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Moringa Oleifera as a Nutraceutical Resource: Nutritional Profile and Its Impact on Broiler Growth Performance
Get PDFMoringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae), a highly valued plant native to tropical and subtropical regions, is renowned for its nutritional and medicinal properties, making it a promising resource for both human and animal nutrition. This review aims to comprehensively evaluate the phytochemistry, climatic adaptability, nutritional profile, and effects of M. oleifera as a feed additive in broiler nutrition, with a focus on its potential as a sustainable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry production. Rich in essential amino acids, vitamins (A, B, C, E), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron), and bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and antioxidants, M. oleifera exhibits significant medicinal and growth-promoting properties. Numerous studies have explored its incorporation into broiler diets in forms such as M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM), leaf powder (MOLP), and fermented leaf (FMOL) at inclusion levels ranging from 1–5%. While findings vary, moderate inclusion levels (1–5%) often improve key growth performance parameters, including body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio, though higher levels may reduce efficacy due to anti-nutritional factors. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed evidence from 2010–2024 to elucidate M. oleifera’s nutritional composition, optimal dietary inclusion, and impact on broiler health and productivity. By highlighting its role as a functional feed additive, this work underscores M. oleifera’s potential to support sustainable, health-promoting strategies in broiler production in the post-AGP era
Evaluation of Iodine Status Among 6–12-Year-Old Children and Iodized Salt Quality in Khogiani District, Afghanistan
Get PDFDespite reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighting iodine deficiency in various regions of Afghanistan, empirical data for the Khogiani district remain scarce, despite clinical signs suggesting its presence. "This study aimed to assess the prevalence of iodine deficiency among children aged 6–12 years and to evaluate the quality of iodized edible salt in the Khogiani District” A cross-sectional community-based and experimental design was employed. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction (spectrophotometric method), while iodine levels in salt samples were determined via iodometric titration. The sample size was calculated using the Cochrane formula, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Participants were selected via convenience sampling. The overall prevalence of iodine deficiency (UIC: 50–99 µg/L) was 13%, with 1.8% of children exhibiting palpable goiter (grades 1–2). The highest deficiency rates were observed in Wazir and Pirakhel villages. Additionally, 75.1% of salt samples had inadequate iodine content (<15 ppm), with powdered salt being particularly unreliable. Mild iodine deficiency persists among children in Khogiani, and a significant proportion of iodized salt fails to meet the required standards. Public health interventions should prioritize stricter salt iodization monitoring and alternative strategies to ensure adequate iodine intake
Assessment of Groundwater Quality in Kabul City: A Case Study of District 15
Get PDFIn Kabul City, groundwater serves as the primary source of drinking water, but these resources are under immense pressure from both natural and human-induced activities. This study aims to assess the quality of drinking water in District 15 of Kabul city through the analysis of 14 groundwater samples, examining physical (electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and temperature), chemical (pH, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, boron, copper, cadmium, lead, manganese, and aluminum), and biological (total and fecal coliform) parameters using the standard method. Findings reveal that several sites exhibit exceedances in key parameters such as electric conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, boron, cadmium, and coliforms exceeding the WHO and ANSA permissible limits, posing significant health risks. To supply safe drinking water for Kabul city residents, it is recommended that future research should assess the groundwater quality across the 22 districts of Kabul city, factoring in seasonal variations over a year.
