East African Journal Of Science, Technology and Innovation
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Influence of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae: Fabales) varieties on oviposition behavior and susceptibility to infestation by Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
Get PDFDespite beans being a vital source of cheap protein, its yield is reduced mainly by diseases, field and storage pests. An effective and sustainable control option against storage insect pests could be improving the genetic resistance of the host plant in relation to the behaviour of the pest. A laboratory investigation was conducted to determine effects of bean varieties on oviposition behaviour and susceptibility to infestation by Acanthoscelides obtectus. The experiments evaluated oviposition site preference, number of eggs laid, and number of progeny and emergence holes of A. obtectus per bean variety. The number of progeny and duration in days taken by 50 % of progeny to emerge was determined and used to calculate susceptibility index. Seed harness index, thickness of testae and surface area of bean varieties were determined and related with susceptibility indices. Results indicated that the number of eggs laid, progeny, and emergence holes, duration taken by progeny to emerge, susceptibility indices, seed surface area and hardness were statistically different. Mwezi moja variety was the most preferred host for oviposition whereas Mwitemania was the least preferred. Beetles laid the highest (84.5) number of eggs in Mwezi moja and the least (41.9) in Mwitemania. Number of progeny of A. obtectus emerging were the highest in Mwezi moja (73.7) and the least (36) in Mwitemania. Beetles took the shortest (36.75 days) period to emerge from Mwezi moja and the longest (38.63days) period from Mwitemania. Mwezi moja was the most susceptible variety to attack by A. obtectus with a susceptibility index of 7.43 and Mwitemania was the least susceptible with an index of 6.51. Nyayo had the highest (0.019) seed hardness index and Mwezi moja and Canadian wonder had the least (0.012) hardness index. Mwezi moja had the largest (278mm) surface area whereas Mwitemania had the lowest (171mm) surface area
Profiles of Isoniazid and Rifampicin drug resistance conferring mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis among new and previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis cases from Kisumu County, Kenya
Get PDFMycobacterium tuberculosis infection is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in developing countries and drug resistance remains a challenge. Drug resistance is hastened by point mutations in the bacilli genome and their frequencies vary geographically hence the need to understand regional specific patterns for early detection of mutant strains. In this cross sectional study, Sputum samples from pulmonary tuberculosis clinical suspects were collected to detect mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis that confers resistance to Isoniazid and rifampicin anti-anti tuberculosis drugs. Detection of mutations was done using GenoType MTBDRplus. Out of a sample of 256 from Tuberculosis clinical suspected cases, 145 were Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli confirmed out of which 32 (22%) were new Tuberculosis (TB) cases and 113(78%) retreatment. The total for isoniazid resistance was 9(6.2%), out of which 2(6.3%) were in new cases and 7(6.3%) in retreatment cases. Multi Drug Resistance (MDR) was 2(1.8%) and all in retreatment cases. Rifampicin resistance was 7(4.8%), 1 (3.1%) in new case and 6(5.3%) in retreatment. The MDR among Rifampicin Resistance(RR) was 28.6%. Low Isoniazid resilient strains had changes in the katG gene resulting to nucleotide change from A G C to A C C. Four rifampicin resistant isolates showed mutations at the rpoB gene with nucleotide change from C A C to T A C and a single isolate displayed mutation at the rpoB gene with nucleotide change from T C G to T T G. Same nucleotide change A G C to A C C from different patients in the same facility might be an indication of local transmission of drug resistance and greater variability of mutations observed in HIV positive and retreatment cases are possibilities of mutations acquired during treatment courses by repeated administration of the same anti-TB drugs
Effects of computed distances, and other determinant factors on place of child delivery in Magadi Ward, Kenya
Get PDFThe choice of place of delivery is still debatable in most sub-Saharan African societies’ especially pastoral communities. The decision on whether to deliver at a health facility or at home varies across households. This study sought to evaluate the effects of computed distance, demographic and socio-economic factors on the place of child delivery in rural Magadi, Kenya. The integration of both spatial and statistical techniques was adopted. Distances (straight-line distance, road network distance to the nearest health facility and primary facility) were computed using tools in the Network Analyst toolbox. Computed distances of 246 sampled households together with demographic and socioeconomic factors were further analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The findings showed that calculated road network distance to the primary facility was a determinant of access and use of place of delivery both for the adjusted and the unadjusted odds. Women aged 20 years or below, having more children, secondary education or above and those who are unmarried are more likely to deliver at health facility. Receiving 1 or 2 childbirth services from a health facility, being aware of a private actor who set up the health facility and involvement of the spouse in the decision-making of place of birth are also linked to the use of health facility for child delivery. Deliveries at home were related to family monthly income level, family occupation, opinion on health facility location and being aged between 21 – 30 years. It was found that though computed road distance to the primary facility was the dominant factor, other variables such as level of education, parity, awareness of local actors, other childbirth services received prior to child delivery and marital status determined whether a woman would access and use health facilities for child delivery.
