bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthcare professionals’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and beliefs about Ebola at Gondar University Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Abebe Tamrat Befekadu , Bhagavathula Akshaya Srikanth , Tefera Yonas Getaye , Ahmad Akram , Khan Muhammad Umair , Belachew Sewunet Admasu , Brown Brandon , Abegaz Tadesse Melaku
Published: January 2017

A poor understanding of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) among Health Care Professionals (HCPs) may put our lives at risk. We aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs of HCPs towards Ebola at Gondar University Hospital (GUH) in Northwest Ethiopia. We conducted a hospital based, cross-sectional survey among 245 randomly selected HCPs working at GUH from August-October, 2015. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. We calculated descriptive statistics with P0.05 being statistically significant. Of the 245 participants, 211 (86.1%) completed the study. The majority had heard about EVD and used news media (62%) as a source of information. Still, many were afraid of getting EVD (56.4%; P=0.001). A significant number of HCPs thought EVD can cause paralysis like polio (45%) and can be treated with antibiotics (28.4%). In addition, 46.4% of the HCPs felt anger or fear towards Ebola infected patients (P=0.006). We identified poor knowledge and negative incorrect beliefs among doctors and allied health professionals. There is a need for intensive training for all HCPs reduce EVD risk.
Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen amongst pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic, Volta region, Ghana
Authors: Luuse Arnold , Dassah Sylvester , Lokpo Sylvester , Ameke Louise , Noagbe Mark , Adatara Peter , Hagan Oheneba , Binka Fred
Published: January 2017

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global challenge, although there is currently a safe and effective vaccine available. HBV prevalence in Ghana is not well documented, but vary regionally from 4.8% to 12.3% in the general population, 10.8% to 12.7% in blood donors and about 10.6% in pregnant women. This puts Ghana among the high endemic countries in Africa. The study objective was to determine the sero-prevalence of HBs antigen (Ag) and HBeAg among pregnant women in the Ho municipality. Two hundred and eight participants (pregnant women), attending Ho Municipal antenatal clinic were enrolled into the study. This study recorded a HBsAg seroprevalence rate of 2.4% among the pregnant women, with primigravida pregnant women recording (0.98%) and multigravida (1.42%). The prevalence of HBsAg among the pregnant women can be classified as Low Intermediate; therefore there is still the need for routine screening of pregnant women during antenatal visits. Amongst HBsAg positives, HBeAg positivity was significantly high (40% of all HBsAg positive women), which suggests high chances of carrier and vertical transmission (mother to child) state.
SADC Mediation in Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement (GPA): A Reflection on Opportunities and Complexities
Authors: Sibanda Modeni M.
Published: January 2017

This article analyses the opportunities and complexities of the SADC mediation in Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA) in facilitating and operationalising theprinciples and values of peace, security, human rights and democracy as set out in Article 4 of the SADC treaty. It attempts to interrogate the extent to which the regional grouping’s mechanisms for enforcing its principles and values have been successful.   The article argues that despite SADC’s noble commitment to promoting the development of democratic institutions and practices, as well as encouraging the observance of universal human rights, peace and security, the resolution of the Zimbabwe crisis shows that, in practice, the operationalisation of SADC protocol principles and values have been a sorry saga of delays, secrecy, purported agreements and nothing concrete coming out of it.  Using the Zimbabwe case study, this article further argues that SADC either lacks appropriate power and authority or is reluctant to hold member states accountable.  This seems so, given that as a regional body, it has allowed itself to be utterly inadequate to the task envisioned by the organ in resolving the Zimbabwe crisis. The paper concludes that the sum of all this has had the effect of exposing SADC and it being perceived as a weak regional organisation.
Public Service Innovations and Changing Ethos in Africa
Authors: Okafor Chukwuemeka , Fatile Jacob Olufemi , Ejalonibu Ganiyu Layi
Published: January 2017

One of the widely held beliefs in public management is that strict commitment to an ideology of public service values, which is a critical factor in the delivery of public services. However, with the introduction of market-oriented reforms-innovations, most of these values face severe and serious challenges. This study, using a comparative and analytical method, examines the principles which underpin the African governments’ program of innovation in public service delivery and in particular the traditional public service ethos. The article reveals that over the years, African public services and those who work in them fall short of the ideal leading to the attempt to innovate by introducing the market values which have equally raised questions about possible threats to the ethos. After identifying some challenges that innovation may pose, the article suggests that traditional public sector ethos should be redefined to allow for innovative ideas in service delivery. Finally, the study concludes that a new “synthesized” ethos that draws on the core elements of bureaucratic principles as well as market based values, would deliver superior public services.
Transforming Public Service Performance in West Africa Through Innovations: Experiences from Ghana and Nigeria
Authors: Awosika Felix Olanrewaju
Published: January 2017

