The emergence of COVID-19 presented a big challenge in medical education, especially with regard to the adequacy of teaching and learning resources. In addition, an increase in student intake and demand for Kenya Medical Training College courses could compromise these resources. This study investigated the perceptions of students towards the adequacy of teaching and learning resources at Kenya Medical Training College in the advent of COVID-19. The general objective was to determine the perceived adequacy of teaching and learning resources in the advent of COVID-19 by students in the department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Kenya Medical Training College. A descriptive cross-sectional study design using mixed methods (triangulation) was used. Simple random sampling of the eight regions in the country was used to select one region (the Eastern Region). Census sampling was used to select all the four campuses in the region namely Machakos, Meru, Embu, and Kitui, which offer medical laboratory sciences. The study population was students in the department of medical laboratory sciences on these campuses, with 220 students participating. The data collection instrument was a self- administered closed- and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data collected was analysed using SPSS software, while qualitative data was analysed using themes. The response rate was 100% (220 students). The gender distribution among students showed a higher percentage in male (58%). Majority of the students were 21-23 years (35%). One-way ANOVA presented a statistically significance between and within groups (P<0.05). Majority of students (51.8%) were not satisfied with adequacy of human resources. Majority of students perceived the state of physical facilities to be in poor state with a mean of 1.76, while the satisfaction level of majority of students’ on teaching aids was below 3.40 representing very inadequate to neutral. Ordinal regression tests on satisfaction level on teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study and campus was significant (chi-square test p<0.000) while the goodness of fit model was (p=1.000) indicating it was a good model. R^2 value (Nagelkerke=99%) indicated that the study factors had great variations. The spearman’s rank test showed that laboratory equipment and computer assisted aids, internet, learning systems have negative correlation but with very strong coefficient correlation of 1.0000. Satisfaction levels with teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study, and campus were significant with a chi-square test of P < 0.000. The study concluded that there were inadequate teaching and learning resources on the four KMTC campuses before COVID-19.
{"title":"Kenya Medical Training College laboratory student perception on adequacy of teaching and learning resources in the advent of COVID-19","authors":"Benson Mbati Kondo, Simon Kang’ethe, Anne Ngeno","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.7","url":null,"abstract":"The emergence of COVID-19 presented a big challenge in medical education, especially with regard to the adequacy of teaching and learning resources. In addition, an increase in student intake and demand for Kenya Medical Training College courses could compromise these resources. This study investigated the perceptions of students towards the adequacy of teaching and learning resources at Kenya Medical Training College in the advent of COVID-19. The general objective was to determine the perceived adequacy of teaching and learning resources in the advent of COVID-19 by students in the department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Kenya Medical Training College. A descriptive cross-sectional study design using mixed methods (triangulation) was used. Simple random sampling of the eight regions in the country was used to select one region (the Eastern Region). Census sampling was used to select all the four campuses in the region namely Machakos, Meru, Embu, and Kitui, which offer medical laboratory sciences. The study population was students in the department of medical laboratory sciences on these campuses, with 220 students participating. The data collection instrument was a self- administered closed- and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data collected was analysed using SPSS software, while qualitative data was analysed using themes. The response rate was 100% (220 students). The gender distribution among students showed a higher percentage in male (58%). Majority of the students were 21-23 years (35%). One-way ANOVA presented a statistically significance between and within groups (P<0.05). Majority of students (51.8%) were not satisfied with adequacy of human resources. Majority of students perceived the state of physical facilities to be in poor state with a mean of 1.76, while the satisfaction level of majority of students’ on teaching aids was below 3.40 representing very inadequate to neutral. Ordinal regression tests on satisfaction level on teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study and campus was significant (chi-square test p<0.000) while the goodness of fit model was (p=1.000) indicating it was a good model. R^2 value (Nagelkerke=99%) indicated that the study factors had great variations. The spearman’s rank test showed that laboratory equipment and computer assisted aids, internet, learning systems have negative correlation but with very strong coefficient correlation of 1.0000. Satisfaction levels with teaching aids in relation to gender, year of study, and campus were significant with a chi-square test of P < 0.000. The study concluded that there were inadequate teaching and learning resources on the four KMTC campuses before COVID-19.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anne Njoki Nyaga, Joseph Kariuki Kweri, James Mwangi Kanyoni, Ann Wairimu Mwangi, Caroline Chepng’eno Sigei, Jennifer Chepkemoi Segut, Jane Wanjiru Kuria
Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used in the management of hypergastric secretions and gastroesophageal reflux during pregnancy. However, its prenatal effects on maternal and fetal outcomes are not well reported when administered at varying doses and at different gestational periods. A post-test-only experimental study design was adopted in conducting this study. A sample size of 30 female albino rats was used for the study. The 30 albino rats were grouped into two broad study categories: 3 control rats and 27 treatment rats. The 27 treatment rats were subdivided into three study groups of nine rats each according to the doses administered as follows: 9 low-dose rats, 9 medium-dose rats, and 9 high-dose rats The nine rats assemblies were further divided up into three subgroups, each of three rats, according to the time of exposure, as follows: three rats for trimester one, three rats for trimester two, and three rats for trimester three. Daily maternal weights were recorded every morning, and then at gestation day 20, all animals were humanely sacrificed and the fetuses harvested. Continuous data included the maternal and fetal weights, and discrete data included the litter sizes, number of devoured fetuses, resorbed glands, and number of embryolithalities. Data was recorded, coded, and entered in the computer using MS Excel spreadsheets version 13, and analyzed using the SPSS programme for Windows version 25 (one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc multiple comparisons test). The results were expressed as means ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Results with a P < 0.05 were considered significant in the study. This study observed that pantoprazole, at high doses, was associated with a decrease in the mean maternal weight gain, reduced litter sizes with increased numbers of resorbed endometrial glands, and devoured fetuses.
