Background and Aim: The use of food dyes can cause certain diseases, such as anemia and indigestion, along with other disorders, tumors, and even cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the chemical nature and toxicity of some commercial dyes locally used in processed foods compared with standard food dyes. Materials and Methods: Three types of standard and commercial food color additives (Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine, and Carmoisine) were extensively examined. The chemical structures and functional groups of the dyes were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The melting temperatures of the dyes were also determined by chemical thermal analysis. The acute toxicity test to evaluate the standard and commercial food color safety was estimated by a range-finding study using 150 Wistar albino rats. Sub-groups were administered one of the three colors under study at doses of 2, 3, 4, and 5 g/kg body weight (BW) orally for 7 days. When no mortality was observed, an additional 15 g/kg BW was administered. Concerning the median lethal dose 50 (LD50), 38 rats were exploited using the up-and-down method. Results: Commercial dyes had lower melting points than standard colors. Regarding the range-finding study, rats receiving different doses of the dyes exhibited no signs of toxicity, no deaths, and no clinical or gross pathological signs throughout the 7 days of the experiment. However, the animals that were dosed with 15 g/kg BW of each dye showed signs of loss of appetite, tachycardia, drowsiness, and eventual death. The LD50 values of the commercial food dyes, particularly Sunset Yellow and Carmoisine, were lower than those of the standard dyes. Conclusion: Commercial food colors were more toxic to rats than standard food colors. Differences were observed between the purity of the standard and commercial dyes, and the latter ones contained different percentages of salt, indicating the occurrence of fraud in commercial markets. Keywords: acute toxicity, food colors, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, lethal dose 50, range-finding study.
Background: Studies discussing the correlation between biochemical markers of bone turnover and the diagnosis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Iraqi women are rare. This study is devoted to find out the significance of serum osteocalcin (OC) and osteopontin (OPN) levels with the incidence of osteoporosis and its major complication (fracture).Objectives: to investigate the significance of bone turnover biochemical markers; serum osteocalcin and serum osteopontin in evaluating osteoporosis for postmenopausal Iraqi women with and without history of vertebral fracture, as well as to explore the relationship of these markers with bone mineral density (BMD).Methods: Fifty seven postmenopausal women whose ages are fifty years old and over, cat
... Show MoreA fluorescence microscopy considered as a powerful imaging tool in biology and medicine. In addition to useful signal obtained from fluorescence microscopy, there are some defects in its images such as random variation in brightness, noise that caused by photon detection and some background pixels in the acquired fluorescence microscopic images appear wrongly auto-fluorescence property. All these practical limitations have a negative impact on the correct vision and analysis of the fluorescent microscope users. Our research enters the field of automation of image processing and image analysis using image processing techniques and applying this processing and analysis on one of the very important experiments in biology science. This research
... Show MoreBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine abnormality in women, there is an increasing evidence for an oxidative stress in PCOS that induce genomic and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid damage that leads directly to reduced fertility. The objectives of this study are to assess and compare the periodontal health status by measuring clinical periodontal parameters (PLI, GI and BOP)as well as serum levels of superoxide dismutase at gingivitis ,gingivitis with PCOS and healthy periodontium groups, then correlate between clinical and biochemical parameters. Materials and Methods: 60 females with an age range between (25-40) years old had been tested and divided into3 groups ,the control group consists of (20) f
... Show MoreThe study was conducted at the fields of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad " Abu Ghraib" during the growing seasons 2013-2014 to Evaluate the Vegetative growth , yield traits and genetic parameter of some tomato mutants. Results showed significantly increased of plant height in M6-2 mutant 245cm in Comparison with M6- 3 130 cm . M6-4 mutant significantly increasing of floral clusters 13 . Mutant M6-3 showed significantly increasing the average of, fruit weight 125.9g and plant yield 7.17 kg.plant-1 as comparison with M6-2 which showed decreasing of average of fruit weight and plant yield 79.40g and 4.38 kg.plant-1 respectively. Also results showed the highest Genetic variat
... Show MoreDetermination and evaluation of principal minerals in Negella sativa by atomic absorption technical methods were showed, using wet ashing method. This work was done on Negella sativa because of wide using of this plant in many formulations ( in food or medicine ).two types of atomic absorptions were used : first, flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, for minerals of high concentrations such as, Na, Mg, K, Fe, Ca, Li, Ni, Zn, Mn, Cu. Second, flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy, for minerals of low concentrations such as, Al, Si, V, B, Pb, Co, Cd, Cr ,Si, Hg, Sn .The results showed the existence of many minerals in Negella sativa useful to human sanity with acceptable dietary allowance. On other side, the presence of harmful m
... Show MoreOne of the major health problems causing defects or damage to one or more of the four heart valves [aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid] is valvular heart disease [VHD]; it occurs due to congenital abnormalities or acquired pathology. It is a defect that results in weak heart valves and is therefore unable to function as precise pathways of the blood. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin (Cp) and the lipid profile of valvular heart disease patients in sera. Ninety subjects were included in this study and 60 patients with HDV were divided into two subgroups according to the affected valve: 33 patients with aortic valve disease (AV) and 27 patients
Over the last 40 years, rate of cesarean delivery has risen from less than10% to over 30% around the world, and almost simultaneously a 10-foldraise in the incidence of placenta accrete spectrum. Fine coordinationamong vascular endothelial growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase1 and placental growth factor is important for normal placentaldevelopment and trophoblast invasion. To measure and compare the levelsof circulating vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factorand soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 in pregnant women with placentaaccreta to a control group. A case control study which involved one hundredpregnant females were recruited from the Obstetric ward in BaghdadTeaching Hospital who were pregnant with 28
... Show MoreCO2 laser (10.6 μm) is the most often used laser in the oral surgery due to its high absorption by water of the oral tissues. Several benefits of the use of CO2 laser have been reported for oral surgical procedures. This study aims to evaluate the effect of CO2 laser on soft and hard oral tissues (in vitro study). This study was done on fresh tissues from sheep’s head. CO2Surgical Laser with different operation modes was used; 0.2 mm spot size using different laser parameters on the tongue, and bone making holes, incisions and cutting. The depths and widths of holes and incisions were measured using endodontic file under magnification. The speed of incisions was calculated and the required time for cutting was measured using sport clo
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