Effect of intensity and frequency of leaf harvesting on growth, nodulation, and yield of selected cowpea varieties
Get PDFCowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is a leguminous crop widely cultivated across the world and is considered more useful than other vegetables particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of intensity and interval of leaf harvesting on growth, nodulation, and yield of cowpea varieties M66, Lubia and Areng in South Sudan. The experiment was set up at Awerial and Bor sites in South Sudan in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a 4×3×3 factorial arrangement. The factors evaluated were cowpea variety at three levels (M66, Lubia and Areng), intensity at four levels (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) and interval of leaf harvesting at three levels (2, 3 and 4 weeks). Cowpea variety Areng had the best performance among the three varieties evaluated. Areng took 52 days to flower and 108.7 days to attain maturity followed by Lubia and M66 which took the shortest time to flower and reach maturity. In contrast, the highest number of nodules of 124 at vegetative and 136 at flowering stage was observed on variety M66 followed by Areng while the lowest number of nodules was observed on variety Lubia. Effects due to environment, variety, interval, and intensity were significant (p≤0.001) for days to flowering, maturity, number of nodules at flowering, weight of pod, grain weight, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight at flowering stages. Harvesting intensity and interval has significant effect on yield and yield components of cowpea varieties and therefore, cowpea variety Areng is suitable for seed weight and foliage harvesting because irrespective of intensity of leaf harvesting, the dry matter was not reduced to a level that can affect production. Moreover, the variety M66 was the best in grain weight across and within sites
Prevalence of Brucella infection and associated risk factors among children in livestock keeping communities of Morogoro, Tanzania
Get PDFBrucellosis is among the most common bacterial zoonotic diseases worldwide. It is estimated that up to 500,000 new human cases occur each year. Brucellosis is a priority zoonosis in most East African countries. In Tanzania, the disease is one of six priority zoonoses, however, little disease burden information is available especially in children. Children are of particular interest especially in pastoral communities due to increased risk of exposure in their routine activities associated with handling of livestock and their products. This study investigated brucellosis exposure status and associated risk factors among non-febrile children in pastoral communities. A cross-sectional design was used involving a total of 361 non-febrile children of six months to 14 years old, randomly selected from households and schools. Risk practices were evaluated using focus group discussions among selected children and thematic analysis was performed. Serum samples were collected and analyzed using Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (iELISA) in parallel. The overall seroprevalence of Brucella infection was 3.3% (95%CI, 2%-5%) determined by both RBT and iELISA. Risk practices observed and cited by children comprised of direct and indirect contact with animals and their products. These include: consumption of raw milk and their products, unhygienic handling of animals and their waste especially assisting cows during parturition. Girls/female respondents were more likely to test brucella positive than boys (male) respondents (2.23 OR, 95%CI 66%-754%). Brucellosis among non-febrile children in the study area was present at a relatively low prevalence. Risk practices for transmission of this zoonosis were also identified which included consumption of raw milk, contact with animals, their products and discharges including abortion materials which represent the basis for increased pathogen circulation in the area. General education on the epidemiology of brucellosis and prevention of infection spread should be provided to the community including children
Clusters of Bicycle Taxi Operators and their Main Service Operation Patterns: Case Study of Quelimane, Mozambique
