High Percentage Of Recovery Research Articles

In vitro anti-obesity activity by pancreatic lipase inhibition - Simple HPLC approach using EVOO as natural substrate.

Pancreatic lipase (PL) is a key lipolytic enzyme in humans for the digestion and absorption of dietary fats. Thereby, PL is a well-recognized target in the management of obesity and its inhibition attracts the interest of researchers globally. The screening of new natural PL inhibitors as alternative strategy to the synthesis of chemical ones represents nowadays a hot topic in research. The main challenge in this matter is the lack of a universal analytical method allowing the monitoring of PL activity and the reliable quantification of lipid digestion products. The (normal phase)-high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector [(NP)-HPLC-ELSD] method proposed in this work represents a direct and rapid strategy to simultaneously quantify the products obtained from in vitro PL digestion. As one of the main novelties, the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction from extra-virgin olive oil was selected as natural substrate. The PL activity was measured by monitoring the levels of remaining TAGs and formed free fatty acids (FFAs), using Orlistat as known inhibitor. The method validation confirmed the adequacy of the analytical method for quantitative purposes, showing high recovery percentage values (between 99% and 103%) and low relative standard deviation (RSD%) values (between 2% and 7%) for triolein and oleic acid standard solutions, as well as appreciably low limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values (respectively 58 and 177 ng mL-1 for triolein; 198 and 602 ng mL-1 for oleic acid). Finally, the developed HPLC-ELSD method was successfully applied to evaluate the inhibitory effect of a polyphenolic extract obtained from apple pomace. The results showed a comparable inhibition degree between a 4.0mg mL-1 apple pomace solution and a 1.0μg mL-1 Orlistat solution. The proposed innovative method reveals highly sensitive and simple to follow the fate of PL digestion, thus opening the way to further investigations in the research of new potentially anti-obesity compounds. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Crystal plane-integrated strontium oxide/hexagonal boron nitride nanohybrids for rapid electrochemical sensing of anticancer drugs in human blood serum samples.

In this work, the crystal plane of strontium oxide (SrO) nanorods was integrated into hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets to form 1D-2D (SrO/h-BN) composite were utilized for the electrochemical detection of the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu). 5-Fu is a clinically proven and the third most frequently applied chemotherapeutic drug for treating solid tumours, such as colorectal, stomach, cutaneous and breast malignancies. Its overdoses lead to toxic metabolite accumulation that has serious adverse consequences on humans, including neurotoxicity, death and the induction of morbidity. Therefore, to improve the chemotherapy and predict the potential adverse effects of 5-Fu residues in the human body, susceptible and quick analytical methods for detecting 5-Fu in human body fluids (blood serum/plasma and urine) are needed. The effective interaction of the synthesized SrO/h-BN composite shows increased efficiency for the electrochemical detection of 5-Fu with good selectivity. Notably, a simple sonochemical method achieved a synergistic interaction between the (100) plane of SrO and the (002) plane of h-BN. Various analytical and spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the SrO/h-BN nanocomposite, which provided useful insights into the composition and properties of the composite material. The crystalline, structural and chemical characteristics of the as-synthesized material were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, HR-TEM, XPS and HR-SEM. Furthermore, the proposed electrode's electrochemical sensing capability was analysed using CV, EIS, DPV and i-t curve methods. Numerous active sites created on a modified electrode enhanced the mass transport and electron transfer rate, thereby increasing the electrochemical activity towards the 5-Fu detection. Consequently, under optimized conditions, the SrO/h-BN/GCE exhibited remarkable selectivity, durability, low detection limit (0.003 μM) and wide linear range (0.02-56 μM) for 5-Fu. Finally, the successful application of this sensor for 5-Fu detection in biological samples was successfully tested with high recovery percentages.

