Haleden Chiririwa

Cannabidiol (CBD)-infused bottled water has recently become one of the new types of functional beverages in the expanding cannabinoid and nutraceutical market. This paper presents preliminary experimental observations combined with a literature-based analysis to investigate quality and stability parameters of CBD-infused bottled water. Physicochemical characterization, microbial quality analysis and stability monitoring of CBD under storage conditions were included in the experimental work. The results indicated that the formulation maintained the properties of its initial dispersion during the first period of storage. An increase in transparency and a decrease in CBD concentration were noted. Microbial counts increased during storage, suggesting that microbiological stability is limited by time under the tested conditions. Reviewing the literature underlines the significance of cannabinoid stability in aqueous beverages aided by nanoemulsion delivery systems, packaging materials and controlled storage environments. The results show that CBD can be infused into bottled water but challenges regarding formulation and storage exist. The research was not conducted to address long shelf-life, commercial scalability or compliance with regulations but to provide primary information on quality and stability factors influencing CBD beverages. More research using standardized procedures is required to understand safety, efficacy and stability over time.

COVID-19 has spurred much interest in complementary and alternative agents for therapeutic purposes having antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. In these, natural products and bioactive compounds from plants have been at the center of attention due to their easy access, relatively low risk and long history of use in traditional medicine. This paper reviews in detail and critically assesses the scientific data that presently proposes the use of certain cannabinoids, cannabimimetic compounds and Artemisia species in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. It gives an account of medicinal approaches to cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alongside other minor cannabinoids and synthetic and naturally-occurring cannabimimetics. The paper reports the potential of Artemisia annua and other species as treatments, especially focusing on their antiviral, anti-regulatory, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties. It highlights the molecular interactions with SARS-CoV-2 targets as well as cytokine regulation and modulation of oxidative stress pathways, with special emphasis on these areas. The paper raises multiple issues like preclinical and clinical studies, safety aspects, regulatory hurdles and drawbacks related to the use of these natural compounds. After analyzing all the available data, the article entertains the idea of a cannabinoid–Artemisia combination as a supportive or adjunct therapy in COVID-19 treatment. It also points out that the clinical trials are insufficient concerning the establishment of effectiveness, determination of the appropriate dosage and assurance of the long-term safety of the treatment.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multipurpose crop with significant industrial and therapeutic potential. This article reviews the various uses of hemp in production, building, food, cosmetics and medicine, focusing on its economic, environmental and health benefits. Industrially, hemp has been used for making fabrics, paper, bioplastics, construction materials and biofuels, because of its strong fibres, fast growth and low impact on the environment. Hemp seed oil and protein in the food and beauty industries are gaining more recognition for their nutritional and functional characteristics. Medically, compounds extracted from hemp, especially cannabidiol (CBD) and other non-psychoactive phytochemicals, have been shown to possess significant anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, neuroprotective, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. This article talks about how better cultivation methods, processing technologies, and extraction techniques can help improve product quality, marketability, regulatory frameworks, safety standards and the quality control measures that are in place to monitor hemp production and utilization, as well as the focus on new policies in developing nations. Even though hemp has a wide range of potentials, the industry still faces difficulties in the form of laws, lack of infrastructure, unequal product standardization, and lack of scientific proof in certain areas of application. This article further identifies research gaps and points out potential areas for innovation, policymaking, and market development to be explored in the future. If backed up by proper regulations and research, hemp has great potential to contribute to the development of environmentally friendly industries, the improvement of public health and the socio-economic upliftment of communities.

