Ascorbic acid content in leaves of Nightshade (Solanum spp.) and spider plant (Cleome gynandra) varieties grown under different fertilizer regimes in Western Kenya
February 2016
Vitamin C is an important micronutrient because of its antioxidant and health promoting properties. With the introduction and commercialization of improved African indigenous plants, few studies have examined the impact of leaf age or the nutrient status of the plants by fertilizer. This study sought to determine amounts of vitamin C using redox titration in mature and immature leaves of spider plant (Cleome gynandra)...
Production of laccase without inducer by Chaetomium species isolated from Chettaba forest situated in the East of Algeria
February 2016
A positive laccase strain which showed a positive reaction with guaïacol was isolated from Chettaba Forest, which is situated in Constantine, the East of Algeria. It was identified as Chaetomium species (Ref 051A) according to the morphological and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA genomic sequence analysis. Laccase activity was determined by using 2,2-azinobis(3- ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate)...
Effects of boiling and oil or vinegar on pickled jurubeba (Solanum paniculatum L.) fruit
February 2016
Jurubeba fruit, raw and thermally processed for different periods of time, were preserved in soybean oil or vinegar and evaluated for physical characteristics, phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity and polyamines. The loss of green color in many vegetables after cooking is a frequent problem that affects the quality of pickled foods, and chlorophyll content is a relevant parameter to assess the quality. Data showed that...
Asymbiotic seed germination and in vitro propagation of Brasiliorchis picta
February 2016
Seed storage method for in vitro germination and propagation from leaves of Brasiliorchis picta was developed. Seeds were harvested and stored at -20 and -80°C for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and were germinated on Knudson C (KC), Murashige and Skoog (MS), half-strength MS (½ MS macro- and micro-nutrients), and woody plant medium (WPM). Seeds stored at -20°C, the recommended temperature for seed banks, had a...
Possible oxidative effects of isotretinoin and modulatory effects of vitamins A and C in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
February 2016
Isotretinoin (ITN), chemically known as 13-cis-retinoic acid, is a part of the broad group of compounds related to vitamin A. It is particularly employed in the treatment of nodular cystic acne and as an inhibitor of proliferation of neoplastic cells, by exerting a regulatory effect on the cell differentiation. This study aimed at investigating the possible oxidative effects of ITN and modulatory effects of vitamins A...
Isolation and characterization of thermotolerant ethanol-fermenting yeasts from Laos and application of whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) analysis for their quick identification
February 2016
Thermotolerant yeasts, which are expected to be applicable for high-temperature fermentation as an economical process, were isolated from four provinces in Laos. Of these yeasts, five isolates exhibited stronger fermentation abilities in a 16% sugars-containing medium of glucose, sucrose, sugarcane or molasses at 40°C than that of Kluyveromyces marxianus DMKU 3-1042, one of the most thermotolerant and efficient...
Antifungal effects of sisal leaf juice on Lasiodiplodia theobromae, the causal agent of mulberry root rot
February 2016
This study was carried out to evaluate the antifungal activities of leaf juices (fresh juice, fermented juice, boiled juice and sterile juice) of nine sisal varieties on Lasiodiplodia theobromae, the causal agent of mulberry root rot. Results show that all the leaf juices could inhibit the mycelial growth in different degrees (the inhibitory rates ranged from 63.3 to 100%), due to different varieties and treatments....
Current status of Colletotrichum capsici strains, causal agents of Brown blotch disease of cowpea in Burkina Faso
February 2016
Brown blotch disease, caused by Colletotrichum capsici, is an important disease of cowpea with a significant yield losses ranging from 42 to 100% in West Africa. In this study, a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer set CC1F1/CcapR was used to characterize and to study the phylogenetic relationship of thirty eight strains of Colletotrichum species. This primer set is capable of amplifying only C. capsici from...
In vitro seed germination and seedling development of the orchid Coelogyne stricta (D. Don) Schltr.
February 2016
Coelogyne stricta (D. Don) Schltr., an orchid of high ornamental and medicinal values, is native to Nepal at 1400 to 2000 m elevations. In vitro seed germination and seedling development was carried out on 0.8% (w/v) agar solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with various combinations of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/L BAP and 1...
Adsorption of copper, zinc and lead on biosurfactant produced from cassava wastewater
February 2016
The remediation of soils contaminated by hydrophobic compounds, especially petroleum derivatives, using surfactants has been fairly studied. The use of these compounds in heavy metal contaminated areas is incipient and their mechanism of action has not been totally elucidated yet. The biosurfactants are compounds with surfactant characteristics produced by living organisms and have several environmental advantages, like...
