A review on the potential of aquaculture development in Kenya for poverty alleviation and food security

On the global scene, aquaculture accounts for about 50% of total fish production amounting to about 80 million metric tonnes. It is estimated that another 40 million metric tonnes of aquatic food will be required by the year 2030. Today, fish farming represents the fastest growing sector of food production. Moreover, aquaculture has a major role to play in the achievement of the first three Sustainable Development Goals on poverty, hunger, food security and healthy lives of people from developing countries. This is significant especially in the developing countries where poverty and malnutrition are a reality. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, per capita fish production from aquaculture is still below world production levels. In Kenya, inland capture fisheries accounted for over 90% of the total national fish production while marine capture fisheries contributed about 5% in the last decade. Kenya has one of the fastest growing human populations in the world indicating that the demand for fish and fish products will continue to rise, increasing the gap between supply and demand. Currently, aquaculture only produces about 24,000 metric tonnes of fish annually compared to an annual average of 178,000 metric tonnes from natural fisheries. The dominant cultured species include: Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykis) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Culture systems commonly used are static ponds and raceway systems. In addition, the country is endowed with numerous aquaculture resources ranging from favorable climatic conditions to vast water resources. In the year 2009, the Kenyan government took steps to enhance aquaculture production through an Economic Stimulus Programme. This has increased the contribution of aquaculture in Kenya to 11.0% of the total fish production. This paper discusses the growth and development of aquaculture in Kenya during the last 50 years and the impact of government support to the sub-sector. The paper also proposes strategies for ensuring that Kenya becomes one of the leading producers of fish from aquaculture in Africa.Key words: Fish production, capture fisheries, culture systems, Economic Stimulus Programme, aquacultur

From eye to face: The impact of face outline, feature number, and feature saliency on the early neural response to faces

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146343. © 2019. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/The LIFTED model of early face perception postulates that the face-sensitive N170 event-related potential may reflect underlying neural inhibition mechanisms which serve to regulate holistic and featural processing. It remains unclear, however, what specific factors impact these neural inhibition processes. Here, N170 peak responses were recorded whilst adults maintained fixation on a single eye using a gaze-contingent paradigm, and the presence/absence of a face outline, as well as the number and type of parafoveal features within the outline, were manipulated. N170 amplitudes and latencies were reduced when a single eye was fixated within a face outline compared to fixation on the same eye in isolation, demonstrating that the simple presence of a face outline is sufficient to elicit a shift towards a more face-like neural response. A monotonic decrease in the N170 amplitude and latency was observed with increasing numbers of parafoveal features, and the type of feature(s) present in parafovea further modulated this early face response. These results support the idea of neural inhibition exerted by parafoveal features onto the foveated feature as a function of the number, and possibly the nature, of parafoveal features. Specifically, the results suggest the use of a feature saliency framework (eyes > mouth > nose) at the neural level, such that the parafoveal eye may play a role in down-regulating the response to the other eye (in fovea) more so than the nose or the mouth. These results confirm the importance of parafoveal features and the face outline in the neural inhibition mechanism, and provide further support for a feature saliency mechanism guiding early face perception.This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC #418431), the Canada Research Chair program (CRC #213322 and 230407) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI # 213322), awarded to RJI. KBP was supported by an NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Master’s Award and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Charles Best and Frederick Banking Doctoral Research Award for the course of this work

Do You Think Your Group Thinks?

“Do You Think Your Group Thinks?” An Examination of the Relationship between Groupthink and Small Group Type The intent of our research was to analyize the six main groups in our culture and to determine which group, if any, suffers from groupthink more than the others. Groupthink is defined as “a strong concurrence-seeking tendency among members within a group that leads to a deterioration in the decision making process.” There are six main types of groups, primary groups, social groups, educational/theraputic groups, decision making/problem solving groups, work groups and mediated communication groups. A literature review was conducted on previous studies about various aspects of small group and groupthink research. In 1972, Irving L. Janis studied political disasters and developed “groupthink theory”. Eight symptoms were developed to assess group think. We determined that surveys were the best, and most efficient way to calculate these queries. Entitled, “Group Interaction Survey” our group composed a survey which consists of twelve close-ended (yes or no) questions. Each question was designed to detect one of the eight symptoms of groupthink Janis outlined. The purpose of asking these surveys was to gauge what groups are more susceptible to groupthink. Twenty surveys were passed out to each group totalling 120 surveys. According to our research, determined by the survey, primary groups had the highest amount of groupthink. Of the people we surveyed 55% of the answers indicated group think. Problem solving groups had the lowest amount of accumulated groupthink with an outcome of only 40% of the answers indicating groupthink. There are other ways the study could have been conducted, several other factors that could have been considered such as a wider variety of ages, greater number of surveys, or wider geographical area covered. Other methods could have been used as well to evaluate each individaul symptom

DNA species surveillance: Monitoring bushmeat poaching and trading in Kenya using partial cytochrome b gene

