June 2006
A bioseparation process for removing heavy metals from waste water using biosorbents
The removal of heavy metals from our environment especially wastewater is now shifting from the use of conventional adsorbents to the use of biosorbents. The presence of heavy metals in the environment is of major concern because of their toxicity, bioaccumulating tendency, and threat to human life and the environment. In recent years, many low cost sorbents such as algae, fungi bacteria and lignocellulosic agricultural...
June 2006
Chromosome numbers in Tunisian populations of Atriplex halimus L. (Chenopodiaceae)
Atriplex halimus L. (Chenopodiaceae) can be divided in two subspecies: the diploid halimus (2n = 2x = 18) and the tetraploid schwainfurthii (2n = 4x = 36).This was based on differences in morphology, with respect to habit, size, leaf shape and fruit morphology. Chromosome numbers for 5 populations of A. halimus L. from Tunisia (Gabès, Kairouan, Monastir, Sidi Bouzid,...
June 2006
Diversity of banana streak-inducing viruses in Nigeria and Ghana: Twice as many sources detected by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) than by TAS-ELISA or IC-PCR
Our previous study had shown that some Musa leaf samples with Banana streak symptoms tested negative for Banana streak virus (BSV) in triple antibody-sandwich ELISA (TAS-ELISA). Therefore, in this study 63 additionalMusa leaf samples were tested for BSV by TAS-ELISA, immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) and immunocapture polymerase chain reaction (IC-PCR). Sensitivity tests by sap dilution...
June 2006
Enhancement of in vitro micro corm production in Gladiolus using alternative matrix
An efficient in vitro protocol for mass propagation of Gladiolus was developed. Basal portions of the innermost leaves responded readily in culture. Ten to fifteen adventitious shoot buds emerged from every responding explant through direct organogenesis, which proliferated in agar-gelled MS basal medium supplemented with NAA (0.002 mM) and BA (0.009 mM). Large number of micro corms was produced in...
June 2006
Appraisal of the 15N-isotope dilution and 15N natural abundance methods for quantifying nitrogen fixation by flood-tolerant green manure legumes
Quantification of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is fundamental to identifying potential green manure legumes for their enhanced nitrogen contribution to sustained crop production. A screenhouse experiment compared BNF by Aeschynomene afraspera L. as affected by phosphorus, using the 15N-isotope dilution and the 15N methods. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) was grown as a non-fixing plant. Phosphorus...
June 2006
In vitro studies on effects of plant growth regulators on callus and suspension culture biomass yield from Gymnema sylvestre R.Br
Callus cultures were initiated from nodal segments and leaf explants ofGymnema sylvestre on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium containing basic salts and 30 g/l sucrose supplemented with different concentrations (0.10, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 mg/l) of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), kinetin (KN) and...
June 2006
Variation in the essential oil constituents of Pteronia incana (Asteraceae)
The essential oil of Pteronia incana was collected and was investigated on a monthly basis using GC-MS. The oil volume and its constituents vary greatly with different time of sampling and distillation. The oil contains a high percentage of myrcene a-pinene, b-pinene with sabinene, a-terpinene, 1.8 cineole and limonene. Key word: Pteronia incana, Asteracea, essential oil.
June 2006
Inhibition of paracetamol-induced oxidative stress in rats by extracts of lemongrass (Cymbropogon citratus) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) in rats
The water extract of green tea and lemongrass were investigated for their antioxidant effects in Wistar albino rats. Control and Test groups of rats were administered with paracetamol (2 g/kg) on the 10th day of the experiment while the test groups were pre-treated with 100 mg/kg body weight of green tea and lemongrass for 10 days. The effect of the extracts on serum levels of malondialdehyde, catalase activity and...
