39 research outputs found
Application of Sewage Sludge in Land Farming: Advantages and Disadvantages
No full textThe Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 15 million tons of biosolids and 31 million tons of yard waste are discarded annually in the United States. Recycling this material as soil amendments for reclamation sites, forestlands, and agricultural land would 1) reduce the need for landfill disposal and/or incineration and 2) reduce the impact of these disposal methods on environmental quality. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of class-A biosolid and yard waste compost on potato and bell pepper yields under field conditions. Field studies were conducted on a Lowell silty loam soil located at the Kentucky State University Research Farm, Franklin County, Kentucky. Six replicates of each soil amendment were mixed with native soil at a rate of 50 tons/acre on a dry weight basis in standard USLE research plots (22 x 3.7 m, 10% slope). Total potato and pepper yields from yard waste compost amended soils (3330.9 lbs/acre and 9187 lbs/acre, respectively) were significantly higher (p \u3c 0.05) than yields from either the soil amended with class-A biosolid (2835 lbs/acre and 6984 lbs/acre, respectively) or the unamended soils (2429.6 lbs/acre and 7161.7 lbs/acre, respectively)
Metabolomics biomarkers for diet and adiposity
No full textDiet is an important determinant of health and well-being. Epidemiologic studies link higher habitual intake of sweetened beverages (SBs), sweet and fatty snacks, and the broad range of ultra-processed foods (UPF) with an increased risk of obesity. Poor nutritional profiles, higher caloric intake, and energy imbalance are some of the proposed mechanisms, but other biological pathways underlying diet-related weight gain and regulation are not fully defined. Human metabolome provides a rich resource for understanding metabolic alterations associated with diet. Here, we conduct a literature review on biomarkers of SBs (study 1); investigate the metabolomic signatures of SBs and added sugar intake in children, adolescents, and young adults and their association with adiposity measures (study 2); investigate the reproducibility of urine biomarkers of sweet and fatty snacks across two independent cohorts (study 3); and investigate the metabolomic profiles of UPF intake in adolescents and young adults and their association with adiposity (study 4).
In study 1, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on biomarkers of SBs and their levels of validity. In study 2, we used 3 data sets across 3 age groups: children (3.0–10.3 y), adolescents (14.9–18.4 y), and young adults (18.0–21.9 y), from the DONALD cohort study. In study 3, we included the previously defined sample of children and children from an external cohort, the IDEFICS/I.Family cohort. In study 4, we included the adolescent and young adult analytic samples defined in study 2. We used untargeted metabolomics in urine and plasma across all studies and additionally conducted lipidomics on plasma. We applied multiple machine learning methods because of the high-dimensional data: the random forest, partial least squares, and LASSO for joint metabolite selection (study 2 and 3); particle swarm optimization and extreme gradient boosting for investigating metabolite data missing mechanisms (study 4); and robust sparse PCA for deriving metabolite patterns (study 4). We used linear and mixed effects for covariate adjustments (study 2-4).
We identified metabolomic signatures of SBs, added sugar, sweet and fatty snacks, and UPF intake in young individuals. Some of these metabolomic changes were related to adiposity measures and may be important research targets for better understanding of the mechanisms through which these foods contribute to weight gain and adiposity
facilitates a competitively subordinate plant ant in Kenya
No full textBiological invasions can lead to the reassembly of communities and understanding and predicting the impacts of exotic species on community structure and functioning are a key challenge in ecology. We investigated the impact of a predatory species of invasive ant, Pheidole megacephala, on the structure and function of a foundational mutualism between Acacia drepanolobium and its associated acacia-ant community in an East African savanna. Invasion by P. megacephala was associated with the extirpation of three extrafloral nectar-dependent Crematogaster acacia ant species and strong increases in the abundance of a competitively subordinate and locally rare acacia ant species, Tetraponera penzigi, which does not depend on host plant nectar. Using a combination of long-term monitoring of invasion dynamics, observations and experiments, we demonstrate that P. megacephala directly and indirectly facilitates T. penzigi by reducing the abundance of T. penzigi’s competitors (Crematogaster spp.), imposing recruitment limitation on these competitors, and generating a landscape of low-reward host plants that favor colonization and establishment by the strongly dispersing T. penzigi. Seasonal variation in use of host plants by P. megacephala may further increase the persistence of T. penzigi colonies in invaded habitat. The persistence of the T. penzigi–A. drepanolobium symbiosis in invaded areas afforded host plants some protection against herbivory by elephants (Loxodonta africana), a key browser that reduces tree cover. However, elephant damage on T. penzigi-occupied trees was higher in invaded than in uninvaded areas, likely owing to reduced T. penzigi colony size in invaded habitats. Our results reveal the mechanisms underlying the disruption of this mutualism and suggest that P. megacephala invasion may drive long-term declines in tree cover, despite the partial persistence of the ant–acacia symbiosis in invaded areas.Fil: Palmer, Todd M.. Mpala Research Centre; Kenia. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Riginos, Corinna. The Nature Conservancy; Estados Unidos. University of Wyoming; Estados UnidosFil: Milligan, Patrick D.. University of Florida; Estados Unidos. Mpala Research Centre; KeniaFil: Hays, Brandon R.. Mpala Research Centre; Kenia. University of Wyoming; Estados UnidosFil: Pietrek, Alejandro Gerardo. Mpala Research Centre; Kenia. University of Florida; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Maiyo, Nelly J.. Ol Pejeta Conservancy; KeniaFil: Mutisya, Samuel. Ol Pejeta Conservancy; KeniaFil: Gituku, Benard. Ol Pejeta Conservancy; KeniaFil: Musila, Simon. National Museums of Kenya; KeniaFil: Carpenter, Scott. University of Yale; Estados UnidosFil: Goheen, Jacob R.. Mpala Research Centre; Kenia. University of Wyoming; Estados Unido
Application of decision tools to ethical analysis in biodiversity conservation
No full textAchieving ethically responsible decisions is crucial for the success of biodiversity conservation projects. We adapted the ethical matrix, decision tree, and Bateson's cube to assist in the ethical analysis of complex conservation scenarios by structuring these tools so that they can implement the different value dimensions (environmental, social, and animal welfare) involved in conservation ethics. We then applied them to a case study relative to the decision-making process regarding whether or not to continue collecting biomaterial on the oldest of the two remaining northern white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum cotton:), a functionally extinct subspecies of the white rhinoceros. We used the ethical matrix to gather ethical pros and cons and as a starting point for a participatory approach to ethical decision-making. We used decision trees to compare the different options at stake on the basis of a set of ethical desiderata. We used Bateson's cube to establish a threshold of ethical acceptability and model the results of a simple survey. The application of these tools proved to be pivotal in structuring the decision-making process and in helping reach a shared, reasoned, and transparent decision on the best option from an ethical point of view among those available
Starch branching enzymes and their genes in Sorghum
No full textStarch is an important raw material both for food and non-food purposes. It is synthesized and stored in source and sink tissues in plants. The starch deposited in amyloplasts of storage tissues possesses several physico-chemical properties, which makes it desirable for diverse applications. For industrial applications, starches high in either amylose or amylopectin are preferred in order to minimize chemical modification. The main purpose in our research is to understand starch synthesis in the sorghum endosperm, and use this information to generate transgenic sorghum with novel starches for both human diet and industrial application. In starch biosynthesis, the activity and expression profile of starch branching enzymes is important in determining both the yield and proportion of amylose and amylopectin. This thesis describes some of the characteristics of starch branching enzymes and their genes in sorghum. The genes encoding two SBE isoforms, SBEIIa and SBEIIb, were cloned and characterised. Comparison of the SBEIIb amino acid sequence with sequences from related species revealed a conserved core stretch of amino acids believed to harbor the catalytic site of the enzyme. Spatial expression patterns showed that the activity of sorghum sbeI and sbeIIb are seed-specific, while sorghum sbeIIa is expressed in endosperm, embryonic and vegetative tissues. We demonstrated that endosperm-specific expression of barley sbeIIb is governed by the second intron of the barley sbeIIb gene, and that the same second intron can confer endosperm specific expression to both sorghum sbeIIb and barley sbeIIa. This implies that a similar regulation factor in barley, which interacts with sequences within the intron, is also present in sorghum. Deletion mutagenesis of the sorghum sbeIIb promoter showed that a, 1-kb fragment 5´ of the transcriptional start site constitutes the minimal promoter capable of high level expression. Diurnal expression profiles suggested that an endogenous oscillator in the endosperm controls expression of sbeI, sbIIa and sbeIIb
Influence of Employee Recognition on Organizational Performance in FMCGs in Kenya
