In this study, the species Pentodon algerinus (Füessly, 1778) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) was genetically recorded in the NCBI GenBank database using the mitochondrial partial gene (COI) through a molecular technique. Then the third instar grub of this species was morphologically described using light microscopy. Throughout the study, 24 grubs were collected from different localities in Erbil Province. Most characteristics of the last instar grub were illustrated; the description was based on the reared grub to adults under field conditions to confirm identification. Although many research attempts have focused on the adult stage, no work has been convoyed on the immature stage that feeds in the root area of lawns in this provin
... Show MoreA total of three specimens of Tigris mystus Mystus pelusius (Solander, 1794) were collected from the Tigris River at the Gherai'at region in Baghdad Province in May 2024. Several species in the family Bagridae are rather morphologically similar, especially during the juvenile stage, which may pose difficulties in their identification. The present study aims to identify the fish and determine its ancestry at the molecular level. The mitochondrial gene (cob) functions as a barcoding gene. It included a designated primer set with PCR amplification to align a cob gene fragment with sequences in NCBI using BLAST. The molecular testing of current specimens of M. pelusius and the phylogenetic tree demonstrate that the cob gene is effecti
... Show MoreSteel corrosion in acidic environments is a critical industrial challenge, necessitating effective yet eco-friendly inhibitors. This study aims to address this problem by introducing a novel, green alternative: frankincense extract (FE). The distinctive contribution of this work lies in the comprehensive investigation of FE natural, sustainable, and economically viable resin as an effective corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 1 M HCl. The research employs an integrated methodology, including electrochemical techniques (potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)), adsorption isotherm modeling, surface analysis (FT-IR and FESEM/EDX), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Key res
... Show MoreThe current paper examines the Arab EFL teacher view on the application of AI-based chatbots as a method of aiding writing instruction. It explores pedagogy, didactic difficulties and ethics. The overall aim is to clarify the perception that teachers have of AI chatbots as a useful tool in the writing process and to find out to what degree these perceptions are reflected in instructional decision-making and classroom behaviors. A quantitative study was conducted using a structured questionnaire that was given to forty Arab EFL teachers, using a sequential explanatory mixed-method design. To elaborate and contextualize the survey results, qualitative enquiry was implemented through semi-structured interviews with twelve teachers. Fin
... Show MoreLarge language models (LLMs) are a rapidly evolving class of artificial intelligence with significant potential in clinical healthcare. Despite accelerating adoption, rigorous systematic evidence on clinical utility, patient safety, and implementation feasibility remains fragmented. To systematically review LLM applications across clinical domains, evaluate performance with appropriate contextual caveats, characterize implementation barriers, and identify ethical and regulatory considerations. Scientific databases were searched from January 2020 to January 2025. Studies evaluating transformer-based LLMs (≥10M parameters) in clinical settings were eligible. Data were independently double-extracted; quality was assessed using QUADAS-2, RE-A
... Show Moreاستهدفت الدراسة الحالية تأثير المستخلص الححوني الانيني نحن من فسورنمار نبات التفاح الأخضر Pyrus malus المحلي في نمو ثلاث عزلات من البكتريا عزلتان من البكتريا السالبة لملون غرام (Proteus vulgaris Escherichia (coli) وعزلة من البكتريا الموجبة لملون غرام (Staphyllococcus aureus). اظهرت نتائج الفعالية التثبيطية لمستخلصي القشور واللب الكحولي بطريقة الاقراص تفاوتاً في تأثيرهما تجاه البكتريا المشمولة بالدراسة اذ كان مستخلص القشور الكحولى
... Show MoreDiabetes mellitus is a multifaceted, chronic disease that happens either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the human body cannot competently use the insulin it produces. The study was aimed to determine and show the ultrastructural changes of cells in the placenta of women suffering from diabetes mellitus disease. In this study, a total of 102 placentas were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, which includes 34 placentas with gestational diabetes, 34 placentas with pregestational diabetes, and 34 placentas with normal pregnancy as a control group. Placental vascular-syncytial membrane, trophoblastic basement membrane, villous stroma, and fetal vessel were investigated for their thickening basement membr
... Show More The study is conducted to investigate the effect of volatile oil extracted from the yellow peel of C. grandis fruits (Sindi) on growth of three bacterial species isolated from food samples , as well as A. flavus , and to check the possibility of using the volatile oils of this plant as a food preservative . Results showed a variation in the sensitivity of the bacterial isolates against the volatile oil which showed inhibitory effect on the growth of S. enteritidis and S. aureus with the increasing concentration of the volatile oils used in this studys , MIC for both bacteria was (0.12 , 1)% (v:v) respectively. Whereas , P. aerugino
... Show MoreThis study investigated the effect of essential oils extracted from peel of Citrus limon and Citrus reticulata on two species of fungui: Penicillium expansum and Fusarium proliferatum and also effect of two fungicides: Hymexazol and Benomyl against this fungi. Results showed that the essential oils of C. limon inhibited the radial growth of P. expansum and F. proliferatum at concentration 4.5 and 5%, respectively. However, the essential oil of C. reticulate inhibited this growth at concentration 5.5 and 6%, respectively. Moreover, the two fungicides inhibited radial growth of this fungi. In conclusion, there is a positive relationship between the increasing of concentration and the percentage of inhibiting of radial growth of fungi.
