school. (JDD)

Neutrino trigger of the magnetorotational mechanism of a natal-pulsar kick

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuznetsov, A. V., E-mail: avkuzn@uniyar.ac.ru; Mikheev, N. V., E-mail: mikheev@uniyar.ac.ru

2013-10-15

A mechanism generating a natal-neutron-star kick and involving only standard neutrinos is discussed. In this mechanism, the neutrino effect on the plasma of the supernova-core envelope in a magnetorotational explosion accompanied by the generation of a strong toroidal magnetic field leads to a redistribution of the magnetic field B in the 'upper' and 'lower' hemispheres of the supernova-core envelope. The emerging asymmetry of the magnetic-field pressure may generate a natal-pulsar kick.

Affinity for natal environments by dispersers impacts reproduction and explains geographical structure of a highly mobile bird.

PubMed

Fletcher, Robert J; Robertson, Ellen P; Wilcox, Rebecca C; Reichert, Brian E; Austin, James D; Kitchens, Wiley M

2015-09-07

Understanding dispersal and habitat selection behaviours is central to many problems in ecology, evolution and conservation. One factor often hypothesized to influence habitat selection by dispersers is the natal environment experienced by juveniles. Nonetheless, evidence for the effect of natal environment on dispersing, wild vertebrates remains limited. Using 18 years of nesting and mark-resight data across an entire North American geographical range of an endangered bird, the snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), we tested for natal effects on breeding-site selection by dispersers and its consequences for reproductive success and population structure. Dispersing snail kites were more likely to nest in wetlands of the same habitat type (lacustrine or palustrine) as their natal wetland, independent of dispersal distance, but this preference declined with age and if individuals were born during droughts. Importantly, dispersing kites that bred in natal-like habitats had lower nest success and productivity than kites that did not. These behaviours help explain recently described population connectivity and spatial structure across their geographical range and reveal that assortative breeding is occurring, where birds are more likely to breed with individuals born in the same wetland type as their natal habitat. Natal environments can thus have long-term and large-scale effects on populations in nature, even in highly mobile animals. © 2015 The Author(s).

Geomagnetic imprinting: A unifying hypothesis of long-distance natal homing in salmon and sea turtles.

PubMed

Lohmann, Kenneth J; Putman, Nathan F; Lohmann, Catherine M F

2008-12-09

Several marine animals, including salmon and sea turtles, disperse across vast expanses of ocean before returning as adults to their natal areas to reproduce. How animals accomplish such feats of natal homing has remained an enduring mystery. Salmon are known to use chemical cues to identify their home rivers at the end of spawning migrations. Such cues, however, do not extend far enough into the ocean to guide migratory movements that begin in open-sea locations hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. Similarly, how sea turtles reach their nesting areas from distant sites is unknown. However, both salmon and sea turtles detect the magnetic field of the Earth and use it as a directional cue. In addition, sea turtles derive positional information from two magnetic elements (inclination angle and intensity) that vary predictably across the globe and endow different geographic areas with unique magnetic signatures. Here we propose that salmon and sea turtles imprint on the magnetic field of their natal areas and later use this information to direct natal homing. This novel hypothesis provides the first plausible explanation for how marine animals can navigate to natal areas from distant oceanic locations. The hypothesis appears to be compatible with present and recent rates of field change (secular variation); one implication, however, is that unusually rapid changes in the Earth's field, as occasionally occur during geomagnetic polarity reversals, may affect ecological processes by disrupting natal homing, resulting in widespread colonization events and changes in population structure.

Geomagnetic imprinting: A unifying hypothesis of long-distance natal homing in salmon and sea turtles

PubMed Central

Lohmann, Kenneth J.; Putman, Nathan F.; Lohmann, Catherine M. F.

2008-01-01

Several marine animals, including salmon and sea turtles, disperse across vast expanses of ocean before returning as adults to their natal areas to reproduce. How animals accomplish such feats of natal homing has remained an enduring mystery. Salmon are known to use chemical cues to identify their home rivers at the end of spawning migrations. Such cues, however, do not extend far enough into the ocean to guide migratory movements that begin in open-sea locations hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. Similarly, how sea turtles reach their nesting areas from distant sites is unknown. However, both salmon and sea turtles detect the magnetic field of the Earth and use it as a directional cue. In addition, sea turtles derive positional information from two magnetic elements (inclination angle and intensity) that vary predictably across the globe and endow different geographic areas with unique magnetic signatures. Here we propose that salmon and sea turtles imprint on the magnetic field of their natal areas and later use this information to direct natal homing. This novel hypothesis provides the first plausible explanation for how marine animals can navigate to natal areas from distant oceanic locations. The hypothesis appears to be compatible with present and recent rates of field change (secular variation); one implication, however, is that unusually rapid changes in the Earth's field, as occasionally occur during geomagnetic polarity reversals, may affect ecological processes by disrupting natal homing, resulting in widespread colonization events and changes in population structure. PMID:19060188

Strontium isotopes delineate fine-scale natal origins and migration histories of Pacific salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brennan, Sean R.; Zimmerman, Christian E.; Fernandez, Diego P.; Cerling, Thure E.; McPhee, Megan V.; Wooller, Matthew J.

2015-01-01

Highly migratory organisms present major challenges to conservation efforts. This is especially true for exploited anadromous fish species, which exhibit long-range dispersals from natal sites, complex population structures, and extensive mixing of distinct populations during exploitation. By tracing the migratory histories of individual Chinook salmon caught in fisheries using strontium isotopes, we determined the relative production of natal habitats at fine spatial scales and different life histories. Although strontium isotopes have been widely used in provenance research, we present a new robust framework to simultaneously assess natal sources and migrations of individuals within fishery harvests through time. Our results pave the way for investigating how fine-scale habitat production and life histories of salmon respond to perturbations—providing crucial insights for conservation.

Nesting fidelity and molecular evidence for natal homing in the freshwater turtle, Graptemys kohnii

PubMed Central

Freedberg, Steven; Ewert, Michael A; Ridenhour, Benjamin J; Neiman, Maurine; Nelson, Craig E

2005-01-01

Numerous studies of sea turtle nesting ecology have revealed that females exhibit natal homing, whereby they imprint on the nesting area from which they hatch and subsequently return there to nest as adults. Because freshwater turtles comprise the majority of reptiles known to display environmental sex determination (ESD), the study of natal homing in this group may shed light on recent evolutionary models of sex allocation that are predicated on natal homing in reptiles with ESD. We examined natal homing in Graptemys kohnii, a freshwater turtle with ESD, using mitochondrial sequencing, microsatellite genotyping and mark and recapture of 290 nesting females. Females showed high fidelity to nesting areas, even after being transplanted several kilometres away. A Mantel test revealed significant genetic isolation by distance with respect to nesting locations (r=0.147; p<0.05), suggesting that related females nest in close proximity to one another. The patterns of fidelity and genotype distributions are consistent with homing at a scale that may affect population sex ratios. PMID:16006324

Intravenous glucose preparation as the source of an outbreak of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in the neonatal unit of a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Moodley, Prashini; Coovadia, Yacoob M; Sturm, A Willem

2005-11-01

In the last week of May 2005, staff at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal realised that many babies in the high-care nursery ward had bloodstream infections involving Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria. Attempts to identify a common source of infection failed. The ward was therefore closed and new babies needing high care were admitted to another empty ward. Despite this, babies still became infected. This resulted in a request for assistance from the Department of Medical Microbiology of the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine. A search for common factors through case history studies of the 26 infected babies showed that blood cultures of the babies remained positive despite the administration of appropriate antibiotics. Different options that could explain this were investigated. The organism was found in intravenous glucose preparations used for multiple dosing. Unopened vials of the same medication were sterile. The nursery was found to lack proper hand-wash facilities and to be overcrowded and understaffed. Reinforcement of hand hygiene and a ban on the multiple dosing of medicines stopped the outbreak. In conclusion, this outbreak resulted from a combination of factors among which lack of hand hygiene and multiple dosing of an intravenous glucose preparation were most significant.

Natal Tooth Associated with Fibrous Hyperplasia – A Rare Case Report

PubMed Central

Munjal, Deepti; Dhingra, Renuka; Malik, Narender Singh; Sidhu, Gagandeep Kaur

2015-01-01

Eruption of tooth at about 6 months of age is a significant stage in child’s life and is an emotional event for parents. However, a tooth present in the oral cavity of newborn can lead to a lot of delusions. Natal and neonatal teeth are of utmost importance not only for a dentist but also for a paediatrician due to parent’s anxiety, folklore superstitions and numerous associated complications with it. This paper reports a rare case, wherein a natal tooth has led to the development of a reactive fibrous hyperplasia in an 8-week-old infant. PMID:26023656

Riga-Fede Disease Associated with Natal Teeth: Two Different Approaches in the Same Case.

PubMed

Volpato, Luiz Evaristo Ricci; Simões, Cintia Aparecida Damo; Simões, Flávio; Nespolo, Priscila Alves; Borges, Álvaro Henrique

2015-01-01

Natal teeth are those present in the oral cavity at the child's birth. These teeth can cause ulcers on the ventral surface of the tongue, lip, and the mother's breast characterizing the Riga-Fede Disease. The treatment depends on the tooth's mobility and the risk of aspiration or swallowing; whether it is supernumerary or regular primary teeth; whether it is causing interference in breastfeeding; breast and oral soft tissue injuries; and the general state of child's health. A 1-month-old female infant was diagnosed with two natal teeth and an ulcerated lesion on the ventral surface of the tongue, leading to the clinical diagnosis of Riga-Fede Disease. The treatment performed consisted of the maintenance of the natal tooth that showed no increased mobility, adding a small increment of glass ionomer cement to its incisal edge, and orientation for hygiene with saline solution. Due to the increased mobility of the other natal tooth, surgical removal was performed. There was regular monitoring of the patient and complete wound healing was observed after 15 days. The proposed treatment was successful and the patient is still in follow-up without recurrence of the lesion after one year.

Perceptions of newly-qualified nurses performing compulsory community service in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Govender, Selverani; Brysiewicz, Petra; Bhengu, Busisiwe

2015-07-08

Compulsory community service (CCS) for nurses commenced in South African January 2008 after it was legislated in the new Nursing Act (Act No. 33 of 2005). Nurses completing their registered nurse programme are registered as community nurse practitioners (CNPs) during the CCS period and make up the largest number of health professionals serving CCS. Whilst health institutions have welcomed CNPs as additional resources for the shortage of nursing staff, no structured guidelines have been provided at a regional level as to how these nurses should be utilised or managed during the CCS year. To date, no large-scale study has been conducted on nurses carrying out CCS in order to generalise the findings. To establish the perceptions of newly-qualified nurses carrying out CCS in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A quantitative survey design was used to obtain data from a randomly selected sample of the 2012 cohort of nurses carrying out CCS in KwaZulu-Natal. CNPs have a positive attitude toward CCS and perceive themselves as being well prepared for the year of community service in terms of knowledge, skills and ability to administer nursing care. They identified positive benefits of the year of community service.The concerns raised were limited orientation and support; and a few CNPs experienced problems of acceptance by the nurses with whom they work. It is recommended that all health institutions who receive CNPs develop structured orientation and support for these nurses in order to promote their development, thereby enhancing their benefit to the communities they serve.

Ozone density measurements in the troposphere and stratosphere of Natal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirchhoff, V. W. J. H.; Motta, A. G.

1983-01-01

Ozone densitities were measured in the troposphere and stratosphere of Natal using ECC sondes launches on balloons. The data analyzed so far show tropospheric densities and total ozone contents larger than expected.

Natal dispersal patterns are not associated with inbreeding avoidance in the Seychelles warbler.

PubMed

Eikenaar, C; Komdeur, J; Richardson, D S

2008-07-01

In this study, we test whether patterns of territory inheritance, social mate choice and female-biased natal dispersal act as inbreeding avoidance mechanisms in the cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler. Our results show that Seychelles warblers do not reduce the likelihood of inbreeding by avoiding related individuals as mates. The occurrence of natural and experimentally induced territory inheritance did not depend on whether the remaining breeder was a parent of the potential inheritor or an unrelated breeder. Furthermore, dispersing individuals were no less related to their eventual mates than expected given the pool of candidates they could mate with. The female bias in natal dispersal distance observed in the Seychelles warbler does not facilitate inbreeding avoidance because, contrary to our prediction, there was no sex difference in the clustering of related opposite sex breeders around the natal territories of dispersers. As a result, the chance of females mating with relatives was not reduced by their greater dispersal distance compared with that of males.

Evidence for geomagnetic imprinting and magnetic navigation in the natal homing of sea turtles.

PubMed

Brothers, J Roger; Lohmann, Kenneth J

2015-02-02

Natal homing is a pattern of behavior in which animals migrate away from their geographic area of origin and then return to reproduce in the same location where they began life [1-3]. Although diverse long-distance migrants accomplish natal homing [1-8], little is known about how they do so. The enigma is epitomized by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), which leave their home beaches as hatchlings and migrate across entire ocean basins before returning to nest in the same coastal area where they originated [9, 10]. One hypothesis is that turtles imprint on the unique geomagnetic signature of their natal area and use this information to return [1]. Because Earth's field changes over time, geomagnetic imprinting should cause turtles to change their nesting locations as magnetic signatures drift slightly along coastlines. To investigate, we analyzed a 19-year database of loggerhead nesting sites in the largest sea turtle rookery in North America. Here we report a strong association between the spatial distribution of turtle nests and subtle changes in Earth's magnetic field. Nesting density increased significantly in coastal areas where magnetic signatures of adjacent beach locations converged over time, whereas nesting density decreased in places where magnetic signatures diverged. These findings confirm central predictions of the geomagnetic imprinting hypothesis and provide strong evidence that such imprinting plays an important role in natal homing in sea turtles. The results give credence to initial reports of geomagnetic imprinting in salmon [11, 12] and suggest that similar mechanisms might underlie long-distance natal homing in diverse animals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of long-term pre- and post-natal exposure to 2.45 GHz wireless devices on developing male rat kidney.

PubMed

Kuybulu, Ayça Esra; Öktem, Faruk; Çiriş, İbrahim Metin; Sutcu, Recep; Örmeci, Ahmet Rıfat; Çömlekçi, Selçuk; Uz, Efkan

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate oxidative stress and apoptosis in kidney tissues of male Wistar rats that pre- and postnatally exposed to wireless electromagnetic field (EMF) with an internet frequency of 2.45 GHz for a long time. The study was conducted in three groups of rats which were pre-natal, post-natal. and sham exposed groups. Oxidative stress markers and histological evaluation of kidney tissues were studied. Renal tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidant (TOS) levels of pre-natal group were high and total antioxidant (TAS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were low. Spot urine NAG/creatinine ratio was significantly higher in pre- and post-natal groups (p < 0.001). Tubular injury was detected in most of the specimens in post-natal groups. Immunohistochemical analysis showed low-intensity staining with Bax in cortex, high-intensity staining with Bcl-2 in cortical and medullar areas of pre-natal group (p values, 0.000, 0.002, 0.000, respectively) when compared with sham group. Bcl2/Bax staining intensity ratios of medullar and cortical area was higher in pre-natal group than sham group (p = 0.018, p = 0.011). Based on this study, it is thought that chronic pre- and post-natal period exposure to wireless internet frequency of EMF may cause chronic kidney damages; staying away from EMF source in especially pregnancy and early childhood period may reduce negative effects of exposure on kidney.

Equity and Excellence: The Emergence, Consolidation and Internalization of Education Development at the University of Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odendaal, Marie; Deacon, Roger

2009-01-01

Education development in South Africa emerged during the transition from apartheid to democracy, in a context especially marked by political and financial pressures. This case study of the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal) demonstrates how a strategy combining equity with excellence aimed to facilitate increased access to…

Machado de Assis's "Dom Casmurro" and "Soneto De Natal": The Calculated Mediocrity of a Mute Prophet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Christopher T.

2016-01-01

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis's poem "Soneto de Natal" and the chapter "Um soneto" from his novel "Dom Casmurro" exhibit striking points of intersection that describe the same process: the creation of a sonnet. In the novel, Bentinho abandons his attempt with only a first and last line. "Soneto de Natal"…

Educational Leadership with an Ethics of Plurality and Natality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Iris

2015-01-01

This paper aims to impregnate the concept of educational leadership with new meanings and new possibilities. I draw on Hannah Arendt's ("The human condition." University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1958/1998) political thought, particularly, her concepts of "plurality" and "natality" alongside the distinction she made…

"To control their destiny": the politics of home and the feminisation of schooling in colonial Natal, 1885-1910.

PubMed

Healy, Meghan Elisabeth

2011-01-01

This article examines the contradictions that African girls' schooling presented for colonial governance in Natal, through the case study of Inanda Seminary, the region's first and largest all-female school for Africans. While patriarchal colonial law circumscribed the educational options of girls whose fathers opposed their schooling, the head of Natal's nascent educational bureaucracy argued that African girls' education in Western domesticity would be essential in creating different sorts of families with different sorts of needs. In monogamous families, Native Schools Inspector Robert Plant argued, husbands and sons would be taught to 'want' enough to impel them to labour for wages - but they would also be sufficiently satisfied by their domestic comforts to avoid political unrest. Thus, even as colonial educational officials clamped down on African boys' curricula - attempting to restrict their schooling to the barest preparation for unskilled wage labour - they allowed missionaries autonomy to educate young women whose fathers did not challenge their school attendance. This was because young women's role in the social reproduction of new sorts of families made their education ultimately appear to be a benefit to colonial governance. As young men pursued wage labour, young women began to comprise the majority of African students, laying the groundwork for the feminisation of schooling in modern southern Africa.

Association of marital status and years of schooling with perinatal outcome: the influence of pre-natal care as an intermediate variable.

PubMed

Faundes, A; Hardy, E; Diaz, J; Pinotti, J

1982-01-01

The association between mother's education and perinatal mortality, and between marital status and proportion of preterm deliveries was analyzed using data from 20,000 women and newborns delivered at the Hospital Barros Luco-Trudeau in Santiago, Chile. A highly significant correlation was found, but after being controlled by pre-natal care, that association disappeared for those mothers with good pre-natal care, remaining only as a part of the association for women who did not attend the pre-natal clinics or did not follow minimal standards of care. The definition used for "good pre-natal care" was much less demanding than WHO recommendation. We required a minimum of only 5 visits, starting before the 5th month of the pregnancy and with blood pressure and body weight registered at each visit. Pre-natal assistance was provided mostly by registered midwives, with occasional consultation by physicians. The efficiency of a low cost health activity, such as pre-natal care, in improving infant health is held in contrast with the inefficiency of high cost technology when applied to developing countries' health problems.

Persistent lingual ulceration (Riga-Fede disease) in an infant with Down syndrome and natal teeth: a case report.

PubMed

Senanayake, Manouri P; Karunaratne, Irantha

2014-08-22

Riga-Fede disease is a rare pediatric condition in which chronic lingual ulceration results from repetitive trauma. Neonatal teeth or underlying neuro-developmental disorders which include Down syndrome are described as causative factors, but to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of both Down syndrome and natal teeth coexisting. The need for early extraction in the presence of two risk factors is highlighted in this case report. An 18-month-old Sinhalese male presented with an ulcerating lingual mass on the ventral surface of the tongue. The lesion had progressed over the past six months. He also had clinically diagnosed Down syndrome.The ulcer was non-tender, indurated, and had elevated margins. It was not bleeding and two natal teeth in lower central dentition were seen in apposition with the lesion. There was no regional lymphadenopathy but the ulcer was causing concerns as it mimicked a malignant lesion. A clinical diagnosis of Riga-Fede disease caused by raking movements of the tongue against anterior natal teeth by a child who was developmentally delayed and prone to suck on his tongue was made. The mother was reassured and the natal teeth were extracted. Early extraction of natal teeth is recommended only if there is a risk of aspiration or interference with breast feeding. Although Down syndrome is among the neuro-developmental conditions that lead to this lesion, its occurrence is usually at an older age. The presence of natal teeth together with Down syndrome caused the lesion to occur in infancy. Awareness of the benign nature of this rare condition by pediatricians and dental practitioners is important as it will allay anxiety and avoid unnecessary biopsy. This case also highlights the impact of two risk factors and needs consideration as an added indication for the early extraction of natal teeth.

A Case Report of Gender Dysphoria with Morbid Jealousy in a Natal Female

PubMed Central

Rao, G. Prasad; Aparna, B.

2017-01-01

Gender dysphoria is a new entity introduced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder V to address the distress of the previously labeled gender identity disorder patients. It is less commonly seen in natal females, often starting in their childhood. Adults and adolescent natal females with early-onset gender dysphoria are almost always gynephilic. This case report is presented to discuss the interesting evolution of the symptoms in gender dysphoria case with difficulties in adjusting to the assigned sexual role, relationship problems, morbid jealousy, and severe depressive features with suicidal ideations. PMID:29284816

Neutron Star Natal Kick and Jets in Core Collapse Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bear, Ealeal; Soker, Noam

2018-03-01

We measure the angle between the neutron star (NS) natal kick direction and the inferred direction of jets according to the morphology of 12 core collapse supernova remnants (SNR), and find that the distribution is almost random, but missing small angles. The 12 SNRs are those for which we could both identify morphological features that we can attribute to jets and for which the direction of the NS natal kick is given in the literature. Unlike some claims for spin-kick alignment, here we rule out jet-kick alignment. We discuss the cumulative distribution function of the jet-kick angles under the assumption that dense clumps that are ejected by the explosion accelerate the NS by the gravitational attraction, and suggest that the jet feedback explosion mechanism might in principle account for the distribution of jet-kick angles.

NATAL-74; Towards a Common Programming Language for CAL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brahan, J. W.; Colpitts, B. A.

NATAL-74 is a programing language designed for Canadian computer aided learning (CAL) programs. The language has two fundamental elements: the UNIT provides the interface between the student and the subject matter, and the PROCEDURE element embodies teaching strategy. Desirable features of several programing languages have been adapted to cope…

Calculating summary statistics for population chemical biomonitoring in women of childbearing age with adjustment for age-specific natality.

PubMed

Axelrad, Daniel A; Cohen, Jonathan

2011-01-01

The effects of chemical exposures during pregnancy on children's health have been an increasing focus of environmental health research in recent years, leading to greater interest in biomonitoring of chemicals in women of childbearing age in the general population. Measurements of mercury in blood from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey are frequently reported for "women of childbearing age," defined to be of ages 16-49 years. The intent is to represent prenatal chemical exposure, but blood mercury levels increase with age. Furthermore, women of different ages have different probabilities of giving birth. We evaluated options to address potential bias in biomonitoring summary statistics for women of childbearing age by accounting for age-specific probabilities of giving birth. We calculated median and 95th percentile levels of mercury, PCBs, and cotinine using these approaches: option 1: women aged 16-49 years without natality adjustment; option 2: women aged 16-39 years without natality adjustment; option 3: women aged 16-49 years, adjusted for natality by age; option 4: women aged 16-49 years, adjusted for natality by age and race/ethnicity. Among the three chemicals examined, the choice of option has the greatest impact on estimated levels of serum PCBs, which are strongly associated with age. Serum cotinine levels among Black non-Hispanic women of childbearing age are understated when age-specific natality is not considered. For characterizing in utero exposures, adjustment using age-specific natality provides a substantial improvement in estimation of biomonitoring summary statistics. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of phenotypic traits and external cues on natal dispersal movements.

PubMed

Delgado, María del Mar; Penteriani, Vincenzo; Revilla, Eloy; Nams, Vilis O

2010-05-01

1. Natal dispersal has the potential to affect most ecological and evolutionary processes. However, despite its importance, this complex ecological process still represents a significant gap in our understanding of animal ecology due to both the lack of empirical data and the intrinsic complexity of dispersal dynamics. 2. By studying natal dispersal of 74 radiotagged juvenile eagle owls Bubo bubo (Linnaeus), in both the wandering and the settlement phases, we empirically addressed the complex interactions by which individual phenotypic traits and external cues jointly shape individual heterogeneity through the different phases of dispersal, both at nightly and weekly temporal scales. 3. Owls in poorer physical conditions travelled shorter total distances during the wandering phase, describing straighter paths and moving slower, especially when crossing heterogeneous habitats. In general, the owls in worse condition started dispersal later and took longer times to find further settlement areas. Net distances were also sex biased, with females settling at further distances. Dispersing individuals did not seem to explore wandering and settlement areas by using a search image of their natal surroundings. Eagle owls showed a heterogeneous pattern of patch occupancy, where few patches were highly visited by different owls whereas the majority were visited by just one individual. During dispersal, the routes followed by owls were an intermediate solution between optimized and randomized ones. Finally, dispersal direction had a marked directionality, largely influenced by dominant winds. These results suggest an asymmetric and anisotropic dispersal pattern, where not only the number of patches but also their functions can affect population viability. 4. The combination of the information coming from the relationships among a large set of factors acting and integrating at different spatial and temporal scales, under the perspective of heterogeneous life histories, are a

Coping with heat: function of the natal coat of cape fur seal (Arctocephalus Pusillus Pusillus) pups in maintaining core body temperature.

PubMed

Erdsack, Nicola; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

2013-01-01

Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus) pups spend the first weeks of life exclusively or mainly ashore. They are exposed to intense solar radiation and high temperatures for long time periods, which results in temperatures up to at least 80°C on their black natal coat. To test the hypothesis that the natal coat has a crucial function in coping with these extreme conditions, we investigated the insulating properties of the natal coat in six captive newborn Cape fur seals during the first 50 days after birth. The natal fur differs from the adult fur not only in colour, but also in density, structure, and water repellence. We measured temperature on the fur surface and within the fur, as well as skin and rectal temperature under varying environmental conditions, comparable to the species' habitat. Experiments were designed to not influence the spontaneous behaviour of the pups. Rectal temperature was constant as long as the pups stayed dry, even during long-lasting intense solar radiation for up to 3 h. Skin temperature remained close to rectal temperature as long as the fur was dry, while with wet fur, skin temperature was significantly reduced as well. Our results show that the natal coat provides an effective insulation against overheating. The severely reduced insulation of wet natal fur against cold supports the assumption that the natal fur is an adaptation to the pups' terrestrial phase of life.

Coping with Heat: Function of The Natal Coat of Cape Fur Seal (Arctocephalus Pusillus Pusillus) Pups in Maintaining Core Body Temperature

PubMed Central

Erdsack, Nicola; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

2013-01-01

Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus) pups spend the first weeks of life exclusively or mainly ashore. They are exposed to intense solar radiation and high temperatures for long time periods, which results in temperatures up to at least 80°C on their black natal coat. To test the hypothesis that the natal coat has a crucial function in coping with these extreme conditions, we investigated the insulating properties of the natal coat in six captive newborn Cape fur seals during the first 50 days after birth. The natal fur differs from the adult fur not only in colour, but also in density, structure, and water repellence. We measured temperature on the fur surface and within the fur, as well as skin and rectal temperature under varying environmental conditions, comparable to the species' habitat. Experiments were designed to not influence the spontaneous behaviour of the pups. Rectal temperature was constant as long as the pups stayed dry, even during long-lasting intense solar radiation for up to 3 h. Skin temperature remained close to rectal temperature as long as the fur was dry, while with wet fur, skin temperature was significantly reduced as well. Our results show that the natal coat provides an effective insulation against overheating. The severely reduced insulation of wet natal fur against cold supports the assumption that the natal fur is an adaptation to the pups' terrestrial phase of life. PMID:23951287

Safety and Security in Schools in KwaZulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, C. J.; Gina, J. M.; Coetzee, I. E. M.

2015-01-01

This article is based on research conducted on the topic: "Safety and security in schools: The case of KwaZulu-Natal." For the research project a purposive sample consisting of secondary school learners, teachers, school governing body chairpersons and principals were selected from the rural and township schools used in this study to…

Indian hedgehog roles in post-natal TMJ development and organization.

PubMed

Ochiai, T; Shibukawa, Y; Nagayama, M; Mundy, C; Yasuda, T; Okabe, T; Shimono, K; Kanyama, M; Hasegawa, H; Maeda, Y; Lanske, B; Pacifici, M; Koyama, E

2010-04-01

Indian hedgehog (Ihh) is essential for embryonic mandibular condylar growth and disc primordium formation. To determine whether it regulates those processes during post-natal life, we ablated Ihh in cartilage of neonatal mice and assessed the consequences on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) growth and organization over age. Ihh deficiency caused condylar disorganization and growth retardation and reduced polymorphic cell layer proliferation. Expression of Sox9, Runx2, and Osterix was low, as was that of collagen II, collagen I, and aggrecan, thus altering the fibrocartilaginous nature of the condyle. Though a disc formed, it exhibited morphological defects, partial fusion with the glenoid bone surface, reduced synovial cavity space, and, unexpectedly, higher lubricin expression. Analysis of the data shows, for the first time, that continuous Ihh action is required for completion of post-natal TMJ growth and organization. Lubricin overexpression in mutants may represent a compensatory response to sustain TMJ movement and function.

Sun Compass Orientation Helps Coral Reef Fish Larvae Return to Their Natal Reef

PubMed Central

Mouritsen, Henrik; Atema, Jelle; Kingsford, Michael J.; Gerlach, Gabriele

2013-01-01

Reef fish sustain populations on isolated reefs and show genetic diversity between nearby reefs even though larvae of many species are swept away from the natal site during pelagic dispersal. Retention or recruitment to natal reefs requires orientation capabilities that enable larvae to find their way. Although olfactory and acoustically based orientation has been implicated in homing when larvae are in the reef’s vicinity, it is still unclear how they cope with greater distances. Here we show evidence for a sun compass mechanism that can bring the larvae to the vicinity of their natal reef. In a circular arena, pre-settlement larvae and early settlers (<24 hours) of the cardinal fish, Ostorhinchus doederleini, showed a strong SSE directional swimming response, which most likely has evolved to compensate for the locally prevailing large scale NNW current drift. When fish were clock-shifted 6 hours, they changed their orientation by ca. 180° as predicted by the tropical sun curve at One Tree Island, i.e. they used a time-compensated sun compass. Furthermore, the fish oriented most consistently at times of the day when the sun azimuth is easy to determine. Microsatellite markers showed that the larvae that had just arrived at One Tree Island genetically belonged to either the local reef population or to Fitzroy Reef located 12 kilometers to the SSE. The use of a sun compass adds a missing long-distance link to the hierarchy of other sensory abilities that can direct larvae to the region of origin, including their natal reef. Predominant local recruitment, in turn, can contribute to genetic isolation and potential speciation. PMID:23840396

Microbial aetiology and sensitivity of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal mothers in Mulago hospital, Uganda.

PubMed

Andabati, G; Byamugisha, J

2010-12-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is associated with potential urinary and obstetric complications. However the prevalence aetiology and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of asymptomatic bacteriurea among women attending ante-natal care in our Hospital is not known. To determine the prevalence and identify the aetiological agents associated with asymptomatic bacteriurea in antenatal mothers in Mulago Hospital. We also intended to determine the anti-microbial sensitivity patterns of the common uropathogen in this population We performed culture and anti-microbial sensitivity tests on urine samples from 218 consecutive ante-natal mothers in Mulago Hospital. All participants did not have any clinical symptoms attributable to urinary tract infection. Twenty nine (13.3%) of the samples had significant bacterial growth and E.coli was the commonest isolate (51.2%). There was a high level (20-62%) of anti-bacterial resistance to the commonly used antibiotics. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common among ante-natal mothers in Mulago. E. Coli that is resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics is the commonest isolate."

Attitude and beliefs of some nurses in government hospitals in Ibadan, Nigeria to natal/neonatal teeth in infants.

PubMed

Bankole, O O; Oke, G A

2013-09-01

Eruption of the first deciduous teeth in children has shown much variation and occasionally may erupt prematurely at birth or within one month of life. Myths about natal/neonatal teeth abound in the Nigerian culture. Nurses are health care providers who are in constant close contact with patients and can be invaluable in helping to dispel these associated myths. However, to provide correct information they should be adequately equipped to do so. The aim of this study thus, was to assess the attitudes and beliefs of some nurses in Ibadan, Nigeria to natal/neonatal teeth in infants. A cross sectional survey was conducted among 380 nurses in the teaching, general and local government hospitals and clinics in Ibadan, Nigeria. Results revealed that 41.3% of the respondents would express shock and surprise if they assisted in delivering a baby with natal teeth. Half of the respondents (49.7%) felt that natal/neonatal teeth will be a great source of embarrassment to the family while a smaller proportion (11.8%), believed it was a curse (p = 0.01). On the advice the respondents would give to the mothers, more than a th (39.7%), would recommend immediate extraction of the teeth. A further 42 (11.1%) nurses were of the opinion that spiritual cleansing should be carried out prior to extraction. A greater proportion of the older nurses would advice immediate extraction of the teeth (p = 0.031). Regarding the perceived effect of natal/neonatal teeth on the children, (7.4%), (12.6%) and (29.2%) of the respondents believed that the children will behave strangely, will possess spiritual authority and be victims of stigmatization later in life respectively. This study has revealed that knowledge gaps about natal/neonatal teeth exist among the nurses in Ibadan, Nigeria. Health education programmes targeted at nurses are essential to correct these beliefs.

BREEDING AND NATAL DISPERSAL IN THE PUERTO RICAN VIREO

Treesearch

BETHANY L. WOODWORTH; JOHN FAABORG; WAYNE J. ARENDT

1998-01-01

Information on dispersali s critical for understandingt he population dynamicso f birds. We estimated breeding and natal dispersal in two studies of a population of the Puerto Rican Vireo (Vireo latimeri) that is in danger of local extirpation due to low reproductive success from 7.1-29% of adult males and 12.5 - 25% of adult females changed territories between...

Islands in the sea: extreme female natal site fidelity in the Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea.

PubMed

Campbell, R A; Gales, N J; Lento, G M; Baker, C S

2008-02-23

Pinnipeds (seals, fur seals, sea lions and walrus) form large breeding aggregations with females often remaining faithful to a natal site or area. In these cases, females are philopatric to regional areas on broad geographical scales of hundreds to thousands of kilometers. An investigation of variation in a control region sequence of mtDNA in the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) has shown a case of extreme female natal site fidelity that has resulted in almost fixed population differentiation across its range (PhiST=0.93). This high level of population subdivision over short geographical distances (approx. 60 km) is unparalleled in any social marine mammal and reflects the unique life-history traits of this rare species. The high level of population subdivision and exclusive female natal site fidelity has important ramifications for conservation management, and poses many interesting questions of both academic and applied interest.

Juvenile movement and natal dispersal on northern goshawks in Arizona

Treesearch

J. David Wiens; Richard T. Reynolds; Barry R. Noon

2006-01-01

We investigated the departure, transient movement, and local settlement stages of natal dispersal in a population of Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) on the Kaibab Plateau of northern Arizona. The study included 614 color-banded juveniles produced at 555 nests during 1991-2003, 89 of which were radio-marked during 1998-2001. Radio-marked...

Wherever I may roam: social viscosity and kin affiliation in a wild population despite natal dispersal

PubMed Central

Hinde, Camilla A.; Garroway, Colin J.; Sheldon, Ben C.

2016-01-01

Dispersal affects the social contexts individuals experience by redistributing individuals in space, and the nature of social interactions can have important fitness consequences. During the vagrancy stage of natal dispersal, after an individual has left its natal site and before it has settled to breed, social affiliations might be predicted by opportunities to associate (e.g., distance in space and time between natal points of origin) or kin preferences. We investigated the social structure of a population of juvenile great tits (Parus major) and asked whether social affiliations during vagrancy were predicted by 1) the distance between natal nest-boxes, 2) synchrony in fledge dates, and 3) accounting for spatial and temporal predictors, whether siblings tended to stay together. We show that association strength was affected predominantly by spatial proximity at fledging and, to a lesser extent, temporal proximity in birth dates. Independently of spatial and temporal effects, sibling pairs associated more often than expected by chance. Our results suggest that the structure of the winter population is shaped primarily by limits to dispersal through incomplete population mixing. In addition, our results reveal kin structure, and hence the scope for fitness-related interactions between particular classes of kin. Both spatial-mediated and socially mediated population structuring can have implications for our understanding of the evolution of sociality. PMID:27418755

Activity rhythms and distribution of natal dens for red foxes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wenyang, Zhou; Wanhong, Wei; Biggins, Dean E.

1995-01-01

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, was investigated with snow tracking, radiotracking and directive observation at the Haibei Research Station of Alpine Meadow Ecosystem, Academia Sinica, from March to September 1994. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution and use of natal dens, activity rhythms, and home range sizes for the foxes.

Calcium channels in solitary retinal ganglion cells from post-natal rat.

PubMed Central

Karschin, A; Lipton, S A

1989-01-01

1. Calcium currents from identified, post-natal retinal ganglion cell neurones from rat were studied with whole-cell and single-channel patch-clamp techniques. Na+ and K+ currents were suppressed with pharmacological agents, allowing isolation of current carried by either 10 mM-Ca2+ or Ba2- during whole-cell recordings. For cell-attached patch recordings, the recording pipette contained 96-110 mM-BaCl2 while the bath solution consisted of isotonic potassium aspartate in order to zero the neuronal membrane potential. 2. A transient component, present in approximately one-third of the whole-cell recordings resembles closely the T-type calcium current observed previously in other tissues. This component activates at low voltages (-40 to -50 mV from holding potentials negative to -80 mV), inactivates with a time constant of 10-30 ms at 35 degrees C, and is carried equally well by Ba2+ or Ca2+. In single-channel recordings small (8 pS) channels are observed whose aggregate microscopic kinetics correspond well to the macroscopic current obtained during whole-cell measurements. 3. During whole-cell recordings, a more prolonged component activates in all retinal ganglion cells at -40 to -20 mV from a holding potential of -90 mV. This component is substantially larger when equimolar Ba2+ replaces Ca2+ as the charge carrier, and is sensitive to the dihydropyridine agonist Bay K8644 (5 microM) and antagonists nifedipine (1-10 microM) and nimodipine (1-10 microM). Thus, the dihydropyridine pharmacology of this prolonged component resembles that of the L-type calcium current found in dorsal root ganglion neurones and in heart cells. Also reminiscent of the L-current, the prolonged component in this preparation is less inactivated at depolarized holding potentials (-60 to -40 mV) than the transient component. In cell-attached recordings, large (20 pS) channels are observed with activation properties similar to those of the prolonged portion of the whole-cell current. 4. omega

The Case for Natality in Pastoral Care and Why It Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrow, Giles

2017-01-01

The author presents the concept of natality for consideration in terms of pastoral care and educational purpose. The discussion identifies significant threats to the future for pastoral care in schools, including the Global Educational Reform Movement and the increasing emphasis on teachers taking charge of discipline in the classroom, at the…

Non-School Influences and Educational Disadvantage: Pre and Post-natal Nutritional Deprivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doll, Russell C.

1973-01-01

Deals with pre and post-natal malnutrition and its possible influence on the child, focusing on these points: How wide-spread and severe is the malnutrition? What might be the effects of the malnutrition at certain critical points in development? (Author/JM)

Natal and breeding dispersal of northern spotted owls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forsman, E.D.; Anthony, R.G.; Reid, J.A.; Loschl, P.J.; Sovern, S.G.; Taylor, M.; Biswell, B.L.; Ellingson, A.; Meslow, E.C.; Miller, G.S.; Swindle, K.A.; Thrailkill, J.A.; Wagner, F.F.; Seaman, D.E.

2002-01-01

We studied the dispersal behavior of 1,475 northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) during banding and radio-telemetry studies in Oregon and Washington in 1985-1996. The sample included 324 radio-marked juveniles and 1,151 banded individuals (711 juveniles, 440 non-juveniles) that were recaptured or resighted after dispersing from the initial banding location. Juveniles typically left the nest during the last week in May and the first two weeks in June (x?? ?? SE = 8 June ?? 0.53 days, n = 320, range = 15 May-1 July), and spent an average of 103.7 days in the natal territory after leaving the nest (SE = 0.986 days, n = 137, range = 76-147 days). The estimated mean date that juveniles began to disperse was 19 September in Oregon (95% CI = 17-21 September) and 30 September in Washington (95% CI = 25 September-4 October). Mean dispersal dates did not differ between males and females or among years. Siblings dispersed independently. Dispersal was typically initiated with a series of rapid movements away from the natal site during the first few days or weeks of dispersal. Thereafter, most juveniles settled into temporary home ranges in late October or November and remained there for several months. In February-April there was a second pulse of dispersal activity, with many owls moving considerable distances before settling again in their second summer. Subsequent dispersal patterns were highly variable, with some individuals settling permanently in their second summer and others occupying a series of temporary home ranges before eventually settling on territories when they were 2-5 years old. Final dispersal distances ranged from 0.6-111.2 km for banded juveniles and 1.8-103.5 km for radio-marked juveniles. The distribution of dispersal distances was strongly skewed towards shorter distances, with only 8.7% of individuals dispersing more than 50 km. Median natal dispersal distances were 14.6 km for banded males, 13.5 km for radio-marked males, 24.5 km for

Failure of post-natal ductus arteriosus closure in prostaglandin transporter-deficient mice

PubMed Central

Chang, Hee-Yoon; Locker, Joseph; Lu, Run; Schuster, Victor L.

2010-01-01

Background Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays a major role both in maintaining patency of the fetal ductus arteriosus (DA) and in closure of the DA after birth. The rate- limiting step in PGE2 signal termination is PGE2 uptake by the transporter PGT. Methods and results To determine the role of PGT in DA closure, we used a gene-targeting strategy to produce mice in which PGT exon 1 was flanked by loxP sites. Successful targeting was obtained since neither mice hypomorphic at the PGT allele (PGT Neo/Neo) nor global PGT knockout mice (PGT −/−) exhibited PGT protein expression; moreover, embryonic fibroblasts isolated from targeted mice failed to exhibit carrier-mediated PGE2 uptake. Although born in a normal Mendelian ratio, no PGT −/− mice survived past post-natal day 1, and no PGT Neo/Neo mice survived past post-natal day 2. Necropsy revealed patent DA with normal intimal thickening but with dilated cardiac chambers. Both PGT Neo/Neo and PGT −/− mice could be rescued through the post-natal period by giving the mother indomethacin before birth. Rescued mice grew normally and had no abnormalities by gross and microscopic post-mortem analysis. In accord with PGT’s known role in metabolizing PGE2, rescued adult PGT −/− mice had lower plasma PGE2 metabolite levels, and higher urinary PGE2 excretion rates, than wild type mice. Conclusions PGT plays a critical role in closure of the DA after birth by ensuring a reduction in local and/or circulating PGE2 concentrations. PMID:20083684

Recovery distances of nestling Bald Eagles banded in Florida and implications for natal dispersal and philopatry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Petra Bohall

2009-01-01

I used band recovery data to examine distances between banding and recovery locations for 154 nestling Florida Bald Eagles and discuss the implications for understanding natal dispersal and philopatry in this species. Band recoveries occurred in 23 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces between 1931–2005. Recovery distance from the natal nest averaged longer for the youngest age classes (ANOVA: F  =  3.59; df  =  5, 153; P  =  0.005), for individuals banded in earlier decades (F  =  1.94; df  =  5, 153; P  =  0.093), and for the months of May through October (F  =  3.10; df  =  12, 153;P < 0.001). Of 35 individuals classed as mature (≥3.9 yr old when recovered; range 3.9–36.5 yr), 31 were located within Florida, which suggested a strong degree of philopatry to the natal state. Among 21 mature eagles of known sex with known banding and recovery locations in Florida, females, particularly younger birds, had longer recovery distances (N  =  9, mean  =  93 km, SE  =  22.4) than did males (N  =  12, mean  =  31 km, SE  =  5.3; t  =  2.67, df  =  19, P  =  0.026). The records examined here suggest a high degree of philopatry and relatively short natal dispersal distances, particularly in male Bald Eagles.

On the impact of neutron star binaries' natal-kick distribution on the Galactic r-process enrichment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safarzadeh, Mohammadtaher; Côté, Benoit

2017-11-01

We study the impact of the neutron star binaries' (NSBs) natal-kick distribution on the galactic r-process enrichment. We model the growth of a Milky Way type halo based on N-body simulation results and its star formation history based on multi-epoch abundance matching techniques. We consider that the NSBs that merge well beyond the galaxy's effective radius (>2 × Reff) do not contribute to the galactic r-process enrichment. Assuming a power-law delay-time distribution (DTD) function (∝t-1) with tmin = 30 Myr for binaries' coalescence time-scales and an exponential profile for their natal-kick distribution with an average value of 180 km s-1, we show that up to ˜ 40 per cent of all formed NSBs do not contribute to the r-process enrichment by z = 0, either because they merge far from the galaxy at a given redshift (up to ˜ 25 per cent) or have not yet merged by today (˜ 15 per cent). Our result is largely insensitive to the details of the DTD function. Assuming a constant coalescence time-scale of 100 Myr well approximates the adopted DTD although with 30 per cent of the NSBs ending up not contributing to the r-process enrichment. Our results, although rather dependent on the adopted natal-kick distribution, represent the first step towards estimating the impact of natal kicks and DTD functions on the r-process enrichment of galaxies that would need to be incorporated in the hydrodynamical simulations.

HIV/AIDS Stigma Attitudes among Educators in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Li-Wei; Gow, Jeff; Akintola, Goke; Pauly, Mark

2010-01-01

Background: One hundred and twenty educators from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, underwent HIV/AIDS training. The educators were surveyed about their attitudes toward people with HIV. Methods: The educators completed self-administered survey questionnaires both before and after 2 interventions. Measures included demographic characteristics,…

Conceptions of Contraceptive Use in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Lessons for Programming

PubMed Central

Ndinda, Catherine; Ndhlovu, Tidings; Khalema, Nene Ernest

2017-01-01

Community family planning programmes in South Africa arose from the controversial apartheid history of controlling the African population while encouraging the growth of European migrant population. Post-apartheid population policies shifted away from population control to aligning policies to the global agenda that placed emphasis on the link between population and development. The focus on population and development polices in post-apartheid South Africa is on social equality, justice and peace rather than controlling sections of the population. Given the shift, this paper interrogates the conceptions of contraceptive use among rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Our primary objective is to understand the dynamics surrounding access to and use of family planning services in peri-urban and rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Using focus group data, the findings of the study suggest that different social categories interact with the family planning programmes differently. How teenagers and married women perceive the value of family planning differs. Gender differences regarding the use of condoms are also evident. The paper attempts to grapple with the non-use of condoms despite the knowledge that these prevent pregnancy and provide protection from sexually-transmitted diseases. The contribution of this paper lies in its identification of socio-cultural factors and the political economy underlying the different attitudes towards contraceptive use in rural KwaZulu-Natal. PMID:28350334

Conceptions of Contraceptive Use in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Lessons for Programming.

PubMed

Ndinda, Catherine; Ndhlovu, Tidings; Khalema, Nene Ernest

2017-03-28

Community family planning programmes in South Africa arose from the controversial apartheid history of controlling the African population while encouraging the growth of European migrant population. Post-apartheid population policies shifted away from population control to aligning policies to the global agenda that placed emphasis on the link between population and development. The focus on population and development polices in post-apartheid South Africa is on social equality, justice and peace rather than controlling sections of the population. Given the shift, this paper interrogates the conceptions of contraceptive use among rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Our primary objective is to understand the dynamics surrounding access to and use of family planning services in peri-urban and rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Using focus group data, the findings of the study suggest that different social categories interact with the family planning programmes differently. How teenagers and married women perceive the value of family planning differs. Gender differences regarding the use of condoms are also evident. The paper attempts to grapple with the non-use of condoms despite the knowledge that these prevent pregnancy and provide protection from sexually-transmitted diseases. The contribution of this paper lies in its identification of socio-cultural factors and the political economy underlying the different attitudes towards contraceptive use in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

Analysis of forecasting malaria case with climatic factors as predictor in Mandailing Natal Regency: a time series study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulia, D.; Ayu, S. F.; Matondang, A.

2018-01-01

Malaria is the most contagious global concern. As a public health problem with outbreaks, affect the quality of life and economy, also could lead to death. Therefore, this research is to forecast malaria cases with climatic factors as predictors in Mandailing Natal Regency. The total number of positive malaria cases on January 2008 to December 2016 were taken from health department of Mandailing Natal Regency. Climates data such as rainfall, humidity, and temperature were taken from Center of Statistic Department of Mandailing Natal Regency. E-views ver. 9 is used to analyze this study. Autoregressive integrated average, ARIMA (0,1,1) (1,0,0)12 is the best model to explain the 67,2% variability data in time series study. Rainfall (P value = 0.0005), temperature (P value = 0,0029) and humidity (P value = 0.0001) are significant predictors for malaria transmission. Seasonal adjusted factor (SAF) in November and March shows peak for malaria cases.

Spatial distribution of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Kapwata, Thandi; Morris, Natashia; Campbell, Angela; Mthiyane, Thuli; Mpangase, Primrose; Nelson, Kristin N.; Allana, Salim; Brust, James C. M.; Moodley, Pravi; Mlisana, Koleka

2017-01-01

Background KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, has among the highest burden of XDR TB worldwide with the majority of cases occurring due to transmission. Poor access to health facilities can be a barrier to timely diagnosis and treatment of TB, which can contribute to ongoing transmission. We sought to determine the geographic distribution of XDR TB patients and proximity to health facilities in KwaZulu-Natal. Methods We recruited adults and children with XDR TB diagnosed in KwaZulu-Natal. We calculated distance and time from participants’ home to the closest hospital or clinic, as well as to the actual facility that diagnosed XDR TB, using tools within ArcGIS Network analyst. Speed of travel was assigned to road classes based on Department of Transport regulations. Results were compared to guidelines for the provision of social facilities in South Africa: 5km to a clinic and 30km to a hospital. Results During 2011–2014, 1027 new XDR TB cases were diagnosed throughout all 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal, of whom 404 (39%) were enrolled and had geospatial data collected. Participants would have had to travel a mean distance of 2.9 km (CI 95%: 1.8–4.1) to the nearest clinic and 17.6 km (CI 95%: 11.4–23.8) to the nearest hospital. Actual distances that participants travelled to the health facility that diagnosed XDR TB ranged from <10 km (n = 143, 36%) to >50 km (n = 109, 27%), with a mean of 69 km. The majority (77%) of participants travelled farther than the recommended distance to a clinic (5 km) and 39% travelled farther than the recommended distance to a hospital (30 km). Nearly half (46%) of participants were diagnosed at a health facility in eThekwini district, of whom, 36% resided outside the Durban metropolitan area. Conclusions XDR TB cases are widely distributed throughout KwaZulu-Natal province with a denser focus in eThekwini district. Patients travelled long distances to the health facility where they were diagnosed with XDR TB, suggesting a

Estimating natal dispersal movement rates of female European ducks with multistate modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blums, P.; Nichols, J.D.; Hines, J.E.; Lindberg, M.S.; Mednis, A.

2003-01-01

1. We used up to 34 years of capture-recapture data from about 22,100 new releases of day-old female ducklings and multistate modelling to test predictions about the influence of environmental, habitat and management factors on natal dispersal probability of three species of ducks within the Engure Marsh, Latvia. 2. The mean natal dispersal distances were very similar (c . 0?6-0?7 km) for all three species and were on average 2?7 times greater than breeding dispersal distances recorded within the same study system. 3. We were unable to confirm the kinship hypothesis and found no evidence that young first-nesting females nested closer to their relatives (either mother or sister) than to the natal nest. 4. Young female northern shovelers, like adults, moved from small islands to the large island when water level was high and vice versa when water level was low before the construction of elevated small islands. Movement probabilities between the two strata were much higher for young shovelers than adults, suggesting that young birds had not yet developed strong fidelity to the natal site. Movements of young female tufted ducks, unlike those of shovelers, were not dependent on water level fluctuations and reflected substantial flexibility in choice of first nesting sites. 5. Data for young birds supported our earlier conclusion that common pochard nesting habitats in black-headed gull colonies were saturated during the entire study period. Young females, like the two adult age groups, moved into and out of colonies with similar probability. Fidelity probability of female pochards to each stratum increased with age, being the lowest (0?62) for young (DK) females, intermediate (0?78) for yearlings (SY) and the highest (0?84) for adult (ASY) females. 6. Young female tufted ducks, like adults, showed higher probabilities of moving from islands to emergent marshes when water levels were higher both before and after habitat management. The relationship between the spring

Fine-scale natal homing and localized movement as shaped by sex and spawning habitat in chinook salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neville, Helen; Isaak, Daniel; Dunham, J.B.; Thurow, Russel; Rieman, B.

2006-01-01

Natal homing is a hallmark of the life history of salmonid fishes, but the spatial scale of homing within local, naturally reproducing salmon populations is still poorly understood. Accurate homing (paired with restricted movement) should lead to the existence of fine-scale genetic structuring due to the spatial clustering of related individuals on spawning grounds. Thus, we explored the spatial resolution of natal homing using genetic associations among individual Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in an interconnected stream network. We also investigated the relationship between genetic patterns and two factors hypothesized to influence natal homing and localized movements at finer scales in this species, localized patterns in the distribution of spawning gravels and sex. Spatial autocorrelation analyses showed that spawning locations in both sub-basins of our study site were spatially clumped, but the upper sub-basin generally had a larger spatial extent and continuity of redd locations than the lower sub-basin, where the distribution of redds and associated habitat conditions were more patchy. Male genotypes were not autocorrelated at any spatial scale in either sub-basin. Female genotypes showed significant spatial autocorrelation and genetic patterns for females varied in the direction predicted between the two sub-basins, with much stronger autocorrelation in the sub-basin with less continuity in spawning gravels. The patterns observed here support predictions about differential constraints and breeding tactics between the two sexes and the potential for fine-scale habitat structure to influence the precision of natal homing and localized movements of individual Chinook salmon on their breeding grounds.

Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Women, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Zelnick, Jennifer; Werner, Lise; Master, Iqbal; Loveday, Marian; Horsburgh, C. Robert; Padayatchi, Nesri

2011-01-01

To determine whether women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) were more likely than men to have extensively drug-resistant TB, we reviewed 4,514 adults admitted during 2003–2008 for drug-resistant TB. Female sex independently predicted extensively drug-resistant TB, even after we controlled for HIV infection. This association needs further study. PMID:22000378

Inferences about Supernova Physics from Gravitational-Wave Measurements: GW151226 Spin Misalignment as an Indicator of Strong Black-Hole Natal Kicks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Shaughnessy, Richard; Gerosa, Davide; Wysocki, Daniel

2017-07-01

The inferred parameters of the binary black hole GW151226 are consistent with nonzero spin for the most massive black hole, misaligned from the binary's orbital angular momentum. If the black holes formed through isolated binary evolution from an initially aligned binary star, this misalignment would then arise from a natal kick imparted to the first-born black hole at its birth during stellar collapse. We use simple kinematic arguments to constrain the characteristic magnitude of this kick, and find that a natal kick vk≳50 km /s must be imparted to the black hole at birth to produce misalignments consistent with GW151226. Such large natal kicks exceed those adopted by default in most of the current supernova and binary evolution models.

Inferences about Supernova Physics from Gravitational-Wave Measurements: GW151226 Spin Misalignment as an Indicator of Strong Black-Hole Natal Kicks.

PubMed

O'Shaughnessy, Richard; Gerosa, Davide; Wysocki, Daniel

2017-07-07

The inferred parameters of the binary black hole GW151226 are consistent with nonzero spin for the most massive black hole, misaligned from the binary's orbital angular momentum. If the black holes formed through isolated binary evolution from an initially aligned binary star, this misalignment would then arise from a natal kick imparted to the first-born black hole at its birth during stellar collapse. We use simple kinematic arguments to constrain the characteristic magnitude of this kick, and find that a natal kick v_{k}≳50  km/s must be imparted to the black hole at birth to produce misalignments consistent with GW151226. Such large natal kicks exceed those adopted by default in most of the current supernova and binary evolution models.

Exploring Teachers' Practices in Teaching Mathematics and Statistics in Kwazulu-Natal Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umugiraneza, Odette; Bansilal, Sarah; North, Delia

2017-01-01

Teaching approaches and assessment practices are key factors that contribute to the improvement of learner outcomes. The study on which this article is based, explored the methods used by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) teachers in teaching and assessing mathematics and statistics. An instrument containing closed and open-ended questions was distributed to…

Efficacy of physical activity interventions in post-natal populations: systematic review, meta-analysis and content coding of behaviour change techniques.

PubMed

Gilinsky, Alyssa Sara; Dale, Hannah; Robinson, Clare; Hughes, Adrienne R; McInnes, Rhona; Lavallee, David

2015-01-01

This systematic review and meta-analysis reports the efficacy of post-natal physical activity change interventions with content coding of behaviour change techniques (BCTs). Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsychINFO) were searched for interventions published from January 1980 to July 2013. Inclusion criteria were: (i) interventions including ≥1 BCT designed to change physical activity behaviour, (ii) studies reporting ≥1 physical activity outcome, (iii) interventions commencing later than four weeks after childbirth and (iv) studies including participants who had given birth within the last year. Controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Interventions were coded using the 40-item Coventry, Aberdeen & London - Refined (CALO-RE) taxonomy of BCTs and study quality assessment was conducted using Cochrane criteria. Twenty studies were included in the review (meta-analysis: n = 14). Seven were interventions conducted with healthy inactive post-natal women. Nine were post-natal weight management studies. Two studies included women with post-natal depression. Two studies focused on improving general well-being. Studies in healthy populations but not for weight management successfully changed physical activity. Interventions increased frequency but not volume of physical activity or walking behaviour. Efficacious interventions always included the BCTs 'goal setting (behaviour)' and 'prompt self-monitoring of behaviour'.

The pregnant smoker's experience of ante-natal care--results from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Haugland, S; Haug, K; Wold, B

1996-12-01

1) To obtain insight into pregnant smokers' experience of the information received from doctor and midwife at the ante-natal clinic. 2) To develop an understanding of pregnant women's own ideas of how health personnel can help them stop smoking. Qualitative study with strategic sampling. 33 pregnant smokers took part in an in-depth interview in the third trimester. Home of patients, or surgeries in Hordaland county, Norway. Daily smokers during the last three months before conception, and still smoking in the 16th-18th week of pregnancy. Pregnant women lacking motivation to stop smoking seemed to be most satisfied with ante-natal care. The women interviewed saw doctors and midwives as responsible for raising the subject of smoking, and blamed them for disinterest. The findings suggest that pregnant smokers may be classified into four categories ("it could have been worse", "self-delusion", "self-confident", and "rational"), and that intervention should be tailored to meet each woman's perception of control over smoking behaviour.

Student Success in Entry Level Modules at the University of Kwazulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zewotir, T.; North, D.; Murray, M.

2011-01-01

The University of KwaZulu-Natal is now six years post merger--time to reflect as the institution is now well settled. Modules are offered on multiple campuses, at various levels, ranging from entry level modules through to Ph.D. studies. This article attempts to identify the factors that lead to the successful progression of students to higher…

Negative phenotypic and genetic correlation between natal dispersal propensity and nest-defence behaviour in a wild bird.

PubMed

Bize, Pierre; Daniel, Grégory; Viblanc, Vincent A; Martin, Julien G A; Doligez, Blandine

2017-07-01

Natural selection is expected to favour the integration of dispersal and phenotypic traits allowing individuals to reduce dispersal costs. Accordingly, associations have been found between dispersal and personality traits such as aggressiveness and exploration, which may facilitate settlement in a novel environment. However, the determinism of these associations has only rarely been explored. Here, we highlight the functional integration of individual personality in nest-defence behaviour and natal dispersal propensity in a long-lived colonial bird, the Alpine swift ( Apus melba ), providing insights into genetic constraints shaping the coevolution of these two traits. We report a negative association between natal dispersal and nest-defence (i.e. risk taking) behaviour at both the phenotypic and genetic level. This negative association may result from direct selection if risk-averseness benefits natal dispersers by reducing the costs of settlement in an unfamiliar environment, or from indirect selection if individuals with lower levels of nest defence also show lower levels of aggressiveness, reducing costs of settlement among unfamiliar neighbours in a colony. In both cases, these results highlight that risk taking is an important behavioural trait to consider in the study of dispersal evolution. © 2017 The Author(s).

Movements of juvenile Gyrfalcons from western and interior Alaska following departure from their natal areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

McIntyre, Carol L.; Douglas, David C.; Adams, Layne G.

2009-01-01

Juvenile raptors often travel thousands of kilometers from the time they leave their natal areas to the time they enter a breeding population. Documenting movements and identifying areas used by raptors before they enter a breeding population is important for understanding the factors that influence their survival. In North America, juvenile Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) are routinely observed outside the species' breeding range during the nonbreeding season, but the natal origins of these birds are rarely known. We used satellite telemetry to track the movements of juvenile Gyrfalcons during their first months of independence. We instrumented nestlings with lightweight satellite transmitters within 10 d of estimated fledging dates on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska and in Denali National Park (Denali) in interior Alaska. Gyrfalcons spent an average of 41.4 ± 6.1 d (range  =  30–50 d) in their natal areas after fledging. The mean departure date from natal areas was 27 August ± 6.4 d. We tracked 15 individuals for an average of 70.5 ± 28.1 d post-departure; Gyrfalcons moved from 105 to 4299 km during this period and tended to move greater distances earlier in the tracking period than later in the tracking period. Gyrfalcons did not establish temporary winter ranges within the tracking period. We identified several movement patterns among Gyrfalcons, including unidirectional long-distance movements, multidirectional long- and short-distance movements, and shorter movements within a local region. Gyrfalcons from the Seward Peninsula remained in western Alaska or flew to eastern Russia with no movements into interior Alaska. In contrast, Gyrfalcons from Denali remained in interior Alaska, flew to northern and western Alaska, or flew to northern Alberta. Gyrfalcons from both study areas tended to move to coastal, riparian, and wetland areas during autumn and early winter. Because juvenile Gyrfalcons dispersed over a large geographic area and across three

Female parity, maternal kinship, infant age and sex influence natal attraction and infant handling in a wild colobine (Colobus vellerosus).

PubMed

Bădescu, Iulia; Sicotte, Pascale; Ting, Nelson; Wikberg, Eva C

2015-04-01

Primate females often inspect, touch and groom others' infants (natal attraction) and they may hold and carry these infants in a manner resembling maternal care (infant handling). While natal attraction and infant handling occur in most wild colobines, little is known about the factors influencing the expression of these behaviors. We examined the effects of female parity, kinship, and dominance rank, as well as infant age and sex in wild Colobus vellerosus at Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana. We collected data via focal sampling of females in 2008 and 2009 (N = 61) and of infants in 2010 (N = 12). Accounting for the individuals who interacted with our focal subjects, this study includes 74 females and 66 infants in 8 groups. We recorded female agonistic interactions ad libitum to determine dominance ranks. We used partial pedigree information and genotypes at 17 short tandem repeat loci to determine kinship. We knew female parity, infant age and sex from demographic records. Nulliparous females showed more natal attraction and infant handling than parous females, which may suggest that interactions with infants are more adaptive for nulliparous females because they learn mothering skills through these behaviors. Compared to non-kin, maternal kin were more likely to handle infants. Maternal kin may be permitted greater access to infants because mothers are most familiar with them. Handlers may incur inclusive fitness benefits from infant handling. Dominance rank did not affect female interactions with infants. The youngest infants received the most natal attraction and infant handling, and male infants were handled more than female infants. The potential benefits of learning to mother and inclusive fitness, in combination with the relatively low costs of natal attraction and infant handling, may explain the high rates of these behaviors in many colobines. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Autonomy, natality and freedom: a liberal re-examination of Habermas in the enhancement debate.

PubMed

Pugh, Jonathan

2015-03-01

Jurgen Habermas has argued that carrying out pre-natal germline enhancements would be inimical to the future child's autonomy. In this article, I suggest that many of the objections that have been made against Habermas' arguments by liberals in the enhancement debate misconstrue his claims. To explain why, I begin by explaining how Habermas' view of personal autonomy confers particular importance to the agent's embodiment and social environment. In view of this, I explain that it is possible to draw two arguments against germline enhancements from Habermas' thought. I call these arguments 'the argument from negative freedom' and 'the argument from natality'. Although I argue that many of the common liberal objections to Habermas are not applicable when his arguments are properly understood, I go on to suggest ways in which supporters of enhancement might appropriately respond to Habermas' arguments. © 2014 The Author. Bioethics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Natal plumage characters in rails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, D.K.; Meanley, B.

1965-01-01

The downy young of the Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris), King Rail (Rallus elegans), and Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) are described as totally black in all literature examined by us. Wetherbee (Bird-Banding, 32: 141-159, 1961) noted that some neonates of Virginia Rail from Storrs, Connecticut, had patches of white down below the wings. "Neonatal" pertains to the developmental condition or characters at hatching distinct from the much abused term "natal" which in ornithology pertains to the condition or characters from hatching to acquisition of teleoptile plumage. The presence of similar patches of white down was observed by us in the Clapper Rails at Chincoteague, Virginia (Figure 1). An examination of many hundreds of specimens from the ranges of most of the subspecies of Clapper Rails, including the strongly contrasting R. longirostris saturatus from Louisiana, revealed the almost invariable presence of at least 1 and sometimes as many as 30 white neossoptiles in the anterior abdominal regions of the ventral pterylae. Conversely, no King Rail neonate examined by us has shown a white neossoptile.

Educational Gaps in Medical Care and Health Behavior: Evidence from US Natality Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Joseph; Price, Joshua; Simon, Kosali

2011-01-01

The US Natality files provide information on medical procedures and health related behavior during pregnancy and childbirth. The data set represents nearly the universe of mothers who give birth in the US, providing the most complete coverage possible of medical care and health behavior among a specific patient population. We document gaps in…

Early post-natal neuroactive steroid manipulation modulates ondansetron effects on initial periods of alcohol consumption in rats.

