Anti-bacterial potential of (Acacia nilotica, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Punica granatum and Commiphora myrrha) crude extracts against diverse drug sensitive and resistant bacterial species

The alarming increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics caused some authors to state that we are approaching a post-antibiotic era and medical catastrophe, the study aimed to assess the antimicrobial effects of selected plant extracts against several sensitive and resistant bacterial isolates. Experimental cross-sectional study was conducted, 70% ethanol crude Acaccia nilotica, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Punica granatum and Commiphora myrrha extract was prepared and several commercial antimicrobials agent tested, the antibacterial activity was investigated using the disc diffusion method. The inhibition zones' diameters (mm) were calculated and interpreted by Zone Diameter Interpretative Standards. Data were analyzed by using (SPSS) software version 22. About 200% of A. nilotica and T. foenum-graecum showed bactericidal effects against Enterococcus faecalis, means ±SD (12.3 ± 2.8 and 12.5 ± 2.1). The activity of 200% C. myrrha extract was highest against all diverse bacterial. Despite a relatively high inhibition zone among all plant ethanol extracts, the findings demonstrate that there is no statistical significance in the inhibitory activity impact of varying concentrations of 70% ethanol extracts of all plants extract against bacterial isolates (P. value ? 0.05). The outcomes of the ethanol extracts of the used plant under study demonstrated that the herbal extract can be a superior antimicrobial potential than the result of the commercial broad spectrum antimicrobial agent utilized. C. myrrha extract was potent antimicrobial activity against all diverse bacterial species

p53 null Fluorescent Yellow Direct Repeat (FYDR) mice have normal levels of homologous recombination

The tumor suppressor p53 is a transcription factor whose function is critical for maintaining genomic stability in mammalian cells. In response to DNA damage, p53 initiates a signaling cascade that results in cell cycle arrest, DNA repair or, if the damage is severe, programmed cell death. In addition, p53 interacts with repair proteins involved in homologous recombination. Mitotic homologous recombination (HR) plays an essential role in the repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and broken replication forks. Loss of function of either p53 or HR leads to an increased risk of cancer. Given the importance of both p53 and HR in maintaining genomic integrity, we analyzed the effect of p53 on HR in vivo using Fluorescent Yellow Direct Repeat (FYDR) mice as well as with the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assay. FYDR mice carry a direct repeat substrate in which an HR event can yield a fluorescent phenotype. Here, we show that p53 status does not significantly affect spontaneous HR in adult pancreatic cells in vivo or in primary fibroblasts in vitro when assessed using the FYDR substrate and SCEs. In addition, primary fibroblasts from p53 null mice do not show increased susceptibility to DNA damage-induced HR when challenged with mitomycin C. Taken together, the FYDR assay and SCE analysis indicate that, for some tissues and cell types, p53 status does not greatly impact HR.National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES02109)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (R33CA112151)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (R01CA79827)United States. Dept. of Energy (DE-FG01-04ER04-21)National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (T32 ES007020, NIEHS Training Grant in Environmental Toxicology)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Fellowship

Groundwater assessment at east side of Mosul City during 2014–2017

This study assesses groundwater quality GWQ at the east side of Mosul city for different purposes during 2014–2017. Eighteen shallow wells distributed in residential areas are selected and assessed by analyzing their physical, chemical and biological properties. This study reviews the textures of sub-layers by using groundwater modelling system (GMS) to show the probability of infiltration of nearby wastewater and gray water. This study analyzes epidemiological data about diarrhea cases that were increased during that period and calculating the relative, attributed and odd risk. There are three types of assessment are conducted including ranking assessment, weighted assessment and geographical information systems (GIS) assessment. A final map is created to show the most suitable area for live stock and irrigation purposes. The results show that the studied groundwater samples are unsuitable for drinking. High damage can happen for crops with sensitivity for salinity. Most wells are acceptable for live stock purpose

Enhanced immunoprecipitation techniques for the identification of RNA-binding protein partners: IGF2BP1 interactions in mammary epithelial cells

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) regulate the expression of large cohorts of RNA species to produce programmatic changes in cellular phenotypes. To describe the function of RBPs within a cell, it is key to identify their mRNA-binding partners. This is often done by crosslinking nucleic acids to RBPs, followed by chemical release of the nucleic acid fragments for analysis. However, this methodology is lengthy, which involves complex processing with attendant sample losses, thus large amounts of starting materials and prone to artifacts. To evaluate potential alternative technologies, we tested exclusion-based purification of immunoprecipitates (IFAST or SLIDE) and report here that these methods can efficiently, rapidly, and specifically isolate RBP-RNA complexes. The analysis requires less than 1% of the starting material required for techniques that include crosslinking. Depending on the antibody used, 50% to 100% starting protein can be retrieved, facilitating the assay of endogenous levels of RBPs; the isolated ribonucleoproteins are subsequently analyzed using standard techniques, to provide a comprehensive portrait of RBP complexes. Using exclusion-based techniques, we show that the mRNA-binding partners for RBP IGF2BP1 in cultured mammary epithelial cells are enriched in mRNAs important for detoxifying superoxides (specifically glutathione peroxidase [GPX]-1 and GPX-2) and mRNAs encoding mitochondrial proteins. We show that these interactions are functionally significant, as loss of function of IGF2BP1 leads to destabilization of GPX mRNAs and reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and oxygen consumption. We speculate that this underlies a consistent requirement for IGF2BP1 for the expression of clonogenic activity in vitro

