Intravaginal progesterone sponges have been widely utilized to synchronize estrus in goats; however, extended use may be accompanied by vaginal microbial imbalance, vaginal discharge abnormalities, and diminished reproductive performance. Intravaginal probiotics have been suggested as an alternative to antibiotics for addressing vaginal dysbiosis, but their effects across varying synchronization durations have not been thoroughly studied in goats. The current study was conducted to assess the effect of intravaginal probiotic use in association with various progesterone sponge durations on vaginal microbiota and reproductive effciency in Black Iraqi goats. Forty-four adult goats (2–5 years) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 11) for 7 and 14 days of treatment with a progesterone sponge alone or in combination with probiotics. Two strains of Lactobacillus (L. plantarum and L. acidophilus) were used in a lyophilized product (2×109 CFU/sponge). The following were assessed: cultivable vaginal bacteria (total bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus), score of vaginal discharge, onset of estrus and duration of estrus, and early pregnancy rate. Larger Enterobacteriaceae and total bacterial counts, and lower Lactobacillus counts, were observed with prolonged retention (14 days) compared to the short-duration protocol (p < 0.05). Probiotic treatment showed significantly higher Lactobacillus counts (2.75 ± 0.69 vs.0.44 ± 0.25 log CFU/mL) (p < 0.001) and significantly lower Enterobacteriaceae and total counts, especially in the long protocol (Enterobacteriaceae 4.37 ± 0.36 vs.5.20 ± 0.44; total 5.26 ± 0.43 vs.6.14 ± 0.44 log CFU/mL), with a significantly earlier on set of estrus (29.82 ± 0.66 vs.33.00 ± 1.18 h), longer duration of estrus (29.91 ± 0.79 vs.24.73 ± 0.84 h), and milder discharge (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.01 –0.03) than controls. The early pregnancy rate was numerically higher in the probiotic-treated groups but not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Overall, the duration of sponge use was associated with vaginal health and reproductive responses, with short-sponge duration protocols with high-dose Lactobacillus associated with decreased dysbiosis and enhanced vaginal health, suggesting a non-antibiotic strategy that warrants testing in larger studies for it spotential role in conception.
A comparative study was carried out on ecological and genetical adaptation of three Iraqi
freshwater snails, Physa acuta, Melanopsis buccinoidea and Melanoides tuberculata, in
respect to acute toxicity of heavy metals (Zn, Cd and Hg). Longevity are used as poisoning
tolerance criterion. LT 50 and LT 100 were determined for the studied snails at (0.5, 1, 5, and
10 ppm), for the three metals. Results indicated that Physa acuta had a higher tolerance than
Melanopsis buccinoidea and Melanoides tuberculata, which was the lower one. Previous
exposure to heavy metals in the original habitat was affecting on experimental tolerance and
no relationships of physical and chemical factors (total hardness, temperature, D. O. and
Objective Tea lovers are increasing worldwide. We hope that this report is the first to discuss the possible impacts of high black tea consumption on gestational weight gain (GWG) and birth parameters. Methods Throughout one year, a total of 7,063 pregnant ladies coming for first antenatal visit were screened in a major tertiary center. Of them, 1,138 were involved and divided according to their preference into 3 groups: excessive tea (ET), usual tea (UT), and mixed beverages group. The study included women who gave birth to healthy neonates. Results The rate of ET consumption was 4.13% with a total of 41 cases. The UT group (controls) comprised 94 women. ET was significantly associated (P<0.05) with maternal age, parity, occupation, smokin
... Show MoreViruses have not previously been reported to act as chemotactic/chemoattractive agents. Rather, viruses as extracellular entities are generally viewed as non-metabolically active spore-like agents that await further infection events upon collision with appropriate host cells. That a virus might actively contribute to its fate via chemotaxis and change the behavior of an organism independent of infection is unprecedented.
The increase in population resulted in an increase in the consumption of water. The present work investigates the performance of a recycling solar- powered greywater treatment system for the purposes of irrigation, used to reduce the amount of waste grey water and reduce electricity consumption and reduce the costs of constructing large scale water treatment plants. The system consumes about 3814W per hour and provides water treatment about 1.4 m3 per day. The proposed system is designed to residential, office and governmental buildings application. Tests are conducted in an office building at the Ministry of Science and Technology site in Baghdad. Laboratorial water samples testing analyses are co
... Show MoreSmall and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq have experienced low performance due to the limited usage of accounting information systems (AIS) and the inability to exploit knowledge of management capabilities (KMC). These deficiencies have led to competitive pressures in the marketplace that have adversely affected their sales and production. This study investigates the role of AIS in terms of operation support, knowledge support, regulatory support, and the role of KMC, including knowledge acquisition, knowledge transfer, and knowledge utilized to enhance organizational performance in Iraqi SMEs. The target population was managers and owners in SMEs using AIS in Iraq’s cities. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was use
... Show MoreThis study aims to Statement of the relationship between Total Quality Management philosophy and Organizational performance from the point of view of the internal customer. A comparison has been made between two companies, one of which applies the requirements of TQM well and the other does not apply these requirements as the (General Company for Electrical Industries/ Diyala) and (General Company for Electrical Industries/ Baghdad) to conduct the search, During the questionnaire prepared for this purpose and distributed to a sample of 30 employees in the General Company for Electric Industries/ Diyala and (20) employees of the General Company for Electrical Industries/ Baghdad. Their answers were analyzed using a simple correlation coef
... Show MoreBackground: Oral anticoagulation medication, warfarin and non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) may require long term use which may affect patients’ satisfaction with their treatment and their quality of life (QOL). Objective: To compare the quality of life and treatment satisfaction among groups of patients using different anticoagulant therapies (warfarin and NOAC). Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at Ibn Al-Bitar Hospital for cardiac surgery in Baghdad in the period between December 2022 to May 2023. The study population included a convenient sample of patients receiving either warfarin or non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment. The Arabic version of the short form 12
... Show MoreObjective: To determine the functional and radiological outcomes of lower third tibia closed fractures fixed by nail or plate osteosynthesis. Methodology: This randomized controlled trial included 20 patients presenting with closed fracture lower third tibia in Al-Kindy teaching hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. The patients were divided as every other one into two equal groups; group I had fractures fixed by 3.5 mm locked plate and group II by intramedullary locking nail. We followed all patients for 24 weeks to assess surgical complications, fracture union, alignment and functional outcome based on Knee society score (KSS). Results: The mean union time in both groups was 10.2 ± 1.48 and 9.3 ± 1.77 weeks, respectively (p = 0.003). Mean KSS in bot
... Show MoreIraqi oil crudes have some of the physical and chemical characteristics that distinguish it from other types of oil crudes in the world. Some of these features such us molecular composition, rheological, viscosity and emulsions are studied carefully by researchers. In this work, a comparative study of the linear and the non-linear optical properties for typical heavy and light crude oils of Iraqi origin was studied utilizing Z-scan technique. The He -Ne laser of wavelength 632.8 nm had been used for this purpose. These samples were collected from Basra and Kut oil fields. The values of the non-linear refractive index (n2), non-linear absorption coefficient (β), and third-order electrical susceptibility (χ3) were e
... Show MoreGingivitis, the initial stage of periodontal disease, is characterised by inflammation driven by dental biofilm and associated with oxidative stress. Matcha tea, a powdered green tea rich in antioxidants, has shown potential health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Matcha tea consumption on clinical periodontal parameters and salivary antioxidant levels in patients with gingivitis.
A randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted with 41 participants diagnosed with gingivitis.