Studies on Antioxidant Activities of Papaya (Carica papaya) and Pineapple (Ananas cosmosus) Fruits Using Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power and Rancimat Methods

Most health-benefits of fruits and vegetables have often been attributed to their antioxidant contents. This paper reports attempts made to look into the antioxidant activities of papaya (Carica papaya) and pineapple (Ananas cosmosus) fruits purchased from fruit shops in Bahir Dar City, North-West Ethiopia, using ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and Rancimat methods. The antioxidant activity of the fruits found in the FRAP assay is expressed in terms of μg of ascorbic acid (AA) equivalent per gram of edible flesh part of ripen fresh fruit while that found in the Rancimat method is expressed in terms of protection factor. The FRAP value of papaya fruit (13.6 μg AA/g sample) was found to be higher than that of pineapple fruit (8.6 μg/g AA /g sample). Similarly the protection factor of papaya (1.103) was found to be greater than that of pineapple fruit (1.036). In both the assays employed, it is seen that both papaya and pineapple fruits do exhibit antioxidant properties with the former showing greater reducing power. Keywords: Antioxidants, Antioxidant capacity, Oxidative stress, Ferric-ion reducing antioxidant power, Rancimat metho

Towards Mainstreaming Environmental Impact Assessment into Housing Development Projects in Ethiopia: The Case of Koye-Feche Condominium Housing Development Project, Addis Ababa

Linking environmental impact assessment (EIA) and infrastructure development projects as a result of rapid urbanization reveals serious environmental problems in cities and towns of developing countries like Ethiopia. Ecological infrastructure is as vital as physical infrastructure for the functioning of the economy – a path that can meet both long-term economic and environmental imperatives. The city government of Addis Ababa has planned to address urban housing challenges strategically with the help of National Integrated Urban Housing Development Plan along with other plans. Koye-Feche Local Development and Neighborhood project is believed to have significant contribution for the realization of the vision of Addis Ababa Housing Agency. This study employed secondary and primary methods of data collection like focus group discussion, key informant interview, and field observations. The collected data were analyzed both qualitatively (narration and descriptions) and quantitatively (application of SPSS, ArcGIS, and ERDAS IMAGINE). The possible negative environmental impacts of the project identified were: land use change, evection of indigenous farmers, soil erosion, cutting of trees, degradation of soil resources,  health risk  to humans and animals, landslide, spread of malaria, fuel gas emission, air pollution, noise pollution, dust pollution, soil and water pollution, risk/injury to workers, soil compaction, disruption of natural water ways, ground and surface water pollution, spilling of grease, residual materials,  soil disturbance, and disturbance of the landscape, water harvesting infrastructure resulting in mosquito breeding and hazardous environment for children, traffic congestion in pick time, Solid waste, liquid waste, Increased urban heat island, and increased number of population. Appropriate mitigation measures are required to reduce the aforementioned possible negative impacts of condominium housing projects in Ethiopia. Keywords: Development; hazard; Housing; Impact; mitigation; planning; urba

Applications of molecular markers in Genetic Diversity Studies of maize

Molecular markers are efficient for exploiting variations in genotypes as they are not influenced by environmental factors and also speed up breeding programs. They are used to detect large numbers of distinct divergence between genotypes at the DNA level. Genetic diversity study helps to estimate the relationship between inbred lines to make the best hybrid combinations. Lines which are clustered in different heterotic groups are considered as the best hybrid combinations to carry out further breeding activities. Molecular markers are used to meet a number of objectives, including genetic diversity analysis and prediction of hybrid performances in divergent crop species. Agro-morphological and molecular markers have been utilized to study genetic diversity so far. In maize, the uses of molecular markers are important for the evaluation of genetic diversity of inbred lines and in clustering them into heterotic groups. These markers determine genetic similarity of the lines and are used to assess the genetic diversity of maize. Molecular markers have proven valuable for genetic diversity analysis of many crop species and genetically diverse lines are important to improve hybrid breeding. Keyword: Molecular marker; Genetic diversity; Genetic variation, Diversity Array technology; cluster analysi

