ABSTRACT Investigation on accumulation of selected heavy metals of Zinc, Mercury, Copper, Lead, Chromium and Nickel in sediment, water and muscle tissues of Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) and Oreochromis esculentus (Singida tilapia) fish was done in Lake Rukwa, Tanzania. Samples were obtained from transects of 100 m long extending from Luika and Songwe River mouths to offshore. Water and sediment samples were collected directly from the study sites while fish were obtained from fisherf...
ABSTRACT Juttadinteria albata is a leaf succulent plant species endemic to the southern Namib in the Succulent Karoo in Sendelingsdrif near the Orange River. The proposed strip mining for diamonds at NAMDEB‟s new Sendelingsdrif mine may contribute to the loss of up to 39% of J. albata population. This may increase the risks of extinction for J. albata and species which may be interacting with it. The aim of the study was to investigate the biology of J. albata for ecological restoration po...
ABSTRACT Malaria is on the decline in Namibia and the country is moving towards pre-elimination of the disease. However, some communities preferring traditional medicines and not accepting allopathic medicine may prevent elimination. Ethnomedicines need to be integrated into mainstream malaria case management to achieve malaria elimination by 2020. To do so, they need to be documented and validated to allow their safe and effective use. Seven indigenous plants were investigated for antiplasmo...
ABSTRACT Namibia had a tuberculosis (TB) case notification rate of 589 per 100 000 population in 2010. TB diagnostic methods, especially the conventional microbial culture to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), takes long to produce results and those with active TB can spread the infection and treatment is delayed. Immunodiagnosis of TB by interferon-gamma (IFN-ɣ) release assays is relatively very rapid, in comparison to culture, as results can be obtained within 24 hours. T...
ABSTRACT It is generally assumed that herbivores acquire gastrointestinal anthrax by ingesting spores, hence information on foraging behaviour of ungulates can be a fundamental component in understanding epidemiology of anthrax. This study investigated seasonal foraging behaviour in relation to the timing of anthrax mortalities in zebras (wet season, anthrax peak) and elephants (dry season, anthrax peak) in Etosha National Park. Zebra diet composition and foraging efficiency was determined us...
Abstract The genus Ganoderma Karst. (1881) is the largest and most complex genus of polypore fungi, characterized by the presence of pores instead of the gills on the lower side of the fruiting body. The colonisation of Ganoderma species on trees is noticed by the appearance of their cap shaped, hard, crusty and shiny fruiting bodies. Ganoderma extract have been used for centuries in Asia’s traditional medicine and to date Ganoderma mushrooms are an important source of modern medicinal and ...
ABSTRACT Moringa ovalifolia (African Moringa) is endemic to southern Africa, and it is distributed from southern to central Namibia to south western Angola. At the moment, little is documented on the phytochemical content, miro-nutrients and antioxidant activities of M. ovalifolia. Hence, this study was aimed at evaluating the phytochemical, micro- nutritients and antioxidant activities of M. ovalifolia. Fresh Moringa leaves, bark, flowers and seeds (ponds) were collected from five different ...
ABSTRACT Nutritional levels can have profound impact on individuals living with HIV/AIDS and potentially hinder the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART). But sufficient data is lacking to establish a strong relationship especially in Namibia. In this study, the relationship between CD4 counts, viral load (VL), prescribed first line antiretroviral combinations, micronutrient levels and age was explored. Data spanning from 2006 to 2015 were retrospectively collected from Katutura State...
Abstract This paper employ various econometric techniques to analyze the determinants of inflation in Namibia, focusing particularly on the relationships that exist between the Namibian price, as the dependant variable, and the real Gross Domestics Product, Broad money supply, interest rate, and South African Price index as well as the United States price index, being the explanatory variables and probable determinants of inflation rate in Namibia.. Inflation equations that were estimated use...
ABSTRACT Elephants like most animals have different body condition, which in many cases is usually a reflection of their body fat content, food availability, presence or absence of diseases or disorders. Body condition in elephants and other factors that might affect it are not well studied. This study investigated the body condition of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) around the Mushara Waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia. The study focussed on possible correlations of body cond...
ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to confirm for the first time, the identity of Trametes mushrooms from Northern Namibia and then to generate information on local uses and bioactive compounds of these Trametes species. To achieve this, samples were collected from Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshikoto and Oshana regions and identified as Trametes species based on morphological features. These were a basidiocarp with concentric zones, brown, tan or grey colour and pores from 2-3 pores/mm to po...
ABSTRACT River-floodplains are highly productive environments capable of supporting large fisheries. In the Kavango and Caprivi Regions in Namibia, artisanal gillnet fisheries catch is dominated by three cichlids: Oreochromis andersonii, Oreochromis macrochir and Tilapia rendalli. Their abundance is declining because of increased fishing pressure and their stocks are becoming vulnerable to overfishing. The aim of this thesis was to provide management recommendations for the three cichlids by ...
ABSTRACT Floodplain fisheries are typically multi-species and in most cases harvested with a variety of gears. In the upper- Zambezi, artisanal gillnet fishers mainly target three cichlids: Oreochromis andersonii, Oreochromis macrochir and Coptodon rendalli. However, their abundance is declining because of increased fishing pressure and their stocks are becoming vulnerable to overfishing. The principal aim of this PhD thesis was to assess the fish population dynamics in a highly variable syst...
Abstract This study was conducted in Namibian waters that forms part of the Benguela current ecosystem. This upwelling-driven ecosystem supports high abundances of fish species, some of which have been the backbone of Namibian commercial fishery for decades. The study of the trophic relationships of prey species of commercial fish is important, as it improves understanding of the ecology of their predators and considers multi-species interactions in fisheries management. The objectives of thi...
ABSTRACT The synthesis and characterization of two sets of metal complexes containing ligands derived from 2-acetylpyridine and hydrazide derivatives is reported. The first set consists of complexes containing a ligand derived from 2-acetylpyridine and S-methyldithiocarbazate while the second set is of complexes containing a ligand derived from 2-acetypyridine and thiocarbohydrazide. The ligands were synthesized via an acid catalysed condensation reaction and the metal complexes were synthesi...