This study aimed to assess orthodontic postgraduate students’ use of social media during the COVID-19 lockdown. Ninety-four postgraduate students (67 master’s students and 27 doctoral students) were enrolled in the study and asked to fill in an online questionnaire by answering questions regarding their use of social media during the COVID-19 lockdown. The frequency distributions and percentages were calculated using SPSS software. The results showed that 99% of the students used social media. The most frequently used type of social media was Facebook, 94%, followed by YouTube, 78%, and Instagram, 65%, while Twitter and Linkedin were used less, and no one used Blogger. About 63% of the students used elements of social media to l

The current study was conducted in Baghdad governorate (Karkh and Al-Rasafa regions) which included collecting 50 samples of freshly slaughtered sheep meat randomly collected from local slaughter areas and approved governmental slaughterhouses (25 liver and 25 ulna muscles). The results of the aflatoxin B1 detection showed that all samples were contaminated with this toxin at different concentrations ranging from 25–422 ppb and 65–492 ppb for each ulna muscles and liver, respectively. The histopathological and immunological study was conducted in meat samples containing higher and lower concentrations of the toxin. The results of the pathological study in the liver revealed that the concentration (492 ppb) caused thickening of t

      Immunological genes, including TLR3 and RIG-I, have recently been established to have linked to predisposition to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its severity. The purpose of this case-control study (100 recovered COVID 19 cases and 100 healthy individuals) was to determine the role of gender, age, TLR3 and RIG-I genes in COVID-19 aggressiveness. TLR3 and RIG-I gene expression was detected using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). COVID-19 infection intensity increased with age and no statistical difference between males and females (p>0.05) was found. TLR3 and RIG-I gene expression levels were higher in patients compared to hea

Bigheaded carps (bighead carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and their hybrids play an important ecological and economic role in their original habitat, while their introduced stocks may pose serious ecological risks. To address questions about the persistence and invasiveness of these fish, we need to better understand their population structures. The genetic structures of bigheaded carp populations inhabiting Lake Balaton and the Tisza River were examined with ten microsatellite markers and a mitochondrial DNA marker (COI). The Lake Balaton stock showed higher genetic diversity compared with the Tisza River stock. Based on hierarchical clustering, the Tisza population was characterized o

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of Iraqi dentists towards cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) applications in endodontics by using an online survey. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire, consisting of 31 questions, targeted general dental practitioners and specialists in different dental specialities. A total of 306 participants were included. Data were assessed according to the frequency of distribution and the chi-square test was applied to analyse the difference in responses between two independent groups. Results: Among the participants 63.4% were using digital radiography in their daily practice, and 84% had awareness about CBCT's uses, with higher statistically significant responses among e

Upper Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) are pelagic sediment
deposits that deposited in the Upper Cretaceous basin, with widespread in
part of the world as well as in Iraq. This research investigates the deposition
of cyclic marl and marly limestone CORBs of six selected sections at the
active southern margin of the Tethys during the Late Campanian -
Maastrichtian with petrography, microfacies, and depositional environment.
As this study was not a consideration in the past, so decided to visit and
identify all exposure areas of the Upper Cretaceous period rocks are visited.
This study involved two fields touring reconnaissance extended from
Darbandikhan city in the east south to Shiranish Village in the west

In this study, four sampling stations were selected on the Tigris River (Baghdad region) in order to determine concentrations, seasonal variation and pollution intensity assessment of heavy metals (Cd, Zn and Mn) in water, sediments and Barbus xanthpterus fish in this river. The study results showed that the mean concentration of dissolved heavy metals (cadmium, zinc and manganese) were 0.004 ppm, 0.023 ppm and 0.007 ppm, respectively. Whereas, their concentrations in sediments were 1.38 ppm, 86 ppm and 231.4 ppm respectively. Irregular seasonal variation for concentrations of these metals in both sediments and water. The mean concentration of these metals in tissues of fish muscles were 0.0043 ppm, 0.0023 ppm and 0.03 ppm for cadmium, z