Asian Journal of Advances in Research
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Antihyperlipidemic Potential of Scoparia dulcis Leaf Aqueous Extract in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats
No full textThis study was to investigate the anti-hyperlipidemic potential of aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis in alloxan induced wistar albino rat. Diabetes mostly results from abnormal insulin synthesis and it negatively affects the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, electrolytes, and water. Scoparia dulcis is a medicinal plant that exert its antihyperlipidemic effect by reducing the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver, lowering the absorption of lipids from the intestine, and potentially increasing the breakdown of lipids in addition to its antidiabetic effect. The aqueous extract of the leaf was obtained by immersing the leaf in distilled water at 500g in 1500 litres of water for 24 hours. The acute toxicity was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, nine animals were grouped into three of three rats per group and administered 10ml of normal saline, 100 and 1000 mg/kg of aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis orally and monitored for twenty-four hours for signs of toxicity like, tremor, restlessness, dizziness and death. In the second phase, 10 groups (IV-XIII) of one rat each were given oral dose of aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis at 750, 1000. 1250, 1500, 1750, 2000, 2250, 2500, 3500 and 5000 mg/kg respectively and monitored for twenty-four hours for signs of toxicity. The result revealed that the administration of the extract of Scoparia dulcis orally in rats did not produce any behavioural sign of toxicity, there was no death recorded at all the doses tested up to 5000 mg /kg in the rats. The analysis of variance result of the 11 days lipid profile study revealed that the group of rats treated with the aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis revealed that there was a non-significant reduction (p>0.05) in Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and High-density lipoprotein (HDL) when compared with the diabetic untreated group. Thus, this research revealed that the aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis has antilipidemic effects and holds potential as an alternative therapy for its management
Assessing Economic Efficiency and Key Determinants of Dairy Enterprises in Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia
No full textThis study examines economic efficiency and its determinant factors in dairy enterprises in the Hadiya Zone, Central Ethiopia. A total of 212 enterprises were selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. Economic efficiency was estimated, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric model called stochastic frontier model. The findings indicate that the overall average enterprises economic efficiency (EE), score of total sampled enterprises obtained from stochastic frontier model result was 36.16% (it were 36.88% for micro level enterprises and 37.34%, for small level enterprises) respectively. The result of the study confirms that the EE of total sampled enterprises were statistically and significantly determined by number of employee, amount of initial capital, access to market, access to infrastructure and access to credit at different levels of significance. Moreover, EE of micro level enterprises were also found to be statistically and significantly influenced by number of employee, amount of initial capital, access to consultancy service, sex of manager and access to premises in the study area at different levels of significance. Furthermore, the EE of small level enterprises were statistically and significantly affected by education level, number of employee, experience of manager, access to training, access to infrastructure and access to credit at different levels of significance in the study area. These results carry important implications for enhancing the performance of dairy enterprises and guiding policy decisions in the area of enterprises
Advances in Weaning Strategies for Fishes: A Review of Recent Research and Developments
No full textWeaning is a critical phase in aquaculture that marks the transition of fish larvae from live feed to artificial or formulated diets. This process is not only essential for improving the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of hatchery operations but also for ensuring uniform growth and reducing dependence on live feed cultures, which are often inconsistent in nutritional value and labour-intensive to maintain. Traditional weaning methods rely heavily on live feeds such as rotifers and Artemia, which, despite their benefits, present issues related to nutritional inadequacy and microbial contamination. In recent years, innovative weaning strategies have emerged, including the development of microdiets, nanoencapsulated feeds, and enzyme-enriched formulations that cater to the physiological needs of developing larvae. Furthermore, the integration of probiotics, prebiotics, and immunostimulants has enhanced gut health and immunity during the transition phase. Technological advances in feed processing, such as cold extrusion and spray drying, have improved nutrient stability and feed acceptability. Looking ahead, future research is expected to focus on species-specific nutritional programming, precision feeding, and the use of alternative sustainable ingredients to optimize larval health and growth. These advancements collectively aim to improve survival rates, feed efficiency, and the overall success of larval rearing in aquaculture
The Effect of Organic Acid Treatment on Some Chemical Indicators of Several Varieties of Wild and Cultivated Saffron (Crocus sp.)
