Research Publications
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://localhost:4000/handle/20.500.12092/1797
Welcome to Karatina University Research papers. The community has research papers produced by Karatina University Community
Browse
214 results
Search Results
Item Plasmid mediated penicillin and tetracycline resistance among Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Kenya(2020) Kivata, Mary Wandia; Mbuchi, Margaret; Eyase, Fredrick; Bulimo, Wallace Dimbuson; Kyanya, Cecilia Katunge; Oundo, Valerie; Mbinda, Wilton Mwema; Sang, Willy; Andagalu, Ben; Soge, Olusegun O.; McClelland, Raymond Scott; Distelhorst, JohnBackground: Treatment of gonorrhea is complicated by the development of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) to the antibiotics recommended for treatment. Knowledge on types of plasmids and the antibiotic resistance genes they harbor is useful in monitoring the emergence and spread of bacterial antibiotic resistance. In Kenya, studies on gonococcal antimicrobial resistance are few and data on plasmid mediated drug resistance is limited. The present study characterizes plasmid mediated resistance in N. gonorrhoeae isolates recovered from Kenya between 2013 and 2018. Methods: DNA was extracted from 36 sub-cultured GC isolates exhibiting varying drug resistance profiles. Whole genome sequencing was done on Illumina MiSeq platform and reads assembled de-novo using CLC Genomics Workbench. Genome annotation was performed using Rapid Annotation Subsystem Technology. Comparisons in identified antimicrobial resistance determinants were done using Bioedit sequence alignment editor. Results: Twenty-four (66.7%) isolates had both β-lactamase (TEM) and TetM encoding plasmids. 8.3% of the isolates lacked both TEM and TetM plasmids and had intermediate to susceptible penicillin and tetracycline MICs. Twenty-six (72%) isolates harbored TEM encoding plasmids. 25 of the TEM plasmids were of African type while one was an Asian type. Of the 36 isolates, 31 (86.1%) had TetM encoding plasmids, 30 of which harbored American TetM, whereas 1 carried a Dutch TetM. All analyzed isolates had non-mosaic penA alleles. All the isolates expressing TetM were tetracycline resistant (MIC> 1 mg/L) and had increased doxycycline MICs (up to 96 mg/L). All the isolates had S10 ribosomal protein V57M amino acid substitution associated with tetracycline resistance. No relation was observed between PenB and MtrR alterations and penicillin and tetracycline MICs.Item ICT for Sustainable Development without Digital Divide in Africa(2020-04-25)One of the most noteworthy challenges in society in the 21st century is sustainable development. The usefulness of ICT has led to an overwhelming demand for electronics such as computers and mobile phones. ICT is vital for poverty reduction and in the growth of sectors such as agriculture, business, health, education etc. Applying ICT to drive any development has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, its measurement should be focused on whether the benefits outweigh the pitfalls. The purpose of carrying out this research is because most development initiatives in Africa are being undertaken with the use of ICT. Therefore, this paper surveys the literature on ICT for sustainable development without the digital divide and how ICT can lead to un-sustainability in Africa. Findings indicate that driving sustainable development through ICT initiatives bring much greater benefits than negative consequence.Item Simplifying the Opaqueness and Dilemma of the Computing Disciplines for the Common Person in Society(2023-12) Mohammed Swaleh Mohammed; Wabwoba, FranklinThe computing fields have grown increasingly influential in modern times, yet their complexities and technical terms can prove problematic for the public to comprehend. This paper proposes to bridge this gap, introducing readers to the five major computing disciplines as per the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), 2016: computer science, Information System, software engineering, computer engineering, and information technology. An additional more recent discipline which does not fall under the 5 ACM disciplines, Information Communication Technology was also introduced. The paper first examines the evolution of the Computing disciplines from the 1960s. Then the paper briefly discusses each discipline and how the disciplines overlap with each other through using secondary data materials. A section on the new and emerging computing technologies outlines the recognition status by the society. The interdisciplinary nature of the computing disciplines necessitated the need to simplify it. Thus, a table was done which summarized various works of various researchers who had researched on the computing disciplines.Item The Role of ICT in Social Inclusion: A Review of Literature(2023-01) Muchiri, Njoki; Wabwoba, FranklinThe questions we seek to answer in this paper are; Have ICT contributed to enhance social inclusion? Has use of ICT brought new forms of exclusion? And what is the way forward in using ICT for an inclusive society? Desk Top research was used. From the findings, one form of exclusion often leads to another, resulting to a cycle. a spanner and Nut Model was developed to show how Knowing which exclusion to reduce in order to break the cycle is critical in determining the type of ICT and how to apply it in order create an inclusive society.Item Usability Evaluation of Kenyan Universities