Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology

Growth Performance and Blood Profile of Pre-pubertal Boars Fed Aidan (Tetrapleura tetraptera) Pod Meal

2024-08-14T13:25:45+00:00

Growth performance, hematology and serum chemistry values were studied in 18 weaned boars of Large White X Duroc cross fed Aidan pod meal (APM). The boars weighing 9.47kg on average, were divided into three equal groups. The treatments were 0.0%, 2.5% and 5.0% APM per kg of feed, respectively. The experiment was completely randomized. Daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly higher (P<0.05) in boars fed 5.0% APM than in those fed control diet. There were significantly (P<.0.5) lower red blood cell counts and packed cell volumes in boars fed 0.0% APM than those fed APM. Hemoglobin had the least (P<0.05) concentration in boars fed without APM. White blood cell counts were lowered (P<0.05) in boars treated with 2.5% APM but increased at 5.0% APM. Platelets were highest at 5.0% APM. MCV and MCH were lower (P<0.05) in the APMtreated groups than those fed control diet. MCHC was lower (P<0.05) in boars fed 2.5% APM. There was a significant reduction in serum glucose with the addition of 5.0% APM. Addition of APM caused progressive (P<0.05) increase in serum protein. Aspartate aminotransferase (51.69, 45.33, 30.68) u/l and alanine aminotransferase (31.62, 29.33, 22.17) u/l were both significantly reduced progressively with an increase in APM. Changes in urea were irregular, increasing significantly at 2.5% and decreasing at 5.0% APM. Creatinine was progressively (P<0.05) reduced with addition of APM. Triacylglycerol and total cholesterol were reduced (P<0.05) with increase in the test ingredient. It is concluded that addition of APM improved formation of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, white blood cells and serum protein while triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, AST, ALT and creatinine were reduced.

Effect of Media Composition on Biohydrogen Production from Fig (Ficus carica) by Dark Fermentation

2024-08-14T13:36:58+00:00

In this study, mesophilic batch fermentation experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of varying C/N ratios (25 -100) on biohydrogen production. The fermentable sugar was obtained from microwave hydrolyzed waste fig (Ficus carica). A control experiment without external nitrogen addition was also set-up to evaluate if the nitrogen content of hydrolyzed fig could sustain biohydrogen production. The highest cumulative hydrogen volume (861± 0.5 ml) and volumetric production (4.3 ± 0.3 L/L_reactor) were obtained at C/ N=50. The yields varied between 0.9 ± 0.21 and 1.1 ± 0.23 mol H2 mol-1 T_Sconsumed for C/N= 25-100. The highest production rates achieved were 11.5 ± 0.12 ml h-1 and 57.5 ± 0.14 ml L^-1 h ^-1 at C/N=50. Thus, the best ratio in terms of substrate conversion to hydrogen is C/N=50 which can be evaluated as the nitrogen-sufficient condition. The nitrogen content of the hydrolyzed waste fig (control) was not sufficient for efficient biohydrogen production and external nitrogen addition is required to obtain a higher production rate. There were significant differences between the C/N ratio for cumulative hydrogen volumes, hydrogen production rate and volumetric hydrogen production rate.

Use of Biological Stress as a Novel Strategy to Control the Rice Blast Disease

2024-08-14T13:53:35+00:00

Magnaporthe oryzae, a hemibiotropic fungus, causes the devastating blast disease of rice, which results in an annual loss of about 15% of the rice produced globally, enough to feed more than 60 million people for a year. Different approached have been adopted to manage the infection, including the use of chemical fungicides. In this study, we analyzed the potentials of using biological stress to hinder the development and pathogenicity of the fungus, thereby controlling its spread and host infection. We induced cell wall/plasma membrane, oxidative and osmotic stresses in the fungus by growing it on media supplemented with 20% w/v SDS, 10 mM H₂O₂ and 1M NaCl, respectively. Under these stresses, we evaluated the vegetative growth, pathogenicity, conidiation and conidia morphology of the blast fungus. Our results revealed that the fungal vegetative growth was seriously hindered by the various biological stresses, with SDS exerting the most pronounced growth inhibition. Conidiation was completely abolished under osmotic stress while oxidative stress significantly reduced conidia production, compared to the unstressed group. However, no significant difference was observed in conidiation following treatment with SDS. We also found that the various stresses have no effect on the physical morphology of the fungal conidia, with the exception of NaClinduced stress that completely blocked conidiation. In the presence of the biological stress, the pathogenicity of M. oryzae has been dramatically affected. No development of disease lesion was observed on rice leaves infected with SDS- and H₂O₂-stressed fungi. A weak lesion was however observed on NaCl-treated fungus. These findings have revealed the crucial potential of biological stress in the control and management of the rice blast disease, which hold a great promise to sustaining the global food security.

