Deciphering common bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) microbiome assemblages reveal mechanistic insights into host-pathogen-microbiome interactions.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the primary source of proteins and nutrients in most households in sub-Saharan Africa. However, production of this crop is constrained by several biotic factors.

The role of AI in reducing maternal mortality: Current impacts and future potentials: Protocol for an analytical cross-sectional study.

Background: Maternal and newborn mortality remains a critical public health challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. Despite global efforts, Kenya continues to report high maternal mortality rates of over 350 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 21 per 1,000 live births. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled maternal healthcare interventions, such as Obstetric Point-of-Care Ultrasound (OPOCUS) and AI-driven SMS intervention on Promoting Mothers through Pregnancy and Postpartum (PROMPTS), offer innovative solutions to improve early detection, diagnosis, and maternal health-seeking behaviors.

Maternal Mortality Determinants in Rural Kenya: An Audit of Three Hospitals.

Background: Global health agencies advocate that no mother should die while giving life, more so from preventable causes. However, there are persistently high maternal mortalities in various regions with a current global maternal mortality ratio of 211/100,000 live births. This study sought to investigate the causes and determinants of maternal mortality.

Enhancing climate resilience: A data-driven north rift weather prediction system for real-time forecasting and agricultural decision support.

This study presents the development and integration of predictive models for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Bare Soil Index (BSI) using the XGBoost algorithm within the North Rift Weather Prediction System (NRWPS) to enhance ecosystem monitoring in Kenya's North Rift region. Trained on a comprehensive dataset spanning 1995 to 2020, which includes precipitation (from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS)), temperature (TerraClimate), historical NDVI (Landsat 4-5 Thematic Mapper (from 1995 to 2013) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) (from 2014 to 2020)), and BSI (SoilGrids) data, the models effectively capture the complex relationships between environmental factors and vegetation health. The BSI model achieved an MSE of 0.

Assessing the application of adapted theory of planned behaviour in predicting postpartum family planning intentions in a pragmatic randomized control trial in Western Kenya.

Introduction: In developing countries like Kenya, addressing the high population growth rate necessitates a focus on early Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) use. Despite the critical need for PPFP, few researchers explore the application of health behaviour change theories to enhance FP use among postpartum women. This study assesses the application of adapted Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in predicting intention for early PPFP in postpartum women in Western Kenya.

The spatiotemporal and dependency analysis of selected meteorological parameters and normalized difference vegetation index with aerosol optical depth over east Africa.

The unprecedented rise in atmospheric aerosols, coupled with their intricate interactions with the environment through a wide array of physical, chemical, and biological processes, has profoundly impacted global climate. Their presence in the atmosphere scatters and absorbs solar radiation, thus altering the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface. These direct effects, along with the indirect effects of aerosols, have significantly altered atmospheric temperatures, land surface processes, global surface temperature, hydrological cycle, and ecosystems.

Application of South African heulandite (HEU) zeolite for the adsorption and removal of Pb and Cd ions from aqueous water solution: Experimental and computational study.

The capacity of South African Heulandite HEU zeolite to remove Pb and Cd ions from aqueous solution was investigated using batch experiments and molecular simulations studies. The effect of different factors on the adsorption of these ions onto the zeolite was investigated; contact time, initial metal ion concentration and the amount of HEU adsorbent. Molecular simulations was done using Monte Carlo and density functional theory.

Evaluating the impacts of sustainable land management practices on water quality in an agricultural catchment in Lower Austria using SWAT.

Managing agricultural watersheds in an environmentally friendly manner necessitate the strategic implementation of well-targeted sustainable land management (SLM) practices that limit soil and nonpoint source pollution losses and translocation. Watershed-scale SLM-scenario modeling has the potential to identify efficient and effective management strategies from the field to the integrated landscape level. In a case study targeting a 66-hectare watershed in Petzenkirchen, Lower Austria, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was utilized to evaluate a variety of locally adoptable SLM practices.

Spatiotemporal analysis of absorbing aerosols and radiative forcing over environmentally distinct stations in East Africa during 2001-2018.

East Africa (EA) suffers from the inadequate characterization of atmospheric aerosols, with far-reaching consequences of its inability to quantify precisely the impacts of these particles on regional climate. The current study aimed at characterizing absorption and radiative properties of aerosols using the long-term (2001-2018) AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2) data over three environmentally specific sites in EA. The annual mean absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD), absorption Angstrom Exponent (AAE), total effective radius (R), and total volume concentration (μm/μm) revealed significant spatial heterogeneity over the domain.

