Factors Determining the Retention of Academic Staff in Universities

This paper examines the critical factors that determine the retention of academic staff at Makerere and Kyambogo universities in Uganda. The study was prompted by reportedly persistent low levels of academic staff retention in the two public universities in the recent past. The investigation followed the positivist research paradigm. The study employed the descriptive cross-sectional survey design where data were collected using an adapted self-administered questionnaire from 298 academic staff proportionately drawn from the two universities studied. The staff respondents were sampled through stratified random sampling technique. The data were analysed with the use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations as well as inferential statistics like student t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and regression analyses. Study findings revealed that respondent’s marital status (F = 0.288; p = 0.750 > 0.05), age (F = 0.748; p = 0.560 > 0.05), experience (F= 0.270; p = 0.841 > 0.05), education level (F = 0.528; p = 0.663 > 0.05), and interpersonal relationships (B = 0.003; p = 0.957 > 0.05) had statistically no significant effect on the retention of academic staff in the two universities. However, respondent’s gender (t = 2.556; p= 0.006 < 0.05), terms of work (B = 0.163; p = 0.005< 0.05) and work-life balance (B = 0.318; p= 0.000 < 0.05) were found to have statistically significant effects on the retention of academic staff. Thus, it was concluded that certain factors were more critical than others in determining the retention of academic staff, other factors notwithstanding. The researchers therefore recommended that the management of the two universities should design engendered policies that would improve on the terms of work, favourably treat men and women, and allow for optimal work-life balance amongst their academic staff. Keywords: Academic staff, Retention, Factors, Demographic characteristics, Interpersonal relationships, Terms of work, Work-life balance DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-8-07 Publication date:March 31st 201

Effectiveness of a community-based SGBV prevention model in emergency settings in Uganda: Testing the \u27Zero Tolerance Village Alliance\u27 intervention

Although sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is recognized as a growing problem in emergency settings, and the highest number of forcibly displaced people in recorded history were reported by UNHCR in 2015, evaluations of primary SGBV prevention models in these contexts have remained sparse. This study assessed the effectiveness of implementing a community-based SGBV prevention—the ‘Zero Tolerance Village Alliance’ intervention—in Western Uganda. The study demonstrated that the model is an effective means of fostering SGBV prevention in emergency settings. It proved to be particularly effective in: moderating negative gender attitudes and beliefs related to SGBV; positively changing perceptions of community SGBV norms; reducing the occurrence of intimate partner violence; engendering more comprehensive knowledge of rape; and increasing awareness of SGBV interventions. The findings also highlighted a number of important issues outlined in the remainder of the report for SGBV program consideration

First measurement of Bose-Einstein correlations in proton-proton collisions at √s=0.9 and 2.36 TeV at the LHC

Bose-Einstein correlations have been measured using samples of proton-proton collisions at 0.9 and 2.36 TeV center-of-mass energies, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The signal is observed in the form of an enhancement of pairs of same-sign charged particles with small relative four-momentum. The size of the correlated particle emission region is seen to increase significantly with the particle multiplicity of the event

The Bacterial and Viral Complexity of Postinfectious Hydrocephalus in Uganda

Postinfectious hydrocephalus (PIH), often following neonatal sepsis, is the most common cause of pediatric hydrocephalus world-wide, yet the microbial pathogens remain uncharacterized. Characterization of the microbial agents causing PIH would lead to an emphasis shift from surgical palliation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation to prevention. We examined blood and CSF from 100 consecutive cases of PIH and control cases of non-postinfectious hydrocephalus (NPIH) in infants in Uganda. Genomic testing was undertaken for bacterial, fungal, and parasitic DNA, DNA and RNA sequencing for viral identification, and extensive bacterial culture recovery. We uncovered a major contribution to PIH from Paenibacillus , upon a background of frequent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV was only found in CSF in PIH cases. A facultatively anaerobic isolate was recovered. Assembly of the genome revealed a strain of P. thiaminolyticus . In mice, this isolate designated strain Mbale , was lethal in contrast with the benign reference strain. These findings point to the value of an unbiased pan-microbial approach to characterize PIH in settings where the organisms remain unknown, and enables a pathway towards more optimal treatment and prevention of the proximate neonatal infections. One Sentence Summary We have discovered a novel strain of bacteria upon a frequent viral background underlying postinfectious hydrocephalus in Uganda

Paenibacillus infection with frequent viral coinfection contributes to postinfectious hydrocephalus in Ugandan infants

