May 2013
Reproductive characteristics of the female laboratory rat
The laboratory rat is widely used in research studies as a model of mammalian health and disease. This review provides the basic facts about female rat reproduction and highlights the reproductive characteristics which make the rat a preferred animal model for research on reproduction. Rats have short estrous cycle, lasting four to five days. The estrous cycle consists of four stages known as proestrus, estrus,...
May 2013
Evaluation of rice genotypes for brown planthopper (BPH) resistance using molecular markers and phenotypic methods
Twenty eight (28) rice genotypes were used to evaluate the genetic variability based on known BPH resistant loci spread through most of the genome (chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12), using closely linked simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and by different phenotypic screening methods. A total number of 155 alleles were detected by 30 polymorphic markers with an average of 4.6 per locus. The genetic...
May 2013
Genetic variability and relationship analysis of Bipolaris sorokiniana isolates causing spot blotch disease in wheat using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers
Twelve (12) isolates of Bipolaris sorokiniana (Cochliobolus sativus) of wheat were studied for their molecular characterization using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques. Twenty (20) RAPD primers were tested for amplification of the genomic DNA of fungal isolates of wheat. A total of 77 bands were amplified, out of which 68 bands were polymorphic showing high range of variability...
May 2013
Genetic diversity analysis of Labeo gonius (Hamilton, 1822) in three different reservoirs of Uttarakhand by using allozyme marker
The present population genetic study was carried out to identify basic genetic structure of Labeo gonius from three different sized reservoirs viz., Dhaura, Baigul and Nanak Sagar reservoir of Uttarakhand by applying allozyme markers. The allozyme analysis was conducted for 18 enzymes but only 10 enzymes showed their presence with scorable activity. All ten allozymes yielded overall 19 scorable loci,...
May 2013
Determination of inter- and intra-specific genetic variations among Qatari date palm cultivars using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers
The separated offshoots from individual trees are mainly used for date palms propagation, which maintains the genetic integrity of date palm cultivars such as the fruit morphology and quality, however, some variations are observed. The objectives of the current study were to determine the genetic similarity or diversity among and within the well-known Qatari date palm cultivars using different 18 primers of inter simple...
May 2013
Molecular characterization of serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus from pigs: Implications for multi-species approach to disease control in Uganda
In Uganda, where foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control is mainly done through vaccination, constant monitoring of outbreaks and phylogenetic studies are important in designing effective disease control strategies. These efforts however, have mainly concentrated on cattle since they are the main visible disease hosts. In this study, the molecular characteristics of the VP1 coding sequences of the pig-derived FMD virus and...
May 2013
Determination of human herpes simplex virus in clear cerebrospinal fluids by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Rwanda
The purpose of this study was to test CSF obtained from different regions of Rwanda for herpes simplex viruses (HSV) type 1 and 2 using a commercial multiplex PCR kit. CSF samples were obtained from patients with clinical suspicion of meningitis and encephalitis which may be caused by different microorganisms including herpes viruses. More than 80% of clear cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) submitted to two referral hospitals...
May 2013
Molecular studies on some soil-Streptomyces strains of western region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Random amplified polymorphic of DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) analysis of the DNA extracted from seven Streptomyces strains of western region, KSA was the aim of this study. Partial sequence of 16S rRNA gene of Streptomycespolychromogenes was also attempted. Results showed that a total number of 240 amplified fragments were amplified using ten RAPD-PCR primers (OPA11, OPB10, OPB15, OPC03,...
May 2013
Halotolerant streptomycetes isolated from soil at Taif region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) I: Purification, salt tolerance range, biological and molecular identification
This study focused on isolation and purification of some halotolerant streptomycetes from soil and sea water of western region, KSA as a source of salt tolerance gene(s). A few numbers (32) of streptomycetes-like colonies (SLC) were isolated and purified from two regions. From Jeddah, a number of 22 out of the 32 SLC were obtained, distributed between the sea water 12 (54.55%) and sea sediment soil 6 (27.27%).From...
