Rafidain Journal of Science

Fifty clinical samples ( 20 Urinary Tract Infections, 20 wounds and 10 septicemia) were collected from Al-Salam general hospital in Mosul/ Iraq, and examined for Serratia spp. Diagnosis was done by conventional biochemical tests and confirmed by the API20E system (BioMeurix). Seven S. odorifera1 and three S. marcescens were identified. All ten strains were resistant to Ampicillin, Cefalexin, Chloramphenicol, Gentamycin and Tertracycline. Plasmid DNA was purified from five Serratia isolates and used to transform the Ampicillin - sensitive E. coli JM83 to Ampicillin resistant. Transformants were obtained at a frequency of (0.2-0.5)x10-4. Three S. marcescens and two S. odorifera1 were used to donate the antibiotic resistance to E. coli JM83 and E. coli JMP294. The frequency of conjugants ranged between (7-30)x 10-6. This indicates that resistance can transfer from pathogenic to non-pathogenic strains. This could constitute a serious heath problem to the public health.

The present investigation includes study and determination of some vitamins (C, A and E), trace elements [iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg) and selenium (Se)] and electrolytes [sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and chloride Cl-)] in serum of benign and malignant brain tumor patients compared with control group.
Blood samples (93) from brain tumors patients, and (65) blood samples from healthy subjects as control group are collected for the present study.
The results obtained show a significant decrease in the concentration of vitamins (C, A and E) and in the trace elements (Zn, Se). On the other hand a significant increase in the concentration of (Fe, Cu, Na+ and Cl-) were observed in the serum of benign and malignant brain tumor patients compared with the control group.

A study on presence of antibodies to T. vaginalis in serum was done on a group of (67) infected women with T. vaginalis, and (75) pregnant asymptomatic women, (89) non-pregnant asymptomatic women.
A serologic test, done by Ouchterlony revealed that (22.6%) sera of pregnant asymptomatic women and (16.8%) sera of non- pregnant asymptomatic women were positive for somatic killed T. vaginalis antigens while (59.7%) sera of infected women were positive for somatic killed T. vaginalis antigens, but (7.4%) of these sera were positive for the soluble antigen of T. vaginalis antigens.
It was concluded that soluble trichomonal antigens present in association with living flagellates reacting with some sera, while those present in association with dead parasites are common antigens reacting with all the sera, also the study proved the infection with T. vaginalis occurs in subclinical or asymptomatic cases. The findings presented in this work offer a new tool for epidemiologic studies and open new perspectives for vaccinations.

In the present study, antibacterial properties of four different extracts from Linum usitatissimum L. seeds were screened against four types of Gram-positive and negative bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using agar-well diffusion method and comparing their antibacterial activities with the antibiotics Ampicillin, Cefalexin, Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline. Petroleum ether extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects against all tested bacteria using all extract concentrations compared with used antibiotics except chloramphenicol, the clearest activity was seen against K. pneumoniae using the extract concentration 50mg/cm3. Ethanol extract possessed considerable antibacterial activities against the pathogenic bacteria, the highest inhibitory effect was observed against B. cereus using the extract concentration 200mg/cm3, followed by aqueous extract which revealed good inhibitory action against Ps. aeruginosa using the same concentration. The weakest extract used was the chloroform extract which was only active against S. aureus. Thin-Layer Chromatography of petroleum ether extract indicated the presence of active fatty acids.

Metal complexes of general formula [ML2]Cl¬2 and [FeL2Cl2] where M is Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) and L is a Schiff base formed by condensation of 2-furaldehyde and 2-aminobenzothiazole (FABTZ), have been prepared and characterized by analytical, spectral, magnetic and conductance measurements . I.R. spectra show that the nitrogen of the azomethine group and oxygen of the furan ring take part in coordination. Magnetic measurements and electronic spectral studies suggest an octahedral structure for the Fe(II) complex, a square planar geometry for [Ni(FABTZ)¬2 ]Cl2 and [Cu (FABTZ)2] Cl2 complexes and tetrahedral geometry for Co(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes. Conductance measurements show a 1:2 electrolytic nature of the complexes, with the exception of the [Fe (FABTZ)2]Cl2 compound.

The research was concerned with a study on the relationship between women breast cancer and some biochemical parameters. Blood samples have been drawn from (200) women breast cancer and (70) women apparently healthy as a control group; the age range was (35-70) years. The measured biochemical parameters included: the level of estrogen, progesterone hormones, total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins (HDL, LDL) total lipids, some immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM) complement protein C3, C4 and peroxidase activity also had been measured in the study.
The results demonstrated significantly high values of estrogen, progesterone hormones, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, total lipid, and significantly high values in immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, C3 and C4.
There were also high values of sera peroxidase activity in women breast cancer in comparison with control group, and significantly low values in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, no significant difference in globulin, cholesterol and immunoglobulin IgM was observed.

The research was concerned with isolation and characterization of peroxidase from breast cancer tissues using different biochemical techniques. Two proteinous components had been isolated by gel filtration chromatography from the precipitate produced by ammonium sulphate saturation. It was found that only the second peak had peroxidase activity.
The apparent molecular weight of the isolated peroxidase using gel filtration chromatography and SDS–electrophoresis was determined and found to be (39800) Dalton.
Finally, the research specifies the optimum conditions for peroxidase activity. Maximum activity was obtained using (20) mM of guaiacol as a substrate for the enzyme, sodium phosphate (150 mM) as a buffer at pH (6) for (5) minutes at (40) °C. Using linweaver–burk plot, it was found that maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (km) had the values of (135.37) µmol/ min and (2.56) mM respectively. The effect of some chemical compounds and drugs on the peroxidase activity was also studied. It was found that manganase chloride (MnCl2) showed a competitive inhibition on the activity of the enzyme at a concentration of (10) mmol.

This study attempts to isolate the GST from serum of human in city center of Mosul. Three proteinous components had been isolated by gel filtration chromatography from the precipitate produced by ammonium sulfate. It was found that only the second peak had a high activity for GST. The apparent molecular weight of the isolated GST using gel filtration chromatography and SDS-PAGE was(24,717) and (24,807) dalton respectively.
Maximum activity for GST was obtained using (22.463) mmol/l of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as substrate, phosphate buffer (0.11 M/l) as a buffer at pH (6.4) for (12) minutes in incubation at (25)C. Using lineweaver–burk plot, the maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) were (0.625) µmol/ min and (10.526) mmol/l respectively. Benzyl chloride inhibition on the GST activity were investigated and showed noncompetitive inhibition at a concentration of (30) mmol/l.

A new series of complex salts of the type [RA]2[MCl4] [R=carbazole,indole or pyrrole,A=H or PhCH2;M= Pd(II) or Pt(II)], were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, IR and UV/Vis spectral studies and magnetic measurements.The results of UV/Vis spectral studies and magnetic measurements showed that the anions complexes have a square planar geometry.

The effect of transverse magnetic field on the sparking potential, I-V characteristics and electric field in rectangular discharge tube was measured. The experiments were conducted for the N2 gas pressure from )0.75 to 7.5 torr( and the applied transverse magnetic field up to )150 Gauss(. The results show that the magnetic field effect on sparking potential and I-V characteristics as increasing the equivalent pressure. Also it is found that axial electric field increase as the applied magnetic field increase.