{"title":"The effects of prenatal exposure to varying doses of pantoprazole on the maternal and fetal outcomes in albino rats (<i>rattus norvegicus</i>)","authors":"Anne Njoki Nyaga, Joseph Kariuki Kweri, James Mwangi Kanyoni, Ann Wairimu Mwangi, Caroline Chepng’eno Sigei, Jennifer Chepkemoi Segut, Jane Wanjiru Kuria","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.4","url":null,"abstract":"Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used in the management of hypergastric secretions and gastroesophageal reflux during pregnancy. However, its prenatal effects on maternal and fetal outcomes are not well reported when administered at varying doses and at different gestational periods. A post-test-only experimental study design was adopted in conducting this study. A sample size of 30 female albino rats was used for the study. The 30 albino rats were grouped into two broad study categories: 3 control rats and 27 treatment rats. The 27 treatment rats were subdivided into three study groups of nine rats each according to the doses administered as follows: 9 low-dose rats, 9 medium-dose rats, and 9 high-dose rats The nine rats assemblies were further divided up into three subgroups, each of three rats, according to the time of exposure, as follows: three rats for trimester one, three rats for trimester two, and three rats for trimester three. Daily maternal weights were recorded every morning, and then at gestation day 20, all animals were humanely sacrificed and the fetuses harvested. Continuous data included the maternal and fetal weights, and discrete data included the litter sizes, number of devoured fetuses, resorbed glands, and number of embryolithalities. Data was recorded, coded, and entered in the computer using MS Excel spreadsheets version 13, and analyzed using the SPSS programme for Windows version 25 (one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc multiple comparisons test). The results were expressed as means ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Results with a P < 0.05 were considered significant in the study. This study observed that pantoprazole, at high doses, was associated with a decrease in the mean maternal weight gain, reduced litter sizes with increased numbers of resorbed endometrial glands, and devoured fetuses.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"20 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maina Oscar Njung’e, Beatrice Katheu Kakoi, Njenga Mburu
In the potable water treatment process, Rapid Gravity Sand Filters (RGSF) are commonly adopted as the last solid-liquid separation stage. Cleaning of the RGSF is done through backwashing. RGSF is widely adopted all over the World due to its ease of operation and high filtration rates. However, these filters suffer from stratification of the sand media, which causes floc removal to occur only at the topmost layer of the filter bed, leaving the remaining depth unutilized. Capping is a technique whereby a thin layer of sand filter media is replaced with a suitable coarse material to overcome the problem of stratification and transform a singlemedia RGSF into a dual-media filter. The objective of this study is to determine the suitability of crushed slates as a capping material. The study evaluated the performance of a crushed expanded slate-capped filter against a conventional single-media RGSF, the effects of its physical and chemical characteristics, and varying the depth of the capping material. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of slates from Maji ya Chumvi (Coast, Kenya). This included specific gravity, acid solubility, water extractable substances, silica content, and friability. A performance comparison was carried out by means of a fabricated model filtration unit set up within an existing community water treatment plant. The model filtration unit was fed with pretreated raw water of varying influent turbidities. Crushed expanded slates met the minimum physical and chemical requirements for use as a capping material for RGSF. The crushed expanded slate-capped RGSF model demonstrated high robustness under high shock turbidity loads (above 150 NTU), which is illustrated by an increased length of filter run of 27% (50–150 NTU) and 45% (150–300 NTU). Increasing the depth of capping material from 25mm to 50mm did not yield any significant improvement or deterioration in the filter run length. At influent turbidities below 150 NTU, the effluent water quality for all three scenarios (uncapped, 25 mm, and 50mm crushed expanded slates capped) is below 5 NTU and therefore meets the Kenyan drinking water standards. Above 150 NTU influent turbidity, the effluent water quality for the uncapped RGSF deteriorates, whereas for the 25mm and 50mm capped RGSF, it remains consistently below 5 NTU. This demonstrates the usefulness of the crushed expanded slates in improving the turbidity removal of RGSF for high (above 150 NTU) turbidity loads. This study recommends a full-scale trial of crushed expanded slates to facilitate a more precise estimation of the overall benefit of full-scale community water filtration systems.