PubMed

Bartolomé, Iris; Llidó, Anna; Darbra, Sònia; Pallarès, Marc

2018-06-21

Neuroactive steroids (NS) such as allopregnanolone are crucial for brain development and adult behaviour. Early post-natal alterations of NS by administering finasteride induce a decrease in the sensitivity to stimulant effects of low alcohol doses, an increase in alcohol consumption, and a decrease in ventrostriatal dopamine and serotonin levels. The aim of the present study is to observe if the effects of the 5HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron on initial alcohol consumption are modulated by post-natal NS manipulation. For this purpose, allopregnanolone, finasteride, or vehicle was injected from day 5 to 9. In adulthood, a novel object preference test was carried out in order to detect a possible novelty-seeking pattern in our animals, which has been related to vulnerability to drug abuse. The subjects then had access to two bottles (alcohol or control solutions) one hour daily for two consecutive weeks. Ondansetron (0.01 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg or vehicle) was administered before the hour of consumption in the initial phase (days 1, 2, 3) of the procedure, and after prolonged alcohol intake (days 11, 12, 13). Results indicated that finasteride animals showed a higher preference to explore the new object, as well as a higher alcohol consumption than the rest of the groups. Moreover, 0.1 mg/kg of ondansetron decreased alcohol consumption, but only in the post-natal finasteride group, suggesting a possible increase in 5HT3 receptor sensitivity in these animals. In conclusion, NS manipulation in crucial stages of development, such as early post-natal periods, seems to play an important role on the effects of ondansetron on alcohol intake and in the vulnerability to develop drug use or abuse. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Structural evolution and tectonic context of the Mfongosi Group, Natal thrust front, Tugela terrane, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basson, I. J.; Watkeys, M. K.; Phillips, D.

2005-11-01

The Mesoproterozoic Natal Metamorphic Province of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa is an assemblage of several tectonic units, including accreted oceanic island arcs, obducted oceanic crust and deformed basin material. The highly deformed Mfongosi Group occurs at the leading edge of collision (the Natal thrust front), against and directly overlying the southern margin of the Kaapvaal Craton. Structures within the Mfongosi Group record "local" D1 and D2 events, the first of which was "oblique obduction", with predominantly N- to NNE-verging thrusting ( D1). This was followed by sinistral transpression combined with vertical constriction, forming SW-plunging kink folds and SW-plunging prolate pillow basalts ( D2). The third and final event ( D3) was E-W to ESE-WNW extension in a post-thrusting phase, defined by fibrous antitaxial quartz-calcite veining. The westernmost portion of the Mfongosi Group, the Ngubevu area, shows significantly higher finite strains (up to Rf = 12) compared to central Mfongosi and eastern Nkandlha areas ( Rf = 1.5 and less), suggesting highly oblique, largely NE-directed initial collision. Deformation of the NTF in the context of nappe emplacement is constrained by 40Ar/ 39Ar dating of post-cataclastic nematoblastic/porphyroblastic hornblende of the Manyane amphibolite close to the thrust between the Tugela nappe and the Mfongosi Group in the Mfongosi area. Hornblende overgrew the products of low-temperature deformation during the "local" D1 and D2. A minimum age of 1171 ± 16 Ma (95% conf., including J-error; weighted by √MSWD; MSWD = 4.3) is obtained for the tectonic juxtaposition of the Tugela nappe against the southern portions of the "Mfongosi Basin". This "local" D1 and D2 of the Mfongosi Group pre-dates the regional "oblique D1" and "left-lateral D2" previously determined for the central and southern terranes of the Natal Metamorphic Province by other researchers. Comparison of the 1171 ± 16 Ma age, with ages for shearing and

Africanising Scholarship: The Case of UDW, Natal and UKZN Postgraduate Educational Research (1995-2004)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karlsson, J.; Pillay, G.

2011-01-01

In 2004 the universities of Durban-Westville and Natal merged as part of the national restructuring of higher education in South Africa. These institutions' faculties and schools of education were, arguably, centres of excellence for research in adult education, teacher education and professional development, mathematics education and gender in…

Juvenile Survival in Common Loons Gavia Immer: Effects of Natal Lake Size and pH

EPA Science Inventory

Survival is a vexing parameter to measure in many young birds because of dispersal and delayed impacts of natal rearing conditions on fitness. Drawing upon marking and resighting records from an 18-year study of territorial behavior, we used Cormack-Jolly-Seber analysis with Prog...

Hunger for Knowledge: Food Insecurity among Students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munro, Nicholas; Quayle, Michael; Simpson, Heather; Barnsley, Shelley

2013-01-01

The experience of food insecurity in the South African university student population is not well documented or researched. Data to assess vulnerability to food insecurity in a sample of 1.083 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus) was collected between 2007 and 2010 via a questionnaire developed specifically for…

Post-natal hypoxic activity of the central respiratory command is improved in transgenic mice overexpressing Epo in the brain.

PubMed

Caravagna, Céline; Kinkead, Richard; Soliz, Jorge

2014-08-15

Previous studies indicated that erythropoietin modulates central respiratory command in mice. Specifically, a one-hour incubation of the brainstems with erythropoietin attenuates hypoxia-induced central respiratory depression. Here, using transgenic mice constitutively overexpressing erythropoietin specifically in the brain (Tg21), we investigated the effect of chronic erythropoietin stimulation on central respiratory command activity during post-natal development. In vitro brainstem-spinal cord preparations from mice at 0 (P0) or 3 days of age (P3) were used to record the fictive inspiratory activity from the C4 ventral root. Our results show that erythropoietin already stimulates the hypoxic burst frequency at P0, and at P3, erythropoietin effectively stimulates the hypoxic burst frequency and amplitude. Because the maturation of the central respiratory command in mice is characterized by a decrease in the burst frequency with age, our results also suggest that erythropoietin accelerates the maturation of the newborn respiratory network and its response to hypoxia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress exposure in early post-natal life reduces telomere length: an experimental demonstration in a long-lived seabird

PubMed Central

Herborn, Katherine A.; Heidinger, Britt J.; Boner, Winnie; Noguera, Jose C.; Adam, Aileen; Daunt, Francis; Monaghan, Pat

2014-01-01

Exposure to stressors early in life is associated with faster ageing and reduced longevity. One important mechanism that could underlie these late life effects is increased telomere loss. Telomere length in early post-natal life is an important predictor of subsequent lifespan, but the factors underpinning its variability are poorly understood. Recent human studies have linked stress exposure to increased telomere loss. These studies have of necessity been non-experimental and are consequently subjected to several confounding factors; also, being based on leucocyte populations, where cell composition is variable and some telomere restoration can occur, the extent to which these effects extend beyond the immune system has been questioned. In this study, we experimentally manipulated stress exposure early in post-natal life in nestling European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in the wild and examined the effect on telomere length in erythrocytes. Our results show that greater stress exposure during early post-natal life increases telomere loss at this life-history stage, and that such an effect is not confined to immune cells. The delayed effects of increased telomere attrition in early life could therefore give rise to a ‘time bomb’ that reduces longevity in the absence of any obvious phenotypic consequences early in life. PMID:24648221

The ammonite genus Prionocycloceras (Spath, 1926), from the Coniacian of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinger, Herbert C.; Kennedy, William J.

2016-12-01

Subprionocyclus latiumbilicatus (Van Hoepen, 1968), and Subprionocyclus obesus (Van Hoepen, 1968), are revised, and referred to Prionocycloceras (Spath, 1926), a genus not previously recognised from the South African Cretaceous. The material comes from the Middle and Upper Coniacian St Lucia Formation of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Parental mood during pregnancy and post-natally is associated with offspring risk of Tourette syndrome or chronic tics: prospective data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

PubMed

Ben-Shlomo, Y; Scharf, J M; Miller, L L; Mathews, C A

2016-04-01

Little is known about risk factors for Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders (CT) but maternal psychological morbidity in pregnancy may be associated with TS/CT. We examined whether pre- and post-natal parental anxiety and/or depression are associated with risk of TS/CT in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We compared self-reported anxiety and depression measures collected prospectively at four time points (18 and 32 weeks prenatally, and 8 weeks and 8 months post-natally) among parents of children who subsequently met criteria for TS/CT at 13 years of age as compared to other children from the cohort. We adjusted for various socioeconomic measures and tested both for time period-specific exposure and chronic exposure using multivariable logistic regression models. 122 children had TS/CT (50 TS, 72 CT) and 5968 children had no tics. In crude analyses, both pre- and post-natal maternal anxiety and depression, but only post-natal paternal depression at 8 months, showed associations with TS/CT. In the final, adjusted multivariable models, chronic maternal anxiety (odds ratio 2.17, 95% CI 1.23, 3.84, p = 0.007) and pre-natal maternal depression (odds ratio 1.86, 95% CI 1.02, 3.39, p = 0.04) showed associations with TS/CT though the latter was consistent with chance (p = 0.07) after adjustment for past maternal depression. We find associations between maternal psychological morbidity pre- and post-natally and risk of future TS/CT in offspring. These associations may reflect either shared genetic susceptibility or a pre-natal exposure. Further work is required to see if these findings can be replicated in larger datasets.

X-ray examinations during pregnancy: National Natality Surveys, 1963 and 1980.

PubMed Central

Kaczmarek, R G; Moore, R M; Keppel, K G; Placek, P J

1989-01-01

Based on 1963 and 1980 National Natality Surveys, the rate of medical x-ray examinations during pregnancy per 100 mothers fell 34.2 percent. A decrease in chest x-ray examinations accounted for almost all of the decline in total x-ray examinations. The reductions were greater for older mothers and those who were not White. While the number of births fell from 4,071,000 in 1963 to 3,612,000 in 1980, the number of pelvimetry examinations actually increased by 45,000. PMID:2909188

Progress and Challenges for Language Policy Implementation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndimande-Hlongwa, Nobuhle; Balfour, Robert J.; Mkhize, Nhlanhla; Engelbrecht, Charlotte

2010-01-01

The University of KwaZulu-Natal approved its bilingual language policy in 2006 based on the framework of the National Language Policy for Higher Education of 2002. The guiding principles of this policy suggest that the university develops the use of isiZulu as a language of instruction and communication, in line with recommendations of the…

The effects of pre-natal-, early-life- and indirectly-initiated exposures to maximum adversities on the course of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Levine, Stephen Z; Levav, Itzhak; Yoffe, Rinat; Pugachova, Inna

2014-09-01

The effects of pre-natal-, early-life- and indirectly-initiated exposures to protracted maximum adversity on the course of schizophrenia are unknown. To compare the aforementioned Holocaust directly exposed subgroups with an indirectly exposed subgroup on the course of schizophrenia. The study population were: Israeli Jews in-uterus or born in Nazi-occupied or dominated European nations by the end of the persecution of the Jews, who were alive in 1950, and who had a last discharge diagnosis of schizophrenia in the Israel National Psychiatric Case Registry by 2013 (N=4933). The population was disaggregated into subgroups who (1) migrated after WWII and who had (1a) pre-natal (n=584, 11.8%) and (1b) early-life (n=3709, 75.2%) initiated exposures to the maximum adversities of the Holocaust, and (2) indirectly exposed individuals to the Holocaust who migrated before the Nazi-era persecution begun (n=640, 13%). Recurrent event survival analyses were computed to examine the psychiatric re-hospitalization risk of the study subgroups, unadjusted and adjusted for age of onset of the disorder and sex. The pre-natal initiated exposure subgroup had a significantly (p<0.05) greater risk of psychiatric re-hospitalizations for schizophrenia than the other subgroups (unadjusted: HR=3.39, 95% CI 2.95, 3.90; adjusted: HR=2.28, 2.00, 2.60). This result replicated in sensitivity analyses for: Poland-born individuals, the years 1922 and 1935; and followed at least 10 years and to the year 2000. Pre-natal initiated exposure to the maximal adversity of the holocaust constitutes a consistent risk factor for a worse course of schizophrenia, a possible byproduct of neurodevelopment disruptions induced by maternal stress and/or famine and/or infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Site fidelity, territory fidelity, and natal philopatry in Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sedgwick, James A.

2004-01-01

I investigated the causes and consequences of adult breeding-site fidelity, territory fidelity, and natal philopatry in Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) in southeastern Oregon over a 10-year period, testing the general hypothesis that fidelity and dispersal distances are influenced by previous breeding performance. Willow Flycatchers adhered to the generally observed tendencies of passerine birds for low natal philopatry and high breedingsite fidelity. Site fidelity (return to the study area) of adult males (52.0%) and females (51.3%), and median dispersal distances between seasons (16 m vs. 19 m) were similar. Previous breeding performance and residency (age-experience), but not study-site quality, explained site fidelity in females. Site fidelity of females rearing 4–5 young (64.4%) exceeded that of unsuccessful females (40.0%), breeding dispersal was less (successful: 15 m; unsuccessful: 33 m), and novice residents were more site-faithful than former residents. Probability of site fidelity was higher for previously successful females (odds ratio = 4.76), those with greater seasonal fecundity (odds ratio = 1.58), novice residents (odds ratio = 1.41), and unparasitized females (odds ratio = 2.76). Male site fidelity was not related to residency, site quality, or previous breeding performance. Territory fidelity (return to the previous territory) in females was best explained by previous breeding performance, but not by site quality or residency. Previously successful females were more likely to return to their territory of the previous season than either unsuccessful (odds ratio = 14.35) or parasitized birds (odds ratio = 6.38). Male territory fidelity was not related to residency, site quality, or previous breeding performance. Natal philopatry was low (7.8%) and similar for males and females. Site quality appeared to influence philopatry, given that no birds reared at a low-quality study site returned there to breed, and birds reared there dispersed

Lighting up Learning: Mathematics Becoming Less of a "Killer Subject" in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Marguerite

2015-01-01

This paper reports the findings of an evaluative study of an initiative, in its sixth year of implementation, enhancing the learning and teaching of mathematics in 20 disadvantaged secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, twenty years after democracy. Findings highlight the importance of initial and ongoing professional development…

An Investigation on Students' Risky Sexual Behavior at KwaZulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutinta, Given; Govender, Kaymarlin; Gow, Jeff; George, Gavin

2013-01-01

University environments are fertile grounds for risky sexual behaviors. This study investigated students' risky sexual practices at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Data were collected using quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 1,405 questionnaires were administered, and 80 in-depth interviews and four focus…

Civilisation and Colonial Education: Natal and Western Australia in the 1860s in Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swartz, Rebecca

2018-01-01

This paper examines how two Britons, working in Western Australia and Natal, respectively, engaged with ideas about the civilisation and education of Indigenous people. It is argued that concepts of civilisation were debated by missionaries, researchers and members of the public. Using the correspondence, publications and private journals of two…

Equatorial ozone characteristics as measured at Natal (5.9 deg S, 35.2 deg W)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirchhoff, V. W. J. H.; Hilsenrath, E.; Motta, A. G.; Sahai, Y.; Medrano-B, R. A.

1982-01-01

Ozone density profiles obtained through electrochemical concentration cell (ECC) sonde measurements at Natal were analyzed. Time variations, as expected, are small. Outstanding features of the data are tropospheric densities substantially higher than those measured at other stations, and also a total ozone content that is higher than the averages given by satellite measurements.

The Association of Molecular Gas and Natal Super Star Clusters in Henize 2–10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Kelsey E.; Brogan, Crystal L.; Indebetouw, Remy; Testi, Leonardo; Wilner, David J.; Reines, Amy E.; Chen, C.-H. Rosie; Vanzi, Leonardo

2018-02-01

We present ALMA observations of the dwarf starburst galaxy He 2–10 in combination with previous SMA CO observations to probe the molecular environments of natal super star clusters (SSCs). These observations include the HCO+(1-0), HCN(1-0), HNC(1-0), and CCH(1-0) molecular lines, as well as 88 GHz continuum with a spatial resolution of 1\\buildrel{\\prime\\prime}\\over{.} 7× 1\\buildrel{\\prime\\prime}\\over{.} 6. After correcting for the contribution from free–free emission to the 88 GHz continuum flux density (∼60% of the 88 GHz emission), we derive a total gas mass for He 2–10 of {M}{gas}=4{--}6× {10}8 M ⊙, roughly 5%–20% of the dynamical mass. Based on a principle component analysis, HCO+ is found to be the best “general” tracer of molecular emission. The line widths and luminosities of the CO emission suggests that the molecular clouds could either be as small as ∼8 pc, or alternately have enhanced line widths. The CO emission and 88 GHz continuum are anti-correlated, suggesting that either the dust and molecular gas are not cospatial, which could reflect that the 88 GHz continuum is dominated by free–free emission. The CO and CCH emission are also relatively anti-correlated, which is consistent with the CCH being photo-enhanced, and/or the CO being dissociated in the regions near the natal SSCs. The molecular line ratios of regions containing the natal star clusters are different from the line ratios observed for regions elsewhere in the galaxy. In particular, the regions with thermal radio emission all have {CO}(2{--}1)/{{HCO}}+(1-0)< 16, and the HCO+/CO ratio appears to be correlated with the evolutionary stage of the clusters.

“Staying for the children”: The role of natal relatives in supporting women experiencing intimate partner violence during pregnancy in northern Tanzania – A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Mushi, Declare; Gammeltoft, Tine

2018-01-01

Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health and human rights problem. In Tanzania, national studies have shown that half of all women experience partner violence in their lifetime, 38% reported being abused during a period of 12 months and 30% during pregnancy. Despite the benefits of social support to women victims of violence during pregnancy, a majority of women hesitate to seek help and, if they do, they mainly turn to their natal relatives for support. However, this process of help-seeking and the type of support received is not well documented and needs to be explored with a view to future interventions. This article investigates women’s own perspectives on the support they receive from natal relatives when experiencing IPV during pregnancy. Materials and methods Eighteen participants who experienced physical IPV during pregnancy were purposively selected from a cohort of 1,116 pregnant women enrolled in a project that aimed at assessing the impact of intimate partner violence on reproductive health. In-depth interviews were used to explore the social support received from the natal family among women who experienced partner violence during pregnancy. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, coded and analyzed. Results Women who experienced severe IPV during pregnancy were more likely to seek help from natal relatives. Severe violence was defined by the women as acts that occurred frequently and/or resulted in injury. The women’s natal relatives were willing to provide the support; however, they strongly encouraged women to maintain their marriage so that they could continue caring for their children jointly with their partners. Emotional support was the commonest form of support and included showing love and empathy and praying. Information provided to victims aimed mainly at advising them to maintain their marriage. Practical support included direct financial support and building their economic base to reduce dependency on

Cyp1b1 deletion and retinol deficiency coordinately suppress mouse liver lipogenic genes and hepcidin expression during post-natal development

PubMed Central

Maguire, Meghan; Larsen, Michele Campaigne; Foong, Yee Hoon; Tanumihardjo, Sherry; Jefcoate, Colin R.

2018-01-01

Cyp1b1 deletion and gestational vitamin A deficiency (GVAD) redirect adult liver gene expression. A matched sufficient pre- and post-natal diet, which has high carbohydrate and normal iron content (LF12), increased inflammatory gene expression markers in adult livers that were suppressed by GVAD and Cyp1b1 deletion. At birth on the LF12 diet, Cyp1b1 deletion and GVAD each suppress liver expression of the iron suppressor, hepcidin (Hepc), while increasing stellate cell activation markers and suppressing post-natal increases in lipogenesis. Hepc was less suppressed in Cyp1b1−/− pups with a standard breeder diet, but was restored by iron supplementation of the LF12 diet. Conclusions The LF12 diet delivered low post-natal iron and attenuated Hepc. Hepc decreases in Cyp1b1−/− and GVAD mice resulted in stellate activation and lipogenesis suppression. Endothelial BMP6, a Hepc stimulant, is a potential coordinator and Cyp1b1 target. These neonatal changes in Cyp1b1−/− mice link to diminished adult obesity and liver inflammation. PMID:28583802

Chapter 7: Breeding and Natal Dispersal, Nest Habitat Loss and Implications for Marbled Murrelet Populations

Treesearch

George J. Divoky; Michael Horton

1995-01-01

Evidence of breeding and natal dispersal in alcids is typically provided by the resightings of banded birds, the establishment of new colonies, and/or evidence of immigration to established colonies. The difficulties in banding, observing, and censusing Marbled Murrelets at nesting areas preclude using any of these methods for this species. Based on the limited number...

Dietary adequacies among South African adults in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Kolahdooz, Fariba; Spearing, Kerry; Sharma, Sangita

2013-01-01

Food quality, determined by micronutrient content, is a stronger determinant of nutritional status than food quantity. Health concerns resulting from the co-existence of over-nutrition and under-nutrition in low income populations in South Africa have been fully recognized in the last two decades. This study aimed to further investigate dietary adequacy amongst adults in rural KwaZulu-Natal, by determining daily energy and nutrient intakes, and identifying the degree of satisfaction of dietary requirements. Cross-sectional study assessing dietary adequacy from 24-hour dietary recalls of randomly selected 136 adults in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Results are presented for men (n = 52) and women (n = 84) 19-50 and >50 years old. Mean energy intake was greatest in women >50 years (2852 kcal/day) and exceeded Dietary Reference Intake's for both men and women, regardless of age. Mean daily energy intake from carbohydrates was 69% for men and 67% for women, above the Dietary Reference Intake range of 45-65%. Sodium was also consumed in excess, and the Dietary Reference Intakes of vitamins A, B12, C, D, and E, calcium, zinc and pantothenic acid were not met by the majority of the population. Despite mandatory fortification of staple South African foods, micronutrient inadequacies are evident among adults in rural South African communities. Given the excess caloric intake and the rising prevalence of obesity and other non-communicable diseases in South Africa, a focus on diet quality may be a more effective approach to influence micronutrient status than a focus on diet quantity.

Empowering Adults through Literacy Education in South Africa: Activities at the University of Natal at Pietermaritzburg.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Heerden, Gwyneth; And Others

1991-01-01

Five brief articles from a journal published by the Public Affairs Department of the University of Natal, South Africa, discuss issues related to empowering adults through literacy education in that country. "Meeting Needs" (Gwyneth van Heerden) describes the extent and nature of adult illiteracy in South Africa and the activities of the…

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on malaria transmission in Mamfene, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa 2015.

PubMed

Manana, Pinky N; Kuonza, Lazarus; Musekiwa, Alfred; Mpangane, Hluphi D; Koekemoer, Lizette L

2017-07-20

In South Africa malaria is endemic in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the north-eastern areas of KwaZulu-Natal provinces. South Africa has set targets to eliminate malaria by 2018 and research into complementary vector control tools such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is ongoing. It is important to understand community perceptions regarding malaria transmission and control interventions to enable development of community awareness campaign messages appropriate to the needs of the community. We aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding malaria transmission to inform a public awareness campaign for SIT in Jozini Local Municipality, Mamfene in KwaZulu-Natal province. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in three communities in Mamfene, KwaZulu-Natal during 2015. A structured field piloted questionnaire was administered to 400 randomly selected heads of households. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Of the 400 participants interviewed, 99% had heard about malaria and correctly associated it with mosquito bites. The sources of malaria information were the local health facility (53%), radio (16%) and community meetings (7%). Approximately 63% of the participants were able to identify three or four symptoms of malaria. The majority (76%) were confident that indoor residual spraying (IRS) kills mosquitoes and prevents infection. Bed nets were used by 2% of the participants. SIT knowledge was poor (9%), however 63% of the participants were supportive of mosquito releases for research purposes. The remaining 37% raised concerns and fears, including fear of the unknown and lack of information on the SIT. Appropriate knowledge, positive attitude and acceptable treatment-seeking behaviour for malaria were demonstrated by members of the community. Community involvement will be crucial in achieving success of the SIT and future studies should further investigate concerns raised by the community. The existing communication channels used by the

Pre-natal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and infant lower respiratory tract infections and wheeze.

PubMed

Gascon, Mireia; Vrijheid, Martine; Martínez, David; Ballester, Ferran; Basterrechea, Mikel; Blarduni, Elizabeth; Esplugues, Ana; Vizcaino, Esther; Grimalt, Joan O; Morales, Eva; Sunyer, Jordi

2012-05-01

The aim of our study was to examine whether pre-natal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and wheeze in infants. The study is based on a birth cohort of 1,455 mother-child pairs. Maternal serum concentrations of DDE, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured during pregnancy. Parental reports on LRTI and wheeze were obtained when children were 12-14 months old. 35.4% of children developed at least one LRTI episode and 33.6% at least one wheezing episode during their first 12-14 months of life. Median DDE, PCBs and HCB concentrations were 116.3, 113.7 and 46.4 ng · g(-1) lipid, respectively. DDE concentrations were associated with LRTI risk (relative risk (RR) per 10% increase 1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.22), also after adjustment for PCBs and HCB. In all quartiles of DDE exposure, the risk of LRTI was increased compared with the lowest quartile, but the increase was statistically significant only in the third quartile (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.62). No association was observed for PCBs and HCB. Results were similar for wheeze. This study suggests that pre-natal DDE exposure is associated with a higher risk of LRTI and wheeze in infants independently of exposure to other organochlorine compounds.

Interleukin-6 Regulates Adult Neural Stem Cell Numbers during Normal and Abnormal Post-natal Development.

PubMed

Storer, Mekayla A; Gallagher, Denis; Fatt, Michael P; Simonetta, Jaclin V; Kaplan, David R; Miller, Freda D

2018-05-08

Circulating systemic factors can regulate adult neural stem cell (NSC) biology, but the identity of these circulating cues is still being defined. Here, we have focused on the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), since increased circulating levels of IL-6 are associated with neural pathologies such as autism and bipolar disorder. We show that IL-6 promotes proliferation of post-natal murine forebrain NSCs and that, when the IL-6 receptor is inducibly knocked out in post-natal or adult neural precursors, this causes a long-term decrease in forebrain NSCs. Moreover, a transient circulating surge of IL-6 in perinatal or adult mice causes an acute increase in neural precursor proliferation followed by long-term depletion of adult NSC pools. Thus, IL-6 signaling is both necessary and sufficient for adult NSC self-renewal, and acute perturbations in circulating IL-6, as observed in many pathological situations, have long-lasting effects on the size of adult NSC pools. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Volatile Fraction of Comets as Quantified at Infrared Wavelengths - An Emerging Taxonomy and Implications for Natal Heritage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mumma, M. J.; DiSanti, M. A.; Bonev, B. P.; Villanueva, G. L.; Magee-Sauer, K.; Gibb, E. L.; Paganini, L.; Radeva, Y. L.; Charnley, S. B.

2012-01-01

It is relatively easy to identify the reservoir from which a given comet was ejected. But dynamical models demonstrate that the main cometary reservoirs (Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud) each contain icy bodies that formed in a range of environments in the protoplanetary disk, and the Oort Cloud may even contain bodies that formed in disks of sibling stars in the Sun s birth cluster. The cometary nucleus contains clues to the formative region(s) of its individual components. The composition of ices and rocky grains reflect a range of processes experienced by material while on the journey from the natal interstellar cloud core to the cometary nucleus. For that reason, emphasis is placed on classifying comets according to their native ices and dust (rather than orbital dynamics). Mumma & Charnley [1] reviewed the current status of taxonomies for comets and relation to their natal heritage.

Dietary Adequacies among South African Adults in Rural KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Kolahdooz, Fariba; Spearing, Kerry; Sharma, Sangita

2013-01-01

Background Food quality, determined by micronutrient content, is a stronger determinant of nutritional status than food quantity. Health concerns resulting from the co-existence of over-nutrition and under-nutrition in low income populations in South Africa have been fully recognized in the last two decades. This study aimed to further investigate dietary adequacy amongst adults in rural KwaZulu-Natal, by determining daily energy and nutrient intakes, and identifying the degree of satisfaction of dietary requirements. Methods Cross-sectional study assessing dietary adequacy from 24-hour dietary recalls of randomly selected 136 adults in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Results Results are presented for men (n = 52) and women (n = 84) 19–50 and >50 years old. Mean energy intake was greatest in women >50 years (2852 kcal/day) and exceeded Dietary Reference Intake’s for both men and women, regardless of age. Mean daily energy intake from carbohydrates was 69% for men and 67% for women, above the Dietary Reference Intake range of 45–65%. Sodium was also consumed in excess, and the Dietary Reference Intakes of vitamins A, B12, C, D, and E, calcium, zinc and pantothenic acid were not met by the majority of the population. Conclusion Despite mandatory fortification of staple South African foods, micronutrient inadequacies are evident among adults in rural South African communities. Given the excess caloric intake and the rising prevalence of obesity and other non-communicable diseases in South Africa, a focus on diet quality may be a more effective approach to influence micronutrient status than a focus on diet quantity. PMID:23825639

Regional climate on the breeding grounds predicts variation in the natal origin of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico over 38 years.

PubMed

Flockhart, D T Tyler; Brower, Lincoln P; Ramirez, M Isabel; Hobson, Keith A; Wassenaar, Leonard I; Altizer, Sonia; Norris, D Ryan

2017-07-01

Addressing population declines of migratory insects requires linking populations across different portions of the annual cycle and understanding the effects of variation in weather and climate on productivity, recruitment, and patterns of long-distance movement. We used stable H and C isotopes and geospatial modeling to estimate the natal origin of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in eastern North America using over 1000 monarchs collected over almost four decades at Mexican overwintering colonies. Multinomial regression was used to ascertain which climate-related factors best-predicted temporal variation in natal origin across six breeding regions. The region producing the largest proportion of overwintering monarchs was the US Midwest (mean annual proportion = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.36-0.41) followed by the north-central (0.17; 0.14-0.18), northeast (0.15; 0.11-0.16), northwest (0.12; 0.12-0.16), southwest (0.11; 0.08-0.12), and southeast (0.08; 0.07-0.11) regions. There was no evidence of directional shifts in the relative contributions of different natal regions over time, which suggests these regions are comprising the same relative proportion of the overwintering population in recent years as in the mid-1970s. Instead, interannual variation in the proportion of monarchs from each region covaried with climate, as measured by the Southern Oscillation Index and regional-specific daily maximum temperature and precipitation, which together likely dictate larval development rates and food plant condition. Our results provide the first robust long-term analysis of predictors of the natal origins of monarchs overwintering in Mexico. Conservation efforts on the breeding grounds focused on the Midwest region will likely have the greatest benefit to eastern North American migratory monarchs, but the population will likely remain sensitive to regional and stochastic weather patterns. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social support and medication adherence in HIV disease in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ncama, Busisiwe P; McInerney, Patricia A; Bhengu, Busisiwe R; Corless, Inge B; Wantland, Dean J; Nicholas, Patrice K; McGibbon, Chris A; Davis, Sheila M

2008-12-01

A supportive social environment is critical for those with HIV/AIDS. In KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa, antiretroviral therapy is available to some HIV-positive individuals. Antiretroviral adherence is an important issue for limiting HIV infection. Adherence to therapy may be linked to social support, particularly amidst the stigma prevalent in HIV. The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics related to social support and antiretroviral medication adherence. This cross-sectional, descriptive study explored the nature of the relationships among social support and other selected variables, including sociodemographic variables, quality of life, and adherence. After ethical review board approval, the sample of HIV-infected individuals who received care in outpatient clinics were recruited and completed the self-report instruments. The sample included English and/or isiZulu-speaking (n=149) individuals over the age of 18 years receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. A total of 149 patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS agreed to participate and completed questionnaires after completing informed consent procedures. The study participants were recruited at four outpatient settings in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional design was utilized to explore the research questions: What are the characteristics of social support and the relationship to antiretroviral adherence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa? Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were used to answer the research questions. Data analyses indicated that social support scores on the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey were moderate (M=64.4; S.D.=14.7) among the study participants. The number of close friends and family were significantly correlated with a greater sense of social support. Despite this, the lowest scores on the quality-of-life measure using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 item survey were reported on the Social

Preparing educators for problem-based and community-based curricula: a student's experiences.

PubMed

Dana, N

1997-03-01

The Department of Nursing at the University of Natal Durban (UND) introduced a one year Masters Degree in Progressive Education for Health Professionals in 1996, the aim of which is to prepare educators of health professionals to understand better innovative methods of teaching, learning and more specifically problem-based learning (PBL) and community-based education (CBE). The author of this paper is a registered nurse and this paper focuses on her experiences as a student in this programme. Most of the experiences gained are related to the use of a Personal and Academic Development Portfolio, which covered activities from both her own classes and those related to facilitation of basic student's learning.

Individual variation affects departure rate from the natal pond in an ephemeral pond-breeding anuran

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chelgren, N.D.; Rosenberg, D.K.; Heppell, S.S.; Gitelman, A.I.

2008-01-01

Frogs exhibit extreme plasticity and individual variation in growth and behavior during metamorphosis, driven by interactions of intrinsic state factors and extrinsic environmental factors. In northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852), we studied the timing of departure from the natal pond as it relates to date and size of individuals at metamorphosis in the context of environmental uncertainty. To affect body size at metamorphosis, we manipulated food availability during the larval stage for a sample (317) of 1045 uniquely marked individuals and released them at their natal ponds as newly metamorphosed frogs. We recaptured 34% of marked frogs in pitfall traps as they departed and related the timing of their initial terrestrial movements to individual properties using a time-to-event model. Median age at first capture was 4 and 9 days postmetamorphosis at two sites. The rate of departure was positively related to body size and to date of metamorphosis. Departure rate was strongly negatively related to time elapsed since rainfall, and this effect was diminished for smaller and later metamorphosing frogs. Individual variation in metamorphic traits thus affects individuals' responses to environmental variability, supporting a behavioral link with variation in survival associated with these same metamorphic traits. ?? 2008 NRC.

Sex determination using humeral dimensions in a sample from KwaZulu-Natal: an osteometric study

PubMed Central

Ogedengbe, Oluwatosin Olalekan; Ajayi, Sunday Adelaja; Komolafe, Omobola Aderibigbe; Zaw, Aung Khaing; Naidu, Edwin Coleridge Stephen

2017-01-01

The morphological characteristics of the humeral bone has been investigated in recent times with studies showing varying degrees of sexual dimorphism. Osteologists and forensic scientists have shown that sex determination methods based on skeletal measurements are population specific, and these population-specific variations are present in many body dimensions. The present study aims to establish sex identification using osteometric standards for the humerus in a contemporary KwaZulu-Natal population. A total of 11 parameters were measured in a sample of n=211 humeri (males, 113; females, 98) from the osteological collection in the Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. The difference in means for nearly all variables were found to be significantly higher in males compared to females (P<0.01) with the most effective single parameter for predicting sex being the vertical head diameter having an accuracy of 82.5%. Stepwise discriminant analysis increased the overall accuracy rate to 87.7% when all measurements were jointly applied. We conclude that the humerus is an important bone which can be reliably used for sex determination based on standard metric methods despite minor tribal or ancestral differences amongst an otherwise homogenous population. PMID:29043096

Sex determination using humeral dimensions in a sample from KwaZulu-Natal: an osteometric study.

PubMed

Ogedengbe, Oluwatosin Olalekan; Ajayi, Sunday Adelaja; Komolafe, Omobola Aderibigbe; Zaw, Aung Khaing; Naidu, Edwin Coleridge Stephen; Okpara Azu, Onyemaechi

2017-09-01

The morphological characteristics of the humeral bone has been investigated in recent times with studies showing varying degrees of sexual dimorphism. Osteologists and forensic scientists have shown that sex determination methods based on skeletal measurements are population specific, and these population-specific variations are present in many body dimensions. The present study aims to establish sex identification using osteometric standards for the humerus in a contemporary KwaZulu-Natal population. A total of 11 parameters were measured in a sample of n=211 humeri (males, 113; females, 98) from the osteological collection in the Discipline of Clinical Anatomy, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. The difference in means for nearly all variables were found to be significantly higher in males compared to females ( P <0.01) with the most effective single parameter for predicting sex being the vertical head diameter having an accuracy of 82.5%. Stepwise discriminant analysis increased the overall accuracy rate to 87.7% when all measurements were jointly applied. We conclude that the humerus is an important bone which can be reliably used for sex determination based on standard metric methods despite minor tribal or ancestral differences amongst an otherwise homogenous population.

Reflexive Pedagogy for Reading across the Curriculum: The University of KwaZulu-Natal Faculty of Education Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mgqwashu, Emmanuel Mfanafuthi

2011-01-01

This article is a qualitative evaluation of the role of reflexive pedagogy; a pedagogic approach used in a first year, academic literacy compulsory module for all first year Bachelor of Education (B. Ed) students offered by the School of Language, Literacies, Media and Drama Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The module is called…

Student Perceptions of Agricultural Education Programme Processes at Selected High Schools in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kidane, T. T.; Worth, S. H.

2014-01-01

Purpose: This study investigates student perceptions of different aspects of Agricultural Education and Training (AET) programme processes that have been offered in secondary schools by the formal educational sector in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study seeks to identify the existing shortcomings in the implementation of the…

Natal habitat imprinting counteracts the diversifying effects of phenotype-dependent dispersal in a spatially structured population.

PubMed

Camacho, Carlos; Canal, David; Potti, Jaime

2016-08-08

Habitat selection may have profound evolutionary consequences, but they strongly depend on the underlying preference mechanism, including genetically-determined, natal habitat and phenotype-dependent preferences. It is known that different mechanisms may operate at the same time, yet their relative contribution to population differentiation remains largely unexplored empirically mainly because of the difficulty of finding suitable study systems. Here, we investigate the role of early experience and genetic background in determining the outcome of settlement by pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) breeding in two habitat patches between which dispersal and subsequent reproductive performance is influenced by phenotype (body size). For this, we conducted a cross-fostering experiment in a two-patch system: an oakwood and a conifer plantation separated by only 1 km. Experimental birds mostly returned to breed in the forest patch where they were raised, whether it was that of their genetic or their foster parents, indicating that decisions on where to settle are determined by individuals' experience in their natal site, rather than by their genetic background. Nevertheless, nearly a third (27.6 %) moved away from the rearing habitat and, as previously observed in unmanipulated individuals, dispersal between habitats was phenotype-dependent. Pied flycatchers breeding in the oak and the pine forests are differentiated by body size, and analyses of genetic variation at microsatellite loci now provide evidence of subtle genetic differentiation between the two populations. This suggests that phenotype-dependent dispersal may contribute to population structure despite the short distance and widespread exchange of birds between the study plots. Taken together, the current and previous findings that pied flycatchers do not always settle in the habitat to which they are best suited suggest that their strong tendency to return to the natal patch regardless of their body size

Academic Support at the University of Kwazulu-Natal: A Systematic Review of Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles, 2010-2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paideya, Vino; Bengesai, Annah

2017-01-01

The aim of this systematic review was to examine research studies which focus on effective student support practices and show evidence of credible assessment. To identify effective student support practices, and also to provide a contemporary picture of effective support practices at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, 24 studies which met the…

Sector switching among histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Ruggunan, Shaun D; Singh, Suveera

2013-05-30

The mobility of health care professionals from the public to private sector is prevalent in South Africa. However, literature on sector switching of clinical doctors remains limited. It is against this background that this study aims to make the labour market visible for histopathologists and identify the reasons for sector switching. This study is exploratory and descriptive. It uses qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews, with 70% (n = 16/23) of the population of histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Lee's (1966) push-pull theory is adapted to explain the pull sector switching behaviours of histopathologists. Interviews were recorded and independently transcribed. The narratives of the participants were coded to reflect the main themes that contributed to their sector switching behaviours. Five key themes emerged as reasons for the mobility of histopathologists from the public to private sector in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings indicate that remuneration, working conditions, work flexibility, career pathing and autonomy of labour processes are the key drivers of this mobility. Histopathologists provide a core function in the health care chain. However, their invisibility in academic discourse in both public health and human resources for health indicates the paucity of research undertaken on the importance of these specialists in the health care chain. This is especially significant in developing countries like South Africa, where there is a dearth of these specialists. This study, while exploratory, aims to open a dialogue to better understand their reasons for sector switching and, hopefully, inform policies on training, recruitment and retention of these specialists.

Sector switching among histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The mobility of health care professionals from the public to private sector is prevalent in South Africa. However, literature on sector switching of clinical doctors remains limited. It is against this background that this study aims to make the labour market visible for histopathologists and identify the reasons for sector switching. Methods This study is exploratory and descriptive. It uses qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews, with 70% (n = 16/23) of the population of histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory is adapted to explain the pull sector switching behaviours of histopathologists. Interviews were recorded and independently transcribed. The narratives of the participants were coded to reflect the main themes that contributed to their sector switching behaviours. Results Five key themes emerged as reasons for the mobility of histopathologists from the public to private sector in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings indicate that remuneration, working conditions, work flexibility, career pathing and autonomy of labour processes are the key drivers of this mobility. Conclusions Histopathologists provide a core function in the health care chain. However, their invisibility in academic discourse in both public health and human resources for health indicates the paucity of research undertaken on the importance of these specialists in the health care chain. This is especially significant in developing countries like South Africa, where there is a dearth of these specialists. This study, while exploratory, aims to open a dialogue to better understand their reasons for sector switching and, hopefully, inform policies on training, recruitment and retention of these specialists. PMID:23721129

Temporal migration patterns between natal locations of ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) and their Gulf Coast stopover site.

PubMed

Zenzal, Theodore J; Contina, Andrea J; Kelly, Jeffrey F; Moore, Frank R

2018-01-01

Autumn latitudinal migrations generally exhibit one of two different temporal migration patterns: type 1 where southern populations migrate south before northern populations, or type 2 where northern populations overtake southern populations en route . The ruby-throated hummingbird ( Archilochus colubris ) is a species with an expansive breeding range, which allows opportunities to examine variation in the timing of migration. Our objective was to determine a relationship between natal origin of ruby-throated hummingbirds and arrival at a Gulf coast stopover site; and if so, what factors, such as differences in body size across the range as well as the cost of migration, might drive such a pattern. To carry out our objectives, we captured hummingbirds at a coastal stopover site during autumn migration, at which time we collected feathers from juveniles for analysis of hydrogen stable isotopes. Using the hydrogen stable isotope gradient of precipitation across North America and published hydrogen isotope values of feathers from populations of breeding ruby-throated hummingbirds, we assigned migrants to probable natal latitudes. Our results confirm that individuals from across the range (30-50° N) stopover along the Gulf of Mexico and there is a positive relationship between arrival day and latitude, suggesting a type 1 migration pattern. We also found no relationship between fuel load (proxy for migration cost) or fat-free body mass (proxy for body size) and natal latitude. Our results, coupled with previous work on the spatial migration patterns of hummingbirds, show a type 1 chain migration pattern. While the mechanisms we tested do not seem to influence the evolution of migratory patterns, other factors such as resource availability may play a prominent role in the evolution of this migration system.

[Review and guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of post-natal cytomegalovirus infection].

PubMed

Alarcón Allen, A; Baquero-Artigao, F

2011-01-01

Postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the newborn can occur from exposure to maternal cervical secretions during birth, ingestion of breast milk, transfusion of blood products or transmission by body fluids of infected people. Breast milk is the main source of infection, given the high rate of CMV-positive mothers excreting CMV in milk. Freezing reduces the risk of CMV transmission by breastfeeding, although it does not eliminate it completely. Pasteurisation prevents such transmission, but it can alter the immunological properties of breast milk. Postnatal CMV infection is usually asymptomatic, as it normally results from viral reactivation in the mother, and the neonate is born with protective antibodies. However, in the very low birth weight premature infant the amount of transferred antibodies is smaller and a symptomatic infection can occur. Symptomatic post-natal CMV infection in the newborn typically causes hepatitis, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia or sepsis-like syndrome. Pneumonitis and enteritis are less common, but very characteristic. Diagnosis is based on urine virus detection at the time of onset of symptoms. Postnatal CMV infection in the newborn generally resolves spontaneously without antiviral treatment. Ganciclovir should be reserved for severe cases. Unlike congenital CMV disease, post-natal CMV infection in the preterm infant does not seem to be associated with hearing loss or abnormal neuro-development in long term follow-up. Copyright © 2010 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Pre-natal exposures to cocaine and alcohol and physical growth patterns to age 8 years

PubMed Central

Lumeng, Julie C.; Cabral, Howard J.; Gannon, Katherine; Heeren, Timothy; Frank, Deborah A.

2007-01-01

Two hundred and two primarily African American/Caribbean children (classified by maternal report and infant meconium as 38 heavier, 74 lighter and 89 not cocaine-exposed) were measured repeatedly from birth to age 8 years to assess whether there is an independent effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on physical growth patterns. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome identifiable at birth were excluded. At birth, cocaine and alcohol exposures were significantly and independently associated with lower weight, length and head circumference in cross-sectional multiple regression analyses. The relationship over time of pre-natal exposures to weight, height, and head circumference was then examined by multiple linear regression using mixed linear models including covariates: child’s gestational age, gender, ethnicity, age at assessment, current caregiver, birth mother’s use of alcohol, marijuana and tobacco during the pregnancy and pre-pregnancy weight (for child’s weight) and height (for child’s height and head circumference). The cocaine effects did not persist beyond infancy in piecewise linear mixed models, but a significant and independent negative effect of pre-natal alcohol exposure persisted for weight, height, and head circumference. Catch-up growth in cocaine-exposed infants occurred primarily by 6 months of age for all growth parameters, with some small fluctuations in growth rates in the preschool age range but no detectable differences between heavier versus unexposed nor lighter versus unexposed thereafter. PMID:17412558

Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, William James; Klinger, Herbert Christian

2013-12-01

Kennedy, W.J. and Klinger, H.C. 2013. Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (4), 527-543. Warszawa. Scaphitid ammonites are described and illustrated from the Upper Cretaceous of the coastal region of north-eastern South Africa. Scaphites kieslingswaldensis Langenhan and Grundey, 1891, Scaphites manasoaensis Collignon, 1965, and Yezoites concinna sp. nov. occur in the Coniacian part of the St Lucia Formation in northern KwaZulu-Natal. A further Yezoites sp. may also be from this level. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. occurs in the Santonian to Lower Campanian Mzamba Formation on the northernmost coast of Eastern Cape Province. Yezoites australis sp. nov. occurs in the Upper Santonian part of the St Lucia and Mzamba formations of these areas, and Scaphites reesidei Collignon, 1969, is recorded from the Lower Campanian part of the Mzamba Formation. The scaphitid assemblage includes species previously described from Western Europe and Madagascar, together with Argentoscaphites, previously known only from Patagonia (and possibly South India). Dimorphism is recognised in Scaphites reesidei, Yezoites concinna sp. nov. and Y. australis sp. nov. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. and Yezoites sp. are represented by microconchs only. Dimorphism has not been recognised in Scaphites kieslingswaldensis.

Small pelagic fish reproductive strategies in upwelling systems: A natal homing evolutionary model to study environmental constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brochier, T.; Colas, F.; Lett, C.; Echevin, V.; Cubillos, L. A.; Tam, J.; Chlaida, M.; Mullon, C.; Fréon, P.

2009-12-01

Although little is known about the individual-level mechanisms that influence small pelagic fish species’ reproductive strategy, Mullon et al. [Mullon, C., Cury, P., Penven, P., 2002. Evolutionary individual-based model for the recruitment of anchovy ( Engraulis capensis) in the southern Benguela. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59, 910-922] showed that the observed anchovy spawning patterns in the southern Benguela Current system off South Africa could be accurately reproduced by simulating a natal homing reproductive strategy, i.e. individuals spawning at their natal date and place. Here we used a similar method, i.e., an individual-based model of the natal homing reproductive strategy, and applied it to other upwelling systems: the northern Humboldt Current system off Peru, the southern Humboldt Current system off Chile and the central Canary Current system off Morocco. We investigated the spatial (horizontal and vertical) and seasonal spawning patterns that emerged after applying different environmental constraints in the model, and compared these to observed spawning patterns of sardine and anchovy in their respective systems. The selective environmental constraints tested were: (1) lethal temperature; (2) retention over the continental shelf; and (3) avoidance of dispersive structures. Simulated horizontal spatial patterns and seasonal patterns compared reasonably well with field data, but vertical patterns in most cases did not. Similarly to what was found for the southern Benguela, temperature was a determinant constraint in the southern Humboldt. The shelf retention constraint led to selection of a particular spawning season during the period of minimum upwelling in all three of the upwelling regions considered, and to spatial patterns that matched observed anchovy spawning off Chile and sardine spawning off Morocco. The third constraint, avoidance of dispersive structures, led to the emergence of a spawning season during the period of

First results on the crustal structure of the Natal Valley from combined wide-angle and reflection seismic data (MOZ3/5 cruise), South Mozambique Margin.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leprêtre, Angélique; Verrier, Fanny; Evain, Mikael; Schnurle, Philippe; Watremez, Louise; Aslanian, Daniel; de Clarens, Philippe; Dias, Nuno; Afilhado, Alexandra; Leroy, Sylvie; d'Acremont, Elia; Castilla, Raymi; Moulin, Maryline

2017-04-01

The Natal valley (South Mozambique margin) is a key area for the understanding of the SW Indian Ocean history since the Gondwana break-up, and widely, the structure of a margin system at the transition between divergent and strike-slip segments. As one part of the PAMELA project (PAssive Margins Exploration Laboratories), conducted by TOTAL, IFREMER, in collaboration with Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Université Rennes 1, Université Pierre and Marie Curie, CNRS et IFPEN, the Natal Valley and the East Limpopo margin have been explored during the MOZ3/5 cruise (2016), conducted onboard the R/V Pourquoi Pas?, through the acquisition of 7 wide-angle profiles and coincident marine multichannel (720 traces) seismic as well as potential field data. Simultaneously, land seismometers were deployed in the Mozambique coastal plains, extending six of those profiles on land for about 100 km in order to provide information on the onshore-offshore transition. Wide-angle seismic data are of major importance as they can provide constrains on the crustal structure of the margin and the position of the continent-ocean boundary in an area where the crustal nature is poorly known and largely controversial. The aim of this work is to present the first results on the crustal structure from P-waves velocity modeling along two perpendicular MZ1 & MZ7 wide-angle profiles crossing the Natal Valley in an E-W and NNW-SSE direction respectively, which reveal a crust up to 30 km thick below the Natal Valley and thus raises questions of a purely oceanic origin of the Valley. The post-doc of Angélique Leprêtre is co-funded by TOTAL and IFREMER as part of the PAMELA (Passive Margin Exploration Laboratories) scientific project.

Germline deletion of FAK-related non-kinase delays post-natal cardiomyocyte mitotic arrest

PubMed Central

O’Neill, Thomas J.; Mack, Christopher P.; Taylor, Joan M.

2012-01-01

The cardiomyocyte phenotypic switch from a proliferative to terminally differentiated state impacts normal heart development and pathologic myocardial remodeling, yet the signaling mechanisms that regulate this vital process are incompletely understood. Studies from our lab and others indicate that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a critical regulator of cardiac growth and remodeling and we found that expression of the endogenous FAK inhibitor, FAK-related non kinase (FRNK) coincided with postnatal cardiomyocyte arrest. Mis-expression of FRNK in the embryonic heart led to pre-term lethality associated with reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation and led us to speculate that the postnatal FRNK surge might be required to promote quiescence in this growth promoting environment. Herein, we provide strong evidence that endogenous FRNK contributes to post-mitotic arrest. Depletion of FRNK promoted DNA synthesis in post-natal day (P) 10 hearts accompanied by a transient increase in DNA content and multi-nucleation by P14, indicative of DNA replication without cell division. Interestingly, a reduction in tri- and tetra-nucleated cardiomyocytes, concomitant with an increase in bi-nucleated cells by P21, indicated the possibility that FRNK-depleted cardiomyocytes underwent eventual cytokinesis. In support of this conclusion, Aurora B-labeled central spindles (a hallmark of cytokinesis) were observed in tetra-nucleated P20 FRNK−/− but not wt cardiomyocytes, while no evidence of apoptosis was observed. Moreover, hearts from FRNK null mice developed ventricular enlargement that persisted until young adulthood which resulted from myocyte expansion rather than myocyte hypertrophy or interstitial growth. These data indicate that endogenous FRNK serves an important role in limiting DNA synthesis and regulating the un-coupling between DNA synthesis and cytokinesis in the post-natal myocardium. PMID:22555221

HIV Stigma and Unprotected Sex among PLWH in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A Longitudinal Exploration of Mediating Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Earnshaw, Valerie A.; Smith, Laramie R.; Shuper, Paul A.; Fisher, William A.; Cornman, Deborah H.; Fisher, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Social and structural factors including HIV stigma are theorized to drive global disparities in HIV prevalence. This study tests whether HIV self-stigma, or experiences of stigma at the individual level, is associated with engagement in unprotected sex among PLWH in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where 37.4% of adults are living with HIV compared with 0.8% worldwide. It further explores whether depressive symptoms, HIV status disclosure to sex partners, and/or condom use attitudes mediate potential associations between HIV self-stigma and unprotected sex. Participants, including 924 PLWH, were recruited from primary care clinics and completed baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18- month survey assessments between 2008 and 2011. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses were used to examine longitudinal within-subjects associations between HIV self-stigma, mediators, and unprotected sex with both HIV-negative/unknown and HIV-positive partners. Results demonstrate that HIV self-stigma was prospectively associated with greater likelihood of unprotected sex with HIV-negative/unknown partners. None of the variables explored significantly mediated this association. HIV self-stigma was also prospectively associated with greater likelihood of unprotected sex with HIV-positive partners via the mediators of greater depressive symptoms and more negative condom use attitudes. The current study suggests that HIV self-stigma undermines HIV secondary prevention and care efforts among PLWH in KwaZulu-Natal. It is therefore critical to address HIV stigma at the social/structural level to reduce HIV self-stigma at the individual level and ultimately curb global disparities in HIV prevalence. In the absence of widespread social/structural change, interventions that treat depressive symptoms and encourage more positive condom use attitudes despite the existence of HIV stigma may buffer associations between HIV self-stigma and unprotected sex with HIV-positive partners among PLWH in KwaZulu-Natal. PMID

Building a Future without Gender Violence: Rural Teachers and Youth in Rural Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Leading Community Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Lange, Naydene; Mitchell, Claudia

2014-01-01

This article advances the idea that rural youth and teachers are the key in leading community dialogue towards addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in their community through their film making. The youth voices on the realities of GBV in their school and community, in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, captured through the process of…

The (Dis)ownership of English: Language and Identity Construction among Zulu Students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parmegiani, Andrea

2014-01-01

This paper explores the role English and isiZulu play in the identity construction of a group of black South African university students from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in a bridge programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. I will discuss how, in post-apartheid South Africa, language practices continue to foster inequality, despite a…

Between the Lines: Gender in the Reception of Texts by School Children in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balfour, Robert

2003-01-01

Explores the interface between literature, gender, culture, and language within an educational context. Examines the responses of Zulu boys and girls to the introduction of a new curriculum that integrated language and literary study in a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Specifically, it shows how reading can lead to a more complex and…

HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis for Child Rape Survivors in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Who Qualifies and Who Complies?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collings, Steven J.; Bugwandeen, Shikaar R.; Wiles, Wendy A.

2008-01-01

Objective: Our objective was to audit the provision and utilization of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to child rape survivors in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: A prospective design was used to collect data from a convenience sample of 200 consecutive cases of child rape referred for medico-legal assessment to a state…

Seaweeds along KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa-3: elemental uptake by Ulva lactuca (Sea lettuce).

PubMed

Misheer, Natasha; Kindness, A; Jonnalagadda, S B

2006-01-01

The elemental uptake by Ulva lactuca (Sea lettuce), a marine macro-algae (chlorophyta, green alga) grown richly along KwaZulu-Natal coastline. The total elemental concentrations of seven important elements, namely manganese, iron, arsenic, boron, titanium, zinc and mercury, selected based on their abundance in U. lactuca were investigated for one year cycle (June 2002 to May 2003). The four selected sampling sites, Zinkwasi, Ballito, Treasure Beach and Park Ryrie are spread over 150 km wide along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline from North to South. The Ulva lectuca possess good manganese and arsenic accumulating ability and an excellent bio-indicator for most of the metals studied. A typical U. lectuca sample at Zinkwasi (in winter) recorded Mn (25.3 +/- 1.16 ppm), Fe (21.0 +/- 0.85 ppm), As (6.2 +/- 0.30 ppm), B (935 +/- 14 ppb), Ti (863 +/- 34 ppb), Zn (421 +/- 21 ppb), and Hg (61.3 +/- 1.2 ppb). The general trend found at all sites was high elemental concentrations in winter and a decrease in concentrations from winter to spring and summer. Iron uptake was lowest in summer and autumn at all sites. Ulva lactuca recorded highest mercury levels (>400 ppb) during the spring season at the Treasure Beach site near Durban.

Post-Natal Persistent Infection With Classical Swine Fever Virus in Wild Boar: A Strategy for Viral Maintenance?

PubMed

Cabezón, O; Colom-Cadena, A; Muñoz-González, S; Pérez-Simó, M; Bohórquez, J A; Rosell, R; Marco, I; Domingo, M; Lavín, S; Ganges, L

2017-04-01

In this study, fifteen wild boar piglets were intranasally inoculated <10 h after birth with the moderately virulent classical swine fever virus (CSFV) strain Catalonia 01. At 5 days post-inoculation, seven other animals within 48 h of birth were put in contact with them. Viral replication and innate and specific immune responses were evaluated. Of the inoculated animals, 46.67% remained post-natally persistently infected and were apparently healthy with neither humoral nor cellular immunological responses specific to CSFV and with high viral loads in their blood, organs and body secretions. Moreover, the present data extend the time period to 48 h after birth when a moderately virulent CSFV strain could lead to post-natal persistent infection given the generation of persistently infected wild boars in the contact group (33.33%). The innate immune response to the virus, as measured by type I IFN-α in serum, was mostly not impaired in the persistently infected wild boars. Interestingly, a decrease and lack of IFN-γ-producing cells against CSFV and PHA was observed. In endemic countries where wild swine species are increasing and low and moderate virulence CSFV strains are prevalent, the possible generation of this form of disease cannot be ruled out. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Self-Efficacy Enhanced in a Cross-Cultural Context through an Initiative in Under-Resourced Schools in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Marguerite

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the Khanyisa Programme, an initiative in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where learners from under-resourced schools are supported by teachers and high achievers in Grade 11 and 12 from a previously advantaged state school under apartheid. A qualitative, evaluative study was undertaken to identify key elements in the ongoing…

Density-dependent natal dispersal patterns in a leopard population recovering from over-harvest.

PubMed

Fattebert, Julien; Balme, Guy; Dickerson, Tristan; Slotow, Rob; Hunter, Luke

2015-01-01

Natal dispersal enables population connectivity, gene flow and metapopulation dynamics. In polygynous mammals, dispersal is typically male-biased. Classically, the 'mate competition', 'resource competition' and 'resident fitness' hypotheses predict density-dependent dispersal patterns, while the 'inbreeding avoidance' hypothesis posits density-independent dispersal. In a leopard (Panthera pardus) population recovering from over-harvest, we investigated the effect of sex, population density and prey biomass, on age of natal dispersal, distance dispersed, probability of emigration and dispersal success. Over an 11-year period, we tracked 35 subadult leopards using VHF and GPS telemetry. Subadult leopards initiated dispersal at 13.6 ± 0.4 months. Age at commencement of dispersal was positively density-dependent. Although males (11.0 ± 2.5 km) generally dispersed further than females (2.7 ± 0.4 km), some males exhibited opportunistic philopatry when the population was below capacity. All 13 females were philopatric, while 12 of 22 males emigrated. Male dispersal distance and emigration probability followed a quadratic relationship with population density, whereas female dispersal distance was inversely density-dependent. Eight of 12 known-fate females and 5 of 12 known-fate male leopards were successful in settling. Dispersal success did not vary with population density, prey biomass, and for males, neither between dispersal strategies (philopatry vs. emigration). Females formed matrilineal kin clusters, supporting the resident fitness hypothesis. Conversely, mate competition appeared the main driver for male leopard dispersal. We demonstrate that dispersal patterns changed over time, i.e. as the leopard population density increased. We conclude that conservation interventions that facilitated local demographic recovery in the study area also restored dispersal patterns disrupted by unsustainable harvesting, and that this indirectly improved connectivity among

Density-Dependent Natal Dispersal Patterns in a Leopard Population Recovering from Over-Harvest

PubMed Central

Fattebert, Julien; Balme, Guy; Dickerson, Tristan; Slotow, Rob; Hunter, Luke

2015-01-01

Natal dispersal enables population connectivity, gene flow and metapopulation dynamics. In polygynous mammals, dispersal is typically male-biased. Classically, the ‘mate competition’, ‘resource competition’ and ‘resident fitness’ hypotheses predict density-dependent dispersal patterns, while the ‘inbreeding avoidance’ hypothesis posits density-independent dispersal. In a leopard (Panthera pardus) population recovering from over-harvest, we investigated the effect of sex, population density and prey biomass, on age of natal dispersal, distance dispersed, probability of emigration and dispersal success. Over an 11-year period, we tracked 35 subadult leopards using VHF and GPS telemetry. Subadult leopards initiated dispersal at 13.6 ± 0.4 months. Age at commencement of dispersal was positively density-dependent. Although males (11.0 ± 2.5 km) generally dispersed further than females (2.7 ± 0.4 km), some males exhibited opportunistic philopatry when the population was below capacity. All 13 females were philopatric, while 12 of 22 males emigrated. Male dispersal distance and emigration probability followed a quadratic relationship with population density, whereas female dispersal distance was inversely density-dependent. Eight of 12 known-fate females and 5 of 12 known-fate male leopards were successful in settling. Dispersal success did not vary with population density, prey biomass, and for males, neither between dispersal strategies (philopatry vs. emigration). Females formed matrilineal kin clusters, supporting the resident fitness hypothesis. Conversely, mate competition appeared the main driver for male leopard dispersal. We demonstrate that dispersal patterns changed over time, i.e. as the leopard population density increased. We conclude that conservation interventions that facilitated local demographic recovery in the study area also restored dispersal patterns disrupted by unsustainable harvesting, and that this indirectly improved

The medicinal animal markets in the metropolitan region of Natal City, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira, Eduardo S; Torres, Denise F; Brooks, Sharon E; Alves, Rômulo R N

2010-07-06

This study investigates the trade of animals for medicinal purposes in Natal metropolitan area, northeastern Brazil, to document which animal species are used, how and for what purposes. This study also discusses the implications of the use of zootherapeutics for wildlife conservation. Based on interviews with merchants of medicinal animals in all open fairs of the metropolitan region of Natal City, we calculated the informant consensus factor (ICF) to determine the consensus over which species are effective for particular ailments, as well as the species relative importance to determine the extent of potential utilization of each species. We describe the therapeutic effects of 23 animal species used medicinally. The zootherapeutical products sold commercially are used to treat 34 health problems that were classified into 14 broad categories. We also highlight those species valued for their effectiveness against a range of ailments. The highest ICF value (1.0) was cited for diseases of the circulatory system, which include relief of symptoms such as stroke, hemorrhage, varicose veins and edema. Our study indicated that the local population holds a great deal of ethnomedical knowledge about their local animal resources, and highlights the need for clinical investigations of these traditional remedies to test the safety and efficacy. The animal species identified in this study not only hold high medicinal value for local populations, but could potentially be a source of healing compounds that could aid pharmaceutical research. While the impact of these practices on animal populations is unknown, the high extractive value of these animal populations and the associated medicinal traditional knowledge, needs to be considered in any conservation strategy aimed at the faunistic resources of this area. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for sex selection: the Indian scene.

PubMed

Kusum

1993-04-01

The use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques only for sex determination followed by termination of pregnancy on a finding of female foetus, is an atrocious and unethical practice. The bias against a female has been stretched further back: from cradle to grave, it is now from womb to the grave. One cannot however ignore the conditions of the society which breed and encourage such practices. A girl suffers neglect and discrimination right from childhood; she is tortured, harassed and maltreated after marriage. At the work place she is exploited. A widow or a divorcee is looked down upon by the family and the society. All these things make her life miserable and not worth existence....

"Why We Don't Go to School on Fridays": On Youth Participation through Photo Voice in Rural KwaZulu-Natal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Claudia; Stuart, Jean; Moletsane, Relebohile; Nkwanyana, Callistus Bheka

2006-01-01

In this article, we draw on the example of the Friday Absenteeism Project, a photo voice project with sixth grade learners in a rural KwaZulu-Natal school, to interrogate the nature of participatory process and cultural production. In so doing, we explore a number of critical issues related to youth participation, including ethics, citizenship and…

On Medium of Instruction and African Scholarship: The Case of isiZulu at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamwendo, Gregory; Hlongwa, Nobuhle; Mkhize, Nhlanhla

2014-01-01

After the demise of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, 11 languages (English, Afrikaans and 9 indigenous African languages) were given official status. In the higher education landscape, English remains the dominant language of scholarship. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal, English is the main medium of instruction but the institution's language…

Families' experiences of interaction with the public health nurse at the child health clinic in connection with mother's post-natal depression.

