Profit efficiency among Kenyan smallholders milk producers: A case study of Meru-South district, Kenya

Production inefficiency is usually analyzed by economical efficiency, which is composed of two components-technical and allocative efficiencies. This study provided a direct measure of production efficiency of the smallholder milk producers in Kenya using a stochastic profit frontier and inefficiency model. The primary data were collected, using IMPACT (intergrated modeling platform for mixed animal crops systems) structured questionnaire and includes four conventional inputs and socio-economic factors affecting production. The result showed that profit efficiencies of the sampled farmers varied widely between 26% and 73% with a mean of 60% suggesting that an estimated 40% of the profit is lost due to a combination of both technical and allocative inefficiencies in the smallholder dairy milk production. This study further observed that level of education, experience, and the size of the farm influenced profit efficiency positively while profit efficiency decreased with age. This implies that profit inefficiency among smallholder dairy milk producers can be reduced significantly with improvement in the level of education of sampled farmer

Quality of glycaemic control in ambulatory diabetics at the out-patient clinic of Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

Background: Treatment of diabetes mellitus is based on the evidence that lowering blood glucose as close to normal range as possible is a primary strategy for reducing or preventing complications or early mortality from diabetes. This suggests poorer glycaemic control would be associated with excess of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. This presumption is suspected to reach high proportions in developing countries where endemic poverty abets poor glycaemic control. There is no study published on Kenyan patients with diabetes mellitus about their glycaemic control as an audit of diabetes care. Objective: To determine the glycaemic control of ambulatory diabetic patients. Design: Cross-sectional study on each clinic day of a randomly selected sample of both type I and 2 diabetic patients. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital. Methods: Over a period of six months, January 1998 to June 1998. During routine diabetes care in the clinic, mid morning random blood sugar and glycated haemoglobin (HbAI c)were obtained. Results: A total of 305 diabetic patients were included, 52.8% were females and 47.2% were males. 58.3% were on Oral Hypoglycaemic Agent (OHA) only, 22.3% on insulin only; 9.2% on OHA and insulin and 4.6% on diet only. 39.5% had mean HbAlc £ 8% while 60.5% had HbAlc ³ 8%. Patients on diet-only therapy had the best mean HbAlc=7.04% while patients on OHA-only had the worst mean HbAlc=9.06%. This difference was significant (p=0.01). The former group, likely, had better endogenous insulin production. The influence of age, gender and duration of diabetes on the level of glycaemic control observed did not attain statistically significant proportions. Conclusion: The majority of ambulatory diabetic patients attending the out-patient diabetic clinic had poor glycaemic control. The group with the poorest level of glycaemic control were on OHA-only, while best control was observed amongst patients on diet-only, because of possible fair endogenous insulin production. Poor glycaemic control was presumed to be due to sub-optimal medication and deteriorating diabetes. There is need to empower patients with knowledge and resources to enhance their individual participation in diabetes self-care. Diabetes care providers and facilities also need capacity building to improve care of patients with diabetes. East African Medical Journal Vol.80(8) 2003: 406-41

Factors Associated With Uptake of Skilled Attendants’ Services During Child Delivery In Garissa Town, Kenya

Objective: To identify the factors that are associated with uptake of skilled delivery services during child delivery among women of reproductive age in Garissa town.Design: Cross sectional study.Setting: Garissa townSubject: Three hundred and thirty four women aged 15-49 years who had had at least one delivery in their lifetime were asked about the type of delivery services they had during their last child delivery.Results: The study found that 47% of the last deliveries women were attended by skilled persons and the rest of the deliveries were provided by TBAs. The predictors of skilled delivery uptake in this study were found to be; having knowledge on skilled delivery service providers (AOR = 17.2; 95% CI: 1.05 – 281.12; p = 0.046), child deliveries numbering one to three (AOR = 116.95; 95% CI: 26.68 – 512.64; p = 0.001) and four to six (AOR = 16.75; 95% CI: 4.44 – 62.87; p = 0.001), presence of previous delivery complication (AOR = 11.71; 95% CI: 3.96 – 34.60; p = 0.001), disapproval of TBA services (AOR = 27.19; 95% CI: 6.67 – 110.76; p = 0.001), lack of preference for gender of skilled delivery service provider (AOR = 6.51; 95% CI: 1.08 – 39.37; p = 0.041), and positive view on service related factors such as time to nearest facility (AOR = 3.91; 95% CI: 1.24 – 12.34; p = 0.020), hygiene (AOR = 5.03; 95% CI: 1.49 – 17.05; p = 0.009) and operation time of health facility (AOR = 4.67; 95% CI: 1.59 – 13.76; p = 0.005).Conclussion: The findings show that cultural and maternal factors as well as quality of services at facility level play major role in determining uptake of skilled services among women in Garissa as compared to social  demographic and economic factors

