April 2011

Radio-protective chelating agents against DNA oxidative damage

The present study aims to investigate the strong neuro and radio-protective activity of chelating agents through inhibition of metal catalyzed Fenton reaction and aims to explore the potential of PCR-RFLP as biomarkers. Polymorphisms of rat brain angiotensin II subtype 2 receptor gene (AT2RG) were investigated as a biomarker for the effect of 6 Gy irradiation with or without prior carnosine and dimer­captosuccinic...

Author(s): M. H. Awwad, Samy A. Abd El-Azim, F. A. M. Marzouk, E. A. El-Ghany, and M. A. Barakat

April 2011

Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from human umbilical cord: Potential differentiation of germ cells

Previous controversy exists as to whether umbilical cord (UC) can serve as a source of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with their characteristics. Different methods and reagents have been used to induce the differentiation of UC-MSCs into functional cells. We investigated the isolation of UC-MSCs and their potential differentiation into neurons, cardiomyocytes and germ cells in vitro. The phenotypes,...

Author(s): Jinlian Hua, Pubin Qiu, Haijing Zhu, Hui Cao, Fang Wang, and Wei Li

April 2011

Comparison of peroxidase activities from Allium sativum, Ipomoea batatas, Raphanus sativus and Sorghum bicolor grown in Burkina Faso

Current applications of peroxidase in various areas of biotechnology and clinical biochemistry show the interest for further screening for peroxidase. Thus, peroxidase activities were screened in higher plants such as Allium sativum, Ipomoea batatas, Raphanus sativus and Sorghum bicolor grown in a tropical environment. The enzymes were investigated for their specific activities and best...

Author(s): Mamounata Diao, Oumou H. Kone, Nafissétou Ouedraogo, Romaric G. Bayili, Imael H. N. Bassole, and Mamoudou H. Dicko

April 2011

Levels of two oxidative stress indicators of human sickle erythrocytes incubated in aqueous extracts of Anacardium occidentale, Psidium guajava and Terminalia catappa

The present in vitro study investigated the levels of oxidative stress indicators, namely, malondialdehyde (MDA) and methaemoglobin (mHb) when sickle erythrocytes were incubated in aqueous leaf extracts of Anacardium occidentale, Psidium guajava and Terminalia catappa for 12 h. At regular time intervals of 3 h, portions of the incubation mixture were withdrawn and spectrophotometric...

Author(s): Paul Chidoka Chikezie

April 2011

Utilization of dietary therapies in the alleviation of protein energy malnutrition in kwashiokor-induced rats

The utilization of diets prepared from available and affordable plants (soya bean, groundnut, maize, and fluted pumpkin green leaves) and animal sources (milk, catfish, and crayfish), in the alleviation of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) was studied, to determine comparative dietary efficiencies of some fortified weaning formulae. The therapeutic diets used in alleviating PEM in the kwashiorkor-induced rats were...

Author(s): Obimba, Kelechukwu Clarence