Powerful Words: An Exploration of Linguistic Hierarchy in Moroccan Hospitals

Morocco is a country of distinct diversity, which exists as a result of the settling of multiple peoples and European colonization. As a result of this diversity, many languages are employed in different settings and spaces, and of these languages, French represents remnants of colonialism and continual elitism in the country. One of the spheres that French commands in Moroccan society is medicine, which creates a dichotomy between the educated health care providers and the underprivileged patients in public hospitals. The aim of this paper is to explore the effect of French on the doctor-patient relationship in urban, public Moroccan hospitals. Through secondary research and personal interviews, it will outline the understanding of the language situation in hospitals from the point of view of both the doctors and the patients, describe the effect of French on patients’ understanding of healthcare, and explore the impact of French on patients’ agency within the medical system. Ultimately, this paper aims to shed light on the intersections of culture, history, and medicine in order to explore avenues for process

Genetic Contributions To Thoracic Aortic Disease

AimsThoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections are significant yet under-recognized threats in cardiovascular health, often remaining undetected until catastrophic events occur. This study aims to explore the genetic landscape of thoracic aortic diseases, focusing on genetic mutations contributing to thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and dissection. It also seeks to refine the size criteria for surgical intervention in TAA, aiding clinicians in decision-making and improving patient outcomes. MethodsThe study employed a comprehensive literature review, focusing on the genetic aspects of thoracic aortic diseases. In addition to a systematic MEDLINE search, the investigation used the Genomics England PanelApp to identify genes associated with TAA and dissection. This research builds on the work of Dr. John Elefteriades and the Yale Aortic Institute published in 2019 which incorporated updated size criteria for surgical interventions based on type of genetic mutation. ResultsThe investigation expands the genetic landscape understanding of TAA, identifying 68 genes with different levels of association through the Genomics England PanelApp. Among these, thirty-three genes have a strong association ( green designation), five are of moderate concern ( amber ), and thirty have a lesser-known impact ( red ). Additionally, the research proposes a shift in size criteria for surgical interventions, specifically a “left shift” in thresholds, particularly for genes related to Loeys-Dietz syndrome and others. ConclusionsThis study highlights the evolving genetic complexity in thoracic aortic diseases. Several new genetic variants with strong associations to TAA have been identified, necessitating updates in genetic screening panels. The research also emphasizes the change in size criteria for surgical intervention, advocating for a more proactive approach in managing TAAs. Future research should continue exploring genetic contributors, reevaluating genes with medium or weak associations, and refining intervention criteria based on non-size factors. This advanced genetic understanding of TAA and dissection offers a nuanced perspective, paving the way for improved patient management and outcomes in thoracic aortic diseases

Impacts of land use cover change, cropland expansion and climate change on the potential of yield and production in Ethiopia, Gambella Region

