Africa is the most affected continent with energy poverty. Wood fuel is the main source of energy for remote and rural populations. At the same time, most parts of Africa are endowed with abundant solar energy. Togeth...Africa is the most affected continent with energy poverty. Wood fuel is the main source of energy for remote and rural populations. At the same time, most parts of Africa are endowed with abundant solar energy. Together with a highly developed global solar industry and ever declining cost of solar systems, solar has unprecedented potential to combat energy poverty in Africa. However, dissemination of solar systems is faced with a number of barriers and challenges amongst where sustainable financing and lack of technological support for installation, maintenance and repair of systems are the most significant. This paper discusses the cases of Botswana and Namibia where financing schemes based on different partnership models have been successfully implemented. These schemes have the potential for success and adaptation by countries with similar socio-economic conditions. We conclude with recommendations on training programs for different levels of intervention to overcome the lack of technological support.展开更多
The purpose of the study sought to assess and evaluate the contents and records of the emergency trolley in the maternity section of the state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative and descriptive research de...The purpose of the study sought to assess and evaluate the contents and records of the emergency trolley in the maternity section of the state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative and descriptive research design was used for the study to investigate emergency equipment, essential drugs and emergency trolleys. A convenient sample of 10 emergency trolleys in the Windhoek Central Hospital (Hospital A) and Katutura Intermediate Hospital (Hospital B) in Windhoek, Namibia were used. Data was collected using a checklist adapted and edited from the EMSSA. Data were analysed using Microsoft excel 2013. Essential paediatric equipment including bag valve mask devices, Magill’s forceps, oxygen masks were absent in many of the units and wards. Data described that checking of defibrillators, monitors and suction devices still remained a major problem in the units/wards that were fortunate enough to have the aforementioned equipment. A conclusion was that generally the units/wards performed well during the assessments and evaluations. There were still units without emergency trolleys, trolleys that were poorly assessed, and those that were obstructed and registered nurses that had a negative perception to the audit of the emergency trolley. Specialized units such as NICU and Hi-Care Hospital A and Prem Unit Hospital B performed very well in their assessments. Development of policy with regards to assessing, restocking and maintenance of emergency supplies can be used to guide the nurses on what to do. Resuscitation morbidity and mortality meetings in order to identify issues and outcomes surround resuscitation incidences within the unit or ward.展开更多
Aloe dichotoma (Quiver tree) occurs in the arid regions of Namaqualand and Bushman land in South Africa, and in arid regions of southern Namibia. The Quiver trees are not only threatened by agricultural expansion, ove...Aloe dichotoma (Quiver tree) occurs in the arid regions of Namaqualand and Bushman land in South Africa, and in arid regions of southern Namibia. The Quiver trees are not only threatened by agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and mining;but also by climate changes and droughts. Previous studies show that Quiver trees are very sensitive to environmental changes, and do not respond well to extreme hot and dry conditions. This study investigates the current status of the Quiver tree within its existing environment, and also assesses the projected future changes of the Quiver tree habitat under different climatic scenarios. It provided evidence regarding the importance of the study to understanding the climate change impacts on the Quiver tree and its geographical response to climate changes.展开更多
The project"Groundwater Investigation in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin"was a 3 year project in the framework of the German-Namibian Technical Cooperation,concluded between the Republic of Namibia and the Federal ...The project"Groundwater Investigation in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin"was a 3 year project in the framework of the German-Namibian Technical Cooperation,concluded between the Republic of Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany.The study is conducted by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry(DWAF) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources(BGR).展开更多
Background： Site-vegetation relations of Vachellia erioloba, Faidherbia albido, Euclea pseudebenus and Tamarix usneoides in two contrasting locations in the Namib Desert （Namibia） were evaluated with the goal to re...Background： Site-vegetation relations of Vachellia erioloba, Faidherbia albido, Euclea pseudebenus and Tamarix usneoides in two contrasting locations in the Namib Desert （Namibia） were evaluated with the goal to relate soil water availability to the occurrence of trees under hyper-arid conditions, Methods： Plant water potentials were measured using a pressure chamber in the field. Pre-dawn water potentials were assessed to reflect the soil water potential of the rhizosphere. Midday water potentials were measured to assess the strongest negative water potential applied by the sample trees. Results： Pre-dawn water potentials and midday water potentials indicated access to soil water in the rhizosphere and by this, provide an explanation for an occurrence of V. erioloba within the extreme environmental conditions of sand dunes in the Namib Desert. Diurnal ranges seem to reflect more and less suitable stands, in terms of soil water availability, within the sampling sites. While the impact of the ephemeral Kuiseb river on soil water availability was assessed through the four species＇ plant-internal water relations, comparable pre-dawn water potentials of V. erioioba at both sites indicate soil water availability also in the dunes of Namibrand. The extreme midday water potentials of the dune plants possibly show the upper limit of tolerance for V. eriolobo. Conclusions： The preliminary data provide an explanation of the occurrence and distribution of the investigated species in beds of ephemeral rivers and on dunes under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of the Namib Desert and qualify suitability within the assessed sites. Understanding the plant-physiological processes and assessing the plant-internal water potential provides a valuable tool to evaluate soil water availability within the rhizosphere and to describe an adaptation potential of investigated species. The comparability of pre-dawn water potentials at both sites indicates unexpected soil water availability within lower parts of the dunes of Namibrand. Further research needs are derived concerning the origin and distribution of such soil water. These species in these specific tree-environments are understudied and little published, thus the results support an improved understanding of the ecology in arid environments.展开更多
