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Uranium concentration was estimated in urine samples of three age groups, G1≤ 30 years, n=28, G2 age range of 31-40 years, n=28, and G3 of age > 40 years, n=32, using two types of detectors CR-39 and LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) for results comparison. Results showed that uranium mean level values for CR-39 were 1.961 ±0.08 µg/L, 1.810 ±0.09 µg/L and 1.814 ±0.076 µg/L for G1, G2 and G3 respectively, while the mean values of uranium concentration using LR-115 were 0.972 ±0.07 µg/L, 0.922 ±0.07 µg/L and 1.018 ±0.08 µg/L in G1, G2 and G3 respectively, with significant statistical difference between the results of CR-39 and LR-115 for each age group. Mean level values for females was 2.023± 0.09 µg/L and 1.813± 0.05 µg/L for males using CR-39 and it was 1.105± 0.09 µg/L for females and 0.933± 0.04 µg/L for males using LR-115, with significant statistical difference between results for each gender. It was concluded that G1 ≤ 30 years have the highest uranium pollution, noting that females were more polluted with uranium than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Najaf governorate was recorded as one of the most polluted Iraqi governorates with increased cancer, autoimmune, and abortion cases. Study Groups . A total of 88 adult volunteers from three test groups were divided based on their inhabitance in different geographical regions in Najaf governorate. Group 1 (G1; n , 29) inhabitants of Al-Ansar, Al-Abbaseyeh, and Al-Manathera districts, Group 2 (G2; n , 27) inhabitants of 22 different scattered districts of the governorate, Group 3 (G3; n , 32) inhabitants of Kufa city and center districts in the old Najaf city. According to previous authors' findings, all participants had uranium contamination in their urine and blood samples, and also, they had DNA damage according to the level of urinary 8-OHdG compound. The control group 4 (G4; n , 25) were adult healthy Iraqi volunteers who were residents of the Sulaimaniyah governorate, which has low-level uranium pollution. The present study aims to determine the effect of uranium pollution and DNA damage on the immune system function in terms of estimating the levels of serum interleukin (IL)-6, interferon-gamma (IFN- γ ), and IL-1 beta ( β )., Method: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Sandwich method technique) was used for estimating the serum cytokines levels in test and control groups., Results: A significant elevation of cytokines levels was reported as compared with the control groups ( p ≤ 0.01). The level of IL-6 was 764.64 ± 24.12 pg/ml, 768.87 ± 19.64 pg/ml, and 735.62 ± 18.47 in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The level of IFN- γ was 264.55 ± 19.17 pg/ml, 259 ± 18.76 pg/ml, and 261.20 ± 12.99 pg/ml for G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The level of IL-1 β was 99.85 ± 10.81 pg/ml, 116.8 ± 10.71 pg/ml, and 83 ± 19.24 pg/ml in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The levels of IL-6, IFN- γ , and IL-1 β were 86.5 ± 22.9 pg/ml, 19.4 ± 2.8 pg/ml, and 16.1 ± 3.2 pg/ml in the sera of control (G4). The results showed significant statistical elevation with the corresponding p value cut-off p ≤ 0.01 in IL-6, IFN- γ , and IL-1 β in the sera of three test groups as compared with the results of the control group., Conclusion: The change in the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IFN- γ , and IL-1 β ) levels indicates a persistent inflammatory response in the participants and may reflect immune system impairment as a consequence of exposure to long-term low-dose ionizing radiation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Dhuha S. Saleh et al.)

An Enterobacter cloacae isolate was recovered from a rectal swab from a patient hospitalized in France with previous travel to Switzerland. It was resistant to penicillins, narrow- and broad-spectrum cephalosporins, aztreonam, and carbapenems but remained susceptible to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. Whereas PCR-based identification of the most common carbapenemase genes failed, the biochemical Carba NP test II identified an Ambler class A carbapenemase. Cloning experiments followed by sequencing identified a gene encoding a totally novel class A carbapenemase, FRI-1, sharing 51 to 55% amino acid sequence identity with the closest carbapenemase sequences. However, it shared conserved residues as a source of carbapenemase activity. Purified β-lactamase FRI-1 hydrolyzed penicillins, aztreonam, and carbapenems but spared expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of clavulanic acid and tazobactam were 10-fold higher than those found for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), IMI, and SME, leading to lower sensitivity of FRI-1 activity to β-lactamase inhibitors. The blaFRI-1 gene was located on a ca. 110-kb untypeable, transferable, and non-self-conjugative plasmid. A putative LysR family regulator-encoding gene at the 5' end of the β-lactamase gene was identified, leading to inducible expression of the blaFRI-1 gene., (Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)