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Radionuclide concentrations and radiation hazard assessment in the soil of Otjiwarongo, Namibia
No full textA mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in nuclear scienceThe natural radioactivity and associated hazards in soil samples collected from the
town of Otjiwarongo, Namibia, have been studied by gamma ray spectroscopy. The
town was divided into ten geographical areas and five soil samples were collected
across each area. The samples were dried, homogenized and 500 g of each sample was
placed in a clearly-labelled 500 mL polythene bottle and sealed for four weeks. HPGe
detector was subsequently used to obtain gamma ray spectra of the samples. The
intensities of selected gamma lines were used to determine the activity concentrations
of the primordial radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K in the soil samples. The mean
activity concentrations of the radionuclides in the ten geographical areas vary from
37.6 ± 7.4 to a high of 97.8 ± 46.2 Bq/kg for 238U, from 81.9 ± 16.7 to a very high of
852.8 ± 533.0 Bq/kg for 232Th and from 498.7 ± 55.7 to 807.1 ± 94.5 Bq/kg for 40K.
All these mean activity concentrations are higher than the corresponding world-wide
average values of 33.0 Bq/kg, 45.0 Bq/ kg and 420.0 Bq/kg for 238U, 232Th and 40K
respectively, according to United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of
Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2000 report. Furthermore, the mean activity
concentrations of some of the radionuclides in some areas are more than double those
of the other areas thus indicating that the distribution of radionuclides in the soil of the
town is not uniform. In order to assess the hazards associated with the radionuclides,
different radiation hazard parameters such as absorbed dose rate, effective dose rate,
radium equivalent activity (Raeq), and external radiation hazard index (Hex), were
calculated from the activity concentrations of the radionuclides.
The mean absorbed dose rates in the ten areas vary from 90.0 ± 13.7 to 593.9 ± 347.2
nGy h-1
and are all higher than the world average value of 60.0 nGy h-1
. However, the
ii
corresponding mean effective dose rates vary from 0.11 ± 0.01 to 0.73 ± 0.43 mSv/y
which are all below the maximum permissible limit of 1 mSv/y, according to the
International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference level for
public exposure control. Furthermore, the mean effective dose rates in seven of the
areas are relatively low and below 0.2 mSv/y while those in the other three areas are
relatively high and above 0.2 mSv/y. These results indicate that the level of radiation
varies across the town and it is low in seven geographical areas but higher in three
areas. The mean values of the radium equivalent activity in the ten areas vary from
197.9 ± 31.5 to a very high value of 1379.5 ± 815.7 Bq/kg. Again, the mean Raeq in
the seven geographical areas are low and below the maximum permissible limit of 370
Bq/kg while they are high and above the permissible limit in the other three areas.
Similarly, the mean values of Hex in the seven geographical areas are below the
maximum permissible limit of unity but they are above the permissible limit in the
other three areas. These results confirm that the level of ionizing radiation in most
areas of Otjiwarongo is well-below the maximum permissible limit while the level in
three other areas of the town is high and the hazard indices are above the maximum
permissible limi
Understanding unwanted pregnancy from the perspectives of the Namibian male youth
No full textThe aim of this paper was to understand the perceptions of Namibian male youth regarding unwanted pregnancy. This study is based on secondary data from the study titled “Understanding factors associated with unwanted pregnancy in Namibia, it used mixed methods, integrating qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. For this study, only responses pertaining to male youth aged 15 to 22 years were used for analysis. The research findings showed that, even though the male youth knew about the consequences of pregnancy, they still engaged in unprotected sex. Male condoms were the only male controlled contraceptive available to male youth and condoms were seen to protect against HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancies. Even though the male youth had this knowledge, it appears that inconsistent condom use remained a challenge. The respondents were aware of and had limited access to condoms, more than 30% of the male youth had impregnated female youth. Impregnating and being a learner-parent inhibit the educational attainment of male youth. Unwanted pregnancy is a concern among male youth and this study recommends targeted sexual and reproductive health intervention for male youth. (Afr J Reprod Health 2020; 24[3]: 41-50)
A cross sectional comparison of chemical treatment on plant biodiversity at Neudamm farm, Khomas region
No full textA mini thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Rangeland resource managementThis study determined the impacts of chemical application on plant biodiversity in comparison to the control ecosystems over a three-year period at Neudamm farm in Khomas Region, Namibia. In this study, for herbaceous plant sampling, a total of 40 (1m2) quadrats were randomly laid in each of the three chemically treated sites (treated in 2015, 2016 and 2017) and in the control site to record the herbaceous plant density, plant species composition, dry matter production and ground cover. For woody plant sampling, a total of three 250 m2 belt transects were randomly laid in each of the three chemically treated sites and also in the control. All woody plants in the belt transects were identified, measured and recorded for plant height and canopy diameters. For soil sampling, a total of ten soil samples were collected from the three the belt transects in each of the three chemically treated sites and also in the control at a depth of 15 cm using a soil auger. The soil was analysed for pH, soil minerals, organic carbon and organic matter. A total of 20 grass species were identified in all the four sites, of which 55% were perennials and 45% were annuals. The mean total grass tuft density was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in control and the chemically treated sites of 2015 and 2017, but lower in the chemically treated site of 2016. Herbaceous biomass production was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in chemically treated site of 2015 (975 Kg DM ha-1), followed by 2016 (925 Kg DM ha-1) and least in the other two sites. The chemically treated site of 2016 had greater (P < 0.05) ground cover percentage than the other three treatment sites. The total woody plant density was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the control (14 160 TE ha-1) than in all three similar chemically treated sites. The canopy cover percentage and woody plant densities in all woody height categories were higher (P < 0.05) in the control and the chemically treated site of 2017, than in the other two sites.
