Archives of Razi Institute
Volume:77 Issue: 5, Sep-Oct 2022

Klebsiella spp. are gram-negative bacteria that are considered serious public health problems causing urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, pneumonia infections, and soft tissue infections. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) among clinical samples and determine their resistance against various antimicrobial medicines with molecular identification of K. oxytoca by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique using a specific sequence of pehX gene. A total of 250 clinical samples including throat, wound, and vaginal swabs were obtained. Participants were of both genders and different ages. The samples were streaked on the blood and MacConkey agars. Antibiotic sensitivity test was made by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. Molecular identification of K. oxytoca was performed for all isolates. Out of 250 clinical samples, K. oxytoca was reported in 32 (12.8%) cases. The highest prevalence was observed in 18(18%) cases of throat swabs, 16 (16%) cases of wound swabs, and 6 (6%) cases of vagina swabs. By the way, female cases were more affected 22 (14.5%) with K. oxytoca than male cases 10 (10.10%).  Infected participants aged 15-40 years were more affected with K. oxytoca (23, 12.73%) compared to patients aged 41-65 years (9, 9.67%). The highest resistance pattern of K. oxytoca was 100% against Augmentin, Ampicillin, Cephalothin, Piperacillin, and Rifampin on one hand, and 62.50%, 59.37%, 53.12%, 53.12%, and 50% against Ceftazidime, Cefixime, Cefotaxime, Trimethoprim, and Aztreonam on the other hand, respectively. The highest sensitivity was observed against Amikacin and Imipenem (9.37%) and it was 21.87%, 21.87%, 25%, 25%, 28.12%, 28.12%, and 28.12% against Meropenem, Chloramphenicol, Nalidixic acid, Ciprofloxacin, Tobramycin, Gentamicin, and Doxycycline, respectively. Through molecular identification of K. oxytoca, all isolates showed a PCR product with 344-bp specific primer (pehX) that performed the K. oxytoca.

COVID-19 caused a serious threat to the world population as it spread worldwide rapidly. Existing medicines and vaccines could not cure and control this deadly disease. In this regard, several vaccines have been proposed and designed to control this infection's spread effectively. Along with these vaccines, the general population should adopt specific lifestyle interventions to strengthen their immune system and combat deadly viruses. We used Google Scholar and PubMed databases to find the related information using key terms such as ‘COVID-19’, ‘COVID-19 AND Vaccine efficacy’, ‘Lifestyle intervention AND COVID-19’, and "Lifestyle intervention AND Vaccines," etc. Only articles that discussed the interactions between lifestyle intervention and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines were selected for this study. Several previous clinical trials and scientific observations with influenza, polio, and other viral vaccines have demonstrated that vaccine response varies across individuals for antibody titer, independent of vaccine antigenicity. This different vaccine response observed among individuals is attributed to several factors such as dietary and nutritional habits, physical activity, stress and sleep deprivation, deficiency of micronutrients (minerals, vitamins), gut microbiota composition, immunosenescence, smoking, and drinking habits. Although there is not much information about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and lifestyle interventions, experience with other vaccines can undoubtedly be used to suggest lifestyle interventions to improve COVID-19 vaccine efficacy. These lifestyle interventions may boost antibody responses against COVID-19 vaccines, leading to higher protection from the disease, especially among elderly and immunocompromised people. In conclusion, the present review attempts to understand the role of various nutritional and psychological factors that lead to poor vaccine response and suggests specific nutritional and psychological interventions that can enhance vaccine efficacy and improve immune response against COVID-19 vaccines.

Chronic periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the dental plaque and affects the soft tissues supporting the tooth. It is one of the most practical oral health issues across the globe and adversely affects the quality of life. In a neutrophil-mediated action, the inflammatory response to periodontitis destroys the periodontal ligaments, gums, the alveolar bone, and the cementum. Some of the most associated invasive pathogens with periodontitis are Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetecomitans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Google Scholar and PubMed were used to search the evidence using key terms like 'periodontitis,' 'Porphyromonas gingivalis,' 'Oral Dysbiosis and Periodontitis,' ‘Porphyromonas gingivalis and Periodontitis,' etc. Only studies were included reviewing the Porphyromonas gingivalis and its role in periodontitis. It has been observed from several oral pathogens that P. gingivalis has received immense attention due to a strong association between Porphyromonas gingivalis and periodontal disease. Porphyromonas gingivalis also disrupts the delicate balance between various members of the oral microbial communities and promotes oral dysbiosis. The dysbiotic state of the oral microbiome is distinct in functional capabilities and shows a higher expression of genes involved in lipopolysaccharide synthesis, energy regulation, and bacterial motility. Certain virulence factors such as gingipains, LPS, and fimbriae also increase the invasion and pathogenicity of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Its presence in the periodontal tissues increases the secretion of numerous pro-inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-1β, leading to the destruction of soft gingival tissues and ligaments. Early detection of periodontitis and immediate treatment can prevent soft tissue destruction and dentition loss. In conclusion, details about the oral microbiome, oral dysbiosis, and inflammation may offer new therapeutic options in the future, including a personalized approach and the use of combination therapy.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disorder linked to several genetic disorders. Over the last decade, advancements in genetic association studies have resulted in the identification of at least 75 distinct genetic loci associated with T2DM, allowing for a better understanding of the genetic architecture of this disease. Recently, there has been a positive association between the prevalence of oral fungal infection and T2DM. The current study aimed to assess the effect of single nucleotide polymorphism in IL23R (rs1884444) on oral fungal infection and the distribution of alleles in T2DM patients compared to healthy controls. A total of 150 specimens, including oral swabs and whole blood samples, were collected from the Endocrinology and Diabetes Center in Baghdad. Oral swabs were collected via AIMS transport media. Routine tests and the Vitek 2 system carried out fungal identification; moreover, the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was used for molecular detection. The findings revealed that the O blood group was positively associated with T2DM and oral fungal infection. Moreover, the TT genotype for IL23R SNP (rs1884444G/T) increased significantly in patients, as compared to that in healthy control. Furthermore, the T allele was increased in patients suffering from T2DM (P<0.001). The GT and TT were more frequent in oral fungal infection in patients with T2DM. The TT and T alleles were positively associated with the risk of developing T2DM. Moreover, GT and TT were associated with oral fungal infection and T2DM.

in vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered to be the most important reproductive biotechnological method having great potential to accelerate genetic improvement in ruminants as well as for research on embryonic development. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of culture medium and the addition of natural and synthetic antioxidants on in vitro maturation (IVM), fertilization (IVF), and culture (IVC) in local Iraqi ewes. A total of 304 reproductive systems of local ewes were collected from a slaughterhouse in Fallujah, Anbar Province, Iraq from 3, January to 1, July 2021. The study was conducted in the Reproductive Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Fallujah, Iraq. A total of 1368 oocytes were recovered from 608 ovaries surrounded by cumulus cells. The method of collection was aspiration and oocytes were divided into eight treatments. The first (T1), the second (T2), the third (T3), the fourth (T4), the fifth (T5), the sixth (T6), the seventh (T7), and the eighth (T8) treatments were MEM + Capparis spinosa extract 50µmol, MEM + Silymarin extract 100µmol, MEM + Coenzyme Q10 5 µmol, MEM only serves as a control, DMEM + Capparis spinosa extract 50 µmol, DMEM + Silymarin extract 100µmol, DMEM + Coenzyme Q10 5µmol and DMEM only serves as a control, respectively. The results indicated a significant difference (P≤0.05) between T5 (DMEM + Capparis spinosa extract) and other controls or treatments. Cultural medium DMEM with Capparis spinosa extract (as an antioxidant) presents the best results in the morula and blastocyst stage.

