Amir Saeed - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Amir Saeed

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2022

Cachexia and diabetes both feature severe weight loss as a phenotype, and both diseases share sev... more Cachexia and diabetes both feature severe weight loss as a phenotype, and both diseases share several gene and protein abnormalities. This study investigates the PTGS2 gene as a common key gene for diabetes and cachexia. A variety of biological databases and enrichment approaches were used to explore this gene. Probable genes and substances that could be used to address disease symptoms were identified using STICH, a protein-protein, and protein-drug interactions. It was also established that PTGS2 is strongly linked to the pharmacology of the ibuprofen route of action. These findings and annotations will aid in further research into the therapeutic option of targeting the PTGS2 gene in the treatment of both disorders.

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2021

Purpose: To explore the potency of FimH inhibitors against CTX-M β-lactamase enzyme type 15, in v... more Purpose: To explore the potency of FimH inhibitors against CTX-M β-lactamase enzyme type 15, in view of the increasing prevalence of CTX-M 15 in uropathogenic strains which has reduced the treatment options to minimal.Method: FimH inhibitors were targeted against CTXM-15 by a molecular docking approach. Thereafter, the best ligand-target confirmation was selected and analyzed using LIGPLOT+ Version v.2.1. The hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding among the catalytic site amino acids of CTXM-15 and the FimH inhibitors were analyzed and 3-D structures were converted into 2-D images by LIGPLOT algorithm.Results: Out of all the FimH inhibitors tested, 3′-chloro-4′- (α-D-mannopyranosyloxy) biphenyl-4- carbonitrile, para-biphenyl-2-methyl-3′-methylamidemannoside, para-biphenyl-2-methyl-3′,5′dimethylamide-α-D-mannoside, and thiazolylamino mannoside exhibited better interaction with the CTX-M15 active site than the positive control avibactam. Moreover, in CTX-M 15, the amino acid residues, Ser70...

BMJ Paediatrics Open, 2020

Objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to a single p... more Objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to a single paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Iran with COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study of paediatric patients who were admitted to a COVID-19-dedicated PICU from 16 March 2020 to 21 April 2020 with COVID-19. Results Six children had confirmed COVID-19 and four had suspected COVID-19. Six had pre-existing chronic medical conditions. Nine had respiratory failure and needed ventilation. Five children, of whom four had chronic medical conditions, died. Four had cardiac arrhythmias. Clinical presentation included fever and cough. Conclusion COVID-19 can be fatal in paediatric patients, especially in those with a chronic medical condition.

Primary objective of a government is to ensure provision of public services to the entire nation ... more Primary objective of a government is to ensure provision of public services to the entire nation and by developing mechanisms to make sure that impartiality is exercised in execution of different tasks. State has the responsibility to protect and serve the best possible interests of the public. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of people to obey all the laws constituted by the government, hence a social contract or public contract comes into existence where both parties have some responsibilities towards one another. One part of this social contract and provision of its services is accomplished through public sector organizations. Thus, a societal relationship is developed.

Bioinformation, 2020

The authors are responsible for the content of this article. The Editorial and the publisher has ... more The authors are responsible for the content of this article. The Editorial and the publisher has taken reasonable steps to check the content of the article with reference to publishing ethics with adequate peer reviews deposited at PUBLONS. Declaration on Publication Ethics: The authors state that they adhere with COPE guidelines on publishing ethics as described elsewhere at https://publicationethics.org/. The authors also undertake that they are not associated with any other third party (governmental or non-governmental agencies) linking with any form of unethical issues connecting to this publication. The authors also declare that they are not withholding any information that is misleading to the publisher in regard to this article.

Molecules, 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a deadly tuberculosis (TB)-causing pathogen. The proteasome i... more Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a deadly tuberculosis (TB)-causing pathogen. The proteasome is vital to the survival of Mtb and is therefore validated as a potential target for anti-TB therapy. Mtb resistance to existing antibacterial agents has enhanced drastically, becoming a worldwide health issue. Therefore, new potential therapeutic agents need to be developed that can overcome the complications of TB. With this purpose, in the present study, 224,205 natural compounds from the ZINC database have been screened against the catalytic site of Mtb proteasome by the computational approach. The best scoring hits, ZINC3875469, ZINC4076131, and ZINC1883067, demonstrated robust interaction with Mtb proteasome with binding energy values of −7.19, −7.95, and −7.21 kcal/mol for the monomer (K-chain) and −8.05, −9.10, and −7.07 kcal/mol for the dimer (both K and L chains) of the beta subunit, which is relatively higher than that of reference compound HT1171 (−5.83 kcal/mol (monomer) and ...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

