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.
Background: Vibration decreases the viscosity of composite, making it flow and readily fit the walls of the cavity. This study is initiated to see how this improved adaptation of the composite resin to the cavity walls will affect microleakage using different curing modes
Materials and methods: Standard Class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surface of sixty extracted premolars. Teeth were randomly assigned into two groups (n=30) according to the composite condensation (vibration and conventional) technique, then subdivided into three subgroups (n=10) according to light curing modes (LED-Ramp, LED-Fast and Halogen Continuous modes). Cavities were etched and bonded with Single Bond Universal
... Show MoreThe effect of subinhibitory concentration of Antibiotics on the Adherence of S.aureus (Coagulase Positive Staphylococci), and S.epidermidis (Coagulase negative Staphylococci) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, Citobacter freundi (Gram negative bacteria) was done and the results revealed that Rifampicin was the best antibiotic inhibiting Staphylococci adherence and Vancomycin has less effect on the adherence of Staphylococci, whereas Tetracyclin was the best antibiotic inhbiting Gram negative bacteria adherence and Amikacin has the lest less effect on inhibiting bacterial adherence.
According to the prevalence of multidrug resistance bacteria, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in which the essential mechanism of drug resistance is the ability to possess an efflux pump by which extrusion of antimicrobial agents usually occurs, this study aims to detect the presence of mexB multidrug efflux gene in some local isolates of this bacteria that show resistance towards three antibiotics, out of five. Sensitivity test to antibiotics was performed on all isolates by using meropenem (10μg/disc), imipenem (10μg/disc), amikacin (30 μg/disc), ciprofloxacin (5μg/disc) and ceftazidime (30 μg/disc). Conventional PCR results showed the presence of mexB gene (244bp) in four isolates out of ten (40%). In addition,25, 50μg/ml of cur
... Show MoreIn the recent years, some of the newly constructed asphalt concrete pavements in Baghdad as well as other cities across Iraq showed premature failures with consequential negative impact on both roadway safety and economy. Frequently, load associated mode of failure (rutting and fatigue) as well as, occasionally, moisture damage in some poorly drained sections are the main failure types found in those newly constructed road. In this research, hydrated lime was introduced into asphalt concrete mixtures of wearing course in two methods. The first one was the addition of dry lime on dry aggregate and the second one was the addition of dry lime on saturated surface dry aggregate moisturized by 2.0 to 3.0 percent of water. For each
... Show MoreAgricultural nozzles usually produce a different drops size depending on the pressure and the physical condition (work life) of the nozzle besides producing a wide range of the drops spectrum in the spray cloud. In this paper the standard flat fan nozzles were investigated regarding the effect of the working pressure and the nozzle physical condition (new and worn nozzles). The size of drops and the spectrum of drops across the long axis of the spray pattern were examined by using Sympatec GmbH Laser Diffraction. Reducing the working pressure from 3 to 2 and then to 1 caused production of larger drops, also using worn nozzles (especially with lower pressure) changed the drops size whi
In practical engineering problems, uncertainty exists not only in external excitations but also in structural parameters. This study investigates the influence of structural geometry, elastic modulus, mass density, and section dimension uncertainty on the stochastic earthquake response of portal frames subjected to random ground motions. The North-South component of the El Centro earthquake in 1940 in California is selected as the ground excitation. Using the power spectral density function, the two-dimensional finite element model of the portal frame’s base motion is modified to account for random ground motions. A probabilistic study of the portal frame structure using stochastic finite elements utilizing Monte Carlo simulation
... Show MoreEvaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of Ruta Chalepensis aerial part aqueous extract used in folk medicine in Iraq in Albino Wistar male and female rats. The study of chronic toxicity at the doses 100, 300 and 600mg/kg body weight in male and female rats for 90 days, recorded no mortality. Treated animals showed a normal weight change compared with control. The parameters of male fertility showed a significant decrease in the weight of testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle as well as a reduction in the number and the motility of spermatozoids at treated groups by the doses 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight compared to control group.
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity and constitutes a major health problem in developing. In the last 30 years, the 5-year survival rate of patients with oral SCC has not improved despite advance in diagnostic techniques. To improve early diagnosis for this deadly disease, new biological markers are needed. HOX genes encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors involved in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation during embryogenesis. HOX gene expression has been described in several adult tissues, where they performed important roles in maintaining homeostasis. Few studies have suggested that HOXA1 plays a role in tumorigenesis. Besides bein
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