Učinci nekih biljaka porodice mlječika na hematološke i biokemijske pokazatelje u štakora.

The effects of five suspected poisonous plants of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) i.e. Alchornea cordifolia Schum and Thorn, Cnidoscolus acontifolius Mill, Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thorn, Phyllanthus muelleriarus Exell and Securinega virosa Baill, which are commonly found in Nigerian pasture were evaluated in albino rats using crude aqueous extracts for 14 days. All the extracts were administered orally. Changes in haematological and biochemical parameters were used as indices of toxicosis. The extracts of the plants caused a significant reduction (P<0.05) in the levels of PCV and haemoglobin concentration. All except C. acontifolius caused a significant reduction in RBC level. The extract of four plants (A. cordifolia, C. acontifolius, P. amarus and P. muellerianus) caused significant changes of the total white blood cells when compared to that of the control. The extracts also caused a significant increase in the levels of total protein, albumin and AST activity. The extracts of A. cordifolia, P. muellerianus and S. virosa caused a significant increase in the level of ALT. Only P. muellerianus and virosa produced significant changes in the globulin level.Učinci sirovih vodenih iscrpaka pripravljeni od pet vrsta biljaka porodice mlječika (Euphorbiaceae) sumnjivih da su otrovne: Alchornea cordifolia Schum i Torn, Cnidoscolus acontifolius Mill, Phyllanthus amarus Schum i Torn, Phyllanthus muellerianus Exell i Securinega virosa Baill, koje se često nalaze na nigerijskim pašnjacima, istraženi su na albino štakorima u tijeku 14 dana. Svi iscrpci davani su oralno. Promjene u hematološkim i biokemijskim pokazateljima uzete su kao znakovi otrovanja. Davanje iscrpaka prouzročilo je značajno smanjenje (P<0,05) vrijednosti hematokrita i koncentracije hemoglobina. Svi su, osim iscrpka Cnidoscolus acontifolius, uzrokovali značajno smanjenje broja crvenih krvnih stanica. Iscrpci biljaka Alchornea cordifolia, Cnidoscolus acontifolius, Phyllanthus amarus i Phyllanthus muellerinanus uzrokovali su značajne promjene ukupnog broja bijelih krvnih stanica u usporedbi s kontrolom. Iscrpci su također doveli do značajnog povećanja razina ukupnih bjelančevina, albumina i aktivnosti AST. Iscrpci Alchornea cordifolia, Phyllanthus muellerianus i Securinega virosa uzrokovali su značajno povećanje razine ALT. Samo Phyllanthus muellerianus i Securinega virosa uzrokovali su značajne promjene u razini globulina

Optimization of Bioethanol Production from Solid Substrate Fermentation of Pineaple Waste

Reports of studies on optimization of solid substrate fermentation of pineapple waste for bioethanol production are few. Challenges are constantly arising from the use of food crops like corn, sugar cane and tubers for production of bioethanol due to the competition it poses against food security in a constantly growing world population. The use of lignocellulosic biomass and some industrial waste, such as pineapple waste, for industrial production of bioethanol, is being embraced in the research world with interest in the maximization of these sustainable feedstock. Production of bioethanol from pineapple waste in solid state fermentation using Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae obtained from natural sources, in a co-culture, was investigated by varying the pH at 3, 4, 5 and 6. The fermentation was carried out at temperature 25 0C, 30 0C and 35 0C, and metal salts of zinc, magnesium, iron and manganese were incorporated independently into the fermenting substrate. At pH 4, the maximum bioethanol concentration of 11.4% was recorded, while the maximum concentration of 11.4% was also obtained at 30 0C. Supplementation of the pineapple waste with zinc metal salt produced the highest bioethanol concentration of 13.22%, though, supplementing the substrate independently with magnesium, iron and manganese all showed significant differences in the concentration of bioethanol produced. Further analyses indicated that interaction between zinc and iron metal salts produced the most significant difference in bioethanol concentration. Interaction between zinc and manganese showed the least significant difference while magnesium and manganese showed no difference. Optimization of bioethanol production from a lignocellulosic biomass such as pineapple waste in solid state fermentation, will improve efficiency and resources utilization in the industrial production of the widely used industrial product, while beneficial utilization of the waste will help to curtail environmental pollution. &nbsp

Food loss and waste management in the retail food supply chain: Methods and framework to achieve environmental sustainability.

