Rafidain journal of science

The study included isolation and identification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var.
boulardii from fresh and dried fruits such as (fig, grape, apricot, lychees, mangosteen)
which were available in local markets in Erbil city. Fifty isolates of the yeast were obtained
depending on morphological, physiological and biochemical tests. The antibacterial activity
of the isolated yeasts against pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enteric sub spp.enterica
(Typhimurium) in vitro was determined by Well's Diffusion method. Most of the isolated
yeasts showed antibacterial activity against tested bacterium, the highest diameter of
inhibition zone was (16 mm) for isolates (S.b32). The ability to tolerate different
concentrations of bile salt and gastric acids were also studied. Ten strains of the isolated
yeast had the highest inhibitory activity and were used to study physiological properties
(bile salt concentration and gastric acidity) which were (S.b6, S.c1, S.b2, S.c36, S.b13,
S.b28, S.b32, S.b22, S.b48, and S.b5). The result showed that the isolate (S.b32) was more
resistant than other strains when exposed to bile salt and gastric acids.

Samples from four types of dried fruits (apricot, fig , grapes and plum) were collected
from local markets at Duhok governorate and surveyed for their contamination with
Aspergillus species. A total of 20 species of Aspergillus were isolated on DRBC medium.
A.awamori, A.carbonarius, A.flavus, A.fumigatus, A.japonicus, A.niger, A.ochraceus,
A.parasiticus and A. tubingensis were detected from all types of dried fruits. The most
frequent species was A.niger followed by A.flavus. Aflatoxigenic potentials of selected
strains from Aspergillus section Flavi were detected by ELISA technique. Aflatoxin
potential was detected in cultures from all isolates of A.flavus and A.parasiticus .Aflatoxin
was found at levels from 10-344 ppb for A.flavus isolates and from 71-355 ppb for
A.parasiticus.

The present study aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria
metabolites against Listeria monocytogenes which was isolated from some foods in local
markets of Erbil and Koya cities; 225 food samples were examined for the presence of
Listeria species particularly L. monocytogenes from October 2010 to March 2011. The
studied samples included 70 samples of raw chicken meat, 55 samples of raw milk, 50
samples of cheese and 50 samples of raw red meat. According to motility test, hemolysin
production, sugar fermentation test, 8 isolates of L. monocytogenes were identified, 1 (2 %)
isolate from cheese, 2 (4 %) isolates from red meat and 5 (7.3 %) isolates from chicken
meat. The percentages of contaminated foods for Listeria species from chicken meat, raw
milk, cheese and red meat were 20, 9, 20 and 22% respectively. With respect to the
biocontrolling attempt, the effect of cell free extract (CFE) of lactic acid bacteria (LBA)
which is considered as safe against isolated L. monocytogene was used as biocontrolling
agent. The CFE of lactic acid bacteria which isolated from local dairy products, was tested
for its controlling ability by agar diffusion method, the CFE showed inhibition zone from
(15-23 mm) in diameter. Also the minimum inhibitory concentration MIC of CFE was
determined at three additive percentages (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5ml to 10 ml of nutrient broth), the
inhibition percentage ranged from (28.75 - 48.97) at (0.5 %), (52.13-95.55) at (1 %) and
(82.93 -98.15) at (1.5 %) additive percentage of CFE of LAB.

This research was concerned with the measurement of latent matrix metalloproteinase-1
(MMP-1) activity in serum and synovial fluid (SF) of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and
evaluation the effect of some factors like gender, age, geographical place and smoking on
the enzyme activity.
The study included (158) patients (132 female, 26 male) aged from (19-83) year,
attending the rheumatology clinic at Ibn Sina teaching hospital in Nineveh Governorate.
Sixty healthy volunteers of matched age and gender were utilized as control.
The results showed that the activity of enzyme was significantly different between the SF
and the serum of patients with RA (586.85 ± 40.89 ng/ml, vs. 249.45 ± 61.11 ng/ml; P<
0001) respectively, and between serum of RA patients and serum of control (249.45 ± 61.11
ng/ml, vs. 125.46± 54.88; P< 001) respectively.
The results indicated that the number of rheumatoid arthritis females were more than
males by (5) times and it is most common after the age between 40th and 50th years.
Moreover, the results showed that the number of patients who live in urban places is higher
than that in rural places.
The study, also, showed that the enzyme activity was significantly increased among
smoker patients.
Finally the results showed that there was no significant effect of age, gender and
geographic place on the enzyme activity.

