Response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design was successfully applied to redesign MRS media for maximizing both biomass and bacteriocin production from Lactobacillus plantarum NH40. First, glucose and yeast extract were chosen as the best carbon and nitrogen sources based on classical optimization results of one factor at time which also revealed the possibility of eliminating peptone and meat extract from the original composition of medium without affecting the growth and bacteriocin production. Statistical experimental design based on a regression model generated using the Design expert 7 software showed that the optimum concentrations of glucose, yeast extract, tween80, NH4Cr, CH3COONa and K2PO4 were 40, 19.9, 1, 3.06, 7, 1.25 g/L respectively for maximum production of biomass (15.87 mg/mL) and bacteriocin (634.74 U/mL). In addition, from the analysis of variance, yeast extract with F-value 77.2 and glucose with 185.4 were the most effective factors on biomass and bacteriocin production. Formulation of empirical model explained that the interaction among factors showed that the determination coefficient R2 of biomass and bacteriocin production were 0.8777 and 0.8539 respectively. Furthermore, the accuracy of model of the optimized MRS medium suggested by design expert 7 for both biomass and bacteriocin was verified and results showed that concentrations of biomass and bacteriocin were 15 mg/mL and 640AU/mL respectively, which were approximately closed to predicted values.
Autoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory disease and its incidence has been increasing. The features of hepatitis are the release of inflammatory cytokines, the elevation of AST and ALT, and hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis. Concanavalin A considered as essential model represents the acute immune-mediated liver damage in rodents. Thymoquinone is well known herbal compound that exert hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity. In this study, we focus on the immunoregulatory and liver protective effect of thymoquinone in a mouse model of concanavalin A-induced liver injury.
Twenty-four male mice were randomly divided into four groups each containing six animals: Negative control group, concanavalin A model group,
... Show MoreThe railways network is one of the huge infrastructure projects. Therefore, dealing with these projects such as analyzing and developing should be done using appropriate tools, i.e. GIS tools. Because, traditional methods will consume resources, time, money and the results maybe not accurate. In this research, the train stations in all of Iraq’s provinces were studied and analyzed using network analysis, which is one of the most powerful techniques within GIS. A free trial copy of ArcGIS®10.2 software was used in this research in order to achieve the aim of this study. The analysis of current train stations has been done depending on the road network, because people used roads to reach those train stations. The data layers for this st
... Show MoreAlumina thin films have significant applications in the areas of optoelectronics, optics, electrical insulators, sensors and tribology. The novel aspect of this work is that the homogeneous alumina thin films were prepared in several stages to generate a plasma jet. In this paper, aluminium nanoparticles suspended in vinyl alcohol were prepared using exploding wire plasma. TEM analysis was used to determine the size and shape of particles in aluminium and vinyl alcohol suspensions; the TEM images showed that the particle size is 17.2 nm. Aluminium/poly vinyl alcohol (Al/PVA) thin films were prepared using this suspension on quartz substrate by plasma jet technique at room temperature with an argon gas flow rate of 1 L/min. The Al/PV
... Show MoreBackground: Scientific education aims to be inclusive and to improve students learning achievements, through appropriate teaching and learning. Problem Based Learning (PBL) system, a student centered method, started in the second half of the previous century and is expanding progressively, organizes learning around problems and students learn about a subject through the experience of solving these problems.Objectives:To assess the opinions of undergraduate medical students regarding learning outcomes of PBL in small group teaching and to explore their views about the role of tutors and methods of evaluation. Type of the study: A cross-sectional study.Methods: This study was conducted in Kerbala Medical Colleges among second year students
... Show MoreX-ray diffraction pattern reveled the tetragonal crystal system of SnO2 Thin films of SnO2 were prepared on glass substrates using Spray Pyrolysis Technique. The absorption and transmition spectra were recorded in the rang of 300-900nm, the spectral dependences of absorption coefficient were calculated from transmission spectra. The direct and allowed optical energy gap has been evaluated from plots of (αhυ)² vs. (hυ) . The energy gap was found to be 2.4-2.6eV. The optical constant such as extinction coefficient( k ) and absorption coefficient ( α) have been evaluated.
Consuming of by-product or waste materials in highway engineering is significant in the construction of new roads and/or in renovations of the existing ones. Pulverised Fuel ash (PFA), which is a by-product material of burning coal in power stations, is one of these materials that might be incorporated instead of mineral filler in hot asphalt mixtures.
Two types of surface course mixtures have been prepared one with conventional mineral filler i.e. ordinary Portland cement (OPC) while the second was with PFA. Several testings have been conducted to indicate the mechanical properties which were Marshall Stability and Indirect Tensile Strength tests. On the other hand, moisture damage and ageing have been evaluated
... Show MoreUsing a reduction of TRIM simulation data, the sputtering yield behaviour of Zinc target bombard by heavy Xenon ions plasma is studied. The sputtering yield as a function of Zinc layer width, Xenon ion number, energy of ions, and the angle of ion incidence are calculated and illustrated graphically. The corresponding energy loss due to ionization, vacancies and phonons, are graphically shown and discussed. Further, we fit the calculations and expressions for fitted curves are presented with its coefficients.
Facial identification is one of the biometrical approaches implemented for identifying any facial image with the use of the basic properties of that face. In this paper we proposes a new improved approach for face detection based on coding eyes by using Open CV's Viola-Jones algorithm which removes the falsely detected faces depending on coding eyes. The Haar training module in Open CV is an implementation of the Viola-Jones framework, the training algorithm takes as input a training group of positive and negative images, and generates strong features in the format of an XML file which is capable of subsequently being utilized for detecting the wanted face and eyes in images, the integral image is used to speed up Haar-like features calc
... Show MoreBacillus subtilis, an isolate of bacillus genus, was obtained from the laboratories of Ministry of Science and Technology. The best efficient Bacillus subtilis isolate in cellulose and semi-cellulose hydrolysis was treated with Dielectric-barrier Discharge (DBD). Atmospheric cold plasma technique (non-thermal) was used by exposing them at different times (2, 3, 4 and 5 mins) separately as a first stage, and then 60 seconds after any treatment separately as a second stage. After 48 hours, the difference between the plasma source and the sample was fixed at 0.5 cm. The results showed a variation in the growth of the isolate according to the exposure time by the appearance of culture turbidity and the estimation o
... Show MoreRecently, a great rise in the population and fast manufacturing processes were noticed. These processes release significant magnitudes of waste. These wastes occupied a notable ground region, generating big issues for the earth and the environment. To enhance the geotechnical properties of fine-grained soil, a sequence of research projects in the lab were conducted to analyze the impacts of adding sludge waste (SW). The tests were done on both natural and mixed soil with SW at various proportions (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%) based on the dry mass of the soil used. The experiments conducted focused on consistency, compaction, and shear strength. With the addition of 10% of SW, the values of LL and PI decreased by 29.7% and 3
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