Bioremediation Potentials of Bacillus subtillis and Aspergillus niger on Selected Heavy Metals from Wupa Wastewater Treatment Plant, Abuja

2024-08-14T14:07:34+00:00

Bioremediation is the process of cleaning up the environment with microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria. These microorganisms employ processes including biosorption, biodegradation, and bioaccumulation to remediate the waste materials. Potential for bioremediation of heavy metals from wastewater collected from the Wupa wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Abuja was examined for Aspergillus niger and Bacillus subtilis. Samples were analyzed using standard methods and procedure. The bioremediation potentials of isolates were assessed on a heavy metal solution, monitored for growth and absorbance. The remediation potential was evaluated using ultravioletvisible spectrophotometer and microplate reader. Between the influent and effluent, every heavy metal evaluated in the treated and untreated samples demonstrates a significant difference (p<0.05). The Wupa wastewater treatment plant's mean value for the heavy metals under study varied from 0.31±0.10 mg/L in treated wastewater to 0.37±0.20 mg/L in untreated wastewater. This indicates a substantial (p<0.05) difference in manganese levels between the influent and effluent. There was a substantial (p<0.05) difference in the mean iron value between the influent and effluent, ranging from 0.91±0.3 mg/L in the influent to 1.58±0.2 mg/L in the effluent. The treated and untreated wastewater exhibit a significant difference (p<0.05) in mean value of zinc ranging effluent wastewater. The findings indicate that Aspergillus niger grew to its maximum with an absorbance of 0.612 ± 0.62 and Bacillus subtilis to its maximum with an absorbance of 0.729 ± 0.01.The results of this investigation allow us to draw the conclusion that Aspergillus niger and Bacillus subtillis have the ability to withstand and grow on heavy metals, which helps to remove the metals from wastewater by absorbing them and increasing the biomass of the microorganisms.

Distinct Bacterial Community Composition in Rice Paddy Soil of Ebonyi State, Nigeria: Elucidation of Community Structure and Soil Physicochemical Properties

2024-08-14T14:39:44+00:00

This study investigated the bacterial communities associated with different cultivars of rice from different flooded soil in Ebonyi State, Nigeria using molecular techniques as well as the physicochemical and pore water ion concentrations of different rice fields. Physicochemical parameters of sampled sites were determined using standard methods, while the pore water was analyzed using high performance Liquid chromatography and Ion chromatography. The PCR amplification was done using three RAPD primers namely, OPB05, OPT05 and OPB03 and resolved on agarose gel independently. The physicochemical parameters revealed the presence of sand, silt, clay, sandy - loam and clay – loam which were predominant in the area investigated, pH was slightly acidic, while there were presence of inorganic and inorganic elements.The amplified gel result of the three RAPD primers revealed that 9, 5, 7 polymorphic alleles nd 22, 12, 31 distinctly visible bands across the bacterial isolates respectively with molecular base pairs ranging from 400bp-1300bp. Molecular identities of the bacterial isolates showed that Aeromonas hydrophila strain A210 16S, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida strain RJ39 16S, Aeromonas caviae 16S, Escherichia coli strain 26561, Pseudomonas otitidis strain JK79 16S, Enterobacter cloacae strain ES-2 16S, Serratia marcescens NBB1 16S and Aeromonas diversa strain 2478-85 16S were associated with the roots of different Oryza spp. Phylogenetic relatedness among the isolates revealed that isolates B1, B3 and B10 are closely related. It showed that 90% of the isolates mainly belong to the gamma proteobacteria, while 10% belong to the firmicutes. The study has given insight and understanding of the bacterial community composition of rice paddy soil in Ebonyi State.

