Causes of Absenteeism and Dropout Among Girls in Secondary Schools in Bureti Sub County, Kenya

Education is an important aspect for overall development of every person irrespective of gender. In Kenya, thè girl child is faced with a number of challenges in thè process of her secondary school education. Such challenges might include  absenteeism and dropout rate which may lead to diminishing girl child participation in formal education. Determining factors affecting girl-child educationis a worthy cause. This study sought to investigate  the causes of absenteeism and dropout among the girls in secondary schools in Bureti Sub County.Survey research design was used in the study.  The target population of the study was 5541 girl students and 62 secondary school teacher counselors. The accessible population was360 girl students and 16 teacher counselors  in the study area. Stratified sampling techniquewas used to sample the accessible population. Piloting of the instruments was carried out to find out the content validity of the items. Cronbach Alpha coefficient was used to estimate the reliability of the SQ and CTQ, and was found to be 0.75 suggesting that the items had relatively high internal consistency. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics.The findings of the study may provide educational  policy makers with in- depth information on the factors that undermine the girl child’s education; and subsequently to the formulation of policies that could safeguard the girl child in the pursue of educational opportunities. Keywords: Education, Girl Child, Absenteeism, Dropou

Participatory investigation of important animal health problems amongst the Turkana pastoralists: Relative incidence, impact on livelihoods and suggested interventions

This report describes a study of the principal animal health problems in central and southern parts of Turkana South District, with particular emphasis on their relative importance, factors that promote their occurrence and persistence, and the perceived impact of intervention measures applied previously by the Turkana Livestock Development Program (TLDP). The study was conceived and supported by VSF Belgium, a non-governmental organization (NGO) which is implementing the TLDP. The first phase of the program was implemented between 2000 and 2005, and the second phase was initiated in 2006. The overall objective of the first phase, which occurred largely in Turkana Central (Turkwell, Loima and Kerio Divisions), was to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable pastoral communities through enhanced livestock production, increased access to water, improved marketing opportunities and peace building initiatives. The second phase of the program builds on the achievements of the TLDP I and seeks to expand the target area to include Turkana South (Kainuk, Katilu, Lokichar and Lokori Divisions). The study utilized participatory epidemiological techniques to capture and prioritize animal health problems observed in the target area. Topics of discussion include livestock species and benefits received from them; livestock diseases and interventions; effect of nomadic pastoralism on disease persistence and transmission; impacts of conflicts on livestock husbandry and disease occurrence and persistence; livestock species and disease priorities; disease control; access and utilization of veterinary inputs; community animal health workers; pastoralism and transboundary disease; and conflict and animal health care

Farmers, consumers and gatekeepers and their attitudes towards biotechnology

In 1999, a project to develop insect resistance maize for Africa was launched. Social scientists from this team used participatory rural appraisals, consumer studies, a baseline and gatekeeper survey to study the awareness and attitudes towards biotechnology among farmers, consumers and gatekeepers. Farmers’ awareness of biotechnology was very low (12.7%). Awareness on genetically modified (GM) crops among consumers was also found to be low, although it was higher among urban consumers (38%) than among rural ones (31%). Radio was the main source of information. A large majority of consumers agreed to statements expressing the benefits of biotechnology such as increasing productivity. However, they had environmental and health concerns. Half of the urban consumers expressed concerns about the environment, in particular, loss of biodiversity. In contrast, awareness about GM was found to be high for the gatekeepers (87% for millers, and 79% for supermarkets). A majority of gatekeepers in the food industry were concerned that GM food could cause allergic reactions or antibiotic-resistant diseases. Almost all consumers were willing to purchase GM maize meal at the same price. Of those in the industry, more than two thirds, were hesitant to use them preferring to make the decision on a case-by-case basis.Key words: Biotechnology, genetically modified (GM), consumer, attitudes, gatekeeper

Evaluation of Factors Influencing Access to Credit Financial Services: Evidence from Smallholder Farmers in Eastern Region of Kenya

The access to credit financial services by the rural smallholder farmers in many occasions has revolutionized the rural development in a sustainable manner, and has greatly contributed to household food security and poverty reduction. This study sought to establish the main factors that affect smallholder farmers’ access to credit financial services in the Eastern region of Kenya using logistic regression model. The marginal effects results indicated that, education level, main occupation, and group membership were statistically significant with positive effects on access to credit financial services. However, household income was found to be significant with negative effects on access to credit financial services. Overall, this paper concludes with implication for policy to establish credit/loans offices close to farmers in order to reduce lending procedures, risks, and educate them on perceptions on loan repayment. Moreover, the government should enhance the development of local credit and distribution systems as well as enforcement of credit input services in form of in-kind lending to reduce fungibility into consumption expenditures. Finally, there is an urgent need for effective insurance training programs to mitigate the risks in farming, as well as financial literacy programs to familiarize smallholder farmers with the skills required to effectively understand, assess and utilize credit financial services towards enhancing their agricultural activities. Keywords: Evaluation; Smallholders; Credit Access; Financial Services; Eastern region; Keny

Socioeconomic Factors that Influence Smallholder Farmers’ Membership in a Dairy Cooperative Society in Embu County, Kenya

