EXTENDED SPECTRUM β-LACTAMASE (ESBL) – detection methods

Extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are beta-lactamase enzymes that breakdown or hydrolyze broad-spectrum beta-lactam drugs especially the third-generation oxyimino-cephalosporins (e.g. ceftazidime, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime). There is no consensus for the actually definition of ESBLs; but the acronym “ESBL” was originally coined to reflect the expanded substrate spectrum of the earlier beta-lactamase enzymes (e.g. TEM- and SHV-enzymes). […]

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) & Antibiogram, Microbe Lab, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , , , , ,

The 3 Rs (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement): Guiding Principles in the Use of Animals For Biomedical/Scientific Research

The use of laboratory animals including mice, rats, rabbits and primates for scientific/biomedical research is guided by some principles and ethical guidelines that ensure the optimum care, protection and security of animals used in scientific investigations. Animal research is a very important procedure in biomedical research through which novel drugs are tested and scientific knowledge

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Cell Culture Notes, Laboratory Biosafety, Microbe Lab, Safety tips in Microbiology Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , ,

RATIONALE FOR THE CONTINUED USE OF ANIMALS FOR RESEARCH

Animals including (primates, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice) are still being used to conduct scientific/biomedical research because of some of the following reasons: References Alberts B, Bray D, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K andWalter P (1998). Essential Cell Biology: An Introduction to the Molecular Biology of the Cell. Third edition. Garland Publishing Inc.,

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Cell Culture Notes, Laboratory Biosafety, Microbe Lab, Safety tips in Microbiology Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , ,

Issues Surrounding the Use of Animals in Scientific Research

Animals such as mice, rats, rabbits, monkeys and primates are used in biomedical research to test the efficacy and toxicity of novel drugs and vaccines prior to their general usage in humans and animals for therapeutic purposes. The use of animals to do research whose results will in turn be extrapolated to humans is hinged

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Cell Culture Notes, Laboratory Biosafety, Microbe Lab, Safety tips in Microbiology Lab, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , ,

Advantages & disadvantages of cell culture techniques

ADVANTAGES OF CELL CULTURE TECHNIQUES DISADVANTAGES OF CELL CULTURE TECHNIQUES References Alberts B, Bray D, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K andWalter P (1998). Essential Cell Biology: An Introduction to the Molecular Biology of the Cell. Third edition. Garland Publishing Inc., New York. Alberts B, Bray D, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K

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Cell Culture Notes, ,

SAFETY IN THE CELL CULTURE LABORATORY

Safety is paramount in any cell culture laboratory. It protects the researcher from possible contamination and it also helps to ensure that healthy cell lines are produced in the process. Failure to dutifully follow aseptic techniques and other safety measures in the cell culture laboratory can result in the contamination of cells. Some safety measures

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Cell Culture Notes,

APPLICATIONS OF CELL CULTURE TECHNIQUE

Cell culture technique is defined as the process by which prokaryotic, eukaryotic or plant cells are grown or cultured in vitro under controlled laboratory conditions. Cell culture techniques have applications in the following fields: DISEASE DIAGNOSIS Cell culture techniques are applied in clinical medicine for the diagnosis of infectious diseases especially diseases caused by pathogenic

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Cell Culture Notes, ,

TERMINOLOGIES USED IN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES

Such drift or subtle changes in the antigenic surfaces of pathogens are a setback for most vaccination exercises because some vaccines have a short lifespan and, thus new forms of such vaccines must be produced and administered in order to confer a better protection against the antigen it is directed to. Both antigenic drift and

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Epidemiology, ,

ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF LICHEN SECONDARY METABOLITES

Lichens possess varying antimicrobial properties; and they have been shown to be active against a plethora of pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses. Many reviews and research papers have well expanded and documented the biological and pharmacological importance of lichen secondary metabolites. Lichens and lichen compounds have long been used by Native Americans, the

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, ,

MACROMOLECULES OF LIFE

Macromolecules are large biological molecules that are made up of repeating smaller biological units generally known as monomers. They are polymers of high molecular weight that are biologically and chemically assembled from simpler precursors (i.e. monomers). The monomers are the foundational constituents of macromolecules; and these smaller biological units are usually held together by strong

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Microbial Physiology & Metabolism, , , , ,