An alternative management strategy for Lake Victoria (Kenya)

In Kenya, fisheries resource management has been based on the top-down centralized approach since the colonial days. Stakeholders have never been consulted concerning management decisions. The 4-beaches Study was undertaken to investigate the potential for an alternative management system for Lake Victoria

Reflections on Mainstreaming Internship in University Curricula with specific reference to the Experience of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Makerere University

Makerere University mainstreamed field based learning (internship)into all its undergraduate study programmes. Initially internship was conducted only in professional courses like Education, Social Work and Law. However, due to criticism that the University was producing graduates who are not in touch with the realities in the workplace, the University  rethought it approach and now requires all second year undergraduate students to undergo internship. Although this change presented several opportunities, mainstreaming internship across a multiplicity of study programmes also presented numerous challenges. This paper provides an ethnographic reflection of three of the university’s academics (involved in the supervision of students’ internship) on these challenges. It also discusses their lessons from participating in the implementation of the internship programme.Keywords: Internship; Curriculum innovation; Higher education reform

Knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding among women with children aged between 9 and 12 months in Al-Sabah Children Hospital, Juba, South Sudan

Introduction: Breastfeeding is an important tool for preventing childhood illnesses, and obesity, and hypertension later on in life, and it reduces the cost of food for the family and the country. Appropriate practices that support exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months reduce childhood morbidity and mortality.Methodology: 384 mothers with children aged 9 to 12 months attending the immunization and paediatric outpatient clinics were interviewed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data handling. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression were used to analyse the data.Results: The majority of mothers were aged between 21 – 25 years (43.5%), had 2 - 4 children (55.5%) and primary education (48.2%). Most mothers had started breastfeeding within the first hour of delivery (76.8%), and knew that breastfeeding was nutritious to the baby. Parity and mother`s level of education were significant factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant association between occupation, age of the mother, mode of delivery and exclusive breastfeeding (p>0.05). There was no statistical difference in rate of exclusive breastfeeding in mothers attending the OPD and the immunization clinic (p value=0.09).Conclusion: Most mothers knew the benefits and definitions of exclusive  breastfeeding. The early measures supporting breastfeeding are well practiced. Parity and mothers` education significantly affected exclusive breastfeeding.Keys words: Exclusive breast feeding, child, nutritio

Nutritional diversity of leafy amaranth species grown in Kenya

Objectives: Despite the availability of many species of amaranth in Kenya, there is inadequate information on their nutritional diversity and how they can be best used in mitigation of malnutrition. Hence, this study was aimed at investigating the nutritional diversity of five leafy amaranth species grown in Kenya. Methodology and results: Amaranth vegetables were harvested 5-6 weeks after planting. They were analyzed for their nutritional and phytochemical content using standard methods. Moisture content was lowest in A.cruentus (79.29±1.26%). A.cruentus had the highest protein (4.37 ±0.02%).The fat content of A.hybridus (2.53±0.06%) and A.hypochodriacus (2.63±0.11%) was significantly higher than the other species. The crude fibre content (3.01±0.29%) was similar in all the species. A.dubius had the highest calcium (336.47±0.9mg/100g) and iron (18.64±0.23mg/100g) while A.cruentus was highest in zinc content (1.67±0.03mg/100g).The total phenols content was highest in A.cruentus (3.59±0.01GAE/100mg).Catechins were highest in A.cruentus (7.15±0.63CE/100mg) while quercetin was highest in A.cruentus (14.28±0.86QE/100mg). Conclusion and application of results: More than 50% of the Kenyan population live below the poverty line and lack access to adequate food. The food available food is of poor nutritional value, this causes malnutrition and other nutritional disorders. There is therefore a need to identify nutrient-rich foods that can be produced inexpensively to meet the nutrient requirements of everyone and especially the vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children and the elderly. Amaranth is drought tolerant, grows fast and is easily cultivated. This study indicates that the Amaranth species found in Kenya are a good source of key nutrients, which can be used in mitigation of malnutrition. A.dubius is a superior source of calcium and iron and can help curb the micronutrient deficiencies in Kenya, while A.cruentus is a superior source of protein and phytochemicals which are important in reducing the risk of chronic diseases which are so rampant in Kenya today.Keywords: A. dubius; A. hybridus and A. cruentus; A. albus and A. hypochondriacus; Nutrient

Food Recalls and Food Safety Perceptions: The September 2006 Spinach Recall Case

This paper examines public perceptions on food safety particularly relating to spinach, which was subject of countrywide recall in 2006. Results indicate that food safety perceptions may be driven by public trust/confidence in institutions whose activities may be directly or indirectly related to food safety. The results further suggest that food safety perceptions may also be related to the type of the product; for example, the public perceives frozen spinach differently from bagged fresh spinach. Additionally, the results show that low levels of objective knowledge about food pathogens and the resulting illnesses have implications on overall food safety. Results further indicate that females and Caucasians perceived the four types of spinach as safe for consumption. This outcome contrasts with views held by young people, people with education below high school and those belonging to the lower incomes groups, who viewed the four types of spinach as unsafe. More attention should be directed toward public education and outreach efforts on overall food safety targeting the youth, low income groups and those with education below high school. In addition, there is need for the regulatory agencies to put their act together, given current low levels of public trust in their role of safeguarding the food supply.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Food Recalls and Food Safety Perceptions: The September 2006 Spinach Recall Case