The Ethiopian Constitution asserts state ownership of land. There are no private property rights in land – it is the common property of the people of Ethiopia; however, the state may allocate small plots of land to farmers. Since the 1990s, the government has formulated a long-term economic development strategy called Agriculture Development Led Industrialization (ADLI), which is its overarching policy response to Ethiopia’s food security and agricultural productivity challenge. The strategy focuses primarily on the expansion of large-scale commercial farms and improved productivity in smallholdings. The Ethiopian government identified Gambella region as one of the regions in Ethiopia suitable for agricultural investments, and classified most parts of the area as under-utilized, having a huge potential for agriculture production. However, the unintegrated plan on large-scale land acquisition has caused tremendous environmental devastation in the region, including deforestation, biodiversity depletion, and the draining of wetlands. There are several issues that need to be addressed in depth for a future, sustainable development. This thesis, however, will focus mainly on three aspects: (1) examining the rate, extent and distribution of various land-use land-cover changes (LULCC) in Gambella Regional State and looking at the expansion of farmland and different farming intensities in the region; (2) estimating the magnitude and extent of the intensification potential of the key Gambella cereal crops (maize and sorghum) and seeking to identify potential cropland expansion areas in the region; and (3) investigating the impacts of future climate change on potential crop yields, with maize as an exemplar, under climate change scenarios in Gambella, Ethiopia. 1) In the last three decades (1987–2017), the rate, extent and distribution of various LULCC in Gambella has depended on three main factors: resettlement, population growth and increasing agricultural land pressure. All three factors contribute to LULCC in the region. An LULCC analysis was conducted, based on Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2A satellite images and fieldwork. The results show that farmland decreased by 26km2 from 1987–2000; however, during the last two decades, agricultural land area increased by 599km2, mainly at the cost of tropical grasslands and forests. The results also show that tropical grasslands declined by 17.76% from 1987–2017. Gambella National Park, which is the nation’s largest national park and ecosystem, was also affected by cropland expansion. 2) Over the past few decades, population growth has aggravated rapid agricultural land expansion and intensification in the region. As a result, the Ethiopian government has used agricultural intensification and cropland expansion as the key policies to increase food production in Ethiopia. Although Gambella is one of the regions in Ethiopia that is highly suitable for agriculture, the local people still face food shortages. Thus, to understand the potential food production of the region, the biophysical process-based model PROMET (Process of Radiation Mass and Energy Transfer) was run for the Gambella region on both the actual and all potentially suitable cropland for six selected scenarios (different degrees of intensification, ranging from low-input rainfed to high-input irrigated agriculture and degrees of expansion, considering the best 30% or 50% of land to be utilized for expansion) for the period 1997–2017, with a spatial raster grid of 30 arc seconds (approx. 940 × 940m) resolution,to provide information on potential crop yields. Land-use scenarios of agricultural intensification and expansion results reveal that Gambella could serve as a bread basket for the entire country, which could improve national food production. The potential calorie production in the potential area of the region by far exceeds the current and possible future caloric requirements of Gambella’s population. For instance, for the top 50% expansion scenario, calorie production increased by +428% for the low input scenario and by +1,092% for the high-input scenario, compared to the reference calorie crop production of the region. By assuming a daily diet of 2,200 kcal/cap/day, Gambella region’s calorie production in high-input scenarios could nourish up to 21 million people, thus improving national food production. 3) Unintegrated large-scale agricultural investment, inappropriate cropland expansion, poor intensification and changing climate conditions have caused tremendous impacts on agricultural production. In the region, temperature increase, changing soil water availability and atmospheric CO2 concentration have different effects on the simulated yield potential, and the results demonstrate that the dominance of heat response under future climate conditions is contributing to 85% of changes in total yields. For the Gambella region, on today’s cropland and to the best (in terms of highest potential yields) 50% expansion area, under rainfed and irrigated conditions, climate change impacts on yields until 2100 for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 from a climate model ensemble show that rainfed yields will decrease by 15% and 14% respectively for RCPs 2.6 and 4.5, and that yields will decrease by up to 32% under RCP 8.5. Irrigated maize yield decreases by 4.3%, 23.0% and 44.5% under RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5, respectively, for same period. While higher temperature determines the phenological progress of crops and decreases the growing period of maize by up to 23 days under rainfed agriculture, temperature stress also reduces the rate of photosynthesis. We show that temperature stress is mainly responsible for yield reduction under future climate conditions in the Gambella region. Therefore, new varieties with higher growing degree days are primarily required for the region in order to adapt to future climate conditions. To sum up, the thesis shows the intricacies between LULCC, potential yield production and future impact of climate change on the potential food production in the region. Gambella region is still far away from a terminal stage of human interference. This opens up the chances to develop and implement policies to ensure the sustainable future agriculture development of the region

Impacts of land use cover change, cropland expansion and climate change on the potential of yield and production in Ethiopia, Gambella Region

