Antimicrobial Activity of Nigella Sativa Extract Against some Bacterial and Fungal Species.

استخدمت بذور الحبة السوداء منذ آلاف السنين كتوابل ومواد حافظة للأغذية كما استخدمت هذه البذور في تعزيز الصحة ومكافحة الأمراض وخاصة في الشرق الأوسط. وفي هذه الدراسة استخلصت بذور الحبة السوداء مع 96 ٪ من الإيثانول وتم تنقيته كروماتوجرافيا بالسيليكا جيل مع مذيبات مختلفة. وأظهرت ألنتائج لمستخلصات الحبة السوداء على الفطر F. Solani أن كلا من مستخلص الهكسان والإيثانول من زيت بذور الحبة السوداء فعالية عالية مضادة للفطريات وكان قطر النمو 24 ± 2.1mm  و 28 ± 1.5  mm ،على التوالي  في حين لم يظهر F.Solani  أي حساسية لمستخلص ألأسيتون ، اثيل أسيتيت  و المائي. كما تم اختبار جميع المستخلصات كمضاد للبكتيريا  E.coli ، S.aureus K.pneumonia و Enterobacter aerogenes .  كما وجد ان مستخلص الكلوروفورم كان ساما لل E.coli مع منطقة تثبيط 18.3 ± 4.3mm  و 19.3 ± 3.5 ملم اضافة الى ان لها نفس التأثير على K.pneumonia و  Enterobacter aerogenes في حين كان تأثيرها ضعيفا على S.aureus ، في نفس الوقت الاسيتون، أثيل اسيتيت والماء لم تظهر أي تأثيرات على انواع  البكتيريا الاخرىSeeds of Nigella sativa have been employed for thousands of years as spice and food preservative these seeds have been used to promote health and fight disease especially in the Middle East. In this study black seed extracted with 96% ethanol and purified chromatographically by using silica gel column with different solvents. The purpose of this study is to evaluate effect of Nigella sativa purified oil fractions on some fungal and bacterial species. The antifungal results on Fusarium Solani showed that both hexane and ethanol fractions of black seed oil revealed high antifungal properties and the diameter of growth were 24 ± 2.1mm  and 28 ± 1.5 mm, while chloroform and methanol revealed moderate effect on Fusarium Solani, the diameter of growth were 30 ± 2.5mm and 37 ± 2.9mm. Fusarium Solani did not show any sensitivity for acetone, ethyl acetate and water fractions and the diameter of growth was between 40 to 44 mm. All seven fractions tested as antibacterial with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aurous, Klepsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogene. Hexane and chloroform fractions were toxic to the Escherichia coli with inhibition zone 18.3 ± 4.3mm and 19.3±3.5 mm also these both fractions have the same effect on Klepsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogenes while having the weak effect on Staphylococcus aurous with inhibition zone ranged between 8.6 - 3.3mm. Staphylococcus aurous revealed high sensitivity to ethanol fraction with inhibition zone 22.3 ± 5.4 mm in the same time acetone, ethyl acetate and water did not show any effect on bacterial spices

OPTIMIZATION PRODUCTION CONDITIONS OF ANTIBACTERIAL METABOLITE FROM STREPTOMYCES SP.

  Objectives: The paper aimed to isolate Streptomyces strain having the ability to produce antibacterial metabolites and optimize some environmental parameters for excellent antibiotic production.Methods: Different soil samples were collected from extreme environments of desert regions at Karbala Province, Iraq. Actinomycetes were isolated using different media. The primary screening for antibacterial production was accomplished, and the antibacterial activities were tested against pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The most potent strain was chosen for optimizing some of environmental parameters to increase the bioactive metabolite production. Different parameters were studied such as culture media, temperature, pH, and agitation rate.Results: About eight Streptomyces strains were isolated from soil samples. All isolates appeared variable levels of antibiotic productions against Gram-positive and negative pathogenic bacteria, and the best one was Streptomyces sp. LHR 9. The antibacterial metabolite production from Streptomyces sp. LHR 9 was affected by various cultural parameters. Glucose soybean meal broth as a fermentation medium at pH 7 yielded the highest antibiotic production under the optimal fermentation conditions, including the temperature at 35°C with 200 rpm (revolution/min) agitation rate and 7 days incubation period.Conclusion: The Streptomyces sp. LHR 9 showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and negative pathogenic bacteria. It may consider as a potential source of drug production. Further study needs to purification and characterization of antibiotic and analyzes the mechanism for the antimicrobial activity of this bioactive compound