This study explores the effects of a toxic workplace environment (TWE) on employee engagement (EE... more This study explores the effects of a toxic workplace environment (TWE) on employee engagement (EE). Building on conservation of resources (COR) theory and organizational support theory (OST), this study proposed a research model. In this research model, a toxic workplace environment negatively affected employee engagement, directly and indirectly, through organizational support (OS) and employee well-being (EW). In this study, we used a quantitative research approach, and data were collected from 301 workers employed in the small and medium-size enterprises of China. To estimate the proposed relationships of the research model, we used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM 3.2.2). The results of this study confirmed that a toxic workplace environment has a negative impact on employee engagement. Moreover, the findings of this research confirm that organizational support and employee well-being significantly mediate a toxic workplace environment and employee eng...

Molecules, 2021

Considering the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a receptor-based pharmacophore mod... more Considering the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a receptor-based pharmacophore model for identifying FDA-approved drugs and hits from natural products. The COVID-19 main protease (Mpro) was selected for the development of the pharmacophore model. The model consisted of a hydrogen bond acceptor, donor, and hydrophobic features. These features demonstrated good corroboration with a previously reported model that was used to validate the present model, showing an RMSD value of 0.32. The virtual screening was carried out using the ZINC database. A set of 208,000 hits was extracted and filtered using the ligand pharmacophore mapping, applying the lead-like properties. Lipinski’s filter and the fit value filter were used to minimize hits to the top 2000. Simultaneous docking was carried out for 200 hits for natural drugs belonging to the FDA-approved drug database. The top 28 hits from these experiments, with promising predicted pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic propertie...

Pediatric Reports, 2021

The confirmed cases with COVID-19 in children account for just 1% of the overall confirmed cases.... more The confirmed cases with COVID-19 in children account for just 1% of the overall confirmed cases. Severe COVID-19 in children is rare. Case Presentation: Our patient was 16 years old with a severe case of COVID-19 and did not survive due to the presence of Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and being treated with immunosuppressive drugs. We used lopinavir, ritonavir, hydroxy chloroquine, intravenous immunoglobulin and continuous veno-venous hemodialysis for treatment. Conclusion: In this patient, an underlying disease and delayed admission to the hospital were two factors complicating his condition.

Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 2019

The present study investigated the relationship between personality traits, romantic attitude, an... more The present study investigated the relationship between personality traits, romantic attitude, and happiness in young adults. It was hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between extraversion, agreeableness, openness, romantic attitude, and happiness whereas neuroticism is negatively correlated with happiness. Nonprobability convenience sample of 150 students (85 women, 65 men), with age range of 18-25 years (M = 21.76, SD = 1.35) were selected from 3 educational institutions of Lahore. Neo Five-factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992a), Romantic Attitude Scale (Zafar & Amjad, 2012) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hills & Argyle, 2002) were used to assess study variables. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience with happiness. Romantic attitude had significant positive relationship with neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness. There was a significant negative re...

EXCLI journal, 2017

This study determined the prevalence of urinary tract infections in the Sudanese state of Khartou... more This study determined the prevalence of urinary tract infections in the Sudanese state of Khartoum and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolated bacterial species. 200 adult patient urine specimens were collected and cultivated to identify the growing bacteria and their susceptibility to antibiotics. 35 % of specimens had significant bacterial growth. The most frequent isolates in this study were E. coli, E. faecalis and S. aureus. Most of the isolates were resistant to many antibiotics; Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates were resistant to 67 % and 44 % of the examined antibiotics, respectively. E. coli was the most frequent bacterium in the studied samples and it was highly resistant to first-line antibiotics. The most resistant bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas species and the lowest was for S. saprophyticus. The results highlighted the need for knowledge about antibiotic susceptibility profile of the bacteria causing UTI prior to antibiotic prescription in order to ...

