A Mathematical model for bovine brucellosis incorporating contaminated environment

Paper presented at Strathmore International Math Research Conference on July 23 - 27, 201

Methods to Improve Our Understanding of Aspen Regeneration and Aspen Distribution Across the Intermountain West

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is the dominant broadleaf tree and an ecologically important species at upper elevations in the Intermountain West. Recent large-scale forest mortality events have raised questions about how physiological and climatic factors influence aspen’s distribution across the western U.S. Aspen is particularly well-known for reproducing asexually from its root sprouts, leading to the formation of large clonal stands. In addition, as a wind-dispersed species, aspen sexual reproduction plays an important role in how it is distributed at a landscape scale. My research focuses on questions relating to both sexual and asexual reproduction of aspen. My first research question was to determine how is aspen distributed by sex and climatic variables across the Intermountain West? My results indicated that there were nearly 2:1 male:female aspen across the landscape. These results indicate an overall male bias among established aspen in the Intermountain West, which may suggest male aspen clones are persisting longer or expanding more than female clones. My second research question was to determine how well above- and below-ground measurements predict aspen suckering sized root mass and regeneration potential. Results indicated a few strong correlations between the mass of suckering-sized roots and understory associated species cover, as well as proportion of crown dieback. There were also strong correlations between root phloem diameter proportion and root carbohydrate measurements. These results suggest that the use of stand- or root-level measurements can improve prediction of aspen suckering response

Assessing the Factors Influencing the Adoption of Digital Signatures Among Government Employees in Tanzania

This study aimed at assessing the factors influencing the adoption of digital signatures among government employees in Tanzania. The study was guided by the technology acceptance model (TAM) with an additional of facilitating condition, a construct that was borrowed from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The quantitative research design was used by employing a purposive sampling technique to effectively identify cases that would use limited research resources. The study involved sample of 256 respondents drawn from selected government organizations. Findings indicated that the results are consistent with the original TAM framework and the additional factor – facilitating conditions fit well into the model. The results were discussed and recommendations as well as future research directions were suggested.&nbsp

EFFECT OF BANK LOAN FINANCING POLICIES ON PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA

Loans are considered to be the basic source of financing Small and Medium Enterprises in developing countries like Kenya. However, the majority of SMEs continues to face challenges in obtaining loan facilities resulting in poor performance and closures. Hence, the study investigated the effect of bank loan financing policies on the performance of SMEs in Turkana County, Kenya. The study was guided by two research questions: In what ways do collateral requirements affect the performance of small and medium sized enterprises in Turkana County, Kenya? And how does financial information affect the performance of small and medium sized enterprises in Turkana County, Kenya? The study was anchored on correlation research design and targeted a population of 2037 licensed SMEs from different sectors in Turkana County. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select a sample of 334 SMEs. A questionnaire for SMEs was used as the instrument of data collection that collected data on the independent and dependent variables. The research instrument was tested for validity and reliability before being taken to the field. Analysis of data was done through the quantitative method. Analysis of data to answer the research questions was done by using descriptive statistics; frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. Data analysed was presented in the form of frequencies and percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The research result showed that there existed a significant negative effect of collateral requirements ( and performance of SMEs. However, the second null hypothesis was accepted (p>0.05) because leading to the acceptance that there was no significant effect  of financial information on the performance of SMEs. The study concludes that loan financial policies had a significant effect on the performance of SMEs in Turkana County. The study recommends that financial institutions need to revise their loan financing policies to make them attractive to SMEs as they have been found to be influencing their performance. JEL: L20; G2

Pharyngitis Management: Defining the Controversy

Despite numerous controlled trials, clinical practice guidelines and cost-effective analyses, controversy persists regarding the appropriate management strategy for adult pharyngitis. In this perspective, we explore this controversy by comparing two competing clinical guidelines. Although the guidelines appear to make widely diverging recommendations, we show that the controversy centers on only a small proportion of patients: those presenting with severe pharyngitis. We examine recently published data to illustrate that this seemingly simple problem of strep throat remains a philosophical issue: should we give primacy to relieving acute time-limited symptoms, or should we emphasize the potential societal risk of antibiotic resistance? We accept potentially over treating a minority of adult pharyngitis patients with the most severe presentations to reduce suffering in an approximately equal number of patients who will have false negative test results if the test-and-treat strategy were used

Characteristics of Esophageal Cancer Cases in Tanzania.

PurposeAge-standardized incidence rates for esophageal cancer (EC) in East Africa have been reported as disproportionately high compared with the worldwide incidence of nine per 100,000 population. This study aimed to characterize EC cases seen at Muhimbili National Hospital and Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.MethodsDemographic, clinical, and treatment variables were abstracted from charts of patients who received care for a diagnosis of EC at one or both institutions between 2011 and 2013. Categorical data were summarized as frequency counts and percentages. Continuous data were presented as medians and ranges. To compare men and women, Pearson's χ2 and two-sample t tests were applied.ResultsSeven hundred thirty-eight unique cases of EC were identified, of whom 68% were men and the median age was 60 years (range, 19 to 95 years). Notably, 93 cases (13%) were ≤ 40 years old at diagnosis. Squamous cell carcinoma was the dominant histology, comprising 90% of cases with documented histopathology. However, 34% of cases with a diagnosis of EC were not pathologically confirmed. The stage was documented as locoregional in 4% of cases, locally advanced in 20% of cases, metastatic in 14% of cases, and unknown in 63% of cases. Of 430 patients who received treatment at Ocean Road Cancer Institute, 76% were treated with radiation, 44% were treated with chemotherapy, 3% underwent a cancer-related surgical procedure, and 10% of cases received no cancer-directed therapy. The median overall survival for all patients was 6.9 months (95% CI, 5.0 to 12.8), regardless of stage at presentation.ConclusionBetween 2011 and 2013, cases of EC represented a large clinical burden at both institutions