The interleukin-1 family has multifaceted roles in men٫s reproductive syste. Out of these is interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) which exists in men gonads, and in case of infection and inflammatory process, its activity is increased. The current study aims to verify a possible linkage of Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the IL-1RN gene with human men infertility. The study groups enrolled included 100 infertile men and 100 fertile and healthy men. Their seminal fluids were subjected to analysis. Also peripheral blood samples were collected for the assessment or detection of polymorphic Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL-1RN). Two alleles, namely IL-1RN1 allele corresponding to 410bp fragment and IL-11RN2 that corresponding to 240bp fragments, are a marker for human men infertility, detected by PCR technique. The results delineated a high frequency of IL-1RN2 allelic gene variants (26%), and two VNTR allelic gene variants carriers IL-1RN1 and IL-1RN2 (16%) among infertile men with significant impacts on sperm motility and morphology (P< 0.000-0.002) respectively. This prospective study inKurdistan region (Erbil –Iraq) defined a significant impact of VNTR polymorphism of IL-1RN gene in the etiology of men infertility especially on sperm motility and morphology; particularly carriers of IL-1RN2 allelic variants
The aim of this study is to investigate the sedimentation environments and diagenetic processes of the Ibrahim Formation (Oligocene-early Miocene) in Zurbatiya, eastern Iraq. The Ibrahim Formation is comprised mostly of clayey micrite and skeletal grains composed of planktonic foraminifera, calcispheres, radiolaria, and benthic foraminifera. Glauconite and pyrite were documented in some restricted zones of this formation; they reflect quiet and reducing conditions. Radiolaria were identified in Late-Oligocene which was not known previously at this age regionally in carbonate formations of the Arabian Plate (AP). Mudstone, wackestone, and planktonic foraminiferal wackepackstone are the main microfacies that are affected by dissolutio
... Show MoreThe genus Latrodectus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae: Theridiidae) is a worldwide distribute genus (Graudins et al., 2001), it includes a group of species commonly referred to as widow spiders. It's considered a taxonomically complex genus as the status of several forms had not been properly evaluated and specific boundaries are not well defined or understood (Levi, 1959; 1967; Garb et al., 2001), therefore, in multiple cases, populations has been uncritically referred to as different taxa. Discriminating between Latrodectus species using morphology has always been problematic (Levi, 1983), it is difficult taxonomically and readily separated from members of other Theridiid genera (Mirshamsi, 2005). The Genus Asagena Sundevall, 1833 was revalidat
... Show MoreA simplified parallel key was presented in this work for the Taxa of Stackys L. wildly grown in Iraq. Three records within this genus were newly recorded to our country in the present work and they are S. kermanshahansis Rech S. setifera C.A. Mey. subsp setifera, S. setifera ssp iranica (Reck.) The characteristics of these new records were also given with some representative specimens.
In 2010, the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) was reported for the first time in Iraq. The larvae can feed on all parts of tomato plants and can damage all the growth stages. The main host plant is tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, but it can also attack other plants in Solanaceae family. In this study it was found attacking alfalfa plants, Medicago sativa in Baghdad Province. This finding reveals that alfalfa also serves as a host plant for T. absoluta in Iraq.
An extensive survey of citrus leaf miner (CLM) , Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton parasites
and predators was conducted during 1998 and 1999 in citrus orchards and nursuries in
Baghdad, Diyala and Wasit .Five eulophid parasites were recorded for the first time on citrus
leaf miner larvae , prepupae and pupae viz. Cirrospilus sp, Pnigalio sp ., Ratzburgiola
incompleta , Tetrasticus sp. and, Neochrysocharis formosa . Parasitism rate was ranged from
15% to 63% Chrysopa carnea , Orius albidipennis , Amblyseius sp . Were observed as
predators on CLM .
Contracaecum rudolphii Hartwich, 1964 is a nematode which causes major concerns to human and wildlife animal’s health. However, the population genetics of C. rudolphii has been poorly studied in Iraq. In order to gain a deeper understanding in the outline of the genetic diversity of the nematode C. rudolphii that were isolated from its host cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758), in the middle areas of Iraq, twenty specimens of C. rudolphii adults were isolated from nine individuals of P. carbo. The first (ITS-1) internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of C. rudolphii were amplified using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR); then, the amplicons were subjected to sequencing. Concatenation of ITS-1 (rD
... Show MoreThe pharmacist's role in the community is currently directed towards providing drug information and patient care rather than drug compounding and dispensing. Patient counseling is an essential skill for pharmacists. So as to improve the pharmacist role in the community and enhance the patient's education and counseling skills, many continuing education programs are established. The aim of this study is to assess the perceptions and tendency of community pharmacists in Iraq regarding patients counseling and continuing pharmacists’ educational programs.
The target of this study was to study the natural phytochemical components of the head (capsule) of Cynara scolymus cultivated in Iraq. The head (capsule) of plant was extracted by maceration in70% ethanol for 72 hours, and fractioned by hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening was performed on the ethyl acetate fraction for capsule was revealed the presence of flavonoid and aromatic acids. These were examined by (high -performance liquid chromatography) (HPLC diodarray), (high- performance thin-layer chromatography)(HPTLC).
Flavonoids were isolated by preparative layer chromatography and aromatic acid was isolated by preparative high-
... Show More