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Identification of Multi-repeat Sequences using Genome Mining Approaches for Developing Highly Sensitive Molecular Diagnostic Assay for the Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis
Get PDFChlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI). In 2019, the World Health Organization reported about 131 million infections. The majority of infected patients are asymptomatic with cases remaining undetected. It is likely that missed C. trachomatis infections contribute to preventable adverse health outcomes in women and children. Consequently, there is an urgent need of developing efficient diagnostic methods. In this study, genome-mining approaches to identify identical multi-repeat sequences (IMRS) distributed throughout the C. trachomatis genome were used to design a primer pair that would target regions in the genome. Genomic DNA was 10-fold serially diluted (100pg/μL to 1×10-3pg/μL) and used as DNA template for PCR reactions. The gold standard PCR using 16S rRNA primers was also run as a comparative test, and products were resolved on agarose gel. The novel assay, C. trachomatis IMRS-PCR, had an analytical sensitivity of 9.5 fg/μL, representing better sensitivity compared with 16S rRNA PCR (4.31 pg/μL). Our experimental data demonstrate the successful development of lateral flow and isothermal assays for detecting C. trachomatis DNA with potential use in field settings. There is a potential to implement this concept in miniaturized, isothermal, microfluidic platforms, and laboratory-on-a-chip diagnostic devices for reliable point-of-care testing.This research was supported by the Royal Society, Future Leaders African Independent Researchers (FLAIR) Scheme (FLR\R1\201314) to J
Evaluation of the protective efficacy of Olyset®Plus ceiling net on reducing malaria prevalence in children in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial
No full textIn the Lake Victoria Basin of western Kenya, malaria remains highly endemic despite high coverage of interventions such as insecticide-impregnated long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN). The malaria-protective effect of LLINs is hampered by insecticide resistance in Anopheles vectors and its repurposing by the community. Ceiling nets and LLIN with synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO-LLIN) are novel tools that can overcome the problems of behavioral variation of net use and metabolic resistance to insecticide, respectively. The two have been shown to reduce malaria prevalence when used independently. Integration of these two tools (i.e., ceiling nets made with PBO-LLIN or Olyset®Plus ceiling nets) appears promising in further reducing the malaria burden.
Methods
A cluster-randomized controlled trial is designed to assess the effect of Olyset®Plus ceiling nets on reducing malaria prevalence in children on Mfangano Island in Homa Bay County, where malaria transmission is moderate. Olyset®Plus ceiling nets will be installed in 1315 residential structures. Malaria parasitological, entomological, and serological indicators will be measured for 12 months to compare the effectiveness of this new intervention against conventional LLIN in the control arm.
Discussion
Wider adoption of Olyset®Plus ceiling nets to complement existing interventions may benefit other malaria-endemic counties and be incorporated as part of Kenya’s national malaria elimination strategy.
Trial registration
UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000045079. Registered on 4 August 2021.This work is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals (SATREPS) program
Evaluation of the protective efficacy of Olyset®Plus ceiling net on reducing malaria prevalence in children in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial
Get PDFn the Lake Victoria Basin of western Kenya, malaria remains highly endemic despite high coverage of interventions such as insecticide-impregnated long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN). The malaria-protective effect of LLINs is hampered by insecticide resistance in Anopheles vectors and its repurposing by the community. Ceiling nets and LLIN with synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO-LLIN) are novel tools that can overcome the problems of behavioral variation of net use and metabolic resistance to insecticide, respectively. The two have been shown to reduce malaria prevalence when used independently. Integration of these two tools (i.e., ceiling nets made with PBO-LLIN or Olyset®Plus ceiling nets) appears promising in further reducing the malaria burden.
Methods
A cluster-randomized controlled trial is designed to assess the effect of Olyset®Plus ceiling nets on reducing malaria prevalence in children on Mfangano Island in Homa Bay County, where malaria transmission is moderate. Olyset®Plus ceiling nets will be installed in 1315 residential structures. Malaria parasitological, entomological, and serological indicators will be measured for 12 months to compare the effectiveness of this new intervention against conventional LLIN in the control arm.