Infection ecology & epidemiology, 2016

Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that occurs naturally in aquatic environment. Only V... more Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that occurs naturally in aquatic environment. Only V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139 produce cholera toxin and cause cholera, other serogroups can cause gastroenteritis, open wounds infection, and septicaemia. V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139 grow and survive inside Acanthamoeba castellanii. The aim of this study is to investigate the interactions of the Swedish clinical isolates V. cholerae O3, V. cholerae O4, V. cholerae O5, V. cholerae O11, and V. cholerae O160 with A. castellanii. The interaction between A. castellanii and V. cholerae strains was studied by means of amoeba cell counts, viable counts of the bacteria in the absence or presence of amoebae, and of the intracellularly growing bacteria, visualised by electron microscopy. These results show that all V. cholerae can grow and survive outside and inside the amoebae, disclosing that V. cholerae O3, V. cholerae O4, V. cholerae O5, V. cholerae O11, and V. cholerae O160 all ca...

Sociology Compass, 2007

This article examines the representation of Islam and Muslims in the British press. It suggests t... more This article examines the representation of Islam and Muslims in the British press. It suggests that British Muslims are portrayed as an 'alien other' within the media. It suggests that this misrepresenatation can be linked to the development of a 'racism', namely, Islamphobia that has its roots in cultural representations of the 'other'. In order to develop this arguement, the article provies a summary/ overview of how ethnic minorities have been represented in the British press and argues that the treatment of British Muslims and Islam follows these themes of 'deviance' and 'un-Britishness'.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2015

Objective spa-typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been widely used i... more Objective spa-typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been widely used in clinical diagnostics and epidemiological studies. We aimed to evaluate high-resolution melting (HRM) as a rapid and cost effective method, to replace DNA-sequencing, for spatyping in a global collection of 50 MRSA isolates. Methods The polymorphic X region of spa gene was amplified by colony PCR using SensiMix™ HRM kit and melting temperature (Tm) and melting curves of the amplicons was analyzed in close tubes using a Rotor-Gene 6000 instrument. Results Fifteen out of nineteen spa-types each had distinct Tm, which was sufficient to unambiguously type each of these spa-types. The remaining 4 spa-types cannot be separated by Tm alone: t008 and t2770 shared Tm (80.3 o C) and t021 and t311 shared Tm (80.0 o C). But, they can be separated based on the shapes of their melting curves. There are discrepancies between ours and previous studies, suggesting that standardization reminds a challenge for cross references. Conclusion HRM-spa-typing is reproducible, simple, rapid and cost-effective. t037 is prevalent in Brazil and Sudan while diverse spa-types are found in Scotland and Saudi Arabia. Standardization is required for cross-references between labs globally.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2015

BioMed Research International, 2015

Protozoa are eukaryotic cells distributed worldwide in nature and are receiving increasing attent... more Protozoa are eukaryotic cells distributed worldwide in nature and are receiving increasing attention as reservoirs and potential vectors for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria. In the environment, on the other hand, many genera of the protozoa are human and animal pathogens. Only limited information is available on these organisms in developing countries and so far no information on their presence is available from Sudan. It is necessary to establish a molecular identification of species of the protozoa from drinking and environmental water. 600 water samples were collected from five states (Gadarif, Khartoum, Kordofan, Juba, and Wad Madani) in Sudan and analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. 57 out of 600 water samples were PCR positive for protozoa. 38 out of the 57 positive samples were identified by sequencing to contain 66 protozoa species including 19 (28.8%) amoebae, 17 (25.7%) Apicomplexa, 25 (37.9%) ciliates, and 5 (7.6%) flagellates. This study ut...

Journal of medical microbiology, Jan 24, 2015

Episodes of diarrhoea lead to approximately 14% of outpatient visits and 16% of hospital admissio... more Episodes of diarrhoea lead to approximately 14% of outpatient visits and 16% of hospital admissions, and account for on average 35 days of illness per year in children under five years of age. This study examined the causative agents of diarrhoea in children under five years of age in suburban areas of Khartoum, Sudan. A total of 437 stool samples obtained from children with diarrhoea were examined by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bacteria, by microscopy and PCR for parasites and by immunoassay for detection of Rotavirus A. Of the 437 samples analysed, 211 (48%) tested positive for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, 96 (22%) for Rotavirus A, 36 (8%) for Shigella spp., 17 (4%) for Samonella spp., 8 (2%) for Campylobacter spp., 47 (11%) for Giardia intestinalis and 22 (5%) for Entamoeba histolytica. Chloramphenicol showed efficacy in 211 (100%) of isolates of E. coli and Salmonella, and 30 (83%) of isolates of Shigella. Gentamycin showed efficacy in 17 (100%) of isolate...

