Showing papers in "African Journal of Biotechnology in 2010"
TL;DR: Different extracts from the leaves of Moringa or drumstick tree are tested for activity against leukemia and hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and it is found that M. oleifera may have potential for use as source of natural treatment for diseases such as cancer.
Abstract: Medicinal plants are important elements of indigenous medical system that have persisted in developing countries. Many of the pharmacological principles currently used as anticancer agents were first isolated from plants. However, some important anticancer agents are still extracted from plants because they cannot be synthesized chemically on a commercial scale due to their complex structures that often contain several chiral centers. The aim of this study was to test different extracts from the leaves of Moringa or drumstick tree ( Moringa oleifera ) for activity against leukemia and hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro . The extracts could kill majority (70 - 86%) of the abnormal cells among primary cells harvested from 10 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 15 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as a culture of hepatocarcinoma cells (75% death), but most significantly by the hot water and ethanol extracts. In conclusion, M. oleifera may have potential for use as source of natural treatment for diseases such as cancer.
189 citations
TL;DR: This discussion is focused on nanoparticles in insects and their potential for use in insect pest management.
Abstract: Nanotechnology, a promising field of research opens up in the present decade a wide array of opportunities in the present decade and is expected to give major impulses to technical innovations in a variety of industrial sectors in the future. The potential uses and benefits of nanotechnology are enormous. These include agricultural productivity enhancement involving nanoporous zeolites for slow release and efficient dosage of water and fertilizer, nanocapsules for herbicide delivery and vector and pest management and nanosensors for pest detection. The atom by atom arrangement allows the manipulation of nanoparticles thus influencing their size, shape and orientation for reaction with the targeted tissues. It is now known that many insects possess ferromagnetic materials in the head, thorax and abdomen, which act as geomagnetic sensors. In this paper, our discussion is focused on nanoparticles in insects and their potential for use in insect pest management.
178 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the antioxidant properties of four species of citrus, namely C. hystrix (wild lime), C. aurantifolia, C. microcarpa and C. sinensis.
Abstract: Citrus has long been regarded as a food and also as a medicinal plant. Fruits of four species of citrus which are commonly available in Malaysia, namely C. hystrix (wild lime), C. aurantifolia (common lime), C. microcarpa (musk lime) and C. sinensis (orange), were chosen to investigate their total phenolic, flavonoid and hesperidine contents. Additionally, the antioxidant activities were also determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. C. hystrix had the highest flavonoid and total phenolic contents while C. aurantifolia had the highest hesperidine content. The antioxidant activity of C. hystrix was highest determined by FRAP and DPPH assays compared to other citrus species. A strong positive correlation of R2 = 0.9090 between total phenolic content and FRAP values was observed in this investigation. This study indicated that C. hystrix exhibited the highest antioxidant, flavonoid and phenolic content and can be used potentially as a readily accessible source of natural antioxidant.
176 citations
TL;DR: The use of enzymes, especially lipases as detergents and different types of lipase containing Detergents available in the market are reviewed.
Abstract: Microbial lipases are an important group of biotechnologically valuable enzymes, because of the versatility of their applied properties and ease of mass production. Lipases of microbial origin are widely diversified in their enzymatic properties and substrate specificity, which make them very attractive for industrial applications. This review describes the applications of microbial lipases in detergents. Enzymes can reduce the environmental load of detergent products as the chemicals used in conventional detergents are reduced; they are biodegradable, non-toxic and leave no harmful residues. Besides lipases, other enzymes are widely used in household cleaning products, in laundering, medical, agriculture, etc. This article also reviews the use of enzymes, especially lipases as detergents and different types of lipase containing detergents available in the market. Key words : Detergents, enzymes, lipases.
153 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that supplementing broilers’ diet with 5 g/kg thyme can indicate favorable influences of antibiotic growth promoter on performance without any detrimental impacts on immune responses and blood parameters.
Abstract: A research study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary inclusion of thyme powder as an antibiotic growth promoter substitution on performance, immune responses, hematological and biochemical parameters in broiler chicks. In this study, 192 day old chicks (Ross 308) were allocated to four treatments with four replicates based on a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments included control, antibiotic (flavophospholipol), and 5 and 10 g/kg thyme powder. Supplementing the diet with antibiotic and 5 g/kg thyme resulted in a significant increase in body weight (P 0.05). Thyme powder at 10 g/kg level significantly (P<0.05) increased HDL-cholesterol concentration but protein, albumin, triglyceride, total and LDL cholesterol concen-trations were not influenced. Treatments also failed to induce any statistical impacts on hematological parameters of broilers including red and white blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit values. The obtained results suggest that supplementing broilers’ diet with 5 g/kg thyme can indicate favorable influences of antibiotic growth promoter on performance without any detrimental impacts on immune responses and blood parameters.
