ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Estrogens has traditionally been known as the female hormone, but this idea has been challenged in early 1990’s and an essential physiological role for estrogen in male fertility was identified. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring non-steroidal plant chemicals that can act like the female hormone estrogen. The herbs ( anise alfalfa and vervain ) chosen in this study contain phytoestrogens. OBJECTIVE: Previous studies demonstrated controversy of the effects of phytoestrogens on the rat testes .Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to investigate the influence of typical dose of herbs containing phytoestrogen on the rat testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four apparently normal mature male rats were divided into four groups of 6 animals each. The first "control" group received only 4ml of distilled water as a placebo. The second group received 40mg/kg of anise seed; the third group received 53.3 mg/kg of dried herb of vervain and the fourth group received 400 mg /kg of alfalfa seeds. All experimental groups received the doses through orogastric tube daily for fourteen days. Testicular histology was evaluated by light and enzyme histochemistry. Plasma FSH and testosterone concentrations were taken to support our results. RESULTS: Histological examination of anise, alfalfa and vervain – treated groups showed an increase in the height of germinal epithelia. There was marked lipoprotein lipase activity in the whole of the interstitial tissue which is more in amount in experimental groups than that in control group. Acid phosphatase granules were infiltered the seminiferous epithelia mildly in control group , moderately in anise and vervain groups and markedly in alfalfa group. The number of interstitial cells showing marked acid phosphatase activity was higher in all experimental groups than that in control group. Alkaline phosphatase exhibited intense activity in the boundary tissue of the seminiferous tubules in testes of control and experimental groups but it appeared thicker in the latter. CONCLUSION: The low dose and short duration of treatment used in our study made these phytoestrogen – containing herbs to have a stimulatory effect on leydig cell steroidogenesis. This study also demonstrated that aniseed being the most potent of the three herbs followed by alfalfa in stimulating testosterone synthesis. This is possibly attributed to the coumarin constituent of aniseed and alfalfa. KEY WORDS: phytoestrogen-containing herbs, testis, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, lipoprotein lipase
This research aims to identify the reality of teaching political science research methods curriculum, to observe practices, and differences in teaching and learning between the Arab and Western universities. Moreover, it focuses on the difficulties that face students' acquisition of the course skills. The research uses the course model of some Western and Arab universities as case study.
This research shows that the curriculum do not reach yet the final form as other political science curriculums, and its upcoming changes will reflect the needs of stakeholders. The best method to teach this curriculum is to use applied learning in groups, learning by doing, and finally problem-based learning approach. Using optimal assessment deep
... Show More
(1)
(10)
(6)
(15)
(10)
Background: Intralesional injections of vitamin D and bleomycin have gained growing clinical interest in the treatment of recalcitrant plantar warts, with pain as a major limitation associated with their use. Objective: To assess the clinical outcomes of vitamin D and bleomycin in managing treatment-resistant plantar warts. Methods: An interventional comparative study conducted on patients diagnosed with recalcitrant plantar warts over 9 months and not treated for two months. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: group A (24 patients received intralesional vitamin D) and group B (24 patients received intralesional bleomycin). The clearance rate and pain score were estimated by visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: 48 patie
... Show More
Abstract The main purpose of the research is to clarify and investigate in details about Susan Glaspell’s role in shedding light on the predicament of women in American society in the early twentieth century showing how sense of the place played an important role in limiting the opportunities of female protagonists who try to escape the roles imposed upon them by society. Glaspell lived in the early twentieth century in the Midwest and tackled the important issues like: women's suffrage, birth control, socialism, union organizing when women were not able to vote or sit as a member on juries. Her Feminist cause is quite obvious through her works from her first one act play Suppressed Desire to the final three act play, Alison’s House. Th
... Show MoreThe oil and gas industry relies heavily on IT innovations to manage business processes, but the exponential generation of data has led to concerns about processing big data, generating valuable insights, and making timely decisions. Many companies have adopted Big Data Analytics (BDA) solutions to address these challenges. However, determining the adoption of BDA solutions requires a thorough understanding of the contextual factors influencing these decisions. This research explores these factors using a new Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework, presenting technological, organisational, and environmental factors. The study used a Delphi research method and seven heterogeneous panelists from an Oman oil and gas company
... Show More
(1)
Objectives: To assess the level of dependence severity, locus of control, and readiness to change in male alcohol clients and measure the correlation between dependence with a locus of control and readiness to change.
Methodology: A descriptive correlational design was conducted in the substance use rehabilitation centers at psychiatric teaching hospitals in Baghdad city from November /2021 to May 2022. The instrument of the study was designed by using sociodemographic, the clinical characteristics of the client, the Short-form Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD), Drinking Related Internal-External Locus of Control Scale: (DRIE), and the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). The data was co
... Show MoreThyroid hormones (TH) regulate the metabolic processes required for normal development and growth; also, to organizemetabolism in adults, any defect in thyroid function leads to abnormality in thyroid hormones level. The current study hasbeen designed to find the relationship between retinol-binding protein-4 and progranulin in the serum of Iraqi women withhypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, also, to study whether these patients are exposed to a risk of developing diabetes mellitus,and PGRN may be a biomarker in detection early stage of diabetes mellitus.Materials and Methods: in this study, serum samples were obtained from 50 Iraqis women patients, [25 patients withhypothyroidism (G2) and 25 patients with hyperthyroidism (G3)] in addition
... Show More
(3)