No full textThe research carried out in Banias-Syria during the agricultural season 2023/2024 and in the scientific research laboratory affiliated to the Department of Field Crops at the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Tishreen University to study the effect of treatment with organic acids (humic and fulvic) at concentrations (0, 25, and 50 mg/L) on some chemical indicators of cultivated and wild saffron. Saffron corms (Iranian, Spanish, Abu Reiha, yellow wild) were planted according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Some chemical indicators were measured: chlorophyll and carotenoid content (μg/gFw), content of sugars in leaves and corms (%), content of active components crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal (μg/g). The results showed the positive effect of organic acid treatment where the concentration (50 mg/L) outperformed the control and the treatment with concentration (25 mg/L) in all studied traits and characteristics and for all varieties. The plants of the Spanish variety treated with concentration (50 mg/L) excelled in the traits (carotenoid content (μg/gFw), content of sugars in corms (%), crocin content (μg/g)), reaching (157.608 μg/g - 4.742% - 186.006 μg/g) respectively. Meanwhile, the plants of the Iranian variety treated with concentration (50 mg/L) excelled in the following characteristics (chlorophyll content (μg/gFw), picrocrocin (μg/g), and safranal (μg/g)), reaching (1262.312 μg/g - 63.218 μg/g - 63.676 μg/g) respectively. The yellow wild variety gave the highest content of sugars in leaves reaching (5.042%). Therefore, we recommend using the concentration (50 mg/L) for treating saffron with organic acids through irrigation during the growth season
Adaptation Strategies for Climate-Resilient Housing in Ayetoro Coastal Community, Ondo State, Nigeria: An Empirical Study
No full textBackground: Coastal communities in Nigeria are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with serious consequences for housing quality, safety, and livelihoods. Ayetoro, a small coastal settlement in Ondo State, has experienced frequent climate-related hazards over the past decade, prompting residents to adopt various coping and adaptation measures to protect their homes and way of life.
Aims: This study examines the various strategies employed by residents of Ayetoro to mitigate the effects of climate change on their residential buildings. It also assesses the effectiveness of these strategies and proposes practical, culturally appropriate frameworks to enhance housing resilience within the community.
Study Design: The study employed a mixed-methods, cross-sectional, and inferential design. The non-response rate was 7.1%, and this research achieved a 92.9% success rate. However, the analyses were conducted using counts, simple percentages, bar charts, pie charts, funnel charts, cross-tabulations, t-tests, Analysis of variance, chi-square tests, relative risk, and relative effectiveness indices, employing two statistical tools: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The results show that residents have adopted a variety of adaptation strategies, such as elevating house foundations, reinforcing roofs, relocating homes, using locally available resilient materials, and organising community-led flood control initiatives. While these measures have offered some protection, their long-term effectiveness is hindered by limited financial resources, technical challenges, and weak institutional support.
Methodology: The study data was gathered using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire, sectioned into three different parts. The 27 instruments of the questionnaire had a Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient of 0.878. Therefore, with a projected population of 33,173 and using the sample size calculator, a sample size of 379 is required to achieve a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error. The following hypotheses were tested: 1. There is no significant difference in climate-related impacts, such as increased indoor temperatures, across building foundations in Ayetoro from 2012 to 2022. 2. There is no significant difference in vulnerability to permanent flooding across building locations (dry land vs. swampy land) in Ayetoro from 2012 to 2022. 3. There is no significant difference in vulnerability to climate-related impacts, such as soil erosion due to increased rainfall, across different building ages in Ayetoro from 2012 to 2022.
Results: The results show that residents have adopted a variety of adaptation strategies, such as elevating house foundations, reinforcing roofs, relocating homes, using locally available resilient materials, and organising community-led flood control initiatives. While these measures have offered some protection, their long-term effectiveness is hindered by limited financial resources, technical challenges, and weak institutional support.
Conclusion: The study emphasises the significance of indigenous adaptation practices in mitigating climate risks. Still, it underscores the need for a more coordinated and well-supported framework to improve housing resilience in Ayetoro. It recommends a community-driven approach that integrates local knowledge with modern housing solutions, effective land-use planning, and stronger policy backing
The Effect of Sugar Beet Molasses and Olive Mill Wastewater (OMWW) on some Soil Physical and Hydrodynamic Properties and on Potato Productivity
Full text linkAgro-industrial residues are a good alternative to reduce the dependence on large quantity of chemical fertilizers, leading to lower production costs and higher soil productivity. The research evaluated the effect of sugar beet molasses and OMWW by-products of sugar and olive oil production, on potato productivity as well as some physical and hydrodynamic characteristics of a silty clay soil in the Syrian Coastal Area. A randomized complete block design field trial was conducted using four rates of OMWW (M0=0, M1=5.4, M2=10.8, M3=16.2 L m-2) and four levels of sugar beet molasses (B0=0, B1=75, B2=150, B3=225 L ha-1). The results showed that soil bulk density (BD) and pores containing unavailable water (PUW) followed a declining trend with rising levels of OMWW and molasses towards gaining the maximum decrement at the treatment B3M3 (16.2 L m-2 of OMWW and 225 L ha-1 of molasses) versus the control (B0M0). Soil water retention curves showed that using OMWW and molasses together at the treatment B3M3 increased water content. The total porosity (TP), macropores >10 μm, pores containing plant-available water (0.2-10 μm) (PAW), and potato productivity experienced the same upward trend with increasing amendment levels separately or together (molasses and OMWW), reaching 63.17, 25.97, 18.87%v and 4551 kg dunum-1, respectively, at the treatment B3M3
