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.

A rural HIV epidemic in Zimbabwe? Findings from a population-based survey.

Abstract: The aim of the study was to use population-based data from 689 adults to describe the socio-demographic, behavioural and biomedical correlates of HIV infection and aid identification of effective HIV control strategies for rural Zimbabwe. Dried blood spot and urine samples were collected for HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and participants were interviewed on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour and experience of STD symptoms. HIV seroprevalence was 23.3% and was higher in females, divorcees, widows, working men, estate residents, and respondents reporting histories of STD symptoms. Female HIV seroprevalence rises sharply at ages 16-25. A third of sexually-active adults had experienced STD-associated symptoms but there were delays in seeking treatment. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and Trichomonas vaginalis are more common causes than syphilis, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia, and are strongly associated with HIV infection. Local programmes promoting safer sexual behaviour and fast and effective STD treatment among young women, divorcees and working men could reduce the extensive HIV transmission in rural communities.

Factors influencing household food security among smallholder farmers in the Mudzi district of Zimbabwe

Abstract: This article examines factors influencing household food security among smallholder farmers in Mudzi district of Zimbabwe. Data for this study were collected from 120 randomly selected households, using a structured questionnaire. Analytical techniques employed included descriptive statistics of respondents' characteristics and linear regression analysis to identify factors influencing their household food security. The results show that household dietary diversity is influenced by the age and education of the household head, household labour and size, livestock ownership, access to market information and remittances. Linear regression on another indicator, the household food insecurity access score, shows that labour, education of the household head, household size, remittances, livestock ownership and access to market information all affect household food security. The study therefore recommends that government and other development agencies enhance food security among smallholders through promoting lab...

U-Pb zircon age for the Umkondo dolerites, eastern Zimbabwe: 1.1 Ga large igneous province in southern Africa–East Antarctica and possible Rodinia correlations

Abstract: We report a U-Pb zircon age of 1105 ± 2 Ma for the extensive Umkondo dolerites in eastern Zimbabwe, which are part of a large igneous province that can be traced over much of southern Africa and originally contiguous parts of East Antarctica. Other members of the province include widespread tholeiitic intrusions in Botswana and South Africa, bimodal volcanic rocks in Botswana and Namibia, and dolerites and flood basalts in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Available data indicate that substantial parts of the province were emplaced in a restricted interval at ca. 1.1 Ga and originated from a large-scale mantle thermal anomaly inboard of a coeval continental-margin orogen. Striking similarities in age and tectonic setting between the Umkondo igneous province and widespread 1.1 Ga within-plate magmatism in Laurentia are consistent with reconstructions of the early Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercontinent that place southern Africa and Dronning Maud Land off the southern tip of Laurentia.

15N natural abundance as a tool for assessing N2-fixation of herbaceous, shrub and tree legumes in improved fallows

Abstract: Short-term legume–cereal rotation systems (referred to as improved fallows) with N 2 fixing leguminous species are being actively promoted to improve soil fertility in fallowed fields of smallholder farms in many parts of the tropics. Few estimates of N 2 -fixation in deep-rooted woody fallow species are available due to methodological difficulties. We evaluated and developed the natural δ 15 N abundance method for assessing N 2 -fixation in herbaceous and woody legumes on a Kandiudalfic Eutrudox in western Kenya by (i) assessing isotopic discrimination during N 2 -fixation and translocation, (ii) measuring variability of 15 N with depth, (iii) comparing with an independent method (ureide assay) and (iv) using several non-fixing reference plants. Most tested tree/shrub legumes showed no 15 N discrimination during N 2 -fixation (i.e. whole plant δ 15 N was close to 0‰). Significant 15 N isotopic discrimination occurred during translocation of fixed N, which resulted in 15 N depletion in shoots (up to −1.76‰ in Sesbania sesban ) compared with roots and nodules which were 15 N enriched. Soils were highly enriched in 15 N (8.2–10.8‰) with little variation with depth to 2 m. δ 15 N signatures of plant available N measured using non-fixing reference plants were lower than those of total soil N. δ 15 N of the non-fixing reference species maize, Lantana camara and Tithonia diversifolia varied by 2.0‰ and resulted in corresponding variation of N 2 -fixation estimates for respective species. 15 N based estimates of N 2 -fixation of pigeonpea and siratro were linearly related with those obtained using the ureide method ( R 2 =0.80, slope=0.82) and confirmed the utility of the 15 N natural abundance method. Field observations showed that under non-PK limiting growth conditions, the proportion of N 2 fixed ranged 75–83, 63–74, 55–67, 46–59, 36–54, 35–50, and 36–51% for Crotalaria grahamiana , Tephrosia vogelii , pigeonpea ( Cajanus cajan ), S. sesban , Calliandra calothyrsus , siratro ( Macroptilium atropurpureum ) and groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea ). This resulted in average amounts of N 2 fixed of 142, 100, 91, 52, 24, 64 and 8 kg N ha −1 , respectively, 9 months after planting. The amount of soil derived N ranged between 31 and 57 kg N ha −1 in woody species. The net N balance of woody fallows (after adjusting for N export in wood) was highest in Crotalaria due to high N 2 -fixation and small amount of N exported in wood. Overall, partial N balances indicated that additional N derived from N 2 -fixation constituted a major component of recyclable N of the system. We conclude that, in soil with sufficient and relatively uniform background 15 N abundance and using appropriate, or a range of, non-fixing reference plants, the natural δ 15 N abundance method is a useful tool for estimating the amount of N derived from N 2 -fixation by field grown herbaceous and woody legumes.