Get PDFBicycle taxi is a vital means of informal public transport service in most Sub-Saharan African cities, and for this reason, understanding who operates this service, and how they operate could help define initiatives to promote this service. This study considered clusters of bicycle taxi operators and their main service operation patterns. A survey was conducted among 105 regular bicycle taxi operators in Quelimane, Mozambique. Twostep cluster analysis identified homogeneous groups of bicycle taxi operators based on six socio-economic factors (age, income, education, household composition, bicycle ownership, and residence location). A Mann-Whitney U test was employed to compare pairs of clusters of bicycle taxi operators regarding a set of taxi services operation variables, such as the number of passengers carried daily, daily revenues, and service hours. Four clusters of bicycle taxi operators were identified which are, less-educated operators from large households (C1), educated migrants (C2), less-educated bicycle renters (C3), and young cyclists from small households (C4). When comparing differences in service operation patterns per cluster of bicycle taxi operators, the study showed that people in C1 produced fewer bicycle taxi trips than those in C2 and C4. For daily earnings, people in C2 earn more than those in C1 and C3. For service hours, individuals in C2 cycle long service hours when compared to those in C1, which could be harmful to their health. The result of this study could reorient bicycle taxi service promotional policies to make the service more sustainable
The use of water quality index and water pollution index in assessing the water quality and suitability of the river Molo water basin, Kenya: Water quality analysis of the Molo water basin
No full textWater quality assessment has become a very essential scientific procedure for qualifying water for drinking and general purpose use, and better public health policy on clean water supply. Various tools have been employed to determine the status of water systems for drinking, industrial and general use. For the purpose of this study, water quality index (WQI) and the recently developed water pollution index (WPI) have been adopted to evaluate the water of the Molo water basin. The world health organization (WHO) has defined limits of these parameters beyond which the quality of water is considered unsuitable for a specific use. The study was carried out in December, 2021 during the dry season. In this contribution, pH, conductivity, TDS, salinity, major cations and anions, and selected heavy metals were explored. Of the major cations Na reported the highest concentration at 1800 mg/L whereas in the anion category, the Cl gave the highest concentration at 110 mg/L. The highest pH, TDS and salinity were 8.5, 146.33, and 282.67, respectively. The data obtained were used to determine the water quality index (WQI) and water pollution index (WPI) of the Molo water basin based on the world health organization (WHO) standards. The average WQI obtained was 57.47 indicating that the water is slightly polluted. Also the average WPI obtained was 0.77 indicating that the water from the water basin is not of good quality. Sediment morphology and composition was also determined using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The findings showed the presence of heavy metal pollutants of concern which include lead, manganese and copper. Therefore, with respect to WQI, WPI and sediment morphology, the water basin is significantly polluted. There is need therefore for the government and health authorities to formulate policies aimed at regulating pollution activities which may endanger the Molo water basin
Modelling the geographical distribution of plant species reported as anti-malaria and mosquito repellents in Burundi
Get PDFThe conservation and sustainable management of plant species require knowledge of their potential distribution areas and of the factors driving this distribution. A study modeling the distribution of ten flagship plant species reported as anti-malaria and mosquito repellents in Burundi was carried out, with a view to contributing to the establishment of conservation priorities in Burundi, which could also be a reference for other countries. The study was conducted in the four phytogeographic districts of Burundi. It was based on 98 samples from a field data collection on anti-malaria and mosquito repellent plants from Burundi and plant specimens kept at the University of Burundi Herbarium. Potential distribution areas were determined using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) spatial interpolation tool in ArcGIS 10.5 software. The geographic distribution and the ecological factors likely to influence this distribution were determined. The spatial interpolation show that the ten plant species reported as antimalarial and/or mosquito repellent in Burundi can be predicted in all the phytogeographic districts of Burundi. According to the available literature, seven of the ten species belong to the category of widely distributed species. The study shows that there are some differences in terms of distribution especially in the Mosso-malagarazi district. This could be explained by ecological conditions, typical of the lowlands. The distribution models obtained in this study will guide the sustainable plants management in Burundi and elsewhere. In order to increase the production of essential oils and phytochemicals, we recommend the use of these models to identify potential growth sites of the ten anti-malaria and mosquito repellent plant species