Accessory minerals with so-called granular texture have risen in importance as geochronological tools for U-Pb dating of meteorite impact events. Grain-scale recrystallization, typically triggered by a combination of ...Accessory minerals with so-called granular texture have risen in importance as geochronological tools for U-Pb dating of meteorite impact events. Grain-scale recrystallization, typically triggered by a combination of high-strain deformation and post-impact heating, can create a polycrystalline microstructure consisting of neoblasts that expel radiogenic Pb, which are thus ideal for isotopic dating. While granular domains in zircon and monazite from shocked rocks have been demonstrated to preserve impact ages,few U-Pb dating studies have been conducted on granular microstructures in titanite(CaTiSiO;). Here we report the occurrence of granular-textured titanite from ~2020 Ma granite basement rock exposed in the rim of the 4–5 Ma Roter Kamm impact structure in Namibia. Orientation mapping reveals two microstructurally distinct titanite populations: one consisting of strained/deformed grains, and the other consisting of grains that comprise aggregates of strain-free neoblasts. In situ U-Pb geochronology on 37 grains shows that most grains from both titanite populations yield indistinguishable U-Pb dates of ca.1025 Ma, consistent with the observed microstructures forming during the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua Orogeny. Only four grains preserved older age domains, recording ca. 1875 Ma Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. Two significant observations emerge:(1) none of the analyzed titanite grains yield the 2020 Ma igneous crystallization age previously established from zircon in the same sample, and(2) no age-resetting was detected that could be attributed to the 4 to 5 Ma Roter Kamm impact event.Despite the similarity of the neoblastic microstructure to minerals from other sites with an established impact provenance, the granular texture and near-complete Pb-loss in titanite from Roter Kamm granite instead records a Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic polymetamorphic history, rather than Miocene age shockrelated processes. These results highlight the critical importance of grain-scale context for interpretation of U-Pb data in granular titanite, and the potential for misinterpreting inherited(pre-impact) microstructures as impact-related phenomenon in target rocks with a complex geological history.展开更多
The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikw...The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikwa from the north-central and north-eastern parts of Namibia. The microbiological and antimicrobial activities of these products fluctuate from one region to another depending on the local indigenous microflora. Omashikwa and Mashini Ghamushikwa fermentation processes involves the addition of Boscia albitrunca root (Omunkuzi) and butter churning. The root contributes to the flavor of the product, increasing the milk fermentation rate and churning. Mabisi is produced by letting the milk to ferment naturally until the water is separated from the whey. The water is then decanted, and the whey is shaken until it is smooth without removal of fat. A total of 180 isolates of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained and identified based on their phenotypical characterization. Cell free supernatants (CFS) of the 180 LAB isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against selected food borne pathogens;Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus ATTC 10,876, Candida famata and Geotrichum klebahnii using the well diffusion assay. Twenty LAB isolates having the highest inhibitory effects were selected for biochemical identification using API 50 kit and these were identified as being;Lactobacillus plantarum (53%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (29%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6%), Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (6%) and Lactococcus lactic ssp. lactis (6%). Pediococcus pentosaceus showed the highest inhibitory effect on all the indicator strains. This study provides an insight into LAB diversity of unstudied Namibian fermented milk products and reports a potential production of antimicrobial compounds which is significant in the standardization of protective starter cultures which can be used to control fermentation process and shelf life extension of dairy products in Namibia.展开更多
In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The...In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The present review highlights induced mutation breeding technique as a potential tool for improving sorghum in Namibia. The review discussed the following issues;crop improvement using mutagens, mutant screening, selection and evaluation, impact of induced mutation breeding, factors for declining production and future implication of sorghum mutation breeding. In Namibia, severe drought stress resulting in total crop failure has become frequent. This is partly a consequence of farmers growing crop varieties which cannot withstand impact of drought. As such Namibia has limited drought tolerant varieties available for the diverse agro-ecologies. Farmers keep growing the familiar landraces which performs well in good rainfall years but fails to produce stable yield with irregular and erratic rainfall. Thus, breeding new sorghum varieties of high yield and quality combined with multiple agronomic traits including pest and disease resistance and high efficiency in nutrient and water use is needed. Induced mutation is one of the breeding methods utilized worldwide to supplement conventional breeding for developing superior varieties with desirable traits in different crops. Development of high yielding, drought tolerant, and dwarf sorghums with early maturity enables effective utilization of available soils moisture and in optimizing plant density for achieving higher yield in farmers’ fields. Recombination breeding through exploitation of natural genetic variability and mutation breeding to reduce the plant height without disturbing agronomic superiority of elite lines is recommended for sorghum improvement in Namibia.展开更多
Namibia has been affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic with infected and affected persons experiencing stigma at different levels. Despite the high ...Namibia has been affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic with infected and affected persons experiencing stigma at different levels. Despite the high level of knowledge?on HIV/AIDS, stigma remains a challenge. It was for this reason that this paper describes and measures the level of HIV/AIDS stigma in a rural community in Namibia. Mixed methods were used to collect data from 224 participants consisting of 93 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who were recruited voluntarily from their support groups, 77 family members nominated by PLWHA participants, 31 community members who were recruited through simple random sampling and 19 opinion leaders who were purposefully selected and four health care workers from an Antiretroviral clinic who were available at the time of this study. Three measurement instruments namely HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-PLWHA (HASI-P), Family & Community Stigma Instrument (F&C-SI) and HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-Nurse (HASI- N) were used. In-depth interviews were conducted to complement the quantitative results. The study found that stigma manifests in different ways and results revealed that verbal abuse (55%, n = 50, PLWHA), social isolation (73%, n = 67), negative self-perception (33%, n = 30), and household stigma (26% n = 19, family members) were the most common form of stigma experienced by PLWHA. Furthermore health care workers reported stigma of association (50%, n = 2) as care providers for people living with HIV/AIDS. The study concluded that stigma exists although some scores such as fear of contagion and workplace stigma were low. Therefore, interventions in knowledge on basic facts of HIV transmission need to be strengthened. Nonetheless the majority of participants confirmed their willingness to care for sick relatives with HIV and AIDS. This study did not explore stigma of association against caregivers with other participants other than the four health care workers from the antiretroviral clinic. Future researchers can take this further.展开更多
