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Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms of Improving Salt and Drought Tolerance in Okra Plants Based on Applied Attapulgite Clay
Hengpeng Li,
Shasha Yang,
Wenya Wu,
Chunyan Wang,
Yanyang Li,
Chenzhong Wan,
Yuxiu Ye,
Xinhong Chen,
Zunxin Wang,
Laibao Hu,
Feibing Wang
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022
Pages:
1-10
Received:
27 September 2021
Accepted:
11 November 2021
Published:
8 January 2022
Abstract: Attapulgite clay (AC), which is rich in good adsorption, catalysis, rheology and heat resistance, is an important mineral resource. However, the roles of AC in regulating stress tolerance of plants have not been investigated. In this study, culture pot experiment was used to analyze the effects of AC applied into the soil on growth and physiological metabolism of okra plants. The applied AC significantly enhanced salt and drought tolerance of okra plants. Component analyses showed that the significant increases of ABA, proline, soluble protein, soluble sugar and photosynthetic pigment content, as well as the significant decreases of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion radical and malondialdehyde content were observed in okra plants grown in the soil with applied 30 g/kg AC under salt and drought stresses. Enzymatic analyses indicated the activities of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase were also significantly increased under salt and drought stresses. These results demonstrate that the applied AC can alleviate damage caused by salt and drought stresses, leading to the enhanced salt tolerance and drought tolerance of okra plants. The AC has the potential to be used to develop plant growth regulators to enhance the tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants.
Abstract: Attapulgite clay (AC), which is rich in good adsorption, catalysis, rheology and heat resistance, is an important mineral resource. However, the roles of AC in regulating stress tolerance of plants have not been investigated. In this study, culture pot experiment was used to analyze the effects of AC applied into the soil on growth and physiologica...
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Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity and Mycochemical Screening of Two Penicillium oxalicum Isolated from Soil and Leaves of Solanum lycopersicum Respectively
Delchinor Arioste Doh Gneho,
Dodehe Yeo,
Alex Gilles Pakora,
David Jean N’Guessan
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022
Pages:
11-17
Received:
22 December 2021
Accepted:
10 January 2022
Published:
15 January 2022
Abstract: The purpose of the work was to compare the mycochemical composition and antioxidant properties of acetate extracts of Penicillium oxalicum from two different sources, soil and leaves of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). After extraction of the metabolites on rice medium, qualitative analyses of the extracts were carried out by colorimetric tests and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids were determined respectively by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and the AlCl3 method. For antioxidant capacity, the 1,1-diphenyl-2picrylhydrazyl free radical trapping method and the FRAP method were used. Penicillium oxalicum from the soil was characterised by molecular biology. Mycochemical analysis revealed the existence of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyterpenes and sterols and saponosides in the extract of Penicillium oxalicum from soil. Except for saponosides, the other secondary metabolites were present in the endophyte extract but in low quantities. In addition, the contents of total flavonoids and phenols in soil Penicillium oxalicum, which are respectively 11.67 ± 1.03 mg QE/ g extract and 58.36 ± 2.779 mg GAE/ g extract, were higher than those of the endophyte 6.03 ± 0.95 mg QE/ g extract and 36.66 ± 2.01 mg GAE/ g extract. Concerning the antioxidant activity, the IC50 of Penicillium oxalicum extracts were 67.73 ± 0.58 µg/mL for the soil extract and 2.74 ± 0.33 mg/mL for the endophyte extract. The reducing power of Penicillium oxalicum from the soil is higher than that of the endophyte. It appears that Penicillium oxalicum from soil is rich in secondary metabolites. Also, it showed a better antioxidant activity. This work shows that soil Penicillium oxalicum is the best candidate for the production of antioxidant compounds.
Abstract: The purpose of the work was to compare the mycochemical composition and antioxidant properties of acetate extracts of Penicillium oxalicum from two different sources, soil and leaves of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). After extraction of the metabolites on rice medium, qualitative analyses of the extracts were carried out by colorimetric tests and t...
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Potentials of Varied Inflammatory Indices in the Prediction of COVID-19 Severity Among Nigerians
Stephenson Lawson,
Collins Amadi
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022
Pages:
18-24
Received:
5 January 2022
Accepted:
20 January 2022
Published:
28 January 2022
Abstract: Background: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is theorized to be associated with significant inflammatory episodes. This tends to define the severity and culminates in adverse consequences of the disease. Therefore, the current study evaluated the potentials of varied inflammatory markers/indices that define the COVID-19 severity. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of pre-treatment data obtained from patients with positive real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 disease in one of the treatment centers in Port Harcourt, South-south Nigeria. Data were obtained from case notes, medical review charts, nurses’ charts, and laboratory records by trained research assistants in the treatment center using pretested data acquisition templates. Abstracted data were compared between the severe positive and severe negative subgroups and the potentials of varied inflammatory indices were evaluated among the severe positive subgroup using standard protocols. Results: A total of 600 eligible cases were studied. Among the eligible cases, 543 (90.5%) had severe negative disease, while 57 (9.5%) had severe positive disease. The severe positive COVID-19 patients had higher mean blood levels of urea, creatinine, pro-calcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, higher Glasgow prognostic scores (GPS), fibrinogen, D-dimer, fibrinogen-albumin ratio, total white cell count, neutrophil counts, composite neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), composite platelet to lymphocyte ratio but lower potassium, albumin, hemoglobin levels, and isolated lymphocyte and platelet counts compared to the severe positive COVID-19 subjects (p<0.05). The C-reactive protein, GPS, D-dimer, and the composite NLR ratio indices significantly predicted COVID-19 severity on the crude regression model which was maintained in the adjusted model. However, serum CRP concentrations (AUC: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.82-1.00; p<0.001) maintained a more robust predictive potential compared to the GPS (AUC: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.84-1.00; p<0.001), D-dimer levels (AUC: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79-0.94; p=0.004), and the composite NLR (AUC: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77-0.92). Conclusion: The current study corroborates the role of inflammation in the COVID-19 disease severity. The clinical utility of these inflammation-induced markers/indices especially the CRP, GPS, D-dimer, and the NLR should be prioritized among Nigerians during the management of the disease.
