Bio Technology

Sullage was treated using activated carbon from selected agrowastes (rice husk, corn cob and coconut husk). Agrowastes were carbonized at 600oC and chemically activated using phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and then used as adsorbents for the removal of chemical compounds: pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3-), phosphate (PO4-), chloride (Cl-) and sulphate (SO42-) using titration and spectrophotometer methods. Initial concentration of the chemical parameters of sullage samples showed COD to be 486.2±87 mg/l, BOD, 175.0±3.1 mg/l; pH, 7.33±0.1; Cl-, 31.0±5.5 mg/l; NO3-, 28.6±24 ppm; PO4-, 7.08±3.2 ppm and SO42-, 347.08±67.1 ppm. After treatments, COD ranged from 122.2±10 - 190.5±25 mg/l, BOD, 44.0±3.5 – 68.6.0±9.0 mg/l, pH, 7.08±0.1 - 7.18±0.1, Cl-, 17.28 - 21.13 mg/l, NO3-, 0.0 - 12.79 ppm and sulphate 117.7 - 251.7 ppm. There was significant difference (p?0.05) between the untreated and the treated sullage samples. The efficiency of the individual adsorbents in reducing the chemical parameters was of this order: ricehusk > corncob > coconut husk. In combination it was, rice husk+corncob+coconuthusk > ricehusk+corncob > corncob+coconuthusk > ricehusk+coconuthusk. High percentage reduction observed of chemical properties revealed that activated carbons from rice husk, corn cob and coconut husk can be used singly or combined for the purification of sullage.

Plants are important source of drugs for majority of the world population. The chemical components in Lippia citriodora help in treating various diseases especially about nervous system illnesses. The present investigation was carried out to determine the chemical compounds present in the stem cuttings of L.citriodora with using GC-MS analysis. The analysis revealed the presence of 26 compounds in the stem cutting. The major compounds were citral (10.63%), Geraniol (10.01%), neral (9.21%), Geranial (7.94%), 4-Phenyl undecan 4-ol (6.78%), 1-octen-3-ol (6.54%). The major and minor constituents were also observed.

Thevetia peruviana, cultivated as an ornamental plant and planted as large flowering shrub, belongs to the family Apocynacea. The aim of this study is to screen the phytochemicals present in the leaves of Thevetia peruviana and further analysis of the components present in it by GC- MS analysis.The leaves were sequetially extracted based on the polarity viz., hexane , acetone and methanol and subjected to phytochemical screening which revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavanoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, phenols, quinones and saponins.The GC- MS analysis of the acetone extract revealed the presence of 33 compounds. This study forms a basis for the biological characterization and importance of the compounds identified.

Three accessions of Phyllanthus niruri L., from three different localities were assessed for their fruit or seed germination in vitro and ex vitro. Dried fruits (undehisced seeds) of P. niruri accessions collected from Greater Accra (Kwabenya), Central (Kasoa) and Eastern (Aburi) regions of Ghana did not germinate when nursed both in vitro and ex vitro. However, seeds from 3, 5 or 7 days dehisced fruits germinated with 7 days dehisced seeds having the highest percentage (68.8%) germination when nursed (ex vitro) in the same soil substrate suggesting that there was fruit wall imposed dormancy. To improve percentage germination, dehisced seeds were cultured on Murashige and skoog (1962) (MS) medium supplemented with 0-1.2 mg/l BAP or kinetin. At these treatments, dehisced seeds cultured on MS medium supplemented with 1.2 mg/l BAP had the highest percentage (61.1%) of germination with poor germination of seeds occurring in MS medium supplemented with kinetin. Data were also taken on root and shoot proliferation as well.

Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., and Neochloris sp. were isolated from fresh water ponds in and around Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamilnadu, India and used for lipid extraction. Different methods, including autoclaving, bead-beating, microwaves, sonication and a 10% NaCl solution treatments were tested to identify the most effective cell disruption method. The total lipids from three microalgal species were extracted using a mixture of chloroform and methanol. Fatty acid composition was detected by GC. Finally the sonication method was found to be the most applicable and efficient method of lipid extraction from microalgae. Neochloris sp. showed higher oleic acid productivity of 18.09 mg g-1 dw but Chlorella sp. was linoleic acid productivity of 17.61 mg g-1 dw when the cells were disrupted using the sonication method.

The study was carried out to isolate Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from cow feces meat as well as screening bioactive compound produced from isolated LAB via well-in agar method. The identification of LAB through biochemical test consists of sugar test and milk curdles. Isolated LAB was ferment at 37°C for 24 hours. One type of LAB was successfully isolated, namely Lactococcus sp.

