OPTIMIZATION OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION FROM DANIELLA OLIVERI OIL SEED USING WASTE SNAIL SHELL AS HETEROGENEOUS CATALYST

Biodiesel has gained support and recognition as a fuel to replace fossil fuel which has caused a lot of damage to the environment. In search of locally cheap raw materials that could be used for biodiesel production at a cheaper rate. An investigation was carried out with Daniela oliveri oil seed and waste snail shells as raw materials. One step alkaline transesterification was conducted to produce the biodiesel. Snail shell was used as a source of CaO heterogeneous catalysts by calcination process at 9000C for 5 h. Four process parameters were optimized; methanol to oil ratio 7:1, reaction temperature 500C, catalyst concentration 2.0 wt% and reaction time 60 min to obtained high yield of biodiesel 77% from the oil. The fuel properties of the produced biodiesel from D.oliveri oil were compared with the ASTM standard and found within the requirements

Optimization of Transesterification Parameters of Biodiesel Produced from Sword Bean (Cavalia gladiate) Seed Oil

The subject of this study was to optimize the transesterification parameters of biodiesel produced from sword bean (C. gladiate) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Four transesterification parameters (Reaction temperature 55 0C, Catalyst concentration 0.4 wt%, Methanol to oil ratio 4:1 and reaction time 60 min) were optimized. Data obtained revealed that the optimum reaction conditions for the transesterification of C. gladiata seed oil resulted in 92.88% biodiesel yield. Multiple regression analysis produced a quadratic polynomial equation for methylester and a linear relationship was recorded between the observed and predicted value (R2 = 0.9647) with a significant molar ratio and temperature.  The interaction terms of methanol to oil, molar ratio and temperature with reaction time exhibited a positive effect on the methylester yield. The response surface methodology was found to be a suitable technique for optimizing transesterification process and producing biodiesel that meets the ASTM standard

EVALUATION OF CHEMICAL NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF AFRICAN ELEMI PULP AND SEEDS

The aim of this study is to evaluate chemical nutritional constituents of the pulp and seed of African elemi. The evaluation of chemical compositions of pulp and seed of African elemi was obtained from Mararaba Jamma Market Jos, Plateau State in North Central Nigeria were determined using standard analytical methods. The parameters determined of proximate were protein, moisture, fat, ash as well as fibre of the seed were 6.90±0.60, 6.00±0.11, 61.00±0.33, 3.40±0.00 as well as 7.90±0.21 % respectively, in other hand the respective values of protein, moisture, fat, ash as well as fibre of the pulp were 6.80±0.10, 22.20±0.24, 44.50±0.31, 8.20±0.01 as well as 12.00±0.10 %. The carbohydrate content was lowest in the pulp (6.30±0.41%) and highest in the seed (14.80±0.22%). Energy values analyzed in this study were 2625.90±0.25 and 1869.20±0.01 KJ/100g for the samples seed and pulp respectively. These samples contained reasonable amounts of potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, calcium as well as magnesium. The anti-nutritional analysis revealed the presence of oxalate, phytate, saponins, alkaloids, and cyanide which were within the permissible limits. The pulp and seed of African elemi could, therefore, serve as an additional promising source of protein and mineral contents for human and animal feeds formulations

Assessment of Selected Heavy Metal Content on Dumpsites Soil and Vegetables Grown in Muwo Metropolis, Niger State, Nigeria

This study examines the concentration of heavy metals in soil samples and some vegetables (spinach, water leaf, bitter leaf and jute mallow) cultivated around dumpsites in Muwo Metropolis, Niger State, Nigeria. The soil samples and vegetable were analyzed for Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd using AA500 spectrophotometer after acid digestion. Data obtained show that, the Pb (1.684 mg/kg of Jute) content was high compared to other metals study in this work. Concentration of Zn was 1.993, 0.862 and 0.443 mg/kg for water leaf, soil and control sample respectively. The content of Pb was 1.727, 1.738 and ND mg/kg for water leaf, soil and control sample respectively. Also, the concentration of Pb was 1.736, ND and 0.457 mg/kg for spinach, soil and control sample respectively. However, the content of Zn was 0.786, 0.751 and 0.554 mg/kg for spinach, soil and control sample respectively The accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils is of increasing concern because of, potential health risks, food safety as well as its detrimental effects on the soil ecosystem and human health. The pollution indexes of Ni contents are 0.439, 0.378, and 0.083 for jute, soil and control sample respectively. While Zn concentration was 1.117, 0.858 and 0.492 for jute, soil and control sample respectively. The result of this study shows that Pb concentrations are present in high levels in the study area at the different level of contamination

The modified 2VO ischemia protocol causes cognitive impairment similar to that induced by the standard method, but with a better survival rate

Permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2VO) in the rat has been established as a valid experimental model to investigate the effects of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion on cognitive function and neurodegenerative processes. Our aim was to compare the cognitive and morphological outcomes following the standard 2VO procedure, in which there is concomitant artery ligation, with those of a modified protocol, with a 1-week interval between artery occlusions to avoid an abrupt reduction of cerebral blood flow, as assessed by animal performance in the water maze and damage extension to the hippocampus and striatum. Male Wistar rats (N = 47) aged 3 months were subjected to chronic hypoperfusion by permanent bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries using either the standard or the modified protocol, with the right carotid being the first to be occluded. Three months after the surgical procedure, rat performance in the water maze was assessed to investigate long-term effects on spatial learning and memory and their brains were processed in order to estimate hippocampal volume and striatal area. Both groups of hypoperfused rats showed deficits in reference (F(8,172) = 7.0951, P < 0.00001) and working spatial memory [2nd (F(2,44) = 7.6884, P < 0.001), 3rd (F(2,44) = 21.481, P < 0.00001) and 4th trials (F(2,44) = 28.620, P < 0.0001)]; however, no evidence of tissue atrophy was found in the brain structures studied. Despite similar behavioral and morphological outcomes, the rats submitted to the modified protocol showed a significant increase in survival rate, during the 3 months of the experiment (P < 0.02)

Aberrant crypt foci in colorectal carcinogenesis. Cell and crypt dynamics

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) have been identified on the colonic mucosal surface of rodents treated with colon carcinogens and of humans after methylene-blue staining and observation under a light microscope. Several lines of evidence strongly suggest that ACF with certain morphological, histological, cell kinetics, and genetic features are precursor lesions of colon cancer both in rodents and in humans. Thus, ACF represent the earliest step in colorectal carcinogenesis. This paper has the main purpose of reviewing the evidence supporting this view, with particular emphasis on cell and crypt dynamics in ACF. ACF have been used as intermediate biomarkers of cancer development in animal studies aimed at the identification of colon carcinogens and chemopreventive agents. Recently, evidence has also shown that ACF can be effectively employed in chemopreventive studies also in humans

Differential Conservation and Divergence of Fertility Genes boule and dazl in the Rainbow Trout

10.1371/journal.pone.0015910PLoS ONE61

Pigment epithelium-derived factor protects retinal ganglion cells

BACKGROUND: Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are responsible for the transmission of visual signals to the brain. Progressive death of RGCs occurs in glaucoma and several other retinal diseases, which can lead to visual impairment and blindness. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a potent antiangiogenic, neurotrophic and neuroprotective protein that can protect neurons from a variety of pathologic insults. We tested the effects of PEDF on the survival of cultured adult rat RGCs in the presence of glaucoma-like insults, including cytotoxicity induced by glutamate or withdrawal of trophic factors. RESULTS: Cultured adult rat RGCs exposed to glutamate for 3 days showed signs of cytotoxicity and death. The toxic effect of glutamate was concentration-dependent (EC(50 )= 31 μM). In the presence of 100 μM glutamate, RGC number decreased to 55 ± 4% of control (mean ± SEM, n = 76; P < 0.001). The glutamate effect was completely eliminated by MK801, an NMDA receptor antagonist. Trophic factor withdrawal also caused a similar loss of RGCs (54 ± 4%, n = 60, P < 0.001). PEDF protected against both insults with EC(50 )values of 13.6 ng/mL (glutamate) and 3.4 ng/mL (trophic factor withdrawal), respectively. At 100 ng/mL, PEDF completely protected the cells from both insults. Inhibitors of the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) significantly reduced the protective effects of PEDF. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that PEDF potently and efficaciously protected adult rat RGCs from glutamate- and trophic factor withdrawal-mediated cytotoxicity, via the activation of the NFκB and ERK1/2 pathways. The neuroprotective effect of PEDF represents a novel approach for potential treatment of retinopathies, such as glaucoma

Preconditioning-induced ischemic tolerance: a window into endogenous gearing for cerebroprotection

Ischemic tolerance defines transient resistance to lethal ischemia gained by a prior sublethal noxious stimulus (i.e., preconditioning). This adaptive response is thought to be an evolutionarily conserved defense mechanism, observed in a wide variety of species. Preconditioning confers ischemic tolerance if not in all, in most organ systems, including the heart, kidney, liver, and small intestine. Since the first landmark experimental demonstration of ischemic tolerance in the gerbil brain in early 1990's, basic scientific knowledge on the mechanisms of cerebral ischemic tolerance increased substantially. Various noxious stimuli can precondition the brain, presumably through a common mechanism, genomic reprogramming. Ischemic tolerance occurs in two temporally distinct windows. Early tolerance can be achieved within minutes, but wanes also rapidly, within hours. Delayed tolerance develops in hours and lasts for days. The main mechanism involved in early tolerance is adaptation of membrane receptors, whereas gene activation with subsequent de novo protein synthesis dominates delayed tolerance. Ischemic preconditioning is associated with robust cerebroprotection in animals. In humans, transient ischemic attacks may be the clinical correlate of preconditioning leading to ischemic tolerance. Mimicking the mechanisms of this unique endogenous protection process is therefore a potential strategy for stroke prevention. Perhaps new remedies for stroke are very close, right in our cells