Archives of Razi Institute
Volume:77 Issue: 1, Jan-Feb 2022

Neurodegenerative disorders are those which affect cognitive functions. Misfolding of proteins especially apolipoprotein E is a key genetic factor involved in several cognitive impairments.  Increasing evidence also described the toxic effects of metals, generated by both nature and humans, on the development of neurological disorders. Understanding of interaction between toxic metals and apolipoprotein E protein in cognitive decline diosrders would provide alternative treatment options.  Google Scholar and PubMed database were used to search the articles using different search terms like ‘toxic metals’, ‘cognitive decline’, ‘Apolipoprotein E’, “neurodegenerative disorders” and “metals neurotoxicity”. Only those papers were included that discussed the metal exposure-apolipoprotein association in the development of cognitive decline disorders. Heavy metals are particularly recognized as a major source of neurotoxicity. These toxic metals can interact with genetic factors and play important role in disease etiology. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this interaction could provide tremendous benefits to treat cognitive decline disorders. In this study, the role of the apolipoprotein E4 gene in the development of cognitive disease conditions and their phenotypes has been discussed thoroughly which leads to the accumulation of amyloid-beta fibrils. This exploratory study revealed novel hypothetical findings which might contribute to the understanding of the neurotoxic effects of chronic toxic metals exposure and possibly improve our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms linking metal exposure to cognitive decline disorder risk.

Cholera toxin (CT) is one of the most well-known immunostimulants. Mammalian studies have shown that CT can generate immune responses against antigen. However, it has not exhibited a definite effect on poultry yet. In this study, focusing on a cost-effective method, the effect of different concentrations of CT obtained from Vibrio cholerae biotype El Tor and serotype Inaba was investigated on the immunogenicity of infectious bronchitis vaccine. After culturing and concentrating CT, different concentrations of CT (0.1, 1, 2, and 5 micrograms) were combined with avian infectious bronchitis vaccine strain H120 produced by Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI) and, at 7 days of age, inoculated via the eye drop administration in 42 specific-pathogen-free chickens (seven groups of six chicks that included four experimental groups, two negative control groups (PBS and toxin), and one positive control group). Blood samples were taken weekly from the wing veins of the chickens, and the immunoglobulin G (IgG) titer was checked by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that 2 µg of CT in comparison with other concentrations caused a significant increase in the antibody titer against avian infectious bronchitis in the blood serums of the chickens. One-way ANOVA test showed that all the results of this study were significant at P<0.05 level. Our data show that CT has the potential to further stimulate the immune system of chickens and may increase the immunogenicity of the infectious bronchitis vaccine. However, more research is needed to examine all aspects of the use of this toxin in animal vaccines.

Scant information is available on the immunological aspect of Linguatula serrata causing linguatulosis in humans and animals. The present study aimed to analyze the content of crude somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs to detect the immune response of sheep and immunogenic proteins of the parasite. After collecting the nymphs, somatic extracts were prepared by sonication. Excretory secretory products were prepared by the incubation of nymphs in RPMI medium at 37°C with 5% CO2. Somatic and excretory-secretory proteins were isolated using SDS-PAGE. The immunogenic properties of the resulting proteins were determined using immunoblotting and positive sera from sheep infected with visceral linguatulosis.  The total content of somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs analyzed by SDS-PAGE (12% gel) revealed two protein patterns with more than 18 and 9 strong bands, respectively.  Immunoblots using sera samples of sheep infected with the parasite, somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products demonstrated 12 and 3 antigenic proteins with molecular weights mostly in the range of 24-100 kDa and an antigen more than 180 kDa. Three common immunodominant antigenic proteins with molecular weights of 38 and 57, as well as an antigen of more than 180 kDa, were detected in the somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs in sheep with visceral linguatulosis. These antigens can be considetered prime candidates for future serodiagnosis and immunoprotective studies of the parasite.

The results of numerous studies have revealed that some deadly scorpion venoms are composed of various bioactive molecules that have significant cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. In this study, the in vivo lethality and cytotoxic effect of Odontobuthus bidentatus venom were evaluated in different cancer cell lines. Through MTT assay, the cytotoxic effects of O. bidentatus scorpion venom were analyzed on the MCF-7, A549, AGS, HepG2, and Ht-29 cancer cell lines and Hu02 normal cells. To this end, six venom fractions were obtained through a Sephadex G-50 column, and the cytotoxic effects of isolated fractions were evaluated on A549 lung cancer cells.  The median lethal dose of O. bidentatus scorpion venom was determined at 0.73 mg/kg by intravenous administration of different venom doses in male BALB/c mice according to the Spearman-Karber method. The O. bidentatus scorpion whole venom had a significant cytotoxic effect on MCF-7, A549, and AGS cells. The treatment of A549 cells with various concentrations of fraction F1 showed that this fraction significantly induced growth inhibitory effect on the cells in a dose-dependent manner, compared to untreated cells.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute and highly contagious disease in livestock, such as cattle, sheep, and pigs, leading to a lot of economic losses. The current FMD vaccines formulated by inactivated whole-virus and adjuvant successfully reduce disease outbreaks in many regions of the world. Immunological studies on FMD viruses revealed that the dominant epitope in arising neutral antibody response is amino acid residues constructing the G-H loop, constituting a surface loop of the structural protein, termed VP1. Liposomes as one of the most well-known vehicles are considered an important carrier in vaccine development, and their function is used to encapsulate purified VP1 protein based on their size, charge, and lipid content. Accordingly, the VP1 protein was isolated from the FMD virus. This study aimed to compare four methods of VP1 protein encapsulation in the liposome and the extruding effect, as follows: 1) VP1 protein was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and added to the lipid film hydrated by ethanol, 2) the lipid film was hydrated by VP1 protein with 7M urea, 3) the lipid film was hydrated by VP1 protein and freeze-thawed, and 4) the lipid film was hydrated by VP1 protein. The highest encapsulation efficiency was 91% in the second method which purified protein-containing urea. The VP1 protein in the prepared liposome (1, 2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine: 1, 2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine: cholesterol) released more than 90% of protein content after 240 h.

Streptococcus iniae infection is recognized as a disease with substantial economic losses, infecting a wide range of fish species. The limitations of current vaccines and strategies have led to the identification of new methods to control this disease. Multi-epitope vaccines which employ various immunogenic proteins can be promising. The current research project aimed to design an efficient multi-epitope vaccine against Streptococcus iniae infection in fish. To this end, six immunogenic proteins of Streptococcus iniae, including FBA, ENO, Sip11, GAPDH, MtsB, and SCPI proteins, were applied for epitope prediction. The best B cell, T cell, and IFNγ epitopes of the immunogenic proteins, as well as interleukin-8, were used to construct a multi-epitope vaccine. Thereafter, different parameters of the designed vaccine, including physicochemical features, antigenicity, secondary structure, and tertiary structure, were evaluated. Moreover, the interaction of the interleukin-8 domain of the designed vaccine and its receptor was investigated by molecular docking strategy. Finally, nucleotide sequence of the vaccine was adapted to express in Escherichia coli. The results of the present study pointed out that the designed vaccine was a stable vaccine with molecular weight and antigenicity score of 45 kDa and 0.936, respectively. Furthermore, the structure analysis results revealed that the designed vaccine contained 23.49% alpha helix, with 90.5% residues in favored region. Finally, it was demonstrated that the interleukin-8 domain of the designed vaccine could be successfully docked to its receptor with the lowest energy of -1020.9. Based on the obtained results, it seems that the designed vaccine can be an efficient candidate to prevent Streptococcus iniae infection in fish.

Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases in many regions worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial properties of hydro-ethanolic extracts of propolis (EEP) samples collected from six different regions of Iran against five Brucella melitensis (B. melitensis) clinical isolates causing human brucellosis and an antibiotic-resistant B. abortus vaccinal strain (RB51). Brucella clinical isolates were first carefully identified using conventional molecular typing and Brucella bio-typing methods. Different Brucella strains were then confronted with EEPs using the disk-diffusion agar method to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of each propolis extract. Chemical composition of EEPs was then determined using HPLC-DAD, and the main phenolic compounds were quantified. It was found that all EEPs displayed significant antimicrobial activities against Brucella strains, though to varying extents.  All tested clinical strains were susceptible to different EEPs with inhibition zones ranging from 18 to 38 mm diameter. Interestingly, the RB51 vaccine strain was more susceptible to EEP6 (from Markazi province), compared to conventional antibiotics used in the treatment of brucellosis. Substantial differences observed in EEP antimicrobial activity could be due to their distinct botanical origins and chemical compositions as confirmed by our HPLC analysis. The promising inhibitory effect of some propolis preparations against a broad spectrum of Brucella strains points to the need for further studies in the context of systematic clinical investigations and opens up the way for the development of natural complements in support of conventional antibiotic therapy.

Buthidae family includes scorpions with highly potent venom such as Compsobuthus matthiesseni is important due to the prevalence of scorpion stings in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Morphometric comparison of males and females (n=5 each) showed that the body and carapas of the females were longer and wider (32.57±0.23 mm and 3.75±0.22 mm, respectively) than those of males (28.89±0.25 mm and 3.55±0.12 mm, respectively). From the seven specimens of C. matthiesseni scorpion, 410-bp gene fragments of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The specimens of CM1 and CM2 (isolated from Baghmalek, Khuzestan) were in the same group with bootstrap values of 87%. Nevertheless, CM4 and CM3 (isolated from Shushtar and Bidroobe, Khuzestan) with bootstrap values of 73% and 62% were separated from the two specimens of Baghmalek, respectively. The two specimens CF3 and CM5 (isolated from Masjed Soleiman, Khuzestan) with bootstrap values of 88% were placed next to each other in a separate group. CF2 was separated from the rest of the specimens with a bootstrap value of 54%. Out of the seven scorpions that were examined, six specimens (CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5, and CF3) showed the greatest similarity between 1.1% and 4%. However, the genetic distance between CF2 and the rest of the specimens was at the range of 10.8-14.2%. It can be concluded that all C. matthiesseni scorpions from Khuzestan Province belonged to one species; nonetheless, differences were observed within the species, especially in the case of CF2, which might be intraspecies.