May 2013
Growth and yield performance of Corchorus olitorious L. influenced by levels of poultry manure in Niger-Delta, Nigeria
A field study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Delta State University, Asaba Campus in 2010 and in 2011 to investigate the effect of different levels of poultry manure on the growth and yield of Corchorus olitorious L. in Asaba, Nigeria. Seeds were sown at the rate of 15 × 30 cm achieving a population density of 222,222 plants/ha in a randomized completely block design, replicated...
May 2013
Variations in in vitro and in vivo indices of photoperiod sensitivity among kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) accessions in Nigeria
In equatorial climates, fibre yield is higher in photo-insensitive kenaf cultivars. To develop a rapid screening method, in vivo and in vitro indices were evaluated. Seven genotypes were grown at natural photoperiod and growth rates before and after flowering, days to flowering and fibre yield were recorded. In vitro, stem and leaf explants of genotypes Tainung and V400 which showed...
May 2013
Natural occurrence of aflatoxin, aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus in groundnut seeds across India
A survey across different agro-climatic regions of India was done and 38 groundnut seed samples were collected from various sources. Upon analysis, all samples were found infected with Aspergillus flavus ranging from 2 to 50% incidence with aflatoxin content of 0.0 to 28 ppb. Greenhouse studies revealed no correlation between incidence of A. flavus and aflatoxin content on seedling emergence, root...
May 2013
Bioremediation of crude oil contaminated tea plantation soil using two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains AS 03 and NA 108
Crude oil contamination of soil is a major concern for tea industry in Assam, India. Crude oil is a persistent organic contaminant which alters soil physical and biochemical characteristics and makes tea plants more susceptible against crude oil contamination. Therefore, two native bacterial strains designated as AS 03 and NA 108 having crude oil degradation ability was isolated from crude oil contaminated soil....
May 2013
Use of response surface design in the optimization of starter cultures for enhanced rhamnolipid production by Pseudomonas nitroreducens
The development and management of an inoculum through various stages has a definite effect on subsequent performance and economics of a microbial process. To achieve this, application of response surface modeling in the optimization of the primary and secondary inoculum build-up of Pseudomonas nitroreducens for enhanced rhamnolipid production was presented in this study. This involved systematic studies to...
May 2013
Phenotypic plasticity, clonal architecture and biomass partitioning in Myriophyllum spicatum L. across different lentic and lotic ecosystems of Kashmir
During the present study we measured plastic adjustments in morphological traits, clonal architecture and biomass partitioning for an aquatic clonal species (Myriophyllum spicatum) under two contrasting conditions in the field that is, standing vs. running waters. A significant difference in morphological traits, clonal architecture and biomass partitioning to different plant parts was observed between...
May 2013
Isolation and characterisation of actinomycin D producing Streptomyces spp. from Sudanese soil
Sudanese soil is an unexplored source of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. Here, we reported the screening of soil samples from Sudan for actinomycetes that have antibacterial activity. Two isolates, AH11.4 and AH47, displaying a broad antimicrobial spectrum were selected for further study. Morphological, physiological and biochemical studies indicated that the two isolates are Streptomyces spp....
May 2013
Diesel engine performance and emission analysis using soybean biodiesel
Biodiesel presents a large potential for replacing other fossil-based fuels. Thus, the present work aimed to assess the specific fuel consumption (SFC), thermal efficiency and emissions of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), in a cycle diesel engine-generator set, using soybean biodiesel and diesel as fuels. The experiment was carried out at Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Cascavel Campus....
May 2013
Comparison of kinetic characteristics of xylanases from Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma sp. with pH and temperature baking process parameters
Arabinoxylans are the predominant non-starch polysaccharides of the cell walls of wheat grain, and can contribute up to 3% of the total polysaccharide content of the flour. Endo-(1-4)-β-xylanase is able to hydrolyze the glycosidic bonds between two xylose units in the xylan backbone during baking process. The use of xylanases in the baking process leads to changes in the rheology of the dough. The aim of this work...
