Inhalation of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) is known to induce acute lung injury (ALI) and studies from our laboratory have shown that THC, a psychoactive ingredient found in Cannabis sativa, can attenuate the ALI. In the current study, we investigated the role played by lung microbiota in ALI with or without THC treatment. A dual-dose of SEB was given to C3H/HeJ mice, which were then treated either with vehicle or THC. SEB-administration caused ALI and 100% mortality while all THC-treated mice survived and suppressed the inflammation in the lungs. Furthermore, lung microbiota was collected and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed. The data were analyzed to determine the alpha and beta diversity. The major phylum was Proteobacteria, class Alphaproteobacteria and orders were Caulobacterles and Rhodobacteralesin in the lungs of vehicle-treated SEB group. Moreover, THC treatment led to elevated Firmicutes phylum due to significant increase in the beneficial genus, Lactobacillus. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), gram negative bacterial endotoxin was found at significantly higher concentration in the BALF of vehicle-treated group in comparison with THC-treated mice. Beneficial metabolome levels were significantly higher in the colonic flush of THC-treated mice when compared to vehicle-treated SEB group, specifically butyric, propionic and acetic acids. Together, our data suggest that THC attenuates SEB-induced mortality and ALI by altering the microbiota in the lungs (Supported by NIH grants P01AT003961, R01AT006888, R01ES019313, R01MH094755, P20GM103641, R01AI129788 to PN and MN and MoHESR fellowship for AKM).
This study focuses on diagnosis of Candida species causing Vulvovaginal Candidiasis using phenotype and genotype analyzing methods, and frequencies of candida species also using Vulvovaginal Candidiasis patients. 130 samples (100 from patients and 30 from non infected women) were collected and cultured on biological media. Identifying the yeasts, initially some phenotypic experiments were carried out such as germ tube, from motion of pseudohyphae and clamydospores in CMA+TW80 medium, API20 candida and CHROMagar Candida. Genomic DNA of all species were extracted and analyzed with PCR and subsequent Polymerase Chain Reaction - Restriction Fragments Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods. Frequency of C. albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis , C.
... Show MoreThis article reviews the technical applicability of nanofiltration membrane process for the removal of nickel, lead, and copper ions from industrial wastewater.
Synthetic industrial wastewater samples containing Ni(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) ions at various concentrations (50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm), under different pressures (1, 2, 3 and 4 bar), temperatures (10, 20, 30 and 40 oC), pH (2, 3, 4, 5 and 5.5), and flow rates (1, 2, 3 and 4 L/hr), were prepared and subjected treated by NF systems in the laboratory. Suitable NF membrane was chosen after testing a number of NF membranes (University of Technology-Baghdad), in terms of production and removal. NF system was capable of removing more than (85%, 78%, and 66% for Ni(II
... Show MoreA rapid and sensitive method for analysis of amino acid hydrolysates of nigella sativa L seed has been developed using O-phthaldialehyde(OPA ) as a pre-column derivatizing agent. OPA reagents in the presence of mercaptoethanol react rapidly with primary amino acids ( less than 60 sec.) to form isindole derivatives which easily separated with good selectivity on ODS column. Resolution of amino acid derivatives is carried out with a methanol gradient in 0.01 maqueous sodium acetate. pH 7.1 . The quantitation of amino acid derivatives is reproducible within an average relative deviation of + 1.4% the linearity for most amino acids were more than 0.9993 with detection limit of 0.2 ppm. 15 amino acid were detected in the analysis of
... Show MoreThe aim of this paper was to investigate the removal efficiencies of Zn+2 ions from wastewater by adsorption (using tobacco leaves) and forward osmosis (using cellulose triacetate (CTA) membrane). Various experimental parameters were investigated in adsorption experiment such as: effect of pH (3 - 7), contact time (0 - 220) min, solute concentration (10 - 100) mg/l, and adsorbent dose (0.2 - 5)g. Whereas for forward osmosis the operating parameters studied were: draw solution concentration (10 - 150) g/l, pH of feed solution (4 - 7), feed solution concentration (10 - 100) mg/l. The result showed that the removal efficiency by using adsorption was 70% and the removal efficiency by using forward osmosis was 96.2 %.
... Show MoreLeinamycin is a thiol dependent DNA alkylating agent which shows very potent activity against various cancer cell lines. This natural compound forms guanine adducts (N7) in DNA which are converted into a basic sites and simultaneously generates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), to produce DNA strand breaks in human cancer cells. In present study, eight different strains isolated from Iraqi soils were taxonomically assigned as Streptomyces.atroolivaceous. Remarkably the strain named as THS-44 was distinguished in productivity in comparison with other strains; the amount of leinamycin was 50.98 mg/l. In this study, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of leinamycin against RD and ANM3 cancer cell line in compare with REF cell line as a normal cont
... Show MoreThis study was carried out in Baghdad (Al-Jadiriya) in 2006 by detecting ability of aquatic reed plant to remove heavy metals (Chromium) from waste water by batch process of adsorption with considering that acidic solution is best selection for such process with constant initial chromium concentration(60 mg/l),speed of shaking(300 rpm), temperature (30 Co) and constant contact time (4 h) but with different weights of adsorbent (reed) (0.5 ,1 ,2 ,3 and 4 )gm for each 100 ml volume of sample . The results showed that the percentage of the removed chromium were ( 8% ,17.5% ,31% ,40% and 50%) respectively for each sample according to the mass of adsorb
... Show MoreThis study is concerned with the adsorption of Congo red from solution on the surface of Chaff. The adsorption isotherm is of L-curve type according to Giles classification and the experimental data were best fitted to Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption phenomenon was examined as a function of temperature (25, 40, 55 oC). The extent of adsorption of Congo red on Chaff was found to increase with the increase of temperature (endothermic process). The basic thermodynamic functions have also been calculated. The effect of contact time was investigated and found that the adsorption process of dye on Chaff surface reached complete equilibrium within 90 min. The maximum uptake of Congo red by Chaff was found to be 92.9% at 25oC. The kineti
... Show MoreIt is well known that petroleum refineries are considered the largest generator of oily sludge which may cause serious threats to the environment if disposed of without treatment. Throughout the present research, it can be said that a hybrid process including ultrasonic treatment coupled with froth floatation has been shown as a green efficient treatment of oily sludge waste from the bottom of crude oil tanks in Al-Daura refinery and able to get high yield of base oil recovery which is 65% at the optimum operating conditions (treatment time = 30 min, ultrasonic wave amplitude = 60 micron, and (solvent: oily sludge) ratio = 4). Experimental results showed that 83% of the solvent used was recovered meanwhile the main water
... Show MoreIn this work, the detection of zinc (Zn) ions that cause water pollution is studied using the CSNPs- Linker-alkaloids compound that was prepared by linking extracted alkaloids from Iraqi Catharanthus roseus plant with Chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) using maleic anhydride. This compound is characterized by an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) which shows that it has an orthorhombic structure with crystallite size in the nano dimension. Zeta Potential results show that the CSNPs-Linker-alkaloids carried a positive charge of 54.4 mV, which means it possesses high stability. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) shows a new distinct band at 1708.93 cm-1 due to C=O esterification. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image
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