Authors:Lena Mahya, Elham Moslemi, Kasra Esfahani, Sedigheh Ahmadpour Pages: 1 - 14 Abstract: In addition to lifestyle and diet, cardiovascular disease can be caused by genetic factors related to heart function issues and the blood biochemical content. The PON1 gene encodes paraoxonase1 as an HDL-depended enzyme inhibiting LDL oxidation and relative side effects. The polymorphism of PON1 can significantly influence the activity and the levels of serum PON1, as well as the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study analyzed PON1 gene expression and Q192R polymorphism among Iranian cardiovascular patients. This case-control research included 40 patients and 40 controls. The Q192R polymorphism of the PON1 gene was analyzed by real-time PCR. In addition, PON1 gene polymorphism was analyzed by the developed methodology for PCR and RFLP. The data was statistically analyzed by t-test (P <0.05) via SPSS version 23.0. The expression of PON1 was considerably reduced in the patients (P < 0.05), compared to the control population. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between the expression of the gene, LDL level, and the age of the patients (P < 0.05). The low PON1 gene expression can indicate that the enzyme is a key factor positively affecting cardiovascular diseases among the Iranian population. Additionally, cardiovascular diseases in the Iranian population are significantly associated with the PON1 gene polymorphism. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.1 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Neha Nadeem, Muhammad Zubair Yousaf Pages: 15 - 28 Abstract: The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a 3.2 kb long virus belonging to the Hepadnavirus family. It has a variety of clinical symptoms, with chronic hepatitis like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer, based on immunological interactions between the virus and the host. Compared to the other genes of HBV, the X gene is highly conserved in the virus's genomic characteristics. Many mutations in the X gene of HBV can lead to the severity and other disease complications. This study was designed to determine the HBV X gene's detection in local patients' serum samples. Out of 40 collected samples from HBV patients, 24 (12 from each male and female patient) were identified as chronically HBV samples through various diagnostic approaches such as ICT rapid test, ELISA, and Real-time PCR. The samples used for DNA extraction yielded an excellent concentration of DNA ranging from 2.4ng/µl to 9.8 ng/µl. The HBV X gene-specific primers set showed results at 55°C for Nested PCR. The results were confirmed with gel electrophoresis. A band size of 597bp compared with the 1kb and 50bp DNA ladder was observed. The PCR-amplified products were purified and sent for sequencing. The sequencing results have significantly helped to analyze the sequences of the X gene (Consensus Sequence of local isolates) using bioinformatics tools like nBLAST, BioEdit, Expasy, MEGA11, and Phylogenetic analysis. The study indicated that despite taking antiviral treatment, the detection of the HBV X gene in chronically infected male patients is more than in female patients. The statistical analysis determined a significant difference (p<0.05) between the detection of the HBV X gene in males and females. In the future, this study will contribute to designing more specific assays and combined targeted therapies for Chronic HBV infection caused explicitly by mutations in the HBV X gene. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.2 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Alpha Kargbo, Bintou Dibba Pages: 29 - 45 Abstract: In many West African countries, a decoction of the trunk bark of Prosopis africana is used to heal wounds and fight against cancer. Leaves are also used to treat headaches and toothaches, as well as several other ailments. This was a cross-sectional study in which questionnaires were administered to 633 indigenous residents of 10 villages located in the Western Region of The Gambia. This study aims to identify ethnobotanical knowledge on the utilizations, threats, risks, and local management methods of Prosopis africana to provide data for its sustainable domestication. The relative frequency of citation was used to investigate ethnobotanical data. Descriptive statistics were also used to determine local perceptions of the species’ status, risk factors, and tactics used for its conservation. Chi-square and generalized linear models were applied to check the dependence between ethnic groups and variables. Three organs, namely leaves, stems, and roots are widely used for many purposes. In total, 4 main use forms were reported by local people for all organs, with the stem having a higher index value of useful organs (91%). The results of the generalized linear model performed on the perception of the status of Prosopis africana showed that there was a significant relationship between the Mandinkas’ (CL = -0.296–1.907 and p = 0.007) and the Jolas’ (CL = -0.032–1.656 and p =0.042). Local strategies for the species conservation of Prosopis africana in protected areas among the ethnic groups show that those living in Kombo South (X2 = 3.802, p = 0.010) and those from Kombo Central (X2 = 27.511, p = <0.001) were the only variables that significantly influenced the respondent’s knowledge on where the species should be grown. This study reveals the importance of Prosopis africana while also highlighting essential aspects to consider to successfully engage in its sustainable conservation. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.3 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Adepoju O. Adeyinka, Ogunkunle Tunde J, Femi-Adepoju Abiola Grace Pages: 46 - 62 Abstract: Capsicum L. varieties and species are closely related so much that there have been some confusions among different taxonomists on their taxonomic status. This study aimed to determine the taxonomic standing of Capsicum L. genus members in Nigeria to assess genetic divergences and similarities among them to provide some insight into their identification and the infrageneric classification (INC) of the genus. Seeds of five cultivars of Capsicum spp., collected from various sources and authenticated, were regenerated, and nurtured to fruit. Variations in their foliar organic compounds were identified quantitatively, using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS). A total of 17 organic chemical characters (12 Esters, 2 Alkanols 1 each of Alkanoate, Alkanoic acid, and Alkane) were detected. The percentage peak area values obtained include 1.75 to 21.88 of esters, 2.24 to 11.99 of alkanols, 5.8 of alkanoate, 17.48 to 55.15 of alkanoic acid, and 4.9 of alkane. The cultivars of each genus were hierarchically clustered as operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using squared Euclidean distance computed through PASTatistics software (Ward’s method). Artificial keys were also constructed for the identification of the species in the genus. The categories of chemical characters adopted gave useful insights into the INC of the genus, as their combination was sufficiently diagnostic of the species as evidenced by the artificial keys. The taxonomic status of Nigerian representatives of the genus Capsicum L. was successfully determined in connection to the distribution of their fruit capsaicin concentration (FCC), similar to those that were previously reported of morphology and phytochemicals in Capsicum. The challenge of vague infrageneric boundaries has also been partially resolved in the Nigerian Capsicum spp. studied. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.4 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Ridwane Ghanimi, Moulay Ahmed El Alaoui EL FELS, Rekia BELAHSEN, María del Pilar Montero López, Mohamed Cherkaoui Pages: 63 - 81 Abstract: Despite the development of chemical drugs, traditional medicine is widely used because of the confidence in the use of plant extracts and the lack of resources. The survey was conducted by online questionnaire, via Google Forms and accessible on the Internet between 28/06/2020 and 14/08/2020. The questionnaire has two parts; one on the plants used as remedies or to prevent COVID-19 and the other part on the socio-demographic determinants associated with the use of these species. The AutoDock Vina bioinformatics tool was used to assess in silico the inhibitory potential of the phytochemicals obtained from these species against the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. A total of 1070 informants participated in this investigation. The most represented botanical family was the Lamiaceae family, and the three most cited species were lemon, garlic, and clove (with citation numbers 183, 171, and 150; respectively). The in-silico study showed that glycyrrhizin (the active ingredient of licorice) was revealed as the most potential inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The medicinal plants may contain promising antiviral substances, thanks to their richness in phytochemicals. These compounds are diversified and known for their biological activities which could increase the immune response and fight oxidative stress. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.5 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Semih Kale, Selçuk Berber Pages: 82 - 98 Abstract: This study aims to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) to estimate the growth model of the narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus). A total of 546 (255 males and 291 females) narrow-clawed crayfish individuals were collected monthly between July 2007 and June 2008 by using fyke nets (34 mm mesh size) from Yenice Reservoir, Çanakkale, Türkiye. Total length (TL) and total weight (TW) were measured, and the relationship between TL and TW was modeled using both the traditional length-weight relationship (LWR) and ANN approaches. The performance of both models was evaluated, and the ANN developed in this study yielded superior results when compared to the traditional LWR method. The R-value was found 0.95077. This value indicates that the model developed using ANN provides better results than traditional growth forecasting models. The present study demonstrates that ANNs can be used as a novel and effective approach to estimating the growth of narrow-clawed crayfish. The ANN approach can provide useful information for sustainable and successful fisheries management. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.6 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Yavuz Mazlum, Aydın Demirci, Emrah Şimşek, Sevil Demrci Pages: 99 - 120 Abstract: This study analyzes the export and international trade status of freshwater crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus), which is an important export product and economic value in Turkey, by simulating the future with the last 10 years (2014-2023) data. The data set shows how and to which countries crayfish are offered as an annual product and in what quantities. Turkey exports an average of 440.364 kg of canned crayfish per year. With an average unit price of $10.12 per kg, Turkey earns USD 4.458,809. Turkey exports 51.268 kg of freshwater crayfish meal, paste, and pellets worth USD 338,926 with an average unit price of USD 6.61 per kg. In addition, the average annual export volume for frozen or live crayfish is 42.327 kg valued at USD 163,509, with an average unit price of USD 3.86 per kg. Turkey's main export destination for crayfish products is Sweden (about 70%) with an average annual export volume of 390.252 kg valued at USD 41.231,013 and an average unit price of USD 10.56 per kg. Other important export countries include Russia (790.887 kg, USD 3.116,688, USD 3.94 per kg), Moldova (135.146 kg, USD 706.339, USD 5.23 per kg) and Belgium (111,509 kg, USD 791.811, USD 7.10 per kg). The United States of America also has a high unit price of USD 12.35 per kg with an export volume of 65.783 kg valued at USD 812.253. The important points that stand out in this study are that while there is no significant increase in quantity, there are significant increases in income over the years depending on product diversity. Sweden stands out in Turkey's exports in this respect. Due to the increasing demand for frozen and processed products due to the COVID-19 pandemic between 2019-2020, it is thought that the highest exports are in these years. The analysis using the ARIMA model showed significant fluctuations in annual export volumes and values, but an overall positive trend was identified. The study highlights the importance of promotional activities to increase domestic consumption and the need to optimize harvesting practices. Turkey's freshwater crayfish exports have growth potential due to increasing global demand and expanding production capacity. As a result, it is thought that crayfish, which provides a significant foreign currency inflow to Turkey, can provide higher economic benefits by increasing product diversity. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.7 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Naveed Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Naeem Pages: 121 - 134 Abstract: Channa marulius is a valuable food fish, known as “Sol”. In Pakistan, C. marulius plays an important role in meeting the protein requirement of people in their daily diet. Due to overfishing, destruction of habitat, and water pollution, the population of C. marulius is declining rapidly. Therefore, for the conservation of C. marulius, we evaluated its genetic diversity by collecting specimens from five major rivers (Chenab, Indus, Ravi, Jhelum, and Sutlej) of Punjab, Pakistan using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers. 75 specimens of C. marulius were collected from five rivers and evaluated its genetic diversity by using five RAPD DNA markers OPA-02, OPA-05, OPA-07, OPA-11, and OPA-16. Results showed 106 polymorphic bands out of a total of 154 bands and detected five primers associated with genetic diversity. The highest genetic diversity was observed in River Jhelum with 28/35 (80%) polymorphic bands. In others, it is recorded as 26 (78.78%) in Ravi, 20 (74.07%) in Sutlej, 24 (71.44%) in Indus and lowest in River Chenab with 08 (28.58%) polymorphic bands. Nei’s genetic diversity (h) observed in Jhelum (0.782) and Chenab (0.323) reflect high genetic diversity in Jhelum and lowest genetic diversity in Chenab. UPGMA dendrogram showed that the population of C. marulius in Sutlej and Ravi has close genetic connectivity and genetic similarity and similarly the population of C. marulius in Indus and Chenab also has close genetic connectivity and genetic similarity. The present study reports that the lowest genetic diversity in the Chenab River is a matter of serious concern for fisheries resource managers to take immediate steps for C. marulius conservation. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.8 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Ezgi Kurşun, Hüseyin Gümüş Pages: 135 - 156 Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between multidimensional sportspersonship orientations and gender role attitudes of licensed athletes aged 18-25 living in Mersin. This study is a correlational survey model. The population of the study consists of athletes between the ages of 18-25 living in Mersin. The sample of the study consists of 342 athletes determined by convenience sampling method. Personal Information Form, Gender Roles Attitude Scale, and Multidimensional Sportspersonship Orientation Scale were used as data collection tools. The Cronbach Alpha values for Gender Roles Attitude Scale range from .83 to .64, the Cronbach Alpha values for Sportpersonship Orientation Scale range from .85 to .72. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, Independent Sample t Test was used to determine whether gender roles attitude and sportsmanship orientation scores differed according to sex and sport type (p<0.05), and Pearson Correlation Analysis Test was used to determine the relationship between the two variables (p<0.01). As a result of the analyses, significant differences were found in sportspersonship orientation and gender roles attitude according to sex and sport type. When the relationship between athletes' multidimensional sportspersonship orientations and gender role attitudes was analyzed, a moderate positive relationship (r=.446, p<0.01) was found. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.9 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Goitom Tesfay , Rega Rajendra Pages: 157 - 170 Abstract: A coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) is a more flexible, adaptive, and precise dimensional measuring machine. Being a complicated measuring tool, CMMs can have a wide range of error sources that can lower measurement accuracy and increase measurement result uncertainty. Mapping and compensation techniques are commonly used to minimize measurement error in CMMs. However, the aforesaid techniques require resources and expertise. An alternate and less costly method of lowering CMM measurement error is to measure at its working table's smallest moving structural static deformation site. By looking at the CMM structure's stress and deformation using FEA, CMM measurement error can be reduced. In this paper, experimental and numerical analyses were used to determine the safe measurement site with minimum CMM measurement error on the CMM working table by analyzing the moving structural model. Based on the dispersed sample, the measurement plan was put into practice, and real measured samples were gathered using the Osmania University, Metrology Lab M544 CMM to validate the simulation. In addition, sensitivity analysis of the FEA simulation was conducted in relation to the key variables to confirm its robustness. The larger form error with the maximum measurement error was observed at the right end position of the ram and Z-shaft of the bridge type M544 CMM. The M544 CMM's right end (500, 0, 0) had a measurement error of 0.466 µmm due to the structural deflection, while the home position (0, 400, 0) had a measurement error of 0.146 µmm. The FEA static structural deformation result was in good agreement with the experiment. The safest place to take CMM measurements with the least measurement error is, at the middle 150 mm offset from the border of the rectangular granite-working table. This finding could support the manufacturing industry to reduce M544 CMMs’ measurement errors during inspection. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.10 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
Authors:Mebrahtom Teklehaimanot Tesfa, Hailekiros Sibhato Gebremichael, Kinfe Tsegay Beyene, Leteslassie Gebreazgi Gebreslassie, Yonas Berhanu Hailu Pages: 171 - 194 Abstract: The empirical evidence regarding the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in the relationship between entrepreneurial capabilities and SMEs' competitiveness from an emerging economy perspective is limited. This research aims to examine the impact of entrepreneurial capabilities on SMEs' competitiveness and the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in this relationship. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypotheses on a sample of 459 manufacturing SMEs in Tigray, Ethiopia based on data collected through a structured questionnaire. Proportional stratified sampling was used to ensure a representation of SMEs from each city, followed by simple random sampling to select SMEs for inclusion in the sample. The empirical results of the study reveal that both entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities have a positive and significant influence on SMEs' competitiveness. Furthermore, entrepreneurial capabilities can positively and significantly impact SMEs' competitiveness when mediated by dynamic capabilities. The R2 value for SMEs' competitiveness is 0.686 (68.6%), indicating that 68.6% of the variations in SMEs' sustainable competitiveness can be explained by entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities. Similarly, the R2 value for dynamic capabilities is 0.498 (49.8%), suggesting that entrepreneurial capabilities can explain over 49.8 % of the variation in SMEs' dynamic capabilities. This research contributes theoretically by integrating four entrepreneurial capabilities (autonomy, risk-taking, pro-activeness, and innovativeness) into a single framework based on the dynamic resource-based view of competitiveness (asset, process, and performance). The findings address a research gap by providing empirical evidence of the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in the relationship between entrepreneurial resources and SMEs' competitiveness from an emerging economy perspective. The study can help SME managers/owners and decision-makers enhance the utilization of entrepreneurial and dynamic capabilities to achieve greater competitiveness. PubDate: 2025-02-06 DOI: 10.4314/mejs.v17i1.11 Issue No:Vol. 17, No. 1 (2025)
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