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections that affect patients of both genders of all age groups. The common bacteria causing UTIs have not yet been identified in Namibia. Due to empirical ...Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections that affect patients of both genders of all age groups. The common bacteria causing UTIs have not yet been identified in Namibia. Due to empirical treatment in the country, antibiotic resistance might be on the rise. The objective of the study was to identify the organisms that frequently caused UTIs, and the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the bacteria isolated. A retrospective analysis was performed on 20,438 urine results submitted to the Namibia Institute of pathology (NIP), the public health laboratory in the country from January 2012 to December 2012. The raw data from NIP was compiled using Microsoft Excel. It was then imported to the IBM SPSS 22 statistical program for further analysis. The results showed that there were 3865 (18.9%) UTI cases due to Escherichia coli making it the most prevalent organism isolated, followed by Proteus mirabilis 758 (3.7%), Enterococcus faecalis 706 (3.5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae 640 (3.1%). Female patients were more affected by UTIs than males. The eleven most common causes of UTIs in this study were mostly isolated from females. The most common cause of urinary tract infections in males was Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae. The drugs to which these common organisms were resistant to were amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole (SXT). Cefapime, ofloxacin and piptaze were the most effective antibiotics in this study. There were 6 cases of UTIs due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 10 cases due to Schistosoma haematobium. The most common UTI etiology in Windhoek was Escherichia coli. Most of the isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, with ESBL organisms having resistance to more than ten antibiotics.展开更多
The aim of this special issue of the Open Journal of Applied Sciences on Engineering Research for Economic Advancement is to articulate the relevance of applied engineering research in driving the economic development...The aim of this special issue of the Open Journal of Applied Sciences on Engineering Research for Economic Advancement is to articulate the relevance of applied engineering research in driving the economic development and sustainability, and addressing national and regional needs of the “small economies”. The research focus areas covered in this issue include renewable energy, water resources management, manufacturing systems, and sustainable mining practices. The focus areas are also relevant in addressing the global change challenges relating to sustainable production and consumption of natural resources for provision of basic services at national and local level.展开更多
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is a major concern in the world and especially in Africa. It may lead to liver failure and even death. Certain antir...Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is a major concern in the world and especially in Africa. It may lead to liver failure and even death. Certain antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, such as nevirapine and efavirenz, are known to cause toxicity. Other causes of elevated ALT are viral hepatitis, the HIV virus itself and other drugs such as anti-tuberculosis drugs and alcoholism. The study aimed at determining the prevalence of elevated ALT levels in HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapy during the period 2013 to 2014. This was a retrospective study which included 267 patient records from Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. The subjects’ ages ranged from 21 to 82 years. The patients enrolled were on the first line treatment and their ALT levels were recorded at each monitoring period. ALT levels, viral hepatitis results and the antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen were the most important aspects included in the study. Out of 267 patients, 18% had ALT elevation associated with grade 1 to 4 toxicity levels. The study found that 1.4% of patients developed severe liver toxicity (grade 3 and 4 toxicity). Toxicity occurred throughout the treatment period but was the highest at six months of treatment. Patients on nevirapine based regimens had lower toxicity compared to those receiving efavirenz based regimens. Patients who had HIV and viral hepatitis co-infection had high toxicity although the study found no severe hepatotoxicity in these patients.展开更多
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem accounting for more than 9.4 million incidents yearly of which most incidents are common in resource poor countries. The prevalence of Human Immu-nodeficiency Vi...Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem accounting for more than 9.4 million incidents yearly of which most incidents are common in resource poor countries. The prevalence of Human Immu-nodeficiency Virus (HIV) in these countries is relatively high and TB/HIV co-infected patients often test negative for TB with direct microscopy, which poses diagnostic difficulties. The traditional diagnosis of HIV associated TB is complex, expensive, slow and technically demanding as it relies on conventional culture and drug susceptibility testing. The long delay required to obtain results has devastating consequences for patients who go undiagnosed or diagnosed too late. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of GeneXpert technology in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosisin HIV positive patients. A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted on 400 patients suspected to have Mycobacterium tuberculosis and who were referred to the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Windhoek from November 2014 to May 2015. Patients with known HIV status who had their sputum tested by both the GeneXpert (Cepheid, California, United States of America) and direct microscopy (DM) for TB were included. Out of 400 sputum samples analysed for TB, 253 (63.3%) cases were positive using GeneXpert whereas the DM was positive only for 133 (33.3%) of the cases. Out of these 123 smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SN-PTB), 120 (98%) sputum samples were from HIV positive patients while 3 (2%) were from HIV negative patients. The sensitivity of the GeneXpert was calculated as 98% and the specificity was 52%. The majority of the patients who contributed to SN-PTB were found to be co-infected with HIV. The GeneXpert’s sensitivity was found to be high while the specificity was low. Even though this was the case, the GeneXpert as compared to DM could significantly reduce false negatives and the delay on treatment initiation can be significantly shortened, reducing premature death and ongoing transmission.展开更多