Amebiasis and giardiasis are major health problems caused by Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia which are the two most common intestinal protozoan parasites with worldwide distribution, especially in developing countries. Both protozoa are spread by the fecal-oral route; that is to say, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of E. histolytica and G.lamblia in children with clinical signs of diarrhea referring to Ibn Al-Atheer Hospital in Mosul, Iraq, from January 2019 to December 2020. A total of 2,296 samples were examined by the direct swab of stool method. The patients were within the age range of less than 1 year and above 12 years. The results demonstrated that in 2019 and 2020, the prevalence rates of E.histolytica infections were (152, 13.2%) and (181, 15.7%); moreover, the prevalence rates of G.lamblia were obtained at (10, 0.86%) and (12, 1.04%) (P<0.01). The prevalence of intestinal parasite infections was significantly associated with age and gender, and the prevalence of both E.histolytica and G.lamblia infections were higher in males. Furthermore, the highest and lowest prevalence rates of E.histolytica and G.lamblia infections were reported in the age groups of under 1 year and above 12 years (P<0.05). The high prevalence of protozoan infection in the age group of under 1 year can be attributed to their lack of developed immunity system and resistance. Due to disease transmission, the enhancement of health conditions is of utmost importance in controlling the prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. Genetic and environmental factors have important roles in the induction, onset, and progression of MS. In this study, the IL-21 genotype (rs2055979) (G/T) in Iraqi MS patients was compared with a healthy control group to investigate the possible association of any particular genotype or allele with multiple sclerosis. This study included 70 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 50 healthy individuals as control. Following the extraction of genomic DNA, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, the frequencies of genotypes, and alleles were calculated and statistically analyzed. The results of the study revealed a significant reduction in the distribution of the wild homozygous genotype (GG) in MS patients, in comparison to a healthy control group (14.3% vs. 34 %; 0.0129 at P≤0.05; odds ratio [OR] 3.0909, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2704-7.5203). However, MS cases and controls did not differ significantly in neither GT nor TT genotypes, 62.9% (OR 0.6402, 95% CI: 0.3064-1.3374) and 52% (OR 0.5494, 95% CI: 0.2074-1.4557), respectively. The data of allele frequencies in patients and controls showed that the G allele frequencies were 0.46 vs. 0.60 in patients and controls, respectively, while T allele frequencies were 0.54 vs. 0.40 in patients and controls, respectively. The current conclusions indicated that in the study group, the GG genotype of IL-21(rs2055979) could be related to MS.

Trichomonas tenax (T. tenax) and Entamoeba gingivalis (E. gingivalis) are two oral protozoan parasites that are universal and found in patients with poor oral hygiene, as well as chronic and periodontal diseases. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of some parameters, such as age, gender, education, residency, smoking, and dental cleaning routines, on the incidence of these parasites in the oral cavity of the patients participating in this study. A total of 230 individuals with chronic diseases, 97 of whom were patients (44 females and 53 males) participated in the present study. Dental plaque and saliva samples were collected from each patient and examined under light microscopy with Giemsa staining. Out of 230 dental plaque samples, 60 (26.08%) samples were positive for E. gingivalis, while 37 (16.08%) cases were positive for T. tenax. Diabetic patients showed high E. gingivalis percentage (n=12; 20%) (P=0.000*). However, thyroid disorders showed a low percentage. Hypertensive patients showed a high percentage for T. tenax (n=6; 16.21%) (P=0.000*), while tuberculosis patients showed the lowest percentage. Patients with hypertension, smoking, heart disease, and diabetes showed statistical significance for the presence of these parasites. Equally, patients older than 30 years have shown a higher rate of infection. According to the findings, E. gingivalis was detected in 58.33% and 41.66% of the urban and rural populations, respectively. Furthermore, T. tenax was detected in 81.08% and 18.91% of the urban and rural populations, respectively. Parasitic contagions were comparatively popular in patients with chronic and periodontal illness.

Lung cancer is considered the most commonly diagnosed cancer that kills over 1.76 million people yearly around the world. This study aimed to investigate how electron microscopy (EM) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) worked together. In the current study, a total of 50 tissue blocks were used which were embedded in paraffin wax from 20 healthy controls and 30 lung cancer patients (19 males and 11 females) to conduct a histopathological examination, which included hematoxylin and eosin stain, IHC detection regarding the protein expression in P53, and EM for lung cancer diagnosis. The findings indicated that the mean age of the patients was 51.84±15.70 years, and there was no correlation between the age of patients and the disease stage. P53 expression was measured using an immunohistochemical technique, while the positive rate showed a highly significant difference between healthy controls and patients (P≤0.05). The association of P53 expression with age and gender was not significant, although it showed a significant correlation with stage and grade. Furthermore, a correlation was found between P53 IHC and EM (P≤0.05). In conclusion, the detection of an immunohistochemical method of lung cancer patients has been (gold standard) useful in detecting the subsets of patients in addition to a good method of EM in the diagnosis of lung cancer patients.

Molds have been used as micro-biofactories for biomanufacturing of metal oxide nanoparticles (MetNps) since they are effortless, immaculate, safe, non-poisonous, vital-biocompatible, and environmentally acceptable. The present study aimed to explore the bioindustry, mold screening protocol, and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using a diverse filamentous Green mold (FiGM) isolated from spoiled citrus fruits. Eight filamentous Penicillium digitatum mold strains had been obtained and subjected to investigate the capability of ZnONPs biosynthesis by fungal extracellular free-cell filtrate. P. digitatum (P-digB3) obtained the peak of ZnONps (379 nm) detected by the UV-visible spectrophotometry and was found as a significantly optimum strain in the highest quantity (mean±SD: 0.0138±0.001 gm/100 ml) and the smallest average NPs size. The ZnONPs were characterized by UV-visible scanning spectrophotometry, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-RD, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The final average size of ZnONPs was obtained at 65.46 nm with diversified shapes and dimensions. The present study concluded the high capabilities of fungi (FiGMs) as eco-friendly and cheap bio-nano factories to manufacture ZnONPs with great nano-level average size, which may consider new boost sources for use in many nano-sectors and applications.

A respiratory illness outbreak caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) began in China and spread to other nations. Typically, the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of nasopharyngeal swabs has been utilized to confirm the clinical diagnosis. However, it is uncertain if the virus is found in specimens from other places, and therefore, possibly transmitted in methods other than respiratory droplets. Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were identified based on symptoms, and SARS-CoV-2 detection confirmed the diagnosis. Pharyngeal swabs were obtained from August to September 2020. Individuals with obtained samples based on clinical indications from hospitals in Marjan City and a public health laboratory in Babylon Province, Iraq, were included in this retrospective study. The findings of the clinical symptoms and their intensity were provided in the chart, which revealed that all indications were equal in both male and female patients, with no obvious differences, especially given that all patients' ages ranged from 30 to 70 years. High temperature, sore throat, and shortness of breath were shown to be the most common symptoms, in comparison to other symptoms in the chart.

Pregnancy causes some changes in pregnant women due to mechanical and hormonal changes that lead to ureteral dilatation and urinary stasis which in turn contribute to an increased risk of developing urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to determine the frequency of urinary tract infections among pregnant women in Samawa city, Iraq, and examine the isolated organisms. In total, 210 and 55 urine samples were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women with clinical signs and symptoms of UTI who were hospitalized in the Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital in Samawa, Iraq, respectively. The data collected from each woman included their age, gestational period, parity, level of education, and residence. The frequency of urinary tract infections among the studied woman was 86%.  Escherichia coli (38.6%), staphylococcus aureus (20.4%), and Proteus mirabilis (12.7%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria in the current study. According to the recorded data in this study, 86% of the infections in pregnant women occurred in the age group of 25-34 years (52.4%) and the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (49.1%). On the other hand, the results revealed that the infection rate in women with one to three pregnancies was 50.2% more than non-pregnant women. The findings of the current study showed that the highest rate of infection was observed in women who were in the age range of 25-34 years (52.4%). This can be explained by the fact that women often experience the highest reproductive activity during this period. In fact, in this period of life, women are most prone to sexual activity which predisposes them to the introduction of microorganisms to the urinary tract which causes infection. The recorded data showed that UTI became more prevalent with the progress of pregnancy, accounting for 49.1% of infections occurring in the third trimester of pregnancy. Parity and frequent pregnancies are other factors that account for 50.2% of UTI. The prevalence of UTI in women with 1 to 3 children was 58.5%. Moreover, the rate of UTI was 61.3% among pregnant women who attended the antenatal care unit, which was the highest risk of UTI among the pregnant participants. In the non-pregnant women, the prevalence of UTI was 50.2 at the age range of 6-12 years. Based on the obtained results, pregnant women were more vulnerable to renal infection. On the other hand, the concurrence of UTI was positively influenced by sexual activity and pregnancy.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious challenge for infectious disease prevention and treatment, according to the World Health Organization. It is a worldwide problem caused primarily by inappropriate and insufficient therapy, misuse of antimicrobials without physician supervision, unnecessary hospital readmissions, and other factors. AMR has several consequences, including increased medical costs and mortality. The present study aimed to evaluate imipenem resistance in gram-negative bacteria in Central Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, and determine this bacteria resistance in different samples. Initially, a total of 100 different samples were collected from child patients from October 1, 2020, to August 31, 2021. Each isolate was identified using VITEK 2 automated microbiology system. The recorded data showed that the isolated organisms resistant to imipenem included Klebsiella pneumonia (n=21), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=19), and Acinetobacter baumannii (n=16). In the current study, Klebsiella pneumonia was the most common pathogen in males (n=57) compared to female (n=43), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, particularly in the age range of 1 day- 3 years. Depending on the sample type, Klebsiella pneumonia, the most imipenem-resistant bacteria, was found more in the urine of patients with urinary tract infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was equally found in blood, urine, wound swab, and sputum samples. In comparison to other samples, Acinetobacter baumannii was found in greater numbers in the blood and in an equal number in urine and cerebrospinal.