Voltammetric Detection of Irbesartan by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)-Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes

Irbesartan is a drug used to treat hypertension and high blood pressure. Recent studies associated sartans with several forms of cancer, making removing this class of substances from the environment a high priority. The EU has categorized drugs as emerging pollutants, and they can be more potent than other substances because they were designed to operate at low concentrations. Thus, effective and sensitive methods of determining Irbesartan selectively and accurately in environmental samples are necessary. MIPs have already been used to remove pollutants from complex matrixes, so they were also chosen for this work. In particular, a polyacrylate-based MIP was used to functionalize the graphite working electrode of screen-printed cells (SPCs), aiming to develop a voltammetric method for Irbesartan sensing. The MIP composition and the experimental conditions for the electrochemical determination were optimized through a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach. The whole analysis was replicated with different SPCs obtaining similar results, which highlight the good reproducibility potential. MIP-based electrodes were also applied to determine Irbesartan in fortified tap water samples, obtaining high recovery percentages. Given the good results, the electrochemical method based on MIP-modified screen-printed electrodes is promising for quantifying Irbesartan at a trace level.

A Flexible, Low-Cost, Disposable Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensor Based on MnO2/Cellulose Nanostructure

In this investigation, a new class of polysaccharide (cellulose nanowhiskers ) in the presence of manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) to produce hybrid materials was synthesized and used as a new sensor platform with high and fast electrochemical responses. A simple method of synthesis for producing different cellulosic nanostructures has been evaluated and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM),cyclic voltammogram (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The FTIR analysis data approved the formation of cellulose and MnO2 nanostructures. The uniform distribution of MnO2 nanostructure over the cellulose nanowhiskers surface has been approved by using SEM. In addition, From CV and EIS characterization MnO2/Cellulose hybrid materials have electrocatalytic properties and promising applications in biosensors and non-enzymatic sensors fields. The MnO2/cellulose non-enzymatic sensor have been used for hydrogen peroxide choronoamperometric detection with high sensitivity 0.70 μA μM−1, a linear concentration range from 0.2 − 400 μM, lower of detection limit (LOD) of 0.04 μM (S/N = 3) and R2 of 0.98. The sensor was used for hydrogen peroxide detection in real samples with a high percentage of recovery from 93 to 110 %.

Ca2CuO3 perovskite nanomaterial for electrochemical sensing of four different analytes in the xanthine derivatives family

Nanostructured Ca2CuO3 was synthesized by chemical precipitation method and its application as a catalyst for electrochemical sensing of multi-analytes has been realized for the first time. The composition and phase purity of the synthesized Ca2CuO3 were studied by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Scanning and Transmission electron microscopy methods. Ca2CuO3 modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited very high catalytic activity towards the oxidation of purine derivatives such as Xanthine (XA), Theophylline (TP), Uric acid (UA), and Caffeine (CF). The Ca2CuO3/GCE could be used over very wide linear ranges of 25 nM - 1.93 mM for UA, 50 nM - 1.62 mM for XA, 250 nM - 2.07 mM for TP and 1.75 μM - 2.11 mM for CF with the corresponding lowest detection limits of 12 nM, 36 nM, 105 nM and 1.72 μM respectively towards the selective determination of the chosen analytes. The developed non-enzymatic sensor was employed to determine all the target analytes in human urine and blood serum samples by standard addition method which displayed high recovery percentages. The developed sensor showed an excellent stability, high selectivity and good reproducibility at physiological pH of 7 making it suitable for pharmaceutical and diagnostic applications.