Public service reflects the state of the nation and no nation has been able to advance beyond its public service. The need for innovation in the public service therefore cannot be underestimated. It is at the heart of the public service’s efforts to improve performance and productivity. It is important to note that the logic of public service performance is changing profoundly due to innovations. This development paves the way for new forms of interaction and socio-economic composition in social and economic life. This article provides an overview of the on-going service transformation and applies it to public service delivery in West Africa. Our focus is on innovation in public service delivery, which refers to innovations that aim at renewing or improving public service performance. Using secondary data and content analysis, this article examines the phenomenon of low performance in the public service in two West African countries and recommends measures for improvement. The article concludes that innovations in the public sector guarantee survival and improve performance in public service delivery.
The Effect of Service Compact (SERVICOM) on Service Delivery in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria
Authors: Emejulu Jude Kennedy , Muo M. C. , Chukwuemeka E. E.O.
Published: January 2017

This study examined the effect of service compact (Servicom Service delivery) in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi. Questionnaire and face-to-face interviews were used in the collection of data. The hypotheses were tested using descriptive statistics. The study discovered among other things that with the inauguration of the SERVICOM Charter by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi identified key areas that required re-evaluation and attention based on the submissions of every service unit and department, after an analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of each of the service areas. A pre-SERVICOM Charter workshop which was supervised by the Federal Government was held in the various institutions nationwide to enable care providers enumerate their current service capacity and identify their impediments. In the light of the foregoing, some of the recommendations proffered are that the SERVICOM Charter project should be sustained and supervision and control of the SERVICOM Charter project should be intensified in order to ensure that the Nigerian factor of service-fatigue would not supervene in care delivery in the near future.
Monitoring and Evaluating Government Performance in Botswana
Authors: Botlhale E. K.
Published: January 2017

In an era characterised by fiscal stress in the post-global recession era, clichés such as ‘bang for the buck’ are commonplace. Governments are under increasing pressure to spend limited public resources in efficient and  effective ways. Efficient and  effective governments are a necessary, though not sufficient, condition for economic development. Hence, governments have adopted performance-improving interventions such as New Public Management. Botswana jumped into the bandwagon of public sector reforms in the 1990s through interventions such as Performance-based Management Systems. The focus was almost entirely on performance enhancement to the neglect of performance measurement through a result-based Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework. However, in 2009, the government decided to mainstream M&E into the development planning regime. Since the M&E tool is still in draft form, Botswana is very favourably circumstanced to learn from others. Meanwhile essentials to do are: attitudinal change, shared vision on M&E, stakeholder management and demand and use of M&E information by policy-makers such as Members of Parliament.
A Descriptive Analysis of the Eastern Cape School Indicators
Authors: Ncanywa T.
Published: January 2017

This paper seeks to analyse the trends of education indicators that affect efficiency at schools in the Eastern Cape in the period 2009 to 2013. The focus is on the state of public ordinary schools which include primary and secondary schools from grade one to grade twelve. The province is regarded as a poor province as it constituted 95% of quintile one to three schools which are declared as ‘no fee schools’. There had been decline in learner performance as learners’ progress to higher grades and a drastic decline in important subjects such as Mathematics.  province had a significant number of educators with 16 years’ experience and an average of 45% under-qualified educators in 2013. There were variations in educator learner ratios per district with larger ratios found in the former Transkei. The province progressed well in learner transport, learner teacher support material and school nutrition programmes. There was no virtual change in infrastructural developments. Education in schools should be provided in a manner that ensures learners can realise their potential and aspirations, in schools that facilitate learning and reduce societal disparities.
A Global Overview of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and its Meaning in the Local Government Context of South Africa
Authors: Masuku Ngengelezi W.K. , Ijeoma E. O.C.
Published: January 2017

The article explores the global overview of M&E from the ancient governance perspective that has been ignored by the modern government in the African contest. African M&E approach is required in the local rural municipalities due to its complex and diverse set of problems. These problems are as a result of leadership dichotomy which is witnessed between Amakhosi and municipal authorities. Amakhosi have a role to hold municipal authorities accountable from a Citizen-Based Approach.  The underlying philosophy of the article is not about the discourse of the modernists and traditionalists around the evolution of M&E, but is how and in what ways M&E should be designed and planned for the implementation of a successful relevant M&E approach for local rural municipalities. The article made use of secondary data, gathered from various sources. Case studies of the international countries were also sourced through desktop to ascertain their best practice on M&E. The article concludes that the lack of M&E approach for the local government in the rural municipalities requires the Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) approach to allow stakeholders, including Amakhosi to assess the performance ofthe rural municipalities. The study is significant to the local and internal public scholarship of public administration since it bring approaches in M&E policy in the field of public administration. For example, indigenous African knowledge is critical in knowledge management.
The Performance Evaluation System in Pakistan’s Civil Service
Authors: Tanwir Maryam , Chaudhry Azam
Published: January 2017

