The Effect of Project Manager’s Leadership Style on Performance of Water Projects in Kenya

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between project manager’s leadership style and performance of water projects in Kenya. Operationalization of leadership style was based on transformation and transaction leadership style while project performance was based on project time and cost performance. The study analyzed secondary and primary data for 102 water projects that were completed between 2011 and 2014. Hierarchical regression analysis was undertaken on the variables. The results show that a significant relationship exist between project manager’s leadership style and project time performance. In addition, the findings show that adoption of transformational leadership style leads to higher level of project performance. However, no significant relationship was established between project manager’s leadership style and project cost performance. This may be due to the use of fixed price contracts that specify the conditions for escalation and the maximum allowable cost escalations which could have made cost changes insignificant. The study has provided empirical evidence on the relationship between project manager’s leadership style and project performance within a developing country context. To enhance project time performance, project manager’s leadership style is critical and managers should strive to intellectually stimulate project team members

Influence of Health Literacy on Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence Among HIV/AIDS Infected Adolescents in Thika Level 5 Hospital, Kiambu County

Young people including adolescents constitute a significant number of the people living with Human Immune Deficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the world today. The study sought to establish the antiretroviral treatment adherence determinants among HIV/AIDS infected adolescents in Thika level 5 Hospital. The specific objective of the study was to find out how health literacy influence adherence to antiretroviral treatment among HIV/AIDS infected adolescents, The study was cross sectional and   adopted a systematic sampling study design targeting 350 active HIV/AIDS infected adolescent aged between 10-19 years. The study also targeted 25 health care providers (HCPs) delivering care and treatment services to HIV/AIDS infected adolescents in Thika Level 5 hospital.  A systematic sampling design was used to get the study respondents, purposive sampling was used to select 25 HCPs . The respondents were selected based on systematic sampling and a sampling interval was calculated. A structured questionnaire and an interview schedule were used as the main tools for data collection.  Quantitative data collected was coded and keyed into SPSSv20. The summaries of quantitative findings were presented using tables, figures and discussions. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Data was grouped into themes and presented in prose form. Frequency counts percentages; Chi-square test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used as Descriptive and inferential statistics respectively. The results of the analysis were then presented using tables, column charts and pie charts. 50% of the respondents had difficulty in taking HIV medications, (85.3%) respondents had an abnormal viral load, majority of the respondents viral load was greater than 1000 copies (89.3%).Respondents had normal CD4 counts .The study concludes that health literacy affects adherence to HIV medications  among HIV/AIDS infected adolescents in Thika level 5 Hospital. The study recommends that decision-makers come up with relevant social policy to support compliance with HIV medications supplied to adolescent respondents. Majority of the adolescents are most of the time in schools and thus focus to be shifted to school by establishing school health clubs where messages on drugs adherence should be given, the stakeholders in education which includes parents, teachers and pupils and non teaching staff to be empowered on ART adherence so that they can be able to support the adolescents in schools

The Dantu blood group prevents parasite growth in vivo: Evidence from a controlled human malaria infection study

Background: The long co-evolution of Homo sapiens and Plasmodium falciparum has resulted in the selection of numerous human genetic variants that confer an advantage against severe malaria and death. One such variant is the Dantu blood group antigen, which is associated with 74% protection against severe and complicated P. falciparum malaria infections in homozygous individuals, similar to that provided by the sickle haemoglobin allele (HbS). Recent in vitro studies suggest that Dantu exerts this protection by increasing the surface tension of red blood cells, thereby impeding the ability of P. falciparum merozoites to invade them and reducing parasite multiplication. However, no studies have yet explored this hypothesis in vivo. Methods: We investigated the effect of Dantu on early phase P. falciparum (Pf) infections in a controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) study. 141 sickle-negative Kenyan adults were inoculated with 3.2 × 103 aseptic, purified, cryopreserved Pf sporozoites (PfSPZ Challenge) then monitored for blood-stage parasitaemia for 21 days by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)analysis of the 18S ribosomal RNA P. falciparum gene. The primary endpoint was blood-stage P. falciparum parasitaemia of ≥500/μl while the secondary endpoint was the receipt of antimalarial treatment in the presence of parasitaemia of any density. On study completion, all participants were genotyped both for Dantu and for four other polymorphisms that are associated with protection against severe falciparum malaria: α+-thalassaemia, blood group O, G6PD deficiency, and the rs4951074 allele in the red cell calcium transporter ATP2B4. Results: The primary endpoint was reached in 25/111 (22.5%) non-Dantu subjects in comparison to 0/27 (0%) Dantu heterozygotes and 0/3 (0.0%) Dantu homozygotes (p=0.01). Similarly, 49/111 (44.1%) non-Dantu subjects reached the secondary endpoint in comparison to only 7/27 (25.9%) and 0/3 (0.0%) Dantu heterozygotes and homozygotes, respectively (p=0.021). No significant impacts on either outcome were seen for any of the other genetic variants under study. Conclusions: This study reveals, for the first time, that the Dantu blood group is associated with high-level protection against early, non-clinical, P. falciparum malaria infections in vivo. Learning more about the mechanisms involved could potentially lead to new approaches to the prevention or treatment of the disease. Our study illustrates the power of CHMI with PfSPZ Challenge for directly testing the protective impact of genotypes previously identified using other methods

