Waste accumulation is reported to be one of the serious environmental problems. Organic wastes such as organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) or sewage sludge (SS) can be treated using aerobic microbial decomposition called composting. It is important to know when composts obtained in co-treatment processes turns to be safe but not toxic for the environment. In this study, we estimat...

The slow swimming mutant (strain 11C 104), isolated from Paramecium caudatum, which swims at a speed about 70% of the wild type, is not different from the wild type (strain Kyky-1) in cell shape, density of cilia over the cell surface, and length of cilia. Cross-sectioned structures of the somatic cilia also do not give any difference between the mutant and the wild type. ATPase activities of c...

Firmly united conjugant pairs of P. caudatum were easily separated by treatment with trypsin, 0.025--1.0 mg/ml in 2 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.2. Cytological observations showed that pairs separated by this means undergo normal meiosis and subsequent prezygotic divisions. Microspectrophotometric comparisons of G1 micronuclei in the parent with those in clones derived from prematurely separated...

Fertilization process of Paramecium caudatum includes a reciprocal exchange of migratory pronuclei across a temporary junction between conjugating cells. To know the role of microtubules on the behavior of pronuclei during conjugation in P. caudatum, the localization of microtubules was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence with a monoclonal anti-a-tubulin antibody. The immunofluorescence...

Background: Treatment and wastewater disposal lack in Abidjan leads to discharge the natural environment without treatment. These waters were loaded with pathogenic microorganisms that are causes of many diseases. Objectives: This study aims assess parasitological quality water from pipes Abididjan City, studying protozoa helminths. Methodology: 400 samples collected three municipalities 19 sit...

Timing and duration of pre-meiotic G1, S and G2 phases in Paramecium caudatum have been clarified by microspectrophotometry of DNA content and autoradiography with [3H]thymidine ([3H]dThd) and [3H]deoxyuridinemonophosphate ([3H]dUMP). Microspectrophotometric measurement of DNA content showed that cells in stationary phase have a G1 micronucleus, and that pre-meiotic DNA synthesis begins with th...

Truncated hemoglobins (trHbs), are a distinct and newly characterized class of small myoglobin-like proteins that are widely distributed in bacteria, unicellular eukaryotes, and higher plants. Notable and distinctive features associated with trHbs include a hydrogen-bonding network within the distal heme pocket and a long apolar tunnel linking the external solvent to the distal heme pocket. The...

Extreme environmental conditions, such as pH fluctuations, high concentrations of toxicants or grazing of protozoa, can potentially be found in wastewater treatment systems. This study was carried out to provide specific evidence on how 'bioparticles' can resist these conditions. The term 'bioparticle' is used to describe a particle comprising natural zeolitized tuff with a developed biofilm of...

The in vitro study of antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (NPs), prepared via modified Tollens process, revealed high antibacterial activity even at very low concentrations around several units of mg/L. These concentrations are comparable with concentrations of ionic silver revealing same antibacterial effect. However, such low concentrations of silver NPs did not show acute cytotoxi...