While achieving economic growth anddevelopment are dependent on the performance of the bureaucracy, there is a growing inability in Pakistan to objectivelyevaluate this performance. In this article, we examine performance evaluations systems that can be applied to developingcountry bureaucracies and find that the best system in the Pakistani context is the SMART performance evaluation system. We then analyze the present Pakistani system and compare it to an example of a SMART system and find that the disconnect between the actual performance of the civil service and the measurement of this performance by the performance evaluation report (PER) in Pakistan, has discouraged optimal performance. The article also looks at the perceptions of senior civil servants themselves on what they perceive as the shortcomings of the performance evaluation management system in Pakistan as well as their opinions on a potential SMART performance evaluations system. The article recommends an immediate re-evaluation of the present performance management where the re-evaluation initiatives must be tempered with the realization that the present system has been established not to optimize bureaucratic performance but rather to sustain the present system of patronage and power.
Professionalization and Innovations in Nigerian Public Service: How far the Dream of Success?
Authors: Afegbua Salami Issa
Published: January 2017

Public service accounts for a substantial share of a country’s economic activity. It is designed as an agent of fruitful change and development in the state. The transformation of any society or system depends on the effectiveness and efficiency of its civil service. The article examines the nature of professionalization and innovation in Nigerian public service. It argues that professionalization in the public service is an overarching value that determines how its activities will be carried out. The article note that various attempts have been made in Nigeria to professionalised and encourage innovation in the public service, but these have not bring about the expected changes in the public service. It therefore advocates for professionalization and innovations as panacea to the ills of public service in Nigeria. The article concludes that no public service can meet the challenges of the twenty first century without a stronger commitment to the professionalization of its workforce.
Re-inventing Nigeria's Public Sector: A Review of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
Authors: Igbokwe-Ibeto Chinyeaka Justine
Published: January 2017

Public  Over the years, the efficiency and effectiveness of Nigeria’s public sector has been a subject of debate. However, in recent time, the organizational performance and service delivery of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have been a success story. Within the framework of New Public Management (NPM) theory, the study investigates the secrete behind the degree of success achieved by NAFDAC with the aim of recommending such to other public sector organizations in Nigeria which has over the year’s demonstrated lack of zeal for service delivery. The study relied heavily on primary and secondary data. Yamani’s formula for sample size determination was used to select a sample of 133 employees from NAFDAC Lagos office out of a total of 200. Weighted mean and chi-square statistical tools was used to determine the independence or otherwise of the variables under investigation. It is the position of the study that NPM has enhanced NAFDAC’s performance and service delivery. It concludes that since the traditional public administration theories has failed to deliver the much needed public goods and services, it is therefore imperative to reinvent Nigeria’s public sector in line with (NPM) international best practices so as to reposition the Nigerian public sector for the challenges of a modern and rapidly changing world. However, while change is desirable, we feel there is need to exercise caution on account of the peculiar nature and character of the Nigerian state and society. Reinventing the country’s public sector should progress slowly and wisely.
Local Governance Service Delivery Issues during Apartheid and Post-apartheid South Africa
Authors: Sithole S. L. , Mathonsi Ntsako S.
Published: January 2017

The debate on service delivery and governance takes a centre stage across disciplines, schools of thought, countries, and in all platforms where people are able to raise their views othe two subjects. According to scholars and analysts, service delivery and
governance are closely related, and in many forms of government, service delivery occurs at the lower sphere which is the sphere closer to communities. TheSouth African context can serve as an exact scenario of this model. This makes local government to be a very important subject on matters of service delivery. South Africa has an interesting history that makes scholars, analysts, commentaries, and media companies worldwide to always keep a close eye on what happens in the country. This becomes clear from the analysis which makes the country to be theorised as a colonisation of a special type. It therefore becomes inevitable to consider the antecedents that shaped the manner in which governance and service delivery were mapped out in South Africa. This paper serves as analysis of local government and service delivery both in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa.
Emerging Issues in Public Sector Reforms in Africa: An Assessment of Ghana and Nigeria
Authors: Afegbua Salami Issa , Ejalonibu Ganiyu L.
Published: January 2017

