Q fever is an infectious disease of animals and humans, caused by globally distributed C. burnetii. In Iraq, there are no previous studies associated with the detection of the organism in cattle. An overall of 130 lactating cows were submitted to direct collection of milk samples. Initially, the samples of milk were tested using the molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting three genes (16S rRNA, IS1111a transposase, and htpB). However, positive results (18.46%; 24/130) were detected only with the 16s rRNA gene. Concerning risk factors, the highest prevalence of C. burnetii was showed in the district of Badra (42.86%), whereas the lowest - in Al-Numaniyah and Al-Suwaira districts (P=0.025). There was no significant variation in positivity between the months of sampling period (P=0.082) and between age groups (P=0.076). Crossbred cows (20.69%) showed a higher positivity than local and pure breeds (P=0.043). Milk of positive samples (n=24) was used for cultivation of C. burnetii into specific pathogen free-embryonated chicken eggs (SPF-ECEs). After three passages into SPF-ECEs, contents of yolk sac were collected, subjected for DNA extraction, and re-tested by PCR assay using the primer of 16s rRNA gene only. Of 24 cultivated milk samples, 12.5% (3/24) were positive for C. burnetii. Finally, the positive local isolates were analysed phylogenetically and reported in NCBI-Genbank under the accession numbers of MN121700.1, MN121701.1, and MN121702.1. In conclusion, this is a unique study as it detected C. burnetii in Iraqi lactating cows, and confirmed that organism was shed actively through milk, suggesting that these animals can play a role as a reservoir for organism with potential risk for transmission of infection from these animals to humans as well as to other animal species.
This study includes applying chemical tests on cow, sheep and chicken bones including both hallow and flat. The results of chemical tests on bones mentioned the moisture percentage which was between 4.95-7.32 %, and it was noticed the difference in protein percentage among different kinds of bones, The highest protien percentage was 39.62 % in hallow chicken bones and the lowest was in hallow sheep bones 20.31%, at the same time, the highest Ash percentage was in hallow sheep bones48.11% , whereas the highest percentage of fat was in hallow cow bones 30%. The chemical and physical tests were conducted for extracted fat from hallow and flat bones for cows, sheeps and chicken. It was found that peroxide values (PV), and free fatty acids (F
... Show MoreNeural stem cells (NSCs) are progenitor cells which have the ability to self‑renewal and potential for differentiating into neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. The in vitro isolation, culturing, identification, cryopreservation were investigated to produce neural stem cells in culture as successful sources for further studies before using it for clinical trials. In this study, mouse bone marrow was the source of neural stem cells. The results of morphological study and immunocytochemistry of isolated cells showed that NSCs can be produced successfully and maintaining their self‑renewal and successfully forming neurosphere for multiple passages. The spheres preserved their morphology in culture and cryopreserved t
... Show MoreFreshwater mussels are a guild of stationary, suspended-feeding species; they perform significant ecological functions like nitrogen cycling, bioturbation that gives oxygen and habitat that other creatures need to survive, and increasing water clearance by filtration. Knowledge of the freshwater mussel Unio tigridis Bourguignat, 1852, distribution, and molecular study in Iraq was inadequate. In the current study, this species of freshwater Mussels belonging to the family Unionidae was collected from different locations in the Greater Zab River, from April 2022 to November 2022. The average water temperature of the site was arranged between (17.8 to 36.1 C°). All previous studies in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq were based on morphologic
... Show MoreCongenital adrenal hyperplasia is a group of autosomal recessive disorders. The most frequent one is 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Analyzing
This study included isolation and identification of the fungi associated with Aloe vera (L.) in nurseries and plant gardens. The results showed that the fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Nigrospora oryzae, Cladosporium herbarum, Stemphylium botryosum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp. were isolated from the diseased leaves of Aloe vera showing spots and blight symptoms. The percentages of disease incidence in March, Jun and August were found to be 5, 50 and 60 %, respectively. Pathogenicity test of Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Nigrospora oryzae and Cladosporium herbarum showed that disease index were 50, 25,25and 12.5 %,
... Show MoreFourteen morphologically varied Ricinus communis L. seeds were collected from different localities in Egypt, El-Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Seed morphology and ITS barcoding analysis were performed to assess their diversity and phylogenetic relationship. Sequence’s alignment of nrITS region from different accessions display high levels of genetic similarities. Cluster analysis could not group different accessions according to their geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the genetic barcodes are interestingly matched with the morphological features of the Ricinus seeds. In conclusion, seed morphology proved to be a valuable tool in evaluating biodiversity and phylogenetic relationship in plant species with different loca
... Show MoreThe prostaglandins inside inflamed tissues are produced by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), making it an important target for improving anti-inflammatory medications over a long period. Adverse effects have been related to the traditional usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of inflammation, mainly centered around gastrointestinal (GI) complications. The current research involves the creation of a virtual library of innovative molecules showing similar drug properties via a structure-based drug design. A library that includes five novel derivatives of Diclofenac was designed. Subsequently, molecular docking through the Glide module and determining the binding free energy implementing the P
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Flavonoids were extracted from Zizyphus spina-christi leaves by Ethyl acetate after acid digested and used as antioxidant. The dried extract was added separately to each sample of fat extracted from hallow cow and sheep bones as follows: T1 cow fat, T2 control for cow fat, T3 sheep fat and T4 control for sheep fat (the control T2 and T4 reffered to samples without added antioxidant).
Samples were stored at -18, 5, 25 and 55 °C for 28 days. The storage trials were conducted at -18, 5 and 25 °C for 28 days for T1, T2, T3 and T4. The chemical indices examined initially and at the end of storage period. PVs was 1.46, 1.46, 1.8 and 1.8 meq/ Kg oil respectively, FFA values were 0.245, 0.245, 0.244 and 0.244% respectively and TBA va