Discussion
Wider adoption of Olyset®Plus ceiling nets to complement existing interventions may benefit other malaria-endemic counties and be incorporated as part of Kenya’s national malaria elimination strategy.
Trial registration
UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000045079. Registered on 4 August 2021.AK and JG received support from JICA/AMED joint research project (SATREPS) (Grant no. 20JM0110020H0002), Hitachi Fund Support for Research Related to Infectious Diseases, and Sumitomo Chemical Corporation. The funding bodies play no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and publication
High-Throughput Antibody Profiling Identifies Targets of Protective Immunity against P. falciparum Malaria in Thailand
Get PDFMalaria poses a significant global health challenge, resulting in approximately 600,000 deaths each year. Individuals living in regions with endemic malaria have the potential to develop partial immunity, thanks in part to the presence of anti-plasmodium antibodies. As efforts are made to optimize and implement strategies to reduce malaria transmission and ultimately eliminate the disease, it is crucial to understand how these interventions impact naturally acquired protective immunity. To shed light on this, our study focused on assessing antibody responses to a carefully curated library of P. falciparum recombinant proteins (n = 691) using samples collected from individuals residing in a low-malaria-transmission region of Thailand. We conducted the antibody assays using the AlphaScreen system, a high-throughput homogeneous proximity-based bead assay that detects protein interactions. We observed that out of the 691 variable surface and merozoite stage proteins included in the library, antibodies to 268 antigens significantly correlated with the absence of symptomatic malaria in an univariate analysis. Notably, the most prominent antigens identified were P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) domains. These results align with our previous research conducted in Uganda, suggesting that similar antigens like PfEMP1s might play a pivotal role in determining infection outcomes in diverse populations. To further our understanding, it remains critical to conduct functional characterization of these identified proteins, exploring their potential as correlates of protection or as targets for vaccine development
Critical Analysis of Corporate Governance Strategies on Financial Performance of Commercial Banks, Kenya.
No full textEffective Corporate Governance is a critical component of value addition in virtually all
aspects of corporate performance. Annual financial reports by the Central Bank of Kenya
for the period 2010-2019 showed a declining trend in the general performance of Commercial
Banks in Kenya, during which Returns on Assets (ROA) declined from 4.51%
to 3.84% and Returns on Equity (ROE) from 29.4% to 25.6%. The Study sought to critically
analyze Influence of Corporate Governance Strategies on Financial Performance
of Commercial Banks in Kenya. The Study investigated; Corporate Governance Structure,
Strategic Leadership, Board Composition and Accountability System. Explanatory
Research Design was used to guide the conduct of the Study. A sample population of
112 managers drawn from 8 out of the 9 large banks were selected as respondents, for
the period 2010-2019. The Study was guided by four theories; Agency Theory, Stewardship
Theory, Stakeholder Theory and Financial Intermediation Theory. Data collection
was done by use of a close-ended and open-ended questionnaire in which 85 (76%) of
the 112 questionnaires were returned. Secondary data were collected from published Annual
Financial Reports of Commercial Banks, by the CBK for the period 2010-2019.
Content Validity of the research instrument was tested by subject matter experts comprising
of the researcher’s supervisors and defense panelists from and outside Mount
Kenya University. Reliability of the research instrument was tested using the Cronbach’s
Alpha test, which gave an alpha value of 0.8, well within the acceptable range of α ≥ 0.7.