International Journal of Microbiology, 2012

Shigella flexneriis a Gram-negative bacterium causing the diarrhoeal disease shigellosis in human... more Shigella flexneriis a Gram-negative bacterium causing the diarrhoeal disease shigellosis in humans. The virulence genes required for invasion are clustered on a large 220 kb plasmid encoding type three secretion system (TTSS) apparatus and virulence factors such as adhesions and invasion plasmid antigens (Ipa). The bacterium is transmitted by contaminated food, water, or from person to person.Acanthamoebaeare free-living amoebae (FLA) which are found in diverse environments and isolated from various water sources. Different bacteria interact differently with FLA sinceFrancisella tularensis, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella sonnei, andS. dysenteriaeare able to grow insideA. castellanii. In contrast,Pseudomonas aeruginosainduces both necrosis and apoptosis to killA. castellanii. The aim of this study is to examine the role of invasion plasmid ofS. flexnerion the interaction withA. castellaniiat two different temperatures.A. castellaniiin the absence or presence of wild type, IpaB mutant, or ...

International Journal of Microbiology, 2014

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrhoeal disease cholera, survives in aquatic envir... more Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrhoeal disease cholera, survives in aquatic environments. The bacterium has developed a survival strategy to grow and survive insideAcanthamoeba castellanii. It has been shown thatV. choleraeexpresses outer membrane proteins as virulence factors playing a role in the adherence to interacted host cells. This study examined the role of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in survival ofV. choleraealone and during its interaction withA. castellanii. The results showed that anOmpAmutant ofV. choleraesurvived longer than wild-typeV. choleraewhen cultivated alone. Cocultivation withA. castellaniienhanced the survival of both bacterial strains andOmpAprotein exhibited no effect on attachment, engulfment, and survival inside the amoebae. However, cocultivation of theOmpAmutant ofV. choleraedecreased the viability ofA. castellaniiand this bacterial strain released more OMVs than wild-typeV. cholerae. Surprisingly, ...

Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology, 2013

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 2022

Cachexia and diabetes both feature severe weight loss as a phenotype, and both diseases share sev... more Cachexia and diabetes both feature severe weight loss as a phenotype, and both diseases share several gene and protein abnormalities. This study investigates the PTGS2 gene as a common key gene for diabetes and cachexia. A variety of biological databases and enrichment approaches were used to explore this gene. Probable genes and substances that could be used to address disease symptoms were identified using STICH, a protein-protein, and protein-drug interactions. It was also established that PTGS2 is strongly linked to the pharmacology of the ibuprofen route of action. These findings and annotations will aid in further research into the therapeutic option of targeting the PTGS2 gene in the treatment of both disorders.

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2021

Purpose: To explore the potency of FimH inhibitors against CTX-M β-lactamase enzyme type 15, in v... more Purpose: To explore the potency of FimH inhibitors against CTX-M β-lactamase enzyme type 15, in view of the increasing prevalence of CTX-M 15 in uropathogenic strains which has reduced the treatment options to minimal.Method: FimH inhibitors were targeted against CTXM-15 by a molecular docking approach. Thereafter, the best ligand-target confirmation was selected and analyzed using LIGPLOT+ Version v.2.1. The hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding among the catalytic site amino acids of CTXM-15 and the FimH inhibitors were analyzed and 3-D structures were converted into 2-D images by LIGPLOT algorithm.Results: Out of all the FimH inhibitors tested, 3′-chloro-4′- (α-D-mannopyranosyloxy) biphenyl-4- carbonitrile, para-biphenyl-2-methyl-3′-methylamidemannoside, para-biphenyl-2-methyl-3′,5′dimethylamide-α-D-mannoside, and thiazolylamino mannoside exhibited better interaction with the CTX-M15 active site than the positive control avibactam. Moreover, in CTX-M 15, the amino acid residues, Ser70...

BMJ Paediatrics Open, 2020

Objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to a single p... more Objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of paediatric patients admitted to a single paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Iran with COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study of paediatric patients who were admitted to a COVID-19-dedicated PICU from 16 March 2020 to 21 April 2020 with COVID-19. Results Six children had confirmed COVID-19 and four had suspected COVID-19. Six had pre-existing chronic medical conditions. Nine had respiratory failure and needed ventilation. Five children, of whom four had chronic medical conditions, died. Four had cardiac arrhythmias. Clinical presentation included fever and cough. Conclusion COVID-19 can be fatal in paediatric patients, especially in those with a chronic medical condition.

