Effects of Fermented Soya Bean Supplements on Serum Insulin and Leptin Levels of High Fat Diet-induced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rabbits

Background: Increase in body fat and obesity are the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus which leads to several complications that affect many organs of the body when poorly controlled. Plant food sources rich in fibre and antioxidants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented soya bean supplements on serum insulin and leptin levels of high fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus in rabbits. Methods: Twenty rabbits of both sexes weighing, 1–2kg were used. Type 2 diabetes was induced by feeding the animals with a high fat diet for eight weeks. Blood glucose levels were determined after the induction period and rabbits having 130 mg/dL and above were selected for the study. The animals were grouped into four groups with five (n=5) rabbits in each group: Group 1 (diabetic control), received distilled water ad libitum for six weeks; Groups 2, 3 and 4 (diabetic rabbits) were fed with 12.5%, 25% and 50% fermented soya bean supplements respectively for a period of six weeks. Fasting blood glucose levels were determined at weekly interval during the treatment period. At the end of the experiment, the rabbits were euthanized by cervical dislocation and blood samples were collected for the determination of insulin, and leptin levels. Data obtained were analysed using ANOVA. Results: The result showed a significant decrease (P≤0.05) in leptin levels (ng/mL) in groups 2, 3 and 4 (11.30 ± 0.20, 9.20 ± 2.06 and 6.40 ± 1.36, respectively) as compared with the control (18.8 ± 1.59). Insulin levels were also decreased in all the treated groups when compared with the control, though not statistically significant, it may be biologically significant. Conclusion: The results of the study show that fermented soya bean supplementation possesses anti-diabetic properties and may help in the control of hyperleptinaemi

A TRUSTED ECOSYSTEM IN AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN WITH TRACEABILITY POTENTIALS OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

The complexity in the Agri-Food Supply Chain (AFSC) has made the traceability of causes of disease difficult in the supply chain. Stakeholders in this supply chain have been adopting centralized systems of traceability that are prone to manipulations and single-point attacks. But as advancement is rapidly driving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), researchers have attempted to apply the potentials of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry. A fundamental component of blockchain is a smart contract which is mostly challenged with the problem of conflict resolution among contracting parties. This paper investigates the phenomenon and proposes a conceptual framework to drive future practical researches in this field. An algorithm was also developed to address the conflict resolution challenges in the supply chain as it was identified to be one of the major challenges causing stakeholders’ skepticism on the acceptability of blockchain technology in AFSC.The complexity in the Agri-Food Supply Chain (AFSC) has made the traceability of causes of disease difficult in the supply chain. Stakeholders in this supply chain have been adopting centralized systems of traceability that are prone to manipulations and single-point attacks. But as advancement is rapidly driving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), researchers have attempted to apply the potentials of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry. A fundamental component of blockchain is a smart contract which is mostly challenged with the problem of conflict resolution among contracting parties. This paper investigates the phenomenon and proposes a conceptual framework to drive future practical researches in this field. An algorithm was also developed to address the conflict resolution challenges in the supply chain as it was identified to be one of the major challenges causing stakeholders’ skepticism on the acceptability of blockchain technology in AFSC

A TRUSTED ECOSYSTEM IN AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN WITH TRACEABILITY POTENTIALS OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

The complexity in the Agri-Food Supply Chain (AFSC) has made the traceability of causes of disease difficult in the supply chain. Stakeholders in this supply chain have been adopting centralized systems of traceability that are prone to manipulations and single-point attacks. But as advancement is rapidly driving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), researchers have attempted to apply the potentials of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry. A fundamental component of blockchain is a smart contract which is mostly challenged with the problem of conflict resolution among contracting parties. This paper investigates the phenomenon and proposes a conceptual framework to drive future practical researches in this field. An algorithm was also developed to address the conflict resolution challenges in the supply chain as it was identified to be one of the major challenges causing stakeholders’ skepticism on the acceptability of blockchain technology in AFSC.The complexity in the Agri-Food Supply Chain (AFSC) has made the traceability of causes of disease difficult in the supply chain. Stakeholders in this supply chain have been adopting centralized systems of traceability that are prone to manipulations and single-point attacks. But as advancement is rapidly driving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), researchers have attempted to apply the potentials of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry. A fundamental component of blockchain is a smart contract which is mostly challenged with the problem of conflict resolution among contracting parties. This paper investigates the phenomenon and proposes a conceptual framework to drive future practical researches in this field. An algorithm was also developed to address the conflict resolution challenges in the supply chain as it was identified to be one of the major challenges causing stakeholders’ skepticism on the acceptability of blockchain technology in AFSC

