December 2009
Phenotypic and genotypic screening of rice genotypes at seedling stage for salt tolerance
Selection for salinity tolerance genotypes of rice based on phenotypic performance alone is less reliable and will delay progress in breeding. Recent advent of molecular markers, microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are used to find out salt tolerant rice genotypes. Three selected SSR markers; RM7075, RM336 and RM253 were used to evaluate rice genotypes for salt tolerance. Phenotypic and...
December 2009
Isolation of Fusarium fujikuroi antagonistic bacteria and cloning of its phenazine carboxylic acid genes
Bakanae disease caused by Fusarium fujikuroi is very important in rice.Pseudomonas fluorescens produces a broad-spectrum antibiotic phenazine-carboxylic acid (PCA), which is active against a variety of fungal root pathogens. In this study contaminated rice samples were collected from infected farms of Guilan. 238 bacteria were isolated from rhizosphere and the antagonistic ability of 12 of...
December 2009
Molecular cloning and characterization of a new peroxidase gene (OvRCI) from Orychophragmus violaceus
A new peroxidase gene from Orychophragmus violaceus was cloned. The full-length cDNA of O. violaceus peroxidase gene (OvRCI, GenBank. Acc. No. AY428037) was 1220 bp and contained an 1128 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 375 amino acids. Homology analysis and molecular modeling revealed that OvRCI strongly resembled other peroxidase genes. Quantitative...
December 2009
Application of Hosaka and DJ Kim Whatmann paper protocols for rapid isolation of cowpea DNA
The traditional liquid nitrogen DNA extraction method is expensive and tedious. There is, therefore, the need for cheaper and faster methods of DNA extraction for efficient application of marker assisted selection (MAS) for breeding for striga resistance in cowpea to be able to handle large number of samples at a time. Two DNA extraction methods; Hosaka (2004) and DJ Kim Whatmann paper (unpublished) were...
December 2009
Proline, catalase and root traits as indices of drought resistance in bold grained rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes
The present experiment was carried out with 39 bold grained rice genotypes to study the genetic variability of the traits conferring drought resistance and to screen the drought tolerant rice genotypes with a view to formulate an efficient breeding programme for time bound genetic enhancement. The field experiment was grown during Sali season of 2007 to estimate the genetic variability of eight quantitative...
December 2009
Effect of sorbitol on callus induction and plant regeneration in wheat
Six wheat genotypes were evaluated for their response to callus induction and regeneration on MS medium modified with different concentrations of sorbitol, that is, 0, 10, 20, 30 gL-1 along with optimum (3 mgL-1) concentration of 2,4-D. Variability was observed among different genotypes for callus induction. Highest callus induction frequency was shown by Wafaq- 2001, which was about 85.62% followed by...
December 2009
Pattern of livelihood and household food security among rural dwellers: Case of women pastoralists in Oyo state of Nigeria
The study of the pattern of livelihood and household food security among rural dwellers case of women pastoralist was carried out in Oyo state, Nigeria. Data were obtained from 100 women. The women are purposively sampled such that their husbands were pastoralists or that they are involved in pastoral farming. Structured and validated interview schedule was used to elicit necessary information through...
December 2009
Effects of processing conditions on the hardness of cassava pellets
In this study, an experimental rig attached to a Testometrics Universal Testing machine for the purpose of extrusion was used to investigate the effects of processing conditions on hardness property of cassava pellets. The parameters considered were machine speeds of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 mm/min, die diameters of 6, 8, 10, 12 mm and cassava dough of moisture content levels 48.5, 50.5, 52.5 and 54.5%w.b. Result...
December 2009
Smallholder adoption and economic impacts of tissue culture banana in Kenya
This study was conducted with an objective of determining the correlates of adoption of tissue culture banana technology and its impacts on household incomes in Kenya. The results show that while some households have opted not to adopt tissue culture banana biotechnology, almost all the adopters are growing tissue culture bananas alongside non-tissue culture banana varieties. The scale of production and...