Investigating the antioxidant properties and rutin content of Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) leaves and branches
February 2016
The present study focused on the antioxidant properties and rutin content of leaves and branches of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Sea buckthorn) in Turkey. Dried leaves (leaf tea), processed (PB) and unprocessed branches (UB) of Sea buckthorn (SBT) were extracted with ethanol and prepared in forms of aqueous extract (AE). All samples were analyzed for their contents of rutin, total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC) and...
Iron bioavailability in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) desiccated gill and liver powder: Study in rats
January 2016
This study assessed iron bioavailability in rats from diets enriched with desiccated tambaqui gill and liver powders using the hemoglobin depletion-repletion method. Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) liver and gills were bought at Manaus. After processing the livers and gills were placed on trays and desiccated in a ventilated incubator at 60°C. The rats were given free access to chow and water. The moisture, protein,...
Biological evaluation of 32 different essential oils against Acidovorax citrulli, with a focus on Cinnamomum verum essential oil
January 2016
Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) of watermelon caused by Acidovorax citrulli (ACC) is one of the most severe diseases of watermelon worldwide. Antibacterial activity of 32 essential oils (EOs) was evaluated against ACC using disk-diffusion assays. The oil from cinnamon exhibited the greatest antibacterial activity. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the major components of cinnamon oil were analyzed. Among...
Treatment of domestic wastewater by anaerobic denitrification: Influence of the type of support media on the production of extracellular polymer substances
January 2016
Eighteen Erlenmeyer flask containing six different support media [pozzolan, polyvinyl chloride1 (PVC1), polyvinyl chloride2 (PVC2), foam, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS)] were subject to identical volumetric organic loadings and hydraulic retention time in treating synthetic protein ± carbohydrate waste. The objective was to examine the influence of support media on performance of anaerobic...
Removal of hexavalent chromium using chitosan prepared from shrimp shells
January 2016
Contamination of the aqueous environment by heavy metals and due to the discharge of metal containing effluents into the water bodies is one of the environmental issues of the century. Thus, in this work, the main concern has been the preparation of chitin and chitosan from the raw materials of shrimp shells and the characterization of the prepared chitosan by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and...
Influence of enzymes and ascorbic acid on dough rheology and wheat bread quality
January 2016
The combined action of ascorbic acid and two commercial enzymatic complexes containing amylase and xylanase/amylase was analyzed to determine their effects on dough rheology and bread quality. Seven bread formulations containing different concentrations of these improvers were used in the analysis. The rheological properties of each dough formulation were determined by moisture, gluten and farinograph tests. The breads...
In vitro antifungal activity of Dorstenia mannii leaf extracts (Moraceae)
January 2016
The leaves of Dorstenia mannii are used in traditional medicine in Cameroon and other African countries for the treatment of infectious diseases like malaria, skin rashes and stomach disorders. To substantiate this folkloric claim, the crude methanol extract and fractions from the leaves of D. mannii were investigated for their antifungal activity. The crude methanol extract was prepared from powdered dried leaves of...
Plants’ responses to drought and shade environments
January 2016
Water and light are the most important environements for plants’ growth. These environemts are critical factors needed not only for the survival of plants but also their production. When plants are exposed to drought condition, they change in their anatomical, physiological and biochemical properties. Drought affects plants wildly from their cell structure to growth. It causes higher plastoglobuli, lower starch...
Co-digestion of municipal organic wastes with night soil and cow dung for biogas production: A Review
January 2016
Currently, biogas production is one of the most promising renewable energy sources and it represents a very promising way to overcome the problem of waste treatment. Biogas, which is principally composed of methane and carbon dioxide, can be obtained by anaerobic fermentation of biomass such as manure, night soil, sewage sludge and municipal solid wastes. Furthermore, the solid residuals of fermentation (the digested...
Chlorophyll meter reading and total nitrogen content applied as topdressing in parts of the crambe plant
January 2016
The present study was aimed to assess the relationship between the reading of the chlorophyll meter and the total nitrogen (N) content in the leaf in different parts of the crambe plant, depending on the doses of nitrogen applied to the canopy. Randomized block design in a split-plot experimental design was used. The plots were composed by five levels of topdressing with nitrogen and the subplots composed of three parts...
Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from transcriptome sequence of Ruditapes philippinarum
January 2016
In this study, 38 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers derived from transcriptome sequence of Ruditapes philippinarum were reported. The polymorphisms of these markers were detected in a natural population of R. philippinarum. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 10 with an average of 4.8. The observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.000 to 0.939 and 0.086 to 0.832, with an average of...
Simple sequence repeats (SSR) and interspersed sequence repeats (ISSR) markers for genetic diversity analysis among selected genotypes of Gossypium arboreum race ‘bengalense’
January 2016
Genetic diversity among 65 selected genotypes of Gossypium arboreum race bengalense was explored using 62 simple sequence repeats (SSR) and 73 interspersed sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. The SSR primers produced a total of 170 alleles (all polymorphic), while ISSRs yielded 281 bands of which only 94.3% were polymorphic. Utility of various markers were evaluated by calculating different parameters like polymorphic...
Molecular characterization and genetic diversity assessment of Tilapia guineensis from some coastal rivers in Nigeria
January 2016
Tilapia guineensis is an important economically and nutritionally important fish commonly found in Nigerian coastal waters. Genetic diversity of the fish was assessed to obtain information that may help in developing appropriate conservation and breeding programmes for improving the economic and nutritional quality of the fish. Twelve (12) Nigerian coastal populations and nine microsatellite loci were considered. All...
Traditional use, phytochemistry and biological activities of Poincianella pyramidalys (Tul.) LP Queiroz
December 2015
The vegetation of Northeastern Brazil is an important source of income for the local population. Poincianella pyramidalis is a very important species in the semiarid and is inserted in various categories of ethnobotanical use, as foraging, construction and technology uses. However, the most important use is medicinal. Several preparations obtained from the root, bark, leaves and flowers of P. pyramidalis are used to...
African fan palm (Borassus aethiopum) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) are alternate hosts of coconut lethal yellowing phytoplasma in Mozambique
December 2015
In this study, potential alternate hosts of the phytoplasma causing coconut lethal yellowing disease (CLYD) in Mozambique were investigated based on 16S rRNA and secA genes. The results reveal that the naturalized palm species, Elaeis guineensis and Borassus aethiopum are alternate hosts of CLYD phytoplasma in Mozambique. Based on the iPhyClassifier online software, the phytoplasma detected in B. aethiopum belongs...
Production of cellulase-free xylanase by Aspergillus flavus: Effect of polyols on the thermostability and its application on cellulose pulp biobleaching
December 2015
The production of xylanase without cellulase is required for prebleaching of pulp in pulp and paper industry. Aspergillus flavus produced high levels of xylanase on agricultural residues with wheat bran and sugarcane bagasse (4.17 U/mg), and wheat bran and corncob (2.97 U/mg). Xylanase was found to be stable at 45°C with 100% of its original activity remaining after 2 h incubation. At 50°C, xylanase was stable...
Determination of some toxic gaseous emissions at Ama Industrial Complex, Enugu, south eastern Nigeria
December 2015
A study of some gases emitted from three industries at Ama industrial complex, Nigeria, was carried out using Crowcon Gasman, single gas monitors. Results showed that HCN (0.94 ± 0.16 ppm) and CO (3.17 ± 0.89 ppm) emissions from Brewery were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of Bottling Company A (0.46 ± 0.12 and 0.65 ± 0.10 ppm, respectively). NH3, SO2 and NO2 emissions were the...
Mineral content in French type bread with sodium replacement using fluorescence spectrometry X-rays by energy dispersive
December 2015
The present study aimed to determine the mineral composition of the French type bread with partial replacement of sodium chloride by potassium chloride using the technique of X-ray fluorescence energy dispersive. The excitation energy used was 50 keV and detector operation at -176°C. The detected variations were from 10.16 to 613.69 mg 100 g-1 for sodium and from 211.58 to 958.96 mg 100 g-1 for potassium. The...
Influence of acetylation on the physicochemical properties of composited starches from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and water yam (Dioscorea alata L.)
December 2015
The study investigates the effect of acetylation on the physicochemical properties of composited starches from sweet potato and water yam. Starch was respectively isolated from both sources, dried and subjected to acetylation at different combination. The result shows that the modified starches were of low percentage of acetylation and low degree of substitution. Acetylation increased the water absorption capacity of...
Genetic variations and evolutionary relationships among radishes (Raphanus sativus L.) with different flesh colors based on red pigment content, karyotype and simple sequence repeat analysis
December 2015
To determine the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among red radishes, 37 accessions with different flesh colors were analyzed in terms of the red pigment content, karyotypes, and simple sequence repeat markers. Red pigment content of red radish was 3.4 to 28.8% with an average of 15.62%. The karyotype formulas were 14 m (median) + 4 sm (submedian), 16 m + 2 sm, and 18 m for radishes with the same number...