In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discu...In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discussing it is still a distant phenomenon and family matter. This paper examines the living arrangements of older adults in Namibia, identifying the existing structure of living arrangements and the nature of family relationships of older people, as well as provides some basic descriptive information on the housing conditions in which older persons live and how they are associated with their socioeconomic and demographic factors. The analysis is based on 1991, 2001 and 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Censuses. The study concluded that living arrangements is constantly changing from extended family pattern to western nuclear family, mainly due to urbanization and decreased fertility rate. Housing conditions had notably improved in rural areas while in urban areas the conditions are affected by the mushrooming of informal settlements. There is need to encourage or conduct focused research on ageing to help coin policies based on evidence and make communities sensitive towards ageing. The study further recommends Government to encourage old people to form organizations that would in turn focus on sensitizing and help championing issues of ageing and aged persons.展开更多
The urgent need for sustainable energy choices, local sustainable value creation, and reduction of import dependencies and non-sustainable resource use in Namibia cannot be over emphasised. This study was conducted wi...The urgent need for sustainable energy choices, local sustainable value creation, and reduction of import dependencies and non-sustainable resource use in Namibia cannot be over emphasised. This study was conducted with the ultimate goal to provide the basis for accurate energy fuel mix and climate change monitoring, and reporting and planning for addressing a global problem at local/domestic level. The energy consumption and production data for the country were used with International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and International Energy Agency (IEA) conversions, and carbon footprint calculation tools to determine the GHG emissions and air pollutants per type of energy fuel;and the carbon footprint associated with each energy fuel option for the country. The study showed that: 1) there is no single energy fuel which is not associated with GHG emissions and/or other environmental implications;2) increase in population and energy consumption and production yields increase in GHGs and other major pollutants (SO<sub>x</sub>, NO<sub>x</sub>, Particulate Matter);and 3) the choice of fuel mix determines the success of GHG emissions reduction. A future energy mix dominated by renewable energy technologies;and a balanced view of the actual benefits of the Namibian energy supply choices was also recommended.展开更多
The rise of non-marital fertility, which seems to defy the Bongaarts model by decoupling marriage from fertility, has become a subject of interest in both the developed and developing world. Consequences of non-marita...The rise of non-marital fertility, which seems to defy the Bongaarts model by decoupling marriage from fertility, has become a subject of interest in both the developed and developing world. Consequences of non-marital fertility are mostly negative particularly in developing countries. In Namibia, although premarital childbearing has been reported to be high and increasing, no studies have explicitly analyzed factors influencing non-marital fertility. This paper uses data from the 2006/7 Namibia DHS to establish the determinants of non-marital fertility among women by applying a two-part model, with one part to describe the presence of non-marital birth and the other part to explain its intensity （number of children born）. Using the number of children ever born as an outcome, we explored various count data models. Based on the Voung statistics model comparison, we settled for the Hurdle logit Negative Binomial regression to model the number of non-marital births. Non-marital fertility in Namibia is associated with the age, with young women likely to have lower fertility compared to older women. Women with secondary or higher education had lower fertility compared those with no formal education. Findings also show that rural women higher fertility propensity compared to their urban counterparts even though there was no significant difference in fertility intensity. With regard to socio-economic status, fertility intensity decreased as the women got richer. Intervention efforts should focus on promoting education among girls and women especially in rural areas to improve their socio-economic status, reduce teenage pregnancy and non-marital fertility.展开更多
Despite concerted efforts to create employment opportunities and the realized economic growth between 2000 and 2005, the unemployment rate in Namibia currently stands at 27.4%, according to the Labour Force Survey rel...Despite concerted efforts to create employment opportunities and the realized economic growth between 2000 and 2005, the unemployment rate in Namibia currently stands at 27.4%, according to the Labour Force Survey released in April 2013. The percentage of employed males in Namibia stands at 41.6% while that of employed females stand at 28.8% according to the National Human Resources Plan of May 2013. Analysts have put the blame on adverse climatic conditions, limited levels of skills, access to finance, and the structure of the economy. The frustration and discomfort caused by unemployment, especially among the youth, can threaten the country＇s peace and stability as it negatively impacts on the standard of living, crime rates, family happiness, and drug abuse.To date, studies on employment in Namibia have mainly concentrated on the micro and macro econometric approaches. It is important to examine how bio-demographic characteristics affect employment. This paper uses data from the 2010 Income and expenditure survey to establish the bio-demographic determinants of employment by fitting a binary logistic model. The outcome variable is employment status which is dichotomous. The independent variables which were guided by review of related literature and availability of data in the Income and Expenditure survey data set, included age-group, region, place of residence, marital status, education level, and gender. Results indicated that employment prospects in Namibia were influenced by the region, gender, marital status, and education level.展开更多
文摘Africa is the most affected continent with energy poverty. Wood fuel is the main source of energy for remote and rural populations. At the same time, most parts of Africa are endowed with abundant solar energy. Together with a highly developed global solar industry and ever declining cost of solar systems, solar has unprecedented potential to combat energy poverty in Africa. However, dissemination of solar systems is faced with a number of barriers and challenges amongst where sustainable financing and lack of technological support for installation, maintenance and repair of systems are the most significant. This paper discusses the cases of Botswana and Namibia where financing schemes based on different partnership models have been successfully implemented. These schemes have the potential for success and adaptation by countries with similar socio-economic conditions. We conclude with recommendations on training programs for different levels of intervention to overcome the lack of technological support.