The grey mongoose is a mongoose species native to the West Asia and Indian subcontinent. It is listed as the Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. The main objective of this study was to identify the different categories of papillae found in the tongue of Iraqi grey mongoose to investigate the possible differences with other grey mongoose species. This study investigated the position and shape of the Iraqi grey mongoose tongue papillae. A total of six healthy grey mongooses were examined by Scanning Electron Microscope. The results revealed the existence of five different kinds of papillae on the dorsal surface of the tongue in grey mongooses that included 1) Filiform (sharp and cylindrical shape in the cranial and middle part of the tongue), 2) Multifilament (distributed in the cranial third and caudal part), 3) Circumvallate (positioned caudally in the cranial and rear regions of the tongue), 4) Conical (identified in the proximal to the circumvallate), and 5) Fungiform (located in the middle and caudal portions of the tongue). The present study highlights different shapes and distributions of all types of lingual papillae in the Iraqi grey mongoose.

In developed countries, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which results from obesity, has become endemic and kills many adults annually. Health research centers in most countries are looking to examine the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and metabolic biomarkers. A bleeding-prone standard liver biopsy or costly magnetic resonance imaging scan is used to diagnose NAFLD. The present study aimed to analyze medical databases using various scientific articles; moreover, this experiment analyzed medical databases using published scientific articles related to NAFLD, endovascular treatment, cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disorders, changes in the geometry of atria and ventricles, changes in myocardial mass volume as well as diastolic flow left and right ventricular systolic functions, coronary blood flow, analysis of the dependence of epicardial fat tissue (EFT) thickness, and the presence of chronic heart failure (CHF). It is demonstrated that the index of EFT in NAFLD positively correlated with the criteria of cardiovascular health, values of the carotid intima-media thickness, and calcification of the coronary arteries on the coronary artery calcium scale (P<0.0001). The index of per EFT significantly correlated with the factor of the age of the NAFLD patients (P=0.04), hemoglobin A1C level (P<0.001), systemic inflammatory index (P=0.02), the index of impaired glucose tolerance (P=0.03), and especially, the patient's diabetes factor (P<0.001). In addition, adiponectin levels were significantly lower in individuals with NAFLD (P=0.001) and patients with MetS (P=0.02). NAFLD in association with an increase in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, CHF, as well as structural and electrophysiological myocardial remodeling. The study of pathogenetic mechanisms in the context of the role of EAT and clinical monitoring of its condition are urgent problems of modern medicine.

The current study was conducted to investigate the interaction between the central adrenergic and histaminergic systems and the broiler chick’s feed intake. In the first experiment, the intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of solutions was conducted which included 10 nmol of prazosin (an α1-receptor antagonist), 300 nmol of histamine, co-injection of prazosin and histamine. Experiments two to five were conducted similarly the same as the first experiment, in which chickens were ICV injected with 13 nmol of yohimbine (an α2-receptor antagonist), 24 nmol of metoprolol (a β1 adrenergic receptor antagonist), 5 nmol of ICI 118,551 (a β2 adrenergic receptor antagonist), and 20 nmol of SR 59230R (a β3 adrenergic receptor antagonist). The injected solutions in the sixth experiment included 300 nmol of noradrenaline, 250 nmol of α-FMH (an alpha fluoromethyl histidine), noradrenaline, and α-FMH. Seventh to ninth experiments were similar to the sixth experiment, except that the chickens were ICV injected with 300 nmol of chlorpheniramine (a histamine H1 receptors antagonist), 82 nmol of famotidine (a histamine H2 receptors antagonist), and 300 nmol of thioperamide (a histamine H3 receptors antagonist), rather than α-FMH. Afterward, the cumulative food intake was measured 120 min after injection. Based on the obtained results, both histamine ICV injection and noradrenaline injection reduced food intake (P<0.05). Moreover, co-injection of histamine and ICI 118,551 (P<0.05), and co-injection of noradrenaline and Chlorpheniramine reduced food intake (P<0.05). In addition, noradrenaline and Thioperamide co-injection improved hypophagic effect of noradrenaline in neonatal chicken (P<0.05). These findings suggested the effect of interconnection between adrenergic and histaminergic systems, which may be mediated by H1 and H3 histaminergic and β2 adrenergic receptors, on the regulation of food intake in the neonatal broiler chicken.

Nanomaterials are now considered in an extensive range of applications in various fields such as biotechnology and biomedicine. The present study aimed to investigate the protective role of Salvia officinalis Silver Nanoparticles (SOSNPs) as an anti-oxidant on nephrotic damage induced by methotrexate (MTX) in adult rabbits. Green silver nanoparticles were synthesized using alcoholic extract of Salvia officinalis (S. Officinalis) leaves and were characterized by UV-spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscope. The mixing of the plant extract of S. Officinalis with silver nitrate solution leads to the change of the reaction mixture color to yellowish within 1 h and dark brown after 8 h. For studying the protective role of SOSNPs, a total of 28 adult Wistar albino rabbits were divided into four groups and treated intramuscularly (twice per week) for 45 days as follows: T1: S. Officinalis (150 mg/kg B.W), T2: SOSNPs (150 mg/kg B.W); T3: MTX (0.25 mg/kg B.W) and SOSNPs (150 mg/kg B.W); T4: MTX (0.25 mg/kg B.W).  Blood was collected at 0, 15, 30, and 45 days using retro-orbital sinus and cardiac puncture technique, and the serum factors including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) in serum, creatinine, as well as blood urea nitrogen and uric acid concentrations were measured at the next step. The results indicated that MTX (T4) caused a case of oxidative stress by a significant decrease in GSH and MDA as well as an increase in serum creatinine, urea, and uric acid concentrations. On the other hand, the protective roles of S. Officinalis and SOSNPs given concurrently with MTX were clarified in T2 and T3 groups, where there was the alleviation of renal damage through the correction of the previously mentioned parameters as well as the correction of anti-oxidant status. Finally, the present study documented the anti-oxidant activity and renal protective effects of SOSNPs against the damaging effects of MTX in rabbits.

In the last two decades, numerous studies have been carried out to find correlations between vitamin D and the efficiency of the lungs and respiratory system. This study aimed to find the relationship of taking vitamin D with the risks of the severity of infection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the risk of infection of patients with chronic diseases. A total of 100 COVID-19 patients (61 males and 39 females) were included in the study and divided into groups, namely never taken vitamin D and taken a dose of 50 and 1,000 IU. The effects of gender, chronic diseases (i.e., hypertension and diabetes), and requiring intensive care unit (ICU) were evaluated. The results showed that females were at lower risks of infection with COVID-19 than males and taking 50 IU of vitamin D could lower the severe cases by 33%. It was also revealed that patients with chronic disease were more sensitive to COVID-19 and administering 50 units of vitamin D in these patients decreased the need for ICU from 49% to 9%. Given that vitamin D enhances the immune system and respiratory function, the findings of this research indicated that vitamin D reduced the risk of COVID-19; however, it was not able to prevent it.

Diabetes is a category of metabolic illnesses defined by a persistently high blood sugar level. This complication is caused by either the pancreas failing to create enough insulin or the body's cells failing to respond correctly to the insulin produced. Diabetes, if left untreated, can lead to a slew of health issues. Diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia, and mortality are all examples of acute complications. There are numerous serious long-term consequences, including chronic renal disease, foot ulcers, as well as nerve and eye damage. This study aimed to extract carbonic anhydrase (CA) from human red blood cells and estimate the activity and specific activity of the enzyme and some biochemical parameters, including total protein, albumin, globulin, free amino acids, free amino acids/total protein (TP), thiol, thiol/TP, as well as carbonyl and carbonyl/TP levels in patients with diabetes complications, compared to the healthy subjects; moreover, it was attempted to investigate the correlation among the aforementioned variables. This study included 60 blood samples obtained from patients with diabetes complications and 40 healthy individuals as control. The results revealed a significant (P≤0.05) decrease in the TP levels, while the CA activity and specific activity were significantly (P≤0.05) increased. Moreover, there was a non-significant (P≥0.05) increase in the free amino levels; however, a significant (P≤0.05) increase was observed in albumin, free amino/TP, thiol, thiol/TP, as well as carbonyl and carbonyl/TP levels. On the other hand, a significant (P≤0.05) decrease was found in the levels of globulin and albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) in the patients, compared to the healthy subjects. The results also indicated a significant (P≤0.05) difference in all cases of diabetes mellitus (DM) complications for the measured parameters, except for the TP in DM nephropathy, albumin in cardiovascular disease, free amino in neuropathy and cardiovascular disease, and free amino/TP in retinopathy that showed a clear non-significant (P≥0.05) difference in the patients' groups, compared to the healthy subjects. The results of correlation indicated a significant (P≤0.05) positive correlation among free amino/TP, free amino/carbonyl, globulin/TP, and AGR/albumin. However, a significant negative correlation was noted between globulin/albumin and AGR/globulin. The results revealed that the protein oxidation markers and CA as antioxidant markers may play a role in monitoring diabetes complications.

Nosocomial infections have serious effects on health conditions in humans and animals. The present study aimed to investigate the pathogenesis of Enterobacter cloacae post intraperitoneal inoculation in rabbits to investigate the immunological and possible pathological effects. A total of 42 rabbits were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=21). The first group was inoculated with 3×108 CFU/ml of the virulent isolate of E. cloacae intraperitoneally (IP), while the second group was injected IP with phosphate buffer saline and considered a control negative group. The animals were sacrificed at different time post-infection at 48/72 h, and at day 7 post-bacterial inoculation. The results revealed a significant increase in the concentration of TNF-α, especially in the infected groups. In addition, there were different pathological lesions in different organs of animals, mainly in the infected groups, which represents by vascular congestion and edema with polymorphoneutrophiles infiltration in the lungs, kidneys, and heart. This study is considered the first trial which aimed to observe the pathological changes of E. cloacae in vital organs in rabbits.

