Analysing Access to Information by Users of Institutional Repositories at the National Museums of Kenya

The National Museums of Kenya was created to facilitate the generation, preservation and dissemination of information on historical, cultural and natural heritage of the country. National Museums of Kenya and external researchers have over the years continued to generate information in print, audio-visual and electronic formats. However, due to the proliferation of information, and haphazard management, accessing this vast reservoir of data has become a major challenge. This study aimed to analyse the status of access to information by users using institutional repositories at the National Museums of Kenya and to suggest ways in which it can be enhanced.  Objectives of this study were: to identify institutional-generated information available; to find out how the institutional-generated information was organised and accessed; to examine how researchers access the institutional-generated information; to determine challenges inhibiting access of institutional-generated information; and to suggest strategies that would enhance access to institutional-generated information by research staff of the National Museums of Kenya. The researcher used a case study research design. The researcher employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory informed the study. The study population was 600 people, which comprised of researchers, management staff and external users. The study sample size involved 226 employees of the National Museums of Kenya. Non-probability sampling method and purposive sampling techniques were used. Data collection methods relied upon were administration of questionnaires and interviews. Data collection instruments included questionnaires and interview schedules. The key findings in relation to access of information were lack of policy on institutional repositories, inadequate ICT infrastructure, inadequate funds and inadequate trained personnel due to inability of information workers to manage institutional repositories. The researcher concluded that access to information can only be enhanced by addressing these existing challenges. The study recommends the need for policy formulation on institutional repositories, improved ICT infrastructure, allocation of enough funds, and training of staff on institutional repositories. Keywords: Institutional-generated information, institutional repositories, National museums of Keny

Expression of the Bunyamwera Virus M Genome Segment Gene Products

Bunyamwera virus is the prototype of both the Bunyavirus genus and the Bunyaviridae family, which comprises more than 300 viruses. The virus possesses a negative stranded RNA genome of three segments designated Large (L), Middle (M) and Small (S). The M segment codes for the two virion glycoproteins, G1 and G2, and a non-structural polyprotein, termed NSm. The mature gene products are derived from a polyprotein precursor which is probably cotranslationally cleaved as it has not been detected in virus-infected cells. Genetic studies have indicated that the M segment gene products are involved in many of important biological attributes of the virus, including determinants of virulence, neutralisation and haemagglutination. The M segment RNA of bunyaviruses has a different gene organisation from those of Phiebovirus genus in having NSm in the middle of the precursor, whereas some members of the Phlebovirus genus have NSm at the beginning of the precursor. The Uukuniemi group of phieboviruses and members of the Hantavirus genus have no NSm. A common feature among members of the Bunyaviridae is maturation at the smooth surfaced membranes of the Golgi complex. The glycoproteins encoded by the M segment RNA are thought to be the main determinants of this feature. It was therefore of interest to express the Bunyamwera virus M RNA segment in order to study the biogenesis of the glycoproteins and NSm, and with the long-term view of studying and targetting of these proteins to the Golgi. The overall aims of this work were to express the M RNA segment of Bunyamwera virus from a cloned cDNA; to determine the cellular residence of NSm; and to investigate the transport of the proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex. No immunological reagents specific for NSm were available, and two approaches were utilized in the production of specific antisera to NSm. One involved synthesis of fusion proteins with beta-galactosidase using the pUEX3 vector system, and the second synthesis of branching peptides to selected sequences of NSm. Rabbits were immunized separately with these immunogens and the antisera characterised by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and radioimmunoprecipitations. Antisera to fusion proteins failed to recognise NSm in immunoprecipitations. However, immune sera raised against the branching peptides recognised NSm specifically in Bunyamwera virus-infected cells by radioimmunoprecipi tation. The antipeptide sera were used in indirect immunofluorescence experiments to determine that NSm localized to the Golgi complex in virus-infected cells; this was confirmed by dual staining with rhodamine conjugated wheat germ agglutinin which predominantly stains the Golgi complex. For in vitro translation of mRNA synthesized from Bunyamwera virus cDNA, the full length cDNA was cloned in the pT7T3 transcription vector under the control of the T3 RNA promoter. Full length and various truncated transcripts were made using T3 RNA polymerase. Attempts to express the transcripts in vitro were unsuccessful in both rabbit reticulocyte lysate and in wheat germ cell free translation systems. However, a transcript representing nucleotides 1352 to 4001 of the M segment mRNA, with an internal in-frame AUG at nucleotides 1430-1432, was translated in vitro in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system to yield a 90K protein which was immunoprecipitated by antivirus serum. These experiments suggested that sequences at the 5' end of the M segment mRNA inhibited translation in vitro. Since translation in vitro appeared to be unsuitable in the study of the biogenesis of the M RNA gene products, attempts were made to express the proteins using recombinant vaccinia viruses. The cDNA was cloned in the vaccinia virus transfer vector vTF7-5 under control of the T7 promoter. Recombinant viruses were obtained, as demonstrated by dot blot and Southern blot analyses, and one designated recBUN M. In cells dually infected with recBUN M and VTF7-3, a recombinant vaccinia virus, which expresses T7 RNA polymerase, G1, G2 and NSm were synthesised. These proteins were demonstrated to be antigenically authentic by immunoprecipitation reactions with anti-BUN serum, which recognises both G1 and G2, and the antipeptide serum to NSm. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.)