PubMed

Tammentie, T; Paavilainen, E; Tarkka, M-T; Astedt-Kurki, P

2009-10-01

The birth of a new family member causes many changes in the way a family functions. Annually some 10% of mothers giving birth suffer from post-natal depression. This depression affects the mother herself, the baby and the functioning of the entire family. The healthcare personnel are faced with an important task in supporting the family in the course of changes occasioned by the birth of a baby. According to earlier studies, families with small children are fairly satisfied with the service provided by the child health clinics. The purpose of the present study was to form a theory of interaction with the public health nurse in the child health clinic when the mother is suffering from post-natal depression from the viewpoint of family. The data for the study were gathered by interviewing nine families (nine mothers and five fathers) where the mother had displayed symptoms of post-natal depression. The data were analysed using continuous comparative analysis of grounded theory. The concepts of the theory emerged as a lack of continuing relationship, a need to be equal partners, a lack of individuality and a lack of family care. The relationships between categories were lack of discussing, lack of being confidential and lack of getting help enough. The core category emerging was lack of holistic cooperation with unique family. In spite of the emphasis placed on family centeredness in the operating principles of the work in child health clinics, its implementation in practical work cannot be taken for granted. Because of the limited resources available to the clinics, it is the experience of depressed mother in particular that they are not treated sufficiently as individuals and that they are subjected to adjudication in the clinics. The parents felt that the personality of the public health nurse was crucial to how they felt about the service they obtained from the clinic.

Redescription of Potamonautes sidneyi (Rathbun, 1904) (Decapoda, Potamonautidae) and description of a new congeneric species from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Peer, Nasreen; Gouws, Gavin; Lazo-Wasem, Eric; Perissinotto, Renzo; Miranda, Nelson A.F.

2017-01-01

Abstract A new species of freshwater crab, Potamonautes danielsi sp. n., is described from the southern region of the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Potamonautes danielsi most closely resembles Potamonautes sidneyi which is re-described here, but can be distinguished by a suite of key morphological characters including carapace shape and width, slim pereopods, inflated propodi of the chelipeds, and the shape and terminal segment length:subterminal segment length ratio of the 1st gonopod. In a previous study (Gouws et al. 2015), a 9.2–11.8 % divergence was found in the mitochondrial COI and 16S genes of the Potamonautes sidneyi clade, allowing for the delineation of a new species. Despite the clear molecular distinction between the two species, it is difficult to separate them based on individual morphological characters, as there is a great deal of overlap even among key features. The new species is found in slow-moving mountain streams and pools at high altitudes between Umhlanga and Mtamvuna, in KwaZulu-Natal. PMID:28331406

Type I intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells of early post-natal development correspond to the M4 subtype.

PubMed

Sexton, Timothy J; Bleckert, Adam; Turner, Maxwell H; Van Gelder, Russell N

2015-06-21

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) mediate circadian light entrainment and the pupillary light response in adult mice. In early development these cells mediate different processes, including negative phototaxis and the timing of retinal vascular development. To determine if ipRGC physiologic properties also change with development, we measured ipRGC cell density and light responses in wild-type mouse retinas at post-natal days 8, 15 and 30. Melanopsin-positive cell density decreases by 17% between post-natal days 8 and 15 and by 25% between days 8 and 30. This decrease is due specifically to a decrease in cells co-labeled with a SMI-32, a marker for alpha-on ganglion cells (corresponding to adult morphologic type M4 ipRGCs). On multi-electrode array recordings, post-natal day 8 (P8) ipRGC light responses show more robust firing, reduced adaptation and more rapid recovery from short and extended light pulses than do the light responses of P15 and P30 ipRGCs. Three ipRGC subtypes - Types I-III - have been defined in early development based on sensitivity and latency on multielectrode array recordings. We find that Type I cells largely account for the unique physiologic properties of P8 ipRGCs. Type I cells have previously been shown to have relatively short latencies and high sensitivity. We now show that Type I cells show have rapid and robust recovery from long and short bright light exposures compared with Type II and III cells, suggesting differential light adaptation mechanisms between cell types. By P15, Type I ipRGCs are no longer detectable. Loose patch recordings of P8 M4 ipRGCs demonstrate Type I physiology. Type I ipRGCs are found only in early development. In addition to their previously described high sensitivity and rapid kinetics, these cells are uniquely resistant to adaptation and recover quickly and fully to short and prolonged light exposure. Type I ipRGCs correspond to the SMI-32 positive, M4 subtype and largely lose

Maturation of the growth axis in marsupials occurs gradually during post-natal life and over an equivalent developmental stage relative to eutherian species.

PubMed

Menzies, Brandon R; Shaw, Geoffrey; Fletcher, Terry P; Pask, Andrew J; Renfree, Marilyn B

2012-02-26

The separation of a nutrition-responsive insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system and a growth hormone (GH) responsive IGF system to control pre- and post-natal growth of developing mammals may originate from the constraints imposed by intra-uterine development. In eutherian species that deliver relatively precocial young, maturation of the GH regulatory system is coincident with the time of birth. We measured the hepatic expression of the four key growth axis genes GH-receptor, IGF-1 and -2, and IGFBBP-3, and plasma protein concentrations of IGF-1 from late fetal life through to adult stages of a marsupial, the tammar wallaby. The data clearly show that maturation of GH-regulated growth in marsupials occurs gradually over the course of post-natal life at an equivalent developmental stage to that of precocial eutherian mammals. This suggests that the timing of GH-regulated growth in marsupials is not related to parturition but instead to the relative developmental stage. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

South Africa: Durban's ante-natal clinic environment and its impact on a woman's choice to test for HIV during pregnancy.

PubMed

Groves, Allison K; Eyakuze, Cynthia

2010-10-01

Informed consent, counselling and confidentiality are key tenets of a human rights approach to HIV testing. In this article, based on an oral poster presentation at AIDS 2010, Allison K. Groves and Cynthia Eyakuze discuss the results of a study on HIV testing of women in ante-natal clinics in Durban, South Africa and how communication about testing may undermine the practice of obtaining informed consent.

Association between maternal depressive symptoms in the early post-natal period and responsiveness in feeding at child age 2 years.

PubMed

Mallan, Kimberley M; Daniels, Lynne A; Wilson, Jacinda L; Jansen, Elena; Nicholson, Jan M

2015-10-01

Maternal depression is a known risk factor for poor outcomes for children. Pathways to these poor outcomes relate to reduced maternal responsiveness or sensitivity to the child. Impaired responsiveness potentially impacts the feeding relationship and thus may be a risk factor for inappropriate feeding practices. The aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal relationships between self-reported maternal post-natal depressive symptoms at child age 4 months and feeding practices at child age 2 years in a community sample. Participants were Australian first-time mothers allocated to the control group of the NOURISH randomized controlled trial when infants were 4 months old. Complete data from 211 mothers (of 346 allocated) followed up when their children were 2 years of age (51% girls) were available for analysis. The relationship between Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score (child age 4 months) and child feeding practices (child age 2 years) was tested using hierarchical linear regression analysis adjusted for maternal and child characteristics. Higher EPDS score was associated with less responsive feeding practices at child age 2 years: greater pressure [β = 0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.32, P = 0.01], restriction (β = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.001-0.28, P = 0.05), instrumental (β = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.005-0.27, P = 0.04) and emotional (β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.01-0.29, P = 0.03) feeding practices (ΔR(2) values: 0.02-0.03, P < 0.05). This study provides evidence for the proposed link between maternal post-natal depressive symptoms and lower responsiveness in child feeding. These findings suggest that the provision of support to mothers experiencing some levels of depressive symptomatology in the early post-natal period may improve responsiveness in the child feeding relationship. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experiences of families caring for an HIV-infected child in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Demmer, Craig

2011-07-01

In South Africa, 2.5% of children are living with HIV. KwaZulu-Natal is the province most affected by the epidemic and has the highest number of pregnant women living with HIV. This study reports on a qualitative study to assess the views and experiences of those involved in caring for a child with HIV/AIDS. In-depth interviews were conducted in KwaZulu-Natal with 13 women who were the primary caregivers of a child with HIV/AIDS and 12 key informants who worked with children and families living with HIV/AIDS. The combination of widespread poverty and HIV-related stigma was perceived to compromise the health of a child with HIV/AIDS. Caregivers' primary focus was on economic survival and there was little income to meet basic human needs including the child's. Stigmatizing attitudes caused some caregivers to keep their child's sickness a secret and symptoms were sometimes ignored or treatment delayed. Little material and emotional support was available to caregivers who were overwhelmed by multiple stresses in this context. Support group interventions for caregivers of children with HIV/AIDS can be a useful resource provided that they jointly address the economic and psychological needs of caregivers. A stronger commitment at the national level to reduce poverty and HIV-related stigma is needed to strengthen the capacity of families who are caring for children with HIV/AIDS.

Composition and physical properties of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer and the North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer: Composition of ATAL and NATAL

DOE PAGES

Yu, Pengfei; Toon, Owen B.; Neely, Ryan R.; ...

2015-04-10

Recent studies revealed layers of enhanced aerosol scattering in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over Asia (Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL)) and North America (North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer (NATAL)). We use a sectional aerosol model (Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA)) coupled with the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore the composition and optical properties of these aerosol layers. The observed aerosol extinction enhancement is reproduced by CESM1/CARMA. Both model and observations indicate a strong gradient of the sulfur-to-carbon ratio from Europe to the Asia on constant pressure surfaces. We found that themore » ATAL is mostly composed of sulfates, surface-emitted organics, and secondary organics; the NATAL is mostly composed of sulfates and secondary organics. In conclusion, the model also suggests that emission increases in Asia between 2000 and 2010 led to an increase of aerosol optical depth of the ATAL by 0.002 on average which is consistent with observations.« less

Composition and physical properties of the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer and the North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer: Composition of ATAL and NATAL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Pengfei; Toon, Owen B.; Neely, Ryan R.

Recent studies revealed layers of enhanced aerosol scattering in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere over Asia (Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL)) and North America (North American Tropospheric Aerosol Layer (NATAL)). We use a sectional aerosol model (Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA)) coupled with the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) to explore the composition and optical properties of these aerosol layers. The observed aerosol extinction enhancement is reproduced by CESM1/CARMA. Both model and observations indicate a strong gradient of the sulfur-to-carbon ratio from Europe to the Asia on constant pressure surfaces. We found that themore » ATAL is mostly composed of sulfates, surface-emitted organics, and secondary organics; the NATAL is mostly composed of sulfates and secondary organics. In conclusion, the model also suggests that emission increases in Asia between 2000 and 2010 led to an increase of aerosol optical depth of the ATAL by 0.002 on average which is consistent with observations.« less

The Impact of Gender, Socioeconomic Status and Home Language on Primary School Children's Reading Comprehension in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Völkel, Gabriela; Seabi, Joseph; Cockcroft, Kate; Goldschagg, Paul

2016-03-15

The current study constituted part of a larger, longitudinal, South African-based study, namely, The Road and Aircraft Noise Exposure on Children's Cognition and Health (RANCH-South Africa). In the context of a multicultural South Africa and varying demographic variables thereof, this study sought to investigate and describe the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and home language on primary school children's reading comprehension in KwaZulu-Natal. In total, 834 learners across 5 public schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province participated in the study. A biographical questionnaire was used to obtain biographical data relevant to this study, and the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 (SRS2) was used to obtain reading comprehension scores. The findings revealed that there was no statistical difference between males and females on reading comprehension scores. In terms of socioeconomic status (SES), learners from a low socioeconomic background performed significantly better than those from a high socioeconomic background. English as a First Language (EL1) speakers had a higher mean reading comprehension score than speakers who spoke English as an Additional Language (EAL). Reading comprehension is indeed affected by a variety of variables, most notably that of language proficiency. The tool to measure reading comprehension needs to be standardized and administered in more than one language, which will ensure increased reliability and validity of reading comprehension scores.

Problematic Substance Use in Urban Adolescents: Role of Intrauterine Exposures to Cocaine and Marijuana and Post-Natal Environment

PubMed Central

Frank, Deborah A.; Kuranz, Seth; Appugliese, Danielle; Cabral, Howard; Chen, Clara; Crooks, Denise; Heeren, Timothy; Liebschutz, Jane; Richardson, Mark; Rose-Jacobs, Ruth

2014-01-01

Background Linkages between intrauterine exposures to cocaine and marijuana and adolescents’ problematic substance use have not been fully delineated. Methods Prospective longitudinal study with assessors unaware of intrauterine exposure history followed 157 urban participants from birth until late adolescence. Level of intrauterine exposures was identified by mother's report and infant’s meconium. Problematic substance use, identified by the Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (V-DISC) or the Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) and urine assay, was a composite encompassing DSM-IV indication of tolerance, abuse, and dependence on alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco and any use of cocaine, glue, or opiates. Results Twenty percent (32/157) of the sample experienced problematic substance use by age 18 years, of whom the majority (22/157) acknowledged abuse, tolerance or dependence on marijuana with or without other substances. Structural equation models examining direct and indirect pathways linking a Cox survival model for early substance initiation to a logistic regression models found effects of post-natal factors including childhood exposure to violence and household substance use, early youth substance initiation, and ongoing youth violence exposure contributing to adolescent problematic substance use. Conclusion We did not identify direct relationships between intrauterine cocaine or marijuana exposure and problematic substance use, but did find potentially modifiable post-natal risk factors also noted to be associated with problematic substance use in the general population including earlier substance initiation, exposure to violence and to household substance use. PMID:24999059

Bioavailable metals in tourist beaches of Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Vetrimurugan, E; Jonathan, M P; Roy, Priyadarsi D; Shruti, V C; Ndwandwe, O M

2016-04-15

Acid Leachable Trace Metal (ALTMs) concentrations in tourist beaches of Richards Bay, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa were assessed. 53 surface sediment samples were collected from five different beaches (Kwambonambi Long Beach; Nhlabane Beach; Five Mile Beach; Alkanstrand Beach and Port Durnford Beach). The results of ALTMs (Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Cd, Zn, As, Hg) suggest that they are enriched naturally and with some local industrial sources for (avg. in μgg(-1)) Fe (3530-7219), Mn (46-107.11), Cd (0.43-1.00) and Zn (48-103.98). Statistical results indicate that metal concentrations were from natural origin attributed to leaching, weathering process and industrial sources. Comparative studies of metal concentrations with sediment quality guidelines and ecotoxicological values indicate that there is no adverse biological effect. Enrichment factor and geoaccumulation indices results indicate moderate enhancement of Fe (Igeo class 1 in FMB), Cd (EF>50; Igeo classes 2-4) and Zn (Igeo classes 1 & 2). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Entrepreneurial Competencies on Household Food Security Among Smallholder Farmers in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Sinyolo, Sikhulumile; Mudhara, Maxwell

2018-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of entrepreneurial competencies on food security among rural farming households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (SA). A total of 513 rural households were randomly selected, and the descriptive results indicated that 51% of these households were food insecure, and they were somewhat negative about their entrepreneurial competencies. The estimated results indicated that entrepreneurship had a positive impact on food security. The study findings suggest that stimulating entrepreneurship through developing entrepreneurial competencies among the farming households is important for improved food security among rural households in SA.

Description of a new species of Lamellothyrea Krikken (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae) from the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa)

PubMed Central

Perissinotto, Renzo

2017-01-01

Abstract Recent data and material obtained from northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) and Maputo Bay (Mozambique) have provided support for the description of a new species of the genus Lamellothyrea Krikken, 1980. The genus previously included only one species, L. descarpentriesi, with uncertain and poorly defined type locality, i.e. “Transvaal”. It is now evident that two different species are actually involved, L. descarpentriesi with currently known distribution limited to the coastal area north of Maputo, and L. isimangaliso sp. n. with a known distribution range virtually restricted to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. The two species appear to be separated by a substantial discontinuity in southern Mozambique and can be easily separated on the basis of their clypeal structure, extent of white dorsal tomentum and shape of aedeagal parameres. Both species appear to be restricted to the coastal belt, with L. isimangaliso sp. n. occupying almost exclusively dune forest habitats. In this species, adult activity depends on rainfall and shows two peaks, one at the onset of summer and the second in autumn. PMID:29118591

Assignment tests, telemetry and tag-recapture data converge to identify natal origins of leatherback turtles foraging in Atlantic Canadian waters.

PubMed

Stewart, Kelly R; James, Michael C; Roden, Suzanne; Dutton, Peter H

2013-07-01

Investigating migratory connectivity between breeding and foraging areas is critical to effective management and conservation of highly mobile marine taxa, particularly threatened, endangered, or economically important species that cross through regional, national and international boundaries. The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea, Vandelli 1761) is one such transboundary species that spends time at breeding areas at low latitudes in the northwest Atlantic during spring and summer. From there, they migrate widely throughout the North Atlantic, but many show fidelity to one region off eastern Canada, where critical foraging habitat has been proposed. Our goal was to identify nesting beach origins for turtles foraging here. Using genetics, we identified natal beaches for 288 turtles that were live-captured off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Turtles were sampled (skin or blood) and genotyped using 17 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Results from three assignment testing programs (ONCOR, GeneClass2 and Structure) were compared. Our nesting population reference data set included 1417 individuals from nine Atlantic nesting assemblages. A supplementary data set for 83 foraging turtles traced to nesting beaches using flipper tags and/or PIT tags (n = 72), or inferred from satellite telemetry (n = 11), enabled ground-truthing of the assignments. We first assigned turtles using only genetic information and then used the supplementary recapture information to verify assignments. ONCOR performed best, assigning 64 of the 83 recaptured turtles to natal beaches (77·1%). Turtles assigned to Trinidad (164), French Guiana (72), Costa Rica (44), St. Croix (7), and Florida (1) reflect the relative size of those nesting populations, although none of the turtles were assigned to four other potential source nesting assemblages. Our results demonstrate the utility of genetic approaches for determining source populations of foraging marine animals and include the first

An investigation into the level of empowerment of rural women in the Zululand district of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

PubMed

Bhengu, B R

2010-06-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of the empowerment of rural women in relation to gender issues, power, and communication within the Zululand District of KwaZulu-Natal in SouthAfrica after implementation of a four-year Primary Health Care project in partnership with the Provincial Department of Health, and two Schools of Nursing at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and McMaster University in Canada. This project is based on substantial evidence which reveals that rural women are being neglected to the extent that these women have missed out on opportunities for development. The reasons for this disempowerment of women, particularly rural women, are thought to be due to the feminisation of poverty, as well as female submission, educational deprivation, privacy of domestic violence, exploitation, domination by men and cultural oppression (patriarchy). A qualitative research approach was used. Focus group discussion was utilised as the data collection technique, and this was also applied during the collection of baseline data. An interview guide covered issues of concern in the communities and households, including what the women would, or had done about these, how they engaged in decision-making in their families, how they handled situations when there was a difference of opinion, and their awareness of, and ability to claim their rights, including control of their lives. The data was collected from six clinics, from groups of six to ten women in the predominantly rural Zululand District of KwaZulu-Natal. The project has revealed improvement in the women's realisation of their rights, albeit limited, in communication, self-confidence, and reliance, including partnerships between Primary Health Care Nurses and women's groups. The formation of women's groups facilitated community development and participation in their own health, socio-economic and emotional development. The project suggests that such groups be encouraged and allowed to network for

Plants used for treating respiratory infections in rural Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

York, T; de Wet, H; van Vuuren, S F

2011-06-01

Traditional remedies are frequently used in treating various respiratory ailments, and are very important in the primary health care of the people living in rural Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Novel information gathered from surveys like the present study is important in preserving indigenous knowledge. To explore the knowledge that the lay people of a rural community in northern Maputaland have about medicinal plants used in the vicinity to treat respiratory infections. Interviews were conducted among 80 homestead inhabitants, using structured questionnaires where convenience sampling was used. The focus was on plants used in treating respiratory infections. Some of the main topics discussed during the interviews were vernacular plant names, plant parts used, harvested amounts, preparation methods, dosage forms and quantities, use of plants in combination as well as the related symptomatic relief associated with respiratory infections. The study documented 30 plant species (18 families) which are used to treat respiratory infections by the rural people in the study area. Decoctions made with these plants are mostly taken orally, combined with the use of steaming. To the best of our knowledge, Acanthospermum glabratum, Aloe marlothii, Krauseola mosambicina, Ozoroa obovata, Parinari capensis and Plectranthus neochilus are recorded for the first time globally as medicinal plants used for treating respiratory infections and related symptoms. The indigenous aromatic shrub, Lippia javanica was by far the most frequently used plant species, followed by Eucalyptus grandis (an exotic), Tetradenia riparia and then Senecio serratulloides. Twenty-four different plant combinations were used where the most frequently used combination encountered was Eucalyptus grandis with Lippia javanica. The large number of different plant species traditionally used against respiratory infections supports previous research on the importance of traditional medicine in the primary

Pre-natal diagnosis of thalassaemia in Sri Lanka: A ten year review.

PubMed

Nanayakkara, Kalinga Khemal; Rodrigo, Undugodage Ganganath; Perera, Kuda Liyanage Nandika; Nanayakkara, Chinthani Deepthi

2017-10-01

Thalassaemia is the commonest monogenic disease in Sri Lanka, affecting over 3500 children and half-a-million thalassaemia carriers. This is a review of 82 amniocenteses performed from 2006 to 2016, in the largest prenatal diagnoses study for thalassaemia carried out in Sri Lanka. Amniocenteses were performed between 11 and 12 weeks of ultrasonically confirmed gestation, on mothers with previous thalassaemia major children pregnant for the second time and nulliparous thalassaemia trait women married to trait partners. The Consultant Radiologist, using local analgesia, under ultrasound cover, performed these as an outpatient procedure, at the Teaching Hospital Kandy & Suwasevana Hospital Kandy. The amniotic fluid was analysed by the team of Senior Geneticists, at the Genetech Molecular Diagnostics and School of Gene Technology, Colombo, via the polymerase-chain-reaction based ARMS (Amplification Refractory Mutation Systems) assay. The genetic results indicated the presence of 21% thalassaemia major foetuses, 53% thalassaemia traits and 26% foetuses without thalassaemia mutations. The predominance of the IVS1-5(G-C) mutation in the Sri Lankan population is exemplified, with a low prevalence of HbE thalassaemia. Impact statement Thalassaemia is the commonest monogenic disease in Sri Lanka affecting over 3500 children and half-a-million thalassaemia carriers. Although pre-natal diagnosis by amniocentesis was practised universally for many years, this could not be performed in Sri Lanka as genetic diagnostic facilities were not available until 2005. Therefore, parents with a thalassaemia major child limited their families to one child, by choice or by termination. The results of this study point to a 21% probability of thalassaemia major in the next child, giving the parents a guarded optimism to conceive another child without thalassaemia disease. With siblings being the highest HLA compatibility for Bone Marrow Transplant, that is now being established in Sri Lanka

HIV/AIDS, growth and poverty in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa: an integrated survey, demographic and economy-wide analysis

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background This paper estimates the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the KwaZulu-Natal province and the rest of South Africa. Methods We extended previous studies by employing: an integrated analytical framework that combined firm surveys of workers' HIV prevalence by sector and occupation; a demographic model that produced both population and workforce projections; and a regionalized economy-wide model linked to a survey-based micro-simulation module. This framework permits a full macro-microeconomic assessment. Results Results indicate that HIV/AIDS greatly reduces annual economic growth, mainly by lowering the long-run rate of technical change. However, impacts on income poverty are small, and inequality is reduced by HIV/AIDS. This is because high unemployment among low-income households minimises the economic costs of increased mortality. By contrast, slower economic growth hurts higher income households despite lower HIV prevalence. Conclusion We conclude that the increase in economic growth that results from addressing HIV/AIDS is sufficient to offset the population pressure placed on income poverty. Moreover, incentives to mitigate HIV/AIDS lie not only with poorer infected households, but also with uninfected higher income households. Our findings reveal the substantial burden that HIV/AIDS places on future economic development in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, and confirms the need for policies to curb the economic costs of the pandemic. PMID:19758444

Species and life-history affects the utility of otolith chemical composition to determine natal stream-of-origin in Pacific salmon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Christian E.; Swanson, Heidi K.; Volk, Eric C.; Kent, Adam J.R.

2013-01-01

To test the utility of otolith chemical composition as a tool for determining the natal stream of origin for salmon, we examined water chemistry and otoliths of juvenile and adult Chum Salmon Oncorhynchus keta and Coho Salmon O. kisutch from three watersheds (five rivers) in the Norton Sound region of Alaska. The two species are characterized by different life histories: Coho Salmon rear in freshwater for up to 3 years, whereas Chum Salmon emigrate from freshwater shortly after emergence. We used laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS) to quantify element: Ca ratios for Mg, Mn, Zn, Sr, and Ba, and we used multicollector LA-ICP-MS to determine 87Sr:86Sr ratios in otolith regions corresponding to the period of freshwater residence. Significant differences existed in both water and otolith elemental composition, suggesting that otolith composition could be used to discriminate the natal origin of Coho Salmon and Chum Salmon but only when 87Sr:86Sr ratios were included in the discriminant function analyses. The best discriminant model included 87Sr:86Sr ratios, and without 87Sr:86Sr ratios it was difficult to discriminate among watersheds and rivers. Classification accuracy was 80% for Coho Salmon and 68% for Chum Salmon, indicating that this method does not provide sufficient sensitivity to estimate straying rates of Pacific salmon at the scale we studied.

The Impact of Gender, Socioeconomic Status and Home Language on Primary School Children’s Reading Comprehension in KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Völkel, Gabriela; Seabi, Joseph; Cockcroft, Kate; Goldschagg, Paul

2016-01-01

The current study constituted part of a larger, longitudinal, South African-based study, namely, The Road and Aircraft Noise Exposure on Children’s Cognition and Health (RANCH—South Africa). In the context of a multicultural South Africa and varying demographic variables thereof, this study sought to investigate and describe the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and home language on primary school children’s reading comprehension in KwaZulu-Natal. In total, 834 learners across 5 public schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province participated in the study. A biographical questionnaire was used to obtain biographical data relevant to this study, and the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 (SRS2) was used to obtain reading comprehension scores. The findings revealed that there was no statistical difference between males and females on reading comprehension scores. In terms of socioeconomic status (SES), learners from a low socioeconomic background performed significantly better than those from a high socioeconomic background. English as a First Language (EL1) speakers had a higher mean reading comprehension score than speakers who spoke English as an Additional Language (EAL). Reading comprehension is indeed affected by a variety of variables, most notably that of language proficiency. The tool to measure reading comprehension needs to be standardized and administered in more than one language, which will ensure increased reliability and validity of reading comprehension scores. PMID:26999169

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Ante-Natal Clients in a Large Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

PubMed

Labi, A-K; Yawson, A E; Ganyaglo, G Y; Newman, M J

2015-09-01

Asymptomatic bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine without symptoms of acute urinary tract infection, predisposes pregnant women to the development of urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis, with an attendant pregnancy related complications. To measure the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal clients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana and its' associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study involving 274 antenatal clients was conducted over a period of 4 weeks. A face to face questionnaire was completed and midstream urine collected for culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 5.5%. It was associated with sexual activity during pregnancy (Fisher's Exact 5.871, p-value 0.0135), but not with sexual frequency. There were no significant associations with educational status, parity, gestational age, marital status and the number of foetuses carried. The commonest organism isolated was Enterococcus spp (26.7%) although the enterobacteriaceae formed the majority of isolated organisms (46.7%). Nitrofurantoin was the antibiotic with the highest sensitivity to all the isolated organisms. The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal clients at this large teaching hospital in Ghana is 5.5%, which is lower than what has been found in other African settings. Enterococcus spp was the commonest causative organism. However, due to the complications associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria, a policy to screen and treat- all pregnant women attending the hospital, is worth considering.

Effects of natal departure and water level on survival of juvenile snail kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dreitz, V.J.; Kitchens, W.M.; DeAngelis, D.L.

2004-01-01

Survival rate from fledging to breeding, or juvenile survival, is an important source of variation in lifetime reproductive success in birds. Therefore, determining the relationship between juvenile survival and environmental factors is essential to understanding fitness consequences of reproduction in many populations. With increases in density of individuals and depletion of food resources, quality of most habitats deteriorates during the breeding season. Individuals respond by dispersing in search of food resources. Therefore, to understand the influence of environmental factors on juvenile survival, it is also necessary to know how natal dispersal influences survival of juveniles. We examined effects of various environmental factors and natal dispersal behavior on juvenile survival of endangered Snail Kites (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in central and southern Florida, using a generalized estimating equations (GEEs) approach and model selection criteria. Our results suggested yearly effects and an influence of age and monthly minimum hydrologic levels on juvenile Snail Kite survival. Yearly variation in juvenile survival has been reported by other studies, and other reproductive components of Snail Kites also exhibit such variation. Age differences in juvenile survival have also been seen in other species during the juvenile period. Our results demonstrate a positive relationship between water levels and juvenile survival. We suggest that this is not a direct linear relationship, such that higher water means higher juvenile survival. The juvenile period is concurrent with onset of the wet season in the ecosystem we studied, and rainfall increases as juveniles age. For management purposes, we believe that inferences suggesting increasing water levels during the fledging period will increase juvenile survival may have short-term benefits but lead to long-term declines in prey abundance and possibly wetland vegetation structure.

Dispensing with marriage: Marital and partnership trends in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 2000-2006

PubMed Central

Hosegood, Victoria; McGrath, Nuala; Moultrie, Tom

2015-01-01

This paper describes marriage and partnership patterns and trends in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 2000-2006. The study is based on longitudinal, population-based data collected by the Africa Centre demographic surveillance system. We consider whether the high rates of non-marriage among Africans in South Africa reported in the 1980s were reversed following the political transformation underway by the 1990s. Our findings show that marriage has continued to decline with a small increase in cohabitation among unmarried couples, particularly in more urbanised areas. Comparing surveillance and census data, we highlight problems with the use of the ‘living together’ marital status category in a highly mobile population. PMID:25729322

Fine-scale natal homing and localized movement as shaped by sex and spawning habitat in Chinook salmon: Insights from spatial autocorrelation analysis of individual genotypes

Treesearch

H. M. Neville; D. J. Isaak; J. B. Dunham; R. F. Thurow; B. E. Rieman

2006-01-01

Natal homing is a hallmark of the life history of salmonid fishes, but the spatial scale of homing within local, naturally reproducing salmon populations is still poorly understood. Accurate homing (paired with restricted movement) should lead to the existence of finescale genetic structuring due to the spatial clustering of related individuals on spawning grounds....

Unusual loss of chymosin in mammalian lineages parallels neo-natal immune transfer strategies.

PubMed

Lopes-Marques, Mónica; Ruivo, Raquel; Fonseca, Elza; Teixeira, Ana; Castro, L Filipe C

2017-11-01

Gene duplication and loss are powerful drivers of evolutionary change. The role of loss in phenotypic diversification is notably illustrated by the variable enzymatic repertoire involved in vertebrate protein digestion. Among these we find the pepsin family of aspartic proteinases, including chymosin (Cmy). Previous studies demonstrated that Cmy, a neo-natal digestive pepsin, is inactivated in some primates, including humans. This pseudogenization event was hypothesized to result from the acquisition of maternal immune immunoglobulin G (IgG) transfer. By investigating 94 mammalian subgenomes we reveal an unprecedented level of Cmy erosion in placental mammals, with numerous independent events of gene loss taking place in Primates, Dermoptera, Rodentia, Cetacea and Perissodactyla. Our findings strongly suggest that the recurrent inactivation of Cmy correlates with the evolution of the passive transfer of IgG and uncovers a noteworthy case of evolutionary cross-talk between the digestive and the immune system, modulated by gene loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proximate causes of natal dispersal in female yellow-bellied marmots, Marmota flaviventris.

PubMed

Armitage, Kenneth B; Van Vuren, Dirk H; Ozgul, Arpat; Oli, Madan K

2011-01-01

We investigated factors influencing natal dispersal in 231 female yearling yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) using comprehensive analysis of 10 years (1983-1993) of radiotelemetry and 37 years (1963-1999) of capture-mark-recapture data. Only individuals whose dispersal status was verified, primarily by radiotelemetry, were considered. Univariate analyses revealed that six of the 24 variables we studied significantly influenced dispersal: dispersal was less likely when the mother was present, amicable behavior with the mother and play behavior were more frequent, and spatial overlap was greater with the mother, with matriline females, and with other yearling females. Using both univariate and multivariate analyses, we tested several hypotheses proposed as proximate causes of dispersal. We rejected inbreeding avoidance, population density, body size, social intolerance, and kin competition as factors influencing dispersal. Instead, our results indicate that kin cooperation, expressed via cohesive behaviors and with a focus on the mother, influenced dispersal by promoting philopatry. Kin cooperation may be an underappreciated factor influencing dispersal in both social and nonsocial species.

Roosting habitat use and selection by northern spotted owls during natal dispersal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sovern, Stan G.; Forsman, Eric D.; Dugger, Catherine M.; Taylor, Margaret

2015-01-01

We studied habitat selection by northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) during natal dispersal in Washington State, USA, at both the roost site and landscape scales. We used logistic regression to obtain parameters for an exponential resource selection function based on vegetation attributes in roost and random plots in 76 forest stands that were used for roosting. We used a similar analysis to evaluate selection of landscape habitat attributes based on 301 radio-telemetry relocations and random points within our study area. We found no evidence of within-stand selection for any of the variables examined, but 78% of roosts were in stands with at least some large (>50 cm dbh) trees. At the landscape scale, owls selected for stands with high canopy cover (>70%). Dispersing owls selected vegetation types that were more similar to habitat selected by adult owls than habitat that would result from following guidelines previously proposed to maintain dispersal habitat. Our analysis indicates that juvenile owls select stands for roosting that have greater canopy cover than is recommended in current agency guidelines.

Geochemical signatures in fin rays provide a nonlethal method to distinguish the natal rearing streams of endangered juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Wenatchee River, Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linley, Timothy J.; Krogstad, Eirik J.; Nims, Megan K.

Rebuilding fish populations that have undergone a major decline is a challenging task that can be made more complicated when estimates of abundance obtained from physical tags are biased or imprecise. Abundance estimates based on natural tags where each fish in the population is marked can help address these problems, but generally requires that the samples be obtained in a nonlethal manner. We evaluated the potential of using geochemical signatures in fin rays as a nonlethal method to determine the natal tributaries of endangered juvenile spring Chinook Salmon in the Wenatchee River, Washington. Archived samples of anal fin clips collectedmore » from yearling smolt in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were analyzed for Ba/Ca, Mn/Ba, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Zn/Ca and 87Sr/86Sr by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Water samples collected from these same streams in 2012 were also quantified for geochemical composition. Fin ray and water Ba/Ca, Sr/Ca, and 87Sr/86Sr were highly correlated despite the samples having been collected in different years. Fin ray Ba/Ca, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Zn/Ca and 87Sr/86Sr ratios differed significantly among the natal streams, but also among years within streams. A linear discriminant model that included Ba/Ca, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and 87Sr/86Sr correctly classified 95% of the salmon to their natal stream. Our results suggest that fin ray geochemistry may provide an effective, nonlethal method to identify mixtures of Wenatchee River spring Chinook Salmon for recovery efforts when these involve the capture of juvenile fish to estimate population abundance.« less

Asymptomatic urinary tract infection among pregnant women receiving ante-natal care in a traditional birth home in Benin City, Nigeria.

PubMed

Oladeinde, Bankole H; Omoregie, Richard; Oladeinde, Oladapo B

2015-01-01

A good proportion of pregnant women patronize traditional birth homes in Nigeria for ante-natal care. This study aimed at determining the prevalence, risk factors, and susceptibility profile of etiologic agents of urinary tract infection among ante-natal attendees in a traditional birth home in Benin City, Nigeria. Clean-catch urine was collected from 220 pregnant women attending a traditional birth home in Benin City, Nigeria. Urine samples were processed, and microbial isolates identified using standard bacteriological procedures. A cross-sectional study design was used. The prevalence of urinary tract infection among pregnant women was 55.0%, significantly affected by parity and gestational age (P<0.05). Mixed infection was recorded among 13(10.7%) pregnant women, and was unaffected by maternal age, parity, gravidity, gestational age, and educational status. Irrespective of trimester Escherichia coli was the most prevalent etiologic agent of urinary tract infection, followed by Staphylococcus aureus. The flouroquinolones were the most effective antibacterial agents, while Sulphamethoxazole-trimetoprim, Amoxicillin, Nalidixic acid, and Nitrofurantoin had poor activity against uropathogens isolated. The prevalence of urinary tract infection among pregnant women was 55.0% and significantly affected by gestational age and parity. The most prevalent etiologic agent observed was Escherichia coli. With the exception of the flouroquinolones, aminoglycoside, and Amoxicillin-cluvanate, the activity of other antibiotics used on uropathogens were poor. Health education of the traditional birth attendant and her clients by relevant intervention agencies is strongly advocated.

Occupational hazards, living conditions, and physical assault of sugar cane workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Robins, T G; Salie, F; Gwagwa, T

1998-09-01

To characterise the occupational hazards and living conditions of sugar cane workers in KwaZulu-Natal. Based on information provided by shop stewards, a survey instrument (questionnaire) was constructed for administration to union members. Seven sugar cane farms and estates owned by one large corporation in late 1993. Members of the South African Farm and Allied Workers Union (SAFAWU). Of the 632 participants, 50% were permanent workers, 22.3% were seasonal workers and 27.7% were casual workers. Mean daily pay ranged from R5 to R35 per worker. The majority of participants reported substandard housing both during the growing season and during the off-season. Percentages reporting health problems in the last 12 months believed by the respondent to be caused or made worse by work included 79% with eye problems, 78% with upper respiratory problems, 88% with lower respiratory problems, 93% with musculoskeletal problems, and 81% with an acute traumatic injury. More than half the participants reported fainting, collapsing or illness from working on hot or sunny days. Fourteen per cent reported being struck with the fist or hand, or being pushed, shoved or kicked by a farm owner, member of the owner's family, manager or supervisor; 9% reported being struck with an object, whipped, or attacked or threatened with a knife or gun by one of these same individuals. Sugar cane workers employed by a large corporation in KwaZulu-Natal appear to face severe threats to their physical and psychological well-being including: (i) inadequate pay to meet basic living needs; (ii) substandard living conditions; (iii) significant occupational hazards resulting in high reported levels of occupational illness and injury; and (iv) physical and psychological abuse and intimidation by farm owners and their agents.

AUTONOMY, NATALITY AND FREEDOM: A LIBERAL RE-EXAMINATION OF HABERMAS IN THE ENHANCEMENT DEBATE

PubMed Central

Pugh, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Jurgen Habermas has argued that carrying out pre-natal germline enhancements would be inimical to the future child's autonomy. In this article, I suggest that many of the objections that have been made against Habermas' arguments by liberals in the enhancement debate misconstrue his claims. To explain why, I begin by explaining how Habermas' view of personal autonomy confers particular importance to the agent's embodiment and social environment. In view of this, I explain that it is possible to draw two arguments against germline enhancements from Habermas' thought. I call these arguments ‘the argument from negative freedom’ and ‘the argument from natality’. Although I argue that many of the common liberal objections to Habermas are not applicable when his arguments are properly understood, I go on to suggest ways in which supporters of enhancement might appropriately respond to Habermas' arguments. PMID:24547807

Predicting the epidemiological impact of antiretroviral allocation strategies in KwaZulu-Natal: the effect of the urban-rural divide.

PubMed

Wilson, David P; Kahn, James; Blower, Sally M

2006-09-19

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is becoming available in South Africa. Demand will exceed supply; thus, difficult decisions will have to be made in allocating ART. The majority of those treated for HIV are likely to be in cities, because health infrastructure and personnel are concentrated in urban centers. We predict the epidemiological impact of drug allocation strategies (DAS) by using a spatially explicit model that links urban and rural epidemics. We parameterize our model by using data from the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. We model the South African government's treatment plan from 2004-2008, and we predict the consequences of one DAS that allocates drugs only to Durban and of two DAS that allocate drugs to both urban and rural areas. All three strategies would treat 500,000 people by 2008. Not surprisingly, the Durban-only DAS would prevent the greatest number of infections (an additional 15,000 infections by 2008). However, it may have been expected that this DAS would generate the highest levels of transmitted resistance, because it concentrates ART in one location. Paradoxically, we found that this DAS would generate the lowest levels of transmitted resistance. Concentrating treatment in Durban would also avert the greatest number of AIDS-related deaths. We discuss the difference between using the principle of treatment equity versus using the principle of utilitarianism/efficiency to allocate ART. Decisions about allocating scarce drugs should consider treatment equity as well as epidemiological consequences. Notably, a Durban-only DAS would lead to new disparities in healthcare between urban and rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Case of isiZulu for Non-Mother Tongue Speakers at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa--Is the Compulsory Language Module Promoting Social Cohesion?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Shamila; Gokool, Roshni; Ndebele, Hloniphani

2018-01-01

The Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande's, call on the 5th of April 2011 for South African universities to implement a policy which saw all university graduates exiting with a credit in an African language was the catalyst for the University of KwaZulu-Natal's decision to implement a compulsory isiZulu module for all non-mother tongue…

Maternal immunization with a DNA vaccine candidate elicits specific passive protection against post-natal Zika virus infection in immunocompetent BALB/c mice.

PubMed

Wang, Ran; Liao, Xianzheng; Fan, Dongying; Wang, Lei; Song, Ji; Feng, Kaihao; Li, Mingyuan; Wang, Peigang; Chen, Hui; An, Jing

2018-06-07

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is closely associated in the fetus with microcephaly and in the adults with Guillain-Barré syndrome and even male infertility. It is an urgent international priority to develop a safe and effective vaccine that offers protection to both women of childbearing age and their children. In this study, female immunocompetent BALB/c mice were immunized with a DNA-based vaccine candidate, pVAX1-ZME, expressing the prM/E protein of ZIKV, and the immunogenicity for maternal mice and the post-natal protection for suckling mice were evaluated. It was found that administration with three doses of 50 μg pVAX1-ZME via in vivo electroporation induced robust ZIKV-specific cellular and long-term humoral immune responses with high and sustained neutralizing activity in adult mice. Moreover, using a maternal immunization protocol, neutralizing antibodies provided specific passive protection against ZIKV infection in neonatal mice and effectively inhibited the growth delay. This vaccine candidate is expected to be further evaluated in higher animals, and maternal vaccination shows great promise for protecting both women of childbearing age and their offspring against post-natal ZIKV infection. The vaccinated mothers and ZIKV-challenged pups provide key insight into Zika vaccine evaluation in an available fully immunocompetent animal model. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Decentralized Training for Health Professions Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Protocol for the I-DecT Project.

PubMed

Govender, Pragashnie; Chetty, Verusia; Naidoo, Deshini; Pefile, Ntsikelelo

2018-01-25

The Integrated Decentralized Training (i-DecT) project was created to address the current need for health care in South Africa among resource poor climates in rural and periurban settings. The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa has embarked on a program within the School of Health Sciences (SHS) to decentralize the clinical learning platform in order to address this disparity. Framed in a pragmatic stance, this proposal is geared towards informing the roll out of decentralized clinical training (DCT) within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. There currently remains uncertainty as to how the implementation of this program will unfold, especially for the diverse SHS, which includes specialities like audiology, dentistry, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology, and sport science. Consequently, there is a need to carefully monitor and manage this DCT in order to ensure that the participating students have a positive learning experience and achieve expected academic outcomes, and that the needs of the communities are addressed adequately. The study aims to explore the factors that will influence the roll-out of the DCT by developing an inclusive and context-specific model that will adhere to the standards set by the SHS for the DCT program at UKZN. Key role players, including but not limited to, the South African Ministry of Health policy makers, clinicians, policy makers at UKZN, clinical educators, academicians, and students of UKZN within the SHS will participate in this project. Once the infrastructural, staffing and pedagogical enablers and challenges are identified, together with a review of existing models of decentralized training, a context-specific model for DCTl will be proposed based on initial pilot data that will be tested within iterative cycles in an Action Learning Action Research (ALAR) process. The study was designed to fit within the existing structures, and emerging framework and memorandum of

Fetal and neo-natal maxillary ontogeny in extant humans and the utility of prenatal maxillary morphology in predicting ancestral affiliation

PubMed Central

Nicholas, Christina L.

2016-01-01

Objectives The midface of extant H. sapiens is known to undergo shape changes through fetal and neo-natal ontogeny; however, little work has been done to quantify these shape changes. Further, while midfacial traits which vary in frequency between populations of extant humans are presumed to develop prenatally, patterns of population-specific variation maxillary shape across ontogeny are not well documented. Only one study of fetal ontogeny which included specific discussion of the midface has taken a 3D geometric morphometric approach, and that study was limited to one population (Japanese). The present research project seeks to augment our understanding of fetal maxillary growth patterns, most especially in terms of intraspecific variation. Materials and Methods Three-dimensional coordinate landmark data were collected on the right maxillae of 102 fetal and neo-natal individuals from three groups (Euro-American, African-American, “Mixed Ancestry”). Results Shape changes were seen mainly in the lateral wall of the piriform aperture, the anterior nasal spine, and the subnasal alveolar region. The greatest difference across age groups (2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Neonates) was between the second and third trimester. Euro-Americans and African-Americans clustered by population and differences in midfacial morphology related to ancestry could be discerned as early as the second trimester (p=0.002), indicating that population variation in maxillary morphology appears very early in ontogeny. Discussion The midface is a critical region of the skull for assessing ancestry and these results indicate that maxillary morphology may be useful for estimating ancestry for prenatal individuals as young as the second trimester. PMID:27412693

Pre- and post-natal melatonin administration partially regulates brain oxidative stress but does not improve cognitive or histological alterations in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome.

PubMed

Corrales, Andrea; Parisotto, Eduardo B; Vidal, Verónica; García-Cerro, Susana; Lantigua, Sara; Diego, Marian; Wilhem Filho, Danilo; Sanchez-Barceló, Emilio J; Martínez-Cué, Carmen; Rueda, Noemí

2017-09-15

Melatonin administered during adulthood induces beneficial effects on cognition and neuroprotection in the Ts65Dn (TS) mouse model of Down syndrome. Here, we investigated the effects of pre- and post-natal melatonin treatment on behavioral and cognitive abnormalities and on several neuromorphological alterations (hypocellularity, neurogenesis impairment and increased oxidative stress) that appear during the early developmental stages in TS mice. Pregnant TS females were orally treated with melatonin or vehicle from the time of conception until the weaning of the offspring, and the pups continued to receive the treatment from weaning until the age of 5 months. Melatonin administered during the pre- and post-natal periods did not improve the cognitive impairment of TS mice as measured by the Morris Water maze or fear conditioning tests. Histological alterations, such as decreased proliferation (Ki67+ cells) and hippocampal hypocellularity (DAPI+ cells), which are typical in TS mice, were not prevented by melatonin. However, melatonin partially regulated brain oxidative stress by modulating the activity of the primary antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase in the cortex and catalase in the cortex and hippocampus) and slightly decreasing the levels of lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus of TS mice. These results show the inability of melatonin to prevent cognitive impairment in TS mice when it is administered at pre- and post-natal stages. Additionally, our findings suggest that to induce pro-cognitive effects in TS mice during the early stages of development, in addition to attenuating oxidative stress, therapies should aim to improve other altered processes, such as hippocampal neurogenesis and/or hypocellularity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of Large-Scale Parentage Analysis for Investigating Natal Dispersal in Highly Vagile Vertebrates: A Case Study of American Black Bears (Ursus americanus)

PubMed Central

Moore, Jennifer A.; Draheim, Hope M.; Etter, Dwayne; Winterstein, Scott; Scribner, Kim T.

2014-01-01

Understanding the factors that affect dispersal is a fundamental question in ecology and conservation biology, particularly as populations are faced with increasing anthropogenic impacts. Here we collected georeferenced genetic samples (n = 2,540) from three generations of black bears (Ursus americanus) harvested in a large (47,739 km2), geographically isolated population and used parentage analysis to identify mother-offspring dyads (n = 337). We quantified the effects of sex, age, habitat type and suitability, and local harvest density at the natal and settlement sites on the probability of natal dispersal, and on dispersal distances. Dispersal was male-biased (76% of males dispersed) but a small proportion (21%) of females also dispersed, and female dispersal distances (mean ± SE  =  48.9±7.7 km) were comparable to male dispersal distances (59.0±3.2 km). Dispersal probabilities and dispersal distances were greatest for bears in areas with high habitat suitability and low harvest density. The inverse relationship between dispersal and harvest density in black bears suggests that 1) intensive harvest promotes restricted dispersal, or 2) high black bear population density decreases the propensity to disperse. Multigenerational genetic data collected over large landscape scales can be a powerful means of characterizing dispersal patterns and causal associations with demographic and landscape features in wild populations of elusive and wide-ranging species. PMID:24621593

Nutritional composition of commonly consumed composite dishes from rural villages in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Spearing, K; Kolahdooz, F; Lukasewich, M; Mathe, N; Khamis, T; Sharma, S

2013-06-01

Accurate nutrient composition data for composite dishes unique to a population is essential for the development of a nutrient database and the calculation of dietary intake. The present study aimed to provide the nutritional composition of composite dishes frequently consumed in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Commonly consumed composite dishes were identified using 24-h recalls collected from 79 randomly selected community members. Multiple recipes were collected for each reported dish. The mean nutritional composition of each dish was calculated per 100 g using the nutribase clinical nutrition manager (Cybersoft Inc., Phoenix, AZ, USA). A total of 79 recipes were collected for 16 commonly consumed dishes (seven meat-based, five starch-based and four legume/vegetable-based). 'Fried chicken' contained the most energy [1469 kJ (351 kcal)], protein (29.7 g), fat (23.7 g), cholesterol (123 mg) and niacin (8.4 mg). 'Fried beef' contained the most potassium (495 mg) and zinc (6.4 mg), whereas 'fish stew' had the most vitamin D (4.2 μg) and calcium (215 mg). 'Fried cabbage' and 'fried spinach' contained the largest percent energies from fat, at 79% and 76%, respectively. A traditional sweet bread, 'jeqe', made with fortified flour contributed significantly to iron (4.6 mg), niacin (4.5 μg) and folate (129 μg). The sodium content of dishes ranged from 88 to 679 mg per 100 g. The nutritional composition data for commonly consumed dishes in rural KwaZulu-Natal is presented. Although the dishes are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals, they also contain substantial amounts of fat. This culturally appropriate information will enable the calculation of dietary intake and can be used to encourage the consumption of recipes rich in key nutrients. © 2012 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2012 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Enhanced or Reduced Fetal Growth Induced by Embryo Transfer into Smaller or Larger Breeds Alters Post-Natal Growth and Metabolism in Pre-Weaning Horses

PubMed Central

Peugnet, Pauline; Wimel, Laurence; Duchamp, Guy; Sandersen, Charlotte; Camous, Sylvaine; Guillaume, Daniel; Dahirel, Michèle; Dubois, Cédric; Jouneau, Luc; Reigner, Fabrice; Berthelot, Valérie; Chaffaux, Stéphane; Tarrade, Anne; Serteyn, Didier; Chavatte-Palmer, Pascale

2014-01-01

In equids, placentation is diffuse and nutrient supply to the fetus is determined by uterine size. This correlates with maternal size and affects intra-uterine development and subsequent post-natal growth, as well as insulin sensitivity in the newborn. Long-term effects remain to be described. In this study, fetal growth was enhanced or restricted through ET using pony (P), saddlebred (S) and draft (D) horses. Control P-P (n = 21) and S-S (n = 28) pregnancies were obtained by AI. Enhanced and restricted pregnancies were obtained by transferring P or S embryos into D mares (P-D, n = 6 and S-D, n = 8) or S embryos into P mares (S-P, n = 6), respectively. Control and experimental foals were raised by their dams and recipient mothers, respectively. Weight gain, growth hormones and glucose homeostasis were investigated in the foals from birth to weaning. Fetal growth was enhanced in P-D and these foals remained consistently heavier, with reduced T3 concentrations until weaning compared to P-P. P-D had lower fasting glucose from days 30 to 200 and higher insulin secretion than P-P after IVGTT on day 3. Euglycemic clamps in the immediate post-weaning period revealed no difference in insulin sensitivity between P-D and P-P. Fetal growth was restricted in S-P and these foals remained consistently lighter until weaning compared to S-D, with elevated T3 concentrations in the newborn compared to S-S. S-P exhibited higher fasting glycemia than S-S and S-D from days 30 to 200. They had higher maximum increment in plasma glucose than S-D after IVGTT on day 3 and clamps on day 200 demonstrated higher insulin sensitivity compared to S-D. Neither the restricted nor the enhanced fetal environment affected IGF-1 concentrations. Thus, enhanced and restricted fetal and post-natal environments had combined effects that persisted until weaning. They induced different adaptive responses in post-natal glucose metabolism: an early insulin-resistance was induced in

Effect of a low glycaemic index diet in gestational diabetes mellitus on post-natal outcomes after 3 months of birth: a pilot follow-up study.

PubMed

Louie, Jimmy Chun Yu; Markovic, Tania P; Ross, Glynis P; Foote, Deborah; Brand-Miller, Jennie C

2015-07-01

A low glycaemic index (LGI) diet during pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may offer benefits to the mother and infant pair beyond those during pregnancy. We aimed to investigate the effect of an LGI diet during pregnancy complicated with GDM on early post-natal outcomes. Fifty-eight women (age: 23-41 years; mean ± SD pre-pregnancy body mass index: 24.5 ± 5.6 kg m(-2) ) who had GDM and followed either an LGI diet (n = 33) or a conventional high-fibre diet (HF; n = 25) during pregnancy had a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and blood lipid tests at 3 months post-partum. Anthropometric assessments were conducted for 55 mother-infant pairs. The glycaemic index of the antenatal diets differed modestly (mean ± SD: 46.8 ± 5.4 vs. 52.4 ± 4.4; P < 0.001), but there were no significant differences in any of the post-natal outcomes. In conclusion, an LGI diet during pregnancy complicated by GDM has outcomes similar to those of a conventional healthy diet. Adequately powered studies should explore the potential beneficial effects of LGI diet on risk factors for chronic disease. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Internship training adequately prepares South African medical graduates for community service - with exceptions.

PubMed

Nkabinde, T C; Ross, A; Reid, S; Nkwanyana, N M

2013-09-30

The 2-year internship period for medical graduates began in South Africa in 2005 and has never been formally evaluated. This study assessed the perceptions of community service medical officers (COSMOs) working at district hospitals (DHs) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to determine whether the 2-year internship programme had adequately prepared them for community service (CS). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted regarding the perceptions of COSMOs working at 22 district hospitals in KZN. Data were collected in July 2012, using a questionnaire based on the core skills and knowledge detailed in the Health Professions Council of South Africa intern log book. All eight domains were self-assessed and a score of 4 out of 5 indicated an ability to work independently. Of the COSMOs, 78% (60 out of 89) completed the questionnaire. Most felt well-prepared for CS in all disciplines, but critical gaps in knowledge and skills were identified in paediatrics, orthopaedics, anaesthetics and obstetrics. In addition, 75% of respondents (45 out of 60) expressed a need for additional training in the disciplines of ear, nose and throat (ENT), urology, ophthalmology and dermatology. The 2-year internship has provided the basis for independent medical practice in DHs. However, certain critical skill gaps need urgent attention, particularly in obstetrics and anaesthesia. Areas of weakness in ENT, urology, ophthalmology and dermatology could be addressed by including these specialities as a compulsory rotation in surgery, medicine or family medicine during internship training.

Severe maternal morbidity and breastfeeding outcomes in the early post-natal period: a prospective cohort study from one English maternity unit.

PubMed

Furuta, Marie; Sandall, Jane; Cooper, Derek; Bick, Debra

2016-10-01

Previous research has identified potential issues of establishing and maintaining breastfeeding among women who experience severe maternal morbidity associated with pregnancy and birth, but evidence in the UK maternity population was scarce. We explored the association between severe maternal morbidity and breastfeeding outcomes (uptake and prevalence of partial and exclusive breastfeeding) at 6 to 8 weeks post-partum in a UK sample. Data on breastfeeding outcomes were obtained from a large cohort study of women who gave birth in one maternity unit in England to assess the impact of women's experiences of severe maternal morbidity (defined as major obstetric haemorrhage, severe hypertensive disorder or high dependency unit/intensive care unit admission) on their post-natal health and other important outcomes including infant feeding. Results indicated that among women who responded (n = 1824, response rate = 53%), there were no statistically significant differences in breastfeeding outcomes between women who did or did not experience severe morbidity, except for women with severe hypertensive disorder who were less likely to breastfeed either partially or exclusively at 6 to 8 weeks post-partum. Rather, breastfeeding outcomes were related to multi-dimensional factors including sociodemographic (age, ethnicity, living arrangement), other pregnancy outcomes (neonatal intensive care unit admission, mode of birth, women's perceived control during birth) and post-natal psychological factors (depressive symptoms). Women who experience severe maternal morbidity can be reassured that establishing successful breastfeeding can be achieved. More studies are required to understand what support is best for women who have complex health/social needs to establish breastfeeding. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

IVF culture medium affects post-natal weight in humans during the first 2 years of life.

PubMed

Kleijkers, Sander H M; van Montfoort, Aafke P A; Smits, Luc J M; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; Roseboom, Tessa J; Nelissen, Ewka C M; Coonen, Edith; Derhaag, Josien G; Bastings, Lobke; Schreurs, Inge E L; Evers, Johannes L H; Dumoulin, John C M

2014-04-01

Is post-natal growth during the first 2 years of life in IVF singletons affected by type of medium used for culturing human embryos during an IVF treatment? The in vitro culture of human embryos in medium from Cook resulted in singletons with a lower weight during the first 2 years of life compared with singletons born after embryo culture in medium from Vitrolife. In a previous study, we reported that type of medium used for culturing human IVF embryos during the first few days after fertilization until fresh embryo transfer significantly affects fetal growth and consequently birthweight of the resulting singletons. From July 2003 to December 2006, a total of 1432 IVF treatment cycles with fresh embryo transfer were randomly allocated to have all embryos cultured in medium from Vitrolife AB (n = 715) or from Cook (n = 717). Two years after delivery, questionnaires were sent to the parents of all children requesting data about weight, height and head circumference around 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7.5, 9, 11, 14, 18 and 24 months of age. These measurements were collected as part of the children's health programme at municipal infant welfare centres in the Netherlands by health professionals unaware of this study. Patients requiring donor oocytes or applying for PGD were excluded from the study. From the 294 live born singletons that fulfilled our inclusion criteria, 29 were lost to follow-up. The remaining 265 singletons (Cook group: 117, Vitrolife group: 148) were included in the analysis. Data analysis included linear regression, to compare cross-sectionally weight standard deviation score (SDS), height SDS and head circumference, and the first order Berkey-Reed model for a longitudinal analysis of the growth data. Singletons in the Vitrolife group were heavier during the first 2 years of life compared with singletons in the Cook group. Cross-sectional analyses showed that adjusted weight SDS differed between groups at 1 (0.35 ± 0.14, P = 0.010), 2 (0.39 ± 0.14, P = 0

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB in the piglet brainstem after post-natal nicotine and intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia.

PubMed

Tang, Samantha; Machaalani, Rita; Waters, Karen A

2008-09-26

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB play a significant role in the regulation of cell growth, survival and death during central nervous system development. The expression of BDNF and TrkB is affected by noxious insults. Two insults during the early post-natal period that are of interest to our laboratory are exposure to nicotine and to intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia (IHH). Piglet models were used to mimic the conditions associated with the risk factors for the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) including post-natal cigarette smoke exposure (nicotine model) and prone sleeping where the infant is subjected to re-breathing of expired gases (IHH model). We aimed to determine the effects of nicotine and IHH, alone or in combination, on pro- and rhBDNF and TrkB expression in the developing piglet brainstem. Four piglet groups were studied, with equal gender ratios in each: control (n=14), nicotine (n=14), IHH (n=10) and nic+IHH (n=14). Applying immunohistochemistry, and studying six nuclei of the caudal medulla, we found that compared to controls, TrkB was the only protein significantly decreased after nicotine and nic+IHH exposure regardless of gender. For pro-BDNF and rhBDNF however, observed changes were more evident in males than females exposed to nicotine and nic+IHH. The implications of these findings are that a prior nicotine exposure makes the developing brainstem susceptible to greater changes in the neurotrophic effects of BDNF and its receptor TrkB in the face of a hypoxic insult, and that the effects are greater in males than females.

Courting disaster? A survey of the autopsy service provided by district surgeons in Kwazulu-Natal.

PubMed

Dada, M A; Clarke, J E

2000-01-01

To provide information on the overall quality of the autopsy service provided by district surgeons in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and in particular to identify factors which may have a negative impact on the judicial process. Confidential questionnaires were sent to 73 district surgeons and 216 legal practitioners including prosecution advocates, regional court prosecutors, defence advocates and attorneys. One hundred and twenty (43%) replies (47 doctors and 73 lawyers) were suitable for analysis. District surgeons have no shortage of experience or maturity but their performance is hampered by the following: lack of appropriate training in forensic pathology; high case load; inadequate facilities and support staff; and lack of access to ancillary services. This study has shown that the standard of autopsy services by district surgeons varies considerably. Overall, there is evidence that inadequacies on the part of district surgeons have negative repercussions for the criminal justice system. Urgent attention should be given to implement training programmes for the district surgeons and to improve service conditions.

Toxoplasmosis screening and risk factors amongst pregnant females in Natal, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Barbosa, Isabelle Ribeiro; de Carvalho Xavier Holanda, Cecília Maria; de Andrade-Neto, Valter Ferreira

2009-04-01

Toxoplasmosis results in systemic disease, and if the mother is infected for the first time during gestation, the fetus may suffer substantial damage. Relatively little is known about the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy in most states of northeastern Brazil. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant woman was studied in Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte State, in northeastern Brazil, from March to December 2007. The sera were tested for IgM and avidity of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma by a microparticle enzyme immunoassay. The overall seroprevalence was high [126/190 (66.3%)]; prevalence increased with age indicating that in this setting most infections occur in adulthood (third decade of life). Only one pregnant woman was IgM positive and had high-avidity antibodies. The high percentage of pregnant women who are vulnerable to this parasite (33.1%) favors primary infection during pregnancy. Our studies show that direct contact with cats or dogs was highly associated with toxoplasmosis (odds ratio 2.72, P<0.001, 95% CI 1.46-5.02). The number of years in school (P<0.001), precarious socioeconomic status and limited knowledge about the disease (P

Relationship between pre-natal factors, the perinatal environment, motor development in the first year of life and the timing of first deciduous tooth emergence.

PubMed

Żądzińska, Elżbieta; Sitek, Aneta; Rosset, Iwona

2016-01-01

The emergence of deciduous teeth, despite being genetically determined, shows significant correlation with the pre-natal environment, maternal factors, method of infant feeding and also family socioeconomic status. However, reported results are often contradictory and rarely concern healthy, full-term children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of pre-natal and maternal factors as well as the method of infant feeding on the timing of first deciduous tooth emergence in healthy, full-term infants and to examine the relationship between the psychomotor development rate and the age at first tooth. The database contained 480 records for healthy, term-born children (272 boys and 208 girls born at 37-42 weeks of gestation) aged 9-54 months. Multiple regression analysis and multi-factor analysis of variance were used to identify significant explanatory variables for the age at first tooth. The onset of deciduous tooth emergence is negatively correlated with birth weight and maternal smoking during pregnancy and positively correlated with breastfeeding and the age at which the child begins to sit up unaided. These factors have an additive effect on the age at first tooth. An earlier onset of tooth emergence in children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy seems to provide further evidence for disturbed foetal development in a smoke-induced hypoxic environment.

Enabling factors for specialist outreach in western KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background There exists a major disparity in access to specialist care between patients in urban and rural areas. Specialists are a scarce resource and are concentrated in urban areas. Specialist outreach attempts to fill the gap in service provision for patients situated remotely. While there is international evidence that multifaceted specialist outreach has achieved varying levels of success, factors that influence the effectiveness of outreach have not yet been fully elucidated in South Africa. Aim This study attempts to uncover some of the factors that enable good multifaceted specialist outreach. Setting The study was conducted in hospitals in western KwaZulu-Natal province. This health area is served by a tertiary hospital and 20 peripheral hospitals; three of these are regional level and the majority are district level hospitals. Specialist outreach emanates from the tertiary hospital. Methods Specialists providing outreach services from the tertiary hospital and medical officers at seven receiving hospitals were interviewed to explore perceptions regarding factors that might enable successful specialist outreach. Framework analysis on the transcribed interviews was carried out using NVivo version 11. Results A major positive finding concerns the relationships formed between outreach specialists and doctors at the recipient hospitals. The management of the programme with respect to structure, dependability, data management, transport provision, communication technology and public health systems was also seen as beneficial in specialist outreach. Conclusion Specialist outreach plays an essential role in providing equality in health care. To enable effectiveness, it is important to make full use of the multifaceted nature of this intervention. PMID:29781691

Colonization of steelhead in a natal stream after barrier removal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weigel, Dana E.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Martens, Kyle D.; Powell, Madison S.

2013-01-01

Colonization of vacant habitats is an important process for supporting the long-term persistence of populations and species. We used a before–after experimental design to follow the process of colonization by steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss (anadromous Rainbow Trout) at six monitoring sites in a natal stream, Beaver Creek, after the modification or removal of numerous stream passage barriers. Juvenile O. mykiss were collected at monitoring sites by using a backpack electrofisher. Passive integrated transponder tags and instream tag reading stations were used in combination with 16 microsatellite markers to determine the source, extent, and success of migrant O. mykiss after implementation of the barrier removal projects. Steelhead migrated into the study area during the first spawning season after passage was established. Hatchery steelhead, although comprising more than 80% of the adult returns to the Methow River basin, constituted a small proportion (23%) of the adult O. mykiss colonizing the study area. Adult steelhead and fluvial Rainbow Trout entered the stream during the first spawning season after barrier removal and were passing the uppermost tag reader (12 km upstream from the mouth) 3–4 years later. Parr that were tagged in Beaver Creek returned as adults, indicating establishment of the anadromous life history in the study area. Population genetic measures at the lower two monitoring sites (lower 4 km of Beaver Creek) significantly changed within one generation (4–5 years). Colonization and expansion of steelhead occurred more slowly than expected due to the low number of adults migrating into the study area.