Key words: Broiler, thyme, growth performance, immunity, serum biochemistry, hematology.
146 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of morphological, physiological and biochemical aspects of plants under salt stress is presented, which concludes that salt stress affects plant physiology at whole plant as well as cellular levels through osmotic and ionic adjustments that result in reduced biomass production.
Abstract: Soil salinity affects various physiological and biochemical processes which result in reduced biomass production. This adverse effect of salt stress appears on whole plant level at almost all growth stages including germination, seedling, vegetative and maturity stages. However, tolerance to salt stress at different plant developmental stages varies from species to species. The plant response to salt stress consists of numerous processes that must function in coordination to alleviate both cellular hyperosmolarity and ion disequilibrium. Salt tolerance and yield stability are complex genetic traits that are difficult to establish in crops since salt stress may occur as a catastrophic episode, be imposed continuously or intermittently and become gradually more severe at any stage during development. The objective of this review is to summarize the morphological, physiological and biochemical aspects of plants under salt stress. It was then concluded that salt stress affects plant physiology at whole plant as well as cellular levels through osmotic and ionic adjustments that result in reduced biomass production. This adverse effect of salt stress appears on whole plant level at almost all growth stages including germination, seedling, vegetative and maturity stages. Despite causing osmotic and ionic stress, salinity causes ionic imbalances that may impair the selectivity of root membranes and induce potassium deficiency. Keywords : Salt stress, ions, osmotic adjustment, morphological, physiological and biochemical African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(34), pp. 5475-5480, 23 August, 2010
139 citations
TL;DR: Water-distilled essential oils from leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.
Abstract: Water-distilled essential oils from leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. and Myrtus communis L., collected from Northern Cyprus, were analysed by GC-MS. The major constituents of the essential oil from E. camaldulensis Dehn. were ethanone (25.36%), eucalyptol (13.73%), -caryophyllene (11.55%) and carvacrol (9.05%). Eucalyptol (50.13%) was identified as the main constituent of the essential oil of Myrtus communis L. The other important components were linalool (12.65%), -terpineol (7.57%) and limonene (4.26%). M. communis showed some activity on Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria while E. camaldulensis was found to have a low activity. The higher efficacy of M. communis was confirmed by the agar dilution method.
132 citations
TL;DR: Examination of type I and III collagen content and distribution in skin within the contexts of patient age and injury showed that type III collagen synthesis decreases with age resulting in a skewed type I/III ratio and changes in skin tension, elasticity, and healing.
Abstract: C0t-1 DNA, enriched for repetitive DNA sequences, has been proved to be valuable in the studies of plant species differentiation and genome evolution. A new protocol to steadily obtain the aimed range of DNA fragments has been developed by shearing the genomic DNA with the digest system containing
131 citations
TL;DR: Rice varieties MR211, MR232 and IR20 might be used for further study of salinity effect on growth processes and physiological consequences at advanced stage of growth, since salt tolerance of a crop at germination and early seedling stage may not correspond to that atAdvanced stage.
Abstract: The response of twelve rice varieties against six salinity levels (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 dS m-1) were studied at germination and early seedling stages. Data were analyzed using SAS and means were separated by LSD for final germination percentage (FGP), speed of germination (SG), germination energy percentage (GE%), plumule and radical length and plumule and radical dry weight. Based on dry matter yield reduction, rice varieties were classified as tolerant (T), moderately tolerant (MT), moderately susceptible (MS) or susceptible (S). Germination was completely arrested at 20 dS m-1 salt concentration. Salinity decreased FGP, SG, GE % and led to reduction in shoot and root length and dry weight in all varieties and the magnitude of reduction increased with increasing salinity stress. Rice varieties MR211, IR20, BR40 and MR232 showed greater salt tolerance during germination (germinated at 12 dS m-1 salinity). However, MR211, MR232 and IR20 performed better based on dry matter yield reduction. The result suggested that MR211, MR232 and IR20 might be used for further study of salinity effect on growth processes and physiological consequences at advanced stage of growth, since salt tolerance of a crop at germination and early seedling stage may not correspond to that at advanced stage.
128 citations
TL;DR: The study indicated that Sundarbans’ soil had diverse group of actinomycetes and three of the tested isolates had a broader spectrum antibacterial activity which showed potential as a source of antibiotics for pharmaceutical interest.
