The quest to optimize the performance of cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles has led to an investigation into how varying reaction times during synthesis impact their properties. By employing a systematic wet chemical synthesis method, the reaction time was varied while keeping other synthesis parameters constant to observe their influence on the properties of the nanoparticles. Using a combination of characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy, the changes in crystal structure, particle morphology, optical absorption, and electronic behavior associated with different reaction durations were analyzed. Shorter reaction times spanning 30–60 min tended to produce smaller particles with a more uniform size distribution, while longer reaction times spanning 90–120 min resulted in larger, more defined, and regularly shaped particles. The crystallite size increased from approximately 18.03 nm at 30 min to about 23.67 nm at 120 min. These changes correlate with variations in optical absorbance, as depicted via a Tauc plot, which shows energy bandgaps ranging approximately 2.5 eV for nanoparticles synthesized for 60 min and 1.7 eV for 120 min. Notably, this study demonstrates how tailored reaction times can fine-tune the bandgap and carrier concentration of CdO nanoparticles, which are critical factors for their performance in various technological applications. The results of this investigation offer a deeper understanding of the interplay between synthesis conditions and nanoparticle properties, paving the way for the design of advanced materials with tailored characteristics for next-generation technological applications.

ABSTRACTThe cobalt (II) and nickel (II) complexes of the general formula [Co(L1)Cl2] (Co1), [Co(L2)Cl2] (Co2), [Co(L3)Cl2] (Co3), [Ni(L1)Br2] (Ni1), and [Ni(L2)Br2] (Ni2) were prepared by the reaction of either CoCl2 or [NiBr2(DME)] metal salts with the (pyrazolyl)amine ligands, N‐benzyl‐2‐(3,5‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)ethan‐1‐amine (L1), 2‐(3,5‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐N‐(2‐methyl‐benzyl)ethan‐1‐amine (L2) and 2‐(3,5‐diphenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐N‐(2‐methylbenzyl)ethan‐1‐amine (L3). The new compounds were characterized using NMR spectroscopy (for ligands), IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis and single crystal X‐ray crystallography. The bidentate coordination modes of ligands L1‐L3 to form monometallic complexes was confirmed by the solid‐state structures of Co1, Co2, Co3, and Ni1. Activation of these complexes with either EtAlCl2 or MAO resulted in the formation of highly active ethylene oligomerization catalysts (up to 103 kg [oligomers] mol−1[catalyst]·h−1), to afford predominantly C4 and C6 oligomers. The nature and coordination chemistry of the complexes was found to influence the catalytic performance. In general, nickel (II) complexes were more active than the corresponding cobalt (II) analogues. Significantly, cobalt (II) complexes were highly selective (99%) towards the formation of C4 oligomers.

Abstract The biodiversity crisis is exceptionally severe in the freshwater systems of the highly threatened Afromontane ecosystems. We studied functional traits of ecological significance, estimated abundance, probabilities of occupancy, and detection of adults and nymphs of Kenya Jewel (Platycypha amboniensis Martin, 1915) and Giant Sprite (Pseudagrion bicoerulans Martin, 1907) in Mount Kenya Forest. The estimates of abundance were based on replicated counts, while occupancy and detection probabilities were estimated using a single-season, two-species occupancy formulation. The study revealed that detection probabilities of one species were influenced by the detection probabilities of the other, but conversely, occupancy was not. This was supported by morphological traits. The larvae of P. amboniensis is adapted to rocky and fast-flowing lotic streams, while P. bicoerulans is adapted to vegetated, littoral, and slow-moving reaches of the same streams. The study concluded that while these species have different adaptations, their co-occurrence depends on the heterogeneity of the microhabitats and recommended ecosystem restoration approaches that maintain habitat complexity to increase the resilience of co-occurring species to future environmental changes. Implications for conservation: The occurrence of Kenya Jewel was not influenced by occurrence of Giant Sprite and; there was neither competition nor niche overlap. This aligns with the differences in ecological adaptations based on functional morphology of adults and larvae. This evidence is useful for restoration of the ecosystem to ensure that these species are conserved concurrently in their range of co-occurrence.

The present study examined the correlation between big data and personal information privacy in Kenya, a developing nation which has experienced a significant rise in utilization of data in the recent past. The study sought to assess the effectiveness of present data protection laws and policies, highlight challenges that individuals and organizations experience while securing their data, and propose mechanisms to enhance data protection frameworks and raise public awareness of data privacy issues. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, which included a survey of 500 participants, 20 interviews with key stakeholders, and an examination of 50 pertinent documents. Study findings show that the regulatory and legal frameworks though present are not enforced, demonstrating a gap between legislation and implementation. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding about the risks posed by sharing personal information, and that more public education and awareness activities are required. The findings also demonstrate that while people are prepared to trade their personal information for concrete benefits, they are concerned about how their data is utilized and by whom. The study proposes the establishment of a National Data Literacy Training and Capacity Building Framework (NADACA), that should mandate the training of government officials in best practices for data governance and enforcement mechanisms, educate the public on personal data privacy and relevant laws, and ensure the integration of data literacy into the curriculum, alongside the provision of regular resources and workshops on data literacy. The study has significant implications for policymakers, industry representatives, and civil society organizations in Kenya and globally.