Telomere length dynamics differ in foetal and early post-natal human leukocytes in a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Holmes, Denise K; Bellantuono, Ilaria; Walkinshaw, Steve A; Alfirevic, Zarko; Johnston, Tracey A; Subhedar, Nimish V; Chittick, Rachel; Swindell, Richard; Wynn, Robert F

2009-06-01

Haemopoietic stem cells (HSC) undergo a process of self renewal to constantly maintain blood cell turnover. However, it has become apparent that adult HSC lose their self-renewal ability with age. Telomere shortening in peripheral blood leukocytes has been seen to occur with age and it has been associated with loss of HSC proliferative capacity and cellular ageing. In contrast foetal HSC are known to have greater proliferative capacity than post-natal stem cells. However it is unknown whether they undergo a similar process of telomere shortening. In this study we show a more accentuated rate of telomere loss in leukocytes from pre term infants compared to human foetuses of comparable age followed longitudinally for 8-12 weeks in a longitudinal study. Our results point to a difference in HSC behaviour between foetal and early postnatal life which is independent of age but may be influenced by events at birth itself.

Neither philopatric nor panmictic: microsatellite and mtDNA evidence suggests lack of natal homing but limits to dispersal in Pacific lamprey.

PubMed

Spice, Erin K; Goodman, Damon H; Reid, Stewart B; Docker, Margaret F

2012-06-01

Most species with lengthy migrations display some degree of natal homing; some (e.g. migratory birds and anadromous salmonids) show spectacular feats of homing. However, studies of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) indicate that this anadromous species locates spawning habitat based on pheromonal cues from larvae rather than through philopatry. Previous genetic studies in the anadromous Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) have both supported and rejected the hypothesis of natal homing. To resolve this, we used nine microsatellite loci to examine the population structure in 965 Pacific lamprey from 20 locations from central British Columbia to southern California and supplemented this analysis with mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on a subset of 530 lamprey. Microsatellite analysis revealed (i) relatively low but often statistically significant genetic differentiation among locations (97% pairwise F(ST) values were <0.04 but 73.7% were significant); and (ii) weak but significant isolation by distance (r(2) = 0.0565, P = 0.0450) but no geographic clustering of samples. The few moderate F(ST) values involved comparisons with sites that were geographically distant or far upstream. The mtDNA analysis--although providing less resolution among sites (only 4.7%F(ST) values were significant)--was broadly consistent with the microsatellite results: (i) the southernmost site and some sites tributary to the Salish Sea were genetically distinct; and (ii) southern sites showed higher haplotype and private haplotype richness. These results are inconsistent with philopatry, suggesting that anadromous lampreys are unusual among species with long migrations, but suggest that limited dispersal at sea precludes panmixia in this species. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cultural politics and masculinities: Multiple-partners in historical perspective in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Hunter, Mark

2005-01-01

Drawing from ethnographic, archival and secondary research, this article examines multiple-sexual partners in historical perspective in KwaZulu-Natal, a South Africa province where one in three people are thought to be HIV positive. Research on masculinities, multiple-partners, and AIDS has been predominantly directed towards the present day. This paper stresses the importance of unraveling the antecedents of contemporary masculinities particularly the gendered cultural politics through which they have been produced. Arguing against dominant conceptions of African masculinity as being innate or static, it charts the rise and fall of the isoka, the Zulu man with multiple-sexual partners, over the last century. Showing how the isoka developed through changing conditions occasioned by capitalism, migrant labour and Christianity, it contends that an important turning point took place from the 1970s when high unemployment threatened previous expressions of manliness, notably marriage, setting up an independent household and becoming umnumzana (a household head). The high value placed on men seeking multiple-partners increasingly filled the void left by men's inability to become men through previous means. Turning to the contemporary period, the article argues that, shaken by the huge AIDS deaths, men are betraying increasing doubts about the isoka masculinity.

Lubricin is Required for the Structural Integrity and Post-natal Maintenance of TMJ

PubMed Central

Koyama, E.; Saunders, C.; Salhab, I.; Decker, R.S.; Chen, I.; Um, H.; Pacifici, M.; Nah, H.D.

2014-01-01

The Proteoglycan 4 (Prg4) product lubricin plays essential roles in boundary lubrication and movement in limb synovial joints, but its roles in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are unclear. Thus, we characterized the TMJ phenotype in wild-type and Prg4 –/– mouse littermates over age. As early as 2 weeks of age, mutant mice exhibited hyperplasia in the glenoid fossa articular cartilage, articular disc, and synovial membrane. By 1 month of age, there were fewer condylar superficial tenascin-C/Col1-positive cells and more numerous apoptotic condylar apical cells, while chondroprogenitors displayed higher mitotic activity, and Sox9-, Col2-, and ColX-expressing chondrocyte zones were significantly expanded. Mutant subchondral bone contained numerous Catepsin K- expressing osteoclasts at the chondro-osseous junction, increased invasive marrow cavities, and suboptimal subchondral bone. Mutant glenoid fossa, disc, synovial cells, and condyles displayed higher Hyaluronan synthase 2 expression. Mutant discs also lost their characteristic concave shape, exhibited ectopic chondrocyte differentiation, and occasionally adhered to condylar surfaces. A fibrinoid substance of unclear origin often covered the condylar surface. By 6 months of age, mutant condyles displayed osteoarthritic degradation with apical/mid-zone separation. In sum, lubricin exerts multiple essential direct and indirect roles to preserve TMJ structural and cellular integrity over post-natal life. PMID:24834922

Elemental distribution in seaweed, Gelidium abbottiorum along the KwaZulu-Natal Coastline, South Africa.

PubMed

Misheer, Natasha; Kindness, Andrew; Jonnalagadda, Sreekanth B

2006-01-01

The total concentrations of 7 selected metals, namely manganese, iron, zinc, titanium, boron, arsenic and mercury, were monitored for one annual cycle covering four seasons in the seaweed, Gelidium abbottiorum, at four sampling sites at Zinkwasi, Ballito, Treasure beach and Park Rynie along the South-East coastline of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to assess the current status of the marine environment. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometry, Mercury Cold Vapour AAS, and Hydride Generation AAS were used for the determination of metal concentrations. Mn concentrations were particularly high in the G. abbottiorum species, followed by Fe, As and B concentrations which were in the 3-8 ppm range. Ti and Zn were in the 100-400 ppb range, while Hg was low and below 100 ppb. A typical sample of G. abbottiorum at Treasure beach, a site close to Durban metropolis in winter had Mn (8.6 ppm), Fe (4.6 ppm), As (5.6 ppm), B (3.0 ppm), Ti (420 ppb), Zn (167 ppb) and Hg (7.5 ppb). All metals recorded a decrease in concentrations from winter to spring with the exception of Hg. The Hg levels increased considerably from winter to spring.

Determinants of farmers' participation in collective maintenance of irrigation infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharaunga, S.; Mudhara, M.

2018-06-01

The decentralization framework and the Dublin Principles on Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) emphasize the need for a participatory approach to irrigation water management. This study identifies the factors influencing farmers' decision to, and extent of participation in the maintenance of irrigation infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa based on cross-section data collected from 320 randomly selected smallholder irrigating farmers. A two-step Heckman regression model was applied in the analysis. It was established that households whose heads were older, block committee members, with larger irrigation plots, good soil quality and experiencing severe irrigation water shortages are more likely to participate in maintenance of irrigation infrastructure. On the other hand, farmers with insecure land tenure and with no access to irrigation water were less likely to make the decision to participate. Farmers who were members of the farming cooperative as well as block committee members and those paying irrigation water costs were likely to intensively participate in maintaining irrigation infrastructure. Therefore, decentralization alone cannot lead to improved irrigation outcomes. Several factors are necessary for households to participate intensively in the maintenance of irrigation infrastructure. Governments should address these challenges before handing irrigation schemes to their beneficiaries.

Assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal: an observational cohort study.

PubMed

Vaughan-Williams, Charles H; Raman, Jaishree; Raswiswi, Eric; Immelman, Etienne; Reichel, Holger; Gate, Kelly; Knight, Steve

2012-12-28

Recent malaria epidemics in KwaZulu-Natal indicate that effective anti-malarial therapy is essential for malaria control. Although artemether-lumefantrine has been used as first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal since 2001, its efficacy has not been assessed since 2002. The objectives of this study were to quantify the proportion of patients treated for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine who failed treatment after 28 days, and to determine the prevalence of molecular markers associated with artemether-lumefantrine and chloroquine resistance. An observational cohort of 49 symptomatic patients, diagnosed with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria by rapid diagnostic test, had blood taken for malaria blood films and P. falciparum DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Following diagnosis, patients were treated with artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem®) and invited to return to the health facility after 28 days for repeat blood film and PCR. All PCR P. falciparum positive samples were analysed for molecular markers of lumefantrine and chloroquine resistance. Of 49 patients recruited on the basis of a positive rapid diagnostic test, only 16 were confirmed to have P. falciparum by PCR. At follow-up, 14 were PCR-negative for malaria, one was lost to follow-up and one blood specimen had insufficient blood for a PCR analysis. All 16 with PCR-confirmed malaria carried a single copy of the multi-drug resistant (mdr1) gene, and the wild type asparagine allele mdr1 codon 86 (mdr1 86N). Ten of the 16 samples carried the wild type haplotype (CVMNK) at codons 72-76 of the chloroquine resistance transporter gene (pfcrt); three samples carried the resistant CVIET allele; one carried both the resistant and wild type, and in two samples the allele could not be analysed. The absence of mdr1 gene copy number variation detected in this study suggests lumefantrine resistance has yet to emerge in KwaZulu-Natal

Assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal: an observational cohort study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Recent malaria epidemics in KwaZulu-Natal indicate that effective anti-malarial therapy is essential for malaria control. Although artemether-lumefantrine has been used as first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in northern KwaZulu-Natal since 2001, its efficacy has not been assessed since 2002. The objectives of this study were to quantify the proportion of patients treated for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria with artemether-lumefantrine who failed treatment after 28 days, and to determine the prevalence of molecular markers associated with artemether-lumefantrine and chloroquine resistance. Methods An observational cohort of 49 symptomatic patients, diagnosed with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria by rapid diagnostic test, had blood taken for malaria blood films and P. falciparum DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Following diagnosis, patients were treated with artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem®) and invited to return to the health facility after 28 days for repeat blood film and PCR. All PCR P. falciparum positive samples were analysed for molecular markers of lumefantrine and chloroquine resistance. Results Of 49 patients recruited on the basis of a positive rapid diagnostic test, only 16 were confirmed to have P. falciparum by PCR. At follow-up, 14 were PCR-negative for malaria, one was lost to follow-up and one blood specimen had insufficient blood for a PCR analysis. All 16 with PCR-confirmed malaria carried a single copy of the multi-drug resistant (mdr1) gene, and the wild type asparagine allele mdr1 codon 86 (mdr1 86N). Ten of the 16 samples carried the wild type haplotype (CVMNK) at codons 72-76 of the chloroquine resistance transporter gene (pfcrt); three samples carried the resistant CVIET allele; one carried both the resistant and wild type, and in two samples the allele could not be analysed. Conclusions The absence of mdr1 gene copy number variation detected in this study suggests lumefantrine

Fleas, lice and mites on scrub hares (Lepus saxatilis) in northern and eastern Transvaal and in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Louw, J P; Horak, I G; Horak, M L; Braack, L E

1995-06-01

Fleas, lice and mites were collected from 24 and 120 scrub hares at Pafuri and Skukuza, Northern and Eastern Transvaal, respectively, in the Kruger National Park, and from 34 scrub hares in the Hluhluwe region, north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. Ctenocephalides felis damarensis, the only flea recovered, reached peak burdens on the hares at each locality during late winter or spring. Juvenile hares harboured significantly fewer fleas than did adult animals. The lice Haemodipsus lyriocephalus and Haemodipsus setoni were collected from hares at each locality, with H. setoni generally being the most abundant. Listrophorus leporicolus was found on hares at Skukuza and Hluhluwe, and mites of the genus Cheyletiella were collected from hares at Skukuza.

Carryover effects from natal habitat type upon competitive ability lead to trait divergence or source-sink dynamics.

PubMed

Kristensen, Nadiah Pardede; Johansson, Jacob; Chisholm, Ryan A; Smith, Henrik G; Kokko, Hanna

2018-06-25

Local adaptation to rare habitats is difficult due to gene flow, but can occur if the habitat has higher productivity. Differences in offspring phenotypes have attracted little attention in this context. We model a scenario where the rarer habitat improves offspring's later competitive ability - a carryover effect that operates on top of local adaptation to one or the other habitat type. Assuming localised dispersal, so the offspring tend to settle in similar habitat to the natal type, the superior competitive ability of offspring remaining in the rarer habitat hampers immigration from the majority habitat. This initiates a positive feedback between local adaptation and trait divergence, which can thereafter be reinforced by coevolution with dispersal traits that match ecotype to habitat type. Rarity strengthens selection on dispersal traits and promotes linkage disequilibrium between locally adapted traits and ecotype-habitat matching dispersal. We propose that carryover effects may initiate isolation by ecology. © 2018 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Women on top: the relative influence of wives and husbands on contraceptive use in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Maharaj, Pranitha; Cleland, John

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative influence of husband and wife on contraceptive practice. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult men and women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A matched file for 238 married or cohabiting couples was created. Knowledge of methods of contraception was virtually universal and attitudes to contraception were favorable both in men and women. A substantial proportion of men and women reported using a method of contraception. The wife's desire to stop childbearing was the most powerful predictor of contraceptive use among couples, after adjustment for possible confounders. The husband's approval (or not) of family planning and his preference for future childbearing were not significantly related to contraceptive use. Contraceptive use within marital and cohabiting unions is high and the wife's fertility preference was found to be a key determinant of use. This conclusion challenges conventional wisdom that men are the dominant decision-makers in fertility and family planning decisions.

HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Shuper, Paul A; Kiene, Susan M; Mahlase, Gethwana; MacDonald, Susan; Christie, Sarah; Cornman, Deborah H; Fisher, William A; Greener, Ross; Lalloo, Umesh G; Pillay, Sandy; van Loggerenberg, Francois; Fisher, Jeffrey D

2014-08-01

The aim of this investigation was to identify factors associated with HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV-positive women and men receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Across 16 clinics, 1,890 HIV+ patients on ART completed a risk-focused audio computer-assisted self-interview upon enrolling in a prevention-with-positives intervention trial. Results demonstrated that 62 % of HIV-positive patients' recent unprotected sexual acts involved HIV-negative or HIV status unknown partners. For HIV-positive women, multivariable correlates of unprotected sex with HIV-negative or HIV status unknown partners were indicative of poor HIV prevention-related information and of sexual partnership-associated behavioral skills barriers. For HIV-positive men, multivariable correlates represented motivational barriers, characterized by negative condom attitudes and the experience of depressive symptomatology, as well as possible underlying information deficits. Findings suggest that interventions addressing gender-specific and culturally-relevant information, motivation, and behavioral skills barriers could help reduce HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV-positive South Africans.

Two years of gender identity service for minors: overrepresentation of natal girls with severe problems in adolescent development.

PubMed

Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu; Sumia, Maria; Työläjärvi, Marja; Lindberg, Nina

2015-01-01

Increasing numbers of adolescents present in adolescent gender identity services, desiring sex reassignment (SR). The aim of this study is to describe the adolescent applicants for legal and medical sex reassignment during the first two years of adolescent gender identity team in Finland, in terms of sociodemographic, psychiatric and gender identity related factors and adolescent development. Structured quantitative retrospective chart review and qualitative analysis of case files of all adolescent SR applicants who entered the assessment by the end of 2013. The number of referrals exceeded expectations in light of epidemiological knowledge. Natal girls were markedly overrepresented among applicants. Severe psychopathology preceding onset of gender dysphoria was common. Autism spectrum problems were very common. The findings do not fit the commonly accepted image of a gender dysphoric minor. Treatment guidelines need to consider gender dysphoria in minors in the context of severe psychopathology and developmental difficulties.

The spectrum of skin diseases in a black population in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Dlova, Ncoza C; Mankahla, Avumile; Madala, Nomandla; Grobler, Anneke; Tsoka-Gwegweni, Joyce; Hift, Richard J

2015-03-01

Precise knowledge of the prevalence and spectrum of skin diseases in a population allows for effective planning for provision of dermatology services and distribution of resources. There are no published data on the epidemiology of skin disorders in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. We investigated the prevalence of skin diseases in black African patients attending a predominantly black private healthcare facility and profiled the patients. Clinical charts of all black African patients seen between January 2003 and December 2010 in a private practice in Durban were reviewed. The diseases seen were described and the prevalence calculated. A total of 6664 patient charts were reviewed. The five most common conditions were acne, eczemas, dyschromias, infections, and hair disorders. These data agree with reports from other parts of the world. Selection bias was presented by a single private practice, thus data may not be fully representative of our population. Acne, eczemas, dyschromias, infections, and hair disorders are, in that order, the five most common disorders encountered. © 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.

Do age-disparate relationships drive HIV incidence in young women? Evidence from a population cohort in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Harling, Guy; Newell, Marie-Louise; Tanser, Frank; Kawachi, Ichiro; Subramanian, S V; Bärnighausen, Till

2014-08-01

Based on ethnographic investigations and mathematical models, older sexual partners are often considered a major risk factor for HIV for young women in sub-Saharan Africa. Numerous public health campaigns have been conducted to discourage young women from relationships with older men. However, longitudinal evidence relating sex partner age disparity to HIV acquisition in women is limited. Using data from a population-based open cohort in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we studied 15- to 29-year-old women who were HIV seronegative at first interview between January 2003 and June 2012 (n = 2444). We conducted proportional hazards analysis to establish whether the age disparity of women's most recent sexual partner, updated at each surveillance round, was associated with subsequent HIV acquisition. A total of 458 HIV seroconversions occurred over 5913 person-years of follow-up (incidence rate: 7.75 per 100 person-years). Age disparate relationships were common in this cohort; 37.7% of women reported a partner 5 or more years older than themselves. The age disparity of women's partners was not associated with HIV acquisition when measured either continuously [hazard ratio (HR) for 1-year increase in partner's age: 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.97 to 1.03] or categorically (man ≥5 years older: HR, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.81 to 1.20; man ≥10 years older: HR, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.43). These results were robust to adjustment for known sociodemographic and behavioral HIV risk factors and did not vary significantly by women's age, marital status, education attainment, or household wealth. HIV incidence in young women was very high in this rural community in KwaZulu-Natal. Partner age disparity did not predict HIV acquistion. Campaigns to reduce age-disparate sexual relationships may not be a cost-effective use of HIV prevention resources in this setting.

First Direct Evidence for Natal Wintering Ground Fidelity and Estimate of Juvenile Survival in the New Zealand Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis.

PubMed

Carroll, E L; Fewster, R M; Childerhouse, S J; Patenaude, N J; Boren, L; Baker, C S

2016-01-01

Juvenile survival and recruitment can be more sensitive to environmental, ecological and anthropogenic factors than adult survival, influencing population-level processes like recruitment and growth rate in long-lived, iteroparous species such as southern right whales. Conventionally, Southern right whales are individually identified using callosity patterns, which do not stabilise until 6-12 months, by which time the whale has left its natal wintering grounds. Here we use DNA profiling of skin biopsy samples to identify individual Southern right whales from year of birth and document their return to the species' primary wintering ground in New Zealand waters, the Subantarctic Auckland Islands. We find evidence of natal fidelity to the New Zealand wintering ground by the recapture of 15 of 57 whales, first sampled in year of birth and available for subsequent recapture, during winter surveys to the Auckland Islands in 1995-1998 and 2006-2009. Four individuals were recaptured at the ages of 9 to 11, including two females first sampled as calves in 1998 and subsequently resampled as cows with calves in 2007. Using these capture-recapture records of known-age individuals, we estimate changes in survival with age using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models. Survival is modelled using discrete age classes and as a continuous function of age. Using a bootstrap method to account for uncertainty in model selection and fitting, we provide the first direct estimate of juvenile survival for this population. Our analyses indicate a high annual apparent survival for juveniles at between 0.87 (standard error (SE) 0.17, to age 1) and 0.95 (SE 0.05: ages 2-8). Individual identification by DNA profiling is an effective method for long-term demographic and genetic monitoring, particularly in animals that change identifiable features as they develop or experience tag loss over time.

First Direct Evidence for Natal Wintering Ground Fidelity and Estimate of Juvenile Survival in the New Zealand Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis

PubMed Central

Carroll, E. L.; Fewster, R. M.; Childerhouse, S. J.; Patenaude, N. J.; Boren, L.; Baker, C. S.

2016-01-01

Juvenile survival and recruitment can be more sensitive to environmental, ecological and anthropogenic factors than adult survival, influencing population-level processes like recruitment and growth rate in long-lived, iteroparous species such as southern right whales. Conventionally, Southern right whales are individually identified using callosity patterns, which do not stabilise until 6–12 months, by which time the whale has left its natal wintering grounds. Here we use DNA profiling of skin biopsy samples to identify individual Southern right whales from year of birth and document their return to the species’ primary wintering ground in New Zealand waters, the Subantarctic Auckland Islands. We find evidence of natal fidelity to the New Zealand wintering ground by the recapture of 15 of 57 whales, first sampled in year of birth and available for subsequent recapture, during winter surveys to the Auckland Islands in 1995–1998 and 2006–2009. Four individuals were recaptured at the ages of 9 to 11, including two females first sampled as calves in 1998 and subsequently resampled as cows with calves in 2007. Using these capture-recapture records of known-age individuals, we estimate changes in survival with age using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models. Survival is modelled using discrete age classes and as a continuous function of age. Using a bootstrap method to account for uncertainty in model selection and fitting, we provide the first direct estimate of juvenile survival for this population. Our analyses indicate a high annual apparent survival for juveniles at between 0.87 (standard error (SE) 0.17, to age 1) and 0.95 (SE 0.05: ages 2–8). Individual identification by DNA profiling is an effective method for long-term demographic and genetic monitoring, particularly in animals that change identifiable features as they develop or experience tag loss over time. PMID:26751689

Use of non-natal estuaries by migratory striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in summer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mather, M. E.; Finn, John T.; Ferry, K.H.; Deegan, Linda A.; Nelson, G.A.

2009-01-01

For most migratory fish, little is known about the location and size of foraging areas or how long individuals remain in foraging areas, even though these attributes may affect their growth, survival, and impact on local prey. We tested whether striped bass (Morone saxatilis Walbaum), found in Massachusetts in summer, were migratory, how long they stayed in non-natal estuaries, whether observed spatial patterns differed from random model predictions, whether fish returned to the same area across multiple years, and whether fishing effort could explain recapture patterns. Anchor tags were attached to striped bass that were caught and released in Massachusetts in 1999 and 2000, and recaptured between 1999 and 2007. In fall, tagged striped bass were caught south of where they were released in summer, confirming that fish were coastal migrants. In the first summer, 77% and 100% of the recaptured fish in the Great Marsh and along the Massachusetts coast, respectively, were caught in the same place where they were released. About two thirds of all fish recaptured near where they were released were caught 2-7 years after tagging. Our study shows that smaller (400-500 mm total length) striped bass migrate hundreds of kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean coast, cease their mobile lifestyle in summer when they use a relatively localized area for foraging (<20 km2), and return to these same foraging areas in subsequent years.

Dried blood spot specimen quality and validation of a new pre-analytical processing method for qualitative HIV-1 PCR, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Parboosing, Raveen; Siyaca, Ntombizandile; Moodley, Pravikrishnen

2016-01-01

Background Poor quality dried blood spot (DBS) specimens are usually rejected by virology laboratories, affecting early infant diagnosis of HIV. The practice of combining two incompletely-filled DBS in one specimen preparation tube during pre-analytical specimen processing (i.e., the two-spot method) has been implemented to reduce the number of specimens being rejected for insufficient volume. Objectives This study analysed laboratory data to describe the quality of DBS specimens and the use of the two-spot method over a one-year period, then validated the two-spot method against the standard (one-spot) method. Methods Data on HIV-1 PCR test requests submitted in 2014 to the Department of Virology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa were analysed to describe reasons for specimen rejection, as well as results of the two-spot method. The accuracy, lower limit of detection and precision of the two-spot method were assessed. Results Of the 88 481 specimens received, 3.7% were rejected for pre-analytical problems. Of those, 48.9% were rejected as a result of insufficient specimen volume. Two health facilities had significantly more specimen rejections than other facilities. The two-spot method prevented 10 504 specimen rejections. The Pearson correlation coefficient comparing the standard to the two-spot method was 0.997. Conclusions The two-spot method was comparable with the standard method of pre-analytical specimen processing. Two health facilities were identified for targeted retraining on specimen quality. The two-spot method of DBS specimen processing can be used as an adjunct to retraining, to reduce the number of specimens rejected and improve linkage to care. PMID:28879108

Dried blood spot specimen quality and validation of a new pre-analytical processing method for qualitative HIV-1 PCR, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Govender, Kerusha; Parboosing, Raveen; Siyaca, Ntombizandile; Moodley, Pravikrishnen

2016-01-01

Poor quality dried blood spot (DBS) specimens are usually rejected by virology laboratories, affecting early infant diagnosis of HIV. The practice of combining two incompletely-filled DBS in one specimen preparation tube during pre-analytical specimen processing (i.e., the two-spot method) has been implemented to reduce the number of specimens being rejected for insufficient volume. This study analysed laboratory data to describe the quality of DBS specimens and the use of the two-spot method over a one-year period, then validated the two-spot method against the standard (one-spot) method. Data on HIV-1 PCR test requests submitted in 2014 to the Department of Virology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa were analysed to describe reasons for specimen rejection, as well as results of the two-spot method. The accuracy, lower limit of detection and precision of the two-spot method were assessed. Of the 88 481 specimens received, 3.7% were rejected for pre-analytical problems. Of those, 48.9% were rejected as a result of insufficient specimen volume. Two health facilities had significantly more specimen rejections than other facilities. The two-spot method prevented 10 504 specimen rejections. The Pearson correlation coefficient comparing the standard to the two-spot method was 0.997. The two-spot method was comparable with the standard method of pre-analytical specimen processing. Two health facilities were identified for targeted retraining on specimen quality. The two-spot method of DBS specimen processing can be used as an adjunct to retraining, to reduce the number of specimens rejected and improve linkage to care.

Men's moralising discourses on gender and HIV risk in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Mindry, Deborah L; Knight, Lucia; van Rooyen, Heidi

2015-01-01

Various interventions have resulted in increased rates of HIV testing. However, encouraging men to acknowledge their risk for HIV, to test and link to treatment remains a challenge. In this study, we examine men's perspectives on navigating HIV risk in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Qualitative interviews were conducted at four intervals over a three-year time period with a baseline cohort of 126 men and women. We found that men navigated HIV risk in their sexual relationships mainly by monitoring their partner's behaviour. Men expressed concerns about female respectability, invoking discourses on hlonipha rooted in Zulu cultural ideals and Christian ideals about women staying close to home. In the post-apartheid era, these concerns were inflected by anxieties over changing gender norms and the high rates and risks of infection in the region. HIV prevention discourses on behaviour intersected with men's efforts to assert their masculinity through the monitoring and controlling of women's behaviour. The potential negative impacts of this should be addressed. Prevention efforts need to focus on men's vulnerability to infection in terms of their own behaviour as well as the contexts in which they live.

Yearly and perhaps transyearly human natality patterns near the equator and at higher latitudes

PubMed Central

Cornélissen, G.; Halberg, F.; Mikulecky, M.; Florida, P.; Faraone, P.; Yamanaka, T.; Murakami, S.; Otsuka, K.; Bakken, E. E.

2008-01-01

Data on the daily numbers of births in Davao, Philippines, available from 1993 to 2003 are re-analyzed herein by linear–nonlinear rhythmometry, as are data from Italy and Japan. A transyear, characterizing the solar wind and other non-photic physical environmental factors, corresponds to a spectral peak of the near-equatorial natality series. This component with a period of about 1.3 years is found to have an amplitude larger than the calendar year, the amplitude ratio being 134%. Whereas the transyear is validated nonlinearly, the 95% confidence interval for the period extending from 1.21 to 1.38 years and the 95% confidence interval for the amplitude not overlapping zero (P < 0.05), the annual variation is only demonstrable by linear least squares analysis. The results bring added evidence for an influence of non-photic environmental effects on human physiology, in this case data collected near the equatorial region, Davao being situated at 7°N, 126°E. They are in keeping with some degree of generality of a rule of reciprocity among mutually supporting physical and biological periodicities. They do not detract from the fact that in other longer data sets at higher latitudes, the calendar year, presumably reflecting climatic influences, dominates the spectrum. PMID:16275480

Calcium sources used by post-natal human myoblasts during initial differentiation.

PubMed

Arnaudeau, Serge; Holzer, Nicolas; König, Stéphane; Bader, Charles R; Bernheim, Laurent

2006-08-01

Increases in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) are crucial for inducing the initial steps of myoblast differentiation that ultimately lead to fusion; yet the mechanisms that produce this elevated Ca(2+) have not been fully resolved. For example, it is still unclear whether the increase comes exclusively from membrane Ca(2+) influx or also from Ca(2+) release from internal stores. To address this, we investigated early differentiation of myoblast clones each derived from single post-natal human satellite cells. Initial differentiation was assayed by immunostaining myonuclei for the transcription factor MEF2. When Ca(2+) influx was eliminated by using low external Ca(2+) media, we found that approximately half the clones could still differentiate. Of the clones that required influx of external Ca(2+), most clones used T-type Ca(2+) channels, but others used store-operated channels as influx-generating mechanisms. On the other hand, clones that differentiated in low external Ca(2+) relied on Ca(2+) release from internal stores through IP(3) receptors. Interestingly, by following clones over time, we observed that some switched their preferred Ca(2+) source: clones that initially used calcium release from internal stores to differentiate later required Ca(2+) influx and inversely. In conclusion, we show that human myoblasts can use three alternative mechanisms to increase cytoplasmic Ca(2+) at the onset of the differentiation process: influx through T-types Ca(2+) channels, influx through store operated channels and release from internal stores through IP(3) receptors. In addition, we suggest that, probably because Ca(2+) elevation is essential during initial differentiation, myoblasts may be able to select between these alternate Ca(2+) pathways.

Evaluating quality management systems for HIV rapid testing services in primary healthcare clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Jaya, Ziningi; Drain, Paul K.

2017-01-01

Introduction Rapid HIV tests have improved access to HIV diagnosis and treatment by providing quick and convenient testing in rural clinics and resource-limited settings. In this study, we evaluated the quality management system for voluntary and provider-initiated point-of-care HIV testing in primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Material and methods We conducted a quality assessment audit in eleven PHC clinics that offer voluntary HIV testing and counselling in rural KZN, South Africa from August 2015 to October 2016. All the participating clinics were purposively selected from the province-wide survey of diagnostic services. We completed an on-site monitoring checklist, adopted from the WHO guidelines for assuring accuracy and reliability of HIV rapid tests, to assess the quality management system for HIV rapid testing at each clinic. To determine clinic’s compliance to WHO quality standards for HIV rapid testing the following quality measure was used, a 3-point scale (high, moderate and poor). A high score was defined as a percentage rating of 90 to 100%, moderate was defined as a percentage rating of 70 to 90%, and poor was defined as a percentage rating of less than 70%. Clinic audit scores were summarized and compared. We employed Pearson pair wise correlation coefficient to determine correlations between clinics audit scores and clinic and clinics characteristics. Linear regression model was computed to estimate statistical significance of the correlates. Correlations were reported as significant at p ≤0.05. Results Nine out of 11 audited rural PHC clinics are located outside 20Km of the nearest town and hospital. Majority (18.2%) of the audited rural PHC clinics reported that HIV rapid test was performed by HIV lay counsellors. Overall, ten clinics were rated moderate, in terms of their compliance to the stipulated WHO guidelines. Audit results showed that rural PHC clinics’ average rating score for compliance

Evaluating quality management systems for HIV rapid testing services in primary healthcare clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Jaya, Ziningi; Drain, Paul K; Mashamba-Thompson, Tivani P

2017-01-01

Rapid HIV tests have improved access to HIV diagnosis and treatment by providing quick and convenient testing in rural clinics and resource-limited settings. In this study, we evaluated the quality management system for voluntary and provider-initiated point-of-care HIV testing in primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. We conducted a quality assessment audit in eleven PHC clinics that offer voluntary HIV testing and counselling in rural KZN, South Africa from August 2015 to October 2016. All the participating clinics were purposively selected from the province-wide survey of diagnostic services. We completed an on-site monitoring checklist, adopted from the WHO guidelines for assuring accuracy and reliability of HIV rapid tests, to assess the quality management system for HIV rapid testing at each clinic. To determine clinic's compliance to WHO quality standards for HIV rapid testing the following quality measure was used, a 3-point scale (high, moderate and poor). A high score was defined as a percentage rating of 90 to 100%, moderate was defined as a percentage rating of 70 to 90%, and poor was defined as a percentage rating of less than 70%. Clinic audit scores were summarized and compared. We employed Pearson pair wise correlation coefficient to determine correlations between clinics audit scores and clinic and clinics characteristics. Linear regression model was computed to estimate statistical significance of the correlates. Correlations were reported as significant at p ≤0.05. Nine out of 11 audited rural PHC clinics are located outside 20Km of the nearest town and hospital. Majority (18.2%) of the audited rural PHC clinics reported that HIV rapid test was performed by HIV lay counsellors. Overall, ten clinics were rated moderate, in terms of their compliance to the stipulated WHO guidelines. Audit results showed that rural PHC clinics' average rating score for compliance to the WHO guidelines ranged between 64.4% (CI

Strategic planning for saving the lives of mothers, newborns and children and preventing stillbirths in KwaZulu-Natal province South Africa: modelling using the Lives Saved Tool (LiST).

PubMed

McGee, Shelley-Ann; Chola, Lumbwe; Tugendhaft, Aviva; Mubaiwa, Victoria; Moran, Neil; McKerrow, Neil; Kamugisha, Leonard; Hofman, Karen

2016-01-19

KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa has the largest population of children under the age of five and experiences the highest number of child births per annum in the country. Its population has also been ravaged by the dual epidemics of HIV and TB and it has struggled to meet targets for maternal and child mortality. In South Africa's federal system, provinces have decision-making power on the prioritization and allocation of resources within their jurisdiction. As part of strategic planning for 2015-2019, KwaZulu-Natal provincial authorities requested an assessment of current mortality levels in the province and identification and costing of priority interventions for saving additional maternal, newborn and child lives, as well as preventing stillbirths in the province. The Lives Saved Tool (LiST) was used to determine the set of interventions, which could save the most additional maternal and child lives and prevent stillbirths from 2015-2019, and the costs of these. The impact of family planning was assessed using two scenarios by increasing baseline coverage of modern contraception by 0.5 percentage points or 1 percentage point per annum. A total of 7,043 additional child and 297 additional maternal lives could be saved, and 2,000 stillbirths could be prevented over five years. Seventeen interventions account for 75% of additional lives saved. Increasing family planning contributes to a further reduction of up to 137 maternal and 3,168 child deaths. The set of priority interventions scaled up to achievable levels, with no increase in contraception would require an additional US$91 million over five years or US$1.72 per capita population per year. By increasing contraceptive prevalence by one percentage point per year, overall costs to scale up to achievable coverage package, decrease by US$24 million over five years. Focused attention on a set of key interventions could have a significant impact on averting stillbirths and maternal and neonatal mortality in

Testicular steroidogenesis is not altered by 137 cesium Chernobyl fallout, following in utero or post-natal chronic exposure.

PubMed

Grignard, Elise; Guéguen, Yann; Grison, Stéphane; Dublineau, Isabelle; Gourmelon, Patrick; Souidi, Maâmar

2010-05-01

The testis is especially sensitive to pollutants, including radionuclides. Following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, several of these radionuclides were emitted and spread in the environment. Subsequently, children presented some disruptions of the endocrine system. To determine whether these disruptions were due to 137 cesium ((137)Cs) exposure, the effects of chronic contamination with low doses of (137)Cs in utero or from birth on testicular steroidogenesis in rats were studied. Contamination was continued for 9 months. No modification was observed in circulating level of hormones (17beta-estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone) following in utero or post-natal contamination. Expression of several genes involved in testicular steroidogenesis was affected (cyp19a1, fxr, sf-1), without modification of protein expression or activity. Our results suggest that growing organisms may be affected at the molecular level by (137)Cs contamination at this post-accidental dose. Copyright 2010 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

HIV/AIDS Stigma Attitudes among Educators in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Chao, Li-Wei; Akintola, Goke; Pauly, Mark

2012-01-01

Background One hundred and twenty educators from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, underwent HIV/AIDS training. The educators were surveyed about their attitudes toward people with HIV. Methods The educators completed self-administered survey questionnaires both before and after two interventions. Measures included demographic characteristics, teachers' knowledge about HIV/AIDS, self-efficacy in handling HIV/AIDS situations, and attitudes (stigma and otherwise) towards HIV-related issues. The first intervention was a CD-ROM and the second intervention involved educators receiving a two day workshop on HIV transmission, risk factors, and actions that educators should know and undertake. The first step entailed testing the stigma instrument for its internal consistency, and developing and testing potential subscales from the instrument. The second step entailed testing for the statistical associations between stigma (as measured by the stigma instrument and its subscales) and various demographic and HIV knowledge related variables. Results The overall stigma scale had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.66. Educators in the workshop generally had lower baseline levels of stigma than those in the CD-ROM intervention. Following both interventions the stigma levels of both groups of educators were significantly reduced. The levels of stigma reduction varied by educators' demographic indicators. The largest reductions in stigma were reported for those educators who had better general AIDS knowledge; better knowledge about risk of transmission; university education, rural residence and younger age. Conclusions The levels of teachers' stigma attitudes were statistically significantly lower after both types of HIV/AIDS training and were also statistically significantly associated with improvements in HIV knowledge. PMID:21039555

The development of upper limb movements: from fetal to post-natal life.

PubMed

Zoia, Stefania; Blason, Laura; D'Ottavio, Giuseppina; Biancotto, Marina; Bulgheroni, Maria; Castiello, Umberto

2013-01-01

The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate how the kinematic organization of upper limb movements changes from fetal to post-natal life. By means of off-line kinematical techniques we compared the kinematics of hand-to-mouth and hand-to-eye movements, in the same individuals, during prenatal life and early postnatal life, as well as the kinematics of hand-to-mouth and reaching-toward-object movements in the later age periods. Movements recorded at the 14(th), 18(th) and 22(nd) week of gestation were compared with similar movements recorded in an ecological context at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12 months after birth. The results indicate a similar kinematic organization depending on movement type (i.e., eye, mouth) for the infants at one month and for the fetuses at 22 weeks of gestation. At two and three months such differential motor planning depending on target is lost and no statistical differences emerge. Hand to eye movements were no longer observed after the fourth month of life, therefore we compared kinematics for hand to mouth with hand to object movements. Results of these analyses revealed differences in the performance of hand to mouth and reaching to object movements in the length of the deceleration phase of the movement, depending on target. Data are discussed in terms of how the passage from intrauterine to extra-uterine environments modifies motor planning. These results provide novel evidence of how different types of upper extremity movements, those directed towards one's own face and those directed to external objects, develop.

Multiple proximate and ultimate causes of natal dispersal in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, E.S.; Diefenbach, D.R.; Rosenberry, C.S.; Wallingford, B.D.

2008-01-01

Proximate and ultimate causes of dispersal in vertebrates vary, and relative importance of these causes is poorly understood. Among populations, inter- and intrasexual social cues for dispersal are thought to reduce inbreeding and local mate competition, respectively, and specific emigration cue may affect dispersal distance, such that inbreeding avoidance dispersal tends to be farther than dispersal to reduce local competition. To investigate potential occurrence of multiple proximate and ultimate causes of dispersal within populations, we radio-marked 363 juvenile male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 2 study areas in Pennsylvania. Natal dispersal probability and distance were monitored over a 3-year period when large-scale management changes reduced density of adult females and increased density of adult males. Most dispersal (95-97%) occurred during two 12-week periods: spring, when yearling males still closely associate with related females, and prior to fall breeding season, when yearling males closely associate with other breeding-age males. Following changes to sex and age structure that reduced potential for inbreeding and increased potential for mate competition, annual dispersal probability did not change; however, probability of spring dispersal decreased, whereas probability of fall dispersal increased. Spring dispersal distances were greater than fall dispersal distances, suggesting that adaptive inbreeding avoidance dispersal requires greater distance than mate competition dispersal where opposite-sex relatives are philopatric and populations are not patchily distributed. Both inbreeding avoidance and mate competition are important ultimate causes of dispersal of white-tailed deer, but ultimate motivations for dispersal are proximately cued by different social mechanisms and elicit different responses in dispersers.

Young People’s Sexual Partnerships in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa: Patterns, Contextual Influences, and HIV Risk

PubMed Central

Harrison, Abigail; Cleland, John; Frohlich, Janet

2013-01-01

Certain sexual partnering practices, such as multiple, concurrent or age-discrepant partnerships, are known to increase HIV risk. Yet the underlying dynamics of young people’s relationships are less understood. Using household survey and qualitative data, this study examines the partnership context of HIV risk, including partner types, their characteristics, and key aspects of partnership dynamics, including partner numbers and age differences, duration, concurrency, and frequency of contact among youth aged 15–24 in rural KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa. One-third of men reported multiple and/or concurrent partnering, while one-quarter of women had partners > 5 years older. Non-participation in civic organizations or schooling was correlated with higher risk partnerships for women, but not men. On average, relationships lasted >1 year for women and men, and were frequently characterized as ‘serious’. However, qualitative findings pointed to the sequential and overlapping nature of relationships, with distance and mobility as important influences. These fluid partnership patterns are an important feature of young people’s sexual risk in the context of South Africa’s severe HIV epidemic. PMID:19248716

Don't bet against the natal homing abilities of marine fishes.

PubMed

Bentzen, Paul; Bradbury, Ian R

2016-06-01

Whether marine fishes are capable of homing to their natal areas has long been something of an enigma. For some estuarine species or sharks (which have extended nondispersal juvenile stages or are born as relatively large, fully formed juveniles), the answer is clearly 'yes' (Thorrold et al. ; Feldheim et al. ), but for most marine fishes, the issue is much more mysterious. Many species have free-floating eggs, and most have pelagic, passively dispersing larvae. It is challenging to imagine how adult fish might navigate to a region of the ocean they experienced only as eggs or larvae, and easier to assume that such dispersal leads inexorably to high gene flow, and even panmixia. One way to resolve the conundrum would be to track fish from hatching to reproduction, but for marine fishes with tiny eggs and drifting larvae, this is notoriously difficult to do (Bradbury & Laurel ). In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Bonanomi et al. () use a creative approach to solve this challenge for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) populations that mingle in the vicinity of Greenland. They show that cod that disperse more than a 1000 km away from Iceland as eggs and larvae, then spend years growing on the far side of Greenland, while mixing with two local populations, return as adults to spawning areas near Iceland - and further, that this behaviour has remained stable over more than six decades. They manage this feat with a clever use of historical cod tracking data, modern genomic data and genetic analysis of decades-old DNA obtained from archived materials. Their results have important implications for our view of the biocomplexity of marine fish populations, and how we should manage them. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gender-specific risk factors for virologic failure in KwaZulu-Natal: Automobile ownership and financial insecurity

PubMed Central

HARE, Anna Q.; ORDÓÑEZ, Claudia E.; JOHNSON, Brent A.; RIO, Carlos DEL; KEARNS, Rachel A.; WU, Baohua; HAMPTON, Jane; WU, Peng; SUNPATH, Henry; MARCONI, Vincent C.

2014-01-01

We sought to examine which socioeconomic indicators are risk factors for virologic failure among HIV-1 infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A case-control study of virologic failure was conducted among patients recruited from the outpatient clinic at McCord Hospital in Durban, South Africa between October 1, 2010 and June 30, 2012. Cases were those failing first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART), defined as viral load > 1000 copies/mL. Univariate logistic regression was performed on sociodemographic data for the outcome of virologic failure. Variables found significant (p<.05) were used in multivariate models and all models were stratified by gender. Of 158 cases and 300 controls, 35% were male and median age was 40 years. Gender stratification of models revealed automobile ownership was a risk factor among males, while variables of financial insecurity (unemployment, non-spouse family paying for care, staying with family) were risk factors for women. In this cohort, financial insecurity among women and automobile ownership among men were risk factors for virologic failure. Risk factor differences between genders demonstrate limitations of generalized risk factor analysis. PMID:25037488

Gender-specific risk factors for virologic failure in KwaZulu-Natal: automobile ownership and financial insecurity.

PubMed

Hare, Anna Q; Ordóñez, Claudia E; Johnson, Brent A; Del Rio, Carlos; Kearns, Rachel A; Wu, Baohua; Hampton, Jane; Wu, Peng; Sunpath, Henry; Marconi, Vincent C

2014-11-01

We sought to examine which socioeconomic indicators are risk factors for virologic failure among HIV-1 infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A case-control study of virologic failure was conducted among patients recruited from the outpatient clinic at McCord Hospital in Durban, South Africa between October 1, 2010 and June 30, 2012. Cases were those failing first-line ART, defined as viral load >1,000 copies/mL. Univariate logistic regression was performed on sociodemographic data for the outcome of virologic failure. Variables found significant (p < 0.05) were used in multivariate models and all models were stratified by gender. Of 158 cases and 300 controls, 35 % were male and median age was 40 years. Gender stratification of models revealed automobile ownership was a risk factor among males, while variables of financial insecurity (unemployment, non-spouse family paying for care, staying with family) were risk factors for women. In this cohort, financial insecurity among women and automobile ownership among men were risk factors for virologic failure. Risk factor differences between genders demonstrate limitations of generalized risk factor analysis.

Epidemiological and serological profiles of ocular toxoplasmosis in the municipality of Natal, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Mendes, Norma H D; Oliveira, Claudio B S; Garcia, Carlos A; Holanda, Cecília M X C; Andrade-Neto, Valter F

2014-10-01

Toxoplasma gondii is the main culprit in most cases of infectious uveitis, in both acute and recurrent cases of congenital toxoplasmosis and acquired infections. The ocular toxoplasmosis was evaluated in patients at the the reference unit in ophthalmology, in Rio Grande do Norte State, determining the risk factors, and the epidemic, serological and clinical profiles. The production of IgM and IgG antibodies to T. gondii was evaluated by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA). The same patients diagnosed with fundoscopic alterations have been subjected to the fundus photography procedure. Of the 116 patients with positive serology, 66 patients had bilateral ocular damage and 38 patients showed a higher frequency of lesions of type I. The epidemiological investigation showed that direct contact with cats, the consumption of raw or undercooked meat and direct contact with soil are factors not related to ocular toxoplasmosis development. The characterization of the sample was significant for patients aged 31-40 years. Ocular toxoplasmosis is widely distributed in Natal and other cities in Rio Grande do Norte state, with special relevance for bilateral lesions in 56.9% of the patients assessed, the most frequent being type I with intraocular disposition in the macula. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coastal dynamics on a soft coastline from serendipitous webcams: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guastella, Lisa A.; Smith, Alan M.

2014-10-01

Webcams have become popular means of showcasing beach conditions for a wide variety of beach users. However, webcams can also be a useful tool in assessing changes in coastal morphology and coastal processes. This information can be used by managers to assist in planning. A number of fixed-position beach webcams are freely available to the South African public via various tourism, surfing, weather and aviation websites, individual clubs and a cell-phone network provider. The advantages of these public networks are that the information is free and as the webcams are fixed, afford a consistent and comparable view of the beach. The disadvantage is that you are at the mercy of the provider: resolution is generally poor, downtime and communication are out of your control, and you have no influence over the positioning of the webcam or the discontinuity of service. Notwithstanding the above, the existing webcams can still provide valuable information. From the network of beach webcams available in South Africa we analyse imagery from three beach webcams located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, at Umhlanga, Margate beach and lagoon, and Amanzimtoti beach and lagoon to examine the coastal dynamics. From these case studies we illustrate seasonal beach rotation and lagoon mouth dynamics, specifically why outlets migrate southwards in opposition to regional longshore drift.

Dangerous girls and cheating boys: Zulu-speaking disabled young peoples' constructs of heterosexual relationships in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Chappell, Paul

2017-05-01

Across South Africa there is a growing body of work that explores gender dynamics in heterosexual relationships between young people aged 15-24 years. This is mainly influenced by the high prevalence of HIV and the incidence of intimate partner violence in this age group. Most studies to date have been based upon non-disabled young people, with limited focus on young disabled people. In an attempt to address this gap, this paper describes findings from a study conducted with 22 Zulu-speaking young people with visual and physical disabilities in KwaZulu-Natal. Throughout the findings, young disabled participants appeared to downplay their disability with respect to intimate relationships and accentuated the interweaving of complementary and contentious discourses of gender and cultural identity. Taking cognisance of the intersectionality of gender and cultural discourses, the paper extend constructs of disabled sexualities beyond an exclusive gaze on disability in the South African context.

The Development of Upper Limb Movements: From Fetal to Post-Natal Life

PubMed Central

Zoia, Stefania; Blason, Laura; D’Ottavio, Giuseppina; Biancotto, Marina; Bulgheroni, Maria; Castiello, Umberto

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate how the kinematic organization of upper limb movements changes from fetal to post-natal life. By means of off-line kinematical techniques we compared the kinematics of hand-to-mouth and hand-to-eye movements, in the same individuals, during prenatal life and early postnatal life, as well as the kinematics of hand-to-mouth and reaching-toward-object movements in the later age periods. Methodology/Principal Findings Movements recorded at the 14th, 18th and 22nd week of gestation were compared with similar movements recorded in an ecological context at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12 months after birth. The results indicate a similar kinematic organization depending on movement type (i.e., eye, mouth) for the infants at one month and for the fetuses at 22 weeks of gestation. At two and three months such differential motor planning depending on target is lost and no statistical differences emerge. Hand to eye movements were no longer observed after the fourth month of life, therefore we compared kinematics for hand to mouth with hand to object movements. Results of these analyses revealed differences in the performance of hand to mouth and reaching to object movements in the length of the deceleration phase of the movement, depending on target. Conclusion/Significance Data are discussed in terms of how the passage from intrauterine to extra-uterine environments modifies motor planning. These results provide novel evidence of how different types of upper extremity movements, those directed towards one’s own face and those directed to external objects, develop. PMID:24324642

Banded mongooses avoid inbreeding when mating with members of the same natal group.

PubMed

Sanderson, Jennifer L; Wang, Jinliang; Vitikainen, Emma I K; Cant, Michael A; Nichols, Hazel J

2015-07-01

Inbreeding and inbreeding avoidance are key factors in the evolution of animal societies, influencing dispersal and reproductive strategies which can affect relatedness structure and helping behaviours. In cooperative breeding systems, individuals typically avoid inbreeding through reproductive restraint and/or dispersing to breed outside their natal group. However, where groups contain multiple potential mates of varying relatedness, strategies of kin recognition and mate choice may be favoured. Here, we investigate male mate choice and female control of paternity in the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), a cooperatively breeding mammal where both sexes are often philopatric and mating between relatives is known to occur. We find evidence suggestive of inbreeding depression in banded mongooses, indicating a benefit to avoiding breeding with relatives. Successfully breeding pairs were less related than expected under random mating, which appeared to be driven by both male choice and female control of paternity. Male banded mongooses actively guard females to gain access to mating opportunities, and this guarding behaviour is preferentially directed towards less closely related females. Guard-female relatedness did not affect the guard's probability of gaining reproductive success. However, where mate-guards are unsuccessful, they lose paternity to males that are less related to the females than themselves. Together, our results suggest that both sexes of banded mongoose use kin discrimination to avoid inbreeding. Although this strategy appears to be rare among cooperative breeders, it may be more prominent in species where relatedness to potential mates is variable, and/or where opportunities for dispersal and mating outside of the group are limited. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Elements of NASA GSFC Wallops Island's ozone measurement program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidlin, F. J.; Schauer, A. G.; Thompson, A. M.; Northam, E. T.; Brothers, G. B.; Beebe, A.

2003-04-01

Ozone observations from GSFC Wallops Flight Facility, Natal, Brazil, and Ascension Island involve instrument preparation, analyses, comparisons, archiving, and documentation. The complement of instrumentation enables reliable, accurate world-class information be made available to the scientific community. At Wallops Island, instruments in use include the electrochemical concentration cell ECC ozonesondes, Dobson spectrophotometer, Microtops Sun Photometer, Ground-based Ultraviolet Radiometer GUV, and the NILU-UV Irradiance meter. ECC's and a Dobson are used at Natal while ECC's and a handheld Microtops Sunphotometer are used at Ascension Island. ECC ozonesondes are released from Natal as part of an agreement between NASA and INPE and from Ascension Island with US Air Force cooperation. Both of these sites provide vertical ozone profiles to SHADOZ. All of the instruments mentioned are widely used and need not be described further. Unique ECC preparation procedures developed at Wallops Island over many years also are used at the three sites. Description of the ECC calibration against known standards is given. Emphasis is given to results of comparisons between ECC's of two manufacturers, to the affect of different KI solutions and possible adjustment to older measurements that used different KI solution strengths, and to laboratory tests conducted during JOSIE2000 and their relationship to in situ tests conducted at Wallops Island. If time permits, we will give a summary of the performance of the ground-based instruments.

The effect of maternal and child early life factors on grade repetition among HIV exposed and unexposed children in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Mitchell, J M; Rochat, T J; Houle, B; Stein, A; Newell, M L; Bland, R M

2016-04-01

Receiving an education is essential for children living in poverty to fulfil their potential. Success in the early years of schooling is important as children who repeat grade one are particularly at risk for future dropout. We examined early life factors associated with grade repetition through logistic regression and explored reasons for repeating a grade through parent report. In 2012-2014 we re-enrolled children aged 7-11 years in rural KwaZulu-Natal who had been part of an early life intervention. Of the 894 children included, 43.1% had repeated a grade, of which 62.9% were boys. Higher maternal education (aOR 0.44; 95% CI 0.2-0.9) and being further along in the birth order (aOR 0.46; 95% CI 0.3-0.9) reduced the odds of grade repetition. In addition, maternal HIV status had the strongest effect on grade repetition for girls (aOR 2.17; 95% CI 1.3-3.8), whereas for boys, it was a fridge in the household (aOR 0.59; 95% CI 0.4-1.0). Issues with school readiness was the most common reason for repeating a grade according to parental report (126/385, 32.7%), while school disruptions was an important reason among HIV-exposed boys. Further research is needed to elucidate the pathways through which HIV affects girls' educational outcomes and potentially impacts on disrupted schooling for boys. Our results also highlight the importance of preparation for schooling in the early years of life; future research could focus on gaining a better understanding of mechanisms by which to improve early school success, including increased quality of reception year and investigating the protective effect of older siblings.

The link between behavioural type and natal dispersal propensity reveals a dispersal syndrome in a large herbivore

PubMed Central

Debeffe, L.; Morellet, N.; Bonnot, N.; Gaillard, J. M.; Cargnelutti, B.; Verheyden-Tixier, H.; Vanpé, C.; Coulon, A.; Clobert, J.; Bon, R.; Hewison, A. J. M.

2014-01-01

When individuals disperse, they modify the physical and social composition of their reproductive environment, potentially impacting their fitness. The choice an individual makes between dispersal and philopatry is thus critical, hence a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the decision to leave the natal area is crucial. We explored how combinations of behavioural (exploration, mobility, activity and stress response) and morphological (body mass) traits measured prior to dispersal were linked to the subsequent dispersal decision in 77 roe deer Capreolus capreolus fawns. Using an unusually detailed multi-trait approach, we identified two independent behavioural continuums related to dispersal. First, a continuum of energetic expenditure contrasted individuals of low mobility, low variability in head activity and low body temperature with those that displayed opposite traits. Second, a continuum of neophobia contrasted individuals that explored more prior to dispersal and were more tolerant of capture with those that displayed opposite traits. While accounting for possible confounding effects of condition-dependence (body mass), we showed that future dispersers were less neophobic and had higher energetic budgets than future philopatric individuals, providing strong support for a dispersal syndrome in this species. PMID:25030983

Ergonomics and environmental sustainability: a case study of raft fisherman activity at Ponta Negra Beach, Natal-RN.

PubMed

Celestino, Joyce Elanne Mateus; Bispo, Cristina de Souza; Saldanha, Maria Christine Werba; Mattos, Karen Maria da Costa

2012-01-01

This paper aims to present the significance of methods used by the Ergonomic Analysis of Work for the construction of the scenario of craft fishing with rafts, held by 42 fishermen on the beach of Ponta Negra, Natal - RN; and relate the knowledge in ergonomics to environmental aspects / impacts, aiming the sustainability in this activity. This research is characterized as a case study, of the descriptive and exploratory type and of applied nature. To collect data, we used observational methods, in order to expand information about the activity, and interaction, as conversational action and photographic/videos records to clarify points not covered by observation. It was observed problematic as the reduction of fishing productivity, alterations of the sea, difficulty in docking the rafts, and inadequate waste disposal, noting that this activity needs care regarding the use of the environment. The obtained results contributed to the organization of environmental education workshops, seeking to enhance good individual / collective environmental practices focused on the sustainability of the environment in which they live. Add the need for proposals aimed for managing the activity, involving fishermen, institutions and society, to ensure the improvement of the environment, hence the quality of life of the population.

Community attitudes towards individuals living with HIV in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ndinda, C; Chimbwete, C; McGrath, N; Pool, R; Mdp Group

2007-01-01

Antenatal sero-prevalence rates of 30% and more have been reported in KwaZulu-Natal since 1998 and over 50% of all adult deaths in 2000 were due to AIDS. Understanding the changing social and cultural attitudes to AIDS is important in providing contextual information to aid the design of interventions. This paper examines community attitudes towards individuals living with HIV. Eleven focus groups were conducted with men and women. Participants were asked to discuss how people living with HIV were treated within the family and community. The discussions were recorded and transcribed in isiZulu and then translated into English. These were coded using Nud*ist 6 software to identify key themes and sub-themes using content analysis. Gender and area differences were investigated. Generally participants expressed positive attitudes to the treatment of AIDS patients and felt that people living with HIV were being cared for within families. However, they reported more negative attitudes to those living with HIV by the general community and suggested these attitudes and acts of discrimination influenced disclosure. Discrimination included physical isolation and symbolism such as referring to them using a 'three finger' gesture. Participants also reported mixed responses to known HIV-positive individuals, ranging from sympathy to a lack of care, on the grounds that the person is certain to die. There are gender differences in terms of the attitudes towards people living with HIV. Compassion and hopelessness seem to be more common among women than men.

Improving public health information: a data quality intervention in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Mphatswe, W; Mate, K S; Bennett, B; Ngidi, H; Reddy, J; Barker, P M; Rollins, N

2012-03-01

To evaluate the effect of an intervention to improve the quality of data used to monitor the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of the human immunodeficiency virus in South Africa. The study involved 58 antenatal clinics and 20 delivery wards (37 urban, 21 rural and 20 semi-urban) in KwaZulu-Natal province that provided PMTCT services and reported data to the District Health Information System. The data improvement intervention, which was implemented between May 2008 and March 2009, involved training on data collection and feedback for health information personnel and programme managers, monthly data reviews and data audits at health-care facilities. Data on six data elements used to monitor PMTCT services and recorded in the information system were compared with source data from health facility registers before, during and after the intervention. Data completeness (i.e. their presence in the system) and accuracy (i.e. being within 10% of their true value) were evaluated. The level of data completeness increased from 26% before to 64% after the intervention. Similarly, the proportion of data in the information system considered accurate increased from 37% to 65% (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the correlation between data in the information system and those from facility registers rose from 0.54 to 0.92. A simple, practical data improvement intervention significantly increased the completeness and accuracy of the data used to monitor PMTCT services in South Africa.

Human papillomavirus infection in women attended at a cervical cancer screening service in Natal, Brazil

PubMed Central

de Medeiros Fernandes, Thales Allyrio Araújo; de Vasconcellos Meissner, Rosely; Bezerra, Laelson Freire; de Azevedo, Paulo Roberto Medeiros; Fernandes, José Veríssimo

2008-01-01

We analyzed cervical specimens of 202 women, aged 15 to 64 years, attended at Luis Antonio Hospital, Natal, Brazil, to determine the prevalence of HPV and identify the more frequent genotypes and risk factors for HPV infection in women attended at a cervical cancer screening service. Two specimens were collected from each patient: one for cytological examination and the other to detect HPV DNA by PCR, and typing by dot blot hybridization. A total of 54.5% of the sample had normal cytology and 45.5% had cytological alterations. HPV was detected in 24.5% of the cytologically normal women and in 59.8% of those with altered cytology. Both single and double HPV infection increased the likelihood of cytological alterations. Thirteen types of HPV were identified, most of which were high risk. HPV 16 was the most prevalent single-type infection, followed by HPV 58. The most frequent double infection was the association between HPV 56 and 57. The prevalence of HPV in cytologically normal women was greater than that reported for countries on all the continents except Africa. The inverse was observed in women with cytological alterations. The distribution of HPV types was similar to that described for the Americas, with some differences. Multiple sexual partners was the only risk factor showing an association with the presence of HPV infection. PMID:24031268

Deficits in adult prefrontal cortex neurons and behavior following early post-natal NMDA antagonist treatment.

PubMed

Coleman, Leon G; Jarskog, L Fredrik; Moy, Sheryl S; Crews, Fulton T

2009-09-01

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with higher cognitive functions including attention and working memory and has been implicated in the regulation of impulsivity as well as the pathology of complex mental illnesses. N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist treatment with dizocilpine induces cell death which is greatest in the frontal cortex on post-natal day seven (P7), however the long-term structural and behavioral effects of this treatment are unknown. This study investigates both the acute neurotoxicity of P7 dizocilpine and the persistent effects of this treatment on pyramidal cells and parvalbumin interneurons in the adult PFC, a brain region involved in the regulation of impulsivity. Dizocilpine treatment on P7 increased cleaved caspase-3 immunoreactivity (IR) in the PFC on P8. In adult mice (P82), P7 dizocilpine treatment resulted in 50% fewer parvalbumin-positive interneurons (p<0.01) and 42% fewer layer V pyramidal neurons (p<0.01) in the PFC. Double immunohistochemistry revealed cleaved caspase-3 IR in both GAD67 IR interneurons and GAD67 (-) neurons. Following dizocilpine treatment at P7, adults showed reduced time in the center of the open field suggesting increased anxiety-like behavior. These findings indicate that early brain insults affecting glutamatergic neurotransmission lead to persistent brain pathology that could contribute to impulsivity and cognitive dysfunction.

Gatekeeping and its impact on father involvement among Black South Africans in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Makusha, Tawanda; Richter, Linda

2016-01-01

Involved and caring fatherhood contributes to the health and wellbeing of children, women and men. The corollary is also true - men, women and children are affected when fathers are not involved or supportive of their children. Many factors affect fathers' involvement, including women's attitudes, the history and nature of the relationship between mother and father, and the cultural context. This study explores gatekeeping and its impact on father involvement among Black South Africans in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Among married couples, gatekeeping occurs with respect to childcare and housework through women's attempts to validate their maternal identity according to socially and culturally constructed gender roles. Among unmarried, non-resident parents, women control father-child contact and involvement, with mothers and/or their families either facilitating or inhibiting father involvement. In this context, we found that cultural gatekeeping had a huge impact on father involvement, with the non-payment of inhlawulo or lobola regulating father-child involvement. In a country like South Africa, where there is high non-marital fertility and father-child non-residence, future research, parenting and family programmes should focus on strategies that encourage positive paternal involvement as well as maternal and cultural support for father involvement, regardless of parental relationship and residence status.

Post-natal changes in MCT1 expression in the forestomach of calves.

PubMed

Pfannkuche, H; Taifour, F; Steinhoff-Wagner, J; Hammon, H M; Gäbel, G

2014-02-01

The monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) has been demonstrated to be involved in the transfer of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and/or their intraepithelial metabolites from the rumen to the blood. As MCT1 plays a role in SCFA transfer, it is assumed that SCFA are the main substrates influencing its expression. However, there are hints that MCT1 may also be expressed during the early life of the animal when SCFA are not released in the forestomach. To figure out whether MCT1 expression in the forestomach is influenced independently of SCFA during that period, we studied post-natal MCT1 expression immunohistochemically in the epithelia of omasum, atrium ruminis, saccus dorsalis ruminis, saccus ventralis ruminis and reticulum of calves born preterm and at term. The calves were nourished by colostrum or by milk-based formula diet. MCT1 could be found in all the forestomach compartments tested, even in preterm calves. The protein was mainly oriented to the luminal side in the immature epithelium 24 h after birth. Orientation to the blood side of the cells developed during the first 4 days after birth. In the rumen epithelia (but not in the other forestomach compartments tested), orientation of MCT1 to the blood side of the cells was paralleled by an increase in the overall expression rate during the first 4 days after birth. As lactate levels were very high directly after birth, a lactate-dependent substrate induction may have been the underlying mechanism. However, non-specific changes due to general differential processes might also be the cause. Both early upregulation of MCT1 and high blood lactate levels may provide the epithelia with lactate as energy source. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

High uptake of exclusive breastfeeding and reduced early post-natal HIV transmission.

