Comparative study of hatching rates of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell 1822) eggs on different substrates

The hatching rates of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) eggs on four natural substrates: the roots of Nile cabbage (Pistia stratiotes), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), pond weed (Ceratophyllum dermasum) and green grass leaves (Commelina sp.), and four artificial substrates: sisal mats, nylon mats, papyrus mats and kakaban mats, was assessed. Concrete slabs were used as control. The natural substrates performed better than the artificial ones. Pistia roots gave the best mean hatching rate of 66.2 ± 3.62%. Green grass leaves were second with a mean rate of 54.0 ± 3.46%, water hyacinth was third with 49.7 ± 3.16% and Ceratophyllum fourth with a mean of 13.0 ± 2.37%. Concrete slabs gave a mean rate of 18.6 ± 2.8%, sisal mats 18.6 ± 2.0%, papyrus 12.2 ± 1.2% and kakaban 11.8 ± 1.9%. Nylon mats were the last, with a mean rate of 4.0 ± 0.7%. The best performing natural substrates were those with the ability to float and thin fibrous roots that seemed to allow higher aeration of the eggs during incubation. The cost of using natural substrates was minimal

Factors Influencing Utilization of Cervical Cancer Screening Services in Kenya: the Case of Nyeri County

Globally, cervical cancer continues to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity among women with developing countries accounting for more than 86% of the deaths from the disease. In Kenya, cervical cancer ranks as the second most frequent cancer among women: regrettably, with 80% of the cases presented during the late stages of the disease when the scope of successful treatment is limited. An opportunity to prevent occurrence of cervical cancer exists through cervical cancer screening for early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions before these develop to cancer. However, only a negligible proportion of women benefit from cervical cancer screening services in developing countries, including Kenya. The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to determine the factors influencing utilization of cervical cancer screening services; and focused on the women seeking maternal and family planning services at Central Provincial General Hospital, Kenya. The study established that, as in most developing countries, utilization of cervical cancer screening services was low, regardless of the women's education level, autonomy in decision making and even good family support. The low level of awareness on the need for screening services and the long waiting time at the clinic for those seeking the services were identified as the two key issues that negatively influenced the utilization of the screening services, It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of Health and other agencies, including individuals of good will, collaborate in designing and implementing awareness campaigns through the media and other appropriate avenues, including one-to-one encounters, targeting both men and women in the communities. It is also recommended that the male partners support their women in accessing this vital life-saving service

Wireless Inductive Charging for Low Power Devices

Currently wireless charging for most consumer electronics is still evolving in the mainstream market. This technology has taken a slow adoption. I n a world faced with variety of handheld devices demand for a shorter charging time is constantly being explored. Wireless charging has its challenges and successes The goal of this project was to design a prototype through research and design that would critically address and analyze the major design challenges that bring about longer charging periods of the new inductive wireless charging compared to the old fashioned, wired charging method and provide probable solutions. All the sections of the prototype namely transmitter, receiver and coil arrangement were designed and tested. The entire circuit was finally simulated and later fabricated on a PCB to come up with a prototype. Results were compared. This study showed that proper choice of coils must be made during design in order to minimize power losses and therefore increase efficiency

Comparative study of hatching rates of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell 1822) eggs on different substrates

The hatching rates of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) eggs on four natural substrates: the roots of Nile cabbage (Pistia stratiotes), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), pond weed (Ceratophyllum dermasum) and green grass leaves (Commelina sp.), and four artificial substrates: sisal mats, nylon mats, papyrus mats and kakaban mats, was assessed. Concrete slabs were used as control. The natural substrates performed better than the artificial ones. Pistia roots gave the best mean hatching rate of 66.2 ± 3.62%. Green grass leaves were second with a mean rate of 54.0 ± 3.46%, water hyacinth was third with 49.7 ± 3.16% and Ceratophyllum fourth with a mean of 13.0 ± 2.37%. Concrete slabs gave a mean rate of 18.6 ± 2.8%, sisal mats 18.6 ± 2.0%, papyrus 12.2 ± 1.2% and kakaban 11.8 ± 1.9%. Nylon mats were the last, with a mean rate of 4.0 ± 0.7%. The best performing natural substrates were those with the ability to float and thin fibrous roots that seemed to allow higher aeration of the eggs during incubation. The cost of using natural substrates was minimal.Hatching, Seed production, Fish eggs, Africa, Kenya, Clarias gariepinus

Xi Jinping, China, Africa, and Global Realignment

This presentation is on “Xi Jinping, China, Africa, and Global Realignment”. It deals with the changing power relations and how various countries and regions react to those changes. Roughly two years ago, the international version of Central China Television, CCTV, changed its name and brand to that of China Global Television Network, CGTN. The objective was to defend and promote Chinese policies globally probably in competition with other giant global television networks in advancing the interests of their home countries. The BBC, for instance, makes effort, mostly in subtle ways, to promote British policies worldwide and sound credible. CGTN was seemingly to do the same for China. It initially established two global broadcast centers, the main one in Beijing and the second one in Nairobi to cover the entire Africa. Then it added Washington as the third center. Thus CGTN drives Xi Jinping’s development global agenda from the triangular perspective of Beijing, Nairobi, and Washington. This is part of China’s global power projection.Key words: Xi Jinping, China, Africa, Geopolitics, Polic