Abstract: A total of 55 actinomycetes isolates from soil sample of Karanjal region in Sundarbans were characterized for morphological identification and antimicrobial activity. Four general such as Actinomyces, Nocardia, Streptomyces and Micromonospora with total numbers of isolates were 27, 14, 11 and 3, respectively, were identified from the sample. Twenty actinomycetes isolates produced antibiotic against one or more gram-negative pathogenic bacteria such as Shigella boydii, Shigella flexneri-AN-31153, Shigella sonnei, Pseudomonas, Shigella dysenterriae type-1, Vibrio cholerae-0139, Salmonella typhi-Ao-12014, Plesiomonas, Hafnia spp., Vibrio cholerae-OGET, and Escherichia coli-186LT. The study indicated that Sundarbans’ soil had diverse group of actinomycetes and three of the tested isolates had a broader spectrum antibacterial activity which showed potential as a source of antibiotics for pharmaceutical interest.
124 citations
TL;DR: Recent findings showed both more crop enhancing and biofertilizer attributes in cereal crops due to rhizobial inoculation and plant nutrients like P, K, Ca, Mg and even Fe accumulation were also observed, so further research in this area will be able to develop a sustainable biofERTilizer technology for greater and environment friendly cereal production system.
Abstract: Greater production of cereals brings forth higher production cost and pollutes the soil environment due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, crop scientists are exploring an alternative source namely biofertilizers which are cost effective and environment friendly. In the biofertilizer technology, Rhizobium-legume is most common and widely used in different countries. Recently, it is also found that rhizobia can make an association with graminaceous plants such as rice, wheat, maize, barley millets and other cereals some time as endophytic without forming any nodule-like structure or causing any disease symptoms. Increasing the ability of rhizobia in biofertilizer, crop enhancing activity in nonlegumes especially cereal grains would be a useful technology for increased crop yields among resource-poor farmers. Recent findings showed both more crop enhancing and biofertilizer attributes in cereal crops due to rhizobial inoculation. In addition, plant nutrients like P, K, Ca, Mg and even Fe accumulation were also observed. Therefore, further research in this area will be able to develop a sustainable biofertilizer technology for greater and environment friendly cereal production system. Key words : Biofertilizer, cereal, crop enhancer, Rhizobium, yield.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of Humic acid and phosphorus on growth and nutrient content of pepper seedlings (cv. Demre) grown under moderate salt stress in growth chamber conditions was investigated.
Abstract: Humic acid is a commercial product that contains many elements which improve the soil fertility and increase the availability of nutrient elements. It consequently affects plant growth and yield and ameliorates the deleterious effects of salt stress. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of humic acids and phosphorus on growth and nutrient content of pepper seedlings (cv. Demre) grown under moderate salt stress in growth chamber conditions. Applications of different levels of phosphorus [0 (P0), 50 (P1), 100 (P2) and 150 (P3) mg kg-1] and humic acid [0 (HA0), 750 (HA1) and 1500 (HA2) mg kg-1] to growing media containing moderate salt dose (8 mM NaCl treatment) were studied. The study was replicated four times with 20 plants in each replicate. Humic acid (HA) and phosphorus applications increased the growth and growth parameter of plants. In company, effects of HA and P application was more effective on growth and growth parameter than each separate effect. The optimum total yield was obtained from 69 mg kg-1 P application with HA2 doses according to regression analysis. Humic acid application significantly increased N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn and Cu contents of shoot of pepper seedling. Also, N, P, K, Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu contents of root were increased with humic acid application. Na contents of both shoot and root of pepper decreased with increased humic acid doses. It can be concluded that high humic acid doses has positive effects on salt tolerance based on the plant growth parameters and nutrient contents. The present study suggests that HA treatments can ameliorate the deleterious effects of salt stress on pepper plants and HA could offer an economical and simple application to reduce problems of pepper production in moderately saline soil.
Key words: Nutrient uptake, plant growth parameter, salt stress, pepper.
TL;DR: This article represents a comprehensive discussion about the potential of microalgae for the production of valuable lipid compounds that can be further used for biodiesel production.
