Perceived Impact of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund on the Youth Towards the Establishment of Small Scale Rural Enterprises in Turbo Division, Uasin-gishu County, Kenya

The inception of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund has seen the rise of youth groups in rural areas. This paper is thus aimed at understanding the impact of the fund towards the youth establishment of small scale enterprises in Turbo Division. A descriptive research design was used in this paper. Data was collected using focused group discussion and self-administered questionnaires thus they were administered to the selected youth groups found in selected parts of the Turbo Division. Purposive technique was used in the specific youth of aged bracket 18 year to 35 years. Further, purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used in targeted youth groups. The sample size used was 147 drawn from Turbo Division. The salient findings of the study are that indeed the youth joined the small scale enterprises to obtain benefits through collaborative efforts, to gain and obtain skills and experiences, obtaining start-up capital and finally due to the unemployment. Moreover, impact made by the fund on individual life included; promoting togetherness, promoting income and sustained livelihoods thus improved economic statues, and eventually enhanced skills and experience that led to acquiring of more skills by joining polytechnics. Furthermore the fund had enhanced group development and participation. It is recommended that there should be enhanced youth group sustainability towards proper utilization of the fund

Commonly cited incentives in the community implementation of the emergency maternal and newborn care study in western Kenya

Background: Mortality of mothers and newborns is an important public health problem in low-income countries. In the rural setting, implementation of community based education and mobilization are strategies that have sought to reduce these mortalities. Frequently such approaches rely on volunteers within each community. Objective: To assess the perceptions of the community volunteers in rural Kenya as they implemented the EmONC program and to identify the incentives that could result in their sustained engagement in the project. Method: A community-based cross sectional survey was administered to all volunteers involved in the study. Data were collected using a self-administered supervision tool from all the 881 volunteers. Results: 881 surveys were completed. 769 respondents requested some form of incentive; 200 (26%) were for monetary allowance, 149 (19.4%) were for a bicycle to be used for transportation, 119 (15.5%) were for uniforms for identification, 88 (11.4%) were for provision of training materials, 81(10.5%) were for training in Home based Life Saving Skills (HBLSS), 57(7.4%) were for provision of first AID kits, and 39(5%) were for provision of training more facilitators, 36(4.7%) were for provision of free medication. Conclusion: Monetary allowances, improved transportation and some sort of identification are the main incentives cited by the respondents in this context

Experience and Lessons Learnt on Health Care Personnel Participating In the Implementation of TB Operational Research at (EAPHLNP -OR) Malindi, Kenya

No Abstract

The interaction between a sexually transferred steroid hormone and a female protein regulates oogenesis in the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae

Molecular interactions between male and female factors during mating profoundly affect the reproductive behavior and physiology of female insects. In natural populations of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae, blood-fed females direct nutritional resources towards oogenesis only when inseminated. Here we show that the mating-dependent pathway of egg development in these mosquitoes is regulated by the interaction between the steroid hormone 20-hydroxy-ecdysone (20E) transferred by males during copulation and a female Mating-Induced Stimulator of Oogenesis (MISO) protein. RNAi silencing of MISO abolishes the increase in oogenesis caused by mating in blood-fed females, causes a delay in oocyte development, and impairs the function of male-transferred 20E. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments show that MISO and 20E interact in the female reproductive tract. Moreover MISO expression after mating is induced by 20E via the Ecdysone Receptor, demonstrating a close cooperation between the two factors. Male-transferred 20E therefore acts as a mating signal that females translate into an increased investment in egg development via a MISO-dependent pathway. The identification of this male–female reproductive interaction offers novel opportunities for the control of mosquito populations that transmit malaria

Ecogeographical distribution of wild, weedy and cultivated Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench in Kenya: implications for conservation and crop-to-wild gene flow