The chemically treated site of 2015 had the highest amount of soil pH (6.06), followed by the control (5.61) and the chemical treatment site of 2017 (5.5), and they were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The organic carbon and organic matter percentages were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the chemically treated site of 2015 than in all the other sites. The soil in the chemically treated site of 2016 had the highest Ca (551 ppm), K (197.3 ppm), Mg (76 ppm), P (23.3) contents, followed by the site of 2015 than in the control. This study concluded that chemical treatments have impacted on the plant biodiversity of the treated rangelands by improving the herbaceous plant species, biomass yields, reduced bush density and enhanced the soil chemical properties
Assessment of the impact of Namibian rural road characteristics on crash incidence
No full textRoad user perceptions and roadway design elements play a vital role in determining the crash risk level on the roads. The study investigated factors that play a prominent role in causing road traffic crashes on rural roads on the Namibian road network. The study found that animals and pedestrians were the highest cause of road traffic crashes on the study sections. The high volume of vehicles traversing the roads section combined with the lack of appropriate barriers to separate traffic from the high presence of animals and pedestrians along the study section contributed to the hazardous safety situation on the road. The study identified that drivers losing control of vehicles on the study sections was one of the highest cause of traffic crashes. Speeding combined with negative design of various road elements directly impacts driver perceptions of the road environment and misleads road users, thereby leading to human errors that influence the frequency and severity of road crashes on the study section. The study identified under-reporting and misinformation on road crashes as some of the factors impeding the development of a vivid picture on the actual scale of the road safety problem on Namibian rural roads. The analysis of the road crashes will assist and enable road safety stakeholders in identifying, developing and implementing appropriate safety measures to sustainably address the road safety issue on Namibian roads. In addition to the road safety assessment, a road design audit carried out on the study section found that the shoulder grade and lane widths did not comply with the Technical Recommendations for Highways 17 on the Geometric Design of Rural Roads in Namibia. The study therefore developed multivariate road crash models using Negative Binomial Regression to investigate the extent of the link between road crash rates of various severity and the road design elements. The models identified several interactive relationships between lane widths, shoulders widths, 85th operating speed and horizontal curve radii on the section that significantly influenced crash rates on the roads
Analysis of factors influencing teenage pregnancy in Namibia
No full textAbstract
Teenage pregnancy (TP) is a worldwide phenomenon affecting both developed and developing countries; it is a universal problem. Teenage pregnancy is the result of the fact that teenagers are sexually active. It has not only become a public health issue, but also a media focal point. It is one of the main issues in every health care system since early pregnancy can have harmful implications on girls’ physical, psychological, economic and social status. In 2014 the World Health
Organization reported that 11% of all births were due to women aged 15-19 years and approximately 95% of teenage pregnancies occur in developing countries [12]. This paper aims to assess spatial differentials of factors influencing teenage pregnancy in Namibia to help policy makers, program managers and health care authorities make better targeted decisions in planning and problem solving. The study used secondary data from the 2013 NDHS. The units of analysis were teenage girls aged between 15 and 19 years. Univariate and bivariate analysis entailed
description of all sampled teenagers followed by ever pregnant respondents by individual and household variables. Multilevel binary logistic regression established the association between independent variables and teenage pregnancy using backward stepwise regression at 5% significance level. The results show that a total of 1857 teenage girls were successfully sampled. Of these 378 (20.4%) had experienced teenage pregnancy. Spatial distribution of teenage pregnancy indicated that TP is more prevalent in Kavango region with 15.6% followed by Ohangwena region with 11.6%. The region with the least teen pregnancy prevalence was Oshana
with 3.4%. The results also revealed significant spatial association with contraceptive use and age at first sexual debut. Ohangwena region recorded the lowest level of contraceptive use among teenage girls. There are also spatial variations with regard to type of contraceptive use. The majority of regions showed high proportion of teenage girls had their first sex before the age of 15. Overall, the study concluded that teenage pregnancy in Namibia is significantly influenced by use of contraceptives, age at which teenage girl had first sex, education level, and household wealth status. It is therefore important for the country to scale up and expand adolescent friendly health services especially in regions highly affected. Innovative and education programmes in the form of drama or movie series targeting teenagers should be used as advocacy and information sharing strategy.
