Biosciences

An attempt to draw a correlation between the bacterial load and diversity of used toothbrushes and their storage environment was made. Five different groups of twenty-five individuals each representing bathroom/toilet (BT), kitchen (KT), cupboard (CB), refrigerator (RF) and bag (BG) as the storage environments for used toothbrushes were given a new toothbrush with in-mould placement of filament (Same type and brand) and advised to follow their normal oral hygiene for a two-month period with storage as designated. At the end, the toothbrushes were collected and analysed for bacterial load and diversity using different selective growth media and subsequently biochemical identification to the genus level. Bacterial load of the entire environment had a range of 9.84×106 to 2.0 104 cfu/ml. BT has the highest microbial load followed by KT while RF had the least. Streptococci had the highest count followed by Staphylococci, Escherichia, Pseudomonas and Aerococci respectively and they were all present in all the storage environments. Salmonella/Shigella was only found in BT, Corynebacterium was found in samples of all the storage environments excluding RF while Lactobacilli was not present in BT and BG. Control test using unused toothbrushes stored at the different storage environments revealed a few colonies of Staphylococci and coliforms from three out of five storage environments. Refrigerator is benchmark the best storage environment though under adequate personal and home hygiene. An extensive study placing apparent correlation between oral health status of human subjects and storage environment is suggested.

The possibility for biomass valorization, using biotechnological processes, is an ideal solution for the use of agricultural products with low commercial value. Cashew apple is an agricultural resource available in many African countries. Unfortunately, this agricultural resource is abandoned in the fields by the producers and decayed each year in large quantities, because of the astringency of the juice, and the consumption of cashew apples with milk, would be considered incompatible in several African countries. However, there are a lot of ways to upgrade the value of this resource as a raw material in food industry or in the production of renewable bioenergy. Technical methods used involve biotechnological processes using enzymatic biocatalysis, alcoholic fermentation and fractional distillation.

The present study showed that the broiler chicken in Aurangabad region of Maharashtra harboured 10 species of Eimeria these are, Eimeria tenella, Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria praecox, Eimeria mitis, Eimeria nikamae, Eimeria tarabaieandEimeria shivpuri.During the present study ten species of Eimeria are found in Broiler chicken. Seven species are already described and three are new species. The commonest was Eimeria tenella, it was found in 320 of 734 positive samples, showing a prevalence of 43.59% of the positive samples or 12.67% of the total samples examined. Followed by Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria praecox, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria mitis .Seven species of genus Eimeria (E.) including E. tenella, E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. mitis, E. praecox and E. brunetti are generally accepted to be the causative agent of avian coccidiosis. E. tenella and E. maxima are considered to be the most important to the poultry industry from consideration of their ubiquity in broiler chicks, innate pathogenicity and immunological features. In India E. tenella is the most prevalent and pathogenic species.Coccidiosis in chickens is generally classified as either intestinal or caecal. Most serious cases of intestinal coccidiosis in India are caused by E. necatrix. Caecalcoccidiosis is due to E. tenella. Coccidiosis occurs most frequently in young birds. Old birds are generally immune as a result of prior infection. Severe damage to the caeca and small intestine accompany the development of the coccidia. Broilers and layers are more commonly infected, but broiler breeders and turkey and pheasant poults are also affected.

Hypothetical proteins predicted from nucleic acid and which have not shown any chemical evidence in the genome. In this study, we elaborated the functional and structural molecular model of the hypothetical protein of Trichomoniasis vaginalis. Functional annotation was carried out by using Pfam, SMART, CDD and BLAST. The conceptual three-dimensional structure has been investigated, since there was no structure available in any of the databases. We predicted the structure of hypothetical protein in Trichomonas vaginalis by using the comparative modeling approach. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to characterize its structural and dynamic feature at 10 ns by using the GROMACS. In the end the simulated model was validated with different web servers SAVES, WHAT IF, PorSA, iPAB. We observed this hypothetical protein was involved in asparagine biosynthesis performing catalytic activity. These findings are essential in reducing the gap between the deficiencies of annotation and crucial biosynthetic pathways and may be endorse in relational drug designing of molecules of structure function studies.

The new complexes of novel ligand with Zr (IV), In(III) Tl (III), and Th (IV) have been synthesized. These complexes were then characterized by melting point, magnetic studies and spectroscopic techniques involving infrared spectra (IR), UV–Vis, 1H NMR. C, H, N and halogen elemental analysis and thermal behavior of complexes also investigated. The results suggested that the molar ratio for all complexes is 1:2 where ligand acts as a bidentate via one of the oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl group tetracycline and oxime .through the Eyring parameters were calculated from thermo gravimetric (TGA) and differential thermo gravimetric (DTG) curves, using Coats–Redfern (CR). The cell dimensions were found by X-ray powder pattern and molecular structure were optimized by Chem Office Ultra-11 software programme.

Verbal communication is temporal and easily forgotten, but written reports exist for long periods and yield long-term benefits for the author and others. Individual scientists and groups of researchers perform experiments to test hypotheses about biological phenomena. After experiments are completed and duplicated, researchers attempt to persuade others to accept or reject their hypotheses by presenting the data and their interpretations. The report or the scientific paper is the vehicle of persuasion; when it is published, it is available to other scientists for review. This model of technical report in biology therefore looks into the right way in putting the reports together in a way that is acceptable to other researchers and readers.

