Organic Grain Amaranth: Inspiring Global Actions to Impact on Non-Communicable Diseases

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), mainly cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes represent a leading threat to human health and development. Despite impacting the poorest people in low-income parts of the world and imposing a heavy burden on social-economic development, NCD prevention is currently absent from the Millennium Development Goals-MDGs. However, up to 80% of heart disease, stroke and type II diabetes and over a third of cancers could be prevented by eliminating shared risk factors like unhealthy diets. Besides, there is growing recognition that the development of many NCDs may have their roots in the uterine environment and up to the age of five years. Indeed, ensuring optimal health of women and their children early in life is critical for the prevention of NCDs, intergeneration transmission of poverty and ill health. Therefore, this paper will demonstrate how Strategic Poverty Alleviation Systems-SPAS has been using organic grain amaranth- a non-grass cereal and a nutritional powerhouse which is also medicinal to control NCDs and as an early intervention tool in the pre-natal and early childhood years as a cost effective means of controlling later chronic diseases, contributing to improved health and nutrition, livelihoods and ecological sustainability. Through the Grain Amaranth Initiative for Nutrition Security (GAINS) model farmers grow amaranth for food/nutrition and incomes and surplus bought by SPAS which is integrated with other Organic Traditional Resources that are common to the Kenyan Phyto-pharmaceutical tradition to make grain amaranth based nutraceuticals for community members with NDCs. SPAS also provide health education on NCDs and other diseases, and stimulate community dialogue and promotes advocacy. But although the model catalyzes peoples’ participation and empowerment at low cost, and provides an inspiring global action towards NCDs, the challenge presented by NCDs is of such magnitude to merit a serious policy response on organic grain amaranth. Indeed, there is need to develop a global policy framework on organic grain amaranth to feed on critical decisions on NCD

Design of an inhalable aerosol size spectrometer

2015 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.Industrial hygienists lack the proper instruments to measure size distributions of inhalable particulate matter (0-100 μm) as defined by ACGIH/ISO/CEN. The Portable Inhalable Particle Spectrometer (PIPS) was designed to size-segregate IPM in calm-air environments – which constitute a majority of workplaces. The PIPS uses an upward air velocity to restrict particle aspiration into the device to diameters above a specified cut-size. A vertical test chamber was also designed to facilitate aerosol dispersion and experimental evaluation of the PIPS. Two PIPS tubes were tested (1.5 cm and 5 cm) at four face velocities (0.6, 1.35, 2.5 and 3.5 cm·s⁻¹) that correspond to cut-sizes of 20, 30, 40 and 50 μm in aerodynamic diameter, respectively. The observed performance of the PIPS deviated from model estimates as face velocity or tube diameter was increased. The fluid regime present inside the chamber, due to the operating PIPS, likely influenced the measured sampling efficiency of the PIPS

Validating the Home Experiences of Children that Negatively Impact Their Right to Education in South Africa: The Case of HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) Living in the Amatole District

In South Africa and the world over, despite an array of commendable policies to protect the rights of children, the situation on the ground indicates that HIV/AIDS continues to pose increasing challenges on the children's' right to education due to the death of their parents. This study sought to validate the home experiences of children that negatively impact on their right to education in South Africa with a case of HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in Amatole District. The study utilized a qualitative research method in collecting the feelings, views and attitudes of these children to establish the children's home experiences. An interview guide with semi-structured questions was used to steer the one-on-one in-depth interviews with children from Parkside Primary School, Langa-Liphumile High School and one anonymous school in East London, Eastern Cape Province. 5 learners were purposively selected from each school and subjected to a one-on-one interview with the researcher. The researcher purposively selected one teacher per school, 2 members each from 3 community based organizations (CBOs) who were also subjected to a one-on-one in-depth interview. The findings indicated these negative experiences of the OVCs in their homes such as; attendance to a school was poor; academic performance was low; enrollment in schools was very low and abuse of these children was high. These researchers recommend for psychosocial support for these children to be placed in the schools; integration of HIV/AIDS programmes to target especially the OVCs; social workers should ensure that they regularly do home visits to these OVCs to establish whether the home circumstances these children are still conducive for them. It is hoped that the findings from this paper will be an asset that other researchers, policy makers, the government and NGOs/CBOs will take into consideration for the benefit of OVCs

Patient and alograft survival after transplantation with a living donor kidney: 14 years experience