Design and development of an electroanalytical genosensor based on Cu-PTCA/rGO nanocomposites for the detection of cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most ordinary fatalities that occurs between middle-aged and older women. When left undiagnosed and untreated, this disease leads to life-threatening events among the female populace and has been placing a huge burden on available healthcare resources. Considering numerous limitations (high cost, time consuming, bulky equipment etc.) of conventional techniques for diagnosing this highly malignant cancer, it becomes imperative to develop miniaturized bio sensing platforms which can aid in early detection of cervical cancer for enhanced patient outcomes. We made our way on the design and development of an electrochemical biosensor based on the novel Nano-composites of Perylene Tetra carboxylic acid functionalized copper nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (Cu-PTCA/rGO) for DNA-based detection of Human Papilloma Virus 16 (HPV 16) – the key biomarker for cervical cancer. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) were used to classify the developed sensor, with the latter providing insights into the electrode kinetics. The sensor optimizations and analytical performance were assessed using Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV), eventually exhibiting sensitivity and limit of detection of 0.052 μA/μM/mm2 and 2.15 fM respectively. The genosensor was found to be selective solely to HPV 16 target DNA and exhibited a shelf life of 35 days. The developed sensor response was also evaluated in serum samples, and it was found to exhibit high percentage recoveries, validating its application in future point-of-care scenario.

Selective separation and crystal characterization of RE‐phases from RE‐bearing slag systems: Calcium cerite and cefluosil

AbstractThe industrial RE‐bearing (rare‐earth‐bearing) slag has a considerable concentration of rare‐earth elements (REEs), so the recovery of REEs resources from these systems has attracted widespread attention. However, the basic data of RE phases is seriously lacked and divergent, which greatly limits the efficient utilization. In this study, in situ separation of RE phases from RE‐bearing slag systems was conducted via super gravity, and the high‐purity crystals of calcium cerite (CaO: 13.53 wt.%, SiO2: 26.02 wt.%, Ce2O3: 65.45 wt.%) and cefluosil (CaO: 14.67 wt.%, SiO2: 22.14 wt.%, CaF2: 2.64 wt.%, Ce2O3: 67.23 wt.%) were selectively separated from the CaO–SiO2–Ce2O3 and CaO–SiO2–CaF2–Ce2O3 systems with the high REEs recovery percentages of 96.10% and 98.23%, respectively. Based on the characterization of high‐purity calcium cerite and cefluosil crystals, the chemical formula, crystal structure, and Rietveld refinement were characterized, and the data has been assigned the deposition numbers of 2130965 and 2142394 in CCDC database. This study supplements the lack of basic data of RE crystals and provides theoretical reference and guidance for the utilization of RE‐bearing slag systems.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Sorbent for Targeted Dispersive Solid-Phase Microextraction of Fipronil from Milk Samples.

Fipronil, a phenyl pyrazole insecticide, is extensively used in agriculture to control insect infestation. It has the potential to assimilate into the food chain, leading to serious health concerns. We report molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based dispersive solid-phase microextraction for the targeted determination of fipronil in milk samples. Designing such a sorbent is of paramount importance for measuring the accurate amount of fipronil for monitoring its permissible limit. Response surface methodology based on a central composite design following a face-centered approach was used to optimize experimental conditions. The maximum binding capacity of 47 mg g-1 was achieved at optimal parameters of time (18 min), temperature (42 °C), pH (7), and analyte concentration (120 mg L-1). Under these conditions, a high percentage recovery of 94.6 ± 1.90% (n = 9) and a low limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) (5.64 × 10-6 and 1.71 × 10-5 μg mL-1, respectively) were obtained. The MIP was well characterized through a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods. Adsorption kinetics of the MIP followed the pseudo-first-order model (R 2 0.99 and χ2 0.96), suggesting the MIP-analyte interaction to be a physiosorptive process, while adsorption isotherms followed the Freundlich model (R 2 0.99). The real sample analysis through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the selective determination of fipronil from milk samples.

A novel quality-by-design optimized spectrofluorimetric method for the sensitive determination of ricinine alkaloid in edible oils

Ricinine is an important biomarker used for detecting the exposure to castor bean products. The current study describes a highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric approach to determine ricinine in various edible oils. It depends on measuring the native fluorescence of ricinine at 365 nm following excitation at 307 nm over a concentration range of 50.0–1200.0 ng/mL. The method displayed high sensitivity with quantitation and detection limits down to 19.56 and 6.46 ng/mL, respectively. The significant factors affecting the fluorescence of ricinine were optimized using 22 full factorial design. The proposed approach was successfully employed for ricinine determination in three types of edible oils with high percent recoveries and low S.D. values. The most important advantage of the developed method is the reduction of sample preparation steps, analysis time, and cost. Hence, it can be better suited for routine analysis and quality control of cooking oils adulterated with castor oil.