Abstract: Microalgae are sunlight-driven miniature factories that convert atmospheric CO2 to polar and neutral lipids which after esterification can be utilized as an alternative source of petroleum. Further, other metabolic products such as bioethanol and biohydrogen produced by algal cells are also being considered for the same purpose. Microaglae are more efficient than the conventional oleaginous plants in capturing solar energy as they have simpler cellular organization and high capacity to produce lipids even under nutritionally challenged and high salt concentrations. Commercially, microalgae are cultivated either in open pond systems or in closed photobioreactors. The photobioreactor systems including tubular bioreactors, plate reactors and bubble column reactors have their own advantages as they provide sterile conditions for growing algal biomass. Besides, other culture conditions such as light intensity, CO2 concentration, nutritional balance, etc, in closed reactors remain controlled. On the other hand, though the open ponds provide a cost-effective option to utilize natural light facility for algal cells, the tough maintenance of optimal and stable growth conditions makes it difficult to manage the economy of the process. Further, these systems are much more susceptible to contamination with unwanted microalgae and fungi, bacteria and protozoa that feed on algae. Recently, some work has been done to improve lipid production from algal biomass by implementing in silico and in vitro biochemical, genetic and metabolic engineering approaches. This article represents a comprehensive discussion about the potential of microalgae for the production of valuable lipid compounds that can be further used for biodiesel production.
TL;DR: In this paper, the free radical scavenging activity of aqueous and methanol stem extracts of Costus afer Ker-Gaw l were evaluated and the results showed that the latter had a higher free-radical scavenging capability with IC50 (concentration of samples required for 50% inhibition of DPPH radical activity) value of 64.42 g/ml than the former.
Abstract: Medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds capable of preventing and fighting oxidative related diseases. These compounds must be screened and assayed before effective drugs are developed. Thus, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanol stem extracts of Costus afer Ker-Gaw l were evaluated. C. afer contained flavonoids, phenols, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids and tannins. Preliminary screening of free radical scavenging activity of extracts with 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) using thin layer chromatography tested positive. The aqueous extract had a higher free radical scavenging activity with IC50 (concentration of samples required for 50% inhibition of DPPH radical activity) value of 64.42 g/ml than methanol extract (92.33 g/ml). Furthermore, total phenolic content in aqueous extract (0.66 ± 0.02 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than methanol extract (0.52 ± 0.01 mg gallic acid equivalent/g). In addition, inhibition of lipid peroxidation by aqueous extract (80.60 ± 0.28%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than methanol extract (77.00 ± 0.84%). Nevertheless, methanol and aqueous extracts of C. afer possess anti-oxidative properties as well as bioactive metabolites. Thus, stem extracts of C. afer could serve as sources of antioxidants and bioactive compounds for nutrition and therapeutic purposes. Key words : Costus afer, phytochemicals, antioxidant, phenol, nutrition, therapeutic.
TL;DR: The review provides an insight on the physiological responses of animals to transport stress and possible areas of intervention and adoption of improved and innovative management strategies toward improving the welfare of the transported animals.
Abstract: The increasing demand in proteins to feed the ever-growing world population has necessitated the industrialization and transportation of livestock using different means of transportation across several ecological zones with different climatic conditions. The stress factors acting on animals during road transportation are numerous and the responses of the animal to them are complex, non-specific and often detrimental to their health and productivity. In spite of the numerous recommendations and guidelines by many countries on the welfare of animal transport order and their streaked compliance by transporters, several studies still report severe welfare problems during road transportation of food animals. This review, in a new approach examines the effects of individual or the combination of road transport stress factors, such as: handling, loading, unloading, vehicle type and design, type of road and driving methods, vehicle noise and vibration, stocking rate/density, journey duration, climatic conditions and the general animal welfare implication on different physiological parameters of transported food animals. The review provides an insight on the physiological responses of animals to transport stress and possible areas of intervention and adoption of improved and innovative management strategies toward improving the welfare of the transported animals. Key words: Animal welfare, food animal, stress, road transportation.
TL;DR: Phylogenetic reconstruction using the concatenated 13 amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the protein-coding genes (PCGs) consistently supported a close relationship between Bombycoidea and Geometroidea among six available lepidopteran superfamilies and excluding Nymphalidae was consistently concluded to exist.
Abstract: Eumenis autonoe, a member of the lepidopteran family, Nymphalidae (superfamily Papilionoidea) is an endangered species and is found only on one isolated remote island Jeju in South Korea, on Halla Mt, at altitudes higher than 1,400 m. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of E. autonoe was reported. The 15,489-bp long E. autonoe genome evidenced the typical gene content found in animal mitogenomes, and harbors the gene arrangement identical to all other sequenced lepidopteran insects, which differs from the most common type found in insects, due to the movement of tRNAMet to a position 5’-upstream of tRNAIle. As has been observed in many other lepidopteran insects, no typical ATN codon for the COI gene is available. Thus, we also designated the CGA (arginine) found at the beginning of the COI gene as a lepidopteran COI starter, in accordance with previous suggestions. The 678 bp long A + T-rich region, which is second longest in sequenced lepidopteran insects, harbored 10 identical 27 bp long tandem repeats plus one 13 - bp long incomplete final repeat. Such a repeat sequence has been, thus far, only rarely detected in lepidopteran mitogenomes. The E. autonoe A + T-rich region harbored a poly-T stretch of 19 bp and a conserved ATAGA motif located at the end of the region, which have been suggested to function as structural signals for minor-strand mtDNA replication. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the concatenated 13 amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the protein-coding genes (PCGs) consistently supported a close relationship between Bombycoidea and Geometroidea among six available lepidopteran superfamilies (Tortricoidea, Pyraloidea, Papilionoidea, Bombycoidea, Geometroidea and Noctuoidea). Among the true butterflies (Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae and Papilionidae), a closer relationship between Lycaenidae and Pieridae, excluding Nymphalidae was consistently concluded to exist, although this result deviated from the traditional view.