Osteoporosis is a prevalent systemic metabolic disorder characterized by a reduction in bone mass and bone density, damage in microstructure of bone tissue, and raised bone fragility causing of fracture susceptibility. This study included 189 Iraqi adults aged 45–75 years, evaluating serum levels TGF-β3 and WNT5A across three groups: healthy individuals (n = 31) as control, those with primary osteoporosis/osteopenia (n = 61), and with comorbidity-related osteoporosis (linked to β-thalassemia, parathyroid disorders or diabetes; n = 97). Among those, β-thalassemia-associated osteoporosis patients showed the most distinct decrease in bone mineral density (0.57 ± 0.078 g/cm², p < 0.0001) along with marked increases in WNT5A (0.89 ± 0.68
... Show MorePsoriasis, a chronic inflammatory dermatological condition, exhibits heterogeneous responses to anti-TNF therapies such as etanercept (ETN), underscoring the need for predictive biomarkers. This study investigated the association of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) gene promoter polymorphisms (rs1143623 C/G, rs752338864 C/G, and rs1143627 C/T) with ETN efficacy in 80 Iraqi patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Patients were categorized according to treatment response: responders achieved ≥ 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), whereas non-responders demonstrated ≤ 50% reduction. Post-treatment serum IL-1β levels were significantly higher in non-responders (50.35 ± 15.81 pg/mL) compared to respo
... Show MoreTumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors are widely used as first-line treatments for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, yet clinical responses vary considerably among patients despite their overall safety and efficacy. Genetic factors that influence the effectiveness of biologic therapies may contribute to this variability. This review, conducted between May and ...
Background: Colorectal cancer, the most common gastrointestinal cancer, is a significant health issue globally. Mucin 16 plays a critical role in cancer signal transduction pathways and is a potential glycoprotein target for cancer therapy. The miRNA-200 family also regulates the expression of numerous genes that play vital roles in cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the changes in mucin 16 and miRNA-200a in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Subjects and Methods: Fifty-six patients with CRC, including 26 in stage 3 and 30 in stage 4, were included in this study, along with 38 healthy volunteers as a control group. Parameters such as mucin 16, miRNA-200a, total protein, albumin, globulin, and the albumin/globulin rati
... Show MoreBackground: Mycotoxins have a significant impact on population health worldwide. Ochratoxin is a common mycotoxin that can be detected in the serum of healthy people due to its prevalence in food. Researches on ochratoxin and its metabolites in biological fluids can help us better understand the toxin's biological impacts. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether individuals in Baghdad, Iraq, were exposed to ochratoxin A. Methodology: Serum samples were obtained from 90 healthy persons (ages 14–40 years) and evaluated for ochratoxin A using the human Ochratoxin A ELISA Kit, an accurate, quantitative, and sensitive technique (limit of detection 0.34 ng/ml). Results: We detected Ochratoxin A in all serum samples, with a m
... Show MoreBackground/aim: The rising challenge of microbial resistance necessitates the development of novel therapeutic agents. This study aims to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the antimicrobial potential of a new series of mixed-ligand metal complexes (ZnII, CuII, NiII, and MnII) derived from a p-hydroxybenzaldehyde-4-aminoantipyrine Schiff base and 2,2′-bipyridine, in addition to assessing the binding affinity and pharmacokinetic properties of the synthesized free Schiff base ligand through molecular docking and ADME profiling. Methods: The Schiff base ligand and its transition metal complexes were synthesized and subsequently characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, NMR, mag