Synergistic recognition and electrochemical sensing of 17β-Estradiol using ordered molecularly imprinted polymer-graphene oxide-silver nanoparticles composite films

Synthetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) based functional materials become the best alternatives to alleviate the stability and cost issues related to biological receptors commonly used in biochemical sensors. To address this demand, we report the development of a highly selective and sensitive MIPs-based electrochemical sensor for the detection of 17β-estradiol (E2). The sensor was prepared based on the MIP-graphene oxide (GO)-silver nanoparticle (AgNP) nanocomposite functional materials electrodeposited on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). At first, AgNp formation was facilitated by using ascorbic acid to reduce and stabilize it. A very stable MIP-GO-AgNP sensing layer with multifunctional units were formed using imidazole as a functional monomer (p-type-electron acceptor), GO (n-type-electron donor), and AgNP by using the electrodeposition method. The role of GO in the system is providing additional functional units to bind the template and improve materials morphology while that of AgNPs is acting as a catalyst and charge carrier. The characterization of the sensing materials was done by using Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. After optimization of the essential parameters, the sensor was successfully applied to detect the target analyte using the square wave voltammetric technique. The prepared sensor exhibited a wide linear range of 10 fM-250 nM with the limit of detection and limit of quantification of 3.01 fM and 10.03 fM, respectively. The high percentage recoveries, sensitivity, repeatability, and easy fabrication of the MIP-GO-AgNP materials made the proposed sensor promising for environmental monitoring applications in the future.

Exploiting Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO nanocomposite for effective energy storage and electrochemical sensing applications

The multi-functional composites derived from rare-earth-based materials offer favorable properties for numerous applications. Given this, here we explore the energy storage and the sensing application of praseodymium molybdate-reduced graphene oxide [Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO] nanocomposite for silibinin (SIL) for the first time. The [Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO] composite was prepared hydrothermally and examined by XRD, SEM with EDX, FT-IR, AFM, particle size analyzer, zeta potential, and thermal methods. Detailed electrochemical properties of the Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO nanocomposite over nickel foam (NF) were explored for energy storage applications. As a supercapacitor, the Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO/NF electrode exhibited an impressive specific discharge capacitance value of 684.25 F g−1 with significant cycle stability of over 2000 cycles. Furthermore, Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated for the electrochemical sensing of an anticancer drug, SIL, employed to treat a wide range of cancers. The peak current of SIL was enhanced by 38 – folds at Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO/GCE compared to that at bare GCE. The effect of pH, scan rate, accumulation time and amount of suspension of Pr0.66(MoO4)-rGO on the electrochemical behavior of SIL was studied. SIL exhibited well-defined peaks in phosphate buffer of pH 3.0. Linearity between the peak current and concentration of SIL was noticed in the range of 2.04–44.89 μM for square wave voltammetric and 3.0–50 μM for differential pulse voltammetric methods. The developed methods were successfully applied for the determination of SIL in pharmaceutical formulations and biological samples. The accuracy and precision of the developed electrochemical methods were evident by higher percentage recovery and lower relative standard deviation (RSD) values.

CO 54 (IET 24313) : An early maturing high yielding rice variety with marketable grain quality suitable for Tamil Nadu