TL;DR: The possibility of using these plants or some of their components in food systems to prevent the growth of foodborne bacteria and to extend the shelf-life of processed foods is confirmed.
Abstract: Searches for substances with antimicrobial activity are frequent and medicinal plants have been considered interesting by some researchers since they are frequently used in popular medicine as remedies for many infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to verify the antibacterial effect of ethanol extracts of 13 plants (Artemisia Herba Alba, Lavandula officinalis L., Matricaria Chamomilla, Eugenia caryophylata , Cistus salvifolius, Mentha suaveolens subsp. Timija, Thymus serpyllum L., Lippia citriodora, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Rosa centifolia, Thymus vulgaris L, Rosmarinus officinalis and Pelargonium graveolens) against Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogenic strains. These plants are used more for their therapeutic effects in the aromatization of the traditionally fermented dairy products. For this purpose, the agar well diffusion method was the antimicrobial susceptibility performed test. The major components of extracts tested were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. The obtained results revealed in vitro anti-Listeria monocytogenes activities of all the extracts. Also, the extracts of clove, mint timija, cinnamon, cistus, rose, thyme, wild thyme, artemisia, rosemary, geranium and camomile presented in this order promises inhibitory capacity with MIC value between 0.25 mg/mL for clove extract and 6.75 mg/mL for camomile extract. On the other hand, the antimicrobial activity was mainly a function of their chemical composition, in particular in the nature of their major volatile compounds. This study thus confirmed the possibility of using these plants or some of their components in food systems to prevent the growth of foodborne bacteria and to extend the shelf-life of processed foods.
TL;DR: In this paper, the response of rice callus cultivar Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML105), commonly known as Thai jasmine rice, to salt stress was examined.
Abstract: The inhibitory effect of salt stress in rice is complex and is one of the main reasons for reduction of plant growth and crop productivity. In the present study, the response of rice callus cultivar Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML105), commonly known as Thai jasmine rice, to salt stress was examined. Callus cultures of KDML105 rice were exposed to salt stress by placing on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 250 mM NaCl. Growth, water content, proline and inorganic ion content in rice cells were measured during stress treatment for 8 - 10 days. After prolonged exposure to salt stress, growth and water content of rice cells were progressively decreased. Rice cells accumulated high level of Na+ during stress, whereas the accumulation of K+ and Ca2+ was decreased. High level of Na+ inside the cells inhibited the K+ uptake resulted in increase level of the Na+/K+ ratio. In addition, salt stress also caused an increase in the accumulation of proline. This result suggested that proline may play a crucial role in protecting the KDML105 rice cells under salt stress.
TL;DR: The quality deterioration of tray-packed tilapia fillets stored at 0°C were studied by integrated evaluations of sensory, microbiological, biochemical and physical analysis, to expound the mechanism of fish spoilage and develop the most reliable indicators for quality assessment.
Abstract: The quality deterioration of tray-packed tilapia (genetically improved farmed tilapia strain of Oreochromis niloticus) fillets stored at 0°C were studied by integrated evaluations of sensory, microbiological, biochemical and physical analysis, in order to expound the mechanism of fish spoilage and develop the most reliable indicators for quality assessment. The results showed that four quality index asPseudomonas counts, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), cadaverine (CAD) and K value were highly correlated (r > 0.90) with storage time and sensory acceptability. Protein degradation was visible on SDS-PAGE when microbiological load exceeded 6 log cfu/g. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value remained at a very low level throughout the storage, suggesting low lipid oxidation in muscle. Hardness decrease tested by texture machine was consistent with texture softening of fillets in the sensory evaluation. Considering fish freshness and microbiological safety, the shelf life of tilapia fillets stored at 0°C was approximately 10 - 12 days.