Public sector reform (PSR) has been quite popular in Africa and in recent years, several African countries have implemented far-reaching governance and public service reform measures. The aim of this article is to consider the historical development of Public Sector Reform in Africa and the philosophy behind the ubiquitous wave of reform in the continent. The article discovers that those reform measures have so far gone through three different phases to promote and/or accelerate the revitalization of the public service. It identifies some major challenges that account for the monumental failure of PSR. Finally, the paper offers suggestions on how African countries can free themselves from the doldrums of current PSR. This article will not only broaden the frontier of knowledge in the field of public administration but also address the present and on-going reality of public sector reforms in the West African sub region. This study uses a ‘Literature Survey’ in examining the issue in question.
Assessing the Implementation of the Deregulation Policy of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) (2003 – 2012)
Authors: Okarah Anthony Chidiebere , Ndaguba Emeka Austin
Published: January 2017

The Nigerian oil and gas sector plays avery dominant role in the nation’s economy with over 90% in 2011 and 98% in 2012 of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings (Ibanga, 2011; CBN, 2012). About 36 Billion barrels of crude oil reserve and 19.2 Billion cubic meters of natural gas is deposited in the country. This paperassesses the implementation of the deregulation policy in Nigeria (2003-2012),with a focus on the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC). The study used informed knowledge in providing analysis for the study. The study found out that the two major challenges inhibiting the implementation of the deregulation policy by NNPC are, price control, and effect of global market. The study recommended among others that, for Nigeria to realize its potential and reap the benefits of deregulating the sector, the NNPC must tailor the implementation of the policy in a manner that will take cognizance of the socioeconomic challenges facing Nigerians by recognizing and engaging community help services in communities where exploration takes place.
Techno-Bureaucratic Governance and Public Service Delivery: Indonesia and Nigeria in Perspectives
Authors: Fatile Jacob Olufemi , Olojede Iyabo , Adejuwon Kehindde David
Published: January 2017

Techno-bureaucratic governance is fundamental to contemporary public service. This is because the roles of the bureaucrats and technocrats become more relevant in policy formulation and implementation when the government had to (re)invent its institutions to move from routine administration to that of development planning and management. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the paper notes that techno-bureaucratic ideology values technical expertise itself and its technical experts, efficiency, economic development and effective public service delivery. Adopting comparative perspective, the paper examines techno-bureaucratic governance and public service delivery in Indonesia and Nigeria. The paper takes a cursory look at the similarities and differences between the two countries. The paper notes that the technocracy nurtured by the New Order in Indonesia was cohesive and effective because of its technical expertise and has helped Indonesia to turn oil income into productive investments,whereas in Nigeria the oil income was used for prestigious projects to the detriment of productive investments. The paper therefore recommend among others that developing societies need a new strategy in delivery services in their public service, and this can be achieved through skilled
professionals, technocrats and knowledge based actors. It concludes that for public service to deliver effective services, an efficient bureaucracy and technocracy remain invaluable.
An Empirical Assessment of the Implications of the Merger at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Authors: Manona W. W.
Published: January 2017

This study investigated the implications of merger on the morale of staff at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), which is a new comprehensive university established in terms of the HigherEducation Act (101 of 1997), as amended. This study is undertaken because from the literature survey, scholars have not interrogated the implications of merger on the morale of those affected in those established comprehensive universities post amalgamation. This study employed a quantitative descriptive research approach, using statistical procedures. The target population was ninety academic and ninety non-academic staff members from the three sites of Walter Sisulu University, namely East London, Ibika and Umtata. Participants were purposefully selected from the four campuses. Questionnaires were administered to ninety academics and ninety non-academic staff personnel. The study established that indeed the merger had negative implications on WSU employees, even though these implications varied from category to category. The merger of historically disadvantaged two technikons and a university within the rural South African setting presents a complex historical heritage.The three institutions that merged to form WSU are not only historically disadvantaged, but also have vast distances among them. While the amalgamation of the three historically disadvantaged institutions remains a noble initiative, on the other hand, it has brought about inequalities, such as disproportionate salaries among employees of the three campuses, poor work performance, which can only be attributed to lack of motivation and reluctance amongst the staff members to accept new conditions of service under WSU. A substantial number of those employees, some of whom were employed before the amalgamation, terminated their service long before the merger even took place. Conclusions could be drawn that the merger brought about many challenges on WSU employees, namely staff development, human resource and management issues, job security and work environment. The study advances suggestions and recommendations to alleviate the situation.
Obstacles to Housing Delivery in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality: A Critical Review of Output and Input
Authors: Marutlulle Noah Kaliofas , Ijeoma E. O.C.
Published: January 2017

