Development of surfactant-coated alginate capsules containing Lactobacillus plantarum

A novel concept is proposed in which alginate capsules containing a model probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strain are coated with different surfactants with the aim to enhance cell survival during passage initially through simulated gastric (SGF) and then intestinal (SIF) fluid. The surfactants investigated included the anionic sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and ammonium lauryl sulphate (ALS), the cationic dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride (DDAC), benzalkonium chloride (BZK) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and the zwitterionic lecithin. Coating the alginate capsules with CTAB, BZK, ALS and SDS resulted in worst survival (~ 4-9 log CFU/g decrease) compared to uncoated capsules (~3 log CFU/g decrease), after 1 hour exposure to SGF and two hours in SIF, which was most likely associated with their gradual penetration inside the microcapsules, as shown by confocal microscopy, and their antimicrobial effects. Coating the alginate capsules with DDAC improved cell survival compared to uncoated capsules (~1.2 CFU/g decrease), whereas coating with lecithin improved cell survival considerably, resulting in almost complete recovery of viable cells in SGF and SIF (~ 0.3 log CFU/g decrease). Although the interaction between alginate and lecithin was relatively weak as demonstrated by turbidity and contact angle measurements, it is likely that the protection was associated with the fact that lecithin was able to penetrate into the capsule rapidly, an observation that was supported by the fact that lecithin enhanced the viability of free cells in SGF and SIF. Lecithin has significant potential of being used as a coating material for probiotic containing capsules

Structural Study of Basins Configuration in Mesopotamian Area

Mesopotamian Zone is a foreland basin formed by a collision between Arabian and Iranian plates. A subsurface structural study made for Mesopotamian area based on the information of the oil wells, which were used in the construction of five structural cross-sections. The sections reveal information about the difference in thickness of sedimentary formations in the basin during the geological time of Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. As well as studied the most important reasons for the formation of surface and subsurface structures, which are attributed to three main reasons: the basement rocks and their longitudinal and transverse faults, tectonic movements that happened to the region as well as the role of salt layers or structures and their rush to the top

Synthesize of green silver nanoparticles by one pot microwave-assisted technique: Modeling and optimization

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) is recently increased due to their many applications in many different sectors. The majority of the methods used to manufacture of nanoparticles is mostly harmful to the environment and have high costs. The aim of the current work is to step forward in production silver NPs in a way with less cost and harm to environment using the green biosynthesis route. The Silver NPS colloidal suspension is produced based on the reaction of the metal precursor AgNO3 and a Cactus extract using Microwave instead of thermal heating. Optimization and modeling of NPs synthesis at lab scale is carried out throughout 10 experiments designed using software for experimental design and treating the responses statistically. The effect of concentration the metal precursor and power of microwave on the formation time of the NPs is investigated using Response Surface Methodology. The statistical results showed that the microwave power is more significant than the metal ions concentration, and the Ag NPs formation time decreased with increasing the microwave power and metal ions concentration. The optimum value for NPs formation time estimated is 10.27 minute. This formation time could be achieved using microwave power of 129.05 Watt and 1.8 ml of AgNO3 solution. The equilibrium adsorption data of methylene blue dye on the synthesized silver NPs were mathematically modeled by employing the pseudo-first-order kinetics equation and the photo-catalytic performance was inspected throughout the degradation of methylene blue under irradiation by sunlight. The dye was effectively nearly 99% degraded by the green synthesized silver nanoparticles after 72 hours of exposure to sunlight

Encapsulation of lactobacillus casei into calcium pectinate-chitosan beads for enteric delivery

Gel beads were prepared by extrusion of various types of pectin into 0.15 M calcium chloride. Size, morphology, and textural properties of 3 types of beads were evaluated and it was established that the use of 3 w/v % amidated pectin provides the optimal characteristics suitable for encapsulation of live bacteria. Lactobacillus casei NCIMB 30185 (PXN37) was encapsulated into calcium pectinate gel through the extrusion of a live bacteria dispersion in 3 w/v % pectin into a solution of calcium chloride. The capsules were then additionally coated with chitosan. The viability of bacteria within these capsules was studied under model gastrointestinal conditions in vitro (simulated gastric and intestinal juices). It was established that pectin-chitosan capsules can provide protection to L. casei from the gastric acid and result in high levels of viable bacteria released in the intestine

An Investigation of ISO 9000 Implementation Issues In Saudi Arabia Manufacturing Industry

