Candida albicans is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in
immunocompromised patients worldwide. Biofilm formation by Candida species is a significant
virulence factor for disease ...pathogenesis. Keeping in view the importance of Streptomyces'
metabolites, the present study was initiated during the bioprospecting programme of Egyptian
Streptomyces carried by the authors since 2013. Native Streptomyces isolates were recovered
from soil samples collected from different governorates. Antifungal activity of forty isolates of
Streptomyces were performed against planktonic (free cells) of C. albicans ATCC 10231 and
resistant clinical Candida isolates. Streptomyces isolates showed high inhibition activity against
free cells of Candida were further assayed against biofilm of C. albicans reference strain. The
most active Streptomyces sp. (no.6) was identified phenotypically, biochemically and by using
16S rRNA. The 16S rRNA sequences obtained were compared with those deposited in the
GenBank Database and registered with accession number KM052378 as S. toxytricini Fz94.
Screening of S. toxytricini Fz94 extract capability in prevention and destruction of C. albicans
reference strain biolfilm was assessed by resazurin dye adopted technique. In the pre-exposure
scheme, the lowest concentration of 5 gL-1 showed biofilm viability inhibition of 92% after 120
min, while Ketoconazole® gave 90 % inhibition at concentration of 2 gL-1. In post exposure, the
concentration of S. toxytricini Fz94 extract 7gL-1 caused 82 % inhibition of biofilms viability
after 120 min, while Ketoconazole did not show any destruction capability. The cytotoxicity of
S. toxytricini Fz94 crude extract results showed that it was nontoxic at 10 gL-1. S. toxytricini
Fz94 is maintained in the Fungarium of Arab Society for Fungal Conservation (ASFC) with
accession number FSCU-2017-1110.
BACKGROUND: The aim of
this study was to examine the role of apoptosis and reactive oxygen species
(ROS) in inducing DNA damage in ejaculated spermatozoa. METHODS: We
examined ejaculated spermatozoa ...from 31 patients examined for infertility
and 19 healthy donors for apoptosis, production of ROS and DNA damage using
annexin V binding, chemiluminescence assay and sperm chromatin structure
assay. RESULTS: The percentage of spermatozoa that underwent apoptosis in
the whole ejaculate and mature fraction was higher in the patients than in
the donors (P < 0.001 and
P = 0.009, respectively). Levels of ROS in the
whole ejaculate and immature fraction were higher in the patients than in
the donors (P = 0.002 and
P = 0.009). Apoptosis was significantly
correlated with ROS within patients in the whole ejaculate r
(95% confidence interval) = 0.53
(0.19–0.86) and in the mature 0.71
(0.39–1.00) and immature spermatozoa 0.75
(0.45–1.00). Only apoptosis and the DNA fragmentation index
(DFI) were significantly correlated within patients in the whole ejaculate
0.57 (0.18–0.97). CONCLUSIONS: DNA damage may be induced
by oxidative assault. Apoptosis may not contribute significantly to the DNA
damage.
PLD was applied to grow few-layers graphene from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite target on complex Ni-Cu substrates at room temperature, for the first time. The substrates were prepared by PLD of ...Ni on Cu foil at two different temperatures followed by similar heat treatments. The yielded Ni-Cu substrates showed two different types of structures confirmed by XRD. Unexpected extreme difference in the substrates' catalytic effect on graphene growth was proven via Raman spectra to ultimately yield either a few layers graphene or barely amorphous carbon. The effect of laser pulse energies on graphene growth has been studied as well. The results corroborate a novel class of highly efficient bi-metallic catalyst and the first well defined graphene at room temperature by any deposition technique.
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•PLD of graphitic target could grow graphene at room temperature.•NiCu alloy and composite substrates catalytic effect comparison on graphene growth is presented.•Unique structure of the composite substrates that force 2D layers formation.•Room temperature diffusion through grain boundaries is expected within composite substrate.
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of neuropathic pain among patients suffering from chronic low back pain using the Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANSS) pain ...scale.
This was a pilot study collected from 10 centers in the Middle East Region, with each center enrolling 10 patients between November 2004 and January 2004. In total, 100 patients with chronic low back pain were included in the study. The LANSS clinical assessment score was used to assess the presence of neuropathic pain. Patients with score > or =12 were considered to have neuropathic pain, while patients with score a less than 12 were considered as having nociceptive pain.
We found that 41% of the chronic low back pain patients had neuropathic pain and 59% had nociceptive pain.
The ability to identify neuropathic pain mechanisms should lead to individualized treatment resulting in improved pain control in this group of patients with chronic low back pain.
