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Phytochemical Studies of Acmella Caulirhiza and Spermacoce Princeae used by postpartum mothers in Nyamira County, Kenya.
No full textAbstract- Introduction: Traditional medicine have been used in health maintenance, disease prevention and treatment for example
Acmella caulirhiza used to treat a child’s mouth sores and Spermacoce princeae used to accelerate healing of umbilical cord and to
clean the system after birth.
Objective: The main objective of the present study was to determine phytochemical compounds of A. caulirhiza and S. princeae used
by postpartum mothers in Nyamira County, Kenya.
Methodology: The study area was Nyamira County where the two plant specimens were collected. Plant materials were identified at
East Africa Herbarium. Plant specimens were transported to M.K.U. Pharmacognosy laboratory where processing was done.
Phytochemical analysis methods were employed to determine phytochemicals compounds in the crude plant extracts. Data was stored
in Excel spread sheet in a personal computer protected with a password. Data was presented using tables and photographs.
Results: Phytochemical examinations revealed that Acmella caulirhiza contains flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins and sterols
compounds. On the other hand, Spermacoce princeae contains flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, saponin alkaloid and glycoside
compounds.
Conclusion and recommendation: The plants may be used in treating puerperal sepsis although commercially available drugs are
recommended as they are highly effective. The two plants can be a potent source of complementary and modern medicine. Further
research is recommended to isolate and identify pure compounds of the two plant
Substitution of aqua ligands from cis-platinum(II) complexes bearing 2-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine spectator ligands
No full textCis-Pt(II) complexes, namely [Pt{2-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H2O)2](CF3SO3)2 Pt(pyS Ph ), [Pt{2-(4-tert-butylphenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H2O)2](CF3SO3)2 Pt(pyS Ph(t-But) ) and [Pt{2-(4-fluorophenylthiomethyl)pyridine}(H2O)2](CF3SO3)2 Pt(pyS PhF ), were synthesised and characterised. The pK a1 and pK a2 values of the complexes were determined titrimetrically. Substitution of the aqua ligands from these complexes by thiourea nucleophiles was studied at a pH of 2 and ionic strength of 0.1 M under pseudo-first-order conditions using stopped-flow and UV–visible spectrophotometric techniques. Substitution of the aqua ligands depends on both the nature and concentration of the incoming ligand, with low enthalpy and negative entropy of activation values. Substitution of the first and second aqua ligands occurs sequentially and fits the rate laws: k obs (1/2) = k (1/2) [Nu]. The second-order rate constant, k 1, relates to the substitution trans to sulphur, while k 2 is the second-order rate constant for the subsequent substitution of the aqua ligand trans to pyridine. The rate of substitution of the first aqua ligand decreases in the order: Pt(pyS Ph(t-But) ) > Pt(pyS PhF ) > Pt(pyS Ph ), while that of the second decreases in the order: Pt(pyS Ph(t-But) ) > Pt(pyS Ph ) > Pt(pyS PhF ), reflecting the influence of the substituents on the spectator ligands. 195Pt NMR spectra of aged solutions of complexes with the thiourea nucleophile suggest a subsequent but rapid concentration-independent ring opening of the N,S-bidentate ligand to form a PtS 4 species. The crystal structure of Pt(pyS PhF )Cl 2 was elucidated by X-ray diffraction analysis
Serological and spatial analysis of alphavirus and flavivirus prevalence and risk factors in a rural community in western Kenya
No full textAlphaviruses, such as chikungunya virus, and flaviviruses, such as dengue virus, are (re)-
emerging arboviruses that are endemic in tropical environments. In Africa, arbovirus infections
are often undiagnosed and unreported, with febrile illnesses often assumed to be
malaria. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the seroprevalence of alphaviruses
and flaviviruses among children (ages 5±14, n = 250) and adults (ages 15 75, n =
250) in western Kenya. Risk factors for seropositivity were explored using Lasso regression.
Overall, 67% of participants showed alphavirus seropositivity (CI95 63%±70%), and 1.6% of
participants showed flavivirus seropositivity (CI95 0.7%±3%). Children aged 10±14 were
more likely to be seropositive to an alphavirus than adults (p < 0.001), suggesting a recent
transmission period. Alphavirus and flavivirus seropositivity was detected in the youngest
participants (age 5±9), providing evidence of inter-epidemic transmission. Demographic variables
that were significantly different amongst those with previous infection versus those
without infection included age, education level, and occupation. Behavioral and environmental
variables significantly different amongst those in with previous infection to those
without infection included taking animals for grazing, fishing, and recent village flooding.
Experience of recent fever was also found to be a significant indicator of infection (p =
0.027). These results confirm alphavirus and flavivirus exposure in western Kenya, while
illustrating significantly higher alphavirus transmission compared to previous studies
Leaders reap dividends after acquiring University degrees
No full textIndividuals who rushed to universities to acquire degrees ahead of the General Election are reaping the benefits of their toil after winning the coveted seats.
The decisions were prompted by the rule that requires the president, deputy president, governors and their deputies to be university graduates.
