Bio-Research

The yield and purity of DNA extracts from seeds of eight six accessions of Treculia species using Zymo Research mini-prep DNA extraction kit

2024-05-07T07:28:18+00:00

There is a need for the use of efficient DNA extraction methods that will yield good quality and quantity of DNA for molecular studies. Several commercial kits are available that are used in place of conventional extraction methods due to cost, speed, and safety. Therefore, the Zymo Research mini plant/seed DNA extraction kit was used to determine the yield and purity of DNA extracts of 86 accessions of Treculia africana varieties. Nanodrop Thermo Scientific™ NanoDrop™ One Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer was used to determine the quality and quantity of the extracted DNA. The extracted DNA was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction using Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 and 2 (ITS 1 and ITS 2). The amplicon was run on 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. The concentration (ng/µl) at the A260/280 and A260/230 ratios of the samples were recorded. The concentration and purity values varied among the accessions. The purity at A260/280 ratio ranged from 1.5 to 2.18, obtained from accessions B22 and B43 respectively while A260/230 ratio ranged from 0.93 to 39.56, obtained from accessions C46 – Ab6 respectively. The values derived at the A260/280 ratio and A260/230 ratio were majorly within the acceptable range of 1.8 – 2.0 suggesting that the ZR kit could eliminate contaminants. Thus, further downstream applications such as PCR and sequencing could conveniently be carried out. The suitability and efficiency of using Zymo research mini prep as a DNA extraction kit were revealed on the agarose gel images. Zymo Research DNA extraction kit is appropriate for the extraction of DNA from seeds of Treculia species.

Mycofiltration of urban derived raw stormwater using Lentinus squarrosulus

2024-05-26T07:07:42+00:00

The physicochemical and microbial attributes of storm water samples prior to and after mycofiltration was determined using routine methods. The preparation of the substrate was done by supplementation of un-fermented sawdust with calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate, granulated sugar and wheat offal. The mixture was allowed to undergo composting for 7 days upon which, it was inoculated with Lentinus squarrolsulus spawn and incubated at room temperature. The sample was then passed through a network of mycelia for pollutant removal. The mean TDS and EC concentrations of the raw and mycofiltered samples was 1369.8 ± 4.5 and 516.4 ± 2.9 mg/l as well as 2785.0 ± 4.2 and 1251.0 ± 5.6 µS/cm. Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr and Fe readings for the raw samples were 0.03±0.03mg/l, 0.07±0.03 mg/l, 0.01±0.01mg/l, 0.03±0.01mg/l and 1.00±0.11mg/l. For the mycofiltered samples, the Pb, Cd and Cr were reduced to nil while Cu and Fe decreased to 0.03 ± 0.03 mg/l and 0.47± 0.09 mg/l. The difference between the mean trace metal values recorded for the raw and filtered samples was insignificant (p>0.05). The results indicated that mycofilter derived from L. squarrolsulus mycelia was capable of purifying storm water sample.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of paramedics towards health care waste in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

2024-06-13T07:36:37+00:00

Healthcare waste causes environmental and public health hazards. This study assessed the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of healthcare workers in Paramedical Centers in Port Harcourt Metropolis. A purposive sampling technique was employed. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and on-the-spot observation. A total of 77 healthcare centers were sampled. Frequency of types of healthcare; pharmacy (33.8%), medical laboratory (28.6%), ‘chemist’ (27.3%), and drug store (10.3%). Females dominated (64.9%) against the males (35.1%). These facilities do not employ waste handlers (0%) to manage their waste. Majority, 75.3% had a first degree, 13.0% higher degree, and 11.7% had O' level certificate. All the healthcare centers (100%) produce biomedical waste, and 52.3% produce hazardous waste, 37.7% are aware of the correct guidelines for the disposal of biomedical wastes and only 35.1% of facilities practiced good waste disposal, 57.1% had no idea the kind of waste disposal practice and still dispose of their waste on road medians. Only 5.2% have undergone training. Only 37.7% segregate their wastes. In conclusion, the attitude and practice of the Healthcare workers towards waste in the area is low. It is recommended that advocacy be intensified as no one is safe until all of us are safe.

