Micro – Economic Factors Influencing Quantity of Stock Demanded by Retail Investors in the Kenyan Stock Market: A Case of Nyeri District, Central Province: Kenya

This research was set to establish whether time period of retail investors in the stock market, cost of the stocks, profits declared by listed companies, investor’s income, availability of stocks, investment returns and prior advice influence demand of stocks by retail investors in the stock market. It revealed that increase in investor’s income, investment returns, profits of listed companies, prior advice, time period, and availability of stocks have a positive relationship with the demand for stocks by retail investors, while cost of stocks has a negative relationship with the demand for stocks by retail investors in the stock exchange market. It recommends that there is need for further professional training on the stock exchange market as most investors rely on their friends advice before investing in the stock market. It also recommends that the government through the CMA and NSE ought to put up stringent measures to safeguard the public from scrupulous brokerage firms. Keywords: Retail Investor, Stock Exchange, Capital, Mwananchi, Stock

FINANCIAL RESOURCES AS A STRATEGIC DRIVER ON PERFORMANCE OF AGENCY BANKING IN COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA

The study sought to establish the influence of financial resources on the performance of agency banking in commercial banks in Kenya. The study reviewed previous studies done to support the research objectives from which the research gaps were extracted. The study used descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was the 18 commercial banks in Kenya licensed by Central Bank of Kenya to operate agency banking. The branch managers, ICT managers, operations managers, human resource managers and customer relations managers were the key targets respondents in the study. Primary and secondary data was collected using questionnaires and checklist guide respectively. Inferential analysis was carried out to establish the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The study established that Financial Resources had a positive significant influence on the performance of agency banking among the commercial banks in Kenya. The financial resources availed to agency banking through shareholders’ fund, liquidity ratio and value of assets also positively influenced the performance of agency banking. The study concluded that financial resources were essential in steering the performance of agency banking thus recommending that the commercial banks through the management ought to uphold these strategic drivers in order to enhance the performance of agency banking

Post-harvest technology transfer to reduce on farm grain losses in Kitui district, Kenya

Training and demonstrations on post harvest technology transfer to reduce grain losses at farm level were conducted in five divisions of Kitui district with the overall objective of consolidating what the farmers already knew about storage. It was also to assist them select appropriate storage methods with emphasis on proper application of pest control products. A total of 163 participants were trained in storage pest management covering pest infestation cycle, use of chemical and non-chemical methods of control, storage practices and identification of major pests using specimen and pictures, dangers of mycotoxins on maize followed by on demonstrations.Farmers demonstrated traditional practices of determining grain moisture content, and shovel mixing, both on the tarpaulin and wheelbarrows. Sticks were other tools used to mix chemical dust with grain on tarpaulins and in the bags. The research team from Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) demonstrated proper use of the shovel and the “fuffle”, a device that is faster and more efficient in mixing grain with chemical dusts.Treated grain and a control were stored on site in 90-kg bags. Evaluation, based on the level of damage and live infestation was done after 3 months. Despite anomalies like lack of uniformity of grain in different bags depending on source, KARI methods appeared better than farmers’ methods in most instances. Farmers were able to make informed decisions based on the mixing methods which gave better results. The fuffle was an effective tool for mixing grain with chemical dusts and farmers were keen to have it fabricated by local artisans. Farmers appreciated the training and demonstration and promised to adopt proper grain preservation techniques as demonstrated to improve grain quality.Keywords: Post harvest, Technology transfer, Grain losses, Farmer

Factors influencing migrant fisher access to fishing grounds

Fisher migration plays a critical role in artisanal fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean. The present study uses a multiple method approach to evaluate fishing behaviour of migrant fishers at four destinations in Kenya, and focuses on fishing grounds used by migrant fishers to illustrate spatial characteristics that attract or determine access and fishing behaviour. Migrant fisher knowledge of natural trends, cycles and oceanographic processes that influence the abundance of target resources largely determines access to fishing grounds. Calm winds and a fairly high Chl-a concentration make favourable conditions at fishing grounds on the north coast during the northeast monsoon. Fishing grounds on the south coast include sheltered areas that remain accessible during the southeast monsoon. Increased fisheries productivity is experienced during the rainy season due to sediment loading and increased supplies of particulate matter. The main catch landed on the north coast included octopus, grouper and tripletail that were found within the reefs and on the deep slopes, while on the south coast it included needlefish, tunas and mackerels, barracuda and sardine, among other highly migratory pelagic species. Besides natural conditions, local regulations at the destination, including gear and licence restrictions, were also found to be important determinants of access by migrant fishers.