A simple, rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method is proposed for the
determination of niclosamide (NIC) in pure form and in its pharmaceutical preparations.
The method is based on the reduction of niclosamide by zinc powder in acidic medium
followed by the diazotization of reduced niclosamide, then coupling with 2,6-
dihydroxybenzoic acid to give a yellow colored product which is water – soluble and has a
maximum absorption at 456 nm with a molar absorptivity of 2.36×104 l.mol-1. cm-1. The
color reaction is highly stable and does not show a significant change in absorbance up to 24
hours. Beersُُ law is obeyed in the concentration range of 5–300 μg of niclosamide in a final
volume of 10 ml. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of
niclosamide in tablets.

new coordination complexes and adducts of the general formulas [M(hpipdtc)2] and
[M(hpipdtc)2Ln] where M= Mn(II), Fe(II), Co (II), (hpipdtc)=4-
hydroxypiperidinedithiocarbamate, n=1 L= 1, 10phen, en, n=2 L=4-picoline, 3,5-luitidine,
triphenylphosphine have been prepared and characterized by metal analyses, infrared, molar
conductance measurements, electronic absorption spectra, and susceptibility measurements.
Magnetic moments and electronic spectra, suggested tetrahedral geometry for complexes of
the type [M(hpipdtc)2] and an octahedral geometry for their base adducts.

A series of new Schiff bases, namely 4-(substituted benzylidene amino)-4H-1,2,4-
triazoles (5a-j) derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of symmetrical substituted 4-
amino-1,2,4-triazole (4) and appropriate substituted aromatic aldehydes in presence of
acetic acid. The synthesized imines were characterized on the bases of their physical
properties and spectroscopic data. Some of these compounds were tested for biological
activities as antibacterial and antifungal agents and showed a significance to moderate
activity.

A sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method for the determination of lead (II)
in aqueous solution using zincon reagent has been developed. The pinkish red coloured
complex was formed at pH 9.5 which shows maximum absorption at 543 nm. Beer's law is
obeyed in the range 0.04 –1.2 ppm with a molar absorbtivity of 9.84 x 104 l.mol -1cm-1. The
established stoichiometry is l:l ligand: metal. The method seems to be selective through the
study of cationic and anionic interferences, easy, rapid, accurate, reproducible, and the
complex is stable for 24 hours. The optimum conditions and the applications of the method
have been studied for the assay of lead in different water samples.

The study included an attempt to isolate and purify obestatin from healthy human
plasma using different biochemical techniques. Two proteinous peaks had been isolated by
gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-50) from the precipitate produced by
precipitation using cold acetone. It was found that the second peak (peak B) only had an
obestatin. Two proteinous components had also been isolated by the same technique using
Sephadex G-25 from the peak B. It was found that the second peak (peak D) had a high
concentration of obestatin .
Furthermore, the purity of the isolated obestatin (peak D) had been identified by the
reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and by SDS-polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis technique. The results obtained from the RP-HPLC showed that there was a
good identity in retention time between the standard and the isolated obestatin (peak D).
The approximate molecular weight of partially purified obestatin was (2573 ± 100 Da)
and (2660 Da) using gel filtration chromatography by Sephadex G-25 and ( SDS-PAGE)
technique respectively.
The effect of the isolated obestatin (peak D) on some biochemical parameters in
normal and alloxan induced diabetic male rats had been studied. After one week of
treatment, the results showed that the obestatin at the dose (1 μmol / kg of body weight / d)
caused a significant decrease in the levels of glucose, total lipids, total cholesterol,
triglycerides, LDL-C, VLDL-C and MDA, in a addition to a significant increase in the
levels of HDL-C in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats and GSH in alloxan induced
diabetic rats.
It was concluded that the isolated obestatin from plasma had a an important role in
metabolism of glucose and lipid profile in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats.