PubMed

Kuhn, Louise; Sinkala, Moses; Kankasa, Chipepo; Semrau, Katherine; Kasonde, Prisca; Scott, Nancy; Mwiya, Mwiya; Vwalika, Cheswa; Walter, Jan; Tsai, Wei-Yann; Aldrovandi, Grace M; Thea, Donald M

2007-12-26

Empirical data showing the clear benefits of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for HIV prevention are needed to encourage implementation of lactation support programs for HIV-infected women in low resource settings among whom replacement feeding is unsafe. We conducted a prospective, observational study in Lusaka, Zambia, to test the hypothesis that EBF is associated with a lower risk of postnatal HIV transmission than non-EBF. As part of a randomized trial of early weaning, 958 HIV-infected women and their infants were recruited and all were encouraged to breastfeed exclusively to 4 months. Single-dose nevirapine was provided to prevent transmission. Regular samples were collected from infants to 24 months of age and tested by PCR. Detailed measurements of actual feeding behaviors were collected to examine, in an observational analysis, associations between feeding practices and postnatal HIV transmission. Uptake of EBF was high with 84% of women reporting only EBF cumulatively to 4 months. Post-natal HIV transmission before 4 months was significantly lower (p = 0.004) among EBF (0.040 95% CI: 0.024-0.055) than non-EBF infants (0.102 95% CI: 0.047-0.157); time-dependent Relative Hazard (RH) of transmission due to non-EBF = 3.48 (95% CI: 1.71-7.08). There were no significant differences in the severity of disease between EBF and non-EBF mothers and the association remained significant (RH = 2.68 95% CI: 1.28-5.62) after adjusting for maternal CD4 count, plasma viral load, syphilis screening results and low birth weight. Non-EBF more than doubles the risk of early postnatal HIV transmission. Programs to support EBF should be expanded universally in low resource settings. EBF is an affordable, feasible, acceptable, safe and sustainable practice that also reduces HIV transmission providing HIV-infected women with a means to protect their children's lives. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00310726.

Effects of an overload of animal protein on the rat: brain DNA alterations and tissue morphological modifications during fetal and post-natal stage.

PubMed

Greco, A M; Sticchi, R; Boschi, G; Vetrani, A; Salvatore, G

1985-01-01

On account of many literature reports about the definite correlation between high animal protein intake and cardiovascular diseases, we have studied the effect of a hyperproteic purified diet (casein 40%, lactalbumin 20%) on fetal and post-natal (not further than 40th day) stage of the rat, when cell subdivision process is faster and therefore damage by nutritional imbalance is certainly more serious. Litters of rats were grouped according to mother's (either hyperproteic or common basic) and rat's (after lactation) diet. Brain DNA and histology of various organs were studied. Hyperproteic diet during fetal stage and lactation would inhibit brain cell subdivision since overall content of brain DNA would be decreased on autoptic finding. Structural changes were also shown in liver, heart, kidney and adrenal cortex, especially when hyperproteic diet was continued even after lactation.

Pre- and post-natal exposure to antibiotics and the development of eczema, recurrent wheezing and atopic sensitization in children up to the age of 4 years.

PubMed

Dom, S; Droste, J H J; Sariachvili, M A; Hagendorens, M M; Oostveen, E; Bridts, C H; Stevens, W J; Wieringa, M H; Weyler, J J

2010-09-01

Little data are available on the relationship between indirect antibiotic exposure of the child in utero or during lactation and allergic diseases. On the other hand, several studies have been conducted on the association with direct post-natal antibiotic exposure, but the results are conflicting. The aim of this study was to investigate pre- and post-natal antibiotic exposure and the subsequent development of eczema, recurrent wheeze and atopic sensitization in children up to the age of 4 years. We conducted an aetiologic study in 773 children based on a prospective birth cohort project in which environmental and health information were collected using questionnaires. Antibiotic exposure was assessed as maternal antibiotic intake during pregnancy and during lactation and as medication intake of the child. The chronology of exposures and outcomes was taken into account during the data processing. At the age of 1 and 4 years, a blood sample was taken for the quantification of specific IgE. Prenatal antibiotic exposure was significantly positively associated with eczema, whereas no association was found with recurrent wheeze and atopic sensitization. We found a positive, although statistically not significant, association between antibiotic exposure through breastfeeding and recurrent wheeze. Neither eczema nor atopic sensitization was significantly associated with antibiotic exposure through breastfeeding. Finally, we observed a negative association between the use of antibiotics in the first year of life and eczema and atopic sensitization, and also between antibiotic use after the first year of life and recurrent wheeze, eczema and atopic sensitization. Indirect exposure to antibiotics (in utero and during lactation) increases the risk for allergic symptoms in children, while direct exposure to antibiotics appears to be protective. The biological mechanisms underlying these findings still need to be elucidated.

'A Labour of Love': A King's College London Psychiatry Society Event to challenge the stigma attached to mental health problems in post-natal women.

PubMed

Hankir, Ahmed; Brothwood, Phillipa; Crocker, Bethany; Lim, Mao Fong; Lever, Isabel; Carrick, Frederick; Zaman, Rashid; Jones, Charlotte Wilson

2017-09-01

On the 9 th October 2000, Dr Daksha Emson, a London based psychiatrist with bipolar affective disorder, tragically killed herself and her three-month-old baby daughter during a psychotic episode. An independent inquiry into Dr Emson's death concluded that mental health stigma in the National Health Service was a factor that contributed to her death. Despite the morbidity and mortality attributed to the stigma attached to post-natal mental health problems there are very few programmes that have been developed to challenge it. King's College London Undergraduate Psychiatry Society organized an event entitled, 'A Labour of Love': Perinatal Mental Health to address this issue. The event included a talk from an expert by experience, a mother who developed post-partum mental health problems. We conducted a single-arm, pre-post comparison study on participants who attended the KCL Psych Soc event. Validated stigma scales on knowledge (Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS)), attitudes (Community Attitudes towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI)) and behaviour (Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS)) were administered before and immediately after exposure to the event. 27/27 (100%) of participants recruited responded. There was a statistically significant difference in the pre-MAKS score compared to the post-MAKS score (p=0.0003), the pre-RIBS score compared to the post-RIBS score (p=0.0068) and in the pre-CAMI score compared to the post-CAMI score (p=0.0042). There were statistically significant reductions in stigma in the domains of knowledge, attitude and behavior following exposure to the KCL Psych Soc event and no adverse effects were reported. Our study revealed that a brief intervention made a highly significant impact and maybe useful in challenging the stigma around post-natal mental illness. However, more research in this area is required to determine if the changes are sustained before we can consider rolling out and scaling up such an initiative nationally and

Genetic structure and natal origins of immature hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Brazilian waters.

PubMed

Proietti, Maira C; Reisser, Julia; Marins, Luis Fernando; Rodriguez-Zarate, Clara; Marcovaldi, Maria A; Monteiro, Danielle S; Pattiaratchi, Charitha; Secchi, Eduardo R

2014-01-01

Understanding the connections between sea turtle populations is fundamental for their effective conservation. Brazil hosts important hawksbill feeding areas, but few studies have focused on how they connect with nesting populations in the Atlantic. Here, we (1) characterized mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes of immature hawksbills feeding along the coast of Brazil (five areas ranging from equatorial to temperate latitudes, 157 skin samples), (2) analyzed genetic structure among Atlantic hawksbill feeding populations, and (3) inferred natal origins of hawksbills in Brazilian waters using genetic, oceanographic, and population size information. We report ten haplotypes for the sampled Brazilian sites, most of which were previously observed at other Atlantic feeding grounds and rookeries. Genetic profiles of Brazilian feeding areas were significantly different from those in other regions (Caribbean and Africa), and a significant structure was observed between Brazilian feeding grounds grouped into areas influenced by the South Equatorial/North Brazil Current and those influenced by the Brazil Current. Our genetic analysis estimates that the studied Brazilian feeding aggregations are mostly composed of animals originating from the domestic rookeries Bahia and Pipa, but some contributions from African and Caribbean rookeries were also observed. Oceanographic data corroborated the local origins, but showed higher connection with West Africa and none with the Caribbean. High correlation was observed between origins estimated through genetics/rookery size and oceanographic/rookery size data, demonstrating that ocean currents and population sizes influence haplotype distribution of Brazil's hawksbill populations. The information presented here highlights the importance of national conservation strategies and international cooperation for the recovery of endangered hawksbill turtle populations.

Genetic Structure and Natal Origins of Immature Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Brazilian Waters

PubMed Central

Proietti, Maira C.; Reisser, Julia; Marins, Luis Fernando; Rodriguez-Zarate, Clara; Marcovaldi, Maria A.; Monteiro, Danielle S.; Pattiaratchi, Charitha; Secchi, Eduardo R.

2014-01-01

Understanding the connections between sea turtle populations is fundamental for their effective conservation. Brazil hosts important hawksbill feeding areas, but few studies have focused on how they connect with nesting populations in the Atlantic. Here, we (1) characterized mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes of immature hawksbills feeding along the coast of Brazil (five areas ranging from equatorial to temperate latitudes, 157 skin samples), (2) analyzed genetic structure among Atlantic hawksbill feeding populations, and (3) inferred natal origins of hawksbills in Brazilian waters using genetic, oceanographic, and population size information. We report ten haplotypes for the sampled Brazilian sites, most of which were previously observed at other Atlantic feeding grounds and rookeries. Genetic profiles of Brazilian feeding areas were significantly different from those in other regions (Caribbean and Africa), and a significant structure was observed between Brazilian feeding grounds grouped into areas influenced by the South Equatorial/North Brazil Current and those influenced by the Brazil Current. Our genetic analysis estimates that the studied Brazilian feeding aggregations are mostly composed of animals originating from the domestic rookeries Bahia and Pipa, but some contributions from African and Caribbean rookeries were also observed. Oceanographic data corroborated the local origins, but showed higher connection with West Africa and none with the Caribbean. High correlation was observed between origins estimated through genetics/rookery size and oceanographic/rookery size data, demonstrating that ocean currents and population sizes influence haplotype distribution of Brazil's hawksbill populations. The information presented here highlights the importance of national conservation strategies and international cooperation for the recovery of endangered hawksbill turtle populations. PMID:24558419

Oral histories of HIV/AIDS support group members, NGO workers and home-based carers in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Denis, Philippe

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to bring to the attention of the AIDS research community the existence of an oral history project known as the Memories of AIDS Project. The project focused on HIV/AIDS support group members, non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers and home-based carers in the Umgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg) District Municipality, South Africa. The project was carried out by the Sinomlando Centre for Oral History and Memory Work, a research and community development centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, over a period of three years (2011-2013). Sixty-five individual oral history interviews of 1 to 4 hours duration and 11 focus group sessions were recorded, transcribed and translated from isiZulu into English when necessary. The life stories of community workers and support group members documented in the interviews show, on the part of the informants, a remarkable degree of agency and assertiveness in matters of sexuality, gender relations and religious beliefs. They found innovative ways of navigating through the conflicting claims of biomedicine, Christianity and African traditional religion. As much as the epidemic caused grief and suffering, it opened the door to new knowledge and new opportunities.

Factors associated with the take-up of voluntary medical male circumcision amongst learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

George, Gavin; Govender, Kaymarlin; Beckett, Sean; Montague, Carl; Frohlich, Janet

2017-09-01

Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an integral part of South Africa's HIV prevention programme. School-going males, in particular, are considered a cost-effective target population. However, ambitious policy targets have not been achieved due to the plateau in demand for VMMC. This study documents the factors influencing demand for VMMC amongst school-going males. Data were collected from 750 learners (251 circumcised and 499 uncircumcised) from 42 secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. There was a positive association between the perceived benefit of VMMC and the likelihood of undergoing circumcision (AOR: 1.41, p = 0.01). There was a negative association between self-efficacy to use condoms and likelihood of undergoing VMMC (AOR: 0.75, p < 0.01). Learners who perceived VMMC as having a number of health benefits, including reducting of the chances of contracting HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), increasing penile hygiene and the belief that VMMC allows them to use condoms less frequently, were more likely to undergo VMMC. Of concern, learners who were confident in their ability to access condoms and t use a condom with their partner were less likely to undergo VMMC.

Paediatric surgery outreach: analysis of referrals to a tertiary paediatric surgery service to plan an outreach programme Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Manickchund, Yashoda; Hadley, G P

2017-10-01

Paediatric surgical disease is a neglected health problem. Patients travel great distances to tertiary level care for management. This study aimed at analysing referral patterns to design an outreach programme for paediatric surgery in KwaZulu Natal. Data forms of patients referred to the service between January and July 2016 were correlated with the clinical record. Delays in management were compared to morbidity and mortality. Out of 781, 158 referrals were accepted as emergencies. The majority (62%) were children aged < 1 year. Gastro-intestinal problems (38.4%) and congenital anomalies (26.9%) formed the majority. Patients who died had a significantly longer delay in transfer. Longer total delay was associated with statistically significant greater morbidity. In a setting where a large rural population is served by single-centre tertiary care, delays exist and contribute to morbidity. The authors advocate the establishment of an outreach programme to address these issues.

Science versus the stars: a double-blind test of the validity of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and computer-generated astrological natal charts.

PubMed

Wyman, Alyssa Jayne; Vyse, Stuart

2008-07-01

The authors asked 52 college students (38 women, 14 men, M age = 19.3 years, SD = 1.3 years) to identify their personality summaries by using a computer-generated astrological natal chart when presented with 1 true summary and 1 bogus one. Similarly, the authors asked participants to identify their true personality profile from real and bogus summaries that the authors derived from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; P. T. Costa Jr. & R. R. McCrae, 1985). Participants identified their real NEO-FFI profiles at a greater-than-chance level but were unable to identify their real astrological summaries. The authors observed a P. T. Barnum effect in the accuracy ratings of both psychological and astrological measures but did not find differences between the odd-numbered (i.e., favorable) signs and the even-numbered (i.e., unfavorable) signs.

A gendered study of young adult contraceptive use at one university in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Oyedeji, O A; Cassimjee, R

2006-08-01

This study explores contraceptive use among young adult male and female students (aged 18-25) who visit the campus clinic at a university in KwaZulu-Natal. Both a descriptive survey and face to face interviews were used for data collection. In this study, it is affirmed that gender stratification, societal attitudes, and misconceptions about contraceptive use play an important role in the attitudes of young adults, male and female towards contraception and its use. Evidence of this is the high use of condoms amongst both male and female students' compared with other available methods. Among female students this was highly attributed to personal convenience and comfort with condom use as an unmarried young woman. It was clear from the data collected that respondents themselves attached some stigma to being associated with the use of contraceptive pills or having to visit the clinic regularly for injections as young unmarried women. Male respondents affirmed the use of the condom, although this was hardly with the view of taking reproductive/contraceptive responsibility, but rather, it was attributed to the function of the condom as a safe sex method that offered protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Also evident from the study was the fact that male respondents felt more comfortable with their sexual functioning than the female respondents. This was easily attributed to the role of societal gender stratification in an individual's life.

Experiences of homosexual patients' access to primary health care services in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Cele, Nokulunga H; Sibiya, Maureen N; Sokhela, Dudu G

2015-09-28

Homosexual patients are affected by social factors in their environment, and as a result may not have easy access to existing health care services. Prejudice against homosexuality and homosexual patients remains a barrier to them seeking appropriate healthcare. The concern is that lesbians and gays might delay or avoid seeking health care when they need it because of past discrimination or perceived homophobia within the health care thereby putting their health at risk. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of homosexual patients utilising primary health care (PHC) services in Umlazi in the province ofKwaZulu-Natal (KZN). A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was conducted which was contextual innature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. The findings of this study were analysed using content analysis. Two major themes emerged from the data analysis, namely, prejudice against homosexual patients by health care providers and other patients at the primary health care facilities, and, homophobic behaviour from primary health care personnel. Participants experienced prejudice and homophobic behaviour in the course of utilising PHC clinics in Umlazi, which created a barrier to their utilisation of health services located there. Nursing education institutions, in collaboration with the National Department of Health, should introduce homosexuality and anti-homophobia education programmes during the pre-service and in-service education period. Such programmes will help to familiarise health care providers with the health care needs of homosexual patients and may decrease homophobic attitudes.

Cambrian palaeomagnetic data confirm a Natal Embayment location for the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains, Antarctica, in Gondwana reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randall, Darren E.; Mac Niocaill, Conall

2004-04-01

The Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains (EWM) are one of five terranes that form West Antarctica. Constraining the positions of these terranes in pre-break up Gondwana is crucial to understanding the history of the palaeo-Pacific Gondwana margin. We report the results of a detailed palaeomagnetic investigation of the EWM, which comprises some 150 sites in six formations, ranging in age from Cambrian to Permian. Five of the studied units yield only viscous remnant magnetizations of recent age, or unstable natural remanent magnetizations. The remaining unit, the mid-late Cambrian Frazier Ridge Formation, yielded stable magnetizations at 16 of 35 sites. This component passes a fold test at the 95 per cent confidence level, indicating that it pre-dates Permian deformation, and we argue that it is of primary origin. The resulting palaeopole (9°N 293°E A95= 5.1°) is in good agreement with two previously published palaeopoles from similarly aged rocks in the EWM. Collectively these data indicate that the EWM were located in the Natal Embayment prior to Gondwana break-up, and underwent 90° of anticlockwise rotation during break-up. All three studies, however, yield inclinations that are slightly too shallow when compared with coeval Gondwana reference poles.

Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild animals from forest fragments of the municipality of Natal, northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Fournier, Gislene Fátima da Silva Rocha; Lopes, Marcos Gomes; Marcili, Arlei; Ramirez, Diego Garcia; Acosta, Igor Cunha Lima; Ferreira, Juliana Isabel Giuli da Silva; Cabral, Aline Diniz; Lima, Júlia Tereza Ribeiro de; Pena, Hilda Fátima de Jesus; Dias, Ricardo Augusto; Gennari, Solange Maria

2014-01-01

Toxoplasmosis stands out as a global disease that has felines as definitive hosts. In the municipality of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, two parks are notable for their ecological and social importance. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in short hair cats, bats and small non-volant mammals in these two ecological reserves. Altogether, biological samples were obtained from 154 mammals, 92 wild animals from both areas and 62 domestic cats of the Parque da Cidade. In total, 22 (53.7%) non-volant wild mammals, 11 (21.5%) bats and 28 (52.8%) cats were positive for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (≥ 25). It was possible to detect the presence of T. gondii DNA, by means of a molecular amplification of a B1 gene fragment (155bp), in 92 tissue samples from wild animals, including Didelphis albiventris, Monodelphis domestica, Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata and Glossophaga soricina. Of the 62 cats examined by the same molecular method, T. gondii DNA could be detected in 4 cats. In this study, it was observed the circulation of T. gondii in wild species and domestic cats, demonstrating the involvement of wild and domestic animals in the cycle of T. gondii.

Modeling malaria control intervention effect in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using intervention time series analysis.

PubMed

Ebhuoma, Osadolor; Gebreslasie, Michael; Magubane, Lethumusa

The change of the malaria control intervention policy in South Africa (SA), re-introduction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), may be responsible for the low and sustained malaria transmission in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). We evaluated the effect of the re-introduction of DDT on malaria in KZN and suggested practical ways the province can strengthen her already existing malaria control and elimination efforts, to achieve zero malaria transmission. We obtained confirmed monthly malaria cases in KZN from the malaria control program of KZN from 1998 to 2014. The seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) intervention time series analysis (ITSA) was employed to model the effect of the re-introduction of DDT on confirmed monthly malaria cases. The result is an abrupt and permanent decline of monthly malaria cases (w 0 =-1174.781, p-value=0.003) following the implementation of the intervention policy. The sustained low malaria cases observed over a long period suggests that the continued usage of DDT did not result in insecticide resistance as earlier anticipated. It may be due to exophagic malaria vectors, which renders the indoor residual spraying not totally effective. Therefore, the feasibility of reducing malaria transmission to zero in KZN requires other reliable and complementary intervention resources to optimize the existing ones. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

High Burden of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection among Young Women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ebrahim, Sumayyah; Mndende, Xolani K; Kharsany, Ayesha B M; Mbulawa, Zizipho Z A; Naranbhai, Vivek; Frohlich, Janet; Werner, Lise; Samsunder, Natasha; Karim, Quarraisha Abdool; Williamson, Anna-Lise

2016-01-01

HPV infection causes cervical cancer, yet information on prevalence and risk factors for HPV in Africa remain sparse. This study describes the prevalence of HPV genotypes and risk factors associated with HPV among young women ≤ 30 years of age in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Cervicovaginal lavage samples were tested for HPV genotypes in 224 women enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Clinical, behavioural and demographic data were collected. We measured prevalence of HPV genotypes and using logistic regression, examined for factors associated with HPV. Median age of participants was 21 years [interquartile range (IQR):18-23]. The overall prevalence of HPV was 76.3% (171/224) with multiple and single genotypes prevalent in 56.3% and 20.1% of women respectively. Proportion of women with high-risk genotypes (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56 and 58) was 54.5%. Women not living with their partner [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] = 3.42 95% CI1.22-9.60; p = 0.019), was significantly associated with HPV infection and high-risk HPV genotype infection. The high burden of HPV and associated risk behaviours highlight the need to intensify behavioural interventions to prevent HPV acquisition in young women. The large scale delivery of HPV vaccine should be prioritised to prevent HPV acquisition and reduce HPV-related morbidity.

Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Netherlands, Edward C.; Cook, Courtney A.; Kruger, Donnavan J.D.; du Preez, Louis H.; Smit, Nico J.

2015-01-01

Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty per cent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral or bacterial organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity. PMID:25830113

Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Netherlands, Edward C; Cook, Courtney A; Kruger, Donnavan J D; du Preez, Louis H; Smit, Nico J

2015-04-01

Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty per cent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral or bacterial organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity.

Evaluation of the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale using Rasch analysis

PubMed Central

Pallant, Julie F; Miller, Renée L; Tennant, Alan

2006-01-01

Background The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a 10 item self-rating post-natal depression scale which has seen widespread use in epidemiological and clinical studies. Concern has been raised over the validity of the EPDS as a single summed scale, with suggestions that it measures two separate aspects, one of depressive feelings, the other of anxiety. Methods As part of a larger cross-sectional study conducted in Melbourne, Australia, a community sample (324 women, ranging in age from 18 to 44 years: mean = 32 yrs, SD = 4.6), was obtained by inviting primiparous women to participate voluntarily in this study. Data from the EPDS were fitted to the Rasch measurement model and tested for appropriate category ordering, for item bias through Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis, and for unidimensionality through tests of the assumption of local independence. Results Rasch analysis of the data from the ten item scale initially demonstrated a lack of fit to the model with a significant Item-Trait Interaction total chi-square (chi Square = 82.8, df = 40; p < .001). Removal of two items (items 7 and 8) resulted in a non-significant Item-Trait Interaction total chi-square with a residual mean value for items of -0.467 with a standard deviation of 0.850, showing fit to the model. No DIF existed in the final 8-item scale (EPDS-8) and all items showed fit to model expectations. Principal Components Analysis of the residuals supported the local independence assumption, and unidimensionality of the revised EPDS-8 scale. Revised cut points were identified for EPDS-8 to maintain the case identification of the original scale. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that EPDS, in its original 10 item form, is not a viable scale for the unidimensional measurement of depression. Rasch analysis suggests that a revised eight item version (EPDS-8) would provide a more psychometrically robust scale. The revised cut points of 7/8 and 9/10 for the EPDS-8 show high

Business ethics of private general practitioners in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Morris, Gary

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Private general practitioners (GPs) have been criticised by the lay press citing unethical practice and the acceptance of kickbacks. In 2003, the Ethics Institute of South Africa conducted a national study of all doctors and also accused private GPs of unethical practice. In countries such as South Africa, with a practice of fee-for-service payments, there may be a temptation to put material interests above the best interests of patients. Private GPs, on the other hand, are of the opinion that the press and the Ethics Institute publication have unfairly singled them out. Objective To detect whether private GPs in KwaDukuza perceive their colleagues to be practising ethically. Method The study entailed a cross-sectional descriptive study design, in which all 30 private GPs based in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire during 2003. The survey was done on a voluntary basis and anonymity and confidentiality was maintained. Results Twenty-five doctors returned completed questionnaires (an 83.3% response rate). Seventy per cent perceived their peers to be practicing ethically, while 48% (12/25) reported that they did not observe any medical misconduct by their colleagues. The majority of the respondents (76%) reported that they did not know of any colleague who supplemented his or her income through the over-servicing of patients. The majority of the respondents (84%) also reported that their colleagues never accepted cash payments that were not declared for income tax purposes. Medically unnecessary tests are a form of unethical behaviour pertaining to over-servicing, and 64% of the respondents reported that medically unnecessary tests to satisfy patient requests were not an important reason for performing these tests. The doctors expressed high stress levels from multiple stressors in their occupation. Conclusion GPs in KwaDukuza indicated that they were under stress, but still practised ethically. The

Gambling participation and problem gambling severity among rural and peri-urban poor South African adults in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Dellis, Andrew; Spurrett, David; Hofmeyr, Andre; Sharp, Carla; Ross, Don

2013-09-01

Poor South Africans are significantly poorer and have lower employment rates than the subjects of most published research on gambling prevalence and problem gambling. Some existing work suggests relationships between gambling activity (including severity of risk for problem gambling), income, employment status and casino proximity. The objective of the study reported here is to establish the prevalence of gambling, including at risk and pathological gambling, and the profile of gambling activities in two samples of poor South African adults living in a rural and a peri-urban community. A total of 300 (150 male, 150 female) adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in communities selected using census data, completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index and a survey of socioeconomic and household information, and of gambling knowledge and activity. It was found that gambling was common, and-except for lottery participation-mostly informal or unlicensed. Significant differences between rural and peri-urban populations were found. Peri-urban subjects were slightly less poor, and gambled more and on a different and wider range of activities. Problem and at risk gamblers were disproportionately represented among the more urbanised. Casino proximity appeared largely irrelevant to gambling activity.

Climate and cholera in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: the role of environmental factors and implications for epidemic preparedness.

PubMed

Mendelsohn, Joshua; Dawson, Terry

2008-03-01

A cholera epidemic that took place in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2000-2001) was employed to investigate the impact of climatic and environmental drivers on cholera dynamics. Precipitation (PRE), sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) data acquired from publicly available satellite and ground measurements were analysed together with disease incidence in an effort to assess the environmental contribution to the outbreak. SST (r(2)=0.749, lag=0 months) and PRE (r(2)=0.744, lag=2 months) showed strong associations with incidence. CHL-a showed a moderately strong (r(2)=0.656, lag=6 months) association with incidence while sea surface height (SSH) demonstrated a weak relationship with incidence (r(2)=0.326, lag=5 months). Our analysis tentatively supports a coastal transmission hypothesis, heavily influenced by localized PRE extremes. The role of SSH is likely attenuated by local coastal topography. Future work should clarify the mechanism linking coastal cholera reservoirs and the regional climate system to outbreaks in this region. Finally, we discuss benefits of further research in this area using extended remotely sensed and epidemiological datasets towards the development of early-warning systems and enhanced epidemic preparedness.

The Interaction between HIV and Intestinal Helminth Parasites Coinfection with Nutrition among Adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Mabaso, M.; Mamba, T.; Napier, C. E.; Mkhize-Kwitshana, Z. L.

2017-01-01

In South Africa few studies have examined the effects of the overlap of HIV and helminth infections on nutritional status. This cross-sectional study investigated the interaction between HIV and intestinal helminths coinfection with nutritional status among KwaZulu-Natal adults. Participants were recruited from a comprehensive primary health care clinic and stratified based on their HIV, stool parasitology, IgE, and IgG4 results into four groups: the uninfected, HIV infected, helminth infected, and HIV-helminth coinfected groups. The nutritional status was assessed using body mass index, 24-hour food recall, micro-, and macronutrient biochemical markers. Univariate and multivariate multinomial probit regression models were used to assess nutritional factors associated with singly and dually infected groups using the uninfected group as a reference category. Biochemically, the HIV-helminth coinfected group was associated with a significantly higher total protein, higher percentage of transferrin saturation, and significantly lower ferritin. There was no significant association between single or dual infections with HIV and helminths with micro- and macronutrient deficiency; however general obesity and low micronutrient intake patterns, which may indicate a general predisposition to micronutrient and protein-energy deficiency, were observed and may need further investigations. PMID:28421202

Natal dispersal and genetic structure in a population of the European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

PubMed

Webb, N J; Ibrahim, K M; Bell, D J; Hewitt, G M

1995-04-01

A combination of behavioural observation, DNA fingerprinting, and allozyme analysis were used to examine natal dispersal in a wild rabbit population. Rabbits lived in territorial, warren based social groups. Over a 6-year period, significantly more male than female rabbits moved to a new social group before the start of their first breeding season. This pattern of female philopatry and male dispersal was reflected in the genetic structure of the population. DNA fingerprint band-sharing coefficients were significantly higher for females within the same group than for females between groups, while this was not the case for males. Wright's inbreeding coefficients were calculated from fingerprint band-sharing values and compared to those obtained from allozyme data. There was little correlation between the relative magnitudes of the F-statistics calculated using the two techniques for comparisons between different social groups. In contrast, two alternative methods for calculating FST from DNA fingerprints gave reasonably concordant values although those based on band-sharing were consistently lower than those calculated by an 'allele' frequency approach. A negative FIS value was obtained from allozyme data. Such excess heterozygosity within social groups is expected even under random mating given the social structure and sex-biased dispersal but it is argued that the possibility of behavioural avoidance of inbreeding should not be discounted in this species. Estimates of genetic differentiation obtained from allozyme and DNA fingerprint data agreed closely with reported estimates for the yellow-bellied marmot, a species with a very similar social structure to the European rabbit.

The influence of biological factors on students' sexual behaviour at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Mutinta, Given; Govender, Kaymarlin; George, Gavin; Gow, Jeff

2014-01-01

Studies in South African universities reveal that the prevalence of sexual risk behaviour is very high, putting many students at high risk of HIV infection. This study explored the biological influences on students' sexual taking behaviour at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A qualitative approach was used, comprising a total of 80 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions. These were conducted between late 2008 and early 2010. The research had equal representation of male and female students, different races, two campuses and different levels of study. Factors associated with students' sexual behaviour were identified. The data were analysed using thematic analysis, and the themes identified form the basis for discussion in this paper. Students' sexual behaviour was positively associated with the influence of a range of biological factors. Factors such as age, judgement of the health of the partner by looking at appearances, pursuit of physical beauty, sexual debut, sexual fit, and search for sexual pleasure encouraged students to engage in sexual behaviour. Most students are young and lack experience in assessing the influence of biological factors on their sexual behaviours, and need education on biological factors. This poses a big challenge to controlling students' sexual behaviour, especially if HIV and sexually transmitted diseases prevention interventions are to be successful.

Assessing Local Risk of Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling.

PubMed

Heidebrecht, Christine L; Podewils, Laura J; Pym, Alexander; Mthiyane, Thuli; Cohen, Ted

2016-01-01

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has the highest burden of notified multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB cases in South Africa. A better understanding of spatial heterogeneity in the risk of drug-resistance may help to prioritize local responses. Between July 2012 and June 2013, we conducted a two-way Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) study to classify the burden of rifampicin (RIF)-resistant TB among incident TB cases notified within the catchment areas of seven laboratories in two northern and one southern district of KZN. Decision rules for classification of areas as having either a high- or low-risk of RIF resistant TB (based on proportion of RIF resistance among all TB cases) were based on consultation with local policy makers. We classified five areas as high-risk and two as low-risk. High-risk areas were identified in both Southern and Northern districts, with the greatest proportion of RIF resistance observed in the northernmost area, the Manguzi community situated on the Mozambique border. Our study revealed heterogeneity in the risk of RIF resistant disease among incident TB cases in KZN. This study demonstrates the potential for LQAS to detect geographic heterogeneity in areas where access to drug susceptibility testing is limited.

Assessing Local Risk of Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling

PubMed Central

Heidebrecht, Christine L.; Podewils, Laura J.; Pym, Alexander; Mthiyane, Thuli; Cohen, Ted

2016-01-01

Background KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has the highest burden of notified multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB cases in South Africa. A better understanding of spatial heterogeneity in the risk of drug-resistance may help to prioritize local responses. Methods Between July 2012 and June 2013, we conducted a two-way Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) study to classify the burden of rifampicin (RIF)-resistant TB among incident TB cases notified within the catchment areas of seven laboratories in two northern and one southern district of KZN. Decision rules for classification of areas as having either a high- or low-risk of RIF resistant TB (based on proportion of RIF resistance among all TB cases) were based on consultation with local policy makers. Results We classified five areas as high-risk and two as low-risk. High-risk areas were identified in both Southern and Northern districts, with the greatest proportion of RIF resistance observed in the northernmost area, the Manguzi community situated on the Mozambique border. Conclusion Our study revealed heterogeneity in the risk of RIF resistant disease among incident TB cases in KZN. This study demonstrates the potential for LQAS to detect geographic heterogeneity in areas where access to drug susceptibility testing is limited. PMID:27050561

Ethical considerations of mobile phone use by patients in KwaZulu-Natal: Obstacles for mHealth?

PubMed

Jack, Caron L; Mars, Maurice

2014-08-13

mHealth has the potential to facilitate telemedicine services, particularly in the developing world. Concern has been expressed about the confidentiality of health information that is relayed by mobile phone. We examined the habits and practices of mobile phone use by patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We conducted a descriptive survey of two patient populations: 137 urban patients attending private practitioners and 139 patients in remote rural areas attending outpatient departments in Government-funded hospitals. The questionnaire covered several domains: demographics, mobile phone use, privacy and confidentiality and future use for health-related matters. Two hundred and seventy-six patients completed the questionnaire. We found that a third of our participants shared their mobile phone with others, 24% lent their phone to others and more than half received health-related messages for other people. Mobile phone theft was common, as was number changing. Thirty-eight percent of the people were not able to afford airtime for more than a week in the past year and 22% of rural patients were unable to keep their phone charged. Mobile phone signal coverage was significantly worse in the rural areas than in urban areas. This study highlights the legal and ethical ramifications that these practices and findings will have on mHealth programmes in our setting. Healthcare providers and regulators will need to consider how patients use and manage their mobile phones when developing services and regulations.

Indirect estimates of natal dispersal distance from genetic data in a stream-dwelling fish (Mogurnda adspersa).

PubMed

Shipham, Ashlee; Schmidt, Daniel J; Hughes, Jane M

2013-01-01

Recent work has highlighted the need to account for hierarchical patterns of genetic structure when estimating evolutionary and ecological parameters of interest. This caution is particularly relevant to studies of riverine organisms, where hierarchical structure appears to be commonplace. Here, we indirectly estimate dispersal distance in a hierarchically structured freshwater fish, Mogurnda adspersa. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data were obtained for 443 individuals across 27 sites separated by an average of 1.3 km within creeks of southeastern Queensland, Australia. Significant genetic structure was found among sites (mtDNA Φ(ST) = 0.508; microsatellite F(ST) = 0.225, F'(ST) = 0.340). Various clustering methods produced congruent patterns of hierarchical structure reflecting stream architecture. Partial mantel tests identified contiguous sets of sample sites where isolation by distance (IBD) explained F(ST) variation without significant contribution of hierarchical structure. Analysis of mean natal dispersal distance (σ) within sets of IBD-linked sample sites suggested most dispersal occurs over less than 1 km, and the average effective density (D(e)) was estimated at 11.5 individuals km(-1); indicating sedentary behavior and small effective population size are responsible for the remarkable patterns of genetic structure observed. Our results demonstrate that Rousset's regression-based method is applicable to estimating the scale of dispersal in riverine organisms and that identifying contiguous populations that satisfy the assumptions of this model is achievable with genetic clustering methods and partial correlations.

Pre- and Post-Natal Maternal Depressive Symptoms in Relation with Infant Frontal Function, Connectivity, and Behaviors

PubMed Central

Soe, Ni Ni; Wen, Daniel J.; Poh, Joann S.; Li, Yue; Broekman, Birit F. P.; Chen, Helen; Chong, Yap Seng; Kwek, Kenneth; Saw, Seang-Mei; Gluckman, Peter D.; Meaney, Michael J.; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Qiu, Anqi

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between pre- and early post-natal maternal depression and their changes with frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and functional connectivity in 6- and 18-month olds, as well as externalizing and internalizing behaviors in 24-month olds (n = 258). Neither prenatal nor postnatal maternal depressive symptoms independently predicted neither the frontal EEG activity nor functional connectivity in 6- and 18-month infants. However, increasing maternal depressive symptoms from the prenatal to postnatal period predicted greater right frontal activity and relative right frontal asymmetry amongst 6-month infants but these finding were not observed amongst 18-month infants after adjusted for post-conceptual age on the EEG visit day. Subsequently increasing maternal depressive symptoms from the prenatal to postnatal period predicted lower right frontal connectivity within 18-month infants but not among 6-month infants after controlling for post-conceptual age on the EEG visit day. These findings were observed in the full sample and the female sample but not in the male sample. Moreover, both prenatal and early postnatal maternal depressive symptoms independently predicted children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors at 24 months of age. This suggests that the altered frontal functional connectivity in infants born to mothers whose depressive symptomatology increases in the early postnatal period compared to that during pregnancy may reflect a neural basis for the familial transmission of phenotypes associated with mood disorders, particularly in girls. PMID:27073881

Ethical considerations of mobile phone use by patients in KwaZulu-Natal: Obstacles for mHealth?

PubMed Central

Mars, Maurice

2014-01-01

Abstract Background mHealth has the potential to facilitate telemedicine services, particularly in the developing world. Concern has been expressed about the confidentiality of health information that is relayed by mobile phone. Aim We examined the habits and practices of mobile phone use by patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods We conducted a descriptive survey of two patient populations: 137 urban patients attending private practitioners and 139 patients in remote rural areas attending outpatient departments in Government-funded hospitals. The questionnaire covered several domains: demographics, mobile phone use, privacy and confidentiality and future use for health-related matters. Results Two hundred and seventy-six patients completed the questionnaire. We found that a third of our participants shared their mobile phone with others, 24% lent their phone to others and more than half received health-related messages for other people. Mobile phone theft was common, as was number changing. Thirty-eight percent of the people were not able to afford airtime for more than a week in the past year and 22% of rural patients were unable to keep their phone charged. Mobile phone signal coverage was significantly worse in the rural areas than in urban areas. Conclusion This study highlights the legal and ethical ramifications that these practices and findings will have on mHealth programmes in our setting. Healthcare providers and regulators will need to consider how patients use and manage their mobile phones when developing services and regulations. PMID:26245406

Size-defined morphotypes in Zoanthus (Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) populations on shores in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ryland, John S

2015-07-17

Colonial zoanthids are a conspicuous feature of the subtropical rocky intertidal in KwaZulu-Natal but those of the genus Zoanthus have a confused taxonomy with 10, difficult to separate, nominal species described from the region. This paper presents an analysis of polyp size, measured as mean diameter determined photographically from the number of polyps occupying an area of 6 × 4 cm(2). The results, based on diameter frequency of 127 samples from five shores, indicate three populations (morphotypes) with means of 4.3 (SD ±0.53), 5.7 (SD ±0.70) and 8.4 (SD ±0.58) mm occurring in the approximate abundance ratios of 10:5:1, possibly corresponding to Zoanthus sansibaricus, Z. natalensis and Z. lawrencei. The underlying assumptions with regard to population structure (the number, size and degree of fragmentation of clones) and the normality of data are discussed, as are trans-oceanic larval dispersal, recruitment, and genetic connectivity. The essential, traditional species description in Zoanthus, using internal morphology, on its own may be an inadequate discriminator of species. The status of the few possibly valid species is discussed in relation to the present results and recent studies based on the application of molecular genetics. Thorough studies of the population structure (genets and ramets) and a taxonomic approach based on the combined use of morphology, genetic methods and statistically robust, quantitative morphometrics are proposed as a potential way forward.

HIV-Infected Adolescent Mothers and Their Infants: Low Coverage of HIV Services and High Risk of HIV Transmission in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Horwood, Christiane; Butler, Lisa M.; Haskins, Lyn; Phakathi, Sifiso; Rollins, Nigel

2013-01-01

Objectives Rates of pregnancy and HIV infection are high among South African adolescents, yet little is known about rates of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) in this group. We report a comparison of the characteristics of adolescent mothers and adult mothers, including HIV prevalence and MTCT rates. Methods We examined patterns of health service utilization during the antenatal and early postnatal period, HIV prevalence and MTCT amongst adolescent (<20-years-old) and adult (20 to 39-years-old) mothers with infants aged ≤16 weeks attending immunization clinics in six districts of KwaZulu-Natal between May 2008 and April 2009. Findings Interviews were conducted with 19,093 mothers aged between 12 and 39 years whose infants were aged ≤16 weeks. Most mothers had attended antenatal care four or more times during their last pregnancy (80.3%), and reported having an HIV test (98.2%). A greater proportion of HIV-infected adult mothers, compared to adolescent mothers, reported themselves as HIV-positive (41.2% vs. 15.9%, p<0.0001), reported having a CD4 count taken during their pregnancy (81.0% vs. 66.5%, p<0.0001), and having received the CD4 count result (84.4% vs. 75.7%, p<0.0001). Significantly fewer adolescent mothers received the recommended PMTCT regimen. HIV antibody was detected in 40.4% of 7,800 infants aged 4–8 weeks tested for HIV, indicating HIV exposure. This was higher among infants of adult mothers (47.4%) compared to adolescent mothers (17.9%, p<0.0001). The MTCT rate at 4–8 weeks of age was significantly higher amongst infants of adolescent mothers compared to adult mothers (35/325 [10.8%] vs. 185/2,800 [6.1%], OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2–2.4). Conclusion Despite high levels of antenatal clinic attendance among pregnant adolescents in KwaZulu-Natal, the MTCT risk is higher among infants of HIV-infected adolescent mothers compared to adult mothers. Access to adolescent-friendly family planning and PMTCT services should be prioritised for this

End-preparation assessments and tests for compounded sterile preparations.

PubMed

McElhiney, Linda F

2013-01-01

Outsourcing has become a necessity to obtain sterile products that are currently on backorder. Because of the expense of outsourcing sterile compounding, pharmacy leadership in health systems are now considering the option of insourcing and batch preparing compounded sterile preparations, which can be a viable option for a health system. It can significantly decrease drug-spending costs, and the pharmacy has a complete record of the compounding process. The key to preparing high-quality, safe, sterile preparations and meeting United States Pharmacopeia standards is end-preparation assessments and tests.

Occupational Risk Factors for Tuberculosis Among Healthcare Workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Tudor, Carrie; Van der Walt, Martie L.; Margot, Bruce; Dorman, Susan E.; Pan, William K.; Yenokyan, Gayane; Farley, Jason E.

2016-01-01

Background. Tuberculosis is a known occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in countries with a high burden of tuberculosis. It is estimated that HCWs have a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of developing tuberculosis compared with the general population. The objective of this study was to identify occupational risk factors for tuberculosis among HCWs in 3 district hospitals with specialized multidrug-resistant tuberculosis wards in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods. We conducted a case-control study of HCWs diagnosed with tuberculosis between January 2006 and December 2010. Cases and controls were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding potential risk factors for tuberculosis. Results. Of 307 subjects selected, 145 (47%) HCWs responded to the questionnaire; 54 (37%) tuberculosis cases and 91 (63%) controls. Cases occurred more frequently among clinical staff 46% (n = 25) and support staff 35% (n = 19). Thirty-two (26% [32/125]) HCWs were known to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including 45% (21/54) of cases. HCWs living with HIV (odds ratio [OR], 6.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.54–11.37) and those who spent time working in areas with patients (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.40–3.59) had significantly greater odds of developing tuberculosis, controlling for occupation, number of wards worked in, and household crowding. Conclusions. HIV was the major independent risk factor for tuberculosis among HCWs in this sample. These findings support the need for HCWs to know their HIV status, and for HIV-infected HCWs to be offered antiretroviral therapy and isoniazid preventive therapy. Infection prevention and control should also be improved to prevent transmission of tuberculosis in healthcare settings to protect both HCWs and patients. PMID:27118855

Supervised oral HIV self-testing is accurate in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Martínez Pérez, Guillermo; Steele, Sarah J; Govender, Indira; Arellano, Gemma; Mkwamba, Alec; Hadebe, Menzi; van Cutsem, Gilles

2016-06-01

To achieve UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, alternatives to conventional HIV testing models are necessary in South Africa to increase population awareness of their HIV status. One of the alternatives is oral mucosal transudates-based HIV self-testing (OralST). This study describes implementation of counsellor-introduced supervised OralST in a high HIV prevalent rural area. Cross-sectional study conducted in two government-run primary healthcare clinics and three Médecins Sans Frontières-run fixed-testing sites in uMlalazi municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. Lay counsellors sampled and recruited eligible participants, sought informed consent and demonstrated the use of the OraQuick(™) OralST. The participants used the OraQuick(™) in front of the counsellor and underwent a blood-based Determine(™) and a Unigold(™) rapid diagnostic test as gold standard for comparison. Primary outcomes were user error rates, inter-rater agreement, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. A total of 2198 participants used the OraQuick(™) , of which 1005 were recruited at the primary healthcare clinics. Of the total, 1457 (66.3%) were women. Only two participants had to repeat their OraQuick(™) . Inter-rater agreement was 99.8% (Kappa 0.9925). Sensitivity for the OralST was 98.7% (95% CI 96.8-99.6), and specificity was 100% (95% CI 99.8-100). This study demonstrates high inter-rater agreement, and high accuracy of supervised OralST. OralST has the potential to increase uptake of HIV testing and could be offered at clinics and community testing sites in rural South Africa. Further research is necessary on the potential of unsupervised OralST to increase HIV status awareness and linkage to care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical composition of selected seaweeds from the Indian Ocean, KwaZulu-Natal coast, South Africa.

PubMed

Magura, Judie; Moodley, Roshila; Jonnalagadda, Sreekantha B

2016-08-02

The chemical composition of three edible seaweeds (Codium capitatum, Hypnea spicifera and Sargassum elegans) and two inedible seaweeds (Halimeda cuneata and Spyridia hypnoides) from the Indian Ocean along the KwaZulu-Natal East Coast, South Africa were investigated as a function of seasonal variation. The proximate compositions of the edible seaweeds were determined. In edible seaweeds, the moisture level ranged from 85.4 to 89.5%, protein from 6.1 to 11.8%, lipids from 7.5 to 13.1% and carbohydrates from 37.8 to 71.9%. Elemental concentrations in the five studied seaweeds varied significantly with season (P < 0.05) with mean elemental concentrations (in µg g(-1), dry weight) being: Ca (29 260), Mg (6 279), Fe (1 086), Cu (145.9), Mn (48.32), As (24.29), Zn (15.65), Ni (9.83), Cr (5.78), Pb (4.84), Co (0.87) and Se (0.86). The concentrations of As were particularly high in S. elegans, ranging from 94.70 ± 6.6 µg g(-1) in winter to 65.10 ± 2.3 µg g(-1) in summer. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed similar distribution of elements in edible seaweeds which was dissimilar to that in inedible seaweeds. This study suggests that edible macro alga, C. capitatum and H. spicifera, could be potential sources of most essential nutrients and may contribute positively to the diet without posing the risk of adverse health effects due to low concentrations of toxic elements. However, due to high levels of As in S. elegans, its consumption should be moderated to reduce dietary exposure to this toxic element.

Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Selected Rural Communities of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa—Linking Human Nutrition and Agriculture

PubMed Central

Govender, Laurencia; Pillay, Kirthee; Siwela, Muthulisi; Modi, Albert; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe

2016-01-01

Lack of access to nutritious and balanced diets remains a major impediment to the health and well-being of people living in rural areas. The study utilizes a qualitative systematic approach to conduct an environmental scan and review of scientific literature of studies conducted in South Africa, specifically KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Availability and access to nutritious, diverse and balanced diets were identified as key constraints for achieving food and nutrition security as well as for human health and well-being. This has led to both under- and over-nutrition, with the former, in particular stunting, affecting children under 5 years. A high incidence of over-nutrition, both overweight and obesity, was observed among black African females. In South Africa, poor people rely mostly on social grants and cannot afford a balanced diet. Under these circumstances, agriculture could be used to increase availability and access to diverse and nutritious foods for the attainment of a balanced diet. The wider use of traditional vegetable crops and pulses could improve availability and access to healthy and locally available alternatives. The promotion of household and community food gardens, and the use of nutrient dense crops with low levels of water use, i.e., high nutritional water productivity, offers prospects for addressing malnutrition in poor rural areas. PMID:28036008

Cost-effectiveness of staff and workload profiles in retaining patients on antiretroviral therapy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Vella, Venanzio; Govender, Thiloshini; Dlamini, Sicelo S; Moodley, Indres; David, Verona; Taylor, Myra; Jinabhai, Champaklal C

2011-09-01

There is paucity of information on the cost-effectiveness of delivery strategies to retain patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and this study tries to fill this gap. The analysis is based on a representative sample of 2835 patients attending 32 ART sites in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Extended Cox regression and Kaplan Meier were used to estimate the transition probabilities to remain on ART among patients who attended sites with different staff and workload profiles. Annual costs per patient-year of observation for these delivery profiles were estimated. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis took into account parameters' uncertainty. The delivery sites with a full-time doctor and a full-time senior professional nurse and an intake of less than 200 new patients per doctor per year were the most cost-effective in retaining patients on ART. If 1000 new patients were followed up by this type of site, 724 patients would still be on ART after 10 years at a discounted cost of US$8.41 million at 2006 value with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US$12,271 per extra retained patient over the second not dominated site profile. The results could be used to estimate the human resources needed for a sustainable scaling up of ART in KZN.

Understanding the Psychosocial Correlates of the Intention to Use Condoms among Young Men in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Manyaapelo, Thabang; Nyembezi, Anam; Ruiter, Robert A. C.; van den Borne, Bart; Sifunda, Sibusiso; Reddy, Priscilla

2017-01-01

South Africa leads the world with the number of people infected with HIV. Even with all attempts that have been made to curb HIV, it is still evident that new infections are on the rise. Condom use remains one of the best tools against this challenge yet a small number of sexually active men use them. This study investigates the psychosocial correlates of the intention to use condoms among young men in KwaZulu-Natal province. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework, hierarchical linear regression models were used to determine the unique contribution of the study measures in explaining the overall variance of intention to consistently use condoms. Subjective norms and perceived behavioural control towards consistent condom use explained 46% of the variance in the intention to use a condom, suggesting that health behaviour interventions should focus on targeting the normative beliefs as well as control beliefs of the target population. Furthermore, subjective norms and intentions towards reducing alcohol and marijuana use explained an additional 7% to the final model in intentions to condom use, implying that substance use and condom usage may influence each other. No significant contributions were found for beliefs underlying cultural aspects of responsible manhood. PMID:28333100

A serological survey of leptospirosis in cattle of rural communities in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Hesterberg, U W; Bagnall, R; Bosch, B; Perrett, K; Horner, R; Gummow, B

2009-03-01

A serological survey of leptospirosis in cattle originating from rural communities of the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa was carried out between March 2001 and December 2003. The survey was designed as a 2-stage survey, using the local diptank as the primary sampling point. In total, 2021 animals from 379 diptanks in 33 magisterial districts were sampled and tested with the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The apparent prevalence at district level was adjusted for clustering and diagnostic test sensitivity and specificity and displayed in maps. The prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle originating from communal grazing areas of KZN was found to be 19.4% with a 95% confidence interval of 14.8-24.1%. At district level the prevalence of leptospirosis varied from 0 to 63% of cattle. Bovine leptospirosis was found to occur in communal grazing areas throughout the province with the exception of 2 districts. The southeastern regions showed a higher prevalence than other areas of the province; while in some of the northern and western districts a lower prevalence was noted. Several serovars were detected by the MAT and although Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona occurred most frequently, serovars tarrasovi, bratislava, hardjo, canicola and icterohaemorrhagica were also frequently identified. The findings of the survey are discussed.

Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Selected Rural Communities of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa-Linking Human Nutrition and Agriculture.

PubMed

Govender, Laurencia; Pillay, Kirthee; Siwela, Muthulisi; Modi, Albert; Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe

2016-12-27

Lack of access to nutritious and balanced diets remains a major impediment to the health and well-being of people living in rural areas. The study utilizes a qualitative systematic approach to conduct an environmental scan and review of scientific literature of studies conducted in South Africa, specifically KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Availability and access to nutritious, diverse and balanced diets were identified as key constraints for achieving food and nutrition security as well as for human health and well-being. This has led to both under- and over-nutrition, with the former, in particular stunting, affecting children under 5 years. A high incidence of over-nutrition, both overweight and obesity, was observed among black African females. In South Africa, poor people rely mostly on social grants and cannot afford a balanced diet. Under these circumstances, agriculture could be used to increase availability and access to diverse and nutritious foods for the attainment of a balanced diet. The wider use of traditional vegetable crops and pulses could improve availability and access to healthy and locally available alternatives. The promotion of household and community food gardens, and the use of nutrient dense crops with low levels of water use, i.e., high nutritional water productivity, offers prospects for addressing malnutrition in poor rural areas.

75 FR 27443 - [alpha]-[p-(1,1,3,3-Tetramethylbutyl)phenyl]-[omega]- hydroxypoly(oxyethylene); Time-Limited...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-17

... infants and children in the case of threshold effects to account for pre-natal and post-natal toxicity and... the choice of a different factor. 2. Pre-natal and post-natal sensitivity. In the case of octylphenol ethoxylate, there was no increased susceptibility to the offspring of rats following pre-natal and post-natal...

Quantification of healthy and atretic germ cells and follicles in the developing and post-natal ovary of the South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus: evidence of continuous rise of the germinal reserve.

PubMed

Inserra, P I F; Leopardo, N P; Willis, M A; Freysselinard, A L; Vitullo, A D

2014-02-01

The female germ line in mammals is subjected to massive cell death that eliminates 60-85% of the germinal reserve by birth and continues from birth to adulthood until the exhaustion of the germinal pool. Germ cell demise occurs mainly through apoptosis by means of a biased expression in favour of pro-apoptotic members of the BCL2 gene family. By contrast, the South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus, exhibits sustained expression of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 gene throughout gestation and a low incidence of germ cell apoptosis. This led to the proposal that, in the absence of death mechanisms other than apoptosis, the female germ line should increase continuously from foetal life until after birth. In this study, we quantified all healthy germ cells and follicles in the ovaries of L. maximus from early foetal life to day 60 after birth using unbiased stereological methods and detected apoptosis by labelling with TUNEL assay. The healthy germ cell population increased continuously from early-developing ovary reaching a 50 times higher population number by the end of gestation. TUNEL-positive germ cells were <0.5% of the germ cell number, except at mid-gestation (3.62%). Mitotic proliferation, entrance into prophase I stage and primordial follicle formation occurred as overlapping processes from early pregnancy to birth. Germ cell number remained constant in early post-natal life, but a remnant population of non-follicular VASA- and PCNA-positive germ cells still persisted at post-natal day 60. L. maximus is the first mammal so far described in which female germ line develops in the absence of constitutive massive germ cell elimination.

Collective patient behaviours derailing ART roll-out in KwaZulu-Natal: perspectives of health care providers.

PubMed

Michel, Janet; Matlakala, Christina; English, Rene; Lessells, Richard; Newell, Marie-Louise

2013-07-19

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) roll-out is fraught with challenges, many with serious repercussions. We explored and described patient behaviour-related challenges from the perspective of health care providers from non-governmental organisations involved in ART programmes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A descriptive case study design using qualitative approach was applied during this study. Data was collected from nine key informants from the three biggest NGOs involved in ART roll-out using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Transcribing and coding for emergent themes was done by two independent reviewers. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the UNISA research ethics committee of The Faculty of Health Sciences. Written consent was obtained from directors of the three NGOs involved and individual audio taped informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to data collection. Findings revealed six broad areas of patient behaviour challenges. These were patient behaviour related to socio-economic situation of patient (skipping of medication due to lack of food, or due to lack of transport fees), belief systems (traditional and religious), stigma (non- disclosure), sexual practices (non-acceptability of condoms, teenage pregnancies), escapism (drug and alcohol abuse) and opportunism (skipping medication in order to access disability grant, teenage pregnancies in order to access child grant). New programmes need to address patient behaviour as a complex phenomenon requiring a multi-pronged approach that also addresses social norms and institutions. In the face of continued ART scale up, this is further evidence for the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to ensure successful and sustainable ART roll-out.

Alterations in fear response and spatial memory in pre- and post-natal zinc supplemented rats: remediation by copper.

PubMed

Railey, Angela M; Micheli, Teresa L; Wanschura, Patricia B; Flinn, Jane M

2010-05-11

The role of zinc in the nervous system is receiving increased attention. At a time when dietary fortification and supplementation have increased the amount of zinc being consumed, little work has been done on the effects of enhanced zinc on behavior. Both zinc and copper are essential trace minerals that are acquired from the diet; under normal conditions the body protects against zinc overload, but at excessive dosages, copper deficiency has been seen. In order to examine the effect of enhanced metal administration on learning and memory, Sprague Dawley rats were given water supplemented with 10ppm Zn, 10ppm Zn+0.25ppm Cu, or normal lab water, during pre- and post-natal development. Fear conditioning tests at 4months showed significantly higher freezing rates during contextual retention and extinction and cued extinction for rats drinking water supplemented with zinc, suggesting increased anxiety compared to controls raised on lab water. During the MWM task at 9months, zinc-enhanced rats had significantly longer latencies to reach the platform compared to controls. The addition of copper to the zinc supplemented water brought freezing and latency levels closer to that of controls. These data demonstrate the importance of maintaining appropriate intake of both metals simultaneously, and show that long-term supplementation with zinc may cause alterations in memory. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Le diagnostic anténatal de la trisomie 21 par l'hybridation in situ en fluorescence (FISH): à propos des premiers tests réalisés au Maroc

PubMed Central

Lamzouri, Afaf; Natiq, Abdelhafid; Tajir, Mariam; Sendid, Mohamed; Sefiani, Abdelaziz

2012-01-01

Introduction Le but de cette étude était de présenter les premiers résultats de diagnostic anténatal de la trisomie 21 par la technique d'hybridation in situ en fluorescence (FISH) au Maroc et discuter son intérêt dans le diagnostic rapide de cette aneuploïdie. Méthodes Ce travail a été réalisé chez 23 femmes avec des grossesses à haut risque de trisomie 21. La moyenne d’âge des gestantes étaient de 37,43 ans avec des extrêmes de 21 et 43 ans. Toutes étaient musulmanes mariées, mariage légitimé par la Charia, dont trois mariages consanguins, sauf une originaire de la République Démocratique du Congo qui était chrétienne et concubine. La majorité des femmes étaient fonctionnaires et avaient un niveau de scolarisation moyen à élevé. Toutes les patientes ont bénéficié d'une consultation de génétique médicale au cours de laquelle il leur a été donné des informations sur la technique, son intérêt et ses limites. Il s'agit de femmes enceintes qui avaient soit un âge maternel élevé ou des signes d'appel échographiques et/ ou biochimiques. Une des patientes était porteuse d'une translocation robertsonienne t(14;21) équilibrée. Une amniocentèse a été réalisée chez toutes les gestantes et aucun avortement n'a était induit par ce geste invasif. L’âge gestationnel moyen à la première consultation était de 14 semaines d'aménorrhée (SA) et à l'amniocentèse était de 16 SA et 5 jours. L'analyse FISH a été réalisée, après consentement des couples, sur des cellules non cultivées à partir des échantillons de liquides amniotiques, en utilisant des sondes spécifiques du chromosome 21. Résultats Parmi les 23 patientes qui ont bénéficiées d'un diagnostic anténatal de la trisomie 21 par la technique FISH, nous avons pu rassurer 21 d'entre elles, et nous avons détecté deux cas de trisomie 21 fœtal. Conclusion La technique FISH permet un diagnostic anténatal rapide, en moins de 48h, de la trisomie 21 sur

An evaluation of the emergency care training workshops in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Naidoo, Mergan

2017-03-30

Emergency care in South Africa is both complex and complicated which is further compromised by inadequately trained healthcare workers. Academic disciplines at the University of KwaZulu-Natal have run emergency care workshops for doctors and nurses providing primary emergency care, in the province for the last 14 years. This delivery of such training has evolved over time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feedback and knowledge of participants attending the last nine workshops. An evaluation questionnaire asked participants to assess the workshops held in the province and to rate their perceived improvement in knowledge. A multiple choice questionnaire was conducted in the last few workshops and was administered pre- and postworkshop. The data were extracted onto an Excel spreadsheet and analysed in Stata version 13. Outcome measures were generated using percentages. A paired t-test was used to compare knowledge scores. Open-ended questions were also used to identify areas for future improvement. The majority (89.4%) of the participants worked in the primary emergency care setting. All participants found the quality of training, the facilitators and the training material good or excellent. Participants' perceived improvement in knowledge and skills and the objective measure of knowledge improved significantly (p < 0.001). Emergency care education using a combination of inter-professional simulation and lecture-based teaching has the potential of contributing towards better educational outputs in both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.

Does self-prepared food taste better? Effects of food preparation on liking.

PubMed

Dohle, Simone; Rall, Sina; Siegrist, Michael

2016-05-01

The aim was to examine whether self-preparation of food increases the liking of healthy and unhealthy foods. The study used a 2 (preparation: self-prepared vs. other-prepared) × 2 (healthiness: healthy vs. unhealthy) between-subjects design. Female participants (N = 120) tasted food that was either self-prepared or other-prepared, and that either contained markedly healthy or unhealthy ingredients. Interindividual differences in dietary restraint were also assessed. Liking and perceived healthiness of the food served as the main dependent variables. A significant interaction effect of food preparation and healthiness of the food on liking was revealed: Self-preparation increased the liking of the healthy but not of the unhealthy food. This effect was particularly strong for individuals with high levels of dietary restraint. Moreover, the combined effect of food preparation and healthiness of the food on liking was mediated by perceived healthiness of the food. The results bolster public health programs trying to encourage people to eat less prepared ready-to-eat foods and more self-prepared food. Because time available for home food preparation is often limited, programmatic efforts to encourage food preparation could be extended to schools and workplaces. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Interventions et techniques de diagnostic prénatal visant l'obtention d'un prélèvement fœtal à des fins diagnostiques : Risques et avantages pour la mère et le fœtus.

PubMed

Wilson, R Douglas; Gagnon, Alain; Audibert, François; Campagnolo, Carla; Carroll, June

2016-12-01

Offrir aux fournisseurs de soins de maternité et à leurs patientes des lignes directrices factuelles contemporaines en ce qui concerne les services de counseling traitant des risques et des avantages maternels propres à la tenue des interventions diagnostiques prénatales orientées par échographie (et/ou des techniques permettant l'établissement d'un diagnostic génétique) nécessaires dans les cas où il a été établi pendant la période prénatale que la grossesse serait exposée à des risques, ainsi qu'en ce qui concerne la prise de décisions subséquentes quant à la prise en charge de la grossesse (questions abordant des aspects tels que le niveau du fournisseur de soins obstétricaux, la surveillance prénatale, le lieu où devraient se dérouler les soins et l'accouchement, et la décision de poursuivre ou d'interrompre la grossesse). La présente directive clinique se limite aux services de counseling traitant des risques et des avantages maternels, et aux décisions en matière de prise en charge de la grossesse pour les femmes qui nécessitent (ou qui envisagent) la mise en œuvre d'une intervention ou d'une technique effractive orientée par échographie aux fins de l'établissement d'un diagnostic prénatal. Femmes enceintes identifiées, à la suite de la mise en œuvre de protocoles établis de dépistage prénatal (taux sériques maternels ± imagerie, résultats d'analyse de l'ADN acellulaire indiquant des risques élevés, résultats anormaux au moment de l'imagerie fœtale diagnostique ou antécédents familiaux de troubles héréditaires), comme étant exposées à un risque accru d'anomalie génétique fœtale. Ces femmes pourraient nécessiter ou demander des services de counseling au sujet des risques et des avantages pour la grossesse de la tenue d'une intervention effractive orientée par échographie visant à déterminer l'étiologie, le diagnostic, et/ou la pathologie de possibles anomalies fœtales. RéSULTATS: La litt

Optimal preparation-to-colonoscopy interval in split-dose PEG bowel preparation determines satisfactory bowel preparation quality: an observational prospective study.