The potential gene flow between a crop and its wild relatives is largely determined by the overlaps in their ecological and geographical distributions. Ecogeographical databases are therefore indispensable tools for the sustainable management of genetic resources. In order to expand our knowledge of Sorghum bicolor distribution in Kenya, we conducted in situ collections of wild, weedy and cultivated sorghum. Qualitative and quantitative morphological traits were measured for each sampled wild sorghum plant. Farmers’ knowledge relating to the management of sorghum varieties and autecology of wild sorghum was also obtained. Cluster analysis supports the existence of several wild sorghum morphotypes that might correspond to at least three of the five ecotypes recognized in Africa. Intermediate forms between wild and cultivated sorghum belonging to the S. bicolor ssp. drummondii are frequently found in predominantly sorghum growing areas. Crop-wild gene flow in sorghum is likely to occur in many agroecosystems of Kenya

CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (CD26/DPPIV) is highly expressed in peripheral blood of HIV-1 exposed uninfected Female sex workers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Design of effective vaccines against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) continues to present formidable challenges. However, individuals who are exposed HIV-1 but do not get infected may reveal correlates of protection that may inform on effective vaccine design. A preliminary gene expression analysis of HIV resistant female sex workers (HIV-R) suggested a high expression CD26/DPPIV gene. Previous studies have indicated an anti-HIV effect of high CD26/DPPIV expressing cells in vitro. Similarly, high CD26/DPPIV protein levels in vivo have been shown to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We carried out a study to confirm if the high CD26/DPPIV gene expression among the HIV-R were concordant with high blood protein levels and its correlation with clinical type 2 diabetes and other perturbations in the insulin signaling pathway.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A quantitative CD26/DPPIV plasma analysis from 100 HIV-R, 100 HIV infected (HIV +) and 100 HIV negative controls (HIV Neg) showed a significantly elevated CD26/DPPIV concentration among the HIV-R group (mean 1315 ng/ml) than the HIV Neg (910 ng/ml) and HIV + (870 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Similarly a FACs analysis of cell associated DPPIV (CD26) revealed a higher CD26/DPPIV expression on CD4+ T-cells derived from HIV-R than from the HIV+ (90.30% vs 80.90 p = 0.002) and HIV Neg controls (90.30% vs 82.30 p < 0.001) respectively. A further comparison of the mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) of CD26/DPPIV expression showed a higher DPP4 MFI on HIV-R CD4+ T cells (median 118 vs 91 for HIV-Neg, p = 0.0003). An evaluation for hyperglycemia, did not confirm Type 2 diabetes but an impaired fasting glucose condition (5.775 mmol/L). A follow-up quantitative PCR analysis of the insulin signaling pathway genes showed a down expression of NFκB, a central mediator of the immune response and activator of HIV-1 transcription.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HIV resistant sex workers have a high expression of CD26/DPPIV in tandem with lowered immune activation markers. This may suggest a novel role for CD26/DPPIV in protection against HIV infection in vivo.</p

Analysis of Treatment Methods for Victims of Torture in Kenya and East Africa Region

A journal article by Dr.Ruthie Rono, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at United States International University -AfricaIn this article, a comparative study of multisensory trauma processing (MTP) and conventional treatment (CT) on victims of torture/trauma (VOTs) for Kenyan citizens and refugees from East African Region has been undertaken. Kenyan VOTs were selected from the rosters of People Against Torture (PAT) and Release Political Prisoners (RPP). Refugee VOTs were selected from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Urban Refugee Program implemented by GOAL, Kenya. Participants were randomly assigned to the two (MTP and CT) conditions, and the Stress State Inventory (SSI) scores were used to measure changes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Data values for 34 Kenyan and 35 refugee VOTs were recorded and analyzed. The study confirms the occurrence of PTSD in both samples. The results revealed that PTSD prevalence was 56% among Kenyan and 77% among refugee VOTs. Both treatments reduced SSI scores and PTSD symptoms in the participants. The study provides preliminary evidence that MTP and CT are almost equally effective for Kenyan sample, whereas CT appears to be more effective for refugee sample in PTSD treatment. The paired t test was conducted to check the significance of the difference in the two treatment methods