European Journal of Applied Sciences

Inheritance and Relationship Between Canalization, Developmental Stability and Morphological Integration in Cichlidae Fish Oreochromis Niloticus, Sarotherodon Melanotheron and their F1 Reciprocal Hybrids

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Morphological integration, canalization and developmental stability are three major processes involved in phenotypic variability. In spite of increasing interests, they have incurred as factors that may contribute to the evolvability, little is known about some of their properties such as inheritance and the relationship between them. This issue was addressed in the present study through geometric morphometrics approach applied to the body shape of fish belonging to Cichlidae. These fish are Oreochromis niloticus, Sarotherodon melanotheron and their reciprocal hybrids of first generation. Then, the level and morphological patterns of intra et interindividual variation were tackled while taking the relationship between buffering mechanisms into account. As for morphological integration, hypotheses of modularity were tested using 3 statistics. Developmental stability and canalization were found to reflect single mechanistic process according to the congruence of their related morphological patterns between and within groups. Both buffering mechanisms also to act on the same components of shape. An interesting but overlooked observation is that, the congruence between canalization and developmental stability seem to depend on the nature of traits under consideration, specifically those closely related to organism’s fitness. Furthermore, in patterns of morphological integration, the hypotheses that the head represents a relatively integrated unit and the fins of fish are combined in the same module are strongly supported. Finally, it was observed an inheritance of best fitting models together with features of buffering mechanisms which interact mostly with morphological integration.

A Review of Abattoir Reflexes in Relation to Anaerobic Glycolysis and Meat Quality

Howard J. Swatland — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Current research on meat quality is dominated by correlative studies of animal genotypes and histochemical fibre types, correlating features of live animals with features of commercial importance in their meat. But between live muscle and meat, there is an epigenetic realm where random factors mediated by animal treatments and their nervous systems may have strong effects. They have the potential to obscure real correlations between live animals and meat quality, or to produce spurious correlations. Physiological studies in abattoirs may prove things one way or the other.

Assessing Middle School Students’ Understanding and Implementation of Social and Emotional Competencies: A Study Conducted in Private Schools in Mount Lebanon

John Issa, Pekiza Berberian — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The changes taking place in this fast-paced world "have led to the rise of social and emotional processes" (Cefai et al., 2020, p.3). Although Social Emotional Learning (SEL) encompasses many aspects, the primary elements include self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decision making, self-management, and relationship management (Merrell & Gueldner, 2010, p.40). Acknowledging the importance of adolescence as the critical period to explore developments in understanding oneself and others, this study addresses three primary research questions. The first question examines the extent to which middle school students possess SEL competencies in Lebanese private middle schools. The second question explores whether middle school students from lower socioeconomic status differed in their SEL competencies from those coming from higher socioeconomic status (SES). The third question assesses the presence of gender differences in possessing socio-emotional competencies in middle school students. This study’s findings showed that middle school students (n = 165) in Lebanese private schools possess social and emotional competencies to varying extents. The results provide further evidence for the association of SES factors on an adolescents’ acquisition and development of social-emotional competencies, self-control specifically. The findings confirm that, in addition to socioeconomic status (SES), personal and environmental factors—such as community and culture—play a crucial role in shaping the social-emotional development of middle school students. The given recommendations affirm that different stakeholders, including educational policymakers, schools, teachers, and families in Lebanon, should be active partners in supporting SEL by providing various services in safe and nurturing environments.

Self-concealment Influence on Addictive Behaviour, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health Among Drug Addicts from Sampled Rehabilitation Centres in the Coastal Region of Kenya