The present study aimed to investigate some microbial infections and immunological parameters associated with Covid-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Al-Amal Specialized Hospital in AL-Najaf Governorate during February and March 2021. The study included 50 patients who were assigned to two groups: 20 patients aged ≤70 years and 30 patients aged ≥70 years. The method of microbial culture was adopted to isolate bacteria and yeasts by collecting sputum specimens and oral swabs from patients and cultivating them on diagnostic media and then confirming the diagnosis by Vitek. Moreover, serum samples were collected from patients’ blood to diagnose fungal infections. Thereafter, some immunological criteria were assessed, including Covid-19 diagnosis by measuring Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, as well as examining the concentration of cytokines (Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IF ) using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The results demonstrated that bacterial species Streptococcus pneumonia (n=5; 25%), Haemophilus Influenzae (n=7; 35%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (n=3; 15%) were isolated from the first group of patients (≤70 years). The recorded data pointed out that Streptococcus pneumonia (n=10; 33.3%), Streptococcus pyogenes (n=5; 16.6%), Streptococcus viridans (n=1; 3.3%), Haemophilus Influenzae (n=6; 20%), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n=2; 6.6%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=2; 6.6%) were the isolated and identified microorganisms in the second age group (≥ 70 years). The results revealed that the isolated yeast from the first age group was Candida albicans (n=5; 25%) and Candida glabrata (n=3; 10%), while in the second age group, 1 (3.3%) Candida albicans was isolated. The results of this study proved that 30% and 10% of patients in the first and second age groups had invasive pulmonary aspergillosis co-infection by detecting Galactomannan (GM) in the blood serum (1.05±0.59, 1.25±0.38), respectively. The results indicated that IgM and IgG levels in the serum of patients in the first age group were 11.42±6.82 and 0.47±6.82, respectively. Moreover, the levels of IgM and IgG in the second age group were 14.84±9.21 and 0.12±0.11, respectively. Furthermore, IFɤ and IL6 levels were 98.37±65.70, and 146.12±46.35 in the first group, while IFɤ and IL6 were obtained at 110.69±47.60 and 133.28±116.94 in the second group, respectively. Elderly patients with severe COVID-19 are more frequently admitted to ICUs since the proportion of severe cases and comorbidities caused by a weakened immune system is higher among this age group. Secondary bacterial infections can also occur, especially Gram-negative bacteria which are among the most significant public health problems worldwide. Moroever, aspergillosis may infect patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and lead to death.

Brucellosis is an important contagious disease affecting most domestic and mature animals. Since the impact of IL-1β in B. abortus invasion and survival remains elusive, the current study sought to elucidate the actual roles of these potent cytokines in the modulation of the initial immune response to Brucella infection. Therefore, this study aimed to detect Brucella abortus in the placenta of aborted women and cows and estimate the expression of the interleukin 1β (IL1β) gene associated with immune response mechanisms to Brucella abortus infection. The detection of Brucella abortus was performed by Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction based AlkB gene (AlkB-PCR) in the sera and placenta samples of aborted women and cows, respectively. The overall percentage of Brucella abortus infection was 13.1% and 5% as determined by RBT and AlkB-PCR in aborted women’s sera and placentas, respectively. On the other hand, the overall percentage rates of Brucella abortus infection in the sera and placentas from aborted cows were 30% and 11% as estimated by RBT and AlkB-PCR, respectively. The results of RBT demonstrated that the association between Brucella abortus and abortion in cows was statistically significant. On the other hand, it was found that the association between Brucella abortus and abortion in women was not significant. Moreover, according to the results of AlkB-based PCR, the association between Brucella abortus and abortion was statistically significant in aborted cows, while it was not significant in aborted women. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of RBT were calculated as 60.00, 53.85, and 54.55%, respectively. Moreover, positive and negative predictive values were reported as 14.33% and 91.28%, respectively. Regarding RBT for aborted cows, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the test were 81.82%, 57.78%, and 62.49%, respectively. The positive predictive value was reported as 32.08%, while the negative predictive value was reported as 92.88%. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was carried out for the evaluation of Interleukin 1 Beta (IL1β) gene expression. The qPCR result was presented as a fold change in gene expression. A significant increment of IL1β gene expression was observed in aborted women (114.905±99.661) and cows (22.454 ±18.528), compared to non-aborted women (4.953±5.564) and cows (2.033±1.845). Statistical comparison of IL1β gene expression between aborted women and cows illustrated a non-significant increment in IL1β gene expression in aborted women (114.905±99.661), compared to aborted cows (22.454 ±18.528).

Saliva is one of the most significant components in maintaining oral homeostasis and symbiosis. It contains antimicrobial proteins and peptides, such as mucins, lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, Catherine, statins, and antibodies (secretory immunoglobin A [sIgA]). Early defenses against respiratory infections rely heavily on mucosal immunity, especially secretory sIgA, which has several features and functions that make it suitable for mucosal defense. Salivary testing has been utilized to define mucosal immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Lysozyme has muramidase, with antimicrobial activity, and high concentrations in body fluids, such as saliva and tear. This research aimed to offer an update on how saliva components suppress viral infection and sustain health. A total of 50 individuals, including 30 SARS-2 patients and 20 non-infected subjects, in the age range of 32-54 years were enrolled in this study. Saliva specimens were obtained from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and non-infected participants. To collect saliva, the subjects were advised to swirl water over their lips three times, and 5.0 ml of saliva was collected. Samples were centrifuged at 800 x g for 10 min. Saliva was diluted at 1:2,000 with 1 × Diluent N. The immunoglobulin A (IgA) titer in saliva was detected. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the solution's change in absorbance at 550 nm. Measurements (salivary IgA and lysozyme) were made after 7, 30, and 60 days of confirmatory PCR COVID-19 test. The mean scores of salivary IgA levels were obtained at 17.85, 15.26, and 10.73 mg/dl in patients and 9.53, 10.33, and 9.21 mg/dl in healthy individuals after 7, 30, and 60 days, respectively. The salivary lysozyme activity levels in SARS-2 patients compared to controls were 9.7, 7.3, and 4.2 mg/dl versus 2.9, 3.4, and 3.77 mg/dl, respectively. The salivary IgA level was significantly higher in patients of a confirmatory test for COVID-19 compared to healthy individuals.

