Antimicrobial susceptibility and ESBLs profiles of non-typhoidal Salmonellae from poultry droppings in Katsina and Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria

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New triterpene isovanniloyl and antibacterial activity of constituents from the roots of Paullinia pinnata Linn (Sapindaceae)

In addition to lupeyl steryl ether (1) and 3-oxo-11α-hydroxyl-20 (29) lupen (2), a new lupeol-3-isovanniloyl ester (3) was isolated from Paullinia pinnata. Using detailed 1D and 2D NMR spectra and comparison with the published data, the new compound was characterised as 3-O-isovanilloyl-3R,5R,8R,9R,10R,13R,14S,17S,18R,19R-lup-20(29)-en, for which the trivial name Paullinoyl was proposed. Compound 3 demonstrated significant antibacterial activity on the tested strains (MIC 15.2–30.20 μg/ml). The antibacterial activities obtained in this study confirmed the use of P. pinnata in traditional medicine for treating bacterial infections

Assessment of some macromineral concentration of a grass/ legume sward in relation to livestock requirements

The assessment of macromineral concentration of Panicum/Stylosanthes mixtures was carried out at the Cattle Production Venture, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, in Southwest Nigeria. The study aimed to determine the concentration of some macromineral elements in the grass/legume pasture grazed by the animals with the view of recommending an application of relevant fertilizers. The experiment was laid out as a split-plot design with two spatial distribution of biomass (dense and sparse) assigned to the main plot and three cut back heights (10, 15 and 20 cm above ground) allotted to the subplot. Main plots measured 15 x 5 m while sub-plots were 5 x 5 m. Samples of Panicum maximum (Ntchisi) and Stylosanthes guianensis were clipped and analyzed to determine the concentration of P, K, Ca, and Mg. Results showed that both forage types had sufficient levels of P, K, Ca and Mg to meet the requirements of ruminants. Calcium (9.10 g kg -1) and P (3.75 g kg -1) contents of P. maximum were (p<0.05) higher for the dense biomass cut back to 15 cm height. Stylosanthes guianensis in the dense biomass cut to 15 cm recorded higher value for Ca than other treatments. Magnesium concentration was higher for P. maximum in the dense biomass (6.68 g kg -1) cut to 10 cm and the same pasture type cut to 15 cm height above ground recorded (P<0.05) higher value (5.41 g kg -1) for S. guianensis. Cutting of forages with the aim of promoting the regrowth of young shoots appears to favour sufficient accumulation of minerals in both forage types. Since only a portion of the total forage available in a sward is useful to grazing animals based on sward characteristics (e.g spatial distribution), herbage with higher quality is preferred by ruminants. It can be concluded that dense pastures are highly nutritive and cut back to 10 cm above ground could potentially produce regrowth herbage with sufficient macrominerals which relegate the need for mineral supplementation in grazing animals and fertilizer application to the pasture sward.Keywords: Spatial distribution, Panicum maximum, Stylosanthes guianensis, cut back, grazing  Évaluation de certaines teneurs en macromineraux d’un tapis d’herbes / graminees en fonction des besoins des animauxL’évaluation de la teneur en macrominéraux des mélanges de Panicum / Stylosanthes a été réalisée à la Cattle Production Venture de l’Université  Fédérale d’Agriculture d’Abeokuta, dans le sud-ouest du Nigeria. L’étude avait pour objectif de déterminer la concentration de certains éléments  macrominéraux dans les pâturages d’herbes / graminées fréquentés par les animaux en vue de recommander l’application d’engrais appropriés.  L’expérience a été présentée selon un dispositif à parcelles divisées avec deux distributions spatiales de biomasse (dense et éparse) assignées à la parcelle principale et trois aires à hauteurs d’herbes réduites (10, 15 et 20 cm au-dessus du sol) attribuées à la sous-parcelle. Les parcelles principales mesuraient 15 x 5 m tandis que les sous-parcelles mesuraient 5 x 5 m. Des échantillons de  Panicum maximum (Ntchisi) et de Stylosanthes hamata cv (Verano) ont été  coupés et analysés pour déterminer la teneur en P, K, Ca et Mg. Les résultats ont montré que les deux types de fourrage avaient des teneurs assez suffisantes en P, K, Ca et Mg pour répondre aux besoins des ruminants. Les teneurs en Calcium (9,10 g kg -1) et en P (3,75 g kg -1) de P. maximum étaient plus élevées (p  <0,05) pour la biomasse dense ramenée à 15 cm de hauteur. Stylosanthes hamata dans la biomasse dense coupée à 15 cm a enregistré une valeur plus élevée pour le Ca par rapport aux autres traitements. La concentration de  magnésium était plus élevée pour P. maximum dans la biomasse dense (6,68 g kg -1) coupée à 10 cm et le même type de pâturage coupé à 15 cm de hauteur au-dessus du sol a enregistré (P <0,05) une valeur plus élevée (5,41 g kg -1) pour S. hamata. Le fait de couper les fourrages dans le but de favoriser les repousses semble favoriser une accumulation suffisante de minéraux dans les deux types de fourrage. Puisque seule une partie du fourrage total disponible dans une couche végétale est utile aux animaux de pâturage en fonction des caractéristiques de la végétation (par exemple, la distribution spatiale), les ruminants préfèrent les herbages de meilleure qualité. On peut en conclure que les pâturages denses sont très nutritifs et qu’une coupure de 10 cm au-dessus du sol pourrait produire des repousses ayant suffisamment de macrominéraux, ce qui relègue le besoin de supplémentation minérale chez les animaux de pâturage et d’application d’engrais aux pâturages herbeux.Mots-clés : répartition spatiale, Panicum maximum, Stylosanthes hamata,  réduction de hauteur, pâturag

Diversity and genomics of Antarctic marine micro-organisms

Marine bacterioplanktons are thought to play a vital role in Southern Ocean ecology and ecosystem function, as they do in other ocean systems. However, our understanding of phylogenetic diversity, genome-enabled capabilities and specific adaptations to this persistently cold environment is limited. Bacterioplankton community composition shifts significantly over the annual cycle as sea ice melts and phytoplankton bloom. Microbial diversity in sea ice is better known than that of the plankton, where culture collections do not appear to represent organisms detected with molecular surveys. Broad phylogenetic groupings of Antarctic bacterioplankton such as the marine group I Crenarchaeota, α-Proteobacteria (Roseobacter-related and SAR-11 clusters), γ-Proteobacteria (both cultivated and uncultivated groups) and Bacteriodetes-affiliated organisms in Southern Ocean waters are in common with other ocean systems. Antarctic SSU rRNA gene phylotypes are typically affiliated with other polar sequences. Some species such as Polaribacter irgensii and currently uncultivated γ-Proteobacteria (Ant4D3 and Ant10A4) may flourish in Antarctic waters, though further studies are needed to address diversity on a larger scale. Insights from initial genomics studies on both cultivated organisms and genomes accessed through shotgun cloning of environmental samples suggest that there are many unique features of these organisms that facilitate survival in high-latitude, persistently cold environments