Short communications: Kenya Bird Map: an internet-based system for monitoring bird distribution and populations in Kenya

No Abstrac

Considering volatile livelihoods is critical in the war against the Covid-19 disaster

We are living in unprecedented times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an unparalleled disaster in many respects. At the time of writing this article (April 27, 2020), almost three million people have been infected and more than 200,000 people have died from Covid-19 related infections across the world. In Kenya, there are 398 confirmed cases of infection and 14 deaths. Global Prediction models suggest grim but largely uncertain future scenarios. So far, the disaster has resulted in the unprecedented overstretch of global health systems and the conscious closure of social and economic systems by nation states to prevent the further spread of the catastrophe. The outcome has been devastating: Millions of people have lost their jobs or taken pay-cuts; small-to-medium-to-large scale businesses across the world face imminent collapse; education, training and research plans (like our own under the Rights and Resilience program) have been significantly disrupted, and hundreds of thousands of families are grieving the loss of loved ones, whom for precautionary reasons cannot give them usual decent sendoff. With each country investing most focus and resources in managing the crisis within their borders, international humanitarian responses as we know them are severely disrupted. Still, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the forefront in helping nations to deal with the crises, particularly in providing much-needed knowledge in the form of health guidelines to manage the outbreak. This, despite notable criticism from the President of the USA for alleged failure to curtail the spread of the pandemic. A major response by governments across the world has been partial to total “lockdowns” aimed at preventing further human-to-human transmission of infections. Simply put, a “lockdown” demands that people minimize or completely stop outdoor activities. By and large, this response appears to be an effective way of minimizing risk of infection, if reports of trends in many counties that were initially severely hit such as China and South Korea are anything to go by. It is also in line with WHO’s call for social and physical distancing as one of the most effective ways of minimizing the spread of the virus. But while millions of people have heeded this call, an equally vast number of people, particularly in the so-called developing countries, have defied it. For instance, on March 24, 2020 one of Kenya’s most widely read newspapers, the Daily Nation, reported in bold: “It’s business as usual as Kenyans snub stay home orders.” The result has been cat-and-mouse type chases between law enforcers and the people, leading to loss of lives, injuries and a plethora of prosecutions. On its part, the government has emphasized that either people observe the strict restrictions or face the full force of the law! But why would citizens risk their lives and the lives of others by being out of their abode in the face of a deadly virus? Critical disaster studies may help us understand this conundrum

Effect of Immobilizing Bacillus megaterium on the Compressive Strength and Water Absorption of Mortar

The world’s growing population and industrialization have led to increased construction activities. This has increased the amount of waste aggregates which can be recycled in construction and cut the cost of infrastructure development. This study, therefore, reports the experimental findings for the effect of immobilizing Bacillus megaterium on the compressive strength and water absorption of laboratory prepared test mortar. Bacterial solution used in this work had a concentration of 1.0 × 107 cells/mL. The impact of recycled mortar impregnated with bacteria was studied after curing the specimens in water, saturated lime water, and 1.5% sulfuric acid. Compressive strength for test specimens cured in the three media was determined at the 2nd, 7th, 28th, and 56th day of curing. SEM analysis was done for mortars cured in acidic media and saturated lime water after curing for 28 days. The test results indicated that curing in water and saturated water improved the compressive strength, while the acidic medium lowered it. Recycled mortar is, therefore, an ideal material for immobilizing Bacillus megaterium before introduction into fresh concrete/mortar. The use of recycled mortar is a good strategy to reduce wastes from construction activities, save on the cost of construction materials, and enhance environmental conservation

Relationships between Parental Education and Overweight with Childhood Overweight and Physical Activity in 9-11 Year Old Children: Results from a 12-Country Study

