Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease on the rise in different regions of Iraq, especially in areas with poor hygiene and among refugee populations. The effectiveness of existing chemotherapy for leishmaniasis is constrained by its high toxicity, cost, and the development of drug resistance. The current research examined various concentrations (ranging from 125 to 1000 μM) of lupeol to evaluate its ability to boost the generation of nitric oxide, which has anti-leishmanial properties, in an ex-vivo macrophage model. Griess assay was used to detect the nitric oxide (NO) production in Leishmania donovani infected U937 cell-line macrophages along 24 and 48 hours post treated. The nitric oxide concentration was significantly increased (P≤0.05) in the treated infected-macrophages after 24 and 48 hours post treated. Furthermore, the infectivity index was calculated for ex vivo amastigote-macrophage infection and the results showed a significant decrease in the percentage of invasion at higher concentrations of Lupeol at all periods of incubation (P≤0.05); whereas, the average of amastigotes per cell in lupeol-treated macrophages increased significantly (P≤0.05) only after 48hours of incubation. The results indicate that lupeol has the potential to enhance anti-leishmanial nitric oxide production by macrophages, enabling them to eliminate intracellular amastigote forms of the parasite. Further details on effect of Lupeol can be studied as a promising anti-leishmanial compound.
The aim of this work is to evaluate some mechanical and physical
properties (i.e. the impact strength, hardness, flexural strength,
thermal conductivity and diffusion coefficient) of
(epoxy/polyurethane) blend reinforced with nano silica powder (2%
wt.). Hand lay-up technique was used to manufacture the composite
and a magnetic stirrer for blending the components. Results showed
that water had affected the bending flexural strength and hardness,
while impact strength increased and thermal conductivity decreased.
In addition to the above mentioned tests, the diffusion coefficient
was calculated using Fick’s 2nd law.
n-Hexane conversion enhancement was studied by adding TCE (Trichloro-ethylene) on feed stream using 0.3%Pt/HY zeolite catalyst. All experiments were achieved at atmospheric pressure and on a continuous laboratory unit with a fixed bed reactor at a temperature range 240-270◦C, LHSV 1-3h-1, H2/nC6 mole ratio 1-4.
By adding 435 ppm of TCE, 49.5 mole% conversion was achieved at LHSV 1h-1, temperature of 270ºC and H2/nC6 mole ratio of 4, while the conversion was 18.3 mol% on the same catalyst without adding TCE at the same conditions. The activation energy decreased from 98.18 for pure Pt/HY zeolite to 82.83 kJ/mole by adding TCE. Beside enhancement the activity, selectivity and product distribution enhanced by providing DMB (Dimethyl b
The CdSe pure films and doping with Cu (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 4.0wt%) of thickness 0.9μm have been prepared by thermal evaporation technique on glass substrate. Annealing for all the prepared films have been achieved at 523K in vacuum to get good properties of the films. The effect of Cu concentration on some of the electrical properties such as D.C conductivity and Hall effect has been studied.
It has been found that the increase in Cu concentration caused increase in d.c conductivity for pure CdSe 3.75×10-4(Ω.cm)-1 at room temperatures to maximum value of 0.769(Ω.cm)-1 for 4wt%Cu.All films have shown two activation energies, where these value decreases with increasing doping ratio. The maximum value of activation energy was (0.319)eV f
Films of CdSe have been prepared by evaporation technique with thickness 1µm. Doping with Cu was achieved using annealing under argon atmosphere . The Structure properties of these films are investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The effect of Cu doping on the orientation , relative intensity, grain size and the lattice constant has been studied. The pure CdSe films have been found consist of amorphous structure with very small peak at (002) plane. The films were polycrystalline for doped CdSe with (1&2wt%) Cu contents and with lattice constant (a=3.741,c=7.096)A°, and it has better crystallinty as the Cu contents increased to (3&5wt%) Cu. The reflections from [(002), (102). (110), (112), and (201)]planes are more prominen
... Show MoreCold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is used widely in medical and biological fields because of non-thermal effected. Direct application of plasma is preferred in medical functions, so, direct application of cold plasma has obtained by the floating electrode dielectric barrier discharge (FE-DBD) system. The purpose of this paper to review the effect of (CAP) on the reproductive hormones (testosterone, LH, E2, progesterone, for male rats. The study appeared that no significant effect on E2 and progesterone hormone for all time of exposure, besides this significant difference in LH hormone (P<0.05) at 15 sec, (P<0.0001) at 30, 90 sec and (P<0.001) at 60 sec of exposure to plasma. Added to that significant difference (P<0.01) at 15, 30, 60 sec and no
... Show MoreThe work includes fabrication of undoped and silver-doped nanostructured nickel oxide in form thin films, which use for applications such as gas sensors. Pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) technique was used to fabricate the films on a glass substrate. The structure of films is studied by using techniques of x-ray diffraction, SEM, and EDX. Thermal annealing was performed on these films at 450°C to introduce its effect on the characteristics of these films. The films were doped with a silver element at different doping levels and both electrical and gas sensing characteristics were studied and compared to those of the undoped films. Reasonable enhancements in these characteristics were observed and attributed to the effects of thermal annealing
... Show MoreAn experimental and numerical study has been carried out to investigate the heat transfer by natural convection and radiation in a two dimensional annulus enclosure filled with porous media (glass beads) between two horizontal concentric cylinders. The outer cylinders are of (100, 82 and70mm) outside diameters and the inner cylinder of 27 mm outside diameter with (or without) annular fins attached to it. Under steady state condition; the inner cylinder surface is maintained at a high temperature by applying a uniform heat flux and the outer cylinder surface at a low temperature inside a freezer. The experiments were carried out for an annulus filled with
glass beads at a range of modified Rayleigh number (4.9 ≤ Ra≤ 69), radiation
A field experiment was conducted at the experimental field of botanical garden, faculty of science, university of Baghdad, in order to study the effect of plant density on growth and yield of two local cultivars of sunflower (Sin Althieb and Shumose). The densities used were 4.4 and 8.8 plant/m2. The results showed difference between cultivars in their agronomic traits and their yields. There was a significant increase in plant height and leaf area index by increasing the plant density, while head diameter, number of seeds and leaf area decreased. But the most significant effect was the increasing in yield and biological yield by increasing the plant density. There was an increase by 72% and 58% in the yield and 79% an
... Show MoreThe therapeutic value of the phenolic component and pure thymol was well known; this study comprised the extraction of crude phenol from two plants (Thymus vulgaris and Artemisia annua) which contain thymol with pure thymol and evaluate their effect on hematological and histological by using three different concentrations of each plant extract and pure thymol to tested them on lab mice. All the mice were allowed free access to water and feed for 21 days in laboratory conditions; orally, pure water was administered to the control mice (group I), while groups II, III, and IV were given orally with T. vulgaris, A. annua, combination of last two crude phenol plant extract 50:50 and pure thymol respectively. The levels of CHO, TRI, and HDL were
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to investigate the relationship between corticosterone hormone in the blood of local Iraqi white chicken mothers and the sexual ratio of the hatching chicks. A field experiment located at the Poultry Research Station, Livestock Department, Agricultural Research Department, Ministry of Agriculture for the period from 16 of September 2018 to 25 of December 2018. One hundred and forty birds of Iraqi local chicken mothers (100 females+ 40 males) at the age of 28 weeks were provided from the poultry research station. The birds were raised in individual cages and distributed sequentially to the cages after the numbering of the females. Data were recorded in three periods, each period was of 28 days, and then the general a
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