Demand and market pattern of selected medicinal plants in the southwestern Nigeria

Demand and market pattern of Aframomum melegueta K. Schum, Garcina kola Heckel, Senna alata (L.) Roxb., Tetrapleura tetrapetra (Schum & Thonn) Taub., and Piper guineense Thonn & Schum for medicinal purposes were carried out among the states in the south-western part of Nigeria with the study area comprising of Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun states. The population consisted mainly of Yoruba but mixed with other ethnic groups and foreigners who have settled down especially in the state capitals. Primary data were collected through a survey of the medicinal plants in the study area. Structured questionnaires were administered using the participatory method with the buyers and suppliers of the products. The result of the study showed that majority of the respondents (64.79%) prefer daily market to other marketing patterns and over 80% of them offered all plant parts for sale. It was also discovered that the parts of medicinal plants sold depended on location.Keywords: Demand, Market pattern, Medicinal plant

Meeting the Health Concerns of In-School-Adolescents in a Changing Life-Style

Enjoying healthy life through a comprehensive primary health care is a fundamental human right. Thus, health promotion and treatment programmes for adolescents must be tailored to the unique concerns and needs of the population. This paper focused on identifying the health concerns for the in-school adolescents, what promotes or undermines their health and how the communities and countries are meeting adolescents’ needs for healthy life style. Many of the common health risks and challenges facing the in-school teenagers are linked to the health-related behaviours that they adopt considering variations in their cultures and socioeconomic status and inadequate safe health information. These damaging behaviours among in-school youths included consumption of harmful substances, unhealthy dietary behaviours, inadequate physical exercises, risky sexual behaviours, tattooing and piercing due to non-implementation of components of a comprehensive school health programme. The key principles on health concerns for the in-school adolescents were discussed. Towards meeting the health concerns for the in- school teenagers, it was therefore recommended that the stakeholders should advocate for increased resources for in-school adolescents health and improve coordination of its implementation. Member States should support, monitor and evaluate implementation of national scaling up plans or strategies for adolescents’ health in the school system focusing on thorough implementation of a comprehensive school health programme through partnership system. Keywords: in-school adolescents, health concerns/needs, youth, in-school teenagers, partnership, health risks behaviours

Vulnerability to Cardiovasular Diseases among Senior Civil Servants in Ekiti State, Nigeria: Implications for Health Education