Phytochemicals Present in Engleromyces goetzei and Antimicrobial Activity Against Phytopathogenic Bacteria

Interest in the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural sources has increased in recent years due to the potential applications of these compounds in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. The methanolic extract of the fungus Engleromyces goetzei was investigated for the presence of phytochemicals and the antibacterial properties. The study shows that the extract has flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, terpenoids and steroids. Engleromyces goetzei has potential as a source of useful antibacterial compounds active against phytopathogenic bacteria. Disk diffusion assay was used to analyze the susceptibility of an organism which help in identifying the proper antibacterial biopesticide. In this experiment, this was done by placing the antimicrobial disks impregnated with E. goetzei on the NA plates swabbed with Xanthomonas campestris, Pseudomonas sryingae pv phaseolicola, Erwinia carotovora and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli. After twenty-four hours of incubation, there were areas around the antimicrobial disks with no bacterial growth. The MIC of E. goetzei against X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli, Ps. syringae pv phaseolicola and X. campestris was found to be 1mg/ml while that of E. carotovora was 10mg/ml. Keywords: Phytochemicals, Engleromyces goetzei, X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli, E. carotovora, Ps. syringae pv phaseolicola, X. campestri

Effect of Inoculation with Mycorrhizae on Growth Parameters of Dombeya torrida, Leucaena leucocephala and Tephrosia vogelii

The present work evaluated the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus on growth. Three species of trees, Tephrosia vogelii, Leucaena leucocephala and Dombeya torrida were treated with fragments of arbuscular mycorrhizae and grown in greenhouse. The aim of the present work was to determine whether arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiotic association with these tree species would enhance their growth. Data on height, stem diameter and number of leaves were taken after every two weeks for a period of three months. Mycorrhizal plants demonstrated higher vigor with Tephrosia vogelii giving a mean height of 57.50 cm, 0.50 cm diameter and 9.33 number of leaves which were significantly different from the control plants at p ≤ 0.05 according to least significant difference (LSD). The biomass was also taken at the end of 90 days of growth and the same trend was exhibited. Mycorrhizal plants also showed root nodules with mycorrhizal arbuscles. This work contributes to our understanding of the effects of AM symbiosis on the accumulation of certain micronutrients in valuable woody tree species. Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizae, Tephrosia vogelii, Leucaena leucocephala, plant growt

Differential transcript expression between the microfilariae of the filarial nematodes, Brugia malayi and B. pahangi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Brugia malayi </it>and <it>B. pahangi </it>are two closely related nematodes that cause filariasis in humans and animals. However, <it>B. pahangi </it>microfilariae are able to develop in and be transmitted by the mosquito, <it>Armigeres subalbatus</it>, whereas most <it>B. malayi </it>are rapidly melanized and destroyed within the mosquito hemocoel. A cross-species microarray analysis employing the <it>B. malayi </it>V2 array was carried out to determine the transcriptional differences between <it>B. malayi </it>and <it>B. pahangi </it>microfilariae with similar age distribution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Following microarray data analysis, a list of preferentially expressed genes in both microfilariae species was generated with a false discovery rate estimate of 5% and a signal intensity ratio of 2 or higher in either species. A total of 308 probes were preferentially expressed in both species with 149 probes, representing 123 genes, in <it>B. pahangi </it>microfilariae and 159 probes, representing 107 genes, in <it>B. malayi </it>microfilariae. In <it>B. pahangi</it>, there were 76 (62%) up-regulated transcripts that coded for known proteins that mapped into the KEGG pathway compared to 61 (57%) transcripts in <it>B. malayi </it>microfilariae. The remaining 47 (38%) transcripts in <it>B. pahangi </it>and 46 (43%) transcripts in <it>B. malayi </it>microfilariae were comprised almost entirely of hypothetical genes of unknown function. Twenty-seven of the transcripts in <it>B. pahangi </it>microfilariae coded for proteins that associate with the secretory pathway compared to thirty-nine in <it>B. malayi </it>microfilariae. The data obtained from real-time PCR analysis of ten genes selected from the microarray list of preferentially expressed genes showed good concordance with the microarray data, indicating that the microarray data were reproducible.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study, we identified gene transcripts that were preferentially expressed in the microfilariae of <it>B. pahangi </it>and <it>B. malayi</it>, some of which coded for known immunomodulatory proteins. These comparative transcriptome data will be of interest to researchers keen on understanding the inherent differences, at the molecular level, between <it>B. malayi </it>and <it>B. pahangi </it>microfilariae especially because these microfilariae are capable of surviving in the same vertebrate host but elicit different immune response outcomes in the mosquito, <it>Ar. subalbatus</it>.</p