Natural Radioactivity Levels in Groundwater Sources and Their Health Impact Assessment on the Consumers
Get PDFGroundwater is one of the significant sources of drinkable water in our society today. Groundwater samples were collected from various locations and then prepared for a coaxial high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector for analysis. These studies measured the activity of 232-Th, 226-Ra, and 40-K in groundwater sources; then estimated the total annual effective radiation dose in groundwater and the lifetime cancer risk to the populace. The results show that the mean activity of 40-K from Egbeda, Ipaja, and Ije Ododo is 2.534, 1.713, and 1.931 Bq/l, respectively. These values were higher than the mean activity of 232-Th, which was 0.342, 0.364, and 0.402 Bq/l for Egbeda, Ipaja, and Ije Ododo, respectively. The mean activity of 226-Ra from Egbeda, Ipaja, and Ije Ododo is 1.191, 0.735, and 0.490 Bq/l, respectively. Hence, the mean total effective doses from Ipaja are 0.218 μSv/year for adults, 0.246 μSv/year for children, and 0.219 μSv/year for infants. In adults, the annual effective radiation doses were highest in EG1, with a value of 0.429 μSv/year, and EG4 had a value of 0.455 μSv/year. PA4 had a value of 0.344 μSv/year, and the lowest was recorded from JE3, with a value of 0.076 μSv/year. The obtained values were lower in Ipaja and Ije Ododo; this may not pose any significant health problems. Samples from Egbeda show significantly higher values of annual effective dose and may pose health problems for the consumers in the long term due to bioaccumulatio
Effects of Citric Acid Powder Supplementation on Feed Intake and Feed Conversion Ratio in Broiler Chickens
Get PDFThe experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of citric acid powder on feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in Ross 308 broiler chicks. A total of 48 broiler chicks, with an average initial body weight of 42 ± 4.2 grams, were used in a completely randomized design (CRD). The birds were divided into four groups, with three replicates per group. The control (G1) was fed a basal diet without citric acid supplementation. Group 2 (G2) (basal diet + 0.25% citric acid), Group 3 (G3) (basal diet + 0.50% citric acid), and Group 4 (G4) (basal diet + 0.75% citric acid) were provided with drinking water, and birds were given feed and water ad libitum. The trial lasted for 35 days. During the experimental period, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded and analysed. Data analysis was conducted using Statistica 9. The results demonstrated that the various levels of citric acid had different impacts on improving both feed intake and FCR. Among the treatments, G4 exhibited the most favorable effects on the measured parameters, increasing (P˂0.01) the average total dry matter intake (12,265.87) relative to the control (11,929.68) and, though not statistically, numerically reducing the feed conversion ratio (1.33) compared with the control (1.37). Based on these findings, Citric acid supplementation at 0.75% may serve as a natural alternative to synthetic antibiotic growth promoters in broilers. These findings may support poultry production in Afghanistan and similar regions
Application of Different Levels of Humic Acid on Two Cotton Varieties and Its Effects on Yield Quantity and Quality under the Agro-Climatic Conditions of Balkh Province
No full textTo determine the maximum yield performance of different levels of humic acid on two cotton varieties (Sanroof 1155 and Sanroof 610), a field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and four treatments: (R1T0), (R2T0), (R3T0) as the control (without humic acid), (R1T1), (R2T1), (R3T1) with the recommended dose (5 L/ha), (R1T2), (R2T2), (R3T2) with 1.5 times the recommended dose (7.5 L/ha), and (R1T3), (R2T3), (R3T3) with double the recommended dose (10 L/ha). Data related to growth, yield components. The measured parameters included: number of bolls per plant, plant height, 50% flowering date, seed cotton yield (kg/ha), 100-seed weight (g), and fiber length and strength (mm). In Sanroof 1155, the highest growth performance was observed in plant height (168 cm in R1T0), number of bolls per plant (85 bolls in R3T3), 100-seed weight (13.4 g in R3T3), seed cotton yield (2700 kg/ha in R3T3), and fiber strength (35 mm in R2T3), showing significant improvement. In Sanroof 610, the highest values were observed in plant height (146 cm in R1T0), number of bolls per plant (34 bolls in R3T3), 100-seed weight (15.94 g in R2T3), seed cotton yield (2271 kg/ha in R2T3), and fiber strength (34 mm in R3T3), also indicating significant enhancement. The results revealed that the third treatment (10 L/ha of humic acid) led to the most notable improvements, with Sanroof 1155 performing best, followed by Sanroof 610 under the agro-climatic conditions of Balkh province.
Effects of Aqueous and Alcoholic Extracts of Russian Knapweed on Cutaneous Wound Healing Process in Rabbits
Get PDFSeveral drugs and natural products are used to treat wounds. However, ranchers in Afghanistan do not have enough access to Veterinary services (medicine). On the other hand, medicine is expensive. In this case, the best option is homemade drugs made from medicinal plants. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of the Aqueous and Alcoholic extracts of Russian Knapweed on the cutaneous wound-healing process in rabbits. Twenty-five local rabbits were used in this experiment and were randomly divided into five groups: control, 5% aqueous extract, 10% Aqueous extract, 5% alcoholic extract, and 10% Alcoholic extract. At first, all rabbits were clinically examined. The wound area was surgically prepared, and after induction of local anesthesia, a 15mm x 15mm incision was made on the back part of all rabbits. The Russian Knapweed extracts were made using the maceration method. After the wounds were created, the ointments were applied twice a day. Measurement of the wound area was done using a ruler on days 1st, 4th, seventh, 10th, 13th, and 16th of wound creation. 5% Aqueous and Alcoholic Russian Knapweed had a significantly (p<0.05) greater effect on wound healing on days 4, 7, and 16 compared to the control group. Meanwhile, the 10% Aqueous group results were also significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control group on days 7 and 16. The results of this experiment suggest that Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Russian Knapweed have healing effects on the cutaneous wound-healing process in rabbits.
