Foxtail millet bran dietary fibres foster in vitro beneficial gut microbes and metabolites while suppressing pathobionts.

Foxtail millet bran soluble dietary fibre (MBSDF) is a dietary compound with various bioactivities, potentially modulated by the gut microbiota. To elucidate this bioregulatory mechanism, this study focused on the structureal composition and in vitro fermentation characteristics of MBSDF. The results revealed that MBSDF has a molecular weight of 18.

Bionomics and distribution of malaria vectors in Kisumu city, Western Kenya: Implications for urban malaria transmission.

Background: Increasing urbanization in tropical Africa may create new niches for malaria vectors, potentially leading to higher disease transmission rates. Vector control efforts remain largely targeted at ecologically rural bio-complexities with multiple hosts. Understanding mosquito species composition, ecology, host diversity and biting behavior in urban areas is crucial for planning effective control.

A parenting program delivered through existing community-based peer groups to improve early child development in Homabay and Busia Counties, Kenya: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Background: Poor early childhood development (ECD) is a major global health concern that is associated with various adverse outcomes over the lifecourse. Parenting interventions especially during the earliest years of life can benefit ECD. However, there is limited evidence from Kenya about the effectiveness of parenting interventions for improving ECD outcomes especially across rural disadvantaged communities.

Ambient PM temporal variation and source apportionment in Mbarara, Uganda.

Air pollution is the leading environmental cause of death globally, and most mortality occurs in resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. The African continent experiences some of the worst ambient air pollution in the world, yet there are relatively little African data characterizing ambient pollutant levels and source admixtures. In Uganda, ambient PM levels exceed international health standards.

Sociodemographic predictors of parenting stress among mothers in socio-economically deprived settings in rural and urban Kenya and Zambia.

Parental stress occurs when parenting demands exceed the resources available to cope with parenting. Previous research has identified household wealth, educational level, marital status, age, and number of dependent children as predictors of parental stress. However, limited evidence exists from sub-Saharan Africa.

Nurturing care practices for children with developmental disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol.

Background: The majority of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). NDDs are a public health concern in countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Nurturing care has been recommended as a pathway for addressing the developmental needs and unlocking the full potential of children, including those with NDDs.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles: Vital contributors to physiology from bacteria to host.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs) represent spherical particles with diameters ranging from 20 to 400 nm filled with multiple parental bacteria-derived components, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and other biomolecules. The production of bEVs facilitates bacteria interacting with their environment and exerting biological functions. It is increasingly evident that the bEVs play integral roles in both bacterial and host physiology, contributing to environmental adaptations to functioning as health promoters for their hosts.

Corrigendum: Microbiota dynamics, metabolic and immune interactions in the cervicovaginal environment and their role in spontaneous preterm birth.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.

Parental stress and child stimulation practices: examining associations with child developmental outcomes over time in Kenya and Zambia.

Background: Parental stress often arises when parenting demands exceed the expected and actual resources available for parents to succeed in the parenting role. Parental stress is an important contributor to parent-child relationships. This, in turn, affects opportunities to engage their children in stimulating activities which could improve their development outcomes.

Microbiota dynamics, metabolic and immune interactions in the cervicovaginal environment and their role in spontaneous preterm birth.

Differences in the cervicovaginal microbiota are associated with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Although establishing a direct causal link between cervicovaginal microbiota and sPTB remains challenging, recent advancements in sequencing technologies have facilitated the identification of microbial markers potentially linked to sPTB. Despite variations in findings, a recurring observation suggests that sPTB is associated with a more diverse and less stable vaginal microbiota across pregnancy trimesters.

Maternal stimulation and early child development in sub-saharan Africa: evidence from Kenya and Zambia.

Background: Despite major improvements in child survival over the past decade, many children in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain at risk of not reaching their developmental potential due to malnutrition, poor health, and a lack of stimulation. Maternal engagement and stimulation have been identified as some of the most critical inputs for healthy development of children. However, relatively little evidence exists on the links between maternal stimulation and child development exists in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Differences in malaria vector biting behavior and changing vulnerability to malaria transmission in contrasting ecosystems of western Kenya.

Background: Designing, implementing, and upscaling of effective malaria vector control strategies necessitates an understanding of when and where transmission occurs. This study assessed the biting patterns of potentially infectious malaria vectors at various hours, locations, and associated human behaviors in different ecological settings in western Kenya.

Methods: Hourly indoor and outdoor catches of human-biting mosquitoes were sampled from 19:00 to 07:00 for four consecutive nights in four houses per village.

Perceptions of the influence of a mobile phone-based messaging platform on caregiver ECD knowledge, attitudes and practices: a qualitative exploration in an informal settlement in Nairobi.

Background: Programs supporting initiatives for children younger than three years are inadequate and not accessible to many families, particularly in resource-limited settings. Many primary caregivers have little knowledge on how to monitor the development of their children or the importance of engaging children in stimulative activities during the course of early development. Health system limitations make it difficult for health workers to educate and demonstrate stimulative engagement to caregivers.

Parental experiences of the impacts of Covid-19 on the care of young children; qualitative interview findings from the Nairobi Early Childcare in Slums (NECS) project.