Fertilizer use efficiency by maize (Zea mays) and egusi-melon (Colocynthis citrullus) in various cropping ratios in an ultisol in Edo rainforest area of Nigeria
December 2015
Three separate field studies were conducted in a rainforest area to determine efficient use of applied fertilizers by maize and egusi-melon in various ratios of mixtures in an ultisol in Nigeria. The experiment was a factorial combination of seven cropping ratios of maize and egusi-melon (MA:EM 1:0, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 1:2, and 1:3, respectively) tested under four levels of NPK 20:10:10 (0, 200, 400, and 600 kg/ha)...
Production of ethanol and polyethanol by yeasts isolated from date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) wastes
December 2015
The production of dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in Algeria generates each year, considerable quantities of waste that weaken the balance of our environment and are very rich in organic matter. Their valuation by biotechnological processes enables the production of high value added materials with low cost. In this regard, the objective of this study focused on the selection of yeasts that can be used to produce ethyl...
Blood glucose response of normoglycemic adults fed breakfast porridges made from Zea mays supplemented with Afzelia africana, Detarium microcarpum or Sphenostylis stenocarpa
December 2015
Effect of high fibre leguminous products in breakfast porridges, made from Afzelia Africana (AA), Detarium microcarpum (DM), Sphenostylis stenocarpa (SS) and Zea mays on blood glucose level of humans was investigated in this study. The food items were processed into flour using African (Nigerian) traditional processing methods. The flours were combined in a ratio of 4:1, Z. mays-A. africana (CAA), Z. mays-D. microcarpum...
The simulation analysis of contact characteristics of biomimetic flexible surfaces
December 2015
Based on the foot structure of the climbing biology and multivariate coupling bionic technology, the bionic flexible convex surface was designed and a 3D model was created using the digital modeling software. Finite Element Analysis software was used for contacting analysis to the bionic flexible convex foot structure in the state of dry friction and wet adhesion, and then studied frictional contact performance. The...
Application of solar treatment for the disinfection of geophagic clays from markets and mining sites
December 2015
Most of the microorganisms occurring in geophagic clays are undesirable and may to some extent be harmful to geophagists; it is therefore important to develop a cheap and sustainable technique for the treatment of these clays prior to consumption. In this study, a solar treatment simulated in a chamber has been investigated for its potential to inactivate the microorganisms found in the geophagic clays obtained from...
Pathogen detection and gut bacteria identification in Apis cerana indica in Thailand
December 2015
Pathogen infection of honeybees can lead to economic losses in apiculture. The earlier the pathogen contamination can be found the better it will likely be for the treatment of the infected colony and prevention of the spread of the pathogen within and between colonies. A total of 50 colonies of Apis cerana were sampled in Samut-Songkhram (five colonies) and Chumphon (45 colonies) provinces in the central and the south...
Adaptability and stability of transgenic soybean lines and cultivars in the Brazilian macroregion 3 assessed by using parametric and nonparametric methods
December 2015
This study aimed to evaluate the adaptability and stability of 20 soybean genotypes, ten of which were lines of Monsoy Ltd breeding program, whereas the other 10 genotypes were commercially used cultivars. The experiments were carried out in the agricultural years of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007, in Brazil, specifically in the soybean microregions 301, 302 and 303 (part of Minas Gerais, Goiás and São Paulo...
Application of multivariate analysis to evaluate the biochemical changes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) after exposure to water stress and silicon applications
December 2015
The objective of the present work was to verify, through multivariate analysis, the behavior patterns of biochemical compounds in forage sorghum, submitted to different silicon applications and water stress. Experiment with forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), variety BR 700, was conducted in a greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2×4 factorial arrangement with seven...
Phyto-nutrient composition and antioxidative potential of ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta in wistar albino rats
December 2015
Phytochemical, micronutrient composition and anti-oxidative potential of ethanolic leaf extract of Sida acuta in albino wistar rats were investigated using standard analytical methods. The result (mg/100 g) for phytochemical composition were 91.46 ± 0.02 tannin, 1500.36 ± 0.36 alkaloid, 530.27 ± 0.03 saponin, 1163.86 ± 0.1 flavonoid, 1454.50 ± 0.85 steriod, 115.29 ± 0.05...
