Background: Mobile phones are approximately widely used everywhere like in hospital wards, clinics and universities as well as biomedical laboratories. They have become very important tool in students’ life. In contrast, these tools carry many harmful bacteria which are responsible for infectious diseases in human because they serve as a reservoir for different pathogens. Current study was aimed to isolate bacteria from students’ mobile phones at the Institute of Medical Technology/Al-Mansour/The Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq. Also, the study investigated microbial resistance to many antimicrobial agents as well as the appropriate remedial measures. Method: Four hundred and fifty swabs from mobile phones were collected from 450 students (271 males and 179 females). Their age range was (17-30) years. Swabs were collected from students during March 2018. Results: Out of the 450 swabs, 150(33.33%) swabs were positive. The percentages of the isolated bacteria according to gender were 53.33%(80 isolates) from males’ mobile phones and 46.66%(70 isolates) from females’ mobile phones. The most frequent Gram-positive bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (50%) followed by S. epidermidis (20%), whereas Gram-negative bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli (6.0%), Proteus mirabilis (2.66%), Proteus vulgaris (2.66%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.66%). The isolated bacteria showed variable antimicrobial sensitivity patterns for different antibiotics. Most S. aureus isolates were resistant to Cefotaxime, Gentamycin, Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin and Augmentin, whereas other isolated species showed the highest resistance to many antibiotics of interest. The isolates of Micrococcus spp. were sensitive to all the studied antibiotics except Tetracycline and Fucidic acid. Conclusion: The present findings indicated that contaminated students’ mobile phones could serve as reservoirs of bacterial agents. Also, most of the latter were resistant to many commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents.
Background: Measuring implant stability is an important issue in predicting treatment success. Dental implant stability is usually measured through resonance frequency analysis (RFA). Osstell® RFA devices can be used with transducers (Smartpeg™) that correspond to the implants used as well as with transducers designed for application with Penguin® RFA devices (Multipeg™). Aims: This study aims to assess the reliability of a MultiPeg™ transducer with an Osstell® device in measuring dental implant stability. Materials and Methods: Sixteen healthy participants who required dental implant treatment were enrolled in this study. Implant stability was measured by using an Osstell® device with two transducers, namely, Smartpeg™ and M
... Show MoreBackground: Ultrasonography has been used to examine the thickness of the lower uterine segment in women with previous cesarean sections in an attempt to predict the risk of scar dehiscence during subsequent pregnancy. The predictive value of such measurement has not been adequately assessed. Objectives: To correlate lower uterine segment thickness measured by trans abdominal ultrasound in pregnant women with previous cesarean section with that measured during cesarean section by caliper and to find out minimum lower uterine segment thickness indicative of integrity of the scar.Methods: A prospective observational study at Elwyia Maternity Teaching Hospital, from January 2011 to January 2012. A total of 143 women were enrolled in the stu
... Show MoreDue to their recalcitrant characteristics, Azo dyes such as methyl orange (MO) are extremely poisonous substances, making their removal from textile industry wastewater a major problem. By employing various EC-Adsorption combined system configurations and reusing alum sludge as an adsorbent, the current study seeks to investigate the efficiency of these various systems in removing MO dye. To estimate their benefits and limitations, experiments were carried out utilizing nickel foam (NiF) and aluminum plate (Al plate) as anodes, and stainless-steel mesh (SS mesh) as cathode in the presence of alum sludge as an adsorbent in all systems. The EC-Adsorption combined system with NiF as anode and two SS meshes as cathodes with 10 g/L
... Show MoreAryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent ligand for AhR and a known carcinogen. While AhR activation by TCDD leads to significant immunosuppression, how this translates into carcinogenic signal is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that activation of AhR by TCDD in naïve C57BL6 mice leads to massive induction of myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs). In the current study, we investigated the role of the gut microbiota in TCDD-mediated MDSC induction. TCDD caused significant alterations in the gut microbiome, such as increases in Prevotella and Lactobacillus, while decreasing Sutterella and Bacteroides. Fecal transplants from TCDD-treated
... Show MoreBackground: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an adult leukemia characterized by rapid proliferation of undifferentiated myeloid precursors, leading to bone marrow (BM) failure and impaired erythropoiesis. The p53 tumor suppressor protein regulates cell division and inhibits tumor development by preventing cell proliferation of altered or damaged DNA. It orchestrates various cellular reactions, including cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and antioxidant properties. Objectives: To investigate the relationship of P53 serum level with hematological findings, remission, and survival status in de novo AML patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 63 newly diagnosed de novo AML patients, and 15 sex- and age-matched healt
... Show MoreThis research aims to clarify the advantages of using the regression method as analytical procedure in the tax audit to reducing the examination cost , time, effort, human and material resources, and represents an applied study in the General Commission of taxes. In order to achieve its objectives the research has used in the theoretical side the descriptive approach (analytical), and in the practical side regression method has been applied to the research sample represented by the soft drinks company that is subject to the tax settlement for the year 2014, where the value of sales has been verified by using the regression method without conductinga comprehensive examination. The most important results of the research indicate that the r
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