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Establishment of Computed Tomography Diagnostic Reference Levels on Paediatric Patients in Uganda
(NSP: Natural Sciences Publishing Cor., 2021-09-01) Ayugi G 1,*, B. Oruru 1, F. Kiragga 2, H. Kisembo 3 and H. Kyagulanyi 1.
Paediatric dosimetry in radiation protection when compared with adults is based on radiation sensitivity of children to radiation. Children are known to be at a higher risk of developing radiation-induced cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the radiation doses to paediatric patients during computed tomography procedures (CT) so that a diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) could be proposed. DRLs are useful in high dose examinations such as CT to achieve collective dose reduction. Information about patients, protocol and CT system for 684 patients were recorded during 2019 and 2020 from five CT scanners. The dose was determined in four age groups: 0-1 year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years, and 10-15 years for the head, chest and abdomen protocols. The 75th percentile of CTDIvol and DLP were considered as DRLs and compared with IAEC and Japan DRLs. CT dosimetry software Impact CT patient dosimetry calculator, version 1.0.4 with National Radiation Protection Board SR250 data set, was used to validate and compare scanner generated dose values. DRLs are proposed using CTDIvol (mGy) and DLP (mGy cm). The mean DRL of 43.6 and 922 for the head, 3.0 and 258 for the Chest and 3.1 and 292.5 for the abdomen were established during the study. There was high deviation in head CT doses compared to the reported DRLs in IAEC and Japan. The established DRLs for head were higher than those available in other countries. This study showed the need for harmonization of radiation dose optimization of this protocol.
International fieldschool reciprocity: using a whole-of-university approach to create positive change in Northern Uganda
(HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, 2019-04-02) Munro, G. Paul; Anne L. Bartlett; Dhizaala, T. James; Laloyo, A. Stella; Oguti , O. Sebastian; Sarah Walker
International field schools to developing countries have become an important component of the university curriculum because they provide experiential learning and research skills, while also contributing a range of soft skills such as resilience, empathy, resourcefulness, critical thinking, and cross-cultural communication. Yet, with the increasing popularity of ‘developing world’ field schools, an ever-more pertinent question to ask is, cui bono? Who benefits when relatively ‘privileged’ students from wealthy countries travel to visit ‘underprivileged’ communities in poorer parts of the world? In this article, we contribute to the discussion about field school reciprocity using data from a newly established program in Northern Uganda, established as part of the University of New South Wales’ UNSW2025 strategy. We show that a whole-of-university approach has significant benefits for staff and students from both institutions, more diffuse benefits for the wider Ugandan host community, as well as the potential to create synergies to leverage community transformation. We also look at challenges that include: power differentials, uncertainty in the field environment, sustainability, and the ability to maintain collaborative equity between institutions over the long term.
Gender, land rights and fragility in Northern Uganda: the case of Amuru District
(Globe: A Journal of Language, Culture and Communication, 2018) Laloyo, A.Stella
Armed conflicts globally create social and economic shifts that affect women’s and men’s claims to land. Jacobs (2012) explains that land is crucial to the livelihoods and security of many rural women. Asiimwe (2001) and Tripp (1997) note that land rights in most parts of Africa are passed on from the male lineage and women who have lost their lineage ties through widowhood, divorce, not having sons, and separation become vulnerable and may be excluded. . This paper discusses struggles over access, control and ownership rights in relation to land among women and men in Amuru district Uganda. This article is a result of a qualitative study that conducted 10 focus group discussions with 40 women and 40 women in Pabbo, Amuru and Lamogi sub counties of Amuru Sub County and 4 focus group discussions with Area Land Committee members in the above sub counties. My findings indicate that ethnic based land tensions fostered insecurity and instability in the Amuru as people could not walk around freely, access their gardens, were displaced and this in turn affected their ability to make a living through accessing the land. I also found that many women had relational access to land through their marriage and relationship with male kin and this seemed to give them fragile land rights. Men on the other hand had firm control over land and made final decisions relating to sales and land use.
EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SHIELDING MECHANISM IN ROOMS HOUSING X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENTS :A CASE STUDY OF MULAGO HOSPITAL, UGANDA
(International Journal of Innovative Research in Advanced Engineering (IJIRAE), 2018-02-02) Festo Kiragga; Kisolo Akisophel; Nakatudde Rebecca
The effectiveness of the shielding against ionizing radiation in controlled and supervised areas of four (4) selected imaging rooms of Mulago hospital was determined. Scattered radiation transmitted to the operator’s console, leakage through the walls and doors to the patient waiting areas was also determined. The effective doses to occupational workers were also determined. The availability and effectiveness of the lead aprons and other protective gears was also investigated. Thermoluminiscent Dosimeters (TLDs) were installed at selected points for a period of four (4) weeks. Radiation leakages to the members of the public were measured using a survey meter, scattered X-ray radiation to staff was measured using TLD badges. The mean scattered radiation in the imaging rooms varied from 1.19 mSv/month in the Computed Tomography (CT) room to 0.38 mSv/month from the Casualty Center (CC). The effective doses to occupational staff were highest in Room 4 (R4) (plain radiography) of 6.8 mSv/yr and lowest in CC at 1.4 mSv/yr. Radiation leakages through selected doors were found to be 18.1 mSv/hr at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). Though there was some leakage, the available shielding was found to be generally effective.
Bacterial Diversity and their Association with Anchocerca Volvulus Infection in Simulium Flies in Northern Uganda
(Unpublish Dissertation_Gulu University, 2024) Lakot, Amerida
ABSTRACT
Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is a chronic and debilitating neglected tropical disease resulting from recurrent infections with the parasitic filarial worm Onchocerca volvulus. This disease is transmitted by blackflies (Simulium species) and poses significant health challenges to affected populations. To date, vector control of blackflies has largely relied on chemical insecticides, an approach that has several drawbacks. There is a pressing need for alternative biological strategies for vector control, one potential approach being the use of 'probiotic' bacteria to modify the physiology of the vector's gut, thereby creating an environment that is hostile to pathogens. This study aimed to survey the bacterial communities in the guts of blackflies from onchocerciasis foci in northern Uganda to identify species with the potential to interrupt onchocerciasis transmission. Simulium flies (n=534) were collected from five sites in Nwoya, Pader, Amuru and Moyo districts in Northern Uganda. The flies were extracted using the SDS method and tests for O. volvulus infection were done using nested PCR. Twenty-five infected flies and forty-seven non-infected Simulium flies were then run for 16s metagenomic PCR using the 16S Barcoding Kit. The library was then subjected to nanopore sequencing. The sequencing identified 12 bacterial phyla with Proteobacteria as the predominant with a relative abundance of 89.7%. The most abundant genera were Enterobacter with 21.4% out of the 149 bacterial genera identified. The bacterial diversity across the sampled districts were significantly different basing on the Shannon index (p=0.26). Eight bacterial genera were significantly associated with flies infected with O. volvulus: Peptoniphilus (p=0.009), Vogesella (p=0.029), Aquabacterium (p=0.018), Curvibacter (P=0.034), Paucibacter (P=0.004), Massilia (P=0.011), Mannheimia (p=0.011) and Shimwellia (P=0.036). On the other hand, six bacterial genera were identified to be predominantly associated with uninfected status. These included Enterococcus (p= 0.03), Citrobacter (p=0.043), Haemophilus (p=0.037), Shewanella (p=0.035), Halotalea (p=0.020) and Zymobacter (p=0.018). The study identified eight novel bacterial genera linked to O. volvulus infection and six associated with non-infection in Simulium flies. Antibacterial drugs could be developed to target the infection-associated genera, while symbiotic bacteria in non-infected flies could be modified to produce molecules against O. volvulus. Further research is needed to understand the physiological mechanisms of these bacteria, which could lead to effective biocontrol strategies.