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.
We prepared polythiophene (PTH) with single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) nanocomposite thin films for Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas sensing applications. Thin films were synthesized via electrochemical polymerization method onto (Indium tin oxide) ITO coated glass substrate of thiophene monomer with magnesium perchlorate and different concentration from SWCNT (0.012 and 0.016) % in the presence130mL of Acetonitrile used. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to characterized these nanocomposite thin films. The response of these nanocomposite for NO2 gas was evaluated via monitoring the change
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The leaves and stems of the local Purslane plant ( Portulaca oleracea oleracea L. ) were used to preapare the extract of two types ( wet and dried extractions) the extracts were prepared by weighting of 60grams of the wet and the dried plant individually, then boiled in 500ml of distal water. Finally the volume was completed to1 liter, then we used these extracts to prepare of 8 types of the culture media contained basic, selective and enrichment media for growing a group of pathogenic bacteria. 8 types of bacteria were used for this purpose: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas flouresence, Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris. The stastica
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The study addressed the water ecosystems of the marshes of Maysan Governorate as one of the important areas in Iraq in terms of the environmental, economic and tourism aspects. This area was exposed to great environmental changes due to natural and human factors which greatly affected the water ecosystem and made the area susceptible to many problems that affected the biological life of living organisms. The marshes of Maysan Governorate was affected by vital factors and non-vital factors. The marshes of Maysan Governorate was characterized by the UN Organization as one of the most important centers of biodiversity in the world because of the abundance of different and rare living organisms such as birds, fish, and reptiles as well as the e
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This study is conducted to determine the activity of plant Vica faba and two isolated from arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (A,B) in bioremediation of soil pollution by Nickel and Lead elements in north and south of Baghdad city. The results showed that the average of soil pollution by Nickel and Lead elements in north of Baghdad was less than the average of soil pollution in the south of Baghdad which recorded 29.0,9.0PPm and 42.0, 25.0PPm respectively. The results show that the isolate A from the polluted soil is more active from isolate B which isolate from unpolluted soil for bioremediation. Vica faba recorded more in accumulate the Lead element in shoot system which was 19.65PPm and in root system was 27.2PPm and for Nickel element 24.65
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This experiment was carried out in the field of botanical garden which belongs to Biologi
Department , College of Education (Ibn Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad during the
growing season 2009-2010.The experiment was designed to study the effect 5 concentrations
of Gibberellic acid(GA3)( 25,50,75,100and125mg.L
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) and 2 levels of NPK (17:17:17)
fertilizer (200 and 400 Kg.ha
-1
) and their interaction on the rates of absorption and transport
of some macronutrient elements in two varieties of chamomile plant ( Local variety ,
Matricaria chamomilla L. and German variety , Matricaria recutitia L.) . Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used with 3 replicates for each treatment .Control plants
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The possibility of using the magnetic field technique in prevention of forming scales in heat exchangers pipes using
hard water in heat transfer processes, also the studying the effective and controllable parameters on the mechanism of
scale formation.
The new designed heat exchanger experimental system was used after carrying out the basic process designs of the
system. This system was used to study the effect of the temperature (40-90 °C) and water flow rate (0.6-1.2 L/min) on
the total hardness with time as a function of precipitation of hardness salts from water and scale formation.
Different magnetic field designs in the heat exchanger experimental system were used to study the effect of magnetic
field design a