Design and Production of Arginine Deiminase-Azurin Recombinant Fusion Protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its Confirmation by Western Blot

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that has a unique genome that allowed the bacteria to produce various enzymes and proteins. Azurin and arginine deiminase are low molecular weight proteins that produced by P. aeruginosa. These proteins can be used alone or in combination together in order to become effective in cancer therapy or inhibiting of metastasis. This study aimed to design, express and purify the Azurin and Arginine Deiminease recombinant fusion protein.Materials and Methods: The sequences of Azurin and arginine deiminase from P. aeruginosa were studied for synthesis in a pET28a vector. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into the E.coli BL-21 strain and expression was induced by isopropyl-β-D-thio galactopyranoside (IPTG). The fusion protein expression was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purification of the recombinant product was performed by the Ni-NTA chromatography column, obtained product analysis with SDS-PAGE and Western blot technique.Results: Cloning was confirmed by observing bands from the enzyme digestion. The protein band with a molecular weight of 65 kDa on the SDS-PAGE gel was an indication of the correct expression of the protein. The single-band of this recombinant protein was confirmed by the western blot technique.Conclusion: In this study, due to the successful production of arginine deiminase-azurin fusion protein, and considering the separate anti-cancer properties of these compounds, which have been reported in previous studies, it is suggested that immunological assessments and effects of this fusion protein in different cancerous cell line be investigated

The Use of Locally Produced Lime for Clarification of Juice in the Cane Sugar Industry

Juice purification using lime is a standard established practice in the sugar industry allover the world. In order to remove impurities from juice, the juice is treated mechanically, thermally and chemically. The main compound for chemical treatment is CaO in Association with flocculants (polymers), which precipitate the soluble salts and colloids in the juice as insoluble ones. In Sudan lime is imported to meet the demand of the growing sugar industry. So, the purpose of this study could be summarized in the following: 1) To assess the suitability of local lime for juice clarification. 2) To determine the effectiveness of the local lime mixed with polymers (PDADMAC, PAC) for juice clarification. 3) To identify and assess the factors affecting juice clarification. 4) To determine the optimum concentrations and conditions for juice clarification. In order to achieve the above objectives Elgunied Sugar Factory has been chosen to represent the sugar factories in Sudan. After comprehensive comparative study and laboratory research, it was found that the local lime is suitable for clarification process with and without polymers economically and practically. Since the removed turbidity reached 93.5%, the removed colour reached 2.7% when only the local lime is used in juice clarification, comparatively the imported lime removed 92.3% of the turbidity and 16.4% of the colour

PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF BURNOUT AMONG MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS IN LEBANON

This research aims to measure burnout among mental health workers in Lebanon and to identify the preventive measures they utilize not to exceed the danger threshold. The study follows the descriptive correlational comparative approach. Maslash Burnout Scale (MBI-HSS) and Preventive Measures Inventory (PMI) scale are applied to a random sample of mental health workers (psychotherapists and psychologists n = 110) in all Lebanese governorates. The effect of the following demographic factors is studied: profession, age groups, years of experience, and work conditions: war, explosion, economic crisis, corona pandemic, normal circumstances. Pearson correlations, T-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA are manipulated. Results show that mental health workers do not suffer from burnout in the dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP), but only in the dimension of personal achievement (PA), where 69.1% of them showed a low sense of achievement. Results also indicate high scores on PMI, with mean = 81.4, which is a high degree of protection. In addition, no differences in burnout are depicted in terms of occupation, age groups, and years of experience. However, negative correlation between personal achievement and work conditions during war is shown, yet war is not a predictor of PA. The only predictive factor of burnout is PMI, with the following variations in results: preventive measures lead to positive impact on personal achievement, inverse impact on depersonalization, and no statistically significant impact on emotional exhaustion

WELL-BEING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO RELIGIOSITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS, AND DEATH ANXIETY AMONG A SAMPLE OF THE LEBANESE SOCIETY