PubMed

Seo, Eun Hee; Kim, Tae Oh; Park, Min Jae; Joo, Hee Rin; Heo, Nae Yun; Park, Jongha; Park, Seung Ha; Yang, Sung Yeon; Moon, Young Soo

2012-03-01

Several factors influence bowel preparation quality. Recent studies have indicated that the time interval between bowel preparation and the start of colonoscopy is also important in determining bowel preparation quality. To evaluate the influence of the preparation-to-colonoscopy (PC) interval (the interval of time between the last polyethylene glycol dose ingestion and the start of the colonoscopy) on bowel preparation quality in the split-dose method for colonoscopy. Prospective observational study. University medical center. A total of 366 consecutive outpatients undergoing colonoscopy. Split-dose bowel preparation and colonoscopy. The quality of bowel preparation was assessed by using the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale according to the PC interval, and other factors that might influence bowel preparation quality were analyzed. Colonoscopies with a PC interval of 3 to 5 hours had the best bowel preparation quality score in the whole, right, mid, and rectosigmoid colon according to the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale. In multivariate analysis, the PC interval (odds ratio [OR] 1.85; 95% CI, 1.18-2.86), the amount of PEG ingested (OR 4.34; 95% CI, 1.08-16.66), and compliance with diet instructions (OR 2.22l 95% CI, 1.33-3.70) were significant contributors to satisfactory bowel preparation. Nonrandomized controlled, single-center trial. The optimal time interval between the last dose of the agent and the start of colonoscopy is one of the important factors to determine satisfactory bowel preparation quality in split-dose polyethylene glycol bowel preparation. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

New Patterns of Disclosure: How HIV-Positive Support Group Members from KwaZulu-Natal Speak of their Status in Oral Narratives

PubMed Central

Denis, Philippe

2014-01-01

This paper examines the representations and emotions associated with disclosure and stigma in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, seven years after the start of the South African government’s ARV roll-out programme on the basis of in-depth oral history interviews of HIV-positive support group members. It argues that the wider availability of ARV treatment, the ensuing reduced fatality rate and the increased number of people, including men, who receive counselling and testing, may mean that HIV/AIDS is less stigmatised and that disclosure has become easier. This does not mean that stigma has disappeared and that the confusion created by competing world-views and belief systems has dissipated. Yet the situation of extreme denial and ideological confusion observed, for example, by Deborah Posel and her colleagues in 2003 and 2004 in the Mpumalanga province seems to have lessened. The interviews hint at the possibility that people living with HIV may have, more than a decade before, a language to express the emotions and feelings associated with HIV/AIDS. They were also found to be more assertive in matters of gender relations. These new attitudes would make disclosure easier and stigma more likely to recede. PMID:24775433

Physiotherapy rehabilitation in the context of HIV and disability in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Cobbing, Saul; Hanass-Hancock, Jill; Deane, Margaret

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who had undergone a physiotherapy-led rehabilitation programme, with the aim of informing and improving future rehabilitation. The study population included patients living with HIV who were referred for physiotherapy rehabilitation at a public-funded KwaZulu-Natal hospital. Eight participants were considered for final analysis in the study. A qualitative research design was adopted using in-depth interviews to explore their experiences of their rehabilitation programme. Additionally all eligible participants were requested to complete the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule. Participants presented varying activity-related challenges with mobility, self-care and life activities being the most severely affected areas. Participants showed little understanding of their health conditions, prescribed medication and in some cases therapy. HIV and disability impacted their daily lives, adversely affecting work and domestic activities. Although participants reflected positively on the rehabilitation experience they faced a number of barriers to accessing continued rehabilitation. PLHIV who experience disability are affected in major life areas but the current model of delivering rehabilitation provides a number of barriers to patients. A more accessible approach of delivering HIV-care and rehabilitation needs to be developed. Implications for Rehabilitation Physiotherapists and other rehabilitation professionals, particularly those working in the South African public sector, need to consider developing and implementing home-based rehabilitation interventions for patients living with HIV and disability. This will counter some of the barriers these patients face in accessing hospital-based therapy. With the increasing incidence of HIV-related disabilities as PLHIV live longer lives, rehabilitation professionals working with this patient population should keep up

An evaluation of serological tests in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis in naturally infected cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa.

PubMed

Chisi, Songelwayo L; Marageni, Yoanda; Naidoo, Prebashni; Zulu, Gloria; Akol, George W; Van Heerden, Henriette

2017-02-28

The diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) of the Rose Bengal test (RBT), the complement fixation test (CFT), the serum agglutination test (SAT), the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and the indirect ELISA (iELISA) were determined in naturally infected cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa with known infectious status from culture (gold standard). Natural brucellosis infection status of animals was determined by culturing and identification of Brucella abortus biovar 1 from abomasal fluid, milk, hygroma fluid, lymph nodes or uterine discharges samples. The diagnostic specificity (DSp) of the tests mentioned above was determined using samples from known negative herds. There was no statistically significant difference between the tests in their ability to diagnose brucellosis. The RBT and iELISA had the highest DSe of 95.8%, whereas RBT and CFT had the highest DSp of 100%. In South African laboratories, the RBT and CFT serological tests are used, because of the cost efficacy of CFT when compared to the less labour intensive but more expensive iELISA.

Relative costs of anesthesiologist prepared, hospital pharmacy prepared and outsourced anesthesia drugs.

PubMed

Jelacic, Srdjan; Craddick, Karen; Nair, Bala G; Bounthavong, Mark; Yeung, Kai; Kusulos, Dolly; Knutson, Jennifer A; Somani, Shabir; Bowdle, Andrew

2017-02-01

Anesthesia drugs can be prepared by anesthesia providers, hospital pharmacies or outsourcing facilities. The decision whether to outsource all or some anesthesia drugs is challenging since the costs associated with different anesthesia drug preparation methods remain poorly described. The costs associated with preparation of 8 commonly used anesthesia drugs were analyzed using a budget impact analysis for 4 different syringe preparation strategies: (1) all drugs prepared by anesthesiologist, (2) drugs prepared by anesthesiologist and hospital pharmacy, (3) drugs prepared by anesthesiologist and outsourcing facility, and (4) all drugs prepared by outsourcing facility. A strategy combining anesthesiologist and hospital pharmacy prepared drugs was associated with the lowest estimated annual cost in the base-case budget impact analysis with an annual cost of $225 592, which was lower than other strategies by a margin of greater than $86 000. A combination of anesthesiologist and hospital pharmacy prepared drugs resulted in the lowest annual cost in the budget impact analysis. However, the cost of drugs prepared by an outsourcing facility maybe lower if the capital investment needed for the establishment and maintenance of the US Pharmacopeial Convention Chapter <797> compliant facility is included in the budget impact analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Collective patient behaviours derailing ART roll-out in KwaZulu-Natal: perspectives of health care providers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) roll-out is fraught with challenges, many with serious repercussions. We explored and described patient behaviour-related challenges from the perspective of health care providers from non-governmental organisations involved in ART programmes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods A descriptive case study design using qualitative approach was applied during this study. Data was collected from nine key informants from the three biggest NGOs involved in ART roll-out using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Transcribing and coding for emergent themes was done by two independent reviewers. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the UNISA research ethics committee of The Faculty of Health Sciences. Written consent was obtained from directors of the three NGOs involved and individual audio taped informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to data collection. Results Findings revealed six broad areas of patient behaviour challenges. These were patient behaviour related to socio-economic situation of patient (skipping of medication due to lack of food, or due to lack of transport fees), belief systems (traditional and religious), stigma (non- disclosure), sexual practices (non-acceptability of condoms, teenage pregnancies), escapism (drug and alcohol abuse) and opportunism (skipping medication in order to access disability grant, teenage pregnancies in order to access child grant). Conclusion New programmes need to address patient behaviour as a complex phenomenon requiring a multi-pronged approach that also addresses social norms and institutions. In the face of continued ART scale up, this is further evidence for the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to ensure successful and sustainable ART roll-out. PMID:23870285

An ethnobotanical survey of mosquito repellent plants in uMkhanyakude district, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

PubMed

Mavundza, E J; Maharaj, R; Finnie, J F; Kabera, G; Van Staden, J

2011-10-11

The aim of the study was to document plants traditionally used to repel mosquitoes in the uMkhanyakude district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) identify plant species and their parts being used; (2) determine the condition of plant material used and the method of application. Data was collected from 60 respondents in five villages in the district using standardised and pre-tested questionnaires. Thirteen plant species are used in the study area to repel mosquitoes. These species belong to 11 genera from 9 families. Meliaceae and Anacardiaceae were the most represented families with two species each. The most frequently recorded species were Lippia javanica (91.67%), followed by Aloe ferox (11.67%), Sclerocarya birrea (5%), Melia azedarach (3%), Balanite maughamii (3%) and Mangifera indica (3%). Leaves were the most (38%) common plant part used. The majority (82%) of the plant parts were used in a dry state. Burning of plant materials to make smoke was the most (92%) common method of application. Nine plant species, namely: A. ferox, Calausena anista, Croton menyharthii, S. birrea, B. maughamii, Olax dissitiflora, Trichilia emetic, M. indica, and Atalaya alata are documented for the first time as mosquito repellents. This documentation provides the basis for further studies in developing new, effective, safe and affordable plant-derived mosquito repellents especially for Africa where malaria is highly prevalent. The study also plays a part in documenting and conserving traditional knowledge of mosquito repellent plants for future use. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly-ionized metals as probes of the circumburst gas in the natal regions of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintz, K. E.; Watson, D.; Jakobsson, P.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Bolmer, J.; Arabsalmani, M.; Cano, Z.; Covino, S.; D'Elia, V.; Gomboc, A.; Japelj, J.; Kaper, L.; Krogager, J.-K.; Pugliese, G.; Sánchez-Ramírez, R.; Selsing, J.; Sparre, M.; Tanvir, N. R.; Thöne, C. C.; de Ugarte Postigo, A.; Vergani, S. D.

2018-06-01

We present here a survey of high-ionization absorption lines in the afterglow spectra of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) obtained with the VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. Our main goal is to investigate the circumburst medium in the natal regions of GRBs. Our primary focus is on the N V λλ 1238,1242 line transitions, but we also discuss other high-ionization lines such as O VI, C IV and Si IV. We find no correlation between the column density of N V and the neutral gas properties such as metallicity, H I column density and dust depletion, however the relative velocity of N V, typically a blueshift with respect to the neutral gas, is found to be correlated with the column density of H I. This may be explained if the N V gas is part of an H II region hosting the GRB, where the region's expansion is confined by dense, neutral gas in the GRB's host galaxy. We find tentative evidence (at 2σ significance) that the X-ray derived column density, NH, X, may be correlated with the column density of N V, which would indicate that both measurements are sensitive to the column density of the gas located in the vicinity of the GRB. We investigate the scenario where N V (and also O VI) is produced by recombination after the corresponding atoms have been stripped entirely of their electrons by the initial prompt emission, in contrast to previous models where highly-ionized gas is produced by photoionization from the GRB afterglow.

Observing the development of the temporomandibular joint in embryonic and post-natal mice using various staining methods

PubMed Central

LIANG, WENNA; LI, XIHAI; GAO, BIZHEN; GAN, HUIJUAN; LIN, XUEJUAN; LIAO, LINGHONG; LI, CANDONG

2016-01-01

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a specialized synovial joint that is essential for the movement and function of the mammalian jaw. The TMJ develops from two mesenchymal condensations, and is composed of the glenoid fossa that originates from the otic capsule by intramembranous ossification, the mandibular condyle of the temporal bone and a fibrocartilagenous articular disc derived from a secondary cartilaginous joint by endochondral ossification. However, the development of the TMJ remains unclear. In the present study, the formation and development of the mouse TMJ was investigated between embryonic day 13.5 and post-natal day 180 in order to elucidate the morphological and molecular alterations that occur during this period. TMJ formation appeared to proceed in three stages: Initiation or blastema stage; growth and cavitation stage; and the maturation or completion stage. In order to investigate the activity of certain transcription factors on TMJ formation and development, the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM), sex determining region Y-box 9, runt-related transcription factor 2, Indian hedgehog homolog, Osterix, collagen I, collagen II, aggrecan, total matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), MMP-9 and MMP-13 were detected in the TMJ using in situ and/or immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that the transcription factors, ECM and MMP serve critical functions in the formation and development of the mouse TMJ. In summary, the development of the mouse TMJ was investigated, and the molecular regulation of mouse TMJ formation was partially characterized. The results of the present study may aid the systematic understanding of the physiological processes underlying TMJ formation and development in mice. PMID:26893634

The perception of pre- and post-natal marijuana exposure on health outcomes: A content analysis of twitter messages.

PubMed

Dakkak, H; Brown, R; Twynstra, J; Charbonneau, K; Seabrook, J A

2018-05-23

The prevalence of marijuana use during pregnancy ranges from 3- 30% , and most of this is for recreational purposes. Marijuana exposure during pregnancy has been linked with low birth weight babies and other adverse child health outcomes. Twitter is a popular news and social networking outlet, and is frequently used to access information about population health and behavior. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the types of messages disseminated on Twitter about marijuana use and infant and maternal health. The secondary objective was to describe the reported health outcomes associated with prenatal and postnatal marijuana use. Tweets were collected from the inception of Twitter (2006) until April 2017. If tweets included links, these links were examined to investigate the source of the message and to clarify the user's intent. In total, 550 tweets were captured, with most tweets (77.6%) having a neutral tweet tone, suggesting uncertainty about the health effects associated with pre- and post-natal marijuana exposure. The sources attached to the original tweets, however, were more likely to report on negative health outcomes. The most common health outcomes associated with prenatal marijuana exposure were: poor brain development (27.3%), inadequate development of the nervous system (23.6%), low birth weight (23.3%), poor behavioral outcomes (21.0%), and infant memory issues (19.3%). The inverse association between marijuana use and the quality and quantity of milk produced by the mother was the most commonly reported tweet for the lactation period.

Proclamation No. R. 151, Natal Code of Zulu Law, 3 September 1987.

PubMed

1988-01-01

This document contains major provisions of the 1987 South African Proclamation amending the Natal Code of Zulu Law. Chapter 4 of these provisions covers personal status, property rights, the age of majority, and houses or families of which children become members. Chapter 5 deals with family heads in general, the earnings of minor children, the ownership and control of family property, the control of family members, and the responsibilities and privileges of family heads. The seventh chapter regulates customary marriages in general, the investigation of complaints about unreasonable withholding of consent on the part of a father or guardian, reporting of the arranged marriage date and payment of fees, the appointment and duties of official witnesses, the payment of "lobolo," the registration of customary marriages, issuance of the certificate of customary marriage, grounds for divorce, grounds for a declaration of nullity, duties of the party seeking the divorce, return of lobolo, child custody, and "ukungena" unions. The provisions of the eight chapter include the date of payment and delivery of lobolo and death of the lobolo cattle, the women who may receive lobolo, the constitution of lobolo, the amount of lobolo paid for women of varying social ranks, claims relative to lobolo payments, and the claiming of a ngquthu beast. Chapter 9 details the family system in terms of the establishment of senior or affiliated houses, the status of the first wife, the status of wives taken by a commoner subsequent to the first wife, a formal declaration of intention to divide a family home into sections, the declaration of the status of a second and subsequent wives, the declaration of the status of a third wife as a qade wife, junior houses affiliated with senior houses, the status of wives of the hereditary chief, the circumstances when members may leave a family home, and the property of a girl entering a customary marriage. The tenth chapter contains the laws of

Knowledge of symptoms and self-management of hypoglycaemia amongst patients attending a diabetic clinic at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Ejegi, Anthony; Ross, Andrew John; Naidoo, Keshena

2016-06-17

Diabetic patients on insulin and sulphonylureas are at risk of developing hypoglycaemia. Many patients do not respond appropriately because of poor knowledge and understanding of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia, which if not promptly treated can lead to permanent neurological and renal damage. Hypoglycaemic complications can be avoided if patients have a good knowledge of the early symptoms of hypoglycaemia and know how to respond appropriately. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of adult diabetic patients attending a diabetic clinic about symptoms of hypoglycaemia and how they responded to these symptoms. A hospital-based diabetic clinic in northern KwaZulu-Natal. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study involving 200 diabetic patients. Demographic data and details of current medication, knowledge of hypoglycaemia and how patients responded to the symptoms were collected using a validated questionnaire. The majority of the patients had fair to good knowledge of hypoglycaemia; however, less than 25% knew what action to take when they experienced symptoms suggestive of hypoglycaemia. There is a need to improve the education given to diabetic patients on stepwise measures to take to avoid life-threatening complications associated with hypoglycaemia.

Descriptive study of burnout, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary education institution in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Mathias, Christina T; Wentzel, Dorien L

2017-09-22

Studies have investigated burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses and effects in the nursing profession. However, there are limited investigations of burnout and compassion fatigue among undergraduate nursing students in South Africa, as nursing students may experience distressful situations during their nursing education course, which may have an impact during their training and in their profession as they graduate. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution in KwaZulu-Natal. Convenience sampling was used. Sixty-seven undergraduate students (26 third-year and 41 fourth-year nursing students) took the self-test Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study results indicate that undergraduate students experienced average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction. As shown in the study, some of the undergraduate students are experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, associated with relieving suffering of others. Therefore, knowledge of compassion fatigue and burnout and the coping strategies should be part of nursing training.

Factors associated with the health and cognition of 6-year-old to 8-year-old children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ajayi, Oluwakemi R; Matthews, Glenda; Taylor, Myra; Kvalsvig, Jane; Davidson, Leslie L; Kauchali, Shuaib; Mellins, Claude A

2017-05-01

To investigate 6-year-old to 8-year-old children's health, nutritional status and cognitive development in a predominantly rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Cohort study of 1383 children investigating the association of demographic variables (area of residence, sex, pre-school education, HIV status, height for age and haemoglobin level) and family variables (socioeconomic status, maternal and paternal level of education), with children's cognitive performance. The latter was measured using the Grover-Counter Scale of Cognitive Development and subtests of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, second edition (KABC-II). General linear models were used to determine the effect of these predictors. Area of residence and height-for-age were the statistically significant factors affecting cognitive test scores, regardless of attending pre-school. Paternal level of education was also significantly associated with the cognitive test scores of the children for all three cognitive test results, whereas HIV status, sex and their socioeconomic status were not. Children with low cognitive scores tended to be stunted (low height-for-age scores), lacked pre-school education and were younger. Area of residence and their parents' educational level also influenced their cognition. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predictors of vaginal practices for sex and hygiene in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: findings of a household survey and qualitative inquiry.

PubMed

Scorgie, Fiona; Smit, Jennifer A; Kunene, Busisiwe; Martin-Hilber, Adriane; Beksinska, Mags; Chersich, Matthew F

2011-04-01

Vaginal practices in sub-Saharan Africa may increase HIV transmission and have important implications for development of microbicides and future HIV prevention technologies. It remains unclear which women undertake vaginal practices and what factors predict prevalence, practice type and choice of products. Using cross-sectional data from mixed research methods, we identify factors associated with vaginal practices among women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were gathered through focus group discussions, in-depth and key-informant interviews, followed by a province-wide, multi-stage cluster household survey, using structured questionnaires in face-to-face interviews with 867 women. This paper details six types of vaginal practices, which--despite their individual distinctiveness and diverse motivations--may be clustered into two broad groups: those undertaken for purposes of 'hygiene' (genital washing, douching and application) and those for 'sexual motivations' (application, insertion, ingestion and incisions). Multivariate analysis found significant associations between 'hygiene' practices and media access, religiosity and transactional sex. 'Sexual' practices were associated with partner concurrency, religiosity and use of injectable hormonal contraceptives. Future interventions relating to vaginal practices as well as microbicides need to reflect this characterisation of practices as sexual- and/or hygiene-related.

Use of traditional complementary and alternative medicine for HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Peltzer, Karl; Preez, Natalie Friend-du; Ramlagan, Shandir; Fomundam, Henry

2008-07-24

Traditional medicine use has been reported is common among individuals with moderate and advanced HIV disease. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the use of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) for HIV patients prior to initiating antiretroviral therapy in three public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using systematic sampling, 618 HIV-positive patients were selected from outpatient departments from three hospitals and interviewed with a questionnaire. TCAM was commonly used for HIV in the past six months by study participants (317, 51.3%) and herbal therapies alone (183, 29.6%). The use of micronutrients (42.9%) was excluded from TCAM since mostly vitamins were provided by the health facility. Herbal therapies were the most expensive, costing on average 128 Rand (US$16) per patient per month. Most participants (90%) indicated that their health care provider was not aware that they were taking herbal therapies for HIV (90%). Herbal therapies were mainly used for pain relief (87.1%) and spiritual practices or prayer for stress relief (77.6%). Multivariate logistic regression with use of herbs for HIV as the dependent variable identified being on a disability grant and fewer clinic visits to be associated with use of herbs, and TCAM use for HIV identified being on a disability grant, number of HIV symptoms and family members not contributing to main source of household income to be associated with TCAM use. Traditional herbal therapies and TCAM are commonly used by HIV treatment naïve outpatients of public health facilities in South Africa. Health care providers should routinely screen patients on TCAM use when initiating ART and also during follow-up and monitoring keeping in mind that these patients may not fully disclose other therapies.

Use of traditional complementary and alternative medicine for HIV patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Peltzer, Karl; Preez, Natalie Friend-du; Ramlagan, Shandir; Fomundam, Henry

2008-01-01

Background Traditional medicine use has been reported is common among individuals with moderate and advanced HIV disease. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the use of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) for HIV patients prior to initiating antiretroviral therapy in three public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods Using systematic sampling, 618 HIV-positive patients were selected from outpatient departments from three hospitals and interviewed with a questionnaire. Results TCAM was commonly used for HIV in the past six months by study participants (317, 51.3%) and herbal therapies alone (183, 29.6%). The use of micronutrients (42.9%) was excluded from TCAM since mostly vitamins were provided by the health facility. Herbal therapies were the most expensive, costing on average 128 Rand (US$16) per patient per month. Most participants (90%) indicated that their health care provider was not aware that they were taking herbal therapies for HIV (90%). Herbal therapies were mainly used for pain relief (87.1%) and spiritual practices or prayer for stress relief (77.6%). Multivariate logistic regression with use of herbs for HIV as the dependent variable identified being on a disability grant and fewer clinic visits to be associated with use of herbs, and TCAM use for HIV identified being on a disability grant, number of HIV symptoms and family members not contributing to main source of household income to be associated with TCAM use. Conclusion Traditional herbal therapies and TCAM are commonly used by HIV treatment naïve outpatients of public health facilities in South Africa. Health care providers should routinely screen patients on TCAM use when initiating ART and also during follow-up and monitoring keeping in mind that these patients may not fully disclose other therapies. PMID:18652666

Physical demands during the hauling of fishing nets for artisan fishing using rafts in beach of Ponta Negra, Natal--Brasil.

PubMed

Jaeschke, Anelena; Saldanha, Maria Christine Werba

2012-01-01

The current article aims to analyse the activity and the repercussions in the health of the artisan fishermen who use rafts in the urban Beach of Ponta Negra in Natal - RN, with emphasis on the physical demands at the step of hauling the nets from the ocean. It has been taken as a reference the methodology of Work Ergonomic Analysis-WEA. 21 fishermen participated in the study (50% of the population). It was used applying observational techniques and methodologies (open and sistematic observations and simulations) interactional ( social and economic questionnaire, conversational actions, verbalizations, self confrontations and collective analysis) and health assessment (static postural assessment, movement flexibility of flexo extension of the shoulder and the ischiotibial muscle, lumbar region and hang grip. Applying the diagram of painful areas and the Nordic Questionnaire of mucleskeletal symptoms). The results were submeted to restitutions and validations with the raftmen. The hauling of the nets represents a high muscleskeletal risk, joining physical effort, adopting forced postures with the rotation of the spine and movement repetition, mainly flexo extension of vertebral spine, aggravated by the demand of strength fo the stabilizing muscles of the human body to keep the poise. The impacts of the activity of the fisherman of Ponta Negra, related to postures and strength demand were observed in the postural assessment and are related to the activity.

Household-based prevalence of helminths and parasitic protozoa in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, assessed from faecal vault sampling.

PubMed

Trönnberg, Linda; Hawksworth, David; Hansen, Anette; Archer, Colleen; Stenström, Thor Axel

2010-10-01

This study was undertaken to examine the family-based prevalence of environmentally persistent parasites in two rural communities of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Samples were collected from 120 urine-diversion family toilets and screened for selected protozoa and helminths with immunomagnetic separation and the ammonium bicarbonate (AMBIC) protocol respectively. The parasites found were Ascaris lumbricoides (59%), Giardia intestinalis (54%), Trichuris trichiura (48%), Cryptosporidium spp. (21%) and Taenia spp. (18%). Only 14% of the household toilets were negative for these pathogens. The occurrence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura was lower (P<0.001) in the area with better hygiene behaviour, whereas G. intestinalis was more common (P<0.05) in families with at least one child aged five years or less and in families with more than four persons. Quantification of the parasites per gram was done for each sample and this provided realistic risk assessment data for the reuse of material from urine-diversion toilets. The high occurrence of parasites found in the two communities, in spite of sanitation and hygiene interventions in the areas, suggests an endemicity that will not be reduced without de-worming campaigns. Finally, the study showed that sampling directly from the deposited faecal material may be useful for parasitic prevalence estimations. Copyright © 2010 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Relationships between poverty and AIDS Illness in South Africa: an investigation of urban and rural households in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Steinert, Janina Isabel; Cluver, Lucie; Melendez-Torres, G J; Herrero Romero, Rocio

2017-09-01

The association between poverty and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa remains contested. A better understanding of the relationship between the prevalence of poverty and the disease is essential for addressing prevention, treatment, and care. The present study interrogates this relationship, using a cross-sectional survey of 2477 households in urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Structural equation modelling was employed to estimate the correlations between poverty and AIDS illness. The analysis revealed a correlation of r pb  = 0.23, denoting that a higher level of household poverty was associated with a higher likelihood of being AIDS-unwell. Post hoc t-test showed that receipt of a disability grant by AIDS-affected households was associated with significantly lower poverty, compared to AIDS-affected households not receiving the grant, t(654) = 3.67, p < .01. Geographic location was found to confound the correlation: the strength of the relationship between poverty and AIDS was decreased to r pb  = 0.15 (p < .001) for the urban and r pb  = 0.16 (p < .001) for the rural sub-population. Findings suggest the importance of two sets of policies: those that address the potential upstream risk of poverty through economic interventions, and those that alleviate the impoverishing effects of AIDS illness for affected households.

Knowledge, adherence and control among patients with hypertension attending a peri-urban primary health care clinic, KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Despite hypertension being a common condition among patients attending primary health care (PHC) clinics, blood pressure (BP) control is often poor. Greater insight into patient-related factors that influence the control of hypertension will assist in the development of an intervention to address the issues identified. Aim The aim of the study was to assess patient-related variables associated with hypertension control among patients attending a peri-urban PHC clinic. Setting The setting for this study was a peri-urban PHC clinic in KwaZulu-Natal. Method This was an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study with 348 patients selected over a 1-month period. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on patients’ hypertension knowledge and self-reported adherence, and BP recordings from their medical record were recorded to ascertain control. Results Of the 348 participants, only 49% had good BP control and 44% (152/348) had concurrent diabetes mellitus. The majority of patients had moderate levels of knowledge on hypertension and exhibited moderate adherence. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and reported adherence, between reported adherence and control, but not between reported knowledge and control. Conclusion Despite over 90% of the study population having moderate knowledge, and 62% with moderate reported adherence, BP was well controlled in only less than 50% of the study population. These findings suggest a need to emphasise adherence and explore new ways of approaching adherence. PMID:29113443

Direct evidence for human exploitation of birds in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa: The example of Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Val, Aurore; de la Peña, Paloma; Wadley, Lyn

2016-10-01

Here, we present direct taphonomic evidence for the exploitation of birds by hunter-gatherers in the Middle Stone Age of South Africa as far as ∼77 ka. The bird assemblage from Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, was analysed for bone surface modifications. Cut-marks associated with skinning, defleshing, and disarticulation, perforations on distal humeri produced during disarticulation of the forewing, peeling, and human tooth marks were observed on bird bones (i.e., mostly pigeons, doves, Galliformes, waders, and raptors) recovered from pre-Still Bay, Still Bay, Howiesons Poort, and post-Howiesons Poort techno-complexes. We conducted experiments to butcher, disarticulate, cook, and consume pigeon and dove carcasses, in order to create a comparative collection of bone surface modifications associated with human consumption of these birds. Human/bird interactions can now be demonstrated outside of Europe and prior to 50 ka. The evidence sheds new light on Middle Stone Age subsistence strategies in South Africa and introduces a fresh argument to the debate regarding the early emergence of behaviours usually associated with Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of crude and recombinant ELISAs and immunochromatographic test for serodiagnosis of animal trypanosomosis in the Umkhanyakude district of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

PubMed Central

NGUYEN, Thu-Thuy; MOTSIRI, Mono Sophie; TAIOE, Moeti Oriel; MTSHALI, Moses Sibusiso; GOTO, Yasuyuki; KAWAZU, Shin-Ichiro; THEKISOE, Oriel Matlhahane Molifi; INOUE, Noboru

2014-01-01

A total of 231 serum samples were collected from sheep (n=9), goats (n=99) and cattle (n=123) in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Trypanosome infection was detected using Trypanosoma brucei brucei crude antigen (TbbCA) and T. congolense crude antigen (TcoCA) ELISA assays. Recombinant antigen (T. evansi GM6 which consisted of 4 repeat domains, TeGM6-4r) ELISA and immunochromatographic test (ICT) were also used. Crude antigen ELISA, TeGM6-4r-ELISA and ICT detected 27.3%, 29% and 19.9% of trypanosome seropositive samples, respectively. Trypanosome infection prevalence in cattle and goats was 35.8–46.3% and 0–9.1%, respectively. Out of 9 sheep serum samples, 2–4 sera (22.2–44.4%) were positive. The detection performance of crude and recombinant antigen ELISAs was relatively similar (K=0.6–0.7); both are recommended for reference diagnosis and large scale epidemiological surveys. There is potential application for ICT in on-site diagnosis, but its sensitivity should be improved. PMID:25342634

Matching watershed and otolith chemistry to establish natal origin of an endangered desert lake sucker

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strohm, Deanna D.; Budy, Phaedra; Crowl, Todd A.

2017-01-01

Stream habitat restoration and supplemental stocking of hatchery-reared fish have increasingly become key components of recovery plans for imperiled freshwater fish; however, determining when to discontinue stocking efforts, prioritizing restoration areas, and evaluating restoration success present a conservation challenge. In this study, we demonstrate that otolith microchemistry is an effective tool for establishing natal origin of the June Sucker Chasmistes liorus, an imperiled potamodromous fish. This approach allows us to determine whether a fish is of wild or hatchery origin in order to assess whether habitat restoration enhances recruitment and to further identify areas of critical habitat. Our specific objectives were to (1) quantify and characterize chemical variation among three main spawning tributaries; (2) understand the relationship between otolith microchemistry and tributary chemistry; and (3) develop and validate a classification model to identify stream origin using otolith microchemistry data. We quantified molar ratios of Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and Mg:Ca for water and otolith chemistry from three main tributaries to Utah Lake, Utah, during the summer of 2013. Water chemistry (loge transformed Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and Mg:Ca ratios) differed significantly across all three spawning tributaries. We determined that Ba:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios were the most important variables driving our classification models, and we observed a strong linear relationship between water and otolith values for Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca but not for Mg:Ca. Classification models derived from otolith element : Ca signatures accurately sorted individuals to their experimental tributary of origin (classification tree: 89% accuracy; random forest model: 91% accuracy) and determined wild versus hatchery origin with 100% accuracy. Overall, this study aids in evaluating the effectiveness of restoration, tracking progress toward recovery, and prioritizing future restoration plans for fishes of conservation

Metamorphic charnockite in contact aureoles around intrusive enderbite from Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Kerkhof, Alfons M.; Grantham, Geoffrey H.

In the Port Edward area of southern Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, charnockitic aureoles up to 10m in width in the normally garnetiferous Nicholson's Point Granite, are developed adjacent to intrusive contacts with the Port Edward Enderbite and anhydrous pegmatitic veins. Mineralogical differences between the country rock and charnockitic aureole suggest that the dehydration reaction Bt+Qtz-->Opx+Kfs+H2O and the reaction of Grt+Qtz-->Opx+Pl were responsible for the charnockitization. The compositions of fluid inclusions show systematic variation with: (1) the Port Edward Enderbite being dominated by CO2 and N2 fluid inclusions; (2) the non-charnockitized granite by saline aqueous inclusions with 18-23 EqWt% NaCl; (3) the charnockitic aureoles by low-salinity and pure water inclusions (<7 EqWt% NaCl); (4) the pegmatites by aqueous inclusions of various salinity with minor CO2. As a result of the thermal event the homogenization temperatures of the inclusions in charnockite show a much larger range (up to 390°C) compared to the fluid inclusions in granite (mostly <250°C). Contrary to fluid-controlled charnockitization (brines, CO2) which may have taken place along shear zones away from the intrusive body, the present ``proximal'' charnockitized granite formed directly at the contact with enderbite. The inclusions indicate contact metamorphism induced by the intrusion of ``dry'' enderbitic magma into ``wet'' granite resulting in local dehydration. This was confirmed by cathodoluminescence microscopy showing textures indicative for the local reduction of structural water in the charnockite quartz. Two-pyroxene thermometry on the Port Edward Enderbite suggests intrusion at temperatures of 1000-1050°C into country rock with temperature of <700°C. The temperature of aureole formation must have been between 700°C (breakdown of pyrite to form pyrrhotite) and 1000°C. Charnockitization was probably controlled largely by heat related to anhydrous intrusions causing

Does Poor Quality Schooling and/or Teacher Quality Hurt Black South African Students Enrolling for a Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract Wealthy schools appoint better qualified teachers, less wealthy schools under qualified teachers. Added to this mix is a powerful teacher’s union whose policies attempt to entrench the job security of teachers in the less wealthy schools irrespective of whether they can teach their subjects or not. Can one isolate these effects from that of other socio-demographic factors that may also be affecting the performance of students when they enrol for a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)? An outcome variable that subtracts the number of courses that have been failed from the number of courses that have been passed, dividing this by the total number of years that they have spent studying for a particular degree will be used as a response variable for this paper. Objectives The system of secondary education in South Africa is highly polarized. On the one hand, we have a group of mainly Black African students, forming about 80% of the total student population, that come from a vastly under-resourced rural or township based community. On the other hand, we have a group of predominantly White and Indian students who are able to attend a far better resourced set of private schools. Added to this mix, we have 240,000 of South Africa’s total number of 390,000 primary and secondary school teachers who belong to a powerful teacher’s union which enjoys a strong political alliance with the ruling party in South Africa. With most of their union members teaching in the less wealthy schools in South Africa, `school background’ now includes a politically motivated component that focuses on teacher self–interest rather than the education of the child. What sort of effect does school background have on the performance of students when they enter an institution of higher learning? More importantly, can one isolate the effect of school background from that of other possibly confounding factors such as gender, financial aid and the receipt of some form of

Does Poor Quality Schooling and/or Teacher Quality Hurt Black South African Students Enrolling for a Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal?

PubMed

Murray, Mike

2016-01-01

that will also impact on their performance while at university? A total of 6,183 students enrolling for a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) over the period 2008 to 2012 were used a dataset for this study. Permission to use this dataset was given by the Teaching and Learning Office at UKZN. The database that was used for this study was obtained from the Division of Management Information (DMI) office at UKZN. The percentage based marks that students have managed to record for Mathematics, English, Biology and Accounting in their school leaving exams together with some other important but observable socio-economic factors were included in a regression model to determine how students will perform at UKZN. Socio-economic variables relating to gender, race and whether they have receivd some form of financial aid or residence based accommodation while studying at university were also included as predictor variables in our regression based model structure. An interaction effect associated with being a Black African student who has been privileged enough to attend a quintile five school was found to be significant. A main effect associated with being able to attend a more privileged quintile 5 school however was found to be nonsignificant even after an adjustment has been made for gender, race, the receipt of some form of financial aid and residence based accommodation. Given that UKZN already has a number of bridging programs in place that target students who have come from a less privileged background, for university based policymakers, this result may help to justify the targeted selection of Black African students from the less privileged schools that is taking place. Because some of the disparity in matric performance that we are observing may also be associated with teacher competency and the protective influence of a powerful teacher's union, this paper may also help to highlight some of the economic costs related with having under-prepared students. "A

Changes in the Chondrocyte and Extracellular Matrix Proteome during Post-natal Mouse Cartilage Development*

PubMed Central

Wilson, Richard; Norris, Emma L.; Brachvogel, Bent; Angelucci, Constanza; Zivkovic, Snezana; Gordon, Lavinia; Bernardo, Bianca C.; Stermann, Jacek; Sekiguchi, Kiyotoshi; Gorman, Jeffrey J.; Bateman, John F.

2012-01-01

Skeletal growth by endochondral ossification involves tightly coordinated chondrocyte differentiation that creates reserve, proliferating, prehypertrophic, and hypertrophic cartilage zones in the growth plate. Many human skeletal disorders result from mutations in cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) components that compromise both ECM architecture and chondrocyte function. Understanding normal cartilage development, composition, and structure is therefore vital to unravel these disease mechanisms. To study this intricate process in vivo by proteomics, we analyzed mouse femoral head cartilage at developmental stages enriched in either immature chondrocytes or maturing/hypertrophic chondrocytes (post-natal days 3 and 21, respectively). Using LTQ-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry, we identified 703 cartilage proteins. Differentially abundant proteins (q < 0.01) included prototypic markers for both early and late chondrocyte differentiation (epiphycan and collagen X, respectively) and novel ECM and cell adhesion proteins with no previously described roles in cartilage development (tenascin X, vitrin, Urb, emilin-1, and the sushi repeat-containing proteins SRPX and SRPX2). Meta-analysis of cartilage development in vivo and an in vitro chondrocyte culture model (Wilson, R., Diseberg, A. F., Gordon, L., Zivkovic, S., Tatarczuch, L., Mackie, E. J., Gorman, J. J., and Bateman, J. F. (2010) Comprehensive profiling of cartilage extracellular matrix formation and maturation using sequential extraction and label-free quantitative proteomics. Mol. Cell. Proteomics 9, 1296–1313) identified components involved in both systems, such as Urb, and components with specific roles in vivo, including vitrin and CILP-2 (cartilage intermediate layer protein-2). Immunolocalization of Urb, vitrin, and CILP-2 indicated specific roles at different maturation stages. In addition to ECM-related changes, we provide the first biochemical evidence of changing endoplasmic reticulum function during

Burns in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal: epidemiology and the need for community health education.

PubMed

Scheven, D; Barker, P; Govindasamy, J

2012-12-01

Burns are one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in South Africa. The northern Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) area, in which this study was conducted, has a population at high risk of burn. A large proportion of the population of KZN live in rural settlements and use traditional methods of cooking and heating. Children are often unsupervised or looked after by only slightly older children. This study investigates the need and potential focus of a health education programme within the setting of rural KZN. Examination of epidemiological data collected on 423 cases admitted to the Ngwelezana Hospital Burns Unit from 2008 to 2010. Children under the age of 12 were most at risk, making up 69.5% of all admissions. Most burns were caused in the home by incidents involving hot water and food (69.5%). Direct flame burns accounted for 19.6% of injuries and were more common with increasing age. Of the direct flame burns, 20.5% occurred during an epileptic seizure. Non-accidental injury accounted for 8.7% of burns. Public health awareness was assessed by investigating the use of first aid treatments, and the time delay between burn and presentation to hospital. First aid provision was attempted in 53.1% of cases. Only 1.1% of burn victims were treated with running water for 10 min or more. Other products commonly applied to the burn wound (31.7% of cases) included oil, ice or eggs, some of which are known to be harmful. The time from burn to presentation at hospital varied greatly. The median time of presentation for local residents was only 6h; however, the median referral delay from a district hospital was 6 days. These factors have important consequences on the outcome of burns. The implementation of a community health education programme which focuses on adults as well as children, has the potential to decrease both the incidence and morbidity associated with burns in rural KZN. The pattern of burns is similar to that seen in urban areas (mostly children, and mostly around

Evaluation of medicinal turpentine used for the prevention of bovine babesiosis in southern KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern Free State.

PubMed

Biggs, Louise J; Carrington, Chris A P; Naidoo, Vinny

2014-08-22

Medicinal turpentine has been used extensively in the eastern Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa with reportedly excellent results. It is believed that it is able to prevent and treat babesiosis (redwater) in cattle. Redwater is an often-fatal disease in cattle and results in losses of large numbers every year in South Africa. This study was initiated in an attempt to investigate the validity of the use of the turpentine as a medicinal agent. Using a semi in vitro screening assay, Babesia caballi grown in primary equine erythrocytes was exposed to various concentrations of turpentine in comparison to diminazene and imidocarb. The turpentine had no parasiticidal effect following direct exposure. During the recovery phase, the previously exposed parasites appeared to grow more slowly than the controls. In comparison, diminazene and imidocarb were 100% effective in killing the parasites. In a subsequent tolerance study in adult cattle (n = 6) at 1x (2 mL), 3x and 5x the recommended dose, the product was non-toxic. Irritation was noted at the injection site with the higher dose. The only major finding on clinical pathology was a general increase in globulins, without a concurrent change in native babesia antibody titres. It was concluded that it is unlikely that medicinal turpentine is an effective treatment against babesiosis.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid preserves photoreceptor structure and function in the rd10 mouse through post-natal day 30

PubMed Central

Phillips, M. Joe; Walker, Tiffany A.; Choi, Hee-young; Faulkner, Amanda E.; Kim, Moon K.; Sidney, Sheree; Boyd, Amber; Nickerson, John M.; Boatright, Jeffrey H.; Pardue, Machelle T.

2008-01-01

Purpose Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting in blindness for which there is no current treatment. While the members of the family of RP diseases differ in etiology, their outcomes are the same: apoptosis of rods followed by cones. Recently, the bile acid, tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), has been shown to have anti-apoptotic properties in neurodegenerative diseases, including those of the retina. In this study we examine the efficacy of TUDCA on preserving rod and cone function and morphology at post-natal day 30 (P30) in the rd10 mouse, a model of RP. Methods Wild-type C57BL/6J and rd10 mice were systemically injected with TUDCA (500 mg/kg) every three days from P6-P30 and compared to vehicle (0.15M NaHCO3). At P30, retinal function was measured with electroretinography (ERG) and morphological preservation of the rods and cones assessed with immunohistochemistry. Results Dark-adapted ERG responses were two-fold greater in rd10 mice treated with TUDCA compared to vehicle, while light-adapted responses were two-fold larger in TUDCA-treated mice compared to controls, at the brightest ERG flash intensities. TUDCA-treated rd10 retinas had five-fold more photoreceptors than vehicle-treated. TUDCA treatments did not alter retinal function or morphology of wild-type mice when administered to age-matched mice. Conclusions TUDCA is efficacious and safe in preserving vision in the rd10 mouse model of RP when treated between P6 and P30. At P30, a developmental stage at which nearly all rods are absent in the rd10 mouse model of RP, TUDCA treatment preserved both rod and cone function and greatly preserved overall photoreceptor numbers. PMID:18436848

Toddler test or procedure preparation

MedlinePlus

Preparing toddler for test/procedure; Test/procedure preparation - toddler; Preparing for a medical test or procedure - toddler ... Before the test, know that your child will probably cry. Even if you prepare, your child may feel some discomfort or ...

Occurrence of naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac residues in wastewater and river water of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa.

PubMed

Madikizela, Lawrence Mzukisi; Chimuka, Luke

2017-07-01

The present paper reports a detailed study that is based on the monitoring of naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac in Mbokodweni River and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located around the city of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. Target compounds were extracted from water samples using a multi-template molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction prior to separation and quantification on a high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with photo diode array detector. The analytical method yielded the detection limits of 0.15, 1.00, and 0.63 μg/L for naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac, respectively. Solid-phase extraction method was evaluated for its performance using deionized water samples that were spiked with 5 and 50 μg/L of target compounds. Recoveries were greater than 80% for all target compounds with RSD values in the range of 4.1 to 10%. Target compounds were detected in most wastewater and river water samples with ibuprofen being the most frequently detected pharmaceutical. Maximum concentrations detected in river water for naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac were 6.84, 19.2, and 9.69 μg/L, respectively. The concentrations of target compounds found in effluent and river water samples compared well with some studies. The analytical method employed in this work is fast, selective, sensitive, and affordable; therefore, it can be used routinely to evaluate the occurrence of acidic pharmaceuticals in South African water resources.

The ties that bind: Maternal kin bias in a multilevel primate society despite natal dispersal by both sexes.

PubMed

Städele, Veronika; Pines, Mathew; Swedell, Larissa; Vigilant, Linda

2016-07-01

In many social animals, individuals derive fitness benefits from close social bonds, which are often formed among kin of the philopatric sex. Hamadryas baboons, however, exhibit a hierarchical, multilevel social system where both sexes disperse from their natal one-male-unit (OMU). Although this would seem to hinder maintenance of kin ties, both sexes appear largely philopatric at the higher order band and clan levels, possibly allowing for bonds with same sex kin by both males and females. In order to investigate the possibility of kin bonds in hamadryas baboons, we identified kin dyads in a band without known pedigree information using a large panel of genetic markers: 1 Y-linked, 4 X-linked, and 23 autosomal microsatellites and part of the mitochondrial hypervariable region I. With these data, we performed a kinship analysis while accounting for misclassification rates through simulations and determined kinship among two types of dyads: leader and follower males and female dyads within OMUs. Leader and follower males were maternal relatives more often than expected by chance, suggesting that kinship plays a role in the formation of these relationships. Moreover, maternal female relatives were found in the same OMU more often than expected by chance, indicating that females may be motivated to maintain post-dispersal contact with maternal female kin. Our results suggest that hamadryas baboons can recognize maternal kin and that kin selection has contributed to shaping their complex social system. This implies that an ancestral maternal kin bias has been retained in hamadryas society. Am. J. Primatol. 78:731-744, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Building the capacity to build capacity in e-health in sub-Saharan Africa: the KwaZulu-Natal experience.

PubMed

Mars, Maurice

2012-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa has a disproportionate burden of disease and an extreme shortage of health workers. There are already too few doctors to train doctors in specialities and sub-specialties. E-health is seen as a possible solution through distance education, telemedicine, and computerized health information systems but there are few people trained in e-health. We describe 12 years of experience at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZ-N) in education and training in postgraduate medical disciplines, medical informatics, and telemedicine. Videoconferencing of seminars and grand rounds to regional training hospitals commenced in 2001 and has grown to 40 h of interactive conferencing taking place weekly during academic terms involving over 33,000 participants in 2010. Videoconferenced sessions are directly recorded to DVD and DVDs are sent to other medical schools in Africa that do not have the infrastructure to directly connect. E-HEALTH EDUCATION: Students and academic staff were initially sent to the United States for training in medical informatics and workshops were held in South Africa for people from sub-Saharan Africa. This led to the development of postgraduate academic programs in medical informatics and telemedicine at UKZ-N. African students were then brought to UKZ-N for training. The model was changed from UKZ-N to students and staff based at their home universities with the aim of building capacity in the staff at partner institutions so that they can in time offer their own e-health academic programs. The need for capacity development in all aspects of e-health in sub-Saharan Africa is great and innovative solutions are required.

Building the Capacity to Build Capacity in e-Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: The KwaZulu-Natal Experience

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Abstract Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has a disproportionate burden of disease and an extreme shortage of health workers. There are already too few doctors to train doctors in specialities and sub-specialties. E-health is seen as a possible solution through distance education, telemedicine, and computerized health information systems but there are few people trained in e-health. We describe 12 years of experience at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZ-N) in education and training in postgraduate medical disciplines, medical informatics, and telemedicine. Medical Education: Videoconferencing of seminars and grand rounds to regional training hospitals commenced in 2001 and has grown to 40 h of interactive conferencing taking place weekly during academic terms involving over 33,000 participants in 2010. Videoconferenced sessions are directly recorded to DVD and DVDs are sent to other medical schools in Africa that do not have the infrastructure to directly connect. E-health Education: Students and academic staff were initially sent to the United States for training in medical informatics and workshops were held in South Africa for people from sub-Saharan Africa. This led to the development of postgraduate academic programs in medical informatics and telemedicine at UKZ-N. African students were then brought to UKZ-N for training. The model was changed from UKZ-N to students and staff based at their home universities with the aim of building capacity in the staff at partner institutions so that they can in time offer their own e-health academic programs. Conclusions: The need for capacity development in all aspects of e-health in sub-Saharan Africa is great and innovative solutions are required. PMID:22150714

Petition Preparation Help

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Preparing a part 75 Petition provides useful information and answers to common questions that will help the designated representative for a unit subject to part 75 prepare and submit a complete petition under §75.66.

The expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) during post-natal testes development in the yak.

PubMed

Pan, Y; Cui, Y; Yu, S; Zhang, Q; Fan, J; Abdul Rasheed, B; Yang, K

2014-12-01

Growth factors play critical role in cell proliferation, regulate tissue differentiation and modulate organogenesis. Several growth factors have been identified in the testes of various mammalian species in last few years. In present investigation, the objective was to determine the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in yak testicular tissue by relative quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) from mRNA and protein levels. The testicular tissues were collected from male yak at 6 and 24 months old. Results of RT-PCR and WB showed that the expression quantity of EGF and EGFR at 24 months of age was higher than at 6 months, and the increase rate of EGFR on mRNA and protein levels was higher than the increase rate EGF during post-natal testes development. Positive staining for EGF and EGFR was very low and mainly localized to Leydig cells testes at 6 months of age with immunohistochemistry, and seminiferous tubules were not observed. At 24 month of age, both the EGF and EGFR could be detected in Leydig cells, peritubular myoid cells, sertoli cells and germ cells of the yak testes. However, EGF and EGFR were localized to preferential adluminal compartment and basal compartment in the seminiferous tubules, respectively. In conclusion, the findings in present studies suggest that EGF and EGFR as important paracrine and/or autocrine regulators in yak testes development and spermatogenesis. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Research Preparation in Kinesiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Stephen

2012-01-01

This article addresses research preparation for graduate students. A major assumption is that preparation needs to be differentiated based on a student's goals. Since this is a personal proposal for research preparation, based on experience and the literature, I begin the article providing my perspective since that frames what follows. The next…

DDT residue contamination in sediments from Lake Sibaya in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: implications for conservation in a World Heritage Site.

PubMed

Humphries, Marc S

2013-11-01

Maputaland in northern KwaZulu-Natal is a biodiversity hotspot and host to a number of ecologically important systems, including Lake Sibaya, southern Africa's largest natural freshwater lake. The region is malaria endemic and this study reports the presence of DDT and its metabolites in the sediments of Lake Sibaya that have resulted from the widespread and continued use of DDT in the region. DDT residues (p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE) were detected at all 11 sites sampled, with total concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 123 ng g(-1). Total DDT concentrations at Lake Sibaya represent some of the highest levels reported in South Africa, with most samples exceeding sediment quality guideline values. The findings from this study raise concerns and indicate that urgent further work is needed to investigate the potential for bioaccumulation, which could adversely affect breeding fish, bird, and crocodile populations in the region. While this study represents the first report on DDT contamination in Lake Sibaya, results have important implications for a number of other aquatic ecosystems within the Maputaland ecoregion, as well as the many local people who depend on them. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive-Behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for the treatment of post-natal depression: a narrative review.

PubMed

Stamou, George; García-Palacios, Azucena; Botella, Cristina

2018-06-18

Post-natal Depression (PND) is a depressive disorder that causes significant distress or impairment on different levels in the individual's life and their families. There is already evidence of the efficacy of psychological treatments for PND. We conducted a narrative review and researched the literature for identifying systematic reviews and studies for the best psychological treatments of PND, and examined what parameters made those treatments successful. We searched 4 electronic databases. We included reviews and randomised controlled clinical trials for our research. We excluded other types of studies such as case studies and cohort studies. We followed a specific search strategy with specific terms and a selection process. We identified risk of bias in reviews and studies, and identified their limitations. We synthesized the data based on particular information, including: name of the authors, location, research type, target, population, delivery, outcome measures, participants, control groups, types of intervention, components of treatments, providers, experimental conditions amongst others. We found 6 reviews and 15 studies which met our inclusion criteria focusing on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for PND. Among the main findings we found that CBT can be delivered on an individual basis or within a group. It can be effective in the short-term, or up to six months post-intervention. CBT can be delivered by professionals or experts, but can also be practiced by non-experts. We found 7 components of CBT, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and goal setting. We also researched whether virtual reality (VR) has ever been used for the treatment of PND, and found that it has not. From our review, we have concluded that CBT is an effective treatment for PND. We have explored the utility of VR as a possible therapeutic modality for PND and have decided to run a pilot feasibility study as a next step, which will act as the foundational guide for a

Unmet counselling need amongst women accessing an induced abortion service in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Birdsey, Graeme; Crankshaw, Tamaryn L; Mould, Sean; Ramklass, Serela S

2016-11-01

Provision of objective, evidence-based counselling in the context of induced abortion services is considered global good practise. However, there is limited understanding over the counselling needs of women accessing abortion services, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to explore the content and quality of pre-abortion counselling amongst women accessing an abortion service in South Africa as well as client experience of the counselling process. Perceptions of nurse counsellors were also sought. This was a mixed methods study conducted at a Choice of Termination of Pregnancy clinic based at a district level hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Sixty women requesting an abortion were interviewed via a semi-structured questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with four nurses who provided pre-abortion counselling at the clinic. Interviews were coded for emergent themes and categories. Clinic nurses had widely variable counselling training and experience, ranging from less than 2 months to 8 years, but all clients reported that they had been treated with respect at their counselling session. The group-based counselling format and biomedical and health promotion content did not accommodate clients' differential counselling needs, which included requests for support from women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). There was limited provider awareness of client's additional counselling needs. Abortion counselling services should be tailored to clients' differential counselling needs. Group-based counselling followed by optional one-on-one counselling sessions is one possible strategy to address unmet client need in South Africa. Provision of abortion provider training in IPV is recommended as well as establishment of referral pathways for women experiencing IPV. Paying attention to the differential counselling needs of women seeking an abortion should be a key component to the provision of abortion services. In this way, abortion

The role of early development in mammalian limb diversification: a descriptive comparison of early limb development between the Natal long-fingered bat (Miniopterus natalensis) and the mouse (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Hockman, Dorit; Mason, Mandy K; Jacobs, David S; Illing, Nicola

2009-04-01

Comparative embryology expands our understanding of unique limb structures, such as that found in bats. Bat forelimb digits 2 to 5 are differentially elongated and joined by webbing, while the hindlimb digits are of similar length in many species. We compare limb development between the mouse and the Natal long-fingered bat, Miniopterus natalensis, to pinpoint the stage at which their limbs begin to differ. The bat forelimb differs from the mouse at Carollia stage (CS) 14 with the appearance of the wing membrane primordia. This difference is enhanced at CS 15 with the posterior expansion of the hand plate. The bat hindlimb begins to differ from the mouse between CS 15 and 16 when the foot plate undergoes a proximal expansion resulting in digit primordia of very similar length. Our findings support recent gene expression studies, which reveal a role for early patterning in the development of the bat limb. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Breastfeeding and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in the first 4 post-natal months and infant cognitive development: an observational study.

PubMed

Keim, Sarah A; Daniels, Julie L; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Herring, Amy H; Dole, Nancy; Scheidt, Peter C

2012-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine infant feeding and the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) concentration of breast milk and formulas in relation to infant development. The prospective Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition Study (n=358) collected data on breastfeeding, breast milk samples and the formulas fed through 4months post-partum. At 12months of age, infants' development was assessed (Mullen Scales of Early Learning). Linear regression was used to examine development in relation to breastfeeding, breast milk docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) concentration, and DHA and AA concentration from the combination of breast milk and formula. The median breast milk DHA concentration was 0.20% of total fatty acids [interquartile range (IQR)=0.14, 0.34]; median AA concentration was 0.52% (IQR=0.44, 0.63). Upon adjustment for preterm birth, sex, smoking, race and ethnicity and education, breastfeeding exclusivity was unrelated to development. Among infants exclusively breastfed, breast milk LCPUFA concentration was not associated with development (Mullen composite, DHA: adjusted β=-1.3, 95% confidence interval: -10.3, 7.7). Variables combining DHA and AA concentrations from breast milk and formula, weighted by their contribution to diet, were unassociated with development. We found no evidence of enhanced infant development related to the LCPUFA content of breast milk or formula consumed during the first four post-natal months. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Awareness and Attitudes Regarding Prenatal Sex Determination, Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDTA) among Pregnant Women in Southern India

PubMed Central

Kumar, Nithin; Unnikrishnan, Bhaskaran; Kanchan, Tanuj; Thapar, Rekha; Mithra, Prasanna; Kulkarni, Vaman; Holla, Ramesh

2014-01-01

Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the awareness and attitude regarding prenatal sex determination and Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic techniques Act among pregnant women. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried at tertiary care teaching hospitals of Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore, India among 132 pregnant women. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) version 11.5 and results were expressed in percentages. Results: The study included 132 participants and the mean age of study subjects was around 27 y. Majority of the study subjects (91.7%) knew that prenatal sex determination was possible. Three fourth (74.4%) of the participants prenatal sex determination was a punishable offence. One of the participants was ready to terminate pregnancy if sex of the fetus was revealed to be female before second trimester. Majority of participants (67.4%) were willing to educate people about PCPNDT act and motivate them against sex determination and sex selective abortions. Conclusion: Our study showed that higher proportion of participants knew about the prenatal sex determination and it was a punishable offence, still majority of them preferred to know the sex of unborn child which shows the need to implement the act effectively. PMID:25478372

[Preparation trauma in stomatology].

PubMed

Novák, L; Půza, V; Cervinka, M; Kolárová, J

1997-01-01

In this paper authors deal with the causes of preparation trauma in stomatology. They have studied effects of high temperature on human cells cultured in vitro. Based both on literature data and on their own experience they summarize basic principles of preparation which prevent preparation trauma. They summarize how to eliminate as much as possible factors that damage hard dental tissues and pulp.

Helminth control as an entry point for health-promoting schools in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Taylor, M; Coovadia, H M; Kvalsvig, J D; Jinabhai, C C; Reddy, P

1999-03-01

To use a health promotion model to investigate the risk factors (predisposing, enabling and reinforcing) for geohelminth and schistosomiasis infections, in order to develop and implement effective intervention strategies. Phase 1: Qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs) with parents, pupils and teachers; and interviews with health workers. Phase 2: Quantitative study using a semi-structured questionnaire to investigate whether the determinants identified in phase 1 were generalisable. Rural primary schools in Vulamehlo magisterial district, southern KwaZulu-Natal. Qualitative study: 9 schools with 179 pupils, 93 parents and 82 teachers; and local clinics (4 fixed, 1 mobile), with 7 professional nurses. Quantitative study: 2 other schools, with 730 pupils. Predisposing factors: Respondents were familiar with symptoms, but did not know the cause or mode of transmission of helminth infections. Many respondents perceived food to be the cause of geohelminth infection and swimming in the river to be the cause of schistosomiasis. Although 649 (88.9%) pupils had toilets at home and at school, only 218 (29.9%) were motivated to 'always' use the toilet for faecal disposal (rural communities previously did not have toilets). Six hundred and seventy-eight pupils (92.9%) understood that it was necessary to wash their hands after using the toilet, but many schools lacked water. Personal cleanliness was a problem despite the emphasis on hygiene by health workers and teachers. Few pupils admitted to eating soil, but it was agreed that geophagia affected young children between the ages of 8 months and 6 years. Enabling factors (positive/negative): Barriers to health promotion frequently included inadequate toilet facilities at school and home, and river-water contact resulting from a lack of clean water. A dearth of recreational facilities resulted in children swimming and playing in the river. Positive factors were the health-seeking behaviour of the majority of the

Malaria control aimed at the entire population in KwaZulu-Natal negates the need for policies to prevent malaria in pregnancy.

PubMed

Tsoka-Gwegweni, J M; Kleinschmidt, I

2013-01-24

South Africa has no policy to prevent malaria in pregnancy, despite the adverse effects of the disease in pregnancy. However, malaria control measures consisting of indoor residual spraying and specific antimalarial treatment have been in place since the 1970s. Information on the burden of malaria in pregnancy in South Africa is needed to indicate whether a specific policy for malaria prevention in pregnancy is necessary. To determine the burden of malaria in pregnancy in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. Pregnant women were enrolled at their first antenatal care visit to three health facilities in Umkhanyakude health district in northern KZN during May 2004 - September 2005 and followed up until delivery. Data collection included demographic details, current and previous malaria infection during pregnancy, haemoglobin concentrations and birth outcomes. Of the 1 406 study participants, more than a quarter were younger than 20 years of age, and more than 90% were unemployed and unmarried. Although 33.2% of the women were anaemic, this was not related to malaria. The prevalence and incidence of malaria were very low, and low birth weight was only weakly associated with malaria (1/10). The low burden of malaria in these pregnant women suggests that they have benefited from malaria control strategies in the study area. The implication is that additional measures specific for malaria prevention in pregnancy are not required. However, ongoing monitoring is needed to ensure that malaria prevalence remains low.

Effects of maternal dexamethasone treatment on pancreatic β cell function in the pregnant mare and post natal foal.

PubMed

Valenzuela, O A; Jellyman, J K; Allen, V L; Holdstock, N B; Fowden, A L

2017-01-01

Synthetic glucocorticoids are used to treat inflammatory conditions in horses. In other pregnant animals, glucocorticoids are given to stimulate fetal maturation with long-term metabolic consequences for the offspring if given preterm. However, their metabolic effects during equine pregnancy remain unknown. Thus, this study investigated the metabolic effects of dexamethasone administration on pregnant pony mares and their foals after birth. Experimental study. A total of 3 doses of dexamethasone (200 μg/kg bwt i.m.) were given to 6 pony mares at 48 h intervals beginning at ≈270 days of pregnancy. Control saline injections were given to 5 mares using the same protocol. After fasting overnight, pancreatic β cell responses to exogenous glucose were measured in the mares before, during and after treatment. After birth, pancreatic β cell responses to exogenous glucose and arginine were measured in the foals at 2 and 12 weeks. In mares during treatment, dexamethasone but not saline increased basal insulin concentrations and prolonged the insulin response to exogenous glucose. Basal insulin and glucose concentrations still differed significantly between the 2 groups 72 h post treatment. Dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced placental area but had little effect on foal biometry at birth or subsequently. Foal β cell function at 2 weeks was unaffected by maternal treatment. However, by 12 weeks, pancreatic β cell sensitivity to arginine, but not glucose, was less in foals delivered by dexamethasone- than saline-treated mares. Dexamethasone administration induced changes in maternal insulin-glucose dynamics, indicative of insulin resistance and had subtle longer term effects on post natal β cell function of the foals. The programming effects of dexamethasone in horses may be mediated partially by altered maternal metabolism and placental growth. © 2016 EVJ Ltd.

Understanding women and men's acceptability of current and new HIV prevention technologies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Govender, Eliza; Abdool Karim, Quarraisha

2018-06-18

Despite significant advances to the HIV epidemic, prevention remains a challenge globally. Adolescent girls and young women in southern and Eastern Africa are still at high risk of acquiring HIV infection with limited prevention options. The expanding product pipeline of novel drugs and delivery approaches has highlighted the importance of acceptability and uptake of these anti-retroviral based products to realize their full prevention potential. Community engagement is now imperative to inform both product development and uptake; with research directed to understand what potential users are willing to use given the broader cultural-gender context in which HIV prevention product choices are made/negotiated. We conducted ten gender specific discussion groups with 112 participants in three of the eight highest HIV prevalence districts in urban, peri-urban, and rural KwaZulu-Natal. The participants where purposively selected according to age, location and sex. The data was analysed thematically in terms of the key enablers and barriers of accepting three key HIV dosing strategies; the oral pill, the vaginal ring and the injectable among men and women. The study found that women are willing to consider HIV prevention options that align with their current sexual and reproductive health routines, offers the longest duration of protection, and requires minimal/no partner involvement, in contrast most men were not supportive of their partners using of any form of PrEP, irrespective of dosing strategies and formulations as it raised questions of infidelity and side effects on men. The findings is indicative of the complexities of women's product choices, which are often embedded in a system of personal preference on an intrapersonal level, but also of male dominance, gender norms and cultural contexts at an interpersonal level. Understanding this intrapersonal-interpersonal interplay can enhance PrEP messaging and promotion; further highlighting the need to expand

The impact of gender norms on condom use among HIV-positive adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Fladseth, Kristin; Gafos, Mitzy; Newell, Marie Louise; McGrath, Nuala

2015-01-01

Critical to preventing the spread of HIV is promoting condom use among HIV-positive individuals. Previous studies suggest that gender norms (social and cultural constructions of the ways that women and men are expected to behave) may be an important determinant of condom use. However, the relationship has not been evaluated among HIV-positive women and men in South Africa. We examined gender norms and condom use at last sex among 550 partnerships reported by 530 sexually-active HIV-positive women (372) and men (158) who had sought care, but not yet initiated antiretroviral therapy in a high HIV-prevalence rural setting in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between January 2009 and March 2011. Participants enrolled in the cohort study completed a baseline questionnaire that detailed their socio-demographic characteristics, socio-economic circumstances, religion, HIV testing history and disclosure of HIV status, stigma, social capital, gender norms and self-efficacy. Gender norms did not statistically differ between women and men (p = 0.18). Overall, condoms were used at last sex in 58% of partnerships. Although participants disclosed their HIV status in 66% of the partnerships, 60% did not have knowledge of their partner's HIV status. In multivariable logistic regression, run separately for each sex, women younger than 26 years with more equitable gender norms were significantly more likely to have used a condom at last sex than those of the same age group with inequitable gender norms (OR = 8.88, 95% CI 2.95-26.75); the association between condom use and gender norms among women aged 26+ years and men of all ages was not statistically significant. Strategies to address gender inequity should be integrated into positive prevention interventions, particularly for younger women, and supported by efforts at a societal level to decrease gender inequality.

Post-natal anaemia and iron deficiency in HIV-infected women and the health and survival of their children.

