Lipase enzyme has attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of its diverse biotechnological applications. The present study was conducted to screen germinated seeds of four crops, namely sunflower (Helianthus annuus), flaxor linseed (Linum usitatissimum ), peanut (Arachis hypogaea ) and castor bean (Ricinus communis), for the activity of their lipases. to the study also included the extraction and purification of lipase from the seeds of the most promising crop using different solvents. The results indicated that the maximum enzymatic activity (0.669 U/ml) was obtained when 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer extract was used after 3 days of seed germination of all the tested species, as compared to the other test solvents (acetone and water). Sunflower germinated seeds showed the highest lipase activity, which was higher by 159.67, 185.32, and 285.90 % over the activities of castor bean, flax, and peanut seeds, respectively. Among the used ranges of saturation of ammonium sulfate, the ratio of 70% was the best in precipitating the crude enzyme, showing a highest specific activity of 2.576 U/ mg protein. The first stage of gel filtration chromatography column by Sephadex G-200 indicated the presence of two non-identical peaks, one for protein and another for lipase activity, between the fractions of 18 to 23. The active fractions were pooled and loaded again in the Sephadex G-200 column and the eluted fractions showed two identical peaks, one for protein and another for lipase activity, between the fractions of 19 to 23. The final purification step by gel filtration showed a specific activity of 6.482 U/mg proteins with a yield of 38.75 % and 11.33 folds of time of purification. The study revealed that sunflower seeds are a better source of lipase as compared to the other used plant seeds, which can be used in different industries.
Highly-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 MoreSeveral toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi
... Show MoreVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from uninfested and infested broccoli plant samples with green peach aphid
Thin films ZrO2: MgO nanostructure have been synthesized by a radio frequency magnetron plasma sputtering technique at different ratios of MgO (0,6, 8 and 10)% percentage to be used as the gas sensor for nitrogen dioxide NO2. The samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and sensing properties were also investigated. The average particle size of all prepared samples was found lower than 33.22nm and the structure was a monoclinic phase. The distribution of grain size was found lower than36.3 nm and uninformed particles on the surface. Finally, the data of sensing properties have been discussed, where the
... Show MoreA fast moving infrared excess source (G2) which is widely interpreted as a core-less gas and dust cloud approaches Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) on a presumably elliptical orbit. VLT
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common infection that occurs when the number of lactobacillus spp. bacteria (vaginal flora) decreases in the vaginal canal. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus within vaginosis in order to emphasize the importance of early detection and treatment. Totally, 90 vaginal swabs were collected using speculum and swabbing. The vaginal swabs were subjected to standard microbiological testing, which included microscopy, cultures (Blood agar and Mannitol salt agar), and antibiotic sensitivity testing. The results showed that out of 90 samples, only 40 S.aureus isolates were collected. S. aureus isolates showed maximum sensitivity to gentamic
... Show MoreFreshwater mussels are a guild of stationary, suspended-feeding species; they perform significant ecological functions like nitrogen cycling, bioturbation that gives oxygen and habitat that other creatures need to survive, and increasing water clearance by filtration. Knowledge of the freshwater mussel Unio tigridis Bourguignat, 1852, distribution, and molecular study in Iraq was inadequate. In the current study, this species of freshwater Mussels belonging to the family Unionidae was collected from different locations in the Greater Zab River, from April 2022 to November 2022. The average water temperature of the site was arranged between (17.8 to 36.1 C°). All previous studies in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq were based on morphologic
... Show MoreThe evaluation of the Nfayil limestones in Bahr Al-Najaf Depression as construction materials was done on 15 sites distributed over a region. The study included field and laboratory aspects. The field side included collecting information about the study area and samples. As for the laboratory side, laboratory tests were conducted to study the thermal conductivity of samples by a device called Lee’s disc in the Tikri University. The thermal conductivity results ranged between 2.34 and 0.27. The rocks are of high thermal insulation at low temperatures and low insulation at high temperatures according to the specifications of the suitability of limestone for thermal conductivity standards (ASTM C 1057-03-2010).
The aim of this study was to evaluate in-vitro activity of Cefamandol and Ceftazidime, in combination with potassium clavulanate against 10 uropathogenic E.coli isolated from patients with chronic complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), these isolates were identified by the Api identification systems.The antimicrobial susceptibility tests were determined by Kirby-Bauer method and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of Cefamandol and Ceftazidime, were determined, by tube method. These isolates were resistant to Ampicillin (Amp), Amoxicillin (Amo), Carbenicillin (Cb), Ticarcillin (Tic), Amoxicillin\ Potassium Clavulanate {Augmentin}, (Amo\CA), Ticarcillin\ Potassium Clavulanate {Timentin} (Tic\CA), Cefamandol (Cfm) and Ceftazidime (
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