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This document was prepared by the author in his capacity as Task Manager RCE Kakamega Western. It was the main background paper for the RCE presented at the East Africa Regional RCE’s Pre-Conference Workshop on Environment and Society: Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability held at Golf Hotel, Kakamega, Kenya from 1st to 2nd August 2013. Second, it was a contribution by RCE Kakamega Western towards the implementation of the devolved system of Governance following the promulgation of the Kenya Constitution 2010. It borrows from the special work programme on Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) which “calls upon UNESCO to refine the concept and key messages of education for sustainable development”. The document is based on a wide variety of source materials, background papers prepared by specialists, and a preparatory meeting held in April 2013. It is to be considered the beginning of a process of discussion and debate, not a conclusion. Among the international institutions contributing to its preparation were: Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST),Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, International Education and Resource Nest Kenya (IEARN) and DAP Media. Beginning with a preface on the vision, mission and background of RCE Kakamega Western, the paper addresses priority issues reflected in the work programme of the CSD. Part I (“What is ‘Sustainable Leadership’?”) examines the emerging vision of ‘sustainability’ or ‘sustainable development’, including consideration of its inter-related components mainly addressing three key challenge areas and opportunities: Society, Economy and Environment. The role of education seen in this perspective is discussed, no longer as an end in itself but as a key instrument for achieving sustainability in the future. Part II (‘The Need for Effective Communication’) takes up the topic of public awareness and understanding as indispensable to support change towards sustainable development. Problems of vested interests, the difficulties of communicating science, the inherent complexity of the issues, and the tendency of the media to focus on extreme positions and controversies are considered. It is suggested that the most effective communication strategy for building awareness and understanding is to focus on problems which the public experiences in everyday life.

Table of contents for the month of April 2013

Table of contents for the month of March 2013

The contamination of water by toxic heavy metals is a worldwide problem. The presence of hexavalent chromium in waste water is a potential hazard to aquatic life and humans. Biosorption of heavy metals is an important technique used in the removal of toxic metals from various sources like industrial waste, aqueous systems and municipal waste waters. Metal removal technique using non-conventional adsorbents such as microorganisms are cheap because of the low cost of adsorbents used and many represent a practical replacement to conventional processes. There are various mechanisms such as kinetic models and adsorption isotherms employed for the efficient removal of hexavalent chromium from various sources. The present review discusses brief findings of hexavalent chromium removal with the maximum metal uptake by using living and non-living microorganisms as adsorbents.

To study mean platelet volume (MPV) and its relationship with glycemic control in type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Study Design: Case control study Place and Duration: June to November 2012. One hundred Type 2 DM and forty healthy controls were selected through non-probability purposive sampling according to inclusion and exclusion criteria The subjects were divided into; controls (group I), controlled diabetics (groups II) and uncontrolled diabetics (group III). Blood samples were collected in bottles containing sodium citrate and processed on automated hematoanalyzer. Blood glucose and HbA1c were measured on automated chemistry analyzer. The Data was analyzed on SPSS version 20.0 using one way-ANOVA, Fischer`s LSD and Pearson’s correlation (r). A p-value of <0.05 was taken statistically significant. Out of 140 subjects, male and female in groups I, II and III were found as 26 and 14, 34 and 16, and 22 and 28 respectively. The mean ± SD age was noted as 45.18 ± 8.84, 46.36 ± 5.98 and 43.64 ± 9.01 years respectively (p ? 0.09). A highly significant platelet count difference was observed between groups I and III (p<0.001). The MPV was found as 9.7±0.68, 9.94±0.69 and 11.28±1.15 fl (femtolitre) in three groups respectively (p<0.0001). Significantly higher MPV values were found in uncontrolled diabetic subjects compared with normal healthy controls and controlled diabetics (p=0.0001). The MPV was positively correlated with HbA1c (r=0.540, p=0.0001) and duration of DM (r=0.410, p=0.0001), negatively correlated with platelet count (r=-0.6, p=0.4) and correlation was not found with age (r=0.30, p=0.69) and gender (r=0.10, p=0.20). Mean platelet volume was found elevated in type 2 DM particularly in those having uncontrolled glycemic control. The MPV was positively correlated with HbA1c and duration of DM but negatively correlated with platelet count.

We are very happy to announce that from 8th February 2013, Mr. Kamran Nazari has joined the team of Elixir Editorial Advisory Board. He will carry a special responsibility for dealing with manuscripts based on Business Management. Mr. Kamran Nazari is currently working as Master of Business Management, University of Payam Nour. Iran. The appointment of Mr. Kamran Nazari as member Editorial Advisory Board strengthens the links and will make it easier for prospective authors to establish contact with the journal. Please send any expressions of interest to chiefeditor@elixirjournal.org. Sincerely Editor-in-Chief

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) occur as a result of problems with the jaw, TM joint, and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and the movement ofthe jaw.Patients affected by TMD’s present an array of symptoms which include jaw or neck pain, headache, and clicking or grating within the joint. The objective of comprehensive TMD management is not only relief of pain, but the rehabilitation or return of the entire masticatory apparatus to optimum physiologic function. The rationale for such an approach is to minimize the likelihood of exacerbations & chronicity, which are common in TMD. As our dental curricula provide nominal training in TMD management, most dentists have limited understanding of these disorders and its management. Similarly therapists also have little understanding of the importance of the dental role in management of these disorders. Hence treatment of TMD requires an interdisciplinary approach of appropriate and effective dental therapy combined with well executed physiotherapy. Physiotherapy includes modalities (e.g., Iontophoresis, Phonophoresis), relaxation techniques, and complementary therapies (e.g., Acupuncture, Hypnosis) which are used for the treatment of temperomandibular joint disorders and have proven to provide good results.

1,5-benzothiazepine is the main seven-membered heterocyclic ring system and having several cardiac, psychotherapeutic activities. Which has been synthesized by catalytic amount of piperidine mediated condensation of dry toluene with Prenyloxy chalcones (3) and 5-substituted-2-Amino benzenethiols (2). The corresponding prenyloxy chalcones (3) were synthesized by piperidine mediated claisen-schemidt condensation of an ethanolic solution of 4-prenyloxy 2-hydroxy acetophenone (1) with aromatic aldehydes. It was planned to use a weaker base like piperidine instead of using strong base to enhance the better yields. The structures have been established on the basis of elemental (C, H, N) analysis, IR, 1H NMR, Mass spectral data. The compounds (3) and (5) were screened for antimicrobial activities against a variety of bacterial agent.

The importance of religion and religious identities in human lives both in individual and social context is apparent. Religions are a usually part of all cultures which play a key role in people’s daily lives. Taking into account this importance and also the fact that religiousness is a feature in character along using the results gained from the studies conducted regarding the relation between religiousness and psychological and mental health, this study attempts to find the affects of religiousness and positive behaviors on individual and social levels. It also proposes that promoting religiousness and providing religious instructions for the adolescents and youngsters can result in a positive behavior in the context of the society and increase the psychological capital.

The aim of this paper is to introduce a class of sets called soft ß- locally closed sets. Further soft ß - LC continuous map and its irresoluteness are defined in soft topological space along with their characterization.