November 2006

Plasmodium and host glutathione reductase: molecular function and biological process

Glutathione (GSH) is a cysteine-containing tripeptide with reducing and nucleophilic properties which play an important role in cellular protection from oxidative damage of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Glutathione reductase (GR) is an NADPH-dependent enzyme that reduces oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to GSH. Naturally, GR is present in human and in Plasmodium spp. However, the function of the GR in malarial...

Author(s): Viroj Wiwanitkit

November 2006

Cellular response of Murine Osteoblasts to Cryopreservation: the influence of attachment to Hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds

This paper presents data relevant to the rational design of cryopreservation processes for tissue-engineered bone. The effects of cell-scaffold interactions and cell-cell interactions on osteoblast viability and attachment to hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds following cryopreservation processing are defined experimentally. It is found that cryopreservation processing detaches osteoblasts from the HA scaffold and that cells...

Author(s): Bao Lin LIU, John McGRATH, Laura McCABE, Melissa BAUMANN

November 2006

Ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies on some species of Senna in Nigeria

An ethnobotanical search on five species of Senna within and around Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria showed their relevance in the local herbal medicine. These plants include Senna tora, S. occidentalis, S. alata, S. podocarpa and S. siamea.  The phytochemical screening of their leaves revealed some major groups of pharmacological importance including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phlobatannins, saponins and...

Author(s): A.T.J. OGUNKUNLE and TONIA A. LADEJOBI

November 2006

Determination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in selected water bodies in the Niger Delta

   Several water bodies in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where extensive crude oil production activities take place were analyzed for the presence of 16 US EPA priority polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) namely: naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorine, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene,...

Author(s): Chimezie Anyakora and Herbert Coker

November 2006

Laboratory evaluation of four medicinal plants as protectants against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Mots)

The petroleum ether extract of four medicinal plants; Aristolochia ringens (Vahl), Allium sativum (L), Ficus exasperata (L) and Garcinia kola (H), were evaluated as grain protectant against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Mots) in the laboratory at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% (w/v) concentrations. Parameters assessed were adult mortality, rate of adult emergence, grain damage effect and weevil peforation index (WPI). There...

Author(s): S. T. Arannilewa, T. Ekrakene and J. O. Akinneye

November 2006

Effects of Trichoderma-treated cassava waste in the diets of West African dwarf goat on blood, reproductive and urinary parameters

   A study was conducted to evaluate effects of Trichoderma-treated cassava waste on the haemotology, reproductive and urinary parameters of West African dwarf (WAD) does. Twenty mature WAD does were allotted randomly to one four treatments using a completely randomized design arrangement. Does were individually fed the experimental diets containing 0, 20, 30 and 40% fungus treated cassava waste based diets...

Author(s): Belewu, M. A., Belewu, K. Y. and Bello, I. O.