DNA species identification has applications in such areas as forensic science, systematics, conservation genetics and agriculture. One key anthropogenic activity threatening large wildlife fauna is illegal exploitation. In Kenya, species identification of raw and processed meat products remains a constraint to effective enforcement of illegal trade in game meat (bushmeat) and products. We tested the reliability of a 321 bp mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) region as a species identification tool for application in wildlife forensics. Query sequences were generated from known specimens of 14 Eastern African wildlife species, 13 representing commonly poached ungulates, and three domesticated species. These were compared, using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) algorithm, with NCBI GenBank reference sequences for species identity. These query sequences were subsequently deposited on Genbank. They represent a contribution to a diagnostic internal East African Wildlife reference cyt b database. The test species comprised: Cape buffalo, bushbuck, Guenther’s dik-dik, common duiker, common eland, Grant’s gazelle, hartebeest, impala, lesser kudu, plains zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, common warthog, wildebeest, Maasai ostrich, cattle, goat and sheep. Additionally, cooked beef and pork samples were analyzed. The results show that, when conspecific sequences were available in the database, species discrimination was 100%. Phylogeny clustering of the species by maximum likelihood supported the species determination by BLAST. The second part of the study carried out a preliminary survey of the prevalence of illegal game meat sold in the dispersal area of Tsavo National Park, Kenya. Sixty two raw meat samples were randomly collected from small roadside retail outlets along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway (A109), a major transnational highway that transverses Tsavo National Park. The results indicate a 9.7% (n = 6) illegal game meat sale, comprising five Guenther’s dik-diks and a Beisa oryx. A 2 km radius hotspot, with 83% (n = 5) of the bushmeat sales was identified just south of Tsavo East National Park.Key words: East Africa, Kenya, bushmeat, poaching, wildlife conservation, species identification, mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

Experience and Lessons Learnt on Health Care Personnel Participating In the Implementation of TB Operational Research at (EAPHLNP -OR) Malindi, Kenya

No Abstract

Cell-type specific distribution and activation of type I IFN pathway molecules at the placental maternal-fetal interface in response to COVID-19 infection

Background and objectiveCOVID-19 infection in pregnancy significantly increases risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, little is known how the innate immunity at the placental maternal-fetal interface responds to COVID-19 infection. Type I IFN cytokines are recognized as a key component of the innate immune response against viral infection. In this study, we specifically evaluated expression of IFN antiviral signaling molecules in placentas from women infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy.MethodsExpression of IFN activation signaling pathway molecules, including cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS), stimulator of interferon genes (STING), interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), and IFNβ were determined in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) placental tissue sections (villous and fetal membrane) by immunostaining. A total of 20 placentas were examined, 12 from COVID-19 patients and 8 from non-COVID-19 controls. Patient demographics, clinical data, and placental pathology report were acquired via EPIC medical record review.ResultsExcept BMI and placental weight, there was no statistical difference between COVID and non-COVID groups in maternal age, gestational age at delivery, gravity/parity, delivery mode, and newborn gender and weight. In COVID-exposed group, the main pathological characteristics in the placental disc are maternal and fetal vascular malperfusion and chronic inflammation. Compared to non-COVID controls, expression of IFN activation pathway molecules were all upregulated with distinct cell-type specific distribution in COVID-exposed placentas: STING in villous and decidual stromal cells; IRF3 in cytotrophoblasts (CTs) and extra-villous trophoblasts (EVTs); and TLR7 and MAVS in syncytiotrophoblasts (STs), CTs, and EVTs. Upregulation of STING, MAVS and TLR7 was also seen in fetal endothelial cells.ConclusionsSTING, IRF3, TLR7, and MAVS are key viral sensing molecules that regulate type I IFN production. Type I IFNs are potent antiviral cytokines to impair and eradicate viral replication in infected cells. The finding of cell-type specific distribution and activation of these innate antiviral molecules at the placental maternal-fetal interface provide plausible evidence that type I IFN pathway molecules may play critical roles against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the placenta. Our findings also suggest that placental maternal-fetal interface has a well-defined antiviral defense system to protect the developing fetus from SARS-CoV-2 infection

Diarrhoea Complicating Severe Acute Malnutrition in Kenyan Children: A Prospective Descriptive Study of Risk Factors and Outcome

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) accounts for two million deaths worldwide annually. In those hospitalised with SAM, concomitant infections and diarrhoea are frequent complications resulting in adverse outcome. We examined the clinical and laboratory features on admission and outcome of children with SAM and diarrhoea at a Kenyan district hospital. METHODS: A 4-year prospective descriptive study involving 1,206 children aged 6 months to 12 years, hospitalized with SAM and managed in accordance with WHO guidelines. Data on clinical features, haematological, biochemical and microbiological findings for children with diarrhoea (≥ 3 watery stools/day) were systematically collected and analyzed to identify risk factors associated with poor outcome. RESULTS: At admission 592 children (49%) had diarrhoea of which 122 (21%) died compared to 72/614 (12%) deaths in those without diarrhoea at admission (Χ(2) = 17.6 p<0.001). A further 187 (16%) children developed diarrhoea after 48 hours of admission and 33 died (18%). Any diarrhoea during admission resulted in a significantly higher mortality 161/852 (19%) than those uncomplicated by diarrhoea 33/351 (9%) (Χ(2) = 16.6 p<0.001). Features associated with a fatal outcome in children presenting with diarrhoea included bacteraemia, hyponatraemia, low mid-upper arm circumference <10 cm, hypoxia, hypokalaemia and oedema. Bacteraemia had the highest risk of death (adjusted OR 6.1; 95% C.I 2.3, 16.3 p<0.001); and complicated 24 (20%) of fatalities. Positive HIV antibody status was more frequent in cases with diarrhoea at admission (23%) than those without (15%, Χ(2) = 12.0 p = 0.001) but did not increase the risk of death in diarrhoea cases. CONCLUSION: Children with SAM complicated by diarrhoea had a higher risk of death than those who did not have diarrhoea during their hospital stay. Further operational and clinical research is needed to reduce mortality in children with SAM in the given setting