Background: Gallstone disease (GSD) is a significant global health burden with variable prevalence influenced by metabolic, genetic, and infectious factors. Increasing evidence suggests that Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species, contribute to gallstone pathogenesis through enzymatic activity and biofilm formation. Objectives: To characterize Gram-positive bacteria within gallstones from Iraqi patients, evaluate their biofilm-forming capacity, and analyze the relationship between bacterial colonization, gallstone type, and cholesterol levels. Methods: A total of 100 gallstones were obtained from patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy between October 2024 and March 2025. Stones were aseptically processed for bacterial isolation and identification using selective culture media and the VITEK® 2 Compact System. Serum cholesterol levels were determined by enzymatic colorimetric assay. Biofilm formation was quantified via the 96-well microtiter plate method, and statistical correlations between gallstone type, cholesterol level, and bacterial presence were analyzed. Results: Cholesterol stones (57%) were more prevalent than pigment (40%) and mixed stones (3%). Bacterial growth was observed in 43% of gallstones, with Enterococcus species (31 isolates) predominating over S. aureus (12 isolates). Species-level identification revealed E. faecalis (n= 16), E. faecium (n= 9), and E. gallinarum (n= 6), marking the first reported isolation of E. gallinarum from gallstones. Cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher in sterile stones (median 235 mg/dL) compared to bacteria-positive stones (173-186 mg/dL) (P < 0.0001). Biofilm analysis showed all S. aureus isolates as strong producers, whereas E. faecalis exhibited predominantly moderate-to-strong formation, while E. faecium and E. gallinarum displayed weaker capacities. Conclusion: A significant interplay between microbial colonization and gallstone composition. Strong biofilm-producing Gram-positive bacteria, particularly S. aureus and E. faecalis, may facilitate stone maturation and persistence. The novel isolation of E. gallinarum expands the spectrum of biliary microbiota.
The most common cause of acquired thyroid dysfunction is autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), which most commonly manifests as Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) or Graves' disease (GD). The importance of vitamin D (vit D) as an immune modulator has recently been emphasized in several types of disorders. However, its significance in thyroid illnesses is not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate how vitamin D affects the pathophysiology of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in Iraqi women. One hundred Iraqi women with age ranged from 18 to 60 years participate in this research, 50 of them were hypothyroidism patients, 30 were hyperthyroidism patients and the other 20 were euthyroidism served as controls. Blood samples
... Show MoreControlling cost in construction projects is an essential issue. This study investigates the most critical problems that cause weakness in cost control in Iraqi construction projects. The quantitative technique was used by conducting a survey directed to professionals who work on construction projects. One hundred and sixty-four questionnaire forms were distributed to private sector companies, government companies, and government institutions, and the responses were subjected to the required statistical analysis. The results indicate that the most influential factors are the weakness in keeping up with the use of modern concepts, methods, and technologies, the delay in receiving the amounts due for work done from the owner, fluctuat
... Show MoreAsphaltene is a component class that may precipitate from petroleum as a highly viscous and sticky material that is likely to cause deposition problems in a reservoir, in production well, transportation, and in process plants. It is more important to locate the asphaltene precipitation conditions (precipitation pressure and temperature) before the occurring problem of asphaltene deposition to prevent it and eliminate the burden of high treatment costs of this problem if it happens. There are different models which are used in this flow assurance problem (asphaltene precipitation and deposition problem) and these models depend on experimental testing of asphaltene properties. In this study, the used model was equation of
... Show MoreABSTRACT: Objectives: To study the level of knowledge , attitude and practice of primary health care providers about herbs , and their relation with certain demographic variables Methods : A cross sectional study was conducted using questionnaire administered to Health Care providers at ten Primary Health Care Centers in Baghdad. Results: Four handed participants were recruited, the most common source of knowledge in the medical group were books , while the paramedical group were getting their knowledge mostly from media, attitude of the medical group was neutral (53%) while among paramedical group attitude was positive (65%), the most common purposes for using herbs were energy boosting and preventive. Conclusion: healthcare providers in B
... Show MoreA disease of the reproductive system known as "infertility" is characterized by the inability to conceive after twelve months or more of sexual activity. This study was carried out to investigate the level of the DAZ protein in “Azoospermia” Iraqi patients. One hundred and fifty human blood samples were collected from different regions in Baghdad governorate include (private medicals Labs and “high institute for infertility diagnosis” assisted reproductive techniques and Kamal Al- Samara'ay IVF Hospital). The control group (fertile) consists of 50 males with an age range between 22-51 years old, while the patient (infertile group) consists of 100 sample males with ages ranging between 25-51 years old. The correlation of mean age for
... Show MoreThe present paper is a qualitative descriptive study. It aims to examine the macro-cultural schemata addressing the concept of violence against women in Iraq from a cognitive linguistic point of view. To meet this objective, a number of Iraqi social caricatures have been selected from two popular and active Iraqi caricaturists, Odeh Al-Fahdawi and Nasser Ibrahim. The selection and the analysis of data have been achieved following the validity and reliability procedures and the ethical considerations. To meet this objective, Sharifian’s Model (2011) of Cultural Schemata has been adopted in data analysis. The study has concluded that the macro-cultural schemata regarding the concept of violence in the selected panels reveals that violenc
... Show MoreThe United States has stood by Iraq and supported militarily and morally, but the relationship did not quickly be strained again before August 1990, when the oldest former political system in Iraq after Iraqi troops entered the territory of Kuwait, the United States stood beside Kuwait because the two parties link military ties opted States United to support the Kuwaiti side relying on the resolutions passed by the UN security Council, the United States and found in this issue right opportunity to execute the mechanics of meddling in Iraqi affairs and the various means of political, economic, military, and methods for dealing with Iraq, especially after finding the impediment standing in front of the implementation of its goals The strat
... Show MoremiRNAs regulate protein abundance and control diverse aspects of cellular processes and biological functions in metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. Lethal-7(Let-7) miRNAs specifically target genes associated with diabetes and have a role in the regulation of peripheral glucose metabolism. The present study aimed to describe the gene expressions of the let-7a gene with the development of diabetes in Iraq and the difference in the expression of this gene in patients with diabetes and healthy individuals. The association between age and gender with the development of diabetes was studied in this study and the results were compared with those of healthy individuals in the group of control. Based on the obtained results, there was
... Show MoreThe present paper examines the genre of death notices in Iraqi newspapers in terms of its schematic and socio-cultural structure. Adopting Swales&#39; [1990] rhetorical approach to genre analysis, the study has examined a corpus of 150 death texts