BACKGROUND: Late allograft loss remains a key area of concern. This study  Was aimed at determining the patient and renal allograft outcome and identifying the factors responsible for survival following transplantation with a living-related donor kidney at the Nairobi Hospital, Kenya.METHODS: Follow-up data for living-related donor graft recipients between 1988 and 2001 was collected. Outcome measures studied were patient and graft survival. Graft loss was defined by the need for permanent renal dialysis, repeat transplantation or death with a functioning graft. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival. Crude mortality rates per 100 person-years of follow-up were also calculated. Outcome status was correlated with age, sex, readmission, creatinine level, duration of follow-up and financial sustainability. The Fischer's exact test, X2 analysis and t-test were employed where appropriate. Logistic regression was used to detect independent risk factors for outcome. P C 0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS: Follow-up data were available for 45 of 53 patients. Six were subsequently lost to follow-up. The 1-year and 5-year patient survival was 77.8 and 63.1 Oh respectively. The overall mortality was 10.7 per 100 person-years of follow-up. Risk of mortality was higher in the first year after transplantation (approximately double). Female gender, elevated serum creatinine levels, readmission and non-sustainable finances adversely affected patient outcome on univariate analysis. Overall graft survival was 77.8 % at 1 year and 52.7 O/O at 5 years. Most Deaths resulted from chronic allograft rejection and sepsis.CONCLUSION: Pharmacological manipulations with newer immunosuppressive agents could reduce allograft loss and impact positively on patient survival

Oesophageal cancer and experience with endoscopic stent intubation at St. Mary’s Hospital, Nairobi

Background: Oesophageal cancer often presents in advanced stages not amenable to surgical resection. In such patients, palliation of dysphagia remains the mainstay of management. Objectives: To determine the burden of advanced oesophageal cancer and to document the experience with endoscopic metal stent intubation for its palliation Design: Retrospective evaluation of upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy data and prospective study of stented patients. Setting: St Mary’s Mission Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Subjects: Records of and patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic stenting were evaluated . Results: Between July 2000 and July 2007, 8580 upper GI endoscopies were carried out, revealing tumour in 796 patients (9.3%). Oesophageal cancer (both squamous cell and adenocarcinoma) accounted for 512 cases (64%), 328 (64%) being males. Only 49 (9.6%) of the oesophageal tumours were deemed amenable to and underwent resection with curative intent. One hundred self expanding metal stents (SEMS) procedures were carried out over a 17-month period (March 2006 – July 2007). Of these procedures, performed under topical anaesthesia and injectable analgesics, only seven involved re-stenting. All patients were able to swallow immediately after. Procedure-related mortality was 2%. Early procedure-related chest pain was a consistent feature (100%). At follow-up, over half of the patients (54%) had an objective weight gain before stabilizing or reducing as other tumour effects set in. The main study challenge was patient compliance with follow-up clinics. Conclusion: Approximately one in ten patients referred for upper GI endoscopy had a tumour in this series. Oesophageal cancer was a common endoscopic finding and only a small percentage (9.6%) was amenable to resection. Endoscopic stenting was found to be an affordable and effective minimally invasive outpatient procedure for palliation of dysphagia in non-resectable disease. Key words: Oesophageal cancer, unsedated endoscopy, stenting (SEMS)

Effects of Computer Based Mastery Learning on Secondary School Students’ Motivation to Learn Biology by Gender

The knowledge of biology is applied in many fields including industry, agriculture, biotechnology, medicine and environmental conservation. It has a significant role to play in enhancing the country’s socio-economic development by enabling exploitation of land, animal and other natural and human resources. Inspite of this, the overall achievement in biology in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) has been low. Approaches used in the instructional process have been identified as among the factors contributing to the problem of low achievement. In this study an attempt was made to overcome this problem by using Computer Based Mastery Learning (CBML) approach as an intervention to investigate its effects on students’ Motivation to learn. A non-equivalent Solomon’s Four Group design (quasi-experimental research design) was used in which four co-educational secondary schools were purposively sampled. The four schools were randomly assigned to four groups. Students in all the groups were taught the same biology content. Teachers of the experimental groups taught using CBML approach while teachers of the control groups taught using the conventional methods. The study focused on the topic Respiration and involved a sample of 167 Form two students in four schools in Bomet District. Students’ Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) was used to collect data. The instrument was validated by five research experts in Science Education and five practising high school biology teachers. Reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. A reliability co-efficient of 0.79 was obtained. t-test was used for data analysis. Hypothesis was tested at an alpha level of 0.05. The findings indicate that there is no gender difference in motivation when CBML is used. It is recommended that CBML teaching strategy be incorporated in teacher education programes. Designers of computer based learning programmes should also be encouraged to include CBML to enhance student learning. Keywords: Computer Based Mastery Learning, Student’s Motivation, Learning Biology, Gender

Financing Adult Education: How Adequate are Current Sources in Facilitating Access and Participation in Centres in Murang’a South Sub- County, Murang’a County, Kenya?

