African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Social media and fake news:","authors":"J. Nkanatha","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.46","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.46","url":null,"abstract":"The upsurge and growth in the uptake of social media has had a profound impact on journalism as it has traditionally been practised. Social media has permeated all aspects of human activities and brought with it negative as well as positive effects on society. It has not only affected the way we communicate, socialize and work, but also view the world. This new media has affected the way the profession of journalism is practised. It has made it possible for persons without any training in journalism – bloggers to write and post stories without any censorship. Some of the stories are sensational fabrications lacking facts and professional editorial input – they are fake news. Social media has enabled persons without any publishing knowledge to publish newspapers, magazines and books without going through the editorial vetting process. It has enabled journalism to become a free-for-all trade where anyone who is IT savvy can write and post content that will be readily consumed by an international audience. This is done in utter disregard of journalistic code of practice and is devoid of professional ethics. The end result has been a plethora of publications which are poorly written, poorly edited and utterly lacking in authenticity and artistic creativity as we have always known it.  Not all is bleak however. Social media has come with a number of advantages that have impacted the way we work, behave and relate. Social Media has had a positive effect on society; be it in business, or in education, it has helped us to stay updated on current affairs and new developments, communication and health. Through social media, there has been an increase in the uptake of skills, new technology and information dissemination. It has revolutionized the work of journalism and made communication easier and faster. This paper has used library and internet research to evaluate the impact of social media on journalism and to suggest possible solutions to the problem of proliferation of fake news.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121312362","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}

{"title":"Development of a complete meal from underutilized indigenous and exotic foods","authors":"J. Arimi, A. Musembi, A. Muia, C. Kibowott, K. Kiptoo, Annette Awino","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.27","url":null,"abstract":"A complete meal is a food served and eaten in one sitting whose nutrient variety has been optimized. Green bananas are a good source of resistant starch and dietary fibre while Irish potatoes are rich in starch and dietary fibre. Moringa leaves are rich in protein, minerals and vitamins while being low calorific value. Fig gourd leaves are mainly rich in vitamins. However, many people prefer ripe bananas as snacks/fruit to cooked green ones. Moringa leaves are mainly used for medicinal purposes hence rarely used as a food item. Exotic vegetables are mostly preferred in food processing to indigenous ones hence making the indigenous vegetables underutilized. Development of a complete meal using these neglected food items would improve their utilization. The bananas, fig gourd leaves and Moringa leaves were oven dried at 60 C and ground into powder using a blender. A composite powder was prepared that could be reconstituted at the time of need. The flours were blended into a paste and a pellet as the final product in a ratio of Moringa: potato flour: fig gourd leaves (1:10:1). The paste and pellets were subjected to proximate analysis and sensory evaluation. The proximate composition of the paste was 3.22±0.5, 12.83±0.8 2.86±0.2, 11.32±0.6% for protein, fat, fibre and ash. The product was formulated to provide the RDA for an average adult of 62kg. The overall acceptability of the product by sensory panelist was liked moderately by 70% of the panelists making it viable food product. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"99 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128595249","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}

{"title":"Implementation of the ISO 27001:2013 standard in an academic library: case of Meru University of Science and Technology","authors":"Ruth Gibendi, E. Walubuka, Paul Mutethia","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.60","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.60","url":null,"abstract":"Academic libraries are often considered the ‘heart’ of academic institutions.  They are charged with provision of a range of resources, services, tools and software that are increasingly made available online.   With information as the key resource under its responsibility, information security is a pertinent component to assure its confidentiality, integrity and availability.   This paper describes the process of implementing the ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Standard for the library system of Meru University of Science and Technology. Theoretical models in information security in the library are examined.  Next, details of the approach undertaken in meeting the requirements of the standard are discussed.  The benefits gained and challenges that were faced are presented  The lessons gained herein will assist similar institutions seeking to get certified using this standard.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"137 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115351940","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}