An Application Of Extreme Value Theory In Modelling Electricity Production In Kenya

Extreme Value Theory provides a well-established statistical model for the computation of extreme risk measure which includes, Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall. In this paper we apply Univariate Extreme Value Theory to model extreme production for the Kenyan Electricity. We demonstrate that Extreme value theory can successfully be applied in predicting future Value at Risk to the electricity production. This will provide solutions to the problems faced by producers and consumers in the electricity market. In this paper Value at Risk is estimated using a Peak Over Threshold method. This technique models the distribution of exceedances over a high threshold rather than the individual observations. It concentrates on observation that exceeds central limits, focusing on the tail of the distribution. Extreme value theory is also applied to compute the tail risk measures at given confidence interval.  An overview of the Extreme Value Theory and Peaks Over Threshold Method are also given. These methods are applied to electricity production in Kenya and the data exhibit some trend and modeled as a Gumbel distribution since the shape parameter is not significantly different from zero. Keywords: Risk Modeling, Value at Risk, Extreme Value Theory

Characterisation of the vaginal microflora of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive and negative women in a sub-urban population of Kenya

Lactobacilli predominate normal vaginal microflora and are important in maintenance of vaginal health. The current study set out to identify and compare culture isolates of vaginal microflora of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive (HIV+ ) and HIV negative (HIV- ) women at different phases during menstrual cycle from a sub-urban population of Kenya. Seventy four (74) women, 41 HIV+ and 33 HIV- , followed up two consecutive menstrual cycles, had high vaginal swabs taken to prepare Gram stains for six visits and anaerobic cultures for four. All 751 isolates identified by t-DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) belong to 51 species. Species cultured more frequently in HIV+ participants were: Lactobacillus jensenii (p=0.01), Lactobacillus iners (p=0.02), Gardnerella vaginalis (p=0.01) and Peptoniphilus lacrimalis (p=0.01). Species cultured more frequently in HIV- women were Dialister micraerophilus (p=0.02) and Streptococcus agalactiae (p=0.04). Lactobacillus predominating both groups were Lactobacilli crispatus, L. jensenii, L. iners and Lactobacilli vaginalis. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) was equally high in HIV+ and HIV- women. Lactobacillus and BV-associated species were cultured more frequently in HIV+ women. Minor species differences were found. Predominant Lactobacillus in culture were L. crispatus, L. iners, L. jensenii and L. vaginalis. These women had lower concentrations of lactobacilli in vaginal microflora than observed in previous studies of Caucasian women

Covid-19 and cancer therapy: Interrelationships and management of cancer cases in the era of Covid-19

'e COVID-19 global epidemic poses this generation’s biggest worldwide public health challenge probably since the 1918 influenza epidemic. Recent reports on two new variants have triggered a dramatic upsurge in research to understand the pandemic, primarily focussing on the virology, triggers, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic tests including the prevention and management of the novel coronavirus. Whilst such studies are important in managing the present medical emergency, there is a need for further work to include interdependencies between the epidemic and other illnesses. 'is will help in developing effective approaches to treat and manage associated diseases in both the short and the long term. In this regard, people living with cancer are a subgroup that is highly vulnerable to respiratory infections and acute pneumonitis similar to the one caused by the COVID19 virus. 'is is because the state of their immunity is compromised due to malignancy and the adverse effects of anticancer treatments. With annual cancer projections rising globally and an estimated 70 percent of all cancer-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries, the patient population with impaired immune systems that could be adversely impacted by COVID-19 is only anticipated to rise. In this review, we delve into the challenges and health risks facing cancer patients and cancer treatment in the COVID-19 context, with suggestions into viable measures which can be taken to minimize exposure to the risk of contracting COVID-19 for this vulnerable subgroup. New mutations and the prospects offered by vaccines development and how they relate to this class of patients are also discussed

Value beyond function: Analyzing the perception of wheelchair innovations in Kenya