Reduction or total lack of beta-globin chains caused by a congenital disease called ß-thalassemia major is one of the lives threatening diseases. Patients who suffer from ß-thalassemia need a repeated blood transfusion for survival. The repeated blood transfusion in ß-thalassemia patients may cause oxidative stress and tissue injury due to iron overload, altered antioxidant enzymes, and other essential trace element levels. The current study aimed to investigate the correlation of oxidative stress with serum trace element levels and antioxidant enzyme status in ß-thalassemia major patients. A total of 130 serum samples were obtained from ß-thalassemia major patients (n=100; 50 males and 50 females) and healthy individuals (n=30; 15 males and 15 females). Hematological parameters were measured on both groups by a comprehensive blood test that included the amount of hemoglobin Hb, packed cells volume, number of red blood cells, mean corpuscular volume ratio, mean corpuscular hemoglobin ratio, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, white blood cells, and platelets counts. All of these blood parameters showed a clear decrease in thalassemia patients, except for red blood cells and platelets counts, which demonstrated a significant increase. The highest significant mean for iron in males and females were 233.768 and 219.150 µgmdL in patients, respectively, while the mean level of iron significantly reduced in the control group (113.40 and 103.33 µgmdL in males and females, respectively). The results indicated a significant decrease in uric acid in males and females in the patient group (41.042 and 40.582 mgL in males and females, respectively), compared to the control group (53.866 and 43.60 mgL in males and females, respectively). Allantoin concentration was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography technique, the results of which showed that the highest values in patients were 62.822 and 25.480 mgL in males and females, respectively, compared to the control group 2.342 and 1.481 mgL in males and females, respectively. Superoxide dismutase concentration decreased in patients (129.635 and 111.848 UmL in males and females, respectively), compared to the control group (208.623 and 190.413 Uml in males and females, respectively).

Pregnancy termination for a variety of fetal or maternal conditions has been defined as one of the common obstetrical procedures. The presence of an earlier uterine scar has been found as a highly significant risk factor, which needs to be considered before the election of the misoprostol for the termination of pregnancy (TOP) uses. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of vaginal misoprostol in patients who had an earlier uterine scar, and whether its utilization might result in increasing the risks of uterine ruptures. In total, 250 participants were included in the experimental model and divided into two groups including 95 patients in their 2nd  trimester of pregnancy with confirmed non-viable fetus and scarred uterus (study group) and 155 pregnant women with no scar in their uterus and missed miscarriage (control group). They received misoprostol tablets in accordance with the Security Hospital Protocol for the TOP. The safety has been specified according to the number of women that had full abortions with no complications. The study group with uterine scar included 95 cases that comprised 38% of the total participants in the study (n=250). Out of 95 cases, 64 (67.3%) patients had successful abortions completely, compared to the control group (the patients with no scar), 111 (71.6%) of whom had complete abortions (P<0.001). However, 44 (28.4%) and 31 (32.6%) patients in the control and study groups, respectively, were in need of surgical evacuations either for the incomplete conception product expulsion or as a result of the excessive per-vaginal bleeding. The use of the misoprostol for the TOP has not been contra-indicated in the females who had Caesarean scars. Moreover, it is efficient in females who do not have scarred uterus.

In carcinogenesis, KRAS is an essential oncogene that plays a key function. The polymorphism of rs61764370 is a candidate for cancer susceptibility in KRAS3' untranslated region. The current study aimed to determine the role and impact of the KRAS gene polymorphism (rs61764370 T>G) on the risk of ovarian cancer development in the Iraqi population. In total, 84 ovarian cancer patients and 28 ovarian benign tumors were involved in a case-control study. DNA extraction from the formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded tissues, followed by the sequencing of PCR products was carried out in genetic analysis for the detection of the KRAS polymorphism (rs61764370 T>G). The results showed that the frequencies of the KRAS gene polymorphism (rs61764370) in ovarian cancer patients were 78 (92.85%) and 6 (7.15%) with genotypes homozygote TT and heterozygote TG, respectively. These corresponding values in patients with benign ovarian tumors were 25 (89.3%) and 3 (10.7%) with homozygote TT and heterozygote TG, respectively. None of the patients either with malignant or benign tumors have been detected with homozygote genotype GG. Genotype frequency of the TT and TG showed that the heterozygote TT genotype vs. TG and T allele vs. G allele were more frequent in malignant and benign tumors (P≤0.01). Statistically, there was no association between the KRAS polymorphism and the clinical characteristics of ovarian cancer patients, such as age, family history, menopause, histological type, tumor size, or tumor stage. In conclusion, a significant association was found between rs61764370 and the risk of ovarian cancer in the Iraqi population, particularly those with genotypes homozygote TT. On the other hand, genotypes had no relationship with any of the clinical characteristics of ovarian cancer patients. Additional well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to validate the precise role of KRAS LCS6 variations in ovarian cancer risk.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a psychiatric neurological infection of the focal sensory system and is accepted as a multifactorial disease. Chronic Toxoplasmosis is sometimes associated with the proliferation of bradyzoites in the nervous system. The measurement of interleukin-5 (IL-5) as an inflammatory mediator in patients with PD and Toxoplasmosis infection may be helpful in determining the correlation between these diseases. In the present study, 80 examples were collected, including 35 patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD and 45 samples from healthy people from Najaf, Babylon, and Baghdad provinces, Iraq. After measuring the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody of Toxoplasma gondii, the level of IL-5 was evaluated in different groups. Serological examination showed that the IgG antibody of Toxoplasmosis increased (P<0.05) in people with PD (65.71%). Serum levels of IL-5 significantly decreased in people with PD. It is noteworthy that comparing serum levels of IL-5 between two groups of people with and without chronic Toxoplasmosis revealed that there was a significant decrease (P<0.05) in a concentration of serum IL-5 in individuals with chronic Toxoplasmosis. The current study confirmed the conceivable association between T. gondii and PD, and further research is recommended to explain the association between PD and Toxoplasmosis.

Aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles have been employed in many industries, which are widely abundant in many aspects of human life. The role of the aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles adjuvant is to enhance the immune response. However, the impact of nanoparticles exposure has not been perfectly investigated yet. Accordingly, some questions have been raised about their potentially harmful effects, based on which the current research aims to answer them. This study aimed to investigate the histological effects of aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles and bulk-aluminum hydroxide (bulk Al[OH]3) on the liver, lung, heart, and kidney tissues. For this reason, an experiment was implemented on the aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles adjuvant in five neonatal mice. Intramuscularly, the mice were injected with 0.125 mL of adjuvanted vaccine, while five neonatal mice were injected with bulk and nanoparticles of Al (OH)3 and then sacrificed after one and two months, respectively. Vaccines were controlled by evaluating the histopathological response in neonatal mice. Subsequently, the pathological effect of both adjuvants was surveyed using the histological study of the lung, liver, heart, and kidney of the animals. The obtained recorded data indicated that both types of vaccine adjuvants caused pathological lesions on the histology sections of the liver, lung, heart, and kidney tissues. Moreover, bulk Al (OH)3 adjuvant vaccine was more effective and had a higher pathological response than aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles adjuvant vaccine. In addition, the total DNA content in both groups was estimated using Fluorometer from Promega. Compared to aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles groups, the tissues indicated a decrease in total DNA content obtained in bulk Al (OH)3 groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that the exposure to aluminum hydroxide nanoparticles would result in less pronounced toxicity, as well as systemic inflammation, compared to the bulk Al (OH)3 aluminum hydroxide.

Endometrial hyperplasia is defined as a common clinical disorder caused by the increased levels of estrogens with low levels of progesterone; therefore, this hormonal imbalance leads to an increase in the proliferation rate of the endometrial cells. Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most important malignancies affecting women all over the world "accounting for 37.7% of all other disorders affecting the female reproductive system". The expression of the Ki-67 protein is related to the proliferative behavior of malignant tumor cell populations of their own, allowing it to be used as a marker of tumor aggressiveness. The present study was conducted to examine the expression of the proliferation marker, Ki-67 in various endometrial lesions. Ki-67 expression was evaluated in 60 endometrial samples that resulted as either endometrial curetting or hysterectomy specimens, diagnosed with simple hyperplasia (n=10), complex hyperplasia (n=20), atypical hyperplasia (n=6), and endometrial carcinoma (n=24). In patients with endometrial carcinoma, there was an increased expression of Ki-67, compared to proliferative endometrium and simple hyperplasia (P-value=0.0001). There was no such discrepancy between atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma cases. The expression of Ki-67 showed a positive association with the degree of endometrial cancer (P-value=0.0013), however, not with the age of the patients (P-value>0.05). There is a wide range of variations in the proliferation rate within the development of different endometrial lesions, including benign and malignant lesions. Our findings may be of value in differential diagnosis and prognosis of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma.

Date seeds have been studied for their possible health advantages as they are employed in various traditional remedies. This study aimed to investigate how date affected hematology, renal, and liver function in rabbits before and after date feeding. In total, 30 rabbits were used in this investigation, and they were divided into two groups (n=15). Group one (G1) was considered the control group and received only a meal without dates for 30 days, and group two (G2) was given date seed extract a about 30 ml/kg b.w. for 30 days. The findings revealed that daily oral administration of date extract resulted in a considerable increase in hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration. It is now recognized as a useful source of natural therapeutic ingredients for a variety of ailments. The study results showed that the oral administration of dates led to a significant increase in Hgb concentration, Hgb indices (MCH, MCV, MCHC, PLT, WBCs, and RBCs) and a significant increase in total protein, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen levels (P≤0.05). However, there were no significant changes in albumin in G2, compared to G1. Finally, dates may help to increase biochemical and hematological parameters in rabbits.

Cancer is one of the most serious diseases facing humanity, so we urgently need to find a cure which is rarely harmful to the patient as much as possible. It has been approved that arginine deiminase (ADI) can hydrolyze the plasma arginine to citrulline. This hydrolysis activity and reduction in the amount of inter cellular argenine suppress lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. On the other hand arginine depletion, arresting the cell cycle at G1 phase, Therefore, ADI has considered as a powerful anticancer agents. The aim of the current study was to investigate the lethal effects of ADI purified from Lactobacillus plantarum p5 strain on murine mammary adenocarcinoma and vero cell lines. Anti-proliferative activity of ADI against murine mammary adenocarcinoma )AMN3) cell line was evaluated after different incubation time (3, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h) of exposure to 1 µg/mL of ADI compared with Vero (none cancer cell line ) transformed cell line with same conditions. Autophagy process in cancer cells was recognized after three hours of incubation with ADI which was clearly observed in AMN3 cell line under inverted microscope. First stages of programmed cell death (apoptosis) pathway was only observed in AMN3 cells after 24 h of incubation with ADI and this process continued with the time until they reached to last stages of apoptosis after 72 h of incubation. The results of the current study showed that the AMN3 cell line was auxotrophic for arginine because it couldn't produce it in the presence of enzyme which had a robust activity to kill these cancer cells, but Vero none cancer cell line was survive in the presence of ADI because it had the ability to produce arginine.