Abstract: Background: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is theorized to be associated with significant inflammatory episodes. This tends to define the severity and culminates in adverse consequences of the disease. Therefore, the current study evaluated the potentials of varied inflammatory markers/indices that define the COVID-19 severity. Methods:...
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Assessment of the Anti-inflammatory and Anti-oxidant Activities of Flavonoid-rich Fraction of Pleiocarpa mutica Leaves
Osmund Chukwuma Enechi,
Christian Chijioke Amah,
Jacob Ikechukwu Okoro,
Ursula Chidimma Obelenwa,
Ernest Chinecherem Omeje,
Emmanuella Nkechinyere Osondu,
Chidimma Faith Ejikeme,
Chidubem Francis Okoye,
Sebastine Obiajulu Maduneme,
Christabel Ebube Festus,
Nnadike Henry Okafor
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022
Pages:
25-34
Received:
16 December 2021
Accepted:
11 January 2022
Published:
9 February 2022
Abstract: Pleiocarpa mutica is a medicinal plant that is native to large areas of tropical Africa and belongs to the family of Apocynaceae. It is a medicinal herb used in traditional Nigerian medicine to treat a variety of diseases, including inflammatory disorders. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of flavonoid-rich fraction of Pleiocarpa mutica leaves (FRFPML) using both in-vivo and in-vitro based assays. A total of thirty (30) adult male albino rats (110-150g) were divided into five (5) groups of six (6) rats each for the in-vivo anti-inflammatory assay. Group 1 untreated; Group 2 was given 10 mg/kg body weight of Indomethacin and Groups 3, 4 and 5 were given 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg body weight of FRFPML respectively. Tannins, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids and saponins were found in varied amounts in the plant secondary metabolites according to quantitative analysis. The extract demonstrated no harm in an acute toxicity assay when dosed up to 5000 mg/kg b.w. Scalar dosages of the FRFPML significantly (p<0.05) suppressed the development of paw oedema induced by egg albumin in the systemic rat paw oedema model. This compares favorably to the standard anti–inflammatory drug indomethacin (10 mg/kg b.w) which at 24 hours inhibited egg albumin-induced rat paw oedema (11.82%). Varying doses of the extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited egg albumin denaturation, hypotonicity-induced membrane stabilization, protease inhibition and phospholipase A2 in a concentration-dependent manner, causing inhibition comparable to that of the standard anti-inflammatory drug used. The extract at different concentrations (0.2-0.8 mg/ml), significantly (p<0.05) exhibited DPPH (1-1diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) radical scavenging activities in a concentration-dependent manner similar to the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid used. Results from the study revealed that the FRFPML exhibited remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity.
Abstract: Pleiocarpa mutica is a medicinal plant that is native to large areas of tropical Africa and belongs to the family of Apocynaceae. It is a medicinal herb used in traditional Nigerian medicine to treat a variety of diseases, including inflammatory disorders. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of flavonoid-ri...
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Removal, Recovery, and Recycles of Au(III) from Tetrachloroauric Acid Solution Using Immobilized Pseudomonas Cells by Biomineralization and Thiourea Oxidation
Takehiko Tsuruta,
Yuki Odajima,
Kato Marina,
Ichiro Maeda
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2022
Pages:
35-40
Received:
28 December 2021
Accepted:
4 February 2022
Published:
16 February 2022
Abstract: Removal, recovery, and recycles of gold(III) from aqueous tetrachloroauric acid solution using immobilized Pseudomonas saccharophila was investigated. The effect of pH, cell amounts on gold removal, and the time course of gold removal by P. saccharophila cells, which removed large amounts of gold from a solution containing hydrogen tetrachloroauric(III) acid were reported in detail. Additionally, to approve the amount of gold recovery much higher, the removal of gold(III) by biosorption and biomineralization from aqueous systems using microbial cells, gold(III) removal by those using microbial cells was investigated. The oxidative recovery of gold after reduced gold(0) by the oxidation using aqueous thiourea solution, and recycles of gold reduction-oxidation cycles were also investigated.
Abstract: Removal, recovery, and recycles of gold(III) from aqueous tetrachloroauric acid solution using immobilized Pseudomonas saccharophila was investigated. The effect of pH, cell amounts on gold removal, and the time course of gold removal by P. saccharophila cells, which removed large amounts of gold from a solution containing hydrogen tetrachloroauric...
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