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Background Zimbabwe is one of the thirty countries globally with a high burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) or rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB). Since 2010, patients diagnosed with MDR/RR-TB are being treated with 20-24 months of standardized second-line drugs (SLDs). The profile, management and factors associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes of MDR/RR TB have not been systematically evaluated in Zimbabwe. Objective To assess treatment outcomes and factors associated with unfavourable outcomes among MDR/RR-TB patients registered and treated under the National Tuberculosis Programme in all the district hospitals and urban healthcare facilities in Zimbabwe between January 2010 and December 2015. Methods A cohort study using routinely collected programme data. The 'death', 'loss to follow-up' (LTFU), 'failure' and 'not evaluated' were considered as "unfavourable outcome". A generalized linear model with a log-link and binomial distribution or a Poisson distribution with robust error variances were used to assess factors associated with "unfavourable outcome". The unadjusted and adjusted relative risks were calculated as a measure of association. A pva-lue< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Engaging students in an international online setting that is interdisciplinary and culturally diverse is a challenge. A joint classroom between German and Ugandan universities used a formative assessment approach paired with active learning elements to foster individual and peer learning in an international virtual setting. A survey at three different times across the semester explored students’ perceptions towards the value of the active learning activities and evaluated how perceptions changed over time. Overall, students enjoyed the diverse active learning activities and perceived value toward their success in class. This was more pronounced and unidirectional for individual tasks than it was for group work. In addition to the findings of the structured survey, observation and feedback indicated that other elements contributed to effective course delivery. These included clear and frequent communication to the students from the primary instructor, prompt feedback from the instructor on graded exercises, such as a reflective learning diary and ungraded quizzes, and student confidence that sincere effort would achieve a good grade.

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A study was conducted to determine the mode of inheritance for grain shape and aroma traits of lines in the Uganda rice germplasm. Five aromatic and four non-aromatic rice lines were crossed in screen house using North Carolina Design II at the National Crops Resources Research Institute, Uganda. The resulting F 2 seeds and their parents were planted in the field using complete randomized block design in two replications. The grain shape and aroma intensity of the harvested F 3 seeds on per hill basis were determined in laboratory using instrumental and sensory evaluation procedures, respectively. The results revealed that the inheritance of grain shape and aroma traits were influenced by both additive and non-additive gene actions, but with the grain shape being dominated by additive gene action and the aroma by non-additive gene action. In addition, Supa 3, Supa 5 and Supa 1052 rice lines exhibited good general combining ability effects for the shape trait while Supa 3 and MET 13 were good general combiners for the aroma trait. The superior cross combination from Supa 3 x Supa 5 for grain shape and Supa 3 x MET 13 for aroma trait could be used for selection of the relevant traits at advanced stages of the breeding cycles.