Antimicrobial resistance is a critical public health issue that affects people all over the world. Since bacteria have a proclivity for rapidly acquiring and propagating the resistance gene, antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter has a negative impact on public health. As a result, the creation of new and highly pathogenic clones is facilitated, making antimicrobial treatment more challenging. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern (ARP) models, multiple drug resistance (MDR) models, and multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of Campylobacter species isolated from poultry meat sold in Baghdad markets, Iraq. By employing the disc diffusion test, 30 Campylobacter strains from chicken meat, including C. jejuni (n=10) and C. coli (n=20), were exposed to tetracycline (TET), erythromycin, Gentamicin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, and norfloxacin (NOR). The ARP of the Campylobacter isolates revealed up to five antibiotypes for two species, which revealed resistance to one or more antimicrobials, and 67% of them had MDR resistance to two or more experienced antimicrobials. The NOR-TET model is the most common MDR, having a prevalence of 30% among experienced isolates. In addition, the MAR index, equal to and lower than one, was found in 87% of the isolates. Antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter raises the probability of treatment failure in humans and animals, as well as the propagation of antimicrobial resistance genes. As a result, the presence of Campylobacter in meat could pose a risk of human infection and pollution of the environment.

Wildlife plays a critical role as a reservoir for zoonosis especially pathogenic enteric bacteria. In this study we evaluated the presence of E. coli and Salmonella isolates from wild birds and determined their antimicrobial resistance. Intestine and fecal samples from 82 dead wild birds obtained from rehabilitation centre, were examined by microbiological analysis, antibiotic susceptibilities against of 18 antimicrobials and presence of tetracycline resistance genes by multiplex and singleplex PCR were investigated. A total of 51 E. coli were identified as well as Salmonella Kentucky and Salmonella Bisberg. A majority of the E. coli isolates were resistant to lincomysin (100%), penicilline (96.1%), kanamycin (80.4%), tetracycline (68.6%), and oxytetracycline (64.7%). All Salmonella serotypes were resistant to lincomycin, nalidixic acid and penicilline.In addition, 58.82% of E. coli isolates had phenotypic resistance to at least three or more antimicrobials. Our results indicated that the high frequency of tetracycline resistance (68.62%) due to the tet (A), tet (B), and tet (D) genes. This is the first report isolating S. Bisberg and determining antibiotic susceptibility of E.coli and Salmonella isolates from wild birds in Turkey. These results will help providing better understand of the dissemination of antibiotic resistancy in the environment, which can be used to potentially decrease spread through bird migration. Moreover, these results help assess the risk of spread of resistance from wild birds to humans.

Staphylococcus aureus is an important etiological agent for causing food poisoning leading to high mortality in the world. The sea gene is encoded in a polymorphic family of temperate bacteriophage chromosomes and became a prophage, and the transcription of this gene is associated with the life cycle of this prophage. It has been suggested that the grape polyphenols can eradicate the enterotoxin production of food-borne bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the activity of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the grape seeds in inhibiting the expression of the sea gene encoding staphylococcal enterotoxin type A in S. aureus isolated from different sources. This study used five enterotoxin A producing isolates belonging to S. aureus. The results showed that minimum inhibition concentration and sub-minimum inhibition concentration of the aqueous extract were 32 and 16 µg/mL for all isolates, respectively. However, in the case of the alcoholic extract, these concentrations were 16 and 8 µg/mL for all isolates, respectively, and the results of the chemical analysis of the aqueous and alcoholic extracts confirmed that they contain active chemical compounds, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and glycosides; moreover, they contain many functional groups according to the analysis of the infrared spectrum. Both extracts were shown to be active in inhibiting the expression of the sea gene in the isolates under study. As the results indicated, the gene expression of these isolates was inhibited by approximately 0.31-0.63 fold, and all pathogenic and environmental isolates showed a decrease in the expression of this gene. These results practically open the door to the possibility of using these extracts to inhibit the ability of S. aureus to produce these dangerous enterotoxins; thereby decreasing or preventing their pathogenicity, especially their food poisoning infections.

In prediabetes, blood glucose levels are higher than normal; however, they remain below the diabetes threshold. Studies conducted on biomarkers for this disease result in controlling diabetes mellitus (DM) or reducing the risk of developing complications. Lipid profile parameters are considered important predictors of DM. Therefore, this study was conducted on three groups of normoglycemic (n=30), pre-diabetics (n=125), and diabetics (n=30) to recognize the predictive role of lipid parameters in the transition from pre-diabetes to diabetes. In this experiment, in addition to total cholesterol and triglycerides, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride/HDL ratio, and fasting triglyceride-fasting blood glucose (FBG) index were measured. Based on the results, medians for total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, LDL/HDL ratio, cholesterol/HDL ratio, and LDL/HDL ratio did not differ significantly across the groups of normoglycemia, prediabetes, and diabetes. For triglyceride, the medians were significantly higher in pre-diabetes and also diabetes, compared to normoglycemia (i.e., 127.9 and 129.1 vs. 94.5 mg/dL, respectively [P<0.001]). Moreover, the same results were observed in the case of VLDL (i.e., 25.6 and 30.9 vs. 18.9 mg/dL, respectively). The triglyceride/HDL ratio significantly increased pre-diabetics and diabetics, compared to normoglycemic (2.72 and 2.67 vs. 2.18, respectively). Moreover, the median of the triglyceride-FBG index significantly had an increase in pre-diabetics and diabetics, compared to normoglycemic (8.89 and 9.38 vs. 8.22, respectively). The importance of triglyceride, VLDL, triglyceride/HDL ratio, and triglyceride-FBG index in distinguishing between pre-diabetes and normoglycemia was verified by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the results. Logistic regression analysis confirmed the risk effects of the four parameters on pre-diabetes and diabetes. Therefore, triglyceride, VLDL, triglyceride-FBG index, and triglyceride/HDL ratio are considered promising biomarkers used to predict pre-diabetes and DM in the general population.

It has been approved that atrovastatin is a preferred treatment for hyperlipidemia. One of the atrovastatin drawbacks would be the detrimental effects on skeletal muscles. Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate all the skeletal muscles alteration in rats' after administration of atrovastatin and identification the mechanisms involved in these structural alterations in the skeletal muscles. A total of 12 healthy adult male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided into two groups (n=6). The control group (G1) included rats that received distilled water as the placebo, and the treatment group (G2) included animals that were treated with atorvastatin (80 mg/kg/day) dissolved in distilled water and administrated by a gastric tube for eight weeks. At the end of the experiment, trapezius and vastus medialis muscle tissues were sampled and fixed with 10% formalin for histopathological studies. Atorvastatin administration gave rise to morphological changes in the skeletal muscle fibers and the nerve fibers, including atrophied myofibers, infarction, irregular arrangement of myonuclei, disappearance of nuclei from their normal peripheral position with acute skeletal muscular infarction, and infiltration of accumulated inflammatory cells. Atorvastatin has been revealed to have several adverse effects on the skeletal muscle and the nerve supply. Based on the data in the current study, it is evident that atorvastatin administration for less than two months resulted in some sorts of myotoxic structural changes and apoptosis as evident by deformity and lack of striation degeneration of nuclei, as well as splitting of the muscle fibers in the adult male rats' skeletal muscle.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe complication of pregnancy accompanied by arterial hypertension, edema, or proteinuria with impaired functioning of various organs and systems. It is also an important medical and social problem, which has been one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite the achievements of modern medicine, the etiology of this pathology is still unknown. Recently, many scientists have especially focused on the study of genetic factors underlying the etiopathogenesis of PE, namely, the contribution of individual polymorphic loci of various candidate genes. The current study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of PE and the contribution of the polymorphic loci rs1042838 of Progesterone Receptor (PGR) gene and rs8068318 of the T-Box Transcription Factor 2 (TBX2) gene to the development of PE. The study was conducted on 219 women with PE with the mean±SD age of 26.52±5.51 years and 329 women with the physiological course of pregnancy as the control group with the mean±SD age of 26.27±4.88 years. In total, 64.20%, 68.29%, 16.44%, 98.63%, and 35.48% of women with PE had increased systolic and normal diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) values, proteinuria, edema, and overweight (BMI≥25), respectively. In the control group, 100%, 1.53%, 1.12%, and 35.48% of cases had normal SBP values with no proteinuria, DBP>90 mm Hg, edema, and overweight (BMI≥25), respectively.  An association was observed between the CC genotype of the rs8068318 polymorphism of the TBX2 gene with the risk of developing PE in women with PE (OR=2.12, 95%CI: 1.14-3.92, P=0.02). In addition, there was an association between the rs8068318 TBX2 polymorphic locus with lower SBP (Me=140, Q25 – Q75 130 – 142.5, P=0.01) and PBP (Me=50, Q25 – Q75 40 – 55, P<0.01). According to the GeneCards database, the TBX2 gene, a member of a phylogenetically conserved gene family, is located on the long arm of chromosome 17 and encodes the TBX2 T-box transcription factor protein, which is a regulator of the transcriptional activity of various genes (i.e., it suppresses the expression of CDKN2A (p19/ARF), inhibits cyclin-dependent kinase p21 Cip1 (CDKN1A), and affects the expression of MYC, RAS, BRCA1, and BRCA2 genes).