In this papers the novel photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) which consist of air holes surrounded by other substances with triangular lattice arrangement have been assumed. A Full-vector plane wave expansion method (FV-PWEM) has been implemented to calculate the dispersion properties of PCF which possess circular air holes with hole radius R=0.25 mm, lattice constant Λ=1mm, and air filling fraction f=0.23. Then the effect of up-doping has been studied using two different germanium dioxide percentages. As a result, a tuning of the total dispersion curve has been obtained.

This work deals with the implication of the concept of the energy density ρ at three
different eras (radiation, matter and dark energy dominated eras) through the evolution of
the universe. The solution of the Einstein's equations (Friedmann – Robertson – Walker
equations, FRW), yields two explicit forms of the scale factor R(t): one is the power-law
solution for both radiation and matter dominated eras and other is the exponential solution
for the dark energy dominated era.
In the present work an equation for the three parameters has been derived, Hubble (H),
redshift (z) and deceleration (q), in three different eras, with a thorough discussion.

In this paper a new semi empirical equation describing the track diameters of α
particles in CR-39 is presented. The equation involves three free fitting parameters. It is
shown that this equation can reproduce tracks diameter formed on the CR-39 by alpha
particles at 3.1MeV, different etching times and temperature (70, 75, 80, 85) oC . Parameters
values obtained from the experimental data were used to predict etched track diameters at
different temperatures (T=70-85)oC and etching times (t=0-6)h. The suggested empirical
equation is self consistent as far as reproducing all features of track diameter development
as a function of etching time and temperature.

Some water quality indicators of the Tigris within Mosul city were studied. Five sites
starting from Mushairfa to Albosaif were covered. Sampling sites were selected at points
faraway from riverbanks and at running stream.
Some physical, chemical and biological parameters were measured to detect the
influence of untreated outfall discharges upon river water quality and on aquatic life
particularly fishes.
The study particularly focused on organic load in term of BOD5, Dissolved Oxygen as
well as on nutrients. Comparing the obtained results with authorized guidelines of pollution
indicators showed that the Tigris River water is clean, and possesses high percent of
saturation with Oxygen. The levels of nutrients were with in recommended values.
Throughout the period of study, EC, pH, temperature values showed some relative low
variations. Turbidity showed distinctive rise in spring due to rainfall run off. All tests
evidently showed that Tigris river water is good and the pollutants vanish with dispersion
and dilution of upstream dam discharges. Flow velocity and self-purification may contribute
to support water life particularly fishes.

In vitro studies were carried out on the effect of 2 bacterial biopesticide preparations,
Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis on the growth of fungi Fusarium solani,
Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina, causing root rot of okra plants, results
revealed a significant effect on reducing the growth of colony diameter and % inhibition
with the highest effect noticed with P. fluorescens on the fungus M. phaseolina by 58.43%.
The results of greenhouse experiments indicated that both bacterial preparations reduced the
percentage of pre and post emergence damping off significantly especially when okra seeds
were treated with P. fluorescens and planted in soil contaminated by F. solani (17.79%).
Both biopesticides showed a significant increase in the length of shoot and root of okra
plants as compared to the untreated seeds planted in contaminated soil. Also an increase in
the dry weight of the plants with highest increase was noticed for F. solani reached 0.016
gm with the bacteria P. fluorescens. All seeds treated with P. fluorescens and B. subtilis
preparations caused a significant increase in the peroxidase activity as compared to control
with the highest increase noticed when seeds were treated with P. fluorescens and planted in
M. phaseolina contaminated soil.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of ITS region was used to identify the fungus
isolated from plastic garbage which can produce laccase enzyme. DNA bands were purified
from agarose gel and then sequenced and after entering these nucleotides to the data base it
was found that the DNA band belongs to the genus Myceliopthora verrucosa in 100%matching. This method is a very sensitive method for the identification of species and
strains of fungi as well as its simplicity in comparing between fungi species.