No full textGlobalization and other change drivers in the world mean that especially now more than ever, organizations have to strive to remain relevant, easily recognizable and profitable. FMCGs around the globe find they are just as vulnerable to changes in the market and the stake they hold could easily be lost to a competitor in a similar niche. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of employee recognition on organizational performance in FMCGs in Kenya. A descriptive research design was adapted involving the staff of Nairobi Coca cola Bottlers Limited. The data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. The study established that employee recognition has significant influence on how organizations will perform and recommends that FMCGs who wish to get higher results from their human resources should consider how well they recommend their staff as this enhance s their organization performance. Keywords: FMCGs, Sub Saharan Africa, Organizational performance, Employee Recognition, Nairobi Coca Cola Bottlers Limite
Konfliktlösung und Kriminalitätsprävention in Kenia: Lokale Friedenskomitees und Nyumba Kumi
No full textIn the wake of widespread interethnic "clashes" and al-Shabaab terrorist attacks in Kenya over the last few years, the state has embarked on the devolution of capacities for ensuring security and peace to the local level. The state gave the rights to handle specific local conflicts and crime prevention to local peace committees in an attempt to standardise an aspect of customary law, and to Nyumba Kumi committees in a strategy of anchoring community policing at the household level. These changes were conditioned and framed by ideas of decentralisation and the delegation of responsibilities from the state to the community level. In this paper, the following questions are raised: Are hybrid governance arrangements effective and appropriate? To what extent do peace committees and Nyumba Kumi provide institutional support for peaceful conflict management and crime prevention in Kenya? What guarantees and what constrains their success? The author draws on ethnographic data from the Maasai–Kikuyu borderlands near Lake Naivasha, a former hotspot of interethnic clashes.Nach zahlreichen interethnischen Zusammenstößen und terroristischen Angriffen von al-Shabaab in den letzten Jahren hat der kenianische Staat Sicherheitsfunktionen auf die kommunale Ebene verlagert. Rechte zur Beilegung lokaler Konflikte und zur Verhütung von Straftaten wurden lokalen Friedenskomitees übertragen – ein Versuch, gewohnheitsrechtliche Verfahren zu standardisieren –, sowie Nyumba-Kumi-Komitees, mit denen Kommunalpolitik auf der Ebene der Haushalte verankert werden soll. Den politischen Hintergrund dafür bilden generelle Pläne zur Dezentralisierung und zur Verlagerung staatlicher Funktionen auf die kommunale Ebene. Der Autor des Beitrags stellt folgende Fragen: Sind hybride Formen der Ausübung staatlicher Funktionen effizient und angemessen? Inwieweit fördern lokale Friedens- und Nyumba-Kumi-Komitees die friedliche Lösung von Konflikten und die Verbrechensbekämpfung in Kenia? Wie kann ein Erfolg ihrer Arbeit gesichert werden beziehungsweise was könnte den Erfolg gefährden? Grundlage der Analyse ist eine ethnographische Erhebung im Maasai-Kikuyu-Grenzgebiet in der Nähe des Naivasha-Sees, einem früheren Brennpunkt interethnischer Auseinandersetzungen
Conflict resolution and crime surveillance in Kenya: local peace committees and Nyumba Kumi
No full textNach zahlreichen interethnischen Zusammenstößen und terroristischen Angriffen von al-Shabaab in den letzten Jahren hat der kenianische Staat Sicherheitsfunktionen auf die kommunale Ebene verlagert. Rechte zur Beilegung lokaler Konflikte und zur Verhütung von Straftaten wurden lokalen Friedenskomitees übertragen -ein Versuch, gewohnheitsrechtliche Verfahren zu standardisieren-, sowie Nyumba-Kumi-Komitees, mit denen Kommunalpolitik auf der Ebene der Haushalte verankert werden soll. Den politischen Hintergrund dafür bilden generelle Pläne zur Dezentralisierung und zur Verlagerung staatlicher Funktionen auf die kommunale Ebene. Der Autor des Beitrags stellt folgende Fragen: Sind hybride Formen der Ausübung staatlicher Funktionen effizient und angemessen? Inwieweit fördern lokale Friedens- und Nyumba-Kumi-Komitees die friedliche Lösung von Konflikten und die Verbrechensbekämpfung in Kenia? Wie kann ein Erfolg ihrer Arbeit gesichert werden beziehungsweise was könnte den Erfolg gefährden? Grundlage der Analyse ist eine ethnographische Erhebung im Maasai-Kikuyu-Grenzgebiet in der Nähe des Naivasha-Sees, einem früheren Brennpunkt interethnischer Auseinandersetzungen.In the wake of widespread interethnic "clashes" and al-Shabaab terrorist attacks in Kenya over the last few years, the state has embarked on the devolution of capacities for ensuring security and peace to the local level. The state gave the rights to handle specific local conflicts and crime prevention to local peace committees in an attempt to standardise an aspect of customary law, and to Nyumba Kumi committees in a strategy of anchoring community policing at the household level. These changes were conditioned and framed by ideas of decentralisation and the delegation of responsibilities from the state to the community level. In this paper, the following questions are raised: Are hybrid governance arrangements effective and appropriate? To what extent do peace committees and Nyumba Kumi provide institutional support for peaceful conflict management and crime prevention in Kenya? What guarantees and what constrains their success? The author draws on ethnographic data from the Maasai-Kikuyu borderlands near Lake Naivasha, a former hotspot of interethnic clashes
