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.
In this work, the linear properties of Vitamin D3-5000IU soft gel were investigated by measuring its absorption and fluorescence spectra. It was observed that there was a shift towards longer wavelength within limits (75 nm), with quantitative efficiency equal to (33.58%). The values of absorbance were used to calculate the extinction coefficient, optical refractive index, optical conductivity and optical dielectric constant values.
The non-linear properties of Vitamin D3-5000IU soft gel was also studied using the Z-Scan technique by using Neodymium-doped Yttrium Garnet (Nd: YAG) continuous laser (CW) emitting in &n
... Show MoreProtease enzyme production was studied and optimized as a first step to collect information about solid state fermenter) to produce protease enzyme. A local isolated Aspergillus niger was used for this study with constant spores feeding in every experiment at (105/g). Experiments carried out in conical flasks with (250 ml) containing (10 g) of wheat straw as a substrate with different conditions included temperature, pH, hydration ratio, and fermentation time, the results comprised by measuring protease activity (u). The results showed that the best activity can be obtained at (T = 32°C, t= 100 hrs, pH= 2.5 and hydration ratio is 1:3). On the other hand the results is courage to p
... Show MoreThe current research aims to identify measure classroom flexibility for kindergartens children, identify the correlation between the classroom flexibility of kindergartens children and the gender of the child, and identify the correlation between the classroom flexibility of kindergartens children and their classroom. The current research sample consisted of (200) boys and girls selected randomly from the governmental Riyadh affiliated with the six directorates of education of Baghdad on both sides (al-karkh - al-rasafa). in order to achieve the objectives of the current research, this required including two tools, one is the scale of classroom flexibility for the kindergartens' children, which was constructed by the researcher based on
... Show MoreThe following list comprises sixty-one species and subspecies of coccine¬llid beetles belonging to twenty-two genera distributed among six tribes in three subfamilies. All the species and subspecies have been recorded for Iraq. The categories have been arranged systematically according to Korschefsky's (1931) catalogue.
A progressive increase in the desire for environmentally friendly lubricants by users and strict government regulations for the use of these lubricants has provided an opportunity to use plant oils as biodegradable lubricants, therefore vegetable oils have been investigated to replace oil lubricants because of their maintaining the conditions of nature (environment) properties. In this paper, the influences of the blending ratio of mustard seeds oil with commercial mineral oil (SAE40) on the tribological characteristics were investigated and compared with mineral oil using the four-ball tribotester. Mustard seeds oil was blended with mineral oil at a volumetric ratio ranging from 22.5 to 90%. All experimental works were
... Show MoreMany critics suggest that Beckett’s early plays are comic because they focus their analyses on the use comic elements. Waiting for Godot is one of Beckett’s early plays, and it has been heavily analyzed and read as a comic text partly because its subtitle is “a tragicomedy in two acts” and also because of the comic techniques used in the play. The present paper, however, attempts to read the play as a piece in which comedy fails to produce any effects on the characters who remain apparently very desperate and frustrated throughout the play. The characters perform different comic acts, but they do not really feel amused or entertained. The paper suggests that the acts these characters put on stage are only means to pass t
... Show MoreThe study conducted to investigate the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and eye diseases (Glaucoma, Cataract, CSR and Uveitis). One hundred and four patients with multiple eye disorders (10-80) years were observed from 10/9 to 18/11/2020 and compared to thirty-one healthy people (19 female and 12 male). Both participants were tested for anti-H. pylori IgA, and IgG antibodies using ELISA. There were non –significant differences (P≥0.05) in the concentration of anti-H. pylori IgA Abs in sera of patients with Glaucoma, CSR, and Uveitis compared to the control group, but there was a significant difference (P≤0.05) in the concentration of H. pylori IgA Abs in sera of patients with Cataract compared to the control group and
... Show MoreIn this study, the synoptic analysis of dust storm for spring and summertime in Iraq were investigated. The images for dust provided by NASA are used to emphasize the dust storm days, while the composite maps of wind vector and geopotential 850hPa are mapped to investigate the pressure and wind direction patterns appearing with the dust condition in the same days. Spring has more dust frequency than summertime, especially in May. The frontal type of dust storm is dominant on spring, the cold air pushes the warm air that picking up the sand to the air through the vertical wind, but the southwestern high-speed wind and drought condition were controlled on the dust in summer. The northwestern wind is the main factor that carries the dust for l
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