August 2005
Agrobacterium-induced hypersensitive necrotic reaction in plant cells: a resistance response against Agrobacterium-mediated DNA transfer
High necrosis and poor survival rate of target plant tissues are some of the major factors that affect the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transfer into plant cells. These factors may be the result of, or linked to, hypersensitive defense reaction in plants to Agrobacterium infection, which may involve the recognition of specific signals from the Agrobacterium that...
August 2005
Searching the online biomedical literature from developing countries
This commentary highlights popular research literature databases and the use of the internet to obtain valuable research information. These literature retrieval methods include the use of the popular PubMed as well as internet search engines. Specific websites catering to developing countries’ information and journals’ websites are also highlighted. Key words: Research...
August 2005
Detection of three honeybee viruses simultaneously by a single Multiplex Reverse Transcriptase PCR
A single multiplex reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of three honeybee viruses: acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), sacbrood virus (SBV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV). Unique PCR primers were designed from the complete genome sequence to amplify fragments of 900 bp from ABPV, 434 bp from SBV and 316 bp from BQCV. Individual bee pupae...
August 2005
Genetic structure among the local chicken ecotypes of Tanzania based on microsatellite DNA typing
A study was conducted to evaluate the genetic structure of local chicken ecotypes of Tanzania using 20 polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers. A standard PCR was followed by manual genotyping (6% native polyacrylamide gel visualized by silver staining). Phylogenetic analysis of 13 individuals from each of the nine ecotypes named Ching’wekwe, Kuchi, Mbeya, Morogoro-medium, N’zenzegere, Pemba,...
August 2005
Isozyme diversity in Cassia auriculata L.
Cassia auriculata is considered to be one of the important dye yielding and medicinal plants in India. In the present study seeds from fourteen different localities were collected all over India and nine enzymes were screened by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique and thirty-four putative loci were totally detected. Cluster and factor analyses indicated that there are two major...
August 2005
Production dynamics of extracellular protease from Bacillus species
Screening and isolation of proteolytic bacteria were carried out from soil samples of Ikogosi warm spring (SW, Nigeria). Eighteen isolates were positive on skim milk agar (10%) of which fifteen produced protease in culture broth. Three isolates, identified as Bacillus macerans IKBM-11, B. licheniformis IKBL-17 and B. subtilis IKBS-10, were selected for further study....
August 2005
Bacteria and fungi isolated from housefly (Musca domestica L.) larvae
Housefly larvae were cultured on fresh fish and collected for the isolation and identification of microorganisms associated with them. The microbes were cultured from both the gut and body surface of the maggot on nutrient agar (for bacteria) and potato dextrose agar (for fungi) and incubated at about 37°C for 48 h before observations. A variety of microorganisms, which includes the...
August 2005
Raw starch degrading amylase production by mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisae grown on sorghum pomace
Production of raw starch degrading amylase by a mixed culture of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisae grown on sorghum pomace as nutrient source was investigated. Effect of mineral nutrient supplementation of sorghum pomace on raw starch degrading amylase activity was also determined. Sorghum pomace medium significantly (P<0.05) induced higher level of raw and...
August 2005
Aflatoxin B1 production in chillies (Capsicum annuum L.) kept in cold stores
An attempt has been made to isolate and enumerate the mycoflora invading chillies kept in cold storage since May, 1999. Chilli pods were collected from the cold stores at monthly intervals for a period of one year between December 2002 to November 2003. The incidence of molds on unsterilized as well as surface sterilized samples was recorded. Species of Aspergillus found to be dominant on...
August 2005
Bioremediation of oil-polluted soil by Lentinus subnudus, a Nigerian white-rot fungus
Inspite of the realization and studies on the use of microorganisms in degrading hydrocarbons there has been very little work on indigenous white-rot fungi inNigeria, a leading oil – producing country. the ability of Lentinus subnudus to mineralize soil contaminated with various concentrations of crude oil was tested. Organic matter and carbon were higher than the control at all concentrations...
August 2005
Effect of drying method on the quality and storability of ‘egusi’ melon seeds (Colocynthis citrullus L.)
The effect of sun-, oven-, smoke- and solar drying on the physicochemical properties and storability of melon seeds (Colocynthis citrullus L.) was investigated. Oven drying most significantly reduced the moisture content, followed by smoke drying and solar drying in decreasing order. The proximate composition of seeds was not significantly affected by the drying methods, but panelists most preferred the...
August 2005
Control of yam tuber rot with leaf extracts of Xylopia aethiopica and Zingiber officinale
Investigation was carried out to test the potency of some plant extracts for the control of yam tuber rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Hot water extracts were obtained from leaf and seed of uda (Xylopia aethiopica) and Ginger (Zinigiber officinale), and were found to be fungitoxic against the fungi. The extracts of suppressed the growth of these fungi in culture...
