Rafidain journal of science

The PCR-based technique of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to fingerprint and assess the genetic relatedness among nine species of the fungus Alternaria isolated from various crop plants showing the leaf spot disease in Mosul, Iraq. Genomic DNA of each species was extracted at a final concentration of 300 - 400 µg / 2-3 g of wet mycelium , and at a purity of 1.6-1.8. Each DNA sample was amplified with each of 22 primers and the products were resolved electrophoretically on 1.2% agarose gel, stained with ethidium bromide and photographed under UV. One Primer failed to support amplification but the remaining 21 (95.5%) primers produced a total of 112 bands (2-10 per primer) across the nine species. Of these bands, 100 (1-10 per primer ) were polymorphic. The least efficient primer was OP-H01 (1.79%), while the most efficient one weas OP-M05 (8.93 %). Primers OP-C05, OP-E20 and OP-T20 had the lowest (0.1%) discriminatory power while primer OP-M05 had the highest (10 %) power and identified all 9 species through unique patterns of banding. RAPD analysis fingerprinted eight of the nine isolates through marker bands with one or more of the 21 primers. Cluster analysis based on the genetic distances split the nine species into three distinct clusters with no obvious association between the pattern of clustering of the species and their host specificities

ABSTRACT
The present work aimed to examine the efficacy of Peganum harmala Linn. alkaloids as potential antilieshmanial agents in vitro, and to determine their toxicity in mice.
The study included extraction and isolation of Peganum harmala crude alkaloids from seeds. The isolated fraction that contains alkaloids was detected, using Myer`s and modified Dragendorff`s reagents. Then, the crude alkaloids were tested for their antileishmanial activity against Leishmania tropica promastigotes in vitro including their effects on parasite growth and metabolism.
It was found that the studied alkaloids inhibited growth of the parasite remarkably. The inhibitory concentration of 50% of the promastigotes (IC50) at the log phase (96) hrs was 50 µg of the alkaloids/ ml of culture.
Furthermore, the extracted alkaloidal fraction from Peganum harmala seeds, resulted in decline of RNA, DNA, and protein content of the parasite and reduced specific activity of dihydrofolate reductase and thymidine phosphorelase enzymes. It also had obvious inhibitory effects on energy metabolism of the parasite.
Oral median lethal dose (oral LD50) of the extracted alkaloids was 1070 mg / kg body weight in Balb/c mice, using the up-and-down method.
It can be concluded that Peganum harmala alkaloids show promising antilieshmaneal activity and may have potential role in the search for novel antilieshmaneal drugs, as they affect metabolism of proteins, nucleic acids and energy of the parasite (in vitro) with a slight toxicity in mice (in vivo).

In this study, the analysis of 48 qualitative macroinvertebrate samples were taken from four sites in the lower reach of Greater Zab river near Guwer subdistrict- Erbil from May 2008- April 2009. Sixteen taxa belong to Ephemeroptera, Diptera, Plecoptera, Hemiptera, in addition to one taxa belong to class Arachnides were identified. Site 1 is characterized by more identified taxa (12 taxa) than the other sites. Most abundant taxa were Tanypus spp. during studied period which followed by Hydrachna spp., with highest F index percentage reached to 75% and 58.3% respectively. According to Sorenson index, sites 2 and 3 were the most similar sites with values reached to 75%.

Investigations were carried out on the gill tissues of common carp Cyprinus carpio L. exposed to high levels 31oC, and low levels 18oC of temperature for a total period of successive of 10 days. The histological study of the gill sections of this fish species showed marked histological lesions, include hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the respiratory epithelium, bloody congestion with hemorrhage and abundance of mucous substance, this at high temperature, while at low temperature also showed hyperplasia, shrinkage of blood vessels, fusion of secondary lamellae, cellular atrophy, damage and lamellar disorganization. Lesions were comparatively most severity at low temperature.

A simple spectrophotometric method for the trace determination of barbituric acid (BA) has been established. The method is based on the coupling reaction of barbituric acid with diazotized nitroaniline in basic medium to form an intense yellow-water soluble and stable mono azodyes which shows maximum absorption at 418, 380, and 370 nm with diazotized o-, m- and p-nitroanilines, (DONA, DMNA, and DPNA), respectively. A plot of absorbance versus BA concentration was linear to a certain limit, indicating that Beer's law was adhered to over the range 5-300 g of BA/25 ml final volume (i.e., 0.2-12 ppm) with a molar absorptivity of 1.998×104, 2.328×104, and 2.184×104 l mol–1 cm–1 for DONA, DMNA, and DPNA, respectively. Sandell sensitivity indexes were 0.0064, 0.0055, and 0.0059 µg cm–2, while the relative errors were -3.365 to 0.904%, -3.325 to 0.138%, and -2.053 to 2.679% for DONA, DMNA, and DPNA, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) were 0.489 to 3.330, 0.897 to 2.209 and 0.059 to 3.689 for DONA, DMNA and DPNA, respectively. The optimum conditions for the color reaction, nature of dye, stability constant and the interference of variety of organic compounds had been investigated. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of barbituric acid in Tigris water river. The proposed method for the determination of barbituric acid is simple, sensitive, very low cost, has a wide analytical range and without the need for heating or solvent extraction techniques.