This study analyzes public perceptions of food safety using a national survey conducted in November 2006, soon after the September 2006 nationwide spinach recall. We explore relationships between peoples’ perceived risks of food contamination (spinach in this case) and their trust in the institutions in charge of safeguarding/ensuring safety. Finally, we examine relationships between individual observance of basic good food handling practices and food safety. Trust in institutions through which food passes and regulatory agencies were shown to be critical in determining food safety perceptions. For example, confidence in the USDA as a regulatory agent was viewed positively, and hence contributed toward viewing the four types of spinach as safe for consumption. Conversely, skepticism with which the public views food corporations (processors, transporters, or retailers) impacted food safety perceptions negatively.food recalls, food safety, public perceptions, spinach, Agribusiness, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Antibiotic Sensitivity Patterns of Aerobic Bacterial Agents in Post-Surgical Orofacial Infections

Background: There is no data on the bacteriology of postsurgical orofacial infections at our institutions. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics may lead to development of resistance with the resultant increase in morbidity and cost of treatment. We aimed to determine the aerobic bacterial agents and antibiotic sensitivity of post-surgical infections in the orofacial region. Methodology: Patients were evaluated for post-surgical wound infection from the 5th to 30th post-operative day. In cases where a surgical implantwas placed the period of review was extended for up twelve months. The specimens were collected using sterile swabs and transported to the  microbiology laboratory within two hours of collection. The specimens were then analyzed for bacteriology according to the standard bacteriological  techniques. A wide range of antibiotics including those commonly used to treat orofacial infections were tested for sensitivity against the isolates obtained using the disk diffusion test (Kirby-Bauer procedure, using CLSI protocols). Results: Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 40% of the isolates followedby Klebsiella species (23%) and the Pseudomonas species (19%).  Amoxycillin/clavulinic acid, the 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins were effective against most of the bacterial infections from the orofacial region. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas species arethe commonest isolates from the oral facial region. Antibiotics which showed adequate efficacy against them were the augmented Penicillins and newer generations Cephalosporins.Key Words: Oro-facial infection, Post-surgical, Antibiotic

Reactions of 1-stearoyl-2-(13'-oxo-9',11'-tridecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine with amino acids and peptides and its differential generation from hydroperoxides of 1-stearoyl-2-&alph;-linolenoyl-sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine and

Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) bearing various kinds of aldehydic acyl chains at the sn-2 position have been detected in atherosclerotic tissues. However, 1-acyl-2-(13'-oxo-9',11'-tridecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and other a,b,g,d-unsaturated aldehyde PCs have not. To determine whether this might be due to their high chemical reactivity with biomolecules, we investigated the reactions of 1-stearoyl-2-(13'-oxo-9',11'-tridecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (OTDA-PC, where OTDA refers to the oxo-tridecadienoyl moiety) with nucleophilic amino acids and peptides by means of electrospray mass spectroscopy. OTDA-PC formed Michael adducts with lysine, arginine, histidine, hippuryl lysine and hippuryl arginine, but was surprisingly unreactive with cysteine or glutathione. When 1-stearoyl-2-(13'-hydroperoxy-9'Z,11'E,15'Z-octadecatrienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PC-LNA-OOH, where LNA-OOH denotes the linolenic acid hydroperoxide moiety)　was decomposed in the presence of the reactive lysine, OTDA-PC was still detected as a major product. However, OTDA-PC could not be detected when 1-stearoyl-2-(13'-hydroperoxy-9'Z,11'E-octadecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PC-LA-OOH, where LA-OOH refers to linoleic acid hydroperoxide) was decomposed in the presence or absence of lysine.  Since linoleic acid is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid in atherosclerotic tissues, these results indicate that formation of OTDA-PC in only minor amounts in such tissues may explain its not having been detected in them. Surprisingly, 1-stearoyl-2-(9'-oxononanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine was the major aldehydic product of the decomposition of PC-LA-OOH under anaerobic conditions. KEY WORDS: Lipid oxidation, Bioactive phospholipid aldehydes (core aldehydes), Michael addition  Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2008, 22(2), 269-276.&#160

Facilitating War-Affected Young Mothers’ Reintegration: Lessons from a Participatory Action Research Study in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

Young women and girls formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups face multiple challenges. Many become pregnant or have children while they are associated and face stigma and marginalization upon reintegration into civilian communities. This article describes a multi-year participatory action research study that took place in twenty communities in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and northern Uganda from 2006 – 2009 and included more than 650 young mother participants. We find that this community-based approach to reintegration improved the wellbeing of young mother participants and their children. We discuss the challenges and limitations of conducting participatory action research with war-affected young people and make recommendations for future reintegration programming

Effect of Amino Acid Formulation and Dietary Direct-Fed Microbial Supplementation on Egg Production and Egg Characteristics in Laying Hens

An experiment was conducted to determine whether direct-fed microbial supplementation could alleviate a marginal amino acid (AA) deficiency in Hyline 36 laying hens from 33 to 44 wk of age. The experiment was a 2 × 4 factorial design with or without a commercial directfed microbial (Primilac; 1.36 kg/1,000 kg) and 4 levels of AA formulation. Egg characteristics (yolk, albumen, or shell proportions and yolk or albumen solids) were not affected by diet. Primilac supplementation had no effect on egg production or egg mass. However, Primilac supplementation reduced feed intake-to-egg mass ratio by 2.4 and 3.4% from 33 to 36 wk and 41 to 44 wk, respectively. Total eggs laid and egg mass were greatest when at least 14.4 g of CP, 804 mg of Lys, 382 mg of Met, 601 mg of TSAA, 502 mg of Thr, and 609 mg of Ile were consumed per hen per day from 33 to 44 wk of age. In conclusion, Primilac supplementation was not able to completely alleviate a marginal AA deficiency in laying hens but did improve feed intake-to-egg mass ratios during 8 wk of the 12-wk study