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic, and societal attempts to control it, have touched almost every aspect of people's lives around the world, albeit in unequal ways. In particular, there is considerable concern about the way that stringent 'lockdowns', as implemented in Kenya and many other countries, affected young children, especially those living in informal settlements. However, to date, there has been little research attempting to unpack and understand how the pandemic has impacted on the care of young children.

Parental experiences of childcare in an informal urban settlement: qualitative interview findings from the Nairobi Early Childcare in Slums (NECS) project.

Objectives: To gain an in-depth understanding of parent/carers' perspectives on, and decision-making about, early childhood care in general, and paid childcare specifically, in informal settlements in Nairobi.

Design: In-depth telephone interviews, conducted using a topic guide, were analysed through a combination of deductive and inductive thematic analysis and regular reflexivity meetings. We explored parents' childcare needs and experiences over time, and their perspectives on the provision of paid childcare in the slums.

Current observations on shifts in malaria vector biting behavior and changing vulnerability to malaria transmission in contrasting ecosystems in Western Kenya.

Background: Designing, implementing, and upscaling effective malaria vector control strategies necessitates understanding of when and where transmission occurs. This study assessed the biting patterns of potentially infectious malaria vectors at various hours, locations, and human behavior in different ecological settings in western Kenya.

Methods: Hourly indoor and outdoor catches of human-biting mosquitoes were sampled from 1900 to 0700 hours for four consecutive nights in four houses per village using human landing collection method.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of in Western Kenya Based on Mitochondrial DNA Marker .

The mitochondrial marker, was employed to assess the genetic structure and diversity of a very important malaria vector in Africa that adapt and colonize different ecological niches in western Kenya. Mosquitoes were collected using mechanical aspirators in four areas (Bungoma, Port Victoria, Kombewa, and Migori) in western Kenya. Following morphological identification, PCR was used to confirm the species.

Glycosidic linkage of rare and new-to-nature disaccharides reshapes gut microbiota in vitro.

The impact of glycosidic linkage of seven rare and new-to-nature disaccharides on gut bacteria was assessed in vitro. The community shift of the inocula from four donors in response to 1 % (w/v) disaccharide supplementation was captured by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. A significant loss of bacterial alpha diversity, short lag time, low pH, and high total short-chain fatty acid displayed a faster fermentation of trehalose(Glc-α1,1α-Glc) and fibrulose(fructan, DP2-10).

A Quasi-Intelligent Maritime Route Extraction from AIS Data.

The rapid development and adoption of automatic identification systems as surveillance tools have resulted in the widespread application of data analysis technology in maritime surveillance and route planning. Traditional, manual, experience-based route planning has been widely used owing to its simplicity. However, the method is heavily dependent on officer experience and is time-consuming.

Clinical malaria incidence and health seeking pattern in geographically heterogeneous landscape of western Kenya.

Background: Malaria remains a public health problem in Kenya despite sustained interventions deployed by the government. One of the major impediments to effective malaria control is a lack of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. This study was conducted to assess clinical malaria incidence and treatment seeking profiles of febrile cases in western Kenya.

Asymptomatic and submicroscopic Plasmodium infections in an area before and during integrated vector control in Homa Bay, western Kenya.

Background: Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) have been the primary vector control strategy until indoor residual spraying (IRS) was added in Homa Bay and Migori Counties in western Kenya. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of LLINs integrated with IRS on the prevalence of asymptomatic and submicroscopic Plasmodium infections in Homa Bay County.

Methods: A two-stage cluster sampling procedure was employed to enroll study participants aged ≥ 6 months old.

Molecular characterization and genotype distribution of thioester-containing protein 1 gene in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes in western Kenya.

Background: Evolutionary pressures lead to the selection of efficient malaria vectors either resistant or susceptible to Plasmodium parasites. These forces may favour the introduction of species genotypes that adapt to new breeding habitats, potentially having an impact on malaria transmission. Thioester-containing protein 1 (TEP1) of Anopheles gambiae complex plays an important role in innate immune defenses against parasites.

Impact of Agricultural Irrigation on Anemia in Western Kenya.

Expanding agricultural irrigation efforts to enhance food security and socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa may affect malaria transmission and socioeconomic variables that increase the risk of anemia in local communities. We compared the prevalence of anemia, Plasmodium falciparum infection, and indicators of socioeconomic status related to nutrition in communities in Homa Bay County, Kenya, where an agricultural irrigation scheme has been implemented, to that in nearby communities where there is no agricultural irrigation. Cross-sectional surveys conducted showed that anemia prevalence defined by WHO criteria (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL) was less in communities in the irrigated areas than in the non-irrigated areas during the wet season (38.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Kidogo model in empowering women and strengthening their capacities to engage in paid labor opportunities through the provision of quality childcare: a study protocol for an exploratory study in Nakuru County, Kenya.

Worldwide, there is a wide gap between what women can contribute to the economy and what they actually contribute. One of the main barriers to women's engagement in the labor market and productivity at work is the societal expectation that they should take care of their children in addition to meeting the demands of employment. Furthermore, those in informal employment face difficulties due to long working hours and environments that are not appropriate for childcare.