The aim of this paper is to propose solutions that could ameliorate the housing delivery obstacles frequently confronting the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. The study, which is exploratory in nature and adopted an interpretive research philosophy, used informed knowledge and the qualitative method to validate housing delivery challenges in South Africa that could be linked to some housing challenges in other parts of Africa. This was done using two analytical tools - input and output mechanisms that have made delivery of housing in EMM a difficult task. The study contends that a combination of land unavailability, stringent government policies, heightened by escalating population growth, political vs. administration interference, and poor economic viability have resulted in the epileptic delivery of housing in the EMM.
The Challenges Faced by Informal Traders in Greater Letaba Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Legodi Kole , Kanjere Matshidiso
Published: January 2017

Informal trade has grown at an alarming rate in South Africa because of lack of employment opportunities in both the private and public sectors. This has resulted in many unemployed members of the population joining the informal business sector. The majority of people in this sector do not have skills that are needed in the formal employment sector, others are semi-literate and a small percentage has some level of qualification. Nevertheless, this sector is plagued by a number of challenges which this article presents.  The article reports on the study that was conducted at Greater Letaba Municipality in Limpopo Province. The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges that were faced by informal traders in Greater Letaba Municipality in Limpopo Province in South Africa. The area was chosen because of its accessibility to the researchers and its potential to provide relevant and accurate information for the research project. Thus, a qualitative research method was used to collect data through face to face interviews. The research discovered that some of the challenges experienced by the informal traders in the area ranged from lack of support from the local municipality to structural challenges like lack of ablution facilities and limited access to electricity. Furthermore, other challenges concerned safety and health issues that were also gender based. Most of the traders in the area were women; an element which attest to the fact that it is difficult to find employment in the country when one is less educated and is also a woman.
Exercising Democratic Rights and Obligations as a Mechanism for Improved Service Delivery: The Case of Kampala City, Uganda
Authors: Lubinga S. N. , Du Plessis L. M.
Published: January 2017

Emanating from literature (Ministry of Local government 2013:10; Gaventa 2002: p.26; Odero 2004: p.2), it is apparent that participatory frameworks exist in Uganda. However, in spite of a two decade-plus long prevalence these democratic participatory frameworks, the services rendered to the citizens are still poor. For instance, the delivery of health services has remained pitiable and the majority of people have turned to private hospitals. The provision for adequate infrastructure for the children enrolled in primary schools remains a challenge to the education sector. Yet, access to safe water is estimated at as low as 9% in some districts, while an estimated 19% of the improved water supply systems are still not functioning (UBOS, 2010: pp.33-57). This is not only attesting the statement that participatory initiatives in Uganda are more like “wish lists” than substantive statements that are guaranteed in practice, but also raising the research question as to what extent does the exercise of democratic rights and obligations of citizens by citizen’s impact on public service delivery in Uganda?  In answering this question, this paper applied a quantitative research method in which aself-administered questionnaire survey based on three variables used to measure the exercise of democratic rights and obligations was distributed to a representative sample of 100 participants from Kampala city selected from three urban division councils (Kawempe, Makindye and Kampala Central). Thereafter, using the ordered logistic regression model of analysis, constructed on the findings the paper divulges that the exercise of democratic rights and obligations by citizens has a positive implication towards quality service delivery.  
Critique of Public Administrative Reform System: Post-Independence in Nigeria
Authors: Aladegbola Isaac Adegbenga , Jaiyeola Femi
Published: January 2017

The public service of any nation is its veritable instrument for national development. If it fails, the gamut of policies meant for the nation’s development would have failed. In this sense, the observable developmental deficits in Africa cannot therefore, be separated from the failures of the continents public service and the largest chunk of these failures are located on the ethical behaviour of the public servants who are taking the service mostly as a colonial service. Writing from Nigeria hindsight, the author observed that most nation’s public service in Africa, like its larger society, have not been able to separate themselves from their history, the history of “colonial mentality.” In a way, an enduring problem noticeable within the public service in most sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) states has been what appropriate strategy will remove, the clove of “colonial mentality” associated with the public servant behaviour even years after decolonization of most SSA states and in spite of various post independent reforms put up to rectify these deficiencies. Has the knowledge of Africa Solution to Africa Problem (ASAP) instil the right type of ethical behaviours that will accept the public service as African service and not foreign service of the old exploitative order, divide and rule system and the ‘not my business’ syndrome that pervaded the era of colonial rules? It is critical that the failure of public service is a failure of service delivery in Africa. This paper, using Nigeria as a case study, does not only chronicle these failures/challenges as it affects Africa development strides, it also offers a process of public service ethics education as strategy, in order to have long-term and sustainable solutions that will promote public service delivery in Africa. 
Alternative Service Delivery in Africa: The Case for International Regional Organisations
Authors: Kiggundu Moses N.
Published: January 2017

