This paper argues that eco-awareness is presented in Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood as a remedy for apocalyptic eco-phobia. The study focuses on apocalypse and eco-phobia as a motivation of the characters’ eco-awareness. Accordingly, the novel depicts several scenes of natural apocalyptic regarding the decline of the environment. There is an obvious relationship between apocalyptic eco-phobia and eco-awareness because they are environmental elements. Therefore, the study examines Atwood’s perception of apocalypse that threatens the ideal nature; she offers alternatives to avoid it via elevating the characters’ eco-awareness. Consequently, eco-awareness exemplifies the ideal natural state needed by the characters bec

The dangerous and potentially blinding condition known as Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba. The prevalence of AIDS patients and contact lens wearers has increased in recent years, making cannaeba infections more significant. It's interesting to note that, depending on the parasite, host, and environmental conditions, the pathways linked to Acanthamoeba pathogenesis are frequently extremely complex. Notwithstanding our progress in antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the prevalence of Acanthamoeba keratitis has not decreased

Rationale, aims and objectives: A review of studies published over the last six years gives update about this hot topic. In the middle of COVID-19 pandemic, this study findings can help understand how population may perceive vaccinations. The objectives of this study were to review the literature covering the perceptions about influenza vaccines and to determine factors influencing the acceptance of vaccination using Health Belief Model (HBM). Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed utilizing PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Three keywords were used: Influenza vaccine, perceptions, and Middle East. Empirical studies that dealt with people/ HCW perceptions of influenza vaccine in the Middle East and writt

Background: Bone augmentation techniques are commonly employed in medical fields. This biomaterial system must be readily available, easily applicable by minimally-invasive technique and able to release an osteoinductive growth factor. Such a system will be able to engineer new bone formation locally at the site of injection. Hyaluronic acid has osteogenic potential that can be exploited not only for repairing bone defects but also for providing transplantable bone for the reconstruction of a variety of bone defects. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of Hyaluronic acid gel on bone healing by immunohistochemical estimation of transforming growth factor -beta 3 in experimental and control groups. Materials and methods: Thirt

Background  Radiotherapy is one of the main modalities in the management of cancer along with chemotherapy and surgery. Despite its great benefit it has many side effects on many systems and organs including the skin.   Objective To record the frequency, grades and types of acute cutaneous side effect in patients with pelvic tumors treated with radiotherapy, in order to report the risk factors and to find appropriate strategies for prevention and management. Patient and methods.   Methods A prospective observational study was carried out in Baghdad Radiation and Nuclear Medicine Centre between August 2020 and August 2021.A total 70 patients were enrolled in this study.All patients had full history and full baseline skin exam and were ass

Background Psoriasis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory skin conditions; its prevalence ranges from 1 to 3%. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine that enhances inflammation, is overexpressed in synovium and skin plaques in psoriasis. TNF-α plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. IL-10 is the most crucial cytokine for reducing excessive immune responses and decreasing pro-inflammatory reactions in all autoimmune disorders.   Objective To evaluate the effect of Apremilast on ILـ10, TNFـα, and BMI in obese psoriatic patients.   Methods Thirty patients included in this investigative study to measure the concentrations of TNFـα, ILـ10 and BMI, before and after receiving Apremilast. TNFـα and

The current study aims to investigate the relationship between lipid peroxidation, represented by seminal malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and integrity of sperm plasma membrane, represented by the hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) test score, in infertile men. One hundred and twenty Iraqi men (20 fertile and 100 infertile) shared in this study during their attendance to the High Institute for Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies/Al- Nahrain University. The mean age of the fertile men was (30.46±0.78) years while the mean age of infertile men was (32.58±0.64) years with the duration of infertility (5.36±0.33) years. Semen samples were collected and the parameters of seminal fluid analysis were assessed; also, the HOS

Immunosuppressive cytokines are the main components of the tumor microenvironment and perform a vital function in controlling the immune response to malignant neoplasms.The objective: to study the influence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) on the development of breast tumors in women.Materials and methods. The concentration of cytokines IL-4 and TGF-β3 in blood serum was determined in 40 women with benign breast tumors, 40 women with malignant breast tumors, and 40 healthy patients without breast pathology, who were included in the control group.Breast cancer (BC) patients were divided into two groups; the first group included patients with the II stage of BC, who were considered to have a low le

From different hospitals in Baghdad city, 25 clinical isolates of Proteus spp. were collected from different clinical samples, all isolates were identified as Proteus mirabilis by using bacteriological and biochemical assays in addition to Vitek-2 identification system. 15 (60%) isolates were identifying as Proteus mirabilis. The susceptibility of P. mirabilis isolates towards cefotaxime and ceftazidime was (66.6 %), (20%) consecutively; while extended spectrum β-lactamases producing P. mirabilis percentage was (30.7 %). Because blaVEB-1 was documented as an important indicator for increasing risk of extended spectrum beta ßlactamases producing P. mirabilis isolates that began to spread from many geographic area to Far east which inc

total of 17 Escherichia coli isolates were collected from urine specimens of patients with urinary tract infection. Antibiotics sensitivity test indicated that amikacin followed by chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin are the most effective antibiotics. The isolates showed multidruge resistant, nine isolates were resistant to 11-15 antibiotics, 3 were resistant to 16-20 antibiotics and 5 were resistant to 21-25 antibiotic. Two isolates were selected, the first (ED1) was resistant to (22) antibiotics while the second isolate (ED2) was resistant to (14) antibiotics (out of 25). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the black and green tea water boiled extracts were determined towards (ED1,ED2).Results showed that MIC of black tea extr