Introduction: Candida spp. has become increasingly resistant to antifungal drugs, with elevated MIC levels causing a negative medical impact and increasing the number of patients at risk of candidiasis. According to the CDC, about 7% of Candida blood samples show reduced susceptibility to fluconazole. Monitoring the antifungal resistance profile of Candida spp. is vital, as non-Albicans species may limit treatment options. Objective: Evaluate the antifungal effectiveness against clinical Candida spp. isolates of six antifungals: amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, caspofungin, and 5-fluorocytosine. Methods: 100 samples were collected from various clinical samples at the National Centre of Teaching Laboratories in Baghdad, Iraq, from May to December 2023. The effectiveness of six antifungals (fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITR), voriconazole (VRC), amphotericin B (AMB), caspofungin (CAS), and 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC)) was tested using the MA120 Automated ID and AST System (Render) according to CLSI standards. Results: Out of 100 isolates, nine Candida species were identified: C. albicans (54%), C. glabrata (20%), C. dubliniensis (10%), C. tropicalis (6%), C. krusei (5%), C. parapsilosis (2%), and C. rugosa, C. lusitaniae, and C. kyfer (each 1%). The non-susceptible rates to the six antifungals were: 5-FC (42%), FLC (21% intermediate, 9% resistant), AMB (11%), ITR (8%), VRC (6%), CAS (4% intermediate, 1% resistant). Conclusion: We observed increased resistance rates to 5-FC, FLC, ITR, AMB, and VRC, but not to caspofungin. C. albicans showed a high 5-FC non-WT phenotype (72%) with elevated MIC values, while C. glabrata had a 7% non-WT rate against AMB. C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis revealed limited susceptibility to azoles
In this research study the effect of irradiation by (CW) CO2 laser on some optical properties of (Cds) doping by Ni thin films of (1)µm thickness has been prepared by heat evaporation method. (X-Ray) diffraction technique showed the prepared films before and after irradiation are ploy crystalline hexagonal structure, optical properties were include recording of absorbance spectra for prepared films in the range of (400-1000) nm wave lengths, the absorption coefficient and the energy gap were calculated before and after irradiation, finally the irradiation affected (CdS) thin films by changing its color from the Transparent yellow to dark rough yellow and decrease the value absorption coefficient also increase the value of energy gap.
Water quality planning relies on Biochemical Oxygen Demand BOD. BOD testing takes five days. The Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is increasingly used for water resource forecasting. This work designed a PSO technique for estimating everyday BOD at Al-Rustumiya wastewater treatment facility inlet. Al-Rustumiya wastewater treatment plant provided 702 plant-scale data sets during 2012-2022. The PSO model uses the daily data of the water quality parameters, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), chloride (Cl-), suspended solid (SS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and pH, to determine how each variable affects the daily incoming BOD. PSO and multiple linear regression (MLR) findings are compared, and their performance is evaluated usin
... Show MoreHighly-fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) are synthesized in simple step by hydrothermal carbonization method of natural precursor such as orange juice as a carbon source. Hydrothermal method for synthesized CQDs requires simple and inexpensive equipment and raw materials, thus this method are now common synthesis method. The prepared CQDs have ultrafine size up to few nanometers and several features such as high solubility in water, low toxicity, high biocompatibility, photo-bleaching resistant, Chemical inertness and ease of functionalization which qualifies it for use in many applications such as bio-imaging, photo-labeling and photo-catalysis.
This research demonstrates the
... Show MoreExtract from cell culture of medicinal plant like Nigella sativa have been assessed for its cytotoxic properties. Thymol is likely responsible for the theraputic effects of Nigella sativa leaf callus extract. In this short study the inhibitory effect of Nigella sativa leaf callus extract (Thymol) has been studied on Human Lorgnx Epidrmoid Carcinoma (Hep-2) cell line during different exposure period of time (24, 48 and 72 hrs.) using different concentration of the extract (1000, 500, 400, 300, 200 and 100 µg/ml). The optical density of the Hep-2 cells has been readed on 492 nm wave length. Thymol –induced cytotoxicity was (500 µg/ml) which inhibit cell growing compared to the control and this
... Show MorePure grade II titanium disks were coated with a thin coating of polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) polymer by RF magnetron sputtering using either nitrogen or argon gas. Sputtering technique was employed at 50 W for one hour at 60°C with continuous flow of nitrogen or argon gas. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed a continuous, homogeneous, rough PEKK surface coating without cracks. In addition, cross-sectional FE-SEM revealed an average coat thickness of 1.86 μm with argon gas and 1.96 μm with nitrogen gas. There was homogenous adhesion between the coating layer and substrate. The elemental analysis of titanium substrate revealed the presence of carbon, titanium, and oxygen. The RF magnetron sputtering with argon or ni
... Show MorePolycrystalline Cadmium Oxide (CdO) thin films were prepared
using pulsed laser deposition onto glass substrates at room
temperature with different thicknesses of (300, 350 and 400)nm,
these films were irradiated with cesium-137(Cs-137) radiation. The
thickness and irradiation effects on structural and optical properties
were studied. It is observed by XRD results that films are
polycrystalline before and after irradiation, with cubic structure and
show preferential growth along (111) and (200) directions. The
crystallite sizes increases with increasing of thickness, and decreases
with gamma radiation, which are found to be within the range
(23.84-4.52) nm and (41.44-4.974)nm before and after irradiation for
Separation of Trigonelline, the major alkaloid in fenugreek seeds, is difficult because the extract of these seeds usually contains Trigonelline, choline, mucilage, and steroidal saponins, in addition to some other substances. This study amis to isolate the quaternary ammonium alkaloid (Trigonelline) and choline from fenugreek seeds (Trigonella-foenum graecum L.) which have similar physiochemical properties by modifying of the classical method. Seeds were defatted and then extracted with methanol. The presence of alkaloids was detected by using Mayer's and Dragendorff's reagents. In this work, trigonilline was isolated with traces of choline by subsequent processes of purification using analytical and preparative TLC techniques.
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