Impact of Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) on Growth, Quality and Yield of Eggplants
Get PDFThe present investigation was conducted to study the effect of Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) on the growth, quality, and yield of eggplants. The research was conducted at the Agriculture Research farm of Kabul University from April to September 2024. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and five treatments was employed: T1 (40 ppm), T2 (50 ppm), T3 (60 ppm), T4 (70 ppm), and T5 (Control). Data were collected on various growth parameters, fruit quality traits, and yield components. The recorded data were analyzed using the Statistical Tools for Agricultural Research (STAR) software. Results showed that NAA significantly enhanced eggplant growth, yield, and quality. T1 (40 ppm NAA) had the highest plant height (73.73 cm), branch number (9.20), leaf count (97), and leaf area (235.75 cm²), while the control group had the lowest values. T1 also produced the longest fruit (23.87 cm), largest diameter (4.21 cm), highest weight (186.67 g), and most fruits per plant (10.11). Similarly, T1 yielded the highest per plant (1.31 kg) and per hectare (41.9 metric tons), whereas the control recorded the lowest. Post-harvest results indicated no significant difference in shelf life. T1 had the best fruit appearance, texture, and flavor, with the highest overall acceptability (Like Moderately), while the control had the least (Neither Like nor Dislike). The results can be concluded that spraying eggplants with 40 ppm Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) at two stages (50% flowering and 20 days after the first application) can significantly improve their growth, quality, and yield. Farmers can spray this concentration of NAA to achieve vigorous growth, higher yield, and improved fruit quality
Cancer Treatment Using Neutron Capture with Boron: Comparing the Effectiveness of Neutron Energy Generating Sources
Get PDFCancer treatment with neutron radiation is a significant scientific advancement. Neutrons are produced through nuclear fission in reactors, nuclear reactions in accelerators and neutron generators, and are also emitted by radioisotopes. The purpose of this article is to review and compare neutron sources obtained from various natural and artificial sources/methods; they can be used in the treatment of various diseases, especially cancers, in a therapeutic technique known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), which, like proton accelerators, relies on external neutron sources, but with enhanced characteristics, can serve as a promising method for treatment. The results show that whenever hyperthermal and fast neutrons are produced, neutron modulators can be used to convert them into thermal neutrons. In conclusion, given the operational advantages of accelerators—such as no radiation emission when turned off, ease of adjustment, lower cost, compact size, and higher safety—they are more suitable than other sources for medical applications
Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate (ZnSO₄·H₂O) Toxicity in Medaka Embryos: Impacts of Water Type on Lethal Concentration
Get PDFZinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) is widely used in industrial and agricultural applications; however, its release into the environment raises concerns about its potential toxicity to the aquatic ecosystem. This study assesses the acute toxicity of zinc sulfate monohydrate (ZnSO₄·H₂O) on Javanese medaka (Oryzias javanicus) embryos by examining mortality across three water types: pure water, deionized water, and dechlorinated tap water. Embryos were exposed to ZnSO₄ concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 mg/L for 96 hours, with mortality recorded at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. Mortality increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with no deaths observed in control groups. Toxicity was highest in pure water (LC₅₀ = 0.6676 mg/L), followed by dechlorinated tap water (LC₅₀ = 0.9583 mg/L), and lowest in deionized water (LC₅₀ = 1.021 mg/L). Water chemistry significantly influences ZnSO₄ toxicity, as ionic composition affects zinc uptake and its toxic effects. These results underscore the importance of site-specific water quality assessments in aquatic risk assessments. Further studies on long-term sublethal effects and metal bioaccumulation are needed to improve ecotoxicological risk assessments