Benchmarking of the Electricity Sector in East Africa: An Assessment of Technical Efficiency
Get PDFThe electricity sector has globally been subject to reforms since the 1990s. The reforms consisted of unbundling vertically integrated monopolies and attracting the private sector with a view of improving quality of service (QoS) and technical efficiency. In some East African countries, however, the electricity sector remains vertically integrated. Controlling electricity losses has been difficult, resulting in poor QoS. This paper analyzes and compares the performance of the East African power sector with regard to QoS. A non-parametric approach, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to estimate the technical efficiency scores and the Total Factor Productivity Change (TFPC) for productivity improvement under two models, generation and transmission-distribution (TD). Data comprising two outputs and three inputs was collected in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda for the period 2008-2017. On average, the East African power sector exhibits performance gaps of 20% for the generation model, and 22% for the TD model. In the generation model, it exhibits Decreasing Returns to Scale (DRS) at a frequency of 34 out of 60, compared to 16 for Increasing Returns to Scale (IRS) and 10 for Constant Returns to Scale (CRS). However, in the TD model, IRS are the most dominant, with a frequency of 31 out of 60 compared to 19 and 10 for DRS and CRS respectively. Inefficiency is largely attributed to excess inputs, including high-voltage transmission line lengths and electricity losses, as well as a shortage of outputs, such as the number of customers. The study also shows a global productivity improvement, which is linked to efficiency change for the generation model and technological change for the TD model. Specifically, countries that have attracted the private sector into the generation and/or distribution sectors have improved their productivity compared to others with state-owned utilities
Land use and land cover change influence on soil organic carbon content for a pastoral area: use of geographical information system
Get PDFData on land use and cover change and soil organic carbon (SOC) in rangelands are essential. This is because rangelands ecosystems are fragile, and poor land-use practices can significantly threaten their sustainability by depleting SOC and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. This study investigated soil organic carbon variations as influenced by land use/land cover changes in the unprotected area of the Sanga agropastoral ecosystem, southwestern Uganda. Landsat images provided data for land use and cover for 1987 and 2020. Soil organic carbon contents were investigated in farmland (FL), grassland (GL), woodland (WL), and bare land (BL) as control at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths. Soil samples were analyzed for organic carbon and bulk density using the colorimetric and core ring methods, respectively. Total soil organic carbon content was significantly high in grassland (31.55 Mg C ha-1), p=0.005, and woodland (27.89 Mg C ha-1), p=0.028 compared to bare land (16.17 Mg C ha-1). Additionally, total soil organic carbon concentration in grassland (2.10%) was higher than SOC concentration in farmland (1.39%) p=0.001 and bare land (1.00%), p<0.001, respectively. Similarly, woodlands soil organic carbon concentration (1.98%) was higher than soil organic concentrations in bare lands, p=0.003 and farmlands, p=0.028. Bulk density was significantly different at lower horizons, with farmland having a higher bulk density than other land use types, p=0.013. Roots and litter inputs in woodlands and grasslands contributed to higher organic carbon than farmland and eroded/bare lands. Cultivation also increased the soil bulk density. This study concludes that land use and the land cover change affected soil organic carbon sequestration and bulk density. Therefore, farmers need to increase farm management practices to avoid an increase in bulk density. Further study to compare the effects of grazing intensity on SOC and modeling future SOC content in the study area is recommended