The current trend worldwide is searching plant extracts towards prevention of neurodegenerative disorders. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of Alpinia galanga leaves (ALE), Alpinia galanga rhizomes (ARE), Vitis vinifera seeds (VSE), Moringa oleifera leaves (MLE), Panax ginseng leaves (PLE) and Panax ginseng rhizomes (PRE) ethanolic extracts on human neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y) cells. The 1‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging of VSE and MLE were 81% and 58%, respectively. Ferric‐reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of ALE and MLE (33.57 ± 0.20 and 26.76 ± 0.30 μmol Fe(ΙΙ)/g dry wt., respectively) were higher than for the other extracts. Liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐QTOF/MS) revealed MLE active compounds. Intracellular study by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) test showed that MLE and VSE had high O2− scavenging (0.83 ± 0.09 vs. 0.98 ± 0.08 mg/mL, respectively). MLE had the highest ROS scavenging followed by PRE (0.71 ± 0.08 vs. 0.83 ± 0.08 mg/mL, respectively), by 2,7‐dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFHDA) assay. The 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity and neuroprotection tests on SHSY5Y showed that PRE had a better neuroprotective effect but higher cytotoxicity compared to MLE (viable cells 51% vs. 44%, IC50 1.92 ± 0.04 vs. 2.7 ± 0.2 mg/mL, respectively). In conclusion, among the studied plants, MLE has potential for developing as a neuroprotective agent.
A major disadvantage of dose reconstruction by means of thermoluminescence (TL) is the fact that during readout of any TL material exposed to ionizing radiation (i.e., during measuring the glow curve), the radiation-induced signal gets lost. Application of the photo-transferred thermoluminescence phenomenon (PTTL) may offer a solution to this problem. In PTTL, the residual signal that is not destroyed by conventional TL readout (because it comes from deeper electron traps) can be readout through simultaneous stimulation by UV light and heating, allowing to obtain information about the absorbed dose in a second run. The present paper describes the application of PTTL for emergency dose assessment. For
This study aims to evaluate the performance of the sewage treatment plant in Al-Diwaniya, one of cities in the southern part in Iraq. This evaluation could be used to facilitate effluent quality assessment or optimal process control of the plant. The influent reaching the plant is considered a medium to strong in strength with BOD5/COD ratio in the range 0.23 and 0.69 which can be considered an easily degradable sewage by the biological processes performed by the activated sludge unit. The quality of the effluent was found to be higher than the Iraqi standards for disposal to water bodies. The BOD5/COD ratios of the treated sewage varied over a wide range as low of 0.13 to 1.48 indicating operational problems in the plant. Regression ana
... Show MoreThe design of safe pedestrian facilities usually depends on the assessment of pedestrian characteristics and behavior. In this investigation, pedestrian walking speed through the religious occasion have been monitored at three locations, Al- Kadhimiya (Imam AL-Kadim), Najaf and Karbala (Imam AL-Husain) holy shrines. Video captures of the pedestrian through their walking to the two holy shrines have been prepared and analyzed for walking speed, gender, age groups, and clothing tradition. The pedestrian sample size is 468, 501, and 447 for Al- Kadhimiya, Karbala, and Najaf respectively. When the gender is taken into consideration, it can be noted that the walking speed of male and female pedestrian is (0.97, 1.68, and 1.63
... Show MoreThis study aims to evaluate the performance of the sewage treatment plant in Al- Diwaniya, one of cities in the southern part in Iraq. This evaluation could be used to facilitate effluent quality assessment or optimal process control of the plant. The influent reaching the plant is considered a medium to strong in strength with BOD5/COD ratio in the range 0.23 and 0.69 which can be considered an easily degradable sewage by the biological processes performed by the activated sludge unit. The quality of the effluent was found to be higher than the Iraqi standards for disposal to water bodies. The BOD5/COD ratios of the treated sewage varied over a wide range as low of 0.13 to 1.48 indicating operational problems in the plant. Regressio
... Show MoreIn the present work, the feasibility of formation near-ideal ohmic behavior of In/n-Si contact efficiently by 300 s duration Nd:YAG pulsed laser processing has been recognized. Several laser pulses energy densities have been used, and the optimal energy density that gives best results is obtained. Topography of the irradiated region was extensively discussed and supported with micrographic illustrations to determine the surface condition that can play the important role in the ohmic contact quality. I-V characteristics in the forward and reverse bias and barrier height measurements have been studied for different irradiated samples to determine the laser energy density that gives best ohmic behavior. Comparing the current results with
... Show MoreThis study included the isolation and diagnosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from cases of burns samples. 100 samples were collected from resident patients at Al-Kindi Teaching Hospital, who suffer from different types of burns. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated and diagnosed with 39% of the total samples. The cold and hot aqueous and alcoholic extract of flaxseeds oil was prepared and its inhibitory efficacy has been studied on the growth of isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is revealed that both extracts of flaxseeds oil had a high inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of flaxseed oil on the studied bacteria was also estimated, which was 25 mg/ml. In conclusion, the efficacy of fla
... Show MoreAnastatica hierochuntica L. is distributed throughout Arabain Peninsula, and elsewhere it is locally called "Kuffe Maryam" .All parts of the plant are used in folk medicine. This study amid to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of anastatica hierochunctica L. on the cancer cell lines AMN-3. Anti cancer activity of aqueous extract of anastatica hierochunctica L. showed anticancer activity against AMN-3 cell line for twelve concentrations (0.04, 0.09, 0.195, 0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100) mg/mL in comparison with negative control.
Anastatica hierochuntica L. is distributed throughout Arabain Peninsula, and elsewhere it is locally called "Kuffe Maryam" .All parts of the plant are used in folk medicine. This study amid to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of anastatica hierochunctica L. on the cancer cell lines AMN-3. Anti cancer activity of aqueous extract of anastatica hierochunctica L. showed anticancer activity against AMN-3 cell line for twelve concentrations (0.04, 0.09, 0.195, 0.39, 0.78, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100) mg/mL in comparison with negative control.
The effect of the aqueous extract of fig (Ficus carica) fruit was studied by using different concentrations of this fruit (15, 20 and 25 mg/kg of body weight) on some hematological parameters (hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, white blood cell count and platelets count) in female rabbits. Twenty female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (five animals in each group). Three groups were dosed with the concentrations mentioned above, while the last was administered with distilled water and considered as control group. These animals were orally dosed by aqueous extract using a micropipette. The results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume means for all
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