The study explored the production of biogas from Lemon grass, Cow dung and Poultry droppings. The three substrates were pre-fermented according to standard methods. Six (6) kg of each pre-fermented ...substrate was mixed with water in ratio 1:1 v/v to form slurry and digested for 30days. A total of 0.125m(3), 0.191m(3) and 0.211m(3) of biogas were respectively produced from the Lemon grass, Cow dung and Poultry droppings with deviations of 0.00234m(3), 0.00289 m(3) and 0.00484 m(3) respectively. The cooking test carried out revealed that the scrubbed gas had higher cooking rates for water (0.12L/min, 0.085L/min and 0.079L/min for Lemon grass, Cow dung and Poultry droppings respectively) while the cooking rates for unscrubbed gas were 0.079L/min, 0.064L/min and 0.06L/min respectively. The pH of the medium fluctuated optimally between 6.5 and 7.8. The research demonstrated that Lemon grass produced less volume but better quality biogas compared to Cow dung and Poultry droppings.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
One of the significance parts of ecosystem is the soil, and it is often modified due to man activities. The objective of this work examined the extent of occurrence of elements in the soil and also ...to identify the soil contamination level via enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor/pollution index. The enrichment value was computed using five elements (Ti, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr) and iron (Fe) as reference element. Scandium (Sc) was not found at hospital dumpsite while arsenic (As) was not found at marketplace. Fe, Ca and K had high concentrations in all locations, ranging from 2651 to 4630 ppm, 2204.67 ppm – 3968.67 ppm and 3649.00 – 4773.67 ppm, respectively. The pollution index value is shown in this order: Ni > Fe > Cu > Cr > Zn > Mn > As an enrichment value in this order: Ni > Se > Cu > V > Zn > Cr > Zr > As > Mn > K > Ca > Rb > Ti > Sr, when Fe was used as a reference element. The overall risk index (RI) in all the locations in the soil was above the edge.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Products derived from
L. have gained increased interest and popularity. As these products become common amongst the public, the health and potential therapeutic values associated with hemp have ...become a premier focus of research. While the psychoactive and medicinal properties of
products have been extensively highlighted in the literature, the antibacterial properties of cannabidiol (CBD) have not been explored in depth. This research serves to examine the antibacterial potential of CBD against
and
.
. In this study, we observed bacterial response to CBD exposure through biological assays, bacterial kinetics, and fluorescence microscopy. Additionally, comparative studies between CBD and ampicillin were conducted against
.
and
.
to determine comparative efficacy. Furthermore, we observed potential resistance development of our
spp. against CBD treatment.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
There has been a resurgence in the cultivation of industrial hemp, Cannabis sativa L., in the United States since its recent legalization. This may facilitate increased populations of arthropods ...associated with the plant. Hemp pests target highly marketable parts of the plant, such as flowers, stalks, and leaves, which ultimately results in a decline in the quality. Industrial hemp can be used for several purposes including production of fiber, grain, and cannabidiol. Thus, proper management of pests is essential to achieve a substantial yield of hemp in the face of climate change. In this review, we provide updates on various arthropods associated with industrial hemp in the United States and examine the potential impact of climate change on corn earworm (CEW) Helicoverpa zea Boddie, a major hemp pest. For example, temperature and photoperiod affect the development and diapause process in CEW. Additionally, drought can lead to a reduction in hemp growth. Host plant diversity of CEW may prevent populations of the pest from reaching outbreak levels. It is suggested that hemp varieties resistant to drought, high soil salinity, cold, heat, humidity, and common pests and diseases should be selected. Ongoing research on effective management of CEW in hemp is critical.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The gut microbiome is a collection of microorganisms and parasites in the gastrointestinal tract. Many factors can affect this community's composition, such as age, sex, diet, medications, and ...environmental triggers. The relationship between the human host and the gut microbiota is crucial for the organism's survival and development, whereas the disruption of this relationship can lead to various inflammatory diseases. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are used to treat muscle spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis. It is now clear that these compounds also benefit patients with neuroinflammation. CBD and THC are used in the treatment of inflammation. The gut is a significant source of nutrients, including vitamins B and K, which are gut microbiota products. While these vitamins play a crucial role in brain and bone development and function, the influence of gut microbiota on the gut-brain and gut-bone axes extends further and continues to receive increasing scientific scrutiny. The gut microbiota has been demonstrated to be vital for optimal brain functions and stress suppression. Additionally, several studies have revealed the role of gut microbiota in developing and maintaining skeletal integrity and bone mineral density. It can also influence the development and maintenance of bone matrix. The presence of the gut microbiota can influence the actions of specific T regulatory cells, which can lead to the development of bone formation and proliferation. In addition, its metabolites can prevent bone loss. The gut microbiota can help maintain the bone's equilibrium and prevent the development of metabolic diseases, such as osteoporosis. In this review, the dual functions gut microbiota plays in regulating the gut-bone axis and gut-brain axis and the impact of CBD on these roles are discussed.