Food loss and waste (FLW) represents critical challenge to environmentally sustainable development, impacting food security, waste management, and climate change. One-third of the world's food is disposed of, with 13 % lost between harvest and the supply chain and 17 % wasted domestically and in food services. Food loss and waste (FLW) in retail supply chains is a critical issue demanding new frameworks due to its significant economic, social, and environmental impacts, including pollution, resource depletion, and climate change contributions. Effective operational and inventory management practices to reduce FLW can yield significant cost savings and increased economic and environmental performance of the retail supply chain. A new framework is needed to combine all aspects related to logistics, packaging, and management practices to comprehensively address the FLW issue in the retail chain. This study critically analyses empirical research from 2009 to 2025 to identify key research gaps and to propose strategies for FLW reduction. The research identifies three primary gaps: limited focus on FLW due to inefficient packaging strategies, insufficient information on logistical inefficiencies that cause FLW, and scarce literature on how management practices affect perishable food chain. By addressing these gaps, the study aims to enhance understanding of FLW reduction strategies, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches and cooperation across the supply chain. By examining the impact of packaging, logistics, and management practices, this research provides insights into improving operational performance through the reduction of FLW and development of sustainable waste management systems. The findings underscore importance of proactive actions and innovation from both public authorities and private sector in reducing FLW. Effective strategies for FLW reduction can lead to significant environmental, social, and economic benefits, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient food supply chain

Causal relationship between project financing and overruns in major dam projects in Africa

Purpose Cost and schedule overruns are rife in dam projects. Normative evidence espouses overruns as though they are inimical to development and prosperity aspirations of stakeholders. This study examines the causal relationship between project financing and overruns. Design/methodology/approach Causative data were extracted from completion reports of 28 major dam projects in Africa. Each of the projects was financed jointly by up to 10 international development lenders. Relationships between causes of overruns and project outcomes were analysed. Findings Analyses elicit indicators of remarkable correlations between finance procedures and project outcomes. Lenders’ disposition to risk attenuation was the main debacles to project success. Interests had mounted, whilst release of fund was erratic and ill-timed. Finance objectives and mechanisms were grossly inadequate for projects’ intense bifurcations. Projects had slowed or stalled because lenders’ risks attenuation processes were purposed to favour lenders’ objectives, and not projects’ interests. In addition, findings also show project owners’ own funds and the number of lenders to a single project correlate with overruns. Practical implications Findings imply commercial complexities around major projects. They also show transactions are shaped by subtle (mis)trust behaviours in project finance procedures. Thus, scholarly solutions to project performance issues should consider behavioural issues of stakeholding parties more broadly, beyond contractors and project owners. Project finance ecosystems are vulnerable to major actors’ self-interests, opportunism and predatory conducts. Borrowers would manage this by developing and improving their capacity to build resilience and trust. Evidence shows intense borrower nations in Africa have limited capacity and acuity for these. Originality/value This study contextualises megaprojects in complexity rather than cost. Its additionality is in how finance steers absolute control of project environment away from project owners and how finance administration triggers risks and overrun

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in blood plasma of neurology patients

The etiology of many neurological cases cannot be easily delineated, making the investigation, and treatment to be challenging.This study aimsto screen the blood of neurology patients presenting for the first time in the hospital for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) using Flame Ionization Detector –Gas Chromatography. Fourteen PAHs were detected in the samples. The results showed that flourene and phenanthrene were common to all the patients in the range (1.37to8.08 and 1.66 to8.34 ng/mL respectively), but were not detected in the control samples. Pyrene, fluoranthene and acenaphthene were present in 80, 75 and 70% in the blood plasmaof the patients at the range of 2.96 to236.86 ng/mL, 1.96 to 11.55ng/mL and 1.08 to 1.81 ng/mL respectively. These were not found in the control samples. The body burden of these congeners wasmuch higher in neurology patients than controlsand literature values of similar study. The concentrations detected were statistically significant, and could be possible causative agents. This can also become one of the investigative tools for these disease