... Show MoreDespite extensive investigation as biocompatible drug carriers, gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) have not been thoroughly assessed for carrying chemically distinct cationic molecules such as acriflavine (ACF) and triethylenetetramine (TETA). In this study, we hypothesize that GNPs can effectively encapsulate ACF and TETA, forming stable delivery systems with distinct antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. ACF encapsulated in gelatin was prepared adapting desolvation technique. The procedure involved stirring of an aqueous solution of gelatin and ACF at room temperature, the pH was titrated to eight using NaOH followed by addition of ethanol. The resulting nanopart
The Tulostoma genus, known as stalkballs or stalked puffballs, belongs to the Agaricaceae family. This study was designed to identify an unknown fungal species collected from the Al‐Dujail district in Iraq based on morphological examination and molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Between April and July 2019, samples were collected from garden soil in the Al‐Dujail district, Salah Al‐Din Governorate, Iraq. Morphological characteristics were documented using light microscopy. Genomic DNA was extracted and purified, and the ITS region was amplified using conventional PCR with specific primers. The amplified products were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was conducted using MEGA11 software. Morp
... Show MoreIntroduction. The coexistence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is commonly observed, primarily due to overlapping risk factors like smoking and environmental exposures. This dual diagnosis introduces complex clinical scenarios, often associated with worsened outcomes and heightened vulnerability to treatment-related side effects. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, especially atezolizumab, have emerged as pivotal agents in enhancing clinical outcomes for individuals diagnosed with NSCLC. Recent evidence suggests that atezolizumab remains effective and well-tolerated in NSCLC patients with coexisting COPD. This review evaluates the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab in NSCLC patients with coex
... Show MoreIn the ongoing series of our research, we prepared a new multifunctional azo-vanillin ligand (HL) and its Cu(II) complex to investigate their potential as versatile compounds for industrial/pharmaceutical purposes. Structural integrity was determined through spectroscopic analyses (FT-IR, NMR, Mass and UV-Vis), highlighting a distorted square planar geometry for the metal complex. The ligand was examined for its dyeing potential on wool and cotton with the latter showing better substantivity to cellulosic fibers and behaving as a good direct dye having excellent washing fastness. Furthermore, leveraging its surface-active properties, the ligand was tested as a green corrosion inhibitor for C-45 steel in a saline medium (3.5% NaCl) acr
... Show MoreIn this study, Bis(4,4’-diaminophenoxy)ethane (compound C1) was synthesized via the reaction of p-hydroxyaniline with 1,2-dibromoethane. Schiff bases (compounds C2–C4) were subsequently obtained by condensing compound C1 with various aromatic aldehydes. These intermediates were further reacted with different anhydrides – namely phthalic anhydride and maleic anhydride – in order to yield the final derivatives (compounds C5–C10). All obtained compounds were characterized by using infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as through an assessment of their physical properties. Antimicrobial evaluation was conducted on some of the generated compounds using two bacterial strains (Escherichia coli and Staphyloc
... Show MoreClotrimazole nail lacquer was created using this research, which also included the incorporation of two different kinds of polymers. (Eudragit RL 100 and ethyl cellulose) in various concentrations, as well as castor oil as a plasticizer, salicylic acid as a keratolytic agent, and N-acetylcysteine as a penetration enhancer. The objective was to optimize the selection of polymers and their concentrations to enhance release efficacy based on in vitro permeability experiments, while also ensuring favorable film characteristics, such as flexibility, gloss, adhesive qualities, drying time, non-volatile content, viscosity, and water resistance. Formulation F3 was selected as the superior formula considering several parameters, including excellent
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