EFFECTS OF E-RECRUITMENT AND E-TRAINING ON HUMAN RESOURCE PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF TELKOM KENYA

Abstract The role of Human Resource information system (HRIS) in business environment has evolved over time to become an integral part of its business operations in Kenya. This study aimed to establish the effects of erecruitment and e-training on human resource performance: a case study of Telkom Kenya. The study objectives were; E-recruitment on human resources performance, e-training on human resources performance. The study used descriptive research design targeting employees of Telkom Kenya comprising of managers, supervisors and general staff being 210 in total. The target population was sampled randomly from stratus and 50% of the population was sampled making 105 respondents that were obtained and used in the study. The study instruments that were used for data collection were questionnaires for easy administering and answering by the respondents. Data collected was content analyzed using SPSS and results presented on the tables, figures and charts for interpretation. It was clear from the study results that the company website enhances e-recruitment for the desired staff according to 71% while 29% did not agree to this and that use of e-recruitment ensure better applicant tracking during hiring process to employ the suitable person for the duties outlined according to 72% who agreed while the remaining 28% of the respondents did not agree. The study established that 64% of the respondents agreed that e-training provides reliable mentoring and couching necessary for acquisition of necessary skills while 36% did not agree to this. It was also found out that 42% agreed to e-training providing extra training to the employees than other platforms of training in the organization while 58% did not agree to this. the study conclusions were that company website enhances e-recruitment for the desired staff, also the conclusion noted that use of e-recruitment ensure better applicant tracking during hiring process to employ the suitable person for the duties outlined and that e-recruitment enhances hiring decisions by human resource management for effectiveness to a great extent. The study concluded that e-training provides reliable mentoring and couching necessary for acquisition of necessary skills and that that e-training does not necessarily provide extra training to the employees than other platforms of training in the organization. The conclusion also determined that determined that effective reference ensures e-communication being reliable than other forms of communication. The recommendations of the study were that organizations planning to recruit personnel should use the company website so as to get the desired staff for the work needed. Organizations should use erecruitment in the process to track and hire suitable individuals for work prescribed by the organization. Keywords: Human resource information systems, e-recruitment, e-training, human resource performanc

ILRI In-House reconstituted SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR testing kit as an alternative to the commercial kits

Due to worldwide shortage and the increasing cost of COVID-19 testing kits, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) scientists have developed in-house reconstituted testing reagents based on the known primer sequences and their targets on the SARS-COV-2 genome. The ILRI In-House reconstituted kit reduces the cost of COVID-19 RT-qPCR testing by at least 50% compared to the cheapest commercial kits available. Our ILRI In-House reconstituted kit is a three-target multiplex formation consisting of IDT synthesized primer and probes targeting two SARS-COV-2 genes (ORF1ab and N) and an internal control targeting the human RNAse P gene. The reconstituted kit uses an RT-qPCR Mastermix with low Rox for RT-PCR amplification. We have thoroughly conducted validation tests on the ILRI In-House reconstituted kit by comparing results of the same/matching samples generated by approved commercial kits for SARS-COV-2 testing. The commercial kits used for validation experiments include DA0990-Detection Kit (Da An Gene) and TaqPath™ COVID-19 CE-IVD RT-PCR Kit (Applied Biosystems) to which we have obtained 98.96% concordance. Detailed documentation of our validation results is available

Comprehensive transcriptome of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca, from multiple tissue types, developmental stages, and parasitoid wasp exposures

International audienc

Host choice and multiple blood feeding behaviour of malaria vectors and other anophelines in Mwea rice scheme, Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies were conducted between April 2004 and February 2006 to determine the blood-feeding pattern of <it>Anopheles </it>mosquitoes in Mwea Kenya.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Samples were collected indoors by pyrethrum spay catch and outdoors by Centers for Disease Control light traps and processed for blood meal analysis by an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 3,333 blood-fed <it>Anopheles </it>mosquitoes representing four <it>Anopheles </it>species were collected and 2,796 of the samples were assayed, with <it>Anopheles arabiensis </it>comprising 76.2% (n = 2,542) followed in decreasing order by <it>Anopheles coustani </it>8.9% (n = 297), <it>Anopheles pharoensis </it>8.2% (n = 272) and <it>Anopheles funestus </it>6.7% (n = 222). All mosquito species had a high preference for bovine (range 56.3–71.4%) over human (range 1.1–23.9%) or goat (0.1–2.2%) blood meals. Some individuals from all the four species were found to contain mixed blood meals. The bovine blood index (BBI) for <it>An. arabiensis </it>was significantly higher for populations collected indoors (71.8%), than populations collected outdoors (41.3%), but the human blood index (HBI) did not differ significantly between the two populations. In contrast, BBI for indoor collected <it>An. funestus </it>(51.4%) was significantly lower than for outdoor collected populations (78.0%) and the HBI was significantly higher indoors (28.7%) than outdoors (2.4%). Anthropophily of <it>An. funestus </it>was lowest within the rice scheme, moderate in unplanned rice agro-ecosystem, and highest within the non-irrigated agro-ecosystem. Anthropophily of <it>An. arabiensis </it>was significantly higher in the non-irrigated agro-ecosystem than in the other agro-ecosystems.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that rice cultivation has an effect on host choice by <it>Anopheles </it>mosquitoes. The study further indicate that zooprophylaxis may be a potential strategy for malaria control, but there is need to assess how domestic animals may influence arboviruses epidemiology before adapting the strategy.</p

Early Diagnosis of HIV Infection in Infants - One Caribbean and Six Sub-Saharan African Countries, 2011-2015.

Pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains an important public health issue in resource-limited settings. In 2015, 1.4 million children aged 50% decline. The most common challenges for access to testing for early infant diagnosis included difficulties in specimen transport, long turnaround time between specimen collection and receipt of results, and limitations in supply chain management. Further reductions in HIV mortality in children can be achieved through continued expansion and improvement of services for early infant diagnosis in PEPFAR-supported countries, including initiatives targeted to reach HIV-exposed infants, ensure access to programs for early infant diagnosis of HIV, and facilitate prompt linkage to treatment for children diagnosed with HIV infection

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Integration of E-commerce and M-commerce: infrastructure, framework and implementation

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Computer-Based Information SystemsElectronic Commerce (e-Commerce) and Mobile Commerce (m-Commerce) are evolving at a pace that is revolutionizing how business is carried out. These two technologies can indeed open up markets beyond borders. The purpose of this research was to propose an integrated framework for e-Commerce and m-Commerce and to suggest a suitable implementation strategy. The objectives of the research were achieved through extensive review of vast literature on the subject matters. The research starts by looking at the various aspects of Electronic Commerce and Mobile Commerce, their barriers, benefits and possible future. Existing electronic payment modes were then discussed to identify common methods in which online transactions take place. It was found that there exists a formal framework for eCommerce, but frameworks for m-Commerce were organization specific. Extensive data collection and analysis was done to ensure that the proposed framework was as close to facts on the ground as possible. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 17 and Microsoft Excel 2007. Results of the analysis indicated that 51% of the population knew about e-Commerce. It also found that only 15% had used credit cards to pay for items bought online. The proposed generic framework can help provide a starting point for e-Commerce businesses in Kenya enabling them to operate on similar platform. This proposed theoretical framework borrows from the works of Turban et al., in 2006 and aside from additional components; it allows implementers focus on important aspects of eCommerce and m-Commerce that would otherwise not receive the attention that they deserve such as policy and infrastructure requirements. This framework can then be modified to meet specific business needs. Lastly, recommendations for further research in this area were made