Correlation between Biofilm Formation, Multi-Drug Resistance and AlgD Gene among Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates

الخلفية: الزوائف الزنجارية هي عبارة عن بكتريا انتهازية مسببة للامراض التي ترتبط بالإصابة بالعدوى المستمرة التي يصعب استئصالها.الهدف: تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تحديد قدرة تكوين الغشاء الحيوي في الزوائف الزنجارية وارتباطه بمقاومة المضادات الحيوية وعلاقتها بوجود جين ال  AlgD.المرضى وطريقة العمل: أجريت الدراسة الحالية في مستشفى أزادي التعليمي العام في مدينة كركوك خلال الفترة من أغسطس 2017 حتى مايو 2018 ، تم الحصول على 100 عزلة من الزائفة الزنجارية من 1260 عينة سريرية مختلفة. تم تحديد الحساسية للمضادات الحيوية بواسطة طريقة كيربي باور، تم تحليل تكوين الغشاء الحيوي بطريقة الميكروتايتر بليت ، جين AlgD تم الكشف عنه بواسطة تفاعل البلمرة المتسلسل.النتائج: اقل مقاومة للمضادات الحيوية وجد ضد: ببراسلين/ تازوباكتام (5%) , سيفيبيم (24%), سيفتازيديم (26%), بينما كانت النسبة الاكبر مقاومة ضد: الاموكسيسيلين/ حامض الكلافيولانك (98%) و ترايميثوبريم/ سلفامثوكزازول (97%).وكانت (60%) من هذه العزلات مقاومة للعديد من الأدوية. وجد أن (98%) من العزلات كانت لها قابلية تكوين الغشاء الحيوي. تم الكشف عن وجود جين AlgDبواسطة تفاعل البلمرة المتسلسل حيث وجد أن  (98%) من العزلات حاملة للجين, مع جود هذا الجين AlgD في العزلات المكونة للغشاء الحيوي فقط. الاستنتاجات: كان الإرتباط معنويا بين قابلية تكوين الغشاء الحيوي ومقاومة المضادات الحيوية, ووجد ان هنالك علاقة قوية بين وجود AlgD جين و تكوين الغشاء الحيويBackground: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that associated with persistent infections that are difficult to eradicate. Objective: This study aims to determine biofilm forming potential of P. aeruginosa and its correlation with antibiotics resistance and presence of AlgD gene. Materilals and Methods: The present study carried out in Azady teaching general hospital in Kirkuk city during the period from August 2017 to May 2018, one hundred isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa had been obtained from (1260) different clinical specimens. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by Kirby-Bauer method, biofilm formation analyzed by Microtiter plate quantitative method, and AlgD gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results: A lower percentage of antibiotic resistance was against piperacillin/tazobactam (5%), cefepime (24%), and ceftazidime (26%) while, higher resistance percentage was seen against amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (98%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (97%), multi-drug resistance (MDR) formed (60%) of total isolates. Biofilm formation found in (98%) of total isolates. AlgD gene detected by PCR technique found in (98%) of total isolates, AlgD gene was found only in biofilm former isolates. Conclusions: Significant correlation found between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. Strong correlation observed between presence of AlgD gene and biofilm formation

Battery Charger Regulator With Fully Controlled Rectifier 15 V/5 A On Uninterruptable Power Supply

Fully controlled rectifier and Battery Charge Regulator (BCR). BCR is the main unit of UPS ( Uninterruptable Power Supply ) equipment. The fully controlled rectifier has the function of supplying voltage directly to the BCR, and the BCR has the function of regulating the battery charge. Forced charging the battery at a constant voltage with a current that matches the life of the battery will have an impact on decreasing battery life, besides that it will have an impact on the efficiency of using the battery. Controlling the input voltage of the charging battery as a function of the battery voltage is regulated by the magnitude of the charging current flow. Charging the battery via BCR is adjusted to the battery voltage so that BCR can control it by adjusting the voltage to 13.5 V for High Voltage Disconnected (HVD) and 10.5 V for Low Voltage Disconnected (LVD). Based on the test results of the performance of the full control rectifier system and BCR on a 12 V battery with a capacity of 5 Ah, it shows that the output voltage is A fully controlled 12 V rectifier, the BCR can charge an empty internal battery in a few minutes with a current varying from 2 .1 A to 0.1 A

