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Effect of Methanol Leaf Extract of Nauclea latifolia on Albino Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei
No full textBackground: In Nigeria the leaf decoction of Nauclea latifolia is taken to treat malaria and sexually transmitted diseases. This study intends to generate a scientific data in support of the traditional use of the leaves in malaria treatment. Objective: To investigate the antiplasmodial effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of Nauclea latifolia on chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei berghei in experimentally infected albino mice. Materials and Methods: The fresh leaves of Nauclea latifolia were collected, dried under shade, ground into powder and macerated in methanol for 72 hrs. The dried extract was stored at -4 °C for use. Thirty (30) mice were divided into five groups (A,B,C,D,E). Group A received 10 ml/kg/day of distilled water (negative control). Groups B, C and D received 370, 740 and 1110 mg/kg/day of the extract respectively. Group E received 1.2 mg/kg/day of artesunate (positive control). This experiment was repeated for suppressive, prophylactic and curative tests. Results: The extract produced considerable antiplasmodial activity in all the three tests evaluated compared to the standard drug (artesunate). The extract reduced parasitaemia significantly (p<0.05) in a dose dependent manner. Bioactive constituents of the plant could be responsible for the antiplasmodial activity Conclusion: The result of the study supports the need for continued search for components of traditional medicine as potential antimalarial agents. Keywords: Malaria, Nauclea latifolia, mice, Plasmodium berghei berghe
Were the WHO-recommended Human Influenza Vaccine Formulations Appropriate for Kenya During the 2010-2011 Season? Inferences from the HA1 Gene Analysis
No full textBackground: The knowledge of evolutionary patterns of the HA gene of the influenza virus is important in vaccine strain selection. Objective: Genetic analysis of HA1 of influenza viruses isolated in Kenya during the 2010-2011 season with reference to WHO vaccine strains. Methods: A total of twenty seven (27) influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, Nineteen (19) influenza A (H3N2) and Sixteen (16) influenza B virus isolates were analyzed. A partial HA1 gene was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Results: Phylogenetic analyses revealed that influenza B viruses were closely related to B/Brisbane/60/2008 vaccine strain while A (H1N1) pdm09 viruses were genetic variants of A/California/07/2009. The Kenyan A (H1N1) pdm09 isolates had P83S, D97N, S185T, I321V and E374K amino acid substitutions. Influenza A/H3N2 isolates showed K62E, T212A and S214I simultaneous amino acid substitutions when compared to A/Perth/10/2009. The K62E change occurred at antigenic site E. Majority of the Kenyan H3N2 isolates further had S45N and K144N amino acid substitutions at sites C and A respectively, which introduced N-glycosylation motifs absent in the vaccine strain. Conclusion: The study showed that although the WHO 2010 vaccine strains recommendations for the southern hemisphere matched with influenza viruses which circulated in Kenya during the 2010-2011 season, the viruses had evolved genetically from the vaccine strains. Key words: Influenza vaccine formulations; HA1 gene; Kenya
Clinical Efficacy of Selected Antimalarials with and Without Concomitant Administration of Antibacterials
No full textBackground: There is a high rate of malaria treatment failure even with the use of the artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). Studies have revealed that some bacteria infections present the same symptoms as uncomplicated and severe malaria. In most outpatient clinics, prescriptions are based only on the symptoms presented by the patients. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of concomitant bacterial infection in malaria parasitaemia, evaluate the type of bacteria and assess the effect of the concomitant administration of five classes of antibacterial and antimalarials on the symptoms presented by the patients. Methodology: Malaria parasitaemia was determined by thick and thin blood smears stained with Giemsa. Blood samples were cultured in MacConkey, chocolate and blood agar respectively using oxoid signal system after the manufacturers’ instructions and microbial load was determined by pour plate method. Results: Out of the 210 symptomatic cases 170 (80.95%) were found infected with malaria out of which 96 (56.47%) had bacterial co-infection and 74(45.53%) had malaria mono-infection. Of the 50 non-symptomatic cases 6 (12.00%) were found infected with malaria parasite among whom 2(33.33%) had bacterial co-infection. 64% of the symptomatic patients with malaria mono-infection who took dihydroartemisinin (DHA) as monotherapeutic or combination therapy (ACT) respectively improved clinically within 24 hours after initiation of treatment. 88% of the patients with concomitant infection who took either, DHA or ACT in combination with various antibacterial improved clinically within 24 hours. After 72 hours (three day), 75% of patients with concomitant infection who used only antimalarial DHA or ACT still had mild to severe headache and fever while 91% of those in this group who used antimalarials concurrently with various antibacterials were free of all the clinical symptoms presented pre-treatment. On the 7th day post treatment, 95% of patients with concomitant infection who used anti-malarial for three days and then antibacterial from the 4th day and 94% of those in this group who used antimalarial concurrently with antibacterial from the commencement of treatment had all their clinical symptoms resolved Discussion: From the results of this study, we conclude that some bacterial infection present the same clinical symptoms as malaria, as such proper laboratory check should be conducted before administration of antimalarials and that concomitant use of antimalarials with broad spectrum antibacterials is more effective in malaria chemotherapy. Key words: Clinical efficacy; Antimalarials; Antibacterials; Concomitant Administratio