Effect of Gender on Students’ Academic Performance in Computer Studies in Secondary Schools in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government of Niger State

This research studied the relationship between student’s gender and academic performance in computer science in New Bussa, Borgu local government of Niger state. Questionnaire which consist of 30 multiple-choice items drawn from Senior School Certificate Examination past questions as set by the West Africa Examination Council in 2014 multiple choice past question was used as the research instrument consist. The questionnaire was administered to 275 students from both private and public schools in the study area. The students’ responses were marked and scored, afterward analysed using independent t-test. The results of the study showed that even though the male students had slightly better performance compared to the female students, it was not significant. This better performance was found to be pronounced in the private school which was shown to possess the best male brains found in the study area. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made. Parents are encouraged to provide the right education they can afford for their children irrespective of gender. Also, there should be a deliberate Federal Government policy to encourage absorbance of female students into further study in computer science. Furthermore, it was recommended that stake holders in the education industry should make use of these findings and try to research into ways of making gender sensitive policies. Keywords: Effect, Gender, Academic, Performance, Computer Studies, Secondary School

HPLC profiling conclusively distinguished two important Unani drugs, namely, Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum)

Suranjan (colchicum) is one of the prime drugs used for arthritis in Unani System of Medicine. Two varieties of the drug are available in the market under the name of Suranjan; one is Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and the other is Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum). The two varieties are often confused with each other due to morphological resemblance. So there is a need to set a distinction between these two varieties of Suranjan. For this purpose the marker compound (Total Alkaloid Content) were estimated quantitatively and the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was conducted on both the drugs. 3 g of the powdered drug was extracted in petroleum ether and dissolved in 6 mL of 75% ethanol to yield test sample. Methanol at a flow rate of 1 mL/min was used as a standard. The peaks eluted were detected at 254 nm and compared with the authentic standard at 3.2 min of retention time. The colchicine concentration was found to be higher in Suranjan Talkh (0.21%) as compared to the Suranjan Shirin (0.15%). Therefore the present study offers a phytochemical concentration criterion, namely, colchicine content to distinguish between Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum)

HPLC profiling conclusively distinguished two important Unani drugs, namely, Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum)

170-173Suranjan (colchicum) is one of the prime drugs used for arthritis in Unani System of Medicine. Two varieties of the drug are available in the market under the name of Suranjan; one is Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and the other is Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum). The two varieties are often confused with each other due to morphological resemblance. So there is a need to set a distinction between these two varieties of Suranjan. For this purpose the marker compound (Total Alkaloid Content) were estimated quantitatively and the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was conducted on both the drugs. 3 g of the powdered drug was extracted in petroleum ether and dissolved in 6 mL of 75% ethanol to yield test sample. Methanol at a flow rate of 1 mL/min was used as a standard. The peaks eluted were detected at 254 nm and compared with the authentic standard at 3.2 min of retention time. The colchicine concentration was found to be higher in Suranjan Talkh (0.21%) as compared to the Suranjan Shirin (0.15%). Therefore the present study offers a phytochemical concentration criterion, namely, colchicine content to distinguish between Suranjan Shirin (Colchicum autumnale) and Suranjan Talkh (Colchicum luteum)

Effects of Covid-19 Outbreaks on Demand for Electronic News in New Bussa, Nigeria

