Alternation of bacterial antioxidant defense pathways might affect susceptibility to antibiotics in dual ways. Using a relatively simple model based on wild-type and oxyR Escherichia coli mature biofilms, their counterpart planktonic cultures and exponentially growing planktonic cultures, we explored the role of OxyR-mediated metabolism alternations in modulation of susceptibility to antibiotics ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. All three types of cultures were placed in fresh medium,1 h after antibiotics were added and incubation continued further for 2 h. Killing rates of antibiotics were determined, biofilm eradication using crystal violet assay was estimated, expression of rpoS, katG, sulA genes as well as HPI and HPII catalase activity were measured. Biofilms of both strains were more recalcitrant to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime at all tested concentrations compared to exponentially growing planktonic cultures. In oxyR biofilms killing rate of ciprofloxacin was lower, and killing rate of cefotaxime was higher compared to the parental strain. Compared to biofilms, wild-type biofilm counterpart planktonic cultures showed higher tolerance to low doses of ciprofloxacin, while oxyR plankton demonstrated higher tolerance to cefotaxime. Higher recalcitrance of oxyR biofilms to ciprofloxacin may be caused by an increase in persister cells under conditions of enhanced oxidative stress and activated SOS response.
Aryl 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: Arterial stiffness is related with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease events. Patients with atherosclerotic disease show to have larger diameters, reduced arterial compliance and lower flow velocities. Aim of study : To compare between patients of two age groups with concomitant diseases diabetes and hypertension in regard to intima media thickness and blood flow characteristics in order to estimate the blood perfusion to the brain via the common and internal carotid arteries. Subject and Methods : 40 patients with (diabetic and hypertension) diseases were enrolled , they were classified according to age. Color Doppler and B mode ultrasound was used to determine lumen Diameter (D), Intima – media thickness (IMT)
... Show MoreBackground: Surgery is one and may be the most effective method to treat obesity. In the last decade, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy is perceived to be less invasive, technically simple, less morbid and more popular form of bariatric surgery.
Objectives: This study aims to assess the effect of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on Fasting Blood Glucose Levels and Blood Pressure.
Methods: A prospective controlled study in which 50 obese patients were involved, 36 of patients have hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus , 7 patients have type 2 diabetes mellitus only, and 7 patients don’t have hypertension or type 2 diabetes. All patients were submitted to Laparosco
... Show MoreIn the present work usedNd:YAG laser systems of different output characteristic were employed to study the drilling process of material used in scientific and industrial fields. This material include Manganese hard steel. Our study went into the affecting parameters in drilling of Manganese hard steel by laser. Drilling process is achieved through material absorption of part of the incident laser beam. It is the resultant of interfering both, laser beam and material properties and the focusing conditions of the beam. The results as shown that the increase in the laser pulse energy over the used level has raised the hole diameter, depth and increased the hole taper. In addition to that a hole taper was affected by the laser energy, the fo
... Show MoreThis study was conducted in an orchard pomegranate's Department of Horticulture College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad for two seasons 1999-2000 on cultivars pomegranate Salimi and narrators seedless to study the effect spraying Nizant growth in sex ratio of flowers and recipes flowering and winning was selected 27 trees per class 15 years old planted
The aim of the current study is to demonstrate the effect of honey on the sperms characteristics (sperm concentration, sperm motility, grade of activity and sperm normal morphology) as well as pregnancy rate in mice. Sperms were obtained from caudal epididymis of male mice and prepared by adding10% of honey to the IVF medium using direct sperms activation technique for 30 minute incubation period before artificial insemination.
The study revealed a significant (P > 0.05) increase in active sperm motility (grade A and grade B) 49% and pregnancy rate 53.3% in female mice artificially inseminated with sperms. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in sperm con
... Show MoreThe effect of annealing on the structural and optical properties of Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) is investigated. Sb2S3 powder is vaporized on clean glass substrates at room temperature under high vacuum pressure to form thin films. The structural research was done with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The amorphous to the polycrystalline transformation of these thin films was shown by X-ray diffraction analysis after thermal annealing. These films' morphology is explained. The absorption coefficient and optical energy gap of the investigated films are calculated using transmission spectra. Both samples have strong absorption in the visible spectrum, according to UV-visible absorption spectra. The optical
... Show MoreThe holmium plasma induced by a 1064-nmQ-switched Nd:YAG laser in air was investigated. This work was done theoretically and experimentally. Cowan code was used to get the emission spectra for different transition of the holmium target. In the experimental work, the evolution of the plasma was studied by acquiring spectral images at different laser pulse energies (600,650,700, 750, and 800 mJ). The repetition rates of (1Hz and 10Hz) in the UV region (200-400 nm). The results indicate that, the emission line intensities increase with increasing of the laser pulse energy and repetition rate. The strongest emission spectra appeared when the laser pulse energy is 800mJ and 10 Hz repetition rate at λ= 345.64nm, with the maximum intensi
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