Sphingolipids are key components of eukaryotic membranes, particularly the plasma membrane. The biosynthetic pathway for the formation of these lipid species is largely conserved. However, in contrast to mammals, which produce sphingomyelin, organisms such as the pathogenic fungi and protozoa synthesize inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) as the primary phosphosphingolipid. The key step involves the reaction of ceramide and phosphatidylinositol catalysed by IPC synthase, an essential enzyme with no mammalian equivalent encoded by the AUR1 gene in yeast and recently identified functional orthologues in the pathogenic kinetoplastid protozoa. As such this enzyme represents a promising target for novel anti-fungal and anti-protozoal drugs. Given

Seventy of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates had been collected from some Hospitals in Baghdad city from October to December 2017. The 70 isolates were taken from diverse clinical specimens. All K. pneumoniae isolates were identified based on API 20 E and Vitek2 compact system. Antibiotics sensitivity test was carried out toward 10 antibiotics using discs diffusion method. The level of antibiotics resistance was 81.42% for Ceftriaxone, whereas the low level of antibiotics resistance was 37.14% for Piperacillin. K. pneumoniae isolates were typed genotypically by using two different methods of amplification, multiplex-PCR and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR typing methods. Results showed that out of 70 isolates, there

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. This work was conducted to estimate the roles of oxidative stress, vitamin B12, homocysteine (HCY), and DNA methylation in BC disease progression. Sixty BC patients (age range 33–80 years) and 30 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Patients with BC were split to group 1 consisted of stage II BC women (low level), and group 2 consisted of patients in stages III and IV (high level). Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), HCY, and vitamin B12 levels in the study groups were measured. Also, the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) global DNA methylation levels were evaluated. The results showed a significant

This study was aimed description of morphological features of fruits and seeds of eight species related to Brassicaceae family in Iraq, the study showed number of taxonomic differences as the silique was long in all studied except the species Rorippa amphibian (L.)b Besser was short, however the  fruits varied in dimensions where the species Turritis laxa L. recorded the highest average length with (160 mm) while the species  R .amphibia was record  the shortest length (5 mm), in addition the colors ranged from green to brown. This study showed that all of the species was glabrous except Arabis caucasia Willd. was lanute-woolly.  The configuration shapes were linear with exc

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients display a highly variable clinical course, with progressive acquisition of drug resistance. We sought to identify aberrant epigenetic traits that are enriched following exposure to treatment that could impact patient response to therapy.

      Coronavirus 2 is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which leads to severe acute respiratory illness. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been linked to leukocyte infiltration and chemokine activation during inflammatory responses. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) family are thought to dampen the proinflammatory effects of these MMPs. The molecular pathways of lung fibrosis are mediated by MMPs and TIMPs. In this study, we sought to investigate the probable link between MMPs, specifically MMP-3, TIMP-2, and COVID-19. The study included 58 COVID-19 patients and 30 apparently healthy individuals matched in terms of age and sex. Multiplex real- time PCR was used to detect the ORF1ab, E, and N genes of

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

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is an essential marker for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), but its relationship with pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and inflammatory markers has been scantily covered in extant literature. To evaluate the level of CTHRC1 protein in the sera of 100 RA patients and 25 control and compare levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 10 (IL-10), RA disease activity (DAS28), and inflammatory factors. Higher significant serum levels of CTHRC1 (29.367 ng/ml), TNF-α (63.488 pg/ml), and IL-10 (67.1 pg/ml) were found in patient sera as compared to that in control sera (CTHRC1 = 15.732 ng/ml, TNF-α = 33.788 pg/ml, and IL-10 = 25.122 pg/ml). There was no significant correlati

ntroduction. Finding a safe innate immune response stimulator is one of the greatest challenges facing immunologists and vaccine manufacturers. Gap statement. The role of sterile bacterial secretions (SBSs) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in stimulating the innate immune response was not investigated previously. Aim. The comparative effect of SBSs and bacterial cells of P. aeruginosa isolates isolated from freshwater (PAE) and infected wounds (PAC) on the respiratory tract innate immune response. Methodology. Four test mice groups were instilled intranasally (i.n.) with 106 c.f.u of PAC, 106 c.f.u of PAE, SBS of PAC, and SBS of PAE. Two control groups were given i.n. either LB broth or PBS. Time-course changes in IL-1 beta mRNA, TNF-alpha mRNA, I