Postinfectious hydrocephalus (PIH), which often follows neonatal sepsis, is the most common cause of pediatric hydrocephalus worldwide, yet the microbial pathogens underlying this disease remain to be elucidated. Characterization of the microbial agents causing PIH would enable a shift from surgical palliation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation to prevention of the disease. Here, we examined blood and CSF samples collected from 100 consecutive infant cases of PIH and control cases comprising infants with non-postinfectious hydrocephalus in Uganda. Genomic sequencing of samples was undertaken to test for bacterial, fungal, and parasitic DNA; DNA and RNA sequencing was used to identify viruses; and bacterial culture recovery was used to identify potential causative organisms. We found that infection with the bacterium Paenibacillus, together with frequent cytomegalovirus (CMV) coinfection, was associated with PIH in our infant cohort. Assembly of the genome of a facultative anaerobic bacterial isolate recovered from cultures of CSF samples from PIH cases identified a strain of Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus. This strain, designated Mbale, was lethal when injected into mice in contrast to the benign reference Paenibacillus strain. These findings show that an unbiased pan-microbial approach enabled characterization of Paenibacillus in CSF samples from PIH cases, and point toward a pathway of more optimal treatment and prevention for PIH and other proximate neonatal infections

Search for large extra dimensions in the diphoton final state at the Large Hadron Collider

28 páginas, 3 figuras, 3 tablas.-- CMS Collaboration: et al.-- Open Access: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License.A search for large extra spatial dimensions via virtual-graviton exchange in the diphoton channel has been carried out with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events above the standard model expectations is found using a data sample collected in proton-proton collisions at ps = 7TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb-1. New lower limits on the e ective Planck scale in the range of 1.6-2.3TeV at the 95% con dence level are set, providing the most restrictive bounds to date on models with more than two large extra dimensions.Peer reviewe

CMS tracking performance results from early LHC operation

The first LHC pp collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 0.9 and 2.36 TeV were recorded by the CMS detector in December 2009. The trajectories of charged particles produced in the collisions were reconstructed using the all-silicon Tracker and their momenta were measured in the 3.8 T axial magnetic field. Results from the Tracker commissioning are presented including studies of timing, efficiency, signal-to-noise, resolution, and ionization energy. Reconstructed tracks are used to benchmark the performance in terms of track and vertex resolutions, reconstruction of decays, estimation of ionization energy loss, as well as identification of photon conversions, nuclear interactions, and heavy-flavour decays

Magnitude of bilateral cataracts and factors associated with delayed uptake of cataract surgery among adult patients with operable cataract seen at Mulago Hospital.

A dissertation submitted to Makerere University Library in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Medicine in Ophthalmology of Makerere UniversityBackground. Cataract is an opacity in the natural lens of the eye that causes visual impairment to vision of less than 6/9. Cataract causes 51% of global blindness and any delay in timely uptake of cataract surgery results into avoidable blindness.Aim: To determine the magnitude of bilateral cataracts and factors associated with delayed uptake of cataract surgery among adult patients with operable cataracts.Methodology and materials: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted at MNRH eye department after obtaining ethical clearance from SOMREC IRB of Makerere University and informed consent from each of the patients. The data was collected by conducting interview and clinical assessment of the patients by the investigator and filling the predetermined semi-structured questionnaires. The data was checked for quality, entered into Epidata and exported to Stata version 14.6.0v. The analysis was done by proportion to determine the magnitude of bilateral cataract and, bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions for determining factors associated with delayed uptake of cataract surgery among patients with operable catarac. Results: Eighty two participants were examined (response rate 100%). Out of these, 38 (46%) were males and 44 (54%) were females. The magnitude of bilateral cataract among adult patients with operable cataract was 67% and, the factors associated with delayed uptake of cataract surgery among adult patients with operable cataract were financial constraints and perceived feeling of no need for cataract surgery.Conclusions: The magnitude of bilateral cataract among adult patients with operable cataract seen at Mulago Hospital was 67%, and it was five times higher than the findings from developing countries. Financial constraints and perceived no need for cataract surgery were the factors associated with delayed uptake of cataract surgery.LIONS Club International through LIONS Club of Uganda/Comprehensive Eye Care in Acholi Sub-region Project

Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada Syndrome in a Ugandan: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges

Background. Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) syndrome is a multisystemic autoimmune disease of uncertain pathogenesis. Infectious aetiology has been proposed which is suggested to lead to the loss of melanocytes in the skin, inner ear, meninges, and uvea in those who are genetically predisposed. Information regarding VKH syndrome is scanty among the African population. Case Presentation. We report a 28-year-old HIV-uninfected Ugandan woman who had previously been well and presented with chronic bilateral panuveitis; symmetrical vitiligo patches on the head, trunk, and upper limbs; tinnitus; and poliosis of the scalp hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. A flu-like syndrome preceded this. Several weeks of prednisolone and azathioprine therapy resulted in remarkable improvement of the ocular and inner ear symptoms. Conclusion. A high index of suspicion is required in diagnosing VKH syndrome, even in sub-Saharan Africa where the disease is reported to be rare. Initiation of prompt and appropriate treatment prevents blindness and other complications