This study is divided into two sections: the first section aims to extrapolate the reality of the situation in the Lebanese society during the beginning of 2021 with regard to psychological stress and death anxiety following the Beirut Port Blast and during the Corona crisis and the beginning of the economic downturn in Lebanon; the second section aims to study the correlation among the components of well-being and religiosity, and the relationship between death anxiety and psychological stress with well-being and religiosity. It also aims to reveal the possibility of predicting well-being through psychological stress and death anxiety. In addition, the study aims to explore the factorial analysis of the components of scales in both sexes. The sample included 2290 people from various Lebanese governorates. Templer’s Death Anxiety scale, Cohen’s perceived stress scale, and Abdel-Khaleq self-rating scales of well-being and religiosity were utilized. One of the findings of the study is the emergence of the well-being factor, which consists of: religiosity, mental health, physical health, happiness, and life satisfaction. No differences between the sexes were depicted in this factor. It was also found that the relationship between well-being and religiosity, on one hand, and psychological stress and death anxiety, on the other hand, is an inverse relationship; no differences between males and females were depicted in this regard. Stress and death anxiety were inferred to be predictors of well- being though through different coeficients. Results also revealed differences in the principal components of factors in both sexes; the items loaded on four factors in females, one of which was bipolar, indicating the negative impact of psychological stress on females’ mental health, happiness and life satisfaction. However, in males the items loaded on four factors, all of which were unipolar, including a factor that displays males’ ability to self-control during psychological stress

Characterization of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from hospitalized patients in Tehran, Iran

     Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are a main cause of nosocomial infection. The main purpose of this study was to determination of frequency of CNS isolates in in hospitalized patients and their susceptibility pattern to antimicrobial agents. During 11 month study, 65 CNS clinical isolates were recovered from hospitalized patients in different wards of hospital. In vitro susceptibility of isolates to 12 antimicrobial agents Penicillin; Ampicilin; Cephalothin; Cefoxitin; linezolid; Nitofurantoin; Erythromycin; Norfloxacin; Gentamicin; Vancomycin; Chloramphenicol and Oxacillin was performed by Kirby-Bauer’s Disk diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) criteria. Out of 1875 samples of hospitalized patients 65(3.47%) patients were infected with CNS. Twenty one (32.3 %) were isolated from the urine samples, 17(26.1%) from sputum, 15(23.1%) from pus samples, 8(12.3 %) from ear swabs, 3(4.7%) from fluid and 1(1.5%) from blood sample. All of CNS isolates were sensitive to nitrofurantoin. The rates of resistance to the majority of antibiotics tested varied between 4.5% and 100 %. The rate of resistance to beta lactam antibiotics, Chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamycin was high (more than 70%). The most of isolates remained susceptible to linezolid, and nitofurantoin. All of isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Multi-drug resistant CNS with reduced susceptibility to linezolid and nitrofurantoin are emerging pathogens of clinical concern. Monitoring of antibiotic resistance with attention to multi-resistant profile and aware to practitioners in the field is necessary

Investigation of Antibacterial Effect of Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus pyogenes

Background: Streptococcus mutans is major cause of tooth decay. In addition, there is some report about effects of Streptococcus pyogenes on odontogenic infections. Herbal drugs is now administrating for treatment of some disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus pyogenes.Materials and Methods: In this study, standard strains of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus pyogenes were used, and ethanolic extract was prepared in the microbiological laboratory of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The experiment was repeated 6 times and chlorohexine 2% was used as a control.Results: The best effect of Carum carvi was on Streptococcus mutans, whereas on Streptococcus pyogenes both extracts of Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi showed the same effect.Conclusion: This study showed, due to the fact that the Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi extracts exhibited excellent antibacterial properties, they could be a suitable candidate in compounds such as mouthwash, toothpastes and Gums. Therefore, could be used in the prevention and treatment of future oral and dental diseases

Antibiotic Resistance and RAPD-PCR Genotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Strains Isolated from Intensive Care Unit Patients

