ABSTRACT viii Bacteriophages were isolated from sewage samples obtained from the Tema Sewage Disposal Plant and the Legon vicinity using the indicator bacteria strains Shigella dysenteriae. Salmonella tvohi. Escherichia cull, and Salmpneila fir.P.UP__D.. Ten phages were isolated and partially characterized by electron microscopy, DNA fingerprinting and protein profiles by SDS-PAGE. The relatedness of the phages was determined by immunological studies. Some of the phages were screened for thei...
ABSTRACT Desmodium adscendens is used as prophylaxis in asthma. Earlier work in this laboratory on the scientific basis for the therapeutic action of the plant indicated that both the aqueous and alcoholic extracts were anti-anaphylactic in vitro. Since extracts of the plant are taken orally by asthmatic patients, the present work was carried out to investigate the in vivo effects of both alcoholic and aqueous extracts of D. adscendens on anaphylaxis. The methods used were the contraction of ...
ABSTRACT The major objective of this work was to establish an in vitro assay system for evaluating Ocimum canum, an antidiabetic plants, using insulin release from isolated pancreatic p-islet cells of rats. An in vivo assay was carried out to confirm the previous work by Hogarh (1996) indicating the anti-diabetic activity of 0. canum. The effect of the aqueous extract of fresh leaves of 0. canum on lipid profile of genetically diabetic mice and their lean littermates was also evaluated. In vi...
ABSTRACT Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease among sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Disease progression has been implicated with circulating genotypes of HCV. Determination of RNA and genotypes of HCV in sickle cell disease patients may give an indication of their contribution to the observed clinical manifestations and disease progression which will inform appropriate clinical management. Aim: This study sought to identify and characte...
ABSTRACT V Yeast mating type locus gene alpha2 (MATa2), Yeast G protein complementing gene ( YGC1) and minichromosome maintenance gene (M C M 1) have been identified by isolation of plasmids that are able to complement or suppress a gpa1::HIS3 mutation. MATa2 and YGC1 rescue both MATa and M A Ta-gpa1::HIS3 haploid cell types whereas MCM1 complements only MATa gpal::HIS3 cell type. MATa2 is known to be a general repressor and a determinant of both haploid and diploid cell types. MCM1 is known ...
ABSTRACT Background: Haptoglobin (Hp), an acute phase glycoprotein with antioxidant, antiinflammatory and immune-modulatory functions may be an excellent candidate gene to investigate human longevity. Human Hp is polymorphic and these polymorphisms have been associated with different functional capacities of the proteins expressed as a result of their distinct biochemical and biophysical properties. Aim: To determine the possible role of haptoglobin genotypes as genetic markers for longevity....
ABSTRACT Three non-chemical conditions of preservation, storage at room temperature (that is benchtop), in a freezer and at simulated herbarium were examined to determine which is most suitable for the preservation of cowpea leaves for molecular studies. Under each storage condition, the effect of duration of storage and the difference in leaf age (that is flush or mature) on DNA yield and purity were assessed. Periodically, DNA was extracted from both flush and mature leaf samples from 6 cow...
ABSTRACT Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for about 28% of the estimated 9.6 million of all notified tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2014. Due to high incidence of TB caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in developing countries, TB control activities have centered on MTBC to the neglect of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections. MTBC and NTM infections differ clinically, however, microscopy which is the mainstay of TB diagnosis in Ghana cannot distinguish between them. The inabi...
A B S T R A C T The baseline levels of hepatic microsomal proteins of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase enzyme complex of two economically important tilapia species, Oreochromis! niloticus and Seratherodon. galilaeus. were measured and compared with the levels of the enzyme in O. niloticus injected with J5-naphthoflavone (fl-NF) a classical inducer of cytochrome P-4501A isozyme, and O. niloticus exposed to effluents from Akosombo Textiles Limited (ATL-E). This was done in order to find out if th...
ABSTRACT The HIV/AIDS pandemic is still a global health issue despite the many concerted efforts put in by various stakeholders to curtail it. It has become clear however that understanding the epidemiology of the highly variant virus is key in eliminating it. It has been shown that the subtype of infecting HIV-1 plays a crucial role in disease progression among other thing. It is therefore important to continually monitor the circulating HIV-1 subtypes in the population. Equally important, ...
ABSTRACT A total of 1,075 fasting Human Serum and early morning urine samples were assayed for various biochemical parameters. The parameters include: Blood lipids, Total Cholesterol, High Density lipoproteins, Low Density lipoproteins, Vitamin A, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate, Urinary glucose, Protein and Blood. From the results obtained, the calculated phospholipids:cholesterol ratio was less than 1 amongst the hypertensives. This confirmed the work of Stroev and Makarova, 1986; ...
ABSTRACT Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT) greatly affects livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana prevalence of AAT is estimated to range between 5 – 50%. Studies have reported serum biochemical aberrations and variability in cytokine profiles in animals during infection. However, information regarding the biochemical parameters and cytokine profiles associated with natural infections are limited. This study was therefore aimed at establishing the levels of serum biochemica...
ABSTRACT Changes in oxidative stress parameters, lipid profile, atherogenic predictor indices, and anthropometrics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects attending Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Awka, were assessed using standard methods. Demographic data of the T2DM patients were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire.The subjects included willingly consented 60 (30 males and 30 females) T2DM patients and 40 (20 males and 20 females) appar...
ABSTRACT Three multimix complementary diets were prepared from local foodstuffs i.e. maize (Zea mays), acha grain (Digitaria exilis) rice (Sativa oryza), sorghum (Sorgum bicolar), millet (Pennisatum typhoides), groundnut (Arachis hypogea), bambaranut (V-oadzeia subterranea), sesame (Sesamun indicum), carrots (Daucas carota), crayfish (Macrobrachuim Sp), garden egg (Solanum incanum), palm oil (Elaeis guinensis) and table salt (NaCl). The formulated diets were subjected to biochemical analysis...
ABSTRACT The industrialization of our society, including drilling for oil, mining of coal and minerals has led to increasing production of xenobiotic and natural chemical substances. Continual releases of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from mining and drilling activities leads to their deposition in coastal environments and ultimately bioaccumulation in plants and animals, creating the danger of toxicity. PAH are deemed to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic. In Ghana, oil dri...