Type 2 diabetes(TIIDM) aging-related disorder, is caused by a combination of peripheral insulin resistance and ?-cell dysfunction .Recent evidence, however, suggests that TIIDM is additionally characterized by impaired ?-cell regeneration and reduced ?-cell mass .Shortened telomeres have been previously associated with diabetes in several small-scale studies(Zhu et al.,2011). Measurement of telomere length in diabetic patients in different age and different duration of disease and compared with control. Also included the comparison telomere length between male and female for both control and diabetic groups and between patients from genetic origin (mother origin or father origin) and patients from non genetic origin. Genomic DNA was prepared from whole blood extraction using genaid kit and was quantified by Nanodrop .Terminal restriction fragment (TRF) lengths were measured using the Southern-blotting technique .This study was conducted between November 2010- November 2012 and, it was carried out at the diabetic Centre / Merjan Teaching Hospital in Babel Province by taking 54 diabetic patients(Type II DM) with disease duration (0-5),(>5-10 )and (>10 )years ,with age average (35-65 year)and most of them were on oral hypoglycemic drugs. While the study included 18 people apparently healthy that included 9 male and 9 female with age average (35-65 year). The study revealed that telomere length(TL) were differences between males and females of control group. Age- adjusted telomere length were shorter in males than in females of control subjects (13,200 bp ) vs. (11,600 bp), (14,200 bp) vs. (13,000 bp) and (15,100 bp) vs. (13,800 bp),and this differences in TL between males and females decreased as aging increased, while this gender differences in TL was not observed among the diabetic patients .In both the controls group and diabetic subjects, the telomere length were shorter in older subjects than younger for both males and females.

This work on the Effects of Treated Palm oil mill effluents (POME) on soil microflora was carried out using standard microbiological and chemical methods. Activated carbon used for the treatment of POME were generated corn cob, coconut shell and a combination of the two materials. Palm oil mill effluents were obtained from Umulolo community in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State. Top soil (10-15cm) and sub soil (of 15-30cm) samples were obtained from Federal University of Technology, Owerri farms. The Activated carbon were used separately and in combined forms to treat POME samples and the resultant wastewater, used to water the top and sub soil samples for four (4) weeks. The microbial flora of the watered soil samples were assessed using pour plate method. The results obtained revealed that the high microbial load of the untreated POME (TVC: 3.28 x 10? cfu/ml) reduced after the treatment with the activated carbon from agrowastes (Coconut shell TVC: 5.7 x 10? cfu/ml, Corn cob TVC: 1.03 x 10? cfu/ml and Cocunut shell + Corn cob TVC: 2.04 x 10? cfu/ml). There was a general increase in the microbial load of the top and sub soil samples watered with the treated POME when compared with the top and sub soil watered with the raw POME. The bacterial isolates obtained in this study were; Kebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Staphlococcus aureus, Corynebacterium glaucum, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli. The fungal isolates obtained were Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillum chrysogenum, Rhizopus stolonifera and Candida albicans. From the results obtained in this study, it can be inferred that POME treatment with activated carbon removed the colloidal properties (usually one of the characteristics of POME), reduced the Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), the chemical oxygen demand (COD) thus conditioning the soil for more microbial growth.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of addition of Yttria partially stabilized Zirconia powder to dental porcelain being incorporated in 3,5 and 7-percent by weight on some mechanical properties. The measured properties were flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, fracture toughness and hardness. Samples were prepared according to the manufacturers instructions. Zirconia powder was thoroughly mixed with the porcelain powder in the correct weight percent before use. Flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and fracture toughness were measured using three-point bending test. The hardness was measured using a conventional microhardness tester. All data were collected and analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and LSD test (p=0.05). The results indicated that the addition of 3 % and 5 % of Yttria partially stabilized Zirconia to the conventional dental porcelain powder resulted in increased flexural strength and fracture toughness of the porcelain. On the contrary, 3 % and 5 % zirconia decreased both the modulus of elasticity and hardness. In addition, 7 % zirconia decreased all tested properties. X-ray examination showed that zirconia addition increased the radiopacity of the material. It was concluded that zirconia-modified dental porcelain was stronger and tougher than the conventional unmodified ceramic.

The leaf epidermis and midrib of Vernonia amygdalina, V. cinerea, V. perrottetii and V. adoensis were studied following standard proceedures and features were observed with the aid of compound microscope. To the authors’ knowledge, the leaf and midrib anatomical features of V. adoensis and V. perrottetii are being comprehensively and adequately documented for the first time. The results obtained revealed that the four species were hypoamphistomatic with anomocytic type of stomata. Stomata Index (%) was higher at the lower epidermis than the upper epidermis with V. amygdalina having 35.00 as the highest and V. perrottetii having 31.00 as the lowest. Similarly, the highest width (µm) of stomata was found in the upper epidermis of V. adoensis having an average of 73.22 ± 21.77 while the lowest was 22.46 ± 2.47 as found in the lower epidermis of V. adoensis. Highest stomata length (µm) of 81.46 ± 22.38 was also recorded in upper leaf epidermis of V. adoensis while lowest length of 30.43 ± 4.26 was recorded in its lower epidermis. In the four species, epidermal cells were predominantly irregular in shapes with predominantly sinuous anticlinal and periclinal walls. In another vein, the midribs were oblong in outline consisting of collateral and open bundles arranged in ring-like pattern except in V. perrottetii in which the bundles were concentric, amphicribral, collateral and close. Based on the overwhelming similarities that existed among the four taxa, it was established that there exist interspecies relationship among them. In conclusion, it was opined that the minor and discontinuous differences in the anatomical features of the four species are insufficient to adjudge their rearrangement and repositioning to separate genus and that their present taxonomic status are unbiased and warranted.