Identification of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with Citrus sinensis L. Osebeck (sweet orange) in Benue State, Nigeria

2024-07-14T12:43:52+00:00

Plant-parasitic nematode (PPN) genera associated with rhizospheres of citrus trees was conducted in Ado and Gboko Local Government Areas of Benue State during May/June 2022 farming season. A total of sixty (60) rhizosphere soil samples each from the two (2) local government areas were collected at a depth of 10-15 cm using auger. The soil samples were then transported to Crop Protection Department Laboratory, Modibbo Adama University, Yola for extraction and identification at the generic level using the standard identification keys. Results showed a total of ten and eight genera of PPNs were identified from the soil samples collected from around the root of citrus trees in Ado and Gboko local government areas respectively. These genera, in a general descending order of occurrence frequency (FO %) were: Tylenchulus (59.00), Helicotylenchus (28.00), Pratylenchus (41.00), Rotylenchulus (25.00), Trichodorus (20.00), Melodogyne (19.00), Radopholus (14.00), Longidorus (11.00) Xiphinema (8.00) and Scutellonema. (6.00). Among the plant-parasitic nematodes identified, Tylenchulus spp. appears to be the most abundant in occurrence and population density on the citrus orchards surveyed in the two surveyed location with a frequency of occurrence of 59.00 and 52.00 and a population density of 924% and 532% in Ado and Gboko respectively. While Scutellonema and Rotylenchulu are the least frequently occurring nematodes in Ado and Gboko local government areas respectively. Based on the obtained result, it was concluded that the occurrence of PPN is probably because the local environmental and soil conditions are more suitable for their growth.

Transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through laptop keyboard among students of a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria and the associated risk factors

2024-07-14T12:51:19+00:00

In today’s technology world, the use of the laptop is a global practice. This device could be a means of transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria because of its regular use by man. This study therefore aims to determine the bacteria contamination of laptop keyboards with antibiotic-resistant strains among students of a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of thirty four (34) laptop keyboard swab samples were collected from male and female students respectively. Standard bacteriological identification methods were employed to ascertain the identity of likely contaminants. The culture media used for isolation and identification procedures included: nutrient agar, MacConkey agar, mannitol salt agar and eosin methylene blue agar. Reactions to Gram staining and key biochemical tests were performed using standard protocols. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the disc diffusion method to determine the susceptibility pattern of the isolates followed by extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) phenotypic test on the recovered isolates. A self-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on laptop usage from each participant. The distribution of the isolates across both gender (Male vs Female) was 1:1 with the isolates: Staphylococcus aureus (72%), Escherichia coli (16%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (10%) and Shigella spp. (2%). Multi-drug resistance to S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and E. coli with S. aureus, resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (59%), erythromycin (88%), ciprofloxacin (64%), and clotrimazole (52%) were observed. Klebsiella pneumoniae demonstrated resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (82%), ceftazidime (63%), and cefoxitin (55%). Finally, in E. coli, resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime (100%) and imipenem (50%) was observed. A total of 2 (2.9%) of the isolates were ESBL-positive. Majority 50 (74%) of the students were between the ages of 20 – 24 years. Significant association (p < 0.05) was found between colonization of laptop keyboards by resistant isolates and sharing of laptops, use of laptops while eating and use of laptop in public gathering. With the high percentage of resistant isolates from laptop keyboards, good personal hygiene/sanitary measures or limited use of the laptop by students where possible is encouraged.