文摘The purpose of the study sought to assess and evaluate the contents and records of the emergency trolley in the maternity section of the state hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative and descriptive research design was used for the study to investigate emergency equipment, essential drugs and emergency trolleys. A convenient sample of 10 emergency trolleys in the Windhoek Central Hospital (Hospital A) and Katutura Intermediate Hospital (Hospital B) in Windhoek, Namibia were used. Data was collected using a checklist adapted and edited from the EMSSA. Data were analysed using Microsoft excel 2013. Essential paediatric equipment including bag valve mask devices, Magill’s forceps, oxygen masks were absent in many of the units and wards. Data described that checking of defibrillators, monitors and suction devices still remained a major problem in the units/wards that were fortunate enough to have the aforementioned equipment. A conclusion was that generally the units/wards performed well during the assessments and evaluations. There were still units without emergency trolleys, trolleys that were poorly assessed, and those that were obstructed and registered nurses that had a negative perception to the audit of the emergency trolley. Specialized units such as NICU and Hi-Care Hospital A and Prem Unit Hospital B performed very well in their assessments. Development of policy with regards to assessing, restocking and maintenance of emergency supplies can be used to guide the nurses on what to do. Resuscitation morbidity and mortality meetings in order to identify issues and outcomes surround resuscitation incidences within the unit or ward.
文摘Aloe dichotoma (Quiver tree) occurs in the arid regions of Namaqualand and Bushman land in South Africa, and in arid regions of southern Namibia. The Quiver trees are not only threatened by agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and mining;but also by climate changes and droughts. Previous studies show that Quiver trees are very sensitive to environmental changes, and do not respond well to extreme hot and dry conditions. This study investigates the current status of the Quiver tree within its existing environment, and also assesses the projected future changes of the Quiver tree habitat under different climatic scenarios. It provided evidence regarding the importance of the study to understanding the climate change impacts on the Quiver tree and its geographical response to climate changes.
文摘The project"Groundwater Investigation in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin"was a 3 year project in the framework of the German-Namibian Technical Cooperation,concluded between the Republic of Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany.The study is conducted by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry(DWAF) and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources(BGR).
基金Gobabeb Research and Training Centre for support and input provided
文摘Background： Site-vegetation relations of Vachellia erioloba, Faidherbia albido, Euclea pseudebenus and Tamarix usneoides in two contrasting locations in the Namib Desert （Namibia） were evaluated with the goal to relate soil water availability to the occurrence of trees under hyper-arid conditions, Methods： Plant water potentials were measured using a pressure chamber in the field. Pre-dawn water potentials were assessed to reflect the soil water potential of the rhizosphere. Midday water potentials were measured to assess the strongest negative water potential applied by the sample trees. Results： Pre-dawn water potentials and midday water potentials indicated access to soil water in the rhizosphere and by this, provide an explanation for an occurrence of V. erioloba within the extreme environmental conditions of sand dunes in the Namib Desert. Diurnal ranges seem to reflect more and less suitable stands, in terms of soil water availability, within the sampling sites. While the impact of the ephemeral Kuiseb river on soil water availability was assessed through the four species＇ plant-internal water relations, comparable pre-dawn water potentials of V. erioioba at both sites indicate soil water availability also in the dunes of Namibrand. The extreme midday water potentials of the dune plants possibly show the upper limit of tolerance for V. eriolobo. Conclusions： The preliminary data provide an explanation of the occurrence and distribution of the investigated species in beds of ephemeral rivers and on dunes under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of the Namib Desert and qualify suitability within the assessed sites. Understanding the plant-physiological processes and assessing the plant-internal water potential provides a valuable tool to evaluate soil water availability within the rhizosphere and to describe an adaptation potential of investigated species. The comparability of pre-dawn water potentials at both sites indicates unexpected soil water availability within lower parts of the dunes of Namibrand. Further research needs are derived concerning the origin and distribution of such soil water. These species in these specific tree-environments are understudied and little published, thus the results support an improved understanding of the ecology in arid environments.
