Taiwan: Compulsory Occupational Pensions Still Dominate

The compulsory occupational pension and insurance system, along with personal savings and family supports, form the backbone of social security in Taiwan. Due to the relatively low contribution ratio, public sector pensions, as well as private sector pensions, are seriously under-funded, and this will lay enormous pressure on future government budgets if reforms are not implemented soon. The new Labor Pension Bill will make drastic policy shifts from defined benefit to defined contribution, from non-portable to portable, and finally from government management of funds to partial private management.

Fumonisin contamination of maize (Zea mays) in aflatoxin ‘hot’ zones in eastern province of Kenya

Natural Fusarium and fumonisin contamination were evaluated in 86 stored maize samples and correlated to damaged kernels (%). Maize samples were collected from selected farmers in Aflatoxin ‘hot’ zones of Eastern province. Samples were collected from Kitui and Kibwezi districts in May to June 2008. Fusarium species were isolated and identified using morphological characteristics at Mycology Laboratory, Kenya Medical Research Institute. Fumonisinquantification was done using ELISA (RIDASCREEN ® ELISA test kit (Art. No.: R3401) at Bora Biotech, Nairobi. Colony Forming Unit (CFU) counts indicated that apart from Aspergillus a common contaminant in maize, Fusarium species infestation was also high. The most common species being F. verticillioides isolated at (39.9 %) in the two districts. Other isolated Fusarium species included, F. proliferatum (15.1 %), F. solani (9.0 %), F. anthophilium (9.0 %), F. oxysporium (15.1 %), and F. Lateritium (12.1 %). Damaged kernels analysed in this study included insect infestation, mouldy kernels, and off coloured kernels. Results showed up to 20 % of the grains were damaged in some samples. Contamination with fumonisin toxin was observed to be high. Most of the samples exceeded 1 mg / kg the maximum tolerable levels recommended by the European commission. Fusarium species count and fumonisin levels showed positive correlation (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a positive correlation between damaged kernels (%) and Fusarium species count (p < 0.05). Positive correlation was also observed between damaged kernels (%) and Fusarium species count (p < 0.05). In general, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum were isolated in samples with the highest percentage of kernel damage and highest fumonisin concentrations. These findings indicate wide spread infestation and contamination of maize by Fusarium species and fumonisin toxins. It is apparent that apart from aflatoxins contamination there is also high level of fumonisin exposure in the high risk population necessitating urgent intervention measures to curb the long term health consequences in the population. Keywords: Fusarium spp, Mycotoxin, Fumonisin, Zea maize, Aflatoxin ‘Hot’ zone

Microfinance Lending Services as a Tool for Sustainable Entrepreneurship Development in Uasin Gishu County

Sustainable development is gathering momentum in public discourse, and   greater attention and reverence in academic research. This study sought to asses’ Microfinance lending services as a tool for sustainable entrepreneurship development in Uasin Gishu County. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The target population was employees in Microfinance institutions. The study employed cross-sectional survey design. Questionnaires were used to collect data from  114 employees. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Finding suggests MFIs lending services influenced entrepreneurship development and it further influence Microenterprises growth and innovation. This study recommends that microfinance institutions should consider engaging strategic leading programmers to gain competitive advantage and provide innovative dynamic business growth. Keywords: Micro-finance, Lending, Sustainable, Entrepreneurshi

Presence of Cryptococcus species in domestic chicken (Gallus Gallus) droppings and the possible risk it posed to humans in Kabigeriet Village, Nakuru Country, Kenya

Objective: To isolate and identify Cryptococcus from domestic Chicken dropping.Design: cross sectional study.Setting: Kabigeriet village, Olenguorone Division, Nakuru county, approximately 282 km from Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: Sixty four domestic chicken droppings were sampled in thirty two homesteads after obtaining the farmers consent.Results: Two species of Cryptococcus were isolated.Conclusion: Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) harbor Pathogenic Cryptococcus in their dropping and their close proximity to human habitation poses a risk of AIDS to immunocompromised persons

Evaluation of bacteriological risks of barbershops in Kenyatta Market, Nairobi County, Kenya