{"title":"Alcohol abuse and its impact on food security in Igembe South Sub-county","authors":"Martin Koome, M. Kinoti, Mugambi Mworia","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.107","url":null,"abstract":"Food security in Kenya has worsened substantially over the last 30 years, with high population and increasing food demand consistently exceeding modest agricultural production growth.  There is a very strong link between agricultural productivity and alcohol consumption especially in the rural areas. The purpose of this study is to understand the demand patterns of alcohol and its impact on food security in Igembe South Sub-County. Cross sectional descriptive survey design was used to undertake the study. The target population was all the households in Igembe South Sub-County. The sample size of the study was 384 respondents. The study employed three sets of data collection instruments. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaire, observation checklist and key informant interview guide. Qualitative and econometric data analyses was carried out in this study to provide a deeper understanding of alcohol households’ demand and how it affects the food security situation in Igembe South-Sub County. The results indicate that Alcohol consumption by the household head was associated with an increase in food insecurity, a statistically significant effect with an odds ratio of 1.593(95% CI 1.152 to 2.035, Wald χ2(1) = 50.015, p ˂0.05. An ordinal regression model was highly statistically significant with P˂0.005 and all the socio-economic variables being significant and Nagelkeke pseudo R-Square being 0.75. Patterns of alcohol consumption affected food security in the household. This was statistically significant in its predictive ability X2 (11) = 140.834, p < .01. Nagelkerke R-Square for the model is 0.737. The study concludes that alcohol consumption can cause serious food security problems in the household and it recommends that the government needs to develop and implement firm policies for the control of sale and consumption of alcohol so as to help reduce alcohol intake among the general populace. The study also recommends that media also needs to play its part by promoting campaigns and messages that emphasize the risks involved in the use of alcohol. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127706149","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}

{"title":"Mushroom: a potential anti-aging agent","authors":"A. Mariga","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.77","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.77","url":null,"abstract":"Aging is a progressive physiological change in an organism that lead to senescence or a decline of biological functions of the organism’s ability to adapt to metabolic stress. Aging takes place in a cell, an organ, or the total organism with the passage of time. As much as this is change is natural, it can be hastened by both the biotic and abiotic factors and the organism’s inherent factors. Of these factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced by various endogenous and exogenous sources has been shown to be the most potent aging agent in organisms. Almost all organisms have antioxidant defence mechanisms. However, these are often inadequate to completely prevent oxidation stress-induced damage. Consequently, antioxidant supplements or natural foods containing antioxidants may be used to reduce oxidative damage to the human body. For example, some naturally occurring foods contain fiber, pigments (e.g. betalains, carotene, Xanthophyll, lycopene and chlorophyll) and other bioactive components all of which have been shown to be strong antioxidants. Since antiquity, mushroom, a fungus, has been part of the normal human diet and currently, the amount consumed has increased greatly, involving a large number of species, both the cultivated and the wild. The increase is due to reported health benefits which have been associated with regular mushroom consumption. The main bioactive molecules in mushroom are phenolic compounds (phenolic acid and flavonoids), tocopherols, ascorbic acid, carotenoids polysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides and peptidoglycans. These bioactive molecules have been shown to have a significant antioxidant activity which is manifested by a lower EC50 value. Pleurotus eryngii, Agaricus bisporus, Flammulina velutipes and Lentinula edodes have been shown to have a high antioxidant potential. This review will discuss ROS, their effect on biological systems and the antioxidant properties of mushrooms with special attention on some popular edible and medicinal mushrooms.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"181 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133553355","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}

{"title":"Role of information professionals in alleviating student plagiarism for academic integrity in Kenyan universities: a review of literature","authors":"Paul Mutethia Diki, Ruth Gibendi","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.55","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.55","url":null,"abstract":"Academic integrity is the commitment and demonstration of honest and moral behavior in an academic setting. This is most relevant at the university level as it relates to providing credit to other people when using their ideas. In simplest terms, it requires acknowledging the contribution of other people. Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else’s work and passing them off as your own. Student plagiarism is a known problem facing universities around the world. Plagiarism is perceived to be a growing problem in Kenyan universities and these universities are being required to devote increasing time and resources to combating it. This fraud behaviour of students in Kenyan universities is of great concern today. As result of explosion of plagiarism among Kenyan university students, these universities have been using technologies to detect and combat deceitful plagiarism behaviour of students. As information literacy experts, information professionals are especially suited to take the lead in educating students about plagiarism and promoting academic integrity. Librarians working in Kenyan universities can develop information literacy programs to address the issue of student plagiarism. Through combining librarians knowledge of research and information literacy with subject heading, and integrating these skills into the curriculum, students will feel more empowered and competent in their academic assignments. This article will review literature on different types of plagiarism practiced by Kenyan university students and the factors that have necessitated this norm. The paper will also give recommendations on how information professionals can help in alleviating the plagiarism menace.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"74 2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132772335","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}