Efficacy of fecal fertilizers on growth, nutrient uptake and yield of maize

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most widely cultivated staple food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. However, its production is severely constrained by abiotic and biotic factors of which declining soil fertility is a major contributor. A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of fecal matter based organic fertilizers on growth, nutrient uptake, yield and yield components of maize, in two distinct agro-ecological zones. Five fertilizer treatments (control, Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), cow manure, struvite, compost from fecal matter) were tested in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications per site. Data were collected on crop emergence (%), plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index (LAI), tasseling (%), nutrient uptake and grain yield and yield components. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and treatment means separated using Tukey’s HSD test. Results showed that crop emergence in the control treatment, except for struvite, was significantly higher than DAP and fecal matter based organic fertilizer plots in Bahati and Lanet sites. The end-point plant height (9 WAP), LAI and tasseling were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by location and organic fertilizer treatments. At the Lanet site, DAP and struvite treatments equally had the tallest maize plants (163 cm) followed by fecal compost (128 cm), manure (121 cm), and the control (79 cm). Similar result trends were recorded in Bahati where struvite (193 cm) had the tallest plants followed by fecal compost (166 cm), DAP (155 cm), manure (151 cm) and the control (98 cm), respectively. A contrasting result was observed at the Egerton University site in which cow manure and the control plots equally had the tallest plants (117-121 cm), followed by DAP and fecal compost (98-99 cm), and struvite (91 cm). The LAI, tasseling and grain yield were significantly influenced by location with struvite and fecal compost treatments producing the highest grain yield (≈8 t/ha) and one thousand (1000)-seed weights (480-560 g) at the Egerton University and Bahati experimental sites. Nitrogen uptake by maize for organic fertilizer treatments was higher than the control at all three locations. However, there was no difference in uptake of phosphorous and potassium between control and organic fertilizer treatments. These findings have demonstrated the potential of fecal matter based organic fertilizers as alternatives to inorganic fertilizers in smallholder agriculture.Key words: Zea mays, fecal compost, struvite, nutrient uptake, manure, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassiu

Monitoring of annual effective dose (AED) in surface soils of Ahero rice fields, Kenya

The annual effective doses (AED) both AED (in) and AED (out) in the surface soils of Ahero rice fields, Kenya were investigated. The associated health risk of the soils from the four fields Field 1, Field 2, Field 3 and Field 4 was measured using gamma ray spectrometric technique employing Sodium Iodide Thallium doped detector. Five surface soil samples were collected at a depth of 15 – 20 cm from the Field 1, Field 2, Field 3 and two samples from Field 4. The average AED (in) of 0.30  mSv/y and an average AED (out) of 0.2  mSv/y for field 1, an average AED (in) of 0.19  mSv/y, an average AED (out) of 0.20 mSv/y for field 2, an average AED (in) of 0.28  mSv/y and an average AED (out) of 0.18 mSv/y for field 3 and an average AED (in) of 0.34  mSv/y and an average AED (out) of 0.2  mSv/y for field 4. All the AED values both in and out from the four fields were below the recommended level of 1mSv/y. The values indicate that there is no health hazard associated with the surface soils of the study area to the farmers and the general population