Key words: Tilapia fillet, chilled storage, quality, spoilage, shelf life.
TL;DR: In this article, the current status of several subsets of phytoremediation are discussed which includes: (a) Phytoextraction, which is a process in which high biomass pollutant accumulating plants are used to accumulate and transport pollutants from the soil to harvestable parts of plants.
Abstract: Phytoremediation is the use of plants to extract, sequester or mineralize pollutants. This process is seen as an ecologically sound strategy for management of contaminated ecosystems. In this review, current status of several subsets of phytoremediation are discussed which includes: (a) Phytoextraction – which is a process in which high biomass pollutant accumulating plants are used to accumulate and transport pollutants from the soil to harvestable parts of plants. (b) Phytofiltration – which is a process in which plant roots are used to precipitate and concentrate pollutants from effluents. (c) Phytostabilization - here plants stabilize pollutants, thus rendering them harmless. (d) Phytovolatilization –plants absorb pollutants and convert them into gaseous components via transpiration. The advantages inherent in these technologies are also discussed. There is need for further understanding on the processes that affect pollutant availability, rhizosphere processes, pollutant uptake and sequestration. Key words : Phytoremediation, xenobiotics, metal, pollution, decontamination.
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of bis 3-azophenyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyran-2-one cobalt (II) as chemotherapeutic agent was undertaken with the intention of studying the effects in 7,12dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA) and tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced chemical carcinogenesis on skin of 5 - 7 weeks old healthy albino rats.
Abstract: The study of the effect of bis 3-azophenyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyran-2-one cobalt (II) as chemotherapeutic agent was undertaken with the intention of studying the effects in 7,12dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA) and tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced chemical carcinogenesis on skin of 5 - 7 weeks old healthy albino rats. The animals were divided into 5 groups (A, B, C, D and E) of twenty each. The rats were treated with carcinogens for 15 weeks and then the curative effect of bis 3-azophenyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyran-2-one cobalt (II) was observe. The bis 3azophenyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-pyran-2-one cobalt (II) prevents malignant conversion of chemically induced benign tumors and did not kill cancer cells but change them to normal cells. It was concluded that if the complex is given in the pre-malignant phase of tumor development, it decreases the risk of malignant transformation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify pigments present in the red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus ) and further investigate the antioxidant properties in this fruit.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to identify pigments present in the red dragon fruit ( Hylocereus polyrhizus ) and to further investigate the antioxidant properties in this fruit. Pigment was identified using the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and results confirmed the presence of betanin in sample at a retention time of 11.5 min which corresponded to the retention time of the betanin standard used. In the antioxidant properties determination, there were 86.10 mg of total polyphenolic compound in 0.50 g of dried dragon fruit extract using the total polyphenol assay which expresses gallic acid as equivalent. The reducing power assay further confirmed the antioxidant activity present in dragon fruit where the reducing capability increased from 0.18 to 2.37 with the increase of dry weight sample from 0.03 to 0.5 g. The Vanillin-HCl assay which measures the amount of condensed tannin showed that the dried dragon fruit sample had an equivalent of 2.30 mg catechin/g. The DPPH• radical scavenging activity determination showed that the effective concentration (EC50) for dragon fruit was 2.90 mM vitamin C equivalents/g dried extract.
TL;DR: The Groundnut Department at National Semi-Arid Research Resources Institute (NaSARRI) is mandated to conduct research on groundnuts in Uganda and has endeavored to breed varieties that are high yielding, resistant to major pests and diseases, tolerant to drought, high in oil content and have a short to medium maturity period.
