Introduction: The stringent response is a bacterial adaptation mechanism triggered by stress conditions, including nutrient limitation. This response helps bacteria survive under harsh conditions, such as those encountered during infection. A key feature of the stringent response is the synthesis of the alarmone (p)ppGpp, which influences various bacterial phenotypes. In several bacterial species, stringent response activation significantly affects biofilm formation and maintenance. Methods: Clinical specimens were collected from multiple hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq. Staphylococcus aureus was identified using conventional biochemical tests. The PCR technique was applied to detect mecA, icaA, and icaD genes, while the Vitek 2 compact system confirmed Methicillin sensitivity in mecA-negative isolates. Biofilm intensity of all S. aureus isolates was assessed under normal and starved conditions. Additionally, the gene expression levels of icaA and icaD were measured in five MRSA and five MSSA strains under both conditions. Results: The mecA, icaA, and icaD genes were detected in 94%, 96.3%, and 100% of S. aureus isolates, respectively. Biofilm production analysis showed that 24% of isolates were strong producers, 49% were moderate producers, and 9% were weak producers. Statistical analysis indicated that biofilm intensity significantly decreased under nutrient limitation (p < 0.0001) compared to normal conditions across all isolates. Furthermore, icaA and icaD genes were upregulated under stringent response conditions, regardless of Methicillin resistance status. Conclusion: The stringent response influences S. aureus biofilm formation, with biofilm intensity decreasing under nutrient-limited conditions. However, the upregulation of icaA and icaD genes suggests a regulatory role of the stringent response in biofilm-related gene expression. These findings highlight the potential impact of stress adaptation mechanisms on bacterial persistence and pathogenicity.
Background: Oncogenesis in the oral cavity is widely believed to result from cumulative genetic alterations that cause a transformation of the mucosa from normal to dysplastic to invasive carcinoma. The p16 gene produces p16 protein, which in turn inhibits phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (Rb), p16 play a significant role in early carcinogenesis. A number of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, HER2/neu, has received much attention because of its therapeutic implications. The aims of the study were to evaluate and compare the immunohistochemical expression of the cell cycle protein P16 INK4a and c-erbB2 (HER2/neu) in NOM, OED, and OSCC. Correlate both marker expression with each other as well as with various clinicopathological
... Show MoreBACKGROUND Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell disorder characterized by the infiltration of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow and the detection of a monoclonal immunoglobulin in serum and/or urine. Renal failure, anemia, hypercalcemia, and the presence of bone lesions are the hallmarks of the disease. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical, hematological, radiological, and immunophenotypic features of MM patients and to identify prognostic factors influencing survival outcomes. This cohort study included 77 newly diagnosed, untreated MM patients. Their clinical presentation, laboratory data, imaging results, and the expression of flow cytometry markers were analyzed in correlation with the 1-year overall survival (OS). The mean a
... Show More
Abstract The results showed that after treating <italic>C. albicans</italic> with Artemisinin (0.104 mg/ml) for 3 hours the number of <italic>C. albicans</italic> decreased and affected the morphology hyphae and growth of <italic>Candida</italic> compared with Fluconazole (150 mg/ml) and control (infected mice). The biomarker levels in the tongue showed high levels of MDA and TGFβ (623±1.5pg/ml, 586.1±0.13pg/ml respectively) in (infected mice with fungi). IL-37 was recorded high level (49.21±0.21pg/ml) in (Neoral +Fungi + artemisinin + fluconazole) compared with negative control. The finding biomarker levels in stomach showed high levels of MDA and IL-37 (533.8±1.9, 69.76±0.39pg/ml) in (Neor
... Show More
The main aim of this study is to investigate the ability of four local entomopathogenic isolates Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Met.) to control the mosquito larvae in the lab. The results revealed that the isolate (MARD48) B .bassiana reduced the survival rate of the mosquito larvae to (80%) followed by the isolate M. anisopliae (MARD10) to (90%) in the first two days of treatment, and 60 and 66% respectively in the third day. The results also showed that the isolate B. bassiana (MARD48) killed 50% of the population (LC50) with the concentration 1×104 conidia/ml compared to 1×107 conidia/ml for the isolates B. bassiana (MARD14) and M. anisopliae (MARD10), and 1×108 conidia/ml for the isolate B .bassiana (MARD76).
... Show More
Asthma is a chronic in?ammatory respiratory disease associated with the changes of asthmatic airway structural that result from interact remodeling and in?ammatory processes lead to obstruction of airway. Guggulsterone (GS) is a bioactive compound and plant steroid present in guggul gum of Commiphora wightii, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. This study designed to investigate of anti-inflammatory activity of gugglsterone in improvement of asthma. Forty eight healthy albino male rats divided to six groups, Group I: Control group (distal water), Group II: Positive control group (distal water) with sensitization, Group III: Guggulsterone (25 mg/kg/day) with sens
... Show More
(3)
(4)
Objectives of this project were to study the effect of 60% crude alcoholic extract of the seeds of cyperus esculentuson induced endometritis in the mice . The plant of cyperus esculentuswas extracted by preparing Alcoholic extract 60% . One hundred microliters of saline containing Escherichia coli (104cfu) was used to induce endometritis, by a single intracervicallyinjection, and endometritis developed after 2 days from injection. The mice were divided into five groups, The first group were treated with alcoholic extract of cyperus esculentusextract 150mg/kg body weight, the second group was treated with a daily 3mg per kg body weight of gentamicin given intra peritoneal,The third group was treated by 75mg/kg of cyperus esculentusextract an
... Show MoreIn the resent years, there is a robust scientific interest in discovery of new anti-septic and anti-oxidant naturally products with no/or limited side effects. The current study aimed to investigate the protective role of the quercetin on inflammations induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male mice A number of criteria included i.e. liver and spleen index and IL-6 and IL1-β cytokines level in spleen homogenate were considered. Sixty male mice (8-9 week age) was divided into six groups and treated for 5 days as the following: the first group represented control, the second and third group were injected with 5, 10 mg/kg b.w doses of quercetin respectively. While the fourth and fifth groups were co-treatment with (5, 10 mg/kg b.w.) intraper
... Show More
Background: The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilliin burn wound infections related to biofilm formation, which lend to challenge in treatment with conventional antibiotics andprompting to search for novel antimicrobial agents to control the infections.Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have wide spectrum biological properties with different mechanisms of action and less toxicity towards human cells.
Objective:The goal of this study was to evaluated the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities of AgNPs alone and in combination with aminoglycoside (Amikacin) and β-lactam (Ampicillin) antibiotics against multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacilli (Pseudomonas aeruginos
... Show More
(1)