Quorum sensing (QS) is a perfectly orchestrated molecular communication system. It is a boon for Klebsiella pneumoniae, and bane for the host. This system is believed to make K. pneumoniae a leading cause of multidrug-resistant (MDR) nosocomial infections. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm potential of medicinal plant extracts through interfering with QS of K. pneumoniae. The effect of different concentrations of ethanolic extracts of cinnamon and clove on K. pneumoniae was determined by analyzing the growth curve, survival assay (MTT), Qualitative and quantitative biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, along with studying gene expression of the genes encoding the above traits, using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The low concentrations of the plant extracts did not affect neither on the bacterial growth, nor on the viability of K. pneumoniae, supported with growth curves. Additionally, the biofilm production was inhibited even by lower plant concentrations, and both cinnamon and clove extracts were able to render the MDR bacteria to be more susceptible to antibiotics. At the molecular levels, the bacterium treated with either clove or cinnamon or in combination showed under expression of the biofilm formation regulation gene (bssS), the carbapenem resistance gene (bla), as well as the QS target gene (LuxS). Both clove and cinnamon ethanolic extracts exerted potent impacts on reducing pathogenic traits regulated by QS in K. pneumoniae. Finally, the study recommends further exploration of clove and cinnamon extracts separately or in combination to develop alternative therapies against MDR K. pneumoniae infections.
Background: Diabetic patients have been reported to be more susceptible to gingivitis and periodontitis than healthy subjects. Many intracellular enzymes like (alkaline phosphatase- (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase- (AST) and alanine aminotransferase- (ALT) that are released outside cells into the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva after destruction of periodontal tissue during periodontitis. This study was conducted to determine the periodontal health status and the levels of salivary enzymes (ALP, AST and ALT) of the study and control groups and to correlate the levels of these enzymes with clinical periodontal parameters in each study group. Subjects, Materials and Methods: One hundred subjects were enrolled in the study, with a
... Show MoreIrisin is a novel myokine and adipokine, its role during pregnancy and its association with some metabolic risk factors especially pre-pregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI) need more evaluation. The aim of the study is to find whether the pre-BMI could predict irisin levels during normal pregnancy and to clarify associations of irisin with some pathological parameters.
Irisin levels were estimated by ELISA in sera of 59 normal pregnant women who enrolled from December 2016 to May 2017 at Maternity Hospital, Zakho city, Kurdistan region (Iraq). Thirty-two normal-weight pregnant (pre-BMI≤24.9 kg/m2, Age=24.03 mean±3.7standard deviation) and 27 overweight/obese-pregnant (pre-BMI>25 kg/m2, Age=27.6 mean±3.9
... Show MoreThe present study was included a measurements of fasting serum glucose, total protein, potassium, and calcium levels in the sera of 25 diabetic male patients suffer from chronic renal failure; their ages range were (32-75) and compared them with 25 healthy males as control group. The aim of this study was to study the effects of antidiabetic drugs on some biochemical parameters such as fasting serum glucose, serum total protein, serum potassium and calcium. The current results demonstrated a hyperkalemia in patients and this increasing of potassium is significantly (p = 0.03), but calcium level showed no significant variations ( p>0.05 ), and serum total protein was significantly decreased in patients as compared to t
... Show MoreThe experiment was carried out in the green house of botanical garden belong to Department of Biology/College of Education for Pure Science- Ibn–al- Haitham/University of Baghdad, for the growth season 2015 using plastic pots. The experiment aimed to study the effect of two concentrations of sodium chloride (50, 100) mM.L-1 in addition to the control and four concentrations of kinetin (25, 50, 75, 100) mg.L-1 in addition to the control and the influence of application and non application of fertilizlizer NPKZn in the level 160 kg.h1- and their interactions on some growth parameters (fresh weight for both root and vegetative part, dry weight for leaves , value of secondary productivity, biomass duration for vegetative part and dry weight f
