Analysis of Extent of Organic Waste Use in Urban Agriculture in Enugu State, Nigeria

Addition of organic manure to soils improves soil texture, structure and condition (aeration and temperatures) of the soil. Regardless of the importance of organic manure, organic wastes are carelessly dumped at dumpsites and on the streets, with government of the day, showing a lack of capacity to contain them. This underutilized resource can be utilized in urban farming, resulting in the reduction of the ever increasing waste volumes carelessly dumped on the streets by urban households. This paper was aimed at ascertaining the extent of organic waste (manure) use in urban farming and also determine the factors affecting extent of organic waste use in urban farming. Data were collected from Enugu and Nsukka urban centres, Nigeria. From the two centres, 120 household heads that use organic waste in urban farming were randomly selected and used in the study. The results show that extent of organic waste use (poultry and pig manure) was high; indicating that biodegradable organic waste from dumpsites can equally be used in farming, if they are sorted and bagged. Factors that affected extent of organic waste use in urban farming include household heads’ number of years spent in formal school, farming experience, gender, occupation, age, income level and farm size. Other factors include price of organic manure, price of chemical fertilizers and availability of organic manure. The results of this study underscore the need for government to explore various cost-effective ways of treating wastes, so that farmers can use wastes from dumpsites more in their farm productions.

Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Released and Improved Black Cumin (Nigella Sativa L.) Varieties

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is an annual herb of the Ranunculaceae family, which is growing in Mediterranean region and Ethiopia. In Ethiopia the most people are used as household spice preparation and medicinal purpose. In Ethiopia, black cumin varieties are now days released, but there is no as such work on their physiochemical properties avail. This work presents the investigation of the physicochemical properties of the three-black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) verities (Derbera, Dershaye, and Edan). The results of physicochemical properties Derbera is highest in essential oil content (0.7%) and Edane is lowest (0.3%) than other verities and Dershaye is highest in refractive index of essential oil(1.49), refractive index of oleoresin( 1.52%), moisture(8.0%),fat(24.0%),ash(10.45%), protein(20.61%) and lowest in fiber(16.7%) content than other varieties. From this result, Dershaye black cumin Variety, verities show the superior quality in physicochemical properties than the two black cumin verities (Derbera and Edane).

Behavioral, Neurochemical and Histological Changes in the Use of Low Doses of Naltrexone and Donepezil in the Treatment in Experimental Model of Alzheimer’s Disease by Induction of β-Amyloid1-42 in Rats

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that promotes the involvement of memory-related functions, characterized by the presence of amyloid plaques formed by the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), and hyperphosphorylated Tau protein neurofibrillary tangles. Evidence suggests that the use of low doses of Naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, possibly promotes a modulation of the immune system and consequent neuroprotective effect. The present study uses the animal model of induction with β-amyloid1-42 (Aβ1-42) to verify the behavioral, neurochemical and histological effects of the use of low doses of Naltrexone. Male wistar rats (250-300g) divided into five groups (N = 8) were used: Control, Sham, Aβ1-42 subdivided into three groups: treated with water, 05 mg Donepezil and 4.5 mg Naltrexone, orally during the 30-day period. Behavioral tests demonstrated the efficacy of induction to the experimental model with reduced memory of Aβ1-42-treated animals as well as reversal of damage in animals treated with Naltrexone. In the structural analysis, observed that the animals induced by Aβ1-42 treated with water alone presented alterations in the pyramidal forms of the hippocampal cells and that the animals treated with Naltrexone presented possibly a reversal of the neuronal damages. In conclusion, treatment with Naltrexone promoted a reversal in the memory impairment of rodents induced to the Alzheimer's model with Aβ1-42 in the behavioral and histological response.