Cross-sectional studies have linked vitamin D deficiency and alteration of calcium levels to an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. This study investigated a possible correlation between blood vitamin D and calcium levels with insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction in type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, and healthy individuals. This cross-sectional study involved 300 participants. Participants were divided into three groups (n=100), type 2diabetic, prediabetic, and healthy. In order to measure insulin resistance and β –cell function, the HOMA IR and HOMA B were assessed, respectively. Also, the other parameters such as serum 25(OH)D, blood insulin (FPI), glucose (FBS), HbA1c, and calcium were assessed in this study. In simple regression analysis, a high vitamin D level is linked to lower levels of FBS, HbA1c, Insulin, and HOMA IR, and higher levels of HOMA B. Calcium has a positive connection with FBS and HbA1c and a negative connection with insulin level and HOMAB. Hypovitaminosis D may substantially influence diabetes patients' glycemic dysregulation. "An increased incidence of type 2 diabetes has been related to a disruption in calcium homeostasis. All in all an increament in calcium levels may have a role in developing type 2 diabetes".

Salmonella causes zoonotic diseases in humans and many animal species. The bacteria could be spread through fecal-oral transmission and consumption of raw contaminated animal products. Despite the activities which are carried out for the prevention of salmonellosis, it causes economic losses. This study aimed to prepare immunomagnetic beads to separate the Salmonella bacteria from experimentally polluted milk samples. The antibodies were purified from the rabbit's hyperimmune sera and coupled to the Fe nanoparticles using diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) as a linker. The synthesized particles were analyzed using electron microscopy. The limit of bacterial detection by using the immunomagnetic beads coupled with bacterial culture were tested in experimentally contaminated cow milk with Salmonella. The separated bacteria were identified by using bacterial culture and biochemical tests. Using immunomagnetic beads (IMB), the Salmonella bacteria were removed from milk samples, concentrated in sterilized PBS, and cultured in nutrient agar media. The conventional culture method detected the bacteria in samples polluted with at least 3×104 CFU/mL bacteria; however, isolated bacteria were separated from milk samples using IMB and defined on bacterial culture media. The 3 CFU/mL of S. Typhimurium were detected in experimentally polluted milk samples using the current immunomagnetic-culture method. The results suggested using the IMB-bacterial culture instead of the conventional culture method.

Infectious bronchitis (IB) disease, avian Infectious Bronchitis disease in one of the major cause of respiratory problems and economic loss in poultry industry, even in developed countries with good biosecurity practice. Since the first isolation of the virus in 1931, a lot of serotypes and genotypes of the virus have been reported around the world. The GI-1 lineage, including Massachusetts (Mass) serotype viruses, is one of the most widely spread types worldwide. Moreover, the GI-23 lineage with a growing incidence rate was reported approximately 20 years ago in the Middle East, with no or little homologues vaccine use. The genotype was previously restricted to the Middle East; now, there is evidence that it has spread to European countries, raising concerns regarding potential outbreaks. In the present study, our attempt was to phylogenetically analyze the S1 gene of six isolates from Massachusetts and variant 2 genotypes, which were isolated from broiler and broiler breeder flocks in Iran. The variant 2 viruses were compared to other reported variant 2 viruses from neighboring countries and they had more than 98% identity with the latest reported Iranian variant 2. In addition, Three Mass type viruses were similar to vaccine strains which may be shows continuous circulation of vaccine viruses in the field. This event can cause increasing the risk of their mutation or even reversion to virulence after several passages in natural host, furthermore circulating viruses may recombinant with virulent field viruses and cause emergence of new variants. Considering the variable nature of IB viruses in which few changes lead to important differences, continuous epidemiological surveillance along with clinical studies of new isolates, are crucial to a better understanding of their pathogenicity and subsequent disease control.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpes virus-1 (BHV-1) have been known as the major pathogens with significant economic consequences on the cattle industry worldwide, including in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, the seroprevalences of BVDV and BHV-1 and their associated risk factors were investigated in dairy cattle farms of Fars province, Iran, where with 0.4 million head of cattle, mainly crossbred, is ranked the first in cow population in southern Iran. A total number of 420 cattle in 18 herds were randomly selected from three geographical regions (140 samples from each of the north, central, and south regions) and their serum samples were analyzed to detect antibodies to these viruses using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were employed to investigate associations between risk factors and the seroprevalence of viruses. The overall seroprevalence rates for BVDV and BHV-1 were estimated at 91.67% and 77.87% at the herd level and 55.48% and 39.76% at the animal level, respectively. The only significant factor associated with the seroprevalence of both viruses at the herd level was found to be the literacy level of farmers (P<0.05). The significant risk factors for both viruses in cattle were identified as geographical region, age, and breeding method by the univariate analysis (P<0.05), while gender and farming system were determined as risk factors only for BHV-1 (P<0.001). A significant relationship of concurrent infection with BVDV and BHV-1 (φ=0.268, P<0.001) was recorded, and 28.6% of sera had antibodies to both viruses. The results of the present study demonstrated that BVDV and BHV-1 had a wide distribution in dairy cattle herds in southern Iran and highlighted the need for intensive surveillance and control strategies to reduce the risk of the spread of these viruses.

The selection of suitable cell cultures for use in the biological industry as well as research and diagnostic studies is critical. One of the factors affecting cell culture that can affect the results of studies is the contamination with viral agents. Therefore, efforts to preserve the health of cell cultures from contamination sound logical, and the use of virus-free cells is vital in research and diagnostic studies as well as in the manufacturing industries. For this purpose, it is crucial to use fast and correct diagnostic methods to detect the presence of critical viral contaminants in cells. Moreover, the use of susceptible diagnostic methods is also doubly important, especially in the case of contaminants that may remain hidden. Therefore, in this study, the BHK-21C5 cell line, one of the most widely used cells in the production and quality control of biological products and virological studies, was examined in terms of contamination with the most important viruses such as BVD and BLV. Detection of possible contaminants by using two-step RT-PCR to detect the 5ʹ UTR portion of the BVD virus. Moreover, Nested PCR was carried out to detect the BLV virus using the gp51 env gene region. Also, an Flk cell line and Hela cell line that were consistently contaminated with the BLV virus were used as positive controls in Nested PCR. Due to the absence of bands in the BHK-21C5 cell column and the bandwidth observed in the positive control column (BVDV) in the range of 283 bp, non-contaminating of the cell clone with the BVD virus was proved. Also, no band was observed in well related to BHK-21C5 cell, and no cell clone contamination with BLV was confirmed, and in wells related to the positive controls (Flk and Hela cells), the bands have seen in the range 444bp. So, the results showed that no obvious or covert viral contamination effect was observed in the cell clone studied. Hence, the use of this cell line seems unobstructed in the quality control and production of biological products and research and diagnostic studies.