December 2009
Protectant, insecticidal and antimicrobial potentials of Dalbergia saxatilis Hook f. (fabaceae)
The protectant, insecticidal and antimicrobial potentials of the Nigerian plant,Dalbergia saxatilis (Fabaceae) were investigated. The dried powdered leaves of D. saxatilis were established as a control agent for the cowpea pest, Callosobruchus maculatus. Damage was drastically reduced when cowpea seeds were treated with dry powdered leaves of D. saxatilis. Doses of 0.75 g/150 seeds...
December 2009
Phylogenetic analysis of Artemisia L. (Asteraceae) based on micromorphological traits of pollen grains
The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Artemisia have been very controversial. In order to recognize the systematic inference of pollen grains in this genus, the micromorphological characteristics of pollens from 22 taxa were examined by means of light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A phylogenetic analysis of Artemisia based on 9...
December 2009
Determination of chilling temperature effects on nutrient elements composition and distribution in cole (Brassica Oleracea L. Cv. Acephala) using the WDXRF spectroscopic technique
Cole (Brassica oleracea L. cv. Acephala) is a naturally very hardy species to (at) chilling temperatures. It has been observed that the plant species can be viable even under snow during a cold winter. The cole seedlings were grown in soil for one month. Chilling temperatures were then applied to these seedlings under controlled conditions. These seedlings were subsequently, cut into root tip, root...
December 2009
Water stress induced changes in antioxidant enzymes, membrane stability and seed protein profile of different wheat accessions
Water stress induced changes in antioxidant enzymes membrane stablity index and seed protein profiling of four different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) accessions (011251, 011417, 011320 and 011393) were determined in a pot study under natural condition during the wheat-growing season 2005 and 2006. Sampling was done 3, 6 and 9 days after induction of water stress. Recovery was studied at 48 and 72 h of...
December 2009
Development and application of a real-time quantitative PCR assay for determining expression of benzo-a- pyrene-Inducible cytochrome P450 1A in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Cytochrome P4501A’s (CYP1A) constitute a ubiquitous family of proteins associated with the detoxification of organic compounds such as PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), PAH (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) and dioxin. These compounds are documented to induce the CYP1A gene in a variety of tissues of many fish species. Consequently, changes in CYP1A gene expression have been used as a...
December 2009
The effect of ultraviolet radiation on water-logging resistance in Tibetan peach
The effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the water-logging resistance of Tibetan peach (Amygdalus mira Koehne) remains unclear. In this study, Tibetan peach seedlings were subjected to 9-days of UV-B (280 - 320 nm) supplementation, water-logging or the combination of both, and the growth indicated by leaf number, net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance were monitored. In addition, the...
December 2009
Effects of pasteurisation on survival patterns of microorganisms and vitamin C retention in kunun-zaki
The effects of pasteurisation on the survival patterns of the microflora as well as vitamin C retention in kunun-zaki fortified with vitamin C was syudied. A laboratory sorghum based kunun–zaki was fortified with 90 mg/l of vitamin C. The content was subjected to pasteurisation at 70oC for different time intervals ranging from 0 - 30 min. Samples of the beverage were then taken at 5 min intervals...
December 2009
An evaluation of antibacterial activities of Seidenfia rheedii (Sw.) Szlach.
Global antibiotic resistance by bacteria is becoming an increasing public health concern and the presence of drug-resistance bacteria does not only hamper the effective treatment of infectious diseases, but also increases the cost of treatment. Therefore there is a need to develop alternate antibacterial drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases. One approach involves the search for new therapeutic...
December 2009
In vivo antiplasmodial effect of chloroform extracts of Artemisia maciverae Linn and Artemisia maritima Linn
Chloroform extracts of Artemisia maciverae and Artemisia maritima (whole plants) were tested in vivo for anti-malarial activity in Swiss albino mice experimentally infected with chloroquine resistant Plasmodium berghei NK 65 at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The 2 plant extracts showed high anti-malarial activity. The parasitemia in the infected mice treated with the extracts...
December 2009
Chitin degrading potential of three aquatic actinomycetes and its optimization
Eighty actinomycetes obtained from Krishna River in Satara district, India were screened for their chitinolytic activity on colloidal chitin agar. Fifty-two isolates showed clear zones of hydrolysis of chitin. Three isolates: Streptomyces canus, Streptomyces pseudogriseolus and Micromonospora brevicatiana were selected on the basis of zone of clearance to colony size ratio, for further...