OPTIMIZATION OF MEDIUM COMPOSITION FOR ANTIBACTERIAL METABOLITE PRODUCTION FROM STREPTOMYCES SP.

  Objectives: This paper aimed to optimize some essential nutritional components (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate) of fermentation medium necessary for the production of antibacterial metabolites from Streptomyces sp.Materials and Methods: Streptomyces sp. LH9 previously isolated from desert soil in Karbala Province, Iraq. This strain produced antibiotic against 4 pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalagtiae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For optimizing, the essential nutritional requirements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate in fermentation media different concentrations of these sources were used to improve the antibacterial metabolite production.Results: All the studied nutritional parameters were had impacts on the antibacterial metabolite production from Streptomyces sp. LH9. The actinobacterial strain produced a highest antibiotic metabolites when was grown in the fermentation medium supplemented with 2% dextrose (as a sole carbon source), 0.05% peptone (as a sole nitrogen source), and 0.05% K2HPO4 at pH 7 and incubated under optimal conditions; at 30°C with 250 rpm (revolutions/min) agitation for 7 days.Conclusion: Streptomyces sp. LH9 was a good producer for antibacterial against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which required simple nutritional supplements in the fermentation medium. Furthermore, could be utilized the industrial waste for improving the production in the most economic manner

Minimum Instream Environmental Flow in Shatt Al-Hillah River

To maintain river flows necessary to meet social and ecological objectives, instream environmental flows are frequently used as a strategy. The capability of three alternative historical flow approaches to protect against low flows is shown in this study using gage stations in the Shatt Al-Hillah River in Iraq. The extension of the Shatt al-Hillah River is the focus of this research discussion on environmental flow assessment. The available data on discharge in this research were adopted for ten years from 2012-2021. Different flow methods were adopted to establish a minimum environmental flow in the Shatt Al-Hillah River. Three hydrological-based approaches: Tennant, modified Tennant, and low-flow metrics like 7Q10, were used to compare the results of the methods with the provision of a minimal environmental flow. The Tennant method relies on 30 % of the annual discharge rate as the minimum environmental instream flow. The modified Tennant method is based on 30% of the monthly average discharge rate as a minimum environmental instream flow. The 7Q10 method is based on the lowest daily discharge rate in 7 consecutive days for ten years. The results showed that the minimum instream environmental flow given by the Tennant method is 42.26 m3/s while the lowest value of the minimum instream environmental flow obtained from modified Tennant was 37.2 m3/s in January, and the largest value was 47.22 m3/s in August. The one obtained by the 7Q10 method was 50 m3/s in this research

Smartphone’s off grid communication network by using Arduino microcontroller and microstrip antenna

After a major disaster, the present communication system fails in providing the services in the affected area. No means of communication proves to be more dangerous as the rescue and relief operations become more difficult. Our current research is about establishing a network in such a disaster-prone area, which would facilitate to communicate and carry out the rescue missions. This research project used Java to create a fire-chat application and used it with the smartphone android system. It used Bluetooth model HC-05 linked with Arduino UNO by the SPI interface to connect Arduino with the smartphone. The FR-model HCW69 connected with Arduino by using UART to transceiver the message. The microstrip antenna 915 MHz connected with the FR-model HCW69 to give us more distance. The maximum effective range of the transceiver was 1 kilometer, to communicate by forming a mesh network. This application is helpful in the case when the smartphone is out of service; it (smartphone) can be communicated connected to the other nearby users with a message