Aspergillosis which is caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungal pathogen, can vary from a localized infection to severe life-threatening invasive or disseminated systemic diseases in birds. The present study aimed to evaluate and grade the anatomopathological disparity in the cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in Columba livia (pigeons), Pavo cristatus (peafowls), and Gyps fulvus (Griffon vultures). Necropsy gross lesions varied from mere congestion of lungs in P. cristatus, congestion and large necrotizing masses surrounded by a zone of hyperemia (10 mm dia) in lungs of C. livia, and typically disseminated granuloma in the lungs, air sacs, and organs of other serous membranes in G. fulvus. Histopathology varied from extensive parenchymal necrosis amidst exuberant fungal invasion in P. cristatus, multifocal to focally extensive tissue necrosis with colonies of fungal hyphae surrounded by heterophils and lymphocytes in C. livia, as well as typical mycotic granuloma embedded in the lungs, air sacs, and thoracoabdominal serous membranes with angio-invasion in G. fulvus. Based on gross and histopathological findings, we diagnosed the cases as Acute Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis (AIPA) in peafowls and pigeons, as well as Chronic Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CIPA) in Griffon vultures. There is a paucity of case reports on aspergillosis in wild avian species, and this report strived to document the cases of IPA in peafowls, pigeons, and vultures. This is the first report of its kind which evaluated anatomopathological disparity of IPA in pigeons, peafowls, and vultures with a proposed anatomopathological grading system which would help to understand and investigate the nature of aspergillosis in different avian hosts.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an established independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is caused by chronic pyelonephritis (CP). This study aimed to investigate the effect of the association of cardiovascular markers with the course of CP on the comorbidity of CP with ischemic heart disease. The study participants included 125 patients with CP without symptoms of urinary tract obstruction who were divided into three groups. The first group (n=45) consisted of patients with recurrent CP (CPr) three or more times per year. The second group (n=42) included patients with active phase pyelonephritis (CPa), with a frequency of two times or less per year, with concomitant pathology (stable coronary artery disease, functional class I - II), and the third group (n=38) included patients with an inactive phase of the disease (CPi), with a history of pyelonephritis of at least five years. The patients’ carotid artery augmentation index (AI %) and the change in the diameter of the brachial artery (D %) in CPi, CPa, and CPr groups were 8.44±1.76, 15.47±4.00, 11.71±1.70, 13.81±3.06, 12.75±2.55 and 6.54±3.27, respectively. The left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) index in the three study groups was estimated to be 68.92±3.76, 64.76±2.75, and 66.28±3.45%, respectively. An analysis of the results showed the most significant changes in the parameters of the cardiovascular system in patients with a comorbid and relapsing course of CP. The results showed a significant increase in pulmonary artery diameter, EF, left ventricular pressure and volume, pulse wave velocity in the aorta, and vascular resistance index.

The stability of the gut ecosystem, especially the rumen, is an important area of ​​research that has an impact on the use of feed additives and is associated with a number of diseases. The current study aimed to survey the effect of concentrate: roughage (C: R) ratio and the addition of kefir on the production characteristics of in vitro ruminant fermentation. In a 5x6 factorial order, six ratios of C: R (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100) and five doses of kefir (0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.2 ml) were used, respectively. Gas production during incubation was estimated at 0- 96 h. During inoculation, the rumen fluid was obtained at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h of incubation. Cumulative gas production, GPDM, GPOM, and GPNDF at 24 h was highest at the C: R ratio of 100:0 (67.82 mL, 75.92 mL/ 200 mg, 1979.15 mL/200 mg, and 11.11 mL/ 200 mg, respectively). The kefir addition improved the kinetics and gas production significantly. The highest in vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibility (IVDMD and IVOMD) were obtained at the C: R ratio of 100:0 (9.26% and 182.2% higher than those in C: R ratio of 0:100, respectively). The increase of concentrate diet ratio improved the overall volatile fatty acids (TVFA). No interaction effect on the gas production was detected between the C: R ratio and kefir. The microorganism populations were influenced neither by the level of concentrate nor by the level of kefir. Consequently, the high concentrate-to-roughage ratio and the addition of 1.6 mL kefir to the overall dietary substrate could promote rumen fermentation and feed digestibility without affecting microbe counts.

Glucocorticoids have a wide range of pharmacological activities. Generally speaking, the steroid drugs, such as dexamethasone (DEX) can have severe side effects on the histology of different organs. In fact, glucocorticoids have been known as powerful medicines which can cure inflammation and work with the immune system to treat a wide range of health problems. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of DEX on the histological changes of the liver and kidney, as well as blood biochemical parameters. In total, 13 specific pathogen-free male Lepus cuniculus rabbits aged 8-10 months old, with a mean weight of 1.12±0.13 kg were randomly divided into three groups. Group I (n=3) did not receive DEX, and they only received saline solution as a placebo (control). In Group II (n=5), the animals received 0.25 mg DEX/kg body weight/day for a period of 56 days, and the animals in Group III (n=5) received 0.5 mg DEX/kg body weight/day for 56 days. Blood was aspirated from the rabbit's marginal ear vein. All blood samples were centrifuged at 3000×g for 10 min to separate serum samples. Blood lipids and trace elements (zinc, copper, calcium, and iron) were measured. The microscopical analyses of the liver and kidney tissues were performed through the observation of the histological changes in the tissues. The results showed a significant (P≤0.05) decrease in the body and organ weight, as well as serum concentrations for the trace elements. On the other hand, lipid profile showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein. However, a significant decrease was recorded in high-density lipoprotein in both treated groups with DEX, compared to the control group. The results of the histological evaluation showed some degrees of degeneration, necrosis, cell vacuolation, and lymphocyte infiltration in the kidney and liver tissues in the treatment groups.

Nowadays, metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a global health challenge in developed and developing countries. The sex hormones disorders in males are related to many clinical co-morbidities. This study aimed to evaluate the total testosterone (TT) to estradiol (E2) ratio as a predictor marker of MetS. This case-control study included 88 MetS patients and 88 healthy individuals (control), in the age range of 18-69 years who were selected among patients who were referring to an outpatient clinic, using a convenience sampling method. The study participants were selected based on their medical history and physical examination, which included waist circumference, blood pressure, serum E2, TT, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Diagnosis of MetS was confirmed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. The findings revealed that the mean TT level was significantly lower among patients with MetS (P<0.001), while the mean E2 level was significantly higher among patients with MetS (P<0.001). The mean TT to E2 ratio was significantly lower among patients with MetS (OR=9.6, P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between MetS components and TT to E2 ratio and waist circumference (WC) (r = - 0.49, P<0.0001). The means of weight, WC, blood pressure, and FBG levels were significantly higher in patients with MetS (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.04, respectively), and the lipid profile of patients with MetS was abnormal (TG, P<0.001, HDL-C, P<0.001). Eventually, it can be concluded that the TT to E2 ratio can be regarded as a significant predictor of MetS in males.

Hyperactivity of the immune system due to the insertion of allergens into the living body has been known as an allergic reaction. Some substances, such as pollen grains, insects' venom, house dust mite, foods, and medicines, can induce allergic responses. Therefore, this study was designed to shed light on the role of gender and age in allergic reactions resulting from some organic and chemical allergens. A total of 200 individuals participated in this study, including 70 males and 130 females. A skin test was performed by subcutaneously injecting allergens, namely amoxicillin, cefotaxine, gentamicin, Vespula spp., and Apis mellifera. All the chemicals were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich unless otherwise stated. The spot of injection was sterilized by ethyl alcohol (70%) and well dried; subsequently, 0.05 mL of each allergen (antigen) was injected via a 1-mL medical syringe. The results showed that 140 cases were allergic. Anti-cefotaxine occupied the highest percentage among the studied drug allergens. The highest percentage of males (37.5%) that were allergic was at the age range of 28-35 years, whereas the highest percentage of females (18.5%) that were allergic was at the age range of 17-27 years. Sensitivity to amoxicillin accounted for 12.5% of males at the age range of 28-37 years and 3.7% of females at the age range of 17-27 years. Gentamicin triggered the highest percentage of sensitivity in 12.5% and 7.4% of males and females aged 48-57 years and 17-27 years, respectively. The results showed that honey bees had the highest percentage of total sensitivity at 40%. The highest sensitivity rate stood at 37.5% in males at the age range of 28-37 years and 18.5% in females at the age range of 17-27 years. Wasps recorded a total sensitivity rate of 17.1%, with the highest percentage at 37.5% in males who were aged 17-27 years and 3.7% in females at the age ranges of 17-27 and 48-57 years. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that there were significant (P≤0.05) differences for all allergens that were studied regarding gender and age.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of administrating a selective aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, on the parameters of the rat's sperm and testicular histomorphology. A total of 40 male Wistar rats with an age of about 5 months old and an average weight of 190±10 g were divided randomly into 4 groups (n=10 each) and treated for 6 weeks. The first group (C) was given normal saline only as a control group. The second (T1), third (T2), and fourth (T3) groups received doses of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mg/animal letrozole, respectively. At the end of the experiment (42 days), all animals were euthanized and the samples were obtained for more evolutions. The results of this study showed a significant increase in sperms quality (P-value≤0.05) while indicating a significant decrease in sperm abnormality in the T1 group, compared to the C group. Moreover, there was a significant difference represented by an increase in sperm quality, and a significant difference represented by a decrease in sperms abnormality in the T2 group, compared to the C group. On the other hand, there was a significant difference represented by an increase in sperm quality, and a significant difference represented by a decrease in sperm abnormality in the T3 group, compared to the T2 group. Normal somniferous tubules with high spermatoscopy counts were shown in histologic sections in the control group, primary and secondary spermatocytes with spermatozoa. In the T1 group, there was adequate spermatogenesis with a thick basement membrane. In the T2 group, there was normal testicular tissue with a significant increase in spermatogenic activity and number. In the T3 group, there was no significant atrophy or other pathology. The results of the current study suggested that letrozole improved spermatogenesis while causing no visible pathological alterations in testis tissue.