The steel sector is one of the main contributors to carbon dioxide emissions among the industrial activities. It is mostly the use of carbon-rich blast furnaces and natural gas direct reduction processes that cause this. Hydrogen-based direct iron reduction (H-DRI) is a demonstrated method of lowering steel production carbon emissions by using hydrogen rather than carbon monoxide as the reducing agent; therefore, water vapor is released instead of carbon dioxide. This work offers a detailed analysis of the trends, operating concepts, industrial-scale trials, difficulties, and advantages of H-DRI. It is well supported by both energetic and reaction rate considerations that hydrogen is an efficient agent for the reduction of iron oxides to iron metal, giving metallization rates up to those of the traditional processes and at the same time significantly reducing GHG emissions. Moreover, industrial trials confirm that the method is technically feasible on a large scale, which is not yet realized because green hydrogen is very expensive, infrastructure needs are high, and there are still hurdles to be overcome in process optimization, such as water vapor management, pellet quality, and reactor design. According to the studies of product life cycles, if the hydrogen is extracted from renewable sources of energy, then the reduction in CO can be as high as 90%. The article also discusses different aspects of the economy, environment, and law that are already there and the ones that need to be developed so that research, technological breakthroughs, and industrial harmonization can be directed to the right spots. Practical deployment requires control of hydrogen supply, optimizing reduction processes, integrating renewable energy, and regulatory support. The results offer operational insights to the steel industry, policymakers, and academia on the path to sustainable, energy-efficient, and carbon-neutral steel production while retaining the metallurgical quality and industrial scale of the steelmaking processes.

This paper was about creating and testing quality, microbial safety, chemical stability, and shelf life of CBD infused bottled water. Regular water does not mix well with lipophilic cannabidiol, which results in dose inconsistency, degradation, microbial contamination, and limited stability. To counteract these problems, a controlled CBD incorporation method was combined with clean, room bottling and systematic quality control protocols. The bottled water was subjected to various tests after being stored for 28 days, including cannabidiol concentration, degradation products, physicochemical parameters (pH, total solids, water activity) and microbial safety, total plate counts, yeast, mold, and pathogenic bacteria. CBD concentration was maintained with negligible degradation and microbial analyses revealed that total counts were low and no pathogens were detected. This proves that aseptic processing is very effective. Physicochemical parameters did not change, which means that the beverage matrix was not affected by either the addition of CBD or the storage. These results guarantee consistent potency, chemical integrity, microbial safety and product stability effectively solving the problem of producing CBD beverages. The paper demonstrates a reliable method of making safe and high, quality CBD functional beverages with a good shelf life. The results are relevant for manufacturing operations of different scales and supply insight on standardized production, quality monitoring, and storage practices. This research is in line with regulatory compliance and consumer safety and consistent product performance, providing a foundation for the safe commercialization of CBD-infused bottled water.

COVID-19 has spurred a lot of interest in complementary and alternative agents for therapeutic purposes having antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. In these, natural products and bioactive compounds from plants have been at the center of attention due to their easy access, relatively low risk, and long history of use in traditional medicine. This paper reviews in detail and critically assesses the scientific data that at present the use of certain cannabinoids, cannabimimetic compounds, and Artemisia species in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. It gives an account of medicinal approaches to cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD), Δ 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), alongside other minor cannabinoids and synthetic and naturally-occurring cannabimimetics. The paper discusses the potential of Artemisia annua and other species as treatments, especially focusing on their antiviral, anti-regulatory, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulating properties. It highlights the molecular interactions with SARS-CoV-2 targets as well as cytokine regulation and modulation of oxidative stress pathways, with special emphasis on these areas. The paper raises multiple issues like preclinical and clinical studies, safety aspects, regulatory hurdles, and drawbacks related to the use of these natural compounds. After analyzing all the available data, the article entertains the idea of a cannabinoid Artemisia combination as a supportive or adjunct therapy in COVID-19 treatment. It also points out that the clinical trials are insufficient concerning the establishment of effectiveness, determination of the appropriate dosage and assurance of the long-term safety of the treatment.