{"title":"Wildlife-Human Conflicts and Community Perceived Benefits with Proximity to Meru National Park, Kenya","authors":"Gervase Miriti, C. Karani","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.85","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.85","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Communities and wildlife living in close proximity bear the brunt of direct impacts from human-wildlife conflicts (HWC). HWC can lead to hostility to animal species and loss of livelihoods. However, few studies have examined HWC and perceived community benefits with proximity to wildlife conservancies. We examined HWC and perceived community benefits of residents bordering Meru National Park, Kenya. Methods: Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and focused group discussion guide in a cross-sectional study. Ethical clearance was obtained from Meru University of Science and Technology Ethical Review Committee (MIRERC). Authority to carry out interviews was sought from the County Government of Meru. Data were coded and analysed through STATA and summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Overall, 96.7 % of the study population were aware of human-wildlife conflict or had experienced it. The Elephant, monkey, hyena, lion and the leopard were the frequently reported conflict animals to cause crop damage, loss of livelihood, bodily injuries and destruction of property. Conclusions Only 26.6% of respondents were aware of benefits associated with proximity to the park. A multifaceted approach through KWS, community and government urgencies is essential in the management of HWC, to address HWC and reduce risk of zoonotic diseases.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"57 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124175851","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}

{"title":"Harnessing our ICT skill set and research efforts for sustainable development","authors":"Geofrey Muchiri Muketha","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.110","url":null,"abstract":"For some time now, ICTs have become ubiquitous, making them a common place phenomenon in modern society. Almost all electronics are ICT enabled to date, with most people who can read and write having interacted with ICTs one way or the other. For example, mobile phones which have changed the way we think, socialize and do business, are ICT-enabled. According to Statista, a German Company specializing in market and consumer data, The number of mobile subscriptions in Kenya rose from 0.13 million in the year 2000 to 61.41 million in 2020.  This makes sense when you consider that many Kenyans walk with two or more mobile devices wherever they go.\u0000Countries that have had the highest infusion of ICT in their sectors have reaped the most benefits. These benefits can generally be seen alongside the developed vs developing countries divide. ICTs are seen as a powerful solution to the problems affecting developing countries. Indeed, ICTs have the potential of making developing countries to catch up and even overtake developed countries much faster than originally thought.\u0000This paper challenges us to harness ICT skill set through: 1. enhancement of our computing curricula by thinking through how they are designed and implemented.  2. Enhancement of research efforts by addressing four key problems that characterize research in this sector so as to come up with novel and sustainable solutions to challenges that affect our developing economies.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122733113","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}

{"title":"IoT based smart irrigation system for communal use","authors":"Daniel Maitethia, J. Arimi, Romanus Otieno Odhiambo, P. Masinde, Beatrice Owiti, Peter Nawiri, J. Wesonga, Bram de Groote, I. Koomen","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.39","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.39","url":null,"abstract":"Kenya is experiencing a rapid human population growth and consequently rising demand for food. This is happening at the backdrop of adverse climatic changes currently being experienced. The problem is further aggravated by the fact that more than 80% of the country’s landmass is classified as Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). In order to meet the food demand, there is need to divorce from rain-fed agriculture and put most of the arable land under irrigation. Since Kenya is a water scarce country, efficient irrigation systems are required. An efficient irrigation system that promotes use of rain water harvesting technologies and maximizes crop water productivity through use of appropriate sensors and wireless communication technology has been developed.  The innovation involves use of farmers’ earth pans for harvesting and storing rain water and irrigating fields through drip lines. In addition, smart soil moisture sensors are fitted to each field under irrigation for real-time monitoring of soil moisture content and automatically notifying an irrigation administrator through mobile phone when crops require watering. The administrator is equipped with a tricycle fitted with solar powered water pumping system for pumping water from the earth pan to the crops. When the operator receives a signal request from water sensors in field he/she moves with the tri-cycle and services it.  The smart sensors (IoT based) installed in the field will then notify him/her when sufficient amount of water has been received so that irrigation can be stopped. The operator waits for the next request from another farmer’s field to service. The technology has been tested in different portions of the university land under irrigation. The results indicate that crops receive timely watering and show no water stress. The innovation has the potential of making high tech irrigation system accessible to small scale farmers at an affordable cost and enhance food production and in turn food security in the country.","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"30 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125314550","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}

{"title":"SMEs and Covid-19. The aftermath:","authors":"Rintaugu Gatobu","doi":"10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.96","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.58506/ajstss.v1i1.96","url":null,"abstract":"The Corona-Virus (Covid-19) has had ruthless ramifications on all businesses (Small and Large) since its emergence in 2019/2020. It has devastated jobs and businesses across the globe. SMEs have had the worst experiences caused by this crisis, such as loss of revenue owing to disruptions in organizational structures, supply chains and huge losses as a result. This paper looks at how SMEs have engaged during the period of Covid-19 and the period thereafter. The study is conducted in the context of Kenyan SMEs using a sample of 500 SMEs from both manufacturing and services sectors. \u0000The results indicate that SMEs are now more aware of its effects and relevance to their performance, survival and growth, hence the need for them to focus on innovative ways of cultivating sustainability, way beyond the pandemic. ","PeriodicalId":440319,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129905526","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}