MOSP - Macao Scientific Publishers

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Effect of metal ion concentration on the biosorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ by Caladium bicolor (wild cocoyam)

Michael Horsfall Jnr* and Ayebaemi I. Spiff

Abstract: The influence of initial metal ion concentration of the batch sorption of Pb2+ and Cd2+ onto a low -cost biosorbent was investigated. The experimental results were analysed in terms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. According to the evaluation using Langmuir equation, the monolayer sorption capacity obtained were 49.53 and 65.50 mM/g for Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively The data further showed that, sorption of the two divalent metals onto the biomass increased with increase in initial metal ion concentration until monolayer coverage is attained. The thermodynamic assessment of the metal ion – Caladium bicolor biomass system indicates the feasibility and spontaneous nature of the process and Go was evaluated as ranging from –4.55 to –6.63 KJ mol-1 and –4.02 to –6.09 KJ mol-1 for Pb2+ and Cd2+ sorption, respectively. The order of magnitude of the Go values indicates an ion-exchange physisorption process. Keywords: Phytoremediation, cocoyam, adsorption, water treatment, heavy metals removal.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Phytoremediation, cocoyam, adsorption, water treatment, heavy metals removal.

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Implicating roles of animal reservoir hosts in the resurgence of Gambian trypanosomosis (Sleeping Sickness)

J. N. Abenga* and I. A. Lawal

Abstract: Gambian trypanosomosis (Sleeping Sickness) is a complex and debilitating disease of man. For many years the disease has been ravaging in several parts of sub-saharan Africa despite decades of therapeutic control. Although animal reservoir hosts are believed to be associated with the disease, not much evidences have been established to prove the true existence of animal reservoir hosts for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and the zoonotic nature of Gambian Sleeping Sickness. This paper reviews recent evidences based on molecular and other biotechnologies leading to the identification of mammalian hosts as reservoirs of T. b. gambiense and the roles of such hosts in transmission and resurgence of sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Gambian trypanosomosis, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, animal reservoir hosts, biotechnologies.

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Urinary schistosomiasis in a rural community in Edo state, Nigeria: Eosinophiluria as a diagnostic marker

Nmorsi OPG*, Egwunyenga OA, Ukwandu, NCD, Nwokolo NQ

Abstract: The prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in Ikpeshi, a rural community of Edo State, Nigeria showed that 195(65%) out of 300 volunteers harboured Schistosoma haematobium ova in their urine. Eosinophiluria was markedly significant > 5 eosinophilic leucocyturia/hpf and reported among 250 (83.3%) inhabitants. Of these, ova were absent in 55 (22.0%) of urine samples but had other associated urinary symptoms namely; proteinuria or haematuria or both. Eosinophiluria among the inhabitants with light infections as described by < 50 ova/10ml was 15.83 ± 15.98 x 109/L while heavy infections ( >50 ova/10ml of urine) was 107 ± 76.20 x 109/L. In all, the eosinophiluria showed a positive correlation with the S. haematobium ova excreted in their urine (r = 0.40046, p < 0.05). The sensitivities of the urinary symptoms are eosinophiluria (100%), proteinuria (56.0%), haematuria (80.0%), specific gravity (84.0%) and turbidity (76.0%). The eosinophiluria with the a relatively highest sensitivity can complement the use of ova in urine as a diagnostic marker especially in sub clinical cases and other periods when egg laying capacity of this fluke are suppressed or absent.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Eosinophiluria, urinary schistosomiasis, urinary symptoms, rural community, Nigeria.

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Utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons by Pseudomonas sp. and transformed Escherichia coli

Emtiazi, G., Shakarami, H., Nahvi, I. and Mirdamadian, S. H.

Abstract: Our previous studies showed that the biodegradation of petroleum oil by a pseudomonas isolated from a petroleum -contaminated soil was instable. In this work, it is shown that when the isolates are immobilized on Perlite, they are more stable for oil degradation. Although the isolate did not have any chemotaxis to octadecane, dodecane and octane but utilize octadecane and dodecane better than octane and it did not utilized hexane, benzene, kerosene, pentane, heptane or thiophenol. The generation time for degradation of petroleum oil, dodecane and octadecane was 20, 22, and 25 h respectively. This phenotype was not transformed to Pseudomonas by conjugation even with lysozyme treatment, however the petroleum oil and octadecane utilization were transformed to Escherichia coli by lysozyme treatment. The transformed E. coli lost the ability to use octadecane after three subcultures on nutrient broth and 34 generations. Keywords: Petroleum, transformation, chemotaxis, biodegradation, immobilization.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Petroleum, transformation, chemotaxis, biodegradation, immobilization.

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Production of bioemulsifier by an unusual isolate of salmon/red melanin containing Rhodotorula glutinis

Oloke J. K.* and Glick B. R.