Biocontrol of Green Mould Disease of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) using Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

The occurrence of Trichoderma harzianum and T. asperellum in cultivation of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) frequently results in serious crop losses and considerable inhibition of growth of mycelium and fruiting bodies of oyster mushroom thus lowering the yield substantially. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain isolated from groundnuts proved very effective in antagonizing the oyster mushroom pathogenic T. harzianum and T. asperellum without having a negative effect on P. ostreatus mycelia. The Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was found to produce diffusible and volatile organic compounds. This strain is a potential biocontrol candidate, in addition to the lack of antagonistic activity towards P. ostreatus mycelia. The present study, hence, provides a potential biocontrol agent for Trichoderma green mould. However, field studies of this isolate as substrate inoculant in oyster mushroom are required in order to establish its actual performance. Keywords: Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Green mould, Mushroom, Biocontro

Sequence of a Coxiella endosymbiont of the tick Amblyomma nuttalli suggests a pattern of convergent genome reduction in the Coxiella genus.

Ticks require bacterial symbionts for the provision of necessary compounds that are absent in their hematophagous diet. Such symbionts are frequently vertically transmitted and, most commonly, belong to the Coxiella genus, which also includes the human pathogen Coxiella burnetii. This genus can be divided in four main clades, presenting partial but incomplete co-cladogenesis with the tick hosts. Here we report the genome sequence of a novel Coxiella, endosymbiont of the African tick Amblyomma nuttalli, and the ensuing comparative analyses. Its size (~1 Mb) is intermediate between symbionts of Rhipicephalus species and other Amblyomma species. Phylogenetic analyses show that the novel sequence is the first genome of the B clade, the only one for which no genomes were previously available. Accordingly, it allows to draw an enhanced scenario of the evolution of the genus, one of parallel genome reduction of different endosymbiont lineages, which are now at different stages of reduction from a more versatile ancestor. Gene content comparison allows to infer that the ancestor could be reminiscent of Coxiella burnetii. Interestingly, the convergent loss of mismatch repair could have been a major driver of such reductive evolution. Predicted metabolic profiles are rather homogenous among Coxiella endosymbionts, in particular vitamin biosynthesis, consistently with a host-supportive role. Concurrently, similarities among Coxiella endosymbionts according to host genus and despite phylogenetic unrelatedness hint at possible host-dependent effects

Trends in salmonella enteric serovar typhi in Nairobi, Kenya from 2004 to 2006

Background: Typhoid fever is a global health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the current annual global burden of typhoid is approximately 22 million new cases, 5% of which are fatal. Methodology: To assess the trends in antibiotic resistance in 100 Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strains were isolated from the blood of patients in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2004 to 2006. All isolates were tested against ampicilin, chloramphenic, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, cefuroxime, cefriaxone, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, tetracycline and gentamycin. Susceptibility and resistance were determined using MIC and disk diffusion tests. Results: From 2004 to 2006 a total of 100 strains were studied; 70% of the isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) while 15% of the isolates were sensitive to all drugs tested. Of 13 isolates that were resistant to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid by disk diffusion, 11 had an MIC of 0. 25 μg/ml while two isolates had an MIC of 1.00 μg,/ml. Resistance in ampicillin decreased from 88% in 2004 to 64% in 2005; this increased to 76% in 2006. Similar trends were observed for four other antibiotics tested. Conclusion: The prescription of first-line antibiotics used in the treatment of S. Typhi should be stopped temporarily. Drugs such as cipfloxacin would be useful in the treatment of typhoid caused by MDR S. Typhi. There is need to monitor the resistance in flouroquinolones as resistance to these drugs has been observed and they are the current drugs used to treat typhoid