{"title":"Evaluation of crushed slates as a suitable capping material for rapid gravity sand filters","authors":"Maina Oscar Njung’e, Beatrice Katheu Kakoi, Njenga Mburu","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.5","url":null,"abstract":"In the potable water treatment process, Rapid Gravity Sand Filters (RGSF) are commonly adopted as the last solid-liquid separation stage. Cleaning of the RGSF is done through backwashing. RGSF is widely adopted all over the World due to its ease of operation and high filtration rates. However, these filters suffer from stratification of the sand media, which causes floc removal to occur only at the topmost layer of the filter bed, leaving the remaining depth unutilized. Capping is a technique whereby a thin layer of sand filter media is replaced with a suitable coarse material to overcome the problem of stratification and transform a singlemedia RGSF into a dual-media filter. The objective of this study is to determine the suitability of crushed slates as a capping material. The study evaluated the performance of a crushed expanded slate-capped filter against a conventional single-media RGSF, the effects of its physical and chemical characteristics, and varying the depth of the capping material. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of slates from Maji ya Chumvi (Coast, Kenya). This included specific gravity, acid solubility, water extractable substances, silica content, and friability. A performance comparison was carried out by means of a fabricated model filtration unit set up within an existing community water treatment plant. The model filtration unit was fed with pretreated raw water of varying influent turbidities. Crushed expanded slates met the minimum physical and chemical requirements for use as a capping material for RGSF. The crushed expanded slate-capped RGSF model demonstrated high robustness under high shock turbidity loads (above 150 NTU), which is illustrated by an increased length of filter run of 27% (50–150 NTU) and 45% (150–300 NTU). Increasing the depth of capping material from 25mm to 50mm did not yield any significant improvement or deterioration in the filter run length. At influent turbidities below 150 NTU, the effluent water quality for all three scenarios (uncapped, 25 mm, and 50mm crushed expanded slates capped) is below 5 NTU and therefore meets the Kenyan drinking water standards. Above 150 NTU influent turbidity, the effluent water quality for the uncapped RGSF deteriorates, whereas for the 25mm and 50mm capped RGSF, it remains consistently below 5 NTU. This demonstrates the usefulness of the crushed expanded slates in improving the turbidity removal of RGSF for high (above 150 NTU) turbidity loads. This study recommends a full-scale trial of crushed expanded slates to facilitate a more precise estimation of the overall benefit of full-scale community water filtration systems.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francis Xavier Ochieng, Joseph Ngugi Kamau, Ephantus Mbugua Kamweru
Kenya’s Energy sector has an installed capacity of 3.601 GW (grid-connected 3.321 GW and captive 280.76 MW), with 80.48% coming directly from Renewable energy sources. This huge percentage of renewable energy in the energy mix, however, is not reflected in the adoption or development of Standards. Standards help enhance the safety and efficiency of products, security, and quality assurance while ensuring interconnectivity and interoperability of components. Standards enable the dissemination of new technologies, good practises, and ultimately a climate-resilient energy infrastructure (CREI). To achieve CREI, standards act as a catalyst for advancing the attainment of economies of scale for renewables while also providing technical specifications to accelerate their deployment. This study thus addresses the ominous gap that exists due to the lack of a proper standard inventory across all renewables. In this way, this work addresses the irregular and at times inconsistent gap between the direct causal link between policy and standards on the one side and application areas such as management, information systems, and social use of renewable energy on the other. The study employed the Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach to enable an understanding of the Renewable Energy (RE) standards environment in Kenya. In addition, realistic literature reviews and metaanalysis literature reviews were employed to deal with complex standards within the renewable energy sector. The study demonstrated that in the majority of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs), major gaps in terms of standards exist for various RETs, the import of this being that the majority of RETs cannot be manufactured locally. The study also concludes that a low awareness exists of standard implementation, and further, due to a lack of awareness of technological innovations on the global level, the development of national standards and capacity building of competent staff (including techno-financial support for renewable energy technologies) have been significantly hampered. Subsequently, the study does appreciate the role of universities and higher educational institutions as being central in the research and analysis of renewable energy technologies as well as the adaptation and/or adoption of local and international standards.