A Comparative Study on Antibacterial Potentiality of Ruellia tuberosa and Andrographis paniculata Extracts from Medicinal Garden of St. Ann’s Campus, Visakhapatnam, India
No full textThe increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections has intensified the search for alternative therapeutic agents from natural sources. This study investigates the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Ruellia tuberosa and Andrographis paniculate, two medicinal plants known for their therapeutic properties. Phytochemical screening from both plants was performed using standard tests to identify the presence of bioactive compounds. Both plants exhibited significant antibacterial activity. E. coli growth are mostly inhibited than S. aureus and K. pneumoniae The antibacterial potentiality of all three solvent extracts shown against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells. while Andrographis showed broader-spectrum activity, particularly against positive both negative bacterial strains when compared with Ruellia tuberosa
First Study of the Improving Egg Productivity by an Early Selection of the Syrian Local Hens in the Coastal Region
No full textThe aim of this research was to study the most important productivity traits of the Syrian costal local hens, this study was conducted in the Animal Production Research Center Fideo, Faculty of Agriculture, Lattakia Tishreen University. An early selection was apply on 1281 local hens eggs. So, two generations were selected during 150 days, the number of the first generation F1 hens were included 163 hens (F1), whereas the second generation F2 were included 169 (F2) to improvement egg production traits. The results of this research showed that the percentage of the egg shape index for the initial flock were 75.8 %. And the fertility of the initial flock record 89.8 and for F1 and F2 hens were recorded 88.7 and 88.2 % respectively, while the hatchability were 75, 82.65, 83.44 % respectively and the hatching rate were 65.54, 68.6, 69.3 % respectively. While for the average egg weight were 50.85, 50.26, 49.75 g respectively, egg number (quantity) were 14.61, 16.22, 17.39 egg/ month respectively. The selection efficiency was increase in the average egg production of the two selected generations by 5.84 eggs. And the percentage of egg production were 49, 54, 58% respectively, egg mass were 24.58, 27.02, 28.72 g/hen/day respectively, and the average of egg productivity were 0.49, 0.54, 0.58 egg/hen/day respectively. The feed conversion ratio recorded 4.6, 4.2, 3.9 (kg feed/kg egg) respectively. In addition, the eggshell color of the produced egg varied from white to light brown gradually. However, the average age of sexual maturity recorded 206, 202, 195 days respectively. These results showed that the selected hens of the two generations F1 and F2 were with superior than the initial flock
Predicting Shear Strength of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN)
No full textThe study presents a highly efficient computational model for estimating the shear strength of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). An ANN model was developed using 105 experimental cases compiled from reference studies in this field. The target output was the shear resistance (Vu), while the 11 input parameters included: beam width, beam height, shear span, fiber shape factor, fiber tensile strength, shear span-to-effective depth ratio, fiber volume fraction, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, maximum aggregate size, concrete compressive strength (f'c), and effective depth.
This configuration achieved an exceptional correlation coefficient of R = 0.98306 and This methodological advancement represents a significant departure from prior reference studies, which relied exclusively on empirical and statistical models accounting only for fundamental variables such as Primary beam dimensions, Shear span characteristics, Specified concrete compressive strength (f'c), Properties of embedded steel fibers, Gradation characteristics of coarse aggregates within the concrete mixture matrix
From White to Beige: Role of DPP-4 in Adipose Remodeling and Obesity Treatment
No full textObesity continues to be a significant global health issue associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. Typically, conventional weight management strategies, such as dietary, exercise, and pharmacotherapy, often fail to produce meaningful long-term results due to an adaptive form of resistance to weight loss. The recently identified plasticity of adipose tissue in the treatment of obesity presents an exciting paradigm, including the browning of classic white adipose tissue (WAT) and its energy-dissipating beige adipocytes. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is a type of enzyme primarily known for glucose metabolism due to its degradation of incretins; however, DPP-4 has an unknown role in adipose biology. Beyond enzymatically cleaving peptides like the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and peptide YY (PYY), DPP-4 acts as a signaling scaffold for pathways associated with thermogenesis, inflammation, and cellular senescence. Numerous preclinical findings demonstrate the ability of DPP-4 inhibition to increase markers of browning, improve insulin sensitivity, and reprogram WAT to an anti-inflammatory and thermogenic phenotype. Clinical evidence is more modest, often focusing on glycemic outcomes instead of examining adipose remodeling resulting from DPP-4 inhibition. The objectives of this review will summarize the existing mechanistic basis linking DPP-4 to adipose browning and will further examine the therapeutic implications of inhibiting DPP-4 in the context of obesity, including translation issues, and optimized pharmacological strategies and rational combination therapies