Alice A. Anika, Edward Lambert — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the impact of self-concealment on addictive behaviours, suicidal ideation, and mental health among drug addicts in rehabilitation centres located in the coastal regions of Kenya. Self-concealment, defined as the tendency to hide personal information and emotions, is hypothesized to exacerbate psychological distress and hinder recovery processes. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research sampled 200 individuals undergoing rehabilitation, employing standardized questionnaires to assess levels of self-concealment, addiction severity, suicidal thoughts, and overall mental health status. Qualitative interviews provided deeper insights into the lived experiences of participants, highlighting the interplay between self-concealment and their struggles with addiction and mental health. Findings reveal a significant correlation between high levels of self-concealment and increased addictive behaviours, as well as elevated suicidal ideation. Participants who reported greater difficulty in expressing their emotions were more likely to engage in substance use as a coping mechanism, leading to a cycle of addiction and mental health deterioration. The qualitative data further illustrated how societal stigma and fear of judgment contributed to self-concealment, perpetuating feelings of isolation and hopelessness. This research underscores the need for targeted interventions that address self-concealment in therapeutic settings, promoting open communication and emotional expression among individuals in recovery. By fostering an environment of trust and support, rehabilitation programs can enhance mental health outcomes and reduce the risk of suicide among drug addicts in Kenya's coastal regions.

Case Studies: Effective Approaches for Navigating Cross-Border Cloud Data Transfers Amid U.S. Government Privacy and Safety Concerns

Motunrayo Adebayo — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study attempts to explain the impact of information exchange from one country to another, as well as the legal and technological implications for these exchanges. Due to the emergence of cloud technology, possibilities for free exchange of information between countries have increased rapidly, as it has become possible to save information in a country and access it in almost any part of the world. Countries all around the world have been confronted with developing frameworks to facilitate this process, although there are significant challenges which must be confronted on legal and technological fronts, as loopholes in the framework adopted by countries may hinder free access to information stored on cloud, and also compromise data privacy. Cloud technology is impacting a lot of issues, including domestic and international businesses, hence the need for a study to propose measures for safe exchange of information using cloud technology.

Evaluation on the Impact of Motivation on Employee Performance: An Assessment of Timber Milling Industry in Zimbabwe

Aleck Mlambo — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Motivation is considered as the force that drives employees towards attaining specific goals. The main purpose of this study was to establish the impact of motivation on employee performance and discuss the factors that motivate employees in the organisation. The study was prompted by low performance by employees, failure to address motivational factors, failure to establish the benefits of motivation in the organisation and how motivation impact on performance. The main objective of the study was toestablish the impact of motivation on employee performance and the effect of motivation on employees. The mixed methods research, which is a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, were used to establish the effect of dependent variables on performance. The three branches of philosophies namely ontology, epistemology and axiology, which are the methodological rationalism approaches brought in the philosophical alignment. The target population was composed of 175 employees and the sample size was 60 employees. Questionnaire wasused as a research instrumentto gather the necessary data for the study. Mean and standard deviations were used to find out the extent of agreement by respondents and establish if the results could be trusted and generalised. The findings revealed that promotion and advancement, job security, recognition, relationship with management and being involved in decision making played significance roles in the performance of employees. Salary and wage adjustments were also important to reduce labour turnover. The findings revealed that the relationship of motivation and performance of employees proved to be positive basing on the dependent variables researched on. This included motivation, training, resources, work environment, performance management and leadership styles. It was recommended that management adjust their way of operations to improve performance of employees.

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Today's Agriculture

Muli Naga Surekha, V. Vasuki — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The increasing population poses an ever-increasing demand for food production amidst major constraints like decreasing agricultural labour, increased growth rate of industrialization, urbanization, reduced land and water availability for agriculture, and drudgery in farm works. With rapid development of technology in the field of robotics and AI, has created new horizons for its application in agriculture and allied sectors. These latest technologies help farmers in facing the challenges in food production to ensure food security, environmental sustainability and labour efficiency in the age-old industry. In this review article, a comprehensive view of the current state and future trends of robotics and AI in various agricultural domains, like crop monitoring, weed control, harvesting, sorting and transportation are discussed.