Pancreatic hemorrhage is one of the most severe complications of various pancreatic diseases that are difficult to treat even in multidisciplinary hospitals. Mortality from pancreatic hemorrhage can reach up to 80%. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of maintaining endovascular homeostasis in the treatment of patients with pancreatic hemorrhage. This retrospective multicenter study included 45 patients (33 men and 12 women) in the age range of 27-84 years. More than 50% (n=23) of the patients were diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Malignant pancreatic lesions were observed in 22 patients; of whom11 patients had acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Acute bleeding was observed in 39 (86.6%) patients, and 6 (13.3%) patients showed chronic symptoms. Single-shot and recurrent bleeding was recorded in 22(48.9%) and 23 (51.1%) patients. In total, 57 patients underwent endovascular surgery. Moreover, 45 patients underwent primary surgery and another 12 (2.2%) underwent reoperation due to recurrent bleeding. Intraoperative complications occurred in 1 (2.2%) patient, and postoperative complications occurred in another. Out of all 45 patients, seven patients had 15 episodes of recurrent bleeding, of whom four patients showed recurrent bleeding at the in-hospital period, and the other three were under local supervision after the previous endovascular intervention. Out of the 45 patients, 35 (77.7%) survived and another 10 (22.2%) died due to multiple organ failure (n=8) and recurrent bleeding and hemorrhagic shock (n=2). Out of 10 patients who died, 4, 3, and 3patients showed malignant pancreatic lesions after surgery, acute pancreatitis, and chronic pancreatitis, respectively. Endovascular hemostatic interventions can significantly increase the survival rate in severe groups of patients with pancreatic bleeding. Endovascular hemostasis is a safe procedure and may be called the “method of choice” in the treatment of pancreatic bleeding, especially in combination with percutaneous draining, aspiration, and injection of liquid embolic agents into leakage of pancreatic juice.

Cancer of the colon (colorectal cancer, or CRC) is the third most frequent malignancy in the world and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Recent research has focused on the link between high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and the onset/development of several different types of cancer in humans. As a result, scientists are now paying more attention to HPV and CRC. In a variety of malignant tumors, P63 is overexpressed. This includes non-Hodgkin lymphoma and breast carcinoma, as well as lung, bladder, and prostate cancers. However, in accordance with the existence of many P63 isoforms in malignant tumors, the actions of P63 in these malignancies remain a source of debate. P63 immunohistochemistry expression in CRC tissues is being investigated as a possible etiological link between high-risk HPV types and CRC. This retrospective study intended to investigate if there was an etiological link between high-risk HPV types and CRC. It has utilized 92 chosen formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue block samples. The collected samples were divided into 62 blocks of colorectal adenocarcinoma mass tissues and 30 non-malignant colorectal tissues used as a control group. Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) was employed to discover HPV DNA16/18 in colorectal tissues. The overall proportion of positive HPV16/18 DNA- CISH detection in the mass CRC group was 44.4%, whereas HPV16/18 DNA was obtained at 80.0% in the non-malignant control group. The overall proportion of positive P63-ISH detection in the CRC group was also 70.4%, whereas P63 was 73.3% in the non-malignant control group. The link between HPV infection and P63 expression in CRC might point to the importance of these molecules in the progression of CRC.

The establishment of an approach for detecting the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-receptor-binding domain (RBD) neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) by a safe, easy, and rapid technique without requiring the use of live viruses is essential for facing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Depending on competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodology, the current study assay was designed to simulate the virus-host interaction using purified SARS-COV-2-RBD from the spike protein and the host cell receptor human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 protein. The performance of this in-house neutralizing ELISA assay was validated using freshly prepared standards with different known concentrations of the assay. In this regard, a cohort of 50 serum samples from convalescent COVID-19 individuals with different disease severity at different time points post-recovery and a cohort of 50 serum samples from healthy individuals were processed by the in-house developed assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 nAbs, in comparison with a commercial total anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assay as a gold standard. The assay obtained a sensitivity of 88% (95% CI: 75.69-95.47) and a specificity of 92% (95% CI: 80.77- 97.78%). A negative strong correlation was demonstrated in the standard curve between the optical density absorbance and log concentration of the nAbs with a statistical measure of r2 (coefficient of determination) = 0.9539. The SARS-COV-2-RBD neutralizing ELISA assay serves as a high throughput qualitative and quantitative tool that can be applied in most laboratory settings without special biosafety requirements to detect anti-RBD nAbs for seroprevalence, pre-clinical, and clinical evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines efficiency and the rapid selection of convalescent plasma donors for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is frequently associated with infections with high mortality rates. The intrinsically high resistance to many antibiotics and multidrug resistance in the hospital setting is considered to be among the reasons for high pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa. In this study, a total of 200 wound and burn swabs were collected from patients. The collected specimens were examined for P. aeruginosa through biochemical and antibacterial sensitivity tests performed in the Microbiology Laboratory in College of Medicine, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq. The polymerase chain reaction was then used to detect mexA, mexB, mexR, and oprD genes. In total, 31 isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected from 200 patients with wounds and burns. Most cases were isolated from 23 (74.19%) and 8 (25.80%) wound and burn swabs, respectively. Antibiotic sensitivity was tested on all isolates against 17 antimicrobial agents. The obtained results revealed a high resistance rate to gentamicin, trimethoprim, amikacin, and amoxicillin, and a low resistance rate was observed to ceftazidime, tobramycin, levofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and aztreonam. Regarding antibiotic resistance, mexB, mexR, and oprD genes were observed in three isolates, in which mexB and mexR were detected in two isolates, and only one isolate carried mexA gene.

The prevalence of lung cancer as one of the most common cancers with the highest mortality rate is one of the most important health problems in humans across the world. Molecular research can provide valuable information about genetic changes associated with the pathogenesis of the disease that may be used to improve prognosis and treatment. The current study aimed to examine the genotyping utility of the Il12p40 (IL-12B) gene (rs3212227, A>C) polymorphisms and detect its relationship with the concentration levels of HGH and IGF-1 for the non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). This study investigated 67 cases with NSCLC (60 males and 7 females) and 28 healthy individuals as controls. The serum level of HGH and IGF-1 was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Genotyping of the IL-12B gene polymorphisms (rs3212227, A>C) was carried out by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The serum levels of the HGH and IGF-1 were estimated, and the results of the IL-12B genotyping showed an increased risk of NSCLC. The homozygous wild (AA) genotype of the IL-12 gene showed that the risk of NSCLC was higher than that of the heterozygous (AC) and homozygous genotypes (CC). Moreover, a significant elevation was found in the serum levels of the HGH in the NSCLC patients, compared to the control group. The result showed that the IL-12 gene polymorphism was implicated in the pathogenesis of the NSCLC and directed several metabolic changes.

Penicillium species is one of the most common microscopic filamentous fungi that have been isolated from widespread substrates. In this study, soil samples from different areas of Mosul, Iraq, were examined by morphological and molecular methods. Fungi were isolated and grown in diagnostic culture media, including Czapek Yeast Extract Agar, Malt Extract Agar, and 25% Glycerol nitrate agar at different temperatures of 15, 20, 25, and 30°C. The growth rate of the fungus was also evaluated in the culture containing K2HPO4. In the molecular method, the obtained fragment was sequenced using the Internal Transcribed Spacer region primers after replication. Morphological evaluation of both macroscopic and microscopic features revealed that strains were Penicillium rubens, and molecular methods used have confirmed the isolated strain. The results of this study showed a decrease in the diameters of the colonies at different growth temperatures when doubling the amount of K2HPO4. In addition, the findings revealed that compared to growth inhibition in the control groups, the maximum growth inhibition was 16 and 29 mm on Czapek Dox Agar (modified) medium at incubation temperatures of 20°C and 25°C, respectively. As a result, K2HPO4 has an important role in inhibiting growth; therefore, it can be used as Fungicide.

Growth promoters are used in the broiler industry of Iraq, and herbal plants are believed to be one of the safest growth-promoting agents in modern poultry production. This study aimed to investigate the effect of aqueous mustard (Brassica juncea) seed (MS) extract on broiler production. A total of 160 unsexed day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were selected and exposed to different doses of MS included in drinking water for six weeks. Afterward, MS was added to the treatment groups of T1 (control), T2, T3, and T4 in the dosage of 0mL, 3mL, 5 mL, and 7 mL per liter of drinking water, respectively. Results indicated that the birds that were given extract (T2, T3, T4) for the three weeks were fed significantly more diet, compared to the control treatment group (189.4 g vs. 159.6g) (P<0.05). Accordingly, the Body Weight (BW) of these birds recorded on days 28 (1232, 1252, 1300g) and 35 (1840, 1900, 1960g) were significantly higher, compared to the birds in the control treatment on days 28 (1147g) and 35 (1657g), respectively. On days 28 and 35, the birds in T2, T3, T4 treatment groups had significantly higher Body Weight Gain (BWG) (P<0.05), compared to the control group (G1). Improved Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was observed in the 5th week for the birds that were administrated MS extract (5 and 7mL /liter), compared to the control group (P<0.05). The total serum level of protein, phosphorus, and calcium was increased in birds in the treatment group T4 (7.5 g/dL). Moreover, lower cholesterol values and higher values of alkaline phosphatase were obtained in birds in the treatment groups T2, T 3, and T4 (P<0.05). On day 35, higher meat peroxidation was observed in the fresh samples (after 24 h of slaughtering) of birds receiving different levels of MS extract, compared to the birds in the control group. The obtained results revealed that 5-7 mL of MS extract can be considered a functional growth- promoter for commercial broilers, although further studies are needed to confirm MS as a growth promoter.

The relevance of the study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be explained by the persistence of unfavorable dynamics of the disease, even despite the achieved success in the pharmacotherapy of this pathology. In 2016, World Health Organization (WHO) ranked COPD as the third leading cause of death worldwide, far exceeding the experts’ predictions, who believed that such an increase in the death rate would occur by 2030. This study aimed to determine the level of senior medical students’ knowledge in the management of patients with COPD, based on the method of anonymous questioning. This research work describes the results of the second stage of the ASCO project (Assessment of Senior Medical Students in the Field of COPD) conducted in 2017-2019 among 338 senior medical students from six large cities of Russia and Ukraine. The survey revealed the average level of knowledge among senior medical students, based on the average level of correct answers (56.6%) obtained in the study. The best results were obtained for the questions about COPD risk factors, influenza vaccine prevention, and pneumococcal vaccine prevention in COPD patients. The worst results were recorded on the questions about the severity of COPD clinical symptoms, the choice of initial therapy for COPD with advanced symptoms, a high risk of exacerbations, and the moderate exacerbation of COPD. The obtained results indicated an insufficient level of students’ basic knowledge in questions regarding etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COPD.