This study explored the link between gender and collective action participation. Adopting an inter-household gender dynamics approach, this study investigated gendered differentials in participation in efficiency and livelihood-enhancing collective action initiatives (CAIs) between male-headed households (MHHs) and female-headed households (FHHs) in the central region of Kenya. Based on mixed quantitative and qualitative data, the empirical analysis was conducted using the exogenous switching treatment effects model and multivariate probit model. The results reveal significant gender disparities in participation rates in both efficiency and livelihood-enhancing CAIs, with FHHs exhibiting considerably lower participation rates than MHHs. The disparities are linked to varying organizational characteristics of the efficiency and livelihood-enhancing CAIs, alongside observable and unobservable heterogeneity in the characteristics of MHHs and FHHs. The results suggest that the participation rates of the FHHs would have been higher if the coefficients of the FHHs on their observed characteristics had been the same as the returns on the MHHs’ characteristics. Even in that scenario, the participation rates of the FHHs would still have been lower than those of the MHHs due to unobservable characteristics. The findings, therefore, recommend a shift from “one-size-fits-all” policies to context-specific strategies that can concurrently address gender inequality and support the development of CAIs.

The World Health Organization African region has the greatest infectious disease burden in the world. However, many African countries have limited capacity to rapidly detect, report, and respond to public health events. The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) in South Africa, and global Climate Amplified Diseases and Epidemics (CLIMADE) consortium are investing in building the capacity of African scientists in pathogen genomics and bioinformatics. A two-week long (11-21 April 2023) intensive training in wet-laboratory genomic data production, bioinformatics, and phylogenetic analyses of viral and bacterial pathogens was held in Cape Town, South Africa. Training was provided to 36 fellows with diverse backgrounds from 16 countries, 14 of which were low- and middle-income African countries. In this report, we, the fellows, share our collective experiences and describe how the learnt skills have been integrated into the operations of our home institutions to advance genomic surveillance capabilities. We identified the in-person and hands-on learning format of the training, taught by genomics experts and field application specialists, as the most impactful elements of this training event. Adaptation and miniaturisation of protocols to detect other pathogens is a great enhancement over the traditional method of using a single protocol for a pathogen. We note the duration of the training as the largest limiting factor, particularly for the computationally intensive bioinformatics sessions. We recommend this programme continue to build pathogen genomics capacity in Africa.

The endophytic microflora of Crotalaria constitute a heterogeneous community of beneficial microorganisms that colonize healthy tissues of the host plant without causing any apparent harm. The microflora play a crucial role in promoting plant growth, nutrient gain, and resilience to various biotic and abiotic stresses. This review highlights the range of endophytic microorganisms that reside in Crotalaria tissues, providing insights on the methods of detection and the role played by endophytes in promoting host plant growth. Diverse groups of endophytes ranging from bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes colonize internal organs of Crotalaria species. Key findings indicate that Crotalaria-associated endophytes, including species of Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium, Burkholderia, and Methylobacterium, exhibit plant growth-promoting traits such as nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, phosphate solubilization, and resistance to abiotic stresses. Additionally, some endophytes produce metabolites that serve as biocontrol agents, protecting Crotalaria against phytopathogens. This review offers valuable insights for future exploitation of endophytic microflora of Crotalaria in enhancing crop productivity and stress tolerance.

The adoption of hybrid chicken production as a source of income and food security among smallholder farmers has recently taken significant global attention. However, the effect of adoption of hybrid chicken across different genders on household food expenditure and food security remains unknown. This study employed propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) models to analyze the effect of adoption of hybrid chicken on smallholder households' consumption expenditure and food security in Machakos County. The PSM and ESR models were estimated on a sample of 582 households selected using multistage stratified random sampling method. The descriptive results indicated that adopters of hybrid chicken spent on average KES 1296 compared to the non-adopters who spent KES 1400 on food consumption per month. Furthermore, the adopters of hybrid chicken were more food secure compared to the non-adopters. About 74% of female were also likely to experience chronic food insecurity compared to their male counterparts. The econometric results indicated that farm location, access to credit, access to market, access to feeds, group membership and cost of feeds significantly influenced the adoption of the hybrid chicken production for both male and female decision makers. The average treatment effect results showed that non-adopters spent higher costs on food consumption. Moreover, half of the adopters of hybrid chicken were food secure compared to the non-adopters. The treatment effects of adopting hybrid chicken on household food consumption and food security were positive suggesting that adopters benefited more compared to the non-adopters. To boost food security, this study recommends the National and County governments to develop a facilitating policy environment which supports chicken production systems that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable while enhancing appropriate technical and extension support to enable cost effective chicken production, marketing, and disease control.

ABSTRACTEffective instruction is vital for quality education in Kenya, with learners' success mainly dependent on structured methods like the five‐stage lesson plan (5‐SLP). Nonetheless, the effectiveness of instruction may differ depending on the demographic and professional attributes of the teachers. Although the value of planning for content delivery is well acknowledged, there is limited information on how teachers' characteristics (age, gender, experience and academic qualification) influence their planning and content delivery. Thus, this study examined the relationship between teachers' planning and content delivery through the 5SLP, focusing on their characteristics. A sample of 226 CRE teachers was analysed using an observation checklist and a semi‐structured questionnaire. The impact of gender, age, experience and academic qualification on teachers' planning and content delivery was investigated in the study using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and tests of between‐subjects effects. Results indicated that age significantly affects both planning and content delivery (p = 0.003, p = 0.002, p = 0.000), while gender, experience and educational qualifications did not show a substantial impact. Nevertheless, significant combined effects were observed between age and gender (p = 0.010), gender and experience (p = 0.045), age and experience (p = 0.004) and age and academic qualification (p = 0.016). Furthermore, tests of between‐subjects effects indicated significant interactions among age, academic qualifications and experience (p = 0.039, p = 0.016, p = 0.004) affecting content delivery. The study findings recommended a policy on the need for customised training programmes that consider these complex interactions to enhance instructional effectiveness. Generally, the study contributes to understanding how demographics influence educational practices, offering valuable insights for improving teacher preparation and professional development.