Ameliorative effect of green coconut water on dexamethasoneinduced depression-like behaviors in Sprague Dawley rats

2024-07-14T13:01:05+00:00

Depression is one of the major global neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the fact that a number of drugs and
therapies have been described and used in its treatment, the incidence of prevalence has unexpectedly
increased with time. There is a current drive to discover new treatment modalities or agents for depression to
alleviate the negative effects it has on self and also on the society. Numerous factors, including psychological
stress, oxidative stress, monoamine deficiency, and neuroinflammation have been linked to depression and
consequently cause hyperactivation of the HPA-axis. Dexamethasone (DEX) is well known to induce
depression-like behaviors in both experimental and human subjects. DEX has been shown to cause a reduction
in neurogenesis and an increase in immobility time during forced swimming test (FST) and tail swimming test
(TST). Green coconut water (GCW) is a natural product, rich source of antioxidant and has been found to
provide remedy in oxidative stress and/or inflammatory-induced mediated diseases. Therefore, this study
investigated the antidepressant potential of GCW in ameliorating depression-like behaviors caused by DEX
administration in female Sprague Dawley rats. GCW exerts a substantial antidepressant effect as it was shown
to increase hippocampal and prefrontal cortex tissue volume with reduction in neural degeneration when
compared with the induced and recovery groups. GCW also showed complementary increase serum levels of
monoamine neurotransmitters (Norepinephrine, Dopamine and Serotonin). There were evident increase in
immobility time in the post treatment and recovery groups which were in contrast to the reduced immobility time
in the induced group during FST and TST behavioral test evaluations. More importantly, GCW was shown to
reduce malondialdehyde concentration and increased catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione
peroxidase when compared with the induced group. Therefore, our study confirmed GCW as a potential natural
therapeutic remedy with the capacity to eliminate the effect of oxidative stress induced by DEX administration
leading to cascade of events underlining depression.

Histopathologic effect of lead and cadmium and the mitigating effect of standard metal chelator and spice mixture

2024-08-14T17:39:47+00:00

Lead and cadmium are toxic to the liver and kidney. Standard metal chelators have deleterious effects on the body. Hence, natural spices like ginger and garlic have been studied as alternative mitigants. This study uniquely evaluates the possible synergistic mitigating effect of the mixture of both spices (SM) in comparison with that of calcium sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaNaEDTA), a standard metal chelator (MC). A total of 10 groups of 6 rats each were used and they were fed with finisher mash and water ad libitum. Group 1 was given only feed and water, Additionally, Group 2 was given 50 mg/kg lead chloride (PbCl₂₎, group 3 was given 15 mg/kg cadmium chloride (CdCl), while group 4 received 15 mg/kg CdCl₂plus 50 mg/kg PbCl₂. Group 5, 6 and 7 received the same treatment as group 2,3 and 4 plus 15 mg/kg CaNaEDTA; while Group 8, 9 and 10 received the same treatment as group 2,3 and 4 respectively, plus 300 mg/kg of SM. Treatments were given at 72-hour intervals for 6 weeks through oral gavage. The rats were sacrificed, and their harvested organs were analyzed histologically. Lead and cadmium induced severe inflammatory changes, necrosis, fatty degeneration, and pyknosis in the liver and kidney. Co-administration of the metals and MC resulted in moderate fatty changes, moderate degeneration, and mild inflammation in both organs. Likewise, co-administration of the metal with SM produced moderate degeneration and moderate fatty changes with mild inflammation in the kidney. The study shows that the ameliorating effect of the SM on lead and cadmium-induced renal toxicity is comparable to that of the MC. However, SM did not produce any appreciable ameliorative effect in the liver. Therefore, these readily available spices can be used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes against heavy metal-induced renal toxicity.

Floristic composition and biodiversity conservation of urban green spaces in Porto-Novo, Benin- Implications for sustainable urban lanning

2024-10-13T15:23:35+00:00

In Benin, particularly in urban areas, rapid population growth has led to significant biodiversity loss in green spaces. This study analyzes the vegetation of Porto-Novo, aiming to assess the diversity of plant communities in a city undergoing rapid urbanization. A floristic inventory was conducted across 39 green spaces in the city. The results highlight the floristic composition, phytogeographic, and biological types, as well as the distribution of species within these green spaces. The study identifies 72 species belonging to 63 genera and 30 families, with the most dominant families being Moraceae (7 species), Sterculiaceae (6 species), Combretaceae (5 species), Fabaceae (5 species), and Mimosaceae (5 species). The five most frequent species are Terminalia catappa, with a relative frequency of 22%, followed by Mangifera indica (17%), Terminalia mantaly (17%), Khaya senegalensis (11%), and Acacia auriculiformis (11%). A comparison with the city's flora in 2015 reveals a significant decline in biodiversity, underscoring the need for conservation practices. The protection and sustainable management of urban green spaces should be integrated into urban development policies, emphasizing not only the preservation of existing spaces but also the creation of new ones. Environmental education and public awareness are crucial to the success of these initiatives