Isolation, Characterization and Biodegradability Tests of Cellulase from Bacterium Obtained from the Soil of Agro Dumpsite

2024-08-15T06:14:32+00:00

The study investigated the waste biodegradation potential of cellulase produced by bacteria isolated from soil at an agro dumpsite, along with their physicochemical properties. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis and subjected to extracellular cellulase production via shaking flask fermentation. The production conditions such as pH, temperature, and incubation time were optimized using random surface methodology (RSM). The response was predicted by second-order polynomial model. In addition, the enzyme produced was partially purified, characterized, and explored in the biodegradation of agricultural waste products using standard methods. Cellulase yield in the experiment varied from 3.00 to 10.30 U/mL and under the optimum conditions of pH 7.0, 40 oC and 18 hr incubation time, the value for cellulase yield was 10.70 U/mL. The enzyme purification resulted in a specific activity of 3.3 Units/ mg of protein and 20 % yield. The Km and Vmax of the partially purified enzyme were 3.33 mg/mL and 52.0 U/mL respectively. The optimum pH and temperature of B. subtilis cellulase were at pH 5.0 and 50^oC respectively. The inhibitory study showed that Na+ did not inhibit the activity of the enzyme while the enzyme activity was moderately inhibited by Mg²⁺, Sn²⁺ and Hg²⁺. Potassium ions (K+) strongly inhibited enzyme activity. The substrate specificity test showed that the enzyme was able to utilize other substrates. CMC, orange peel, pectin, pineapple peel and maize cob all showed 100% activity while rice husk and maize starch had an activity of 89 and 14 % respectively. The study concluded that response surface methodology (RSM) could be used to optimize bacteria cellulase production conditions and that the enzyme is suitable for various biotechnological processes such as waste management.

Semen Characteristics and Specific Sperm Changes in Pubertal Boars Fed with Aidan (Tetrapleura tetraptera) Pod Meal

2024-08-15T06:30:57+00:00

A total of eighteen crossbred (Large White X Duroc) weaner boars, aged 6 weeks, averaging 9.47kg, were used to study the impact of Aidan pod meal (APM) in a 16-week experimental period. The boars were divided into three treatment groups and assigned 0.0% (control), 2.5% or 5.0% APM per unit weight of feed. The experiment was randomized. Data were collected on semen quality and specific changes in morphometry and morphology of sperm. Mass motility, live and normal sperm proportions were reduced (P<0.05) at 5.0% APM. Sperm concentration and total viable sperm were reduced (P<0.05) at both levels (2.5% and 5.0%) of APM treatment. Sperm from APM-treated boars had longer (P<0.05) heads, which were wider (P<0.05) at 5.0% APM. The sperms were thicker (P<0.05) among boars fed with 5.0% APM than in the control diet. Abnormality of the sperm head, number of sperm with cytoplasmic droplet and clumping were reduced (P<0.05) in boars fed with APM. The number of sperm with broken mid-pieces increased in 5.0% APM application. It is concluded that application of Aidan pod meal significantly reduced the semen quality parameters of pubertal boars. Sperm heads were found to be longer and wider, with thick whole sperm, while most morphological sperm abnormalities were reduced, though with increased number of sperm having broken mid-piece at 5.0% APM feeding.

Effects of Different Substrates on the Growth and Yield of Tomato Plants

2024-08-15T06:38:34+00:00

The need to provide an alternative media (substrate) for household production of tomatoes is highly imperative as availability of land for farming is becoming scarce in cities due to urbanization. This work examined the effects of substrates on growth and optimum fruits yield of tomatoes. Tomatoes were planted in three different substrates; Soil + Rice Ash (SoR) (v/v: 50:50), Sawdust + Rice Ash (SdR) (v/v: 50:50), Soil + Poultry Droppings (SoP) (v/v: 80:20), and Soil only. All treatments were laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Parameters taken include plant height (PH), number of fruits (NoF), fruit weight (FW), chlorophyll content (CC) and root weight (RW). Data collected were analysed using analysis of variance (SAS 9.4 version) and means were separated using least significant differences at 5% level of significance. The PH, NoF, FW, CC, and RW differed significantly among treatments and ranged from 27.9±4.9 cm (soil) to 83.4±4.9cm (SoR), 6.8±1.8 (soil) to 18.0±1.8 (SoR), 131.9±64.1g (SdR) to 400.9±64.1g (SoR), 22.8±1.6 (soil) to 35.5±1.6 (SoR), and 1.6±1.1g (SdR) to 7.6±1.1g (SoR), respectively. The soil plus rice ash substrate (treatment) outperformed all other substrates in terms of all parameters considered and thus recommended for household producers and small-scale farmers who want to improve their produce via organic practice to meet the demand of the populace without necessary going for poultry manure.

