229 research outputs found
Human Resource Management Practices and Firm Performance: A Study of Manufacturing Firms in Kenya
Manufacturing in Kenya account for the greatest share of industrial production output characterized by relatively low value addition of 7.5 per cent recorded in 2010 to 2.3 per cent recorded in 2011, low employment and capacity utilization and a paltry 25 percent export volumes. However, the share of Kenyan products in the regional market is only 7 percent of the US $11 billion regional market and its contribution to the GDP has remained at about 10 percent since the 1960s. This has given rise to the concern that practicing managers have put little effort to improve the situation. This study therefore sought to establish the relationship between Human Resource Practices and firm performance in the manufacturing firms in Kenya. Used a census survey of the 68 medium and large manufacturing firms whose core activities involved in production and marketing of edible oils, soaps and detergents, beverages or sugar registered in the Kenya Association of Manufacturers directory 2012. Data was collected through self administered questionnaires sent to the Production Manager, Brand Manager, Human Resource Manager, Marketing Manager, or the relevant manager dealing with innovations. The main findings of this study reveals that manufacturing firms apply human resource management practices to different extents. For instance, some models of human resource management practices such as licensing are not commonly used, while others like hiring of skilled employees and teaching company schemes are very common with average composite mean score of 4.00 and 4.08 out of the best score of 5.0 respectively
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Targeting Patient-Derived Orthotopic Gastric Cancers with a Fluorescent Humanized Anti-CEA Antibody
BackgroundGastric cancer poses a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge as surgical resection provides the only opportunity for a cure. Specific labeling of gastric cancer could distinguish resectable and nonresectable disease and facilitate an R0 resection, which could improve survival.MethodsTwo patient-derived gastric cancer lines, KG8 and KG10, were established from surgical specimens of two patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma. Harvested tumor fragments were implanted into the greater curvature of the stomach to establish patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models. M5A (humanized anti-CEA antibody) or IgG control antibodies were conjugated with the near-infrared dye IRDye800CW. Mice received 50 Āµg of M5A-IR800 or 50 Āµg of IgG-IR800 intravenously and were imaged after 72 hr. Fluorescence imaging was performed by using the LI-COR Pearl Imaging System. A tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) was calculated by dividing the mean fluorescence intensity of the tumor versus adjacent stomach tissue.ResultsM5A-IR800 administration resulted in bright labeling of both KG8 and K10 tumors. In the KG8 PDOX models, the TBR for M5A-IR800 was 5.85 (SE Ā± 1.64) compared with IgG-IR800 at 0.70 (SE Ā± 0.17). The K10 PDOX models had a TBR of 3.71 (SE Ā± 0.73) for M5A-IR800 compared with 0.66 (SE Ā± 0.12) for IgG-IR800.ConclusionsHumanized anti-CEA (M5A) antibodies conjugated to fluorescent dyes provide bright and specific labeling of gastric cancer PDOX models. This tumor-specific fluorescent antibody is a promising potential clinical tool to detect the extent of disease for the determination of resectability as well as to visualize tumor margins during gastric cancer resection
An ovine model of hyperdynamic endotoxemia and vital organ metabolism
BACKGROUND: Animal models of endotoxemia are frequently used to understand the pathophysiology of sepsis and test new therapies. However, important differences exist between commonly used experimental models of endotoxemia and clinical sepsis. Animal models of endotoxemia frequently produce hypodynamic shock in contrast to clinical hyperdynamic shock. This difference may exaggerate the importance of hypoperfusion as a causative factor in organ dysfunction. This study sought to develop an ovine model of hyperdynamic endotoxemia and assess if there is evidence of impaired oxidative metabolism in the vital organs. METHODS: Eight sheep had microdialysis catheters implanted into the brain, heart, liver, kidney and arterial circulation. Shock was induced with a 4hr escalating dose infusion of endotoxin. After 3hrs vasopressor support was initiated with noradrenaline and vasopressin. Animals were monitored for 12hrs after endotoxemia. Blood samples were recovered for haemoglobin, white blood cell count, creatinine and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1Beta, IL-6 & IL-8). RESULTS: The endotoxin infusion was successful in producing distributive shock with the mean arterial pressure decreasing from 84.5āĀ±ā12.8āmmHg to 49āĀ±ā8.03āmmHg (pā<ā0.001). Cardiac index remained within the normal range decreasing from 3.33āĀ±ā0.56āl/min/m to 2.89lāĀ±ā0.36āl/min/m (pā=ā0.0845). Lactate/pyruvate ratios were not significantly abnormal in the heart, brain, kidney or arterial circulation. Liver microdialysis samples demonstrated persistently high lactate/pyruvate ratios (mean 37.9āĀ±ā3.3). CONCLUSIONS: An escalating dose endotoxin infusion was successful in producing hyperdynamic shock. There was evidence of impaired oxidative metabolism in the liver suggesting impaired splanchnic perfusion. This may be a modifiable factor in the progression to multiple organ dysfunction and death
Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the people of Mosop, Nandi County in Kenya
