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Farmers’ Investment on Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Evidence from Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Haimanot B. Atinkut,
Abdulhamid K. Bedri,
Assefa K. Sentayehu,
Dick Warren
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
38-45
Received:
24 January 2017
Accepted:
14 February 2017
Published:
9 March 2017
Abstract: Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) is a pooled of practices that increase productivity while conserving soil, which put on firm foundation of zero tillage, use of manure, legume intercropping and legume crop rotation. Despite use of SAPs is a panacea for aggravated soil erosion and nutrient depletion and maximizing crop produce, but it seems a plateau for farmers in Dangila district. This study, therefore, assessed factors that affecting of farmers decision behavior of implementing SAPs in Amhara region. The multistage sampling procedure was used to identify kebeles and sample respondents. Mixed nature of data were collected from sample respondents. Both descriptive statistics and Binary logit model was employed. The result of this study indicates that executing of SAPs is the aggregate of many factors, which should be given due attention in the transformation agriculture to environmentally friendly technologies and climate smart agricultural practice.
Abstract: Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) is a pooled of practices that increase productivity while conserving soil, which put on firm foundation of zero tillage, use of manure, legume intercropping and legume crop rotation. Despite use of SAPs is a panacea for aggravated soil erosion and nutrient depletion and maximizing crop produce, but it seems...
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Shigella Serogroups, Entro-Hemoragic E. coli and Their Antibiogram Pattern Among Food Handlers in Food-Handling Establishments in Southern Ethiopia
Fiseha Wadillo Wada,
Tesfahun Molla Bobe,
Habtamu Azene Tekle,
Tamene Naba Yaya
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
46-51
Received:
8 February 2017
Accepted:
18 February 2017
Published:
11 March 2017
Abstract: Food-borne illnesses have a dramatic impact both in developing and developed countries. Food handling personnel take part in the transmission of pathogenic food born bacteria in the community. Shigella and E. coli 157:H7 are more significant and well-recognized foodborne pathogens for reasons of their severe consequences of all age groups, high antibiotic resistance and their low infectious dose. Accordingly, food-handlers employing in meal serving facilities could be potential sources of infections of these enteric bacterial pathogens. Community based cross-sectional study was carried out from July 2014 to June 2015 to assess the sero-group and antimicrobial resistance pattern of enteric bacterial pathogens in Wolaita Sodo town among 398 food-handlers working in selected food handling establishments. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect Socio-demographic characteristics and associated factors. Stool specimens were collected by a clean, dry, wide-mouthed container. Stool culture was done using differential, selective and enrichment medium. Analytical Profile Index 20E biochemical panel was used for identification and differentiation of members of enteric bacterial pathogens. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by single disk diffusion technique. Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS version 20. 11 Shigella species and 24 E. coli O157:H7 isolates were detected. S. flexneri, S. sonnei, S. dysenteriae, and S. boydii isolates were isolated. A significant proportion of Ampicillin and Amoxicillin were noticed for all enteric bacterial pathogens. Multidrug resistances prevalence of 72.7%, and 58.3% were observed for Shigella, and E. coli O157: H7 respectively. Raw meat eating habit, hand washing after toilet and hand washing after touching dirty materials have shown significant association with enteric bacterial pathogens prevalence. Shigella and E. coli species were identified from fecal specimen. Significant proportion of multidrug resistances was detected in Shigella and E. coli O157: H7 respectively. Thus screening of food handles is important in order to prevent the transmission of enteric bacterial pathogens and treatment needs to be based on accurate laboratory detection of etiologic agents to mitigate the spread of drug resistant strains.
Abstract: Food-borne illnesses have a dramatic impact both in developing and developed countries. Food handling personnel take part in the transmission of pathogenic food born bacteria in the community. Shigella and E. coli 157:H7 are more significant and well-recognized foodborne pathogens for reasons of their severe consequences of all age groups, high ant...
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The Effect of Nigella Sativa Extract (Thymoquinone) on Glucose Insulin Levels and Body Weight of Induced Diabetic Female Rats
Alduwish Manal Abduallah,
Alhimaidi Ahmad Rashed,
Adham Khadiga Gamaleldeen,
Shaban Rushdy Mohamed Sayed
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
52-56
Received:
26 February 2017
Accepted:
20 March 2017
Published:
11 April 2017
Abstract: Background: Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or action or both. Chronic complications of diabetes such as cardiovascular damage, cataracts and retinopathy, nephropathy and polyneuropathy. Induction of experimental diabetes in rodentsis used by Streptozotocin (STZ). A number of therapeutic effects including the effect on diabetes have been described for the Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone). Aim: The goal of this study to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) as a herbal medicines on female induced diabetic rat, and hence investigating the comparison of changes in body weight, levels of glucose and insulin in serum, between normal and diabetic rats. Methods: Adult female Wister rats, weighing 200–250 g, were used. Rats were divided into four groups normal control (Group A), experimental control group (Group B) rats were given 0.5 ml of the single sodium-citrate buffer injection and 1ml of Sesame oil orally via gavage. (Group C) treated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B. W., IP), with of low Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (5 mg/kg B. W, IP), and (Group D) treated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B. W., IP), with of high Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (10 mg/kg B. W., IP) and until the end of experiment were evaluated to assess its effect on body weight, glucose and insulin levels in different groups. Results: The results indicated that significant reduction in glucose levels of high dose of treated group with Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (10 mg/kg b. w.) compared to low dose. Both dose of treated group with Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (5 and 10 mg/kg b. w.) very high significantly (p < 0.001) reduced in body weight and insulin levels in comparison to both group normal control and experimental control groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference observed in body weight between normal control and experimental control groups. The present findings suggest an antidiabetic effect of Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) may attributed through a decrease in hepatic gluconeogenesis. Conclusions: Thymoquinone has the ability to improve oxidative stress in plasma and tissues of STZ induced diabetic rats as evidenced by improved glycemic. Thus, Thymoquinone could be considered as a treatment strategy for diabetic complications.