The analysis of solar cell performance in terms of material and microscopic device parameters is the key to understanding device performance and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to study and analysis the (n+ p) homojunction silicon solar cell, and study for regions of solar cell which the base, depletion and emitter region after determent the parameters such a sample. And finding the quantum efficiency for this cell, and studying the effect of the recombination velocity of minority carriers and different diffusion lengths on the performance of the solar cell.

Bacterial isolates from burn and wound infections were obtained from Mosul city hospitals. These isolates were identified depending on the basis of their morphological, cultural characteristics and biochemical tests. The results showed that they belonged to klebsiella spp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes. Conjugation between these bacteria and the laboratory E.coli (JM83) strain were carried out. Two crosses succeeded. They were, JM83 strain acting as a recipient with each of S.aureus (donar) and P.aeruginosa (donar) with exconjugant frequency of 0.091× 10-8 and 0.017× 10-7 respectively. In addition, cross between cured E.coli isolate as recipient with the bacteria that fail to conjugate with JM83 strain were performed and only one cross succeeded which is between cured E.coli and Ent-aerogenes with conjugation frequency 0.014× 10-7. In all these crosses the plasmid DNA encoding resistance to some antibiotics and heavy metals were transferred from donar to recipient bacteria through conjugation. Conjugation process was induced by ultraviolet light in those trials that fail to occur. Plasmid DNA concentrations in transconjugant and recipient bacterial cells support the occurrence of conjugation.

Sixteen fungi were isolated from ten samples of stored corn grains , included Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp. and Rhizopus spp., Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. These fungi were found in high frequency whereas Cladosporium spp., Drechslera spp., Macrophomina spp., Mucor spp., Pythium spp., Rhizopus spp. and Stemphylium spp., were found in a lower proportions Among four identified species of the genus Aspergillus, ( A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. parasiticus) , the isolates of A. flavus produce AFB1 and AFB2 only , whereas those of A. parasiticus were non-aflatoxigenic .
The occurrence of aflatoxigenic isolates of A. flavus in the tested seed samples confirmed that these samples were contaminated with afltoxins. There was a relation between the level of aflatoxin in the grains and isolation percentage of A. flavus. The level of AF B1 ( 1.2-10 ng / gm ) was detected in seed samples ranged between 1.2 to 10 ng/g.

The present study was conducted on pistachio wilt, which recently spread in Iraq . Results of isolation and diagnosis showed that the pistachio wilt disease caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb. Identification was confirmed by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to diagnose the pathogen using a specific pair of primers (FVD and RVD). The PCR results showed that V.dahliae Kleb is the causative agent of pistachio wilt disease in Iraq. The PCR produced two fragments bands of 330 bp as was expected for these two specific primers.
The results of chemical control indicated that the fungicide Beltanol had a surprising effect in reducing disease severity to 0.26n compared to 0.64 in the untreated samples, in addition to its significant effect on studied characteristics.

Eight durum wheat entries obtained from ICARDA were sown in three seed rates (120,150 and 180 kg/ha) using split plot arrangement according to randomized complete block design with three replications in season 2004 , phenotypic and genetic variances were significant for all traits at the seeding rates. Stability parameters for entries indicated that the entry Azul-5 responds to an un appropriate environments for the number of spikes/m2 and the number of grains/spike , the entry 1346/Lahn/Bcr/Lks4 respond to an un appropriate environments for 1000- grains weight.

The experiment aims to study the effect of splashing Gebberellin by levels 0 , 5 , 10 ppm on green groups of safflower plants Carthamus ctorius L. which are growing in soil mixed with Zinc at levels 0 , 300 , 400 , 450 , 600 ppm the crop, seed's content of protein , carbohydrates and mineral synthesis of safflower.
The results appeared that the treatment of soil with zinc especially at concentration 300 ppm which led to increasing yield through increasing number of seeds / head and biological crops weight / plant , also the treatment led to moral increasing in content of safflower seeds of protein and carbohydrates incomparisin with other. In other hand the result appeared that splashing safflower by Gebberellin especially at concentration 10 ppm. led to increased the ione concentrations of calcium , magnesium , sodium , potassium for seeds , also there was inceasing of biological crop weight ; while high concentration 600 ppm led to decreasing number of heads and seeds / plant and in protein , carbohydrates and mineral synthesis. Splashing by increasing levels of Gebberellin on the green groups of growing plants under pollution conditions with Zinc , especially at 600 ppm led to improvement growth , crope chemical contents and protein production .
Because of deficiency studies about regulation mechanism between the effect of pollution by heavy minerals in inhibition and the effects of other compounds like Gebberellin in stimulation , so this study is interesting to evolution the effects of splashing by different levels of Gebberellin acid for green groups of safflower which are growing in pollutant soil by Zinc in growth, tolerance, crop, chemical structure , and the production of protein and carbohydrates.

