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.

Psychosocial Predictors of Non-Adherence and Treatment Failure in a Large Scale Multi-National Trial of Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV: Data from the ACTG A5175/PEARLS Trial

Abstract: Background: PEARLS, a large scale trial of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV (n=1,571, 9 countries, 4 continents), found that a once-daily protease inhibitor (PI) based regimen (ATV+DDI+FTC), but not a once-daily non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI/NRTI) regimen (EFV+FTC/TDF), had inferior efficacy compared to a standard of care twice-daily NNRTI/NRTI regimen (EFV+3TC/ZDV). The present study examined nonadherence in PEARLS. Methods: Outcomes: non-adherence assessed by pill count and by self-report, and time to treatment failure. Longitudinal predictors: regimen, quality of life (general health perceptions = QOL-health, mental health = QOL-mental health), social support, substance use, binge drinking, and sexual behaviors. ‘‘Life-Steps’’ adherence counseling was provided. Results: In both pill-count and self-report multivariable models, both once-a-day regimens had lower levels of nonadherence than the twice-a-day standard of care regimen; although these associations attenuated with time in the selfreport model. In both multivariable models, hard-drug use was associated with non-adherence, living in Africa and better QOL-health were associated with less non-adherence. According to pill-count, unprotected sex was associated with nonadherence. According to self-report, soft-drug use was associated with non-adherence and living in Asia was associated with less non-adherence. Both pill-count (HR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.09, p,.01) and self-report (HR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.13, p, .01) non-adherence were significant predictors of treatment failure over 72 weeks. In multivariable models (including pillcount or self-report nonadherence), worse QOL-health, age group (younger), and region were also significant predictors of treatment failure. Conclusion: In the context of a large, multi-national, multi-continent, clinical trial there were variations in adherence over time, with more simplified regimens generally being associated with better adherence. Additionally, variables such as QOLhealth, regimen, drug-use, and region play a role. Self-report and pill-count adherence, as well as additional psychosocial variables, such QOL-health, age, and region, were, in turn, associated with treatment failure.

"Africa Shall Be Saved". an Appraisal of Reinhard Bonnke's Pan-African Crusade

Abstract: "Africa shall be saved" is the war-cry of Reinhard Bonnke's Christ for All Nations (CfAN) crusade. Another war-cry is "from the Cape to Cairo". These slogans indicate the intention of the CfAN team to take their revival right across the continent. Bonnke predicts that their big tent will be erected in Cairo by the end of the century, by which time, he claims, Africa will be the most Christian continent on earth.

The implications of a changing climate on the Kapenta fish stocks of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

Abstract: The influence of climatic variables (rainfall, temperature and evaporation rates) and lake water levels on the stocks of the sardine fish species Limnothrissa miodon (Boulenger), commonly known as Kapenta in Lake Kariba, was investigated. Secondary data of the climatic variables, water levels and fish catches recorded from 1963 to 2008 were analysed to determine their trends over time as well as the relationships among them. The analyses showed that rainfall is decreasing at a rate of 0.63 mm per year around Lake Kariba, while evaporation rates have increased by 31% at an average rate of 2.77 mm per year since 1963. The temperatures around the Kariba area have been rising since 1964; with the maximum range increasing at a faster rate than the minimum temperatures. Kapenta fish production has decreased significantly (R 2 =0.85, P≤0.05) since 1974 at an average rate of 24.19 metric tons per year. This pattern of decrease was also observed in the artisanal fish catches that have declined at an average rate o...