Measurement of food literacy among the adult population in urban Uganda and Kenya: development and validation of an East African food literacy scale.

Objective: Food literacy (FL) is a potential approach to address the nutrition transition in Africa, but a validated tool is lacking. We developed and validated a scale to assess FL among Ugandan and Kenyan adult populations.

Design: A mixed-method approach was applied: (1) item development using literature, expert and target group insights, (2) independent country-specific validation (content, construct, criterion and concurrent) and (3) synchronisation of the two country-specific FL-scales.

First Results From a Calibrated Network of Low-Cost PM Monitors in Mombasa, Kenya Show Exceedance of Healthy Guidelines.

The paucity of fine particulate matter (PM) measurements limits estimates of air pollution mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Well calibrated low-cost sensors can provide reliable data especially where reference monitors are unavailable. We evaluate the performance of Clarity Node-S PM monitors against a Tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) 1400a and develop a calibration model in Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city.

Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro study on Aspilia pluriseta against prostate cancer.

Background: Current prostate cancer treatments are associated with life-threatening side effects, prompting the search for effective and safer alternatives. Aspilia pluriseta Schweinf. ex Engl.

Detection and prevalence of a novel Bandavirus related to Guertu virus in Amblyomma gemma ticks and human populations in Isiolo County, Kenya.

Introduction: Emerging tick-borne viruses of medical and veterinary importance are increasingly being reported globally. This resurgence emphasizes the need for sustained surveillance to provide insights into tick-borne viral diversity and associated potential public health risks. We report on a virus tentatively designated Kinna virus (KIV) in the family Phenuiviridae and genus Bandavirus.

Complete genome sequences of 12 lytic phages against multidrug-resistant .

We report the genome sequences of 12 phages isolated in Kenya, belonging to the genus , , , and . They have double-stranded DNA with lengths varying from 17,979 to 147,374 bp and G+C content from 33.14% to 40.

Properties, estimation, and applications of the extended log-logistic distribution.

This paper presents the exponentiated alpha-power log-logistic (EAPLL) distribution, which extends the log-logistic distribution. The EAPLL distribution emphasizes its suitability for survival data modeling by providing analytical simplicity and accommodating both monotone and non-monotone failure rates. We derive some of its mathematical properties and test eight estimation methods using an extensive simulation study.

Complete genome sequences of four lytic bacteriophages against multidrug-resistant .

We report the genome sequences of four phages isolated from environmental wastewater in Kenya. They are double-stranded DNA phages with genomes varying in length from 42,231 to 43,348 bp, with G+C contents ranging from 34.96% to 35.

BioSolutions for Green Agriculture: Unveiling the Diverse Roles of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria.

The extensive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in conventional agriculture has raised significant environmental and health issues, including the emergence of resistant pests and pathogens. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) present a sustainable alternative, offering dual benefits as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. This review delves into the mechanisms by which PGPR enhance plant growth, including nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression.

Prevalence and factors associated with unmet need for menstrual hygiene management in six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis.

Background: Menstruation is a normal biological process experienced by more than 300 million women globally every day. Women require clean menstrual absorbents that can be changed as often as needed in a private and safe place with proper hygiene and disposal facilities. These needs must be met consistently throughout the duration of the menstrual cycle.

Preliminary efficacy of a community health worker homebased intervention for the control and management of hypertension in Kiambu County, Kenya- a randomized control trial.

Introduction: In Sub Saharan Africa, there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, which poses a big challenge to the resource-limited health system in these settings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community health workers (CHWs) home-based lifestyle interventions to improve blood pressure (BP) control and body composition among hypertensive patients in low-income populations of Kiambu County, Kenya.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 80 patients with uncontrolled high BP (systolic BP (SBP) ≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥90) randomized to either a CHW homebased intervention or a usual care (control) arm and followed up for 6 months.

We choose: Adolescent girls and young women's choice for an HIV prevention product in a cross-over randomized clinical trial conducted in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

With new pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) modalities for HIV prevention becoming available, understanding how adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) navigate through PrEP options is essential, including factors underlying their choice. Through 16 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 52 in-depth interviews (IDIs) from REACH, an open-label crossover study in which AGYW were allocated 1:1 (between 06 February 2019 and 18 March 2020) to receive oral PrEP for six months and the dapivirine ring for six months, in a randomized sequence, followed by a 6-month period where either product (or neither) could be chosen, we explored decision-making process and product choice, using a mixed inductive-deductive analytical approach. Key themes included the desire to remain HIV-negative and weighing product attributes through experiential learning.