Nipple sparing versus skin sparing mastectomy: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction Breast cancer has a lifetime incidence of one in eight women. Over the past three decades there has been a move towards breast conservation and a focus on aesthetic outcomes while maintaining oncological safety. For some patients, mastectomy is the preferred option. There is growing interest in the potential use of nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM). However, oncological safety remains unproven, and the benefits and indications have not been clearly identified. The objective of this systematic review will be to determine the safety and efficacy of NSM as compared with skin sparing mastectomy (SSM).Methods and analysis All original comparative studies including; randomised controlled trials, cohort studies and case-control studies involving women undergoing either NSM or SSM for breast cancer will be included. Outcomes are primary-relating to oncological outcomes and secondary-relating to clinical, aesthetic, patient reported and quality of life outcomes. A comprehensive electronic literature search, designed by a search specialist, will be undertaken. Grey literature searches will also be conducted. Eligibility assessment will occur in two stages; title and abstract screening and then full text assessment. Each step will be conducted by two trained teams acting independently. Data will then be extracted and stored in a database with standardised extraction fields to facilitate easy and consistent data entry. Data analysis will be undertaken to explore the relationship between NSM or SSM and preselected outcomes, heterogeneity will be assessed using the Cochrane tests.Ethics and dissemination This systematic review requires no ethical approval. It will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. It will also be presented at national and international conferences. Updates of the review will be conducted to inform and guide healthcare practice and policy

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF AL-HILLAH RIVER POLLUTION AT BABIL GOVERNORATE (IRAQ)

In this study, the environmental characteristics of Al-Hillah River were studied using geoinformatics applications, which is one of the geospatial techniques (GST). Applying this methodology, a geographic information system was developed, and it was supplied with laboratory data for the physical and chemical properties of 16 parameters for 2021. These data were linked to their spatial locations, using radar imagery of the Digital Elevation Model (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission), and Landsat ETM+7 satellite image. The results indicated that Al-Hillah River was affected by the liquid discharges of factories, cities, and farms spread on its sides, especially in the cities of Sadat Al-Hindiya, Al-Hillah, and Al-Hashimiyah. The seasonal changes in the climate affected some characteristics, including water temperature, pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and total hardness. The study showed that the concentration of sulfate (SO4) has risen above the permissible limits for the waters of Iraqi rivers. There are relatively high hardness and alkalinity values, but they were within the permissible limits. The study also showed that most of the results of environmental parameters that were used in the laboratory, were within the permissible limits of Iraqi water, except for sulfates. The justification for conducting this study is to help government agencies and decision-makers to adopt a correct vision for development projects that serve Babil Governorate. Also, it is the first time that the environmental characteristics of Al-Hillah River are studied using geoinformatics applications

Linear, Deterministic, and Order-Invariant Initialization Methods for the K-Means Clustering Algorithm

Over the past five decades, k-means has become the clustering algorithm of choice in many application domains primarily due to its simplicity, time/space efficiency, and invariance to the ordering of the data points. Unfortunately, the algorithm's sensitivity to the initial selection of the cluster centers remains to be its most serious drawback. Numerous initialization methods have been proposed to address this drawback. Many of these methods, however, have time complexity superlinear in the number of data points, which makes them impractical for large data sets. On the other hand, linear methods are often random and/or sensitive to the ordering of the data points. These methods are generally unreliable in that the quality of their results is unpredictable. Therefore, it is common practice to perform multiple runs of such methods and take the output of the run that produces the best results. Such a practice, however, greatly increases the computational requirements of the otherwise highly efficient k-means algorithm. In this chapter, we investigate the empirical performance of six linear, deterministic (non-random), and order-invariant k-means initialization methods on a large and diverse collection of data sets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. The results demonstrate that two relatively unknown hierarchical initialization methods due to Su and Dy outperform the remaining four methods with respect to two objective effectiveness criteria. In addition, a recent method due to Erisoglu et al. performs surprisingly poorly.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures, 5 tables, Partitional Clustering Algorithms (Springer, 2014). arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1304.7465, arXiv:1209.196