NuSpace

NuSpace is the official repository platform of the National University of Science and Technology that enables researchers in:

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  • promoting knowledge dissemination and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration.

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Micro-spatial distribution of malaria cases and control strategies at ward level in Gwanda district, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
(BioMed Central, 2017) Manyangadze, T.; Chimbari, M.J.; Macherera, M.; Mukaratirwa, S.
Background Although there has been a decline in the number of malaria cases in Zimbabwe since 2010, the disease remains the biggest public health threat in the country. Gwanda district, located in Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe has progressed to the malaria pre-elimination phase. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of malaria incidence at ward level for improving the planning and implementation of malaria elimination in the district. Methods The Poisson purely spatial model was used to detect malaria clusters and their properties, including relative risk and significance levels at ward level. The geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) model was used to explore the potential role and significance of environmental variables [rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature, altitude, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), rural/urban] and malaria control strategies [indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs)] on the spatial patterns of malaria incidence at ward level. Results Two significant clusters (p < 0.05) of malaria cases were identified: (1) ward 24 south of Gwanda district and (2) ward 9 in the urban municipality, with relative risks of 5.583 and 4.316, respectively. The semiparametric-GWPR model with both local and global variables had higher performance based on AICc (70.882) compared to global regression (74.390) and GWPR which assumed that all variables varied locally (73.364). The semiparametric-GWPR captured the spatially non-stationary relationship between malaria cases and minimum temperature, NDVI, NDWI, and altitude at the ward level. The influence of LLINs, IRS and rural or urban did not vary and remained in the model as global terms. NDWI (positive coefficients) and NDVI (range from negative to positive coefficients) showed significant association with malaria cases in some of the wards. The IRS had a protection effect on malaria incidence as expected. Conclusions Malaria incidence is heterogeneous even in low-transmission zones including those in pre-elimination phase. The relationship between malaria cases and NDWI, NDVI, altitude, and minimum temperature may vary at local level. The results of this study can be used in planning and implementation of malaria control strategies at district and ward levels.
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Molecular Characterization of Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus species in dried Traditional foods in Zimbabwe
(Society of Education, 2014-01-10) Dangwa, N.; Mwenje, E.; Dhlamini, Z.; Siwela, A.H
The presence of aflatoxin producing Aspergillusspp in sixty samples of six selected traditional foods sold on the Bulawayo open market in Zimbabwe was investigated. Ten samples of each of the following commodities were bought from the market; dried groundnuts, dried cowpeas, dried maize, dried cowpea leaves, dried mopane worms and dried Cleome gynandra leaves and analysed for the presence of aflatoxigenic aspergillus. Moisture content of the samples was determined and another portion of the samples was plated on petri dishes containing Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and incubated at 28 C. A total of 35 isolates was obtained and these were characterised according to their morphology as well as the type of aflatoxins they produced as determined by thin layer chromatography. Four distinct morphological groups were found and they were classified as Aspergillu sparasiticus (57%); Aspergillusniger (17%); Aspergillus tamarii (17%) and Aspergillusflavus (8%). These results were validated by using DNA primers of the structural genes, aflD (nor-1), aflM (ver-1) and aflP (omt-1) and the regulatory gene aflR to discriminate between aflatoxigenic and nonaflatoxigenic strains after amplifying DNA of the fungal strains. None of the isolates produced all the four genes involved in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway although they had shown positive results on the biochemical tests. Out of the 35 isolates obtained, 18 of them were aflatoxigenic and these isolates were from mopane worms (9), cowpeas (4), groundnuts (3) and Cleome gynandra (1). This investigation showed that dried traditional foods in Zimbabwe were contaminated by the aflatoxigenic fungus, Aspergillus, probably due to improper drying of the commodities, coupled by prevailing environmental conditions from packaging to the selling points.
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Train Schedule Optimization: A Case Study of the National Railways of Zimbabwe
(Research Academy of Social Sciences, 2014) Nyamugure, P.; Swene, S.D.; Chiyaka, E.T.; Mutasa, F.K.
The locomotive assignment problem involves assigning a set of locomotives to each train in a pre-planned train schedule so as to provide sufficient power to pull them from their origins to their destinations. An integrated model that determines the set of active and deadheaded locomotives for each train, light travelling locomotives and train-to-train connections is presented. The model explicitly considers consist-busting and consistency. A Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation of the problem that contains about 92 integer variables and 56 constraints is presented in the study. Three models are discussed for assigning locomotives to wagons and coaches and the results are compared amongst the models themselves and compared to the existing scenario at National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). The models generally improve the number of saved locomotives and number of used locomotives. The Locomotive Assignment Model (LAM) solution obtained showed savings of over 70 locomotives, which translates into savings of over one-hundred thousand dollars weekly.
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Performance characteristics of local and imported sanitary pads.
(Zimbabwe Journal of Science & Technology, 2014) Nyoni, A.B.; Nkiwane, L.; Gonde, P.; Sibanda, P.
A comparative study of Zimbabwean manufactured and imported sanitary pads was carried out in order to elucidate the performance characteristics that make them popular with the majority of women. Five different types of the most popular imported and locally made sanitary pads that were determined by a preliminary questionnaire survey were selected and their performance characteristics, that is, absorbency, liquid retention and strike through properties determined. The results show that imported sanitary pads are preferred by Zimbabwean women (47%) due to their performance characteristics such as comfort, odour control, size, absorption, sticking of adhesive, packaging and protection of strike through. Women using local products account for 39% of the sample population and those using both imported and local products 14% and a significant number of women in rural areas (72%) are still using alternative methods due to the prohibitive costs of modern methods of sanitary protection.
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Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Males and Females Practicing Swimming from Higher School of Zimbabwe
(Science Publishing Group, 2018-01-17) Dube A.; Morgan, G. P.
An epidemiological survey was conducted to collect data relating to the prevalence and frequency of musculoskeletal injuries in Zimbabwean high school male and female swimmers. A questionnaire was administered on site thus ensuring that the response rate was 100 percent. Analysis of results revealed that of the 45 respondents there were 22 male (48.9%) and 23 female subjects (51.1%). A total of 27 swimmers (60% hence 16 male; 11 females); 59.26% and 40.74% respectively reported that they had musculoskeletal problems and pain mainly shoulder problems (males = 62% and females = 57.1%), followed by knee injuries (males = 20.6% and females = 16.7%), and low back pain region (males = 17.1% and females = 26.2%). There was a statistical significance in injury difference between male and female high school swimmers (t= 2.46, p= 0.031). Considering the difference of injuries with respect to strokes significant injuries difference were found in Back Strokes (p= 0.034) and Butterfly (p= 0.018). However, no significant difference were found in Breast Stroke (p= 0.567) and Crawl (p= 0.852). Musculoskeletal injuries are common in high school male and female swimmers. Correct stroke technique and stroke alterations may help to prevent injuries and care must be taken for their prevention and early safe return to play.