Abstract: An unusual isolate of Rhodotorula glutinis was obtained. The yeast produces a spore and a crystalliferous protein per cell. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the parasporal crystals contained polypeptides with a molecular mass of approximately 55, 47, 40, 36 32.5, 30 and 25 kD. The yeast also produces a salmon/red pigment at late stage of exponential growth, which has physical and chemical properties that are consistent with it being a form of melanin. The organism has been used to produce bioemulsifier with emulsion index of 80% when tested against kerosene and crude oil. The bioemulsifier has been shown to be capable of eliminating about 76% of crude oil pollutant. The colonial and mycelia forms of Rhodosporidium toruloides and Rhodosporidium sphaerocarpum have been successfully isolated from the unusual organism.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Bioemulsifier, rhodotorula glutinis, teleomorph, Rhodosporidium toruloides.

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Characteristics of fermentation yeast isolated from traditional Ethiopian honey wine, ogol

Teramoto Y.*, Sato R., and Ueda S.

Abstract: Indigenous honey wine, known locally as ogol, was collected in a village of the Majangir ethnic group in Southwest Ethiopia, and the procedure for ogol fermentation was investigated. A fermentation yeast was first isolated from ogol and identified as being a strain of the genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Honey wine made with S. cerevisiae ET99 contains 16.5% (v/v) ethanol; the acidity and pH were 6.0 and 3.8, respectively. Volatile ester and higher alcohol were detected by gas chromatography. A relatively higher amount of propan-1- ol (43 mg/l) was found in the honey wine than in those made with wine yeast W4 and sake yeast K7. The aroma characteristics of honey wine made with yeast ET99 were acceptable, as determined by organoleptic tests, and were found to be applicable to ethanol fermentation.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Honey wine, ogol, indigenous alcoholic beverage, fermentation, Saccharomyces, Ethiopia.

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Isolation and characterization of a Coffea canephora ERF-like cDNA

José Bustamante-Porras, Michel Noirot, Claudine Campa, Serge Hamon and Alexandre de Kochko*

Abstract: ERFs (Ethylene-Responsive Element Binding Factors) are members of a transcription factors family unique to plants. They contain a well-conserved segment, which interacts specifically with sequences containing AGCCGCC motifs (GCC box) located in the promoter region of genes activated during biotic or environmental stress in plants. A cDNA corresponding to an ERF gene has been isolated from a Coffea canephora fruit cDNA library. The cDNA was 1,317 nucleotides long and has an open reading frame of 987 bp. The predicted polypeptide showed a great similitude with equivalent proteins from others plant species. The binding domain shows 98.3% identity in amino acids sequence with Lycopersicon esculentum ERF. This transcription factor may possibly be involved in differential cell growth or in fruit ripening process. Although it was not possible to isolate it from a leaf cDNA library, its presence in such library was confirmed.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Ethylene, coffee, Coffea canephora, transcription factor, ERF.

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Isolation and characterization of micro satellites in Bambusa arundinacea and cross species amplification in other bamboos

Sumitra Nayak and Gyana Ranjan Rout*

Abstract: Isolation and characterization of microsatellites was analyzed in Bambusa arundinacea and cross species amplification in other bamboos. Six microsatellites, three polymorphic and three monomorphic, were characterized in a bamboo species, Bambusa aruninacea belonging to the family Poaceae. The numbers of alleles per locus ranges form 2 to 6. Allelic diversity ranges from 0.128 to 0.789. Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values for two loci were > 0.3, as an indicator of polymorphic allele. Cross species amplification has been tested in other 18 bamboo species. Monomorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) have been found to be cross amplified in most of the tested species while polymorphic ones in only three to four species. Utilization of the SSR loci in genetic diversity study of B. arundinacea and other cross amplified bamboo species is discussed.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Bambusa arundinacea, microsatellite marker, cross species amplification, population study, species identification.

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Crop protection strategies for major diseases of cocoa, coffee and cashew in Nigeria

T. O. Adejumo

Abstract: A great percentage of people in the developing countries are engaged in agriculture, but the yields of their produce are low due to diseases that plague their crops. In Nigeria, crop protection measures that are cheap, simple, cost-effective and sustainable are desirable to combat Phytophthora pod rot (black pod) and cocoa swollen shoot virus diseases of cocoa, coffee leaf rust and coffee berry diseases, inflorescence blight disease of cashew in order to make farming profitable and sustainable. Disease control strategies include the use of resistant cultivars, chemicals, biological, botanicals, cultural, physical controls and application of biotechnology, each of which is discussed in this paper.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Crop protection, cocoa, coffee, cashew, diseases.

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Application of biotechnology for the improvement of Nigerian indigenous leaf vegetables

Opabode, J.T*. and O.C. Adebooye

Abstract: Nigeria is endowed with many indigenous leaf vegetables (ILVs) species, which spread across the estimated cultivable land area of 71.2 million hectares. These ILVs provide food, income, employment and herbal medicine to the population. Uncollected and uncharacterized germplasm, pests, diseases, anti-nutritional factors, recalcitrant seed, seed dormancy and perishable produce militate against the realization of potentials of the ILVs. This paper discusses biotechnological applications such as meristem culture, in vitro selection, zygotic embryo culture, somatic embryo genesis, protoplast culture, anther culture and genetic engineering that can solve improvement and production problems associated with some selected ILVs. Among the problems envisaged in the application of these biotechnological techniques are lacks of resources, selections of crop for research, attitude of government and weather conditions.[...] Read More.

Keywords: Indigenous leaf vegetables, biotechnology, production problems.

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