Keywords: teenage pregnancy, spatial, regions, Namibi
Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro evaluation of antimicrobial activity of plants traditionally used as herbs and spices from Kabbe constituencies in Zambezi region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Microbiology (Biological Sciences)The aims of this study were to conduct an ethnobotanical survey on indigenous knowledge of plants traditionally used as herbs and spices in Kabbe constituencies of the Zambezi region, evaluate their antimicrobial activity, determine their synergistic effects, and further elucidate their potential mechanism of action. Using semi-structured interviews and closed-end questionnaires, ethnobotanical data were collected from local informants in fourteen villages of Kabbe constituencies between December 2018 and April 2019. Plant samples were extracted with 1:1 ratio of dichloromethane:methanol (DCM:MeOH) and double distilled water before evaluated against laboratory strains of Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella sonnei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris using disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), time-kill synergistic study, permeability of cell membrane, and measurement of release of 260 nm absorbing materials and proteins. Twenty-three plant species belonging to 16 plant families were documented. Cleome gynandra (83.8) and Hibiscus mechowii (77.9) were widely used species. DCM:MeOH extracts of C. gynandra had the lowest MIC value of 6.25 mg/mL against both B. cereus, E. faecalis, E. coli, C. perfringens, S. typhimurium, P. aeruginosa, P. vulgaris, C. albicans and S. cerevisiae. Meanwhile, the water extracts of Eucalyptus sp. showed the lowest MIC value of 6.25 mg/mL against both E. coli, S. typhimurium and P. vulgaris. Twenty-three synergistic effects were observed with S. cerevisiae, S. typhimurium, S. aureus, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and C. perfringens. The 2 × MIC of Nymphaea lotus exhibited the greatest electric conductivity at 4 and 6 hours, leaked DNA materials and proteins at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours against C. albicans. Our results contributed data to the gap in the knowledge and availability of scientific information regarding plants traditionally used as herbs and spices in Kabbe constituencies of the Zambezi region. Toxicity studies are needed to support the safe usage of these plants as food additives and natural preservatives for food safety applications
Investigating the crowd-out effects of tobacco and alcohol expenditure on household resource allocation in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Economics)Tobacco and alcohol consumption are not only unhealthy, but also potentially bum a hole in household disposable income, reducing expenditure on basic household commodities. Evidence suggests that the impact is higher in low- and middle-income countries and among poorer households. Using the 2015/ 16 Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey (NHIES), a nationally representative household-level dataset, this thesis examines the crowding-out effects of tobacco and alcohol expenditure on household resource allocation to food and non-food needs. A system of quadratic conditional Engel curves was estimated for a set of eleven broad groups of commodities using a Three-Stage Least Squares Generalised Method of Moments, an econometric approach that minimises the problem of simultaneity bias. For sensitivity, the study employed two measures of tobacco and alcohol expenditure. The first measure is binary equivalent to one if the household
spends on tobacco and/or alcohol. The results suggest that tobacco and alcohol-consuming households spend less on basic commodities such as housing, furnishing, transport, recreation, education, accommodation and health, and spend more on food and clothing. The second measure, household expenditure share on tobacco and/or alcohol, suggests that expenditure on these goods crowds out expenditure on health, education, accommodation and miscellaneous, and crowds in food , clothing, communication and recreation. The analysis is further disaggregated to control for preference heterogeneity of households (some goods and services are perceived differently based on household socioeconomic status). The resu lts point to a vicious circle of poverty where the poor are trapped in poverty by reducing spending on basic household basic needs. The results indicate that any public
policy option that reduces the consumption of tobacco and alcohol does not only enhance the associated health benefits, but also helps to improve the living standards of households, especially poor and vulnerable households
Chronic lymphoplasmacytic villonodular proliferative synovitis in a 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier dog
