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Conference/ Workshop/ Seminar/ Proceedings/ Lecture Series
A collection of conference, workshop, seminar, proceedings, and lecture series showcasing diverse topics and cutting-edge research from faculty and staff of Daystar University.
Daystar Archives
An archival collection chronicling the institutional history, academic achievements, and diverse heritage of Daystar University.
Daystar University Publications
A collection of Publications by faculty and staff showcasing research, academic achievements, and institutional insights of Daystar University.
Lectures and Speeches
A collection of Lectures and Speeches from distinguished speakers across various disciplines of Daystar University.
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A collection Policies and Operational Manuals from different departments of Daystar University.

Recent Submissions

Application of M-Gov to Provision of Education for all in Developing Nations
(Horizon Research Publishing, 2014) Maake, Benard; Mzee, Awour Fredrick
Due to advances in wireless and mobile technology, a lot of applications have been developed in the areas of health, entertainment, education, agriculture, education among other to harness the benefit of this technology and to provide services closer to the users. In addition, this technology enables the government and private sectors to deliver, manage, organize and disseminate services to public in an more efficient and economical manner. Providing quality and free for all education that is readily accessible is critical in developing countries where most citizens live on less than a 1 USD a day. In these countries, most learners trade off time for education for casual work to earn a living. In such a case, the learners are denied right of access to quality and free education. It is therefore important to illustrate how education managers could adapt mobile and wireless technology to facilitate, control and manage capacity development towards the achieving education for all In this paper, we explore the benefits of mobile governance (m-Gov) of educational resources as a tool to deliver free, quality and accessible education. The paper argues that such an ICT application needs to incorporate all the education stakeholders to attain accountability and transparency on provision of education services. The paper also illustrates the key concepts in implementation of the argued ICT application i.e., m-Gov.
Vitamin B12 and Coenzyme Q10 Ameliorated Alcohol Driven Impairment of Hematological Parameters, Inflammation, and Organ Damage in A Mouse Model
(Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023) Nyabuga, Nyariki James; Kipchumba, Biwott; Orina, Isaac Alfred; Mwaeni, Victoria K.; Omwenga, George; Ngugi, Mathew
Introduction Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with a myriad of negative physiological and biochemical changes in humans. Vitamin B12 and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) are novel antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Purpose The objective of this study was to determine the impact of oral supplementation with vitamin B12 and CoQ10, in attenuating deleterious effects associated with alcohol exposure in Swiss albino mice. Methods Group one was normal control, the second group received 5 g/kg alcohol; the third group received 6 mg/kg b/w of vitamin B12 and 5 g/kg alcohol; the fourth group received 6 mg/kg b/w of vitamin B12, 200 mg/kg b/w CoQ10, and 5 g/ kg alcohol, the fifth group 200 mg/kg b/w of CoQ10 and 5 g/kg alcohol. Results Oral administration of vitamin B12 and CoQ10 alone or in combination significantly ameliorated alcohol-induced impairment of hematological parameters and stabilized alcohol-induced alteration of the lipid profile. Notably, administration of either vitamin B12 or CoQ10 significantly blocked alcohol-induced depletion of reduced glutathione levels. Furthermore, vitamin B12 and CoQ10 stabilized the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ) when administered alone or in combination. Remarkably, the administration of CoQ10 and vitamin B12 significantly attenuated alcohol-induced liver and kidney inflammation and pathology. Conclusion Administration of either vitamin B12 or CoQ10 alone or in combination can protect from the toxic effects of chronic alcohol exposure.