{"title":"Augmenting climate-resilient energy infrastructure through National and International Standards for Renewables","authors":"Francis Xavier Ochieng, Joseph Ngugi Kamau, Ephantus Mbugua Kamweru","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.8","url":null,"abstract":"Kenya’s Energy sector has an installed capacity of 3.601 GW (grid-connected 3.321 GW and captive 280.76 MW), with 80.48% coming directly from Renewable energy sources. This huge percentage of renewable energy in the energy mix, however, is not reflected in the adoption or development of Standards. Standards help enhance the safety and efficiency of products, security, and quality assurance while ensuring interconnectivity and interoperability of components. Standards enable the dissemination of new technologies, good practises, and ultimately a climate-resilient energy infrastructure (CREI). To achieve CREI, standards act as a catalyst for advancing the attainment of economies of scale for renewables while also providing technical specifications to accelerate their deployment. This study thus addresses the ominous gap that exists due to the lack of a proper standard inventory across all renewables. In this way, this work addresses the irregular and at times inconsistent gap between the direct causal link between policy and standards on the one side and application areas such as management, information systems, and social use of renewable energy on the other. The study employed the Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach to enable an understanding of the Renewable Energy (RE) standards environment in Kenya. In addition, realistic literature reviews and metaanalysis literature reviews were employed to deal with complex standards within the renewable energy sector. The study demonstrated that in the majority of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs), major gaps in terms of standards exist for various RETs, the import of this being that the majority of RETs cannot be manufactured locally. The study also concludes that a low awareness exists of standard implementation, and further, due to a lack of awareness of technological innovations on the global level, the development of national standards and capacity building of competent staff (including techno-financial support for renewable energy technologies) have been significantly hampered. Subsequently, the study does appreciate the role of universities and higher educational institutions as being central in the research and analysis of renewable energy technologies as well as the adaptation and/or adoption of local and international standards.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"98 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eighteen Typical pedons representing upland, midland, and lowland forms in a Hittinahalli subwatershed of Vijayapur district were studied for their morphological characteristics and physicochemical properties. The soils were shallow to very deep (25 to >150 cm), very dark brown to black (Munsell color chart) and moderately well to poorly drained. The soil structure changes from weak, medium sub- angular blocky on the surface to moderate, coarse sub-angular blocky in the subsurface horizons. The soils are moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline (7.59–9.41), low to high in organic carbon (0.08–0.75 g/kg). The pedons on uplands exhibit the development of an argillic horizon (Bt). The pedons on the midlands and lowlands have cambic horizons (Bw), classified as Verisols and Inceptisols, respectively. The lowlands (P6, P10, P16, and P18) and midlands (P7, P8, P12, P15, and P17) are classified as fine, mixed, Iso-hyperthermic, and Typic Haplustalfs.
{"title":"Characterization and classification of soil resources of hittinahalli sub-watershed derived from basalt in Northern dry zone of Karnataka","authors":"Parameshgouda Lavanagouda Patil, Deepa Kalappanavar, G.P. Geetha, Ragini Patil, G.S. Adarsh, Ghulappa S. Dasog","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.2","url":null,"abstract":"Eighteen Typical pedons representing upland, midland, and lowland forms in a Hittinahalli subwatershed of Vijayapur district were studied for their morphological characteristics and physicochemical properties. The soils were shallow to very deep (25 to >150 cm), very dark brown to black (Munsell color chart) and moderately well to poorly drained. The soil structure changes from weak, medium sub- angular blocky on the surface to moderate, coarse sub-angular blocky in the subsurface horizons. The soils are moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline (7.59–9.41), low to high in organic carbon (0.08–0.75 g/kg). The pedons on uplands exhibit the development of an argillic horizon (Bt). The pedons on the midlands and lowlands have cambic horizons (Bw), classified as Verisols and Inceptisols, respectively. The lowlands (P6, P10, P16, and P18) and midlands (P7, P8, P12, P15, and P17) are classified as fine, mixed, Iso-hyperthermic, and Typic Haplustalfs.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ruth Moraa Anyieni, Josephine Muthoni Karanja, Mary Wanjiku Gikungu, Nicolas J. Vereecken
Flower-visiting insects are essential in maintaining a healthy and productive agricultural landscape through ecosystem services such as pollination. Fruits are important sources of vitamins and micronutrients, and several fruit crops depend on animal pollination, which enhances their nutritional content. Besides honey bees, apple orchards can sustain a large number of arthropod species that also aid in pollination. In this present study, we assessed the diversity and abundance of insect flower visitors in six apple orchards in Nyeri and Laikipia East. Six plots, each with more than 20 apple trees, were purposefully selected. Data were collected through timed visual searches and sweep netting. Sampling was done from 0900 hours to 1700 hours, six days a week, for five months consecutively in 2019. Diversity indices were computed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, while abundance patterns were displayed using species abundance curves. Differences in species diversity and abundance between sites were compared using a one-way analysis of variance. A total of 1,221 insects belonging to 23 families, 82 species, and 4 orders (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera) were recorded. The order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) was the most abundant, with 1,176 individuals, and had the most species-rich taxa, with 56 species in 9 families. The order Coleoptera (beetles) was second, with 26 individuals and 12 species in 6 families. Lepidoptera were the least abundant with 10 individuals and the least species-rich taxa with 7 species in 5 families, followed closely by Diptera with 7 individuals and 7 species in 3 families. There were significant differences in flower visitors’ composition among the six sites. The study provides important information on the status of key apple flower visitors, which can guide orchard management practises to increase apple yield through pollinator conservation. Conserving apple pollinators will enhance fruit production, promote the livelihoods of farmers, and contribute to the national economy.
