Endophytic fungi live inside plants or any part of them without creating any visible pathogenic signs. Endophytic fungi are found within medicinal plants and have shown strong biologic activity, such as anticancer and antioxidant activities, as well as producing extracellular enzymes. In this study, different fungal strains were isolated from the leaves of the medicinal plant Ziziphus spina, including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium sp., Rhizopus sp., and Mucor sp. Extracellular enzymes have been quantified using agar plate-based methods in which fungi were grown in specified growth media to detect the enzymes produced. The results showed that A. niger has the highest ability to produce amylase, Cladosporium sp. has the highest ability to produce protease and pectinase, Rhizopus and Mucor sp. have the highest ability to produce cellulase, and A. niger and Cladosporium sp. have the same ability to produce lipase and laccase. The ability of medicinal plant endophytic fungi to produce extracellular enzymes has great therapeutic potential in clinical microbiology. Some of the isolates showed great activity in secreting particular enzymes, indicating that the enzymes of these fungi could be used in a variety of applications.
Nanomaterials became targeted materials for many important applications due to its huge surface area and quantum confinement effects. In this work TiO2 nanoparticles (30nm) were used as additive to enhance the corrosion protection of steel rebar in artificial concrete solution (Ca(OH)2 (2g), KOH (22.44mg), NaOH (8mg) in 1L of distilled water) against saline environment (3.5%NaCl) at four temperatures; 20, 30, 40, and 50á´¼C. Three different concentrations of TiO2 NPs were used namely; 1, 3, and 5% by weight. The corrosion parameters and pitting probability were followed using Tafel and cyclic polarization plots respectively. Protection enhancement was recorded at all TiO2<
... Show MoreLeishmaniasis is a global illness that is endemic in many countries, including Iraq. The characteristic of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the development of skin ulcers that are controlled by the immune system. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine generated by the innate immune response to CL infection, can influence disease clearance in the human host. The effect of this pro-inflammatory cytokine in CL ulcer development during the infection is not well established. In this study TNF-α level was detected in the patients who suffered from cutaneous leishmaniasis. This level was also assessed in the newly diagnosed patients and others who were undergoing different stages of pentostam treatment. Notably the result
... Show MoreOne of the most important intellectual issues, which receive attention is the issue of modernity, it has occupied the scholars of all time. However, modern poetry used to have special care in Iraq and in the Arab countries .. it is not strange that the concept of modernity is linked to history .. or having history as the most important dimension of its dimensions .. because Arab poetry is historical and it is moving into an area of the past that is still active in terms of language and literary image .. When some poets found that changing and modernizing poetry became a necessity of evolution, and one of the fundamentals of modernization, the cultural impact did not respond to the desire of poets, and their impulse in modern poetry
... Show MoreIn the present study, nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) were evaluated as an antibacterial and anticancer agent. The nanoparticles of nikel oxide were synthesized using aloe vera leaves extract and characterized with AFM (showing an average diameter of 45.11 nm), XRD and FE-SEM analyses. Three different concentrations (125, 250 and 500 µg/ml) were prepared from the synthesized NiO NPs and investigated for their potential antibacterial activity against both Enterococcus faecalis (Gram-positive bacteria) and Acinobacter baumannii (Gram-negative bacteria). While cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity were measured on both MCF-7 and AMJ13 cancer cell lines by MTT and caspase-9 luminescence assays. The results showe
... Show MoreThe artificial silk (Rayon) was produced from the fronds of date palms which was taken from date palm trees (type Al-Zahdi) from the Iraqi gardens. Two main parts of the frond, namely leaves and stalks were used in this study to produce rayon. The palm fronds were converted into a powder of 90-180 micrometers. Major steps were used to produce rayon; delignification, bleaching and finally dissolution. Modified organosolv method which uses organic solvent method was applied to remove high lignin content. Three variables were studied in the delignification process: temperature, the ratio of ethanol to water and digestion time. The results showed that the best percent of lignin removal was (97%) which occured at; digestion time (80 minutes), te
... Show MoreThe 4-(?-bromo acetyl)-4?-toluene sulfonanilide (2) was used as key intermediate to synthesize new heterocyclic compounds. This bromo compound was synthesized via sulfonation of amino group of p-amino acetophenone using Hinsburg method with 4-toluene sulfonyl chloride to form 4-acetyl-4?-toluene sulfonanilide (1) which is used as a starting material in this work. This compound was brominated to yield compound (2) which is used as a precursor to synthesize new five and seven membered heterocyclic compounds such as substituted 1,3-oxazoles (3,4), 1,3-thiazole derivatives (5-7), thiourea compounds (8a,b), 1,3-Thiazoline-2-thione compounds (9a-f) and 1,2,5-triazepine compounds (11a-d). The synthesized compounds were identified depending u
... Show MoreIn this work, production of silicon metal at high purity of 99% by using Iraqi–starting materials (Iraqi sand and plant coal)was reported, electric arc–furnaces assembly was manufactured inside, the graphite electrodes were made from graphite scrap, this system is operate to produce about 800 gm /6hr of silicon metal to meet the need for manufacturing silicon oils, resins, solar cells, and electronic parts. The procedure, equipments and analysis data were described as well.
The current research was conducted to report the synthesis of alumina powder from Iraqi kaolin. The kaolin was transformed to metakaolin by calcinations at temperature 800 °C for three hours. Then the calcined kaolin was treated with (1.5 M) from H2SO4 for 6 hours to form Al2(SO4)3.12H2O solution. The precipitate was dried at 80oC for 10 hours and calcinations at different temperatures for two hours. The samples which result was characterized by X–Ray diffraction (XRD) and X–Ray fluorescence (XRF). The results indicate to the crystalline hydrate aluminum sulfate for the sample that be as – synthesis and when calcinations at 600 oC transformed into aluminum sulfate phase. The phases of alumina which we obtain consisted of a gamma a
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