http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/536 2026-04-09T23:46:55Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/746 Isolation of Fungi from Maize Samples Collected from Selected Counties in Kenya Mwancha S.N; Japhet M. M; Isabel N. W; Eliud M. G.; Paul N. W; Benson M. G Background: Maize is the stable food in Kenya. However, its production has been jeopardized by the high prevalence of fungi in most developing countries and the whole world at large. Some fungi produce mycotoxins which threaten human lives. Methods: This study aimed at isolating fungi from selected Counties in Kenya. Maize samples were ground using a kitchen blender and cultured on Potato Dextrose agar at 28C for 7d. The fungal isolates were identified using morphological and cultural characteristics. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 software. Result: The mean fungal isolates varied from 10.8±0.2 CFU/g in Wallenia spp. to 47.4±0.2CFU/g in Aspergillus Spp. The most common fungal isolates were Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and Penicilium spp. The Mean fungal isolates from the selected Counties varied from Kitui (9.6±0.2 CFU/g), Machakos (9.7±0.3CFU/g), Bungoma (25±0.1CFU/g), Migori (25.3±0.3CFU/g), Kericho (25.3±0.2CFU/g), Kisumu (27.1±0.1CFU/g), Meru (27.1±0.2CFU/g), Kisii (28.5±0.1CFU/g) and Trans-Nzoia (30.1±0.3CFU/g). The number of spores in maize samples from baskets varied from 13.6±0.2-19.6±0.2, polypropylene (24.0±0.2-24.0±0.2), Jute (13.6±0.2- 21.6±0.2) and polythene bag (48.0±0.2-72.0±0.2) CFU/g. Conclusion: This study established that maize in the selected Counties is highly contaminated by pathogenic fungi. The most prevalent fungal spp. were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. The best maize storage material for maize were baskets. There is need of identifying the most prevalent fungi up to the molecular level. Key words: County, Fungi, Isolation, Maize, Samples 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/744 Review of Photoacoustic Malaria Diagnostic Techniques Memeu, D. M.; Sallorey, A. M; Kinyua, D. M Malaria is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Accurate and complete diagnosis is key for effective treatment of the disease. However, mainstream malaria diagnostic techniques suffer from a number of shortcomings. There is therefore an urgent need for develop- ment of new and more efficient techniques for malaria diagnosis. In vivo Photoacoustic spectroscopy is an emerging technique, which has great poten- tial of delivering a nearly ideal method for early diagnosis of the disease. The technique promises to be highly sensitive and specific. In this paper, a de- scription of photoacoustic malaria sensing is given. This is followed by a re- view of photoacoustic-based malaria diagnostic techniques and suggestions for future improvements. 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/713 Adenomyotic glands are highly related to endometrial glands Maier, V.; Höll, M.; Dietze, R.; Mecha, E.; Omwandho, C.; Tinneberg, Hans-Rudolf; Ivo, Meinhold-Heerlein; Konrad, L. Research question: How closely related are adenomyotic and endometrial glands? Design: In this study, the mRNA and protein database www.proteinatlas.org was searched for proteins expressed predominantly in the endometrial glands. Specificity was tested with tissue microarrays. Biopsy specimens of endometrial, adenomyotic tissue, or both, were collected after surgery from 21 women without endometriosis, 20 women with endometriosis, 18 women with adenomyosis together with endometriosis and 12 women with adenomyosis alone. Tissue expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Two proteins were identified: calcyphosine (CAPS), and msh homeobox 1 (MSX1). A high abundance and good specificity in endometrial glands were found. Both proteins, CAPS and MSX1, showed a high specificity for endometrium and are both localized in the luminal cells and epithelial cells of the glandular and adenomyotic glands. No significant differences were found between CAPS- and MSX1-positive endometrial glands between cases with and without endometriosis. Also, no cycle-specific different expression was found. Furthermore, a close relationship between the adenomyotic glands and the endometrial glands for CAPS (range 63.0–98.3%) and for MSX1 (range 87.1–99.3%) could be demonstrated. Only 11.2% and 6.8% negative glands for CAPS and MSX1 were identified in all tissues from all patients, respectively; none were negative for both proteins. Conclusions: Taken together, our results show that the protein expression pattern of adenomyosis is nearly identical to those of the endometrium with and without endometriosis, thus suggesting endometrial glands as the main source for adenomyotic glands. 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/712 Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis Mecha, E.; Maoga, J.; Sui, C.; Tinneberg, Hans-Rudolf; Konrad, L. An epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biologic process that allows a polarized epithelial cell, which normally interacts with basement membrane via its basal surface, to undergo multiple biochemical changes that enable it to assume a mesenchymal cell phenotype, which includes enhanced migratory capacity, invasiveness, elevated resistance to apoptosis, and greatly increased production of ECM components. The aim of this study was to assess the epithelial phenotype in the pathogenesis of endometriosis by performing IHC studies with epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Researchers compared endometrium with and without endometriosis to peritoneal, ovarian and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) with two structural (keratin-18, -19), one membrane-associated(mucin-1) and one mesenchymal protein (vimentin) to analyse the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype of the endometrial glands and endometriotic lesions.Quantitation with the HSCORE showed no differences for keratin-18 (K18), keratin- 19 (K19) and mucin-1 (MUC1) between endometrium with and without endometriosis. Also, K18 was not different between endometrium and endometriotic lesions. In contrast, K19 and MUC1 were significantly decreased in the endometriotic lesions compared to endometrium. However, all three proteins were found in almost every endometrial and endometriotic gland or cyst and in nearly all epithelial cells. The study also established that protein expression of vimentin was lower in the endometriotic lesions compared to the endometrium, especially in the ovary. The protein expression of the epithelial markers in nearly all glands as well as in nearly all epithelial cells in the endometrium endometriotic entities clearly indicates no loss of the epithelial cell phenotype. Additionally, the reduced expression of vimentin in the endometriotic lesions, suggests no shift of the epithelial phenotype to amesenchymal one. Thus, the study propose, that EMT is not a main factor in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.