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Missed Appointments and Associated Factors Among Children Accessing Anti-Retroviral Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Western Uganda
No full textDisruptions to the health sector in Uganda during the COVID 19 pandemic affected health services in the early phases of the pandemic. Not much data exists on their effect on these same services during the later stages of the pandemic especially for children. To fill this gap, we set out to study missed appointments and their associated factors during the lockdown for children receiving Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study from January 2022 to May 2022. We included all children aged 0–15 and adolescents aged 15–19 years who were on ART. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) for the participants in the last 12 months were extracted. Descriptive statistics are presented. Binary logistic regression was performed, and odds ratios were reported.
Results: Out of the 382 participants, 26 (6.8%) missed appointments during the study period. The likelihood of missing appointments was increased when drugs were given to last 4 months than when they were given to last one month (COR 3.207, P value 0.026, 95% CI 1.150–8.943). Patients were also more likely to miss appointments if their mode of receiving drugs was Facility based group (COR 3.174, P = 0.043, 95% CI 1.037–9.713). Not having a viral load in the last 12 months increased the likelihood of missing an appointment (COR 2.309, P = 0.049, CI 1.004–5.306).
Conclusion: A drug refill of 4 months and being scheduled to receive drugs by Facility-based group model predisposed the participants to missing the next appointment. Home- or community-based ART delivery to clients as well as drug prescriptions for a longer period could reduce missed appointments. Timely viral load testing should be encouraged as it correlates with adherence to appointments. More research is needed on the safety, storage practices and efficacy of ART given to last more than 2 months
Human Resources Compensation and Employee Retention in Local Government in Uganda case of Kabale District
No full textThis study examined the effect of human resource compensation on employee retention in Local Governments in Uganda case of Kabale District. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of human resources compensation on employee retention in local government in Uganda case of Kabale District. A case study research design was used considering utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study targeted 134 participants but 119 managed to respond back and these included 117 who filled the questionnaire and 02 who were interviewed. The study findings revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between compensation and employee retention at (r = .430**, P=0.00 <0.01) and compensation and benefits positively and significantly predicted employee retention at KDLG at (Beta =.567, p=.000 <0.05). The study recommended that it’s crucial for KDLG to reevaluate their retention strategies, focusing on enhancing job satisfaction, professional development opportunities, and overall workplace conditions to mitigate turnover and ensure the retention of valuable talent. There is need for providing competitive salaries, ensuring all employees are on payroll, offering comprehensive workplace allowances and recognition programs, and equitably distributing work benefits across employees at all levels
A Revised Protecting Group Strategy Enables a Divergent Synthesis of Prenylated Isoflavones from Psoralea corylifolia
No full textThree bioactive prenylated isoflavone natural products were synthesized for the first time, using a combination of Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling for installing the B-ring, microwave-promoted Claisen rearrangement of allyl ethers, and Ru-catalyzed olefin cross me tathesis for obtaining the prenyl substituents. Careful consideration of the protecting group strategy turned out to be vital for the success of these total syntheses
Social Media Advertising and Customer Behavior among Commercial Radio Stations In Kabale Municipality, Uganda
No full textThis study investigated the effect of social media advertising on consumer behavior among commercial radio stations in Kabale Municipality, Uganda. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was adopted, targeting a sample of 196 respondents from a total population of 400, comprising radio administrators, presenters and listeners. Data was collected using questionnaires and an interview guide and analyzed through descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that social media advertising had a weak and non-significant effect on consumer behavior (R2 = .018,p = .095), though qualitative responses emphasized the growing influence of peer recommendations, visual appeal and interactive engagement. The study concluded that social media plays a more supportive role in creating awareness and engagement rather than fostering consumer behaviou
Assessment of Uganda’s bioenergy sector for environmental sustainability