Insecticide resistance profile and sex ratio of Culex quinquefasciatus in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

2024-10-14T12:57:45+00:00

A vast majority of neglected tropical diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, Wuchereria bancrofti, avian malaria and a number of other viral diseases are vectored by Culex quinquefasciatus. This study was carried out to ascertain the insecticidal susceptibility status and sex ratio of Culex quinquefasciatus in Umuahia, Abia Sate, Nigeria, from November 2022 to February 2023. Larvae and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus were sampled from different areas in Umuahia, and were conveyed in properly marked containers to the insectaria in the Entomology Unit of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The mosquitoes were sustained and grown at a temperature of 26±3°C and relative humidity of 74±4% to adult stage for World Health Organization (WHO) kit bioassays. Four kinds, of WHO bioassay test papers treated with recommended diagnostic concentrations of 4% DDT (organochlorines), 0.75% permethrin (pyrethroids), 0.1% bendiocarb (carbamates) and 5% malathion (organophosphates) bought from the vector control unit of Universiti Sain Malaysia, were used for the bioassay. Records of knockdowns were taken at intervals of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes, and then maintained for 24 hours post exposure in 10% sugar solution. The percentage mortality of each insecticide after 24 hours was thereafter calculated and all the adult mosquitoes collected were sorted into male and female to determine the sex ratio. The result showed that Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in the study area were resistant to DDT (organochlorines), permethrin (pyrethroids) and bendiocarb (carbamates) but susceptible to malathion (organophosphates). The sex ratio (1.5: 1) was male-biased which favoured mosquito vector control programme. This study showed that malathion was the insecticide of choice against Culex quinquefasciatus in the area. In view of the above, the use of botanicals is recommended for future vector control programmes because they are environmentally friendly and less likely to develop resistance.

Assessment of merozoite surface protein-1 antibodies and anaemia severity in various treatment stages of a nutrananosphere artemisinin-bioflavonoid antimalarial therapy

2024-10-18T08:00:59+00:00

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) effectively treats uncomplicated malaria, but treatment failures and resistance occur in some regions. This study is to assess the merozoite surface protein antibodies and anemia development in an artemisinin-bioflavonoid antimalaria. Seventy-seven individuals, comprising forty-two adults and thirty-five children diagnosed with malaria, were recruited from a primary health care facility in Osun state, Nigeria. Following treatment with the TriAntiMal^TM NutraNanosphere, blood samples were collected on days 0, 3, 7, and 16 (D0, D3, D7, and D16) and analyzed for malaria parasite density, anti-MSP-1, and anaemia indicators; Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH and MCHC using thick and thin film examination by WHO-certified microscopists; ELISA and Sysmex K2ZIN autoanalyser respectively. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20, with a p-value ≤0.05 considered significant. Anti-MSP-1 levels declined significantly over time; malaria parasite density values decreased from day 0 (103.04±39.04) to day 3 (93.77±36.98), 7 (81.46±30.4), and 16 (67.72±34.53) respectively. Participants with severe anaemia with various anti-MSP-1 concentration decreased from 14.3% (5 subjects) to 2.8% (1 subject) in children and 7.1% (3 subjects) to 2.1% (1 subject) in adults respectively by day 3. Their hematological parameters improved significantly by days 7 and 16 from anaemic state seen in some subjects to normal condition. The decline in MSP-1 antibodies, reduction in parasite density, and improved hematological parameters indicate TriAntiMal^TM efficacy. The potential link between MSP-1 antibodies and anaemia severity underscores the complex nature of the host immune response in malaria pathogenesis.