Primary objective of a government is to ensure provision of public services to the entire nation ... more Primary objective of a government is to ensure provision of public services to the entire nation and by developing mechanisms to make sure that impartiality is exercised in execution of different tasks. State has the responsibility to protect and serve the best possible interests of the public. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of people to obey all the laws constituted by the government, hence a social contract or public contract comes into existence where both parties have some responsibilities towards one another. One part of this social contract and provision of its services is accomplished through public sector organizations. Thus, a societal relationship is developed.

Bioinformation, 2020

The authors are responsible for the content of this article. The Editorial and the publisher has ... more The authors are responsible for the content of this article. The Editorial and the publisher has taken reasonable steps to check the content of the article with reference to publishing ethics with adequate peer reviews deposited at PUBLONS. Declaration on Publication Ethics: The authors state that they adhere with COPE guidelines on publishing ethics as described elsewhere at https://publicationethics.org/. The authors also undertake that they are not associated with any other third party (governmental or non-governmental agencies) linking with any form of unethical issues connecting to this publication. The authors also declare that they are not withholding any information that is misleading to the publisher in regard to this article.

Molecules, 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a deadly tuberculosis (TB)-causing pathogen. The proteasome i... more Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a deadly tuberculosis (TB)-causing pathogen. The proteasome is vital to the survival of Mtb and is therefore validated as a potential target for anti-TB therapy. Mtb resistance to existing antibacterial agents has enhanced drastically, becoming a worldwide health issue. Therefore, new potential therapeutic agents need to be developed that can overcome the complications of TB. With this purpose, in the present study, 224,205 natural compounds from the ZINC database have been screened against the catalytic site of Mtb proteasome by the computational approach. The best scoring hits, ZINC3875469, ZINC4076131, and ZINC1883067, demonstrated robust interaction with Mtb proteasome with binding energy values of −7.19, −7.95, and −7.21 kcal/mol for the monomer (K-chain) and −8.05, −9.10, and −7.07 kcal/mol for the dimer (both K and L chains) of the beta subunit, which is relatively higher than that of reference compound HT1171 (−5.83 kcal/mol (monomer) and ...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

This study explores the effects of a toxic workplace environment (TWE) on employee engagement (EE... more This study explores the effects of a toxic workplace environment (TWE) on employee engagement (EE). Building on conservation of resources (COR) theory and organizational support theory (OST), this study proposed a research model. In this research model, a toxic workplace environment negatively affected employee engagement, directly and indirectly, through organizational support (OS) and employee well-being (EW). In this study, we used a quantitative research approach, and data were collected from 301 workers employed in the small and medium-size enterprises of China. To estimate the proposed relationships of the research model, we used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM 3.2.2). The results of this study confirmed that a toxic workplace environment has a negative impact on employee engagement. Moreover, the findings of this research confirm that organizational support and employee well-being significantly mediate a toxic workplace environment and employee eng...

Molecules, 2021

Considering the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a receptor-based pharmacophore mod... more Considering the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a receptor-based pharmacophore model for identifying FDA-approved drugs and hits from natural products. The COVID-19 main protease (Mpro) was selected for the development of the pharmacophore model. The model consisted of a hydrogen bond acceptor, donor, and hydrophobic features. These features demonstrated good corroboration with a previously reported model that was used to validate the present model, showing an RMSD value of 0.32. The virtual screening was carried out using the ZINC database. A set of 208,000 hits was extracted and filtered using the ligand pharmacophore mapping, applying the lead-like properties. Lipinski’s filter and the fit value filter were used to minimize hits to the top 2000. Simultaneous docking was carried out for 200 hits for natural drugs belonging to the FDA-approved drug database. The top 28 hits from these experiments, with promising predicted pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic propertie...