No full textWe describe a case of chronic lymphoplasmacytic villonodular synovitis (CLPVNS) associated with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease in a 10-year-old spayed Jack Russell Terrier bitch. The bitch was presented to a veterinary clinic with severe, non-weight bearing, acute left hindlimb lameness. The bitch had previously been treated surgically for stifle CCL disease of the same joint, using the lateral fabellar suture (LFS) technique. Since the treatment, the patient had a history of intermittent left hindlimb non-weight bearing lameness that was manageable with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Palpation and manipulation of the affected stifle elicited severe pain. There were no other clinical or orthopaedic abnormalities. Orthogonal radiographs of the affected stifle revealed moderate degenerative joint disease and osteolytic lesions on the lateral aspect of the lateral femoral condyle and the head of the fibula. A fluid aspirate from this joint was negative for bacterial growth on culture. Cytology results were suspicious for CLPVNS. Exploratory arthrotomy, synovectomy, debridement and lavage of the affected joint were performed. Bone and synovial membrane biopsy samples of the joint were obtained and submitted to a laboratory for a histopathological confirmatory diagnosis. CLPVNS was tentatively diagnosed by cytology, and confirmed by histopathology of biopsy samples. This case report highlights the importance of checking for CLPVNS in dogs with lameness associated with CCL disease, as reports show it to be underreported or misdiagnosed
(11) (PDF) Chronic lymphoplasmacytic villonodular proliferative synovitis in a 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier dog. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346003151_Chronic_lymphoplasmacytic_villonodular_proliferative_synovitis_in_a_10-year-old_Jack_Russell_Terrier_dog [accessed Jun 25 2021]
Teachers and learners' perceptions on the significance of heritage studies in the Junior Secondary school curriculum: A case of Kunene region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Studies)The main purpose of the study was to investigate the Teachers and Learners·
perceptions on the significance or integrating Heritage Studies into the Junior
Secondary School Curriculum (.ISSC). The study addressed three (3) research
questions, namely: I) WhCll is the significance of integrating Heritage Studies as a
subject into the .ISSC?; 2) To what extent could elements of heritage be included in
the JSSC?: and 3) What expectations do learners and teachers in the Kunene Region have about the role of schools in the teaching of heritage conservation in the .JSSC? Two categories or samples, consisting of forty (40) Grade eight (8) learners and tour ( 4) Grade eight (8) teachers, participated in this study. A mixed method research design was employed and questionnaires tor the learners and an interview schedule for the teachers were used to gather data. The thematic analysis and descriptive analysis methods were used to analyse qualitative and quantitative data respectively. The respondents in general agreed that Heritage Studies can yield multiple benefits such as: instill preservation and conservation ethics in learners from an early stage; increase the likelihood of learners taking up careers in the field of heritage management: result in learners· discovery of their rich and diverse tradition: foster awareness and tolerance or cultural diversity: build pride in cultural heritage: and create cultural entrepreneurship skills to enable students to leverage economic gains from cultural and natural heritage. This study recommends a collaborative approach amongst stakeholders. This will ensure a common understanding of how heritage education can play a role in the preservation and conservation of heritage resources
Demographics, distribution, ownership and naming patterns of pets presented to a mobile clinic for sterilisation in Namibia
No full textThis study analysed the demographics, spatial distribution, ownership and naming patterns of dogs and cats presented to the University of Namibia’s veterinary mobile clinic for sterilisation from small underserved towns around Namibia. The proportional distribution of pets was determined based on species, sex, age, owner gender, town of origin and naming categories. Overall, 84.4% (n = 2909) of the animals presented for sterilisation were dogs and the remainder were cats (15.6%, n = 539). Of the dogs presented for sterilisation, 51.9% (n = 1509) were male and 48.1% (n = 1400) were female. In cats, 51.4%
(n = 277) were male, whilst 48.6% (n = 262) were female. Overall, the majority of pets (68.2%) were presented for sterilisation from urban areas than rural areas (31.8%). About 49.8% of men and 24.2% of women that presented pets for sterilisation came from urban areas, whilst 20.1% of the women and 11.7% of the men that presented pets for sterilisation were
from rural areas. Of all the pets presented for sterilisation, the majority were male-owned (64%, n = 2206). Pets were mainly presented for sterilisation at < 2 years (41.1%), 2 to < 4 years (32.4%) and 4 to < 6 years (15.4%). The naming of pets was mainly after people (42.4%), circumstances (20.6%) and appearance (15.5%). This community engagement exercise yielded valuable demographic data indicating that pet origin, sex and species and owner gender were important factors in determining the voluntary presentation of pets for
sterilisation in the study area