تناول البحث دراسة الصفات الفيزيائية والكيميائية لمياه عين صوباشي في منطقة تلعفر لتقييم مدى
صلاحية المياه للاستخدامات المختلفة بسبب افتقار المنطقة الى مياه سطحية دائمية وانخفاض منسوب المياه
لنباتات القصب (Zn,Cu,Pb,Cd) الجوفية بسبب مواسم الجفاف المتتالية، وتقدير بعض العناصر الثقيلة
Sorghum halepense L. ونبات الحليان Imperata cylindrical ونبات الحلفا Phragmites australis L.
اوضحت نتائج الدراسة ما يأتي:
(2682- -1 ان مياه عين صوباشي عسرة جدا لارتفاع تراكيز الكالسيوم والمغنسيوم وكانت ( 2144
8)، كما بينت التحاليل ان المياه غير صالحة للشرب حسب ) pH 560-161 ) على التوالي، وقاعدية التفاعل )
المواصفات العالمية ويمكن استخدامها لأغراض الزراعة.
-2 أظهرت نتائج الدراسة للعناصر الثقيلة في المياه ان اعلى قيم لهذه العناصر كانت في الموقع 3 لشهر
على التوالي، نتيجة تصريف مياه (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn) 0.9 ) للعناصر , 18, 22, كانون الثاني اذ بلغت ( 72
المجاري المدنية الى مياه عين صوباشي عند هذه النقطة.
-3 كما تبين من نتائج الدراسة ان التراكم الحيوي للعناصر الثقيلة في جذور نبات القصب اعلى من جذور
نبات الحلفا ونبات الحليان وعن باقي انسجة النباتات (الساق والاوراق والازهار) وكانت ترتيب تجميع هذه
ويمكن أن نستنتج ان هذه النباتات نجحت ،(Cd باستخدامه كمعالجة نباتية لهذه العناصر من ماء عين صوباشي.

CK45 steel has been hardened using magnetized water as a hardening media. The
water has been exposed to a magnetic field of 1000 Gauss and 2000 Gauss respectively for
periods of 1 to 5 hours, with flow rate 4 gal/min. The method ordinary hardening has been
used in this research.
It was found that the hardness increased directly with increasing the magnetic field and
the exposure time and it reaches its maximum value at magnetic field intensity of 2000G
and exposure time of 5 h. as maximum limits in this research.

The research included a determination of polyamine oxidase (PAO) activity in normal
females and diabetic type I patients. It was found that the activities of PAO in red blood
cells (RBC) and plasma in patients were significantly higher than that of normal (p<0.05).
The partial purification of PAO from RBC of diabetic and normal females were
included in this study. This was achieved by using different biochemical techniques. Three
proteinous peaks with PAO activities in RBC (I, II, III) from each of normal, diabetic with
specific activities (U\\mg protein) (0.194,0.183 and 0.098), (0.349, 0.237 and 0.176) were
isolated from ion exchange chromatography. Molecular weights (72588, 74512 and 69339),
(141458, 100671 and 104018) Da respectively.
This study didn\'t show the existence of Cu2+ ion as a cofactor for any PAO isoenzyme,
but indicated the existence of flavin adenine dinucleotide(FAD) as a cofactor for all PAO
isoenzymes.
On the other hand, the research included a preparation of thiourea derivatives of
structure analogous to sulfonylurea drugs and containing thiosemicarbazide.
Thiosemicarbazide showed an inhibitory effect on partially purified PAO activity. The
prepared thiourea derivatives of thiosemicarbazide showed a competitive inhibition of PAO
activity.