Abstract: Background: Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or action or both. Chronic complications of diabetes such as cardiovascular damage, cataracts and retinopathy, nephropathy and polyneuropathy. Induction of experimental diabetes in rodentsis use...
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The Effect of Bottle Scratches and Lime Juice on Natural Solar Radiation Disinfection (SODIS) Techniques on Different Bacterial Colonies at ShoaRobit and Surrounding Rural Kebeles
Solomon Mulaw Sahel,
Neway Belachew,
Haftu Gebretsadik,
Giday Gebregziabher
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
57-64
Received:
1 December 2015
Accepted:
11 December 2015
Published:
13 April 2017
Abstract: Over one billion people on Earth do not have access to clean drinking water. Several nonprofit and government organizations are promoting low cost, household methods for water purification [1, 2]. One of best alternative approach for equator and temperate region including Ethiopia is solar water disinfection or SODIS. The previous work done at Shoarobit and Surrounding Rural Kebeles, shows that SODIS treatment with clear 1.5 bottles and low turbidity, disinfection is efficient at the end of six hours [3]. However frequently use of the same bottle cause for scratch on the surface of the bottle. Hence this paper addresses effect of bottle scratch and lemon juice (as a catalyst) on solar disinfection. Different level of scratches, Less scratch bottle (LSB), Slightly Scratch Bottle (SSB) and Highly Scratch Bottle (HSB) was analyzed. Since SODIS treatment is mainly due to UV radiation, causes for lysis the DNA of microorganisms, if it is not passes through the surface of the bottle the method became inefficient. From the result it was obtained that there is significance statistical difference between densities of scratched bottles. The disinfection efficiency different scratch bottle is decreases as the following order LSB > SSB > HSB. In addition it was tested that effect of lemon juice on solar disinfection. The pH decrease (acidity increase) and solar disinfection has a synergic effect. This was shown the disinfection efficiency increase accordingly the following pH order: pH = 3 > pH = 5 > pH = 7. In conclusion at the end of six hours almost all bacterial colonies was disinfected in all forms of scratching bottles and this disinfection efficiency of the method enhance with adding lemon juice.
Abstract: Over one billion people on Earth do not have access to clean drinking water. Several nonprofit and government organizations are promoting low cost, household methods for water purification [1, 2]. One of best alternative approach for equator and temperate region including Ethiopia is solar water disinfection or SODIS. The previous work done at Shoa...
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Overall Skin Health Potential of the Biofield Energy Healing Based Herbomineral Formulation Using Various Skin Parameters
Janice Patricia Kinney,
Mahendra Kumar Trivedi,
Alice Branton,
Dahryn Trivedi,
Gopal Nayak,
Sambhu Charan Mondal,
Snehasis Jana
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
65-74
Received:
30 March 2017
Accepted:
19 April 2017
Published:
8 May 2017
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the Consciousness Energy Healing (The Trivedi Effect®) Treatment based test formulation and medium (DMEM) against various skin health parameters using three cell lines i.e., HFF-1, HaCaT, and B16-F10. The various study parameters viz. collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, melanin, cell viability against UV-B induced stress, and wound healing were evaluated. The test formulation and DMEM were divided into two parts. One part of the test formulation and one part of the DMEM received the Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment by Janice Patricia Kinney and were defined as the Biofield Energy Treated samples, while the other parts were denoted as the untreated test samples. Cell viability using MTT assay showed more than 70% cells were viable in all the tested concentrations in three cells, indicating that the test formulation was safe and nontoxic. The collagen synthesis was significantly (p≤0.001) increased by 22.42% and 17.48% in the UT-DMEM + BT-Test formulation group at 0.63 and 2.5 µg/mL, respectively in relation to the UT-DMEM + UT-Test formulation group. The Elastin level was significantly (p≤0.001) increased by 28.41% in the BT-DMEM + BT-Test formulation group at 5 µg/mL compared to the untreated group. Hyaluronic acid at 0.63 µg/mL was increased significantly by 15.90% in the BT-DMEM + BT-Test formulation group compared to the untreated group. The level of melanin was reduced significantly by 9.25% and 7.26% in the BT-DMEM + BT-Test formulation group at 0.013 and 0.063 µg/mL, respectively in relation to the untreated group. Protection of skin cells after UV-B exposure data displayed that the cell viability was increased significantly by 17.88%, 20.10%, and 25.77% in the BT-DMEM + BT-Test formulation group at 0.625, 1.25, and 2.5 µg/mL, respectively compared to the UT-DMEM + UT-Test formulation group. Wound healing data exhibited significant wound closure and cell migration activities in the HFF-1 and HaCaT cells compared to the UT-DMEM + UT-Test formulation. Overall, the data suggests that the Biofield Energy Treated DMEM and test formulation demonstrated better responses compared to the untreated medium and test formulation with respect to the tested skin health parameters. Therefore, the Biofield Energy Healing and the Treated test formulation could be developed as an effective cosmetic product to protect and treat the various skin problems including infection, photosensitivity, erythema, contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, athlete's foot, psoriasis, erythema, cutis rhomboidalis nuchae, skin aging, wrinkles and/or change in skin color, etc.
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the Consciousness Energy Healing (The Trivedi Effect®) Treatment based test formulation and medium (DMEM) against various skin health parameters using three cell lines i.e., HFF-1, HaCaT, and B16-F10. The various study parameters viz. collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, melanin, cell viabil...
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