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Uganda has made progress towards developing a functional biosafety system. The system has evolved in the past three decades to enable substantial application of modern biotechnology in different sectors. Key informant interviews were used to capture tacit knowledge from respondents who were identified to have vast knowledge and experience of the biosafety system of Uganda in the past 30 years. Secondary data was then used to fill the gaps in the knowledge map. From the findings we were able to identify the key drivers of policy reforms that shaped the evolution of the biosafety regulatory system; policy, institutional developments, partnerships, public participation and engagements milestones that contributed to developing the biosafety system in Uganda. We discuss the lessons learnt and their implications for on-going and future biosafety policy and legal discourse. We share some strategic recommendations that we believe if implemented will enable Uganda, and other developing countries, to put in place a coordinated and evidence-based regulatory system, which is required for effective application and adoption of the current and emerging biotechnologies. Uganda’s case study is also a learning experience for countries that are in the process of establishing biosafety frameworks.

Knowledge about the genetic diversity and structure of crop cultivars can help make better conservation decisions, and guide crop improvement efforts. Diversity analysis using microsatellite markers was performed to assess the level of genetic diversity in sweet potato in Uganda, and evaluate the genetic relationship between the Uganda’s germplasm and some genotypes obtained from Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Brazil and Peru. A total of 260 sweet potato cultivars were characterized using 93 microsatellite loci. The Ugandan collection showed a large number of distinct landraces, and very low (3 %) levels of genetic diversity between genotypes obtained from the different agro-ecological zones. There was low (6 %) levels of genetic diversity observed between the East African genotypes; however unique alleles were present in collections from the various sources. Pairwise comparisons of genetic differentiation indicated that Uganda’s germplasm was significantly different ( P  < 0.001) from cultivars from Tanzania, Ghana, Brazil and Peru. The presence of unique alleles in populations from various Uganda’s agro-ecological zones and other global regions, as well as the regional diversity patterns, suggest that efforts should be made to further collect and characterize the germplasm in more depth.

Background Increasing numbers of HIV-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa are exposed to antiretroviral therapy (ART), but there are few data on lipid changes on first-line ART, and even fewer on second-line. Methods DART was a randomized trial comparing monitoring strategies in Ugandan/Zimbabwean adults initiating first-line ART and switching to second-line at clinical/immunological failure. We evaluated fasting lipid profiles at second-line initiation and ≥48 weeks subsequently in stored samples from Zimbabwean patients switching before 18 September 2006. Results Of 91 patients switched to second-line ART, 65(73%) had fasting samples at switch and ≥48 weeks, 14(15%) died or were lost <48 weeks, 10(11%) interrupted ART for >14 days and 2(2%) had no samples available. 56/65(86%) received ZDV/d4T + 3TC + TDF first-line, 6(9%) ZDV/d4T + 3TC + NVP and 3(5%) ZDV + 3TC with TDF and NVP. Initial second-line regimens were LPV/r + NNRTI in 27(41%), LPV/r + NNRTI + ddI in 33(50%) and LPV/r + TDF + ddI/3TC/ZDV in 6(9%). At second-line initiation median (IQR) TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG (mmol/L) were 3.3(2.8-4.0), 1.7(1.3-2.2), 0.7(0.6-0.9) and 1.1(0.8-1.9) respectively. Levels were significantly increased 48 weeks later, by mean (SE) +2.0(0.1), +1.1(0.1), +0.5(0.05) and +0.4(0.2) respectively (p < 0.001; TG p = 0.01). 3% at switch vs 25% 48 weeks later had TC >5.2 mmol/L; 3% vs 25% LDL-C >3.4 mmol/L and 91% vs 41% HDL-C <1.1 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Similar proportions had TG >1.8 mmol/L (0 vs 3%) and TC/HDL-C ≥5 (40% vs 33%) (p > 0.15). Conclusion Modest lipid elevations were observed in African patients on predominantly LPV/r + NNRTI-based second-line regimens. Routine lipid monitoring during second-line ART regimens may not be warranted in this setting but individual cardiovascular risk assessment should guide practice.

Background Adherence is one of the most important determinants of viral suppression and drug resistance in HIV-infected people receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods We examined the association between long-term mortality and poor adherence to ART in DART trial participants in Uganda and Zimbabwe randomly assigned to receive laboratory and clinical monitoring (LCM), or clinically driven monitoring (CDM). Since over 50% of all deaths in the DART trial occurred during the first year on ART, we focussed on participants continuing ART for 12 months to investigate the implications of longer-term adherence to treatment on mortality. Participants’ ART adherence was assessed by pill counts and structured questionnaires at 4-weekly clinic visits. We studied the effect of recent adherence history on the risk of death at the individual level (odds ratios from dynamic logistic regression model), and on mortality at the population level (population attributable fraction based on this model). Analyses were conducted separately for both randomization groups, adjusted for relevant confounding factors. Adherence behaviour was also confounded by a partial factorial randomization comparing structured treatment interruptions (STI) with continuous ART (CT). Results In the CDM arm a significant association was found between poor adherence to ART in the previous 3-9 months with increased mortality risk. In the LCM arm the association was not significant. The odds ratios for mortality in participants with poor adherence against those with optimal adherence was 1.30 (95% CI 0.78,2.10) in the LCM arm and 2.18 (1.47,3.22) in the CDM arm. The estimated proportions of deaths that could have been avoided with optimal adherence (population attributable fraction) in the LCM and CDM groups during the 5 years follow-up period were 16.0% (95% CI 0.7%,31.6%) and 33.1% (20.5%,44.8%), correspondingly. Conclusions Recurrent poor adherence determined even through simple measures is associated with high mortality both at individual level as well as at the ART programme level. The number of lives saved through effective interventions to improve adherence could be considerable particularly for individuals monitored without using CD4 cell counts. The findings have important implications for clinical practice and for developing interventions to enhance adherence.