Phenotypic and Genotypic Methods for the Identification and Quantification of Cyanobacteria in Lake Water.

Early monitoring of Microcystis, a cyanobacterium that produces microcystin, is paramount in order to confirm the presence of Microcystis spp. Both phenotypic and genotypic methods have been used. The phenotypic methods provide the presence of the microcystis but do not confirm its species type and toxin produced.

HIV-1 Transmission Cluster in Injection Drug Users in Nairobi City, Kenya.

Background: While there is a striking increase in the prevalence of HIV in injection drug users, information on envelope-gene subtypes and transmission clusters in injection drug users is scarce.

Method: In a cross-sectional study, 247 injection drug users were recruited via out-rich method. Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from dry blood spot samples, amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction and sequenced.

The spleen bacteriome of wild rodents and shrews from Marigat, Baringo County, Kenya.

Background: There is a global increase in reports of emerging diseases, some of which have emerged as spillover events from wild animals. The spleen is a major phagocytic organ and can therefore be probed for systemic microbiome. This study assessed bacterial diversity in the spleen of wild caught small mammals so as to evaluate their utility as surveillance tools for monitoring bacteria in an ecosystem shared with humans.

Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli from Humans and Black Rhinoceroses in Kenya.

Upsurge of antibiotic resistance in wildlife poses unprecedented threat to wildlife conservation. Surveillance of antibiotic resistance at the human-wildlife interface is therefore needed. We evaluated differences in antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolates from human and the endangered black rhinoceros in Lambwe Valley, Kenya.

The impact of ICT-enabled extension campaign on farmers' knowledge and management of fall armyworm in Uganda.

This study evaluates the unique and combined effects of three complementary ICT-based extension methods - interactive radio, mobile SMS messages and village-based video screenings - on farmers' knowledge and management of fall armyworm (FAW), an invasive pest of maize that is threatening food security in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Building on a survey of maize farmers in western Uganda and using various selection-on-observables estimators, we find consistent evidence that participation in the ICT-based extension campaigns significantly increases farmers' knowledge about FAW and stimulates the adoption of agricultural technologies and practices for the management of the pest. We also show that exposure to multiple campaign channels yields significantly higher outcomes than exposure to a single channel, with some evidence of additive effects.

Susceptibility patterns and the role of extracellular DNA in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm resistance to physico-chemical stress exposure.

Background: Over 65% of human infections are ascribed to bacterial biofilms that are often highly resistant to antibiotics and host immunity. Staphylococcus epidermidis is the predominant cause of recurrent nosocomial and biofilm-related infections. However, the susceptibility patterns of S.

PRPF8 is important for BRCA1-mediated homologous recombination.

Disruption of RNA splicing causes genome instability, which could contribute to cancer etiology. Furthermore, RNA splicing is an emerging anti-cancer target. Thus, we have evaluated the influence of the spliceosome factor PRPF8 and the splicing inhibitor Pladienolide B (PlaB) on homologous recombination (HR).

Regulation of Single-Strand Annealing and its Role in Genome Maintenance.

Single-strand annealing (SSA) is a DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway that uses homologous repeats to bridge DSB ends. SSA involving repeats that flank a single DSB causes a deletion rearrangement between the repeats, and hence is relatively mutagenic. Nevertheless, this pathway is conserved, in that SSA events have been found in several organisms.

Tetratricopeptide repeat factor XAB2 mediates the end resection step of homologous recombination.

We examined the influence of the tetratricopeptide repeat factor XAB2 on chromosomal break repair, and found that XAB2 promotes end resection that generates the 3' ssDNA intermediate for homologous recombination (HR). Namely, XAB2 is important for chromosomal double-strand break (DSB) repair via two pathways of HR that require end resection as an intermediate step, end resection of camptothecin (Cpt)-induced DNA damage, and RAD51 recruitment to ionizing radiation induced foci (IRIF), which requires end resection. Furthermore, XAB2 mediates specific aspects of the DNA damage response associated with end resection proficiency: CtIP hyperphosphorylation induced by Cpt and BRCA1 IRIF.

Antimicrobial profile of Salmonella enterica serotype Choleraesuis from free-range swine in Kakamega fish market, western Kenya.

Introduction: Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Choleraesuis is a host-adapted, facultative, intracellular pathogen that causes swine paratyphoid. Its antimicrobial resistance presents a challenge to feed manufacturing industries. However, stopping antibiotics in animal feed would have economic implications for the industry.

Base excision repair apurinic/apyrimidinic endonucleases in apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

DNA repair is essential for cell viability and proliferation. In addition to reactive oxygen produced as a byproduct of their own metabolism, intracellular parasites also have to manage oxidative stress generated as a defense mechanism by the host. The spontaneous loss of DNA bases due to hydrolysis and oxidative DNA damage in intracellular parasites is great, but little is known about the type of DNA repair machineries that exist in these early-branching eukaryotes.

Short report: Clinical and molecular evidence for a case of Buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans infection) in Kenya.

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection is an emerging disease that causes indolent, necrotizing skin lesions known as Buruli ulcer (BU) and occasional contiguous or metastatic bone lesions. Buruli ulcer is named after Buruli County in Uganda (east Africa), where an epidemic occurred in the 1960s. Today, BU is most common in central and west Africa.

Visfatin regulates insulin secretion, insulin receptor signalling and mRNA expression of diabetes-related genes in mouse pancreatic beta-cells.

The role of the adipocyte-derived factor visfatin in metabolism remains controversial, although some pancreatic beta-cell-specific effects have been reported. This study investigated the effects of visfatin upon insulin secretion, insulin receptor activation and mRNA expression of key diabetes-related genes in clonal mouse pancreatic beta-cells. beta-TC6 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 and were subsequently treated with recombinant visfatin.

Isolation of Salmonella and Shigella from fish harvested from the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria, Kenya.

Background: Human infections caused by pathogens transmitted from fish are quite common. The aim of this study was to isolate enteric pathogenic bacteria from fish that might be transmitted to humans after the handling or consumption of such fish.

Methodology: One hundred and twenty Nile tilapia fish harvested using various fishing methods were collected from fishermen in five fish landing beaches within Winam Gulf and disinfected externally using 70% ethyl alcohol for 2 minutes then washed three times with autoclaved distilled water.

Toxoplasma H2A variants reveal novel insights into nucleosome composition and functions for this histone family.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite. Toxoplasmosis is incurable because of its ability to differentiate from the rapidly replicating tachyzoite stage into a latent cyst form (bradyzoite stage). Gene regulation pertinent to Toxoplasma differentiation involves histone modification, but very little is known about the histone proteins in this early branching eukaryote.

Multidrug resistance of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium isolated from clinical samples at two rural hospitals in Western Kenya.

Background: The threat to human health posed by antibiotic resistance is of growing concern. Many commensals and pathogenic organisms have developed resistance to well established and newer antibiotics. This is a cross-sectional study within two hospital settings to determine in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella species isolated in blood, cerebral spinal fluid, pus and stool collected from in- and out-patients.

Resistin down-regulates insulin receptor expression, and modulates cell viability in rodent pancreatic beta-cells.

The adipokine resistin is known to induce insulin resistance in rodent tissues. Increases in adipose tissue mass are known to have a negative effect on pancreatic beta-cell function, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of resistin on insulin secretion, insulin receptor expression and cell viability in pancreatic beta-cells.