Innovations in the field of assistive technology are usually evaluated based on practical considerations related to their ability to perform certain functions. However, social and emotional aspects play a huge role in how people with disabilities interact with assistive products and services. Over a five months period, we tested an innovative wheelchair service provision model that leverages 3D printing and Computer Aided Design to provide bespoke wheelchairs in Kenya. The study involved eight expert wheelchair users and five healthcare professionals who routinely provide wheelchair services in their community. Results from the study show that both users and providers attributed great value to both the novel service delivery model and the wheelchairs produced as part of the study. The reasons for their appreciation went far beyond the practical considerations and were rooted in the fact that the service delivery model and the wheelchairs promoted core values of agency, empowerment and self-expression

New palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes based on pyrrole Schiff bases: synthesis, characterization, X-ray structure, and anticancer activity

New palladium (Pd)II and platinum (Pt)II complexes (C1−C5) from the Schiff base ligands, R-(phenyl)methanamine (L1), R-(pyridin-2-yl)methanamine (L2), and R-(furan2-yl)methanamine (L3) (R-(E)-N-((1H-pyrrol-2-yl) methylene)) are herein reported. The complexes (C1−C5) were characterized by FTIR, 1 H and 13C NMR, UV−vis, and microanalyses. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis was performed for the two ligands (L1−L2) and a Pt complex. Both L1 and L2 belong to P21/n monoclinic and P-1 triclinic space systems, respectively. The complex C5 belongs to the P21/c monoclinic space group. The investigated molar conductivity of the complexes in DMSO gave the range 4.0−8.8 μS/cm, suggesting neutrality, with log P values ≥ 1.2692 ± 0.004, suggesting lipophilicity. The anticancer activity and mechanism of the complexes were investigated against various human cancerous (Caco-2, HeLa, HepG2, MCF-7, and PC-3) and noncancerous (MCF-12A) cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Apopercentage assays, respectively. C5 demonstrated strong DNA-binding affinity for calf thymus DNA (CTDNA) with a binding constant of 8.049 × 104 M−1 . C3 reduced cell viability of all the six cell lines, which included five cancerous cell lines, by more than 80%. The C5 complex also demonstrated remarkably high selectivity with no cytotoxic activity toward the noncancerous breast cell line but reduced the viability of the five cancerous cell lines, which included one breast cancer cell line, by more than 60%. Further studies are required to evaluate the selective toxicity of these two complexes and to fully understand their mechanism of actio

Yield and Coverage of Active Case Finding Interventions for Tuberculosis Control:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background. Active case finding (ACF) for tuberculosis (TB) is a key strategy to reduce diagnostic delays, expedite treatment, and prevent transmission. Objective. Our objective was to identify the populations, settings, screening and diagnostic approaches that optimize coverage (proportion of those targeted who were screened) and yield (proportion of those screened who had active TB) in ACF programs. Methods. We performed a comprehensive search to identify studies published from 1980-2016 that reported the coverage and yield of different ACF approaches. For each outcome, we conducted meta-analyses of single proportions to produce estimates across studies, followed by meta-regression to identify predictors. Findings. Of 3,972 publications identified, 224 met criteria after full-text review. Most individuals who were targeted successfully completed screening, for a pooled coverage estimate of 93.5%. The pooled yield of active TB across studies was 3.2%. Settings with the highest yield were internally-displaced persons camps (15.6%) and healthcare facilities (6.9%). When compared to symptom screening as the reference standard, studies that screened individuals regardless of symptoms using microscopy, culture, or GeneXpert®MTB/RIF (Xpert) had 3.7% higher case yield. In particular, microbiological screening (usually microscopy) as the initial test, followed by culture or Xpert for diagnosis had 3.6% higher yield than symptom screening followed by microscopy for diagnosis. In a model adjusted for use of Xpert testing, approaches targeting persons living with HIV (PLWH) had a 4.9% higher yield than those targeting the general population. In all models, studies targeting children had higher yield (4.8%-5.7%) than those targeting adults. Conclusion. ACF activities can be implemented successfully in various populations and settings. Screening yield was highest in internally-displaced person and healthcare settings, and among PLWH and children. In high-prevalence settings, ACF approaches that screen individuals with laboratory tests regardless of symptoms have higher yield than approaches focused on symptomatic individuals