The applications of herbal medicine have recently acquired growing interest in range of the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases. Olibanum has been used since ancient eras and several reports studied the pharmacological characteristics of boswellic acid, particularly their effect on the inflammatory response, analgesic properties, and anti-arthritic activity mostly in cell lines, but new approaches include animal models to assess these natural derivatives effects taking into consideration of being safer than synthetic preparations.  The impact of olibanum oil on several parameters was studied in rats during this study. These included white blood cell (WBC) count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C reactive protein (CRP), as well a

BACKGROUND: Burkholderia cepacia adhesion and biofilm formation onto abiotic surfaces is an important feature of clinically relevant isolates. The in vitro biofilm formation of B. cepacia onto coated indwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) with moxifloxacin has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVES: To examine the ability of B. cepacia to form biofilms on IDCs and the effect of coating IDCs with moxifloxacin on biofilm formation by B. cepacia in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The adhesion of B. cepacia to coated and uncoated IDCs with moxifloxacin was evaluated. Pieces of IDCs were coated with moxifloxacin (adsorption method). The spectrophotometric method was used to check moxifloxacin leaching into tubes. Coated and uncoated tubes were i

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual herbaceous flowering plant, its widely used as spices, flavoring agent and fragrance. Anise seeds and its essential oils (EOs) has been used widely in the recipes of folk medicine in the Arab region, including Iraq. Therefore, the goal of this work was to extract and define the chemical compositions of aniseeds EOs, and study its antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiofilm potentials. Aniseed EOs were extracted by hydro-distillation technique using Clevenger apparatus. Twenty-five distinct compounds have been recognized by Gas chromatographic–Mass spectral (GC-Mas) analysis, the major constituents were anisole (87

     Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and a major cause of cancer-related deaths for women in Iraq. This assignment was created to investigate the characteristics of BC diagnosed in Baghdad from 2018 to 2021. A total of eighty-nine of paraffin embedded tissue blocks of different breast tissue tumors (71 females and 18 males) with their data, were collected from archive of Histopathology Department, Teaching Laboratories of Medical City, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, and a private laboratory in Baghdad-Iraq. The clinical information regarding age, gender, tumor size, tumor stage and grade, lymph nodes metastasis, in addition to the findings of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human

     This research studies the effect regarding two plasma types, plasma jet and plasma-activated water (PAW), on tooth root canal bacteria Enterococcus faecalis. The plasma jet works with argon gas, and it is generated by a power supply that operates at alternating high voltages in the form of a sinusoidal wave with peak-to-peak value of about 12 kV at a frequency of 30 KHz and its power is about 200 watts. This plasma was utilized directly to treat the tooth canal and indirectly by activating the water that was used later for treating the Enterococcus faecalis bacteria that are present in the tooth root. Pure distilled water was treated by plasma jet for one hour at flow rate 1 . Plasma water activated by plasma contains

     One of the most causative agents for many opportunistic diseases is the Pseudomonas aeruginosa which has a high percentage of multidrug resistance disease through construction of biofilm. The current study aimed for evaluating the correlation between quorum sensing genes (which is lasI gene) and biofilm formation. The biofilm construction and antibiotics susceptibility test were achieved for all the isolates under the study. The PCR and sequencing techniques were also carried out to detect the type of variation in lasI gene for each scheme of biofilm formation (weak, strong, and moderate). High antibiotic resistance was recorded among biofilm producing isolates. The genic pattern for the weak biof

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccine have been indicated to successfully decrease the hazard for symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection furthermore associated hospitalisations. Objective: To study the immune response among different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Methods: This study includes 100 vaccinated individuals (43 Sinopharm, 30 AstraZeneca and 27 Pfizer) with one or two doses from different health centres in Baghdad. During the period from April 2021 to the end of May 2021, SARS-CoV-2 IgG and SARS-CoV-2 IgM levels were detected using AFIAS-6 device depending on FIA (Fluorescence Immunoassay) technique. Results: 93% of the cases were positive for IgG levels, and negative in 7% case

Biofilms formation by pathogens microbial Control considered important in medical research because it is the hazarded virulence factor leading to becoming difficult to treat because of its high resistance to antimicrobials. Glycopeptide antibiotic a (Vancomycin) and the commercial bacteriocin (Nisin A) were used to comparative with purification bacteriocin (MRSAcin) against MRSA biofilm. One hundred food samples were collected from Baghdad markets from July 2016 to September 2016, including (cheese, yogurt, raw milk, fried meat, grilled meat, and beef burger). All samples were cultures; S. aureus was confirmation by macroscopic culture and microscopic examination, in addition to biochemical tests. Methicillin resistance S. asureus (

