ABSTRACT Pesticides bring a promise of higher yields of more food for the hungry and freedom from diseases spread by pests. However, pesticides are poisons and their residues do harm to human beings when the concentration is higher than the recommended maximum residue limits (MRLs). If a pesticide is left on vegetables, which are considered a cheaper source of natural nutrients, somebody could get sick or even get killed due to the poisoning. Therefore pesticide residues have become a high co...
ABSTRACT More than two thirds of the earth is covered by water however, only 2.5% of all the water on earth is fresh. In Kenya, only 1.9% of land coverage is occupied by water, with more than 41% of the population lacking access to clean drinking water. A major risk arises from consumption of water containing high levels of fluorides or that contaminated with heavy metals. Conventional technologies such as reverse osmosis, ultra filtration and electro dialysis used in water remediation are e...
ABSTRACT The electrical characteristics of semiconductor thin films are of great practical interest in microelectronics industry hence the need to measure these parameters in a cheaper and faster manner possible. This study has embarked on design and fabrication of a simple, effective and portable computer-aided four point probe system for thin film sheet resistivity measurement. A four point probe head has been designed and fabricated from easily available materials. A relay switching devic...
Abstract Lomax distribution is an important lifetime distribution. The process of obtaining estimates of parameters for di_erent lifetime distributions under various schemes still remains an area of interest. In Lomax distribution, parameter estimates have been obtained using ordinary procedures like Newton Raphson when the test units follows a progressive Type-II hybrid censoring scheme whereby within most cases the obtained values do not converge easily to the true value. The MLEs a...
ABSTRACT Crystalloid solutions are used in clinical practice for resuscitation and correction of electrolyte imbalances. However, up to 25% of individuals may develop dysfunctions of haemostasis following fluid infusions, complicating resuscitation and outcome. Studies on the effects of crystalloids solutions on human blood coagulation have produced conflicting results: either suggesting procoagulant effects or impaired coagulation. The mechanisms for these discrepant results remain unclear....
ABSTRACT Marigat area, located in Baringo-Bogoria basin is a semi-arid part of the eastern Rift valley experiencing limited supply of potable water. Groundwater in this region is unexploited due to challenges of undefined nature of fault lines and presence of underground geysers. This study was carried out with the aim of investigating the groundwater potential and to characterise water bearing formation in Marigat area, Baringo County using resistivity method. Vertical electrical sounding (...
ABSTRACT Wastewater is known to contain microbes that are deleterious to human health. Epidemiological reports show that wastewater associated disease outbreaks are common around the world. This suggests that wastewater must be processed carefully before release into natural waters and the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the total bacterial load and microbial types in Dandora Sewage Treatment Plant (DSTP) and its handling capacity in terms of pathogen removal. In addi...
ABSTRACT The quality of cement as a binding material in building and construction depends on many factors. Among the most important is its resistivity to the aggressive environment and its strength. The most aggressive ions to reinforced concrete are Cland SO4 2- . This study investigated the diffusivity of these ions into mortar made from a mixture of ground calcined clay bricks from Kibwezi region (GB) vis-a-vis ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and Commercial Portland Pozzolana cement (PPC)....
Abstract Digital signal transmission with its high level of immunity to signal impairments has found a wide application in communication. With the much benefits to the government and consumers, digital migration came forcefully by June 2015 inspired by analogue regime limitations. However, the shift came with its challenges with high rate of unemployment, high cost of living and inflation levels in Kenya. Most people are struggling to acquire the costly compliant digital TV sets or buying th...
ABSTRACT Consider the problem of r t / randomly distributed points in a unit n-ball and the convex hull created by these points. Let ~ 11 be r.t times the r-content of an rsimplex whose p vertices are in the interior and r + /- p vertices on the boundary of a unit n-ball. Explicit expressions for the exact distribution functions of ~,, are given when r 1 / points are independently, and identically distributed according to the Uniform distribution. The exact distributions are obtained using t...
ABSTRACT Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been demonstrated to have numerous benefits both to the mother and the infant. Inappropriate feeding practices can have profound consequences for the growth, development and survival of infants and children. EBF protects infants against infections such as respiratory infections, diarrhoea and reduces the risk of the mother developing obesity, breast and ovarian cancer among others. Despite various efforts to promote exclusive breastfeeding, the rate ...
ABSTRACT While foodborne diseases remain an important public health problem worldwide, one of the most significant food safety hazards is associated with those from animals. Food borne infections and illnesses are a major international health problem with consequent economic reduction and deaths. Meat is considered the most important source of proteins consumed by humans, yet most perishable. For highly perishable foodstuffs such as fresh red meat, the threat of food poisoning is particularl...
ABSTRACT Extremely high body temperatures lead to destruction of body cells while excessive inflammation cause damage to body tissues and organs, therefore, the need to treat fever and inflammation. Conventional treatment is associated with many side effects hence the need for a treatment option that is more tolerable. Herbal medicines such as X. americana are arguably associated with minimal side effects. Ximenia americana is widely used as folk medicine in Africa to treat various disorders ...
ABSTRACT Vegetables are a major source of essential nutrients such as minerals, proteins, energy and roughage. Some vegetables such as tomato and sweet pepper can be eaten raw or cooked. These vegetables are affected by pests and diseases that are controlled using pesticides among which are fungicides such as dithiocarbamates (DTCs) that are toxic to human and animals at high concentrations. DTCs are commonly used in different combinations in Kenya and one of their metabolites, ethylenethio...
ABSTRACT Oxidative stress is a state of imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. It is the main cause of several disease conditions such as diabetes, different types of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation and aging. Oxidative stress is managed by use of antioxidants which can be obtained in the diet or given as supplements. Antioxidants are substances with the ability to prevent oxidation of other molecules in the body by free radicals. Antioxidants react with ...