Preparation of High-Purity Rutin from Sophora japonica

Wenjing Ma, Chuanjin Wang — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

High-Purity Rutin (HPR) was extracted from Sophora japonica by ultrasonication, decolorized using activated carbon, separated by polyamide chromatography, and recrystallized. An orthogonal design of experiment was used to determine the optimal ultrasonic extraction time, number of ultrasonic extractions, and ultrasonic extraction temperature to maximize the extraction yield of rutin. The optimal conditions were determined as follows: 2000 mL of CH₃OH were used to extract 20 g of the dried Sophora japonica flower bud powder for 30 minutes and the extraction was repeated 2 times under ultrasonic conditions (ultrasound frequency: 40 KHZ; water temperature: 40 °C). The decolorization of the CH₃OH extract of Sophora japonica using active carbon was studied. The optimal processes are as follows: The filtrate of CH₃OH extract was concentrated to 200 mL by rotary evaporation; 7.2 g of activated carbon powder was added; and the mixture was refluxed in an 80 °C water bath for 0.5 hours (twice). The polyamide chromatography separation conditions for crude rutin were investigated. The influence of particle size and amount of polyaminde used on extraction yield of rutin was studied. It was found that best separation results were obtained when 50 g of polyamide with particle size of 0.170~0.210 mm was used to purify 3 g of crude rutin. The purity of the HPR obtained was 99.8%, the extraction yield of HPR was 18.6%, and the extraction rate of HPR was 70.8%. The structure of the final product was identified by elemental analysis, IR, HPLC and ¹H NMR. It was experimentally demonstrated that the proposed process was a safe, mild, low-cost and waste-free procedure.

Growth, Cost and Carcass Evaluation of Snail (Archachatina marginata) Fed Diet Containing Yam Peel-Soy-Bean Residue Mixture Meal

Popoola, Y. A., Owosibo, A. O., Ogunleke, F. O., Idowu, A. B., Omole, A. J. — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The study was conducted to determine effect of inclusion of dry Yam peel-soybean residues meal (YPSM) as substitute to Maize in the diet of snail (Archachatina marginata). A total of 120 growing snails (average weight of 76.5 ± 2.4g, 4 months old) were used for the study. Four dietary treatments comprising Yam peel-soybean residue meal (YPSM) replaced maize at 0% (YPSM₁), 50% (YPSM₂), 75% (YPSM₃) and 100% (YPSM₄) were compounded and allotted to snails in a completely randomized design. Data were collected on growth performance, reproductive indices, cost implications and carcass yield were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance. There was no significant difference in the mean total feed intake in YPSM₁, YPSM₂ and YPSM₃ (P>0.05). The mean total weight gain was significantly different across the treatments (P<0.05) although no significant difference in the mean total weight gain in YPSM₁, YPSM₂ and YPSM_3. The mean shell length was not significantly influenced by dietary treatments and the values ranged between 12.68 in YPSM₁ and 12.48 in YPSM₄. Shell width and thickness were not significantly different from one another as the level of YPSM in the diet increased (P>0.05). The lowest cost/weight gain was recorded in the diet containing 75% YPSM as replacement for maize while the highest cost/weight gain was recorded in the diet containing 100%YPSM. Based on the results obtained from this study, it could be recommended that Yam peel-soybean residues meal (YPSM) could be included up to 75% as replacement for maize fraction of the diet of snail (Archachatina maginata) without adverse effect but at reduced cost.

Existence of the Local Solution of a Non Homogeneous Schrödinger Type Equation

Yolanda Silvia Santiago Ayala — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Using MOORA Method for Finding Best Dressing Parameters for Surface Grinding Hardox 500

Vu Duc Binh, Nguyen Van Trang, Truong Thi Thu Huong — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study reports the findings on the use of the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method to determine the optimal dressing mode for surface grinding of Hardox 500. The research examined the MCDM issue utilizing the Multi-Objective Optimization based on Ratio Analysis (MOORA) method, with criterion weights determined through the Entropy method. Furthermore, surface roughness (RS) and material removal rate (MRR) were identified as the two criteria for this study. Additionally, five dressing variables were investigated: non-feeding dressing nn, fine dressing depth df, fine dressing times nf, rough dressing depth dr, and rough dressing times nr. Additionally, 16 experimental runs were designed and conducted using the L16 (4⁴ x 2¹) design type. The issue related to MCDM has been assessed. The investigation's findings indicate that option No. 5, defined by the input parameters d_r = 0.02 (mm), n_r = 1, nf = 1, d_f = 0.01 (mm), and n_n = 2, represents the optimal dressing mode.