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone architecture, resulting in bone strength reduction and increased fracture susceptibility. Estrogen deficiency in post-menopausal women is possibly responsible for the instability between bone formation and resorption, which is managed by specific osteoclastogenic cytokines that may be leading to resorption. This study aims to estimation of the concentrations of interleukins −8, −17, −22, beside to certain parameters in blood serum and explained their roles in the development of osteoporosis pathogenicity in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods A case-control study included 108 Iraqi postmenopausal women participa

     The current study aimed to adopt a method for inducing callus cells and regenerating the important common red bean using different types of growth regulators such as N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP), Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and Thidiazuron (TDZ). Different types of common bean pinto cultivar explants, such as  internodes, cotyledons and roots,  were inoculated on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) provided with different combinations of plant growth regulators, including 1- BAP (5 mg/l) 2-BAP (4.5 mg/l) NAA (0.5 mg/l), 3- BAP (4.5 mg/l), and TDZ (0.1mg/l). Callus was initiated on MS culture medium supplied with 5 mg/l BAP for all explants (internodes, cotyledons, and roots) at 50, 20, and 10% r

     This study investigates in vitro biofilm production. Presence of ica A and D genes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated for biofilm production by the microtiter plate method. Between December 2020 and October 2021, out of 215 clinical specimens were collected from patients with pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, bacteremia, chronic burns, deep wounds, urinary tract infection and catheterized patients. Out of which 45 MRSA isolates were identified by the susceptibility test utilizing cefoxitin and the occurrence of mecA gene for resistance for this antibiotic verified by polymerase chain reaction technique. A sensitivity test was conducted for five other antibiotics

      This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Tharthar Arm on the composition and diversity of Rotifera in Tigris River. Six sampling sites were selected, two on Tharthar Arm and four along the Tigris River, one before the confluence as a control site and the others downstream of the confluence. Seventy-seven species of Rotifera were identified in Tigris, whereas, 60 in the arm. The results showed that low density of Rotifera in Tharthr Arm decreased the density in Tigris from 239812.4 upstream of the confluence to 223315.5 at immediate downstream of the confluence. It also declined the mean values of richness, evenness and Shannon diversity indices from 5.19, 0.69 and 2.14 bit/Ind., before the confluence to 3.97, 0.73 a

One of the most important virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is biofilm formation, as it works as a barrier for entering antibiotics into the bacterial cell. Different environmental and nutritional conditions were used to optimize biofilm formation using microtitre plate assay by P. aeruginosa. The low nutrient level of the medium represented by tryptic soy broth (TSB) was better in biofilm formation than the high nutrient level of the medium with Luria Broth (LB). The optimized condition for biofilm production at room temperature (25 °C) is better than at host temperature (37 °C). Moreover, the staining with 0.1% crystal violet and reading the biofilm with wavelength 360 are considered essential factors in

Lipase enzyme has attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of its diverse biotechnological applications. The present study was conducted to screen germinated seeds of four crops, namely sunflower (Helianthus annuus), flaxor linseed (Linum usitatissimum ), peanut (Arachis hypogaea  ) and castor bean (Ricinus communis), for the activity of their lipases. to the study also included the extraction and purification of lipase from the seeds of  the most promising crop using different solvents. The results indicated that the maximum enzymatic activity (0.669 U/ml) was  obtained when 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer extract was used after 3 days of seed germination of all the tested species, as compared to the other test solvents

The present study was conducted to determine the optimum conditions required for lipase enzyme activity extracted from germinated sunflower seeds, including temperature, pH, agitation, time of incubation, enzyme concentration, substrate type, and concentrations of mineral salts and EDTA. Optimum pH, temperature and time of incubation required for lipase stability were also determined. The results showede optimum lipase activity (3.251U/ml) wasund at 30 ÌŠC and pH 7 after 20 minutes of incubation when using 1 ml lipase enzyme with 0.02 ml of CaCl2 (10 mM) at 100 rpm of agitation and in the presence of olive oil as the substrate for enzyme reaction. EDTA appeared to have inhibitory effects, while Ca+2 and Mg+2 have stimulatory effec

Recalcitrant adventitious root (AR) development is a major hurdle in propagating commercially important woody plants. Although significant progress has been made to identify genes involved in subsequent steps of AR development, the molecular basis of differences in apparent recalcitrance to form AR between easy-to-root and difficult-to-root genotypes remains unknown. To address this, we generated cambium tissue-specific transcriptomic data from stem cuttings of hybrid aspen, T89 (difficult-to-root) and hybrid poplar OP42 (easy-to-root), and used transgenic approaches to verify the role of several transcription factors in the control of adventitious rooting. Increased peroxidase activity was positively correlated with better rooting. We foun