Preliminary findings indicate that patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at additional risk of infecting with COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is associated with increased mortality in these patients. Hyperglycemia can affect inflammatory and immune responses, which leads patients to severe COVID-19 consequences. The present study investigated risk factors for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with DM in Najaf, Iraq. 127 patients with positive PCR tests were selected from Al-Hakeem Hospital and Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital. Demographic characteristics and laboratory data were collected to compare patients with and without DM. Chi-squared test followed by odds ratio calculations were used to investigate the risk factors associated with hospitalization of COVID-19 patients with or without DM in the ICU and RCU. Analysis of the relationship between risk factors indicated that age above 65 years, high BMI, hypertension, respiratory rate> 24 BPM, CVD, blood sugar> 180 mg/dl, D-dimer> 1000, ALT> 50 and AST> 40 U/L were independent risk factors for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with DM (P≤0.05). Therefore, investigating these factors may detect the risk of infection with COVID-19 in patients with DM in advance. Physicians should further consider risk factors to discover a targeted intervention to improve clinical efficacy.

Broiler chickens are reared in relatively dense colonies or flocks under intensive production environments to reach opportunities for financial efficiency. A plethora of variables, including overcrowding, immunization, and transportation, can cause serious stress. This study aimed to determine changes in the productive and physiological performance of broiler chickens (Rose 308) after adding different concentrations of the probiotic liquid Bacillus subtitles (B. subtitles)  to their diet. A total of 120 birds of the hatching age (Ross 308) were divided into four groups, each of which had three replicates. Each repetition included 10 birds the experiment lasted for five weeks after it commenced. The implementation of the diets was as follows: the control group received a regular diet without probiotic, and the probiotic-treated groups were supplemented with different concentrations of B. subtilis BSW equal to 1×104, 1×106, and 1×108 CFU/gm diet. At the end of the trial, the results indicated a significant improvement in both the live body weight and the efficiency of feed conversion when adding different levels of probiotics to the broilers diet. Furthermore, the findings showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in the total serum protein, serum albumin, and serum globulin for the treated groups, compared to the control group at the age of five weeks. It is concluded that the dietary supplementation of B. subtilis BSW to the diet of broilers significantly improved their growth performance, in comparison with the control group. Instead, the treated groups exhibited a substantial increase in the total serum protein, serum albumin, and serum globulin, as compared to the control group. These findings suggest that B. subtilis BSW strain possesses probiotic properties, making it a suitable supplement for the poultry diet.

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years old in developing countries. The classification of diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) strains among children with diarrhea is still receiving low attention. The present study aimed at determining the prevalence of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) among children under 5 years old suffering from acute diarrhea. Stool samples (n=100) were collected from children under 5 years old suffering from acute diarrhea for the molecular detection of EHEC (using stx1 and stx2) and EAEC (using aat) by polymerase chain reaction technique. The results showed a high percentage of isolation of EHEC from stool samples, in compression to EAEC; accordingly, among 75 identified DEC isolates, 15.9% belonged to EHEC, while 5.3% belonged to EAEC. Among EHEC, stx1 was highly prevalent among isolates (9.3%), in comparison to stx2 (6.6%). A high frequency of EHEC was detected in males in the age group of 7-12 months, whereas EAEC was found in females in the age group of 13-19 months. In conclusion, EHEC and EAEC were associated with bloody and watery diarrhea among children under 5 years old. Genes associated with virulence factors (i.e., stx1, stx2, and aat) could be used as genetic markers for the detection of EHAE and EAEC.

Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most common types of neoplasms in women and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Adnexal masses are classified as simple or complicated and can be benign or malignant. No single biomarker has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for detecting early ovarian cancer. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the influence of using two biomarkers as a tool for diagnosis in patients with an adnexal mass. This prospective case-control study was carried out on female patients diagnosed by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging with adnexal masses and scheduled for surgery and healthy women as a control group (n=50 each). The patients were in the age range of 16-80 years old and had attended the surgical rooms of Basrah hospitals, Basrah, Iraq, from January to July 2021. The levels of serum biomarkers were quantitatively assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum concentration of the human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) biomarker exhibited significant differences between females with adnexal mass and healthy women. There was no significant association between neither the patient’s age nor the menopausal state and the serum level of HE4. The serum level of HE4 had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 66% as a serum marker for the presence of adnexal mass with a positive predictive value of 73% and a negative predictive value of 89%. In this study, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) had a sensitivity of 30% and specificity of 64% in determining patients with adnexal mass pathology. It was found that the level of IL-6 was similar in all patients, compared to that in the control group. The median levels of serum HE4 showed high value in patients in the age groups of 21-40, 41-50, and >50 than in the control group; however, it was not statistically different (P=0.413). Human epididymis protein 4 was the top biomarker representing a higher concentration in adnexal mass; moreover, it demonstrated the highest performance in all samples with Adnexal mass. The results of our study showed that combining more than one marker measurement increased both the sensitivity and specificity of distinguishing patients with adnexal mass pathology.

Skin wound healing, especially in diabetic patients, has been a major medical challenge for decades. In the meantime, the use of traditional medicine has always been questioned. Propolis) resin and wax (is one of the most likely solutions to this problem. The present study aimed to establish an animal model for healing skin wounds and diabetic ulcers. To this aim, rats were randomly allocated into two healthy and diabetic groups (50 mg/kg streptozotocin resulted in diabetes with high BSL to 300 mg/dL), which were divided into four subgroups. The 7 mm full-thickness skin wounds were created on the abdomen region in 80 male Wistar rats using paunch. In the subgroups, the wounds were cleaned with normal 0.9% saline as the control subgroup and dressed with Eucerit, 1.5% honey+eucerit, and 3% propolis +1.5% honey+eucerit, once daily for 14 days in other subgroups, respectively. On days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after the intervention, wound and area contractions were calculated using digital photographs measurement. The histopathological and semi-quantitative studies were performed on days 7 and 14 after wounds creation. The microscopic findings demonstrated that the granulation tissue, fibroblasts, re-epithelization, and angiogenesis increased (P≤0.05) in the subgroups treated by propolis and honey combination in healthy and diabetic rats within 7 and 14 days post-injury. Also, less inflammation and a significant reduction in wound contraction were observed in the same subgroups on days 3, 5, and 7 compared to other subgroups (P≤0.05). The results indicated that significant healing quality and acceleration were affected by propolis and honey compared to other subgroups on days 3 and 5 (P≤0.05).