August 2005
The Influence of seed treatments and growing media on seedling growth and development of African walnut, Plukenetia conophorum
A nursery trial was conducted to investigate the effects of seed treatments and soil type growing media on the germination and growth of Plukenetia conophorum. The factors considered included seed treatments with hot water at 90°C, warm water at 60°C, overnight soaking in cold water and scarification. Soil type media were humus+manure and topsoil+manure at a 2:1 ratio. The results showed that the types of...
August 2005
Qualitative determination of chemical and nutritional composition of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth
Qualitative determination of chemical and nutritional composition of Parkia biglobosaseeds an underexploited crop seed in Nigeria was carried out. Seeds of P. biglobosa were found to be rich in lipid, protein, carbohydrate, soluble sugars and ascorbic acid. The cotyledon was very nutritious, has less fibre and ash contents when compared to that of testa. The oil content was suitable for consumption since it...
August 2005
Antibiotic resistance profile of staphylococci from clinical sources recovered from infants
Infants, children and the aged are among the groups most vulnerable to microbial infections more so when these microbial agents become resistant to antimicrobials. The antibiotic resistant profile of Staphylococcus aureus and selected coagulase negative staphylococci were determined by standard methods. Of the 178 staphylococcal isolates evaluated, 122 were S. aureus and the rest coagulase negative...
August 2005
Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of polyphenols from ethnomedicinal plants of Burkina Faso
Polyphenols from four medicinal plants of Burkina Faso, Combretum micranthum, Khaya senegalensis, Pterocarpus erinaceus and Sida acuta, were screened for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against pathogenic bacteria. The medicinal plants displayed different polyphenols contents and antioxidant activities. The bark of P. erinaceus had the highest antioxidant activity....
August 2005
Some mineral profiles of fresh and bottled palm wine – a comparative study
Some mineral profiles of fresh palm wine and those of seven brands of bottled palm wine were analysed using atomic absorption spectroscopy and the values were compared. Three of the bottled samples contained toxic levels of either Pb or Cd or both. Neither metal was detected in fresh palm wine. Zn, Cr and Ni were 2 to 15 times higher while Cu was 2 to 5 times lower in bottled samples than values for fresh...
August 2005
Haematinic activity of Hibiscus Cannabinus
The haematinic activity of an orally administered aqueous extract of Hibiscus cannabinus leaves was studied on haemolytic anaemic rats. Anaemia was induced by an oral administration of phenylhydrazine for a period of 8 days. Red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, and pack cell volume were analysed as indices of anaemia. The mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell volume and mean cell haemoglobin...
August 2005
Regulatory mutations affecting the synthesis of cellulase in Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pseudomonas fluorescens, was cultured in basal medium containing carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) as inducer and glucose or glycerol as carbon and energy sources. Ethylmethanesulphonate (EMS) was used to mutagenize the wild-type organism to produce mutants. The isolated mutants were screened for the isolation of catabolite repression resistant mutants in the presence of 1% (w/v) glucose as carbon source. ...
August 2005
Production of a new anti-A monoclonal reagent
Monoclonal antibodies are essential tools in molecular and cellular immunology research. They have essentially replaced the polyclonal antibodies in identifying blood groups and detecting cell markers and pathogenic agents. The aim of the present study is to produce monoclonal antibody identifying the ABO blood groups using the murine hybridoma technology. An anti-A monoclonal antibody A907 was selected and estimated...
August 2005
Chemical and sensory attributes of soy-corn milk types
Soy-corn milk white type (SCMW) and creamy yellow type (SCMY) were prepared from the blend of blanched and dehulled soybean seeds variety TGX-923-4 and grains of fresh green field maize DMRSLR-White and DMRSLR-Yellow, respectively. Soyamilk (SM) was prepared from the slurry of blanched and dehulled soybean seeds while maize milk types were prepared from the mixed slurry of maize grains types and dehulled soybean...
August 2005
Effect of frozen period on the chemical, microbiological and sensory quality of frozen tilapia fish (Sarotherodun galiaenus)
The study was designed to investigate the effect of duration of frozen storage on the chemical, microbiological and sensory profile of Tilapia fish (Sarotherodungaliaenus) collected from a research pond of the Agricultural Development Project, Akure, Nigeria and were subjected to sixty days of frozen storage and analyzed at intervals of ten days . Protein content (%) ranges from 43.70 ± 1.17-60.65 ± 2.40....
August 2005
Sensitive high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of proguanil and its metabolites, cycloguanil and 4-chlorophenylbiguanide in biological fluids
A new simple, sensitive, cost-effective and reproducible high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of proguanil (PG) and its metabolites, cycloguanil (CG) and 4-chlorophenylbiguanide (4-CPB) in urine and plasma is described. The extraction procedure is a simple three-step process that has eliminated the need for costly extraction and evaporation equipment. The mobile phase...
August 2005
Genomic DNA extraction method from pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) leaves
DNA extraction is difficult in a variety of plants because of the presence of metabolites that interfere with DNA isolation procedures and downstream applications such as DNA restriction, amplification, and cloning. Here we describe a modified procedure based on the hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method to isolate DNA from tissues containing high levels of polysaccharides. The procedure is applicable to both...
Advertisement
Advertisement