This study was designed to assess the ameliorative properties of methanol extract of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated with extract of Allium cepa on oxidative stress markers of CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in wistar albino rats. Seventy wistar albino rats were used for the study and were grouped into 7 of ten rats in each. Groups 2-7 received a dose of 0.3ml/kg body weight (b.w) of CCl4 in 1:1 olive oil via intraperitoneally twice a week. Those in group 1 received only normal rat chow without CCl4. Groups 3, 4, 5 and 7 orally received a dose of 100mg/kg b.w, 200mg/kg b.w, 300mg/kg b.w and 200mg/kg b.w of the methanol extract respectively. Group 6 and 7 orally received a dose of 5.2mg/kg b.w of livolin and group 7 alone orally received a dose of 50mg/kg b.w of vitamin C. These treatments were administered for 30 days and the following biochemical markers; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) were estimated on day 10, 20 and 30 after treatment. Result showed that the values of TBARS significantly increased at p<0.05 on day 10, 20 and 30 in group 2 compared to group 1 while the values of CAT and SOD significantly decreased at p<0.05 on day 10, 20 and 30 in group 2 compared to group 1. The values of TBARS significantly decreased at p<0.05 on day 10, 20 and 30 in groups 3,4,5, 6 and 7 compared to group 2 while the values of CAT and SOD significantly increased at p<0.05 on day 10, 20 and 30 in groups 3,4,5,6 and 7 compared to group 2. These findings suggest that methanol fruiting body extract of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated with extract of Allium cepa scavenged the free radicals responsible for oxidative stress initiated by CCl4 and subsequently ameliorated and substantially reversed the toxic effect of the tissue specific toxicant.

Pesticides are one of the most significant environmental factors that cause various metabolic and physiological dysfunctions in the male reproductive system. In the present investigation, alterations in sperm morphology, sperm count and sperm motility, as well as in the testosterone levels and histopathology of testicular cells due to endosulfan toxicity was studied. Sexually matured male Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus), weighing 30±2g, were segregated into 4 different groups with ten mice in each group. 3 groups were administered with the dose of 3mg/kg body wt per day of Endosulfan by oral gavage method for 6, 12 and 18 weeks respectively, and one group served as control. After the last treatment, the animals were sacrificed on 6th, 12th, 18th weeks and the sperm parameters were estimated. The mice testes were fixed for light microscopy study and serum testosterone levels were estimated. Endosulfan significantly decreased the sperm motility and sperm count, and there were distinct histopathological abnormalities in testicular tissue. Significant decline in the testosterone levels was also observed. Endosulfan causes deleterious effects on the spermatological parameters of Swiss albino mice,thus negatively affecting the fertility. Keywords: Endosulfan, Mus musculus, Sperm count, Sperm motility, Sperm morphology.

Fungal sinusitis (FS) is an important health care problem both in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals; but which is less understood. Clinically FS patient presents with Chronic Rhino Sinusitis (CRS) refractory to medical and surgical treatment and they should be properly evaluated with history, CT scan, histopathology, fungal culture and allergic markers. Total of 300 patients with documented CRS based on clinical and radiological findings in the ENT clinic were enrolled as study group. Sinus washings, biopsy samples from sinusoidal mucosa and polyposis were collected in 2 sterile containers, for microbiology and histopathology and blood for various allergic parameters (total IgE concentration, absolute eosinophil count and precipitation test using fungal antigens). Total prevalence of fungal sinusitis was 13% in CRS patients. Commonly affected age group was between 21-40 years (69.3%) and male preponderance was noted in our study (1.6:1). Aspergillus species (87.1%) were the predominant isolate in our study. Allergic fungal sinusitis was commonest clinical presentation (61.5%). This study revealed that the prevalence of fungal sinusitis in CRS patients was significantly high. To estimate the real magnitude of the problem, multicentric study as well as compulsory fungal screening for the all the CRS patients should be undertaken.

Ticks constitute major pests of domestic animals through sucking of blood and transmission of many parasitic diseases. The search for alternative acaricides as ticks develop resistance to the ones in use is an ongoing process. This study was carried out to test potential acaricidal properties of the wormwood (Artemisia alfa) in Olive oil/Trilene formulation against larvae three tick species Boophilus decoralatus, Ripicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus evertsi. The study was carried at the Central Veterinary laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe, from November to December 2011. The tick larvae were exposed to four concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100%) of the wormwood leaf extract using the Larval Packet Test (LPT). All leaf extract concentrations induced mortality and mortality increased with concentration. Larvae of Boophilus decolaratus were the most sensitive to the leaf extract with mortalities of 51.7% in 100% leaf extract and larvae of Rhipicephalus evertsi were the least sensitive (40% mortality) at the same concentration. Tick species and leaf extract concentration had significant effect on tick mortality (P<0.05). The study opens a potential weapon to deal with ticks especially for the poor upcoming farmer with limited resources