Smallholder dairy farmers produce the bulk of total marketed milk in Kenya. Dairy cooperatives are one of the avenues for these smallholder farmers to harness markets for their milk. The paper sought to find out the socioeconomic factors that would influence these farmers to join dairy cooperatives in Embu County, Kenya. Systematic random sampling and simple random sampling were used to select a total of 236 smallholder farmers. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the binomial logit model. The results show that age, gender, household size, herd size, distance to the nearest market, access to credit and milk sold influenced the decision to join cooperative societies. The study recommends further study whether cooperatives are improving the incomes of smallholder farmers. Keywords:Dairy cooperative society, smallholder farmers, Binomial logit mode

Determinants of Market Participation among Small-Scale Pineapple Farmers in Kericho County, Kenya

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is one of the major cash crops grown in Kericho County, Kenya specifically Bureti district. In the study area, pineapples have been perceived to have high market value, resulting in tradeoffs with staple food. Despite pineapples market value, its market participation has not been studied and quantified. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the factors influencing market participation and its extent. A simple random sampling approach was used to select a sample of 150 small-scale pineapple farmers and primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using the descriptive statistics and Heckman two-stage model. The results showed that age, gender, education level and pineapple yields significantly influenced the decision to participate in pineapple marketing. Further, gender, price information, group marketing, marketing experience, vehicle ownership and marketing under contract significantly influenced the extent of market participation. Based on the findings policy implication was drawn for improving the household income in the study area. Key words: Heckman two-stage model, market participation, small-scale pineapple farmers

Investigation of the Effects of the Short QT Syndrome D172N Kir2.1 Mutation on Ventricular Action Potential Profile Using Dynamic Clamp

The congenital short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a cardiac condition that leads to abbreviated ventricular repolarization and an increased susceptibility to arrhythmia and sudden death. The SQT3 form of the syndrome is due to mutations to the KCNJ2 gene that encodes Kir2.1, a critical component of channels underlying cardiac inwardly rectifying K(+) current, I(K1). The first reported SQT3 KCNJ2 mutation gives rise to the D172N Kir2.1 mutation, the consequences of which have been studied on recombinant channels in vitro and in ventricular cell and tissue simulations. The aim of this study was to establish the effects of the D172N mutation on ventricular repolarization through real-time replacement of I(K1) using the dynamic clamp technique. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from adult guinea-pig left ventricular myocytes at physiological temperature. Action potentials (APs) were elicited at 1 Hz. Intrinsic I(K1) was inhibited with a low concentration (50 µM) of Ba(2+) ions, which led to AP prolongation and triangulation, accompanied by a ∼6 mV depolarization of resting membrane potential. Application of synthetic I(K1) through dynamic clamp restored AP duration, shape and resting potential. Replacement of wild-type (WT) I(K1) with heterozygotic (WT-D172N) or homozygotic (D172N) mutant formulations under dynamic clamp significantly abbreviated AP duration (APD(90)) and accelerated maximal AP repolarization velocity, with no significant hyperpolarization of resting potential. Across stimulation frequencies from 0.5 to 3 Hz, the relationship between APD(90) and cycle length was downward shifted, reflecting AP abbreviation at all stimulation frequencies tested. In further AP measurements at 1 Hz from hiPSC cardiomyocytes, the D172N mutation produced similar effects on APD and repolarization velocity; however, resting potential was moderately hyperpolarized by application of mutant I(K1) to these cells. Overall, the results of this study support the major changes in ventricular cell AP repolarization with the D172N predicted from prior AP modelling and highlight the potential utility of using adult ventricular cardiomyocytes for dynamic clamp exploration of functional consequences of Kir2.1 mutations

Design and operation of a prototype interaction point beam collision feedback system for the International Linear Collider

A high-resolution, intratrain position feedback system has been developed to achieve and maintain collisions at the proposed future electron-positron International Linear Collider (ILC). A prototype has been commissioned and tested with a beam in the extraction line of the Accelerator Test Facility at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization in Japan. It consists of a stripline beam position monitor (BPM) with analogue signal-processing electronics, a custom digital board to perform the feedback calculation, and a stripline kicker driven by a high-current amplifier. The closed-loop feedback latency is 148 ns. For a three-bunch train with 154 ns bunch spacing, the feedback system has been used to stabilize the third bunch to 450 nm. The kicker response is linear, and the feedback performance is maintained, over a correction range of over $\pm$60 {\mu}m. The propagation of the correction has been confirmed by using an independent stripline BPM located downstream of the feedback system. The system has been demonstrated to meet the BPM resolution, beam kick, and latency requirements for the ILC

The Redshift Evolution of LCDM Halo Parameters: Concentration, Spin, and Shape

We present a detailed study of the redshift evolution of dark matter halo structural parameters in a LambdaCDM cosmology. We study the mass and redshift dependence of the concentration, shape and spin parameter in Nbody simulations spanning masses from 10^{10} Msun/h to 10^{15} Msun/h and redshifts from 0 to 2. We present a series of fitting formulas that accurately describe the time evolution of the concentration-mass relation since z=2. Using arguments based on the spherical collapse model we study the behaviour of the scale length of the density profile during the assembly history of haloes, obtaining physical insights on the origin of the observed time evolution of the concentration mass relation. We also investigate the evolution with redshift of dark matter halo shape and its dependence on mass. Within the studied redshift range the relation between halo shape and mass can be well fitted by a power law. Finally we show that although for z=0 the spin parameter is practically mass independent, at increasing redshift it shows a increasing correlation with mass.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRAS, minor changes to previous versio