Toxoplasma gondii is a unique intracellular parasite, which infect a large proportion of the world population, but uncommonly causes clinically significant disease. The present study was performed to estimate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in 400 apparently healthy blood donor males, their ages were between 18 and 57 years using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and to examine the effects of infection on total testosterone, free testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in their sera. Seroprevalence showed 10 (2.5 %) and 121 (30 %) of them had IgM and IgG antibodies respectively. Both acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in males recorded higher significant (P < 0.05) mean concentration for total and free testosterone hormone,

Nanoceria have shown numerous unique characteristics, such as biocompatibility and are excellent agents for biological applications. The aim of this study is to investigate cerium oxide nanoparticles for 2, 2- diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and their ability to offer protection against ionizing radiation. In vitro antioxidant activity study of nanoceria particles has shown good free radical scavenging activity for DPPH radical assayed within a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.05 g/l, at higher concentrations of nanoparticles showed reverse trend in absorbance and inhibition indicating this finite rang of concentration is suitable for scavenging free radicals, also nanoparticles were found to ha

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide, which characterized by steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. The aim of this designed study is to evaluate the ability of guggulsterone to prevent high fat diet induced steatohepatitis in mice. Five groups of male mice were selected and treated as the following: group I, mice had free access to standard commercial diet and considered as control group, group II, mice were fed a specially formulated high-fat diet for 12 weeks to induce non-alcoholic liver disease, while groups III, IV and V the mice were administered high fat diet containing guggulsterone at 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm concentration respectively for 12 weeks. Maintaini

This study assessed the quality of hand-dug drinking water sources in Eku and its environs at Eku I, Samagidi, Eku 2, and Okuechi, using the weighted arithmetic water quality index method. Water samples collected from hand-dug wells at these locations returned values for analyzed parameters. Temperature 26 – 30(⁰C), dissolved Oxygen (D.O) 5.2-8mg/l, biological oxygen demand (BOD) 5.2-8(mg/l), Electrical Conductivity (EC) 77-119(µS/cm), Total suspended solids were  (TSS) 20000-120000(mg/l), pH 5.31-7.09, Phosphates 2-9.2(mg/l), Alkalinity 28-160(mg/l), Turbidity, 0.02 -0.19(NTU) Total coliform 2 -48 (cfu/ml) and fungal count 1-502. Variations in the values of these parameters were only significant for phosphate, alkalinity, and turb

Curcumin is a yellow pigment produced from the rhizomes of the Curcuma longa plant and a primary chemo preventive component of turmeric is used as a spice and food coloring ingredient. Curcumin has a large number of pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-infectious, and anti-inflammatory properties.Investigation of the geno-protective effect of curcumin on methotrexate induces chromosomal aberrations of spleen and bone marrow cells. In this study, 32 mice were used and divided into four groups (eight mice at each group) as follows: Group1 (negative control): Dimethyl sulfoxide was given intraperitoneally to mice every day for ten days.Group2 (positive control): Mice were received a single do

The study aimed to investigate the effect of using the intructional computer individually or through the cooperative groups on the achievement of the ninth grade students in mathematics compared to the traditional method. The experimental method adapted three groups out of three schools were chosen, two groups of the students where applied the computer method. The comtrol group used the simple random method, and it used the diagnostic test as tool for the study.The result showed that there is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental groups and the control group on the post-test for the two experimental groups.

The physicochemical behaviour of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) in water and ethanol-water mixture in the presence and absence of ZnSO₄ were studied by measuring the conductivity at 298.15 K. The pre-micellar (S₁) and post-micellar slopes (S₂) were obtained and calculated the degree of dissociation (α) and the critical micelle concentration (cmc). With an increase in ethanol content, the cmc and α of DTAB increased whereas, in the presence of ZnSO₄, the cmc and α decreased. By using cmc and α, thermodynamic properties as the standard free energy of micellization ( ) were evaluated. With an increase in ethanol content, the negative values of  are decreased indicating less spont

M. domestica is the most important insect that transmit pathogens for diseases in the world. The use of nanotechnology is eco-friendly method in control pests. The study aims to investigate the feasibility of bio-manufacturing nanocapsules of fungal secondary metabolites in order to improve the efficiency of metabolite and assess their inhibitory effect on the acetylcholine esterase enzyme in housefly larvae. An equal mixture of organic solvents, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane, was used to extract the metabolic products of the fungus M. anisopliae, (PEG4000) and chitosan was used in the preparation of nanocapsules. The results of the DLS granular size assay showed that the size of the extract particles and the size of the chitosa

High frequencies of multidrug resistant organisms were observed worldwide in intensive care units which is a warning as to use the only few effective antimicrobials wisely to reduce selective pressure on sensitive strains.

The aim of the current study is to asses the compliance of the currently followed antibiotic prescribing pattern in the intensive care unit in an Iraqi hospital with the international guidelines.A cross-sectional study was done in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Surgical Specialties Hospital, Medical City in Bagdad from the 30^th of November 2011 to the 5^th of May 2012.Patients were followed until they were discharged or died to see any change in condition, response to drugs, devices u