Alternative service delivery (ASD) is generally confined to the provision opublic services within the boundaries of a single nation state. This paper extends thisconceptualization and practice beyond a single nation state by focusing on services provided  by international regional organizations (IROs), which encompass more than a single country. Recognizing that the regional approach may not be suitable under all circumstances, the papertakes a contingency approach and discusses with illustrations the conditions under which the regional or continental approaches may provide superior public services to the wider population. Three examples from the East African Community (EAC), Africa’s riparian river basins, and cross-border illicit trade of conflict minerals in the Great Lakes region are given as illustrative cases. Noting that Africa’s growing aspirations for inclusive development and rapid transformation call for better governance and quality public services, the paper ends by calling for more scholarly work and field experiments on ASD and other models applicable at local, national, regional and continental levels.
Portrette in my gang: Resensie
Authors: Burger Bibi
Published: January 2017

No abstract available.
Prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases in rural & urban Tamil Nadu
Authors: Oommen Anu Mary , Abraham Vinod Joseph , George Kuryan , Jose V. Jacob
Published: January 2017

Background & objectives:

Surveillance of risk factors is important to plan suitable control measures for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The objective of this study was to assess the behavioural, physical and biochemical risk factors for NCDs in Vellore Corporation and Kaniyambadi, a rural block in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was carried out among 6196 adults aged 30-64 yr, with 3799 participants from rural and 2397 from urban areas. The World Health Organization-STEPS method was used to record behavioural risk factors, anthropometry, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations between risk factors.

Results:

The proportion of tobacco users (current smoking or daily use of smokeless tobacco) was 23 per cent in the rural sample and 18 per cent in the urban, with rates of smoking being similar. Ever consumption of alcohol was 62 per cent among rural men and 42 per cent among urban men. Low physical activity was seen among 63 per cent of the urban and 43 per cent of the rural sample. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was equally poor in both. In the urban sample, 54 per cent were overweight, 29 per cent had hypertension and 24 per cent diabetes as compared to 31, 17 and 11 per cent, respectively, in the rural sample. Physical inactivity was associated with hypertension, body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2, central obesity and dyslipidaemia after adjusting for other factors. Increasing age, male sex, BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and central obesity were independently associated with both hypertension and diabetes.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, physical inactivity and overweight were higher in the urban area as compared to the rural area which had higher rates of smokeless tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Smoking and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables were equally prevalent in both the urban and rural samples. There is an urgent need to address behavioural risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables through primary prevention.
A review on detection methods used for foodborne pathogens
Authors: Priyanka B. , Patil Rajashekhar K. , Dwarakanath Sulatha
Published: January 2017

Foodborne pathogens have been a cause of a large number of diseases worldwide and more so in developing countries. This has a major economic impact. It is important to contain them, and to do so, early detection is very crucial. Detection and diagnostics relied on culture-based methods to begin with and have developed in the recent past parallel to the developments towards immunological methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and molecular biology-based methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The aim has always been to find a rapid, sensitive, specific and cost-effective method. Ranging from culturing of microbes to the futuristic biosensor technology, the methods have had this common goal. This review summarizes the recent trends and brings together methods that have been developed over the years.
Association of type 2 diabetes mellitus genes in polycystic ovary syndrome aetiology among women from southern India
Authors: Reddy Battini Mohan , Kommoju Uma Jyothi , Dasgupta Shilpi , Rayabarapu Pranavchand
Published: January 2017

Background & objectives:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive endocrine disorder of premenopausal women. Given the phenotypic overlap between PCOS and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), this study was carried out to investigate whether genes implicated in T2DM were also involved in the susceptibility to PCOS among women from southern India.

Methods:

A total of 248 women with PCOS and 210 healthy women as controls were genotyped for a panel of 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the nine T2DM genes, such as TCF7L2, IGF2BP2, SLC30A8, HHEX, CDKAL1, CDKN2A, IRS1, CAPN10 and PPARG, on Sequenom MassARRAY platform.

Results:

None of the 15 SNPs were found to be significantly associated with PCOS after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, either in the univariate or multivariate context. The cumulative effect of risk alleles observed with reference to T2DM was also not seen with reference to PCOS.

