Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, one of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), is found in various foods, including dairy products, meat, and vegetables, and most of these bacteria offer beneficial effects to humans and animals as potential probiotics with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of L. plantarum against some foodborne bacteria isolated from dairy products. This research involved 34 dairy products, including local and imported milk, cheese, and yogurt sold locally in Baghdad province, Iraq, during May 2022. For the isolation of L. plantarum, a special medium called MRS (de Man Rogosa and Sharpe) was applied. Colonies were purified and identified by routine bacteriological methods, Vitek2 system, and confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA gene followed by the amplicon sequencing. Other aerobic bacteria contaminating dairy products were also isolated onto sterile selective media specific for each microorganism, and the isolates were identified by routine diagnostics tests followed by verification with Vitek2 system. Then, the culture supernatant of L. plantarum was tested for its antagonistic activity toward foodborne bacteria by the use of agar well diffusion assay. The findings showed the isolation of 2 L. plantarum, 3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 4 Escherichia coli, one isolate of Bacillus subtilis, and another Staphylococcus hominis. The filtered supernatant of L. plantarum was significantly efficient in inhibiting the growth of the above bacteria. Each of E. coli and B. subtilis revealed zones of inhibition of 36 and 38 mm in diameter, respectively, while P. aeruginosa and S. hominis had inhibition zones diameters of 27 and 29 mm, respectively. This suggests that the L. plantarum supernatant possesses a broad-spectrum activity against foodborne bacteria. To conclude, locally made dairy products can hold different contaminating bacteria, which can be eliminated by using probiotics, such as L. plantarum, to avoid foodborne diseases onset.
Methotrexate (MTX) is a folate antagonist widely used in the treatment of neoplastic diseases; its biotransformation in the liver produced active metabolites that promote hepatotoxicity. The present study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis (Green tea) against MTX-induced liver damage in rats. A model of liver injury in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 20mg/kg MTX as a single dose followed by saline and 1.25% and 2.5% aqueous extract of green tea (GTE) were orally administered 7 days prior and 5 days after MTX-intoxication as a sole source of drinking water. After killing the animals, blood samples were obtained for evaluation of serum levels of alanine and
... Show MoreIn this research, a novel synthesis of CaONPs has been developed via an environmentally friendly, green method. Garlic extract (Allium sativum) was used as a green-reducing and stabilizing agent for CaONPs. The average particle size of CaONPs was approximately 24.42 nm. The synthesized CaONPs were identified by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, U.V.-vis spectrum, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and zeta potential (Zp) analysis. The current study highlights the notable applications for CaONPs. First, an antimicrobial assay revea
... Show MoreThe study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity using different concentrations of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of dried lemongrass leaves. Chemical phytochemical tests were performed for aqueous and alcoholic extracts of lemongrass. Antimicrobials activity was tested using agar disc diffusion method against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of the study showed that the aqueous extract of dried lemon leaves was highly effective (P≤0.05) against S. aureus, as the inhibition diameter was 22 mm for 50 dilution, while the inhibition diameter decreased to 15 mm for concentration 100. As for the alcoholic extract only, the diameter of inhibition decreased significantly (P≤0.0
... Show MoreMosquitoes play a serious role on public health transmitting several dangerous diseases such as malaria, filariasis and Encephalitis. So it consider as a vector diseases. Therefor it is important to control its spread using ecology friend’s factors like bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis and fungi Beauveria bassiana. Results revealed that the direct effect of Bacillus thuringiensis on the larvae led to the high mortality (100%) during 3 days while Beauveria bassiana have a cumulative effect on the Mosquito stage lifecycle; 7.3 X 104 more significant effect in the first day but there was no significant in the other days of treatment. In the end period of lifecycle there was no adult emergence and the adult which emergence up
... Show MorePotential health and environmental effects of nanoparticles need to be thoroughly assessed before their widespread commercialization. The present investigation was planned with the aims to determine the effects of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on blast (BI) and mitotic (MI) indices of cultured lymphocytes. The results revealed that BI (50.3±2.3, 30.2±1.9, 10.5±0.7 and 0.0%, respectively) and MI (70.1±2.9, 20.4±1.1, 5.3±0.1 and 0.0%, respectively) showed a gradual decreased percentage as the concentration of GNPs was increased from 0.085 to 0.66 µg/mL, and the difference was significant compared to control culture (81.6±2.5 and 90.2±3.7%, respectively). A maximum inhibition of BI and MI was occurred at the concentration 0.66 µg/mL. In
... Show MoreThis study was designed to evaluate the ability of bioemulsifier to inhibit the growth of some pathogenic microorganisms. Fourteen isolates belonged to Serratia sp. were collected and tested for their ability to produce bioemulsifier. Results showed that Serratia marcescens S10 (isolated from the gut of the American cockroach) had the highest ability to produce bioemulsifier, among 14 isolates belong to Serratia spp. and it had the ability to inhibit the growth of some microorganisms. The production of bioemulsifier was detected by determination of emulsification index (E24%), qualitative drop-collapse test, emulsification activity (E.A) and measuring the surface tension (S.T). The results of bioemulsifier produced by Serratia marcescens S1
... Show MoreThe study investigates the possibility of utilizing public interactive sculptures to enhance physical activity in Saudi Arabia. The paper uses a descriptive-analytical methodology to identify the characteristics of interactive sculptures promoting physical activity in public areas as follows: The size and space of the work area are appropriate to the type of physical activity that is achieved, and the importance of the work site in the city and its relation to the surrounding space, identifying participants at the same time and their relationship to ensure safe interaction, as well as the relationship between the esthetic and intellectual concept of working in the community. The study concludes that three technical proposals were present
... Show MoreIn this work, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and sawdust/epoxy composite (20:80) were mixed using a simple molding method with different ZnONPs concentrations of (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 %). The samples of the nanocomposites were characterized by the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique to demonstrate the homogeneity of the prepared ZnONPs/nanocomposites. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was examined using the methylene blue (MB) dye as a pollutant solution, through evaluation of the efficiency of the prepared compound in the treatment of organic pollutants under illumination by sunlight. The photocatalytic results showed that after 240 minutes of exposure to sunlight, the sample prepared using (0.5 vol.% of ZnON
... Show More