... Show MoreThe presence of natural radioactivity in soil and other materials results in internal and external exposure in twelve samples at Al_Dura Heating generator at south of Baghdad using NaI(Ti) detector .Therefore, it is desirable to determine the concentration of naturally occurring radionuclide's238 U 232Th and 40 K,.. natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazard in some soil samples. The natural radioactivity due to the presence of 238 U 232Th and40 K in soil samples was measured by gamma spectrometry using NaI(Tl) scintillation well-shaped detector. In this context, soil samples were collected from thirty different locations of southern Al-Dura thermal Power Plant.Radium equivalent activities were calculatedfor the analyzed sampl
... Show MoreA range of macrocyclic dinuclear metal (II) dithiocarbamate-based complexes are reported. The preparation of complexes was accomplished from either mixing of the prepared ligand with a metal ion or through a template one-pot reaction. The preparation of the bisamine precursor was achieved through several synthetic steps. The free ligand; potassium 2,2'-(biphenyl-4,4'-diylbis(azanediyl))bis(1-chloro-2-oxoethane-2,1diyl)bis(cyclohexylcarbamodithioate) (L) was yielded from the addition of CS2 to a bis-amine precursor in KOH medium.A variety of analytical and physical methods were implemented to characterise ligand and its complexes. The analyses were based on spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, UV-Vis, mass spectroscopy and 1H, 13C-NMR sp
... Show MoreThe Paleocene benthic foraminiferal zonation of the Umm Er Rhadhuma Formation from the borehole (K.H 12/7), South Anah City (Western Iraq), has been re-studied and re-analyzed precisely based on the large benthic foraminifera (LBF). They are represented by two biozone Rotorbinella hensoni Partial Range Zone, recorded from the Lower and middle parts of the Umm Er Rhadhuma Formation and Lockhartia praehaimei Partial Range Zone determined Uppermost of this unit, and dated to be the Selandian – Thanetian stage. Almost all the biogenic (micro and macro) and non-biogenic constituents, including large benthic foraminifera, Algae, Echinoderm, Bryozoans, Oyster, Gastropod fragments, and peloids, in addition to lithofacies types, indicate t
... Show MoreKnowing the distribution of the mechanical rock properties and the far field stresses for the field of interest is an important task for many applications concerning reservoir geomechanics, including wellbore instability analysis, hydraulic fracturing, sand production, reservoir compaction, and subsidence. A major challenge with determining the rock's mechanical properties is that they cannot be directly measured at the borehole. Furthermore, the recovered carbonate core samples for performing measurements are limited and they provide discrete data for specific depths.
The purpose of this study is to build 2D and 3D geomechanical models of the Khasib reservoir in the East Baghdad oil field/ Central area. TECHLOG.2015.3 softwa
... Show MoreChar formation is subdivided into three lithological types according to the percentage of detrital quartz and calcite (micrite and sparite), through the petrographic study of 13 thin sections collected from a section at Wadi Al-Ratgha (west of Al-Qaim, Iraq Western Desert). The three rock units are: Limy sandstone, limestone and sandy limestone. Depending on the mean gain size of detrital quartz and degree of sorting and the type of matrix, Ghar Formation can be classified in to three types, i. e. off-shore sediments with low energy environment, near shore sediments with high energy environment and mixed sediments with transitional energy environment. This is due to local transgression and regression of sea level at late lower Miocene du
... Show MoreThe study area is located at AL Jabal AL-Akhdar region North Eastern part of Libya. The study includes (23) fresh samples that are taken from Darnah limestone Formation, these samples were distributed on and covered about (210) km2. The porosities and permeabilities of these samples were determined. This study is important because this formation is considered as a good reservoir for hydrocarbon accumulation in other places in Libya.
The porosity was measured by three different methods namely by porosimeter (using core samples), thin sections and binocular microscope. The permeability are also measured by two methods, the first method was by Nitrogen method and the other is by Klinkenberg method. The instrument that used for measuring