Surveys of virus diseases on pepper (Capsicum spp.) in South-west Nigeria
December 2015
Surveys to determine the incidence, diversity and distribution of viruses infecting pepper (Capsicum spp.) were conducted in six states (Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti and Lagos) of South-west Nigeria in 2010 and 2011. Leaf samples from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants were collected at random from farmers’ fields and were analyzed for viruses using antigen coated plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay...
Detection of beet necrotic yellow vein virus in Pakistan using bait-plant bioassay, ELISA and RT-PCR
December 2015
The Northwestern plains of Pakistan are the major sugar beet producing region in the country, providing an important alternative to sugar cane for sugar production when sugar cane is absent in the fields. We surveyed this region for four consecutive years and found that Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is prevalent in at least five of these districts (Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi). An increase...
Minerals and trace elements in domesticated Namibian Ganoderma species
December 2015
Edible and medicinal mushrooms are regarded as the ideal health foods. They are well appreciated for their exquisite taste and flavor and are consumed both fresh and in processed forms. Nutritive value of mushrooms is attributed to their high content of essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals and low lipid content. Regular consumption of whole medicinal and edible mushrooms could introduce a functional or medicinal...
Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus intraradices, Streptomyces and Pseudomonas spp. strain on finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) cv Korchara under water deficit condition
December 2015
In present study, a total of 104 bacteria and 96 actinomycetes were isolated from rhizosphere plant root of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) from Almora district of Uttarakhand, India. Isolates were characterized using microscopic and morphological methods followed by their biochemical test. Based on functional tests, four most promising isolates were identified using 23S rDNA primers as Streptomyces labedae (SB-9),...
Isolation and characterization of efficient cellulolytic fungi from degraded wood and industrial samples
December 2015
Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer and renewable natural product in the biosphere. Cellulose degrading fungal strains play an important role in recycling of cellulosic materials. They have immense advantage in various industries to hydrolyze cellulosic substrates for production of various products. This study was thus aimed to isolate and characterize efficient cellulose degrading fungi from their common natural...
Biological activities of species in the genus Tulbaghia: A review
November 2015
Since time immemorial, plants have been used by several communities to treat a large number of diseases. Numerous studies on the pharmacology of medicinal plants have been done. Medicinal plants constitute a potential source for the production of new medicines and may complement conventional antimicrobials and probably decrease health costs. Phytochemical compounds in plants are known to be biologically active aiding,...
Techno-economic analysis of fuel ethanol production from cassava in Africa: The case of Tanzania
November 2015
The abundance of low-cost feedstock is of great importance for reinforcing industrialization of bioethanol as a sustainable source of eco-friendly energy. This paper describes improved techniques that increase the root productivity of cassava (Manihot esculenta) and its conversion to bioethanol. A variety of models and analytical approaches were used to choose the best technologies, considering various levels of...
Stimulatory activity of four green freshwater sponges on aquatic mycotal communities
November 2015
The influence of the four species of green sponges (Ephydatia muelleri, Heteromeyenia stepanowii, Spongilla fluviatilis, and Spongilla lacustris) on the occurrence of aquatic mycotal species in the water of three four water bodies of different trophy was investigated in this study. Seeds and snake exuviae were used as baits. For the measurement of the primary and extracellular production by symbiotic algae of green...
Polyphenolic constituents and antioxidant/antiradical activity in different extracts of Alstonia scholaris (Linn.)
November 2015
Alstonia scholaris (Linn.) leaves extracted in aqueous, dichloromethane (DCM), methanolic and ethanolic solvents were assessed for different polyphenolic constituents endowed with antioxidant/antiradical activity. Total phenolic, flavonoids and tannin contents were significantly (P<0.05) higher in ethanolic extract as compared to other extracts. The antiradical activity and efficiency was significantly (P<0.05)...
Sugarcane in vitro culture technology: Opportunities for Kenya’s sugar industry
November 2015
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of the most important crops in Kenya and has wide range of economic importance. The sugar industry contributes up to 15% to the country’s agricultural gross domestic product and an estimated 25% of the population depends on the industry for their livelihood. However, the industry has been facing several challenges including declining yields due to use of poor quality...
Production of α-amylase from some thermophilic Aspergillus species and optimization of its culture medium and enzyme activity
November 2015
This paper aimed to evaluate the thermophilic and hyperthermophilic fungi isolated from extreme conditions capable of secreting α-amylase, an enzyme that has a commercial value especially in the production of bread in the food industry and also to ensure their optimization. In this study, thermostable amylase activities of some thermophilic Aspergillus species were evaluated. The suitable medium and microorganisms...
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