Microbes and enzymes play essential roles in soil and plant rhizosphere ecosystem functioning. However, fungicides and plant root secretions may impact the diversity and abundance of microbiota ...structure and enzymatic activities in the plant rhizosphere. In this study, we analyzed soil samples from the rhizosphere of four cannabinoid-rich hemp (Cannabis sativa) cultivars (Otto II, BaOx, Cherry Citrus, and Wife) subjected to three different treatments (natural infection, fungal inoculation, and fungicide treatment). DNA was extracted from the soil samples, 16S rDNA was sequenced, and data were analyzed for diversity and abundance among different fungicide treatments and hemp cultivars. Fungicide treatment significantly impacted the diversity and abundance of the hemp rhizosphere microbiota structure, and it substantially increased the abundance of the phyla Archaea and Rokubacteria. However, the abundances of the phyla Pseudomonadota and Gemmatimonadetes were substantially decreased in treatments with fungicides compared to those without fungicides in the four hemp cultivars. In addition, the diversity and abundance of the rhizosphere microbiota structure were influenced by hemp cultivars. The influence of Cherry Citrus on the diversity and abundance of the hemp rhizosphere microbiota structure was less compared to the other three hemp cultivars (Otto II, BaOx, and Wife). Moreover, fungicide treatment affected enzymatic activities in the hemp rhizosphere. The application of fungicides significantly decreased enzyme abundance in the rhizosphere of all four hemp cultivars. Enzymes such as dehydrogenase, dioxygenase, hydrolase, transferase, oxidase, carboxylase, and peptidase significantly decreased in all the four hemp rhizosphere treated with fungicides compared to those not treated. These enzymes may be involved in the function of metabolizing organic matter and degrading xenobiotics. The ecological significance of these findings lies in the recognition that fungicides impact enzymes, microbiota structure, and the overall ecosystem within the hemp rhizosphere.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Context: Aging is characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength called sarcopenia which causes poor health and disability. There is paucity of data on this ...syndrome of public health importance among older Nigerians. Aim: This study determined the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia among persons aged 60 years and above at a geriatric center in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 642 persons aged ≥60 years who attended the geriatric center between March and July 2014. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out using SPSS 20. Alpha was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation of the respondents was 69.1 ± 7.2 years, and 378 (60.6%) were females. The point prevalence of sarcopenia was 5.4% which was significantly higher among the females compared with the males (7.1% vs. 2.8%) P = 0.02. Low muscle mass and low gait speed were found in 10.9% and 36.1%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed age (odds ratio OR =1.090; 95% confidence interval CI =1.034-1.149, P = 0.01), having no formal education (OR = 2.810; 95% CI = 1.043-7.573, P = 0.04), malnutrition (OR = 5.817; 95% CI = 1.471-23.434, P = 0.01), and female gender (OR = 3.068; 95% CI = 1.068-8.817, P = 0.04) to be the predictors of sarcopenia. Conclusion: Older people in this setting are at risk of developing sarcopenia, especially the females. Healthcare workers should address the social and health-related factors which could lead to sarcopenia.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance is a global public health crisis that threatens the effective control and prevention of infections. Due to the emergence of pandrug-resistant bacteria, most ...antibiotics have lost their efficacy. Bacteriophages or their components are known to target bacterial cell walls, cell membranes, and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and hydrolyze them. Bacteriophages being the natural predators of pathogenic bacteria, are inevitably categorized as "human friends", thus fulfilling the adage that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Leveraging on their lethal capabilities against pathogenic bacteria, researchers are searching for more ways to overcome the current antibiotic resistance challenge. In this study, we expressed and purified epsilon 34 phage tailspike protein (E34 TSP) from the E34 TSP gene, then assessed the ability of this bacteriophage protein in the killing of two CBD-resistant strains of
spp. We also assessed the ability of the tailspike protein to cause bacteria membrane disruption, and dehydrogenase depletion. We observed that the combined treatment of CBD-resistant strains of
with CBD and E34 TSP showed poor killing ability whereas the monotreatment with E34 TSP showed considerably higher killing efficiency. This study demonstrates that the inhibition of the bacteria by E34 TSP was due in part to membrane disruption, and dehydrogenase inactivation by the protein. The results of this work provides an interesting background to highlight the crucial role phage protein such as E34 TSP could play in pathogenic bacterial control.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival rates and fermentation performance of three freeze-dried lactic acid bacterial cultures previously isolated from Ghanaian traditional fermented ...milk. LAB cultures, i.e.,
,
and
, were frozen in the chamber of a Telstar (Lyoquest) laboratory freeze dryer for 10 h at -55 °C (as single and combined cultures) using skimmed milk and cassava flour as cryoprotectants held in plastic or glass cryovials. For viability during storage, freeze-dried LAB cultures were stored in a refrigerator (4 °C) and at room temperature (25 °C) for 4 weeks. The survival of freeze-dried cultures was determined by growth kinetics at 600 nm (OD
). The performance of freeze-dried LAB cultures after 4 weeks of storage was determined by their growth, acidification of milk during yogurt fermentation and consumer sensory evaluation of fermented milk using a nine-point hedonic scale. The survival rates for LAB ranged between 60.11% and 95.4% following freeze-drying. For single cultures, the highest survival was recorded for
(L12), whereas for combined cultures, the highest survival was observed for
(L3) combined with
(L12). The consumer acceptability results showed that yogurts produced from a combined starter culture of
and
or from a single culture of
were the most preferred products with
and
possessing high survival rates and high consumer acceptability in yogurt production. These findings are crucial and can be adopted for large-scale production and commercialization of yogurt.
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