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 bacter
... Show MoreThe performance of asphalt pavements is crucial due to heavy traffic loads from civil and industrial developments. Various additives and modifiers are used in flexible roads to improve their resistance to deterioration caused by climatic changes. From this context, modifying the asphalt binder with polymers is popular in asphalt pavement construction. The present research investigates the effect of Polyethylene (PE) polymers in powder form on the characteristics of asphalt mixtures since these polymers are composed of hydrocarbons. It is similar to asphalt binders, making them very effective in enhancing the performance of neat asphalt produced from the oil refinery. To confirm this, two types of PE, High-Density PE (HDPE) and Low-Density P
... Show MorePotential health and environmental effects of nanoparticles need to be thoroughly assessed before their widespread commercialization. The present investigation was planned with the aims to determine the effects of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on blast (BI) and mitotic (MI) indices of cultured lymphocytes. The results revealed that BI (50.3±2.3, 30.2±1.9, 10.5±0.7 and 0.0%, respectively) and MI (70.1±2.9, 20.4±1.1, 5.3±0.1 and 0.0%, respectively) showed a gradual decreased percentage as the concentration of GNPs was increased from 0.085 to 0.66 µg/mL, and the difference was significant compared to control culture (81.6±2.5 and 90.2±3.7%, respectively). A maximum inhibition of BI and MI was occurred at the concentration 0.66 µg/mL. In
... Show MoreThe eggshell cuticle is the proteinaceous outermost layer of the eggshell which regulates water exchange and protects against entry of micro-organisms. Outer eggshell and cuticle protein was extracted from domestic chicken. The aim of the research is to find out the effect of the treated and untreated nano particles of egg shells with micro wave cold plasma on the effectiveness of E. coli (negative bacteria) that infect the skin and measure the diameter of bacterial inhibition zone, the eggshell has been prepared by a chemical method (sol gel) and measure the level of acidity and the PH is neutral. The result of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) shows that the particles diameters become smaller with nano-particles solution than for egg
... Show MoreThe inhibitive action of polyvinyl alcohol –sodium nitrite (PVASN) composite on the corrosion of mild steel in simulated cooling water (SCW) has been investigated by weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization. The effect of composite concentration (PVA/SN) , pH, and exposure time on corrosion rate of mild steel were verified using 2 levels factorial design and surface response analysis through weight loss approach, while the electrochemical measurements were used to study the behavior of mild steel in (SCW) with pH between 6 and 8 and in absence and presence of (PVA) in solution containing different concentration of NaNO2. It was verified that all three main variables studied were statistically significant while their interaction is
... Show MoreModified algae with nano copper oxide (CuO) were used as adsorption media to remove tetracycline (TEC) from aqueous solutions. Functional groups, morphology, structure, and percentages of surfactants before and after adsorption were characterised through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Several variables, including pH, connection time, dosage, initial concentrations, and temperature, were controlled to obtain the optimum condition. Thermodynamic studies, adsorption isotherm, and kinetics models were examined to describe and recognise the type of interactions involved. Resultantly, the best operation conditions were at pH 7, contact time
... Show MoreModified algae with nano copper oxide (CuO) were used as adsorption media to remove tetracycline (TEC) from aqueous solutions. Functional groups, morphology, structure, and percentages of surfactants before and after adsorption were characterised through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Several variables, including pH, connection time, dosage, initial concentrations, and temperature, were controlled to obtain the optimum condition. Thermodynamic studies, adsorption isotherm, and kinetics models were examined to describe and recognise the type of interactions involved. Resultantly, the best operation conditions were at pH 7, contact time
... Show MoreLignans are natural products widely distributed in the plant kingdom. They are composed of two β-β-linked phenylpropane (shikimate-derived biogenetic subunits). Although the backbone of lignans is composed of phenylpropane units, there is enormous diversity in the structure of lignans leading to different classes of lignans, such as γ-butyrolactone derivatives, eg. Hymatairesinol, bicyclooctadiene derivatives, e.g. pinoresinol, tetrahydrofuran derivatives e.g.lariciresinol, di-arylbutandiol derivatives, e.g. secoisolariciresinol. Introduction of a further carbon –carbon linkage leads to a class of lignans collectively known as cyclolignans such as tetrahydro-naphthalene derivatives, for example podophyllotoxin. Lignans ha
... Show MoreBackground: The mechanical and physical properties of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) don’tfulfill the entire ideal requirements of denture base materials. The purpose of this study was to produce new modified polymer nanocomposite (PMMA /ZrO2-TiO2) andassess itsimpact strength, transverse strength and thermal conductivity in comparison to the conventionalheat polymerized acrylic resin. Materials and Methods: Both ZrO2 and TiO2nano fillers were silanized with TMSPM (trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate) silane coupling agent before beingdispersed by ultrasonication with the methylmethacrylate (monomer) and mixed with the polymer by means of 2% by weight in (1:1) ratio, 60 specimens were constructed by conventional water bath processing
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