Quorum sensing (QS) is a perfectly orchestrated molecular communication system. It is a boon for Klebsiella pneumoniae, and bane for the host. This system is believed to make K. pneumoniae a leading cause of multidrug-resistant (MDR) nosocomial infections. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm potential of medicinal plant extracts through interfering with QS of K. pneumoniae. The effect of different concentrations of ethanolic extracts of cinnamon and clove on K. pneumoniae was determined by analyzing the growth curve, survival assay (MTT), Qualitative and quantitative biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, along with studying gene expression of the genes encoding the above traits, using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The low concentrations of the plant extracts did not affect neither on the bacterial growth, nor on the viability of K. pneumoniae, supported with growth curves. Additionally, the biofilm production was inhibited even by lower plant concentrations, and both cinnamon and clove extracts were able to render the MDR bacteria to be more susceptible to antibiotics. At the molecular levels, the bacterium treated with either clove or cinnamon or in combination showed under expression of the biofilm formation regulation gene (bssS), the carbapenem resistance gene (bla), as well as the QS target gene (LuxS). Both clove and cinnamon ethanolic extracts exerted potent impacts on reducing pathogenic traits regulated by QS in K. pneumoniae. Finally, the study recommends further exploration of clove and cinnamon extracts separately or in combination to develop alternative therapies against MDR K. pneumoniae infections.
Nanoparticles generation by laser ablation of a solid target in a liquid environment is an easy method. Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) colloidal nanoparticles have been synthesized by laser ablation Nd:YAG with wavelengths of 1064nm and double frequency at 532 nm, number of pulses 50 pulses, with pulse energy= 620mJ, 700mJ of a solid target CdTe is immersed in double distilled deionized water (DDIW) and in methanol liquid. Influences of the laser energy and different solutions on the formation and optical characterization of the CdTe nanoparticles have been studied using atomic force microscope (AFM) and the UV-Vis absorption. As a results, it leads to the absorbance in UV-Vis spectra of samples prepared in water at laser wavelength of 532nm i
... Show MoreNano-crystalline iron oxide nanoparticles (magnetite) was synthesized by open vessel ageing process. The iron chloride solution was prepared by mixing deionized water and iron chloride tetrahydrate. The product was characterized by X-Ray, Surface area and pore volume by Brunauer-Emmet-Teller, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR) . The results showed that the XRD in compatibility of the prepared iron oxide (magnetite) with the general structure of standard iron oxide, and in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, it is strong crests in 586 bands, because of the expansion vibration manner related to the metal oxygen absorption band (Fe–O bonds in the crystals of iron ox
... Show MoreIsocratic high performance liquid chromatography on reversed phase a (150x 4.6 mm I.D), 5 ?m ?-Bondapak RP-8 column (with acidic mobile phase allow the separation of doxcycycline hydrochloride with low detection limit of 0.2 µg/ml detected by UV set at 226 nm. The method was validated for Doxycycline between 0.156- to 5 µg/ml. The concentration of doxycycline was assessed in two single dose randomized crossover studies with intervals of one week between two period. In sera of 20 adults healthy male volunteers with average age of (42 + 10) year, body weight 48-85 kg, body height of (160-185cm) after a single dose of doxycycline hydrochoride 100 mg in form of capsules were orally administrated for both formulations. The blood sa
... Show MoreA solid Phase Extraction (SPE) cartridges followed by HPLC-UV method is described for the simultaneous quantitative determination of benzidine (BZ) and its substituted 3, 3’-dichlorobenzidine (DCB) and 3, 3’-Dimethylbenzidine (DMB). The Benzidines were separated by liquid chromatography using a C-18 column with UV detector at wave length of 280nm. The mode of Flow was isocratic. The mobile phase was consisted of 75:25 methanol: water, column temperature 50C°, and Flow Rate 1.8ml/min. Calibration curves were linear (R2 = 0.9979-0.9995). LOD (26.36-33.67) µg/L, LOQ (109.98-186.11) µg/L, the Robustness (2.99-4.35), Ruggedness (2.93-3.65).Conditions of extraction by (SPE) cartridges were optimized, the resin used is Octadecyl silica (ODS
... Show MoreIn this study, aromatic polyamide reverse osmosis membranes were used to remove zinc ions from electroplating wastewater. Influence of different operating conditions such as time, zinc concentration and pressure on reverse osmosis process efficiency was studied. The experimental results showed, concentration of zinc in permeate increase with increases of time from 0 to 70 min, and flux of water through membrane decline with time. While, the concentrations of zinc in permeate increase with the increase in feed zinc concentration (10–300 mg/l), flux decrease with the increment of feed concentration. The raise of pressure from 1 to 4 bar, the zinc concentration decreases and the flux increase. The highest recovery percentage was fou
... Show MoreSlag of aluminum is a residue which results during the melting process of primary and secondary aluminum production. Salt slag of aluminum is hazardous solid waste according to the European Catalogue for Hazardous Wastes. Hence, recovery of aluminum not only saves the environment, but also has advantages of financial and economic returns. In this research, aluminum was recovered and purified from the industrial wastes generated as waste from both of State Company for Electrical and Electronic Industries (Baghdad/AlWaziriya) and General Company for Mechanical Industries (Babylon/-Al-Escandria). It was found that these wastes contain tiny proportions of other elements such as iron, copper, nickel, titanium, lead, and potassium. Wastes were
... Show MoreA competitive adsorption of Cu2+, Ni2+, and Cd2+ ions from a synthetic wastewater onto nanomaterial was studied.(Fe3O4) nanoparticles obtained from US Research Nanomaterials, Inc., Houston, TX 77084, (USA), was used as nanosorbent. Experimental parameters included pH, initial metal concentrations, and temperature were studied for nanosorbent. The uptake capacity 11.5, 6.07 and 11.1 mg/g for Cu2+, Ni2+and Cd2+, respectively, onto nanosorbent . The optimum pH values was 6 and the contact time was 50 min. for Cu2+, Ni2+and Cd2+, respectively. The equilibrium isotherm for
... Show MoreElectrochemical method was used to prepare carbon quantum dots (CQDs). Size of matter was nature when evaluate via X-ray diffraction (XRD). A distinct peak at 2θ equal to 31.6° and three other small peaks at 38.28°, 56.41° and 66.12° were observed. The measures of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the bonds in the transmittance spectrum are manufactured with carbon nanostructures in view. The first peaks are the O–H stretching vibration bands at (3417 and 2922) cm−1, (C–O–H at 1400, and 1317) cm−1, (C–H), (C=C), (C–O–H), (C=O), and (C–O) bonds at 2850, 1668, 1101, and 1026 cm−1 sequentially. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results presented that the spherical CQDs are in shape and on a
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