Redefining (interior)scapes: integrating the natural and built environment

Master of Landscape ArchitectureDepartment of Landscape Architecture, Regional and Community PlanningMary Catherine (Katie) Kingery-PageIn the temperate Midwest, interiorscapes are seldom a feature of public schools. The interior spaces of school environments tend to be dull, uninspiring, and do very little to nurture the wellbeing and needs of students. Interiorscapes can greatly influence the overall productivity of users by creating healthy, pleasant environments. Schools fail to create richer indoor environments for a number of reasons, such as lack of resources as well as knowledge about the design, implementation and benefits of interiorscapes. In addition students today “are not the outdoor-living [children] they were 100 years ago, and as much as 90% of [their] time may be spent indoors” (Manaker, 2). Healthy and stimulating school environments have the potential to enhance students’ productivity and creativity. Therefore the question at hand is: how can a Manhattan Kansas’ high school integrate the natural and built environment to create richer interior spaces? In this Master’s report, I explore the potential benefits of designing an interiorscape that integrates the natural and built environments within a school setting. Using Manhattan High School West Campus as the project site, I analyzed the effect and design of existing interiors on students through passive observation. Numerous research precedents identified valuable information on design processes and methodologies for designing interiorscapes and evaluating user interaction with existing places. Following a thorough analysis of the typology and characteristics of each precedent, I considered unique facets that were directly applicable to my project site. I then went to test the aspects selected from these precedents by incorporating them into the design for the selected project site; north courtyard and adjacent interior dining space. Based upon the precedent research and literature review, design goals and objectives evolved. The end product is a schematic design for Manhattan’s High School cafeteria area and north courtyard. The plan encompasses desired characteristics of an interiorscape and needs of its potential users. Ultimately, this proposal presents ideas for ways of implementing interiorscapes to enhance the overall productivity of users, while simultaneously strengthening the relationship between the natural and built environments

Research and Development as a Moderating Variable for Sustainable Economic Performance: The Asian, European, and Kuwaiti Models

The research and development (R&D) expenditure in Kuwait is insufficient to lead to innovation and a knowledge economy. Investment in R&D has been shown to sustain elevated economic performance. The objective of this study is to explore the association between three competing dimensions of R&D indicators that lead to sustainable economic performance within any given country, namely, R&D expenditure, the number of researchers, and the number of patent rights, using time-series data collected over a 20-year period (1996–2016) by the World Bank Group. R&D indicators were compared between high- and middle-income countries including models from Asian (South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia) and European (Finland and Ireland) countries as well as the State of Kuwait. Moreover, a case study describing R&D investments in Kuwait is presented. Overall, the results reveal higher R&D spending, number of researchers, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita for the Asian and European models. Current R&D expenditure in Kuwait is estimated at 0.08% of GDP (2016), which is significantly lower than the mean of the middle-income countries (1.58%). Furthermore, the number of researchers (per million) in Kuwait (386) is less than half of the mean number of researchers in middle-income countries (775) (2015). Low R&D investments in the State of Kuwait has gradually led to a decreased GDP per capita. Regression analysis shows that GDP per capita can be predicted solely based on the number of researchers (beta = 0.780, R2 = 0.608). The number of researchers is the most crucial variable to predict GDP per capita, and the R&D expenditure is a good indicator of the number of researchers. These findings offer invaluable insight into the sustainable development goals (SDG 9). To our knowledge, this paper presents the first application of the effect of R&D on sustainable economic performance with reference to the SDG target 9.5 “Research & Development”. Thus, in order to enhance scientific research (both academic, professional, and industrial), countries need to increase the number of researchers, and these actions are necessary to introduce sustainable growth to GDP

Landscapes of Learning | Annotated Bibliography

Seven master's degree candidates in the K-State Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning participated in a collaborative studio process leading to completion of their individual master’s reports. These graduates chose to work under the topic Landscapes of Learning . The interests of the group were broad: biophilia, access to nature for children, childhood development and special needs, ecological interpretation, participatory design, public play spaces, and landform as art. The common conversation centered around big questions: How can all children have access to nature for learning through play? What creates a rich, outdoor environment for all kinds of children and young adults? The students' annotated bibliography begins with a literature map grouping references by sub-topic and showing interrelationship between texts. The diagram is followed by a complete list of references, then the annotated entries, arranged by sub-topic. This bibliography is not intended to be exhaustive; its strength lies in connecting literature on environments for children to related themes in child development, landscape architecture and planning