Removal of Heavy Metals from Soil Polluted with Effluents from a Paint Industry Using Helianthus annuus L. and Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) as Influenced by Fertilizer Applications

Contamination of soils by effluents from industries is on the increase. There is the possibility of remediating these contaminated soils through the use of certain plants. This work investigated the remediating ability of Helianthus annuus and Tithonia diversifolia on the soil polluted with effluents from a paint industry in Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiment consisted of three treatments (H. annuus, T. diversifolia, and control) each replicated three times in a factorial combination of four different fertility managements, viz mineral fertilizer (MF); Grade A organomineral fertilizer (OMF); control₁, plants without fertilizer application; and control₂, where no fertilizer and no crop was planted using randomized complete block design. A total of 12 plots of 2 × 4 m² each per phytoplant were obtained. Each plot was planted with the viable seeds of the phytoplant at a spacing of 60 × 30 cm² and at the seed rate of four seeds per hole. The seedlings were thinned to two stands per hole 2 weeks after planting (WAP) and also weeded two times (2 and 5 WAP). After in situ second successive cultivation, percentage removal of heavy metals by Helianthus annuus with MF and OMF, respectively, were Cu 32.5 and 41.6; Pb 30.3 and 42.8; and Cd 44.5 and 56.7. Tithonia diversifolia, similarly, removed, respectively, Cu 16.9 and 23.4; Pb 36.9 and 43.7; and Cd 20.1 and 35.1. Lower percentages were removed in the controls where no fertilizer was applied. In the shoot of H. annuus with OMF, significantly (p< .05) higher values of 0.27, 1.72, and 0.11 mg kg^?1 of Cu, Pb, and Cd, respectively, were removed and stored at second cultivation as against 0.21, 3.39 and 0.08 mg kg^?1 in the shoot of T diversifolia. Lower values of Cu, Pb, and Cd were removed with MF, and also at first cultivation with OMF and MF. This study therefore recommends the use of sunflower plants, whether hybrids or wild-types along with the application of OMF for the effective remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals, particularly in tropical climate.     

Distinct roles of PMCA isoforms in Ca2+ homeostasis of bladder smooth muscle: evidence from PMCA gene-ablated mice

We previously showed that plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase (PMCA) activity accounted for 25–30% of relaxation in bladder smooth muscle (8). Among the four PMCA isoforms only PMCA1 and PMCA4 are expressed in smooth muscle. To address the role of these isoforms, we measured cytosolic Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) using fura-PE3 and simultaneously measured contractility in bladder smooth muscle from wild-type (WT), Pmca1^+/–, Pmca4^+/–, Pmca4^–/–, and Pmca1^+/–Pmca4^–/– mice. There were no differences in basal [Ca²⁺]_i values between bladder preparations. KCl (80 mM) elicited both larger forces (150–190%) and increases in [Ca²⁺]_i (130–180%) in smooth muscle from Pmca1^+/– and Pmca1^+/–Pmca4^–/– bladders than those in WT or Pmca4^–/–. The responses to carbachol (CCh: 10 µM) were also greater in Pmca1^+/– (120–150%) than in WT bladders. In contrast, the responses in Pmca4^–/– and Pmca1^+/–Pmca4^–/– bladders to CCh were significantly smaller (40–50%) than WT. The rise in half-times of force and [Ca²⁺]_i increases in response to KCl and CCh, and the concomitant half-times of their decrease upon washout of agonist were prolonged in Pmca4^–/– (130–190%) and Pmca1^+/–Pmca4^–/– (120–250%) bladders, but not in Pmca1^+/– bladders with respect to WT. Our evidence indicates distinct isoform functions with the PMCA1 isoform involved in overall Ca²⁺ clearance, while PMCA4 is essential for the [Ca²⁺]_i increase and contractile response to the CCh receptor-mediated signal transduction pathway. PMCA; bladder smooth muscle; gene-altered mice     