Since the introduction of ISO 9000 in 1987 there has been a tremendous growth in the number of companies seeking registration and certification, both in developed and developing countries. Although there is a wealth of literature on ISO 9000 implementation in developed countries and in some developing countries, it was found that there is relatively little materials related to recent study on the factors that influence ISO 9000 implementation in Saudi manufacturing industry. This topic has not received enough attention and certainly there is lack of these studies in the Middle East countries. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate, identify and analyse the factors that influence implementation of ISO 9000 in Saudi manufacturing industries. Both questionnaires and pairwise comparison interviews were employed to achieve the study objectives. The questionnaire aimed to investigate the ISO 9000 implementation factors in Saudi manufacturing industry, while pairwise comparison interviews aimed to rank the priorities of the most important factors. In terms of data analysis, a variety of analytical tools were used to deal with qualitative/quantitative and objective/subjective nature of the study. The tools used include multiple regression analysis, hypothesis testing and Analytical hierarchy process (AHP), Data analysis is contribution of this research to enhance a body of knowledge concerning ISO 9000 in relation to manufacturing organizations in Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that top management support, work system and quality guidelines are the most important factors influencing the successful implementation of ISO 9000 in the manufacturing industry. Additionally, AHP result shows that Saudi manufacturing organisations should be aware of three main factors in order to successfully implement ISO 9000. These factors are; top management commitment, customer satisfaction and training and education. This research will fill the gaps in the existing literature. Moreover, the result of the findings from this industrial survey is also applicable to some extent to ISO implementation in the other Arab countries

Synthesize of green silver nanoparticles by one pot microwave-assisted technique: Modeling and optimization

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) is recently increased due to their many applications in many different sectors. The majority of the methods used to manufacture of nanoparticles is mostly harmful to the environment and have high costs. The aim of the current work is to step forward in production silver NPs in a way with less cost and harm to environment using the green biosynthesis route. The Silver NPS colloidal suspension is produced based on the reaction of the metal precursor AgNO3 and a Cactus extract using Microwave instead of thermal heating. Optimization and modeling of NPs synthesis at lab scale is carried out throughout 10 experiments designed using software for experimental design and treating the responses statistically. The effect of concentration the metal precursor and power of microwave on the formation time of the NPs is investigated using Response Surface Methodology. The statistical results showed that the microwave power is more significant than the metal ions concentration, and the Ag NPs formation time decreased with increasing the microwave power and metal ions concentration. The optimum value for NPs formation time estimated is 10.27 minute. This formation time could be achieved using microwave power of 129.05 Watt and 1.8 ml of AgNO3 solution. The equilibrium adsorption data of methylene blue dye on the synthesized silver NPs were mathematically modeled by employing the pseudo-first-order kinetics equation and the photo-catalytic performance was inspected throughout the degradation of methylene blue under irradiation by sunlight. The dye was effectively nearly 99% degraded by the green synthesized silver nanoparticles after 72 hours of exposure to sunlight

Chemical investigations of spinel lithium manganese oxides.

For rechargeable lithium batteries, the most widely used cathode material is LiCoO2, which is gradually being replaced by other lithium metal oxides due to the high cost and toxicity of cobalt. Oxide members of the Li-Mn-0 system present themselves as attractive replacement candidates which offer all the properties for good electrode materials in addition to their low cost and low toxicity. Despite its limited practical capacity of about 120 mA h g-1, LiMn2O4 is considered to be a very attractive cathode material, mainly due to its ease of manufacturing, low cost and environmental compatibility and it has started to appear in some commercial products. However, LiMn2O4 suffers from significant capacity fading upon cycling especially at high temperatures. Worldwide research efforts have been devoted toward the understanding of this class of oxides and to produce better materials for battery applications. The work presented in this thesis is part of this effort. In this work, a preparation method has been developed to obtain a pure, single-phase, and high surface area spinel LiMn2O4. Characterisation of the product confirmed that it is a thermally stable, single-phase spinel LiMn2O4 with surface area of 7.6 m2 g-1. The relatively high surface area found for samples prepared during the course of this study indicates a positive step when compared with those prepared using other techniques. Another member of the spinel family, lambda-MnO2, has been prepared by the topotactic extraction of lithium from the previously prepared LiMn2O4. The spinel lambda-MnO2 has further chemically reduced to yield the oxide hydroxide form of manganese. The manganese oxide hydroxide obtained above has not been reported before and has been designated lambda-MnOOH to indicate the relationship to its precursor oxide. Both manganese oxides were thoroughly characterised using various analysis techniques. Surface area measurements of the oxides gave 6.3 and 11.2 m2 g-1 for lambda-MnO2 and lambda-MnOOH respectively. Kinetic investigation of the oxidation of normal spinel LiMn2O4 by chemical extraction of Li+ revealed that the extraction process is diffusion-controlled with a diffusion coefficient of 3.35-3.66 X 10-7 cm2 s-1 and activation energy of 34.81 -40.22 kJ mol-1. It was found that due to the low activation energy of reaction, Li+ is the only diffusing cation in the system and the process is taking place using the lattice's tetrahedral interstitial sites. The reversibility of the extraction of lithium from LiMn2O4 in aqueous solutions was investigated. It has been found that it is possible to re-introduce lithium ions into the Mn204 framework only if Mn2+ is present in the solution. It was confirmed by x-ray diffraction that the result of the insertion reaction is the spinel LiMn2O4. Other members of the Li-Mn-O system were investigated. Various oxide members were obtained by varying the Li:Mn ratio of the reactants. Some oxide members were successfully synthesised by mixing stoichiometric amounts of Li2CO3 and Mn2O3. A method to prepare the electrochemically active LiMnO2 was proposed. The oxide was positively identified as orthorhombic LiMnO2 with unit cell dimensions a = 2.790A, b = 5.614A and c = 4.564A. Other oxide members were prepared and characterised by means of x-ray diffraction and thermal analysis techniques

Are the Ng-Thomas Model's Results Consistent With the ALABIDILI Model's Results in Evaluating the Financial Solvency of Construction Companies?

Purpose: This study sought to compare the following prediction models (Ng-Thomas & AL-Abidili) and the extent of the reliability of the results of each model in predicting the solvency of the Iraqi Contracting companies Registered in the Iraq Stock Exchange. It also sought to test the degree of congruence of the results of the two models.   Theoretical framework: Contracting companies are of great importance to the country in general and to the economy in particular. That is why researchers have been developing a large and wide range of financial models as well as the necessary criteria for the purpose of predicting the financial situation of these companies through the extent of their ability to complete projects or to find the necessary solutions to financial problems before it gets worse.     Design/methodology/approach: The financial statements were used to obtain the necessary data to calculate the ratios used in the two models. The analysis was conducted for a time series consisting of seven years, extending from 2011 - 2018. The Excel program was also used to calculate the variables of the two models, as well as the use of the (SPSS) package to test the hypotheses   Findings: The results showed the two models' ability to predict Iraqi contracting companies' solvency.  On the other hand, there was agreement in the results of the two models, with that model (AL-ABIDILI) The most accurate prediction was.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The use of financial models, especially the financial models that have been prepared for contracting companies, gives a more accurate picture of the financial position of the companies and enables them to get rid of the evaluation problems that may occur if financial ratios are used and based on their interpretations.   Originality/value:     models whose variables are highly dependent on the indicators of returns and profitability it models that greatly outperform the other models

Development of chitosan-coated agar-gelatin particles for probiotic delivery and targeted release in the gastrointestinal tract

This study reports the development of a novel and simple formulation for probiotic delivery using chitosan-coated agar-gelatin gel particles. This methodology involves the production of agar-gelatin particles by thermally treating a mixture of agar and gelatin solutions at high temperatures (121°C) and subsequently coating with chitosan. The particles were able to protect the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826 during incubation for 2 hours in simulated gastric fluid (pH 2) as no statistically significant loss (P > 0.05) in cell concentration was observed, and also resist dissolution in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.2). Interestingly, this protection is related to the fact that the intense thermal treatment affected the physicochemical properties of agars, and resulted in the formation of a strong and tight polymer network, as indicated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Using an in vitro faecal batch fermentation model simulating the conditions of the distal part of the large intestine (pH 6.7-6.9), it was demonstrated by quantitative real time PCR that the majority of L. plantarum cells were released from the agar-gelatin particles within 30 to 48 hours. Overall, this work led to the development of a novel methodology for the production of probiotic containing particles which is simpler compared to current encapsulation technologies, and has a lot of potential to be used for the controlled release of probiotics and potentially other solid bioactives in the large intestine

EFFCT OF L-ARGININE ON SPERMATOGENESIS OF THE DIABETIC RAT

L-Arginine has hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect in Alloxan diabetic animals and reduce effect of diabetes complication on spermatogenesis. antioxidant have essential effect on spermatogenesis, L-Arginine has antioxidant and hypoglycemic effect. Enhanced oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant capacity are considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic diabetes mellitus. Sixteen mature male rats aged 10 weeks ,were randomly divided into four equal groups as follows 1st diabetic group (DG) that received 150 mg/kg (IP) Alloxan single dose ;2nd group diabetic group treated with (L-Arginine-Hcl)(DAG) received 150mg/kg (IP) Alloxan as single dose plus L-Arginine-Hcl 200mg/kg(IP)-per day, 3ed group treated with(L-Arginine-Hcl)(AG) received 200mg/kg-(IP) perday ,and 4th were control group(CG) non treated .In 60 day the blood samples collected from heart to make serological parameters (glucose level) and testes removed to observe their Histopathological. Serum Glucose concentration showed a significant increase (