The emergence of staphylococci, either coagulase negative (CNS) or coagulase positive (CPS), as important human pathogens has implied that reliable methods for their identification are of large significance in understanding the diseases caused by them. The identification and characterization of staphylococci from biopsies taken from human breast tumors is reported here. Out of 32 tissue biopsies, a total of 12 suspected staphylococci grew on mannitol salt agar (MSA) medium, including 7 fermenters and 5 non-fermenter staphylococci based on traditional laboratory methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) successfully identified seven isolates at the genus level as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus spp. by targeting a common region of the mecA gene. Only two of the seven bacteria were S. aureus based on the three-specific primers designed to amplify the housekeeping gene recN, and two of the virulence genes icaD and pvl. Diagnosing the isolates using the Vitek system revealed different findings. Although 6 of 7 isolates belonged to the Staphylococcus genus, including: S. cohnii subsp. cohnii, 2 isolates; S. lentus, 2 isolates; and one isolate for each S. auricularis and S. xylosus, the last bacterium was completely different (Aerococcus viridans). Concerning the two bacteria characterised as S. aureus by PCR, they were identified as S. lentus by Vitek with comparatively low detection probabilities of 93% and 88%. The data of this study indicate that undoubtedly PCR is a reliable and accurate test for identification of mannitol fermenter and salt tolerant bacteria in comparison with other tests that depend mainly on biochemical characteristics.
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has a worldwide distribution and common infections. The presence of HCMV genome and antigens has been detected in many kinds of human cancers. The proto-oncogene Her2/neu is overexpressed in 25% to 30% of human breast cancers and frequently associated with tumor aggressiveness and worse prognosis. Examination was applied to detect different HCMV antigens and to demonstrate their correlation with Her2/neu overexpression in breast cancer. The present study includes samples from 70 women of 60 breast cancer patients and 10 normal breast tissues. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks were obtained from each woman according to ethical approval. Human cytomegalovirus early antigen expression was detected in 5
... Show MoreIn the present work, 9-fluorenone-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (1) was prepared from 9-fluorenone-2-carboxylic acid and then converted into the acid hydrazide (2). Compound (2), is the key intermediate for the synthesis of several series of new compounds such as substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives (3-6) were synthesized from the condensation of different substituted benzoic acids with compound (2) using POCl3 as condensing agent. Treatment of compound (2) with formic acid gave the N-formyl hydrazide (7), which upon refluxing with phosphorous pentoxide in benzene yielded the corresponding 5-(9-fluorenone-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (8). Reaction of hydrazide (2) with phenyl isocyanate to give N-phenyl semicarbazide derivative (9), then thi
... Show MoreThe synthesis of zeolite NaX from locally available kaolin has been studied. The operating conditions for zeolite NaX production from kaolin with good crystallinity were as follows; a gel formation step of metakaolin in alkaline medium in presence of additional silica to crystallize the zeolite was achieved at 60 oC for 1 hr,and with stirring. In ageing step of the reactants at room temperature for 5 days and crystallization step at 87±2 oC for 24 hr. The catalytic activity of catalyst prepared from local kaolin was studied by using cumene cracking as a model for catalytic cracking and compared with standard HY zeolite and HX zeolite catalysts. The activity test was carried out in a laboratory continuous flow unit with fixed bed reactor
... Show MoreThree strain of Bacillus cereus were obtained from soil sours Laboratories of Biology Department/ College of Science/ University of Baghdad. The bacteria secreted extracellular xylanase in liquid cultur the test ability of xylanase production from these isolates was studied semi quantitative and quantitative screening appeared that Bacillus cereus X3 was the highest xylanase producer. The enzyme was partial purification 191 fold from cultur by reached step by 4 U/mg proteins by ammonium sulfat precipitation 80%, Ion exchang DEAE-cellulos chromatography Characterization study of the partial purifation enzyme revealed that the enzyme had a optimum activity pH8 and activity was stable in the pH rang (8-10) for 30min. maximal activity was attai
... Show MoreThe presence of alkaloids in Crassula ovata is a topic that is still unexplored, as there are no published studies on the matter. This study demonstrates the presence of an alkaloid compound (and its class) for the first time in Crassula ovata. The plant material was defatted with n-hexane, and a Soxhlet apparatus was used for the extraction process, while the acid-base method was used for the isolation of alkaloids from the chloroform fractions. The quaternary alkaloid was precipitated from the aqueous layer spontaneously, in high quantity. By using standard spectroscopic methods (including liquid chromatography - mass spectroscopy) we were able to clarify the structure of the precipi¬tated compound as a tetrahydroprotoberberine a
... Show MoreThe synthesis of zeolite NaX from locally available kaolin has been studied. The operating conditions for zeolite NaX production from kaolin with good crystallinity were as follows; a gel formation step of metakaolin in alkaline medium in presence of additional silica to crystallize the zeolite was achieved at 60 oC for 1 hr,and with stirring. In ageing step of the reactants at room temperature for 5 days and crystallization step at 87±2 oC for 24 hr. The catalytic activity of catalyst prepared from local kaolin was studied by using cumene cracking as a model for catalytic cracking and compared with standard HY zeolite and HX zeolite catalysts. The activity test was carried out in a laboratory continuous flow unit with fixed bed re
... Show MoreThe objective of this study was to isolate and identify the asparaginase-producing bacteria, then purify and characterize the enzyme in order to investigate their properties in the future. Fifteen local bacterial isolates were isolated from various sites in the city of Baghdad, identified by conventional morphological and biochemical procedures, and confirmed using vitek 2 methods, and submitted to primary screening processes for asparaginase production. For secondary screening, eight isolates with the greatest yellow zone ability on a specific solid medium were chosen. Bacillus sp. was reported to have the highest enzyme production (7.5 U/mg proteins). After 24 hours of incubation, submerged fermentation yielded optimal conditi
... Show MoreThere are numerous bidirectional interactions between the reproductive system and the liver. Sex steroids regulate metabolic health through signaling effects in both peripheral and central metabolic tissues, including adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, and brain, and have a role in the etiology of structural and functional liver diseases. Blood samples were obtained from 90 healthy women (control group) and 90 women that have hormonal changes (patients’ group). The levels of reproductive hormones (follicle stimulation hormone/FSH, luteinizing hormone/LH, estradiol/E2, progesterone/P4) were measured by using fully automated Cobas E411, whereas those of liver enzymes (alanine transaminase /ALT, aspartate aminotransferase/AST, a
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