This study examined vulnerability to cardio vascular disease among senior civil servants in Ekiti-State and implications for health education. Ekiti State otherwise called fountain of knowledge is known for academic attainment where majority of the populace are educated but the poor level of economic development made civil service the widely accepted job option for the populace. Civil Service includes secondary schools, ministries and parastatals. The study design used was descriptive survey. Ado Local Government was purposefully selected while Ado-Ekiti the only major town in Ado Local Government Area was used for the study because all the ministries headquarters are located in Ado-Ekiti the state capital. Data for this study were collected from primary sources using a total number of three hundred senior civil servants with salary scale within 14 and 16, who were randomly selected using simple random and stratified sampling technique from the ministries, parastatals and secondary schools. Two hundred and eighty copies of the administered instrument which were duly completed and returned, giving 93 percent returned rate were analyzed. A standardized Arizona Heart Institute cardiovascular Risk factor analysis questionnaire was adopted. The data collected were analyzed using frequency and percentages. The study revealed that 168 (60%) respondents were male while 112 (40%) were female. Using the scoring method provided by the risk factor analysis, it was revealed that men had high risk factors while women had low risk factors. The body mass index calculated also showed that male senior civil servants are overweight than their female counterparts. It was therefore recommended that, conducting enlightenment campaign would create awareness on the risk factors to cardiovascular diseases which would reduce the vulnerability rate. Regular medical checkup in work place would help in early identification of the non-modifiable risk factors and prompt treatment of such condition. Finally, keep fit exercise should be organized regularly for senior civil servants by the state government. Key words: Cardiovascular Diseases; Civil Servants; Vulnerability; Implication and Health Education Resumé: Cette étude a examiné la vulnérabilité des maladies cardiovasculaires chez les hauts fonctionnaires de l'état d'Ekiti, et les implications pour l'éducation sanitaire. L'état d'Ekiti, autrement appelé la fontaine de la connaissance, est connu pour les résultats scolaires où la majorité de la population sont scolarisée, mais le niveau de développement économique faible a rendu la fonction publique l'option d'emploi largement acceptée par la population. La fonction publique comprend les écoles secondaires, les ministères et les organismes parapublics. Le modèle d'étude utilisé est l'enquête descriptive. Le gouvernement local d'Ado a été délibérément choisi alors que Ado-Ekiti, la seule ville importante dans la région du gouvernement local d'Ado a été choisie comme l'objet d'étude parce que tous les sièges des ministères sont situés à Ado-Ekiti, la capitale de l'Etat. Les données de cette étude ont été recueillies à partir des sources primaires en utilisant un nombre total de trois cents hauts fonctionnaires avec un barème de salaire entre 14 et 16, sélectionnés de manière aléatoire en utilisant la technique d'échantillonnage aléatoire simple et stratifié dans les ministères, organismes parapublics et écoles secondaires. Deux cent quatre-vingts copies d'enquête ont été dûment remplies et retournées, et 93 pour cent des copies retournées ont été analysées. Un questionnaire standardisé d'analyse des facteurs de risque cardiovasculaire de l'Institut de cardiologie d'Arizona a été adopté. Les données recueillies ont été analysées en utilisant la fréquence et les pourcentages. L'étude a révélé que 168 (60%) des répondants étaient de sexe masculin alors que 112 (40%) étaient de sexe féminin. En utilisant la méthode de notation fournie par l'analyse des facteurs de risque, on a découvert que les hommes avaient des facteurs de risque élevé alors que les femmes avaient des facteurs de risque faible. L'indice de masse corporelle a également montré que les hauts fonctionnaires masculins ont plus de problème de surpoids que leurs homologues féminins. La campagne d'illumination pourrait donc créer de la sensibilisation sur les facteurs de risque des maladies cardio-vasculaires qui permettrait de réduire le taux de vulnérabilité. L'examen médical régulier en milieu de travail aiderait à l'identification précoce des facteurs de risque non modifiables et au traitement rapide en cas de risque. Enfin, l'exercice de fitness devrait être organisé régulièrement pour les hauts fonctionnaires par le gouvernement de l'état. Mots-clés: Maladies Cardiovasculaires; Fonctionnaires Civils; Vulnérabilité; Implication Et Éducation Sanitair

The Influence of Renewable Energy Usage on Consumption-Based Carbon Emissions in MINT Economies

An accurate carbon emissions measurement is critical for developing an appropriate climate strategy to address ecological issues. A meaningful climate policy reaction can be offered based on trade adjusted statistics of carbon emissions. This research utilizes second-generation panel co-integration techniques to investigate the influence of globalization and renewable energy utilization on consumption-based carbon emissions (CCO2) as well as the role of nonrenewable energy use and economic growth in the MINT-(Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) countries from 1990 to 2018. The outcomes of the cross-sectional dependency and heterogeneity tests revealed slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional units across nations. Furthermore, the outcomes of the cointegration test provided evidence of a long-run association between consumption-based CO2 emissions (CCCO2) and the regressors. Moreover, the outcomes of both common correlated effect mean group (CCEMG) and augmented mean group (AMG) unveiled that economic growth and nonrenewable energy utilization contribute to the degradation of the environment, while globalization and renewable energy utilization help to curb the degradation of the environment. Furthermore, the outcomes of the causality test showed that all the regressors can predict CCO2 emissions in the MINT nations. Thus, policy channeled towards globalization, economic growth, and renewable energy utilization will have a significant effect on CCO2 emissions. Based on the study outcomes, significant policy recommendations are made for policymakers in the MINT nations. © 2022 The Author(s)

Statistical modelling and optimization of alkaline peroxide oxidation pretreatment process on rice husk cellulosic biomass to enhance enzymatic convertibility and fermentation to ethanol