Data analyses were done by use of both Descriptive and Inferential statistics. Descriptive
data analysis consisted of summarizing the data into tables and describing characteristics
of the data set using means and standard deviations. Inferential analysis was done by use
of a multiple regression analysis program in a SSPS-26 Software, which gave an Adjusted
R2 equal to .765 indicating that Corporate Governance Strategies correlated well
with Financial Performance of Commercial Banks. The analyzed data were presented
using, graphs, pie chart and tables. The findings showed that there was a significant positive
correlation between Corporate Governance Structure, Strategic Leadership, and Accountability
System with Financial Performance of Commercial Banks in Kenya while
Board Composition was partially significant. Financial Performance was measured by
use of profitability ratios, ROA and ROE. The Moderating variable comprised of Government
controls and regulations and were analyzed by use of inferential statistics. The
result showed that the adjusted R2 dropped from .765 to .608 indicating a decline of .157
(15.7%), which was the influence of the Moderating variable on the strength of the correlation
between independent variables and the dependent variable. The conclusion of
the study was that Corporate Governance Strategies influenced financial performance of
commercial banks in Kenya, with Strategic Leadership producing the greatest influence,
with an Adjusted R2 of .812 (81.2%). The study recommended that Commercial Banks
in Kenya entrench Strategic Leadership in their corporate governance practices, minimize
conflicts of interest between shareholders and corporate level managers, and promote
inclusivity in the management process in order to maximize financial performance
of commercial ban
Adequacy of sanitation and handwashing facilities in public primary schools:case of Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya
No full textBackground:Hygiene as practices and conditions contribute to the upholding of population health or prevention of disease outbreak. The implication of sanitation needs to the population tends to weigh heavily on the children population due to their vulnerability to pathogens.Methods:Analytical cross-sectional study design was used and 219 participants in the selected public primary schools participated in the study. Data was collected using administered structured questionnaire, observation and Key Informant Interview. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26.0 and involved univariate and bivariate analysis. Bivariate analysis was done through logistic regression was used to test the significance of theassociation between the dependent and independent variables (p<0.05). Qualitative data was analyzed by thematic content analysis.Results:More than three quarter 171 (78.1%) were day school with 40 (18.3%) and 54 (24.7%) of school having between 150-179boys and 180-209 girls respectively. Slightly less than half 104 (47.5%) of schools had less than 5 toilets for boys and 90 (41.1%) of schools had between 5-10 toilets for girls, 112 (51.1%) of schools had water available for hand washing outside the latrines/toilets. Schools with 120-149 boys and 210-239 girls were more likely to avail water for handwashing outside the toilets.Conclusions:Schools lack sanitary facilities, water, soap and protective clothing, leading to poor sanitation levels, further, schools with scarcity of water and soap for hand washing are at risk of contamination, leading to the spread of diseases like cholera
Perceptions and Experiences of Relatives with Patients in Intensive Care Unit, Machakos Level Five Hospital.
No full textIntensive Care Unit (ICU) is considered as a highly specialized department of care within a hospital which offers comprehensive continuous care for patients who are severely ill and are likely to benefit from the management. It is a shocking experience for relatives to have one of their family members in the ICU as most critical ailments occur abruptly without a warning. The patient admitted into the ICU is a part of a family. As such, when one member of the family is afflicted the rest of the family is affected hence the need to provide care that is centered on the family within the ICU. The objectives guiding the study included; To explore relatives’ perceptions and experiences of the physical organization of the ML5H ICU, to determine how relatives perceived and experienced care given to their patient, to establish how relatives perceived and experienced their involvement towards care of their patient and to assess the relatives’ perceptions and experiences of their emotional support by ICU nurses. The