The healthcare system and client failures contributing to maternal mortality in rural Kenya.

Background: The global maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 211/100 000 live births in 2017. In Kenya, progress on reducing maternal mortality appears to be slow and persistently higher than the global average, despite efforts by the government's provision of free maternity services in both private and public facilities in 2013. We aimed to explore and describe the experiences of midwives on maternal deaths that are associated with the healthcare system and client failures in Migori, Kenya.

Optimization studies of BTX removal by magnetite coated oleic acid obtained from microwave-assisted synthesis using response surface methodology.

Benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) are volatile organic compounds released into the environment, that require urgent removal to avoid adverse health effects. In this work, the modelling and optimization of the preparation factors for magnetite coated oleic acid (MNP-OA) composite from microwave synthesis using response surface methodology were conducted to maximize BTX removal, and iron content. The influence of five crucial preparation variables: the FeFe solution volumes, microwave power, volume of ammonia water (VAW), reaction time and volume of oleic acid (VOA) on the iron content (% Fe), and BTX adsorption capacity were investigated.

Effectiveness of targeted antenatal family planning information provision on early postpartum family planning uptake in Kisumu County: Protocol for a simple randomized control trial (I DECIDE Study).

Overlooking the contraceptive needs of postpartum women constitutes missed opportunities in health system. Inter-birth interval of at least three years can prevent poor maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes and afford women socio-economic benefits of family planning (FP). The unmet need for FP in the postpartum period remains unacceptably high and far exceeds the FP unmet need of other women.

Long-term climatology and spatial trends of absorption, scattering, and total aerosol optical depths over East Africa during 2001-2019.

The unprecedented increase in anthropogenic activities, coupled with the prevailing climatic conditions, has increased the aerosol load over East Africa (EA). Given this, the present study examined the trends in total, absorption, scattering, and total aerosol extinction optical depth (TAOD, AAOD, SAOD, and TAEOD) over EA, alongside trends in single scattering albedo (SSA). For this purpose, the AOD of different optical properties retrieved from multiple sensors and the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2) model between January 2001 to December 2019 were utilized to estimate trends and assess their statistical significance.

Adolescence Amid a Pandemic: Short- and Long-Term Implications.

Members of the Society for Research on Adolescents COVID-19 Response Team offer this commentary to accompany this special issue of the Journal of Research on Adolescence regarding the impact of the pandemic on adolescents' social, emotional, and academic functioning. In addition to outlining the critical need for scholarly collaboration to address the global impact of this crisis on adolescent development, we argue that a broad investigative lens is needed to guide research and recovery efforts targeting youth development. We then use this broad lens to consider dimensions of the pandemic impact relative to developmental implications within community and policy contexts, educational contexts, social contexts, and family contexts.

Devolution of healthcare system in Kenya: progress and challenges.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to systematically review the progress and challenges on the devolved healthcare system in Kenya.

Study Design: A systematic review design was adopted for the present study.

Methods: Literature search was on biomedical databases of the most recent available electronic data published in English, that is, between January 2012 and April 2020.

ESTIMATION OF RADIOLOGICAL HAZARDS DUE TO NATURAL RADIONUCLIDES FROM THE ROSTERMAN GOLD MINE TAILINGS, LURAMBI, KAKAMEGA, KENYA.

Radiological hazards associated with naturally occurring radionuclides in materials from Rosterman gold mine were assessed by analysis of 30 samples. The gamma-ray spectrometric analysis of tailing samples reported an average activity concentration of 263 ± 13, 123 ± 6 and 84 ± 4 Bq kg-1 for 40K, 232Th and 226Ra, respectively. The average absorbed dose rate was 124 ± 6 nGy h-1, while the annual effective dose of 0.

Probing the interaction effects of metal ions in Mn FeO on arsenite oxidation and adsorption.

Wastewater treatment is still a global concern and materials capable of pollutant sequestration continue to be improved in a bid to ensure water reusability and curb water shortages. Some of the most promising materials so far are nanosized materials because of their unique properties and the ease of manipulation to improve their properties. In this work we investigated the effects of varying Fe : Fe ratios in magnetite nanoparticles and the influence of manganese doping.