However, the rule on MPs and MCAs will be effected in the next General Election.
Nairobi and Mombasa governors Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Ali Hassan Joho, respectively, were among the leaders who sought admission to universities
Implementation and Usage of Management Information System for Academic Processes at Mount Kenya University, Rwanda
No full textResearch paper in Information Science specifically in the area of Management Information Systems.The present study sought to find out how both staff and students of Mount Kenya University, Kigali,
Rwanda used the management information system (MIS) to benefit from academic processes and how
execution of academic processes affected by MIS functionalities. A case study research design was
used. Sample size of 164 staffs and 354 students were obtained from target populations of 251 staffs and
3,072 students, respectively. The coordinator of information and communication technology and librarian
were interviewed as well. Questionnaire and interview instruments were used to collect data using
stratified random and purposive sampling, respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (V.16.0) and presented using frequencies, percentages, weighted means,
standard deviations and multiple regressions to determine the correlation between variables. Findings
revealed that majority of both staff and students agreed that the MIS was helpful in registration and
retrieval of information. It was also found that MIS reduced long queues for services as revealed by both
staff (92.07%) and students (85.01%). Moreover, multiple regression analysis determined that R, the
coefficient of correlation, was 0.97, signifying a very strong, positive, multiple correlation between the
usage of the MIS by staff and the implementation of the university’s academic processes. The coefficient
of determination R2 =0.955 indicated that 95.50% of the variability in execution of academic processes
depended on stochastic model developed, whereas the remaining 4.50% was due to factors beyond the
control of the study. On the other hand, R, the coefficient of correlation, was determined to be 0.901 also
signifying a very strong, positive, multiple correlation between the usage of the MIS functionalities and
the implementation of the university’s academic processes by students. Similarly, the coefficient of
determination R2 =0.812 indicated that 81.20% of the variability in the implementation of academic
processes depended on the stochastic model developed, whereas the remaining 18.80% was attributed
to factors beyond the control of the study. The two coefficients of correlations were found to be
significant at the 95% confidence level. Recommendations of the study included the provision of
uninterrupted connectivity to the Internet as well as increase of the available bandwidth. This is because disruptions in connectivity to the Internet tended to inconvenience the MIS users. Provision of formal
and informal training on MIS functionalities should also be offered more frequently to minimise
inefficiencies in MIS usage. In addition, communication via MIS should be improved to make the system
more interactive the individual use by posting timely notifications and providing the option for feedback,
provision of an active electronic link to the library online public access catalogue and other informational
services of the university such as the electronic newsletter, electronic prospectus, audio and video
streaming of teaching and learning materials, including provision of downloads of electronic lecture
notes as well as uploads of assignments in electronic form.Self-sponsore
Mount Kenya University Newsletter, June 2017 Issue
No full textMount Kenya Universi-
ty (MKU) has given the
drive for peace in Africa a
major fillip. This is after
hosting an International Conference on
Peace, Security and Social Enterprise,
which established a think tank named
African Consortium for Peace (AC4P).
The university donated Ksh5 million
towards the consortium’s establishment.
AC4P is a platform to deliberate and
promote a peaceful future for Africa.
MKU sponsored the conference to the
tune of Ksh10 million, and teamed up
with several partners to make it a huge
success.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior
and Coordination of National Govern-
ment, Major Gen. (Rtd.) Joseph Nkai-
ssery, the chief guest at the May confer-
ence, termed the conference as important
and timely, owing to the fact that it
came just ahead of Kenya’s 2017 General
Election, to be held in August.
He added that the meeting was also
“timely because the idea of engaging in
dialogue on peaceful interventions for
sustainable development in the contem-
porary society and especially in Kenya
today cannot be gainsaid”.
The CS emphasised that because peace
and security were central requirement
Assessment of Hybrid Records Management Systems at Mount Kenya University, Kenya
No full textRecords are pillars of business activities. In their absence the organizational management is likely to sabotage decision
making. This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of hybrid records management system at the Mount Kenya University. The study
was guided by the following objectives to establish whether MKU has an adequate records management policy that governs hybrid
records management system, analyze the extent of staff training on records management and determine the security measures that have
been put in place to manage records. The study adopted a case study which involved in-depth analysis of how records were being
managed using a hybrid records management system at MKU. Target population consisted of 240 respondents drawn from University`s
main campus. Stratified sampling technique was used to select respondents from administration, examinations, Information
Communication Technology (ICT) and Library departments. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and
documentary evidence. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science Software (SPSS) version 20. The
study found out that Mount Kenya University (MKU) has embraced hybrid records management since most of its records were in paper
and electronic formats, the university has policies governing management of records using a hybrid records management system which
has led to effective management of records, staff training does not affect the use of hybrid record management system since most staff
that have been employed are managing records especially the electronic records due to the technological changes most staff are
computer literate, the university records have been secured and that personal records and vital records can only be accessed by
authorised personnel. By embracing the hybrid records management system the universities records will be effectively managed and it
will also enhance decision making by policy makers. The study is vital to researchers who will use it for benchmarking and for future
reference