The work investigates how the Covid-19 outbreak affects the demand for electronic news before and during the lockdown in New Bussa, a major town in Niger State, one of Nigeria’s 36 political subdivisions. It also explores the adoption of social media channels in disseminating news related to the pandemic. The questionnaire on Google form was distributed to the residents of the town to which 150 of them responded. The results,among others, show that even though there was a higher demand for news in the thick of the pandemic, it was not significant. This outcome does not align with the previous findings that found demand significantly risen in a similar situation. What is more, this finding brings a rethinking of the classical conditioning theory to the table

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Etimolojia ya Majina ya Mahali ya Kaskazini Unguja na Jinsi Yanavyoakisi Utamaduni wa Watu wa Kaskazini Unguja

Utafiti huu ulihusu etimolojia ya majina ya mahali ya Kaskazini Unguja na jinsi yanavyoakisi utamaduni wa watu wa Unguja. Lengo kuu la utafiti huu lilikuwa kuchunguza etimolojia ya majina ya mahali ya Kaskazini Unguja na jinsi yanavyoakisi utamaduni wa watu wa Unguja, lengo hili liligawiwa katika malengo mengine madogo madogo mawili ambayo ni Kueleza asili ya majina ya mahali ya Kaskazini Unguja na Kujadili jinsi majina ya mahali ya kaskazini Unguja yanavyoakisi utamaduni wa watu wa Unguja. Matokeo ya utafiti huu yalikusanywa kwa njia ya hojaji, dodoso na majadiliano, ambapo watafitiwa wapatao 76 wakiwemo wazee 20, vijana 50 na wafanyakazi wa mambo ya kiutamaduni 6 wote hawa walitoa ushirikiano mkubwa katika upatikanaji wa taarifa muhimu ambazo mtafiti alikuwa anazihitaji kutoka kwao. Mtafiti aligundua kwamba majina ya mahali yana asili ambayo ina uhusiano mkubwa na jamii inayohusika, vile vile aligundua kwamba kuna majina ya mahali ambayo yanafanana na majina ya mimea, vyakula, wanyama na hata watu mashuhuri. Halkadhalika mtafiti aligundua kwamba kuna baadhi ya majina yana uhusiano wa moja kwa moja na utamaduni wa jamii husika. Hata hivyo kuna baadhi ya majina ya mahali ambayo yanabadilika kulingana na maendeleo ya sayansi na teknolojia, hivyo kwa watafiti wanaofuatia wanatakiwa wachunguze kwa kina etimolojia ya majina ya mahali yanavyoathiriwa na maendeleo ya Sayansi na Teknolojia

Finite Element Analysis for Single Cell Temperature Measurement Using PZT-Integrated Micro-capacitive Sensor

Analysis at a cellular level is an integral aspect that gives a clear understanding of a single cell’s health condition as well as its internal metabolism. However, the field of genetics revealed nothing on single cell temperature analysis. In this paper, we proposed a noble technique for single cell temperature measurement using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) integrated microcapacitive sensor. The microcapacitive sensor has been modelled numerically and validated based on the current literatures. The sensor has been optimised by using parabolic geometry and integrated with PZT material for optimal separation between the sensor plates without having contact with the cell under investigation. The sensitivity of the PZT material integrated with the sensor was obtained as 0.0729 VmN-1. Similarly, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell has been modelled numerically and validated based on compression test experiment and Kedem-Katchalsky constitutive equation for fluid flow in a cell. 11.0381±0.0057 Nm-1 and 108.9301±0.0084 MPa for stiffness and young’s modules were obtained respectively. The PZT-integrated microcapacitive sensor and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell have been assembled for non-invasive temperature measurement. 0.5416±3.5581×10-3 nF and 0.7582±5.1366×10-3 mFcm-2 were obtained for capacitance and dielectric constant value respectively for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell at normal atmospheric pressure which corresponds to 37 0C when a voltage of 1.0000 mV has been applied to the sensor. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell dielectric constant of 1.5700×10-3±7.500×10-4 mFcm-2 has been obtained for each 5 0C change in temperature. Using the value above and interpolation technique the temperature of any single Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell can be obtained accurately. Temperature plays a vital role for characterising the health condition of the cell. In the future, the technique be a more effective and accurate supplement for the current biochemical method used disease diagnosis at cellular level