ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIOPHAGE WITH LYTIC ACTIVITY AGAINST CARBAPENEM RESISTANCE STRAIN OF KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIA.

Objective: Aim: Klebsiella pneumonia has emerged as an increasingly important cause of community-acquired nosocomial infections and many of these strains are highly virulent and exhibit a strong propensity to spread. Infections cause by K. pneumonia produces carbapen¬emase (KPC) enzyme and can be difficult to treat since only a few antibiotics are effective against them.

In Vitro Activity, Stability and Molecular Characterization of Eight Potent Bacteriophages Infecting Carbapenem-Resistant .

Background: Members of the genus are among the leading microbial pathogens associated with nosocomial infection. The increased incidence of antimicrobial resistance in these species has propelled the need for alternate/combination therapeutic regimens to aid clinical treatment, including bacteriophage therapy. Bacteriophages are considered very safe and effective in treating bacterial infections.

Experimental Study of Halloysite Nanofluids in Pool Boiling Heat Transfer.

Halloysite nanotube (HNT) which is cheap, natural, and easily accessible 1D clay, can be used in many applications, particularly heat transfer enhancement. The aim of this research is to study experimentally the pool boiling heat transfer (PBHT) performance of novel halloysite nanofluids at atmospheric pressure condition from typical horizontal heater. The nanofluids are prepared from halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanomaterials-based deionized water (DI water) with the presence of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution to control pH = 12 to obtain stable nanofluid.

The Effect of Precursor Concentration on the Particle Size, Crystal Size, and Optical Energy Gap of CeSnO Nanofabrication.

In the present work, a thermal treatment technique is applied for the synthesis of CeSnO nanoparticles. Using this method has developed understanding of how lower and higher precursor values affect the morphology, structure, and optical properties of CeSnO nanoparticles. CeSnO nanoparticle synthesis involves a reaction between cerium and tin sources, namely, cerium nitrate hexahydrate and tin (II) chloride dihydrate, respectively, and the capping agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).

Renal Cortical Scarring: Ga-PSMA-11 PET Versus Tc-DMSA Scanning in a Case of Pyelonephritis.

We previously reported the Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-11 and Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) images of the first patient in our prospective research comparing renal Ga-PSMA-11 PET with Tc-DMSA scanning in adults with pyelonephritis. Here, we present the renal cortical Ga-PSMA-11 PET and Tc-DMSA images of our second patient, who had chronic recurring pyelonephritis and demonstrated renal parenchymal defects secondary to scarring in the kidney.

Botulinum Toxin A for Spastic Trismus Due to Brain Stem Encephalitis in a Pediatric Intensive Care Setting: A Unique Case Report.

Injection of botulinum toxin A to masseter and temporalis muscles improved mouth opening and facilitated suction and oral care in a child with spastic trismus. This is the first such report in a 3.5-year-old child on mechanical ventilator in pediatric intensive care unit setting.

Spectroscopic observations on human pigmentation.

Background: The main chromophores of human skin are melanins and hemoglobins along with carotenoids, bilirubin, and other compounds. In an effort to study the spectral signatures of skin melanin, we measured absorption spectra in a variety of situations, including a method to show early signs of re-pigmentation in vitiligo.

Methods: To measure skin in vivo, the essential component was a "Bifurcated Optical Fiber" with one end connected to the light source and the second end connected to the spectrometer while the common end was placed on the skin.

Prostate-specific antigen cutoff value for ordering sodium fluoride positron emission tomography/computed tomography bone scan in patients with prostate cancer.

The use of F-18 sodium fluoride (NaF) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) bone scan is increasing because of its higher sensitivity and specificity over standard bone scintigraphy (BS). Studies previously reported a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) cutoff value for ordering standard BS. However, this has not been determined for NaF PET yet.

Soft Tissue Pathology Detected By Ultrasound Seem To Be Risk Factors for Painful Flare in Osteoarthritic Knee.

Background: To our knowledge, the importance of US findings, pain (brief pain inventory (BPI)) and disability in osteoarthritic knee (OA) pain patients remain uncertain.

Aim: The objectives are to evaluate the correlation of US findings, pain (brief pain inventory (BPI)) and disability in OA pain patients.

Materials And Methods: Eighty - three patients with OA knee were divided into two groups.

Mutation spectrum analysis of Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy in 68 families in Kuwait: The era of personalized medicine.

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) are X-linked recessive neuromuscular disorders characterized by progressive irreversible muscle weakness and atrophy that affect both skeletal and cardiac muscles. DMD/BMD is caused by mutations in the Dystrophin gene on the X chromosome, leading to the absence of the essential muscle protein Dystrophin in DMD. In BMD, Dystrophin is partially functioning with a shorter protein product.

Recognizing Pinhole Parallax Error for Accurate Localization of Thyroid and Parathyroid Disease.

Parallax error is a pitfall of pinhole scintigraphy that causes mislocalization of the findings. It is important to notice this error on pinhole thyroid and parathyroid scintigraphy and obtain additional images with a parallel-hole collimator to accurately determine the upper and lower margins of large goiters and nodules and the location of ectopic thyroid tissue and parathyroid adenomas. In this teaching case report, we revisit pinhole parallax error, present pinhole and SPECT/CT images of a patient with a large, hyperactive thyroid nodule, and review the literature and potential solutions to this important problem.

Thermal Calcination-Based Production of SnO₂ Nanopowder: An Analysis of SnO₂ Nanoparticle Characteristics and Antibacterial Activities.

