An analysis of the efficiency of the foreign exchange market in Kenya

This study examined the Efficiency Market hypothesis in its weak form using run tests, unit root tests and the Ljung-Box Q-statistics. The motivation was to determine whether foreign exchange rate returns follow a random walk. The data covered the period starting January 1994 to June 2007 for the daily closing spot price of the Kenya shillings per US dollar exchange rate. The main finding of this study is that the foreign exchange rate market is not efficient. The results showed that most of the rejections are due to significant patterns, trend stationarity and autocorrelation in foreign exchange returns. This is attributed to both exchange rate undershooting and overshooting phenomena.

Impact of Leishmania donovani infection on the HLA I self peptide repertoire of human macrophages

Macrophages are specialized antigen-presenting cells that process and present self-antigens for induction of tolerance, and foreign antigens to initiate T cell-mediated immunity. Despite this, Leishmania donovani (LD) are able to parasitize the macrophages and persist. The impact of this parasitizing and persistence on antigen processing and presentation by macrophages remains poorly defined. To gain insight into this, we analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and compared the HLA-I self-peptidomes, proteasome compositions, HLA expression and activation states of non-infected and LD-infected THP1-derived macrophages. We found that, though both HLA-I peptidomes were dominated by nonapeptides, they were heterogeneous and individualized, with differences in HLA binding affinities and anchor residues. Non-infected and LD-infected THP1-derived macrophages were able to sample peptides from source proteins of almost all subcellular locations and involved in various cellular functions, but in different proportions. In the infected macrophages, there was increased sampling of plasma membrane and extracellular proteins, and those involved in immune responses, cell communication/signal transduction and metabolism/energy pathways, and decreased sampling of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins and those involved in protein metabolism, RNA binding and cell growth and/or maintenance. Though the activation state of infected macrophages was unchanged, their proteasome composition was altered

Optimization of street lane usage

This paper contributes to discussion on introduction of exclusive lane for public transport. Analyses of results have been presented on effectiveness of usage of a 4 - lane and a 6 - lane street with and without an exclusive lane for buses. Two basic sub-models have been applied: - the binary logit model for modal split estimation; it takes into consideration the relation of travel time performed by private cars to public transport, - the polynomial model for predicting link impedance; the real travel time is affected by relation of traffic volume to the design capacity The parameters of both sub-models have been calibrated for the Polish conditions. The relationships are determined between number of person trips and traffic volume of buses/private cars, market share of public transport in motorised trips, average travel time lost in trips, average operation cost. An iterative technique addresses a feedback between the modal split and traffic volumes. Numerical calculations by use of EXCEL and MATLAB were carried out. Typical values of corridor length, occupancy rate of passenger car, design capacity of the bus, access and egress time to and from the parking/bus-stop in urban areas were applied. On the basis of the estimated results, the marginal parameter values: number of people carried at which separated lane for buses is most effective , traffic volume for private cars, traffic volume for buses and share of public transport in trips have been got by consideration of the average travel time lost and operational cost as criteria: Then introduction of street lanes with and without exclusive lane for buses in relation to number of person trips can be optimized

Tradeoffs and complementarities in the adoption of improved seeds, fertilizer, and natural resource management technologies in Kenya

There is widespread consensus that agricultural technology has an important role to play for poverty reduction and sustainable development. There is less consensus, however, about the types of technologies that are best suited for smallholder farmers in Africa. While some consider natural resource management (NRM) technologies as most appropriate, others propagate input intensification with a stronger role of the private sector. In the public debate, the two strategies are often perceived as incompatible. Most existing adoption studies focus on individual technologies, so that comparisons across technologies in the same context are not easily possible. We use representative data from maize-producing households in Kenya and a multivariate probit model to analyze the adoption of different types of technologies simultaneously. Results indicate that NRM technologies and strategies that build on external inputs are not incompatible. Interesting complementarities exist, which are not yet sufficiently exploited, because many organizations promote either one type of technology or the other, but rarely a combination of both

HLA class I-restricted T cell epitopes isolated and identified from myeloid leukemia cells

Leukemia-associated antigens (LAAs) and HLA-I epitopes published previously have shown promise in inducing leukemia-specific T cell responses. However, the clinical responses are limited, and clinical effectiveness is yet to be achieved. Limitations, among others, being the LAAs themselves, the indirect approach to HLA-I epitope identification by reverse immunology, and the use of single or few LAAs and HLA-I epitopes, which limits the spectrum of inducible tumor-specific T cells. Use of a direct approach to identify naturally processed and presented HLA-I epitopes from LAAs, and higher numbers of antigens for T cell-mediated immunotherapy for leukemia may enhance clinical responses and broaden clinical effectiveness. In a prior study we used immunoaffinity purification of HLA-I peptide complexes from the differentiated myeloid tumor cell lines MUTZ3 and THP1 coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). From this we identified in the current study seven new HLA-I epitopes and the corresponding LAAs for myeloid leukemia. In comparison, the myeloid HLA-I epitopes reported here were generally stronger HLA-binders that induce stronger T cell responses than those previously published, and their source LAAs had higher immunogenicity, higher expression levels in myeloid tumors cells compared to normal hemopoietin and other major normal tissues, and more protein interaction partners, and they are targeted by CD8 T cells in CML patients. This study analyses and compares the LAAs and HLA-I epitopes based on various immunotherapeutic targets selection criteria, and highlights new targets for T cell-mediated immunotherapy for leukemia