Interpretation & conclusions:

The nine T2DM genes considered in this exploratory study might not be the primary susceptibility factors for PCOS among Indian women. Our results supplement the lack of evidence of the association of T2DM genes with PCOS among the Chinese and Caucasians hinting at the possible universality of this pattern. Specifically designed comprehensive studies that include women with T2DM and PCOS are required to explore the precise role of the diabetes genes.
Antibiotic resistance & pathogen profile in ventilator-associated pneumonia in a tertiary care hospital in India
Authors: Chaudhury Abhijit , Rani A. Shobha , Kalawat Usha , Sumant Sachin , Verma Anju , Venkataramana B.
Published: January 2017

Background & objectives:

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is an important hospital-acquired infection with substantial mortality. Only a few studies are available from India addressing the microbiological aspects of VAP, which have been done with small study populations. This study was carried out in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary care hospital to assess the profile of pathogens and to determine the pattern of antimicrobial resistance.

Methods:

This was a retrospective study of clinically suspected cases of VAP. Over a three year period, a total of 247 cases in 2011, 297 in 2012 and 303 in 2013 admitted in ICUs on mechanical ventilation with clinical evidence of VAP were included in our study. The endotracheal aspirate samples from these suspected cases were subjected to quantitative culture technique, and colony count of ≥105 colony forming units/ml was considered significant. Antimicrobial susceptibility test for the isolates was done.

Results:

VAP rates of 44.1, 43.8 and 26.3 were seen in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. In all the three years, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli were the predominant organisms, followed by Pseudomonas spp. and Klebsiella spp. Staphylococcus aureus exhibited a downwards trend in prevalence from 50.0 per cent in 2011 to 34.9 per cent in 2013. An increase in vancomycin-resistant enterococci was seen from 4.3 per cent in 2012 to 8.3 per cent in 2013, while methicillin resistance amongst the S. aureus crossed the 50 per cent mark in 2013. An increasing trend in resistance was shown by Pseudomonas spp. for piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ), amikacin and imipenem (IPM). For the non-fermenters, resistance frequency remained very high except for IPM (33.1%) and polymyxin-B (2.4%).

Interpretation & conclusions:

Our findings show VAP as an important problem in the ICU setting. The incidence of multidrug-resistant pathogens was on the rise. The resistance pattern of these pathogens can help an institution to formulate effective antimicrobial policy. To have a comprehensive pan-India picture, multicentric studies are needed.
Cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Gugjoo M. B. , Amarpal  , Sharma G. T. , Aithal H. P. , Kinjavdekar P.
Published: January 2017

Articular cartilage injury poses a major challenge for both the patient and orthopaedician. Articular cartilage defects once formed do not regenerate spontaneously, rather replaced by fibrocartilage which is weaker in mechanical competence than the normal hyaline cartilage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) along with different growth factors and scaffolds are currently incorporated in tissue engineering to overcome the deficiencies associated with currently available surgical methods and to facilitate cartilage healing. MSCs, being readily available with a potential to differentiate into chondrocytes which are enhanced by the application of different growth factors, are considered for effective repair of articular cartilage after injury. However, therapeutic application of MSCs and growth factors for cartilage repair remains in its infancy, with no comparative clinical study to that of the other surgical techniques. The present review covers the role of MSCs, growth factors and scaffolds for the repair of articular cartilage injury.
A Comparative Study of Urogenital Problems and Urodynamic changes in Postmenopausal Women with Natural Menopause and Surgical Menopause
Authors: Lavania Prashant , Pathak Anu , Singh Richa , LNU Purnima
Published: January 2017

Noninvasive urodynamics (UDS) consists of tests [voiding diaries, flowmetry, postvoid residual estimation and pad tests], which do not require any patient manipulation. In contrast, invasive UDS warrants the insertion of catheters, transducers, and/or needle sets into the patients. While noninvasive tests are useful for screening or diagnosis, invasive tests are necessary to confirm the diagnosis and refine the findings. Urodynamic evaluation is a good predictor of outcomes after therapeutic intervention.

