Given the paucity and toxicity of available drugs for leishmaniasis, coupled with the advent of drug resistance, the discovery of new therapies for this neglected tropical disease is recognised as being of the utmost urgency. As such antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as promising compounds against the causative Leishmania species, insect vector-borne protozoan parasites. Here the AMP temporins A, B and 1Sa have been synthesised and screened for activity against Leishmania mexicana insect stage promastigotes and mammalian stage amastigotes, a significant cause of human cutaneous disease. In contrast to previous studies with other species the activity of these AMPs against L. mexicana amastigotes was low. This suggests that amastigotes from different Leishmania species display varying susceptibility to peptides from the temporin family, perhaps indicating differences in their surface structure, the proposed target of these AMPs. In contrast, insect stage L. mexicana promastigotes were sensitive to two of the screened temporins which clearly demonstrates the importance of screening AMPs against both forms of the parasite. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In this work, ZnS thin films have been deposited by developed laser deposition technique on glass substrates at room temperature. After deposition process, the films were annealed at different temperatures (200ºC , 300 ºC and 400ºC ) using thermal furnace.The developed technique was used to obtain homogeneous thin films of ZnS depending on vaporization of this semiconductor material by continuous CO2 laser with a simple fan to ensure obtaining homogeneous films. ZnS thin films were annealed at temperature 200ºC, 300 ºC and 400ºC for (20) minute in vacuum environment. Optical properties of ZnS thin film such as absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, optical band gap, refractive index extinction coefficient and absorption coefficien
... Show MoreObjective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of disinfectant solutions, namely, the alcoholic extract of Salvadora persica L. (A1 = 10% and A2 = 15%) and chlorhexidine digluconate (A3 = 2%), on the tear strength and hardness of room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) VST50F and heat temperature vulcanizing (HTV) Cosmesil M511 silicone elastomers before and after reinforcement with nanofillers (TiO2) and intrinsic pigment. Materials and Methods: A total of 320 specimens were prepared, with 160 specimens each for RTV and HTV silicone. Forty specimens were evaluated before disinfection and divided into two equal groups, namely, control (without additive) and experimental (with ad
In this work; copper oxide films (CuO) were fabricated by PLD. The films were analyzed by UV-VIS absorption spectra and their thickness by using profilometer. Pulsed Nd:YAG laser was used for prepared CuO thin films under O2 gas environment with varying both pulse energy and annealing temperature. The optical properties of as-grown film such as optical transmittance spectrum, refractive index and energy gap has been measured experimentally and the effects of laser pulse energy and annealing temperature on it were studied. An inverse relationship between energy gap and both annealing temperature and pulse energy was observed.
High temperature superconductors materials with composition Bi1.6-xSbxPb0.4Sr2Ca2-yCdyCu3OZ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) and (y = 0.01 and 0.02), were prepared by using the chemical reaction in solid-state ways, and test influence of partial replacement of Bi and Ca with Sb and Cd respectively on the superconducting properties, all samples were sintered at the same temperature (850 oC) and for the same time (195 h). The structural analysis of the prepared samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements performed at room temperature, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dc electrical resistivity was measured as a function of temperature. It was found that the sample prepared by partial substitution of Sb at ratio (x= 0.2
... Show MoreIn this research ,Undoped Nio and 1%Li doped Nio thin films were deposited utilizing chemical spray pyrolysis on the glass substrates heated (450C). The effects of non-thermal plasma on the structural and optical properties were studied. XRD measurement shows that Nio and Nio:1%Li films were found to be polycrystalline and have cubic structure with a preferred orientation (111). Decreased crystal size after exposure especially at (7) sec. AFM data indicate that the surface roughness average and (RMS) values of the prepared doped films are increasing after exposure to plasma, the transmittance increases after doped samples exposure to plasma, it was found that the energy gap value decreased when doped samples exposure to plasma, also, thickn
... Show MoreThis paper concerns is the preparation and characterization of a bidentate ligand [4-(5,5- dimethyl-3-oxocyclohex-1-enylamino)-N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl) benzene sulfonamide]. The ligand was prepared from fusing of sulfamethoxazole and dimedone at (140) ºC for half hour. The complex was prepared by refluxing the ligand with a bivalent cobalt ion using ethanol as a solvent. The prepared ligand and complex were identified using Spectroscopic methods. The proposed tetrahedral geometry around the metal ions studied were concluded from these measurements. Both molar ratio and continuous variation method were studied to determine metal to ligand ratio (M:L). The M to L ratio was found to be (1:1). The adsorption of cobalt complex was carried out
... Show MoreSludge from stone-cutting (SSC) factories and stone mines cannot be used as decorative stones, stone powder, etc. These substances are left in the environment and cause environmental problems. This study aim is to produce artificial stone composite (ASC) using sludge from stone cutting factories, cement, unsaturated resin, water, silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC-NPs), and nano-graphene oxide (NGO) as fillers. Nano graphene oxide has a hydrophobic plate structure that water is not absorbed due to the lack of surface tension on these plates. NGO has a significant effect on the properties of artificial stone due to its high specific surface area and low density in the composite. Its uniform distribution in ASC is very low due to its hydropho
... Show MoreThe main objectives of this study were investigating the effects of the maximum size of coarse Attapulgite aggregate and micro steel fiber content on fresh and some mechanical properties of steel fibers reinforced lightweight self-compacting concrete (SFLWSCC). Two series of mixes were used depending on maximum aggregate size (12.5 and 19) mm, for each series three different steel fibers content were used (0.5 %, 1%, and 1.5%). To evaluate the fresh properties, tests of slump flow, T500 mm, V funnel time, and J ring were carried out. Tests of compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural tensile strength, and calculated equilibrium density were done to evaluate mechanical properties. For reference mixes, the
... Show MoreThis study is a complementary one to an extended series of research work that aims to produce a thermodynamiclly stable asphalt –sulfur blend. Asphalt was physically modified wiht different percentages of asphaltenes , oxidized asphaltenes and then mixed with sulfur as an attempt to obtaine a stable compatible asphalt-sulfur blend. The homogeneneity of asphalt-asphaltenes[oxidized asphaltenes]-sulfur blends were studied microscopically and the results are prsented as photomicrographs. Generally more stable and compatible asphalt-sulfur blends were obtained by this treatment.