Tumour necrosis factor allele variants and their association with the occurrence and severity of malaria in African children: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is central to the immune response to Plasmodium infection. Its plasma concentration is influenced by allele variants in the promoter region of TNF. The study's objectives were to assess TNF allele variants (TNF(-1031), TNF(-308)): (1) modulation of malaria rates in young Tanzanian children; (2) modulation of the severity of malaria as indicated by haemoglobin concentrations at the time of presentation with febrile episodes; and (3) the association between Plasmodium infection and haemoglobin concentration in symptomless parasite carriers. METHODS: Data from a placebo-controlled trial in which 612 Tanzanian children aged 6-60 months with height-for-age z-score in the range -3 SD to 1.5 SD was utilised. Those with Plasmodium infection at baseline were treated with artemether-lumefantrine. An episode of malaria was predefined as current Plasmodium infection with an inflammatory response (axillary temperature ≥37.5°C or whole blood C-reactive protein concentration ≥8 mg/L) in children reported sick. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern assessment as well as haplotype analysis was conducted using HAPLOVIEW. Cox regression models used in the primary analysis accounted for multiple episodes per child. RESULTS: Genotyping of 94.9% (581/612) children for TNF(-1031) (TNF(-1031)T>C); allele frequency was 0.39. Corresponding values for rs1800629 (TNF(-308)G>A) were 95.4% (584/612) and 0.17. Compared to the wild type genotype (TT), malaria rates were increased in the TNF -1031CC genotype (hazard ratio, HR [95% CI]: 1.41 [1.01‒1.97] and 1.31 [0.97‒1.76] for crude analysis and adjusting for pre-specified baseline factors, respectively) but decreased in those with the TNF(-308)AA genotype (corresponding HR: 0.13 [0.02‒0.63] and 0.16 [0.04‒0.67]). These associations were weaker when analysing first episodes of malaria (P value -0.59 and 0.38, respectively). No evidence that allele variants of TNF(-1031) and TNF(-308) affected haemoglobin concentration at first episode of malaria, or that they modified the association between Plasmodium infection and haemoglobin concentrations at baseline was observed. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of Tanzanian children, the TNF (-1031)CC genotype was associated with increased rates of malarial episodes, whereas the TNF(-308)AA genotype was associated with decreased rates

Decolonizing Graduate Education: Considerations for Integration and Internationalization of a Master of Education Program

Abstract The internationalization of graduate education at Western higher education institutions (WHEIs) is seldom offered in programs that segregate international students from domestic students. The Master of Education Internationally educated Students Program (MEd ISP) at Brock University in Ontario, Canada had offered a segregated graduate program prior to the university’s decision to terminate the program and integrate all future international and domestic students in its Master of Education (MEd) program. While current knowledge of internationalization approaches at WHEIs reveals disparities between official discourses for internationalization and international students’ experiences at WHEIs, this study identified a gap in the knowledge of WHEIs’ strategies for transitioning internationalization from segregated to integrated graduate programs. Adopting a decolonial theoretical framework, the study explored dominant, neoliberal, and colonizing approaches to internationalization in the MEd ISP and sought to advocate for decolonizing considerations for future internationalization of the MEd program at Brock University. The study engaged 5 international students and 1 domestic student in a decolonizing phenomenology that utilized qualitative interviews to explore participants’ firsthand accounts of the strengths and weaknesses of the MEd ISP as well as their perceptions of colonizing and decolonizing attributes of internationalization at Brock University. Interestingly, the study found that the most relevant attributes of colonizing educational approaches were perceptions of the superiority of Western knowledge and not the segregationist approach to internationalization as had been anticipated. Rather than offering formulations for decolonizing the internationalization of graduate programs, the study recommends a process of pertinent questioning that problematizes naturalized Western knowledge through epistemic and ontological pluralization. Further, the study offers initial questions that can be advanced through an iterative interaction of neoliberal, critical, and decolonizing considerations for internationalization of graduate programs at WHEIs. The narrowed scope of the study’s pool of participants contributed a significant limitation to the generalizability of the study. Future studies on internationalization approaches at WHEIs may be inspired to build on the study’s findings to include insights from graduate program administrators and instructors

Impulse Response to Exchange Rate, Exports and Imports Shocks in Kenya 1990-2023

Purpose: This paper explores the trend of exchange rates over the past three decades, forecasts future trends, and investigates the impulse response of exports and imports on exchange rate shocks in Kenya. The study utilizes time series (1990-2022) data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the World Development Indicators (WDI). Methodology: The study employs the Structural VAR (SVAR) model, Vector Error Correction (VECM) model, and Impulse Response (I.R.) analysis to analyze the pass-through effect of exchange rate shocks on exports and imports in Kenya. Findings: The results of VECM highlighted a long-term relationship between exchange rates, GDP growth, Inflation, and trade volumes. Moreover, the Impulse Response Analysis revealed no instantaneous pass-through effect on imports and exports. However, an appreciation of the Kenyan Shilling led to a significant negative pass-through effect on the volume of imports. Further, the results indicated a one-way causality between the exchange rate and GDP growth rate. Also, the exchange rate and Inflation rate have a one-way granger causality. Moreover, the exchange rate Granger causes the volume of exports, while the volume of Imports Granger causes the exchange rate and the GDP growth rate Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study findings emphasize the importance of stable exchange rate policies to mitigate negative impacts on trade. Policymakers should consider strategies to enhance export performance, reduce trade imbalances, and strengthen the economy\u27s resilience to exchange rate fluctuations