Dynamics of Foliar Application of Silver Nitrate on Fusarium wilt Severity, Growth and Fruit Yield of Tomato

2024-08-15T06:45:22+00:00

Management of fungal diseases on crop plants has been towards developing safe and sustainable approaches that pose less danger to man and the environment. The study examined the foliar application of silver nitrate in screenhouse for the management of the Fusarium wilt of tomato. A completely randomized design was used for the experiment and replicated three times. The experiment consisted of a tomato variety (Roma round) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) at 10 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm. Untreated control (0 ppm) pots served as negative control while Carbendazim (2500 ppm) served as a positive control. Results revealed that tomato plants treated with silver nitrate at 100 ppm at 8th WAT had a severity index of 3.00, which was significantly lower than the 4.33 and 6.00 disease severity recorded for plants treated with 50, 10 and 0 ppm concentrations of silver nitrate, respectively. The highest harvested fruit yield (35.90 tons/ha) was recorded for plants treated with Carbendazim, followed by 32.59 tons/ha recorded for plants treated with 100 ppm silver nitrate, which were not significantly different from each other. However, both values were significantly different from 20.47, 0.40, and 0.31 tons/ha fruit yield recorded for plants treated with 50, 10, and 0 ppm silver nitrate concentrations, respectively. The results showed that silver nitrate at 100 ppm concentration can reduce Fusarium wilt infection on tomato which would consequently translate to fruit yield increase.

Effect of Copper Nanoparticles on Incidence and Severity of Fusarium wilt and Fruit Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

2024-08-15T07:15:28+00:00

Wilt in tomato plants is often caused by Fusarium oxysporium f. sp. lycopersici. Chemicals, which are highly hazardous, are mostly used to control the disease. It is therefore, desirable to have alternative control mechanisms that are safe and affordable. Screenhouse and field experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Nigeria, to assess the impact of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on Fusarium wilt and fruit yield of two tomato varieties (Beske and Kerewa). The treatments were applied at concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 ppm. The untreated plots served as control. Results showed that Kerewa treated with 15 ppm Cu-NPs recorded lower disease incidence in the screenhouse (2.1%) and on the field (22.2%). Furthermore, in the screenhouse, Kerewa treated with 15 ppm Cu-NPs had lower disease severity (0.6) while on the field, both Beske and Kerewa treated with 15 ppm Cu-NPs had no disease incidence (0.0 and 0.0, respectively). Beske produced significantly higher fruit yields of 151.7 and 795.8 kg/ha in the screenhouse and field trials, respectively. The research findings indicated that the use of Cu-NPs at a rate of 15 ppm significantly decreased Fusarium wilt infection and increased tomato fruit yield.

Extracellular Enzymatic Activities of Endophytic Bacteria Isolates Obtained from Dioclea reflexa Hook Seeds

2024-08-15T07:25:09+00:00

Seeds endophytes play crucial roles in enhancing plants’ health and productivity by conferring protection, improving fitness and resilience, and enhancing nutrient uptake. These endophytes are also used for environmental management and production of bioactive compounds for various biomedical applications. In recent years, endophytes are of interest as potential sources of biocatalysts because of their unique properties. In this study, endophytic microbes were isolated from the seeds of an underutilized tree climber, Dioclea reflexa Hook, the isolates were biochemically characterized using standard protocols and screened to produce some hydrolytic enzymes of biotechnological importance. Seven distinct Isolates were biochemically characterized. High enzymatic activities were observed from amylolytic enzymes screened in this study. Cellulolytic activities or enzymes were undetected in the isolates at Day 0, which slightly increased in some of the isolates at 24- and 48-hour fermentation period. The highest activities were observed from isolate DRFH102 as 4.64 U/ml at 24-hour for amylase, 0.45 U/ml at 48-hour for cellulase, 1.7 U/ml at 48-hour for Lipase, 2.82 U/ml at 48-hours for β-Amylase, 4.5 U/ml for 24-hours for protease, 3.6-3.8 U/ml between 0-48 hours at glucoamylase and 5.7 U/ml at 24-hour for β1, 3-glucanase. The isolate (DRFHIS02) with the highest range of enzyme secretion was molecularly identified as Bacillus subtilis. This study reveals that endophytic bacteria from Dioclea reflexa Hook seeds can be another alternative source of hydrolytic enzyme production for various industrial and biotechnological applications. These enzymes can further be studied to understand their biochemical properties.

