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Ethiopia's oilseed industry makes a major contribution to foreign exchange revenues. Ethiopia's three main oilseed crops (sesame, soybean, and Niger seed) account for about 20% of the country's total agricultural export profits, second only to coffee. Even though Ethiopia is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of sesame seeds, the country is facing increasing supply and demand restrictions. This paper begins with an examination of one of the most prominent oil crops in the country. It is a highly adaptable crop that may be used for anything from subsistence to commercial output. We established a comprehensive scientific understanding of the crop using a systematic review of the current literature and deductive logical reasoning that can be used to inform future research and policies. Various exclusion and inclusion criteria were used to filter the most notable findings. Millions of growers and other market participants are employed throughout the oilseed value chain. Reduced sesame productivity, pests and diseases, and limited access to modern technologies are all severe supply-side constraints. On the demand side, traders and market distortion, as well as an artificially higher home price and the ease with which unskilled labor can enter the market, are all factors. Other demand-side constraints include worldwide price volatility, a highly concentrated export market, and intense global competition. Ethiopia's sesame seed development potential is being severely hampered by these restrictions. If farmers, dealers, and the government do not address these issues strategically, the country may soon lose its competitiveness in the global sesame seed market. This will contribute to Ethiopia's ongoing discussion about how to better inform private and public sector policies and investments to increase sesame production, transform agriculture, improve nutrition and food systems, and be able to ease supply- and demand-side restrictions. In a nutshell, an increased area under cultivation combined with best agronomic practices could boost sesame production. Farmers, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders must thus intervene to enhance sesame production. Future studies should concentrate on how to boost sesame output in farmers' fields while following appropriate sesame production technology and agronomic principles., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Teshome Sirany and Esubalew Tadele.)

Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) is a popular leafy vegetable in Ethiopia. However, the production and productivity of the crop are often constrained by several factors, such as deprived soil fertility and poor agronomic practices. Thus, a study was conducted in two locations in the East Gojjam zone of northwestern Ethiopia during the 2021/2022 cropping season to evaluate the effect of bud numbers and farmyard manure fertilizer rates on the growth and yield components of cabbage. Three numbers of cabbage buds (1, 2, and 3) and four levels of farmyard manure (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 tons/ha) were laid out in a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data on yield and quality were recorded and subjected to analysis of variance. The results revealed that growth, yield, and quality components were significantly influenced by the interaction effects of bud number and farmyard manure fertilizer rate. In both locations, the highest marketable (41.8 tons/ha) and total (43.1 tons/ha) yields were attained from the combined effects of 2 buds of cabbage and 5 tons of farmyard manure. The highest medium-sized heads (31.8 tons/ha) of cabbage were also recorded from the combination of 2 buds with 5 tons of farmyard manure. Moreover, the combined effects of 2 buds and 5 tons of farmyard manure showed the highest net benefit (5,679.03 US dollars) over the other treatments at the two locations. Hence, based on the results of the study, the combination of 2 buds and 5 tons of farmyard manure fertilizer can be suggested for the economical production of cabbage in northwestern Ethiopia and similar environments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yohannes Gelaye and Esubalew Tadele.)

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of death worldwide. No therapy stopping progress of the disease is available., Objectives: To investigate the role of the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)-cGMP axis in development of lung emphysema and pulmonary hypertension (PH) and to test whether the sGC-cGMP axis is a treatment target for these conditions., Methods: Investigations were performed in human lung tissue from patients with COPD, healthy donors, mice, and guinea pigs. Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) for 6 hours per day, 5 days per week for up to 6 months and treated with BAY 63-2521. Guinea pigs were exposed to CS from six cigarettes per day for 3 months, 5 days per week and treated with BAY 41-2272. Both BAY compounds are sGC stimulators. Gene and protein expression analysis were performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Lung compliance, hemodynamics, right ventricular heart mass alterations, and alveolar and vascular morphometry were performed, as well as inflammatory cell infiltrate assessment. In vitro assays of cell adhesion, proliferation, and apoptosis have been done., Measurements and Main Results: The functionally essential sGC β1-subunit was down-regulated in patients with COPD and in CS-exposed mice. sGC stimulators prevented the development of PH and emphysema in the two different CS-exposed animal models. sGC stimulation prevented peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis of alveolar and endothelial cells, reduced CS-induced inflammatory cell infiltrate in lung parenchyma, and inhibited adhesion of CS-stimulated neutrophils., Conclusions: The sGC-cGMP axis is perturbed by chronic exposure to CS. Treatment of COPD animal models with sGC stimulators can prevent CS-induced PH and emphysema.

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a well-established risk factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In contrast, the extent to which CS exposure contributes to the development of the systemic manifestations of COPD, such as skeletal muscle dysfunction and wasting, remains largely unknown. Decreased skeletal muscle capillarization has been previously reported in early stages of COPD and might play an important role in the development of COPD-associated skeletal muscle abnormalities. To investigate the effects of chronic CS exposure on skeletal muscle capillarization and exercise tolerance, a mouse model of CS exposure was used. The 129/SvJ mice were exposed to CS for 6 mo, and the expression of putative elements of the hypoxia-angiogenic signaling cascade as well as muscle capillarization were studied. Additionally, functional tests assessing exercise tolerance/endurance were performed in mice. Compared with controls, skeletal muscles from CS-exposed mice exhibited significantly enhanced expression of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2D1 (UBE2D1), and prolyl hydroxylase-2 (PHD2). In contrast, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was reduced. Furthermore, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, decreased skeletal muscle capillarization, and reduced exercise tolerance were also observed in CS-exposed animals. Taken together, the current results provide evidence linking chronic CS exposure and induction of VHL expression in skeletal muscles leading toward impaired hypoxia-angiogenesis signal transduction, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and decreased exercise tolerance.