Pediatric Reports, 2021

The confirmed cases with COVID-19 in children account for just 1% of the overall confirmed cases.... more The confirmed cases with COVID-19 in children account for just 1% of the overall confirmed cases. Severe COVID-19 in children is rare. Case Presentation: Our patient was 16 years old with a severe case of COVID-19 and did not survive due to the presence of Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and being treated with immunosuppressive drugs. We used lopinavir, ritonavir, hydroxy chloroquine, intravenous immunoglobulin and continuous veno-venous hemodialysis for treatment. Conclusion: In this patient, an underlying disease and delayed admission to the hospital were two factors complicating his condition.

Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 2019

The present study investigated the relationship between personality traits, romantic attitude, an... more The present study investigated the relationship between personality traits, romantic attitude, and happiness in young adults. It was hypothesized that a positive relationship exists between extraversion, agreeableness, openness, romantic attitude, and happiness whereas neuroticism is negatively correlated with happiness. Nonprobability convenience sample of 150 students (85 women, 65 men), with age range of 18-25 years (M = 21.76, SD = 1.35) were selected from 3 educational institutions of Lahore. Neo Five-factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992a), Romantic Attitude Scale (Zafar & Amjad, 2012) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hills & Argyle, 2002) were used to assess study variables. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience with happiness. Romantic attitude had significant positive relationship with neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness. There was a significant negative re...

EXCLI journal, 2017

This study determined the prevalence of urinary tract infections in the Sudanese state of Khartou... more This study determined the prevalence of urinary tract infections in the Sudanese state of Khartoum and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolated bacterial species. 200 adult patient urine specimens were collected and cultivated to identify the growing bacteria and their susceptibility to antibiotics. 35 % of specimens had significant bacterial growth. The most frequent isolates in this study were E. coli, E. faecalis and S. aureus. Most of the isolates were resistant to many antibiotics; Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates were resistant to 67 % and 44 % of the examined antibiotics, respectively. E. coli was the most frequent bacterium in the studied samples and it was highly resistant to first-line antibiotics. The most resistant bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas species and the lowest was for S. saprophyticus. The results highlighted the need for knowledge about antibiotic susceptibility profile of the bacteria causing UTI prior to antibiotic prescription in order to ...

Infection ecology & epidemiology, 2016

Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that occurs naturally in aquatic environment. Only V... more Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that occurs naturally in aquatic environment. Only V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139 produce cholera toxin and cause cholera, other serogroups can cause gastroenteritis, open wounds infection, and septicaemia. V. cholerae O1 and V. cholerae O139 grow and survive inside Acanthamoeba castellanii. The aim of this study is to investigate the interactions of the Swedish clinical isolates V. cholerae O3, V. cholerae O4, V. cholerae O5, V. cholerae O11, and V. cholerae O160 with A. castellanii. The interaction between A. castellanii and V. cholerae strains was studied by means of amoeba cell counts, viable counts of the bacteria in the absence or presence of amoebae, and of the intracellularly growing bacteria, visualised by electron microscopy. These results show that all V. cholerae can grow and survive outside and inside the amoebae, disclosing that V. cholerae O3, V. cholerae O4, V. cholerae O5, V. cholerae O11, and V. cholerae O160 all ca...

Sociology Compass, 2007

This article examines the representation of Islam and Muslims in the British press. It suggests t... more This article examines the representation of Islam and Muslims in the British press. It suggests that British Muslims are portrayed as an 'alien other' within the media. It suggests that this misrepresenatation can be linked to the development of a 'racism', namely, Islamphobia that has its roots in cultural representations of the 'other'. In order to develop this arguement, the article provies a summary/ overview of how ethnic minorities have been represented in the British press and argues that the treatment of British Muslims and Islam follows these themes of 'deviance' and 'un-Britishness'.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2015

Objective spa-typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been widely used i... more Objective spa-typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been widely used in clinical diagnostics and epidemiological studies. We aimed to evaluate high-resolution melting (HRM) as a rapid and cost effective method, to replace DNA-sequencing, for spatyping in a global collection of 50 MRSA isolates. Methods The polymorphic X region of spa gene was amplified by colony PCR using SensiMix™ HRM kit and melting temperature (Tm) and melting curves of the amplicons was analyzed in close tubes using a Rotor-Gene 6000 instrument. Results Fifteen out of nineteen spa-types each had distinct Tm, which was sufficient to unambiguously type each of these spa-types. The remaining 4 spa-types cannot be separated by Tm alone: t008 and t2770 shared Tm (80.3 o C) and t021 and t311 shared Tm (80.0 o C). But, they can be separated based on the shapes of their melting curves. There are discrepancies between ours and previous studies, suggesting that standardization reminds a challenge for cross references. Conclusion HRM-spa-typing is reproducible, simple, rapid and cost-effective. t037 is prevalent in Brazil and Sudan while diverse spa-types are found in Scotland and Saudi Arabia. Standardization is required for cross-references between labs globally.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2015