How to cite this article

Singh R, Singh S, Pathak A, Lavania P, Purnima. A Comparative Study of Urogenital Problems and Urodynamic changes in Postmenopausal Women with Natural Menopause and Surgical Menopause. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2013;1(1):38-42.
Improved GOMOS/Envisat ozone retrievals in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere
Authors: Sofieva Viktoria F. , Ialongo Iolanda , Hakkarainen Janne , Kyrölä Erkki , Tamminen Johanna , Laine Marko , Hubert Daan , Hauchecorne Alain , Dalaudier Francis , Bertaux Jean-Loup , Fussen Didier , Blanot Laurent , Barrot Gilbert , Dehn Angelika
Published: January 2017

Abstract. Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) on board Envisat has performed about 440 000 nighttime occultations during 2002–2012. Self-calibrating measurement principle, good vertical resolution, excellent pointing accuracy, and the wide vertical range from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere make GOMOS profiles interesting for different analyses. The GOMOS ozone data are of high quality in the stratosphere and the mesosphere, but the current operational retrieval algorithm (IPF v6) is not optimized for retrievals in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS). In particular, validation of GOMOS profiles against ozonesonde data has revealed a substantial positive bias (up to 100 %) in the UTLS region. The retrievals in the UTLS are challenging because of low signal-to-noise ratio and the presence of clouds. In this work, we discuss the reasons for the systematic uncertainties in the UTLS with the IPF v6 algorithm or its modifications based on simultaneous retrievals of several constituents using the full visible wavelength range. The main reason is high sensitivity of the UTLS retrieval algorithms to an assumed aerosol extinction model. We have developed a new ozone profile inversion algorithm for GOMOS data (ALGOM2s version 1.0), which is optimized in the UTLS and uses IPF v6 advantages in the middle atmosphere. The ozone retrievals in the whole altitude range from the troposphere to the lower thermosphere are performed in two steps, as in the operational algorithm: spectral inversion followed by the vertical inversion. The spectral inversion is enhanced by using a DOAS-type method at visible wavelengths for the UTLS region. This method uses minimal assumptions about the atmospheric profiles. The vertical inversion is performed as in IPF v6 with the Tikhonov-type regularization according to the target resolution. The validation of new retrieved ozone profiles with ozonesondes shows a dramatic reduction of GOMOS ozone biases in the UTLS. The new GOMOS ozone profiles are also in a very good agreement with measurements by MIPAS, ACE-FTS, and OSIRIS satellite instruments in the UTLS. It is also shown that the known geophysical phenomena in the UTLS ozone are well reproduced with the new GOMOS data.
Quantifying uncertainty of remotely sensed topographic surveys for ephemeral
gully channel monitoring
Authors: Wells Robert R. , Momm Henrique G. , Castillo Carlos
Published: January 2017

Abstract. Spatio-temporal measurements of landform evolution provide the basis for process-based theory formulation and validation. Overtime, field measurement of landforms has increased significantly worldwide, driven primarily by the availability of new surveying technologies. However, there is not a standardized and/or coordinated effort within the scientific community to collect morphological data in a dependable and reproducible manner, specifically when performing long-term small-scale process investigation studies. Measurements of the same site using identical methods and equipment, but performed at different time periods can lead to incorrect estimates of landform change as a result of three-dimensional registration errors. This work evaluated measurements of an ephemeral gully channel located in agricultural land using multiple independent survey techniques for locational accuracy and their applicability to generate information for model development/validation. Terrestrial photogrammetry and un-maned aerial vehicle-based platforms were compared to terrestrial LiDAR, defined herein as the reference dataset. Given the small-scale of the landform measured, alignment and ensemble equivalence between data sources were addressed sine qua non through post-processing. Utilization of ground control points were prerequisite to three-dimensional registration between datasets and improved confidence in the morphology information generated. Not one of the methods was without limitation; however, careful attention to project pre-planning and data nature will ultimately guide temporal efficacy and practicality of management decisions.
Delineating wetland catchments and modeling hydrologic connectivity using LiDAR data and aerial imagery
Authors: Wu Qiusheng , Lane Charles R.
Published: January 2017

Abstract. In traditional watershed delineation and topographic modeling, surface depressions are generally treated as spurious features and simply removed from a digital elevation model (DEM) to enforce flow continuity of water across the topographic surface to the watershed outlets. In reality, however, many depressions in the DEM are actual wetland landscape features that are seldom fully filled with water. For instance, wetland depressions in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) are seasonally to permanently flooded wetlands characterized by nested hierarchical structures with dynamic filling-spilling-merging surface-water hydrological processes. The objectives of this study were to delineate hierarchical wetland catchments and model their hydrologic connectivity using high-resolution LiDAR data and aerial imagery. The graph theory-based contour tree method was used to delineate the hierarchical wetland catchments and characterize their geometric and topological properties. Potential hydrologic connectivity between wetlands and streams were simulated using the least-cost path algorithm. The resulting flow network delineated putative temporary or seasonal flow paths connecting wetland depressions to each other or to the river network at scales finer than available through the National Hydrography Dataset. The results demonstrated that our proposed framework is promising for improving overland flow simulation and hydrologic connectivity analysis.