Fatty Acid 2-Hydroxylase Mediates Diffusional Mobility of Raft-associated Lipids,GLUT4 Level,and Lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Straight chain fatty acid α-oxidation increases during differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, leading to a marked accumulation of odd chain length fatty acyl moieties. Potential roles of this pathway in adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis are unknown. Mammalian fatty acid 2-hydroxylase (FA2H) was recently identified and suggested to catalyze the initial step of straight chain fatty acid α-oxidation. Accordingly, we examined whether FA2H modulates adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis in mature adipocytes. FA2H level markedly increases during differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and small interfering RNAs against FA2H inhibit the differentiation process. In mature adipocytes, depletion of FA2H inhibits basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and lipogenesis, which are partially rescued by the enzymatic product of FA2H, 2-hydroxy palmitic acid. Expression of fatty-acid synthase and SCD1 was decreased in FA2H-depleted cells, and levels of GLUT4 and insulin receptor proteins were reduced. 2-Hydroxy fatty acids are enriched in cellular sphingolipids, which are components of membrane rafts. Accelerated diffusional mobility of raft-associated lipids was shown to enhance degradation of GLUT4 and insulin receptor in adipocytes. Consistent with this, depletion of FA2H appeared to increase raft lipid mobility as it significantly accelerated the rates of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching measurements of lipid rafts labeled with Alexa 488-conjugated cholera toxin subunit B. Moreover, the enhanced recovery rates were partially reversed by treatment with 2-hydroxy palmitic acid. In conclusion, our findings document the novel role of FA2H in adipocyte lipogenesis possibly by modulation of raft fluidity and level of GLUT4.     

Role of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase in contraction-relaxation processes of the bladder: evidence from PMCA gene-ablated mice

We investigated the roles and relationships of plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase (PMCA), sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA)2, and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX) in bladder smooth muscle contractility in Pmca-ablated mice: Pmca4-null mutant (Pmca4^–/–) and heterozygous Pmca1 and homozygous Pmca4 double gene-targeted (Pmca1^+/–Pmca4^–/–) mice. Gene manipulation did not alter the amounts of PMCA1, SERCA2, and NCX. To study the role of each Ca²⁺ transport system, contraction of circular ring preparations was elicited with KCl (80 mM) plus atropine, and then the muscle was relaxed with Ca²⁺-free physiological salt solution containing EGTA. We measured the contributions of Ca²⁺ clearance components by inhibiting SERCA2 (with 10 µM cyclopiazonic acid) and/or NCX (by replacing NaCl with N-methyl-D-glucamine/HCl plus 10 µM KB-R7943). Contraction half-time (time to 50% of maximum tension) was prolonged in the gene-targeted muscles but marginally shortened when SERCA2 or NCX was inhibited. The inhibition of NCX significantly inhibited this prolongation, suggesting that NCX activity might be augmented to compensate for PMCA4 function in the gene-targeted muscles under nonstimulated conditions. Inhibition of SERCA2 and NCX as well as gene targeting all prolonged the relaxation half-time. The contribution of PMCA to relaxation was calculated to be 25–30%, with that of SERCA2 being 20% and that of NCX being 70%. PMCA and SERCA2 appeared to function additively, but the function of NCX might overlap with those of other components. In summary, gene manipulation of PMCA indicates that PMCA, in addition to SERCA2 and NCX, plays a significant role in both excitation-contraction coupling and the Ca²⁺ extrusion-relaxation relationship, i.e., Ca²⁺ homeostasis, of bladder smooth muscle. ATP2B; sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase 2; Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger; homeostasis     

Fatty acid and very low density lipoprotein metabolism in obese African American and Caucasian women with type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations, but African Americans (AA) have lower plasma TG than Caucasians (CC). We evaluated the hypothesis that obese AA women have lower plasma TG than obese CC women do because of differences in lipid kinetics. Eleven AA and 11 CC obese women with T2DM, matched on body mass index (BMI) (AA = 37 ± 1, CC = 37 ± 1 kg/m²), age, duration of diabetes, percentage body fat, and insulin sensitivity (S_I, determined by an intravenous glucose tolerance test), were studied. Plasma TG concentration (AA = 1.14 ± 0.11, CC = 1.88 ± 0.18 mmol/l), FFA rate of appearance (R_a) into plasma (AA = 419 ± 27, CC = 503 ± 31 µmol·min⁻¹), and total VLDL-TG secretion rate (AA = 18 ± 2, CC = 29 ± 4 µmol·min⁻¹) were lower in AA than CC women (all P < 0.05). In contrast, plasma total apolipoprotein (apo)B-100 concentration (AA = 1,542 ± 179, CC = 1,620 ± 118 nmol/l) and VLDL-apoB-100 secretion rate (AA = 1.3 ± 0.1, CC = 1.3 ± 0.1 nmol·min⁻¹) were similar in both groups, so the molar ratio of VLDL-TG secretion rate to VLDL-apoB-100 secretion rate was lower in AA women than in CC women. VLDL-TG concentration was lower in AA women due to lower total VLDL-TG secretion rate. However, the VLDL-apoB-100 secretion rate was the same in both groups, demonstrating that AA women secrete smaller VLDL particles containing less TG than do CC women.     