Abstract: The Groundnut Department at National Semi-Arid Research Resources Institute (NaSARRI) is mandated to conduct research on groundnuts ( Arachis hypogaea L) in Uganda. It undertakes research aimed at cultivar development, maintenance and conservation through germplasm collection, characterization, evaluation, breeding, maintenance and generation of appropriate crop management technologies for sustained production. Most of the varieties traditionally grown by farmers in Uganda are landraces adapted more for survival than yield. Yields from such varieties average 800 kg/ha of dry pods yet yields of 3,000kg/ha have been achieved from on-station plots. Yields per hectare are low, because of a combination of factors such as unreliable rains, mostly non-irrigated cultures, traditional small-scale farming with little mechanization, outbreaks of pest infestations and diseases, the use of low-yielding seed varieties and increased and/or continued cultivation on marginal land. Political instability and the frequently unsupportive oilseed policies have also played their role in low groundnut productivity. Therefore, there is excellent potential for yield improvement. Research efforts have, since the 1920s, endeavored to breed varieties that are high yielding, resistant to major pests and diseases, tolerant to drought, high in oil content and have a short to medium maturity period, as well as to develop appropriate production packages. These efforts have resulted in the release of 14 varieties, the most recent being Igola-1, Serenut 1R, Serenut 2T, Serenut 3R and Serenut 4T. These varieties have helped to alleviate some of the production problems listed above. However, the market and field stability of those varieties, in light of emerging stresses, calls for continuous research while at the same time keeping crop improvement, quality and safety linked to practical applications. Emerging issues like aflatoxin, leafminers and biotechnology need to be addressed and incorporated into the research agenda. Deployment of novel breeding approaches like molecular breeding to complement conventional breeding would increase the efficiency of cultivar development. Additionally, to maintain or increase market share, producers and exporters need to adapt the type of groundnuts being cultivated to consumer requirements. Key words: Arachis, Breeding NaSARRI, Uganda,
TL;DR: In this article, a review covers some of the biological, chemical, physical, physico-chemical and genetic methods, which were applied in parallel with phytoremediation, in an attempt to help increase the efficiency in the remediation of air, soil and water.
Abstract: It is no doubt that the contamination of water, air and soil has worsened, and this occurs as a result of the increase in population. However, the need for remediation technologies has to be seriously considered. Phytoremediation is one of the remediation techniques with a relatively slow procedure and low efficiency. This review covers some of the biological, chemical, physical, physico-chemical and genetic methods, which were applied in parallel with phytoremediation, in an attempt to help increase the efficiency in the remediation of air, soil and water. These include lowering the pH and increasing the electrode potential (Eh), as well as using chelating agents and micro-organisms (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)).Among the introduced methods, an appropriate application of the PGPRs is one of the most useful and environmentally friendly techniques which is currently considered as a useful process in phytoremediation. As a result of the discovering of these new methods, multi-approaches have been executed for a faster and higher removal rate of the contaminants, with a consequent increase in the efficiency of phytoremediation, as compared to single techniques.
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of chitosan coating and ascorbic acid (AsA) on litchi fruits storage was investigated based on the fact that AsA increases antioxidation capacity and chitoshan inhibits dehydration and microbial attack.
Abstract: Pericarp browning and aril decay of litchi fruits shorten post-harvest storage and thus reduce market value. Effects of chitosan coating and ascorbic acid (AsA) on litchi fruits storage were investigated in this paper. Based on the fact that AsA increases anti-oxidation capacity and chitosan inhibits dehydration and microbial attack, the novel strategies of combining chitosan with AsA treatment were developed to improve litchi storability. By treating harvest fruits with 40 mmol/l AsA and 1.0% (w/v) chitosan solution, parameters of browning index and relative leakage rate and activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) in pericarp were markedly lowered in treated fruits. Moreover, increased activities of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and contents of AsA and glutathione were observed in pulp of treated fruit, thus leading to lowered contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Correspondingly, total soluble solids, soluble sugar and titratable acidity were significantly increased and thus lowered decay rate was achieved. It was suggested that chitosan and AsA play active roles in inhibiting pericarp browning, dehydration and microbial attack and maintaining membrane integrity, thus improved litchi storability being achieved.
TL;DR: In this paper, a co-composting of pressed-shredded empty fruit bunches and palm oil mill effluent (POME) anaerobic sludge from 500 m3 closed anaerobically digested tank was carried out.
Abstract: In this study, co-composting of pressed-shredded empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) anaerobic sludge from 500 m3 closed anaerobic methane digested tank was carried out. High nitrogen and nutrients content were observed in the POME anaerobic sludge. The sludge was subjected to the pressed-shredded EFB to accelerate the co-composting treatment. In the present study, changes in the physicochemical characteristics of co-composting process were recorded and evaluated. The cocomposting treatment was completed in a short time within 40 days with a final C/N ratio of 12.4. The co-composting process exhibited a higher temperature (60 - 67°C) in the thermophilic phase followed by curing phase after four weeks of treatment. Meanwhile, pH of the composting pile (8.1 - 8.6) was almost constant during the process and moisture content was reduced from 64.5% (initial treatment) to 52.0% (final matured compost). The use of pressed-shredded EFB as a main carbon source and bulking agent contributed to the optimum oxygen level in the composting piles (10 - 15%). The biodegradation of composting materials is shown by the reduction of cellulose (34.0%) and hemicellulose (27.0%) content towards the end of treatment. In addition, considerable amount of nutrients and low level of heavy metals were detected in the final matured compost. It can be concluded that the addition of POME anaerobic sludge into the pressed-shredded EFB composting process could produce acceptable and consistent quality of compost product in a short time.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of increased chromium concentrations at the seedling stage was investigated and the response of seedlings to chromium was more than that of seed germination, based on the impermeability of seed coats and selectivity of embryos against chromium.