Isolation of Exoelectrogenic Bacteria from Palm Oil Mill Effluent and Their Application in Microbial Fuel Cell

2024-08-15T07:29:33+00:00

The ability of exoelectrogenic bacteria to directly transfer electrons without any mediators to extracellular electron acceptors is vital in microbial fuel cell technology. The current study evaluates the exoelectrogenic potential of bacteria isolated from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) in microbial fuel cell. The POME samples were obtained from Palm Oil mill factory in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. The isolates were analysed on Chromogenic (differential) medium for colour change from black to whitish. The isolates were identified phenotypically and molecularly. The potential of the isolates to generate efficient electricity were investigated in a doublechambered Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC). Overall, ten isolates were obtained from POME sample, with only three isolates showing the exoelectrogenic potential by turning the agar colour from black to whitish. The molecular analysis revealed three novel strains as Bacillus velezensis strain AAS001 (OQ690764), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain AAS002 (OQ690765) and Priestia aryabhattai strain AAS003 (OQ690766). Strain AAS003 showed the highest voltage potential of 1407mV compared to strain AAS001 with 229mV and strain AAS002 with 191mV. Similarly, the power and current densities (345 mW/m² and 437 mA/m² respectively) recorded by strain AAS003 were far superior to that of strain AAS001 (10 mW/m² and 64 mA/m² ) and strain AAS002 (15 mW/m² and 92 mA/m² ). This study suggests that strain AAS003 is an excellent biocatalyst for bioelectricity generation.

Comparative study of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression among two common freshwater Cichlids

2024-08-15T07:40:15+00:00

Although there is little information on the non-mammalian cytokines due to insufficient recombinant molecules and specific antibodies, this study was conceived to access the variation exhibited by different fish species using Coptodon zillii being one of the most stress- tolerant fish species, which was compared with Sarotherodon melanotheron found in same water bodies. We examined these species' peptide and nucleotide sequences of tumour necrosis factor α to determine its biological role in fish production in Nigeria water. The study was initiated to evaluate the survival strategy of these cichlid groups with varying degrees of physicochemical and organic stressors in their environment. This study also aimed to reveal the underlying genes responsible for these species' tolerance to various environmental conditions. Molecular and bioinformatics techniques were employed to carry out a comparative expression study of the proinflammatory cytokine gene of these two common freshwater tilapia species. TNF-α expression in the tilapia species studied was confirmed because of the single specific DNA band of all the PCR amplificons generated without a non-specific amplification, and 21 SNP variants were recorded on the sequence, which would have significant effects in their protein TNF-α primary sequences and subsequently have an effect in their protein structure as well as Pro-inflammatory responses.

Control of Aflatoxin-Producing Moulds in Melon Paste (Ogiri) Sold in Ogun State Using African Star Apple Oil and Cucumber Oil

2024-08-15T07:46:42+00:00

The deleterious effects of aflatoxin-producing moulds cannot be over-emphasized in traditionally fermented food condiments like 'Ogiri' (melon paste), irrespective of their nutritional properties. Therefore, the use of essential oils as a biocontrol agent to control aflatoxin- producing moulds in food condiments like 'Ogiri' is a potential approach worth exploring. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal properties of African Star Apple Oil and Cucumber Oil against aflatoxin-producing moulds. A total number of five samples of the ogiri (melon paste) were purchased from five different markets (Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu Awa, Ago-Iwoye, Kuto, and Osiele) in Ogun State, Nigeria. Fungal isolation and identification were carried out on the melon pastes using standard microbiological procedures. Aflatoxigenicity screening of the suspected fungal isolates was carried out using Neutral Red Dessicated Coconut Agar and viewed under an ultra-violet (UV) spectrophotometer at 365nm. The phytochemical properties and the anti-fungal potentials of the oils on the aflatoxin-producing moulds were determined using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and disc well diffusion method respectively. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Neurospora spp., and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were the fungi isolated from the ogiri samples, with Aspergillus flavus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora spp. having the least percentage occurrence of 21.0%, 16.0%, and 5.0% respectively while Aspergillus niger had the highest percentage occurrence of 58.0%. The screening for aflatoxin-producing potential among the isolates indicated that only the melon samples from Osiele exhibited positive aflatoxigenicity. The result showed that fermented melon paste were highly contaminated with aflatoxigenic fungi and its consumption could pose aflatoxicosis risk to man. The antifungal efficacy of African star apple and cucumber oil against aflatoxin-producing mould displayed minimal zones of inhibition around the well, signifying limited antimicrobial activity of the oils.

