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.
The organation ⁄monomer N-naphthylacrylamide (NAA) was prepared; subsequently the synthesized monomer was successfully copolymerized with acrylicacid (AA) and methylacrylate (MA) by free radical technique using dry benzene as solvent and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator. The overall conversion was kept low (≤ 10% wt/wt) for all studies copolymers samples. The synthesized monomer and copolymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and their thermal properties were studied by DSC and TGA. The copolymers compositions were determined by elemental analysis. Kelen-Tudes and Finmman-Ross graphical procedures were employed to determine
... Show MoreIn this study, generation of elliptical gears with different teeth profiles of crowned involute, double circular arc (DCA), and combined (crowned involute with DCA) has been developed. The resulting mathematical equations have been computerized and feed to CNC end mill machine to manufacture elliptical gear models with different profiles. These models are investigated in plane polariscope to show the resulting stresses under certain load. Comparison of photo-elastic stress results shows that combined elliptical gears with DCA side as a loaded side have a minimum resulting contact stress with a reduction percentage of 40% compare with contact stresses in counterpart elliptical gear of involute profile (which is commonly u
... Show MoreThe organation ⁄monomer N-naphthylacrylamide (NAA) was prepared; subsequently the synthesized monomer was successfully copolymerized with acrylicacid (AA) and methylacrylate (MA) by free radical technique using dry benzene as solvent and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator. The overall conversion was kept low (≤ 10% wt/wt) for all studies copolymers samples. The synthesized monomer and copolymers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and their thermal properties were studied by DSC and TGA. The copolymers compositions were determined by elemental analysis. Kelen-Tudes and Finmman-Ross graphical procedures were employed to determine the monomers reactivity ratios. The der
... Show MoreAcidity constants at 30co and 0.125 ionic strength have been determined for the Nitrogous bases of nucleic acid; cytocine, uarcil and thymine, and found to be 3.55 x10-19 , 1.44 x10 -19 and 7.24 x10 -20 respectively. Stability constants of these bases with Thorium and uranyl ions have been determined. Results showed that metal ions Thorium and uranyl ions behave as hard acids and the nitrogenum bases behave as Hard bases according to Pearson's definition .Hardness – softness parameters for these ligands were calculated ,stability constants of complexes with metal ions could be arranged as follows :- Cytosine > Uracil > Thymine .
The objective of the present study is to verify the actual carious lesion depth by laser
fluorescence technique using 650 nm CW diode laser in comparison with the histopathological
investigation. Five permanent molar teeth were extracted from adult individuals for different reasons
(tooth impaction, periodontal diseases, and pulp infections); their ages were ranging from 20-25 years
old. Different carious teeth with varying clinical stages of caries progression were examined. An
experimental laser fluorescence set-up was built to perform the work regarding in vitro detection and
quantification of occlusal dental caries and the determination of its actual clinical carious lesion depth by
650 nm CW diode laser (excitat
Serum levels of iron,copper,ceruloplasmin and transferrine were estimated in three groups of patients with ?- thalassemia: 24 patients have splenectomy thalassemia major, 29 patients have non splenectomy thalassemia major and 19 patients have thalassemia intermedia , data were compared to normal and pathological controls (anemia and minor). There were significant increase in trace element levels in all studied groups of pateints as compared to normal and pathological controls. Also there were a significant increase in ceruloplasmin levels,While the result revealed that there were a significant decrease in transferrine levels in all groups of patients studied as compared to normal and pathological controls. The result also indicate that the
... Show MoreThis research presents an experimental investigation of the rehabilitation efficiency of the damaged hybrid reinforced concrete beams with openings in the shear region. The study investigates the difference in retrofitting ability of hybrid beams compared to traditional beams and the effect of two openings compared with one opening equalized to two holes in the area. Five RC beams classified into two groups, A and B, were primarily tested to full-failure under two-point loads. The first group (A) contained beams with normal weight concrete. The second group (hybrid) included beams with lightweight concrete for web and bottom flange, whereas the top flange was made from normal concrete. Two types of openings were considered in this s
... Show MoreThe Electrocardiogram records the heart's electrical signals. It is a practice; a painless diagnostic procedure used to rapidly diagnose and monitor heart problems. The ECG is an easy, noninvasive method for diagnosing various common heart conditions. Due to its unique advantages that other humans do not share, in addition to the fact that the heart's electrical activity may be easily detected from the body's surface, security is another area of concern. On this basis, it has become apparent that there are essential steps of pre-processing to deal with data of an electrical nature, signals, and prepare them for use in Biometric systems. Since it depends on the structure and function of the heart, it can be utilized as a biometric attribute
... Show MoreIncreasing world demand for renewable energy resources as wind energy was one of the goals behind research optimization of energy production from wind farms. Wake is one of the important phenomena in this field. This paper focuses on understanding the effect of angle of attack (α) on wake characteristics behind single horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). This was done by design three rotors different from each other in value of α used in the rotor design process. Values of α were (4.8˚,9.5˚,19˚). The numerical simulations were conducted using Ansys Workbench 19- Fluent code; the used turbulence model was (k-ω SST). The results showed that best value for extracted wind energy was at α=19˚, spread distance of wak
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