Rift Valley fever virus (Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus): an update on pathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, vectors, diagnostics and prevention

Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus is an arbovirus in the Bunyaviridae family that, from phylogenetic analysis, appears to have first emerged in the mid-19th century and was only identified at the begininning of the 1930s in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. Despite being an arbovirus with a relatively simple but temporally and geographically stable genome, this zoonotic virus has already demonstrated a real capacity for emerging in new territories, as exemplified by the outbreaks in Egypt (1977), Western Africa (1988) and the Arabian Peninsula (2000), or for re-emerging after long periods of silence as observed very recently in Kenya and South Africa. The presence of competent vectors in countries previously free of RVF, the high viral titres in viraemic animals and the global changes in climate, travel and trade all contribute to make this virus a threat that must not be neglected as the consequences of RVF are dramatic, both for human and animal health. In this review, we present the latest advances in RVF virus research. In spite of this renewed interest, aspects of the epidemiology of RVF virus are still not fully understood and safe, effective vaccines are still not freely available for protecting humans and livestock against the dramatic consequences of this virus

The LUCID IMS Module: Considerations for the Development of a System to Share Scientific Analysis Results with a Global Audience

GIS projects are constantly faced with the challenge of finding the most viable, fast and efficient means for communicating their analytical results. To meet the challenge, some opt for paper reports and CDs. However, the global distribution of their audience makes it significantly difficult to update, maintain and share the information efficiently. As a result, other projects have chosen Internet websites as a solution. While regular websites can handle almost all types of information, the inherent nature of geospatial information and data poses a special challenge and therefore calls for Web GISs or Internet map servers, which integrate GIS capabilities with Internet technology. In 2002, a need arose to establish a prototype Internet Map Server application for the “Land Use Change Analysis as an Approach for Investigating Biodiversity Loss and Land Degradation” project in East Africa. The application (map service) will be used to communicate the results of the various analyses being conducted by members of the Land Use, Change, Impacts and Assessment (LUCID) team in East Africa. Given that the team’s analyses are still ongoing, the author carried out two pilot studies – a change detection analysis and population distribution modeling for part of the Embu-Mbeere region in Kenya- which sought to determine relationships between population pressure and land use change within the study area. The results of the pilot studies provided content for the development of the interactive map server. The available information were two satellite images dated 1987 and 2001 respectively, as well as population, roads, towns, and land use/land cover of varying projections, scales, currencies and qualities. The two images were retroactively classified using ancillary data from the project as well as other sources. In addition, population data for 1979, 1989 and 1999 was distributed using accessibility as a proxy for population distribution. An Internet map service was then created, and the results of the abovementioned analyses were published on the site. The ultimate goal of this study was to demonstrate the use of the Internet as a complementary means for sharing the analytical results of a GIS project with a global audience through an Internet map server application. Beyond the creation of the prototype application, the author also identified the issues faced in its design, as well as alternatives for the resolution of these issues

Editorial: Putting the spotlight on a backbencher: psychosocial aspects of rheumatologic diseases

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More than skin colour: challenges of diagnosis and managing Raynaud’s phenomenon in a Kenyan lady

We report the case of a 35-year-old female with Raynaud’s associated with mixed connective tissue disease. The patient presented with a two-week history with pain, ulceration, and “darkening” of her fingers and feet. She had been diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease two years earlier and had Raynaud’s as one of the symptoms. She was subsequently lost to follow up due to financial constraints. Despite our efforts, we were not able to save her limbs from amputation

Understanding degradation of electroactive molecules in organic redox flow batteries: Decomposition analysis methods

Organic redox flow batteries have attracted a lot of interests both in academics and industries. Accordingly, many organic materials and chemistries have been studied, providing a solid foundation for development of low-cost organic flow batteries. However, capacity loss/fade as a result of organic molecule decomposition/degradation is a major hindrance towards further advancement of this promising, sustainable and large-scale energy storage technology. Understanding the causes of decomposition as well as its mechanism is thus necessary to unravel this major challenge. Therefore, this perspective/views focus on highlighting the different methods that can be employed for decomposition assessment of organic molecules in flow battery systems. This will help in engineering and designing stable electroactive organic molecule to enable development of durable and long cycle life redox flow battery