Abstract: -1 Cr in early seedling stage. Excess chromium was limited to germination rate, germination index, mean germination time and germination uniformity index values in germination level. Radicle length, radicle fresh and dry weight, hypocotyll length, hypocotyll fresh and dry weight, growth tolerance index and seedling relative growth rate was negatively affected by the increased chromium concentrations at the seedling stage. Response of seedlings to chromium was more than that of seed germination. This event is based on the impermeability of seed coats and selectivity of embryos against chromium.
TL;DR: The traditional use of these plants for the treatment of opportunistic infections in the region is justified and time-to- kill experiments indicated an intense time-dependent fungicidal effect against C. albicans, C. krusei or C. neoformans.
Abstract: Infection with HIV leads to immunosuppression and up to 90% of HIV infected individuals contract fungal infections of which 10 - 20% die as a direct consequence of these infections. In the present study, 76 extracts from 30 plants used by Venda traditional healers for the treatment of fungal related ailments, were tested for their antifungal activities against clinical isolates of Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Cryptococcus neoformans using the agar diffusion and the microdilution methods. The minimum fungicidal concentrations as well as the time kill curves of the thee most active plants were also determined. Extracts from 25 plants (83.3%) were active against C. albicans, C. krusei or C. neoformans. Thirty two extracts were active against C. neoformans, while 15 were active against C. albicans and 12 were active against C. krusei. Warburgia salutaris, Cassine transvaalensis, Piper capense, Maerua edulis, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia, Berchemia discolor and Lippia javanica were not only inhibitory to fungal growth but also had fungicidal effects against one or all the 3 fungi tested (MIC/MFC between 0.11 and 7.5 mg/ml). Hexane extracts were also active indicating that many of the antifungal components of these plants are non-polar compounds. Time-to- kill experiments indicated an intense time-dependent fungicidal effect against C. albicans, achieving over a 5 h-period a 6 log10-unit decrease in CFU/ml at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml for W. salutaris. The present study justifies the traditional use of these plants for the treatment of opportunistic infections in the region.
TL;DR: In this article, a field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of drought stress after anthesis on proline accumulation and wheat yield during 2008 at Moghan region, and the SAS software package was used to analyze all the data and means were separated by the least significant difference (LSD test at P < 0.01.
Abstract: This field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of drought stress after anthesis on proline accumulation and wheat yield during 2008 at Moghan region. Four lines of bread wheat (N-82-9, N-83-5, N-84-12 and N-85-20) were evaluated into contrasting water regimes (well-watered and drought stressed after anthesis). The trial was carried out in a 4 × 2 factorial experiment based on complete block design with 3 replications. Proline content, total soluble sugar (TSS), seed yield, straw yield, harvest index (HI), 1000 kernel weight, ear length, plant height and tiller number were studied. The SAS software package was used to analyze all the data and means were separated by the least significant difference (LSD) test at P < 0.01. Results showed that proline content and TSS increased by water stress. Seed and straw yield decreased 25% approximately, if water stress occurred after anthesis stage. The highest seed yield observed in line N-82-9 and lowest observed in line N-85-20 under water stress. Under control condition (None stress), line N-82-9 had high seed yield, straw yield, HI and 1000 kernel weight.
TL;DR: The antimicrobial properties of these plants which have been used by mankind for centuries without any signs of toxicity can be used in the traditional herbal medicines which play a very important role in primary care systems in the developing world and are becoming increasingly popular in the developed world.
Abstract: This study investigated the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of hexane, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane and methanol leave extracts of Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus spinosus and Amaranthus caudatus. The microorganisms assayed for antimicrobial activity were: the grampositive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus spp, the gram-negative Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosae, Proteus mirabillis and Klebsiella pneumoniae and a pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. The leave extracts showed a broad spectrum anti-bacterial activity but resistance to the fungus. Commonly encountered phytochemical constituents in the leaf extracts of the three Amaranthus species included flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) exhibited by A. spinosus extracts against the Salm. typhi was 129 mg/ml. The MIC exhibited by A. hybridus extracts against the tested organisms ranged between 200 and 755 mg/ml whereas that of A. caudatus was between 162.2 and 665 mg/ml. The antimicrobial properties of these plants which have been used by mankind for centuries without any signs of toxicity can be used in the traditional herbal medicines which play a very important role in primary care systems in the developing world and are becoming increasingly popular in the developed world.