The rice culture, CB 12588 evolved by crossing CB 04110 x CB 05501 was released as CO 54 during the year 2021 as an alternate variety to CO 51 and ADT 43 with 105-110 days duration. CO 54 is a medium tall variety with a profuse tillering habit, long erect leaves and droopy compact panicles possessing more number of filled grains per panicle. CB 12588  recorded an overall mean grain yield of 6354 kg/ha in various yield trials which was 10.83 per cent improvement over CO 51 and 10.35 per cent over ADT 53.  CO 54 has got high yielding potential due to its high agronomic and physiological efficiency and the maximum yield of 9259 was recorded in Bhavanisagar, Erode district under multi location trial. A High yield of more than 7000 kg/ha was realized in 16 locations in an adaptive research trial.  Besides yield, the culture CB 12588 has got marketable grain type i.e. medium slender grains with high milling outturn and head rice recovery percentage. Desirable cooking quality parameters like good linear elongation ratio, high volume expansion, intermediate amylose, soft gel consistency and moderate gelatinization temperature along with highly productive plant traits make CO 54 a suitable alternate variety to CO 51 and ADT 53. The culture CB 12588 is moderately resistant to blast, sheath rot, sheath blight and BPH under artificial conditions. The rice culture CB 12588 was released as CO 54 with a higher yield, better pest and disease resistance and good cooking quality in comparison to the checks CO 51 and ADT 53. It is suitable for cultivation during Kar/ Kuruvai/Sornavari/Navarai and the seasons/tracts wherever early maturing rice varieties are cultivated throughout Tamil Nadu.  Keywords: CO 54, Short duration, high yield, medium slender, cooking quality

Qualitative immunoassay for the determination of tetracycline antibiotic residues in milk samples followed by a quantitative improved HPLC-DAD method

Environmental contaminant is one of several problems harming people and wildlife. An example of current emerging contaminants are antibiotics residues that can present in water and food. Although antibiotics are intended to treat or prevent human and animal infections, antibiotics have also been used as animal food supplements for their ability to promote growth and feed efficiency. This overuse of antibacterial has resulted in the accumulation of antibiotics residues in food products which are eventually consumed by human. The continuous unnecessary exposure of human to antibiotics through the direct animals meet or milk, or indirectly through plants or soil can increase the chance of the emergence of multi drug resistance bacteria and consequently adversely affecting human health. New regulations have been imposed regarding antibiotics utilization. Due to the scarce of data regarding antibiotics residue conditions in different types of food intended for human consumption in Saudi Arabia, this study proposed an optimized chromatographic method (HPLC-DAD) followed by an immunoassay approach for specifically detecting tetracyclines antibiotics in animal milk samples. The method was carried out using an RP-C18 column with a mobile phase consisting of 0.01 M KH2PO4: acetonitrile:methanol (70:20:10, v/v/v) adjusted to pH 4. Improvements were observed in the method in terms of resolution and sensitivity. The protein precipitation method used for extraction demonstrated high percent recoveries of 85–101%. The method was validated according to the guidelines of the International Conference for Harmonization (ICH). It is evidently clear from these findings that the presence of tetracycline and oxytetracycline antibiotics residues in milk products from the Saudi market are below the maximum residual limits (MRLs).

Chromium speciation by the combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry.

A hyphenated instrumental method high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-OES) was used for the separation and determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). After the chromatographic separation of chromium species by anion exchange column, their spectrophotometric detection was carried out by ICP-OES system. Important instrumental and chromatographic parameters were investigated via univariate optimization approach to obtain high signal to noise ratio and good resolution for chromium species. Under the optimum HPLC-ICP-OES conditions, limit of detection (LOD) values for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were found to be 0.27 and 0.05mg/kg, respectively. In addition, accuracy and applicability of developed method were checked by recovery experiments performed with the spiked soil, grass, and water samples. High percent recovery results (88-104%) were achieved by utilizing matrix matching calibration strategy for the selected samples. The results showed that this method was accurate and applicable to soil, grass, and water samples.