Divorce Law in Kenya: In Support of a Uniform No-Fault Regime

In 2014, Kenya enacted the Marriage Act to amend and consolidate various laws on marriage and divorce. Among the amendments introduced was the irretrievable breakdown ground of divorce alongside more traditional fault-based grounds. The court in CWL v HN noted that the introduction of this ground had effectively done away with the need for petitioners to provide evidence of matrimonial fault in divorce proceedings. Despite this, the Act still maintains traditional fault grounds for divorce not only as independent grounds but also as factors to be considered when determining whether a marriage has irretrievably broken down. The author contends that this retention of fault-based requirements reflects an outdated position and contradicts the thinking behind the introduction of irretrievable breakdown as a divorce ground. This study, therefore, proposes adopting a uniform no-fault divorce system premised on irretrievable breakdown. To better align this system with the dual objective of protecting individual dignity while also safeguarding the dignity and sanctity of marriage, the study proposes a model that includes a mandatory requirement to attempt reconciliation before petitioning for divorce

Trends In Global Geopolitics and Their Impact on African States

There are, in the 21st Century, two happenings that forced change in the way people and countries relate to each other; they forced geopolitical realignment. These were first the terrorist attacks on the symbols of American power in New York and Washington DC on September 11, 2001. The second happening is the global outbreak of Coronavirus, COVID-19, early in 2020 at Wuhan, China, which quickly spread to the rest of the world and seemed to target countries and people of means. The United States was at the centre of the two happenings and its decisions affected the rest of the world. African countries were at the decision-making periphery, but not the impact periphery. The two happenings exposed American weakness in terms of public policy readiness, devastated the economy, and increased the amount of self-doubt among the Americans. Other countries lost trust in the United States and its claim to global leadership. As the United States lost credibility, China claimed that position in numerous ways. With time, China became the centre of geopolitical realignment at regional and global levels. Although the United States is playing catch-up to China, both powers are realigning, the impact on African states is immense, both positive and negative. &nbsp

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Applications in Payment, Clearing, and Settlement Systems:A Study of Blockchain-Based Payment Barriers and Potential Solutions, and DLT Application in Central Bank Payment System Functions

Payment, clearing, and settlement systems are essential components of the financial markets and exert considerable influence on the overall economy. While there have been considerable technological advancements in payment systems, the conventional systems still depend on centralized architecture, with inherent limitations and risks. The emergence of Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is being regarded as a potential solution to transform payment and settlement processes and address certain challenges posed by the centralized architecture of traditional payment systems (Bank for International Settlements, 2017). While proof-of-concept projects have demonstrated the technical feasibility of DLT, significant barriers still hinder its adoption and implementation. The overarching objective of this thesis is to contribute to the developing area of DLT application in payment, clearing and settlement systems, which is still in its initial stages of applications development and lacks a substantial body of scholarly literature and empirical research. This is achieved by identifying the socio-technical barriers to adoption and diffusion of blockchain-based payment systems and the solutions proposed to address them. Furthermore, the thesis examines and classifies various applications of DLT in central bank payment system functions, offering valuable insights into the motivations, DLT platforms used, and consensus algorithms for applicable use cases. To achieve these objectives, the methodology employed involved a systematic literature review (SLR) of academic literature on blockchain-based payment systems. Furthermore, we utilized a thematic analysis approach to examine data collected from various sources regarding the use of DLT applications in central bank payment system functions, such as central bank white papers, industry reports, and policy documents. The study's findings on blockchain-based payment systems barriers and proposed solutions; challenge the prevailing emphasis on technological and regulatory barriers in the literature and industry discourse regarding the adoption and implementation of blockchain-based payment systems. It highlights the importance of considering the broader socio-technical context and identifying barriers across all five dimensions of the social technical framework, including technological, infrastructural, user practices/market, regulatory, and cultural dimensions. Furthermore, the research identified seven DLT applications in central bank payment system functions. These are grouped into three overarching themes: central banks' operational responsibilities in payment and settlement systems, issuance of central bank digital money, and regulatory oversight/supervisory functions, along with other ancillary functions. Each of these applications has unique motivations or value proposition, which is the underlying reason for utilizing in that particular use case

Mirroring the Subtext: Postmodernism in Ngugi wa Thiongo's Wizard of the Crow:

This reading of Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Wizard of the Crow attempts to place the text in the postmodern writing tradition. We point out how surrealistic features are utilized to enhance the themes, style, and the author's conundrums. Ngugi has been accused of focusing on ideologies at the expense of creativity. Wizard of the Crow is, however, a purely artistic text where Ngugi's creativity is plausibly developed, without hindering his ideological expression. The fact that the text was originally written in Gikuyu helps the writer draw from the resource of traditional discourse, and arguably enable not only Gikuyu culture, but also their worldview and history negotiate for a global position in line with emerging postmodern imperatives.Journal of Language, Technology and Entrepreneurship in Africa Vol. 1 (1) 2007 pp. 67-7