The Impact of Credit Risk Management on Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya
Get PDFThis study analysed the impact of credit risk management on the financial performance of commercial banks and also attempted to establish if there exists any relationship between the credit risk management determinants by use of CAMEL indicators and financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya. A causal research design was undertaken in this study and this was facilitated by the use of secondary data which was obtained from the Central Bank of Kenya publications on banking sector survey. Thestudy used multiple regression analysis in the analysis of data and the findings have been presented in the form of tables and regression equations. The study found out that there is a strong impact between the CAMEL components on the financial performance of commercial banks. The study also established that capital adequacy, asset quality,management efficiency and liquidity had weak relationship with financial performance (ROE) whereas earnings had a strong relationship with financial performance. This study concludes that CAMEL model can be used as a proxy for credit risk management.Key Words: Credit Risk, Management, Financial Performance, Commercial Banks, Keny
The Relationship Between Macro Economic Variables And Stock Market Performance In Kenya
Get PDFThis study investigates the relationship between macroeconomic variables on NSE All share index (NASI) and goes further to determine whether changes in macroeconomic variables can be used to predict the future NASI. Three key macroeconomic variables are examined and they include lending interest rate, inflation rate and 91 day Treasury bill (T bill) rate. Secondary data for the periods March 2008 to March 2012 is collectedas follows; data for NASI was obtained from the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), data for inflation was obtained from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and finally data for lending rates and 91-day T Bill was obtained from Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The data is analysed using regression method. The lending rate is dropped from the regression model since it is correlated with the 91-Day T bill rate. The findings inthe study indicate that 91 – day T bill rate has a negative relationship with the NASI while inflation has a weak positive relationship with the NASI. Based on these findings, the study recommends monitoring of the macroeconomic environment since the changes in the macroeconomic variables has an effect on the stock market performance, which also influences the foreign investor’s decisions in the local investments.Key Words: Nairobi All Share Index (NASI), Macroeconomic Variables, Stock market performance, Multi Model Framework (MMF), Kenya
Forecasting Patient Needs in a Donor Funded Health Care Project in Kenya
No full textForecasts are crucial for practically all economic and business decisions. The focus of this research paper is in the area of forecasting. The research approach adopted is a case study of the Nutrition and HIV Program (NHP), which is a donor funded public health project. The general objective of this paper was to forecast the demand for patient needs in a donor funded project. Specifically, this paper sought to establish a suitable forecasting method that can accurately predict demand for nutrition commodities. Inorder to establish a more suitable forecasting method, Univariate Box – Jenkins (UBJ) methodology was used and two models were tested and Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA (0, 1, 2)) model provided a better fit and was chosen as the model of choice for a short run forecast horizon. The main conclusion drawn from this paper is that, UBJ-ARIMA models are useful as benchmarks for forecasting and thereforethey should be viewed as complements to a reliable forecasting process. This paperNrecommends that public health projects need to consider adopting business forecasting methods that will provide a better glimpse of the future based on historical events rather than relying on disease morbidity data trends. Key words: Autocorrelation function, ARIMA, partial autocorrelation function, public health project, residual autocorrelations short run forecast, stationarity, UBJ, un-difference
Capacity Utilization: The Forgotten Secret in Trading Out Poverty