Rapid impedimetric detection of cadmium ions using Nanocellulose/ligand/nanocomposite (CNT/Co3O4)

In this work, a new class of heterocyclic-ligands/Nanocellulose/Co3O4/carbon-nanotube-nanocomposite was synthesized, characterized, and implemented as a new sensor platform for the ultra-trace impedimetric direct detection of cadmium ions in tap water samples. A simple synthesis approach was used for producing cellulosic nanostructures that were integrated with several heterocyclic ligands (L/Nanocellulose) to be exploited as the sensor platform. For acquiring high electrocatalytic combined with fast electrochemical responses, metal oxides/carbon nanotubes were integrated with one of the selected L/Nanocellulose to eventually form CNT/Co3O4/L/cellulose nanocomposite. The impedimetric method was optimized to reach sub-picomolar sensitivity with no cross-reactivity with other metal ions. From the calibration curve, high sensitivity and a wide linear range was achieved over the concentrations (10-13 M to10-2 M), with lower of detection limit (LOD) of 1.5 × 10-13 M (S/N = 7), R2 of 0.99. The sensor was applied for real sample (tap-water) analysis, while a high recovery percentage (96–120 %) was attained.

Mercury concentration in the tissues of the Eurasian otter: a seasonal dependance in Slovakia.

The river otter is considered to be an important bioindicator of water clarity. This study focuses on mercury contamination within this species. Throughout the study, individuals from habitats in the foothills and surroundings of the Liptovská Mara reservoir were analyzed. Twenty-three samples of liver tissue, and twenty-two samples of hair and kidney tissue were collected. Of these samples, the average mercury concentration detected in tissues was 10.6mg/kg in guard hairs; 12.9mg/kg in under hairs; 3.3mg/kg in kidney tissue; and 4.3mg/kg in liver tissue. Analysis of certified reference material (ERM-BB186-Pig Kidney) was used to assist in the development of an accurate method for total mercury determination in animal tissues, to check the quality of measurements, and to validate the measurement method. Our method represented a high average percentage of recovery (> 95%) in the standard reference material matrix and a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 5% or less. Seasonality was determined to be a significant factor influencing the level of contamination of a given individual, both through mercury methylation within the aquatic environment and through fish ingestion by this apex semi-aquatic predator (guard hairs (p = 0.01); underfur (p = 0.04); kidney (p = 0.03); liver (p = 0.03)). Sex, location, and body size were not found to have a significant influence on heavy metal concentrations in river otters sampled in terms of season.

First derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetric analysis of bisoprolol fumarate and ivabradine in pharmaceutical and biological matrices. Investigation of the method greenness.

A novel, facile, rapid, and precise synchronous spectrofluorimetric method was evolved for the simultaneous estimation of bisoprolol fumarate and ivabradine in dosage forms and biological fluids. The estimation is based on measuring the first derivative of the synchronous fluorescence spectra of ivabradine and bisoprolol fumarate in ethanol at Δλ = 80 nm. The peak amplitudes are measured at 234.4nm (zero-crossing point of ivabradine) and 244.0nm (zero-crossing point of bisoprolol fumarate) to simultaneously analyze bisoprolol fumarate and ivabradine, respectively. The spectrofluorimetric method was optimized by investigating different solvent systems, pH values, and surfactants. The proposed method was linear over concentration ranges 30.0-200.0ng/ml and 30.0-180.0ng/ml for ivabradine and bisoprolol fumarate, respectively with detection limits of 4.88 and 5.28 ng/ml. The developed method was used for individual assay of the studied compounds in their pharmaceutical dosage forms with high percentage recoveries. Moreover, the method was applied to analyze ivabradine and bisoprolol fumarate in spiked human urine with percentage recoveries of 99.98 ±1.16 and 99.95 ±1.96 for ivabradine and bisoprolol fumarate, respectively. The method greenness was also investigated by Analytical GREEnness (AGREE), Analytical Eco-Scale, and Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI) metrics, which ensured the ecofriendship of the proposed method.