{"title":"Apple flower-visiting insects’ diversity and abundance in selected central Kenya orchards","authors":"Ruth Moraa Anyieni, Josephine Muthoni Karanja, Mary Wanjiku Gikungu, Nicolas J. Vereecken","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.3","url":null,"abstract":"Flower-visiting insects are essential in maintaining a healthy and productive agricultural landscape through ecosystem services such as pollination. Fruits are important sources of vitamins and micronutrients, and several fruit crops depend on animal pollination, which enhances their nutritional content. Besides honey bees, apple orchards can sustain a large number of arthropod species that also aid in pollination. In this present study, we assessed the diversity and abundance of insect flower visitors in six apple orchards in Nyeri and Laikipia East. Six plots, each with more than 20 apple trees, were purposefully selected. Data were collected through timed visual searches and sweep netting. Sampling was done from 0900 hours to 1700 hours, six days a week, for five months consecutively in 2019. Diversity indices were computed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, while abundance patterns were displayed using species abundance curves. Differences in species diversity and abundance between sites were compared using a one-way analysis of variance. A total of 1,221 insects belonging to 23 families, 82 species, and 4 orders (Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera) were recorded. The order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) was the most abundant, with 1,176 individuals, and had the most species-rich taxa, with 56 species in 9 families. The order Coleoptera (beetles) was second, with 26 individuals and 12 species in 6 families. Lepidoptera were the least abundant with 10 individuals and the least species-rich taxa with 7 species in 5 families, followed closely by Diptera with 7 individuals and 7 species in 3 families. There were significant differences in flower visitors’ composition among the six sites. The study provides important information on the status of key apple flower visitors, which can guide orchard management practises to increase apple yield through pollinator conservation. Conserving apple pollinators will enhance fruit production, promote the livelihoods of farmers, and contribute to the national economy.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The metal fabrication sector involves a variety of processes, activities, products, and by-products. This involves various interventions such as milling, turning, welding, drilling, and grinding. Firms in this sector use one or a combination of these interventions where machinery is used, which can expose workers to machinery hazards if proper safety procedures are not observed. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is vital in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, especially in mechanical engineering programmes where metal fabrication is practised. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of occupational machinery hazards in mechanical engineering workshops in TVET Institutions. The study adopted a descriptive research design and employed a structured questionnaire for data collection. Purposive sampling was used to identify institutions participating in the study. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the data and present it in tables and graphs. Noise (90.4%) and vibration (71.9%) were reported as the most common occupational hazards, respectively, in mechanical engineering workshops. Regarding workstations, the grinding section (39.4%) and milling section (15.8%) were reported as experiencing high levels of noise. The study recommends that adequate control measures be put in place to mitigate against these hazards.
