Development of a rapid and highly sensitive nucleic acid-based diagnostic test for schistosomes, leveraging on identical multi-repeat sequences.

Introduction: Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia), a neglected tropical disease caused by parasites, afflicts over 240 million people globally, disproportionately impacting Sub-Saharan Africa. Current diagnostic tests, despite their utility, suffer from limitations like low sensitivity. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) remain the most common and sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests.

Simple and Fail-safe Method to Transform Miniprep Strain K12 Plasmid DNA Into Viable EHA105 Cells for Plant Genetic Transformation.

Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation method is a vital molecular biology technique employed to develop transgenic plants. Plants are genetically engineered to develop disease-free varieties, knock out unsettling traits for crop improvement, or incorporate an antigenic protein to make the plant a green factory for edible vaccines. The method's robustness was validated through successful transformations, demonstrating its effectiveness as a standard approach for researchers working in plant biotechnology.

Therapeutic Potential of Microgreens Extract in Alleviating Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes in Wistar Rats.

Microgreens of Brassica plants have attracted increasing research interest in the management of the prevailing epidemic of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) because of their high nutritional value. This study evaluated the antidiabetic effects of Microgreens Ethanolic Extract (BMEE) in type-2 diabetic rats. For the normoglycemic assay, rats were divided into five groups and received a single oral dose of 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg of BMEE while the control groups received distilled water and Glibenclamide.

Cell Wall Dynamics in the parasitic plant () and rice pathosystem.

In the plant-plant pathosystem of rice () and the parasitic plant , cell walls from either plant are important defensive and offensive structures. Here we reveal cell wall dynamics in both and rice using simultaneous RNA sequencing. We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to home in on cell wall modification processes occurring in interactions with a resistant rice cultivar (Nipponbare) compared to a susceptible one (IAC 165).

Green synthesis of Brassica carinata microgreen silver nanoparticles, characterization, safety assessment, and antimicrobial activities.

Nanotechnology has been a central focus of scientific investigation over the past decades owing to its versatile applications. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through plant secondary metabolites is a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach. The present study employed Brassica carinata microgreen extracts (BCME) to promote the reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO) salt into Brassica carinata microgreen silver nanoparticles (BCM-AgNPs).

Mathematical modeling and analysis of the co-dynamics of crime and drug abuse.

This study explores the dynamics of crime and substance abuse within a population by developing a novel mathematical model that integrates social interactions, rehabilitation efforts, and relapse probabilities. The model introduces a critical metric, the control reproduction number [Formula: see text], to quantify the invasion threshold for these behaviors. The findings reveal that the crime/substance-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable when [Formula: see text].

In vitro antibacterial activity of Morinda citrifolia extracts against eight pathogenic bacteria species.

Medical professionals continue to face a severe issue with the evolution of resistance to conventional antibiotics. The search for new novel compounds from plants has been proven to be the alternative solution. Morinda citrifolia is used traditionally for the treatment of infectious diseases.

Mechanical and physical characteristics of concrete mixed with sugarcane bagasse ash and recycled polyethylene terephthalate.

The goal of this study was to produce sustainable concrete by reducing reliance on cement, which contributes to high carbon footprints, and natural sand, which is being depleted. Sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) was used to partially replace cement at 5 %, 10 %, and 15 %, while recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) was used to partially replace sand at 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 %. The effects of these substitutions on concrete's mechanical and physical properties were examined after 28 days of water curing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Phytochemical analysis, and study of antiproliferative activity of ethyl acetate fraction of (Hochst. ex Oliv. & Hiern) C. Jeffrey against human cervical cancer cell line.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women globally due to the limitation of current treatment methods and their associated adverse side effects. is used as traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases including cancer. However, there is no scientific validation on the antiproliferative activity of against cervical cancer.

A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for quick detection of tomato mosaic virus.

Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), an economically important virus that affects a wide range of crops, is highly contagious, and its transmission is mediated by mechanical means, and through contaminated seeds or planting materials, making its management challenging. To contain its wide distribution, early and accurate detection of infection is required. A survey was conducted between January and May, 2023 in major tomato growing counties in Kenya, namely, Baringo, Kajiado, Kirinyaga and Laikipia, to establish ToMV disease incidence and to collect samples for optimization of the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (RT-LAMP) assay.

Bayesian rank likelihood-based estimation: An application to low birth weight in Ethiopia.

Background: Low birth weight is a significant risk factor associated with high rates of neonatal and infant mortality, particularly in developing countries. However, most studies conducted on this topic in Ethiopia have small sample sizes, often focusing on specific areas and using standard models employing maximum likelihood estimation, leading to potential bias and inaccurate coverage probability.

Methods: This study used a novel approach, the Bayesian rank likelihood method, within a latent traits model, to estimate parameters and provide a nationwide estimate of low birth weight and its risk factors in Ethiopia.

De novo transcriptomic analysis of Doum Palm (Hyphaene compressa) revealed an insight into its potential drought tolerance.

Background: Doum palms (Hyphaene compressa) perform a crucial starring role in the lives of Kenya's arid and semi-arid people for empowerment and sustenance. Despite the crop's potential for economic gain, there is a lack of genetic resources and detailed information about its domestication at the molecular level. Given the doum palm's vast potential as a widely distributed plant in semi-arid and arid climates and a source of many applications, coupled with the current changing climate scenario, it is essential to understand the molecular processes that provide drought resistance to this plant.

Soil quality index (SQI) for evaluating the sustainability status of Kakia-Esamburmbur catchment under three different land use types in Narok County, Kenya.

Land and water degradation caused by soil erosion and climate change pose major environmental threats, particularly in agricultural watersheds. Soil erosion in a catchment leads to low crop yields due to declining soil quality (SQ), productivity and sustainability. However, very few studies have been done to assess soil health in Kenya, and none in Narok County.

Identification of 2-d shape parameters for waste brick powders from varying milling methods: A discussion of quantitative image analysis.

Quantitative characterisation of morphology and shape parameters of pozzolanic materials, as a fundamental problem of characterisation of pozzolanic materials, has received significant consideration in literature. Thus far, previous research works have not paid much attention to the circularity, roundness and solidity of pozzolanic materials including waste brick powder (WBP). This research makes a significant contribution on identification of circularity, roundness and solidity of WBP particles under milling conditions using quantitative image analysis.

Speech recognition datasets for low-resource Congolese languages.

Large pre-trained Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) models have shown improved performance in low-resource languages due to the increased availability of benchmark corpora and the advantages of transfer learning. However, only a limited number of languages possess ample resources to fully leverage transfer learning. In such contexts, benchmark corpora become crucial for advancing methods.