The complex and ordered arrangements of the lignocellulosic materials make them recalcitrant for their conversions to ethanol. Pretreatment is a crucial step in overcoming these hindrances. In this study, a 23‐full factorial design of experiments optimization technique was applied on the alkaline peroxide oxidation pretreatments of rice husks biomass. The low–high levels of the influencing variables on pretreatments were; temperature (100–120 °C), time (1–2 h), % (v/v)H2O2 concentration (1–3%). Under the prevailing pretreatments, the optimum conditions were predicted and validated to be 109 °C, 2 h, and 1.38% H2O2 which yielded 56% (w/w) cellulose content, 55% (w/w) hemicellulose solubilization, and 48% (w/w) lignin removal. At the established optimum pretreatment conditions, and considering variations in biomass and enzymes loadings, maximum reducing sugars production was 205 mg/g dry biomass at different enzymatic hydrolysis conditions of 3% biomass loading, hydrolysis temperature of 45 °C, hydrolysis time of 24 h, and 35 FPU/g cellulose enzyme loading. The highest cellulose conversion of 33% yielded 24 g/L ethanol at the end of the first day of saccharification and fermentation. Physical, structural, and morphological investigations on raw and treated materials using tools such as stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy further revealed the effectiveness of chosen method on rice husks biomass

Dominance of Fossil Fuels in Japan’s National Energy Mix and Implications for Environmental Sustainability

Despite the drive for increased environmental protection and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), coal, oil, and natural gas use continues to dominate Japan’s energy mix. In light of this issue, this research assessed the position of natural gas, oil, and coal energy use in Japan’s environmental mitigation efforts from the perspective of sustainable development with respect to economic growth between 1965 and 2019. In this regard, the study employs Bayer and Hanck cointegration, fully modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), and dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) to investigate these interconnections. The empirical findings from this study revealed that the utilization of natural gas, oil, and coal energy reduces the sustainability of the environment with oil consumption having the most significant impact. Furthermore, the study validates the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in Japan. The outcomes of the Gradual shift causality showed that CO2 emissions can predict economic growth, while oil, coal, and energy consumption can predict CO2 emissions in Japan. Given Japan’s ongoing energy crisis, this innovative analysis provides valuable policy insights to stakeholders and authorities in the nation’s energy sector. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Acknowledgments: This work was supported by SusSo Foundation Cares, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and the authors would like to acknowledge their support

Statistical modelling and optimization of alkaline peroxide oxidation pretreatment process on rice husk cellulosic biomass to enhance enzymatic convertibility and fermentation to ethanol

The complex and ordered arrangements of the lignocellulosic materials make them recalcitrant for their conversions to ethanol. Pretreatment is a crucial step in overcoming these hindrances. In this study, a 23 -full factorial design of experiments optimization technique was applied on the alkaline peroxide oxidation pretreatments of rice husks biomass. The low–high levels of the influencing variables on pretreatments were; temperature (100–120 C), time (1–2 h), % (v/v)H2O2 concentration (1–3%). Under the prevailing pretreatments, the optimum conditions were predicted and validated to be 109 C, 2 h, and 1.38% H2O2 which yielded 56% (w/w) cellulose content, 55% (w/w) hemicellulose solubilization, and 48% (w/w) lignin removal. At the established optimum pretreatment conditions, and considering variations in biomass and enzymes loadings, maximum reducing sugars production was 205 mg/g dry biomass at different enzymatic hydrolysis conditions of 3% biomass loading, hydrolysis temperature of 45 C, hydrolysis time of 24 h, and 35 FPU/g cellulose enzyme loading. The highest cellulose conversion of 33% yielded 24 g/L ethanol at the end of the first day of saccharification and fermentation. Physical, structural, and morphological investigations on raw and treated materials using tools such as stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy further revealed the effectiveness of chosen method on rice husks biomas

The Dynamic Impact of Biomass and Natural Resources on Ecological Footprint in BRICS Economies: A Quantile Regression Evidence

