College of Science

Clostridium botulinum bacteria produce botulinum toxin, which is seven times more toxic than cobra venom. This lethal toxin can be used in medicine and aesthetics, such as treating neurological spasms by blocking nerve signals reaching muscles. It is also used to treat migraines, excessive sweating, overactive bladder, and other conditions. In the field of aesthetics, botulinum toxin helps reduce facial lines and wrinkles that form between the eyebrows and on the forehead, giving the skin a smoother appearance.

Owning pets may pose certain health risks, as animals can transmit diseases to humans, known as zoonotic diseases. These include poisoning, parasitic infections, and respiratory illnesses caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. Proper animal care and preventive vaccinations are essential to reduce these risks and protect individual and family health.

Monkeypox is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a DNA virus. It is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected animals, humans, or contaminated objects. The disease has an incubation period of 7–14 days and causes fever, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, widespread body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and skin lesions. Diagnosing monkeypox based on clinical presentation alone can be challenging, particularly in atypical cases, due to the similarity to other rash-causing conditions. Studies indicate that smallpox vaccination provides approximately 85% protection against monkeypox.

Ganoderma, also known as the red or reishi mushroom, is a type of fungus described as tough, woody, and bitter. It grows in hot and humid regions of Asia and has been the foundation of alternative medicine for years. It has been used to treat various diseases and is widely recognized for its medicinal properties.

Fungi play a crucial role in numerous fields, contributing significantly to sustainable development. Their applications include:

Soil Enhancement and Crop Cultivation: Fungi act as soil nutrients, improving quality and fertility. For example, mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water absorption, thereby improving crop growth and food security.
Waste Management: Fungi help decompose organic materials like fallen leaves and spoiled food, reducing waste and converting it into natural compost, which promotes sustainable agricultural practices.
Bioenergy Production: Certain fungi contribute to biofuel production, such as ethanol, by converting biomass into energy. This provides a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Medical Applications: Fungi are essential in developing medicines and treatments. Penicillin, derived from the Penicillium fungus, is a well-known antibiotic. Additionally, fungi yield biologically active compounds that aid in drug development, enhancing public health.
Environmental Protection: Fungi assist in environmental purification by breaking down toxic substances into less harmful compounds, a process known as “mycoremediation.” This improves water and soil quality, helping preserve biodiversity.

Lice are wingless parasitic insects, with some species specifically infesting humans (sucking lice). Lice infestation is a cause of embarrassment and psychological distress, especially for children in crowded areas and many countries, including Arab nations. It is a common contagious skin disease and a major concern in elementary schools and kindergartens.

Mendeley is a free reference management application provided by Elsevier, a leading academic publisher since 2013. The software helps students, researchers, and professors store, organize, annotate, share references, and cite sources efficiently in research work.

Food contamination occurs when food contains harmful substances that make it unsafe for human or animal consumption. This includes microbial contamination by pathogens, toxic chemicals, or deadly radioactive materials. Consuming contaminated food can lead to food poisoning and chronic gastrointestinal diseases, posing a significant health risk.

Efflux pump systems are one of the key resistance mechanisms bacteria use to counteract antibiotics by expelling them from the cell. This mechanism was first discovered in bacteria in 1980. The increased use of antibiotics has led to the evolution of bacterial resistance against multiple antibiotic classes.

The main concern with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is their ability to use specific membrane transport proteins, often called “molecular vacuum cleaners,” which expel foreign substances and toxins from the cell. These MDR efflux pumps are protein carriers embedded in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane that reduce antibiotic concentrations inside the bacterial cell without altering the drug’s target. Unlike other resistance mechanisms that modify the target site or the antibiotic itself, efflux pumps provide a broad-spectrum resistance against multiple drugs.

The development of multidrug resistance is linked to the high expression of efflux transporters, which efficiently expel foreign materials and toxins. The continued emergence of resistant bacteria has driven the need for new antibiotics and efflux pump inhibitors, which are now recognized as one of the most promising strategies for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.