University of Guyana

Tridax procumbens L. is a persistent herb typically found as an agronomic weed that grows on wasteland or invades bare soil. Indigenous medicine has employed several extracts of T. procumbens to treat an array of illnesses in both humans and animals. The primary objective of this study is to comprehensively review the phytochemical constituents and medicinal potential of T. procumbens, highlighting its traditional and pharmacological uses with updated literature. The study aims to consolidate scientific literature on T. procumbens, its biological activities and therapeutic applications to provide a valuable ethnomedicinal reference. Despite the traditional and ethnomedicinal significance of T. procumbens, several critical research gaps remain, including a lack of in-depth phytochemical characterization. Bridging these gaps is essential for advancing T. procumbens from traditional use to evidence-based therapeutic applications. The literature review confirms the presence of several crucial phytochemicals in T. procumbens such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, proteins, anthocyanins and amino acids. These compounds are associated with various biological activities including wound healing, antioxidant and antibacterial effects, anti-inflammatory properties, antifungal, antiparasitic, insecticidal and immunomodulatory therapeutic effects. Tridax procumbens demonstrates significant potential as a medicinal plant with a broad range of biological activities attributed to its diverse phytochemical profile. However, further in-depth pharmacological studies, clinical investigations and toxicological assessments are essential to validate its ethnomedicinal claims and develop it into a reliable therapeutic agent. This review underscores the need for advanced research to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern evidence-based medicine.

Abstract This work provides an analysis of p T spectra for identified hadrons generated during gold–gold collisions at a center-of-mass energy ( s N N ) of 11.5 GeV. The data, recorded by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, is evaluated using predictions from phenomenological models. Specifically, we compare the outcomes of Monte Carlo simulations from Pythia 8.3 and EPOS (comprising EPOS4 and EPOSLHC) with experimental observations. Our investigation focuses on π ± , K ± , and (anti-)proton spectra measured at mid-rapidity (∣ y ∣ < 0.1) across nine distinct centrality classes. In the case of π ± , EPOS4 model shows good agreement with the data only in the low p T region. However, it successfully reproduces the results across the entire p T range for the last three centrality classes for pions yields. In the case of K ± , EPOS4 exhibit good agreement with the experimental data. For proton and (anti-)proton, this model mostly underestimates in high- p T region, likely due to the reduced interaction volume and lower rescattering probability. In contrast, Pythia 8.3 often overpredicts pion yields and provides consistent representations for kaons and for (anti-)protons, Pythia 8.3 and EPOSLHC fails to describe the data. Pythia 8.3 mostly overestimates the data in the case of proton. EPOS4 demonstrates a good description of pion spectra compared to Pythia 8.3, largely attributable to its inclusion of hadronic rescattering effects. Meanwhile, EPOSLHC shows better alignment with experimental data in the case of kaons and proton for the entire p T range while for pions it also better reproduced the result at higher p T only. At higher p T , EPOSLHC exhibits a suppression relative to the experimental data, indicating limitations of the model description in a momentum region where collective flow effects are expected to be minimal. EPOS4 and EPOSLHC outperform Pythia 8.3, primarily due to their ability to incorporate correlated flow dynamics and hadronic rescattering effects. In contrast, Pythia 8.3 lacks these mechanisms, leading to less precise spectral descriptions. None of the models accurately replicate the experimental data for the (70–80)% centrality class likely due to the absence of collective effects and the increased role of non-equilibrium dynamics in these events. Additionally, the extracted freeze-out parameters indicate a rise in effective temperature and a decrease in the non-extensive parameter with increasing centrality. These trends suggest greater system excitation and more rapid thermal equilibration in highly central collisions.

Some critics addressing A. R. F. Webber’s Those That Be in Bondage: A Tale of Indian Indentures and Sunlit Western Waters (1917) speak not only of shortcomings in the representations of the novel’s characters but also point to issues with textual unity, coherence and continuity in its form and structure. This article addresses these issues with the aim of revealing some of the ideological reasoning that drives Webber’s novel. Two aspects dominate the criticism so far: Webber’s content and the representations of his characters. A major issue, which is frequently pointed to, but, so far, not analyzed or accounted for, is the novel’s issues with structure and form and its stylistic elements. This article addresses how we might read Webber’s subjects against the structure and form of the text as this combination is crucial in terms of our overall interpretation – we must see the ‘characters’ in action within the structure that Webber has placed them. Webber’s novel will be read against Edward Jenkins Lutchmee and Dilloo (1876) by way of comparison and contrast.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects millions of people globally. Among three types of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a rapidly growing global health challenge. Despite available modern antidiabetic drugs, patients still struggle with side effects and treatment failure, as an alternative to this, there is a crucial requirement to develop a potential and traditional plant-based medicine which could be a safer sources and multi-target therapies to treat chronic disease like diabetes. Solanum lasiocarpum (S. lasiocarpum) is a sour fruit-vegetable being widely used in Southeast Asia as both food and traditional medicine, including for the management of diabetes. However, its active components and antidiabetic mechanisms have not been systematically explored. In this study, we combined metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics to investigate the bioactive pathways and potential molecular targets of S. lasiocarpum. Untargeted UHPLC–QTOF–MS profiling identified 45 candidate bioactive compounds with good predicted gastrointestinal absorption, and the network pharmacology analysis linked these compounds to 43 diabetes-related human targets. Protein–protein interaction analysis highlighted several core nodes, including TNF, PPARG, IL6, AKT1, and STAT3, and functional enrichment suggested roles in hormone regulation, inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism, and vascular function. De novo transcriptome assembly and data-independent acquisition-based proteomics of mature S. lasiocarpum fruit showed that central carbon metabolism is highly active and that the shikimate, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid pathways are strongly expressed at both gene and protein levels. Key enzymes such as EPSPS, PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS, CHI, F3H, and FLS formed a coherent biosynthetic network supporting sustained production of phenolic and flavonoid metabolites. Integrating these omics layers with target prediction suggests that S. lasiocarpum may exert antidiabetic effects by modulating a TNF–PPARG axis, reducing pro-inflammatory signaling while supporting insulin-sensitizing pathways. Overall, these results support the traditional use of S. lasiocarpum and provide a multi-omics resource to prioritise candidate metabolites, enzymes and targets for follow-up studies. As the pathway links were inferred computationally, the proposed TNF–PPARG-centred mechanism should be regarded as hypothesis-generating and will require validation in experimental models and, ultimately, well-designed human intervention trials.

