Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is a nosocomial pathogen, produces septicemia, pneumonia and UTI. Excessive use of antibiotics contributes towards emergence of multidrug-resistance. Bacteriophage-therapy is a potential substitute of antibiotics with many advantages. In this investigation, microbiological and genome characterization of TSK1 bacteriophage and its biofilm elimination capability are presented. TSK1 showed narrow host range and highest stability at pH 7 and 37 °C. TSK1 reduced the growth of K. pneumoniae during the initial 14 hours of infection. Post-treatment with TSK1 against different age K. pneumoniae biofilms reduced 85–100% biomass. Pre-treatment of TSK1 bacteriophage against the biofilm of Klebsiella pneumoniae reduced > 99% biomass in initial 24 hr of incubation. The genome of TSK1 phage comprised 49,836 base pairs with GC composition of 50.44%. Total seventy-five open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted, 25 showed homology with known functional proteins, while 50 were called hypothetical, as no homologs with proved function exists in the genome databases. Blast and phylogenetic analysis put it in the Kp36 virus genus of family Siphoviridae. Proposed packaging strategy of TSK1 bacteriophage genome is headful packaging using the pac sites. The potential of TSK1 bacteriophage could be used to reduce the bacterial load and biofilm in clinical and non-clinical settings.
The present study is aimed at analyzing the effects of peer tutoring on the academic achievement of students in the subject of biology at secondary level. The objectives of the study were: (1) To find out the effects of peer tutoring on the academic achievement of students in the subject of biology; and (2) To examine the effects of peer tutoring with respect to knowledge, comprehension and application levels in cognitive domain of Bloom Taxonomy. All 433,405 male students at secondary level of 10th grade of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the population of the study. Forty students were taken as the sample of the study from the Allied National Software Institute (ANSI) Mardan. The Posttest-Only Equivalent Group Design was used. The data collected from pretest and posttest were analyzed through an independent sample t-test. It was found that the mean score of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group. It was concluded that peer tutoring enhanced the academic achievement of students in the experimental group significantly as compared to the control group; hence, it was an effective method of instruction for teaching biology at secondary level. It was suggested that peer tutoring may be incorporated along with other teaching methodologies for the subject of biology and it may be given due consideration in all teacher education practices in the country.
Besides liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with many extrahepatic manifestations (EHMs). HCV exhibits lymphotropism that is responsible for various EHM. An important characteristic of HCV is escape from the immune system, which enables it to produce chronic infections and autoimmune disorders along with accumulation of circulating immune complexes. These EHMs have large spectrum, because they affect many organs such as heart, lungs, kidney, brain, thyroid, and skin. HCV-related cardiac and pulmonary manifestations include myocarditis, cardiomyopathies, cardiovascular diseases (i.e., Stroke, ischemic heart disease), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and interstitial lung diseases. This review discusses etiology and pathogenesis of HCV-associated cardiac and pulmonary manifestations and how different genes, immune system, indirectly linked factors (mixed cryoglobulinemia), liver cirrhosis, and antiviral treatment are involved in HCV-related heart and lung diseases, however, their exact mechanism is not clear.
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