Get PDFPolicy makers, academics and practitioners see economic growth as the secret behind the high standards of living worldwide. The ingredients that go into economic growth are still being debated, the only reason few countries have sustained long term economic growth despite all the promises politicians and policy makers make during political campaign periods or in times of economic crisis. One of the forgotten ingredients into economic growth is capacity utilization, there is overwhelming evidence that nations and regions could do more with what they already have if they focused more on capacity utilization. Even advanced countries like USA have never had a 100 percent capacity utilization, which operations managers might argue is not always desirable. It is hypothesized that focusing on capacity utilization might be a better exit strategy outof poverty than attracting expensive investments and expanding plants. This paper attempts to unlock the potential of capacity utilization in economic growth and by extension poverty eradication. The paper while focusing on the USA will draw useful lessons for East Africa in general. Data is drawn from US economic and business official reports. To cater for economic crisis, the data is drawn to cover past crises such as theoil crisis, the Asian crisis and any other event that might have adversely affected the world or regional economies. Linear regression is used in the analysis to investigate the drivers of capacity utilization and by extension economic growth. Private investment and productivity explains growth in capacity utilization in USA. Key words: Capacity, Poverty, Utilization, Economic growth, Tradin
The Influence of Firm Capabilities on the Internationalisation and Performance of Publicly Quoted Companies in Kenya
Get PDFThis research is based on an integrated theoretical approach. Internationalisation theory is integrated with the resource based view, and a theoretical model is developed that examines the influence of firm capabilities on the internationalisation and international performance of publicly quoted companies in Kenya. The study specifically considers the effect of organisation innovation intensity, knowledge capability and adaptive capability on the degree of internationalisation and performance. The proposed model is tested based on data drawn from a survey of internationalised publicly quoted companies in Kenya. The results show that firm capabilities have a positive influence on the degree of internationalisation and performance of a firm. The research provides implication for management practice and policy and highlights areas for future research.Key words: Firm capabilities, Internationalisation, Performance, Publicly Quoted Companies, Kenya
Strategic planning in turbulent environment: A Conceptual View
Get PDFThe literature view forms a starting point for further research on the strategic planning in turbulent context. Strategic planning, for organisations to match the pace of changes in the business environment, remains a challenge and an area of discussion by researchers andpractitioners. This paper defines strategic planning and explores its importance over the years. There are differences on the content and the number of steps found in strategic planning, leaving readers with questions like: What are the primary steps in the strategic planning and how does the process flow? What literature is available on this field? Is strategic planning still relevant to organisations in a turbulent environment? In an attempt to address these questions,the authors analyse and discuss theories and empirical findings advanced by various researchers and the conceptual framework of strategic planning; outlining gaps likely to elicit further research interest.Keywords: strategic planning process, turbulent environment, organisations, strategy formulation and implementation, organisational performance
Outsourcing Practice And Performance Of Mobile Telephone Service Providers In Nigeria
Get PDFThe aim of this study is to find out the effects of outsourcing practice on performance of mobile telephone providers. Purposes of the study are to investigate if outsourcing practice of mobile providers result in unemployment and also to find out the key performance indicators for assessing their performance. This study is a survey research that used questionnaires to collect data from mobile telephone engineers, technicians, project managers and customers. Forty (40) questionnaires were sent to mobile operators staff who were selected by random sampling technique from their payrolls while sixty (60) were sent to various customers who were selected by convenience sampling technique. Results indicate that all outsourcing vendors have taken full responsibility of all outsourced jobs and most operators do not have new job roles for staff whose functions are outsourced. Average revenue per user, minutes of use and receiving few queries on network are KPIs for assessing performance of mobile telephone providers while their performance do not depend on subscribers’ churn rate, active subscribers, subscribers complaints and activations. Implications of study to policy makers in government and mobile telephone operators is the need to entrench Service Level Agreements into outsourcing contracts while findings of study support outsourcing theory. Conclusions are outsourcing practice contributes to high unemployment and downsizing for mobile providers firms and consequently contributes to country’s unemployment problem which may adversely affect the economy. Most mobile telephone providers in Nigeria have performed well in revenue, usage and network quality and not by subscribers’ PKIs. Recommendations are mobile operators are to employ competent vendors for their outsourcing jobs as to enhance performance while their profits are to be ploughed back into their business as to improve and increase present level of infrastructural facilities in use. They should also improve their subscriber’s KPI’s so as to reduce churn rates and congestions currently witnessed in their networks.Keywords: Outsourcing practice, performance, telephone service providers, Nigeri