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.
This paper highlights the main features of conjunctive adverbials and their occurrence in English academic prose. It accounts for the semantic roles of conjunctive adverbials, forms in which they are used, their positions within a sentence, and their frequency of occurrence in different registers with special reference to academic prose. It also tries to investigate possible differences in men's and women's use of conjunctive adverbials.
Keyword: conjunctive adverbials, linking adverbials, stance adverbials, circumstance adverbials, academic prose
As a result of recent developments in highway research as well as the increased use of vehicles, there has been a significant interest paid to the most current, effective, and precise Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). In the field of computer vision or digital image processing, the identification of specific objects in an image plays a crucial role in the creation of a comprehensive image. There is a challenge associated with Vehicle License Plate Recognition (VLPR) because of the variation in viewpoints, multiple formats, and non-uniform lighting conditions at the time of acquisition of the image, shape, and color, in addition, the difficulties like poor image resolution, blurry image, poor lighting, and low contrast, these
... Show MoreThe study aims to build a water quality index that fits the Iraqi aquatic systems and reflects the environmental reality of Iraqi water. The developed Iraqi Water Quality Index (IQWQI) includes physical and chemical components. To build the IQWQI, Delphi method was used to communicate with local and global experts in water quality indices for their opinion regarding the best and most important parameter we can use in building the index and the established weight of each parameter. From the data obtained in this study, 70% were used for building the model and 30% for evaluating the model. Multiple scenarios were applied to the model inputs to study the effects of increasing parameters. The model was built 4 by 4 until it reached 17 parame
... Show MoreAfter the fall of the Iraqi regime in the 9th of April 2003, and after the disintegration of the country, political and party political chaos that had never been witnessed before, has now taken over. In the past 2 years, the American military forces had a primary role in spreading this chaos and disorder by applying a set of wrong measures and policies. This chaos that is still affecting the iraqi people was completely ignored by the USA even 2 years after the occupation, no serious steps have been taken in order to bring back order and security, on the other hand, most of the government institutions and its forces were disintegrated, along with the decision made by Paul Bremer of dismissing all the iraqi journals and the workers of the
... Show MoreTheatrical production mechanisms were determined according to the extents of the theatrical performance, the directing plan, and the ideas that the theatrical performance seeks to convey to the audience. Accordingly, theatrical production mechanisms differ between one theatrical performance and another according to the requirements of each of them and the surrounding circumstances that accompany the production of theatrical performance, and in order to search for production mechanisms and their repercussions on the show. Theatrical The current research was divided into four chapters, namely (Chapter One - Methodology), which identified the research problem in the following question: What are the production mechanisms and their implicatio
... Show MoreThe research aimed to study the decision-making of the administrative bodies of sports clubs participating in the Iraqi Football Premier League for the 2022-2023 season. The researchers used the descriptive approach (survey study) to suit the nature of the research. The research community is represented by members of the administrative bodies of the sports clubs participating in the Iraqi Premier Football League for the 2022-2023 season, who number (177) members of the administrative body. The researchers used the questionnaire to collect the necessary data to achieve the goal of researching The method of applying a questionnaire aimed to identify the decision-making of the administrative bodies of sports clubs. The most important r
... Show MoreThe research aims to shed light on banking liberalization and explain its impact on attracting customers, especially since Iraq adopted this policy after (2003) due to the changes that occurred, as the Central Bank of Iraq granted flexibility to banks in setting the interest rate on deposits and loans as well as allowing the entry of foreign banks in the local environment. The research relied on the analytical method for the dimensions of banking liberalization represented by (liberating interest rates, liberating credit, legal reserve requirements, entering foreign banks, privatization) as well as the factors affecting the attraction of customers, and a number of Iraqi banks listed in the Iraqi Stock Exchange were selected as a
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