Maternal carrier status of hepatitis B has been associated with excess sons while maternal immunity to it has been associated with excess daughters at birth. However, the proportion of males at birth (sex ratio) is relatively low in Sub-Saharan Africa despite the relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B. However, no known study has tested this hypothesis in the Ghanaian population, hence the aim of the study. The study was cross-sectional between January and September 2023 at the Tamale Cent...
Maternal carrier status of hepatitis B has been associated with excess sons while maternal immunity to it has been associated with excess daughters at birth. However, the proportion of males at birth (sex ratio) is relatively low in Sub-Saharan Africa despite the relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B. However, no known study has tested this hypothesis in the Ghanaian population, hence the aim of the study. The study was cross-sectional between January and September 2023 at the Tamale Cent...
Abstract Climate change will lead to extreme droughts, but it is difficult to predict how this will affect crop pests. In particular, it is unclear how interactions between natural en- emies and pests will be influenced. In the field, bird cherry- oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi (L.)) have been observed to reside close to, or below the ground surface during dry conditions. We hypothesized that this will increase the niche overlap between R. padi and ground- dwelling predators such as carabid ...
Abstract rotalaria brevidens: and C. ochroleuca commonly grown as vegetables have been extensively studied. However, information on breeding techniques is scanty. This study aimed to develop an artificial interspecific pollination protocol for two genotypes of Crotalaria with contrasting leaf and pod morphological features. The two are landraces that were previously collected from two counties in Kenya. The experimental design was a completely randomized design (CRD) in a greenhouse with C. ...
Abstract The emergence and persistence of antibiotic resistance remain formidable health challenges. This study aimed at detecting and profiling antibiotic resistance of bacterial contaminants in vended food and the environment. Seventy antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates were isolated from fried fish, African sausages, roasted meat, smokies, samosa, chips (potato fries), vegetable salads, and soil samples collected from Embu Town and Kangaru Market in Embu County, Kenya. The antibiotic ...
Abstract Management practices such as tillage, crop rotation, irrigation, organic and inorganic inputs application are known to influence diversity and function of soil microbial populations. In this study, we investigated the effect of conventional versus organic farming systems at low and high input levels on structure and diversity of prokaryotic microbial communities. Soil samples were collected from the ongoing long-term farming system comparison trials established in 2007 at Chuka and ...
Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study compared the genome, mutations, and infectivity/ transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 with selected betacoronaviruses (beta-CoVs). This study further examined the origin, risk factors, and outbreaks caused by beta-CoVs. We searched the following databases for relevant studies: PubMed, Google Scholar, and the World Health Organization COVID-19 databas...
Abstract Mangrove forests occur across a diversity of coastal landforms that influence their structural development and productivity. Preliminary studies in Kenya indicate that mangroves growing in the region north and south of Tana River delta have different structural attributes. We hypothesise a close relationship between mangrove distribution, climate and landform types. Floristic composition of mangroves along the coast of Kenya was characterised and differences illustrated using non-m...
Abstract Desulfurobacterium thermolithotrophum L'Haridon et al. 1998 is the type species of the ge-nus Desulfurobacterium which belongs to the family Desulfurobacteriaceae. The species is of interest because it represents the first thermophilic bacterium that can act as a primary pro-ducer in the temperature range of 45-75 °C (optimum 70°C) and is incapable of growing un-der microaerophilic conditions. Strain BSAT preferentially synthesizes high-melting-point fatty acids (C18 and C20) whic...
Abstract Oceanithermus profundus Miroshnichenko et al. 2003 is the type species of the genus Ocea-nithermus, which belongs to the family Thermaceae. The genus currently comprises two spe-cies whose members are thermophilic and are able to reduce sulfur compounds and nitrite. The organism is adapted to the salinity of sea water, is able to utilize a broad range of carbo-hydrates, some proteinaceous substrates, organic acids and alcohols. This is the first com-pleted genome sequence of a membe...
Abstract Crotalaria is a plant genus that is found all over the world, with over 700 species of herbs and shrubs. The species are potential alternative food and industrial crops due to their adaptability to different environments. Currently, information on the genetic diversity and population structure of these species is scanty. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) is a costeffective high-throughput technique in diversity evaluation of plant species that have not been fully sequenced. In the curr...
Abstract Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are harmful pests that have become a severe threat to crop production worldwide. Diversity of PPN at horizontal and spatial scales influence the effectiveness of control strategies. This study evaluated the vertical distribution of PPN genera at 0 cm to 30 cm and 30 cm to 60 cm in sweet potato fields in Central, Manyatta, and Nembure regions of Embu County, Kenya. A significant region × depth interaction was observed for Tylenchus. For all the other ...
Abstract Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) are important food crops in developing countries due to their multiple benefits. However, their production is constrained by plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) which cause significant yield losses. Understanding the nematode-based soil food web structure in maize-pigeon pea agroecosystems will allow sustainable PPN management by improving soil health. This study explored nematode community assemblages, indices and metabolic footprin...
Abstract Kenya. Despite its importance as a nutritious vegetable and having inherent medicinal value, African nightshade has been neglected, few farmers are growing it, there is potential reduction of food supply and these may be as a result of few studies carried out to improve the crop. Recently, growing demand is necessary for the development of improved, high yielding varieties, intensify diversity studies of interest, conservation and utilization of genetic resources especially in Weste...
Abstract Nematodes are a key component of the soil food web and they play an important role in the provision of ecosystem services. Rice cultivation in Mwea, Kenya involves the intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides which may affect the complexity of the nematode-based soil food web. This study examined the nematode diversity and food web structure in irrigated rice fields in Nyangati and Tebere in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Nematodes were identified up to the genus level and soil p...