International Biological and Biomedical Journal
Volume:5 Issue: 3, Summer 2019

Aside being a key nocturnal Agricultural pest, the two spotted cricket is an important source of protein for humans and livestock. While control is largely by synthetic pesticides, collection is majorly through hand picking and pouring of water into their burrows. In this study, we determined their phototactic response to LED and incandescent bulb light of different colours. An experiment was setup in Federal University, Wukari, using fabricated light traps with 3 Watts light emitting diode (LED) and, 25 Watts incandescent bulbs of different colours (red, yellow, green, blue and white). A control trap was also added. The setup was from 1800hr to 2400hr. G. bimaculatus collected were counted and data subjected to variance analysis and significantly different means were separated using Student Newman Keul’s test at 5% level of probability. The relationship between light intensity of each bulb type and insect density was determined by correlation and linear regression analysis. The results showed that while LED had higher mean intensity despite lower wattage, Blue colour had the highest mean intensity (736.80 Lux) among the LEDs and white (1094.20 Lux) among the incandescent bulbs. Statistical analysis indicated that differences among LED bulb colours were due to random variation; however was significant (p < 0.001) among incandescent bulbs. 93.7% of total G. bimaculatus collected was attracted by LED bulbs with blue LED bulb alone attracting 57.1% of the total insects. Light intensity was positively and significantly correlated with G. bimaculatus count for both LED (r = 0.92, R2 = 84.4%) and incandescent (r = 0.96, R2 = 92.5%). Higher attraction of G. bimaculatus to blue coloured LED bulbs could be as a result of preference to blue colour and/or high light intensity. Hence, blue LED bulbs can be used to manipulate the insect for the benefit of man.

Cigarette smoke contains three main toxins of carbon monoxide (CO), nicotine, and tar which can cause an increase of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) as well as a decrease of antioxidant reserves. The decreasing amount of antioxidant reserves can lead to the damaging of testicular cells, which is known to cause inhibition of cell division of germinal testicular cells. Hence, the production of testosterone hormones is inhibited as well therefore affecting the quality of spermatogenesis. Red dragon fruit juice serves as a possible antioxidant that can avert the ROS, thus preventing the damage of testicular cells. This research is an experiment of “post-test only control group design”. Twenty-five lab rats were given exposure based on their groups, which are KP, KN (positive and negative control respectfully), P1, P2, P3 (exposure 15 minutes + dragon fruit juice with doses 1.44 cc, 2.88 cc, and 4.32 cc respectfully) for 24 days. On the 32nd day, the concentration of serum testosterone was determined using ELISA. On the same day as well, the amount and the morphology of spermatozoa were determined using a digital microscope. The one-way ANOVA method was used as data analysis with the level of significance p<0.05. Results obtained from this research are summarized as the following. The average concentration of serum testosterone KN 2.29 ng/ml, KP 2.65 ng/ml, P1 2.35 ng/ml, P2 2.86 ng/ml, P3 2.39 ng/ml. The amount of spermatozoa KN 399 million/ml, KP 269 million/ml, P1 312 million/ml, P2 357 million/ml, P3 362 million/ml. The morphology of spermatozoa KN 72.01%, P1 81.09%, P2 82.33%, P3 87.70%. Statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA method shows that the concentration of serum testosterone (p=0.109), the amount of spermatozoa (p=0.005), and the morphology of spermatozoa (p=0.005). Based on the statistical analysis, red dragon fruit juice did not affect the serum testosterone hormone concentration. However, red dragon fruit juice did affect the quality of a cigarette smoke exposed spermatozoa, in which there was an increase in both amount and morphology of spermatozoa.

Obesity was associated with high serum vaspin concentrations and increased vaspin mRNA expression in human adipose tissue , insulin resistance, and type II diabetes. However, the mechanisms how vaspin secretion may be linked to deterioration of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity are not understood. The aim of this work is to explore the effect of dietary regimen for 6 months on serum vaspin levels in obese diabetic and non diabetic female patients. The study was carried out in Zagazig University Hospital and Obesity management and research unit. The sample size was 40 obese female patients. All participants were screened to determine the eligibility for participation in the study according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.Control groups didnchr('39')t follow any diet plan while mediterrnean diet group followed mediterrnean diet for 6 months. The following parameters were assessed at the beginning and after 6months:body mass index(BMI), waist circumference(WC),Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA), Atherogenic index (AI), creatinine clearance  and circulating levels of vaspin, vitamin D ,Low density lipoprotein (LDL), High density lipoprotein (HDL), Triglyecrides (TG), Total cholesterol  (TC), glucose,insulin,HbA1c, Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA). Mediterrnean diet life style for 6 months resulted in a significant decrease in BMI, WC, HOMA, AI, vaspin, LDL, TG, TC,glucose,insulin,HbA1c  and MDA with a significant increase in HDL,SOD and vitamin D. Elevated  serum vaspin and low Vit D levels  are encountered in obesity. So, vaspin may be used as a novel biomarker for obesity, insulin resistance and Type II DM management.

Physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) is a multipurpose drought- resistant small industrial tree or shrub, widespread throughout the arid and semi-arid tropical and subtropical regions of the world whose toxicity is attributed to the antinutritional factors including trypsin inhibitor; lectin, phytate and phorbol esters in the seed and other parts of the plant which restrict its use as animal feed. In this study, the detoxification of Jatropha curcas kernel meal (JCKM) was carried out using selected organisms isolated from food products using solid state and submerged fermentations at two separate periods (five and ten days) to determine the proximate composition and toxicity in whistar rats for two weeks using standard laboratory methods. Increase in fermentation duration was found to produce significant increase (p<0.05) in protein, content at both day five (46.97±1.08mg/g) and day ten (49.96±1.32mg/g) when compared to the control (40.14±2.12mg/g) while crude fiber, fat and carbohydrate decreased with increase in fermentation time. The moisture content of J. curcas kernel fermented with submerged method (9.51±0.26mg/g) and solid state (6.86±0.71mg/g) were significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to the control (5.29±0.87mg/g). Detoxified (DTX) and non detoxified (NDTX) JCKM fed rats showed significant reduction (p<0.05) in neutrophil count when compared with the control (rats fed commercial feed). A significant increase (p<0.05) in lymphocyte level and non significant difference (p<0.05) in eosinophil count was observed in NDTXJCKM when compared with the control. There was no significant difference (p>0.05)in monocyte count between NDTX, DTX and control. Detoxification of JCKM did not affect the haematological indices (platelet, RBC, MCH, MCHC, MCV and PCV levels) of rats except for haemoglobin (Hb) level which showed significant reduction (p<0.05) when compared with the control. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the biomarkers of the hepatic function (AST and ALT level) in rats fed with NDTX JCKM except for ALP level which was significantly lower (p<0.05) when compared with the control. Although there was elevation in the total protein (TP) level in DTX JCKM but it was not significantly different (p>0.05) from the control. The results revealed that rats fed with DTX and NDTX JCKM had a significant increase (p<0.05) in body weight than the control. The results obtained suggest that detoxified JCKM could be used to improve nutritional quality of animal feed.