No full textBioenergy remains Uganda’s dominant energy source, yet its environmental sustainability impacts remain dispersed and sparsely documented, limiting informed policy development. This study addresses this gap by applying eight Environmental Sustainability Indicators (ESIs) from the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), covering greenhouse gas emissions, soil and water impacts, biodiversity, land-use change, wood harvest levels, and air pollution. Data were synthesized from peer-reviewed literature and grey sources using the GBEP methodological framework. Findings reveal that woody biomass demand significantly exceeds sustainable supply, accelerating deforestation and forest degradation, while reliance on traditional bioenergy combustion drives indoor air pollution with serious public health risks. Uganda’s largely informal bioenergy sector, coupled with limited geospatially referenced data on biomass distribution and land-use change, constrains the accuracy of assessments. Despite these limitations, the study represents the first integrated application of the GBEP ESIs framework for evaluating Uganda’s bioenergy-environment nexus to date. It benchmarks specific indicator performances in Uganda against regional and global standards, highlights critical sustainability gaps, and underscores the urgency of adopting stronger governance, ICT-enabled monitoring, financing mechanisms, and coherent institutional frameworks. By establishing an evidence base, the study supports policy reforms and the transition toward modern, sustainable bioenergy systems aligned with Uganda’s climate and development goals.Kabale University Directorate of Research and Grants [Grant No. PI012/5/2022–2023] and the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (MakRIF Round 4, 2022/23)
Effect of varying nano-boron nitride content on foamed concrete containing titanium dioxide nanoparticles
No full textThis study focused on investigating mixing boron nitride (BN) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles in enhancing the foamed concrete (FC) characteristics. Despite the presence of independent studies on each material addition, there is little study on their combined effects, especially with enhancements in durability, mechanical properties, and thermal performance of FC for sustainable building usage. The current research aims to examine the effects of varying BN doses (0.025–0.1% by weight of cement) with the use of constant 1% TiO₂ on fresh characteristics, microstructure, pore structure, mechanical performance, shrinkage, and thermal behavior. The results showed a slight reduction in slump and setting time, accompanied by a rise in dry density. At 0.075% BN, the 28-day compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths increased by 44.27%, 52.1%, and 57.14%, respectively. Thermal conductivity increased by 7.2%, whereas shrinkage decreased by 52.30% at 28 days. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) proved the enhanced pore architecture characterized by a reduced average pore diameter and an increased volume proportion of fine capillary pores. The findings demonstrate the capability of the BN–TiO₂ hybrid system to greatly improve the durability and thermal performance of FC, causing an increase in service life and a decrease in environmental impact.Ministry of Higher Education for this research through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2022/TK01/USM/02/3)
An Improved Model for Detecting the Presence of Pesticide Residues in Edible Parts of Tomatoes, Cabbages, Carrots, and Green Pepper Vegetables Using Batch Image Analysis
No full textIn this article, we describe an improved model for batch image analysis of pesticide residues in the edible parts of green peppers, tomatoes, cabbages, and carrots. Our method uses a deep learning–based convolutional neural network (CNN), an advanced image processing, feature extraction, and a dataset of 1,094 photographs collected from Mbarara city markets to accurately identify the presence of pesticides in the edible parts of vegetables. The model employs the following preprocessing techniques, that is, adaptive histogram equalization and Gaussian filtering, to enhance image quality before feature extraction through color analysis, edge detection, and texture measurement using the Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix. The major improvement in this study was batch image processing, which significantly increases computational efficiency and enables the simultaneous analysis of several images. The CNN design consists of three convolutional layers, with max pooling coming after each layer. A probabilistic output is then generated by two fully connected layers. The other improvement was made on performance where the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of the models particularly ResNet50 and Inception V3 produce dependable results. The accuracy and precision of ResNet50 were 93.2% and 94.0%, respectively. In comparison to the single image processing model for detecting pesticide residues in edible parts of vegetables, this improved model of batch image processing reduced the training time by 40%, demonstrating scalability for bigger datasets. Our results highlight the potential influence of this model on agricultural food safety practices by indicating that it can be used for the quick and extensive identification of pesticide residues. We suggest that future studies concentrate on the possibility of using multispectral photography and real-time apps to automate the identification of pesticide residues in vegetables