study utilized a cross-sectional analytic design and convenience method of sampling to sample 64 relatives. The data collected was analyzed using bivariate analysis. In the study, females were the majority at 55% (n=35), 43%(n=27) were spouses,45.2% (n=29) had a college level of education, most at 42.2% (n=27), perceived the atmosphere of the unit as fair, most at 93.7% (n=60) perceived the nursing care as good/excellent, majority at 74.6% (n=45) perceived as often/always involved towards caring for their patients and most of them at 73.43% (n=47) perceived the emotional support they received as good/excellent. The study concluded that two thirds of the relatives, 0.54-0.78 at 95% confidence interval had an overall perception of having had a good/excellent experience. A significant association was found between the perceptions of the relatives on the waiting room atmosphere and their overall experience (p=0.038, CI-95%). However, their overall experience was not significantly associated with their perceptions of the atmosphere inside the unit, the nursing care given to their patients, their involvement in the care of their patients and the emotional support they were given by the ICU nurses. The study recommended the hospital management to look into the condition of the ICU waiting facility in liaison with inputs from the relatives. It further recommended that a phenomenological study should be carried out on the same to gain deeper insights into the study
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment if The Requirement For The Award of Master of Public Health Degree of Mount Kenya University
No full textThe consumption of khat has a significant health and financial impact to the nation, as well
as an increasing public health hazard. khat usage reduces users' effectiveness, makes them
more sensitive to health issues, and increases their chance of committing crimes. In this
sense, they pose a risk to society and place a strain on the health system. As such, the
current study examined factors attributing to the prevalence of khat effects of Khat chewing
on well-being among the youth in Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya. The following objectives
guided the study; to find out factors that contribute to Khat chewing to determine the
prevalence of khat chewing, to assess the effects of khat consumption awareness on health,
and to assess the effects awareness of khat consumption on social-economic life among
youth in Eastleigh, Nairobi County, Kenya. The research was led by Social Learning and
Reference Group theories, which were critical in understanding why individuals engage in
Khat intake and other Khat-related behaviour. The study used a survey research approach in
which a questionnaire was used to collect information from a sample of participants. The
research focused on 200 teenagers from Section I, 150 from Section II, and 100 from
Section III, which has a smaller population than the other sections. The research also
targeted (2) two people from each Division who were above the age of 35. As a result, the
study's target population was 456 people. The research sample included 384 youth and six
Key Informants, totaling 390 individuals. The three Divisions in this research were chosen
on purpose since they represent Eastleigh's three major Divisions. As a result, their findings
most likely mirrored the real situation in the targeted group. A pilot study was conducted
prior to data collection to evaluate the questionnaire utilized in this investigation. To ensure
validity, the researcher sent the questionnaire results to specialists who determined if the
questions were acceptable. In assessing consistency for multi-item measures, a cut-off of
more than 0.7 was considered adequate. Chi-square inferential statistics were employed to
establish a one-to-one link between the independent and dependent variables. This served as
the foundation for either rejecting or accepting the null hypothesis. To examine qualitative
data, the researcher used the content analysis approach. Graphs, tables, and pie charts were
used to present a result. NACOTSI, MKU, and consent from respondents were consulted on
ethical considerations in this sstudy. According to the report, 36.06% of respondents were
introduced to Khat by their neighbours or peers. According to the research, 70% of
youngsters ingest Khat, indicating that khat usage is widespread in EightLeigh. The study
discovered that 66.67% were aware of the negative consequences of khat intake on health
yet continued to use it. According to the survey, the rate of khat use is high, and most
youngsters are aware of the effects of khat consumption on health and social-economic life.