IDENTIFICATION PROFILE OF PREDOMINANT FUNGAL CONTAMINANTS OF DRY SEASON PRE-HARVEST GARDEN EGG CROP FROM UZO-UWANI, NSUKKA, NIGERIA FOR POSSIBLE CONTROL

In Nigeria, dry season garden eggs are often associated with higher fungal contamination than rain-fed garden eggs and most reports on the identified pathogens were on post-harvest crops. There is possibility that some of the implicated pathogens can be traced to the farm. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the predominant fungi contaminants of dry season pre-harvest garden egg for possible bio-control measures. Sampled pre-harvest garden eggs grouped into symptomatic and asymptomatic types were collected from three farms within January to March for two consecutive years. Standard phenotypic identification methods were adopted. The most predominant isolates were further subjected to ITS rRNA sequencing. The applied methods identified 7 common isolates across the farms in the ascending frequency of Fusarium thapsinum (6.67±10.34%) <Colletotrichum spp (11.10±17.20%)<Fusarium oxysporum (14.43±22.36%) <Fusarium solani (23.70±20.32%) <Penicillium citrinum (35.57±9.12%) <Pichia spp (52.20±7.52%)< Aspergillius niger (66.67±5.99%) which were all significant (P<0.05). Among the isolates, a higher variance of 44.5 was observed within the three farms than within their months of recovery (14.8 variance). The fresh asymptomatic garden egg had 71.4% contaminants as against 100% from symptomatic ones. Molecular assay confirmed the most predominant isolates as Aspergillus niger 41 and Pichia kudriavzeviiC101 with assigned NCBI accession numbers of ON417062 and ON417063 after their sequence deposition in Genbank. High percentage recovery of these isolates especially from asymptomatic garden eggs gave an insight of possible health problems associated with it on consumption and this calls for appropriate bio-control measures from the farm

Activities of Datura stramonium Extracts against Clinical Pathogens

Aim: The antimicrobial activities of the ethanolic extracts of D. Stramonium pulp, seed and leaf against some medically important pathogenic microorganisms were studied.
 Methodology: The antimicrobial activities of the ethanolic extracts of D. Stramonium pulp, seed and leaf were assessed on Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria).
 Results: The highest percentage recovery at 50% ethanolic extract of leaf was 5.6±0.1 and lowest in Pulp with 3.9±0.1. The 50% ethanolic extracts showed significant activities against tested pathogens more than the 75% ethanolic extracts which, may be due to the effect of heat generated by water bath during extraction process. The plant extracts exerted highest zones of inhibition in pulp and seed extracts against P. aeruginosa with 21±1.0 and 17±2.0 respectively and least in K. pneumoniae with 10±0.5 from seed extract. The antimicrobial activities observed in this study were due to the presence of certain phytochemials that have bactericidal or inhibitory effects on test organisms. These phytochemicals include alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, phenol and glycosides.
 Conclusion: D. stramonium extracts revealed very promising results with health-promoting potentials that could be applied in the treatment of ailments caused by these pathogens.

Development of tryptophan rich maize lines through simple sequence repeat marker aided introgression of opaque2 trait

  Maize is the main staple food of the world but it is nutritional deficient due to the scarcity of two essential amino acids viz., lysine and tryptophan. Under this study, opaque2 gene from QPM donor (CML-169) was transferred into normal maize (BAJIM-08-26) through marker aided backcross breeding method. The opaque2 specific SSR marker (phi057) was used for foreground selection in BC1F1 and BC2F1 generations. The heterozygous offspring were self-pollinated to produce the BC2F2 generation. Further plants on the basis of 25% opaqueness were selected and selfed to develop BC2F3 and BC2F4 progenies. The background selection using a series of SSR markers showed 97% recovery in the recurrent parent genome of backcrossed generation. Tryptophan content and total protein in the endosperm of BC2F4 progenies were  found to be ranged from 0.75 to 0.93% and 7.0 to 9.6 %, respectively. As an outcome, three promising MAS derived QPM lines viz., B76-22-2, B70-5-8 and B42-3-1 were developed that showed a high percentage of tryptophan, grain yield and recovery of recurrent parent genome. The  worldwide problem of protein malnutrition could be improved by adopting a molecular breeding approach for the development of nutritionally rich maize over the normal maize. Keywords: Marker assisted backcrossing, opaque2, tryptophan content, SSR markers, QPM lines and normal Maize