金属制造部门涉及各种工艺、活动、产品和副产品。这涉及各种干预，如铣削，车削，焊接，钻孔和磨削。该部门的公司在使用机械时使用一种或几种干预措施，如果不遵守适当的安全程序，可能会使工人暴露于机械危害中。职业安全与健康(OSH)在职业技术教育和培训(TVET)机构中至关重要，特别是在从事金属加工的机械工程方案中。本研究的目的是评估职业技术教育机构机械工程车间对职业机械危害的认知。本研究采用描述性研究设计，采用结构化问卷进行数据收集。目的抽样用于确定参与研究的机构。采用SPSS version 25对数据进行分析，并以图表形式呈现。噪声(90.4%)和振动(71.9%)分别是机械工程车间最常见的职业危害。在工作站方面，磨削部分(39.4%)和铣削部分(15.8%)被报告为高水平的噪音。该研究建议采取适当的控制措施来减轻这些危害。
{"title":"Common occupational machinery hazards in mechanical engineering workshops in TVET institutions in Nairobi metropolitan, Kenya","authors":"Patrick Kipkurui Ronoh, Charles M. Mburu","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.9","url":null,"abstract":"The metal fabrication sector involves a variety of processes, activities, products, and by-products. This involves various interventions such as milling, turning, welding, drilling, and grinding. Firms in this sector use one or a combination of these interventions where machinery is used, which can expose workers to machinery hazards if proper safety procedures are not observed. Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is vital in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, especially in mechanical engineering programmes where metal fabrication is practised. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of occupational machinery hazards in mechanical engineering workshops in TVET Institutions. The study adopted a descriptive research design and employed a structured questionnaire for data collection. Purposive sampling was used to identify institutions participating in the study. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the data and present it in tables and graphs. Noise (90.4%) and vibration (71.9%) were reported as the most common occupational hazards, respectively, in mechanical engineering workshops. Regarding workstations, the grinding section (39.4%) and milling section (15.8%) were reported as experiencing high levels of noise. The study recommends that adequate control measures be put in place to mitigate against these hazards.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Timothy N. Kaaria, Catherine N. Ngamau, David W. Kimiti
Rangelands contribute at least 30% of terrestrial net primary productivity, making them an important part of natural ecosystems despite low and unpredictable rainfall regimes. Rangelands are sensitive to anthropogenic activities, making management interventions key to maintaining forage quality and quantity for wildlife. This study explored the effects of mowing of grasslands and carrying away (MO), prescribed grazing (PG), and unprescribed grazing (UG) on above-ground biomass, basal gaps, and wildlife abundance at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Meru, Kenya. Data collection was done 18 months after treatment for PG and MO, while UG was continuous. Treated blocks were selected in a systematic and random way, while adjacent untreated plots acted as controls. Blocks were divided into 100 m × 100 m grid cells using ArcMap 10.8.1, where sampling plots were drawn. T-statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to test statistical significance. We found a significant reduction in the aboveground biomass between MO and its control (t = 4.886, p = 0.003) and between UG and its control (t =5.487, p = 0.007). No significant change was observed between PG and its control (t = 1.192, p = 0.287). MO increased wildlife abundance (t = -4.670, p = 0.003), while PG (t = 0.589, p = 0.583) and UG (t = -0.262, p = 0.803) showed no difference compared to their controls. The mean length of basal gaps between MO and its control decreased (t = 7.069, p = 0.001), while those between UG and its control increased (t = -4.053, p = 0.001), with no effect observed between PG and its control (t = 1.882, p = 0.061). This study recommends the use of mowing of grasslands and carrying away on rangelands as it positively influence the metrics under investigation.
牧场贡献了至少30%的陆地净初级生产力，使其成为自然生态系统的重要组成部分，尽管降雨量低且不可预测。牧场对人为活动很敏感，因此管理干预是维持野生动物饲料质量和数量的关键。在肯尼亚梅鲁的Lewa野生动物保护区，研究了刈割草地和搬运(MO)、规定放牧(PG)和非规定放牧(UG)对地上生物量、基间距和野生动物丰度的影响。数据收集于PG和MO治疗后18个月，UG持续治疗。以系统和随机的方式选择处理过的地块，而相邻的未经处理的地块作为对照。使用ArcMap 10.8.1将区块划分为100 m × 100 m网格单元，并绘制采样图。采用t统计和方差分析(ANOVA)检验检验统计学显著性。我们发现，MO和UG的地上生物量显著减少(t = 4.886, p = 0.003)， UG的地上生物量显著减少(t =5.487, p = 0.007)。PG与对照组无显著差异(t = 1.192, p = 0.287)。MO增加了野生动物丰度(t = -4.670, p = 0.003)， PG (t = 0.589, p = 0.583)和UG (t = -0.262, p = 0.803)与对照组相比无显著差异。MO与对照组的平均基底间隙长度减小(t = 7.069, p = 0.001)， UG与对照组的平均基底间隙长度增大(t = -4.053, p = 0.001)， PG与对照组无显著差异(t = 1.882, p = 0.061)。本研究建议在牧场上使用割草和运走，因为它对所调查的指标有积极影响。