The thrust of this study was to examine the level of adequacy of current sources in facilitating access and participation in adult education centres in Murang’a South Sub-County, Murang’a County, Kenya. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. Combinations of purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 82 subjects to participate in the study. The study established that most adult education centres in Murang’a South Sub-County received inadequate direct funding from the government in the last three financial years, hence making these centres unable to acquire adequate appropriate physical and instructional facilities.  The funding conditions imposed by most financial institutions were prohibiting access and participation of prospective learners in these centres. It was recommended that the Government of Kenya and other public financing agencies should relax funding conditionality and increase their allocations to adult education in order to accelerate and sustain enrolment in the adult education centres (150 words). Keywords: level of adequacy, current sources, financing, access, participation,   adult education centres,   Murang’a South Sub-County, Murang’a County, Keny

Validating the Home Experiences of Children that Negatively Impact Their Right to Education in South Africa: The Case of HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) Living in the Amatole District

In South Africa and the world over, despite an array of commendable policies to protect the rights of children, the situation on the ground indicates that HIV/AIDS continues to pose increasing challenges on the children's' right to education due to the death of their parents. This study sought to validate the home experiences of children that negatively impact on their right to education in South Africa with a case of HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in Amatole District. The study utilized a qualitative research method in collecting the feelings, views and attitudes of these children to establish the children's home experiences. An interview guide with semi-structured questions was used to steer the one-on-one in-depth interviews with children from Parkside Primary School, Langa-Liphumile High School and one anonymous school in East London, Eastern Cape Province. 5 learners were purposively selected from each school and subjected to a one-on-one interview with the researcher. The researcher purposively selected one teacher per school, 2 members each from 3 community based organizations (CBOs) who were also subjected to a one-on-one in-depth interview. The findings indicated these negative experiences of the OVCs in their homes such as; attendance to a school was poor; academic performance was low; enrollment in schools was very low and abuse of these children was high. These researchers recommend for psychosocial support for these children to be placed in the schools; integration of HIV/AIDS programmes to target especially the OVCs; social workers should ensure that they regularly do home visits to these OVCs to establish whether the home circumstances these children are still conducive for them. It is hoped that the findings from this paper will be an asset that other researchers, policy makers, the government and NGOs/CBOs will take into consideration for the benefit of OVCs

An Exploratory study of franchising as a small and medium enterprises development strategy in Kenya

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Masters of Business AdministrationThe study provides an exploratory insight into the factors that globally influence the development of franchising but more specifically, the study explores the determinants of successful franchising development among Small and Medium Enterprises both at the global level and in Kenya. The determinants were organized along four (4) key themes: External environmental specific determinants such as political, legal and economic factors and internal environmental specific factors such as motivation, strategic choice and firm level capabilities. Due to the nascent nature of franchising in Kenya among local enterprises, the study adopted a purposive sampling which entailed selecting indigenous SME business owners that had adopted franchising as business expansion strategy as well as key informants that were conversant with franchising. Primary data was collected by means of questionnaires which were both open and close ended with secondary data being gathered by way of reviewing documents and other report on the businesses that were being studied. The data collected was analysed using case study descriptions as an analytic strategy with the 2 cases being cross-synthesized with the aim of trying to match any existing patters between the 2 businesses. The findings of the study suggest that the Kenyan political environment which is closely related to the legal environment does determine the development of franchising and so does the state of the economy in the country. The motivation of the entrepreneur to choose franchising to grow their business as well as the expansion strategy that they use to achieve the same both have a bearing on the success of their enterprise. The study also shows that there are certain capabilities that need to be developed within the firm in order to succeed in franchising. The study recommends that the government improves the legal environment as regards intellectual property protection and commercial disputes resolution mechanisms in order to encourage franchising. At the firm level, business owners are advised to test their business models until they are confident enough of successfully replicating the same through franchising in order to increase the chances of survival