May 2013
Optimization of extracellular catalase production from Aspergillus phoenicis K30 by a linear regression method using date flour as single carbon source and purification of the enzyme
Aspergillus phoenicis K30 is the selected mutant which produces an amount of extracellular catalase. To amplify the extracellular catalase production by the strain, a fermentation optimization was performed. To select the factors affecting the production, nine active variables (factors) consisting of 12 experiments were analyzed by Plackett-Burman design. Each variable was tested at two levels, a higher and a lower...
May 2013
Production and optimization of L-asparaginase by Bacillus sp. KK2S4 from corn cob
L-Asparaginase (L-asparagine amido hydrolase, E.C.3.5.1.1) is an important enzyme which has anti-tumor properties. This paper describes the production and optimization of L-asparaginase by Bacillus sp. KK2S4 utilization of ground corn cob waste as substrate to reduce and manage the waste in our environment. Thirty-nine (39) bacterial isolates were screened for their L-asparaginase productivity and protein...
May 2013
Effect of lactic acid bacteria on the textural properties of an edible film based on whey, inulin and gelatin
This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of different components and the addition of probiotic bacteria of lactic acid bacteria (LAB, Lactobacillus casei) on the physicochemical and textural characteristics of edible films using a response surface Box-Behnken design. The edible films were made of the following components: Whey (8%), glycerol (6%), inulin (0 to 4%), gelatin (2 to 5%) and probiotics (0...
May 2013
Properties of palm wine yeasts and its performance in wine making
Fresh palm wine samples were obtained from oil palm and raffia palm into sterile flasks. The samples were examined for yeasts properties and performance in wine making using grapes. The yeasts in the palm wine were characterized, identified, and screened for their sedimentation rate, ethanol tolerance, alcohol content, yeasts population, pH, total acidity (TA), total soluble solids, reducing sugar and total sugar at 6 h...
May 2013
Proximate, chemical compositions and sulphur concentrations on quality of selected dried mango (Mangifera indica L.)
Preference for dried mango is on the increase as it provides a good source of nutrients, whilst evading consumption of fatty in some post-harvest processed fruits. However, data on proximate and chemical compositions of dried mango fruits is lacking. Hence this research was intended to determine effects of sulphur concentration (0, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm) on the nutritional value and the proximate...
May 2013
Improved processing methods to reduce the total cyanide content of cassava roots from Burundi
The identification of highly effective procedures that reduce the cyanogens contained in cassava roots which require no sophisticated equipment, and can readily be adopted by subsistence farmers is of tremendous importance. This study, which used cassava root samples collected in Burundi, included fermentation tests using both selected and native cultures at different temperatures for variable times. Moreover, drying...
May 2013
Effect of wheat bran supplementation with fresh and composted agricultural wastes on the growth of Kenyan native wood ear mushrooms [Auricularia auricula (L. ex Hook.) Underw.]
Nutrient supplements and agricultural wastes used for mushroom cultivation are important in improving establishment and production of mushrooms. Agricultural wastes such as sawdust, grass, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw and maize cobs have successfully been used for the production of Kenyan wood ear mushrooms [Auricularia auricula (L. ex Hook.) Underw.]. However, the effect of varying concentrations of wheat bran...
May 2013
Serological and molecular evidence of bluetongue in sheep and goats in Uttar Pradesh, India
Cross-sectional experimental study was conducted with the objective to estimate the seroprevalence on the basis of antibodies to VP7 protein of bluetongue virus by competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA), to test the neutralizing ability of the antibody to reference strains of 4 BTV serotypes (BTV-1, 2, 10 and 23) by micro serum neutralization assay (m-SNT), to check the presence of BTV dsRNA and to...
May 2013
Technological and cost comparison of cytochrome P450 2B6 (516G>T) genotyping methods in routine clinical practice
Pharmacogenetics requires robust and affordable tests to determine genetic variability. This study compares three genotyping methods: gene re-sequencing, real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allelic discrimination and PCR-RFLP for the detection of a genetic variation (516G>T) in the gene which codes for the enzyme, CYP2B6, the main enzyme in the metabolic pathway of the antiretroviral drug, efavirenz. The CYP2B6...
May 2013
Comparative study of ectoparasites on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured under integrated and unintegrated pond systems
A survey of occurrence of ectoparasites on Oreochromis niloticus (Linneaus) in a fish-cum-piggery pond and a pond stocked with fish only was carried out at the African Regional Aquaculture Centre, Aluu near Port-Harcourt. There was occurrence of ectoparasites from fish samples collected in both systems. Monogenean trematodes (83.8 and 79.8%), Protozoa (15.9 and 19.7%) and Copepods (0.3 and 0.5%) were found in...
May 2013
Effects of salinity on growth and metabolism in blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus)
Tilapia were acclimated to the water source which had 8 precipitation (ppt) of salinity in the experimental unit before the experiment started and then, they were transfered to five different saltwater (SW) treatments: SW (8 ppt), 50% SW (12 ppt), 100% SW (16 ppt), 150% SW (20 ppt), and 200% SW (24 ppt). The objectives of this study were; to investigate the effects of five different salinities on specific growth rate...
May 2013
Induced breeding of Labeo rohita through single application of Ovaprim-C at Faisalabad Hatchery, Pakistan
A study was conducted to observe the effect of intramuscular injection of Ovaprim–C on the number of eggs/kg, fertilization rate and hatching percentage at a private fish hatchery and research center at Faisalabad, Pakistan, during May to June 2008, onLabeo rohita (Rohu). Studied fish specimens were spawned successfully following a single dose of injection of Ovaprim-C (LH-RH analogue) with 0.4 ml...
May 2013
An efficient DNA isolation method for tropical plants
Due to interfering components such as polysacharrides, polyphenols, etc, DNA isolation from tropical plants had been challenging. We developed a safe, universal and efficient DNA extraction method, which yielded high-quality DNA from 10 tropical plants including cassava, rubber tree, banana, etc. In the extraction buffer, 2 M NaCl was used to provide a high ionic strength reaction environment, ethylenediaminetetraacetic...
May 2013
Chemopreventive effect of corosolic acid in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Anticancer effects of corosolic acid have been demonstrated earlier in human cervix adenocarcinoma and osteosarcoma cells, but the exact underlying molecular mechanisms have not been studied. Hence, an attempt was made to identify the anticancer mechanism of corosolic acid in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells [HepG2]. The anticancer activity of corosolic acid through cell growth inhibition by...
May 2013
Rumen dry matter degradability of fresh and ensiled sugarcane
This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and in situ ruminal degradability of fresh (FSC) and ensiled (ESC) sugarcane. In situ dry matter degradability (DMD) was determined using the nylon bag technique with four cows equipped ruminal fistulas. Cows were fed with fresh or ensiled sugarcane and supplemented with 1 kg of commercial concentrate. Five grams of ground sample for each...
May 2013
Rapid detection of the avian influenza virus H5N1 subtype in Egypt
Influenza A virus continue to cause widespread morbidity and mortality. The unprecedented spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 in Egypt is threatening poultry and public health systems. Effective diagnosis and control management are needed to control the disease. To this end, polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) were developed against the H5N1 avian influenza virus (AIV) and implemented...
May 2013
The development of transgenic chickens by sperm-mediated gene transfer
An experiment was carried out to develop transgenic chickens using sperm incubated with exogenous DNA. Two random bred lines of chickens were used as parental flocks, and the plasmid pUC18 was used as the exogene. Lipofectin was also used to facilitate the sperm cell uptake of the plasmid. Hens were inseminated with the semen that was subjected to different treatments and their eggs were hatched. Polymerase chain...
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