ABSTRACT Cowpea is a multipurpose legume crop that serves as human food, livestock fodder, and income source and is widely produced in sub-Saharan Africa. Soil fertility and attack by insect pests and diseases are significant limitations to its production. Although farm inputs such as phosphate-rich fertilizers and pesticides can solve the mentioned constraints, they are costly for resource-poor farmers. This study aimed at determining the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation ...
ABSTRACT Advanced technology in petrochemical based polymers has brought many benefits to mankind. However; it has become evident that the ecosystem is being disturbed because of non-biodegradable plastic materials. The environmental impact of persistent plastic wastes is growing into a more global concern. Currently, there is considerable interest in biodegradable polymers, which can be used as alternatives to traditional plastics, thus reducing the pollution caused by plastic wastes. The ma...
ABSTRACT Globally, uncontrolled hypertension is a health priority since it raises the risk for the onset of renal failure, heart disease and diabetes. Hypertension complications contribute to high rates of morbidity and mortality. Optimal blood pressure can be achieved by putting in place strategies that encourage routine physical activity engagement and intake of health diets among hypertensive patients. Patient related factors which include unhealthy dietary practices, poor nutrition statu...
ABSTRACT The molecular modification of purely organic drugs by the incorporation of a metal atom is an active area of research. However, there is paucity of data in the use of half sandwich organometallic fragments and in particular the cationic iron half sandwich, [ɳ5-C5H5(CO)2Fe]+, in structural modification of drug molecules. The cationic iron half sandwich organometallic fragment provides a metal centre that could participate in biochemical reactions with potentially the desirable benefi...
ABSTRACT Solanum incanum, Craterostigma pumilum and Euclea divinorum have been used for generations as folklore medicine for various ailments associated with pain and inflammation in humans in Kenya. However, there is scarcity of data on scientific studies done on their effectiveness, modes of action, toxicity and their phytochemical composition. The aims of this study was to evaluate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic potential of these plants crude extracts, to determine...
Abstract Valuable information may be contained in outliers. Data collected from many medical equipment such as the ECG time-series may result in unusual patterns, a situation that may represent disease conditions. Some outliers may therefore provide an insight into crucial information that may lead to the discovery of new knowledge.Due to the diculties involved in the study of outliers, majority of current research works have chosen not to out-rightly reject the outliers but have adopted...
ABSTRACT Among human parasitic diseases, malaria is the most important and it has global incidence of 300 to 500 million cases per year with about 1.5 million deaths among African children. Recently the disease has been subjected to massive control efforts with varying degrees of success. The development of parasite and vector resistance to conventional drugs and insecticides has complicated both treatment and control today. The main goal of this project was to identify viable phytomedicines ...
ABSTRACT This study model natural turbulent convection in a rectangular enclosure with localized heating. The equations used in modeling the flow are the continuity equation, the momentum equation, and the energy equation. These equations are decomposed using the Reynolds decomposition then the decomposed equations are non-dimensionalized and reduced using the Boussinesq assumptions. The model that is considered is a rectangular enclosure with the lower part of the face-wall being heated and ...
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by a blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma. An estimated 249 million people are infected worldwide in about 78 countries with 85% infections occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, an estimated 5 million people are infected with about 12 million people at risk of infection. Schistosomiasis is a major public health concern due to the morbidities caused. Kagio area borders Mwea irrigation scheme which is an endemic area with a pre...
ABSTRACT While food borne diseases remain an important public health problem worldwide, one of the most significant food safety hazards is associated with those from animals. Food borne infections and illnesses are a major international health problem with consequent economic reduction and deaths. Meat is considered the most important source of proteins consumed by humans, yet most perishable. For highly perishable foodstuffs such as fresh red meat, the threat of food poisoning is particularl...
ABSTRACT Maize is the staple crop in Eastern Province of Kenya especially in Makueni, Kangundo, Kibwezi, Machakos and Kitui South Districts. It has been noted that the abiotic and biotic stresses associated with these Districts promote growth of toxigenic fungi that produce mycotoxins in maize in storage. The aflatoxin producing species of Aspergillus are a common phenomenon in maize contamination that has led to frequent outbreaks of aflatoxicoses in these regions. To address this problem, t...
ABSTRACT Adolescents regularly participating in sports and do not meet their energy intake may develop several medical conditions, such as disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and decreased bone mineral density, collectively referred to as the Female Athlete Triad (FAT). Limited data is available on components of FAT in adolescent athletes of African descent. This study’s aim was to investigate the presence of the components of the female athlete triad amongst a group of junior long fe...
Abstract Knowledge of differential and integral cross sections for electron-atom or electron-ion collision is very important in the study of astrophysics, plasma physics and laser development. So it is essential to make studies of differential and integral cross sections for electron atom collision either experimentally or theoretically. In this study the Distorted Wave Method has been applied to calculate the differential and integral cross sections for elastic scattering of electrons by a m...
ABSTRACT The numerous applications of high density polyethylene (HDPE) in industries for production of domestic and commercial commodities have made it necessary to find ways of improving its mechanical properties. The most common way of doing this is to add reinforcement such as glass fibers. However these composites suffer limitations due to reduced recyclability, great weight and difficult to thermo-form. In order to improve properties such as specific strength, stiffness and thermo-formab...
ABSTRACT Entamoeba histolytica, an intestinal protozoan parasite, is the causative agent for amoebiasis which is the third leading parasitic disease causing deaths in humans after malaria and schistosomiasis. Globally, it is responsible for 40,000 to 100,000 deaths annually. Amoebiasis is on the rise in Kitui County and is responsible for diarrheal illnesses and early deaths in children under 5 years. There is no surveillance system in Kenya to combat the disease and its real level of occurre...