June 2006
Variations in morphological characteristics, lipid content and chemical composition of safou (Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J.LAM.) according to fruit distribution. A case study
A ten year old safou tree studied here bears 2820 fruits gathered on 557 bunches with 1 to 31 fruits on bunch. The fruit distribution was examined according to the geographical orientation (North, South, East, West) and the distance to the ground (Levels I, II, III), from the bottom towards the top of the tree). A sample of ten fruits per orientation and per level (120 fruits) was submitted to a detailed study...
June 2006
Glucoamylase isoform (GAII) purified from a thermophilic fungus Scytalidium thermophilum 15.8 with biotechnological potential
Scytalidium thermophilum 15.8 produced two extracellular glucoamylases. Using a DEAE-Cellulose chromatographic column glucoamylases form II (GAII) was separated and purified from glucoamylases form I (GAI) that was previously purified and characterised (Cereia et al., 2000) when the filtrate of the culture medium was applied to a DEAE-Cellulose chromatographic column. GAII bound to the DEAE-Cellulose and was...
June 2006
The effect of different nutrient sources on biomass production of Lepiota procera in submerged liquid cultures
The effect of various organic, inorganic and complex compounds on the biomass production (mycelial dry weight) of Lepiota procera, a Nigerian edible higher fungus was investigated. Among the seventeen carbon compounds tested, mannose enhanced the best biomass yield. This was followed in order by glucose, raffinose and fructose (P>0.01) while Myo-inositol, sucrose and dextrin were the least stimulatory. Of all...
June 2006
Derivation of a formula for adjusting the total serum calcium in Nigeria environment
The total calcium concentration, total protein, albumin and globulin were estimated for 302 patients that reported for serum calcium estimation at the clinical biochemistry laboratory of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria. Based on regression analysis, three formulae were derived for adjusting the total serum calcium concentration. It was observed that the total serum...
June 2006
Antimicrobial activity of extracts and a germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactone from Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract
The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the leaf of Tithonia diversifolia, and one sesquiterpene lactone 1 isolated from the ethyl acetate extract was studied. Of the fourteen strains of bacteria used, the ethyl acetate extract was the most active, showing inhibitory activity against five Gram +ve and two Gram –ve organisms. This was followed by the...
June 2006
Hepatitis C virus (HCV): ever in reliable partnerships?
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a parenterally transmitted hepatotropic pathogen. HCV infection is a major health problem worldwide, frequently causing cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no preventive vaccine against HCV and treatment, consisting of interferon alpha plus Ribavirin, is generally effective in less than 50% of cases. HCV has evolved mechanisms for surviving in the host. Infection with multiple different HCV...
June 2006
Smooth muscle relaxant activity of 3-carbomethoxylpyridine from Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf on isolated rat uterus
Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf (Icacinaceae) is a medicinal herb used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of threatened abortion and gastrointestinal disorders. Previous chemical work in our laboratory reported the isolation and characterization of 3- carbomethoxylpyridine from the methanolic extract of this plant. The inhibitory effect of the crude extract on isolated rat uterus was also established. The objective of...
June 2006
Effect of combination pre-treatment on physicochemical, sensory and microbial characteristics of fresh aerobically stored minced goat (Black Bengal) meat organs
Minced goat meat organs (bicep fermoris muscle, heart, kidney and liver) of a particular variety of goat (Black Bengal) were stored aerobically in refrigerator at 4°C for 15 days after some combination pretreatments: a) tea liquor and honey, b) acetic acid and glucose and c) spices and curing mixture; followed by subsequent refrigerated storage at 4°C. It was observed that pretreated samples exhibited...
June 2006
Uptake and loss of absorbed dissolved cadmium to Clarias angullaris fingerlings
The uptake and loss of dissolved cadmium in media by the African mud fish (Clarias angullaris) fingerlings was studied in water of 25 mg/ L hardness, pH 6.8, at 27 ±2°C in a static test system. The uptake experiments involved exposure of fish to 0.5 and 1.0 mg Cd2+/L test solutions from which the fish absorbed and retained 1.1011 mg and 1.3060 mg Cd2+/g wet fish weight, approximately 550 and 653 times...
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