SELECTED SCHOOL BASED FACTORS’ INFLUENCE ON VALUE ADDITION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RACHUONYO SOUTH SUB-COUNY, HOMABAY COUNTY, KENYA

Educational accountability has mainly focused on final academic performance in judging schools’ effectiveness without regard to where the students started. Judging schools' effectiveness solely based on final academic performance is unfair to school systems. Hence, the need to determine value addition in secondary education taking into consideration KCPE scores as intake abilities and KCSE scores as exit abilities. Moreover, public secondary schools in Rachuonyo South Sub-County recorded the highest negative academic progresses, -3.262 and -3.745, in the secondary education of 2013 and 2014 cohorts in Homa Bay County. However, the cause of the negative academic progresses is unknown. Hence, there is need to examine selected school-based factors’ influence on value addition in the secondary education of the two cohorts. The objectives of the study are to examine performance appraisal’s influence on value addition in secondary education; to examine continuous assessments’ influence on value addition in secondary education and to examine classroom push and pull factors’ influence on value addition in secondary education. A conceptual model developed from the basic model of school effectiveness by Scheerens (2000) and a correlational research design guided the study. The sample of the study comprised 49 Deputy Principals, 49 Directors of Studies and 780 students randomly sampled. Primary data were collected using questionnaires. Findings revealed that TPAD (β=0.386, p=0.029) and CPP (β=0.364, p=0.034) have positive significant relationships with value addition, while CATs have insignificant relationship with value addition (β1=0.277, p=0.104) for 2013 cohort. For 2014 cohort, TPAD (β=0.633, p=0.000) and CATs (β=0.356, p=0.02) have positive significant relationships with value addition, while CPP has insignificant relationship with value addition (β=0.22, p=0.136). Moreover, findings revealed that school-based factors contributed to 19% and 38% variance in academic achievements of the 2013 and 2014 cohorts respectively. The findings of the study may be used as a tool for school improvement, checking school progress and accountability, informing policymaking, reporting to parents and the community about school.  Article visualizations

Implementation of a low-cost unna boot alternative as adjunctive treatment for Kaposi Sarcoma

There are 6 million people living with HIV; 70% reside in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Furthermore, 1.1 million deaths occur due to opportunistic infections (OIs) that can be minimized with antiretroviral therapy. In Kenya, Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is an especially debilitating OI that presents with dermatologic lesions; magnifying the stigma that patients with HIV face physically and psychosocially. Dermatology research is underway to determine the effectiveness of an unna boot (medicated, layered compression dressing) to speed the healing of these lesions with anecdotal success. Commercially available unna boot products are too expensive and not readily available in SSA. Clinicians from Purdue University College of Pharmacy and the AMPATH Consortium hope to address this need in SSA. A pharmacy student was tasked with developing a low-cost unna boot as a service learning project during an eight-week advanced pharmacy practice experience in Eldoret, Kenya. This project began with an extensive literature review to determine the utility and feasibility of an unna boot, and resulted in the development of a modified kit costing significantly less than commercial products, potentially improving quality of life for this population. This poster describes the implementation and methodology of the local unna boot’s creation, a summation of the service learning project, and the impact on a pharmacy student, clinicians, and patients in SSA

Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of the Fall Armyworm and The Striga Weed at Three Stages of the Maize (Corn) Value Chains in Kenya: A Review

Global food security faces increasing threats from climate change, leading to diseases, pests, drought, water salinity, and rising temperatures. The study broadly addresses global food security challenges, focusing on two pests. The purpose of the study was to assess the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the fall armyworm and the Striga weed at three stages of maize (corn) value chains in Kenya. The methodology used encompassed a desk review of relevant research and current literature. The results indicated that the Fall Armyworm (FAW) and the Striga weed significantly impact maize (corn) production. The FAW and the Striga weed cause losses in yield, reduce the ability of agricultural lands to respond to shocks, and financially increase the cost of production resulting from the quest to deal with the pests mentioned above

Variable Surface Glycoprotein RoTat 1.2 PCR as a specific diagnostic tool for the detection of Trypanosoma evansi infections

