University of Zimbabwe

About: University of Zimbabwe is a education organization based out in Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The organization has 4378 authors who have published 6800 publications receiving 160720 citations. The organization is also known as: UZ & University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

Temperature and the tropical tortoise Kinixys spekii: constraints on activity level and body temperature

Abstract: Movements of five Kinixys spekii were measured continuously during six weeks of their activity season, by thread-trailing. The mean daily movement distance was negatively correlated with maximum shade air temperature, but not significantly related to minimum temperature, rainfall, or humidity. There was a midday period of inactivity of increasing length as maximum air temperature exceeded 29° C. Temperatures of models suggest that lower activity on hot days was due to the risk of overheating in this small (mean mass 617 g) tortoise. Kinixys spekii had a mean field body temperature (Tb) of 27° C, which is low compared to other tortoises (including sympatric Geochelone pardulis, mean Tb= 32.5° C), but salivated at a similar Tb (38.4° C). This pattern also occurs in other small species; mean and maximum field Tbs of tortoises are positively correlated with body mass, but salivation and critical maximum Tbs do not vary with body mass. Low field Tb provides a wide safety margin before evaporation of water becomes necessary. Kinixys sprkii had a short annual activity period, with about 95% of sightings in four months (December to March). Monthly sightings of K. spekii were correlated with rainfall, but not significantly related to temperature or humidity. Seasonal activity is therefore related to rainfall, but within the rainy season the level and pattern of daily activity is related to temperature.

Supernumerary teeth: Literature review

Abstract: A review of the literature on supernumerary teeth in general and supernumerary molars in particular was carried out on prevalence, aetiology, complications and the treatment of supernumerary teeth. Additional teeth are relatively common and are usually of simple conical shape (supernumerary teeth) but may resemble teeth of the normal size and shape. The aim of this review is to provide reference material for dental practitioners in Zimbabwe.

Refusing to prosecute minor offenses: The relative influence of legal and extralegal factors

Abstract: A controversial aspect of the prosecutor's authority involves the decision to dismiss all criminal charges even though sufficient evidence exists to prosecute. In this regard, low-seriousness offenses are of particular interest because prior research indicates that extralegal factors are likely to play a role in the handling of these offenses. This study examines the relative effect of legal and extralegal factors on the nolle prosequi decision for a sample of shoplifting cases. Stepwise logistic regression analysis reveals that although race and gender are significant factors, the number of charged offenses and the prior arrest record are most predictive of decision outcomes. This finding suggests that even among low-seriousness offenses, legal factors are the most important determinants of the decision-making process. The analysis also reveals several interaction effects which raise the possibility that the use of social characteristics in criminal justice decisions may be related to perceptions of whic...

Sorptive removal of methylene blue from simulated wastewater using biochars derived from pulp and paper sludge

Abstract: Biochar (BC) and Fe 2 O 3 –biochar nanocomposite (NC) derived from pulp and paper sludge (PPS) were used to remove methylene blue (MB) dye from synthetic wastewater. Morphology characterization indicated heterogeneous adsorbent surfaces, and textural measurements showed BC and NC possessed pore size in the range 1.7–300 nm. Both these characteristics endowed the adsorbents with good sorption properties for MB. The maximum adsorption capacity of NC (50 mg/g) was higher than of BC (33 mg/g). This was attributed to the hybrid nature of NC where adsorption occurs both on the biochar matrix and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles. MB adsorption data on BC and NC followed pseudo-second order ( r 2 = 0 . 958 ) and pseudo-first order kinetics ( r 2 = 1 . 000 ) , respectively. Isotherm data for BC and NC followed the Freundlich ( r 2 = 0 . 801 ) and Langmuir ( r 2 = 0 . 948 ) isotherm models, respectively. Despite having lower adsorption capacities compared to other adsorbents reported in literature, the use of BC and NC for wastewater remediation is an ingenious way of reducing environmental and health risks associated with the current disposal of PPS while providing remediation of water contaminated with industrial dye effluents.

Chronic cough in primary health care attendees, Harare, Zimbabwe: diagnosis and impact of HIV infection

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cough lasting for > or = 3 weeks (i.e., chronic cough) indicates that a patient has suspected tuberculosis (TB). At the primary health care level, the spectrum of disease that causes chronic cough has not been previously investigated in a setting with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS: A total of 544 adults with chronic cough were recruited systematically from 2 primary health care clinics, and they were evaluated using preset first- and second-line investigations and diagnostic case definitions. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HIV infection among the study cohort was 83%. TB was the most common diagnosis, with 207 HIV-positive patients (46%) and 27 HIV-negative patients (30%) having confirmed or probable TB. Of these, 145 HIV-positive patients with TB (70%) and 20 HIV-negative patients with TB (74%) had smear-positive cases of TB. Only 17 HIV-positive and 2 HIV-negative patients had smear-negative but culture-positive cases of TB. Lower respiratory tract infections (n = 178; HIV prevalence, 79%) and pneumonia (n = 87; HIV prevalence, 89%) were the next most common diagnoses. Asthma (n = 26; HIV prevalence, 46%), posttuberculous disease and other fibrotic lung disease (n = 34; HIV prevalence, 88%), and cardiac disease (n = 15; HIV prevalence, 93%) were more common than were Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and cryptococcosis (n = 8 and n = 5, respectively; HIV prevalence, 100%), and we found no cases of nocardiosis or histoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: TB was diagnosed for 43% of patients who presented with chronic cough to primary health care clinics in Harare, with 71% having smear-positive disease. The findings of TB culture added relatively little to the findings of fluorescent microscopy of concentrated sputum specimens. The prevalence of HIV infection was high across a range of diagnoses, suggesting that an HIV test should be recommended in the initial investigation of chronic cough.