Additives and Endocrine Disruptors in Cosmetic Products for Use by Children Under 2 Years Old: A Danger Not Mentioned in Advertisements

Tshibola Ntumba Evodie, Kasamba Ilunga Eric — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Endocrine disruptors are exogenous substances that alter the functions of the endocrine system and therefore induce harmful effects on the health of an intact organism, its descendants, or populations. They are at the heart of current health concerns, associated with other additives such as dyes and perfumes that constitute a source of allergy in predisposed individuals. The objective of this study is to identify and give the danger of endocrine disruptors, allergens and dyes in common cosmetic products for infants. Our study is described as descriptive, cross-sectional with prospective collection, and included all childcare cosmetic products with a label providing information on the chemical composition and present on the Kolwezi market. In a total of 48 ranges of cosmetic products analyzed, we found 10 types of endocrine disruptors, 13 types of allergens and 6 classes of dyes. Parabens are the most present endocrine disruptors in baby cosmetic products, followed by fragrance; and powder, followed by soap, are the products that contain more endocrine disruptors. Limonene is the most present allergen followed by geraniol; And powder, soap followed by lotion are the products that contain the most. Tartrazine is the most present dye and especially in soaps and lotions. These exogenous substances cause harmful effects on human health, which are accentuated in the most fragile, such as infants.

The Bell Can Be Un-Rung Climate Change Can Be Undone

William Van Brunt — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Commencing nearly a decade ago, the scientific literature has shown that changes in the concentration of water vapor, a greenhouse gas with a heating power 400 times greater than carbon dioxide, CO₂, closely match changes in the average global temperature. The foregoing notwithstanding, while there is no correlation between changes in the average global temperature and changes in the concentration of CO₂; still a large community of interests including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), academia, agencies of government, various research institutions and enterprises, tens of thousands of scientists, public officials and policy makers which have worked for over three decades without proof, continue to assert that it is the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO₂ that drives global warming. Thus, the myopic focus of this de-carbon community remains reducing carbon emissions. This is a major problem, because, while the data and the physics have clearly shown that when the global concentration of water vapor is reduced, the result is global cooling and reductions in catastrophic weather. and these relationships have not been discussed in the preeminent scientific literature. As a direct consequence, no steps to drive increased precipitation to reduce the concentration of water vapor have been undertaken. As each year passes, the size of the reduction sufficient to reverse global warming grows, thus, increasing the time necessary to effect this, whichmay take decades as annual devastation from catastrophic weather increases at a rate of $45 bn US every decade. To fight climate change, the policy must change to focus on encouraging the development of effective, efficient and sufficient means of increasing precipitation.

Salinity Influence on Radicle Length of Two Potato Genotypes

Ioan Gontariu, Elena Iorgu, Dan Hoffman — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Potato is the fourth most important food growth, after three of cereals: rice, wheat and maize. Ii is also one the most important source of food at world level, being an essential economic one in developing countries. In agriculture, salinity stress is one of the main abiotic stress factors affecting potatoes. This kind of stress causes changes in internal and external physiology of potato plants, resulting in a decrease of tubercle quality and production. Moreover, it may cause damages in all developing stages of potato, being extremely devastating in the expansion phase of the tubercle when the nutritional requirements are at maximum for its growth. The paper aims at characterizing the contribution of technological parameters to two of the most grown potato cultivars in Romania: Santé and Roclas, and at investigating the way in which salinity stress can affect their growing rhythm by analyzing its influence on the rate of root division.

Retrieving the Paths of Universalism

Yves Guermond — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Effects of Delayed Carbohydrate Digestion on Energy Intake, Adiposity and Weight Gain in Congenic Lean and Obese-Diabetic Rats

