This study was undertaken to introduce a fast, accurate, selective, simple and environment-friendly colorimetric method to determine iron (II) concentration in different lipstick brands imported or manufactured locally in Baghdad, Iraq. The samples were collected from 500-Iraqi dinars stores to establish routine tests using the spectrophotometric method and compared with a new microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) platform as an alternative to cost-effective conventional instrumentation such as Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). This method depends on the reaction between iron (II) with iron(II) selective chelator 1, 10-phenanthroline(phen) in the presence of reducing agent hydroxylamine (HOA) and sodium acetate (NaOAc) b

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a public health problem and many studies support the link between kidney dysfunction and cardiovascular events.  Aldosterone has been shown for decades that a plasma aldosterone concentration is elevated in CKD. Whilst, Osteoprotegerin (OPG), after its capacity to protect bone, also osteoprotegerin is elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), where it could predict the deterioration of kidney function, cardiovascular, vascular events and all-cause mortality. On the other hand, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), in patients with CKD, its levels seem to increase progressively as kidney function worsens. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlations between serum osteoprotegerin

The bile salt hydrolase gene (bshA), encoding bile salt hydrolase enzyme (EC 3.5.1.24) from probiotic isolate Lactobacillus acidophilus Ar strain which is responsible for assimilation cholesterol were studied in the present work. About 801 bp in length DNA fragment of Lb. acidophilus Ar strain was amplified by PCR techniques. Two restriction sites (PstI/SacI) were added to each end of that fragment for manipulation of DNA during cloning. Amplified fragment inserted into pJET1.2\blunt end vector and pMG36e vector respectively. pJET1.2\blunt end vector is overexpression plasmid for E. coli MC1022, and pMG36e vector is a shuttle vector which is able to replicate in both E. coli and lactic acid bacteria. The resulted constructs were named as pJ

In two commercial broiler breeds (Cobb 500 and Hubbard F-15), the polymorphisms of the chicken insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene were studied. A total of three hundred avian blood samples were obtained. Using a fast salt-extraction technique, genomic DNA was isolated. Using polymerase chain reaction, 1146 bp fragments of the gene were amplified (PCR). The amplified fragments were subjected to restriction enzyme digestion using HinfI endonuclease enzyme, and the digested products were separated on a 2% agarose gel. The findings indicated two alleles T and C for the target locus, with respective frequencies of 73.3% and 26.7%. Three distinct genotype variations, TT, TC, and CC, were found, with genotype frequencies of 59.1 percent, 28.

     MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Transitional cell carcinoma(TCC) of the bladder Cancer (C) account 95 percent of bladder malignancies, with males having a greater prevalence than females. The current study sought to determine whether there is a link between miRNA-29c, miRNA-125, miRNA-141, miRNA-145 and miRNA205 expression levels and TCC/BC risk in Iraqi bladder cancer patients. In the current prospective cross-sectional investigation, 149 samples were collected (95 urine and 54 tissue biopsies). From November 2018 to August 2019, 37/95 urine samples were randomly taken from healthy persons. Total RNA was extracted from tissue and urine samples, and then converte

Breastfeeding (BF) serves as a complete nutritional source for the first six months of infant’s life. Breast milk contains all essential nutrients that necessary for the physiological growth and development of infants. The aim of this study was to compare the physiological growth of infants including weight, height and head circumference who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and those who were given bottle-fed or mixed fed and to find a percentage of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers who contributed in this study in Sulaimani city. This study was carried out in Sulaimani city/ Kurdistan region of Iraq and the cases were enrolled between the first of October 2018 and first of October 2019. The infants’ weight, height and hea