Mastitis is a condition in which the mammary tissue becomes inflamed. Changes in color and the appearance of clots, as well as increases in cell counts in the milk, are all indicators of inflammation.  Mastitis is a common occurrence in cows as a result of inframammary infections. The present study aimed to find out how often nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) mastitis occurs and how hp65 affects Interleukin (IL) 6 concentrations. The findings of the Modified Whiteside Test (MWT) on the milk samples from 70 cows, 50 sheep, and 30 goats revealed that 82.9%, 76.7%, and 46.7% of milk samples from cows, sheep, and goats were positive, respectively. This test demonstrated a range of positive milk sample MWT reactions, and the difference among the current positivity score results was statistically significant (P<0.05). The presence of NTM in analyzed milk samples from cows and sheep was confirmed by hsp65-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing, with significant differences (P<0.05) in 71.4% and 20% of milk samples from cows and sheep, respectively. The PCR detection of the NTM hsp65 gene in fecal samples from cows, sheep, and goats indicated that cows (80%) had the highest proportion of NTM hsp65 gene amplification, followed by goats (70%), while sheep fecal samples had the lowest amount (22%). The difference among the positive NTM hsp65-based PCR was statistically significant (P<0.05). The phylogenetic tree and sequence analysis of the hsp65 gene revealed two novel variant NTM hsp65 genes that were deposited in Gene Bank (GenBank acc. LC636294 and LC636295). The current examined NTM Hsp65 Mycobacterium sequences which were included in the Mycobacterium avium clade in the currently produced tree ELISA detection of IL6 concentration in cow's milk revealed that IL-6 concentration in mastitis milk was varied. The mean of IL-6 concentration in cow's mastitis milk with MWT scores (+++ve) and mean of IL6 concentration in each MWT scores (++ve), MWT scores (+ve), and -ve MWT cow's milk had a highly significant difference (P<0.001).

Vitamin D or calciferol is a fat-soluble vitamin that has a unique feature of synthesizing in the body mainly by exposure to UV from the sunlight and then transformed to 25 (OH) D by the liver and finally to a vital form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D by the kidneys. Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism (FokI-rs2228570) has been proposed as the major cause of anemia. The present study aimed to discover the association between vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism (FokI-rs2228570) in patients with anemia. A total of 120 men with anemia and no kidney disorders have been compared with 60 healthy controls in the present case-control study. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) FokI-rs2228570 was detected by PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques. Levels of serum vitamin D, erythropoietin, and some biochemical parameters were detected by the ELISA assay technique. The mutant homozygous genotype ff was more frequent in patients with anemia (45%) than in the controls (15%). Also, the frequency of the f allele was associated with a significant decrease in the levels of vitamin D and hemoglobin in patients (0.62%); therefore, the mutant allele is a risk factor for developing anemia compared with genetic patterns FF and Ff. Vitamin D deficiency is common in those with anemia which is often associated with low hemoglobin and high levels of erythropoietin. Additionally, the genetic frequencies also affect the level of vitamin D which is indicated by low levels of mutant patterns (Ff, ff) in which patients suffer from severe anemia.

Subfertility significantly affects couples and their families and challenges obstetrics and gynecologists with long-term treatment. Leptin has been widely studied in different types of infertility. However, the results of previous studies are contradictory and the role of leptin is still debated in the reproductive process. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum leptin concentration and some reproductive hormones and endometrial thickness in women with primary subfertility. The present case-control study was conducted from December 2020 to July 2021. A total of 100 women with primary subfertility and 100 fertile women participated in this study as a control group. Blood samples were collected and ultrasonography examinations were performed on all patients. The recorded data indicated that the mean leptin level was higher in women with subfertility compared to that of the control group, 26.8±15.2 ng/mL and 6.4±2.3 ng/mL, respectively (P<0.001). Leptin level significantly increased with a higher body mass index (P<0.001). Leptin at a level of 11 ng/ml or higher is a significant predictor of infertility (odds ratio=2.793). Leptin levels showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 96%, 98%, and 96.9%, respectively as predictors of subfertility. As a result, a high leptin level was a strong and valid predictor of subfertility.

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus, affecting wild and domestic cats. Feline infectious peritonitis viruses (FIPV) variants of FCoV cause fatal peritonitis affecting approximately 5% of FCoV infected animals. The present study aimed to detect and isolate the feline infectious peritonitis virus for the first time in Iraq. In this study, 50 samples (fecal swab and peritoneal fluid) were collected from suspected pet cats from different areas of Baghdad, Iraq. The very suitable age was under two years old.  Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) was used to detect Feline infectious peritonitis in infected collected samples by the amplification of spike protein (S). The result of real-time RT-PCR revealed that out of 50 samples from suspected cats, 10 samples were positive for FIPV. Moreover, 10 positive samples by real-time RT-PCR were used for the isolation of the virus in chicken embryo fibroblast cell culture. Subsequently, the isolated virus was detected by real-time RT-PCR and then by conventional RT-PCR, followed by electrophoresis.

The cornea, the transparent part of the eye, performs a significant function in eyesight by refracting the light to focus a visual image. Since the cornea is indispensable for vision, corneal inflammation may induce visual disturbance and blindness. Several investigations have reported that various corneal inflammatory diseases cause visual impairment and chronic inflammation of the cornea, which can lead to blindness. The present study aimed to assess the effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) on corneal healing after alkali injuries. Corneal alkali injuries were induced in the eyes of 20 rabbits. The MSC group (n=10) was treated with subconjunctival injections, while the control group (n=10) was left without any treatment. Rabbits underwent slit-lamp examination and photography and were evaluated for corneal neovascularization. Based on the histological evaluation, the eyes treated with MSCs showed better recovery. Furthermore, the MSC and control groups were significantly different in the degree of corneal neovascularization and re-epithelialization, as well as the elevation of the neovascular tissue at two and four weeks post-surgery.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a ubiquitous opportunistic organism that is hard to treat. This study aimed to investigate the association of blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaNDM prevalence with Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) in P. aeruginosa. To this end, 27 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were obtained from different hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq. The phenotypic detection of carbapenem and biofilm assays was performed by the M63 minimal medium, supplemented with glucose, magnesium sulfate. The polymerase chain reaction was utilized to detect carbapenem genes. The results showed that the isolates were highly resistant to Imipenem (37%) and Meropenem (63%). Imipenem (37%) and Meropenem (63%) demonstrated a moderate sensitivity against P. aeruginosa. The P. aeruginosa No.5 showed high resistance to carbapenem by blaVIM+, blaIMP+, and blaNDM+, followed by a robust biofilm confirmed with c-di-GMP levels and the twitching motility ability. Upon these findings, the use of antibiotics should be restricted to severe bacterial infections to avoid the rapid emergence of new resistant isolates, which leads to the hard treatment of infection with P. aeruginosa. It is highly recommended that these findings be notified for infectious control. Future studies can investigate the link between transferable resistant genes and c-di-GMP values.

