Abstract Effects of high stocking densities (HSDs) were evaluated for Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) under culture to determine its influence on plasma cortisol and whole blood glucose concentration. Plasma cortisol levels (ng/ml) were assayed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Whole blood glucose levels were determined using a hand-held one touch ultraglucose meter (MD-300) and test strips. Plasma cortisol and whole blood glucose level determinations were replicated th...
Abstract The world is currently battling the triple burden of malnutrition across all age groups including children. In Kenya, household socio-demographic and economic characteristics have been shown to contribute to malnutrition among children, but there is little known about the magnitude of their contribution at the sub-county level. This study aimed at determining the association between socio-demographic and economic characteristics of mothers and the nutritional status of their childre...
Abstract Background Nile tilapia has a variety of phenotypes suitable for aquaculture farming, yet its entire gene pool with potential for breeding climate ready strains in resource-limited settings remains scanty and poorly documented. SNP calling has become increasingly popular in molecular genetic studies due to their abundance and precision in estimating and identifying an organism’s genetic makeup. SNPs are versatile in trait-specific breeding, which, in contrast to pedigree breeding,...
Abstract The Central region of Kenya which is the second largest market oriented dairy zone, faces a threat in milk production. The challenge is a disease known as the napier head smut caused by Ustilago kamerunensis. This fungal microorganism is a facultative pathogen which has been reported to cause yield losses in napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) ranging from 25% to 46% across the affected areas. Additionally, there are reports of the continual spread of the disease into neighbouring c...
Abstract Surface water contamination has become one of the main environmental issues of concern and a challenge to the world population, especially in the developing world, that face potable or usable water security. In this study concentrations of available nutrients (PO4 3- and NO3 - ) in sediments and water along River Isiukhu, within Lake Victoria catchment area in Kenya are presented. Sediments and water samples were collected from 11 sampling sites along River Isiukhu. Available phosph...
Abstract Rhizobia are soil bacteria that induce nodule formation on leguminous plants. In the nodules, they reduce dinitrogen to ammonium that can be utilized by plants. Besides nitrogen fixation, rhizobia have other symbiotic functions in plants including phosphorus and iron mobilization and protection of the plants against various abiotic stresses including salinity. Worldwide, about 20% of cultivable and 33% of irrigation land is saline, and it is estimated that around 50% of the arable l...
Abstract The Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) supports one of the poorest and most populous rural populations in the East Africa region. The dipping fsh population has forced the community around the Lake Victoria to turn to farming for food crops to meet its daily food demands. Chemical fertilizer which is readily available has been the alternative source of improving soil condition which has led to eutrophication of the lake waters causing the temperature to rise in the process affecting most fre...
Abstract Baggasse derived biochar magnetically modified with iron (α-Fe2O3-CBG) was fabricated, characterized and applied as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of carbamazepine (CBZ), a pharmaceutically active compound which has been reported as an emergent water contaminant. Characterization of the synthesized (α-Fe2O3-CBG) composite showed that iron was effectively impregnated onto the carbonized bagasse network. The composite was able to achieve 60.9 % CBZ removal within a period of 4...
Abstract The Maseno (0.0°S, 34.6°E) ionosonde and the Mbarara (0.6°S, 30.7°E) GPS SCINDA receiver have been used to probe the equatorial ionosphere of the East Africa region using data obtained in 2012 and 2015. The equatorial spread-F (ESF) which appears as a spread on the F-layer on ionograms has been classified and their occurrence were found to have correspondence with GPS nighttime scintillations. The spread-F at equatorial and low-latitudes normally occurs during nighttime hours. T...
Abstract The nature of barriers for atomic transport in In2S3 layers has been varied by addition of chlorine. Diffusion of Cu(I) from a removable CuSCN source was used to probe the variation of the barriers. The Meyer-Neldel (compensation) rule was observed with a Meyer-Neldel energy (EMN) and a proportionality prefactor (D00) amounting to 40 meV and 5 × 10−14 cm2/s, respectively. D00 shows that the elementary excitation step is independent of the specific mechanism and nature of th...
Abstract Ion layer gas reaction (ILGAR) method allows for deposition of Cl-containing and Cl-free In2S3 layers from InCl3 and In(OCCH3CHOCCH3)3 precursor salts, respectively. A comparative study was performed to investigate the role of Cl on the diffusion of Cu from CuSCN source layer into ILGAR deposited In2S3 layers. The Cl concentration was varied between 7 and 14 at.% by varying deposition parameters. The activation energies and exponential pre-factors for Cu diffusion in Cl-containing s...
Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe worldwide pandemic. Due to the emergence of various SARS-CoV-2 variants and the presence of only one Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved anti-COVID-19 drug (remdesivir), the disease remains a mindboggling global public health problem. Developing anti-COVID-19 drug candidates that are effective against SARS-CoV-2 and its various variants is a pressing need that should be satisfied. This systematic review assesses the existin...
Abstract : Kenya is the seventh most prominent producer of common beans globally and the second leading producer in East Africa. However, the annual national productivity is low due to insufficient quantities of vital nutrients and nitrogen in the soils. Rhizobia are symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen through their interaction with leguminous plants. Nevertheless, inoculating beans with commercial rhizobia inoculants results in sparse nodulation and low nitrogen supply to the host plants b...
Abstract The triple burden of malnutrition, characterized by being overweight, hidden hunger, and underweight, is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya. Edible crickets are recognized as a sustainable and affordable source of food rich in proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. On the other hand, finger millet is also rich in proteins, nutrients, and antioxidants. This study evaluated the nutritional value of finger millet cookies enriched with crickets alongside the control (fi...
Abstract Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are a category of microbes that transform insoluble phosphates in soil into soluble forms that crops can utilize. Phosphorus in natural soils is abundant but poorly soluble. Hence, introducing PSB is a safer way of improving its solubility. The aim of this study was to genetically characterize and determine the mineralization capability of selected PSB colonizing rhizospheres of common beans in Western Kenya. Seven potential phosphorus solubili...