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one the most important nosocomial pathogens, especially in immunocompromised patients. Identifying the source of contamination in health centers plays an important role in the control of hospital infections. The aim of this study was to determine antibiotic susceptibility and genetic patterns of P. aeruginosa isolated from patients hospitalized in intensive care unit of Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was examined through 10 antibiotics recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, 2018) guidelines using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis with the short primer of 272 was used to evaluate genetic relationship among the isolates and the results were analyzed by Gelcompar II software. Results: Of the antibiotics used, the most sensitive was found in colistin (96.4%) and the highest resistance rates were observed in cefotaxime (94.6%), chloramphenicol (83.9%) and imipenem (71.4%). DNA fingerprinting was able to identify 12 genetic patterns by RAPD-PCR technique. Conclusion: Antibiotic resistance in isolates of P. aeruginosa is rising and there is possibility of occurring outbreaks in the medical centers. Different sources of strains show their constant exchange via intra- and extra-hospital transmission routes. Thus, according to the data of this study, there is a serious need to control sources of infections by physicians and staff when they are working in several sectors to control and prevent the transmission of the bacterium

Prevalence of Epstein–Barr virus, Human Papillomavirus and Porphyromonas Gingivalis in Oral Cancer

Background: Multiple risk factors are supposed to progress oral cavity carcinoma and among them, the role ofneither bacterial nor viral infections should be underestimated. Despite relentless efforts, the accelerating effectsof human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) onoral cancer has not yet been recognized successfully. Taking advantage of these facts, in this study we evaluatedthe prevalence of HPV, EBV, and P. gingivalis in oral cavity carcinoma.Materials and Methods: A total of 43 oral cavity cancerous tissues and 29 healthy oral ones were collected fromLoghman Hospital, Tehran, Iran, between 2016 and 2018. After DNA extraction, the prevalence of HPV, EBV,and P. gingivalis was evaluated by PCR.Results: There were 53.5 well-differentiated (15 male, 9 female), 41.8% moderate (10 male, 5 female), and4.7% poor (1 male, 3 female) adenocarcinoma paraffin-embedded tissue samples. PCR analysis has shownthat there were 1 HPV (age: 46; moderate adenocarcinoma) and 1 EBV (age: 62; moderate adenocarcinoma)positive in different samples. No P. gingivalis was found and there was not any infected tissue with both EBVand HPV. In 31% of control tissues, blisters were observed and in 51.7% there was no mucus. We did not findany association between age, sex, and HPV, EBV positive samples.Conclusion: As sample size can affect the results of epidemiological and clinical study, and due to the lownumber of positive samples in this study, we concluded that HPV, EBV, and P. gingivalis may not have adetrimental effect on the progression of oral cancer, but further studies are needed

Enhancing the Quality of "Produced Water" by Activated Carbon

The main objective is to contribute via this study, in solving an environmental issue and helping Qatar in finding suitable water resources; useful in agriculture. Qatar faces diverse water challenges; the number one that threats here is scarcity as water is not renewable. Due to scarcity of good quality water, reusing of low quality and contaminated water is highly increasing in Qatar. The main source of water in Qatar is desalination stations. Most of the desalinated water is for human usage. Agriculture in Qatar depends mainly on underground water; it is available but always saline and found in insufficient quantities. Due to the increasing demand for water among industries and irrigation, using other alternative water resources such as produced water during oil and gas extraction would be of importance. Generally, produced water is the water that exists in subsurface and is moved to the surface through oil and gas processes. The volume of produced water and pollutants concentration vary depending on the nature and location of the oil products. It represents the major waste stream related to oil and gas processes. Large volume of produced water generated in Qatar has the potential to enhance the water resources. The crucial goal of produced water management is to eliminate dissolved harmful components and use it for beneficial uses that can efficiently improve environmental impact and water shortage. An exclusive characteristic of produced water comparing to other wastewater resources is the large variation and complexity in water chemistry. This would play a vital role in the remediation processes.qscienc