The Ethiopian Constitution asserts state ownership of land. There are no private property rights in land – it is the common property of the people of Ethiopia; however, the state may allocate small plots of land to farmers. Since the 1990s, the government has formulated a long-term economic development strategy called Agriculture Development Led Industrialization (ADLI), which is its overarching policy response to Ethiopia’s food security and agricultural productivity challenge. The strategy focuses primarily on the expansion of large-scale commercial farms and improved productivity in smallholdings. The Ethiopian government identified Gambella region as one of the regions in Ethiopia suitable for agricultural investments, and classified most parts of the area as under-utilized, having a huge potential for agriculture production. However, the unintegrated plan on large-scale land acquisition has caused tremendous environmental devastation in the region, including deforestation, biodiversity depletion, and the draining of wetlands. There are several issues that need to be addressed in depth for a future, sustainable development. This thesis, however, will focus mainly on three aspects: (1) examining the rate, extent and distribution of various land-use land-cover changes (LULCC) in Gambella Regional State and looking at the expansion of farmland and different farming intensities in the region; (2) estimating the magnitude and extent of the intensification potential of the key Gambella cereal crops (maize and sorghum) and seeking to identify potential cropland expansion areas in the region; and (3) investigating the impacts of future climate change on potential crop yields, with maize as an exemplar, under climate change scenarios in Gambella, Ethiopia. 1) In the last three decades (1987–2017), the rate, extent and distribution of various LULCC in Gambella has depended on three main factors: resettlement, population growth and increasing agricultural land pressure. All three factors contribute to LULCC in the region. An LULCC analysis was conducted, based on Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2A satellite images and fieldwork. The results show that farmland decreased by 26km2 from 1987–2000; however, during the last two decades, agricultural land area increased by 599km2, mainly at the cost of tropical grasslands and forests. The results also show that tropical grasslands declined by 17.76% from 1987–2017. Gambella National Park, which is the nation’s largest national park and ecosystem, was also affected by cropland expansion. 2) Over the past few decades, population growth has aggravated rapid agricultural land expansion and intensification in the region. As a result, the Ethiopian government has used agricultural intensification and cropland expansion as the key policies to increase food production in Ethiopia. Although Gambella is one of the regions in Ethiopia that is highly suitable for agriculture, the local people still face food shortages. Thus, to understand the potential food production of the region, the biophysical process-based model PROMET (Process of Radiation Mass and Energy Transfer) was run for the Gambella region on both the actual and all potentially suitable cropland for six selected scenarios (different degrees of intensification, ranging from low-input rainfed to high-input irrigated agriculture and degrees of expansion, considering the best 30% or 50% of land to be utilized for expansion) for the period 1997–2017, with a spatial raster grid of 30 arc seconds (approx. 940 × 940m) resolution,to provide information on potential crop yields. Land-use scenarios of agricultural intensification and expansion results reveal that Gambella could serve as a bread basket for the entire country, which could improve national food production. The potential calorie production in the potential area of the region by far exceeds the current and possible future caloric requirements of Gambella’s population. For instance, for the top 50% expansion scenario, calorie production increased by +428% for the low input scenario and by +1,092% for the high-input scenario, compared to the reference calorie crop production of the region. By assuming a daily diet of 2,200 kcal/cap/day, Gambella region’s calorie production in high-input scenarios could nourish up to 21 million people, thus improving national food production. 3) Unintegrated large-scale agricultural investment, inappropriate cropland expansion, poor intensification and changing climate conditions have caused tremendous impacts on agricultural production. In the region, temperature increase, changing soil water availability and atmospheric CO2 concentration have different effects on the simulated yield potential, and the results demonstrate that the dominance of heat response under future climate conditions is contributing to 85% of changes in total yields. For the Gambella region, on today’s cropland and to the best (in terms of highest potential yields) 50% expansion area, under rainfed and irrigated conditions, climate change impacts on yields until 2100 for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 from a climate model ensemble show that rainfed yields will decrease by 15% and 14% respectively for RCPs 2.6 and 4.5, and that yields will decrease by up to 32% under RCP 8.5. Irrigated maize yield decreases by 4.3%, 23.0% and 44.5% under RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5, respectively, for same period. While higher temperature determines the phenological progress of crops and decreases the growing period of maize by up to 23 days under rainfed agriculture, temperature stress also reduces the rate of photosynthesis. We show that temperature stress is mainly responsible for yield reduction under future climate conditions in the Gambella region. Therefore, new varieties with higher growing degree days are primarily required for the region in order to adapt to future climate conditions. To sum up, the thesis shows the intricacies between LULCC, potential yield production and future impact of climate change on the potential food production in the region. Gambella region is still far away from a terminal stage of human interference. This opens up the chances to develop and implement policies to ensure the sustainable future agriculture development of the region

Assessing land use and land cover changes and agricultural farmland expansions in Gambella Region, Ethiopia, using Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2a multispectral data