December 2009
Effect of biosurfactant from two strains of Pseudomonas on germinating seedlings of Cicer arietinum L and Phaseolus mungo Roxb.
Two Pseudomonas strains isolated from oil-contaminated soil which produce biosurfactant were studied. The biosurfactant containing broth formed stable emulsions with liquid light paraffin, cooking medium vegetable oil and toluene. The strains under study produce extra cellular biosurfactant in the culture media. Biosurfactant was extracted from the culture broth by acetone-HCl precipitation....
December 2009
Tomato lycopene is a natural antioxidant and can alleviate hypercholesterolemia
Lycopene of tomato wastes was extracted and determination. The level of tomato lycopene was 145.50 ppm. An aliquots of the concentrated tomato lycopene, represent 100, 200, 400 and 800 ppm; grade lycopene (200 ppm) and butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT, 200 ppm) were investigated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method. These compounds were administered to rats fed on...
December 2009
Effects of polysaccharide from Lycium barbarum in alloxan-induced diabetic mice
A study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of polysaccharide from Lycium barbarum (LBP) in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The various parameters studied included body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, total cholesterol (TC) andtriglyceride (TG) in diabetic and normal mice. LBP treatment (20, 40 mg/ kg body weight) for 28 days resulted in a significant...
December 2009
Malondialdehyde levels of frozen fish, chicken and turkey on sale in Benin City markets
75 samples of frozen turkey, chicken and fish sold in Benin City markets, Nigeria were screened for lipid peroxidation by colorimetric estimation of their malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. All samples contained extremely high levels of MDA. The order of MDA profiles was fish > turkey > chicken. MDA levels within chicken and turkey samples varied from market to market, while values for each of the 5 fish...
December 2009
Haemorrheologic and fibrinolytic activities in pregnant women: Influence of gestational age and parity
Haemorrheologic and fibrinolytic activities in pregnancy have been scarcely examined in Nigeria especially on the influences of gestational age and parity. In order to assess these influences, 100 pregnant and 100 non pregnant subjects (controls) of age range 18 – 40 years were studied. Packed cell volumes (PCV), relative whole blood viscosity (RWBV), relative plasma viscosity (RPV), plasma fibrinogen...
December 2009
Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Streptomyces sp. from Lonar Lake
Antibacterial substances from actinomycetes were isolated from marine environment of Lonar Lake and characterized. Out of the 24 isolates subjected to secondary screening, 12 isolates were active against Bacillus subtilis, 13 againstStaphylococcus aureus, 7 against Escherichia coli, 3 against Proteus vulgaris and 4 against Salmonella typhi. Metabolites in the...
December 2009
Incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) among pregnant women in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria
This study reports the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) among 80 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Oluyoro Catholic Hospital (OCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, as well as the isolation and identification of the pathogens responsible for the infection. A total of 80 clean voided mid-stream urine samples were collected from pregnant women between the ages of 21-40 years. The results showed that the...
December 2009
Prediction of antigenic epitopes and MHC binders of neurotoxin alpha-KTx 3.8 from Mesobuthus tamulus sindicus
The potassium channel inhibitor alpha-KTx 3.8, a 38-residue peptide was isolated from the venom of Mesobuthus tamulus sindicus. In this assay we have predicted the binding affinity of alpha-KTx 3.8 having 38 amino acids, which shows 30 nonamers. Peptide fragments of the neurotoxin can be used to select nonamers for use in rational vaccine design and to increase the understanding of roles of the...
December 2009
Antimicrobial activity of leaf extracts of Indian medicinal plants against clinical and phytopathogenic bacteria
The ethnobotanical efficacy of Indian medicinal plants; Achyranthes aspera, Artemisia parviflora, Azadirachta indica, Calotropis gigantean, Lawsonia inermis, Mimosa pudica, Ixora coccinea, Parthenium hysterophorus and Chromolaena odorata were examined using agar disc diffusion method against clinical bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and phytopathogenic...
December 2009
Antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants used for the treatment of tuberculosis in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Artemisia afra Jacq. Ex Willd., Carpobrotus edulis L. and Tulbaghia violacea Harv.were screened for activity against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium aurum A+ strain using a two-fold microdilution bioassay. M. aurum is tuberculosis (TB) related strain that was used in this...
