In vitro Degradation of Extracted Cassava Linamarin by Bacillus Species Isolated from cassava wastewater

Linamarin is the most abundant cyanoglucoside present in cassava cells and may generate the equivalent amount of hydrocyanic acid. This study was aimed to assess degradative capacities of Bacillus pumilus strain WOB3 and WOB7on linamarin. The test organisms for linamarase activity were identified on the basis of phenotype, biochemical properties and 16S rDNA gene sequencing as: Bacillus pumilus strain WOB3 KX774195 and Bacillus pumilus strain WOB7 KX774196. Growth studies showed that the strains grew in all the substrates tested. The doubling times of Bacillus pumilus strain WOB3 and Bacillus pumilus strain WOB7 were 8.25 d and 7.53 d on cassava effluent, 6.30 dand 5.78 d on supplemented cassava effluent, 8.66 dand 9.90 d on waste leachate and 6.30 d and 9.24 d on supplemented waste leachate respectively; with specific growth rates of 0.084 d-1 and 0.092 d-1 on cassava effluent, 0.11 d-1 and 0.12 d-1 on supplemented cassava effluent, 0.080 d-1 and 0.070 d-1 on waste leachate and 0.11 d-1 and 0.075 d-1 on supplemented waste leachate respectively. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis studies revealed that linamarin degradation by the strains followed a linamarase pathway involving CO2 and HCN as metabolic intermediates. Based on HPLC analysis, linamarin residual concentration at day 12 by the strains WOB3 and WOB7 was 26.73 mgL-1(19.79 %) and 29.79 mgL-1 (21.92 %). These novel features make the bacteria suitable candidates for in-situ application on sites contaminated with cassava processing wastes

Biodiesel production from Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus (l) Moench) plant

Several biological plants which substrates can be used in the production of biofuels have been identified in the world. Although most of these plants are used for food which may present a risk of food supply, but will also encourage production and utilization of such plant. Okra is a vegetable plant commonly grown throughout the tropics, especially in West Africa for its tender fruits and sometimes the leaves for soup, thus the necessity for investigating the energy potential of the whole plant (Seed, fruit, leaves, and stem) biomass. Okra is an easily cultivated plant which could yield high return to the farmer if utilize for energy (Biofuel) source. Two replicates of each sample at mass 100, 300 and 500 g, n-hexane volume 500, 750 and 1000 ml and drying time 1,2 and 3 hours were used. Fresh Okra plant was obtained from the field of Institute of Agricultural research and training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria and digested in a laboratory following a standard procedure to obtain ethanol then transesterified to produce biodiesel. The average volumes of diesel obtained from each part of the plant are 18.52, 19.62, 24.07, 28.18 ml for seed, fruit, leave and stem respectively. The overall best percentage of okra plant biodiesel production was 152.6 l / ton (time). Comparing the previously reported values for maize, carrot, cocoyam, cassava, sugarcane and iroko timber to 410, 100, 139, 150, 70 and 130 l / tonnes of biomaterial; shows that okra is also a promising biofuel substrate and future energy plan

A Co integration Approach Analysis of the Effects of Boiling and Cooling on Some Physical Properties Luffa Sponge Seed

Knowledge of physical properties of seed is pre-requisite for design of handling equipment. This study determined short and long run effects of both boiling and cooling on some physical properties of Luffa Sponge Seed. Three-300g of seed were constantly boiled in separate water pots for 20, 30 and 40minutes and allowed to cool down (12hours, 18hours and 24 hours). 100 randomly selected seeds were selected for different parameter measurements. Data obtained were subjected to summary statistics analysis, generalized linear model (Glm), unit root test, vector autoregression analysis, Johansen co-integration and Granger causality test. Mean sphericity (SPH) decreases with increasing boiling time. Mean SPH ranged between 55.591 and 55.050 (for 30minutes) while mean geometric diameter (GMD) ranged between 5.239 (for 24 hours cooling) and 5.067 (for 12hours cooling). Glm analysis revealed that significant differences exist between the means for both GMD and SPH for the sources of variation. Dickey-Fuller statistics (-3.951 for GMD and -4.666 for SPH) were both significant, GMD and SPH contained unit roots. It was established that higher cooling (18hours and 24hours) and moderate boiling impact optimum seed dimension and sphericity on Luffa and these could help in design of efficient machine for utilization of the seed

Psychologic distress and coping strategies among caregivers of children with sickle cell disease; a comparative study of caregivers presenting to the University College Hospital, Ibadan Nigeria

Background: Caregivers of children may undergo psychologic challenges when their children fall ill. It is assumed that, caregivers ofchronically ill children differ in their experience of psychologic distress and coping strategies compared to caregivers of non-criticalacutely ill children. Irrespective, the psychologic effects of caregiving and the deployed coping strategies of caregivers should not beunderestimated. Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted at the Paediatric, Hematology and Family Medicine outpatient clinics of the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria. The research was conducted in April-July 2015, on 140 primary caregivers of young patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and caregivers of age-matched non-SCD patients. Results: The percentage of SCD patients' caregivers (17.1%) older than 50yrs, was approximately twice of non-SCD patients' caregivers (8.7%). Mild to moderate anxiety, was prevalent in 92.6% and 84.1% of caregivers of SCD and non-SCD patients, while more (13.2%) of non-SCD patients' caregivers experienced moderate depression. Humour (p=0.028) and “venting” (p=0.003) coping strategies, were utilized by more of the SCD patients' caregivers (19.7% & 21.2%) compared to fewer, of the non-SCD patients' caregivers (4.5% & 4.4%). Higher percentage of caregivers (86.6% & 61.2%) of SCD patients significantly deployed “religion” and “acceptance” as coping  strategies compared to (68.7% & 26.9 %) of non-SCD patients' caregiver (p=0.024 & < 0.001). Conclusions: Caregivers of children, experiences psychologic distress irrespective of nature of children's illness. However, older caregivers of children with chronic illness can adopt religious, acceptance, venting and humour as adaptive coping strategies. Keywords; Coping strategies, SCD, Caregivers, Psychologic distress, Ventin

The chromatin landscape of healthy and injured cell types in the human kidney

There is a need to define regions of gene activation or repression that control human kidney cells in states of health, injury, and repair to understand the molecular pathogenesis of kidney disease and design therapeutic strategies. Comprehensive integration of gene expression with epigenetic features that define regulatory elements remains a significant challenge. We measure dual single nucleus RNA expression and chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation, and H3K27ac, H3K4me1, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3 histone modifications to decipher the chromatin landscape and gene regulation of the kidney in reference and adaptive injury states. We establish a spatially-anchored epigenomic atlas to define the kidney’s active, silent, and regulatory accessible chromatin regions across the genome. Using this atlas, we note distinct control of adaptive injury in different epithelial cell types. A proximal tubule cell transcription factor network of ELF3, KLF6, and KLF10 regulates the transition between health and injury, while in thick ascending limb cells this transition is regulated by NR2F1. Further, combined perturbation of ELF3, KLF6, and KLF10 distinguishes two adaptive proximal tubular cell subtypes, one of which manifested a repair trajectory after knockout. This atlas will serve as a foundation to facilitate targeted cell-specific therapeutics by reprogramming gene regulatory networks. © 2024, The Author(s).Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]