Websites for Webometrics Ranking(2022-02) Mukanda, Adeline; Buguah, Samuel M.; Wabwoba, FranklinThe study aimed to evaluate the usability of Kenyan universities websites for webometrics ranking using web analysis tools. The target population for the study was the top five (5) universities in the January 2020 edition of webometrics ranking in Kenya. The study collected, analyzed, and evaluated website usability of the following website attributes: URL structure, Website Age, Uptime, Content Management System, website hosting service provider, Responsiveness, Browser compatibility, Color contrast, Domain Authority, Domain Backlinks, Website traffic, Broken Links, Number of Subdomains, Website Speed, Indexed webpages, Website compression, Search Engine Optimization, Website content utility, Website design and Website Accessibility. After analysis, it was noted that Kenyan universities need to improve on some of the usability criteria used in the study where a score of less than 50% was attained, such as Website compression, website speeds, website subdomain, website indexed pages, website traffic, website backlinks, website colour contrast and website design.Item Farm Household Typology Based on Soil Quality and Influenced by Socio-Economic Characteristics and Fertility Management Practices in Eastern Kenya(2023) Wawire, Amos; Csorba, Ádám; Zein, Mohammed; Rotich, Brian; Phenson, Justine; Szegi, Tamás; Kovács, Eszter Tormáné; Michéli, ErikaThe smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous in terms of biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. This study was conducted in upper Eastern Kenya (UEK) to categorize farm households and determine the influence of socio-economic characteristics (SeC) and soil fertility management practices (SFMP) on soil fertility across farms. Conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) was performed to determine 69 soil sampling sites within Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties. From each household (whose field soil sample was obtained), data relating to resource endowment and soil fertility management were collected through a household questionnaire survey. Standard laboratory procedures were used to analyse soil samples. Data reduction was performed using categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) (for SeC and SFMP) and standard principal component analysis (PCA) (for soil properties). Two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct farm categories or farm types (FT), namely, low fertility farms (FT1), moderately fertile farms (FT2), and fertile farms (FT3). The correlation of clusters against soil properties was significant across pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), available P, plant available K, and exchangeable bases. FT1 had low SOC, pH, CEC and available P (soil characteristics), low usage of fertilizer and manure (soil fertility management), and smaller household size, lower income, and smaller farm size (socio-economic). FT2 had lower SOC (compared to FT3) and available P. In terms of soil fertility management, FT2 had higher cases of fallowing and composting with moderate fertilizer usage. Households in this category had moderate income, family size, and land size (socio-economic). FT3 had relatively high SOC, pH, CEC, and mineral nutrients. This farm type was characterized by high fertilizer use (soil fertility management) as well as larger household size, higher income, and larger farm size (socio-economic). The results indicate the importance of nutrient management in enhancing soil quality. Delineation and characterization of farms based on the various parameters including resource endowment reveal imbalanced farm resource flows, suggesting a need for locally tailored interventions suited for location-specific conditions to facilitate improved targeting of soil fertility-enhancing technologies and sustainable crop production regimes. While fertilizer is one of the most critical inputs for enhancing agricultural production, it is a major contributor to nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and can have negative environmental effects on soil biota and water sources. Farmers’ knowledge on the use of fertilizer is thus necessary in developing strategies (such as integrated approach) to promote its efficient use and minimize its detrimental impacts.Item Influence of employer-employee relationships on service quality in the hospitality industry in Nakuru County, Kenya(2020) Mburu, Ben K.; Koome, Peter; Gichuhi, DavidEmployees are the backbone of the hospitality industry, and the people in service are inseparable from the service they provide. This research investigated the influence of employer-employee relationships on service quality in the hospitality industry in Nakuru County, Kenya. Descriptive design was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data through the use of questionnaires and interview guide as the key informants. The target population was 73 respondents comprising of 55 employees’ operational employees and 18 supervisors at Nuru Palace and the Legacy Hotel in Nakuru County. The findings also reveal that coaching and mentorship as well as mutual trust between employees and their superiors affect service quality positively. The study recommends that hospitality establishments should facilitate more on the job training and provide technical support to their employees. They should also work on establishing trust between the management and the workforce.Item The effect of a company’s innovation orientation culture on employee turnover among selected non-governmental organizations in Samburu(2021) Lentawa, Julius; Gesimba, Paul; Gichuhi, DavidThis paper examines the effect of a company's innovation orientation culture on employee turnover among selected non-governmental organizations in Samburu, Kenya. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 78 NGOs operating in Samburu County for the analysis, the study population comprised 11 senior management teams, 14 technical teams and 78 junior staff in 24 selected and active NGOs in Samburu. The analysis gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Thematic data analysis was used to interpret qualitative data, which included common terms, phrases, themes, and patterns. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics which includes frequencies, means, and standard deviation. Findings Results showed that innovation orientation is positively correlated with employee turnover (r=0.375, P=0.01). This supports Chow et al’s (2001) study which revealed that innovation orientation as part of an organization's culture has a significant effect on employee turnover. This study also discovered that an innovation orientation culture embedded in an NGO's ideology will help to reduce turnover because workers feel valued when their work is recognized for creativity and innovation.Item Effect of team diversity on team cohesion in faith-based organizations: Acase of St. Martin catholic social apostolate in Nyahururu, Kenya(2022) Wanjiku, Daniel Kabiru; Gichuhi, David; Mwaura, Peteream diversity management helps to improve the cohesion of a team and ultimately, organizational development is enhanced. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of team diversity management on team cohesion at St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for the study was 115 employees at the St. Martin Catholic Social Apostolate in Kenya. Stratified and simple random sampling procedures were used to sample 92 employees. Data was collected using a questionnaire and the collected data was analyzed through the use of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 21. Descriptive statistical analysis involved the calculation of percentages and frequencies while inferential statistical analysis involved Pearson correlation in establishing the association of the variables under investigation. and Chi-square tests. Data was presented in the form of tables and charts. Qualitative data were analysed thematically and presented in the form of narratives. The study ensured that ethical considerations were adhered to. The study found a statistically significant relationship between team diversity management and team cohesion (p<0.05). The study concludes that each team member is held accountable for their activities and the decisions they make regarding the team and is included in team activities. The study recommends that the team leaders ensure that all team members are included in all team activities. This can be achieved through creating environments and opportunities that allow the team members to provide their opinions openlyItem The Traditional Cook Stoves and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Kenya.(2021) Biwott, carolineThe achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is hampered by slow adoptions of new technologies. The Improved cook-stove has been designed to offer many benefits that lead to the achievement of food security, and the green, renewable and affordable fuel dimensions of the SDGs. However, there is low adoption of improved cook-stoves among the rural populations in Kenya. The rural population still rely on traditional cook-stoves. This study therefore sought to analyse how the traditional cook stove is not fully contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals as it should. The Research Questions of the study were: What are the socio - economic realities of the communities in the use of cook stoves? What are the aspects in the traditional cook-stoves that do not allow it to fully contribute towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in Uasin Gishu County? The study utilised Qualitative research approach and it is a case study of U asin Gishu County in Kenya. There were 20 respondents for the study who were selected using purposive sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data was collected using interviews and observation data generation tools. The data was then analysed qualitatively using the thematic data analysis. The study reviewed the theoretical and empirical literature on the traditional cook-stoves. The secondary data was then analysed to determine how the traditional cook-stove is a barrier to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). From the study findings, the study concludes that to a large extent the traditional cook-stove is a barrier to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) especially in issues related to poverty, health, energy, climate change and sustainable forest management. It is anticipated that the study will be significant in emphasising the adoption of improved cook-stoves and the use of Biogas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or other alternative cooking energy. The study will also have policy implications for energy and environment conservation in Kenya as well as promote the achievement of Sustainable Developments Goals.