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 use of blended cement in concrete provides economic, energy savings, and ecological benefits, and also provides. Improvement in the properties of materials incorporating blended cements. The major aim of this investigation is to develop blended cement technology using grinded local rocks . The research includes information on constituent materials, manufacturing processes and performance characteristics of blended cements made with replacement (10 and 20) % of grinded local rocks (limestone, quartzite and porcelinite) from cement. The main conclusion of this study was that all types of manufactured blended cement conformed to the specification according to ASTM C595-12 (chemical and physical requirements). The percentage of the compress
... Show MoreThe use of blended cement in concrete provides economic, energy savings, and ecological benefits, and also provides. Improvement in the properties of materials incorporating blended cements. The major aim of this investigation is to develop blended cement technology using grinded local rocks . The research includes information on constituent materials, manufacturing processes and performance characteristics of blended cements made with replacement (10 and 20) % of grinded local rocks (limestone, quartzite and porcelinite) from cement.
The main conclusion of this study was that all ty
... Show MoreField experiment was conducted to test the effect of saline water and fertilizers rate on Pisum sativum L. plants . Treatments of the experiment included two levels of water salinity (2, 7 dSm-1) as a main plot and three levels of potash fertilization K2SO4 (44%K) namely 150 control, 300 and 450 kg/Donum as a sub plot. Results indicated that irrigation of plant with saline water 7 dSm-¹ caused a significant decrease in K and P contents specially in the upper parts of the plants , the percentage of the K increased (2.80%) under 2 dSm-¹of irrigation water and 300 kg/ donum fertilizer rate in the upper leaves, However K decreased(1.10%) in lower leaves under 7 dSm-¹ and 300 kg/donum fertilizer. while P increased in pods und
... Show MoreThe 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
Concentrations of four heavy metals, Zinc , Copper , Lead and Cadimium were determed in water and sediment samples collected bi-weekly from six sampling sites on the lower part of River Diyala during low flow period (August to October) and high flow period (April to June). A reference point site (1) was situated upstream the effects of the effluent. Present work describes the e
... Show MoreObjective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of disinfectant solutions, namely, the alcoholic extract of Salvadora persica L. (A1 = 10% and A2 = 15%) and chlorhexidine digluconate (A3 = 2%), on the tear strength and hardness of room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) VST50F and heat temperature vulcanizing (HTV) Cosmesil M511 silicone elastomers before and after reinforcement with nanofillers (TiO2) and intrinsic pigment. Materials and Methods: A total of 320 specimens were prepared, with 160 specimens each for RTV and HTV silicone. Forty specimens were evaluated before disinfection and divided into two equal groups, namely, control (without additive) and experimental (with ad
Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogenic agent due to its ability to cause various types of infections, ranging from mild skin infections to sever systemic diseases. One of the most virulence factors of this bacterium is its ability to from biofilms on solid surfaces by anchoring the planktonic cells and by producing a protective layer of extra polymeric substances. Biofilm formation is controlled through many genes. The most important ones are icaA and icaD. Dentures are prosthetic devices that are made of different materials to replace lost teeth. The aim of this study is to examine the ability of different types of denture materials to support the biofilm formation of S. aureus at phenotypic level by detecting ba
... Show MoreStaphylococcus aureus is a common pathogenic agent due to its ability to cause various types of infections, ranging from mild skin infections to sever systemic diseases. One of the most virulence factors of this bacterium is its ability to from biofilms on solid surfaces by anchoring the planktonic cells and by producing a protective layer of extra polymeric substances. Biofilm formation is controlled through many genes. The most important ones are icaA and icaD. Dentures are prosthetic devices that are made of different materials to replace lost teeth. The aim of this study is to examine the ability of different types of denture materials to support the biofilm formation of S. aureus at p
... Show MoreDiarrhea is a real disease in childhood which could cause death. Therefore, this study was conducted to isolate Salmonella from 350 stool samples taken from children under five years in age, suffering from diarrhea during the period from March 2019 to March 2020 in Tikrit city / Iraq. The results showed the possibility to isolate ten isolates of Salmonella enterica subsp. Enterica, an infection rate, represents 2.875% of the total rate of patients who suffer from diarrhea. The virulence genes were investigated for ten isolates of S. enterica subsp. enterica, the result is that all isolates possessed the genes stn, invA, lpfA with an appearance percentage of 100%, whi
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