Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) causes up to 40% mortality in humans and is difficult to treat. ARDS is also one of the major triggers of mortality associated with coronavirus-induced disease (COVID-19). We used a mouse model of ARDS induced by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which triggers 100% mortality, to investigate the mechanisms through which Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) attenuates ARDS. SEB was used to trigger ARDS in C3H mice. These mice were treated with THC and analyzed for survival, ARDS, cytokine storm, and metabolome. Additionally, cells isolated from the lungs were used to perform single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis. A database analysis of human COVID-19 patients was also performed to compare the signaling pathways with SEB-mediated ARDS. The treatment of SEB-mediated ARDS mice with THC led to a 100% survival, decreased lung inflammation, and the suppression of cytokine storm. This was associated with immune cell apoptosis involving the mitochondrial pathway, as suggested by single-cell RNA sequencing. A transcriptomic analysis of immune cells from the lungs revealed an increase in mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes following THC treatment. In addition, metabolomic analysis revealed elevated serum concentrations of amino acids, lysine, n-acetyl methionine, carnitine, and propionyl L-carnitine in THC-treated mice. THC caused the downregulation of miR-185, which correlated with an increase in the pro-apoptotic gene targets. Interestingly, the gene expression datasets from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of human COVID-19 patients showed some similarities between cytokine and apoptotic genes with SEB-induced ARDS. Collectively, this study suggests that the activation of cannabinoid receptors may serve as a therapeutic modality to treat ARDS associated with COVID-19.
The objective of this study was to isolate and identify the asparaginase-producing bacteria, then purify and characterize the enzyme in order to investigate their properties in the future. Fifteen local bacterial isolates were isolated from various sites in the city of Baghdad, identified by conventional morphological and biochemical procedures, and confirmed using vitek 2 methods, and submitted to primary screening processes for asparaginase production. For secondary screening, eight isolates with the greatest yellow zone ability on a specific solid medium were chosen. Bacillus sp. was reported to have the highest enzyme production (7.5 U/mg proteins). After 24 hours of incubation, submerged fermentation yielded optimal conditi
... Show MoreSiderophores are low molecular weight organic compounds produced by microorganisms growing under low iron concentration.In this study we describe the detection, production and extraction of siderophores secreted by Acinetobacter baumannii (Multiple-drug resistant ) pathogens. One hundered twenty Gram –negative non lactose fermenter bacilli isolates have been collected from three hospitals at Baghdad city over three months. Primary identification of these isolates is performed by standard diagnostic methods (biochemical tests and API 20 NE); 19 clinical isolates of A. baumannii are cultured on CHROMagar (highly selective medium for detection of MDR Acinetobacter) as well as diagnoses is documented by using Vitek 2 system. Isolates are exa
... Show MoreNew series of 2-mecapto benzoxazole derivatives (1-20) incorporated into fused to different nitrogen and suphur containing heterocyclic were prepared from 2-meracpto benzoxazole, when treated with hydrazine hydrate to afford 2-hydrazino benzoxazol (1). Compound (1) converted to a variety of pyridazinone andphthalazinone derivatives (2-4) by reaction with different carboxylic anhydride. Also, reaction of (1) with phenyl isothiocyanate and ethyl chloro acetate afforded 3-phenyl-1,3-thiazolidin-2,4-dione-2-(benzoxazole-2-yl-hydrazone) (6). Azomethines (7-10) were prepared through reaction of (1) with aromatic aldehyde, then (7, 8) converted to thaizolidinone derivatives (11, 12). Treatment of (1) with active methylene compounds afforded deriva
... Show MoreA microbubble air flotation technique was used to remove chromium ions from simulated wastewater (e.g. water used for electroplating, textiles, paints and pigments, and tanning leather). Experimental parameters were investigated to analyze the flotation process and determine the removal efficiency. These parameters included the location of the sampling port from the bottom of the column, where the diffuser is located to the top of flotation column (30, 60, and 90 cm), the type of surfactant (anionic, SDS, or cationic, CTAB) and its concentration (5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/L), the pH of the initial solution (3, 5, 7, 9, and 11), the initial contaminant concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40 mg/L), the gas flow rate (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 L/mi
... Show MoreThis work was conducted to study the extraction of eucalyptus oil from natural plants (Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves) using water distillation method by Clevenger apparatus. The effects of main operating parameters were studied: time to reach equilibrium, temperature (70 to100°C), solvent to solid ratio (4:1 to 8:1 (v/w)), agitation speed (0 to 900 rpm), and particle size (0.5 to 2.5 cm) of the fresh leaves, to find the best processing conditions for achieving maximum oil yield. The results showed that the agitation speed of 900 rpm, temperature 100° C, with solvent to solid ratio 5:1 (v/w) of particle size 0.5 cm for 160 minute give the highest percentage of oil (46.25 wt.%). The extracted oil was examined by HPLC.
In this research, the efficiency of low-cost unmodified wool fibers were used to remove zinc ion from industrial wastewater. Removal of zinc ion was achieved at 99.52% by using simple wool column. The experiment was carried out under varying conditions of (2h) contact time, metal ion concentration (50mg/l), wool fibers quantity to treated water (70g/l), pH(7) & acid concentration (0.05M). The aim of this method is to use a high sensitive, available & cheep natural material which applied successfully for industrial wastewater& synthetic water, where zinc ion concentration was reduced from (14.6mg/l) to (0.07mg/l) & consequently the hazardous effect of contamination was minimized.
Seventy of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates had been collected from some Hospitals in Baghdad city from October to December 2017. The 70 isolates were taken from diverse clinical specimens. All K. pneumoniae isolates were identified based on API 20 E and Vitek2 compact system. Antibiotics sensitivity test was carried out toward 10 antibiotics using discs diffusion method. The level of antibiotics resistance was 81.42% for Ceftriaxone, whereas the low level of antibiotics resistance was 37.14% for Piperacillin. K. pneumoniae isolates were typed genotypically by using two different methods of amplification, multiplex-PCR and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR typing methods. Results showed that out of 70 isolates, there
... Show MoreThis work deals with separation of the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) from reformate. The separation was examined using adsorption by molecular sieve zeolite 13X in a fixed bed process. The concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons in the influent and effluent streams was measured using gas chromatography. The effect of flow rate and bed length of adsorbent on the adsorption of multicomponent hydrocarbons and adsorption capacity of molecular sieve was studied. The tendency of aromatic hydrocarbons adsorption from reformate is in the order: benzene >toluene>xylenes.
The synthesis of zeolite NaX from locally available kaolin has been studied. The operating conditions for zeolite NaX production from kaolin with good crystallinity were as follows; a gel formation step of metakaolin in alkaline medium in presence of additional silica to crystallize the zeolite was achieved at 60 oC for 1 hr,and with stirring. In ageing step of the reactants at room temperature for 5 days and crystallization step at 87±2 oC for 24 hr. The catalytic activity of catalyst prepared from local kaolin was studied by using cumene cracking as a model for catalytic cracking and compared with standard HY zeolite and HX zeolite catalysts. The activity test was carried out in a laboratory continuous flow unit with fixed bed reactor
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