Whistleblowing is a powerful tool to fight corruption and wrongdoing. However, individuals who expose such wrongdoing are quite likely to face a series of personal and professional difficulties. Our study investigated the experiences of employees in South Africa who have exposed corruption and wrongdoing in their work environments and how their mental health is affected as a result. The study is qualitative, interpretivist, and relies on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with whistleblowers from the public and private sectors. The paper is a take on a variety of aspects surrounding the participants decision to blow the whistle, their organizations' reactions, the retaliation they suffered, and the psychological and social implications of their disclosures. The findings demonstrate that whistleblowers, driven by their moral compass and a sense of duty to society, nevertheless, endure isolation, victimization, career disruption, financial hardship, and mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and post, traumatic stress disorder. The aggravation of mental health issues is due to the absence of institutional support, the ineffectiveness of protective measures, and the constant fear of being subjected to further retaliation. The article also highlights the mechanisms that whistleblowers use to resolve their situations, for instance, the support from their families, their personal strength, and the involvement with non, governmental organisations, although their effectiveness varies depending on the case. The study calls for more robust legal protections, a greater sense of responsibility from organisations, and the provision of psychosocial support services for whistleblowers in South Africa.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a valuable multipurpose crop with high potential both industrially and therapeutically. This article reviews the various uses of hemp in production, building, food, cosmetics and medicine, focusing on its economic, environmental and health benefits. Industrially, hemp has been used for making fabrics, paper, bioplastics, construction materials and biofuels, because of its strong fibres, fast growth and low impact on the environment. Hemp seed oil and protein in the food and beauty industries are gaining more recognition for their nutritional and functional characteristics. Medically, compounds extracted from hemp, especially cannabidiol (CBD) and other non-psychoactive phytochemicals, have been shown to possess significant anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, neuroprotective, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. This article talks about how better cultivation methods, processing technologies, and extraction techniques can help improve product quality, marketability, regulatory frameworks, safety standards and quality control measures that are in place to monitor hemp production and utilization, as well as the focus on new policies in developing nations. Even though hemp has a wide range of potentials, the industry still faces difficulties in the form of laws, lack of infrastructure, unequal product standardization, and lack of scientific proof in certain areas of application. It further identifies research gaps and points out potential areas for innovation, policy, making, and market development to be explored in the future. If backed up by proper regulations and research, hemp has great potential to contribute to the development of environmentally friendly industries, improvement of public health and the socio-economic upliftment of communities.

This research article serves to discuss a very contentious issue of political interference in State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) by political principals and its impact on a high rate of labour turnover of chief executives. In this article, efforts were made to define the concept of political interference, the role of SOEs in the economy, causes of high turnover, and implications related to high turnover of chief executives and the consequences thereof for SOEs as state owned organisations. The article followed a qualitative approach and used unobtrusive techniques to analyse the secondary data. This article serves to contribute to the body of knowledge by exploring the serious consequences of how political interference has led to a serious brain drain of highly qualified and skilled chief executives in SOEs. The findings are discussed in greater detail including the investigation by Zondo Commission into State Capture. The study also shows that a lack of board independence and ambiguous reporting lines aggravate the negative impact of political pressure on the stability of executives and concludes that strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing board professionalism, and clearly delineating the roles of political authorities and executive management are essential for promoting leadership continuity and organisational sustainability. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, regulators, and corporate boards committed to improving accountability, stability, and performance within SOEs

Co-pyrolysis of coal with biomass is becoming a popular method of reducing the net carbon dioxide emissions associated with the process. In present work, the pyrolysis of coal and algae was studied using thermogravimetric methods and the kinetics were analyzed using the Coats-Redfern integral method. The kinetics were evaluated for 1st and 2nd order reaction models. The effect brought by blending coal with algae on kinetics was studied via the analysis of pyrolysis of different coal-algae blends. The results revealed that the pyrolysis of coal and algae follows 2nd and 1st order kinetics with activation energy evaluated in the range 213.4-241.8 and 108.9-122.8 kJ/mol, respectively. It was observed that for coal-algae blending of 20-40% algae, intermediate pyrolysis, typical heating rates of 50-200 ºC/min was characterized by two distinct stages (ignoring the drying stage) that correspond to the individual decomposition of algae and coal. However, there was an evidence of coal-algae interactions during co-pyrolysis, which made the kinetics of the two distinct stages not to correspond to the kinetics of the individual materials.