Sickle Cell Sperm Selection with Hb-S Mab: A Future Application for Intracytoplasmic Genotypically Selected Sperm Injection

There is no clear scientific consensus on the possibility of characterizing sperm cells based on the expression profile of the Hbb gene which codes for hemoglobin.

Sickle cell births on the other hand is being facilitated by the union of heterozygous carriers whose genetics predispose them to a twenty-five per cent chance of birthing a sickle cell child. Current conventional assisted conception procedures such as IVF/PGD are expensive and ethically controversial. 

This short research review therefore suggests the possibility of being able to further characterize sickle cell sperms with specific sickle cell hemoglobin monoclonal antibodies (Hb-S Mab).This may also have a future application in being able to select sperm cells for micro-injection IVF procedures.

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Antimicrobial and Preservative Activities of Lippia Multiflora Essential Oil on Smoked Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus) Fish

Essential oil extracted from Lippia multiflora was applied on smoked mackerel (Scomber scombrus) fish samples obtained from smoking and selling outlets in Yamoussoukro metropolis.

Microbiological quality determinations include microbial load counts, using enumerations of total aerobic mesophilic flora, total coliforms, yeasts & moulds and Staphylococcus aureus, before and after application of essential oil, and during fish samples preservation studies. The contamination levels of market smoked fish samples were total aerobic mesophilic flora (4.3 log10 CFU/g); total coliforms (1.42 log10 CFU/g); yeasts & moulds (2.45 log10 CFU/g) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.41 log10 CFU/g).

There were no microbial loads recorded for the freshly smoked mackerel fish samples. One ml of L. multiflora essential oil added to 70 g of fish samples inhibited the growth of total aerobic mesophilic flora by 100% in 24 h, while the smoked fish samples were preserved for 3 days without repeated smoking.

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