Determinants of material mortality among women of reproductive age attending Kissi General Hospital, Kissi Central District, Kenya (January 2009 - June 2010)

Objective: To describe the causes and determinants of maternal mortality among women of reproductive age seeking healthcare services at Kisii General Hospital.Design: Descriptive retrospective study.Setting: Kisii General Hospital which is a Level-5 Referral Hospital.Subjects: Seventy-two women who had died as a result of pregnancy and childbirth related conditions who had sought obstetric services at Kisii General Hospital.Results: Majority 51 (70.8%) of deceased did not go to hospital promptly, due to; lack of transport 22 (30.6%), lack of money 17 (23.6%), and hospital distance 8 (11.1%). About 43 (60%) of those who died were between 15-25 years of age. Hospital experiences included; delay in service provision by staff 14 (19.4%), unavailability of blood for transfusion 6 (8.3%), and lack of money for drugs 12 (16.7%). Complications which led to maternal mortality were mainly; postpartum sepsis, bleeding, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions.Conclusion: Lack of lack of transport, inability to pay, delayed care seeking and lack of emergency obstetrics were the major challenges. Postpartum sepses, bleeding and pre-eclampsia were the leading complications that led to death

Cytokine expression in malaria-infected non-human primate placentas

Malaria parasites are known to mediate the induction of inflammatory immune responses at the maternal-foetal interface during placental malaria (PM) leading to adverse consequences like pre-term deliveries and abortions. Immunological events that take place within the malaria-infected placental micro-environment leading to retarded foetal growth and disruption of pregnancies are among the critical parameters that are still in need of further elucidation. The establishment of more animal models for studying placental malaria can provide novel ways of circumventing problems experienced during placental malaria research in humans such as inaccurate estimation of gestational ages. Using the newly established olive baboon (Papio anubis)-Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi) H strain model of placental malaria, experiments were carried out to determine placental cytokine profiles underlying the immunopathogenesis of placental malaria. Four pregnant olive baboons were infected with blood stage P. knowlesi H strain parasites on the one fiftieth day of gestation while four other uninfected pregnant olive baboons were maintained as uninfected controls. After nine days of infection, placentas were extracted from all the eight baboons through cesarean surgery and used for the processing of placental plasma and sera samples for cytokine sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results indicated that the occurrence of placental malaria was associated with elevated concentrations of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-{\alpha}) and interleukin 12 (IL-12). Increased levels of IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 and interferon gamma (IFN-{\gamma}) levels were detected in uninfected placentas. These findings match previous reports regarding immunity during PM thereby demonstrating the reliability of the olive baboon-P. knowlesi model for use in further studies.Comment: Open Veterinary Journal 1st June 2012. Seven pages, Three Figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1201.323

Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness among Women with Pregnancy and Childbirth related Complications at Kenyatta National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya

Background: In developing countries, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa, women and newborns continue to face increased risks of mortality and morbidity during the time of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Preparing for childbirth and being ready for complications is a key strategy in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity as this would reduce delay in obtaining skilled maternal care especially during childbirth. This survey was evaluating birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) among womenseeking services at Kenyatta National Teaching and Referral Hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among women admitted in the antenatal and postnatal ward. Data was collected using a standardised questionnaire. A respondent was considered to have satisfactory BPCR if she reported that she had identified the place of delivery, made prior financial arrangements and organised for means of transport to place of childbirth and/or for the time of obstetric emergencies ahead of childbirth.Results: The survey recruited 353 women aged between 15 and 44 years. Majority were married (n=288, 81.6%) and unemployed (n=232, 65.7%). Additionally, most of the participants were multiparous (n=345,97.7%) and had made at least 1 visit at the Antenatal Clinic during their current pregnancy (n=331, 93.8%). The proportion of women whose BPCR was rated as satisfactory was 56.7% (95% confidence interval, (CI) 49.7% - 63.6%). Factors associated with satisfactory BPCR included: being married (OR10.66, 95%CI5.21-21.83), having post-secondary education (OR 11.52, 95% CI 6.62-20.05), being in formal employment (OR 4.14, 95%CI2.51-6.82), gestation >28 weeks (OR=1.83,95%CI1.08-3.09), multiparity (OR=1.87,95%CI1.21-2.88), visiting Antenatal Care Clinic (OR=9.31, 95% CI 2.70-32.09)and particularly visiting the clinic more than 2 times (OR=4.43, 95% CI 2.75-7.13).Conclusions: The study documented sub-optimal BPCR. This highlights the need to review the current strategies and approaches being utilised to promote BPCR

Competency, Experience and Industrial exposure of faculty Members in Public Universities and Collaborating Colleges in Kenya

he success witnessed so far with the Module II Degree Programmes in Kenya’s public universities have led to efforts to expand capacity to absorb more students into public universities. These efforts have included public universities acquiring fully owned satellite campuses in different places/towns, entering into collaboration arrangement with private middle level colleges, adopting various forms/modes of learning facilitation such as holiday, evening or weekend classes, distance, and virtual or e-learning. The Government on its part has declared several middle level colleges to be constituent colleges of different public universities and charters given to more private universities. These rapid changes in public universities often come with their own challenges and may also open up hitherto uncharted horizons or opportunities that could be exploited further. One such challenge is that of the faculty member’s qualification, experience and exposure to enable all these institutions to provide quality education. This paper examines this concern. Faculty members were sampled from public universities, and data obtained as regards their qualification, terms of employment, work expectation and experience, industrial exposure and academic self- development efforts including publications in notable journals. According to the findings made from the study, faculty members in most public universities in Kenya are often middle level ranking with the majority holding Masters Degree qualifications but little else is fully recorded on the attributes that guarantees sustainable availability of competent faculty members where demand for their services is growing by the day. Keywords: Faculty, Experience and Competence

Parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita interactions with different Capsicum annum cultivars reveal the chemical constituents modulating root herbivory

Open Access Journal; Published online: 06 June 2017Plant volatile signatures are often used as cues by herbivores to locate their preferred hosts. Here, we report on the volatile organic compounds used by the subterranean root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita for host location. We compared responses of infective second stage juveniles (J2s) to root volatiles of three cultivars and one accession of the solanaceous plant, Capsicum annum against moist sand in dual choice assays. J2s were more attracted to the three cultivars than to the accession, relative to controls. GC/MS analysis of the volatiles identified common constituents in each plant, five of which were identified as α-pinene, limonene, 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)-pyrazine, methyl salicylate and tridecane. We additionally identified thymol as being specific to the accession. In dose-response assays, a blend of the five components elicited positive chemotaxis (71–88%), whereas individual components elicited varying responses; Methyl salicylate (MeSA) elicited the highest positive chemotaxis (70–80%), α-pinene, limonene and tridecane were intermediate (54–60%), and 2-methoxy- 3-(1-methylpropyl)-pyrazine the lowest (49–55%). In contrast, thymol alone or thymol combined with either the preferred natural plant root volatiles or the five-component synthetic blend induced negative chemotaxis. Our results provide insights into RKN-host plant interactions, creating new opportunities for plant breeding programmes towards management of RKNs

Alterations on peripheral B cell subsets following an acute uncomplicated clinical malaria infection in children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effects of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>on B-cell homeostasis have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether an episode of acute malaria in young children results in changes in the peripheral B cell phenotype.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using flow-cytofluorimetric analysis, the B cell phenotypes found in the peripheral blood of children aged 2–5 years were characterized during an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria and four weeks post-recovery and in healthy age-matched controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a significant decrease in CD19⁺B lymphocytes during acute malaria. Characterization of the CD19⁺B cell subsets in the peripheral blood based on expression of IgD and CD38 revealed a significant decrease in the numbers of naive 1 CD38^-IgD⁺B cells while there was an increase in CD38⁺IgD^-memory 3 B cells during acute malaria. Further analysis of the peripheral B cell phenotype also identified an expansion of transitional CD10⁺CD19⁺B cells in children following an episode of acute malaria with up to 25% of total CD19⁺B cell pool residing in this subset.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Children experiencing an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria experienced profound disturbances in B cell homeostasis.</p