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.
Titanium dioxide nanorods have been prepared by sol-gel template
method. The structural and surface morphology of the TiO2 nanorods was
investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy
(AFM), it was found that the nanorods produced were anatase TiO2 phase.
The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanorods was evaluated by the
photo degradation of methyl orange (MO). The relatively higher
degradation efficiency for MO (D%=78.2) was obtained after 6h of exposed
to UV irradiation.
Cu-Al-Ni shape memory alloy specimens has been fabricated using powder metallurgy technique with tube furnace and vacuum sintering environment , three range of Nb powder weight percentage (0.3,0.6,0.9)% has been added. Micro hardness and sliding wear resist has been tested followed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) for micro structure observation. The experimental test for the samples has showed that the increase of Nb powder weight percentage in the master alloy has a significant effect on increasing the hardness and decreasing the wear resist therefore it will enhance the mechanical properties for this alloy.
The aim of present study is to determine the optimum parameters of friction stir welding process and known the most important parameter along with percentage contribution of each parameter which effect on tensile strength and joint efficiency of FS welded joint of dissimilar aluminum alloys AA2024-T3 and AA7075-T73 of 3 mm thick plates by applied specific number of experiments using Taguchi method .AA2024 was placed on the advancing side and AA7075 on the retreating side. FSW was achieved under three different rotation speeds (898, 1200 and 1710) rpm, three different welding speeds (20, 45 and 69) mm\min , three different pin profiles (cylindrical, threaded cylindrical and cone) and tool tilt angle 2◦. Taguchi method w
... Show MoreThe study of determing Uranium concentration in samples of teeth is the first of its kind in the Iraq . In this study Uranium concentration has been measured was (32) samples of child teeth distributed on the some of middle and south governorate of Iraq (Muthana – Dekar – Basrah – Najaf – Karbalah – Waset – Babel – Baghdad) . The Uranium concentration in teeth samples has been measured by using fission tracks registration in (CR-39) track detector that caused by the bombardment of (U235) with thermal neutrons falx from (24Am.Be) neutron source that has flux of (5x103n.cm-2S-1). The result obtained show that the Uranium concentrations in governorates were (0.18ppm), (0.172ppm), (0.160ppm), 0.150ppm) (0.89ppm), (0.07ppm) , (0.
... Show MoreThe removal of congo red (CR) is a critical issue in contemporary textile industry wastewater treatment. The current study introduces a combined electrochemical process of electrocoagulation (EC) and electro-oxidation (EO) to address the elimination of this dye. Moreover, it discusses the formation of a triple composite of Co, Mn, and Ni oxides by depositing fixed salt ratios (1:1:1) of these oxides in an electrolysis cell at a constant current density of 25 mA/cm2. The deposition ended within 3 hours at room temperature. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) characterized the structural and surface morphology of the multi-oxide sedim
... Show MoreBackground: Oral Lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell mediated chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disease of unknown etiology. Recent studies have reported an increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in such patients. This suggests that reactive oxygen species may have a role in the pathogenesis of lichen planus. Oxidative stress in OLP release molecules consisting of granzymes resulting in local tissue damage in the effectors. Antioxidants that can defend against oxidative stress in the body cells include enzymes, as well as non- enzymatic antioxidants, such as melatonin, uric acid, vitamin A and E. Purpose: To study the level of salivary vitamin E and uric acid as antioxidant agents in patients with OLP and compared with healthy con
... Show MoreA laboratory experiment was conducted in the labs of Seeds Testing and Certification Department, Ministry of Agriculture in 2017 to improve germination and seedling growth in primed sorghum seeds by different concentrations and soaking durations of acids of gibberellic (GA3)(distilled water, 75, 150 and 300 mg l-1), salicylic (SA)(distilled water, 40, 70 and 100 mg l-1) and soaking duration (SD)(12 and 24 h). Factorial experiment in completely randomized design was applied with four r replications. The results showed the superiority of the two soaking treatments with GA3 (300 mg l-1) and SA (70 mg l-1) at germination ratio, radicle and plumule lengths, seedling dry weight and seedling vigour index (81.3%, 2.7 cm, 8.9 cm, 0.081 mg and 984) a
... Show MoreThe free piston engine linear generator (FPELG) is a simple engine structure with few components, making it a promising power generation system. However, because the engine works without a crankshaft, the handling of the piston motion control (PMC) is the main challenge influencing the stability and performance of FPELGs. In this article, the optimal operating parameters of FPELG for maximising engine performance and reducing exhaust gas emissions were studied. Moreover, the influence of adding hydrogen (H2) to compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel on FPELG performance was investigated. The influence of operating parameters on in-cylinder pressure was also analysed. The single-piston FPELG fuelled by CNG blended with H2 was used to run the expe
... Show MoreIn this study, the stress-strength model R = P(Y < X < Z) is discussed as an important parts of reliability system by assuming that the random variables follow Invers Rayleigh Distribution. Some traditional estimation methods are used to estimate the parameters namely; Maximum Likelihood, Moment method, and Uniformly Minimum Variance Unbiased estimator and Shrinkage estimator using three types of shrinkage weight factors. As well as, Monte Carlo simulation are used to compare the estimation methods based on mean squared error criteria.