TEACHER QUALIFICATION AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GAINS IN KISII, KENYA: A MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS

The study investigated the effects of teacher professional qualifications (measured by teacher educational level and experience) on student science achievement gains in both low and high performing public secondary schools in Kenya. The study utilized highest education level of teachers in general and also in Chemistry as well as experience of teaching chemistry in general and also at an examination grade. Two level Hierarchical linear modelling was used with a Value added approach to analyze data from 2000 grade 12 students and 200 teachers from 60 public secondary schools in two Counties in Kenya. The study found out that teachers with advanced degrees in Chemistry positively and significantly predicted student achievement gains than those with advanced degrees in any subject major. With respect to experience, years of teaching at any grade level did not significantly predict student chemistry achievement while higher grade 12 experience positively and significantly predicted student chemistry gains. Conversely, novice teachers with few years of teaching but with higher grade 12 years of teaching coupled with teacher professional development positively influenced student achievement gains.  Article visualizations

Analysis of Parental Involvement And Self-Esteem On Secondary School Students In Kieni West Sub-County, Nyeri County, Kenya

This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement and the self-esteem among adolescents in secondary school students in Kieni West District in Nyeri County. It was guided by Self Determination Theory (SDT) by James William and Baumrind Theory of Parenting Styles by Diana Blumberg Baumrind. Some of the gaps identified in the literature review were addressed. Emphasis was put on establishing the relationship between parental involvement in the perspective of autonomy, competence, and relatedness and development of self-esteem among adolescents. The study followed mixed methods research design where qualitative and quantitative methodology was combined. The study was based on investigation of form three students in secondary schools in Kieni West district, Nyeri County, Kenya. The instruments consisted of questionnaires and unstructured interviews. Two experts were given the research instruments to evaluate the validity and all the items were rated as relevant. Reliability of research instruments was established using test retest method and a reliability coefficient of 0.5 was obtained. Quantitative data was collected from 200 participants selected from 8 schools using probability sampling method. Qualitative data was collected from 8 participants selected from 8 schools using purpose sampling method. Data collected was computerized using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 21). It was analyzed and interpreted using inferential statistics with the aim of investigating the relationship between parental involvement and self esteem among adolescents. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. Quantitative data was descriptive in nature. Qualitative data analysis involved coding and categorizing of interview data and thereafter data were thematically organized.   This formed the basis of detailed analysis, conclusions and recommendations. The study found that parents in Kieni West District in Nyeri County were involved in the lives of adolescents. Adolescents in this research were found to have high self esteem. This research found a relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Self esteem among adolescents was found to be related to parental involvement. The study recommended that stakeholders in education needed to identify and understand the psychological needs of adolescents. Study, recommends future research on how parental involvement fluctuates and test if parental involvement can be taught by implementing parenting workshop. Key Words: Parental Involvement and Self-Esteem, Secondary School Students in Kieni West Sub-County, Nyeri County, Keny

Distance from Home to Study Clinic and Risk of Follow-Up Interruption in a Cohort of HIV-1-Discordant Couples in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Longitudinal studies of HIV-1-infected individuals or those at risk of infection are subject to missed study visits that may have negative consequences on the care of participants and can jeopardize study validity due to bias and loss of statistical power. Distance between participant residence and study clinic, as well as other socioeconomic and demographic factors, may contribute to interruptions in patient follow-up. Methods: HIV-1-serodiscordant couples were enrolled between May 2007 and October 2009 and followed for two years in Nairobi, Kenya. At baseline, demographic and home location information was collected and linear distance from each participant’s home to the study clinic was determined. Participants were asked to return to the study clinic for quarterly visits, with follow-up interruptions (FUI) defined as missing two consecutive visits. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess crude and adjusted associations between FUI and home-to-clinic distance, and other baseline characteristics. Results: Of 469 enrolled couples, 64% had a female HIV-1-infected partner. Overall incidence of FUI was 13.4 per 100 person-years (PY), with lower incidence of FUI in HIV-1-infected (10.8 per 100 PY) versus -uninfected individuals (16.1 per 100 PY) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50, 0.88). Among HIV-1-infected participants, those living between 5 and 10 kilometers (km) from the study clinic had a two-fold increased rate of FUI compared to those living <5 km away (HR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.09, 4.34). Other factors associated with FUI included paying higher rent (HR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.65), having at least primary school education (HR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.02, 3.70), and increased HIV-1 viral load (HR = 1.23 per log10 increase; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.51). Conclusions: Home-to-clinic distance, indicators of socioeconomic status, and markers of disease progression may affect compliance with study follow-up schedules. Retention strategies should focus on participants at greatest risk of FUI to ensure study validity

Inhibition of Transforming Growth Factor ␤ Signaling Reduces Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Growth and Invasiveness □ S

ABSTRACT Transforming growth factor ␤ (TGF␤) is a pleiotropic factor that regulates cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune suppression. Dysregulation of the TGF␤ pathway in tumor cells often leads to resistance to the antiproliferative effects of TGF␤ while supporting other cellular processes that promote tumor invasiveness and growth. In the present study, SD-208, a 2,4-disubstituted pteridine, ATP-competitive inhibitor of the TGF␤ receptor I kinase (TGF␤RI), was used to inhibit cellular activities and tumor progression of PANC-1, a human pancreatic tumor line. SD-208 blocked TGF␤-dependent Smad2 phosphorylation and expression of TGF␤-inducible proteins in cell culture. cDNA microarray analysis and functional gene clustering identified groups of TGF␤-regulated genes involved in metastasis, angiogenesis, cell proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. These gene responses were inhibited by SD-208. Using a Boyden chamber motility assay, we demonstrated that SD-208 inhibited TGF␤-stimulated invasion in vitro. An orthotopic xenograft mouse model revealed that SD-208 reduced primary tumor growth and decreased the incidence of metastasis in vivo. Our findings suggest mechanisms through which TGF␤ signaling may promote tumor progression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Moreover, they suggest that inhibition of TGF␤RI with a small-molecule inhibitor may be effective as a therapeutic approach to treat human pancreatic cancer

Baseline characteristics of study participants.

<p>NOTE. IQR  =  interquartile range; KSh  =  Kenyan Shillings. Monthly household income is the sum of the income for both study partners.</p>a<p>Linear distance, based on location of residence at enrollment. Data missing for 6 participants.</p>b<p>Based on the median rent (2,000 KSh ≈ 26 USD).</p>c<p>Based on the median monthly income (8,000 KSh ≈ 104 USD).</p

Association between home-to-clinic distance and follow-up interruption, by gender and HIV status.

<p>NOTE. HR  =  hazard ratio; CI  =  confidence interval.</p>a<p>Adjusted for housing status (own home, renting for less than the median, or renting for greater than or equal to the median).</p>*<p>p<0.05.</p

Cumulative incidence of follow-up interruptions.

<p>HIV-1-discordant couples were enrolled and followed quarterly for 2 years. A follow-up interruption (FUI) was defined as missing ≥2 consecutive study visits. The Kaplan Meier curves show the cumulative incidence of FUI separately for (<b>—</b>) HIV-1-uninfected females, (<b>———</b>), -infected females, (<b>—</b>) -uninfected males, and (– – –) -infected males.</p

Map of distances from the study clinic.

<p>The map of Nairobi shows the location of the study clinic, with linear distances to the study clinic indicated by concentric white circles at 5 km increments. The percentage of participants living within each section is shown in yellow.</p