{"title":"Effects of different rangeland management practices on vegetation metrics and wildlife abundance in a semi-closed ecosystem in north-central Kenya","authors":"Timothy N. Kaaria, Catherine N. Ngamau, David W. Kimiti","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.1","url":null,"abstract":"Rangelands contribute at least 30% of terrestrial net primary productivity, making them an important part of natural ecosystems despite low and unpredictable rainfall regimes. Rangelands are sensitive to anthropogenic activities, making management interventions key to maintaining forage quality and quantity for wildlife. This study explored the effects of mowing of grasslands and carrying away (MO), prescribed grazing (PG), and unprescribed grazing (UG) on above-ground biomass, basal gaps, and wildlife abundance at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Meru, Kenya. Data collection was done 18 months after treatment for PG and MO, while UG was continuous. Treated blocks were selected in a systematic and random way, while adjacent untreated plots acted as controls. Blocks were divided into 100 m × 100 m grid cells using ArcMap 10.8.1, where sampling plots were drawn. T-statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to test statistical significance. We found a significant reduction in the aboveground biomass between MO and its control (t = 4.886, p = 0.003) and between UG and its control (t =5.487, p = 0.007). No significant change was observed between PG and its control (t = 1.192, p = 0.287). MO increased wildlife abundance (t = -4.670, p = 0.003), while PG (t = 0.589, p = 0.583) and UG (t = -0.262, p = 0.803) showed no difference compared to their controls. The mean length of basal gaps between MO and its control decreased (t = 7.069, p = 0.001), while those between UG and its control increased (t = -4.053, p = 0.001), with no effect observed between PG and its control (t = 1.882, p = 0.061). This study recommends the use of mowing of grasslands and carrying away on rangelands as it positively influence the metrics under investigation.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"35 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mbae John Gitonga, Simon Waweru Mugo, James Mbiyu Ngaruiya
Nanoparticles have exciting properties that can be tailored by altering their size, density, and shape. A number of important properties of the nanoparticles have been investigated for various applications. One such property that is strongly affected by nanoparticle size is localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The resonance from metal nanoparticles has been used in dye-sensitised solar cells to improve their performance. In this work, the dependence of plasmonic properties on nanoparticle sizes is shown. The gold nanoparticles were prepared using a reduction process where hydrogen tetrachloroaurate acid was used as the base gold salt and reduced by sodium citrate at different molarities ranging from 0.015 to 0.035 mol/L. The method produces monodispersed nanoparticles whose sizes are sensitive to the concentration of chemicals used and the completeness of the reduction process. The process took approximately 18 minutes, and the colour changed from pale yellow to wine-red. The absorbance of the resulting gold nanoparticles was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer within the range of 300 nm to 800 nm. The LSPR peaks were found to occur within 518 nm to 520 nm, and from a Gaussian fit, the FWHM ranged from 45.5 to 51.0 nm. The absorption peaks had a narrow range of 14 nm over the range of molarity of sodium citrate. A high molarity concentration of 0.035 mol/L produced a small particle with a diameter of 17.04 nm, while a low concentration of 0.015 mol/L produced a size of 26.55 nm. The interaction of electrons in the specific orbitals, sp- and d-, of nanoparticles exhibited pronounced multiple resonances with the reduction of nanoparticle sizes.
{"title":"Determination of gold nanoparticles sizes from their plasmon resonance within the optical spectrum","authors":"Mbae John Gitonga, Simon Waweru Mugo, James Mbiyu Ngaruiya","doi":"10.4314/jagst.v22i4.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v22i4.6","url":null,"abstract":"Nanoparticles have exciting properties that can be tailored by altering their size, density, and shape. A number of important properties of the nanoparticles have been investigated for various applications. One such property that is strongly affected by nanoparticle size is localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The resonance from metal nanoparticles has been used in dye-sensitised solar cells to improve their performance. In this work, the dependence of plasmonic properties on nanoparticle sizes is shown. The gold nanoparticles were prepared using a reduction process where hydrogen tetrachloroaurate acid was used as the base gold salt and reduced by sodium citrate at different molarities ranging from 0.015 to 0.035 mol/L. The method produces monodispersed nanoparticles whose sizes are sensitive to the concentration of chemicals used and the completeness of the reduction process. The process took approximately 18 minutes, and the colour changed from pale yellow to wine-red. The absorbance of the resulting gold nanoparticles was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer within the range of 300 nm to 800 nm. The LSPR peaks were found to occur within 518 nm to 520 nm, and from a Gaussian fit, the FWHM ranged from 45.5 to 51.0 nm. The absorption peaks had a narrow range of 14 nm over the range of molarity of sodium citrate. A high molarity concentration of 0.035 mol/L produced a small particle with a diameter of 17.04 nm, while a low concentration of 0.015 mol/L produced a size of 26.55 nm. The interaction of electrons in the specific orbitals, sp- and d-, of nanoparticles exhibited pronounced multiple resonances with the reduction of nanoparticle sizes.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135066287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-07-31DOI: 10.24925/turjaf.v11i7.1238-1244.6090