BACKGROUND: Based on the recently sequenced gene coding for the Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) RoTat 1.2 Variable Surface Glycoprotein (VSG), a primer pair was designed targeting the DNA region lacking homology to other known VSG genes. A total of 39 different trypanosome stocks were tested using the RoTat 1.2 based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). RESULTS: This PCR yielded a 205 bp product in all T. evansi and in seven out of nine T. equiperdum strains tested. This product was not detected in the DNA from T. b. brucei, T. b. gambiense, T. b. rhodesiense, T. congolense, T. vivax and T. theileri parasites. The Rotat 1.2 PCR detects as few as 10 trypanosomes per reaction with purified DNA from blood samples, i.e. 50 trypanosomes/ml. CONCLUSION: PCR amplification of the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene is a specific marker for T. evansi strains, except T. evansi type B, and is especially useful in dyskinetoplastic strains where kDNA based markers may fail to amplify. Furthermore, our data support previous suggestions that some T. evansi stocks have been previously misclassified as T. equiperdum

Evaluation from an Environmental Perspective of Soybean Cultivation in the State of Maranhão

Agribusiness is a fundamental component in the economic growth of a country. In Brazil, for example, agricultural activity is considered a major part of the economy and is carried out on a large scale, requiring professional execution so that the expected results can be achieved. This study investigates the environmental impacts generated in the soybean crop production process, namely the planting, generation process and residue disposal in Maranhão State, specifically in Balsas city (MA). An online questionnaire (Google Forms) and face-to-face interviews were used, which were validated and tested to quantitatively and qualitatively measure the presence of environmental impacts resulting from the soybean production process. Results revealed the existence of a unanimous perception among the interviewees about sustainability in the soybean production process, especially regarding the resulting problems, including for example, deforestation, erosion and intoxication among other factors. The respondents also demonstrated knowledge about the sustainability concepts associated with the environmental aspects and the existence of the residue control issues generated in this production process. In view of the visible results, it can be concluded strongly that there are numerous environmental impacts from the residue generation and soybean cultivation processes

Integrating pediatric TB services into child healthcare services in Africa: study protocol for the INPUT cluster-randomized stepped wedge trial

Background Tuberculosis is among the top-10 causes of mortality in children with more than 1 million children suffering from TB disease annually worldwide. The main challenge in young children is the difficulty in establishing an accurate diagnosis of active TB. The INPUT study is a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized intervention study aiming to assess the effectiveness of integrating TB services into child healthcare services on TB diagnosis capacities in children under 5 years of age. Methods Two strategies will be compared: i) The standard of care, offering pediatric TB services based on national standard of care; ii) The intervention, with pediatric TB services integrated into child healthcare services: it consists of a package of training, supportive supervision, job aids, and logistical support to the integration of TB screening and diagnosis activities into pediatric services. The design is a cluster-randomized stepped-wedge of 12 study clusters in Cameroon and Kenya. The sites start enrolling participants under standard-of-care and will transition to the intervention at randomly assigned time points. We enroll children aged less than 5 years with a presumptive diagnosis of TB after obtaining caregiver written informed consent. The participants are followed through TB diagnosis and treatment, with clinical information prospectively abstracted from their medical records. The primary outcome is the proportion of TB cases diagnosed among children < 5 years old attending the child healthcare services. Secondary outcomes include: number of children screened for presumptive active TB; diagnosed; initiated on TB treatment; and completing treatment. We will also assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention, its acceptability among health care providers and users, and fidelity of implementation. Discussion Study enrolments started in May 2019, enrolments will be completed in October 2020 and follow up will be completed by June 2021. The study findings will be disseminated to national, regional and international audiences and will inform innovative approaches to integration of TB screening, diagnosis, and treatment initiation into child health care services.publishedVersio

Title: Primary Dysmenorrhea: Associated Symptoms, Impact and Management among Females in the Menoua Division of the West Region of Cameroon. Cross-sectional Study Running Title: Primary Dysmenorrhea in the Menoua Division