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor associated with different diseases, claiming millions of lives annually. Smoking status has been studied for a long time and proved to be a major cause of smokers' decreased immunity. In the present pandemic COVID-19 disease, there was an unclear belief about the effect of smoking on patients with COVID-19. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on the sequelae of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study involved 200 COVID-19 patients (114 males and 86 females) aged 13-77 years. A number of 87 patients were smokers, and the rest of them were non-smokers. All patients underwent a comprehensive laboratory assessment and diagnosis by full medical history by the physicians. The results indicated a significant difference (P<0.001) between smokers and non-smokers in terms of hypertension, anticoagulant, steroid therapy, pulmonary lesion, oxygen saturation, and duration of disease. As an overall conclusion, it can be stated that COVID-19 is less severe in smokers and they require less intensive treatment.

Adult males are considered the main causes of infertility defects in the world; therefore, scientists are searching for factors that play a role in male fertility, such as kisspeptin, which acts as one of the master controllers and regulators of gonadotropin secretion from the hypothalamus in mammalian species. Furthermore, it has been shown that the kisspeptin receptor is mainly localized in the interstitial and germ cells of the testicles and has a role in the regulation of gonadal development and function. This study aimed to investigate the effect of kisspeptin on testicular degeneration syndrome induced by cadmium chloride in male Wistar rats and identify the best concentration of kisspeptin to cure this syndrome. A total of 40 male rats were divided into four equal groups of negative control (n=10) that was injected subcutaneously (SC) with normal saline solution twice a week for 42 days; positive control (n=10) that was intraperitoneally injected with cadmium chloride (1 mg/kg B.W., once a week for two weeks); T1 that was intraperitoneally injected with cadmium chloride (1 mg/kg B.W., once a week for two weeks), and after 14 days, 20 nmol/rat of kisspeptins were injected SC twice a week for 42 days in all animals; and T2 that was intraperitoneally injected with cadmium chloride (1 mg/kg B.W. once a week for two weeks), and after 14 days, 40 nmol/rat of kisspeptins were injected SC twice a week for 42 days in all animals. All animals were then euthanized after 42 days, and their testes were dissected for a histological study. The results of the present study confirmed that cadmium chloride affected the male testes and sperm parameters, while the administration of kisspeptin at doses of 20 and 40 nmol/rat (twice a week) by SC injection showed a significant effect in restoring the reproduction feature and histology of the rats' testicular tissue.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a clinical illness usually linked to a wide range of skin manifestations; however, skin, as the greatest organ in the body, has received little attention. As a result, this study aimed to detect the prevalence and pattern of non-infectious skin disorders among patients with diabetes. This study was carried out at the Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center, Basrah Province, Iraq, from September 2020 to September 2021. The data were collected from 347 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The exclusion criteria were patients with skin changes due to some medications, pregnancy, iatrogenic factors, skin infections, established hypo- or hyper-thyroidism, Cushing or adrenal insufficiency, pituitary disorders, end-stage renal impairment, malignancy, and established rheumatological disease and those who were on chemotherapy. Full dermatological examinations and screenings were performed under the supervision of a dermatologist expert and all clinically definable cutaneous lesions were recorded. The prevalence of skin lesions was estimated at 71.5% in patients. Pruritus, xerosis, acrochordon, diabetic dermopathy, acanthosis nigricans, and insulin-related lipohypertrophy were the commonest skin lesions reported among the patients. The occurrence of skin lesions in diabetic patients was proportional to the female gender, duration of disease, obesity, insulin therapy, and worse glycemic control. There was a broad spectrum of skin lesions in both T1DM and T2DM with corresponding prevalence.

In recent years, the consumption of milk and dairy products has dramatically increased in several parts of the world. Different livestock plays an essential role in global milk production. This study was designed to evaluate different chemical and physical components of milk in four groups of livestock, including cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats. To this end, 200 raw milk samples were collected from cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats (n=50) across Dhi-Qar Governorate, Iraq, for a period of one year (from 01.10.2018 to 01.06.2019). The findings showed sheep and buffalos’ milk samples had a significantly higher percentage of total solids (TS%), compared to cows and goats’ milk samples (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the TS% between sheep and buffalos’ milk samples. Furthermore, the mean TS% values in cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats’ milk samples were determined at 11.14%, 12.87%, 13.26%, and 11.33%, respectively. As for fat percentage (F%), buffalos’ milk samples had significantly higher F% (4.80%), compared to milk samples of cows, sheep, and goats (P<0.05). Additionally, sheep’s milk samples had significantly higher F% (P<0.05) than cows and goats’ milk samples determined at 2.78%, 4.20%, and 2.98%, respectively. The findings showed the percentage of solids not fat (SNF%) was significantly higher in sheep’s milk (8.97%), compared to milk samples of cows, buffalos, and goats (P<0.05). Additionally, it was found that the SNF% was significantly higher (P<0.05) in Buffalos’ milk samples, compared to cows and goats’ milk samples determined at 8.36%, 8.60%, and 8.35%, respectively. Moreover, the results revealed that the percentage of milk protein content in sheep’s milk was significantly higher than the cows, buffalos, and goats’ milk (P<0.05). Recorded data also showed no significant differences in the percentage of milk lactose among cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats’ milk samples (P<0.05). Furthermore, the findings illustrated that the percentage of milk ash (Ash%) in sheep’s milk samples was significantly higher than the cows, buffalos, as well as goats’ milk samples (P<0.05), and no significant differences were observed among cows, buffalos, and goats’ milk samples in the Ash% (P<0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences in the specific gravity among different milk samples (P<0.05). Finally, the results displayed no significant differences between cows and goats’ milk samples in all the studied traits (P<0.05).

Acinetobacter genus has various species that are widespread in different environments and can exist in non-living environment samples as well. Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is known to be one of the main causes of nosocomial infection. Few studies have examined the possibility of the presence of this opportunistic pathogen in non-living environment samples. In this study, A. baumannii strain cl-2 was isolated from dishwasher basket samples and it was identified by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing analysis. The present study also investigated the presence of some important genes responsible for toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems necessary for the resistance of this bacterium in improper environmental conditions. Additionally, attempts were made to study some essential virulence factors, such as hemolysin, lipase, protease, and lecithinase production, as well as biofilm formation and surface motility. The findings revealed that the isolate belongs to the A. baumannii strain cl-2. The isolate was deposed in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, (NCBI) and the data can be accessed via the NCBI accession number (MW642251). The results of screening the TA system by higBA, mazEF, and relBE genes showed the isolate did not contain these genes. The hemolysin toxin activity (phenotypic test) was performed by using the streaking and spot methods on blood agar. It was found that the A. baumannii strain cl-2 had the ability to hemolyze red blood cells and produce lecithinase and protease enzymes. Finally, it was revealed that the A. baumannii strain cl-2 had surface motility based on the concentric diffusion ring of growth observed on Luria Broth agar (0.3%). In conclusion, the isolates under study showed association patterns between their ability to produce hemolysin, lipase, lecithinase, as well as protease, and other virulence factors, including surface motility and biofilm formation.

Fungal diseases are the common cause of death in wild animals and birds of prey. This study was designed to investigate the development of fungal infections among wild birds in Denmark. In this study, fungal samples were isolated from such sources as Barn swallows' feathers, White stork, and birds of prey. The fungal species were isolated by direct culture of feathers on SD Agar with chloramphenicol and incubated at 28±2ºC. The fungal genomic DNA was isolated from each species, PCR reaction was performed, and the resulting fragments of the 18S rRNA DNA were sequenced and used for identification. A comparison between the resulting fragments was made to find out the percentage of similarity among the different fungal species. The multiple sequence alignment showed percentages of similarities ranging from 39% to 99%. To sum up, the 18S rRNA DNA sequence has been evolved dramatically even within the same species, while still conserved in others. It is a useful tool to be used for the identification of fungal species as it reduces time. Moreover, according to the results, there were no comprehensive high homology percentages among the species infecting the same bird.

Lice infestations or pediculosis occurs throughout the world and is caused by Pediculus humunus capitis (head louse), Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse), and Pthirus pubis (crab louse). This study was conducted within March-October 2020 and aimed to investigate the presence of human lice among 1,632 individuals from 225 families living at different economic and social levels in AL-Kut city, Iraq, and its suburbs (urban, rural, and slum areas). Data collection was performed on volunteer families by completing survey forms and visual examinations. The families were divided by the number of members into 10-15, 7-9, 4-6, and 3-2 persons, for which, the infestation rates were estimated at 24.2%, 21.4%, 12.5%, and 8.6%, respectively. Moreover, in this study, urban, rural, and slum areas were infected at 11.5%, 33.6%, and 21.6 %, respectively. The infestation appeared in all ages, and the higher and lowest rates were obtained for the age ranges of 3-17 and 18-40 years old (79.04% and 20.9%), respectively. Based on the results, the rates of infestation were 21.8% and 13.3% in females and males, respectively. The findings of this study showed that the infection rate of Pediculus humanus corporis among the subjects aged 4-24 years old was 11.0% and that of Pthirus pubis was 3.0% in the cases aging 14-32 years old. Due to the high infestation with ectoparasites in these areas and large families, it is highly important to create conditions for health and provide information to control and prevent infection.

Today, the production of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) has significantly increased. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the ELF-EMFs on the structure and function of the brain in male rhesus monkeys in terms of visual learning (VL), visual memory (VM), and visual working memory (VWM). To conduct the study, four monkeys were selected, of whom two monkeys were irradiated by 12-Hz ELF-EMFs with a magnitude of 0.7 microtesla, and two monkeys were tested without irradiation (control group). A blood sample was taken in three stages, namely pre- and post-irradiated and the recovery phases. Changes in the plasma levels of sodium, potassium, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were evaluated. Moreover, gene expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors was assessed. The anatomical change of the brain’s prefrontal area was measured by magnetic resonance imaging and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine LiteBox file. The abilities of VL, VM, and VWM significantly improved after the irradiation. Furthermore, the expression of the NMDA receptors gene and the plasma levels of sodium, potassium, and ACTH significantly enhanced after the irradiation. However, the prefrontal area was not significantly affected by the irradiation. No significant differences were observed in any of the studied factors in the control group. Our findings suggested that ELF-EMFs irradiation at 12 Hz positively affected VL and VWM. Consequently, 12-Hz ELF-EMFs irradiations can be widely applied to improve cognitive abilities in monkeys.