Background: Globally, the high prevalence of overweight and low levels of physical activity among children has serious implications for morbidity and premature mortality in adulthood. Various parental factors are associated with childhood overweight and physical activity. The objective of this paper was to investigate relationships between parental education or overweight, and (i) child overweight, (ii) child physical activity, and (iii) explore household coexistence of overweight, in a large international sample. Methods: Data were collected from 4752 children (9-11 years) as part of the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment in 12 countries around the world. Physical activity of participating children was assessed by accelerometry, and body weight directly measured. Questionnaires were used to collect parents' education level, weight, and height. Results: Maternal and paternal overweight were positively associated with child overweight. Higher household coexistence of parent-child overweight was observed among overweight children compared to the total sample. There was a positive relationship between maternal education and child overweight in Colombia 1.90 (1.23-2.94) [odds ratio (confidence interval)] and Kenya 4.80 (2.21-10.43), and a negative relationship between paternal education and child overweight in Brazil 0.55 (0.33-0.92) and the USA 0.54 (0.33-0.88). Maternal education was negatively associated with children meeting physical activity guidelines in Colombia 0.53 (0.33-0.85), Kenya 0.35 (0.19-0.63), and Portugal 0.54 (0.31-0.96). Conclusions: Results are aligned with previous studies showing positive associations between parental and child overweight in all countries, and positive relationships between parental education and child overweight or negative associations between parental education and child physical activity in lower economic status countries. Relationships between maternal and paternal education and child weight status and physical activity appear to be related to the developmental stage of different countries. Given these varied relationships, it is crucial to further explore familial factors when investigating child overweight and physical activity

Effects of Chlorides on Corrosion of Simulated Reinforced Blended Cement Mortars

Cementitious materials are subject to degradation when subjected to corrosive chloride media. This paper reports the experimental results on corrosion studies conducted on a potential cementitious material, PCDC, made from a blend of 55 % Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Dried Calcium Carbide Residue (DCCR), and an incineration mix of Rice Husks (RH), Spent Beaching Earth (SBE), and Ground Reject Bricks (BB). The experiments were run along 100 % OPC. Different w/c were used. Corrosion current densities using linear polarisation resistance (LPR) and corrosion potentials measurements versus saturated calomel electrode were used for the determination of corrosion rates and potentials, respectively, for simulated reinforcement at different depths of cover in the cement mortars. The results showed that PCDC exhibited higher corrosion current densities over all depths of covers and early attainment of active corrosion than the control cements. In conclusion, PCDC and OPC can be used in a similar corrosive media during construction

Chloride Diffusivity in Blended Cement Made from Selected Industrial and Agrowastes

This paper reports study findings on the diffusivity of chloride ions in potential blended cement. The cement, abbreviated as PCDC, was made from blending ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with dried calcium carbide residue and an incinerated mix of rice husks, spent bleaching earth, and broken bricks. The aim of the study was to investigate the ability of PCDC to withstand aggressive chloride environment. 10 cm × 10 cm mortar cubes were prepared using PCDC and cured for 28 days in saturated calcium hydroxide solution. The cured mortar cubes were subjected to aggressive chloride media in a laboratory set up. The test cement was subjected to chloride profile analysis with depth of cover as a function of w/c ratio and curing period in alternate dry and wet environments of 3.5 percent sodium chloride solution. The experiments were carried alongside neat OPC and OPC + 25% pulverised fuel ash (OPC + 25% PFA). Results showed that PCDC exhibited lower chloride ingress as the depth of cover increased. In conclusion, the study showed that PCDC was a potential cementitious material with high ability to withstand aggressive environment of chlorides

Review of Carbonation Resistance in Hydrated Cement Based Materials

Blended cements are preferred to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in construction industry due to costs and technological and environmental benefits associated with them. Prevalence of significant quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere due to increased industrial emission is deleterious to hydrated cement materials due to carbonation. Recent research has shown that blended cements are more susceptible to degradation due to carbonation than OPC. The ingress of CO2 within the porous mortar matrix is a diffusion controlled process. Subsequent chemical reaction between CO2 and cement hydration products (mostly calcium hydroxide [CH] and calcium silicate hydrate [CSH]) results in degradation of cement based materials. CH offers the buffering capacity against carbonation in hydrated cements. Partial substitution of OPC with pozzolanic materials however decreases the amount of CH in hydrated blended cements. Therefore, low amounts of CH in hydrated blended cements make them more susceptible to degradation as a result of carbonation compared to OPC. The magnitude of carbonation affects the service life of cement based structures significantly. It is therefore apparent that sufficient attention is given to carbonation process in order to ensure resilient cementitious structures. In this paper, an indepth review of the recent advances on carbonation process, factors affecting carbonation resistance, and the effects of carbonation on hardened cement materials have been discussed. In conclusion, carbonation process is influenced by internal and external factors, and it has also been found to have both beneficial and deleterious effects on hardened cement matrix