Sodium Metabisulfite-Induced Hematotoxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Organ Damage Ameliorated by Standardized Ginkgo biloba in Mice
(Journal of Toxicology, 2023) Nyabuga, Nyariki James; Wambui, Wairimu Nancy; Wairagu, Peninah; Chepukosi, Kennedy W.; Obiero, George F.; Okanya, Patrick W.; Orina, Isaac Alfred
Sodium metabisulfte (SMB) is a biocide and antioxidant agent generally used as a preservative in food and beverage industries but can oxidize to harmful sulfte radicals. A standardized Ginkgo biloba (EGb-761) has demonstrated potent antioxidant and antiinfammatory activities, which is benefcial for the treatment of diseases that exhibit oxidative stress and infammation. Te present study sought to investigate the putative ameliorative efects of EGb-761 against SMB-induced toxicity in mice. Tirty-twomale Swiss white mice were randomized into control, SMB-treated, SMB + EGb-761-treated, and EGb-761-treated groups. EGb761 (100 mg/kg/day) and SMB (98 mg/kg/day) were administered by gastric gavage for 40 days. Oral administration of EGb-761restored SMB-induced decrease in body weight and prevented SMB-induced thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and anemia.Furthermore, EGb-761-treatment protected against SMB-induced liver and kidney injury depicted by decreased serum levels ofaspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, uric acid, and albumin. Furthermore, EGb-761 treatment attenuated SMB-driven dyslipidemia and metabolic acidosis. Besides, EGb-76 supplementation abrogated SMB-driven oxidative stress as depicted by stabilized reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the brain, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and lungs. SMB induced a signifcant increase of tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), serum nitric oxide (NO), interferon-gamma (IFN-c) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) which were abrogated by EGb-761 treatment. In conclusion, these results deepen our understanding of EGb-761 in light of various detrimental efects of SMB-driven toxicities.These findings provide a novel approach that can be optimized for preventing or treating exposure due to SMB toxicity
Kenyan Purple Tea Anthocyanins and Coenzyme-Q10 Ameliorate Post Treatment Reactive Encephalopathy Associated with Cerebral Human African Trypanosomiasis in Murine Model
(Elsevier, 2014) Nyabuga, Nyariki James; Rashid, Khalid; Wachira, Francis N; Orina, Isaac Alfred
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a tropical disease caused by two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei, the East African variant T. b. rhodesiense and the West African variant T. b. gambiense. Melarsoprol, an organic arsenical, is the only drug used to treat late stage T. b. rhodesiense infection. Unfortunately, this drug induces an extremely severe post treatment reactive encephalopathy (PTRE) in up to 10% of treated patients, half of whom die from this complication. A highly reproducible mouse model was adapted to assess the use of Kenyan purple tea anthocyanins and/or coenzyme-Q10 in blocking the occurrence of PTRE. Female Swiss white mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with approximately 10(4) trypanosome isolate T. b. rhodesiense KETRI 2537 and treated sub-curatively 21days post infection with 5mg/kg diminazene aceturate (DA) daily for 3days to induce severe late CNS infection that closely mirrors PTRE in human subjects. Thereafter mice were monitored for relapse of parasitemia after which they were treated with melarsoprol at a dosage of 3.6mg/kg body weight for 4days and sacrificed 24h post the last dosage to obtain brain samples. Brain sections from mice with PTRE that did not receive any antioxidant treatment showed a more marked presence of inflammatory cells, microglial activation and disruption of the brain parenchyma when compared to PTRE mice supplemented with either coenzyme-Q10, purple tea anthocyanins or a combination of the two. The mice group that was treated with coenzyme-Q10 or purple tea anthocyanins had higher levels of GSH and aconitase-1 in the brain compared to untreated groups, implying a boost in brain antioxidant capacity. Overall, coenzyme-Q10 treatment produced more beneficial effects compared to anthocyanin treatment. These findings demonstrate that therapeutic intervention with coenzyme-Q10 and/or purple tea anthocyanins can be used in an experimental mouse model to ameliorate PTRE associated with cerebral HAT.
Coenzyme Q10 and Endogenous Antioxidants Neuro-Protect Mice Brain Against Deleterious Effects of Melarsoprol and Trypanasoma Brucei Rhodesiense
(Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2018) Nyabuga, Nyariki James; Thuita, John K.; Wambugu, Anderson M.; Nyamweya, Nemwel O.; Rashid, Khalid; Nyambati, Grace K.; Orina, Isaac Alfred
Melarsoprol (Mel B) is the only efficacious drug against late stage Human African Trypanosomiasi (HAT), but inadvertently is very toxic and induces Post Treatment Reactive Encephalopathy (PTRE) that is lethal in 5% of the patients. Investigations were conducted to establish the neuro-protective role of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and other cellular antioxidants ((Manganese Superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), Glutathione Reductase (GR), Copper-Zinc Superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) and glutathione (GSH)) against Mel B toxicity, PTRE and putative resultant brain degeneration in a mouse model. Female Swiss-white mice were infected with Trypanasoma brucei rhodesiense parasite and manipulated to simulate all phases of PTRE and HAT. Expression profiles of the antioxidants in brain tissues were assessed using immunoblots, while GSH was measured spectrophotometrically. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection resulted in elevation of expression of endogenous antioxidants in the early stage of infection (21dpi), with significant expression (two fold) observed at the terminal stage of the disease (57dpi). CoQ10 assisted in boosting Levels of GSH upon induction of severe late stage of HAT. Similarly CoQ10 administration significantly augmented levels of SOD-1, GR and GSH in infected than in uninfected mice that were treated with Melarsoprol. The time dependent dynamics of antioxidant suppression due to Melarsoprol, and potential ameliorating effects of CoQ10 on the same, indicate putative mechanism underlying and antidote to the toxicity of the drug with potential application in formulation of novel Melarsoprol-based drugs and development of novel markers for staging the disease.