BioMed Research International, 2015

Protozoa are eukaryotic cells distributed worldwide in nature and are receiving increasing attent... more Protozoa are eukaryotic cells distributed worldwide in nature and are receiving increasing attention as reservoirs and potential vectors for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria. In the environment, on the other hand, many genera of the protozoa are human and animal pathogens. Only limited information is available on these organisms in developing countries and so far no information on their presence is available from Sudan. It is necessary to establish a molecular identification of species of the protozoa from drinking and environmental water. 600 water samples were collected from five states (Gadarif, Khartoum, Kordofan, Juba, and Wad Madani) in Sudan and analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. 57 out of 600 water samples were PCR positive for protozoa. 38 out of the 57 positive samples were identified by sequencing to contain 66 protozoa species including 19 (28.8%) amoebae, 17 (25.7%) Apicomplexa, 25 (37.9%) ciliates, and 5 (7.6%) flagellates. This study ut...

Journal of medical microbiology, Jan 24, 2015

Episodes of diarrhoea lead to approximately 14% of outpatient visits and 16% of hospital admissio... more Episodes of diarrhoea lead to approximately 14% of outpatient visits and 16% of hospital admissions, and account for on average 35 days of illness per year in children under five years of age. This study examined the causative agents of diarrhoea in children under five years of age in suburban areas of Khartoum, Sudan. A total of 437 stool samples obtained from children with diarrhoea were examined by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bacteria, by microscopy and PCR for parasites and by immunoassay for detection of Rotavirus A. Of the 437 samples analysed, 211 (48%) tested positive for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, 96 (22%) for Rotavirus A, 36 (8%) for Shigella spp., 17 (4%) for Samonella spp., 8 (2%) for Campylobacter spp., 47 (11%) for Giardia intestinalis and 22 (5%) for Entamoeba histolytica. Chloramphenicol showed efficacy in 211 (100%) of isolates of E. coli and Salmonella, and 30 (83%) of isolates of Shigella. Gentamycin showed efficacy in 17 (100%) of isolate...

International Journal of Microbiology, 2012

Shigella flexneriis a Gram-negative bacterium causing the diarrhoeal disease shigellosis in human... more Shigella flexneriis a Gram-negative bacterium causing the diarrhoeal disease shigellosis in humans. The virulence genes required for invasion are clustered on a large 220 kb plasmid encoding type three secretion system (TTSS) apparatus and virulence factors such as adhesions and invasion plasmid antigens (Ipa). The bacterium is transmitted by contaminated food, water, or from person to person.Acanthamoebaeare free-living amoebae (FLA) which are found in diverse environments and isolated from various water sources. Different bacteria interact differently with FLA sinceFrancisella tularensis, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella sonnei, andS. dysenteriaeare able to grow insideA. castellanii. In contrast,Pseudomonas aeruginosainduces both necrosis and apoptosis to killA. castellanii. The aim of this study is to examine the role of invasion plasmid ofS. flexnerion the interaction withA. castellaniiat two different temperatures.A. castellaniiin the absence or presence of wild type, IpaB mutant, or ...

International Journal of Microbiology, 2014

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrhoeal disease cholera, survives in aquatic envir... more Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrhoeal disease cholera, survives in aquatic environments. The bacterium has developed a survival strategy to grow and survive insideAcanthamoeba castellanii. It has been shown thatV. choleraeexpresses outer membrane proteins as virulence factors playing a role in the adherence to interacted host cells. This study examined the role of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in survival ofV. choleraealone and during its interaction withA. castellanii. The results showed that anOmpAmutant ofV. choleraesurvived longer than wild-typeV. choleraewhen cultivated alone. Cocultivation withA. castellaniienhanced the survival of both bacterial strains andOmpAprotein exhibited no effect on attachment, engulfment, and survival inside the amoebae. However, cocultivation of theOmpAmutant ofV. choleraedecreased the viability ofA. castellaniiand this bacterial strain released more OMVs than wild-typeV. cholerae. Surprisingly, ...

Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology, 2013