Food safety and hygiene are essential, particularly in limited. Street vending poses a public healthrisk due to the potential for foodborne illnesses. Literature indicates that many vendors fail to meetbasic hygiene standards, highlighting the need for local evaluations. The Demerara-Mahaica regionhas the highest population density in Guyana as it serves as the social, economic, and administrativehub of the country. While street food vending is popular across this region, it is without adequateregulations and oversight. Moreover, there are no prior known studies on the hygiene practices ofstreet food vendors in Guyana. This study examines the hygiene practices of street food vendors inthis region of Guyana. It involves a direct cross-sectional observational assessment based on datacollected in a broader survey in 2024, where a total of 104 street food vendors were selected viaconvenience sampling. The assessment focuses on hygiene indicators, including handwashing,attire, money handling, and grooming. Descriptive statistics summarized hygiene practices, whileinferential analysis explored associations between observed hygiene behaviors and vendors’demographics. Less than 32% of vendors washed their hands while handling food, and among thoseobserved using toilet facilities, the majority did not wash their hands afterward. Similarly, about46% vendors handled money while serving food, and most of these failed to wash their handsafterward. Despite these poor hand-washing practices, over 60% of the vendors handled food withtheir bare hands. Just over 90% of vendors wore masks while handing food, and fewer than 54%wore aprons. Jewelry use was common (39%), often uncovered. Chi-squared analysis and odds ratiotests revealed no statistically significant associations between hygiene practices and demographics.The findings are concerning, as they reveal a substantial shortfall in hygiene practices and point toa potential increase in food-borne illnesses. A more comprehensive study, such as a census, isrecommended to validate the findings.

Despite the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Guyana as an effective HIV prevention tool, its uptake remains low among key and vulnerable populations, such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, and transgender individuals. This study assessed awareness, uptake, and barriers to PrEP among seronegative individuals in Guyana and proposed strategies to improve accessibility and use. A cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted among 90 seronegative adults across Regions 3, 4, 6, and 10. Quantitative data were collected via structured questionnaires, whereas qualitative insights were gathered through interviews and focus group discussions. Statistical analyses (chi-square) and thematic coding were applied. Among participants, 59% were aware of PrEP, primarily through media sources (43%), whereas only 18% had ever been offered PrEP by a health care provider. None of the participants were active users. The key barriers identified were limited access (48%), fear of side effects (27%), and inadequate provider engagement. However, 57% expressed willingness to use PrEP and 74% would recommend it to peers. PrEP awareness in Guyana is moderate but constrained by systemic barriers, misinformation, and health care inaccessibility. Strengthening provider training, integrating PrEP into routine services, and community outreach are essential to improve uptake.

Communication is considered as a process to share information, views, data and thoughts. It is an important part of personality reflecting uniqueness and attraction. In the present era, much focus is given on developing communication skills or soft skills as it is a requisite to get a good job. Having smile on face, choosing nice words while communicating with others, and dealing the worst situation very confidently are all taken as part of effective communication skills. These skills can create win win situation in all spheres. Communication skills play a very dominant role in the life of students. It has deep impact on developing students’ personal, academic, and social life. In this paper, I am studying about the impact of communication skills as a subject on students. I have taken three areas to study the impact of communication skills like impact on personality growth, social skills and academic progress.

Purpose This exploratory study draws upon a phenomenon–theory interface of women entrepreneurship and the concept of village savings to develop a continuum of the financial intermediation banking theory. It foregrounds this theoretical extension at the intersection of women's entrepreneurship financing processes, using a developing world setup and retrospective narratives of women entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach The research utilises data generated from in–depth interviews involving forty (40) women entrepreneurs in a developing world setup. A research guide comprising semi-structured questions was used to allow participants to recount, as fully as possible, their lived experiences in social settings featuring village saving schemes. The Gioia methodology was adopted for data analysis. Unlike basic thematic analysis, Gioia's data structure, comprising first-order codes, second-order codes and aggregated dimensions, enhanced the rigour in analysing, synthesising and interpreting the stories told by the participants. Findings The findings reveal how women entrepreneurs, involuntarily excluded from participating in modern economics due to gender biases about their societal roles and responsibilities, reconfigured the very mechanisms that constrained their economic and social freedoms to establish village saving schemes as a solution to their financial access challenges. Furthermore, they show how these entrepreneurs coalesced, self-organised and self-managed to enable their saving schemes to function. The relationships they establish were influenced by prosocial acts of solidarity, belonging and togetherness with affiliation to these schemes based on family connections, kinship ties and long-standing personal friendships. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in the contextualised theoretical perspectives and explanations it develops to decipher the subtle social and economic interactions interwoven in the complex local, cultural and social systems of a classical village savings model. Its contextually grounded approach has value. It transcends empirical methods that scholars use to look beyond sample-wide averages to explore the nuances hidden beneath the surface of economic and social interactions in women's entrepreneurship in the developing world.