Validation of a novel index to assess insulin resistance of adipose tissue lipolytic activity in obese subjects

Insulin resistance in adipose tissue increases the release of free fatty acids into the circulation, which likely contributes to impaired insulin action in liver and skeletal muscle associated with obesity. However, reliable assessment of adipose tissue insulin resistance requires performing a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure in conjunction with a fatty acid tracer infusion to determine insulin-mediated suppression of lipolytic rate. We developed a simpler method for evaluating adipose tissue insulin resistance in vivo, determined as the product of palmitate rate of appearance into the bloodstream and plasma insulin concentration during basal conditions. We validated our Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance Index (ATIRI) by comparison with an assessment of adipose tissue insulin resistance determined by using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure in conjunction with a palmitate tracer infusion in 47 obese nondiabetic subjects (body mass index: 40.1 ± 9.3 kg/m(2)). We found the ATIRI correlated closely with adipose tissue insulin resistance assessed during the clamp procedure (r =-0.854, P < 0.001). These results demonstrate that the ATIRI provides a reliable index of adipose tissue insulin resistance in obese subjects.     

MACBenAbim: A Multi-platform Mobile Application for searching keyterms in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Computational biology and bioinformatics are gradually gaining grounds in Africa and other developing nations of the world. However, in these countries, some of the challenges of computational biology and bioinformatics education are inadequate infrastructures, and lack of readily-available complementary and motivational tools to support learning as well as research. This has lowered the morale of many promising undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers from aspiring to undertake future study in these fields. In this paper, we developed and described MACBenAbim (Multi-platform Mobile Application for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics), a flexible user-friendly tool to search for, define and describe the meanings of keyterms in computational biology and bioinformatics, thus expanding the frontiers of knowledge of the users. This tool also has the capability of achieving visualization of results on a mobile multi-platform context.

Availability

MACBenAbim is available from the authors for non-commercial purposes.     

Abortion-seeking behaviour among Nigerian women

This study used data from a community-based survey to examine women's experiences of abortion in Nigeria. Fourteen percent of respondents reported that they had ever tried to terminate a pregnancy, and 10% had obtained an abortion. The majority of women who sought an abortion did so early in the pregnancy. Forty-two percent of women who obtained an abortion used the services of a non-professional provider, a quarter experienced complications and 9% sought treatment for complications from their abortions. Roughly half of the women who obtained an abortion used a method other than D&C or MVA. The abortion prevalence and conditions under which women sought abortions varied by women's socio-demographic characteristics. Because abortion is illegal in Nigeria except to save the woman's life, many women take significant risks to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Reducing the incidence of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion can significantly impact the reproductive health of women in Nigeria.     

Jacquinonic acid,an ant-repellent triterpenoid from Jacquinia pungens

The isolation and structure elucidation of jacquinonic acid, an ant-repellent triterpenoid from Jacquinia pungens, are described. This compound is a highly functionalized derivative of the oleanane skeleton, which contains both the uncommon C-13, 28 ether linkage and an α,β-unsaturated 3-keto group.     

Comparative action of calpain on erythrocyte Ca2+-pumping ATPase in sickle cell anaemia,essential hypertension and kwashiorkor

Calpain, a calcium-dependent, neutral cysteine-protease was purified from the erythrocyte cytosol of subjects having essential hypertension (HTN), sickle cell anaemia, (SCA), or kwashiorkor (KWA). Identical electrophoretic mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gradient gel, sensitivity to micromolar amounts of Ca²⁺, absolute requirement for a reducing environment and a high susceptibility to inhibition by leupeptin and thiol-group modifying reagents confirm that calpain preparations from these erythrocytes are equivalent to calpain I. Whereas the extent of calpain activation of erythrocyte membrane Ca²⁺-pumping ATPase of normal subjects was almost equal to that due to calmodulin, calpain activation of the HTN and SCA pump was greater than activation by calmodulin. Like in normal membranes, exogenous calmodulin protected the Ca²⁺-pumping ATPase of these erythrocytes against calpainization; the degree of protection by calmodulin is least in SCA and HTN. Electrophoretic separation of erythrocyte membranes and the purified Ca²⁺-pumping ATPase of HTN, SCA and KWA subjects does not indicate the presence of fragments resulting from the proteolytic action of calpain.Abbreviations PMSF phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride - TLCK N--tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone - EGTA ethyleneglycol-bis (-aminoethylether) N,N¹-tetraacetic acid - ATP adenosine 5¹-triphosphate - Hepes 4-(2 hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazine ethanesulphonic acid - Tris-HC1 Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane-hydrochloride - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate