July 2004

Characterisation of a chimeric Phanerochaete chrysosporium cellobiohydrolase expressed from Escherichia coli

The aim of this study was to purify and analyse a Phanerochaete chrysosporiumcbhI.1 gene-product expressed as an inducible, secreted, heterologous protein from anEscerichia coli pGEXcbhI.1 clone.  Using glutathione Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography, the expressed protein was purified from the supernatant of an inducedE. coli transformed with pGEXcbhI.1 and ran as a single band on a Sodium dodecyl...

Author(s): R.L. Howard, P. Masoko, M.B. Mowa, E. Abotsi and Howard S

July 2004

Oxygen uptake kinetics Of Pseudomonas sp. strain VB grown under limiting concentration of 2-methoxyethanol

Oxygen uptake and 2-methoxyethanol oxidation kinetics of 2-methoxyethanol degrading  bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain VB were studied. The bacterium was grown under oxygen saturating conditions with limiting concentrations of 2-methoxyethanol. Pseudomonas sp. strain VB was found to utilize one mole of oxygen per one mole of 2-methoxyethanol as opposed to four moles of oxygen required for total...

Author(s): Ekhaise Frederick Osaro and Aluyi, H. S. A.

July 2004

Phenotypic characterisation and assessment of the inhibitory potential of Lactobacillus isolates from different sources

Six strains of Lactobacillus spp. were isolated from fermenting corn slurry, fresh cow milk, and the faeces of pig, albino rat, and human infant. Their inhibitory action was tested against some spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Lactobacillus acidophilusisolated from milk was found to display a higher antagonistic effect with zones of inhibition of 6 and 15 mm against E. coli and Pseudomonas...

Author(s): Oyetayo, V.O.

July 2004

Assessment of cyanide overload in cassava consuming populations of Nigeria and the cyanide content of some cassava based foods

The cyanide overload of 40 cassava (gari) processing workers, 25 frequent consumers of cassava foods and 20 cigarette smokers (all Nigerians) were assessed using a new simple kit method for determination of thiocyanate (cyanide metabolite) in urine. The mean thiocyanate measured in the urine of three groups of cassava processing workers were 9.48±2.8, 8.70±2.23, and 7.46±2.57 ppm. The mean...

Author(s): Okafor, P. N.

July 2004

Comparative study of storage methods of maize grains in South Western Nigeria

Laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of different storage methods of maize grains in Ibadan (a humid tropical ecology) between year 2002 and 2003. The results shows that storage methods (SM), treatment (Tr), SM x Variety (V) and Tr x V interactions were highly significant for numbers of undamaged maize grains (P<0.05). Second order interaction  (SM x Tr x V) was highly significant for...

Author(s): S. A. Olakojo and T.A. Akinlosotu

July 2004

Sporadic diarrhoea due to Clostridium perfringens in children aged five years and below

In a study to identify the clostridial species associated with sporadic diarrhoea in children aged 5 years and below, clostridia species were isolated from 57 (3%) of  1761 diarrhoeic faecal samples studied.  Fifty-one of the clostridial isolates were identified as Clostridium perfringens while the other six isolates were identified as C. bifermentans.  Forthy-seven were C....

Author(s): M. O. Efuntoye and A. I. Adetosoye