Obesity-related deaths continue to rise, and thus losing weight in overweight and obese patients is critical to prevent complications. Anredera cordifolia (Ten,) Steenis, species of succulent plant of the genus Basellaceae, is widely used in herbal medicine to decrease body weight. This study evaluated the potential benefits of Anredera cordifolia ethanol extract to reduce body weight in high-fat diet-induced obesity rat model. This was an experimental with post-test only control group design study involving 36 obese rats. They were divided into two groups: three control groups (K1, K2, K3) and three treatment groups (P1, P2, P3). All the groups were induced with high-fat diet, except K1 control group that received a standard di

Recently, some of Iraq's newly constructed asphalt concrete pavements showed premature failures with significant negative impacts on roadway safety and the economy. Using Nano hydrated lime (NHL) in pavement construction could be one of the possible steps to improve pavement durability. This article discusses how NHL affects the durability of hot mix asphalt. NHL was added in two methods to the asphalt concrete mixture for the wearing course. The first is the dry method, i.e., on the aggregate, whereas the second is the wet addition method, i.e., to the bitumen. The percentages were tried for each additional method; 1, 2, and 3% by weight of aggregate for the dry method and 0.5, 1, and 1.5% by weight of asphalt concrete for the wet

The present investigation aims to determine the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on biotransformation and antioxidant genes and the protective effects of curcumin, present in turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder (TMP). Specifically, the study included four groups of albino mice were fed for 30 days on diet Group I: Control, Group II: animals fed on the conventional basal diet supplemented with 0.5% food grade TMP that supplied 74 mg/kg total curcuminoids. Group III contained animals reared on conventional basal diet supplemented with 1.0 ppm AFB1 supplied by ground aflatoxin culture material (760 ppm AFB1). Finally, Group IV comprised of albino mice fed with basal diet supplemented with 1.0 ppm AFB1 and 0.5% TMP that supplied 74 mg/kg of the

The mutagenic effect of some crucifers widely consumed Lepiduim sativum (Garden cress) and Arugula (Eruca sativa) was studied in comparison to carrot (Daucus carota), using bacterial mutagenic system composed of three bacterial isolates; (Bacillus spp)G3 (Arthrobacter spp)G12, and (Brevibacterium spp)G27 ,. Treatment of isolates with plant extracts led to reduction in survival fraction (Sx)at different levels except that Aurgula extract did not show any inhibitory effect in isolates G12 and G27. Crucifers extracts induced streptomycin resistant mutants in G12 at higher level than G3 , but not in G27. No resistance to rifimpacin was detected in all isolates.

Metronidazole therapy is recommended in the treatment of giardiasis,athough some clinical reports mention the resistance to this drug from many pathogens. Many studies were applied to show the effect of probiotic to prevent or to heal diseases of gastrointestine, but only few is known about probiotic activity against infections of protozoa. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of Bifidobacterium against infection with Giardia lamblia   in experimental mice. It was found that daily application of viable Bifidobacterium cells with a single dose (0.1ml∕mice∕day) significantly reduced the shedding of Giardia lamblia parasite cysts in feces, and infection completely disappeared at the da

The mechanical properties and microstructure of hot-rolled steel are critical in determining its performance in industrial applications, particularly when exposed to elevated temperatures. This study examines the effects of varying temperatures and soaking times on these properties through a series of controlled experiments. The primary objective was to optimize the key response parameters, including tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation, by analyzing the influence of temperature and time. A full factorial design approach was used, applying the desirability function theory to explore all possible combinations and identify optimal processing conditions. The experimental results showed that the soaking time played a critica