Characterization and Anti-Biofilm Activity of Lytic Enterococcus Phage vB_Efs8_KEN04 against Clinical Isolates of Multidrug-Resistant in Kenya.

() is a growing cause of nosocomial and antibiotic-resistant infections. Treating drug-resistant requires novel approaches. The use of bacteriophages (phages) against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has recently garnered global attention.

Mechanisms of ammonium detoxification in submerged macrophytes under shade conditions.

Excessive ammonium disrupts the biological and physical characteristics of aquatic freshwater ecosystems, causing nutrient imbalances and toxicity. Different macrophytes exhibit varying tolerance levels to ammonium stress, influenced by species-specific adaptations. However, eutrophic water bodies not only have high nutrient loads but also exhibit low light transparency, necessitating an understanding of how submerged macrophytes cope with both high ammonium concentrations and low light conditions.

HIV Self-Testing for Efficient PrEP Delivery Is Highly Acceptable and Feasible in Public Health HIV Clinics in Kenya: A Mixed Methods Study.

HIV self-testing (HIVST) has the potential to reduce barriers associated with clinic-based preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery. We conducted a substudy nested in a prospective, pilot implementation study evaluating patient-centered differentiated care services. Clients chose either a blood-based or oral fluid HIVST kit at the first refill visit.

National burden of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo: the urgency to act.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) has long been a major public health concern for Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). First identified in DR Congo in 1976, the country has witnessed more than 25 outbreaks of this deadly disease, which has a case fatality rate of nearly 90% and manifesting with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, stomachache and haemorrhagic fever. African fruit bats have been speculated to be the reservoir of this virus.

Targeted hydrothermally induced cell biopolymer changes explain the digestion of starch and proteins in common bean () cotyledons.

Digestion of macro-nutrients (protein and starch) in pulses is a consequence of the interplay of both extrinsic (process-related) and intrinsic (matrix-dependent) factors which influence their level of encapsulation and physical state, and therefore, their accessibility by the digestive enzymes. The current work aimed at understanding the consequences of hydrothermally induced changes in the physical state of cell biopolymers (cell wall, protein, and starch) in modulating the digestion kinetics of starch and proteins in common beans. The hydrothermal treatments were designed such that targeted microstructural/biopolymer changes occurred.

Global burden of HIV among long-distance truck drivers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically summarise the empirical evidence on the prevalence of HIV among long-distance truck drivers (LDTDs) from all parts of the world.

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted.

Data Sources: We searched PubMed, ProQuest Central, PubMed Central, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Global Index Medicus to identify relevant information published from 1989 to 16 May 2023.

Seasonal Maize yield forecasting in South and East African Countries using hybrid Earth observation models.

Climate change still adversely affects agriculture in the sub-Saharan Africa. There is need to strengthen early action to bolster livelihoods and food security. Most governments use pre- and post-harvest field surveys to capture statistics for National Food Balance Sheets (NFBS) key in food policy and economic planning.

Development, Optimization and Evaluation of a Sensitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Prototype for Detection of Chicken-Based IgY Polyclonal Antibodies against Toxins of Venom.

Life-threatening medical issues can result from snakebite, and hence this is a public health concern. In many tropical and subtropical nations such as Kenya, where a wide variety of poisonous snakes are prevalent, diagnosis of snakebite in health facilities is imperative. Different antivenoms are needed to treat the venom of different snake species.

Generation of chicken-based IgY polyclonal antibodies against and preclinical evaluation of envenomation-neutralizing efficacy vis-à-vis selected commercial antivenoms.

The Black mamba, , is one of the many venomous snakes found in Kenya, and known to account for some snakebite incidents. The Kenyan Ministry of Health data reveals annual 15,000 snakebites occurrences. Also, 1 in 15 people in Kenya gets bitten by a snake, and tragically, 1 in 147 of these individuals die of snakebite yearly.