A Combined Use of Rhizobacteria and Moringa Leaf Extract Mitigates the Adverse Effects of Drought Stress in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Less nutrient availability and drought stress are some serious concerns of agriculture. Both biotic and abiotic stress factors have the potential to limit crop productivity. However, several organic extracts obtained from moringa leaves may induce immunity in plants under nutritional and drought stress for increasing their survival. Additionally, some rhizobacterial strains have the ability to enhance root growth for better nutrient and water uptake in stress conditions. To cover the knowledge gap on the interactive effects of beneficial rhizobacteria and moringa leaf extracts (MLEs), this study was conducted. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effectiveness of sole and combined use of rhizobacteria and MLEs against nutritional and drought stress in wheat. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) (10(8) CFU ml(-1)) was inoculated to wheat plants with and without foliar-applied MLEs at two different concentrations (MLE 1 = 1:15 v/v and MLE 2 = 1:30 v/v) twice at 25 and 35 days after seed sowing (50 ml per plant) after the establishment of drought stress. Results revealed that Pa + MLE 2 significantly increased fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), lengths of roots and shoot and photosynthetic contents of wheat. A significant enhancement in total soluble sugars, total soluble proteins, calcium, potassium, phosphate, and nitrate contents validated the efficacious effect of Pa + MLE 2 over control-treated plants. Significant decrease in sodium, proline, glycine betaine, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxide (POD) concentrations in wheat cultivated under drought stress conditions also represents the imperative role of Pa + MLE 2 over control. In conclusion, Pa + MLE 2 can alleviate nutritional stress and drought effects in wheat. More research in this field is required to proclaim Pa + MLE 2 as the most effective amendment against drought stress in distinct agroecological zones, different soil types, and contrasting wheat cultivars worldwide.Peer reviewe

Preliminary selection and evaluation of fungicides and natural compounds to control grey mold disease of rose caused by Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis cinerea es un hongo patógeno de las plantas que causa la enfermedad del moho gris del rosal (Rosa indica L.). La búsqueda de estrategias de control nuevas y alternativas respetuosas con el medio ambiente, en lugar de los productos químicos peligrosos, para diferentes enfermedades de los cultivos es un paso crucial y saludable para hacer frente a los retos actuales del cambio climático. Por lo tanto, este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la eficacia de diferentes extractos botánicos y agentes de biocontrol (biopesticidas) junto con diferentes fungicidas contra B. cinerea en condiciones in vitro. Se utilizaron tres concentraciones diferentes, a saber, 100, 200 y 300 ppm de cinco fungicidas, a saber, Acrobate, Melody, Cabrio top, Antracol y oxicloruro de cobre, extractos botánicos de ocho plantas Dhatura, Jengibre, Aak, Neem y Cebolla, en tres dosis diferentes de 5, 10 y 15%, El estudio de la incidencia de la enfermedad% de moho gris en el cultivo de rosas en la región muestra que la región de Hyderabad tiene un máximo (60%) de incidencia de la enfermedad en comparación con la región de Tandojam (40%). Entre los fungicidas, el Cabrio top redujo significativamente el crecimiento lineal de colonias (31 mm) de B. cinerea a una concentración de 300 ppm. Entre los productos botánicos, el extracto de la planta de neem mostró significativamente el menor crecimiento de colonias (23,33 mm), seguido de la planta de jengibre (25 mm) y la planta de dhatura (26 mm). La mayor concentración de fungicidas y las dosis más altas (15%) de extractos botánicos resultaron significativamente eficaces para controlar el patógeno B. cinerea. Among biopesticides, Fusarium solani appeared prominent in reducing colony growth (25.16 mm) of the pathogen but the difference was not significant 300 with most of the tested biocontrol agents. La recomendación en este estudio es la alta capacidad de los extractos botánicos y agentes de biocontrol en la reducción del crecimiento de moho gris, considerando potencialmente su uso en lugar de fungicidas sintéticos y mayor seguridad para el ecosistema.Campus Ic

SPARC 2018 Internationalisation and collaboration : Salford postgraduate annual research conference book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2018 SPARC conference. This year we not only celebrate the work of our PGRs but also the launch of our Doctoral School, which makes this year’s conference extra special. Once again we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 100 presenters, the conference truly showcases a vibrant PGR community at Salford. These abstracts provide a taster of the research strengths of their works, and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to take up this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas from your own. To meet global challenges, high impact research inevitably requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This is recognised by all major research funders. Therefore engaging with the work of others and forging collaborations across subject areas is an essential skill for the next generation of researchers

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

Pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in proton-lead collisions at root s(NN)=5:02 and 8.16 TeV

The pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in proton-lead collisions at nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energies root s(NN) = 5.02 and 8.16 TeV are presented. The measurements are based on data samples collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The number of primary charged hadrons produced in non-single-diffractive proton-lead collisions is determined in the pseudorapidity range vertical bar eta(lab)vertical bar vertical bar(vertical bar eta cm vertical bar) <0.5 are 17.1 +/- 0.01 (stat) +/- 0.59 (syst) and 20.10 +/- 0.01 (stat) +/- 0.5(syst) at root s(NN) = 5.02 and 8.16 TeV, respectively. The particle densities per participant nucleon are compared to similar measurements in proton-proton, proton-nucleus, and nucleus-nucleus collisions.Peer reviewe

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.This study was funded by: - The UK Medical Research Council (grant number MR/V034057/1) - The Wellcome Trust (Pathways to Equitable Healthy Cities grant 209376/Z/17/Z). - The AstraZeneca Young Health Programme and the European Commission (STOP project through EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement 774548)