基金Support was provided by the Space Science and Technology Centre at Curtin University, a Curtin Research Fellowship
文摘Accessory minerals with so-called granular texture have risen in importance as geochronological tools for U-Pb dating of meteorite impact events. Grain-scale recrystallization, typically triggered by a combination of high-strain deformation and post-impact heating, can create a polycrystalline microstructure consisting of neoblasts that expel radiogenic Pb, which are thus ideal for isotopic dating. While granular domains in zircon and monazite from shocked rocks have been demonstrated to preserve impact ages,few U-Pb dating studies have been conducted on granular microstructures in titanite(CaTiSiO;). Here we report the occurrence of granular-textured titanite from ~2020 Ma granite basement rock exposed in the rim of the 4–5 Ma Roter Kamm impact structure in Namibia. Orientation mapping reveals two microstructurally distinct titanite populations: one consisting of strained/deformed grains, and the other consisting of grains that comprise aggregates of strain-free neoblasts. In situ U-Pb geochronology on 37 grains shows that most grains from both titanite populations yield indistinguishable U-Pb dates of ca.1025 Ma, consistent with the observed microstructures forming during the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua Orogeny. Only four grains preserved older age domains, recording ca. 1875 Ma Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. Two significant observations emerge:(1) none of the analyzed titanite grains yield the 2020 Ma igneous crystallization age previously established from zircon in the same sample, and(2) no age-resetting was detected that could be attributed to the 4 to 5 Ma Roter Kamm impact event.Despite the similarity of the neoblastic microstructure to minerals from other sites with an established impact provenance, the granular texture and near-complete Pb-loss in titanite from Roter Kamm granite instead records a Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic polymetamorphic history, rather than Miocene age shockrelated processes. These results highlight the critical importance of grain-scale context for interpretation of U-Pb data in granular titanite, and the potential for misinterpreting inherited(pre-impact) microstructures as impact-related phenomenon in target rocks with a complex geological history.
文摘The present study focused on the isolation, identification and antimicrobial profile of the dominant lactic acid bacteria from three traditional fermented milk products namely: Omashikwa, Mabisi and Mashini Ghamushikwa from the north-central and north-eastern parts of Namibia. The microbiological and antimicrobial activities of these products fluctuate from one region to another depending on the local indigenous microflora. Omashikwa and Mashini Ghamushikwa fermentation processes involves the addition of Boscia albitrunca root (Omunkuzi) and butter churning. The root contributes to the flavor of the product, increasing the milk fermentation rate and churning. Mabisi is produced by letting the milk to ferment naturally until the water is separated from the whey. The water is then decanted, and the whey is shaken until it is smooth without removal of fat. A total of 180 isolates of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained and identified based on their phenotypical characterization. Cell free supernatants (CFS) of the 180 LAB isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against selected food borne pathogens;Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25,923, Bacillus cereus ATTC 10,876, Candida famata and Geotrichum klebahnii using the well diffusion assay. Twenty LAB isolates having the highest inhibitory effects were selected for biochemical identification using API 50 kit and these were identified as being;Lactobacillus plantarum (53%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (29%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (6%), Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (6%) and Lactococcus lactic ssp. lactis (6%). Pediococcus pentosaceus showed the highest inhibitory effect on all the indicator strains. This study provides an insight into LAB diversity of unstudied Namibian fermented milk products and reports a potential production of antimicrobial compounds which is significant in the standardization of protective starter cultures which can be used to control fermentation process and shelf life extension of dairy products in Namibia.
文摘In arid and semi-arid regions of the world sorghum stands out as a climate change-ready crop with high potential for the production of food, feed, fodder, fiber and fuel in the face of increasing human population. The present review highlights induced mutation breeding technique as a potential tool for improving sorghum in Namibia. The review discussed the following issues;crop improvement using mutagens, mutant screening, selection and evaluation, impact of induced mutation breeding, factors for declining production and future implication of sorghum mutation breeding. In Namibia, severe drought stress resulting in total crop failure has become frequent. This is partly a consequence of farmers growing crop varieties which cannot withstand impact of drought. As such Namibia has limited drought tolerant varieties available for the diverse agro-ecologies. Farmers keep growing the familiar landraces which performs well in good rainfall years but fails to produce stable yield with irregular and erratic rainfall. Thus, breeding new sorghum varieties of high yield and quality combined with multiple agronomic traits including pest and disease resistance and high efficiency in nutrient and water use is needed. Induced mutation is one of the breeding methods utilized worldwide to supplement conventional breeding for developing superior varieties with desirable traits in different crops. Development of high yielding, drought tolerant, and dwarf sorghums with early maturity enables effective utilization of available soils moisture and in optimizing plant density for achieving higher yield in farmers’ fields. Recombination breeding through exploitation of natural genetic variability and mutation breeding to reduce the plant height without disturbing agronomic superiority of elite lines is recommended for sorghum improvement in Namibia.
