Scrophularia. striata from Scrophulariacea family has been used in Iranian folk medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases. In this study we evaluated the synergistic effect of S. striata hydroalcoholic extract (SSE) and commercially available antibiotics against P. aeroginosa and Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The resazurin-based microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of plan extract and standard antibiotics. The interaction between standard antibiotics and SSE was evaluated by using checkerboard method. The results of this study revealed that SSE enhance the antibacterial activity of antibiotics. The combination of SSE and Vancomycin had synergistic to additive effects against MRSA. SSE in combination with Gentamicin had synergistic to additive effects against P. aeruginosa. The interaction between Ceftazidime and SSE was additive against P. aeruginosa. The best result was the synergistic effect between SSE and Piperacillin-Tazobactam against P. aeruginosa. In conclusion the results of this research indicated that S. striata has the potential to enhance the antibacterial activity of antibiotics and could be a source to the designing new compounds with synergistic effect in combination with standard antibiotics.
In this study three inorganic nano additives, namely; CaCO3, Al2O3 and SiO2 were used to prepare nanocomposites of unsaturated polyester in order to modify their mechanical properties, i.e. tensile strength, elongation, impact and hardness. The results indicated that all the three additives were effective to improve the mechanical properties up to 4% by weight. The effectiveness of them follows the order : CaCO3 > Al2O3 > SiO2 This is due to their particle size in which CaCO3 (13nm), Al2O3 (20-30nm) and SiO2 (15-20nm).
Given the paucity and toxicity of available drugs for leishmaniasis, coupled with the advent of drug resistance, the discovery of new therapies for this neglected tropical disease is recognised as being of the utmost urgency. As such antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as promising compounds against the causative Leishmania species, insect vector-borne protozoan parasites. Here the AMP temporins A, B and 1Sa have been synthesised and screened for activity against Leishmania mexicana insect stage promastigotes and mammalian stage amastigotes, a significant cause of human cutaneous disease. In contrast to previous studies with other species the activity of these AMPs against L. mexicana amastigotes was low. This suggests that ama
... Show MoreThe Moisture damage is considered as one of the main challenge for the experts in the field of asphalt pavement design. The aims of the present study is to modify moisture resistance of the asphalt concrete by utilizing ceramic fibers as a type of reinforcement incorporated with hydrated lime. For this purpose, a penetration grade of the asphalt cement (40-50) was utilized as a binder with an aggregate of the maximum nominal size of 12.5mm and mineral filler limestone dust. A series of specimens has been fabricated by utilizing 0.50, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 percentages of ceramic fibers. For each of these contents, another subsequent group of specimens with hydrated lime with 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 percentages were moulded. For the additi
... Show MoreThe importance of specifying proper aggregate grading for achieving satisfactory performance in pavement applications has long been recognized. To improve the specifications for superior performance, there is a need to understand how differences in aggregate gradations within the acceptable limits may affect unbound aggregate base behavior. The effects of gradation on strength, modulus, and deformation characteristics of high-quality crushed rock base materials are described here. Two crushed rock types commonly used in constructing heavy-duty granular base layers in the State of Victoria, Australia, with three different gradations each were used in this study. The gradations used represent the lower, medium, and upper gradation li
... Show MoreKnowledge of literature is an integral part of learning any spoken language. Learning literature expands the learner’s ability to understand the language studied. The field of literature is wide and cannot be limited to poems. It includes the etiquettes of a language and its environment, customs, and traditions etc. The Arabic language is among the languages with a centuries old history. It has achieved remarkable record accomplishments since the pre-Islamic era through to the present. This development is clear evidence of the great importance of literature in the revival of the Arabic language through different eras. As such, in Malaysia and other non-Arabic speaking countries, literature is taught in most schools, institutions and un
... Show MoreThe aim of this study to investigate the tongue morphology and histology in house gecko Hemidactylus flaviviridis using light and scanning electron –microscopy (SEM ) technique.The morphology result revealed the presence of three parts : apex , body and lingual root .The light microscopy result showed that the tongue is covered with mucous membrane composed of non keratinized stratified squamous epithelium based on lamina propria which contain bundles of striated muscles its fibers in different directions including connective tissue , blood vessels and nerves. The lingual mucosa of the dorsal surface is covered with different pattern of lingual papillae which are widely distributed all over the dorsal surface except the apex. Noticed on t
... Show MoreIn recent years, the field of research around the congestion problem of 4G and 5G networks has grown, especially those based on artificial intelligence (AI). Although 4G with LTE is seen as a mature technology, there is a continuous improvement in the infrastructure that led to the emergence of 5G networks. As a result of the large services provided in industries, Internet of Things (IoT) applications and smart cities, which have a large amount of exchanged data, a large number of connected devices per area, and high data rates, have brought their own problems and challenges, especially the problem of congestion. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) models can be considered as one of the main techniques that can be used to solve ne
... Show MoreFor over a decade, educational technology has been used sparingly in our schools and universities. Online training courses have been used since 2003 to fill the gaps in our learning system and to add extra program besides classroom learning. This paper aims to investigate the Iraqi EFL instructors’ participating in online training courses and its influence on the process of teaching and learning.
The sample of present study consists of 30 instructors from University of Baghdad. The questionnaire of sixteen items was constructed. After ensuring validity and reliability of questionnaire, it was applied on March 2013 and the result shows that most of instructors improve their teaching methods b
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