Preeclampsia is one of the challenges associated with mother and baby health. Preeclampsia and atherosclerosis share certain similarities. Atherosclerosis has been previously linked to chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. This investigation aimed to establish the role of chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae in the development and onset of preeclampsia. The research was conducted from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. The study included 140 pregnant women divided into two groups: 70 women with early and late-onset preeclampsia and 70 women with late-onset preeclampsia. Group I (early-onset preeclampsia) included 35 singleton pregnant women who developed preeclampsia after 34 weeks with blood pressure>140/90 and proteinuria>1. Late-onset preeclampsia (group II) consisted of 35 singleton pregnant women who developed clinical preeclampsia after 34 weeks of pregnancy, with blood pressure>140/90 and proteinuria +1, and 70 healthy term pregnant women without complications who acted as the control group (Group III). Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) analyzers were utilized to measure serum Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG levels in all study groups. Women with early-onset preeclampsia had the highest median Chlamydia pneumonia IgG level, 0.3 U/ml, compared to 0.09 U/ml for women with late-onset preeclampsia and 0.19U/ml for healthy term pregnant women without complications; these differences were statistically significant (P=0.001). This study found that the IgG titer for Chlamydia pneumoniae was higher in early-onset preeclampsia than in late-onset preeclampsia and in healthy term pregnancy without complications. This substantial increase was a direct result of the onset of preeclampsia. This provided evidence for the pathophysiological connection between preeclampsia and the reactivation of a chronic or latent infection.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune, persistent, inflammatory skin illness that is influenced by a variety of circumstances. Psoriasis etiology is strongly linked to bacteria, particularly those in the pharynx and skin. This research intended to deepen our understanding by elucidating the connection between the skin microbiome and psoriasis to improve therapeutic balance using probiotics, antimicrobials, and even topical microbiota transplantation. In this work, the culture-dependent approach is utilized to compare the skin microbiomes of psoriatic and healthy individuals. On brane-heart infusion agar, swabs from 60 psoriasis patients in the flare-up stag and 40 healthy controls were cultured and grown for 48 hours. The resultant colonies were then subcultured and purified to produce a single pure colony. Using Macconkey agar for preliminary colony identification, Vitek then characterized the purified colonies. The results revealed substantial bacterial species and phyla variations between psoriatic patients and healthy controls. In addition, increased rates of opportunistic infections Pseudomonas stutzeri and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were detected in psoriatic patients' normal skin and lesions.

Salmonella species (spp.) are a major source of diarrheal diseases everywhere and one of the most dangerous foodborne bacteria. The present study aimed to detect the occurrence of the most important virulence genes in Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) among bacteria isolated from stool in Baghdad hospitals, Iraq. In total, 50 swab stool samples were collected from patients suffering from food poisoning, attending to different hospitals in Baghdad. The isolates were identified using morphological tests and were confirmed by the Vitek-2 system (BioMe´rieux, France). A genomic DNA kit (Qiagen, Germany) was utilized to extract DNA from the isolates. Molecular detection of five virulence genes, including invA, papC, spvC, stn, and fimH, was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Out of 50 swab samples, 40% (20 samples) were confirmed as S. enterica. Moreover, the prevalence of virulence genes determined by the PCR demonstrated that all 20 S. enterica isolates carried at least one gene from those associated with biofilm formation. The invA, stn, and fimH were the most predominant genes existing in all 20 S. enterica isolates. The prevalence of papC and spvC virulence genes was 75% (15 out of 20) and 65% (13 out of 20), respectively. The current data support the occurrence of Salmonella spp. exhibiting a broad range of virulence genes in stool samples from patients who had food poisoning, which indeed makes these bacteria a significant threat to public health.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most acute parasitic and zoonotic infections, which causes severe economic losses in animals due to abortion and reproductive problems worldwide. Therefore, this study was conducted in Baghdad province to detect the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis in blood and milk samples of 384 adult female goats using the serological indirect-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) and the molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The positive iELISA results were 20.57% in sera and 5.99% in milk samples. Regarding cross-classification results, the iELISA results revealed that 5.73% of goats were positive by testing both sera and milk samples, 14.32% and 0.26% were positive for testing sera and milk only, respectively, and 79.69% were negative by testing sera and milk. Targeting the B1 gene, the total positive results of the PCR assay showed that 13.92% and 30.43% of blood and milk samples, respectively, were positive at 546bp. Concerning cross-classification results, the total positive goats by testing of both sera and milk was 8.86%, while 5.06% of goats were positive only for testing of blood, and 86.08% were negative for testing of both samples. At the same time, no positive PCR results were detected in milk samples. In conclusion, there is a wide prevalence and incidence of Toxoplasmosis among goats in study areas. Furthermore, studies are essential to detect the parasite in different ages and sexes of goats and other domestic and wild animals using ELISA as a reliable, automated, and rapid test and PCR as a highly confirmative test.

In some developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, rapid population growth is a complicated problem, and thus, it is necessary to raise the efficiency of foodstuff production to preserve human life. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation on male rabbits’ productivity, as well as their biochemical and physiological characteristics. This experiment was conducted in the Animal House of the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad (Baghdad, Iraq) for eight weeks. Twenty-four local male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (each containing eight rabbits) as follows: the control group that was fed with a basal diet only, the first treated group in which each animal received fish oil orally at a dose of 0.75 ml every day, and another treated group in which each animal received fish oil orally at a dose of 1.5 ml every day. Both treated groups received the treatment for 60 days. Blood samples were collected from cardiac veins by cardiac puncture at the beginning of the experiment (Zero time). On day 60 of the experiment, samples were collected again to analyze potential changes in blood characteristics, including white blood cells count, hemoglobin, and red blood cells count. These blood samples recorded a significant decrease in cholesterol in the two treatment groups, compared to the control. In conclusion, the current findings recommend daily oral administration of fish oil at a dose of 0.75 mg/ml or 1.5 mg/ml to rabbits for 60 days before conception to improve performance trials, as well as biochemical and hematological results. These alterations, however, have a small impact on these features, compared to higher doses administered to rabbits.

Chronic renal failure are caused by impaired kidney function; this organ is essential in the metabolism, filtration, and excretion of compounds. Human hepatitis B virus is common in dialysis patients with chronic renal failure, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is also associated with anemia in dialysis patients. In this study, 50 (36 men and 14 women) dialysis patients from Imamian Al-Khademian city, with ages between 30 and 77 years, and a healthy group (control group) with ages ranging between 30 and 62 years, were evaluated. Detection of hepatitis B virus by a molecular technique of real-time PCR and the concentration of erythropoietin hormone detected by the ELISA technique. The results showed that the prevalence of dialysis patients aged 41–50 and 60–51 was 20% and 18%, respectively. The detection of Hepatitis B from the serum of dialysis patients' samples showed that HBV was seen in 15 (30%) of the 50 serum samples. The concentration of the erythropoietin hormone in dialysis patients’ samples was lower than in the healthy groups (a control group). Also, the concentration of erythropoietin hormone was significantly lower in dialysis patients compared with the control group (P>0.05). Hepatitis B can affect chronic renal failure and dialysis patients' immunity. Also, people with hepatitis B have a lower level of the erythropoietin hormone, which is a major cause of anemia in dialysis patients.