As a result, the research advised that the government and stakeholders educate the people
about the health risks associated with Khat
Factors Influencing Implementation of Family Witnessed Resuscitation Practice among Nurses Working In Medical-Surgical Units in Siaya County Referral Hospital, Kenya
No full textThe family witnessed resuscitation (FWR) is offering a family member an option to be present in the room while a loved one is being resuscitated to sustain life. Despite the recommendation by various professional bodies, FWR is not widely practiced among medical-surgical nurses and its implementation is inconsistent across healthcare settings. This study aimed to investigate nurse-related factors influencing implementation of FWR, identify nurses’ perceived benefits and establish their perceived risks of this practice among nurses in medical-surgical units in Siaya county referral hospital (SCRH). The study was cross-sectional analytical survey, quantitative and qualitative approaches of data collection were used. A total of 71 registered nurses participated in the study. A stratified random sampling design was used to obtain study participants from various units within the medical-surgical department of SCRH, Kenya. Quantitative data was collected using Family Presence during resuscitation benefit and risk assessment form and Family presence during resuscitation self-confidence scale designed by Twibel et al, approval to use the tool was granted by the original owner through written permission. Qualitative data was collected using Key Informant Interview. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 26 and NVIVO version 11 was applied for qualitative analysis. Categorical data were analyzed descriptively using graphs, frequency tables. Continuous variables were described using measures of central tendencies and dispersion. Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the association between independent and dependent variables. Significance level of p-value ≤ 0.05 was set, confidence interval was 95%. Qualitative data were transcribed and generated themes were interpreted then triangulated to increase the credibility and validity of the findings. To enhance understanding, themes were validated by inclusion of supporting quotes. The study revealed a significant association between implementation of FWR practice and advanced specialized training (X2 =4.125, df =1, p =0.042), training on FWR (X2 =6.728, df =1, p =0.009) and nurse’s perceived self-confidence (X2 =8.060, df =2, p =0.010).The odds ratio value indicated that nurses who had advanced specialized training apart from basic nursing were 3.3 times more likely to implement the practice than those with no other training (OR=3.28, 95% CI 1.10-9.80). Nurses trained on FWR were 4.4 times more likely to implement the practice than those with no such training (OR=4.42, 95% CI 1.35-14.92). Nurses who perceived quite/very confident were 4.9 times more likely to implement FWR than those who were somewhat confident (OR=4.94, 95% CI 1.07-22.71). FWR practice was not significantly associated with years of nursing experience, affiliation to professional organizations, and the number of times one participated in resuscitation process. Regarding perceived benefits, 83.1% of the respondents affirmed that family would accept that everything possible was done to save life of their loved one. However, 38.0 % of the respondents thought that family would disrupt the resuscitation process. Ethical clearance to conduct this research was obtained from Mount Kenya University Institutional of Ethics and Review Committee. The authorizations were obtained from appropriate offices within Siaya County and participating hospitals. Participation was voluntary, and participants signed informed consent
COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and associatedfactors among the business communityin Lira City, Uganda: a cross-sectional research
Get PDFBackground: As of November 26, 2021, at least seven different vaccines across three platforms have been distributed globally. These vaccines include Pfizer/BioNTech released on December 31, 2020, AstraZeneca on February 16, 2021, Janssen by Johnson and Johnson on March 12, 2021, Moderna on April 30, 2021, Sinopharm on May 7, 2021, Sinovac CoronaVac on July 1, 2021, and COVAXIN on November 3, 2021. Despite this unprecedented scientific discovery, vaccine hesitancy is seen as a stumbling block towards achieving herd immunity in the battle to control this global pandemic. The effectiveness of vaccines has been based on the principle that the community was willing to take up the vaccine to achieve herd immunity. This study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and associated factors among the business community in Lira City, Uganda.
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted among the business community from Lira City in Northern Uganda. The sample size was 421, however, only 407 members of the business community who responded were included in the analysis.
Results: Of the 407 participants, 57.3% were females, 52.5% were married, 88.4% were Langi by Tribe, 43.5% had tertiary education, 33.4% were Anglicans, and 40.1% were market vendors. Results also show that about 32.3% of the respondents had either delayed or refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The correlates of vaccination hesitance were education level (aOR; 3.63, 95%CI; 1.49-8.79, p=0.04), having a chronic medical condition (aOR; 2.7, 95%CI; 1.39-5.38, p=0.04) and certainty in the COVID-19 vaccines (aOR; 0.27, 95%CI; 0.017-0.51, p=0.02). Respondents who had primary level education had a more than 2-fold increased odds of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination compared to those who had not attained any formal education. Individuals who had chronic medical conditions had more than 2-fold increased odds of accepting the COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who did not have any chronic medical conditions. Those who were certain about the COVID-19 vaccine were 73% less likely to hesitate vaccination as compared to their counterparts who were uncertain.
Conclusion: The study found a substantially high level of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in Lira City and its predictors were level of education, chronic medical conditions and certainty in COVID-19 vaccines. For this reason, it is important to raise awareness among the business community about the vaccine. To increase uptake, policymakers and other stakeholders need to create effective communication techniques for behavior change