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.
The aim of this research is to study the surface alteration characteristics and surface morphology of the superhydrophobic/hydrophobic nanocomposite coatings prepared by an electrospinning method to coat various materials such as glass and metal. This is considered as a low cost method of fabrication for polymer solutions of Polystyrene (PS), Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and Silicone Rubber (RTV). Si were prepared in various wt% of composition for each solutions. Contact angle measurement, surface tension, viscosity, roughness tests were calculated for all specimens. SEM showed the morphology of the surfaces after coated. PS and PMMA showed superhydrophobic properties for metal substrate, while Si showed hydroph
... Show MoreBackground: The vaginal microbial ecosystem stability preclude many other organisms but sometimes the vaginal micro biota is disturbed and this cause change in the normal
balance causing symptoms of vulvuvaginitis like abnormal or increased vaginal discharge, redness and itching.
Objective: To prove C. albicans presence in their vagina clinically and laboratory by culture of vaginal swab on two media.
Type of the study: This study is a case control study
Methods: This study is a case control study in which 100 clinically patient women admitted to maternity hospital in kalar city and khanaqin hospital during the pe
... Show MoreObjectives: To determine the contributing risk factors to adult nephrolithiasis patients.
Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted to determine the contributing risk factors to
Adults nephrolithiasis starting from December 2007 to September 2008. A purposive "nonprobability"
sample of (100) patients with nephrolithiasis was selected of those who were
admitted to the hospitals, attending the Urology Consultation Clinic and Extracorporeal Shock
Wave Lithotripsy Department. The study instrument consists of two parts. The first part is
related to the patients' demographic variables and the second part is constructed to serve the
purpose of the study. The total number of items in the questionnaire was (85) ones.
The continuous increase in population has led to the development of underground structures like tunnels to be of great importance due to several reasons. One of these reasons is that tunnels do not affect the living activities on the surface, nor they interfere with the existing traffic network. More importantly, they have a less environmental impact than conventional highways and railways. This paper focuses on using numerical analysis of circular tunnels in terms of their behavior during construction and the deformations that may occur due to overburden and seismic loads imposed on them. In this study, the input data are taken from an existing Cairo metro case study; results were found for the lateral and vertical displacements, the Peak
... Show MoreThe present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of variation of influent raw water turbidity, bed composition, and filtration rate on the performance of mono (sand) and dual media (sand and anthracite) rapid gravity filters in response to the effluent filtered water turbidity and headloss development. In order to evaluate each filter pe1formance, sieve analysis was made to characterize both media and to determine the effective size and uniformity coefficient. Effluent filtered water turbidity and the headloss development was recorded with time during each experiment.
This study included nine patients with inactive carrier states of HBV and 14 healthy control groups. The number and the percentage of T-lymphocyte (CD3+ Cells) in the peripheral blood of these groups showed no significant difference. Similar trend was observed when number and percentages of T helper cells (CD4+ cells) and T cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+ cells). Moreover, no significant difference in CD4+ /CD8+ cells ratio (P > 0.05) in peripheral blood of patients with inactive carrier state of HBV as compared with healthy control group. The levels of total serum bilirubin (TSB) concentration and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity were similar to control group. The levels of immunoglobulin concentration (IgG and IgM) in patients g
... Show MoreHealth and environmental factors as well as operational difficulties are major challenges facing the development of an anaerobic digestion process. Some of these problems relate to the use of sludge collected from primary and secondary clarifier units in wastewater treatment plants for laboratory purposes.
The present study addresses the preparation of sludge for laboratory purposes by using a mixture that consists of the digested sludge, which is less pathogenic, compared to the collected sludge from the primary or secondary clarifier, and food wastes. The sludge has been tested experimentally for 19 and 32 days under mesophilic conditions. The results show a steady methane production rate from the anaerobic dig
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