PubMed

Isanaka, Sheila; Spiegelman, Donna; Aboud, Said; Manji, Karim P; Msamanga, Gernard I; Willet, Walter C; Duggan, Christopher; Fawzi, Wafaie W

2012-07-01

Prenatal iron supplementation may improve pregnancy outcomes and decrease the risk of child mortality. However, little is known about the importance of post-natal maternal iron status for child health and survival, particularly in the context of HIV infection. We examined the association of maternal anaemia and hypochromic microcytosis, an erythrocyte morphology consistent with iron deficiency, with child health and survival in the first two to five years of life. Repeated measures of maternal anaemia and hypochromic microcytosis from 840 HIV-positive women enrolled in a clinical trial of vitamin supplementation were prospectively related to child mortality, HIV infection and CD4 T-cell count. Median duration of follow-up for the endpoints of child mortality, HIV infection and CD4 cell count was 58, 17 and 23 months, respectively. Maternal anaemia and hypochromic microcytosis were associated with greater risk of child mortality [hazard ratio (HR) for severe anaemia = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66-4.01, P trend < 0.0001; HR for severe hypochromic microcytosis = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.27-4.38, P trend = 0.001]. Maternal anaemia was not significantly associated with greater risk of child HIV infection (HR for severe anaemia = 1.46, 95% CI: 0.91, 2.33, P trend = 0.08) but predicted lower CD4 T-cell counts among HIV-uninfected children (difference in CD4 T-cell count/µL for severe anaemia: -93, 95% CI: -204-17, P trend = 0.02). The potential child health risks associated with maternal anaemia and iron deficiency may not be limited to the prenatal period. Efforts to reduce maternal anaemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy may need to be expanded to include the post-partum period. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Impact of Lean on patient cycle and waiting times at a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Naidoo, Logandran

2016-01-01

Background Prolonged waiting time is a source of patient dissatisfaction with health care and is negatively associated with patient satisfaction. Prolonged waiting times in many district hospitals result in many dissatisfied patients, overworked and frustrated staff, and poor quality of care because of the perceived increased workload. Aim The aim of the study was to determine the impact of Lean principles techniques, and tools on the operational efficiency in the outpatient department (OPD) of a rural district hospital. Setting The study was conducted at the Catherine Booth Hospital (CBH) – a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods This was an action research study with pre-, intermediate-, and post-implementation assessments. Cycle and waiting times were measured by direct observation on two occasions before, approximately two-weekly during, and on two occasions after Lean implementation. A standardised data collection tool was completed by the researcher at each of the six key service nodes in the OPD to capture the waiting times and cycle times. Results All six service nodes showed a reduction in cycle times and waiting times between the baseline assessment and post-Lean implementation measurement. Significant reduction was achieved in cycle times (27%; p < 0.05) and waiting times (from 11.93 to 10 min; p = 0.03) at the Investigations node. Although the target reduction was not achieved for the Consulting Room node, there was a significant reduction in waiting times from 80.95 to 74.43 min, (p < 0.001). The average efficiency increased from 16.35% (baseline) to 20.13% (post-intervention). Conclusion The application of Lean principles, tools and techniques provides hospital managers with an evidence-based management approach to resolving problems and improving quality indicators. PMID:27543283

Impact of Lean on patient cycle and waiting times at a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Naidoo, Logandran; Mahomed, Ozayr H

2016-07-26

Prolonged waiting time is a source of patient dissatisfaction with health care and is negatively associated with patient satisfaction. Prolonged waiting times in many district hospitals result in many dissatisfied patients, overworked and frustrated staff, and poor quality of care because of the perceived increased workload. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of Lean principles techniques, and tools on the operational efficiency in the outpatient department (OPD) of a rural district hospital. The study was conducted at the Catherine Booth Hospital (CBH) - a rural district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This was an action research study with pre-, intermediate-, and post-implementation assessments. Cycle and waiting times were measured by direct observation on two occasions before, approximately two-weekly during, and on two occasions after Lean implementation. A standardised data collection tool was completed by the researcher at each of the six key service nodes in the OPD to capture the waiting times and cycle times. All six service nodes showed a reduction in cycle times and waiting times between the baseline assessment and post-Lean implementation measurement. Significant reduction was achieved in cycle times (27%; p < 0.05) and waiting times (from 11.93 to 10 min; p = 0.03) at the Investigations node. Although the target reduction was not achieved for the Consulting Room node, there was a significant reduction in waiting times from 80.95 to 74.43 min, (p < 0.001). The average efficiency increased from 16.35% (baseline) to 20.13% (post-intervention). The application of Lean principles, tools and techniques provides hospital managers with an evidence-based management approach to resolving problems and improving quality indicators.

The Impact of Gender Norms on Condom Use among HIV-Positive Adults in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Fladseth, Kristin; Gafos, Mitzy; Newell, Marie Louise; McGrath, Nuala

2015-01-01

Critical to preventing the spread of HIV is promoting condom use among HIV-positive individuals. Previous studies suggest that gender norms (social and cultural constructions of the ways that women and men are expected to behave) may be an important determinant of condom use. However, the relationship has not been evaluated among HIV-positive women and men in South Africa. We examined gender norms and condom use at last sex among 550 partnerships reported by 530 sexually-active HIV-positive women (372) and men (158) who had sought care, but not yet initiated antiretroviral therapy in a high HIV-prevalence rural setting in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between January 2009 and March 2011. Participants enrolled in the cohort study completed a baseline questionnaire that detailed their socio-demographic characteristics, socio-economic circumstances, religion, HIV testing history and disclosure of HIV status, stigma, social capital, gender norms and self-efficacy. Gender norms did not statistically differ between women and men (p = 0.18). Overall, condoms were used at last sex in 58% of partnerships. Although participants disclosed their HIV status in 66% of the partnerships, 60% did not have knowledge of their partner’s HIV status. In multivariable logistic regression, run separately for each sex, women younger than 26 years with more equitable gender norms were significantly more likely to have used a condom at last sex than those of the same age group with inequitable gender norms (OR = 8.88, 95% CI 2.95–26.75); the association between condom use and gender norms among women aged 26+ years and men of all ages was not statistically significant. Strategies to address gender inequity should be integrated into positive prevention interventions, particularly for younger women, and supported by efforts at a societal level to decrease gender inequality. PMID:25853870

Preschooler test or procedure preparation

MedlinePlus

Preparing preschoolers for test/procedure; Test/procedure preparation - preschooler ... Preparing children for medical tests can reduce their anxiety. It can also make them less likely to cry and resist the procedure. Research shows that ...

A Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Transgender Persons on Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy.

PubMed

Mueller, Sven C; Landré, Lionel; Wierckx, Katrien; T'Sjoen, Guy

2017-01-01

To date, research findings are inconsistent about whether the neuroanatomy in transgender persons resembles that of their natal sex or their gender identity. Moreover, few studies have examined the effects of long-term cross-sex hormonal treatment on neuroanatomy in this cohort. The purpose of the present study was to examine neuroanatomical differences in transgender persons after prolonged cross-sex hormone therapy. Eighteen transgender men (female-to-male), 17 transgender women (male-to-female), 30 nontransgender men (natal men), and 27 nontransgender women (natal women) completed a high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging scan at 3 T. Eligibility criteria for transgender persons were gender-affirming surgery and at least 2 years of cross-sex hormone therapy. Exclusion criteria for nontransgender persons were presence of psychiatric or neurological disorders. The mean neuroanatomical volume for the amygdala, putamen, and corpus callosum differed between transgender women and natal women but not between transgender women and natal men. Differences between transgender men and natal men were found in several brain structures, including the medial temporal lobe structures and cerebellum. Differences between transgender men and natal women were found in the medial temporal lobe, nucleus accumbens, and 3rd ventricle. Sexual dimorphism between nontransgender men and women included larger cerebellar volumes and a smaller anterior corpus callosum in natal men than in natal women. The results remained stable after correcting for additional factors including age, total intracranial volume, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Neuroanatomical differences were region specific between transgender persons and their natal sex as well as their gender identity, raising the possibility of a localized influence of sex hormones on neuroanatomy. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Wood fuel preparation

Treesearch

L. H. Reineke

1965-01-01

This report gives information on the preparation of wood fuel from wood residues and other wood raw materials. Types of wood fuel discussed are cordwood, stovewood, slabwood, kindling, chips, hogged fuel, sawdust and shavings, bark, charcoal, alcohol, and briquets. Related information is given on types of machinery for preparing wood fuel and on possible markets for...

Food preparation supplies predict children's family meal and home-prepared dinner consumption in low-income households.

PubMed

Appelhans, Bradley M; Waring, Molly E; Schneider, Kristin L; Pagoto, Sherry L

2014-05-01

Frequent family meals and home food preparation are considered important for children's nutritional health and weight maintenance. This cross-sectional study tested whether these parent-driven behaviors are related to the availability of food preparation supplies in low-income urban households. Caregivers of children ages 6-13 provided information on family meal frequency, child consumption of home-prepared dinners, household food insecurity, and attitudes towards cooking. Researchers used a newly developed Food Preparation Checklist (FPC) to assess the availability of 41 food preparation supplies during a physical audit of the home environment. Caregivers and children provided anthropometric measurements and jointly reported on child dietary intake. In ordinal logistic regression models, greater home availability of food preparation supplies was associated with more frequent family meals and child consumption of home-prepared dinners. Associations were independent of household financial strain, food insecurity, caregiver attitudes toward cooking, and sociodemographic characteristics. Fewer food preparation supplies were available in households characterized by greater food insecurity, lower income, and negative caregiver attitudes towards cooking, but did not differ by child or caregiver weight status. As in prior studies, more frequent family meals and consumption of home-prepared dinners were associated with healthier child dietary intake in several areas. We conclude that food preparation supplies are often limited in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged households, and their availability is related to the frequency with which children consume family meals and home-prepared dinners. The potential role of food preparation supplies as contributors to socioeconomic disparities in child nutritional health and obesity deserves further study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Areca nut and tobacco chewing habits in Durban, KwaZulu Natal.

PubMed

Bissessur, S; Naidoo, S

2009-11-01

Areca nut/quid chewing is a habit that is commonly practiced in the Indian subcontinent and this age-old social habit is still being practiced by the Indians in South Africa. The areca nut/quid is prepared in a variety of ways. The quid may be prepared with or without tobacco. This habit is said to be associated with the development of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), a premalignant lesion, oral leukoplakia and oral cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of areca nut/quid chewing (with or without tobacco), associated habits (smoking and alcohol consumption) as well as the awareness of the risks. The study was cross-sectional in design and used administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect the data. A convenience sample of 101 respondents was interviewed. More than three quarter were born in South Africa and the rest were migrant communities from Pakistan, India and Dubai. All respondents from the migrant community were males. Slightly more females than maleschewed areca nut/quid. Popular ingredients that were chewed included areca nut, betel leaf, lime and paan masala. Enjoyment and special functions were the most important reasons for chewing areca nut. Family influence was a reason for chewing. Nearly 60% did not know whether areca nut chewing is harmful to their health. The majority have not attempted to give up the habit. It is recommended that aggressive awareness programmes on the hazardous effects of areca nut/quid chewing be developed similar to those for smoking cessation. Government health warnings need to be written on paan packaging. Taxes need to be imposed on the areca nut and condiments. Age restrictions need to be imposed on purchasing of the areca nut/quid thus making access difficult for the children.

Tissue preparation for immunocytochemistry.

PubMed Central

Williams, J H; Mepham, B L; Wright, D H

1997-01-01

AIMS: To investigate the effect of tissue preparation on immunostaining and to establish whether there is a standard tissue preparation schedule that allows optimal demonstration of all antigens. METHODS: Blocks of tonsil were subjected to variations to a standard fixation, processing, and section preparation schedule. The sections were stained with five antibodies-L26 (CD20), UCHL1 (CD45RO), CD3, vimentin, and anti-kappa light chain--using the streptavidinbiotin immunostaining technique. When further investigation was necessary, other tissues and antibodies were used and where weak immunostaining was obtained the use of microwave pretreatment to improve staining was tested. RESULTS: Several factors involved in fixation were found to affect immunoreactivity. These included the duration, pH, and type of fixative used. In tissue processing only temperature and the duration of the dehydration and wax infiltration steps affected immunoreactivity. Of all the factors investigated, the temperature and duration of the section drying had the greatest effect. In contrast, long term storage of cut sections before immunostaining had no effect on the reactivity of the antibodies tested. Antibodies were found to be affected by alterations to tissue preparation by varying degrees, UCHL1 and vimentin being the most susceptible to changes in fixation and L26 to changes in processing. Where weak staining occurred, microwave pretreatment was generally found to eliminate the problem. CONCLUSIONS: There is no standard tissue preparation schedule for the optimal demonstration of all antigens. Factors involved in all aspects of tissue preparation can affect immunoreactivity, so it is important that precise details of the preparation schedule are given when reporting immunocytochemical studies, rather than using the general term "routinely fixed and processed". Images PMID:9215127

A predictive model of avian natal dispersal distance provides prior information for investigating response to landscape change.

PubMed

Garrard, Georgia E; McCarthy, Michael A; Vesk, Peter A; Radford, James Q; Bennett, Andrew F

2012-01-01

1. Informative Bayesian priors can improve the precision of estimates in ecological studies or estimate parameters for which little or no information is available. While Bayesian analyses are becoming more popular in ecology, the use of strongly informative priors remains rare, perhaps because examples of informative priors are not readily available in the published literature. 2. Dispersal distance is an important ecological parameter, but is difficult to measure and estimates are scarce. General models that provide informative prior estimates of dispersal distances will therefore be valuable. 3. Using a world-wide data set on birds, we develop a predictive model of median natal dispersal distance that includes body mass, wingspan, sex and feeding guild. This model predicts median dispersal distance well when using the fitted data and an independent test data set, explaining up to 53% of the variation. 4. Using this model, we predict a priori estimates of median dispersal distance for 57 woodland-dependent bird species in northern Victoria, Australia. These estimates are then used to investigate the relationship between dispersal ability and vulnerability to landscape-scale changes in habitat cover and fragmentation. 5. We find evidence that woodland bird species with poor predicted dispersal ability are more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation than those species with longer predicted dispersal distances, thus improving the understanding of this important phenomenon. 6. The value of constructing informative priors from existing information is also demonstrated. When used as informative priors for four example species, predicted dispersal distances reduced the 95% credible intervals of posterior estimates of dispersal distance by 8-19%. Further, should we have wished to collect information on avian dispersal distances and relate it to species' responses to habitat loss and fragmentation, data from 221 individuals across 57 species would have been required to obtain

Introducing medication abortion into public sector facilities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: an operations research study.

PubMed

Blanchard, Kelly; Lince-Deroche, Naomi; Fetters, Tamara; Devjee, Jaymala; de Menezes, Ilundi Durão; Trueman, Karen; Sudhinaraset, May; Nkonko, Errol; Moodley, Jack

2015-10-01

Examine the feasibility of introducing mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion into existing public sector surgical abortion services in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Cohort study of women offered medication or surgical abortion in a larger medication abortion introduction study. The sample included 1167 women seeking first-trimester abortion at four public sector facilities; 923 women at ≤9 weeks' gestation were eligible for medication abortion. Women who chose medication abortion took 200 mg of mifepristone orally at the facility and 800 mcg of misoprostol buccally (or vaginally if they anticipated or experienced problems with buccal administration) 48 h later at home, based on international research and global safe abortion guidelines. Women who chose surgical abortion received 600 mg of misoprostol sublingually or vaginally on the day of their procedure followed by manual vacuum aspiration 4 h later. Main outcome measures included proportion of eligible women who chose each method, proportion with complete abortion and proportion reporting adverse events. Ninety-four percent of eligible women chose medication abortion. No adverse events were reported by women who chose surgical abortion; 3% of women in the medication abortion group reported adverse events and 0.4% reported a serious adverse event. Seventy-six percent of women received a family planning method at the facility where their received their abortion, with no difference based on procedure type. Medication abortion patients were significantly more likely to report they would choose this method again (94% vs. 78%, p<.001) and recommend the method to a friend (98% vs. 84%, p<.001). Medication abortion was successfully introduced with low and acceptable rates of adverse events; most women at study facilities chose this option. Mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion was successfully integrated into public sector surgical abortion services in South Africa and was chosen by a large majority of

Sub-Saharan Africa Report, No. 2861.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-21

between the four prov- inces. In Natal, the In- dians had the parlia- mentary franchise until,- in 1896 the English Co- lonial legislature, by...chicanery, eliminated this. In Natal also, the Indians had the munici- pal franchise until it was, once again by de- vious and deceitful...stratagem, taken away from them in 1924, once again by Natal’s En- glish. In Natal, the OFS and the Transvaal, black people had no franchise at all

21 CFR 864.4400 - Enzyme preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Enzyme preparations. 864.4400 Section 864.4400...) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Specimen Preparation Reagents § 864.4400 Enzyme preparations. (a) Identification. Enzyme preparations are products that are used in the histopathology...

21 CFR 864.4400 - Enzyme preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Enzyme preparations. 864.4400 Section 864.4400...) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Specimen Preparation Reagents § 864.4400 Enzyme preparations. (a) Identification. Enzyme preparations are products that are used in the histopathology...

21 CFR 864.4400 - Enzyme preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Enzyme preparations. 864.4400 Section 864.4400...) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Specimen Preparation Reagents § 864.4400 Enzyme preparations. (a) Identification. Enzyme preparations are products that are used in the histopathology...

21 CFR 864.4400 - Enzyme preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Enzyme preparations. 864.4400 Section 864.4400...) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Specimen Preparation Reagents § 864.4400 Enzyme preparations. (a) Identification. Enzyme preparations are products that are used in the histopathology...

21 CFR 864.4400 - Enzyme preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Enzyme preparations. 864.4400 Section 864.4400...) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Specimen Preparation Reagents § 864.4400 Enzyme preparations. (a) Identification. Enzyme preparations are products that are used in the histopathology...

[Study on the appropriate parameters of automatic full crown tooth preparation for dental tooth preparation robot].

PubMed

Yuan, F S; Wang, Y; Zhang, Y P; Sun, Y C; Wang, D X; Lyu, P J

2017-05-09

Objective: To further study the most suitable parameters for automatic full crown preparation using oral clinical micro robot. Its purpose is to improve the quality of automated tooth preparing for the system and to lay the foundation for clinical application. Methods: Twenty selected artificial resin teeth were used as sample teeth. The micro robot automatic tooth preparation system was used in dental clinic to control the picosecond laser beam to complete two dimensional cutting on the resin tooth sample according to the motion planning path. Using the laser scanning measuring microscope, each layer of cutting depth values was obtained and the average value was calculated. The monolayer cutting depth was determined. The three-dimensional (3D) data of the target resin teeth was obtained using internal scanner, and the CAD data of full-crown tooth preparation was designed by CAD self-develged software. According to the depth of the single layer, 11 complete resin teeth in phantom head were automatically prepared by the robot controlling the laser focused spot in accordance with the layer-cutting way. And the accuracy of resin tooth preparation was evaluated with the software. Using the same method, monolayer cutting depth parameter for cutting dental hard tissue was obtained. Then 15 extracted mandibular and maxillary first molars went through automatic full crown tooth preparation. And the 3D data of tooth preparations were obtained with intra oral scanner. The software was used to evaluate the accuracy of tooth preparation. Results: The results indicated that the single cutting depth of cutting resin teeth and in vitro teeth by picosecond laser were (60.0±2.6) and (45.0±3.6) μm, respectively. Using the tooth preparation robot, 11 artificial resin teeth and 15 complete natural teeth were automatically prepared, and the average time were (13.0±0.7), (17.0±1.8) min respectively. Through software evaluation, the average preparation depth of the occlusal surface

Eye-bank preparation of endothelial tissue.

PubMed

Boynton, Grace E; Woodward, Maria A

2014-07-01

Eye-bank preparation of endothelial tissue for keratoplasty continues to evolve. Although eye-bank personnel have become comfortable and competent at Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), tissue preparation and tissue transport, optimization of preparation methods continues. Surgeons and eye-bank personnel should be up to date on the research in the field. As surgeons transit to Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), eye banks have risen to the challenge of preparing tissue. Eye banks are refining their DMEK preparation and transport techniques. This article covers refinements to DSAEK tissue preparation, innovations to prepare DMEK tissue, and nuances to improve donor cornea tissue quality. As eye bank-supplied corneal tissue is the main source of tissue for many corneal surgeons, it is critical to stay informed about tissue handling and preparation. Ultimately, the surgeon is responsible for the transplantation, so involvement of clinicians in eye-banking practices and advocacy for pursuing meaningful research in this area will benefit clinical patient outcomes.

Eye-bank Preparation of Endothelial Tissue

PubMed Central

Boynton, Grace E.; Woodward, Maria A.

2014-01-01

Purpose of review Eyebank preparation of endothelial tissue for keratoplasty continues to evolve. While eye bank personnel have become comfortable and competent at Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissue preparation and tissue transport, optimization of preparation methods continues. Surgeons and eye bank personnel should be up to date on the research in the field. As surgeons transition to Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), eye banks have risen to the challenge of preparing tissue. Eye banks are refining their DMEK preparation and transport techniques Recent findings This article covers refinements to DSAEK tissue preparation, innovations to prepare DMEK tissue, and nuances to improve donor cornea tissue quality. Summary As eye bank supplied corneal tissue is the main source of tissue for many corneal surgeons, it is critical to stay informed about tissue handling and preparation. Ultimately the surgeon is responsible for the transplantation, so involvement of clinicians in eye banking practices and advocacy for pursuing meaningful research in this area will benefit clinical patient outcomes. PMID:24837574

Preparation Methods: past and Potential Methods of Food Preparation for Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huber, C. S.

1985-01-01

The logical progression of development of space food systems during the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Shuttle programs is outlined. The preparation methods which include no preparation to heating, cooling and freezing are reviewed. The introduction of some new and exciting technological advances is proposed, which should result in a system providing crew members with appetizing, safe, nutritious and convenient food.

Transgenerational transmission of a stress-coping phenotype programmed by early-life stress in the Japanese quail

PubMed Central

Zimmer, Cédric; Larriva, Maria; Boogert, Neeltje J.; Spencer, Karen A.

2017-01-01

An interesting aspect of developmental programming is the existence of transgenerational effects that influence offspring characteristics and performance later in life. These transgenerational effects have been hypothesized to allow individuals to cope better with predictable environmental fluctuations and thus facilitate adaptation to changing environments. Here, we test for the first time how early-life stress drives developmental programming and transgenerational effects of maternal exposure to early-life stress on several phenotypic traits in their offspring in a functionally relevant context using a fully factorial design. We manipulated pre- and/or post-natal stress in both Japanese quail mothers and offspring and examined the consequences for several stress-related traits in the offspring generation. We show that pre-natal stress experienced by the mother did not simply affect offspring phenotype but resulted in the inheritance of the same stress-coping traits in the offspring across all phenotypic levels that we investigated, shaping neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioural traits. This may serve mothers to better prepare their offspring to cope with later environments where the same stressors are experienced. PMID:28387355

Prepare Healthy Foods with Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izumi-Taylor, Satomi; Rike, Cheryl

2011-01-01

Toddlers--from about 16 to 36 months--can learn a variety of skills as they prepare food and follow recipes in developmentally appropriate ways. Early childhood teachers are encouraged to support young children's healthy eating habits by offering simple food preparation experiences. When toddlers--and preschoolers--safely prepare healthy snacks,…

Mice Deficient in NF-κB p50 and p52 or RANK Have Defective Growth Plate Formation and Post-natal Dwarfism.

PubMed

Xing, Lianping; Chen, Di; Boyce, Brendan F

2013-12-01

NF-κBp50/p52 double knockout (dKO) and RANK KO mice have no osteoclasts and develop severe osteopetrosis associated with dwarfism. In contrast, Op/Op mice, which form few osteoclasts, and Src KO mice, which have osteoclasts with defective resorptive function, are osteopetrotic, but they are not dwarfed. Here, we compared the morphologic features of long bones from p50/p52 dKO, RANK KO, Op/Op and Src KO mice to attempt to explain the differences in their long bone lengths. We found that growth plates in p50/p52 dKO and RANK KO mice are significantly thicker than those in WT mice due to a 2-3-fold increase in the hypertrophic chondrocyte zone associated with normal a proliferative chondrocyte zone. This growth plate abnormality disappears when animals become older, but their dwarfism persists. Op/Op or Src KO mice have relatively normal growth plate morphology. In-situ hybridization study of long bones from p50/p52 dKO mice showed marked thickening of the growth plate region containing type 10 collagen-expressing chondrocytes. Treatment of micro-mass chondrocyte cultures with RANKL did not affect expression levels of type 2 collagen and Sox9, markers for proliferative chondrocytes, but RANKL reduced the number of type 10 collagen-expressing hypertrophic chondrocytes. Thus, RANK/NF-κB signaling plays a regulatory role in post-natal endochondral ossification that maintains hypertrophic conversion and prevents dwarfism in normal mice.

Communication Games Reveal Preparation Contextuality.

PubMed

Hameedi, Alley; Tavakoli, Armin; Marques, Breno; Bourennane, Mohamed

2017-12-01

A communication game consists of distributed parties attempting to jointly complete a task with restricted communication. Such games are useful tools for studying limitations of physical theories. A theory exhibits preparation contextuality whenever its predictions cannot be explained by a preparation noncontextual model. Here, we show that communication games performed in operational theories reveal the preparation contextuality of that theory. For statistics obtained in a particular family of communication games, we show a direct correspondence with correlations in spacelike separated events obeying the no-signaling principle. Using this, we prove that all mixed quantum states of any finite dimension are preparation contextual. We report on an experimental realization of a communication game involving three-level quantum systems from which we observe a strong violation of the constraints of preparation noncontextuality.

Communication Games Reveal Preparation Contextuality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameedi, Alley; Tavakoli, Armin; Marques, Breno; Bourennane, Mohamed

2017-12-01

A communication game consists of distributed parties attempting to jointly complete a task with restricted communication. Such games are useful tools for studying limitations of physical theories. A theory exhibits preparation contextuality whenever its predictions cannot be explained by a preparation noncontextual model. Here, we show that communication games performed in operational theories reveal the preparation contextuality of that theory. For statistics obtained in a particular family of communication games, we show a direct correspondence with correlations in spacelike separated events obeying the no-signaling principle. Using this, we prove that all mixed quantum states of any finite dimension are preparation contextual. We report on an experimental realization of a communication game involving three-level quantum systems from which we observe a strong violation of the constraints of preparation noncontextuality.

"I think it is right": a qualitative exploration of the acceptability and desired future use of oral swab and finger-prick HIV self-tests by lay users in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Knight, Lucia; Makusha, Tawanda; Lim, Jeanette; Peck, Roger; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; van Rooyen, Heidi

2017-09-18

The uptake of HIV testing has increased in sub-Saharan Africa over the past three decades. However, the proportion of people aware of their HIV status remains lower than required to change the pandemic. HIV self-testing (HIVST) may meet this gap. Assessment of readiness for and the acceptability of HIVST by lay users in South Africa is limited. This paper presents results from a formative study designed to assess the perceived usability and acceptability of HIVST among lay users using several self-test prototypes. Fifty lay users were purposively selected from rural and peri-urban KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Acceptability of HIVST was assessed using a simple post-test quantitative assessment tool addressing confidence, ease-of-use, intended future use and willingness to pay. In-depth qualitative interviews explored what participants felt about the HIVST and why, their willingness to recommend and how much they would pay for a test. The key finding is that there is high acceptability regardless of self-test prototype. Acceptability is framed by two domains: usability and perceived need. Perceived usability was explored through perceived ease of use, which, regardless of actual correct usage, was reported by many of the respondents. Acceptability is influenced by perceived need, expressed by many who felt that the need for the self-test to protect privacy and autonomy. Ease of access and widespread availability of the test, not at a significant cost, were also important factors. Many participants would recommend self-test use to others and also indicated that they would choose to conduct the test again if it was free while some also indicated being willing to buy a test. The positive response and readiness amongst lay users for an HIVST in this context prototype suggests that there would be a ready and willing market for HIVST. For scalability and sustainability usability, including access and availability that are here independent indications of acceptability

Importance of the Time Interval between Bowel Preparation and Colonoscopy in Determining the Quality of Bowel Preparation for Full-Dose Polyethylene Glycol Preparation

PubMed Central

Kim, Tae Kyung; Kim, Hyung Wook; Kim, Su Jin; Ha, Jong Kun; Jang, Hyung Ha; Hong, Young Mi; Park, Su Bum; Choi, Cheol Woong; Kang, Dae Hwan

2014-01-01

Background/Aims The quality of bowel preparation (QBP) is the important factor in performing a successful colonoscopy. Several factors influencing QBP have been reported; however, some factors, such as the optimal preparation-to-colonoscopy time interval, remain controversial. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing QBP and the optimal time interval for full-dose polyethylene glycol (PEG) preparation. Methods A total of 165 patients who underwent colonoscopy from June 2012 to August 2012 were prospectively evaluated. The QBP was assessed using the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale (Ottawa) score according to several factors influencing the QBP were analyzed. Results Colonoscopies with a time interval of 5 to 6 hours had the best Ottawa score in all parts of the colon. Patients with time intervals of 6 hours or less had the better QBP than those with time intervals of more than 6 hours (p=0.046). In the multivariate analysis, the time interval (odds ratio, 1.897; 95% confidence interval, 1.006 to 3.577; p=0.048) was the only significant contributor to a satisfactory bowel preparation. Conclusions The optimal time was 5 to 6 hours for the full-dose PEG method, and the time interval was the only significant contributor to a satisfactory bowel preparation. PMID:25368750

Preparing Global-Ready Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Lotta; Brown, Jennifer S.

2017-01-01

To produce global-ready students who can thrive and compete in an interconnected world, we must prepare global-ready teachers. This article shares how one teacher preparation program focuses on literacy, technology, and globalization, while offering relevant K-12 applications.

South Africa's nutritional transition: overweight, obesity, underweight and stunting in female primary school learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Tathiah, N; Moodley, I; Mubaiwa, V; Denny, L; Taylor, M

2013-06-27

Malnutrition substantially impacts the health outcomes of children. Globally, the childhood prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased, while underweight and stunting (though decreasing) continues to pose a major public health challenge. In low- to middle-income countries, a mixed pattern of over- and undernutrition (nutritional transition) can exist in communities. To describe the prevalence of malnutrition among female learners in the Nongoma and Ceza districts in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). We performed a secondary analysis of anthropometric data collected during the 2011 HPV Vaccination Demonstration Project. School health teams, comprising trained nurses, measured the height (in cm) and weight (in kg) of 963 female learners in 31 primary schools. Internationally accepted standardised measures were used as cut-offs for defining overweight, obesity, underweight and stunting. We found evidence of both under- and overnutrition. Overall, 9% of female learners were overweight, 3.8% obese, 4% underweight and 9.2% stunted (using WHO/NCHS criteria). The highest levels of stunting were in the 11 - 12-year age groups, of underweight in the 10-year age group, of overweight and obesity in the 9 - 10-year age groups. Moreover, a proportion of underweight (17.4%), overweight (11.1%) and obese (22.9%) learners were also stunted. Our study describes the prevalence of overweight and obesity, wasting and stunting of female learners in KZN and suggests the presence of a nutritional transition in these rural communities; however, further studies are needed. Our findings emphasise the need for health promotion and education programs in schools.

Reflecting on adolescents' evolving sexual and reproductive health rights: canvassing the opinion of social workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Essack, Zaynab; Toohey, Jacintha; Strode, Ann

2016-05-01

In South Africa children under the age of 18 are legal minors and considered not fully capable of acting independently. However, in certain defined circumstances the law has granted minors the capacity to act independently, including regarding their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This study explored the perspectives and practices of 17 social workers from KwaZulu-Natal on legislation relevant to adolescents' evolving sexual and reproductive health and rights and the decriminalisation of consensual underage sex. A key finding was that many social workers have conservative views about adolescent access to SRH advice and services and many were critical of the recent decriminalisation of underage consensual sex. In the main, social workers were concerned that adolescents lack the capacity to make SRH care decisions and that liberal laws promote underage sex rather than protect adolescents. Despite antagonistic views of SRH laws related to adolescents, many social workers felt that they are able to uphold their professional rather than personal views in their work. These findings are important given that a key barrier to adolescent access and uptake of SRH advice and services relates to concerns that they will be judged. Therefore service providers need to be regularly updated on adolescent SRH issues (including rights, laws, and policies) and be engaged in critical thinking about conflicting cultural, moral and personal judgements around adolescent sexuality. Such training should include counselling and communication skills that address issues on confidentiality, adolescents' dignity, privacy and best interests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The perceptions of nurses in a district health system in KwaZulu-Natal of their supervision, self-esteem and job satisfaction.

PubMed

Uys, L R; Minnaar, A; Reid, S; Naidoo, J R

2004-05-01

Supervision has been identified as a major issue in quality of care. Although increasing attention is being given to supervision in the District Health System, there have been no studies describing the current situation. This article describes a survey done in two health districts in KwaZulu-Natal involving 319 nurses from all types of government health care settings. This was a quantitative descriptive study that described the current supervision, job satisfaction and self-esteem in two (2) health districts, that is the Ugu and the uThukela health districts. The three variables were described using a mailed questionnaire. A total 319 nurses participated in this study. The majority of the nurses (53%) felt that positive supervision behaviours listed in a rating scale, occurred never or seldom. The average self-esteem score was very positive (83%), and the average job satisfaction score was 60%. Nurses were most satisfied with the factor reflecting "personal satisfaction about their contribution to the work" (72%) and the least satisfaction with the factor that has to do with "pay and prospects" (50%). While there was no relationship between any of the demographic variables and supervision, there was a low but significant relationship between supervision and job-satisfaction. A significant relationship was also found between the personal satisfaction factor of job satisfaction and self-esteem. As nurses form the backbone of the health services, it is incumbent that health service managers safeguard the nursing workforce. Targeted strategies are necessary to ensure retention of the nurses for the health care of the South African population.

An analysis of inter-healthcare facility transfer of neonates within the eThekwini Health District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ashokcoomar, Pradeep; Naidoo, Raveen

2016-04-19

To investigate delays in the transfer of neonates between healthcare facilities and to detect any adverse events encountered during neonatal transfer. A prospective study was conducted from December 2011 to January 2012. A quantitative, non-experimental design was used to undertake a descriptive analysis of 120 inter-healthcare facility transfers of neonates within the eThekwini Health District (Durban) of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Data collection was via questionnaire. Data collection was restricted to the Emergency Medical Services (EMSs) of eThekwini Health District, which is the local public ambulance provider. All transfers were undertaken by road ambulances: 83 (62.2%) by frontline ambulances; 35 (29.2%) by the obstetric unit; and 2 (1.7%) by the planned patient transport vehicles. Twenty-nine (24.2%) transfers involved critically ill neonates. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) time to complete an inter-healthcare facility transfer was 3 h 49 min (1 h 57 min) (range 0 h 55 min - 10 h 34 min). Problems with transfer equipment were common due to poor resource allocation, malfunctioning equipment, inappropriate equipment for the type of transfer and dirty or unsterile equipment. The study identified 10 (8.3%) physiologically related adverse events, which included 1 (0.8%) death plus a further 18 (15.0%) equipment-related adverse events. EMS is involved in transporting a significant number of intensive care and non-intensive care neonates between healthcare facilities. This study has identified numerous factors affecting the efficiency of inter-facility transfer of neonates and highlights a number of areas requiring improvement.

Integrated Work Management: Preparer, Course 31883

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, Lewis Edward

The preparer (also called the “planner”) plays a key role in the integrated work management (IWM) process at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This course, Integrated Work Management: Preparer (COURSE 31883), describes the IWM roles and responsibilities of the preparer. This course also discusses IWM requirements that must be met by the preparer.

Qualitative evaluation of selected social factors that impact sexual risk-taking behaviour among African students in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Ngidi, Ndumiso Daluxolo; Moyo, Sibusiso; Zulu, Thobile; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu

2016-12-01

The incidence of HIV and AIDS continues to be a source of great concern within universities in South Africa. Furthermore, university students constitute an important community in the intervention against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Students in the age group of 15-24 years are at a greater risk of HIV infection than any other group in the country; yet, little is known about why they continue to engage in risky sexual practices. This study was designed to explore the sexual behaviour of students in a metropolitan Durban University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal to understand the social factors underlying their risk of HIV infection. This is a qualitative study that used cluster sampling where the population was stratified by campus and faculty. The study population was selected using a standard randomization technique. This was a part of a multi-phased research project aimed at providing a sero-prevalence baseline and an analysis of risk-taking behaviour at a Durban University of Technology in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality area. The study highlights peer pressure among students as an influence in promoting high-risk sexual behaviour. Within this context, the findings revealed that university students lack the ability to negotiate risk-aware decisions especially regarding sexual relationships. This study draws attention to the perspectives of African university students regarding their risk-taking sexual practices and selected factors which influence such behaviour. The findings are not exhaustive in exploring contextual antecedents that shape students' sexual practices. However, they provide an important basis in understanding key factors which expose students to HIV infections. The study provides insights into opportunities for further studies as well as preventative implications.

Endoscopy services in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, are insufficient for the burden of disease: Is patient care compromised?

PubMed

Loots, E; Clarke, D L; Newton, K; Mulder, C J

2017-10-31

Endoscopy services are central to the diagnosis and management of many gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. To evaluate the adequacy of endoscopy services in the public sector hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, South Africa, in 2016. A cross-sectional study was performed using a questionnaire completed by the clinical heads of endoscopy units in the public hospitals in KZN. The heads of 11 of the 12 endoscopy units responded. Two units were in tertiary-level hospitals and nine in regional hospitals. A total of 22 353 endoscopic procedures were performed annually, averaging 2 032 cases per annum per centre; they were performed by 89 endoscopists, of whom 72 (80.1%) were general surgeons. There were 0.06 registered gastroenterologists (GEs) per 100 000 population. Each endoscopist performed an average of 263 endoscopies per annum. There were 1.18 endoscopy rooms available per unit, and two units had on-site fluoroscopy available. The average waiting period for an upper endoscopy was 27 (range 7 - 60) days, for colonoscopy 29 (range 7 - 90) days and for duodenoscopy/endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 13 (range 4 - 20) days. This included patients with alarm symptoms for GI cancers. Equipment breakages interrupted most services, except for one hospital that had a service contract. Unit heads cited lack of equipment, trained staff and maintenance contracts as major shortcomings. Endoscopy units in KZN are not adequately equipped to deal with the endoscopy workload and services are plagued by frequent disruptions, which impact negatively on service delivery. There is a need to train more GEs. Patient care is compromised in these public hospitals.

Do centrally pre-prepared solutions achieve more reliable drug concentrations than solutions prepared on the ward?

PubMed

Dehmel, Carola; Braune, Stephan A; Kreymann, Georg; Baehr, Michael; Langebrake, Claudia; Hilgarth, Heike; Nierhaus, Axel; Dartsch, Dorothee C; Kluge, Stefan

2011-08-01

To compare the concentration conformity of infusion solutions manually prepared on intensive care units (ICU) with solutions from pharmacy-based, automated production. A prospective observational study conducted in a university hospital in Germany. Drug concentrations of 100 standardised infusion solutions manually prepared in the ICU and 100 matching solutions from automated production containing amiodarone, noradrenaline or hydrocortisone were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Deviations from stated concentrations were calculated, and the quality of achieved concentration conformity of the two production methods was compared. Actual concentrations of 53% of the manually prepared and 16% of the machine-made solutions deviated by >5% above or below the stated concentration. A deviation of >10% was measured in 22% of the manually prepared samples and in 5% of samples from automated production. Of the manually prepared solutions, 15% deviated by >15% above or below the intended concentration. The mean concentration of the manually prepared solutions was 97.2% (SD 12.7%, range 45-129%) and of the machine-made solutions was 101.1% (SD 4.3%, range 90-114%) of the target concentration (p < 0.01). In this preliminary study, ward-based, manually prepared infusion solutions showed clinically relevant deviations in concentration conformity significantly more often than pharmacy-prepared, machine-made solutions. Centralised, automated preparation of standardised infusion solutions may be an effective means to reduce this type of medication error. Further confirmatory studies in larger settings and under conditions of routine automated production are required.

Carbon Value Analysis of Batang Gadis National Park, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daulay, Dini Novalanty Ohara; Hidayat, Jafron Wasiq

2018-02-01

Global warming is an important issue in the world which it gives a negative effect on human life. One indicator of global warming is increasing greenhouse gas i.e. carbondioxide from human activities. Deforestation and forest degradation are the second largest contributor of carbon into the atmosphere, after the use of fossil fuels by industry and transportation. As lungs of the world, forest is enable to produce renewable energy sources i.e. biomass. Forest carbon stock in above ground biomass (AGB) is the greatest effect source on deforestation and forest degradation. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a study the potential of carbon in forest. The purpose of this research is to determine carbon stock value in Batang Gadis National Park, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The carbon potential stored in this forest vegetation is calculated using AGB allometric equation by using data in diameter at breast height (dbh = 1.3 m), height, and density of the wood for trees. Data obtained from secondary data is Asset Assessment Report which State Controlled Forest Natural Resources Batang Gadis National Park, 2016. Study locations were Pagar Gunung and Sopo Tinjak Villages. Carbon stock values were calculated and analyzed with assumption that a half of biomass part is carbon stock which using Australian carbon price about AUD 11.82 Australia (Australian dollars) and EU € 5 (US 6). The results showed that the total biomass in Pagar Gunung and Sopo Tinjak Villages amounted to 259.83 tonnes and 160.89 tonnes. From the results of the total biomass, the total carbon stocks (C) and CO2 stocks in both villages are 210.36 tonnes (129.92 tonnes in Pagar Gunung Village and 80.45 tonnes in Sopo Tinjak Village) and 772.03 tonnes (476.79 tonnes in Pagar Gunung Village and 295.24 tonnes in Sopo Tinjak Village). By using the carbon price prevailing in the market place Australia Emission Trading System (ETS) and the EU ETS (AUD 11.82/t CO2e and € 5 (US

Gender Identity in Autism: Sex Differences in Social Affiliation with Gender Groups.

PubMed

Cooper, Kate; Smith, Laura G E; Russell, Ailsa J

2018-04-28

High rates of gender variance have been reported in autistic people, with higher variance in autistic females than males. The social component of gender identity may be affected, with autistic females experiencing lower identification with and feeling less positively about their gender groups than controls. We measured gender identification, gender self-esteem, and aspects of gender expression (masculinity and femininity) in autistic natal males and females, and controls (N = 486). We found that autistic people had lower gender identification and gender self-esteem than controls, and autistic natal females had lower gender identification than autistic natal males and natal female controls. In conclusion, autistic people, particularly natal females, had lower social identification with and more negative feelings about a gender group.

Ureilite Thin Section Preparation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrington, R.; Righter, K.

2014-01-01

Preparing thin and thick sections of ureilite type meteorites is a challenge that can confound even the most experienced section preparer. A common characteristic of these samples is the presence of carbon phases, particularly nanodiamonds, in the matrix along silicate grain boundaries, fractures, and cleavage plains [1]. The extreme hardness of the nanodiamonds presents a challenge to the section preparer in the form of high surface relief on the section. This hard material also causes considerable wear and tear on equipment and materials that are used for making the sections. These issues will be discussed and potentially helpful measures will be presented.

Proactive action preparation: seeing action preparation as a continuous and proactive process.

PubMed

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Ognibene, Dimitri

2012-07-01

In this paper, we aim to elucidate the processes that occur during action preparation from both a conceptual and a computational point of view. We first introduce the traditional, serial model of goal-directed action and discuss from a computational viewpoint its subprocesses occurring during the two phases of covert action preparation and overt motor control. Then, we discuss recent evidence indicating that these subprocesses are highly intertwined at representational and neural levels, which undermines the validity of the serial model and points instead to a parallel model of action specification and selection. Within the parallel view, we analyze the case of delayed choice, arguing that action preparation can be proactive, and preparatory processes can take place even before decisions are made. Specifically, we discuss how prior knowledge and prospective abilities can be used to maximize utility even before deciding what to do. To support our view, we present a computational implementation of (an approximated version of) proactive action preparation, showing its advantages in a simulated tennis-like scenario.

21 CFR 1308.24 - Exempt chemical preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Exempt chemical preparations. 1308.24 Section 1308... SUBSTANCES Exempt Chemical Preparations § 1308.24 Exempt chemical preparations. (a) The chemical preparations... security: Any person who manufactures an exempt chemical preparation or mixture must be registered under...

21 CFR 1308.24 - Exempt chemical preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Exempt chemical preparations. 1308.24 Section 1308... SUBSTANCES Exempt Chemical Preparations § 1308.24 Exempt chemical preparations. (a) The chemical preparations... security: Any person who manufactures an exempt chemical preparation or mixture must be registered under...

21 CFR 1308.24 - Exempt chemical preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Exempt chemical preparations. 1308.24 Section 1308... SUBSTANCES Exempt Chemical Preparations § 1308.24 Exempt chemical preparations. (a) The chemical preparations... security: Any person who manufactures an exempt chemical preparation or mixture must be registered under...

21 CFR 1308.24 - Exempt chemical preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Exempt chemical preparations. 1308.24 Section 1308... SUBSTANCES Exempt Chemical Preparations § 1308.24 Exempt chemical preparations. (a) The chemical preparations... security: Any person who manufactures an exempt chemical preparation or mixture must be registered under...

21 CFR 1308.24 - Exempt chemical preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Exempt chemical preparations. 1308.24 Section 1308... SUBSTANCES Exempt Chemical Preparations § 1308.24 Exempt chemical preparations. (a) The chemical preparations... security: Any person who manufactures an exempt chemical preparation or mixture must be registered under...

Are We Preparing Gifted Children for College...Or Preparing Them for Life?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, James T.

2013-01-01

During the last several years, the author has become increasingly concerned with the question, "Are we preparing gifted children for college? Or are we preparing them for Life?" Parents and educators want their children to be successful. But what does that mean? At the outset, the author wants to credit Lisa Rivero, a Board member of Supporting…

Natal teeth

MedlinePlus

... process. In: Dean JA, ed. McDonald and Avery's Dentistry for the Child and Adolescent . 10th ed. St. ... Updated by: Michael Kapner, DDS, general and aesthetic dentistry, Norwalk Medical Center, Norwalk, CT. Review provided by ...

Death Preparation of Chinese Rural Elders.

PubMed

Liu, Yanping; van Schalkwyk, Gertina J

2018-05-14

In this qualitative study, we explored how Chinese rural elders narrate death-related issues and death preparation. Adopting a phenomenological approach, we interviewed 14 participants regarding the particular actions they employ to prepare for death. The findings revealed a death preparation system for rural Chinese elders that is instrumental in how they converse about death, wish for a good death, make objects and symbols, and anticipate an afterlife as a worshiped ancestor rather than a wandering ghost. Family and family honour provide the context for death preparation. We discuss implications and the need for the death preparation education of younger generations.

Mental and Active Preparation: Examining Variations in Women's Processes of Preparing to Leave Abusive Relationships.

PubMed

Bermea, Autumn M; Khaw, Lyndal; Hardesty, Jennifer L; Rosenbloom, Lindsay; Salerno, Craig

2017-02-01

Although the process of leaving abusive relationships has received increased research attention, preparing to leave is still largely understudied. Despite an emphasis on safety planning, not all women take active steps to prepare, and the characteristics and experiences of those who do or do not actively prepare are unknown. We address this gap with a secondary data analysis of interviews with 25 abused mothers in the process of leaving. All women initially engaged in mental planning, where they had emotionally disconnected from their partners. Using constructivist grounded theory techniques, we identified two distinct groups: those whose mental planning led to active planning ( n = 11), and those who moved directly from mental planning to leaving ( n = 14) with little time or need to actively plan. The groups differed on several individual, relationship, and child factors, which may have impacted the ability or decisions to prepare. This study supports the feminist view that survivors are not helpless victims but active agents who strategize for safety. Those who engage solely in mental planning still prepare to leave, even if they do not engage in active planning. Practitioners should consider factors affecting preparations and acknowledge mental planning as a necessary effort in leaving.

Efficacy of Sibling Preparation Classes.

PubMed

Beyers-Carlson, Emma E A; Volling, Brenda L

To examine the effectiveness of sibling preparation classes to facilitate the adjustment of a firstborn child to the birth of a sibling. Longitudinal study with five measurement occasions: third trimester of the mother's pregnancy and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after the sibling's birth. Communities in southeastern Michigan. A total of 241 families, including mothers, fathers, and firstborn children. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires to assess changes in children's adjustment. Parents were also asked about their children's attendance at a sibling preparation class focused specifically on preparation for the newborn. Effects of attendance were tested using linear mixed models. Other than avoidance of the infant, children who attended sibling preparation classes did not differ from children who did not attend. Sibling preparation classes for adjustment after the birth of an infant sibling had few effects on participants. Copyright © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study Blasts Leadership Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Jeff

2005-01-01

A far-reaching study offers a damning assessment of the programs that prepare most of the nation's principals and superintendents. Led by Arthur E. Levine, the president of Teachers College, Columbia University, the report says most university-based preparation programs for administrators range in quality from "inadequate to appalling." The…

The profile and frequency of known risk factors or comorbidities for deep vein thrombosis in an urban district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal

PubMed Central

Awolesi, Damilola; Cassimjee, Mohammed H.

2016-01-01

Background Although deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a preventable disease, it increases the morbidity and mortality in hospitalised, patients, resulting in considerable economic health impact. The identification and primary prevention of risk factors using risk assessment and stratification with subsequent anti-thrombotic prophylaxis in moderate- to severe-risk categories is the most rational means of reducing morbidity and mortality. Aim and setting The aim of the study was to describe the profile and frequency of known risk factors or comorbidities of hospitalised medical patients with ultrasound-diagnosed DVT in an urban district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. Methods A retrospective review of clinical notes of all medical patients (age ≥ 13 years) admitted to the hospital with ultrasound-diagnosed DVT between July and December 2013. Results The median age was 40 years (interquartile range 32–60 years) and female preponderance was 72.84%. HIV and tuberculosis emerged as the prevalent risk factors, accounting for 51.85% and 35.80%, respectively. Other risk factors observed were recent hospitalisation (34.57%), smoking (25.93%), previous DVT (19.75%) and congestive cardiac failure (18.52%). Conclusion DVT in our study occurred predominantly in young female patients unlike previous studies where patients were generally older. Furthermore, HIV and tuberculosis were the two most common known risk factors or comorbidities observed. Clinicians should have a heightened awareness of venous thromboembolism in patients with either condition or where both conditions occur together and appropriate thromboprophylaxis should be administered. PMID:29568604

Specialized Preparation for Middle Level Teachers: A National Review of Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Penny B.; Faulkner, Shawn A.; Cook, Chris M.; Miller, Nicole C.; Thompson, Nicole L.

2016-01-01

Since William Alexander's (1963, 1995) call for attention to the need for specialized middle level teacher preparation in 1963, 45 states have created requirements for middle level certification, licensure, or endorsement (Association for Middle Level Education [AMLE], 2014) which have led to institutions of teacher preparation creating routes…

Isotopes and Trace Elements as Natal Origin Markers of Helicoverpa armigera – An Experimental Model for Biosecurity Pests

PubMed Central

Holder, Peter W.; Armstrong, Karen; Van Hale, Robert; Millet, Marc-Alban; Frew, Russell; Clough, Timothy J.; Baker, Joel A.

2014-01-01

Protecting a nation's primary production sector and natural estate is heavily dependent on the ability to determine the risk presented by incursions of exotic insect species. Identifying the geographic origin of such biosecurity breaches can be crucial in determining this risk and directing the appropriate operational responses and eradication campaigns, as well as ascertaining incursion pathways. Reading natural abundance biogeochemical markers using mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for tracing ecological pathways as well as provenance determination of commercial products and items of forensic interest. However, application of these methods to trace insects has been underutilised to date and our understanding in this field is still in a phase of basic development. In addition, biogeochemical markers have never been considered in the atypical situation of a biosecurity incursion, where sample sizes are often small, and of unknown geographic origin and plant host. These constraints effectively confound the interpretation of the one or two isotope geo-location markers systems that are currently used, which are therefore unlikely to achieve the level of provenance resolution required in biosecurity interceptions. Here, a novel approach is taken to evaluate the potential for provenance resolution of insect samples through multiple biogeochemical markers. The international pest, Helicoverpa armigera, has been used as a model species to assess the validity of using naturally occurring δ2H, 87Sr/86Sr, 207Pb/206Pb and 208Pb/206Pb isotope ratios and trace element concentration signatures from single moth specimens for regional assignment to natal origin. None of the biogeochemical markers selected were individually able to separate moths from the different experimental regions (150–3000 km apart). Conversely, using multivariate analysis, the region of origin was correctly identified for approximately 75% of individual H. armigera samples. The geographic resolution

The Prepared Mind.

PubMed

Garber, Susan L

Every day, in clinics and hospitals around the world, occupational therapists care for patients with serious problems requiring viable solutions. Each patient is unique, and his or her problem does not necessarily correspond to existing practice models. Practitioners must adapt standard approaches to provide effective outcomes, yet problems exist for which few or no beneficial approaches have been identified. Such clinical issues require solutions to be generated de novo from the practitioner's body of knowledge and past experience. Yet, no single new intervention can be used without prior validation of its efficacy. Only a therapist with a prepared mind can accept such challenges, recognize what is known and not yet known, design studies to acquire that needed knowledge, and translate it into successful clinical treatment strategies. The occupational therapist with a prepared mind is one willing to seize unexpected opportunities and construct new paradigms of practice. Innovation through scientific inquiry requires a prepared mind. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Preparing Teachers of Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Michael, Ed.

This collection of essays contributes to the dialogue about the preparation of art teachers. Each essay addresses one of the essential issues from a position of knowledge and experience. Essays include "Preparing Teachers of Art for the Year 2000 and Beyond" (Michael Day); "Whence Come We? What Are We? Whither Go We? Demographic…

Rating Teacher-Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Von Hippel, Paul T.; Bellows, Laura

2018-01-01

Recent policies intended to improve teacher quality have focused on the preparation that teachers receive before entering the classroom. A short-lived federal rule would have required every state to assess and rank teacher-preparation programs by their graduates' impact on student learning. Though the federal rule was repealed, last year some 21…

The impact of lay counselors on HIV testing rates: Quasi-experimental evidence from lay counselor redeployment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Hu, Janice; Geldsetzer, Pascal; Steele, Sarah Jane; Matthews, Philippa; Ortblad, Katrina; Solomon, Tsion; Shroufi, Amir; van Cutsem, Gilles; Tanser, Frank; Wyke, Sally; Vollmer, Sebastian; Pillay, Deenan; Mcconnell, Margaret; Bärnighausen, Till

2018-06-14

This study aimed to determine the causal effect of the number of lay counselors employed at a primary care clinic in rural South Africa on the number of clinic-based HIV tests performed. Fixed effects panel analysis. We collected monthly data on the number of lay counselors employed and HIV tests performed at nine primary care clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal from January 2014 to December 2015. Using clinic- and month-level fixed effects regressions, we exploited the fact that lay counselors were removed from clinics at two quasi-random time points by a redeployment policy. A total of 24,526 HIV tests were conducted over the study period. 21 of 27 lay counselors were removed across the nine clinics in the two redeployment waves. A ten percent reduction in the number of lay counselors was associated with a 4.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.8 - 7.0, p < 0.001) decrease in the number of HIV tests performed. In absolute terms, losing one lay counselor from a clinic was associated with a mean of 29.7 (95% CI: 21.2 - 38.2, p < 0.001) fewer HIV tests carried out at the clinic per month. This study provides evidence for the crucial role that lay counselors play in the HIV response in rural South Africa. More broadly, this analysis supports the use of lay cadres in the HIV response and by extension UNAIDS' and the African Union's goal to triple the number of community health workers in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020.

Stand-volume estimation from multi-source data for coppiced and high forest Eucalyptus spp. silvicultural systems in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dube, Timothy; Sibanda, Mbulisi; Shoko, Cletah; Mutanga, Onisimo

2017-10-01

Forest stand volume is one of the crucial stand parameters, which influences the ability of these forests to provide ecosystem goods and services. This study thus aimed at examining the potential of integrating multispectral SPOT 5 image, with ancillary data (forest age and rainfall metrics) in estimating stand volume between coppiced and planted Eucalyptus spp. in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To achieve this objective, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) algorithm was used. The PLSR algorithm was implemented by applying three tier analysis stages: stage I: using ancillary data as an independent dataset, stage II: SPOT 5 spectral bands as an independent dataset and stage III: combined SPOT 5 spectral bands and ancillary data. The results of the study showed that the use of an independent ancillary dataset better explained the volume of Eucalyptus spp. growing from coppices (adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.54, RMSEP = 44.08 m3/ha), when compared with those that were planted (R2Adj = 0.43, RMSEP = 53.29 m3/ha). Similar results were also observed when SPOT 5 spectral bands were applied as an independent dataset, whereas improved volume estimates were produced when using combined dataset. For instance, planted Eucalyptus spp. were better predicted adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.77, adjusted R2Adj = 0.59, RMSEP = 36.02 m3/ha) when compared with those that grow from coppices (R2 = 0.76, R2Adj = 0.46, RMSEP = 40.63 m3/ha). Overall, the findings of this study demonstrated the relevance of multi-source data in ecosystems modelling.

28 CFR 551.81 - Manuscript preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Manuscript preparation. 551.81 Section 551.81 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Manuscripts § 551.81 Manuscript preparation. An inmate may prepare a manuscript for private...

28 CFR 551.81 - Manuscript preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Manuscript preparation. 551.81 Section 551.81 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Manuscripts § 551.81 Manuscript preparation. An inmate may prepare a manuscript for private...

28 CFR 551.81 - Manuscript preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Manuscript preparation. 551.81 Section 551.81 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Manuscripts § 551.81 Manuscript preparation. An inmate may prepare a manuscript for private...

28 CFR 551.81 - Manuscript preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Manuscript preparation. 551.81 Section 551.81 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Manuscripts § 551.81 Manuscript preparation. An inmate may prepare a manuscript for private...

28 CFR 551.81 - Manuscript preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Manuscript preparation. 551.81 Section 551.81 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Manuscripts § 551.81 Manuscript preparation. An inmate may prepare a manuscript for private...

Intranasal scopolamine preparation and method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putcha, Lakshmi (Inventor); Cintron, Nitza M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A new method and preparation for intranasal delivery of scopolamine provides a safe and effective treatment for motion sickness and other conditions requiring anticholinergic therapy. The preparation can be in the form of aqueous nasal drops, mist spray, gel or oinment. Intranasal delivery of scopolamine has similar bioavailability and effect of intravenous delivery and is far superior to oral dosage. Scopolamine is prepared in a buffered saline solution at the desired dosage rate for effective anticholinergic response.

Site preparation for wildlife

Treesearch

Ralph W. Dimmick

1989-01-01

Site preparation-whether for timber and/or wildlife objectives - can influence the quality of wildlife habitat on the site and surrounding forest for the entire rotation period of the regenerated stand. The site preparation you select will help determine the species and numbers of wildlife that use the stand as the stand progresses from regeneration through maturity....

Availability of, access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables in a peri-urban area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Faber, Mieke; Laubscher, Ria; Laurie, Sunette

2013-07-01

Availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables were assessed in peri-urban households in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Caregivers of 400 randomly selected grade 6 and 7 learners were interviewed using a questionnaire that included unquantified food frequency questions. Using a repeated 24-h dietary recall, dietary intake was quantified for learners, caregivers and 2- to 5-year-old children in the household. Usual household fruit and vegetable consumption was expressed over three Living Standard Measure (LSM) categories. Average per capita intake of fruit and/or vegetables was 99 g for 2- to 5-year-old children and 124 g for caregivers. For consumers, fruits and/or vegetables contributed towards total dietary intake of fibre (16-21%), calcium (13-21%), vitamin A (27-31%) and vitamin C (47-62%). For households not consuming fruits (n = 297) and vegetables (n = 178) daily, cost was the major constraint (≥75%). Of all households, 52% had fruit trees and 25% had a vegetable garden. Animals destroying vegetables was the major constraint to 59% of vegetable growers. Household consumption of fruits and vegetables increased over the LSM categories. Caregivers in the higher LSM group more likely used printed material for information on healthy eating, had fruit trees, were confident about vegetable gardening and sold some of their produce. To enable peri-urban populations of low socio-economic status to consume more frequently a bigger variety of fruits and vegetables, the cost of purchasing these food items needs to be addressed by government and business sector. Households should further receive support to overcome constraints which hamper the success of home gardens. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

LC-MS/MS determination of antiretroviral drugs in influents and effluents from wastewater treatment plants in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Abafe, Ovokeroye A; Späth, Jana; Fick, Jerker; Jansson, Stina; Buckley, Chris; Stark, Annegret; Pietruschka, Bjoern; Martincigh, Bice S

2018-06-01

South Africa has the largest occurrence of the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) in the world but has also implemented the largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme. It was therefore of interest to determine the presence and concentrations of commonly used antiretroviral drugs (ARVDs) and, also, to determine the capabilities of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for removing ARVDs. To this end, a surrogate standard based LC-MS/MS method was optimized and applied for the detection of thirteen ARVDs used in the treatment and management of HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in two major and one modular WWTP in the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The method was validated and the detection limits fell within the range of 2-20 ng L -1 . The analytical recoveries for the ARVDs were mainly greater than 50% with acceptable relative standard deviations. The concentration values ranged from

Qualitative evaluation of selected social factors that impact sexual risk-taking behaviour among African students in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Ngidi, Ndumiso Daluxolo; Moyo, Sibusiso; Zulu, Thobile; Adam, Jamila Khatoon; Krishna, Suresh Babu Naidu

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: The incidence of HIV and AIDS continues to be a source of great concern within universities in South Africa. Furthermore, university students constitute an important community in the intervention against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Students in the age group of 15–24 years are at a greater risk of HIV infection than any other group in the country; yet, little is known about why they continue to engage in risky sexual practices. Objectives: This study was designed to explore the sexual behaviour of students in a metropolitan Durban University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal to understand the social factors underlying their risk of HIV infection. Methods: This is a qualitative study that used cluster sampling where the population was stratified by campus and faculty. The study population was selected using a standard randomization technique. This was a part of a multi-phased research project aimed at providing a sero-prevalence baseline and an analysis of risk-taking behaviour at a Durban University of Technology in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality area. Results: The study highlights peer pressure among students as an influence in promoting high-risk sexual behaviour. Within this context, the findings revealed that university students lack the ability to negotiate risk-aware decisions especially regarding sexual relationships. Conclusion: This study draws attention to the perspectives of African university students regarding their risk-taking sexual practices and selected factors which influence such behaviour. The findings are not exhaustive in exploring contextual antecedents that shape students’ sexual practices. However, they provide an important basis in understanding key factors which expose students to HIV infections. The study provides insights into opportunities for further studies as well as preventative implications. PMID:27687152

Social analysis of sex imbalance in India: before and after the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act.

PubMed

Subramanian, S V; Selvaraj, S

2009-03-01

While the issue of sex imbalance in South Asia is well recognised, less is known about its social patterning. Social patterning in the proportion of sexes was investigated among infants in India before and after the implementation of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act in 1996. The act regulates the misuse of technologies for sex determination of fetuses and subsequent selective abortion. Multivariable regression analysis was performed on time series data from a nationally representative sample of households with infants. The outcome was log odds of having a male infant. Household income, parental education, social caste, a variable representing periods before and after the implementation of the PNDT Act and state of residence were the main predictors of interest. The odds of having a male infant increased with income quartiles. Heads of household with post-secondary education had a higher odds ratio of having a male infant than those with no formal education. The odds of having a male infant did not differ between high and low caste groups, and was not associated with the educational attainment of the spouse. Punjab had a higher odds ratio of having a male infant compared with Kerala. Kerala, meanwhile, was not particularly different from the remaining Indian states. The odds of having a male infant were similar in the pre- and post-PNDT periods. In the post-PNDT period, the income gradient in the odds of having a male infant was substantially weakened. Social analysis of the distribution of sexes among infants in India suggests that neither improvements in socioeconomic circumstances nor introducing policies that are not aligned with societal norms and preferences are likely to normalise the sex imbalance in India.

HIV-related symptoms and management in HIV and antiretroviral therapy patients in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Peltzer, Karl

2014-01-01

Aim The study aimed to determine the prevalence, predictors, and self-reported management of HIV- or ARV-related symptoms among HIV patients prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and over three time points while receiving ART in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Method A total of 735 consecutive patients (29.8% male and 70.2% female) who attended three HIV clinics completed assessments prior to ARV initiation, 519 after 6 months, 557 after 12 months, and 499 after 20 months on ART. Results The HIV patients reported an average of 7.5 symptoms (prior to ART), 1.2 symptoms after 6 months on ART, 0.3 symptoms after 12 months on ART, and 0.2 symptoms after 20 months on ART on the day of the interview, with a higher symptom frequency amongst patients who were not employed, had lower CD4 cell counts, experienced internalised stigma, and used alcohol. The most common symptoms or conditions identified by the self-report included tuberculosis, diarrhoea, headaches, rash, nausea and vomiting, pain, neuropathy, lack of appetite, cough, and chills. Overall, the participants reported medications as the most frequently occurring management strategy, with the second being spiritual, and the third being complementary or traditional treatments. The use of all other management strategies decreased over the four different assessment periods from prior to ART to 20 months on ART. Conclusion This study found a high symptom burden among HIV patients, which significantly decreased with progression on antiretroviral treatment. Several symptoms that persisted over time and several sociodemographic factors were identified that can guide symptom management. The utilisation of different symptom management strategies (medical, spiritual, complementary, and traditional) should be taken into consideration in HIV treatment. PMID:24405285

The role of traditional health practitioners in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: generic or mode specific?

