Background: This study employed melanin synthesized by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus carbonarius to inhibit the production of mycotoxins and bioremediation of heavy metals (HMs).
Methods: First, twenty fungal isolates were obtained from soil samples, and were evaluated to produce melanin. The melanin of the most potent producers has undergone several confirmatory experiments, including, Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-inhibitor-kojic acid pathway detection, High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Objective: Multidrug-resistant bacteria, including carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), are considered a major public health threat, particularly those which are responsible for nosocomial infections. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of carbapenem resistance and the clonal relationship of CRAB isolates of a probable outbreak in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Saydet Zgharta University Medical Center, in north Lebanon.
Methods: Thirty-two non-duplicate CRAB isolates were collected from patients hospitalised in the ICU.
<b>Background and Objective:</b> Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a range of neurodevelopmental disabilities that lack a clear etiology. To date, studies investigating the role of immune reactivity to gluten in ASD have been inconsistent. This study aimed to compare levels of gluten reactivity markers in 319 ASD patients to 172 of their unaffected siblings and 322 of unrelated healthy controls (UHC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSchistosomiasis is an infectious disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. The species is associated with hepatosplenic disease. Schistosomiasis involving the gallbladder alone is highly unusual, with a few cases reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymer electrolytes exhibit higher energy density and improved safety in lithium-ion batteries relative to traditionally used liquid electrolytes but are currently limited by their lower electrochemical performance. Aiming to access polymer electrolytes with competitive electrochemical properties, we developed the anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) of cyclic silaketals to synthesize amorphous silicon-containing polyether-based electrolytes with varying substituent bulk of the general formula [OSi(R)(CHCHO)] (R=alkyl, phenyl). As opposed to previously reported uncontrolled polycondensation routes toward low molecular weight polysilaketals, AROP allows access to targeted molecular weights above the entanglement threshold of the polymers.
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