The present study included estimation of the alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase activity in 60 samples of blood, amniotic fluid and placenta of pregnant women which entered labouring unit in Al-Batol teaching hospital in Ninavah Governorate whose ages between 17-40 years, the data were collected using special questionnaire form.
The results showed a significant increase in the activity of alkaline phosphotase and acid phosphotase in blood serum, amniotic fluid and placenta in both age groups 21-30 and 31-40 years, while there was significant change in age group 17-20 years, compared with control group. The results also showed a significant increase in the enzymes activity in blood serum, amniotic fluid and placenta of hypertensive and diabetic pregnant women compared with control group.

The study results showed that the best supporter media for callus induction from local purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) stems and leaves sterile explants , those MS media(Murashige and Skoog medium) supporting with hormone regulators BA(Benzyl adenine), NAA(Naphthalene Acetic Acid) in concentrations 1.0 , 2.0 , 4.0 , mg/L from each of them as well as MS medium containing BA : NAA in 2:1 mg/L respectively , and the callus was inculcation during 15-20 day . The result of separating alkaloids from callus of stems and leaves and shoots of plant showed in Infrared Spectrophotometer technique (IR) separating of Oleracein B and Oleracein D that degree in purity and the best of it appear in stems callus extract . when Thin Layer Chromatography Technique (TLC) was made for extracted alkaloids , Rate of Flow (Rf) values appeared very comparatively to these samples (0.77, 0.82, 0.80) to each of stems callus alkaloid, leaves callus alkaloid and plant alkaloid respectively , then retention time record for it , and main band recognized in plant alkaloid at 4.755 min , also 4.646 min and 4.657 min in stems callus alkaloid and leaves callus alkaloid respectively by using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique , that result prove of Oleraceins (B, D) occurrences in samples of purslane . The fatty acids which occur in purslane plant , calli of stems and leaves are detect by using Capillary Gas Chromategraph (CGC) technique , the plant extract showed 12 fatty acids in it , but in low concentration compared with that appear in leaves callus extract for most fatty acids especially omega – 3 fatty acid (C18: 3) , when the stems callus extract record the lower ratio of fatty acid occurrences that it was 3 fatty acids only (C16: 0 , C16: 1, C18: 1).

Four generations (F2 , F3 , Bs5 and Bs3) of two crosses in bread wheat , the first (S3- 69, S6 – 35) and the second (Germany X pandas), were used to study the components of variances , average degree of dominance , heritability and expected genetic advance form selction in the generations F2 , F3 , B1s and B2s for the quantitative traits : grain yield , number of per spikes , weight of 100 grains and number of grains per spike . The results of this study showed that the polygenes revealed over dominance for :
(1) number of spikes and weight of 100 grains in the two crosses . (2) grain yield and number of grains per spike in the first cross .
Broad and narrow sense heritabilities and expected genetic advance were high magnitude for some traits in the studied generations . Selection could used in the four generations to increase the frequency of desirable alleles for weight of 100 grains in the two crosses and recurrent selection could suggested to increase the frequency of desirable alleles for other traits .

The study was conducted in the north of Aleppo / Syria, and several sites for the development of key classification of the types of normal Culex spp, a total 2811 were collected by light traps with CO2, it were recorded five species which belong to genus Culex: Culex Culex pipiens, Culex Culex antennatus, Culex Culex laticinctus, Culex Culex perexiguus, Culex Culex thieleri.
It had excerpted Classification key to the species of Culex in the north of Aleppo- Syria based on taxonomic characters of the body morphology and male genitalia.

The study aimed to detected of the ability extract hot water and alcohol extract of plant Salvia officinalis to cause genetic effects on Eukaryotic cells, by indicating the ability of these extract to induce genetic mutation in the conidia of fungus Aspergillus amstelodami using three mutation methods, pretreatment method, growth mediated method and plate incorporation method, the study didn’t record any mutagenic effect at four sub lethal concentration 15, 20, 25, 30 mg/ml of hot water extract and 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 mg/ml of alcoholic extract and through the study of alcoholic extract at concentration of 0.9 mg/ml in calculating mitotic index of the division stages of onion root after 24-84 hours period of exposure, the study didn’t record any effect on the chromosomal group during division stages and the chromosomal shape and this assure the safety of using Salvia officinalis in the different life styles