Background: Throughout the history, nature has provided mankind with most of their basic needs, which include food, shelter, medicine, clothes, flavours, scents as well as raw materials. Given that they are an integral part of cultural heritage, medicinal plants have played a significant role in human healthcare systems around the world. Investigating various biological resources for use as medicines requires ethnomedicinal studies.Methods: Data on utilization of ethnomedicinal plants from local healers in Kenyaās Mosop Sub-County in Nandi County was documented through open-ended, semi-structured questionnaires. A number of quantitative indices, such as the Use Citation (UC), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Use Value (UV), Frequency of Citation (FoC) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were used to convey the potential medical benefits, vitality and variety of the ethnomedicine.Results: 102 informants provided information on 253 ethnomedicinal plant species, classified into 74 families. There were 249 native plant species identified, along with few exotic species: Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton, Persea americana Mill, Carica papaya L. and Solanum betaceum Cav. Of all recorded species, 32% and 27% were herbs and trees, respectively. Among plant parts, leaves were most frequently utilized (27%) and roots (26%), while decoctions (21%) were the most widely used formulations. The dominant family was Asteraceae, with 28 species, followed by Lamiaceae, with 19 species. The highest ICF value was 0.778 for a number of parasitic and infectious illnesses, including ringworms, athleteās foot rot, tetanus, typhoid, intestinal parasites, abscesses, malaria, and amoebiasis. The studyās data validates the regionās widespread use of traditional medicinal plant remedies.Conclusion: The current study will lay a foundation of knowledge for future research investigations. The abundance of knowledge regarding ethnomedicinal species and their medicinal applications will stimulate further phytochemical and pharmacological research, which could lead to the discovery of potentially significant pharmaceuticals
A randomized, open-label, comparative efficacy trial of artemether-lumefantrine suspension versus artemether-lumefantrine tablets for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children in western Kenya
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Artemether/lumefantrine (AL) has been adopted as the treatment of choice for uncomplicated malaria in Kenya and other countries in the region. Six-dose artemether/lumefantrine tablets are highly effective and safe for the treatment of infants and children weighing between five and 25 kg with uncomplicated <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>malaria. However, oral paediatric formulations are urgently needed, as the tablets are difficult to administer to young children, who cannot swallow whole tablets or tolerate the bitter taste of the crushed tablets.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A randomized, controlled, open-label trial was conducted comparing day 28 PCR corrected cure-rates in 245 children aged 6ā59 months, treated over three days with either six-dose of artemether/lumefantrine tablets (Coartem<sup>Ā®</sup>) or three-dose of artemether/lumefantrine suspension (Co-artesiane<sup>Ā®</sup>) for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in western Kenya. The children were followed-up with clinical, parasitological and haematological evaluations over 28 days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety three percent (124/133) and 90% (121/134) children in the AL tablets and AL suspension arms respectively completed followed up. A per protocol analysis revealed a PCR-corrected parasitological cure rate of 96.0% at Day 28 in the AL tablets group and 93.4% in the AL suspension group, p = 0.40. Both drugs effectively cleared gametocytes and were well tolerated, with no difference in the overall incidence of adverse events.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The once daily three-dose of artemether-lumefantrine suspension (Co-artesiane<sup>Ā®</sup>) was not superior to six-dose artemether-lumefantrine tablets (Coartem<sup>Ā®</sup>) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in children below five years of age in western Kenya.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00529867</p
Outcome of a workshop
International audience; In tackling agricultural challenges, policy-makers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have increasingly considered genetically modified (GM) crops as a potential tool to increase productivity and to improve product quality. Yet, as elsewhere in the world, the adoption of GM crops in SSA has been marked by controversy, encompassing not only the potential risks to animal and human health, and to the environment, but also other concerns such as ethical issues, public participation in decision-making, socio-economic factors and intellectual property rights. With these non-scientific factors complicating an already controversial situation, disseminating credible information to the public as well as facilitating stakeholder input into decision-making is essential. In SSA, there are various and innovative risk communication approaches and strategies being developed, yet a comprehensive analysis of such data is missing. This gap is addressed by giving an overview of current strategies, identifying similarities and differences between various country and institutional approaches and promoting a way forward, building on a recent workshop with risk communicators working in SSA
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