Murat Karahan, Seyda Şahin, M. Moğulkoç, Recep Kalin
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) insanlarda ve hayvanlarda patojen bir tür olup, dünyadaki gıda kaynaklı zehirlenmelerin en önemli nedenlerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada farklı hayvan türlerine (sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk) ait etlerde ve gıdaların temas ettiği yüzeylerden elde edilen örneklerde S. aureus’un koagülaz (coa), clumping faktör (clfA) ve protein A (spa-IgG; spa-X) gibi önemli virülens genlerinin moleküler yöntemlerle karakterize edilmesi amaçlandı. Bu amaçla Sivas ilindeki çeşitli işletmelerden et (n=400) ve yüzey svap (n=50) örnekleri toplandı. Örnekler fenotipik yöntemlerle koagülaz pozitif S. aureus olarak identifiye edildi. Koagülaz pozitif olarak doğrulanan izolatlara ait virülens genleri tekli ve mültipleks Polimeraz Zincir Reaksiyonu (PZR) ile incelendi. Toplamda 450 örneğin 110’unda (%24,4) S. aureus belirlendi. Bu izolatların %29, %24, %14, %32 ve %22 oranlarında sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk et örneklerinin yanı sıra yüzey örneklerinde de bulundu. S. aureus izolatlarının tamamında coa, clfA, spa’nın IgG bağlayan bölgesi ve X bölgesini kodlayan genler tespit edildi. Bu dört gen bölgesinin ikisinde polimorfizmler gözlendi. Coa-PZR’da, izolatların tamamında beş farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 500-1400 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu bulundu. spa-X-PZR’da ise izolatların tamamında yedi farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 190-350 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu belirlendi. Sonuç olarak, et ve yüzey orijinli S. aureus izolatlarında coa-PZR ile spa gen polimorfizmleri tespitinin geleneksel yöntemlere karşı iyi bir alternatif olarak kullanılabileceği, dolayısıyla stafilokokal enfeksiyonlara karşı etkili kontrol stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi ve halk sağlığının korunmasına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.
{"title":"Farklı Hayvan Türlerine Ait Et ve Yüzey Örneklerinden İzole Edilen Staphylococcus aureus Suşlarında Virülens Genlerinin Belirlenmesi","authors":"Murat Karahan, Seyda Şahin, M. Moğulkoç, Recep Kalin","doi":"10.24925/turjaf.v11i7.1238-1244.6090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v11i7.1238-1244.6090","url":null,"abstract":"Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) insanlarda ve hayvanlarda patojen bir tür olup, dünyadaki gıda kaynaklı zehirlenmelerin en önemli nedenlerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada farklı hayvan türlerine (sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk) ait etlerde ve gıdaların temas ettiği yüzeylerden elde edilen örneklerde S. aureus’un koagülaz (coa), clumping faktör (clfA) ve protein A (spa-IgG; spa-X) gibi önemli virülens genlerinin moleküler yöntemlerle karakterize edilmesi amaçlandı. Bu amaçla Sivas ilindeki çeşitli işletmelerden et (n=400) ve yüzey svap (n=50) örnekleri toplandı. Örnekler fenotipik yöntemlerle koagülaz pozitif S. aureus olarak identifiye edildi. Koagülaz pozitif olarak doğrulanan izolatlara ait virülens genleri tekli ve mültipleks Polimeraz Zincir Reaksiyonu (PZR) ile incelendi. Toplamda 450 örneğin 110’unda (%24,4) S. aureus belirlendi. Bu izolatların %29, %24, %14, %32 ve %22 oranlarında sığır, koyun, keçi ve tavuk et örneklerinin yanı sıra yüzey örneklerinde de bulundu. S. aureus izolatlarının tamamında coa, clfA, spa’nın IgG bağlayan bölgesi ve X bölgesini kodlayan genler tespit edildi. Bu dört gen bölgesinin ikisinde polimorfizmler gözlendi. Coa-PZR’da, izolatların tamamında beş farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 500-1400 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu bulundu. spa-X-PZR’da ise izolatların tamamında yedi farklı moleküler uzunluğa sahip ve 190-350 bç arasında değişen tek bir bant oluşumu belirlendi. Sonuç olarak, et ve yüzey orijinli S. aureus izolatlarında coa-PZR ile spa gen polimorfizmleri tespitinin geleneksel yöntemlere karşı iyi bir alternatif olarak kullanılabileceği, dolayısıyla stafilokokal enfeksiyonlara karşı etkili kontrol stratejilerinin geliştirilmesi ve halk sağlığının korunmasına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.","PeriodicalId":23389,"journal":{"name":"Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82224341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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