Assessment of Sterilants and their Combined Effect on Surface Sterilization of Musa Spp

2024-08-15T07:55:29+00:00

Musa spp accessions were assembled from the Department of Crop Production & Landscape Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Ebonyi State University germplasm, and taken to the culture laboratory where they were washed and trimmed to a size of 1.0 – 1.5 cm. This block of tissue was surface-sterilized with different sterilants which included detergent, ethanol, NaOCl, benlate, HgCl₂, UV light, and cefotaxime. The sterilants were applied following 15 different treatment protocols. Only 5 treatments protocols (T3: 70 % for 30 sec, 8 % NaOCL for 5 min, 500 mg/L cefotaxime; T4: 70 % for 30 sec, 8 % NaOCL for 5 min; T5: 70 % for 30 sec, 8 % NaOCL for 5 min, 1.2 g/L HgCl₂ for 10 min, 500 mg/L cefotaxime; T6: 70 % for 30 sec, 8 % NaOCL for 5 min, 5 % benlate for 5 min, 1.2 g/L HgCl₂ for 10 min, 500 mg/L cefotaxime, and T7: 70 % for 30 sec, 8 % NaOCL for 5 min, 5 % benlate for 5 min, 1.2 g/L HgCl₂ for 10 min, U.V. light for 5 min, 500 mg/L cefotaxime) produced clean cultures with variations in the health of the cultures. T5 and T6 produced very healthy plantlets with 75 and 100 percent survival, respectively. T3 and T7 produced healthy plantlets with 100 percent survival, while T4 produced healthy plantlets with 50 % survival. Different sterilants react differently to living tissue, either alone or combined. Therefore, this work has produced standardized protocols for using the sterilants for surface sterilization of ‘owom’ and ‘efol’.

Biochemical and Molecular Identification of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Isolated from Milk and Fermented Milk Products Vended in Sabon-Gari and Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

2024-08-15T08:03:01+00:00

Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli are two of the most prevalent food-poisoning organisms. As part of this investigation, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were isolated from some fresh milk and fermented milk products in Zaria. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterisation of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli in fresh milk and fermented milk products vended Sabon-Gari and Zaria Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Four hundred (400) samples were used consisting of one hundred (100) samples of milk, 100 samples of Kindirimo, 100 samples of Nono, and 100 samples of yoghurt. In addition, a routine microbiological isolation detected 11% of the samples positive for Escherichia coli and 16% for Salmonella spp. All isolates were biochemically characterised and identified; however, none of the selected isolates of Escherichia coli or Salmonella spp. possessed the virulence genes rfbE or invA. Thus, 16S ribotyping was utilised to authenticate the isolates' identities as Escherichia coli strain NCCP 14540, Escherichia coli strain E57, Salmonella bongori and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. However, more molecular research is required to determine which other Salmonella and Escherichia coli serotypes were present in the study region.

In vitro susceptibility of drug-resistant fungi and urinary bacteria to Psidium guajava L. leaf extract

2024-08-15T08:30:34+00:00

Drug-resistant pathogens are responsible for high mortality and morbidity rates. Plant remedies are known to treat microbial infections. This research was aimed to determine the susceptibility of drug-resistant fungi (Candida albicans) and bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) responsible for candidiasis and urinary tract infection to Psidium guajava L. leaf extracts. The P. guajava leaves were subjected to extraction using two solvents (methanol and ethanol) with varied polarity and concentrated with a rotary evaporator. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the extracts was done. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done to identify the resistant pathogens. The antimicrobial effect of the extracts was established using the agar-well diffusion method at a given concentration. The methanol and ethanol extracts had both phenols but tannins were absent rather. Flavonoids were detected in the ethanol extract. Multi- drug resistance was observed among the pathogens particularly, E.coli. The antibiotics with 100% resistance by the bacterial pathogens were Amoxicillin and Erythromycin whereas C. albicans showed resistance to Ketoconazole. The extracts of P. guajava L. leaves had an inhibitory effects against drug-resistant E. coli and C. albicans, whereas S. aureus was resistant to the extracts. The methanol extract had a higher antibacterial activity with mean±SD zone of inhibition 28.0±1.56 mm and 35.5±2.25 mm against E.coli and C. albicans respectively. In an in-vitro study with such high susceptibility to methanol extract; it is paramount to consider P. guajava L. leaf as a good candidate with natural therapeutics against drug-resistant urinary tract infection and candidiasis, an outcome that could necessities further pharmacological elucidation.