Orien L Tulp, Michael E Anderson, Frantz Sainvil — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The burgeoning prevalence of obesity and overweight conditions including NIDDM and dysregulation of energy balance are rapidly approaching epidemic proportions in much of Western society and imposing a significant burden on available health care resources. Once diagnosed, treatment is typically a life-long effort to attenuate the continued progression of pathophysiologic sequela of the disorders. Since the predominate proportion of macronutrient energy source in most Western diets is often carbohydrate, typically more than 50% by weight at ~4 kcals/gram, efforts to modulate the impact of dietary CHO on parameters of adiposity and weight gain were investigated. This study determined the effects of delayed carbohydrate digestion on energy intake and consequent weight gain groups of young adult, obese-NIDDM rats that were fed a USDA-formulated, hyperinsulinemic diet consisting of 54% sucrose plus essential fats, proteins, micronutrients and fiber for up to 8 weeks, or the same diet containing 150 mg/kg of (1,5 dideoxy-1,5-[(2-hydroxyethyl) imino]-D glucitol; generic miglitol). Measures of daily energy intake and weight gain were determined at weekly intervals. Adiposity was determined by dissecting major fat depots at the end of the study and determining adipose tissue mass and cellularity. Miglitol resulted in 20% less energy intake and weight gain, and corresponding decreases in adiposity after 8 weeks of study. The results of this study indicate that delayed carbohydrate digestion via the α-glucosidase inhibitor miglitol or other similar agents may be a useful adjunct in the regulation of food intake and in attenuating weight gain in man and animals in addition to their well-established effects as an adjunct in the treatment of impaired glycemic responses in obesity and NIDDM.

Identification of Two Aphids’ (Aphis craccivora Koch) Biotypes Prevailing in Three Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) Growing Areas in Burkina Faso

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L). Walp.) is a plant-based protein crop with high nutritional value but highly susceptible to insect pests, particularly aphids (Aphis craccivora Koch). Aphids can destroy 80 to 100% of cowpea farms and also transmit viral diseases like cowpea mosaic virus, significantly reducing yields. This study aimed to investigate the evolution of aphid infestations from three cowpea-growing locations of Burkina Faso (Bobo, Kamboinsé, and Pobé) and identify the prevailing aphid biotypes. Therefore, ten varieties were screened with three aphids’ strains from these locations. A randomized complete block design with three (3) blocks and five (5) repetitions each was used. The number of leaves per plant, the survival of individual plant and the degree of infestation were evaluated. Results revealed that the degree of infestation used as a criterion for evaluating cowpea resistance to aphids is just as reliable during the early stages of plants development as during the following stages. Two biotypes of aphids have been identified. Indeed, the Kamboinse strain is similar to that of Pobé and these two strains are significantly different from the strain of Bobo. The close relationship between the 2 biotypes suggests the possibility to develop varieties strong enough to resist to both of them. A molecular characterization of the three aphids’ strains would provide more precision on the genetics of the two aphides’ biotypes.

The Impact of Beta-Lactam Antibiotics on Bacterial Infection Prevalence and Socioeconomic Determinants in Middle-Aged Adults Across Three West African Countries

Dilaku Joseph Kelechi — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This research is to ascertain the impact of Beta-lactam classes of antibiotics on the prevalence of bacterial infections, and the socioeconomic determinants influencing their usage in the middle-aged adults within (35-50) years, across diverse populations of some West African countries. The investigation provides insights into how antibiotics use varies by socioeconomics factors such as access to healthcare, education, income level and its later effect on health outcomes. This study utilizes the mix of quantitative analysis via survey questionnaire and qualitative analysis through interviews and focus group of patients. It was used to collect data from 3300 middle-aged adults across three West African countries to understand the prevalence of bacterial infections, and socioeconomic factors influencing the usage of the aforementioned classes of antibiotics. This mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis (descriptive, regression, and multivariate analysis using Real Statistics v2 in Excel) with qualitative thematic analysis of interviews and focus group data using taguette software.Triangulation was also used to validate findings and provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem. Quantitative data revealed that socioeconomic factors significantly impact antibiotic use, with financial constraints and limited healthcare access correlating with increased self-medication and misuse. Cronbach’s Alpha indicated high internal consistency across survey responses. Thematic analysis identified key themes, including cost as a barrier to healthcare, the role of policies in antibiotic use, and awareness of antibiotic risks. Participants expressed concerns about antibiotic resistance and the quality of available medications, highlighting the growing issue of ineffective drugs. The study emphasizes the need for health policy reforms, drug regulation, and interventions that integrate education with economic support to promote responsible antibiotic use. Future research should focus on long-term trends in antibiotic resistance, the role of pharmacies, and interventions targeting both system-level and behavioral factors.