Background: There is a growing concern that barber shops could serve as potential reservoirs of bacterial, fungal or even viral pathogens. Along with this background little is known about microbiological hazards associated with barbershops in Kenyatta Market, Nairobi County.Objective: To determine the microbiological hazards of barber shops by isolating and identifying potential bacterial pathogens from materials and equipment used in barber shops by swabbing surfaces of combs, brush, shaving machines/ clippers, customer apron, shelve and towels using moistened sterile cotton swabs.Design: Cross sectional study design was used to evaluate microbiological hazards of barber shops.Setting: Kenyatta market and its environs, barber shops.Subjects: All barbers within Kenyatta market as well as those around Ngumo and who consented to participate in the study and whose barber shops have the materials and equipment of interest.Results: A total of 56 bacterial isolates were isolated from the barbershop’s materials and equipment. The overall prevalence of pathogenic bacteria was Staphylococcus aureus 17(68.0%), E. coli 14 (56%), P. aeruginosa 14 (56.0%) and Klebsiella spp. 11(44.0%). P. aeruginosa microbial hazards were more associated with the customer aprons 6 (24.0%) , E. coli with shelves 8 (32.0%) and S. aureus with shaving machines 10 (40.0%), Klebsiella spp. was more associated with shelves, brushes and customer aprons respectively 3(12.0%). Chi square test of association showed that there was association in the type of bacteria isolated from materials and equipment at x2 = 45.710, df = 23, P =0.001. A one sample t-test analysis to test for the variation in the bacteria strains in the barber shops indicated that there was no significant difference in the number of the bacteria strains isolated in the shops (t = 1.29, P = 0.211).Conclusion: Barbering procedures particularly in Kenyatta market is associated with risks of bacterial infections both to the clients and the barbers through contaminated barber shop materials and equipment. In this regard, barbershops in Kenyatta market could serve as potential reservoir for potential bacterial pathogens for transmission to the general public. This should be a public health concern that calls for legislative mechanism to instill sanitary practices in this important public health practice

Dermatophyte Infections In Primary School Children In Kibera Slums Of Nairobi

Objective: To determine the prevalence and aetiology of dermatophyte infections in relation to social economic factors in primary school children in Kibera.Design: A Cross- sectional descriptive study.Setting: City council sponsored schools namely Olympic, Kibera, Ayany and Mbagathi way all in Kibera, the largest of the informal settlement within Nairobi which is home to between 700,000 - 1,000,000 inhabitamts. The study was conducted between September 2006 and February 2007.Subjects: A total of 422 primary school children from the ages of five years to 15 years were selected for the study.Results: The prevalence of dermatophytoses was 11.2% with tinea capitis being the most common type while the grey patch form being the dominant clinical manifestation. There was a significant difference (p=0.001) in dermatophytoses in different schools with Olympic primary school registering the highest prevalence (22.6%). The highestinfection rate occurred among six to eight years age bracket in both sexes compared to other age brackets (p=0.002). The genera of fungi associated with dermatophytoses were isolated indicating the number in each species as follows; T. violecium (35), T. mentagrophytes(3), T. terestre(3), T. schoenleinii(2), and T. interdigitale(1), M. canis(2),M. equinum(1) and E. flocossum(1). T. violecium was the predominant species isolated, at 35/48(71%) followed by T. mentagrophytes and T. terrestre at 3/48 (6%) each. Conclusion: The study indicates high prevalence of 11.2% dermatophyte infection among the school children in Kibera. Factors contributing to the high frequency and chronic occurrences of ring worm in this area may include poor living environment, children interaction patterns and poor health seeking behaviour. There is need for health education and public awareness campaigns among the communities in urban informal settlements on healthy seeking behaviors and hygiene in order to reducetransmission and severe clinical manifestations

EFFECT OF COLLABORATIVE CONCEPT MAPPING TEACHING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS MATHEMATICS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA

Achievement level in Mathematics in Secondary Schools in Kenya is still low despite numerous interventions. Conceptual understanding and attitudes have emerged in recent discoveries as the critical factors contributing to the continued inertia in performance in the subject. This study sought to establish the effect of Collaborative Concept Mapping (CCM) teaching strategy on secondary school students’ development of cognitive and affective domain. Specifically, the study sought to find out if there was any difference in Students’ achievement in mathematics, as a group and gender wise, and students’ attitude toward Mathematics subject when taught using the Collaborative Concept Mapping Teaching Strategy and the Conventional Methods of Instruction. The theoretical framework is based on constructivist theory which views learners as active constructors of meaning from input by processing it through existing cognitive structures and retaining it in the long-term memory. This study used a Quasi-experimental Solomon Four-Fold research design. The sample for the study comprised 161 form three students and 4 teachers of mathematics from 4 randomly selected sub-county co-educational secondary schools in the 4 sub-counties of Bomet County. The four co-educational schools were randomly assigned into two experimental (E1 & E2) and two control (C1 & C2) groups. Students in the experimental group were taught using Collaborative Concept Mapping (CCM) Teaching Strategy for three weeks while the control group was taught using Conventional Methods of Instruction. Students’ Attitude Towards Mathematics Questionnaire (SATMQ) was used to collect data. Circles Concept Achievement Test (CCAT) was administered to determine students’ conceptual understanding and achievement on the topic of ‘circles concept’ in Mathematics. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis which included frequencies, mean, t-test and ANOVA. All the statistical tests were subjected to a test of significance at alpha (α) level of 0.05. The results revealed that there was statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics in favour of CCM between students exposed to Collaborative Concept Mapping teaching strategy (CCM) and those taught using Conventional Method of Instruction. The findings further revealed that there was no statistically significant gender difference among students exposed to CCM teaching strategy. From the findings it can be concluded that the level of achievement in the learning of mathematical concepts and the attitude towards mathematics is marked higher when the students are taught using the Collaborative Concept Mapping Teaching Strategy (CCM) than when the conventional method is employed. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on the need for teachers to integrate Collaborative Concept Mapping Teaching Strategy (CCM) teaching strategy in the mathematics instruction to enhance conceptual understanding, improve achievement and foster positive attitude in the subject. There is also need for teacher training institutions to incorporate CCM as one of the strategies in mathematics instruction and that the serving teachers can be retooled to enable them to integrate CCM teaching strategy effectively in Mathematics learning. Mathematics curriculum developers need to restructure and integrate CCM among learner-centred strategies in Mathematics education.  Article visualizations

Genotypes of Candida albicans from Stool Samples of HIV Sero Positive and HIV Negative Individuals in Nairobi, Kenya

Candida albicans is one of the commonest opportunistic yeast pathogens that infect both healthy and immune-compromised individuals. Currently there are five recognized genotypes of C. albicans based on the 25 rDNA gene. Different genotypes of C. albicans have been shown to differ in their virulence and susceptibility to antifungal drugs and, thus accurate identification of the infecting genotype is essential for guiding antifungal therapy. The aim of the study was to determine the genotypes of C. albicans from stool samples of HIV sero positive and HIV negative individuals and ascertain whether there is an association between HIV status and genotype distribution. A total of forty four (44) Candida albicans isolates from the stool samples of 28 HIV sero positive patients attending an outpatient HIV/AIDS management clinic and 16 HIV negative individuals attending a hospitality industry support program at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) were genotyped using PCR primer pairs that span the transposable intron region of the 25S rDNA. Genotype A C. albicans was the most prevalent type (61.4%) followed by genotype C (11.4%) and genotype B (4.5%). Genotype B C. albicans was not isolated from HIV negative individuals. There was no significant difference in the genotype distribution of C. albicans isolates from HIV sero positive and HIV negative individuals (p=0.304). Ten (22.7%) C. albicans isolates could not be genotyped using the transposable region primers an indication of possible new genotypes. Genotype A is the most predominant C. albicans isolate both in HIV sero positive and HIV negative individuals and there is no predilation of any genotype to HIV infected. There is a possibility of new genotypes of C. albicans and sequence analysis may be warranted. Keywords: Genotypes, C. albicans, stool, HIV, Kenya

Antimicrobial properties of hugonia casteneifolia and its potential use for the control of opportunistic infections

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