Primary dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation in the absence of pelvic pathology is a common and often debilitating gynecological condition that affects between 45% and 95% of women at reproductive age. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and associated menstrual symptoms and their self-management techniques among females. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Menoua Division, which has six subdivisions namely: Fokoue, Dschang, NKongni, Penka Michel, Santchou and Fongo tongo .For this purpose, 668 women aged from 12 to 38 years were considered. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The main results revealed that dysmenorrhea was reported on almost two-thirds of the women (66.17%). In the 442 girls who reported dysmenorrhea Severe pain was reported by 20.71 % of respondents. More than one-third of the respondents (39.75%) reported using pain relief medications with 23.38 % of herbal medicine and 76.54 % of synthetic medicines. The gastrointestinal problems (diarrhoea and vomiting were the most common symptoms experienced. Less than 19.41% of respondents reported having consulted a doctor for their dysmenorrhea, while most of them consulted friends and family.Dysmenorrhea is a very common problem among university students. A number of symptoms were related to dysmenorrhea. Even though it is common, and may not have a pathological cause, few women seek medical advice. Increasing the awareness might help in relieving the burden of this common health problem

Supply-chain strategies for essential medicines in rural western Kenya during COVID-19

Problem: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted health systems worldwide and threatened the supply of essential medicines. Especially affected are vulnerable patients in low- and middle-income countries who can only afford access to public health systems. Approach: Soon after physical distancing and curfew orders began on 15 March 2020 in Kenya, we rapidly implemented three supply-chain strategies to ensure a continuous supply of essential medicines while minimizing patients' COVID-19 exposure risks. We redistributed central stocks of medicines to peripheral health facilities to ensure local availability for several months. We equipped smaller, remote health facilities with medicine tackle boxes. We also made deliveries of medicines to patients with difficulty reaching facilities. Local setting: Τo implement these strategies we leveraged our 30-year partnership with local health authorities in rural western Kenya and the existing revolving fund pharmacy scheme serving 85 peripheral health centres. Relevant changes: In April 2020, stocks of essential chronic and non-chronic disease medicines redistributed to peripheral health facilities increased to 835 140 units, as compared with 316 330 units in April 2019. We provided medicine tackle boxes to an additional 46 health facilities. Our team successfully delivered medications to 264 out of 311 patients (84.9%) with noncommunicable diseases whom we were able to reach. Lessons learnt: Our revolving fund pharmacy model has ensured that patients' access to essential medicines has not been interrupted during the pandemic. Success was built on a community approach to extend pharmaceutical services, adapting our current supply-chain infrastructure and working quickly in partnership with local health authorities

Development of three triplex real-time reverse transcription PCR assays for the qualitative molecular typing of the nine serotypes of African horse sickness virus

Blood samples collected as part of routine diagnostic investigations from South African horses with clinical signs suggestive of African horse sickness (AHS) were subjected to analysis with an AHS virus (AHSV) group specific reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (AHSV RT-qPCR) assay and virus isolation (VI) with subsequent serotyping by plaque inhibition (PI) assays using AHSV serotype-specific antisera. Blood samples that tested positive by AHSV RT-qPCR were then selected for analysis using AHSV type specific RT-qPCR (AHSV TS RT-qPCR) assays. The TS RT-qPCR assays were evaluated using both historic stocks of the South African reference strains of each of the 9 AHSV serotypes, as well as recently derived stocks of these same viruses. Of the 503 horse blood samples tested, 156 were positive by both AHSV RT-qPCR and VI assays, whereas 135 samples that were VI negative were positive by AHSV RT-qPCR assay. The virus isolates made from the various blood samples included all 9 AHSV serotypes, and there was 100% agreement between the results of conventional serotyping of individual virus isolates by PI assay and AHSV TS RT-qPCR typing results. Results of the current study confirm that the AHSV TS RT-qPCR assays for the identification of individual AHSV serotypes are applicable and practicable and therefore are potentially highly useful and appropriate for virus typing in AHS outbreak situations in endemic or sporadic incursion areas, which can be crucial in determining appropriate and timely vaccination and control strategies.Racing South Africa (Pty) Ltd, the Mary Slack and Daughters Foundation and Thoroughbred Racing Trust of South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jviromet2016-10-31hb2016Equine Research CentreVeterinary Tropical Disease