Three-dimensional surface models of the normal hemipelvis derived from volumetric CT data on 42 patients were used to determine the radius, depth and orientation of the native acetabulum. A sphere ...fitted to the lunate surface and a plane matched to the acetabular rim were used to calculate the radius, depth and anatomical orientation of the acetabulum. For the 22 females the mean acetabular abduction, anteversion, radius and normalised depth were 57.1 degrees (50.7 degrees to 66.8 degrees ), 24.1 degrees (14.0 degrees to 33.3 degrees ), 25 mm (21.7 to 30.3) and 0.79 mm (0.56 to 1.04), respectively. The same parameters for the 20 males were 55.5 degrees (47.7 degrees to 65.9 degrees ), 19.3 degrees (8.5 degrees to 32.3 degrees ), 26.7 mm (24.5 to 28.7) and 0.85 mm (0.65 to 0.99), respectively. The orientation of the native acetabulum did not match the safe zone for acetabular component placement described by Lewinnek. During total hip replacement surgeons should be aware that the average abduction angle of the native acetabulum exceeds that of the safe zone angle. If the concept of the safe zone angle is followed, abduction of the acetabular component should be less than the abduction of the native acetabulum by approximately 10 degrees .
The structural and nanomechanical properties of InN films grown on Si(1 0 0) using femtosecond pulsed laser deposition were studied for different growth conditions. Atomic nitrogen was generated by ...either thermal cracking or laser-induced breakdown (LIB) of ammonia. Optical emission spectroscopy was conducted on the laser plasma and used to observe atomic nitrogen formation. An indium buffer layer was initially grown on the Si substrate at low temperature. The surface structure and morphology were investigated by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction, ex situ atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the initial buffer indium layers were terminated with the In(2 × 1) structure and had a smooth surface. With increased coverage, the growth mode developed from two-dimensional layers to three-dimensional islands. At room temperature (RT), formation of submicrometre islands resulted in mixed crystal structure of In and InN. As the substrate temperature was increased to 250-350 °C, the crystal structure was found to be dominated by fewer In and more InN, with only InN formed at 350 °C. The XRD patterns show that the grown InN films have wurtzite crystal structure. The film hardness near the surface was observed to increase from less than 1 GPa, characteristic of In for the sample grown at RT using the thermal cracker, to a hardness of 11 GPa at 30 nm from surface, characteristic of InN for samples grown at 350 °C by LIB. The hardness at deep indents reaches the hardness of the Si substrate of ∼12 GPa.
Background: Extended spectrum ?-lactamase (ESBL) positive organisms are now a global health concern including in Bangladesh. These are associated with treatment failure, increased morbidity and ...mortality and increased health care costs. In this study, frequency of ESBL positive organisms in some health care centres in Dhaka city has been observed and their current status of antibiogram has also been observed.Objective: To observe the current status of antibiogram of ESBL positive organisms.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in the Department of Microbiology, Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from March, 2012 to February, 2013. Only E. coli and Klebsiella spp. from pus and urine specimens were included in this study. Isolation, identification and antibiotic sensitivity of the organisms were done by standard procedures.Results: Organisms (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp.) isolated from urine and pus collected from different sites of 472 subjects were studied. Predominant organisms were Escherichia coli (82.8%) and remaining 17.2% were Klebsiella spp. ESBL positive organisms were higher in Escherichia coli (54.5%) than in Klebsiella spp. (44.4%) and higher in pus (77.0%) than in urine (49.1%) isolates. Imipenem is the most effective drug for treating ESBL positive organisms followed by colistin, tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam.Conclusion: Imipenem, colistin, tigecycline and piperacillin/tazobactam drugs should be kept reserved and used only when other effective drugs are not available so that emergence of resistance against these drugs is deferred. While reporting the culture and sensitivity tests, the ESBL positive organisms should be pointed out with comment like this The organisms are ESBL positive and resistant to penicillins, cephalosporins and monobactams.J Enam Med Col 2015; 5(2): 80-87
Luxor, the modern Egyptian city that occupies the site of ancient Thebes, is famed for its magnificent ancient monuments. Since 1967, the Aswan high dam has prevented the annual flooding of the Nile ...River, resulting in excessive salt accumulation on the Nile floodplains and on exposed monument surfaces. In addition, the expansion of agricultural land within the Luxor study area has resulted in increased salinity and groundwater level. These conditions accelerate the degradation of buried and exposed monuments that were fairly well preserved in the past. To mitigate this problem, it is necessary to first understand the near-surface setting and the groundwater conditions of the Luxor area. A geophysical investigation was carried out using resistivity and electromagnetic surveys. In addition, a chemical analysis was conducted of some surface water samples collected from canals and the sacred lake of Memnon Temple. Based on the results of the geophysical surveys and the chemical analysis of the water samples, the shallow subsurface was characterized into four geoelecterical units. Groundwater flow directions were determined to be from the central area to the west, causing a rise in the groundwater levels and groundwater salinity in the area of monuments.
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