PubMed

Zuma, Thembelihle; Wight, Daniel; Rochat, Tamsen; Moshabela, Mosa

2016-08-22

Traditional health practitioners (THPs) play a vital role in the health care of the majority of the South African population and elsewhere on the African continent. However, many studies have challenged the role of THPs in health care. Concerns raised in the literature include the rationale, safety and effectiveness of traditional health practices and methods, as well as what informs them. This paper explores the processes followed in becoming a traditional healer and how these processes are related to THP roles. A qualitative research design was adopted, using four repeat group discussions with nine THPs, as part of a larger qualitative study conducted within the HIV Treatment as Prevention trial in rural South Africa. THPs were sampled through the local THP association and snowballing techniques. Data collection approaches included photo-voice and community walks. The role identity theory and content analysis were used to explore the data following transcription and translation. In the context of rural Northern KwaZulu-Natal, three types of THPs were identified: 1) Isangoma (diviner); 2) Inyanga (one who focuses on traditional medical remedies) and 3) Umthandazi (faith healer). Findings revealed that THPs are called by ancestors to become healers and/or go through an intensive process of learning about traditional medicines including plant, animal or mineral substances to provide health care. Some THPs identified themselves primarily as one type of healer, while most occupied multiple healing categories, that is, they practiced across different healing types. Our study also demonstrates that THPs fulfil roles that are not specific to the type of healer they are, these include services that go beyond the uses of herbs for physical illnesses or divination. THPs serve roles which include, but are not limited to, being custodians of traditional African religion and customs, educators about culture, counsellors, mediators and spiritual protectors. THPs' mode specific

Climate Change and Water Security in South Africa; Assessing Conflict and Coping Strategies in KwaZulu-Natal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosea, P. O.

2017-12-01

The focus on the security implication of climate change was intensified after the 2007 United Nations Security Council debate on climate change as a threat multiplier. In the light of this, Africa is identified as the continent highly vulnerable to climate change impacts due to its high dependence on climate sensitive economy, high poverty prevalence rate, weak institutional coping capacity as well as poor social infrastructure. In the past decades, the peculiarity of South Africa vis-à-vis climate change vulnerability, especially water scarcity, has become an issue of political and economic concern. The country is water stressed due to its arid and semi-arid conditions. In light of this, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) (2010) assert that while global temperature increased by 0.80C over the last century, the surface temperature around the Southern Africa region increased by 2.00C over the same period. This connotes that climate change and its impact is inevitable for the region. This will further exacerbate the already stress water resources within South Africa. Owing to Cilliers (2009) and the Council on Foreign Relations (2016) argument that most conflict in Africa are largely driven by resource competition which are masqueraded as issues based on politics, religion or ethnicity, this study investigates the propensity of conflict dynamics in relation to climate change and water security. Using eco-violence theory as a theoretical framework and on the premises of human security, the study assess the security implications triggered by the impact of climate change on water security of rural communities in uMkhanyakude District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It focused on the extent to which this might trigger conflict as a coping mechanism among rural dwellers to water insecurity in order to inform policy options. Data for the were sourced using a mixed method paradigm where 385 survey questionnaire were distributed using

Operating Room Fires and Surgical Skin Preparation.

PubMed

Jones, Edward L; Overbey, Douglas M; Chapman, Brandon C; Jones, Teresa S; Hilton, Sarah A; Moore, John T; Robinson, Thomas N

2017-07-01

Operating room fires are "never events" that remain an under-reported source of devastating complications. One common set-up that promotes fires is the use of surgical skin preparations combined with electrosurgery and oxygen. Limited data exist examining the incidence of fires and surgical skin preparations. A standardized, ex vivo model was created with a 15 × 15 cm section of clipped porcine skin. An electrosurgical "Bovie" pencil was activated for 2 seconds on 30 Watts coagulation mode in 21% oxygen (room air), both immediately and 3 minutes after skin preparation application. Skin preparations with and without alcohol were tested, and were applied with and without pooling. Alcohol-based skin preparations included 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, 74% IPA with 0.7% iodine povacrylex, and plain 70% IPA. No fires occurred with nonalcohol-based preparations (p < 0.001 vs alcohol-based preparations). Alcohol-based preparations caused flash flames at 0 minutes in 22% (13 of 60) and at 3 minutes in 10% (6 of 60) of tests. When examining pooling of alcohol-based preparations, fires occurred in 38% (23 of 60) at 0 minutes and 27% (16 of 60) at 3 minutes. Alcohol-based skin preparations fuel operating room fires in common clinical scenarios. Following manufacturer guidelines and allowing 3 minutes for drying, surgical fires were still created in 1 in 10 cases without pooling and more than one-quarter of cases with pooling. Surgeons can decrease the risk of an operating room fire by using nonalcohol-based skin preparations or avoiding pooling of the preparation solution. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Experiencing El Niño conditions during early life reduces recruiting probabilities but not adult survival.

PubMed

Ancona, Sergio; Zúñiga-Vega, J Jaime; Rodríguez, Cristina; Drummond, Hugh

2018-01-01

In wild long-lived animals, analysis of impacts of stressful natal conditions on adult performance has rarely embraced the entire age span, and the possibility that costs are expressed late in life has seldom been examined. Using 26 years of data from 8541 fledglings and 1310 adults of the blue-footed booby ( Sula nebouxii ), a marine bird that can live up to 23 years, we tested whether experiencing the warm waters and food scarcity associated with El Niño in the natal year reduces recruitment or survival over the adult lifetime. Warm water in the natal year reduced the probability of recruiting; each additional degree (°C) of water temperature meant a reduction of roughly 50% in fledglings' probability of returning to the natal colony as breeders. Warm water in the current year impacted adult survival, with greater effect at the oldest ages than during early adulthood. However, warm water in the natal year did not affect survival at any age over the adult lifespan. A previous study showed that early recruitment and widely spaced breeding allow boobies that experience warm waters in the natal year to achieve normal fledgling production over the first 10 years; our results now show that this reproductive effort incurs no survival penalty, not even late in life. This pattern is additional evidence of buffering against stressful natal conditions via life-history adjustments.

Experiencing El Niño conditions during early life reduces recruiting probabilities but not adult survival

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Cristina; Drummond, Hugh

2018-01-01

In wild long-lived animals, analysis of impacts of stressful natal conditions on adult performance has rarely embraced the entire age span, and the possibility that costs are expressed late in life has seldom been examined. Using 26 years of data from 8541 fledglings and 1310 adults of the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), a marine bird that can live up to 23 years, we tested whether experiencing the warm waters and food scarcity associated with El Niño in the natal year reduces recruitment or survival over the adult lifetime. Warm water in the natal year reduced the probability of recruiting; each additional degree (°C) of water temperature meant a reduction of roughly 50% in fledglings' probability of returning to the natal colony as breeders. Warm water in the current year impacted adult survival, with greater effect at the oldest ages than during early adulthood. However, warm water in the natal year did not affect survival at any age over the adult lifespan. A previous study showed that early recruitment and widely spaced breeding allow boobies that experience warm waters in the natal year to achieve normal fledgling production over the first 10 years; our results now show that this reproductive effort incurs no survival penalty, not even late in life. This pattern is additional evidence of buffering against stressful natal conditions via life-history adjustments. PMID:29410788

Dispersal Timing: Emigration of Insects Living in Patchy Environments.

PubMed

Lakovic, Milica; Poethke, Hans-Joachim; Hovestadt, Thomas

2015-01-01

Dispersal is a life-history trait affecting dynamics and persistence of populations; it evolves under various known selective pressures. Theoretical studies on dispersal typically assume 'natal dispersal', where individuals emigrate right after birth. But emigration may also occur during a later moment within a reproductive season ('breeding dispersal'). For example, some female butterflies first deposit eggs in their natal patch before migrating to other site(s) to continue egg-laying there. How breeding compared to natal dispersal influences the evolution of dispersal has not been explored. To close this gap we used an individual-based simulation approach to analyze (i) the evolution of timing of breeding dispersal in annual organisms, (ii) its influence on dispersal (compared to natal dispersal). Furthermore, we tested (iii) its performance in direct evolutionary contest with individuals following a natal dispersal strategy. Our results show that evolution should typically result in lower dispersal under breeding dispersal, especially when costs of dispersal are low and population size is small. By distributing offspring evenly across two patches, breeding dispersal allows reducing direct sibling competition in the next generation whereas natal dispersal can only reduce trans-generational kin competition by producing highly dispersive offspring in each generation. The added benefit of breeding dispersal is most prominent in patches with small population sizes. Finally, the evolutionary contests show that a breeding dispersal strategy would universally out-compete natal dispersal.

Teachers' self-assessed levels of preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Susan C.

2016-02-01

Every four years we survey a nationally representative sample of high school physics teachers. We define anyone who teaches at least one physics class to be a "physics teacher." About 40% of these teachers teach a majority of their classes in subjects other than physics. We also ask teachers to rate how well prepared they felt in various aspects of teaching. The response choices are "not adequately prepared," "adequately prepared," and "very well prepared." The accompanying figure shows the proportion of teachers who reported feeling adequately or very well prepared in the following aspects of teaching: • Basic physics knowledge, • Other science knowledge, • Application of physics to everyday experience, • Use of demonstrations, • Instructional laboratory design, • Use of computers in physics instruction and labs, and • Recent developments in physics.

Teachers' Self-Assessed Level of Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Susan

2013-01-01

We asked high school physics teachers to assess their level of preparation across a number of domains. Almost all (98%) reported feeling adequately or well prepared in terms of their basic physics knowledge. The chart presents teachers' responses to their self-assessed level of preparation in six different areas. Almost all feel at least…

Teacher Residencies: Redefining Preparation through Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffman, Ann Nutter; Patterson, Richelle

2014-01-01

Teacher preparation plays a critical role in ensuring that teachers are prepared to lead and impact student learning from the first day they are responsible for student learning. The best way to ensure that every teacher is "profession-ready" from their first day as a teacher-of-record is for preparation programs to incorporate teacher…

Experimental multilocation remote state preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rådmark, Magnus; Wieśniak, Marcin; Żukowski, Marek; Bourennane, Mohamed

2013-09-01

Transmission of quantum states is a central task in quantum information science. Remote state preparation (RSP) has the same goal as teleportation, i.e., transferring quantum information without sending physically the information carrier, but in RSP the sender knows the state which is to be transmitted. We present experimental demonstrations of RSP for two and three locations. In our experimental scheme Alice (the preparer) and her three partners share four and six photon polarization entangled singlets. This allows us to perform RSP of two or three copies of a single-qubit state, a two-qubit Bell state, and a three-qubit W, or W¯ state. A possibility to prepare two-qubit nonmaximally entangled and GHZ states is also discussed. The ability to remotely prepare an entangled states by local projections at Alice is a distinguishing feature of our scheme.

Combustor with fuel preparation chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zelina, Joseph (Inventor); Myers, Geoffrey D. (Inventor); Srinivasan, Ram (Inventor); Reynolds, Robert S. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An annular combustor having fuel preparation chambers mounted in the dome of the combustor. The fuel preparation chamber comprises an annular wall extending axially from an inlet to an exit that defines a mixing chamber. Mounted to the inlet are an air swirler and a fuel atomizer. The air swirler provides swirled air to the mixing chamber while the atomizer provides a fuel spray. On the downstream side of the exit, the fuel preparation chamber has an inwardly extending conical wall that compresses the swirling mixture of fuel and air exiting the mixing chamber.

Concentrations and human health risk assessment of DDT and its metabolites in free-range and commercial chicken products from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Thompson, L A; Ikenaka, Y; Yohannes, Y B; van Vuren, J J; Wepener, V; Smit, N J; Darwish, W S; Nakayama, S M M; Mizukawa, H; Ishizuka, M

2017-11-01

Organochlorine pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) have been used in agriculture and for disease control purposes over many decades. Reports suggest that DDT exposure may result in a number of adverse effects in humans. In the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, DDT is sprayed annually in homes (indoor residual spraying) to control the mosquito vector of malaria. In the northern part of the Province, samples of free-range chicken meat (n = 48) and eggs (n = 13), and commercially produced chicken meat (n = 6) and eggs (n = 11), were collected and analysed. Of the free-range chicken meat samples, 94% (45/48) contained DDTs (ΣDDTs median 6.1 ng/g wet weight [ww], maximum 79.1 ng/g ww). Chicken egg contents were also contaminated (ΣDDTs in free-range eggs median 9544 ng/g ww, maximum 96.666 ng/g ww; and in commercial eggs median 1.3 ng/g ww, maximum 4.6 ng/g ww). The predominant DDT congener detected was p,p'-DDE in both free-range meat (>63%) and eggs (>66%), followed by p,p'-DDT and then p,p'-DDD. Based on estimated daily intake values, calculated human risk ratio (carcinogenic) values were >1 for DDTs detected in both free-range chicken products. Consumption of free-range eggs poses a particularly high health risk.

Personnel Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fair, George, Ed.; Stodden, Robert, Ed.

1981-01-01

Three articles comprise a section on personnel preparation in vocational education. Articles deal with two inservice programs in career/vocational education for the handicapped and a project to train paraprofessionals to assist special educators in vocational education. (CL)

Preparation and characterization of supported magnetic nanoparticles prepared by reverse micelles

PubMed Central

Han, Luyang; Biskupek, Johannes; Kaiser, Ute; Ziemann, Paul

2010-01-01

Summary Monatomic (Fe, Co) and bimetallic (FePt and CoPt) nanoparticles were prepared by exploiting the self-organization of precursor loaded reverse micelles. Achievements and limitations of the preparation approach are critically discussed. We show that self-assembled metallic nanoparticles can be prepared with diameters d = 2–12 nm and interparticle distances D = 20–140 nm on various substrates. Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the particle arrays were characterized by several techniques to give a comprehensive view of the high quality of the method. For Co nanoparticles, it is demonstrated that magnetostatic interactions can be neglected for distances which are at least 6 times larger than the particle diameter. Focus is placed on FePt alloy nanoparticles which show a huge magnetic anisotropy in the L10 phase, however, this is still less by a factor of 3–4 when compared to the anisotropy of the bulk counterpart. A similar observation was also found for CoPt nanoparticles (NPs). These results are related to imperfect crystal structures as revealed by HRTEM as well as to compositional distributions of the prepared particles. Interestingly, the results demonstrate that the averaged effective magnetic anisotropy of FePt nanoparticles does not strongly depend on size. Consequently, magnetization stability should scale linearly with the volume of the NPs and give rise to a critical value for stability at ambient temperature. Indeed, for diameters above 6 nm such stability is observed for the current FePt and CoPt NPs. Finally, the long-term conservation of nanoparticles by Au photoseeding is presented. PMID:21977392

14 CFR 121.133 - Preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Preparation. 121.133 Section 121.133 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIR CARRIERS..., FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Manual Requirements § 121.133 Preparation. (a) Each certificate...

Antimicrobial activity of blended essential oil preparation.

PubMed

Tadtong, Sarin; Suppawat, Supatcha; Tintawee, Anchalee; Saramas, Phanida; Jareonvong, Suchada; Hongratanaworakit, Tapanee

2012-10-01

Antimicrobial activities of two blended essential oil preparations comprising lavender oil, petigrain oil, clary sage oil, ylang ylang oil and jasmine oil were evaluated against various pathogenic microorganisms. Both preparations showed antimicrobial activity in the agar disc diffusion assay against the Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 and S. epidermidis isolated strain, the fungus, Candida albicans ATCC10231, and the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, but showed no activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC9027. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of these preparations was evaluated. By the broth microdilution assay, preparation 1, comprising lavender oil, clary sage oil, and ylang ylang oil (volume ratio 3:4:3), exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity than preparation 2, which was composed of petigrain oil, clary sage oil, and jasmine oil (volume ratio 3:4:3). Moreover, the sum of the fractional inhibitory concentrations (Sigma fic) of preparation 1 expressed a synergistic antimicrobial effect against the tested microorganisms (Sigma ficpreparations, characterized for their components by GC/MS, contained linalyl acetate, and linalool as major components. Our experiments showed that the differential antimicrobial effect of either blended oil preparations or single/pure essential oils may be influenced by the amount of linalool and linalyl acetate, and the number of active components in either the blended preparations or single/pure essential oils. In addition, blended oil preparations expressed synergistic antimicrobial effect by the accumulation of active components such as linalool and linalyl acetate and combining active constituents of more than one oil.

HIV Risk Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Age-Disparate Partnerships: Evidence From KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Maughan-Brown, Brendan; George, Gavin; Beckett, Sean; Evans, Meredith; Lewis, Lara; Cawood, Cherie; Khanyile, David; Kharsany, Ayesha B M

2018-06-01

Evidence on the role of age-disparate partnerships in high HIV-infection rates among young women in sub-Saharan Africa remains inconclusive. This study examined the HIV-infection risk associated with age-disparate partnerships among 15- to 24-year-old women in a hyperendemic setting in South Africa. Face-to-face questionnaire, and laboratory HIV and viral load data were collected during 2014-2015 among a representative sample (15-49 years old) in KwaZulu-Natal. The association between age-disparate partnerships (age difference ≥5 years) and HIV status among 15- to 24-year-old women (N = 1459) was assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. Data from the male sample on all on-going partnerships (N = 1229) involving 15- to 24-year-old women were used to assess whether young women's age-disparate male partners were more likely to have a viral load ≥1000 copies per milliliter, a marker of HIV-infection risk. Women reporting an age disparity in any of their 3 most recent partnerships were more likely to test HIV positive compared to women with only age-similar partners [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20 to 2.09, P < 0.01]. Among partnerships men reported with 15- to 24-year-old women, the age-disparate male partners were more likely to be HIV positive and have a viral load ≥1000 copies per milliliter (aOR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.30 to 3.24, P < 0.01) compared with age-similar partners. Results were similar for each category of age disparity: partners 5-9 years older (aOR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.43, P = 0.010) and those ≥10 years older (aOR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.01-4.66, P = 0.048). Results indicate that age-disparate partnerships increase young women's HIV risk, although conclusive evidence was not ascertained. Interventions addressing risk from age-disparate sexual partnering, including expanding antiretroviral treatment among older partners, may help to reduce HIV incidence among young women.

An investigation into the use of 3G mobile communications to provide telehealth services in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Clarke, Malcolm; Mars, Maurice

2015-02-01

We investigated the use of third-generation (3G) mobile communications to provide telehealth services in remote health clinics in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We specified a minimal set of services as our use case that would be representative of typical activity and to provide a baseline for analysis of network performance. Services included database access to manage chronic disease, local support and management of patients (to reduce unnecessary travel to the hospital), emergency care (up to 8 h for an ambulance to arrive), e-mail, access to up-to-date information (Web), and teleclinics. We made site measurements at a representative set of health clinics to determine the type of coverage (general packet radio service [GPRS]/3G), its capabilities to support videoconferencing (H323 and Skype™ [Microsoft, Redmond, WA]) and audio (Skype), and throughput for transmission control protocol (TCP) to gain a measure of application performance. We found that none of the remote health clinics had 3G service. The GPRS service provided typical upload speed of 44 kilobits per second (Kbps) and download speed of 64 Kbps. This was not sufficient to support any form of videoconferencing. We also observed that GPRS had significant round trip time (RTT), in some cases in excess of 750 ms, and this led to slow start-up for TCP applications. We found audio was always so broken as to be unusable and further observed that many applications such as Web access would fail under conditions of very high RTT. We found some health clinics were so remote that they had no mobile service. 3G, where available, had measured upload speed of 331 Kbps and download speed of 446 Kbps and supported videoconferencing and audio at all sites, but we frequently experienced 3G changing to GPRS. We conclude that mobile communications currently provide insufficient coverage and capability to provide reliable clinical services and would advocate dedicated wireless services where reliable

36 CFR 1010.9 - Preparation of an EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Preparation of an EIS. 1010.9... Preparation of an EIS. (a) Notice of intent. When the Trust decides to prepare an EIS, it shall publish a... lengthy period between the Trust's decision to prepare an EIS and the time of actual preparation, then at...

Philopatry: A return to origins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearce, John M.

2007-01-01

The potential danger of applying philopatry to non-natal and nonbreeding conditions is that it creates the expectation of certain outcomes, such as low dispersal rates, population genetic differentiation, and unique population segments, when such conditions may not exist. Given that most avian species do not molt, winter, or have migratory stopovers where they breed, I propose that the term “philopatry” and its genetic expectations be used only in relation to natal philopatry and not extended to (1) breeding- site fidelity of individuals whose natal areas are unknown and (2) nonbreeding areas where site- faithful behavior is observed. I believe this correctly distinguishes natal philopatry as a specific type of site fidelity with its own implications for population genetics and dynamics. Thus, philopatry should be viewed as synonymous and interchangeable with the terms “natal-site fidelity” and “natal philopatry,” and the term “breeding-site fidelity” should replace “breeding philopatry,” because it reflects the unknown natal origins of birds captured as adults. Although the broader condition of site fidelity may have implications for fitness, mate pairing, and population delineation—as examined in several studies (Robertson and Cooke 1999, Merom et al. 2000, Iverson et al. 2004, Mehl et al. 2004)—future investigations of site fidelity should be pursued without automatically invoking the term “philopatry” and assuming that the genetic and demographic connotations of natal philopatry also apply. In contrast to philopatry, the probability of fidelity (F) and dispersal (1 − F) are estimable parameters (Burnham 1993, Kendall and Nichols 2004), and the demographic and genetic consequences of site fidelity, regardless of where it occurs, can serve as hypotheses for testing with multiple data types (e.g., Arsenault et al. 2005). Such data mergers should enhance our understanding of the demographic, behavioral, and genetic implications

An automatic tooth preparation technique: A preliminary study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Fusong; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Yaopeng; Sun, Yuchun; Wang, Dangxiao; Lyu, Peijun

2016-04-01

The aim of this study is to validate the feasibility and accuracy of a new automatic tooth preparation technique in dental healthcare. An automatic tooth preparation robotic device with three-dimensional motion planning software was developed, which controlled an ultra-short pulse laser (USPL) beam (wavelength 1,064 nm, pulse width 15 ps, output power 30 W, and repeat frequency rate 100 kHz) to complete the tooth preparation process. A total of 15 freshly extracted human intact first molars were collected and fixed into a phantom head, and the target preparation shapes of these molars were designed using customised computer-aided design (CAD) software. The accuracy of tooth preparation was evaluated using the Geomagic Studio and Imageware software, and the preparing time of each tooth was recorded. Compared with the target preparation shape, the average shape error of the 15 prepared molars was 0.05-0.17 mm, the preparation depth error of the occlusal surface was approximately 0.097 mm, and the error of the convergence angle was approximately 1.0°. The average preparation time was 17 minutes. These results validated the accuracy and feasibility of the automatic tooth preparation technique.

An automatic tooth preparation technique: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Yuan, Fusong; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Yaopeng; Sun, Yuchun; Wang, Dangxiao; Lyu, Peijun

2016-04-29

The aim of this study is to validate the feasibility and accuracy of a new automatic tooth preparation technique in dental healthcare. An automatic tooth preparation robotic device with three-dimensional motion planning software was developed, which controlled an ultra-short pulse laser (USPL) beam (wavelength 1,064 nm, pulse width 15 ps, output power 30 W, and repeat frequency rate 100 kHz) to complete the tooth preparation process. A total of 15 freshly extracted human intact first molars were collected and fixed into a phantom head, and the target preparation shapes of these molars were designed using customised computer-aided design (CAD) software. The accuracy of tooth preparation was evaluated using the Geomagic Studio and Imageware software, and the preparing time of each tooth was recorded. Compared with the target preparation shape, the average shape error of the 15 prepared molars was 0.05-0.17 mm, the preparation depth error of the occlusal surface was approximately 0.097 mm, and the error of the convergence angle was approximately 1.0°. The average preparation time was 17 minutes. These results validated the accuracy and feasibility of the automatic tooth preparation technique.

Preparing a poster.

PubMed

White, Adrian; White, Leon

2003-06-01

Well prepared posters are an effective means to communicate a simple message and stimulate discussion. A good poster requires considerable effort in identifying the vital ingredients and rejecting any superfluous material. The conventional structure for papers and abstracts is a suitable basis for posters on many subjects, with modification if necessary. Suitable topics include clinical trials, surveys, qualitative studies and case reports. Suggestions are made for contents that should be considered for each section. Careful planning of size, shape, flow and content will save time in preparation, and several technical graphical points are made, which may improve the attractiveness and readability of the poster.

Clinical Aspects of Aconitum Preparations.

PubMed

Tai, Chi-Jung; El-Shazly, Mohamed; Wu, Tung-Ying; Lee, Kun-Tai; Csupor, Dezső; Hohmann, Judit; Chang, Fang-Rong; Wu, Yang-Chang

2015-08-01

Aconite species have played an important role in human history. Aconitum species have been used worldwide as poisons as well as remedies. Their potential in targeting several ailments such as pain, rheumatism, and lethargy has been recognized by Western, Chinese, and Indian health care practitioners. Aconite use in herbal preparations has declined, especially in Europe and the United States, in the first half of the twentieth century due to several reported toxicity cases. The situation has changed with the application of new technologies for the accurate analysis of its toxic components and the development of efficient detoxification protocols. Some Asian countries started small clinical trials to evaluate the potency and safety of different marketed aconite preparations. The current review summarizes therapeutic uses of aconite preparations in China, Taiwan, India, and Japan. It also highlights clinical trial results with special emphasis on their limitations. Modern drugs and pharmacopoeial preparations derived from aconite are also discussed. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Occurrence and distribution pattern of acidic pharmaceuticals in surface water, wastewater, and sediment of the Msunduzi River, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

Agunbiade, Foluso O; Moodley, Brenda

2016-01-01

The paucity of information on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment in African countries led the authors to investigate 8 acidic pharmaceuticals (4 antipyretics, 3 antibiotics, and 1 lipid regulator) in wastewater, surface water, and sediments from the Msunduzi River in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The method recoveries, limits of detection (LOD), and limits of quantification were determined. The method recoveries were 58.4% to 103%, and the LODs ranged between 1.16 ng/L and 29.1 ng/L for water and between 0.58 ng/g and 14.5 ng/g for sediment. The drugs were all present in wastewater and in most of the surface water and sediment samples. Aspirin was the most abundant pharmaceutical observed, 118 ± 0.82 μg/L in wastewater influent, and the most observed antibiotic was nalidixic acid (25.2-29.9 μg/L in wastewater); bezafibrate was the least observed. The distribution pattern of the antipyretic in water indicates more impact in suburban sites. The solid-liquid partitioning of the pharmaceuticals between sediment and water, measured as the distribution coefficient (log KD ) gave an average accumulation magnitude of 10× to 32× in sediments than in water. The downstream distribution patterns for both water and sediment indicate discharge contributions from wastewater, agricultural activities, domestic waste disposal, and possible sewer system leakages. Although concentrations of the pharmaceuticals were comparable with those obtained from some other countries, the contamination of the present study site with pharmaceuticals has been over time and continues at present, making effective management and control necessary. © 2015 SETAC.

Do gifts increase consent to home-based HIV testing? A difference-in-differences study in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

PubMed

McGovern, Mark E; Herbst, Kobus; Tanser, Frank; Mutevedzi, Tinofa; Canning, David; Gareta, Dickman; Pillay, Deenan; Bärnighausen, Till

2016-12-01

Despite the importance of HIV testing for controlling the HIV epidemic, testing rates remain low. Efforts to scale up testing coverage and frequency in hard-to-reach and at-risk populations commonly focus on home-based HIV testing. This study evaluates the effect of a gift (a US$5 food voucher for families) on consent rates for home-based HIV testing. We use data on 18 478 individuals (6 418 men and 12 060 women) who were successfully contacted to participate in the 2009 and 2010 population-based HIV surveillance carried out by the Wellcome Trust's Africa Health Research Institute in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Of 18 478 potential participants contacted in both years, 35% (6 518) consented to test in 2009, and 41% (7 533) consented to test in 2010. Our quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach controls for unobserved confounding in estimating the causal effect of the intervention on HIV-testing consent rates. Allocation of the gift to a family in 2010 increased the probability of family members consenting to test in the same year by 25 percentage points [95% confidence interval (CI) 21-30 percentage points; P  < 0.001]. The intervention effect persisted, slightly attenuated, in the year following the intervention (2011). In HIV hyperendemic settings, a gift can be highly effective at increasing consent rates for home-based HIV testing. Given the importance of HIV testing for treatment uptake and individual health, as well as for HIV treatment-as-prevention strategies and for monitoring the population impact of the HIV response, gifts should be considered as a supportive intervention for HIV-testing initiatives where consent rates have been low. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Do gifts increase consent to home-based HIV testing? A difference-in-differences study in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

McGovern, Mark E; Herbst, Kobus; Tanser, Frank; Mutevedzi, Tinofa; Canning, David; Gareta, Dickman; Pillay, Deenan; Bärnighausen, Till

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Despite the importance of HIV testing for controlling the HIV epidemic, testing rates remain low. Efforts to scale up testing coverage and frequency in hard-to-reach and at-risk populations commonly focus on home-based HIV testing. This study evaluates the effect of a gift (a US$5 food voucher for families) on consent rates for home-based HIV testing. Methods: We use data on 18 478 individuals (6 418 men and 12 060 women) who were successfully contacted to participate in the 2009 and 2010 population-based HIV surveillance carried out by the Wellcome Trust's Africa Health Research Institute in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Of 18 478 potential participants contacted in both years, 35% (6 518) consented to test in 2009, and 41% (7 533) consented to test in 2010. Our quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach controls for unobserved confounding in estimating the causal effect of the intervention on HIV-testing consent rates. Results: Allocation of the gift to a family in 2010 increased the probability of family members consenting to test in the same year by 25 percentage points [95% confidence interval (CI) 21–30 percentage points; P < 0.001]. The intervention effect persisted, slightly attenuated, in the year following the intervention (2011). Conclusions: In HIV hyperendemic settings, a gift can be highly effective at increasing consent rates for home-based HIV testing. Given the importance of HIV testing for treatment uptake and individual health, as well as for HIV treatment-as-prevention strategies and for monitoring the population impact of the HIV response, gifts should be considered as a supportive intervention for HIV-testing initiatives where consent rates have been low. PMID:27940483

Scale-up of a decentralized HIV treatment programme in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: does rapid expansion affect patient outcomes?

PubMed Central

Mutevedzi, Portia C; Lessells, Richard J; Heller, Tom; Bärnighausen, Till; Cooke, Graham S; Newell, Marie-Louise

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective To describe the scale-up of a decentralized HIV treatment programme delivered through the primary health care system in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and to assess trends in baseline characteristics and outcomes in the study population. Methods The programme started delivery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in October 2004. Information on all patients initiated on ART was captured in the programme database and follow-up status was updated monthly. All adult patients (≥ 16 years) who initiated ART between October 2004 and September 2008 were included and stratified into 6-month groups. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were compared between the groups. Retention in care, mortality, loss to follow-up and virological outcomes were assessed at 12 months post-ART initiation. Findings A total of 5719 adults initiated on ART were included (67.9% female). Median baseline CD4+ lymphocyte count was 116 cells/µl (interquartile range, IQR: 53–173). There was an increase in the proportion of women who initiated ART while pregnant but no change in other baseline characteristics over time. Overall retention in care at 12 months was 84.0% (95% confidence interval, CI: 82.6–85.3); 10.9% died (95% CI: 9.8–12.0); 3.7% were lost to follow-up (95% CI: 3.0–4.4). Mortality was highest in the first 3 months after ART initiation: 30.1 deaths per 100 person–years (95% CI: 26.3–34.5). At 12 months 23.0% had a detectable viral load (> 25 copies/ml) (95% CI: 19.5–25.5). Conclusion Outcomes were not affected by rapid expansion of this decentralized HIV treatment programme. The relatively high rates of detectable viral load highlight the need for further efforts to improve the quality of services. PMID:20680124

Career Preparation: A Longitudinal, Process-Oriented Examination

PubMed Central

Stringer, Kate; Kerpelman, Jennifer; Skorikov, Vladimir

2011-01-01

Preparing for an adult career through careful planning, choosing a career, and gaining confidence to achieve career goals is a primary task during adolescence and early adulthood. The current study bridged identity process literature and career construction theory (Savickas, 2005) by examining the commitment component of career adaptability, career preparation (i.e., career planning, career decision-making, and career confidence), from an identity process perspective (Luyckx, Goossens, & Soenens, 2006). Research has suggested that career preparation dimensions are interrelated during adolescence and early adulthood; however, what remains to be known is how each dimension changes over time and the interrelationships among the dimensions during the transition from high school. Drawing parallels between career preparation and identity development dimensions, the current study addressed these questions by examining the patterns of change in each career preparation dimension and parallel process models that tested associations among the slopes and intercepts of the career preparation dimensions. Results showed that the career preparation dimensions were not developing similarly over time, although each dimension was associated cross-sectionally and longitudinally with the other dimensions. Results also suggested that career planning and decision-making precede career confidence. The results of the current study supported career construction theory and showed similarities between the processes of career preparation and identity development. PMID:21804641

Career Preparation: A Longitudinal, Process-Oriented Examination.

PubMed

Stringer, Kate; Kerpelman, Jennifer; Skorikov, Vladimir

2011-08-01

Preparing for an adult career through careful planning, choosing a career, and gaining confidence to achieve career goals is a primary task during adolescence and early adulthood. The current study bridged identity process literature and career construction theory (Savickas, 2005) by examining the commitment component of career adaptability, career preparation (i.e., career planning, career decision-making, and career confidence), from an identity process perspective (Luyckx, Goossens, & Soenens, 2006). Research has suggested that career preparation dimensions are interrelated during adolescence and early adulthood; however, what remains to be known is how each dimension changes over time and the interrelationships among the dimensions during the transition from high school. Drawing parallels between career preparation and identity development dimensions, the current study addressed these questions by examining the patterns of change in each career preparation dimension and parallel process models that tested associations among the slopes and intercepts of the career preparation dimensions. Results showed that the career preparation dimensions were not developing similarly over time, although each dimension was associated cross-sectionally and longitudinally with the other dimensions. Results also suggested that career planning and decision-making precede career confidence. The results of the current study supported career construction theory and showed similarities between the processes of career preparation and identity development.

Preparation of orally disintegrating tablets with taste-masking function: masking effect in granules prepared with correctives using the dry granulation method and evaluation of tablets prepared using the taste-masked granules.

PubMed

Kawano, Yayoi; Ito, Akihiko; Sasatsu, Masanaho; Machida, Yoshiharu

2010-01-01

We investigated several methods of taste masking in the preparation of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs), using furosemide (FU) as a model drug. Four types of FU preparations were prepared: granules with maltitol (MA), granules with yogurt powder (YO), a physical mixture of FU and MA, and a physical mixture of FU and YO. All taste-masking granules were prepared using the dry granulation method. The taste of each type of preparation was evaluated. All four preparations markedly improved the taste of the FU tablets, but the mixing ratios of the correctives did not affect the masking effect. No difference in masking effect was found between MA and YO in the physical mixtures, but the masking effect in the granules with YO was superior to that of the granules with MA. Taste-masked FU tablets were prepared using the direct compression method; crystalline cellulose (Avicel PH-302) and mannitol were added as excipients at the mixing ratio of 1/1. All four types of tablets displayed sufficient hardness, but MA-containing tablets were harder than YO-containing tablets. The hardness of the tablets prepared from YO granules increased as the YO content increased. The most rapidly disintegrating tablets were those of YO granules prepared at a mixing ratio of FU/YO=1/1, which disintegrated within 20 s, followed by the tablets of MA granules prepared at a mixing ratio of FU/MA=1/1. The disintegration times of the tablets made from physical mixtures, in contrast, were longer than 200 s. Disintegration time lengthened as the mixing ratio of YO or MA increased. The hardness and disintegration time of these tablets could be controlled by varying the compression pressure. We found that YO is more useful than MA in masking unpleasant tastes and confirmed that orally disintegrating tablets with taste-masking function can be prepared using granules of YO prepared using the dry granulation method as a new corrective.

Transrectal-ultrasound prostatic biopsy preparation: rectal enema vs. mechanical bowel preparation.

PubMed

De Nunzio, Cosimo; Lombardo, Riccardo; Presicce, Fabrizio; Bellangino, Mariangela; Finazzi Agro, Enrico; Gambrosier, Matteo Bonetto; Trucchi, Alberto; Petta, Stefano; Tubaro, Andrea

2015-01-01

Transrectal prostate biopsy (TRUSbx) is the standard for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Different bowel preparations are used for patients undergoing TRUSbx. The aim of our study was to compare two different bowel preparations for TRUSbx. From May 2012 and onwards, a selected group of men undergoing TRUS 12-core prostate biopsy were enrolled into a prospective database. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive a rectal enema (Group A) the night before the procedure or polyethylene glycol 34.8 grams/4 liters of water the day before the procedure (Group B). A VAS scale to evaluate the patients' discomfort according to the two preparations was collected. The same antibiotic prophylaxis was performed in both groups. All complications were prospectively recorded and graded according to the Clavien Classification System (CCS). A total of 198 patients were consecutively enrolled. Mean age was 67.5 ±7.9 years, mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.1 ±4.2 Kg/m(2), mean PSA value was 9.3 ±12.6 ng/ml and the mean prostatic volume was 60.6 ±29 ml. 97 patients were enrolled in Group A and 101 in Group B. Overall post-biopsy morbidity rate was 60%. No significant differences for low-grade and high-grade complications was observed between the two groups. Patients receiving the rectal enema presented with a significantly lower VAS score (3.1 ±1.1 vs. 5.9 ±1.7; p = 0.02). Our study confirmed that a rectal enema should be considered as the standard bowel preparation in patients undergoing a TRUS biopsy; it is as effective as PEG and associated with less discomfort.

Which Field Experiences Best Prepare Future School Leaders? An Analysis of Kentucky's Principal Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodson, Richard L.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the effectiveness of field experiences in preparing school principals for the exigencies of the job. Current school principals throughout Kentucky were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the utility and comparative effectiveness of field experiences in the principal preparation program (PPP) each attended. Surveys were…

Parental autonomy support and ethnic culture identification among second-generation immigrants.

PubMed

Abad, Neetu S; Sheldon, Kennon M

2008-08-01

Born and raised in the United States, children of immigrants often face conflict over whether to endorse the norms and traditions of the family's country of origin (the natal culture) or those of mainstream U.S. society (the host culture). The authors hypothesized that when immigrant parents allow children to make their own choices concerning their cultural identity, their children will be more likely to internalize the natal culture and will experience greater well-being. Ninety-nine college-aged 2nd-generation immigrants rated their well-being, perceptions of their mother's and father's autonomy support, and their endorsement of both natal and U.S. cultures. Results demonstrated that paternal, but not maternal, autonomy support predicted greater well-being and greater endorsement of the natal culture and that immersion in the natal culture predicted some indices of well-being. Several explanations for the possibly greater significance of paternal versus maternal autonomy support in the context of immigrant families are considered.

Preparing Learners for e-Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piskurich, George M., Ed.

This book presents methods business organizations and educational institutions can use to prepare their learners to become successful e-learners. "Preparing e-Learners for Self- Directed Learning" (Long) discusses self-direction as a prerequisite to e-learning and gives a list of ways to help enhance learners' self-directedness.…

Preparing for evil.

PubMed

Mitroff, Ian I; Alpaslan, Murat C

2003-04-01

How can you plan for every crisis that might occur, even for ones you can't imagine? The task seems so daunting and so limitless that many firms don't even start. In fact, as the authors' 20 years of research shows, three out of four Fortune 500 companies are prepared to handle only the types of calamities they've already suffered, and not even all of those. That's unfortunate because the research also shows that crisis-prepared companies fare better financially, have stronger reputations, and ultimately stay in business longer than their crisis prone counterparts. Crisis-prepared companies use a systematic approach to focus their efforts. In addition to planning for natural disasters, they divide man-made calamities into two sorts--accidental or "normal" ones, like the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and deliberate or "abnormal" ones, like product tampering. Then they take steps to broaden their thinking about such potential crises. They consider threats that would be common in other industries, for instance. And they seek input from outsiders such as investigative journalists and even reformed criminals. But if these companies think broadly about possible threats, they think narrowly about implementation. Each year, smart companies focus their resources and attention on a few facilities picked at random, just as airlines conduct detailed security checks on just a few passengers for each flight. That reduces the probability of an attack on the entire organization even as it allows the business to migrate steadily to a higher level of crisis readiness. Crisis-prepared companies know that disasters cannot be managed through cost-benefit analyses. It is precisely because the effects of a disaster cannot be predicted or controlled that smart companies focus their efforts on preventing crises rather than containing them after the fact.

Specimen Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, David B.; Carter, C. Barry

Specimen preparation is a very broad subject; there are books devoted to this topic alone. The intention here is to summarize the techniques, suggest routes that you might follow, and above all to emphasize that there are many ways to produce a TEM specimen; the one you choose will depend on the information you need, time constraints, availability of equipment, your skill, and the material. So we’ll concentrate on the ‘principles of cooking,’ but won’t try to list all the possible ‘recipes.’ One important point to bear in mind is that your technique must not affect what you see or measure, or if it does, then you must know how. Specimen preparation artifacts may be interesting but they are not usually what you want to study. Incidentally, we’ll make ‘specimens’ from the ‘sample’ we’re investigating so we’ll look at ‘TEM specimens,’ but sometimes we, and everyone else, will interchange the two words.

Handling, storage, and preparation of human tissues.

PubMed

Dressler, L G; Visscher, D

2001-05-01

Human tissue for flow cytometry must be prepared as an adequate single-cell suspension. The appropriate methods for tissue collection, transport, storage, and dissociation depend on the cell parameters being measured and the localization of the markers. This unit includes a general method for collecting and transporting human tissue and preparing a tissue imprint. Protocols are supplied for tissue disaggregation by either mechanical or enzymatic means and for preparation of single-cell suspensions of whole cells from fine-needle aspirates, pleural effusions, abdominal fluids, or other body fluids. Other protocols detail preparation of intact nuclei from fresh, frozen, or paraffin-embedded tissue. Support protocols cover fixation, cryospin preparation, cryopreservation, and removal of debris.

Preparation of eugenol-based polyurethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yupeng; Luo, Fang; Cheng, Chuanjie

2018-03-01

The regenerative eugenol was used as the starting material to prepare diol species by two steps, with a total yield of 28%. Furthermore, the prepared diol reacts with 1,6-hexadiisocyanate(HDI) to afford the corresponding polyurethane (PU). The structure of intermediates and PU are characterized by 1H-NMR or IR.

Preparing High School Physics Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Ben A., Jr.; And Others

Reported are (1) the status of preparation of physics teachers, and (2) recommendations for improving programs preparing physics teachers. The seriously declining high school physics enrollments are attributed, in part, to the shortage, or absence, of competent teachers. The effect this might have on the future supply of physicists is a major…

Retaining Teachers: How Preparation Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingersoll, Richard; Merrill, Lisa; May, Henry

2012-01-01

Using data from the 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey, the authors studied how various aspects of teacher preparation affect the retention of new teachers--specifically mathematics and science teachers. They found that the preparation of new mathematics and science teachers differs from that of other new teachers in various respects, but factors…

Methods to Prepare Aluminum Salt-Adjuvanted Vaccines.

PubMed

Thakkar, Sachin G; Cui, Zhengrong

2017-01-01

Many human vaccines contain certain insoluble aluminum salts such as aluminum oxyhydroxide and aluminum hydroxyphosphate as vaccine adjuvants to boost the immunogenicity of the vaccines. Aluminum salts have been used as vaccine adjuvants for decades and have an established, favorable safety profile. However, preparing aluminum salts and aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccines in a consistent manner remains challenging. This chapter discusses methods to prepare aluminum salts and aluminum salt-adjuvanted vaccines, factors to consider during preparation, and methods to characterize the vaccines after preparation.

Picoprep-3 is a superior colonoscopy preparation to Fleet: a randomized, controlled trial comparing the two bowel preparations.

PubMed

Schmidt, Liu-Ming; Williams, Pamela; King, Denis; Perera, Dayashan

2004-02-01

Bowel preparations for colonoscopy have to balance the demand for adequate cleansing action of the bowel and patient acceptability. There has been no study comparing Picoprep-3 (sodium picosulfate), a relatively new product, to Fleet (sodium phosphate), a well-studied and widely used preparation. This study was designed to compare the efficacy and patient tolerance of these two bowel preparations for colonoscopy. A randomized, single-blinded, prospective trial was conducted. A total of 400 consecutive patients presenting for elective colonoscopy at St George Private Hospital during a 20-week period were randomly assigned to receive Picoprep-3 or Fleet. Patients were asked to record the effects of the preparation, noting tolerability, taste, and side effects. Two hundred patients were assigned to the Picoprep-3 group and 200 to the Fleet group. Surgeons were blinded to the preparation used and rated the quality of the bowel preparation on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the optimal score). Picoprep-3 was found to be better tolerated (P < 0.0001) and better tasting (P < 0.0001) than Fleet. Patients in the Picoprep-3 group reported significantly less nausea (P < 0.001), vomiting (P < 0.004), dizziness (P < 0.01), abdominal pains (P = 0.0005), and thirst (P < 0.0001) associated with the preparation. There was no significant difference in visualization of the colon between the two groups as judged by the two colonoscopists (P = 0.06). Colonoscopy preparation with Picoprep-3 has similar efficacy but superior taste and tolerability compared with Fleet. Picoprep-3 caused less adverse side effects in the study population.

32 CFR 989.23 - Contractor prepared documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Contractor prepared documents. 989.23 Section... PROTECTION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS (EIAP) § 989.23 Contractor prepared documents. All Air Force... should reflect on the cover sheet they are an Air Force document. Contractor preparation information...

48 CFR 552.211-88 - Vehicle export preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Vehicle export preparation... Vehicle export preparation. As prescribed in 511.204(b)(8), insert the following clause: Vehicle Export Preparation (JAN 2010) Vehicles shall be prepared for export on wheels, unboxed, unless otherwise specified in...

48 CFR 552.211-88 - Vehicle export preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Vehicle export preparation... Vehicle export preparation. As prescribed in 511.204(b)(8), insert the following clause: Vehicle Export Preparation (JAN 2010) Vehicles shall be prepared for export on wheels, unboxed, unless otherwise specified in...

48 CFR 552.211-88 - Vehicle export preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Vehicle export preparation... Vehicle export preparation. As prescribed in 511.204(b)(8), insert the following clause: Vehicle Export Preparation (JAN 2010) Vehicles shall be prepared for export on wheels, unboxed, unless otherwise specified in...

Patients with History of Colonoscopy Are Less Likely to Achieve High Quality Preparation After Implementing Split-Dose Bowel Preparation.

PubMed

Madhoun, M F; Bitar, H; Parava, P; Bashir, M H; Zia, H

2017-01-01

Anecdotally, we observed that patients who had previous colonoscopies were less likely to follow newly implemented split-dose bowel preparation (SDBP) instructions. We investigated whether the indication for colonoscopy is an independent factor for achieving high quality bowel preparation among patients asked to follow SDBP. We performed a retrospective study of data from 1478 patients who received outpatient colonoscopies in 2014 (the year of SDBP implementation) at our Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We collected information related to demographics and factors known to affect bowel preparations. Reasons for colonoscopy were dichotomized into surveillance (previous colonoscopy) vs. non-surveillance (positive occult blood test or screening). Bowel preparation quality was scored using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), and was categorized as either excellent vs. not excellent (BBPS≥7 vs. BBPS<7), or adequate vs. inadequate (BBPS≥6 vs. BBPS<6). Bowel preparation quality was excellent in 60% of colonoscopies and adequate in 84% of colonoscopies. Thirty-six percent (535) were surveillance colonoscopies. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, more patients in the non-surveillance group achieved excellent (OR 0.8 ; 95% CI [0.7-0.8], P <0.0001) and adequate (OR 0.8 ; 95% CI [0.7-0.9], P <0.006) bowel preparation than did patients in the surveillance group. Patients with a prior colonoscopy might not follow the split-dose bowel preparation instructions. Educational interventions emphasizing the benefits of SDBP in this group of patients may help ensure compliance and prevent the habitual use of day-before preparations. © Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.

Preparing Students for Romantic Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissbourd, Richard; Peterson, Amelia; Weinstein, Emily

2014-01-01

One of the most important aspects in our lives is learning how to have mutual, caring romantic relationships. Yet while schools and many other industries in this country devote tremendous attention and resources to preparing the young for work, they do remarkably little to prepare them for generous, self-respecting sex and love. Educators and…

Merging Expertise: Preparing Collaborative Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altieri, Elizabeth M.; Colley, Kenna M.; Daniel, Leslie S.; Dickenson, Kathie W.

2015-01-01

In this article, teacher education faculty of a medium-size university, historically grounded in teacher preparation within a rural context, describe their ongoing work to transform their practice in order to prepare special and general educators who co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess with their counterparts in the field. Follow-up research with…

Preparing School Leaders: What Works?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leithwood, Kenneth; And Others

1995-01-01

This paper describes the results of a study that investigated the nature and consequences of a unique set of university-sponsored school leadership preparation programs. Begun in 1987, the Danforth Foundation Program for the Preparation of School Principals (DPPSP) was part of a two-pronged effort to more fully develop the potential of school…

Use of Live Supervision in Counselor Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bubenzer, Donald L.; And Others

1991-01-01

Investigated live supervision in counselor preparation programs by surveying 307 counselor preparation programs. Live supervision was used at 157 institutions and was used in preparing individual, group, and marriage and family counselors. At least 75 percent of programs provided live supervision weekly. Techniques of cotherapy and remote viewing…

Microfluidic Sample Preparation for Diagnostic Cytopathology

PubMed Central

Mach, Albert J.; Adeyiga, Oladunni B.; Di Carlo, Dino

2014-01-01

The cellular components of body fluids are routinely analyzed to identify disease and treatment approaches. While significant focus has been placed on developing cell analysis technologies, tools to automate the preparation of cellular specimens have been more limited, especially for body fluids beyond blood. Preparation steps include separating, concentrating, and exposing cells to reagents. Sample preparation continues to be routinely performed off-chip by technicians, preventing cell-based point-of-care diagnostics, increasing the cost of tests, and reducing the consistency of the final analysis following multiple manually-performed steps. Here, we review the assortment of biofluids for which suspended cells are analyzed, along with their characteristics and diagnostic value. We present an overview of the conventional sample preparation processes for cytological diagnosis. We finally discuss the challenges and opportunities in developing microfluidic devices for the purpose of automating or miniaturizing these processes, with particular emphases on preparing large or small volume samples, working with samples of high cellularity, automating multi-step processes, and obtaining high purity subpopulations of cells. We hope to convey the importance of and help identify new research directions addressing the vast biological and clinical applications in preparing and analyzing the array of available biological fluids. Successfully addressing the challenges described in this review can lead to inexpensive systems to improve diagnostic accuracy while simultaneously reducing overall systemic healthcare costs. PMID:23380972

36 CFR 907.9 - Preparation of an EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 907.9 Preparation of an EIS. (a) Notice of intent. When PADC decides to prepare an environmental impact statement, it shall publish a notice of intent in the Federal Register in accordance with... environmental impact statement will be prepared and publishing the notice of intent, PADC will begin to prepare...

Preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate

DOEpatents

Lee, Kien-yin

1985-01-01

Method for the preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate. Ethylenediamine dinitrate, a useful explosive, may readily be prepared by solvent extraction of nitrate ion from an acidic aqueous solution thereof using a high-molecular-weight, water-insoluble amine dissolved in an organic solvent, and reacting the resulting organic solution with ethylenediamine. The process of the instant invention avoids the use of concentrated nitric acid, as is currently practiced, resulting in a synthesis which is far less hazardous especially for large quantities of the explosive, and more efficient.

Preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate

DOEpatents

Lee, K.

1984-05-17

Method for the preparation of ethylenediamine dinitrate. Ethylenediamine dinitrate, a useful explosive, may readily be prepared by solvent extraction of nitrate ion from an acidic aqueous solution thereof using a high-molecular-weight, water-insoluble amine dissolved in an organic solvent, and reacting the resulting oraganic solution with ethylenediamine. The process of the instant invention avoids the use of concentrated nitric acid, as is currently practiced, resulting in a synthesis which is far less hazardous, especially for large quantities of the explosive, and more efficient.

46 CFR 170.185 - Stability test preparations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Stability test preparations. 170.185 Section 170.185....185 Stability test preparations. The following preparations must be made before conducting a stability... of the vessel to be tested. (2) Date and location of the test. (3) Inclining weight data. (4...

Examining the Principal Preparation and Practice Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Gary E.; Papa, Rosemary

2008-01-01

To anticipate the future needs of principal preparation, it is important to understand past efforts to bridge the preparation and practice gap. Decades ago, both the military and corporate industries discovered that classroom training was not meeting their needs for preparing soldiers and business professionals for real-life challenges. So they…

[Prevent postnatal urinary incontinence by prenatal pelvic floor exercise? Rationale and protocol of the multicenter randomized study PreNatal Pelvic floor Prevention (3PN)].

PubMed

Fritel, X; Fauconnier, A; de Tayrac, R; Amblard, J; Cotte, L; Fernandez, H

2008-09-01

Female urinary incontinence (UI) is a frequent affection that generates handicap and expenses. There is a link between UI and pregnancy; onset of UI during pregnancy is a risk factor for permanent UI. Postnatal pelvic floor exercise has shown efficacy to improve postnatal UI. However, it remains uncertain if benefits last more than few months. Publication of our rationale for prenatal pelvic floor exercise is an opportunity to expose our pre-specified hypotheses and help health professionals' awareness. The purpose of PreNatal Pelvic floor Prevention (3PN) is to compare the effects of prenatal pelvic floor exercise versus sole written instructions on UI one year after delivery. It is a multicenter, randomized, single blind study. Main inclusion criteria are first, single and non-complicated pregnancy over 18 years. Women randomized in pelvic floor exercise group will undergo eight sessions with a physiotherapist between six and eight months of pregnancy. Our principal criterion is UI score (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form [ICIQ-SF]) one year after delivery. We plan to include 280 pregnant women in five centers over a 12-month screening period to show a one-point difference on UI score. ETHIC AND FINANCING: The study was approved by the IRB Comité de protection des personnes Sud-Ouest et Outre-Mer. It was registered by French Health Products Safety Agency (AFSSAPS) and Clinical Trials.gov. It is supported by the French Ministry of Health through the 2007 Hospital Plan for Clinical Research (PHRC). We plan to assess if prenatal pelvic floor exercise reduces postnatal medical consultations or physiotherapy sessions.

Assessment of pit latrines in a peri-urban community in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) as a source of antibiotic resistant E. coli strains.

PubMed

Beukes, Lorika S; King, Tracy L B; Schmidt, Stefan

2017-11-01

Due to the frequent use of antibiotics and recurring illnesses related to multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in South Africa, we determined if MDR Escherichia coli were present in pit latrine fecal sludge samples obtained from a peri-urban community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The abundance of E. coli in pit latrine samples was established using a most probable number (MPN) method with species confirmation done using biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-four randomly selected E. coli pit latrine isolates were further characterized, using the European committee on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (EUCAST) disk diffusion method to establish antibiotic resistance profiles for these E. coli isolates. The resulting MPN values for E. coli ranged from one to 6.2 log 10 MPN per gram of fresh pit latrine fecal sludge. While only 3 out of 44 E. coli pit latrine isolates showed no resistance to any of the 12 tested antibiotics, most isolates were resistant to two or more antibiotics. The majority of isolates showed resistance to at least one of the two tested aminoglycosides, one isolate showed resistance to the carbapenem ertapenem, and although resistance was not detected for tigecycline four pit latrine E. coli isolates showed intermediate resistance to this antibiotic. However, about 14% of the E. coli pit latrine isolates were categorized as MDR, all of which showed resistance to four or more antibiotics. The presence of MDR E. coli strains in pit latrine samples demonstrates that these facilities are potential sources for MDR bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic and other predictors of colonoscopy preparation quality.

PubMed

Lebwohl, Benjamin; Wang, Timothy C; Neugut, Alfred I

2010-07-01

Suboptimal bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy is a common occurrence, with a deleterious impact on colonoscopy effectiveness. Established risk factors for suboptimal bowel preparation have been proposed, but social factors, such as socioeconomic status and marital status, have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate sociodemographic factors, including insurance status and marital status, as predictive of suboptimal preparation. We analyzed a database of 12,430 consecutive colonoscopies during a 28-month period at Columbia University Medical Center. We collected the following variables: age, gender, indication for colonoscopy, location (inpatient vs. outpatient), race, marital status, and Medicaid status. Preparation quality was recorded and dichotomized as optimal or suboptimal. We employed multivariate regression to determine independent risk factors for suboptimal bowel preparation. Among the 10,921 examinations in which bowel preparation was recorded, suboptimal preparation occurred in 34% of Medicaid patients versus 18% of non-Medicaid patients (P < 0.0001); this remained significant in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio (OR) 1.84, 95% CI 1.61-2.11). Married patients had decreased rates of suboptimal preparation (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.98). Other variables associated with suboptimal preparation included increased age (OR per 10 years 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.14), male gender (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.31-1.59), inpatient status (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.26-1.80), and later time of day (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.71-2.09). Unmarried status and Medicaid status are predictive of suboptimal bowel preparation. Future studies are warranted to identify how these social conditions predict bowel preparation quality and to implement interventions to optimize bowel preparation in vulnerable populations.

Remote preparation of an atomic quantum memory.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Wenjamin; Berner, Stefan; Volz, Jürgen; Weber, Markus; Weinfurter, Harald

2007-02-02

Storage and distribution of quantum information are key elements of quantum information processing and future quantum communication networks. Here, using atom-photon entanglement as the main physical resource, we experimentally demonstrate the preparation of a distant atomic quantum memory. Applying a quantum teleportation protocol on a locally prepared state of a photonic qubit, we realized this so-called remote state preparation on a single, optically trapped 87Rb atom. We evaluated the performance of this scheme by the full tomography of the prepared atomic state, reaching an average fidelity of 82%.

Appraisal of Hygiene Indicators and Farming Practices in the Production of Leafy Vegetables by Organic Small-Scale Farmers in uMbumbulu (Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

PubMed Central

Mdluli, Fezile; Thamaga-Chitja, Joyce; Schmidt, Stefan

2013-01-01

During October, November and December 2011 (when highest sales of Agri-Hub fresh produce are observed), irrigation water, compost, lettuce and spinach sampled from four different farmer cooperatives supplying the local Agri-Hub in uMbumbulu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were analyzed monthly for the presence of total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli using the most probable number (MPN) technique. The pH values for all irrigation water samples analyzed were within the acceptable range of 6.5–8.5 for agricultural use. Fecal coliform levels were <1,000 MPN per 100 mL irrigation water and <1,000 MPN per g of compost. The vegetables produced by Agri-Hub small-scale farmers met the requirements for total coliforms of <200/g set by the South African Department of Health at the time of sampling. E. coli MPN values for irrigation water and vegetables were below the limit of detection. In addition, the farming practices of 73 farmers were assessed via a survey. The results revealed that more than 40% of farmers used microbiologically safe tap water for irrigation and that trained farmers have a significantly better understanding of the importance of production hygiene than untrained farmers. These results reiterate the importance of interventions that build capacity in the area of food safety and hygiene of small-scale farmers for market access of formal value chains. PMID:24065036

Appraisal of hygiene indicators and farming practices in the production of leafy vegetables by organic small-scale farmers in uMbumbulu (Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa).

PubMed

Mdluli, Fezile; Thamaga-Chitja, Joyce; Schmidt, Stefan

2013-09-13

During October, November and December 2011 (when highest sales of Agri-Hub fresh produce are observed), irrigation water, compost, lettuce and spinach sampled from four different farmer cooperatives supplying the local Agri-Hub in uMbumbulu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were analyzed monthly for the presence of total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli using the most probable number (MPN) technique. The pH values for all irrigation water samples analyzed were within the acceptable range of 6.5-8.5 for agricultural use. Fecal coliform levels were <1,000 MPN per 100 mL irrigation water and <1,000 MPN per g of compost. The vegetables produced by Agri-Hub small-scale farmers met the requirements for total coliforms of <200/g set by the South African Department of Health at the time of sampling. E. coli MPN values for irrigation water and vegetables were below the limit of detection. In addition, the farming practices of 73 farmers were assessed via a survey. The results revealed that more than 40% of farmers used microbiologically safe tap water for irrigation and that trained farmers have a significantly better understanding of the importance of production hygiene than untrained farmers. These results reiterate the importance of interventions that build capacity in the area of food safety and hygiene of small-scale farmers for market access of formal value chains.

Method of surface preparation of niobium

DOEpatents

Srinivasan-Rao, Triveni; Schill, John F.

2003-01-01

The present invention is for a method of preparing a surface of niobium. The preparation method includes polishing, cleaning, baking and irradiating the niobium surface whereby the resulting niobium surface has a high quantum efficiency.

Utah Elementary School Principals Preparation as Technology Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esplin, Nathan L.

2017-01-01

The rapidly expanding use of technology in education has brought about the need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders. Although, there is a need for principals to be prepared as technology leaders, many currently are not prepared for this role. It is crucial that principals are prepared in order ability to lead their school in…

12 CFR 1815.109 - Preparation of an EIS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Preparation of an EIS. 1815.109 Section 1815... ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY § 1815.109 Preparation of an EIS. (a) If the Fund determines that an EIS should be... or have prepared the EIS. Procedures for preparing the EIS are set forth in 40 CFR part 1502 of the...

18 CFR 385.507 - Prepared written testimony (Rule 507).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Prepared written....507 Prepared written testimony (Rule 507). (a) Offered as an exhibit. The prepared written testimony... time for the preparation of such written testimony. (b) Time for filing. Any prepared written testimony...

Preparation Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Chrys; Mellor, Lynn

2009-01-01

In "Orange Juice or Orange Drink?," the authors provided evidence that many students are receiving credit for courses with little indication that they have learned the content implied by the course titles (Dougherty, Mellor, & Jian, 2006). Yet in pursuit of the goal of preparing all students for college and careers, many policymakers…

Microbial viability in preparations packaged for single use.

PubMed

Obayashi, Akiko; Oie, Shigeharu; Kamiya, Akira

2003-05-01

We evaluated microbial viability in preparations packaged for single use only which mandate that residual solution be discarded such as albumin and globulin preparations as blood products, preparations containing albumin (such as urokinase and interferon), fat emulsions, and a preparation containing fat emulsions (propofol). In most preparations, Serratia marcescens and Burkholderia cepacia proliferated rapidly at 30 degrees C. However, in globulin preparations containing 1-2.25% glycine to prevent protein degradation (Gamma-Venin P, Venilon-I, Globulin Injection, and Ahlbulin), no growth of S. marcescens and B. cepacia was detected over 24 h at 30 degrees C. For globulin preparations containing 1-2.25% glycine, the injunction to "Discard residual solution after the package has been used" in the package inserts can be revised to "It is possible to use residual solution within 24 h after the package has been used with storage in a cool place."

Modern Endodontic Principles Part 3: Preparation.

PubMed

Darcey, James; Taylor, Carly; Roudsari, Reza Vahid; Jawad, Sarra; Hunter, Mark

2015-11-01

The purpose of instrumentation is to facilitate irrigation and allow controlled obturation. This article will revisit methods of instrumentation of the root canal system with consideration given to length determination, apical preparation and the concept of patency filing. It will discuss hand instrumentation and rotary preparation looking at emerging technology such as reciprocating systems and the self-adjusting file. CPD/CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Mechanical preparation of the root canal system is of fundamental importance in achieving success, creating a more easily managed environment from a biological perspective.

Underground Coal Preparation System and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Cao; DeYong, Shang; BaoNing, Zhang

2018-03-01

The underground coal preparation is a cutting-edge technology of the coal industry worldwide. This paper introduced the meaning of implementing the underground coal preparation, and the practical applications of underground mechanical moving screen jig, underground heavy medium shallow slot and underground air jigger. Through analyzing the main separation equipment and the advantages and disadvantages of three primary processes from aspects of process complexity, slime water treatment, raw coal preparation, etc., the difference among technology investment, construction scale, production cost and economic benefit is concluded.

Recent advances in preparative electrophoresis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosher, Richard A.; Thormann, Wolfgang; Egen, Ned B.; Couasnon, Pascal; Sammons, David W.

1987-01-01

Various approaches for preparative electrophoresis, and three new instruments for preparative electrophoresis are discussed. Consideration is given to isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, and zone electrophoresis, three gel-based electrophoresis methods. The design, functions, and performance of the Elphor VaP 21 device of Hannig (1982), the shear-stabilized BIOSTREAM separator of Thompson (1983), and the recycling isoelectric focusing device are described.

Ergonomics and accessibility for people with visual impairment in hotels.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Larissa Nascimento; de Carvalho, Ricardo José Matos

2012-01-01

This article presents a diagnosis of luxury or superior hotels in the city of Natal, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in northeastern Brazil, in what concerns accessibility to the visually impaired. The main objective is to present the guiding principles to design actions and interventions that must be considered in the preparation or revision of technical standards and manuals of good practice in accessibility related to people with visual impairments who are hotel users. The survey showed that the hotels do not meet the normative indications of accessibility, their facilities are in-accessible (have prevented access) or of reduced accessibility and its employees are not prepared to provide adequate hospital services for people with visual impairment. It was concluded that some of the accessibility problems faced by people with visual impairments are also faced by people in general.