Antibiotic resistance is the major growing threat facing the pharmacological treatment of bacterial infections. Therefore, bioprospecting the medicinal plants could provide potential sources for antimicrobial agents. Mimusops, the biggest and widely distributed plant genus of family Sapotaceae, is used in traditional medicines due to its promising pharmacological activities. This study was conducted to elucidate the antimicrobial effect of three unexplored Mimusops spp. (M. kummel, M. laurifolia and M. zeyheri). Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying such antibacterial activity were studied. The Mimusops leaf extracts revealed significant antibacterial activities against the five tested bacterial strains with a maximum inhibition zone diameter of 22.0 mm against B. subtilis compared with standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentration values against tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains ranged from 3.15-12.5 µg/ml. However, weak antifungal effect was recorded against Candida albicans with MIC value ˃25 µg/ml. The 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that M. caffra was the best antioxidant (IC50=14.75±0.028 µg/ml), while M. laurifolia was the least one (IC50=34.22±0.014 µg/ml). The phenolics in plant leaves extracts were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which revealed the presence of seven phenolic acids and four flavonoids. The abundant phenolic compounds were rutin (5.216±0.067 mg/g dried wt.) and gallic acid (0.296±0.068 mg/g) followed by myricetin (0.317±0.091 mg/g) then kaempferol (0.113±0.049 mg/g) as flavonoids. The antibacterial mechanism of M. laurifolia extract, as a representative species, induces ultrastructural changes in the model bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with cell wall and plasma membrane lysis as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Overall, Mimusops species (M. laurifolia, M. kummel and M. zeyheri) are promising natural alternative sources for antimicrobial agents.
The research aims to identify the level of psychological burnout among the professors of Sana’a University in light of the armed conflicts in Yemen. The research sample consisted of (104) faculty members. A descriptive-analytical approach was adopted. The results of the research showed that university professors suffer from psychological burnout at a very high level in the overall score of the scale. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of gender, academic degree, teaching experience, marital status, number of family members, or salary. In light of the results, the researcher presented a number of relevant recommendations and suggestions.
Background: The iron deficiency anemia along with hyperphosphatemia are the main complications of dialysis patients. Traditional iron supplement has been failed to correct iron deficiency anemia, therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of new phosphate binder, ferric citrate, in a sample of Iraqi patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis. Method: Prospective, randomized, open label, active controlled trial was conducted in one center for dialysis in Babylon governance. Patients were randomized to receive ferric citrate with dose of 6 g/d and calcium carbonate with dose of 3 g/d for eight weeks. Hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and count o
... Show MoreBoth traditional and novel techniques were employed in this work for magnetic shielding evaluation to shed new light on the magnetic and aromaticity properties of benzene and 12 [n]paracyclophanes with n = 3–14. Density functional theory (DFT) with the B3LYP functional and all-electron Jorge-ATZP and x2c-TZVPPall-s basis sets was utilized for geometry optimization and magnetic shielding calculations, respectively. Additionally, the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set was incorporated for the purpose of comparing the magnetic shielding results. In addition to traditional evaluations such as NICS/NICSzz-Scan, and 2D-3D σiso(r)/σzz(r) maps, two new techniques were implemented: bendable grids (BGs) and cylindrical grids (CGs) of ghost atoms (Bqs). BGs a
... Show MoreThe study aims to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral counseling in reducing symptoms of social anxiety and improving social skills among a sample of intermediate school students in the city of Souq Al-Shuyukh at Dhi Qar Governorate. The sample consisted of (40) female students, their ages ranged (14-15). They were selected based on their high scores on the social anxiety scale. The sample was divided into two groups: an experimental group, and a control group, equal in number (20) students in each group. The researcher used the social anxiety scale and the social skills scale. In addition, he used the cognitive-behavioral counseling program, consisting of (11) counseling sessions, with a rate of (45) minutes per sessio
... Show MoreThis study focused on determining the markers of Macrophage migration inhibitor (MIF), as well as the N-telopeptides of type I bone collagen (NTX), and some other parameters (alkaline phosphatase (ALP), vitamin D (Vit D), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg), and their correlation with other parameters in osteoporosis. One hundred ten subjects were involved in the current study. There were two groups of patients: group I (30) women with severe osteoporosis and group II (30) women with mild osteoporosis. For comparison, 50 apparently healthy individuals were included as a control. Serum levels of MIF, and NTX were significantly higher in groups I and II as compared to the control group, which indicate that these two parameters
... Show MoreIn this work, excess properties (eg excess molar volume (VE), excess viscosity (ȠE), excess Gibbs free energy of activation of viscos flow (ΔG* E) and molar refraction changes (ΔnD) of binary solvent mixtures of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) with aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene and p-xylene) have been calculated. This was achieved by determining the physical properties including density ρ, viscosity Ƞ and refraction index nD of liquid mixtures at 298.15 K. Results of the excess parameters and deviation functions for the binary solvent mixtures at 298.15 K have been discussed by molecular interactions that occur in these mixtures. Generally, parameters showed negative values and have been found to fit well to Redlich-Kister
... Show MoreThe research aimed at identifying the effect of using constructive learning model on academic achievement and learning soccer dribbling Skill in 2nd grade secondary school students. The researcher used the experimental method on (30) secondary school students; 10 selected for pilot study, 20 were divided into two groups. The experimental group followed constructive learning model while the controlling group followed the traditional method. The experimental program lasted for eight weeks with two teaching sessions per week for each group. The data was collected and treated using SPSS to conclude the positive effect of using constructive learning model on developing academic achievement and learning soccer dribbling Skill in 2nd grade seconda
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