文摘Namibia has been affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic with infected and affected persons experiencing stigma at different levels. Despite the high level of knowledge?on HIV/AIDS, stigma remains a challenge. It was for this reason that this paper describes and measures the level of HIV/AIDS stigma in a rural community in Namibia. Mixed methods were used to collect data from 224 participants consisting of 93 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who were recruited voluntarily from their support groups, 77 family members nominated by PLWHA participants, 31 community members who were recruited through simple random sampling and 19 opinion leaders who were purposefully selected and four health care workers from an Antiretroviral clinic who were available at the time of this study. Three measurement instruments namely HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-PLWHA (HASI-P), Family & Community Stigma Instrument (F&C-SI) and HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-Nurse (HASI- N) were used. In-depth interviews were conducted to complement the quantitative results. The study found that stigma manifests in different ways and results revealed that verbal abuse (55%, n = 50, PLWHA), social isolation (73%, n = 67), negative self-perception (33%, n = 30), and household stigma (26% n = 19, family members) were the most common form of stigma experienced by PLWHA. Furthermore health care workers reported stigma of association (50%, n = 2) as care providers for people living with HIV/AIDS. The study concluded that stigma exists although some scores such as fear of contagion and workplace stigma were low. Therefore, interventions in knowledge on basic facts of HIV transmission need to be strengthened. Nonetheless the majority of participants confirmed their willingness to care for sick relatives with HIV and AIDS. This study did not explore stigma of association against caregivers with other participants other than the four health care workers from the antiretroviral clinic. Future researchers can take this further.
文摘Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections that affect patients of both genders of all age groups. The common bacteria causing UTIs have not yet been identified in Namibia. Due to empirical treatment in the country, antibiotic resistance might be on the rise. The objective of the study was to identify the organisms that frequently caused UTIs, and the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the bacteria isolated. A retrospective analysis was performed on 20,438 urine results submitted to the Namibia Institute of pathology (NIP), the public health laboratory in the country from January 2012 to December 2012. The raw data from NIP was compiled using Microsoft Excel. It was then imported to the IBM SPSS 22 statistical program for further analysis. The results showed that there were 3865 (18.9%) UTI cases due to Escherichia coli making it the most prevalent organism isolated, followed by Proteus mirabilis 758 (3.7%), Enterococcus faecalis 706 (3.5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae 640 (3.1%). Female patients were more affected by UTIs than males. The eleven most common causes of UTIs in this study were mostly isolated from females. The most common cause of urinary tract infections in males was Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae. The drugs to which these common organisms were resistant to were amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole (SXT). Cefapime, ofloxacin and piptaze were the most effective antibiotics in this study. There were 6 cases of UTIs due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 10 cases due to Schistosoma haematobium. The most common UTI etiology in Windhoek was Escherichia coli. Most of the isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, with ESBL organisms having resistance to more than ten antibiotics.
文摘The aim of this special issue of the Open Journal of Applied Sciences on Engineering Research for Economic Advancement is to articulate the relevance of applied engineering research in driving the economic development and sustainability, and addressing national and regional needs of the “small economies”. The research focus areas covered in this issue include renewable energy, water resources management, manufacturing systems, and sustainable mining practices. The focus areas are also relevant in addressing the global change challenges relating to sustainable production and consumption of natural resources for provision of basic services at national and local level.
文摘Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected people is a major concern in the world and especially in Africa. It may lead to liver failure and even death. Certain antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, such as nevirapine and efavirenz, are known to cause toxicity. Other causes of elevated ALT are viral hepatitis, the HIV virus itself and other drugs such as anti-tuberculosis drugs and alcoholism. The study aimed at determining the prevalence of elevated ALT levels in HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapy during the period 2013 to 2014. This was a retrospective study which included 267 patient records from Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. The subjects’ ages ranged from 21 to 82 years. The patients enrolled were on the first line treatment and their ALT levels were recorded at each monitoring period. ALT levels, viral hepatitis results and the antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen were the most important aspects included in the study. Out of 267 patients, 18% had ALT elevation associated with grade 1 to 4 toxicity levels. The study found that 1.4% of patients developed severe liver toxicity (grade 3 and 4 toxicity). Toxicity occurred throughout the treatment period but was the highest at six months of treatment. Patients on nevirapine based regimens had lower toxicity compared to those receiving efavirenz based regimens. Patients who had HIV and viral hepatitis co-infection had high toxicity although the study found no severe hepatotoxicity in these patients.