December 2009
Dose-dependent effects of propofol on expression ICAM-1 in rabbit aorta endothelial cells
The dose-dependent effects of propofol on expression intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) in rabbit aorta endothelial cells was examined. Twenty adult New Zeland albino rabbits were used in this study. One control and three experimantal groups were designed. In experimantal groups; for group I propofol was not applied, group II 0.5, group III 4.0 and group IV 8.0 mg/kg propofol were applied to rabbits by...
December 2009
Studies on the expectorant, antitussive and antiasthmatic properties of asterosaponin extracted from Luidia quinaria
The aim of this study was to analyze the expectorant, antitussive and antiasthmatic effects of asterosa-ponin from Luidia quinaria through secretion of phenol red from mouse tracheas, frequency of cough caused by ammonia in mice and asthma induced by histamine in guinea pig, respectively. Results showed that asterosaponin extracted from L. quinaria at doses of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg could...
December 2009
Determination of cephalosporin acylase activity by biological and colorimetric method in bacteria
The effective production of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) is a matter of concern in the pharmaceutical industry because it is a starting material for the synthesis of semi synthetic cephalosporin. Therefore screening for new source ofcephalosporin acylase positive bacteria is very important. The cephalosporin acylase can be found in several Pseudomonas sp....
December 2009
Effect of chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone (cGnRH-II) on plasma steroid hormone, maturation and ovulation in African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)
Nowadays, many studies on the effects of native GnRHs and various agonists have been evaluated on the spawning of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. For the current study, three experiments have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone II (cGnRH-II) in stimulation of maturation and ovulation of African catfish. The first experiment concerned the graded...
December 2009
Isolation of cellulolytic activities from Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle)
Cellulolytic enzymes have immense potential to convert cellulosic biomass into useful products. Tribolium castaneum crude proteins were isolated to screen the cellulolytic activities. The activity was established by substrate-agar plate assay and confirmed by endoglucanase assay. Cellulolytic activity was further purified and characterized using the different chromatographic techniques and...
December 2009
Ethanologenic potential of the bacterium Bacillus cereus NB-19 in media comprising of sugar mill and dairy industrial wastes
Ethanologenic bacterium was cultivated in a suspension of sugarcane bagasse and processed yogurt whey under the predetermined growth optimized conditions. It was found that blending of processed defatted yogurt whey with 2% sugarcane bagasse (MNCH-9 medium) caused significantly higher growth of the bacterium after 24 h of incubation as compared to the values obtained when the Bacillus cereus-NB-19 was...
December 2009
Size composition, growth, mortality and yield of Alectis alexandrinus (Geoffory Saint-Hilaire) in Bonny River, Niger Delta, Nigeria
A twelve month study on the size composition, growth, mortality and yield of Alectis alexandrinus revealed a length range of 11.5 - 33.8 cm (standard length). Employing the length frequency method in the FISAT II package gave the following results for the Von Bertanlanffy growth parameters: L∞ = 35.23, K = 0.680, to = 0.3214 and Ç¿ = 2.926. The total mortality (Z) was 2.47, natural...
December 2009
The consequences of the effects of the chemotherapeutic drug (vincristine) in organs and the influence on the bioavailability of two radio-biocomplexes used for bone evaluations in balb/c female mice
The development of animal model to evaluate the toxicological action of compounds used as pharmaceutical drugs is desired. The model described in this work is based on the capability of drugs to alter the bioavailability of radiopharmaceuticals (radiobiocomplexes) labeled with technetium-99 m (99mTc). There are evidences that the bioavailability or the pharmacokinetic of radiobiocomplexes can be modified by...
December 2009
Formulation of novel trehalose flakes for storage and delivery of newcastle disease (strain I-2) vaccine to chickens
Newcastle disease (ND) strain I-2 vaccine flakes were formulated by using an amorphous trehalose sugar as a stabilizer and evaluated for long term storage and delivery to chickens. The results showed that the I-2 virus stored in trehalose flakes maintained its infectivity titre at 108.6 EID 50/0.1 mL for 4 weeks at ambient room temperature. The vaccine flakes were stable after storage for 16 weeks...
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