Al-Kufa University Journal for Biology

The current study aimed to obtain staphylokinase (Sak) protein as a fibrinolytic agent from Escherichia coli as a nonpathogenic bacterium after transforming it with a cloned vector. From 630 clinical samples, 98 isolates of S. aureus were obtained and 81 (82.65%) were Sak producers. PCR amplification of the sak gene identified a single DNA band with the expected length of 408 bp in three S. aureus isolates. E. coli DH5 was successfully transformed with the sak gene. PCR amplification showed that the recombinant gene comprised 408 bp, which was the same size as the native gene amplified from S. aureus. Bacterial proteins of genetically engineered BL21(DE3) with cloned pET-28a-sak were separated according to their molecular weight and recombinant Sak appeared as a band with an estimated molecular weight ca 15.5 KDa. A non-induced sample with cloned vector was included as control. The fibrinolytic activity of recombinant Sak was higher than that of the native Sak. We found that the gene expression level and Sak production rate in the genetically engineered BL21(DE3) were similar to those of the native S. aureus.

Malnutrition is still a big health problem in our country. Malnutrition is any disorders of nutrition. It may result from an unbalanced, insufficient, or excessive diet or from impaired absorption of food. To get a measure of malnutrition in a population, young children and infant, they can be weighed and measured and the results are compared with references to known if they have grown well. Measuring weight and height is the most common way of assessing malnutrition in a population. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of malnutrition on and to explore it’s contributing factors among children under 5 years of age in Baghdad governorate in 2016. Samples were collected from primary health care centers of Sheikh - Omar center in Baghdad city. The total number of samples was (248) that were chosen from Sheikh - Omar center. The nutritional status was assessed by measuring weight for age. Prevalence of malnutrition has been found to be higher among male children with age of less than one year. Prevalence of malnutrition has been found to be higher among crowding index of 5 or more person per room, age of less than one year at adding supplementary foods. Finally, the malnutrition was higher among children with artificial feeding during the first six months of age.

This study was conducted to describe the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) within the exon 2 of HLA-DQA1, a gene that encodes a MHC class II antigenthat localized in the surface of many immune cells and they play a central role in the immune system by presenting peptides derived from extracellular proteins, as well asto analyze the consequences of non-synonymous SNPs in this gene using several in silicobioinformatics tools in the patients with Hyper thyrotoxicosis Blood samples were collected, DNA was extracted, and one pair of specific PCR primers was designed to amplify exon 2 of thisgene. PCR experiments were optimized and performed,and PCR products were purified and sequenced from both termini. Sequencing results were analyzed, and each observed nsSNP was further analyzed by several computational tools. Out of six observed SNPs, five of them were non-synonymous. It was found that the deleterious effect of these non-synonymous SNPs wasvaried, and the most damaging mutation was V68F followed by K92N. While the T49S and I99M have a mild parallel effect.However, no clear association was revealed between the observed SNPs of HLA-DQA1 gene and the progression of the Hyper thyrotoxicosis disease. Therefore, the associative pattern of this genetic variation with Hyper thyrotoxicosis disease should be interpreted with caution.

Four sites were selected in Kufa River for Zooplankton sampling, the sampling was monthly (November 2011 – December 2012), samples were taken by zooplankton net (50 cm in diameter). The net was pulled at medium speed in each sample at the volume of water which passed through the net was estimated to be 0.24 m3.
Ninety nine taxa of forty six genera belonging to three groups of zooplankton were identified, the Rotifera was the predominant group among the zooplankton, which comprised (41 %) included 13families and 56 taxa, then Cladocera (36%) included 6families and 33taxa, finally Copepoda (23%) included 4families and 10taxa, some biodiversity indexes were calculated too.

The first clinical experience for nursing students can be stressful. The students expressed feelings of irritability, distress and concern due to reasons such as not being ready for clinical experience, thinking they have inadequate clinical skills, unsupportive health professional staff and clinical learning environment, concerns over patient safety.
Objectives: To identify the level of adrenaline, nor adrenaline and complete blood count among the nursing students before and after their first clinical experiences; to identify the level of stress among the nursing students before and after their first clinical experiences and to determine association among stress, complete blood count, adrenaline and nor adrenaline hormonal level.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive and quasi-experimental design was designed to investigate the adrenaline, non-adrenaline level, Complete Blood Counts, and their association with stress in nursing students before and after the first clinical experience by using Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) technique and utilizing self-report questionnaire. A non-probability sample (Convenience) of (71) students was taken in present study. The period of the study is from January / 2017 to March / 2017.
Results: The current study was determined that the majority of the age group at age category <=20 by about (84.5%). Regardless of gender, female was more than male (77.5% and 22.5%) respectively. The level of education was mostly at secondary school (97.2%). Additionally, urban was more than rural (78.9% and 21.1%) respectively and the studied group was mostly enough income (54.9%). For marital status, single more than married (94.4%).
Furthermore, the mean and standard deviation of blood tests and hormones level were different before and after the first clinical practice of the nursing students. The statistical results were significant for White blood cells (WBCs), and Hemoglobin (Hb), while highly significant for Lymphocytes (LYM), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Red blood cells (RBC), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Platelets (PLT), Adrenaline and nor-adrenaline. The levels of all above blood test parameters were slightly decreased except adrenaline and nor adrenaline where increase, however these results were statistically significant. The stress was increased after first clinical practice by about (57.7%). However the statistical result was significant (P-value=0.03%).
Conclusion: The study concluded that the stress state in nursing students was affected by the first clinical experience and increase hormonal level (Adrenaline and nor-adrenaline) and decrease blood cell count when stress increased.