SnO₂ nanoparticle production using thermal treatment with tin(II) chloride dihydrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone capping agent precursor materials for calcination was investigated. Samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse UV-vis reflectance spectra, photoluminescence (PL) spectra and the electron spin resonance (ESR). XRD analysis found tetragonal crystalline structures in the SnO₂ nanoparticles generated through calcination.

Ultrasonographic Enthesopathy and Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis.

Background: To our knowledge, the correlation between ultrasonographic enthesopathy and severity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has been done before. However, the correlation between ultrasonography of enthesopathy and the Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score (PASDAS) have not been done.

Aim: To compare the results of ultrasonographic enthesopathy of foot and PASDAS in PsA.

Relationship between Gait Parameters and Postural Stability in Early and Late Parkinson's Disease and Visual Feedback-Based Balance Training Effects.

Background: Gait disorders or postural instability has been done before. However, lack of reviews has addressed the relation between gait and postural stability in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the relation between gait parameters and postural stability in early and late stages of PD.

Understanding the impact of conflict on health services in Iraq: information from 401 Iraqi refugee doctors in Jordan.

Objectives: This study aims to assess how conflict has affected the function of Iraqi health services and its doctors.

Methods: Interviews were conducted in person or by mobile phone with 401 Iraqi doctors entering Jordan since 2003, using respondent-driven sampling methods.

Results: Of the Iraqi doctors interviewed in 2008, 94% came from Baghdad, although 25% had moved within Iraq in the past year.

Association of comorbid depression, anxiety, and stress disorders with Type 2 diabetes in Bahrain, a country with a very high prevalence of Type 2 diabetes.

This study examined the association of depression, anxiety, and stress with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Bahrain, an island-country with a very high prevalence of T2DM. This was a cross-sectional study involving administering Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)-21 structured depression, anxiety, and stress scale to 143 T2DM patients and 132 healthy controls. Higher proportion of T2DM patients were found in the mild-moderate and severe- extremely severe depression (p=0.

Measurement of solar UVB variations by polysulphone film.

Sheets of polysulphone film have been extensively used as detectors to monitor solar UVB radiation. The advantages of polysulphone detectors are that they are small in size, they have good thermal stability and they are sensitive to UVB radiation. The principal disadvantage of polysulphone detectors is that their spectral sensitivity includes part of the short-wavelength UVA.

Diurnal and seasonal variations of the UV cut-off wavelength and most erythemally effective wavelength of solar spectra.

Background: Biologically effective solar ultraviolet radiation is defined as the product of the intensity of the solar spectrum and the erythema action spectrum at each wavelength. In this way we may arrive at the weighted effectiveness of each wavelength of solar radiation to produce a sunburn reaction. There have been many measurements of the variation of the solar spectrum with the time of the day and the time of the year, but questions remain as to the variation of the quality of the spectrum and the contribution of the shortest wavelengths of solar terrestrial radiation.

Erythema and melanogenesis action spectra in heavily pigmented individuals as compared to fair-skinned Caucasians.

The protective role of epidermal melanin pigmentation against chronic exposure to ultraviolet radiation is widely accepted, although its photoprotective effect against acute exposure is less certain. In this study, the action spectra of erythema and melanogenesis in heavily pigmented individuals (skin type V) were determined at 295, 305, 315, and 365 nm, and compared with those of skin types I and II. When the erythema and melanogenesis action spectra for skin type V were normalized to 295 nm, they were identical to the corresponding action spectra for fair-skinned individuals, indicating that the photoprotection of epidermal melanin pigmentation is essentially independent of wavelength.

Development of cutaneous tolerance to ultraviolet B during ultraviolet B phototherapy for psoriasis.

During a schedule of multiple exposures to ultraviolet B radiation (UVB, 280-320 nm), skin develops a reduced sensitivity, variously called tolerance, photoadaptation, accommodation or acclimatization. In this study we have investigated the development of tolerance in the normal skin of a group of psoriatic patients during the course of UVB therapy. Tolerance was assessed by phototests carried out on non-lesional skin as frequently as possible throughout the treatment.

Minimum erythema dose determination in individuals of skin type V and VI with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Erythema induced by ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) or PUVA (psoralen+UVA) was measured by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and laser Doppler flowmetry (LD) on patients receiving UV phototherapy and on healthy volunteers of skin type V and VI. The height of the 577 nm absorbance peak of oxyhemoglobin was taken as a measure of erythema intensity. DRS spectra from skin sites exposed to a series of doses were similar in shape.

Changing the risk spectrum of injury and the performance of sunscreen products throughout the day.

Sunscreen products are tested normally against a defined solar simulator spectrum that, in ultraviolet (UVB), closely resembles the noontime spectral composition of summer sunlight. Although such a spectrum may define the product for use in the most adverse sunlight conditions, little attention has been given to how such products perform against other natural sunlight spectra. Outdoor clinical trials suggest that indoor testing of sunscreens may overestimate the performance of many products.

In vitro and in vivo ultraviolet-induced alterations of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation was found to convert oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin stoichiometrically into methemoglobin and a met-like product, respectively. The peak conversion efficiency for oxyhemoglobin occurred at 285 nm and decreased by a factor of 100 by 315 nm. The peak conversion efficiency for deoxyhemoglobin occurred at 290 nm and decreased by a factor of 30 by 320 nm.