文摘Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem accounting for more than 9.4 million incidents yearly of which most incidents are common in resource poor countries. The prevalence of Human Immu-nodeficiency Virus (HIV) in these countries is relatively high and TB/HIV co-infected patients often test negative for TB with direct microscopy, which poses diagnostic difficulties. The traditional diagnosis of HIV associated TB is complex, expensive, slow and technically demanding as it relies on conventional culture and drug susceptibility testing. The long delay required to obtain results has devastating consequences for patients who go undiagnosed or diagnosed too late. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of GeneXpert technology in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosisin HIV positive patients. A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted on 400 patients suspected to have Mycobacterium tuberculosis and who were referred to the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), Windhoek from November 2014 to May 2015. Patients with known HIV status who had their sputum tested by both the GeneXpert (Cepheid, California, United States of America) and direct microscopy (DM) for TB were included. Out of 400 sputum samples analysed for TB, 253 (63.3%) cases were positive using GeneXpert whereas the DM was positive only for 133 (33.3%) of the cases. Out of these 123 smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SN-PTB), 120 (98%) sputum samples were from HIV positive patients while 3 (2%) were from HIV negative patients. The sensitivity of the GeneXpert was calculated as 98% and the specificity was 52%. The majority of the patients who contributed to SN-PTB were found to be co-infected with HIV. The GeneXpert’s sensitivity was found to be high while the specificity was low. Even though this was the case, the GeneXpert as compared to DM could significantly reduce false negatives and the delay on treatment initiation can be significantly shortened, reducing premature death and ongoing transmission.
文摘In Africa, ageing is a phenomenon that is just beginning to reveal its shape. Most governments, including the Namibian government, recognize the fact that the number of older persons is on the increase, however, discussing it is still a distant phenomenon and family matter. This paper examines the living arrangements of older adults in Namibia, identifying the existing structure of living arrangements and the nature of family relationships of older people, as well as provides some basic descriptive information on the housing conditions in which older persons live and how they are associated with their socioeconomic and demographic factors. The analysis is based on 1991, 2001 and 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Censuses. The study concluded that living arrangements is constantly changing from extended family pattern to western nuclear family, mainly due to urbanization and decreased fertility rate. Housing conditions had notably improved in rural areas while in urban areas the conditions are affected by the mushrooming of informal settlements. There is need to encourage or conduct focused research on ageing to help coin policies based on evidence and make communities sensitive towards ageing. The study further recommends Government to encourage old people to form organizations that would in turn focus on sensitizing and help championing issues of ageing and aged persons.
文摘The urgent need for sustainable energy choices, local sustainable value creation, and reduction of import dependencies and non-sustainable resource use in Namibia cannot be over emphasised. This study was conducted with the ultimate goal to provide the basis for accurate energy fuel mix and climate change monitoring, and reporting and planning for addressing a global problem at local/domestic level. The energy consumption and production data for the country were used with International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and International Energy Agency (IEA) conversions, and carbon footprint calculation tools to determine the GHG emissions and air pollutants per type of energy fuel;and the carbon footprint associated with each energy fuel option for the country. The study showed that: 1) there is no single energy fuel which is not associated with GHG emissions and/or other environmental implications;2) increase in population and energy consumption and production yields increase in GHGs and other major pollutants (SO<sub>x</sub>, NO<sub>x</sub>, Particulate Matter);and 3) the choice of fuel mix determines the success of GHG emissions reduction. A future energy mix dominated by renewable energy technologies;and a balanced view of the actual benefits of the Namibian energy supply choices was also recommended.
文摘The rise of non-marital fertility, which seems to defy the Bongaarts model by decoupling marriage from fertility, has become a subject of interest in both the developed and developing world. Consequences of non-marital fertility are mostly negative particularly in developing countries. In Namibia, although premarital childbearing has been reported to be high and increasing, no studies have explicitly analyzed factors influencing non-marital fertility. This paper uses data from the 2006/7 Namibia DHS to establish the determinants of non-marital fertility among women by applying a two-part model, with one part to describe the presence of non-marital birth and the other part to explain its intensity （number of children born）. Using the number of children ever born as an outcome, we explored various count data models. Based on the Voung statistics model comparison, we settled for the Hurdle logit Negative Binomial regression to model the number of non-marital births. Non-marital fertility in Namibia is associated with the age, with young women likely to have lower fertility compared to older women. Women with secondary or higher education had lower fertility compared those with no formal education. Findings also show that rural women higher fertility propensity compared to their urban counterparts even though there was no significant difference in fertility intensity. With regard to socio-economic status, fertility intensity decreased as the women got richer. Intervention efforts should focus on promoting education among girls and women especially in rural areas to improve their socio-economic status, reduce teenage pregnancy and non-marital fertility.
文摘Despite concerted efforts to create employment opportunities and the realized economic growth between 2000 and 2005, the unemployment rate in Namibia currently stands at 27.4%, according to the Labour Force Survey released in April 2013. The percentage of employed males in Namibia stands at 41.6% while that of employed females stand at 28.8% according to the National Human Resources Plan of May 2013. Analysts have put the blame on adverse climatic conditions, limited levels of skills, access to finance, and the structure of the economy. The frustration and discomfort caused by unemployment, especially among the youth, can threaten the country＇s peace and stability as it negatively impacts on the standard of living, crime rates, family happiness, and drug abuse.To date, studies on employment in Namibia have mainly concentrated on the micro and macro econometric approaches. It is important to examine how bio-demographic characteristics affect employment. This paper uses data from the 2010 Income and expenditure survey to establish the bio-demographic determinants of employment by fitting a binary logistic model. The outcome variable is employment status which is dichotomous. The independent variables which were guided by review of related literature and availability of data in the Income and Expenditure survey data set, included age-group, region, place of residence, marital status, education level, and gender. Results indicated that employment prospects in Namibia were influenced by the region, gender, marital status, and education level.