Many emerging economies, including the BRICS economies, are having difficulty meeting the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) objectives. Consequently, this research discusses the creation of an SDG framework for the BRICS economies, which can be utilized as a model for other blocs. To achieve this purpose, this research probes into the effect of biomass energy usage on ecological footprint in the BRICS economies between 1992 and 2018, considering the roles of gross capital formation, natural resources, and globalization. The novel Methods of Moments-Quantile-Regression (MMQR) approach with fixed effects is used, the outcomes of which reveal that in all quantiles (10th to 90th), globalization and biomass energy use mitigate environmental degradation, whereas economic growth, natural resources, and gross capital formation contribute to environmental degradation. The present research applied a series of techniques such as panel FMOLS, and DOLS, FE-OLS, the outcomes of which disclosed that globalization and biomass energy utilization help mitigate environmental degradation, while economic growth, natural resources, and gross capital formation improve environmental degradation. On the basis of the study's findings, we suggest a shift in energy policies away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy alternatives by taking measures regarding the innovation of biomass to improve conversion efficiency. © 2022 The Author(s).The author (Hossam M. Zawbaa) thanks the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and Enterprise Ireland for their support under the Marie Sk-odowska-Curie grant agreement No. 847402. The authors thank the support of the National Research and Development Agency of Chile (ANID), ANID/Fondap/15110019

Microbial cell immobilization in biohydrogen production: a short overview

The high dependence on fossil fuels has escalated the challenges of greenhouse gas emissions and energy security. Biohydrogen is projected as a future alternative energy as a result of its non-polluting characteristics, high energy content (122 kJ/g), and economic feasibility. However, its industrial production has been hampered by several constraints such as low process yields and the formation of biohydrogen-competing reactions. This necessitates the search for other novel strategies to overcome this problem. Cell immobilization technology has been in existence for many decades and is widely used in various processes such as wastewater treatment, food technology, and pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, this technology has caught the attention of many researchers within the biohydrogen production field owing to its merits such as enhanced process yields, reduced microbial contamination, and improved homogeneity. In addition, the use of immobilization in biohydrogen production prevents washout of microbes, stabilizes the pH of the medium, and extends microbial activity during continuous processes. In this short review, an insight into the potential of cell immobilization is presented. A few immobilization techniques such as entrapment, adsorption, encapsulation, and synthetic polymers are discussed. In addition, the effects of process conditions on the performance of immobilized microbial cells during biohydrogen production are discussed. Finally, the review concludes with suggestions on improvement of cell immobilization technologies in biohydrogen production

A Roadmap toward Achieving Sustainable Environment: Evaluating the Impact of Technological Innovation and Globalization on Load Capacity Factor

Technological innovations have been a matter of contention, and their environmental consequences remain unresolved. Moreover, studies have extensively evaluated environmental challenges using metrics such as nitrogen oxide emissions, sulfur dioxide, carbon emissions, and ecological footprint. The environment has the supply and demand aspect, which is not a component of any of these indicators. By measuring biocapacity and ecological footprint, the load capacity factor follows a certain ecological threshold, allowing for a thorough study on environmental deterioration. With the reduction in load capacity factor, the environmental deterioration increases. In the context of the environment, the interaction between technological innovation and load capacity covers the demand and supply side of the environment. In light of this, employing the dataset ranging from 1980 to 2017 for the case of South Africa, the bound cointegration test in conjunction with the critical value of Kripfganz and Schneider showed cointegration in the model. The study also employed the ARDL, whose outcome revealed that nonrenewable energy usage and economic growth contribute to environmental deterioration, whereas technological innovation and globalization improve the quality of the environment. This study validated the hypothesis of the environmental Kuznets curve for South Africa, as the short-term coefficient value was lower than the long-term elasticity. Furthermore, using the frequency-domain causality test revealed that globalization and economic growth predict load capacity in the long term, and nonrenewable energy predicts load capacity factors in the long and medium term. In addition, technological innovation predicts load capacity factors in the short and long term. Based on the findings, we propose that policymakers should focus their efforts on increasing funding for the research and development of green technologies. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland