A significant increase in the incidence of non-O157 verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections have become a serious health issues, and this situation is worsening due to the dissemination of plasmid mediated multidrug-resistant microorganisms worldwide. This study aims to investigate the presence of plasmid-mediated verotoxin gene in non-O157 E. coli. Standard microbiological techniques identified a total of 137 E. coli isolates. The plasmid was detected by Perfectprep Plasmid Mini preparation kit. These isolates were subjected to disk diffusion assay, and plasmid curing with ethidium bromide treatment. The plasmid containing isolates were subjected to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for investigating the presence of plasmid mediated verotoxin gene (VT1 and VT2) in non-O157 E. coli. Among the 137 E. coli isolates, 49 isolates were non-O157 E. coli while 29 (59.1%) isolates were verotoxin producing non-O157 serotypes and 26 non-O157 VTEC isolates possessed plasmids. Certain isolates harboured single sized plasmid while others had multiple plasmids with different size varied from 1.8kb to 7.6kb. A plasmid containing all (100%) the isolates was multidrug-resistant. Eight isolates changed their susceptibility patterns while three isolates were found to lose plasmid after post plasmid curing treatment and the rest of the isolates (15) remained constant. Different PCR sets characterized 3 plasmid-mediated verotoxins producing non-O157 E. coli. This current study demonstrated the occurrence of plasmid mediated verotoxin gene in non-O157 E. coli. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the global literature on plasmid-mediated verotoxin gene in non-O157 E. coli. Timely diagnosis and surveillance of VTEC infections should prioritize to stop or slow down the virulence gene for dissemination by plasmid-mediated gene transfer amongst the same bacteria or other species.
The meteorite with a single total mass of 630 gm as a visible meteorite has fallen on 22 March 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in Al-Sherqat subdistrict within Salah Al-Din, northern Iraq; and therefore, was named Al-Sherqat meteorite by the authors. It is characterized by a uniform structure of coherent and medium degree of malleability. It is of a well-crystalline structure and not homogeneous in composition. The Al-Sherqat meteorite is composed of metallic phases of 7.6 gm/cm3 density exhibiting an oriented intergrowth of kamacite (α-FeNi) with taenite showing a Widmanstätten pattern on an etched polished section with the finest octahedrite kamacite bandwidth of less than 0.2 mm. It is composed of Fe (86.9 wt%), Ni (9.63 wt%), P (1.31 wt%)
... Show MoreSeventeen samples of Hartha Formation in Balad (1) well, central Iraq, are studied on the basis of stratigraphic ranges of the recorded calcareous nannofossils for twenty species belonging to twelve genera. The studied section reveals three biozones arranged from oldest to youngest as follows; (1) Calculites ovalis Interval Biozone (CC19), (2) Ceratolithoides aculeus Interval Biozone (CC20), (3) Quadrum sissinghii Interval Biozone (CC21). These Biozones are correlated with other calcareous nannofossils biozones from both local and regional sections, leading to conclude the age of the Middle Campanian.
Rerecorded eighteen ostracode species that belong to eleven genera are identified,
... Show MoreFree radicals are reactive compounds, their excessive production is considered to be an important cause of oxidative damage in biomolecules causing degenerative diseases. Polyphenols are one of the most important groups of secondary metabolites of plants, which have an antioxidant activity depending on their properties as hydrogen donors. Echinops polyceras Boiss. (Asteraceae) is one of Echinops genus species that spread in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. Phytochemicals found in this species leaves have been extracted with gradient polarity solvents, and primary screening of the secondary metabolites was established. The phenolic compounds and flavonoids contents were determined. The free radicals scavenging act
... Show MoreCarbon Monoxide (CO) has a significant indirect effect on greenhouse gasses due to its ozone and carbon dioxide precursor, and its mechanism of degradation involving the hydroxyl radical (OH) which control the oxidizing ability of the tropospheric. To understand the effect of human activities on atmospheric composition, accurate estimates of the sources of atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) are necessary. MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere) is a NASA Terra satellite instrument designed to allow both Thermal-Infra-Red (TIR) and Near-Infra-Red (NIR) observations to be used to collect vertical CO profiles in the Troposphere via the concept of correlation spectroscopy. The objective of the current stu
... Show MoreImproved environmental protection requires better education and training of regulations which manage different available activities in petroleum operations.
Data from industry is very important to ensure that the existing or suggested regulations are based on accurate scientific information and that they contribute to best environmental protection without adding useless restrictions to this industry.
This research deals with an overview of major environmental regulations and issues facing the petroleum industry.
Many issues which regulate drilling and production activities that may pollute surface water, clean up of existing hazardous waste sites, storage and management of various chemicals and other important aspects are listed
Some microorganisms, including fungi, are characterized by their removal efficiency and reducing the concentrations of heavy metals such as Pb and Cr from industrial water. The present study aims to estimate the efficiency of Penicillium digitatum (Pers.) Sacc. as a low-cost biosorbent in reducing Pb and Cr from industrial water with optimum biosorption conditions (acidity of 1.5 , 4, and 5; temperature of 30 °C). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was also used for determining the roles of the functional groups in this biosorbent. The results indicated that the highest P. digitatum efficiency values for reducing the levels of Pb and Cr were 84% and 70% , respectively, at pH of 5 after 24 h.
... Show MoreThe present work aims to study the removal of dyes from wastewater by reverse osmosis process. Two dyes were used direct blue 6, and direct yellow. Experiments were performed with feed concentration (75 – 450 ppm), operation temperature (30 – 50 oC) and time (0.2 – 2.0 hr). The membrane used is thin film composite membrane (TFC). It was found that modal permeate concentration decreases with increasing feed concentration and time operating, while permeate concentration increases with increasing feed temperature. Also it was found that product rate increase with increasing temperature, but it decrease with increasing feed concentration and time. The concentration of reject solution showed an increase with increasing feed concentratio
... Show MoreMushrooms have bioactive compounds that have antimicrobial, anti-cancer and antioxidant activities among other medicinal benefits. In the present study, we examined the anti-cell proliferation activities of mushrooms from eight genera obtained from the wild in Nigeria. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as a model organism to screen mushroom extracts for anti-cell proliferation activity. Polyphenols, high molecular weight polysaccharides and low molecular weight compounds from aqueous extracts were obtained from the test mushrooms using methanol and water respectively. The extracts were screened in vitro at different concentrations of extracts with the CyQuant cell proliferation assay. The high molecular
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