Sustainable Construction Transition (SCT) Policy Regime in Kenya
No full textThe global construction industry is lagging in transitioning to sustainability, and the Kenyan construction industry is not excluded. As a result, and in response, there are Kenyan policies with specific provisions on SCT. Despite this progress, there is limited empirical research on their scope and implementation dynamics. Against this backdrop, this study examined Kenya's SCT policy regime regarding its priorities, instruments, and stakeholder orientation, including any inherent shortcomings. This aimed to make appropriate recommendations for an improved SCT policy regime to enhance and optimise industry SCT performance. Qualitative research design, specifically, qualitative content analysis technique, was used to analyse the 34 policy documents identified. The findings indicate that the regime: priorities – primarily focus on environmental sustainability targeting strategic and tactical implementation levels with minimal focus on SCT socio-economic objectives and operational level of implementation, which reduces its comprehensiveness; instruments – driven by regulations, the constitution, and Acts of Parliament, as well as codes, guidelines, and plans, from multiple sources, primarily aimed at regulation and control and not the other policy instruments functions hence not delivering on their full potential; and, stakeholder orientation – primarily targeting developers/owners/occupiers and government with less focus on the other stakeholders and thus not leveraging their specific roles in SCT supply chain. The resulting recommendations were: priorities – need for improved focus on SCT's socio-economic objectives and operational level of implementation; instruments – need for a central database and leveraging them to support economic incentives, supporting activities, liability compensation, education and information, voluntary programs, and management and planning; and, stakeholder orientation – improved targeting of contractors, suppliers/producers/manufacturers, professional consultants, non-governmental and civil society organisations, and media. Lastly, given that this study focused on SCT policy evaluation, future research can focus on other parts of the policy-making process.
Keywords: Business, Construction, Content analysis, Kenya, Performance, Planning, Policy regime, South Africa, Strategy, Sustainability, Sustainable Construction Transition (SCT)
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
No full textDengue outbreaks were first reported in East Africa in the late 1970s to early 1980s including the 1982 outbreak on the Kenyan coast. In 2011, dengue outbreaks occurred in Mandera in northern Kenya and subsequently in Mombasa city along the Kenyan coast in 2013-2014. Following laboratory confirmation of dengue fever cases, an entomologic investigation was conducted to establish the mosquito species, and densities, causing the outbreak. Affected parts of the city were identified with the help of public health officials. Adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected using various tools, processed and screened for dengue virus (DENV) by cell culture and RT-PCR. All containers in every accessible house and compound within affected suburbs were inspected for immatures. A total of 2,065 Ae. aegypti adults were collected and 192 houses and 1,676 containers inspected. An overall house index of 22%, container index, 31.0% (indoor = 19; outdoor = 43) and Breteau index, 270.1, were observed, suggesting that the risk of dengue transmission was high. Overall, jerry cans were the most productive containers (18%), followed by drums (17%), buckets (16%), tires (14%) and tanks (10%). However, each site had specific most-productive container-types such as tanks (17%) in Kizingo; Drums in Nyali (30%) and Changamwe (33%), plastic basins (35%) in Nyali-B and plastic buckets (81%) in Ganjoni. We recommend that for effective control of the dengue vector in Mombasa city, all container types would be targeted. Measures would include proper covering of water storage containers and eliminating discarded containers outdoors through a public participatory environmental clean-up exercise. Providing reliable piped water to all households would minimize the need for water storage and reduce aquatic habitats. Isolation of DENV from male Ae. aegypti mosquitoes is a first observation in Kenya and provides further evidence that transovarial transmission may have a role in DENV circulation and/or maintenance in the environment