The pace of change in land use and cover in Ethiopia depends on three main factors that cause pressure on agriculture land: resettlement programmes, population growth and increasing agricultural investments. Gambella is one of the regions of Ethiopia that attracts large-scale agricultural investments that extensively drive land use and cover changes in the region. The aim of this study is to examine the rate, extent and distribution of various land use and cover changes in Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia, from 1987 to 2017. The analysis is mainly based on Landsat 5 and Sentinel 2A satellite images and fieldwork. Two Landsat Thematic Mapper and a Sentinel 2A image were used for determining the maximum likelihood of land use/cover classification. The results show that farmland decreased by 26 km(2) from 1987 to 2000;however, during the last two decades, agricultural land area increased by 599 km(2), mainly at the cost of tropical grasslands and forests. We found that areas cultivated by smallholder farmers increased by 9.17% from 1987 to 2000. However, small-scale farm activities decreased by 7% from 2000 to 2017. Areas cultivated by large-scale state farms totalled 202 km(2) in 1987;but by 2000, this large-scale state farming had been completely abandoned by the state, and as a result, its land use has decreased to zero. Despite this, in 2017 large-scale farming increased to 746 km(2). In addition, Gambella National Park, which is the nation's largest national park and ecosystem, was also largely affected by Land Use and Land Cover changes. The conversion of savannah/tropical grasslands to agricultural farmland has caused varied and extensive environmental degradation to the park. The Land Use and Land Cover changes in the Gambella region are discussed on the basis of underlying socioeconomic factors

Yield response of tef (Eragrostis tef) to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur under balanced fertilization on Vertisols in different agroecological zones of Ethiopia

Nutrient deficiency is a major constraint in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) production in Ethiopia. In the past, a blanket recommendation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers has been applied regardless of the diversity of agroecological zones and soil types. As crop responses declined with widespread deficiencies of nutrients, farmers have lost interest in applying the recommended fertilizer rates. The present study was conducted with the objective of quantifying the response of tef to different rates of N, P, potassium (K) and sulphur (S) fertilizers under balanced application of the nutrients other than the one under investigation. In each region, the same set of trials was implemented on farmers’ fields for three years. All trials were implemented on Vertisols across four agroecological zones (AEZs). The treatments were seven rates of N, six rates each of P and S and eight rates of K with a basal application of zinc (Zn) and boron (B). The results showed that the most limiting nutrient is N followed by P in each agroecological zone on the Vertisols. There was clear evidence of increases in grain yield with increasing rates of N and P, but the responses to K and S rates did not follow clear trends across AEZs. With balanced application of the other nutrients, 23–92 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 11–92%, while 10–40 kg P ha−1 increased yields by 12–33% over the control in the different AEZs. Based on results from dose–response models, it is concluded that the agronomic optimum rates for tef production are 69 kg N, 20 kg P, 30 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the cool sub-moist mid-highlands and the tepid sub-humid mid highlands; 92 kg N, 30 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in tepid moist mid highlands but 69 kg N, 10 kg P, 15 kg K and 10 kg S ha−1 in the tepid sub-moist mid highlands. On Vertisols not covered by this study, these recommendations should be subject to appropriate soil and plant analysis. We also recommend further studies on the nutrient requirement of tef on other soil types and AEZs

Influence of Nano-/Microfiller Addition on Mechanical and Morphological Performance of Kenaf/Glass Fibre-Reinforced Hybrid Composites

Natural-based composite’s progress as carriers has revealed many benefits in biomedicine, notably in the construction field, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering. Compared to analogous composites without nanoparticles, incorporating nanoparticles into polymeric materials improved architectural performance, physiological connections, and ecological features. The major goal of the current investigation is to determine the impact of nano-/micro-TiO2 on the mechanical characteristics of kenaf/glass/epoxy hybrids. The samples have been created using a hand layup method and a variety of filler loading and stacking sequences. The addition of nano-/microfiller significantly improved the mechanical performance of the epoxy/hybrid composite material. It was discovered that nanofiller-added composite materials fared better when composites were compared to and without microfilter-added composites. SEM was used to investigate the microstructure of the interfaces to ensure a good understanding of interfacial adherence between the reinforcement and their matrix. Compared to pure epoxy resin, the 15 wt% of microfiller additions of glass-kenaf-kenaf-glass type composites exhibit a 39.48% improvement in tensile and a 42.88% improvement in flexural. Similarly, 5 wt% nanofiller addition reveals a 44.214% improvement in tensile and a 50.50% improvement in flexural