Molecular identification and antifungal potentials of lactic acid bacteria isolated from soil

2024-09-06T16:31:54+00:00

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a large group of bacteria that produce lactic acid as a major end product of fermentation and are found in various environments, including plant materials, gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. The increasing prevalence of fungal infections and growing resistance of fungi to conventional antifungal therapies necessitate the urgent exploration of new and effective antifungal agents. In this study, LAB were isolated from soil samples from the Botanical Garden of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. The fungicidal potency of isolates were tested against some fungi, namely Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus A. Brasiliensis, Talaromyces purpureogenus, Penicillium notatum, and Fusarium oxysporum employing the overlay technique. All isolates exhibited potent antifungal activity, with inhibition diameters of 30.2±0.1 to 45.3±0.3 mm. The identity of isolates was confirmed by 16S rRNA sequencing and comparing the sequences with the biological sequences in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. The similarity of isolates obtained were 99.74% for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (KR816154.1), 99.80% for Lactobacillus pentosus (AB362757.1), 99.10% Levilactobacillus brevis (CP031208.1), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (OQ224994.1) 99.26%, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (KY203913.1) 99.26% and Lantiplantibacillus plantarum OQ224994.1 99.85%. The phylogenetic relationship established close similarities between Lactobacillus species isolated and other species from NCIB GenBank.

Molecular detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESβL)-encoding genes among clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae from Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe State Nigeria

2024-09-06T16:41:28+00:00

Beta-lactamase inhibitors, like clavulanic acid, inhibit extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESβLs), which are enzymes that impart resistance to penicillins, first-, second-, and third-generation cephalosporins, and aztreonam. The ESβLs are commonly found in Gram-negative bacteria particularly members of Enterobacteriaceae. The wide distribution of ESβL among Enterobacteriaceae has been attributed to the continuous misuse of these antibiotics. Global outbreaks have been linked to the genes producing the ESβLs enzymes that provide resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and detect ESβLs genes among Enterobacteriaceae isolates from Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe. A total of 420 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were collected and identified by using Gram staining and biochemical tests. As advised by CLSI, the isolates were screened using the disk diffusion method to check for the formation of ESβLs. Suspected ESβL producers based on the screening test were subjected to confirmatory test using double-disk-synergy test (DDST), while the presence of genes coding for the ESβL production was determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The organisms displayed high resistance to Ceftazidime, almost 90%, followed by Cefpodoxime with 75% and Cefotaxime with 74%. Among the 377 resistant isolates, 95(25.2%) were confirmed positive for ESβLs production. E. coli was the most common ESβL producer with 35.7%, followed by K. pneumoniae with 24.2%, K. oxytoca with 14.7% and Citrobacter spp. with 10.5%. Based on PCR analysis, 4 (20%) isolates had one type of ESβL gene, 11(55%) had two types and 5 (25%) isolates had three types of the genes. The most detected ESβL genes were blaCTX-M and blaSHV with equal occurrence of 63.7%, followed by blaTEM with 59.1%. The increased ESβL occurrence in clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae in our locality creates significant therapeutic problems prompting an immediate need for the establishment of local guidelines for ESβL screening and strengthening Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) practices in FTH Gombe, as well as other laboratories in the State.

Flavor quality in rosaceae fruit and nut crops: “Insights into volatile organic compounds and recent breeding strategies"

2024-09-06T16:57:09+00:00

The rose family (rosaceae) is of great importance because it includes a variety of edible fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, almonds, strawberries, loquat, and raspberries but its flavor quality wasn’t the best. The positive impact of flavor quality on consumers and, most importantly, breeding industries can never be overemphasized. Even in the developed world, fruits with quality flavor undoubtedly impact overall health by shifting eating habits away from ceremonial food to daily meals. Although fruit flavor has considerable benefits to consumers, it is difficult to improve, requiring the integration of several complex biochemical pathways controlled by developmental, physiological, and environmental factors. Hence, this paper reviewed the flavor compounds composition of rosaceous fruits and nuts including the factors influencing their contents and concentrations, commonly found volatile organic compounds in rosaceous fruits and nuts, and breeding strategies and challenges in breeding for flavor in rosaceae fruits and nuts. Breeding strategies for improving fruit flavor include molecular-assisted breeding (MAB) and transgenic approaches.Both strategies will develop fruit varieties that not only meet market demands but also provide superior taste and nutritional benefits for consumers.

