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Enzymatic catalysts hold significant importance across diverse industrial domains, including food processing, detergent manufacture, and pharmaceuticals.. This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of lipase inhibitors in enhancing the shelf life of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) milk, a nutritious drink popular in northern Nigeria but plagued by rapid spoilage, leading to both consumer dissatisfaction and economic losses. The investigation involved the purification and characterization of lipase, using para-nitrophenyl palmitate as a substrate. The extraction of the lipase enzyme from tiger nut milk was successfully executed, followed by a purification process involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and DEAE-Cellulose ion exchange chromatography. Thorough biochemical techniques were employed to characterize the purified enzyme. The lipase displayed a high specific activity of 78.0679 Units/mg protein, a purification fold of 3.8, and a yield of 12.1%. Optimal conditions for lipase activity were identified: a pH of 8.0, a temperature of 70°C, and a substrate concentration of 2.5mg/dl. Kinetic parameters were determined, revealing a Km value of 3.2877mg/ml and a Vmax of 0.5283 µmol/min. The study then assessed the impact of two commercial lipase inhibitors, (EDTA and Orlistat) on enzyme activity. Orlistat was found to significantly reduce lipase activity to 12.6% at a concentration of 10mM, outperforming EDTA, which decreased activity to 23.1% at 5mM and 56.4% at 10mM. The study concluded that lipase plays a vital role in the deterioration of tiger nut milk, and its inhibition by agents such as Orlistat can substantially improve the milk's shelf life by reducing microbial growth and preserving the milk's nutritional content.

The global public health risk posed by Salmonella Kentucky (S. Kentucky) is rising, particularly due to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes in human and animal populations. This serovar, widespread in Africa, has emerged as a notable cause of non-typhoidal gastroenteritis in humans. In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach to develop a peptide-based vaccine targeting epitopes from the outer membrane proteins A, C, and F of S. Kentucky. Additionally, we employed flagellin protein (fliC) from Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) as an adjuvant to enhance the vaccine's effectiveness. Through this approach, we identified 14 CD8+ and 7 CD4+ T-cell epitopes, which are predicted to be restricted by various MHC class I and MHC class II alleles. The predicted epitopes are expected to achieve a population coverage of 94.91% when used in vaccine formulations. Furthermore, we identified seven highly immunogenic linear B-cell epitopes and three conformational B-cell epitopes. These T-cell and B-cell epitopes were then linked using appropriate linkers to create a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV). To boost the immunogenicity of the peptide construct, fliC from S. Typhimurium was included at the N-terminal. The resulting MEV construct demonstrated high structural quality and favorable physicochemical properties. Molecular docking studies with Toll-like receptors 1, 2, 4, and 5, followed by molecular dynamic simulations, suggested that the vaccine-receptor complexes are energetically feasible, stable, and robust. Immune simulation results showed that the MEV elicited significant responses, including IgG, IgM, CD8+ T-cells, CD4+ T-cells, and various cytokines (IFN-γ, TGF-β, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-12), along with a noticeable reduction in antigen levels. Despite these promising in-silico findings, further validation through preclinical and clinical trials is required to confirm the vaccine's efficacy and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study evaluated the influence of dose and route of administration of a commercial inactivated avian influenza virus (AIV) H5 vaccine on the humoral immune response of ISA brown chickens. Methods: Ninety "one-day-old" chickens were purchased from three commercial hatcheries (n = 30 chicks per hatchery), respectively, and chicks were vaccinated with either 0.2, 0.5 or 0.7 ml of the vaccine via either the intramuscular or subcutaneous route at days 14 and 28, respectively. Vaccinal antibody titres in chicks' sera were quantified using an indirect ELISA kit at 14 (before vaccination), 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age. Results: Results showed significant differences (p < 0.001) in the mean antibody titre levels at day 21 of age between chicks from hatcheries C (2,205.0 ± 409.1) and A (57.7 ± 49.9) at 21 days of age when either 0.2 ml or 0.5 ml of the vaccine was administered IM or SC. In addition, there were intra- and inter dose significant differences (p< 0.001) between the chicks at 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age. Furthermore, intra- and inter route significant differences (p< 0.001) were detected between the chicks at 21 and 35 days of age. Conclusion: Overall, the AIV H5 vaccine studied had variable outcomes and was poorly immunogenic. Recommendation: Further studies should be conducted to characterize the T- and B-lymphocytes in chickens post AIV H5 vaccines administration, and evaluate the sequence homologies between imported AIV H5 vaccines and circulating AIV strains in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the documentation of Hausa oral literature in Claude Gouffé's handwritten texts. The most prominent genre within Hausa oral literature is kirari, which consists of meticulously crafted statements filled with wisdom and used for adulation. Kirari is divided into two categories: those created to honor others or entities, and those for self-affirmation or self-praise. Gouffé's collection includes epithets dedicated to various subjects, such as a house boy, a rice cake, millet, a monkey, and beer. The compilation highlights the richness and diversity of kirari in Hausa culture, with each epithet reflecting a unique reverence and admiration for its subject. The author, Jibril Shu'aibu Adamu, expresses gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to this work as one of the editors. [Extracted from the article]

This study aimed to perform molecular typing of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides from slaughtered cattle in Adamawa and Taraba States, north‑eastern Nigeria. A total of four hundred and eighty (480) samples of lung tissues, nasal swabs, ear swabs and pleural fluids were collected from cattle at slaughter and processed according to standard laboratory protocols. Identification and confirmation were achieved with specific PCR and PCR‑RFLP. An overall M. mycoides subsp. mycoides isolation rate of 6.87% (33/480) was obtained. In Adamawa State, 12 (10.91%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from both, lung tissues and pleural fluids. While in Taraba State, 5 (7.14%) and 4 (5.71%) isolates of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides came from lung tissues and pleural fluids, respectively. The samples from nasal and ear swabs from the study states were negative for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Thirty‑three out of the 37 culture positive isolates were confirmed to be Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides with the production of a band equivalent to 574‑bp. Molecular typing with restriction endonuclease Vsp1 results in the two bands of 180‑bp and 380‑bp. In conclusion, the study has established an isolation rate of 6.87% for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Measures to strengthen movement control in order to minimise the spread of this dreaded disease of cattle were recommended.