Background: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococci have become a major problem in recent times and have been reported increasingly around the world. Lytic phages infect bacteria leading to rapid host death with limited risk of phage transduction, underlining the increasing interest in potential phage therapy in the future. Objective (s): The aim of this study is to use phage therapy as alternative approach for treatment of Enterococcus faecalis infections that recorded as MDR in Iraq to tackle this problem. Materials and Methods: Thirty E. faecalis isolates were collected from patients with different infectious diseases such as urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetic foot, septicemia, and wound infections. The isolation of specific lytic phages was from different environmental sources such as (sewage, and wastewater). The biokinetic assays were carried out to measure the characteristics of the isolated phage. The study of the bacteriophage and the formed phage cocktail infectivity against isolates E.faecalis was tested by the top layer assay. The phage endolysin was extracted from the best bacteriophage that gave best results. Results: All the isolated E.faecalis was reported as MDR in this study. About 75 E.faecalis specific phages were isolated and purified. All the isolated bacteria were 100% sensitive to the lytic phages. The formed phage cocktail was capable to create inhibition zones on the most bacterial isolates' lawns. The molecular weight and the concentration of the extracted endolysin was evaluated in this study and found to be as (48 kDa) and (0.5mg/ml), respectively. The antibacterial activity of the extracted endolysin was evaluated by the turbidity reduction assay. A clear decline in the bacterial growth was manifested (5x107 CFU/ml) to (1x104 CFU/ml), in which the bacterial growth was reduced by (3.63 log). The endolysin found to be effective against 90% of E.faeclais isolates. Conclusion: The activity of the isolated specific phage together with the activity of the formed phage cocktail, were efficient as successful and inexpensive method of therapy against MDR E.faecalis. The potential of the extracted endolysin over the phage therapy was verified in this study. The coverage rate and the absence of resistant E.faecalis to the phage and its endolysin had emphasized on the importance of this alternative therapy to commonly used antibiotics. List of abbreviation: MDR = multiple drug-resistant, E. faecalis = Enterococcus faecalis, BT = burst time, BS = burst size, IP = infective percentage, Phage =bacteriophage, CFU = Colony forming unit, kDa = Kilodalton, OD = Optical Densities.
This research studies the possibility of producing Bone China with available local and geological substitutes and other manufactured ones since it’s traditionally produced by Bone ash, Cornish stone, and China clay, while the substitutes are Kaolin instead of China clay and Feldspar potash instead of Cornish stone. Because of the unavailability of Feldspar in Iraq, it was substituted with the manufactured alternative Feldspar. Bone ash was prepared from cow bones with heating treatments, grinding and sifting. The alternative Feldspar was prepared by chemical analysis of the natural Feldspar potash with local materials that include Dwaikhla Kaolin, Urdhuma Silica sand, Potassium Carbonate, and Sodium Carbonate. The mixture was burned at
... 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 MoreAttention has recently been given to finding alternative and sustainable raw material sources for wood and metal adhesives, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), corn starch (CS), arabic gum (AG), and dextrins (D). Modifying polymer dispersion using unique substances, such as modifying reactive elastomer liquid (EL) using PVA, CS, AG, or D results in sufficiently moisture-resistant adhesive joins. In the present study, the physical characteristics of EL/blended with the natural polymers PVA, CS, AG, and D, based on high-density fiberboard (HDF) wood and aluminum (Al) adhesives and coatings, were investigated and compared to those of pure EL. The EL was blended with PVA, CS, AG, or D at a ratio of 60/40 (w/w) to form EL/blends. The che
... Show MoreThe study aimed to identify the degree of teaching competencies and job satisfaction of the teachers of physical education in the province of Baghdad, and then find the relationship between them. Use the descriptive approach in the style of associative relationships, the research community represented by teachers of physical education in the departments of education Karh (first, second, third) in the province of Baghdad. (522) teachers and (324) school principals distributed in (324) medium within the administrative configurations of these directorates for the academic year (2016 - 2017). The measure (teaching competencies) included (47) words distributed across seven areas. And the measure of (job satisfaction) included (15) words. After t
... Show MoreInflammation of the tonsils could be described as acute tonsillitis, mainly due to infection. Recurrent tonsillitis could be defined as 3-7 episodes during the first 3 years of age. Vitamin D, which is a neuro-hormone with pleiotropic biological activities may modulate the immune response by alleviation, and stimulation of Th1 and Th2 cell proliferation, respectively, that influence the stimulation, synthesis, and secretion of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this study we aimed to shed light on the levels of vitamin D in children with different episodes of tonsillitis in association with levels of interleukins (TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10). Blood samples were collected from 48 participants in 3 groups: control, acute tonsilliti
... Show MoreThe current study aims to examine the level of problems faced by university students in distance learning, in addition to identify the differences in these problems in terms of the availability of internet services, gender, college, GPA, interactions, academic cohort, and family economic status. The study sample consisted of (3172) students (57.3% females). The researchers developed a questionnaire with (32) items to measure distance learning problems in four areas: Psychological (9 items), academic (10 items), technological (7 items), and study environment (6 items). The responses are scored on a (5) point Likert Scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Means, standard deviations, and Multivariate Analysis of Vari
... Show MoreEach sport has its own energy requirements that differ from the energy requirements of other sports, and a different method is used in each of them, so the trainer must first rely on the principle of privacy in training first, that is, privacy according to the working energy system, that is, he defines the controlling energy system In that event, and how the muscles use the available energy to perform according to the energy production systems. As we find the serving skill is the first volleyball skill with which the team starts the match in order to be able to gain points directly, through knowledge it turns out that there is a weakness in the skill performance, especially the skill of serving and being The key to victory for volle
... Show MoreNeuron-derived neurotrophic factor [NENF], a human plasma neurotrophic factor, also increases neurotrophic activity in conjunction with Parkinson's disease-related proteins in Neudesin. Although Neudesin (neuron-derived neurotrophic secreted protein) is a member of the membrane-associated progesterone receptor (MAPR) protein subclass, it is not evolutionary related to the other members of the same family. The expression of Neudesin is found in both brain and spinal cord from embryonic stages to adulthood, as w Neudesin levels in Parkinson's patients with osteoporosis disease and Parkinson's patients without osteoporosis disease, as well as the relationship between Neudesin levels, Anthropometric and Clinical Features (Age, Gender, BMI) and
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