Seroprevalence and related risk factors of Hepatitis E virus infection among pregnant women attendees at Adeoye Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

2024-09-06T16:19:47+00:00

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major public health problem in developing countries and often fatal among pregnant women. This study investigated the seroprevalence and risk factors of HEV infection in pregnant patients at Adeoyo General Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. The cross-sectional study was carried out from January 15, 2022 to September 30, 2022. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was used to assess the levels of anti- HEV IgM and IgG in 210 blood samples from pregnant women who gave their consent and joined the study. Utilizing structured questionnaires, the risk variables and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed. Out of the 210 pregnant women sampled, anti-HEV IgM/IgG seroprevalence of (1.9%/2.9%) were recorded respectively. The seroprevalence was greater (4.0%/8.0%) in the age group of 35 to 39 years and zero in age ranges 15 – 19, and >40 years. The highest prevalence for anti-HEV IgM was recorded among primary school subject (12.5%), followed by secondary (1.9%), and 4.1% among tertiary subject for anti-HEV IgG. After logistic regression, marital status, and occupation were found not to be significant risk factors for active HEV infection (p>0.05). This study found a considerably low level of anti-HEV IgM seropositivity among pregnant women in the study group, which is indicative of emerging and non-active HEV infection. This is based on the 10.8% pooled national prevalence of HEV infection in Nigeria.

Comparative analysis of minerals and lactose composition of milk from various mammalian sources

2024-09-25T15:31:24+00:00

Milk is a vital dietary staple for many animals, providing essential nutrients in precise proportions crucial for the neonatal stages of numerous mammals. Both adult humans and their infants rely on milk as a primary source of nutrients. This study aimed to compare the mineral and lactose composition of milk from sheep, goats, cows, and pigs. Raw milk samples from these animals were collected from various local farmers into sterilized bottles and preserved in a refrigerator before laboratory analysis. Standard methods were employed to determine the mineral and lactose composition of the milk samples. The results showed that potassium levels in domestic sheep, red Sokoto goats, and pigs were significantly higher (P<0.05) than in white Fulani cows, with calcium being highest in domestic sheep. Magnesium content was lowest in pig milk and highest in red Sokoto goat milk, while domestic sheep and white Fulani cows showed no significant differences (P>0.05). Additionally, red Sokoto goat milk had the highest zinc levels and significantly higher (P<0.05) iron content than other sources, while domestic sheep milk had the highest cobalt concentration and the lowest iron levels among the groups. Furthermore, lactose content was significantly higher (p<0.05) in Fulani cow milk than in sheep, goat, and pig milk, with pig milk containing the least amount. Overall, the diverse nutritional profiles observed in the milk of different animals suggest that these alternative milk sources could be explored further to reduce reliance on cows and better meet the dairy needs of the populace.

Effects of pigment removal on the physicochemical properties of Hibiscus Sabdariffa extracts and on the sensory quality of reformulated Zobo drink

2024-09-25T15:53:01+00:00

Various forms of drinks exist in varying sensory and organoleptic properties owing to slight modifications in their processing. Zobo drink is a formulation of extract from red fleshy calyces of H. sabdariffa that gained popularity in virtually all local areas in Nigeria. Red Sorrel “Zobo” has been reported to have acidic nature and blood-red colour, which give the drink its coarse texture, and hinder its acceptability in the global market. In this study, the extract of the Roselle was slightly de-pigmented with a natural adsorbent to reduce the acidity found in the plant material and to improve on the colour and sensory quality of the local drink. Physicochemical properties, pH variation over a period of five days and UV-Visible absorption of the original and slightly de-pigmented extracts were compared. There were large differences in the physical parameter values of these extracts. Pigment removal reduced the; acidity @25 ^oC with pH 2.8 to 3.5, temperature 23.2 ^oC to 22.9 ^oC, conductivity (μS/cm) 4790 to 3410; TDS (mg/L) 3114 to 2217 and turbidity (NTU) 17650 to 5050. It also reduced the; total hardness (mg/L) 2700 to 1900, total alkalinity (mg/L) 3100 to 2400, chlorides (mg/L) 1300 to 1000 except the PO₄²- (mg/L) which increased from 30.9 to 39.1 and Na⁺ (mg/L) 46.1 & 88.1; while K⁺ (mg/L) remains constant 655. Large difference was also observed in the electromagnetic light absorption (3.501 to 2.001) at λ_max 500 nm. Consumer acceptability test of the drinks attested that the slightly de-pigmented drink surpassed the original local drink in all sensory qualities and consumers’ acceptance. In conclusion, the adsorption of sparingly soluble pigment particles on natural adsorbent altered the pH values, total dissolved solids, particle sizes, colour and other sensory properties.