Correlation between inner canthal width and the mesio-distal widths of the maxillary anterior teeth in a Kenyan population of African descent

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the inner canthal width and the mesio-distal widths of the maxillary anterior teeth in a Kenyan population of African descent.Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional studySetting: College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.Subjects: One hundred and forty six undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18-30 years were recruited into the study. Data on inner canthal width (ICW) was obtained through direct measurements of the participants. The individual mesiodistal widths of the six maxillary anterior teeth were obtained from type IV gypsum product casts generated from irreversible hydrocolloid impressions of the maxillary arch. These were then summed up to obtain the combined mesio-distal widths of the anterior teeth (CMDWAT).All the measurements were obtained using an electronic digital caliper. These were then recorded on a data capturing sheet designed by the principal investigator.Results: Out of the 146 participants, 78 (53.4%) were males while 68 (46.6%) were females. The overall mean inner canthal width was 34.27 ± 2.68mm with males having significantly higher mean values compared to the females ( 34.73 ± 2.69mm and 33.74 ± 2.58mm respectively), (t=2.27, p<0.05). The mean of the combined mesio-distal width of the anterior teeth (CMDWAT) was 47.68 ± 2.55mm with males having significantly higher mean values (48.12 ± 2.49mm) compared to the females (47.16 ± 2.55mm), (t=2.30, p<0.05). A statistically significant but weak positive correlation was found between the ICW and CMDWAT (r=0.17, r2=0.03, p<0.05).Conclusion: The results from this study suggest a very weak positive correlation between ICW and the CMDWAT. The ICW was reliable in estimating the CMDWAT in only 3% of the population. Therefore, when used alone, the ICW may not be a reliable guide when used to estimate the CMDWAT in the population studied

Use of nasal width to estimate the mesio-distal widths of maxillary anterior teeth in a Kenyan population of African descent

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the nasal width and the mesio-distal widths of the maxillary anterior teeth in Kenyans of African descent.Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional studySetting: College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya. Subjects: One hundred and forty six undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18-30 years were recruited into the study.Results: Out of the 146 participants, 78 (53.4%) were males and the rest were females. The overallmeannasal width was 39.54 ± 3.61mm with males having significantly higher mean values compared to females (41.37 ± 3.04mm and 37.45 ± 3.05mm respectively), (t=7.75, p<0.05).The mean of the combined mesio-distal width of the anterior teeth (CMDWAT) was 47.68 ± 2.55mm with males having significantly higher mean values (48.12±2.49mm)comparedtothefemales(47.16±2.55mm),(t=2.30,p<0.05).Astatistically significant but weak positive correlation was found between the NW and CMDWAT (r=0.26, r2=0.07, p<0.05).Conclusion: The results suggest a very weak positive correlation between NW and CMDWAT and NW was reliable in estimating the CMDWAT in only 7% of the population. Therefore, NW may not be a reliable guide when used to estimate the CMDWAT in the population studied

Genetic diversity of Kenyan Prosopis populations based on random amplified polymorphic DNA markers

Several Prosopis species and provenances were introduced in Kenya, either as a single event or repeatedly. To date, naturally established Prosopis populations are described as pure species depending on site, despite the aforementioned introduction of several species within some sites. To determine whether naturally established stands consist of a single or mixture of species, six populations from Bamburi, Bura, Isiolo, Marigat, Taveta and Turkwel were compared for relatedness with reference to Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis pallida using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Cluster analysis based on Nei’s genetic distance clustered Kenyan populations as follows: Marigat, Bura and Isiolo with P. juliflora, Bamburi with P. pallida and Taveta with P. chilensis, whereas the Turkwel population is likely to be a hybrid between P. chileneis and P. juliflora. Four populations had private markers, revealing germplasm uniqueness. Expected heterozygosity tended to be larger for Kenyan populations (ranging from 0.091 to 0.191) than in the three reference (ranging from 0.065 to 0.144). For the six Kenyan populations and two P. juliflora provenances from the Middle East, molecular variation was larger within populations than between population. Higher molecular variance among populations is attributed to their geographical separation and the low variation within populations is due to gene flow between individuals within a population. Overall, this study shows that (1) the Kenyan Prosopis populations are genetically isolated, (2) multiple introductions enhanced genetic diversity within sites and (3) P. juliflora and its hybrid are the most aggressive invaders

Co-creation and priority setting for applied and implementation research in One Health: Improving capacities in public and animal health systems in Kenya

Background The Kenyan government has successfully been implementing sector specific and multisectoral projects aligned to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). For operational readiness and to enhance the effective planning and implementation of Global Health Security Programs (GHSP) at national and subnational level, there is an urgent need for stakeholders' engagement process to seek input in identifying challenges, prioritise activities for field implementation, and identify applied research and development questions, that should be addressed in the next five years. Methods The modified Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method was used to identify global health security related priorities for multisectoral implementation in Kenya. Subject matter experts from human, animal and environmental health sectors at national and subnational level contributed to predefined research questions from a number of sources and activities for consideration for implementation using a One Health approach. Sixty-two experts scored the 193 questions based on five pre-defined criteria: 1) feasibility and answerability; 2) potential for burden reduction; 3) potential for a paradigm shift; 4) potential for translation and implementation; and 5) impact on equity. Data resulting from this process was then analysed in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to determine the research priorities and experts' agreements. Results Among the priority activities identified for implementation research were; strengthening One Health governance and legal frameworks; integration of ecosystem health into One Health programming; strengthening disease reporting, integrated data collection, information sharing and joint outbreak response; socio-anthropological and gender-based approaches in improving risk and behavioural change communication and community engagement; and one health workforce development. In addition, the potentials to invest in collaborative predictive risk modelling to enhance epidemic intelligence systems, while strengthening the One Health approach in the food safety incident and emergency response plans are feasible. Interpretation Successful multisectoral implementation of global health security program in Kenya calls for a whole of society approach that will harness community and private sector knowledge to build preparedness and response capacities while targeting neglected and marginalised populations. This research provides a framework that is worth emulating for cost-effective planning and implementation of overarching One Health programs