Performance evaluation of lime improved lateritic soil with the addition of pulverised snail shell and sawdust ash for sustainable highway infrastructure
No full textThis research investigated the effects of lime, Pulverized snail shell (PSS), and sawdust ash on the mechanical proper ties of lateritic soil for soil stabilization in construction. The use of this waste materials aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production and Goal 9 on sustainable infrastructure development. Reusing waste materials for soil stabilization supports a circular economy approach, diverting these materials from landfills and promoting their sustainable use as valuable resources. Various tests, including maximum dry density, moisture content, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), triaxial, permeability, compressibility, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests, were conducted on soil samples with different proportions of additives. The results show that the addition of additives reduced maximum dry density and increased moisture content. The sample with 6% lime and 7.5% PSS exhibited the highest UCS of 302 kPa after 28 days of curing, while the untreated sample had a UCS of 121 kPa. Triaxial tests revealed reduced cohesion and increased angle of internal friction with higher additive content. The 6% lime and 7.5% PSS sample displayed the highest shear strength of 60.6 kPa and elastic modulus of 181.8 MPa. Permeability tests demonstrated that the 6% lime and 6% sawdust ash sample had the lowest permeability (6.67 × 10–7 m/s) among the stabilized samples. The untreated soil exhibited high compressibility, whereas the 6% lime and 7.5% PSS sample exhibited the highest resistance to compression and deformation. The untreated soil had a soaked CBR value of 8%, while the 6% lime and 7.5% PSS sample achieved the highest soaked CBR value of 38%, making it suitable as a sub-base material. These findings highlight the effectiveness of lime, PSS, and sawdust ash in enhancing the mechanical properties of lateritic soil and offer valuable insights for soil stabilization in construction of Sustainable Highway Infrastructure.Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) of the Federal Republic of Nigeri
Environmental Education and Primary School Curriculum: A Missing Link.
No full textThis study explored the gaps between environmental education and its implementation within Uganda's primary school curriculum. It focused on three primary objectives: assessing the extent of environmental education integration, identifying challenges faced by educators and learners, and proposing strategies for improved incorporation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, collecting data from primary school teachers, curriculum planners, and education policymakers in Rubanda District. The findings revealed that while environmental education is included in the curriculum, its integration is inconsistent, with some schools reporting minimal or no implementation. Major challenges highlighted include insufficient training for educators, inadequate resources, and a lack of administrative support. Proposed strategies to address these issues involve increasing funding for educational materials, enhancing teacher training, and developing specialized curriculum guides. In conclusion, the study recognized a foundational presence of environmental education in Ugandan primary schools but emphasized the need for significant enhancements. Recommendations include investing in professional development for teachers, allocating more financial resources for educational tools, creating detailed curriculum guides, and strengthening administrative backing. Additionally, incorporating hands-on learning experiences and revising the curriculum to achieve a balanced integration of environmental education are critical for fostering its effective implementation
Design and Simulation of a Sugarcane Juice Extractor.
No full textThis project involved the design of a sugarcane juice extractor machine engineered to crush sugarcane at a rate of 14-15 kg per hour, catering to the increasing demand for fresh sugarcane juice in small to medium-scale commercial settings. The primary objective is to optimize juice yield while maintaining high operational efficiency. The design features a robust roller system capable of processing sugarcane stalks of various sizes, ensuring effective extraction with minimal wastage. The use of food-grade materials that as stainless steel in all components that come into contact with the juice is a key focus, ensuring the design adheres to strict hygiene standards. The machine is designed to be compact and user-friendly, making it suitable for vendors who may have limited space and technical expertise. Although this project is focused on the design phase, it provides a detailed and comprehensive blueprint that can be further developed into a fully operational machine. The design process involved careful consideration of factors such as juice yield, energy consumption, and ease of maintenance, ensuring that the final design meets market needs