Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, one of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), is found in various foods, including dairy products, meat, and vegetables, and most of these bacteria offer beneficial effects to humans and animals as potential probiotics with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities. The aim of this study was evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of L. plantarum against some foodborne bacteria isolated from dairy products. This research involved 34 dairy products, including local and imported milk, cheese, and yogurt sold locally in Baghdad province, Iraq, during May 2022. For the isolation of L. plantarum, a special medium called MRS (de Man Rogosa and Sharpe) was applied. Colonies were purified and identified by routine bacteriological methods, Vitek2 system, and confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 16S rRNA gene followed by the amplicon sequencing. Other aerobic bacteria contaminating dairy products were also isolated onto sterile selective media specific for each microorganism, and the isolates were identified by routine diagnostics tests followed by verification with Vitek2 system. Then, the culture supernatant of L. plantarum was tested for its antagonistic activity toward foodborne bacteria by the use of agar well diffusion assay. The findings showed the isolation of 2 L. plantarum, 3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 4 Escherichia coli, one isolate of Bacillus subtilis, and another Staphylococcus hominis. The filtered supernatant of L. plantarum was significantly efficient in inhibiting the growth of the above bacteria. Each of E. coli and B. subtilis revealed zones of inhibition of 36 and 38 mm in diameter, respectively, while P. aeruginosa and S. hominis had inhibition zones diameters of 27 and 29 mm, respectively. This suggests that the L. plantarum supernatant possesses a broad-spectrum activity against foodborne bacteria. To conclude, locally made dairy products can hold different contaminating bacteria, which can be eliminated by using probiotics, such as L. plantarum, to avoid foodborne diseases onset.
This work aimed to study the effect of laser surface treatment on the mechanical characteristics and corrosion behaviour of grey cast iron type A159. Many technical applications used conventional surface treatment, but laser surface hardening has recently been used to enhance the surface properties of many alloys. The mechanical characteristics, including microstructure, microhardness, and wear resistance of A159 grey cast iron, were studied, in addition to corrosion behaviour. The experimental laser parameters in this work were 0.9, 1.2, and 1.5 KW power with continuous wave carbon dioxide lasers with scanning speeds of 10 and 12 mm/s were used. The results found that phase-transitional alterations in microstructure were influenced by lase
... Show MoreAs a result of creative accounting, many firms in the Iraqi stock market are able to achieve two very significant goals: first, to boost the market value of their shares and thus gain the biggest trading volume in shares, and second, to lower their earnings in order to decrease the tax burden. First by growing its profits, then by evading taxes and denying the state its right to its money. Using this research, we hope to demonstrate how financial institutions that use innovative accounting tools in the preparation of their financial statements impact trade activity. Trading volume is critical to accurately forecasting stock price patterns, allowing investors to maximize their wealth. So, without accounting information, the financial
... Show MoreIn this study, we tackle the understudied area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in examining how modern revolutions may affect political systems across the Middle Eastern region. despite hundreds of studies documenting Middle Eastern uprisings over the past three decades, there has been little effort to harness AI to better understand or predict these multifaceted events. This study seeks to address this gap by assessing the performance of AI-intelligence in analyzing (broadly) revolutionary processes and their effects on regional political systems. The research uses a mixedmethod methodology that involves a systematic literature review of contemporary scholarly articles, and an analytics study using AI tools. Our results show t
... Show MoreIn this study, doped thin cadmium peroxide films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition with different doping concentrations of aluminium of 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.% for CdO2(1-X)Al(X) and thicknesses in the range of 200 nm. XRD patterns suggest the presence of cubic CdO2 and the texture factor confirms that the (111) plane was the preferential growth plane, where the texture factor and the grain size decreased from 2.02 to 9.75 nm, respectively, in the pure sample to 1.88 and 5.65 nm, respectively, at a concentration of 0.5 wt%. For the predominant growth plane, the deviation of the diffraction angle Δθ and interplanar distance Δd from the standard magnitudes was 2.774° and 0.318 Å, respectively, for the pure sample decreased to
... Show MoreSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune disorders, generated by a production of specific autoantibodies against self-antigens before the occurrence of clinical symptoms. The etiology of disease is still unknown, although there have been several infectious agents that have been associated with SLE development, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Herpes simplex virus-I and -II (HSV-I and -II) and Toxoplasma gondiiare two infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in SLE etiology. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti- HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 64 SLE female patients and 32 healthy control women. The patients w
... Show MoreComposite steel-concrete sections have a broad benefit through increasing structural strength as well as minimizing the self-loads. All past researches were concerned with pre-installed shear connectors (PRSC) in the manufacturing of composite sections. A new fabrication technique for steel-concrete-steel composite sections were presented in the current study by the post-installation shear connectors (POSC) passed-through an embedded polymerizing vinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. The performance of normal strength concrete prisms with a specified strength of 32 MPa connected to square steel tubes (SST) was investigated. Six specimens were fabricated in both methodologies, PRSC and POSC were experimentally tested by Push-out test. The spac
... Show MoreThis study aimed to determine the effect of varicocelectomy on sperm parameters, oxidant- antioxidant status and chromatin maturity percent. The current study has been conducted on 154 infertile patients complaining from varicocele and varicocelomized men in addition to 25 fertile men as control. The results revealed significant decrease (P<0.05) in sperm concentration, progressive motile sperm percent, normal sperm morphology percent, GSH, SOD1, CAT levels and chromatin maturity percent and significant increase (P<0.05) in MDA and ROS concentrations in infertile patients with varicocele when compared to fertile men. The results revealed improvement (P<0.05) of sperm parameters quality, GSH, SOD1, CAT, MDA, ROS concentration and chromatin m
... Show MoreThe purpose of the study is to analyze the extent of the impact of liquidity as an independent variable on profitability as an intermediate variable and the value of banks listed in the Iraq Stock Exchange as a dependent variable, as the research problem is summarized by the fact that most banks focus on profitability as a phased goal without focusing on maximizing its value as a strategic goal by enhancing the wealth of owners and shareholders. On the long term, the research community is represented by the banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange, while the research sample was deliberately chosen, which included three private banks such as Baghdad Commercial Bank, the Iraqi Commercial Bank and the Iraqi Investment Bank, an
... Show More