Clostridium novyi (C. novyi) causes deadly Black disease in sheep and rarely in other animals. Alpha toxin (α-toxin), the most apparent pathogen of this disease, is produced by C. novyi type B. Economic damages of C. novyi include sheep mortality costs, depreciation of affected farms, and health problems with infected carcasses. The identification of C. novyi and isolation of its pathogens by conventional methods is a time-consuming process, necessitating a simple and rapid method for isolating and detecting pathogenic C. novyi. Therefore, this study aimed to molecularly identify α-toxin in local C. novyi isolates from the sheep livers. In this study, 75 livers suspected of Black disease were sampled. The samples of the liver were cultured under anaerobic conditions. Some of the cultured colonies were used in biochemical tests. For molecular confirmation, the DNA of isolates was extracted, and the isolates were confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on the liver tissue and cultured samples using specific α-toxin primers. The PCR on α-toxin produced a band in the range of 609 bp, indicating that the samples belonged to C. novyi. According to the results, of 75 isolates, 18 isolates were confirmed as C. novyi. C. novyi type B was isolated from the liver and confirmed by biochemical and molecular characterization. The PCR assay ensured a sensitive and specific tool for the detection of C. novyi in the samples.

Birth weights, weaning, and daily weight gain of calves before weaning vary according to farm animals' environment, production, and breeding systems. It is expected that these traits will be affected by direct genetic influences and the genetic effects of the mother. Therefore, this study was designed and conducted on 50 Holstein cows herds to estimate breeding value (after estimating the mean of allele effect and the mean of allele replacement effect of the DRB3 gene), as well as the variance components of the birth and weaning weight traits, depending on the variance resulting from the inherited polymorphism of the DBR3 gene. The results of this study showed a preference for the wild allele A based on its mutant counterpart B was the mean allele-effect value and the mean allele substitution value, corresponding to the preference for the A allele in both traits, the individuals with the AA genotype outperformed the homozygotes and mutants in the educational value (a value that is estimated based on what the individuals carry from the genotypes). The genetic variance of weaning weight was higher than the genetic variance of birth weight, and this may be due to the preference of allele A and the AA structure over the other two components in positively affecting birth and weaning weights, indicating the importance of this genetic structure of the DBR3 gene in selection within the genetic improvement programs for the color characteristic of Holstein cows.

pylori infection is considered a major global gastric disorder. Furthermore, the spread of H. pylori infection and its effect on systemic disorders and blood is not fully understood. On the other hand, the high percentage of smokers and their impacts on the health system have become a significant concern. Therefore, the current study aimed to compare the H. pylori infection in smokers and non-smokers and their effects on hematological parameters.190 patients participated and were divided into two groups; 95 were smokers and 95 were non-smokers. The Helicobacter pylori detector instrument showed that the participants were infected. Vein blood was collected to check hematological parameters via a fully automatic hematological analyzer (DIAGON Ltd.-D-Cell 60). The recorded data showed that the highest percentage of infected patients was 26–45 years in both smokers and non-smokers (P≤0.05). Furthermore, depending on the residence, our study revealed that the urban cases were the highest percentage compared to rural cases (P≤0.05). The hematological parameters showed that RBCs, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, and MCHC were significantly higher in smokers compared with non-smokers (P≤0.05).

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori is challenging. Diverse techniques have been developed for accurate diagnosis. However, they have some limitations. This research investigated the efficacy of specific modulation frequency (SMF) compared to other routine diagnostic methods for detecting H. pylori in gastric biopsy samples of experimentally infected mice. One-hundred and fifty healthy male C57BL/6 mice were included and divided into the control and treatment groups. The mice in the treatment group were treated with 0.2 ml of 0.2 M NaHCO3 to neutralize gastric acidity. Then, 109 colony-forming units of H. pylori (ATCC 43504) mixed in PBS were used intragastrically to inoculate the mice. Mice were kept for up to 28 days and examined on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 using culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and SMF. On day 0, only the SMF and PCR could detect the H. pylori in the stomach of 60% and 20% of mice, respectively. On day 7, culture, PCR, and SMF could detect H. pylori in 40%, 80%, and 100% of mice, respectively. SMF detected all infected mice from days 7 to 28 (100%). PCR detected all H. pylori-infected mice at days 14 to 27 (100%). Another test (culture) detected all infected mice only on day 28. Significant differences were found among the three diagnostic methods on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 of the experiment (P<0.05). SMF was found to have high sensitivity and specificity for H. pylori detection in the early stages of infection.

TNF-α is a type of cytokine that is produced by inflammatory cells. These inflammatory cells produce cytokines such as TNF-α, IFN- γ, IL-1, etc. Ciprofloxacin is the last drug of choice to clear the infection. Ciprofloxacin, a grace inhibitor, kills bacteria by inducing chromosome fragmentation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the bacterial cell. This study was designed to investigate the ability of Salmonella typhimiurm to induce TNF-α in cells. 30 NMRI mice from both genders were divided randomly into 3 groups (n=10) and treated as follows: The first group was intraperitoneally (I.P.) injected with a 0.1 ml/4×108 CFU/ ml bacterial suspension of S. typhimiurm as a positive control. The second group was injected (I.P.) with S. typhimiurm 0.1 ml (4×108 CFU/ml and then injected with 30 mg/kg/0.3 ml of CiprofloxacinCiprofloxacin intramuscular (I.M.). The olive leaf alcoholic extract was given to the third group through a gavage tube for two weeks before giving I/P 0.1 ml/4×108 CFU/ml S. typhimiurm. Afterward, they were post-treated with 30 mg/kg/0.3 ml of olive leaf extract orally by gavage tube until the end of the experiment (30 days). The recorded data from group 1 showed heavy deposition of TNF-α marker in the spleen and liver, and examination showed dark brown cellular components. Also, in the second group, the spleen and liver tissue sections showed heavy deposition of TNF-α marker; other sections showed moderated deposition of TNF-α marker. In the third group, TNF marker was found in small amounts or not in tissue samples from the spleen and liver. Histopathological examination of infected 1st group liver and spleen tissue sections shows lobular hepatic necrosis with mononuclear cells. Aggregation manifests as granuloma lesions, particularly lymphocytes in the portal area around the bile duct and blood vessels, with the proliferation of macrophages known as kupffer cells and depletion of white pulp in spleen tissue when compared to the second and third groups, which demonstrated moderated lesions in infected and treated mice. The results showed that olive leaf extract reduces the infection of Salmonella typhimiurm in the pre and post-treated groups better than CiprofloxacinCiprofloxacin.

Biotin (B7) acts as an antioxidant, as it inhibits the effect of many free radicals that are naturally formed within the organism's body. This study aimed to determine the effect of adding different concentrations of biotin to the diet of broilers exposed to oxidative stress in improving productive and physiological performance. 180 unsexed Ross-308 one-day age chicks of broiler chickens were used, and they were reared together until 7 days. Then the chicks were randomly distributed into 5 treatments; each treatment included 3 replicates, 12 chicks for each replicate. Oxidative stress was induced by adding 0.5% H2O2 to drinking water. The first treatment, T1 (control), was free from adding B7 or H2O2, and the second treatment (T2): was a positive control treatment free from adding vitamin B7 + water added to it H2O2 at an average of 0.5%. The third treatment (T3): adding 550 micrograms of B7/kg of feed + water added H2O2 at an average of 0.5%. Fourth treatment (T4): 650 micrograms/kg vitamin B7 + water with 0.5% H2O2 added on average. Fifth treatment (T5): 750 micrograms of vitamin B7/kg of feed + 0.5% H2O2 added to the water. The results of adding vitamin B7 to the diet of T4 and T5 birds exposed to oxidative stress showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in the average live body weight, total weight gain and cumulative feed consumption average, and the best cumulative feed conversion ratio for treated birds (T3, T4, T5). In comparison to the other therapies, all additional vitamin B7 treatments demonstrated a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, as well as Malondialdehyde (MDA), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and a significant increase (P<0.05) in the concentrations of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and total protein. The concentration of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was significantly elevated (P<0.05) in the serum of T5-treated birds compared to all other treatments. We conclude that adding vitamin B7 in different concentrations improved the productivity and some physiological traits of broilers exposed to the induced oxidative stress compared with the negative and positive control treatments.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a spherical rod-shaped Gram-negative non-lactose fermenting (Coccobacilli, Aerobic bacteria) bacteria. It is a member of the Moraxellacea family. A. baumannii is a pathogenic, opportunistic organism that infects humans in society and hospitals. In particular, patients with immune system defects are at risk, especially those with burn infections and those hospitalized in intensive care (ICU). It plays a vital role in many illnesses, including septicemia, pneumonia, meningitis, soft tissues, skin infection, endocarditis, and urinary tract infection (UTI). The current study included immunological evaluation of infection with A. baumannii. In the current study, 150 blood samples were obtained as follows: 100 blood samples were collected from infected individuals with A. baumannii admitted to hospitals in Baghdad. Fifty blood samples were obtained from healthy individuals and considered as the control. 10 ml of blood samples were collected from the venous blood of the participants. A. baumannii was collected and isolated from infected patients and diagnosed by traditional methods, using different culture media (MacConkey agar, blood agar, and Chromogenetic agar) and by biochemical assays, then the bacteria diagnosis was confirmed using the VITEK 2 ID-GN cards. Microscopic examination and culture diagnosis of bacteria were conducted, and the diagnosis was confirmed by complete biochemical examinations using VITEK2 Compact System. Assessments included the serum level of IL-17A and TNF-α for hospitalized patients infected with A. baumannii. The study recorded a significant increase in the serum level of IL-17A for patients infected with A. baumannii (479.83±26.21 pg/ml) compared to control subjects (69.32±4.53 pg/ml). The recorded data showed a significant increase in the serum level of TNF-α for patients infected with A. baumannii (98.05±28.89 pg/ml) compared to control (1.40±25.12 pg/ml).

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes a wide variety of infectious diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a large heat-stable polymer that is gram-negative bacteria's major outer membrane component, accounting for roughly 75% of the surface area and 5-10% of the total dry weight. Therefore the current in vivo study was carried out to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of purified lipopolysaccharide produced from local clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates compared with ZnO-NPs and LPS-ZnO NPs. To do the experimental evaluations 35, Balb/c mouse was injected intramuscularly (i.m.) with different concentrations of the purified LPS, ZnoNPs and LPS-ZnoNPs for 12 days and immunized with 10% SRBCs (i.p) on day 4 and 8 of the schedule, while K. pneumoniae suspension and normal saline for positive and negative control groups. Focus on estimating body weight before and after treatment, Arthus and delayed-type hypersensitivity, and detecting serum level of cytokines (TLR-2, IL1Beta, IL4, and IL10) using sandwich ELISA. The data showed the highest value before and after treatment with LPS-ZnO NPs recorded in 2µg/mouse was 27. 92±1.48 and 31.50±0.4, respectively. In Arthurs reaction and Delayed type hypersensitivity, the highest results showed in the positive control group injected with K. pneumoniae 4.08±0.17 and 4.86±80.02, respectively. The results of TLR-2 showed the highest value in the positive control group, 242.17±3.98 pg/ml, followed by Group LPS at 135.51.58 pg/ml. The results of Interleukin-1Beta showed the highest value in the positive control group, 254.88±3.51 pg/ml, followed by Group LPS 174.3± 1.46 pg/ml. The concentration of IL-4 in serum of treated albino mice showed the highest value in the positive control group, 136.2±1.12 pg/ml, followed by Group LPS 86.12±1.49 pg/ml. While the highest value of IL-10 was recorded in the positive control group, 98.58± 4.09 pg/ml, followed by Group LPS- ZnoNP in concentration 4µg/ mouse was 86.018±0.69 pg/ml. The results of the statistical analysis showed a significant difference (P≤0.05) between LPS, ZnoNPs, and LPs-ZnoNPs treated groups and control groups (positive & negative). In the present study, we can conclude that LPS-ZnO NPs had a positive immunomodulatory effect on immune response in immunized mice. As shown in the results of the level of IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-10, and TLRs-2, Abs titer, and Arthus and DTH reactions.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Marjoram leaves (Oregano vulgar) as a feed supplement on sexual efficiency and semen quality in Awasian pollination rams. The study was conducted on ten rams in one of the private fields in the Babylon governorate. The rams were divided randomly into two groups. First group rams are regarded as a control group (group A) that feeds on exceptional concentric food for pollination rams. The second group consists of 5 rams (group B) provided with the same concentric food plus a supplement of 3 mg/kg of body weight of Oregano vulgar leaves (fresh) 3 times daily for 49 days before the pollination season (April and May). Semen samples were collected at the end of 49 days by artificial vagina to evaluate the volume of ejaculate, sperm number, concentration, motility, viability, and deformities, and to measure the sperm pleomorphic parameters of the head, nucleus, and acrosome. The antioxidant status of seminal plasma was evaluated by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). ELISA tests were used on blood serum samples to measure the hormone levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and estrogen. The study demonstrated a significant increase in motility, the viability of sperm, and decreasing deformities. There was no significant variation in perimorphic parameters of the head, nucleus, and acrosome sperm after using the fresh leaves of Oregano vulgar as supplementation to Awasion sheep. However, there was an increase in the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPX, and TAC) in seminal plasma and an increase in LH, testosterone, and estrogen in the blood serum of experimental group B. These findings show that using fresh leaves of Oregano vulgar improved the sexual efficiency of pollinated rams and maintained the physiology and perimorphic parameters of semen and sperm.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with an increasing prevalence, caused by a defect in insulin production, insulin action, or both, and can increase the risk for the development of microvascular as well as macrovascular complications. Heat shock protein70 is considered a family of a larger group of proteins known as heat shock proteins, which their expression is induced when the cells are subjected to environmental stress. They are believed to keep the native folding of proteins in cells under stressful conditions and their therapeutic role. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the serum level of HSP70 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to assess if there is an association of HSP70 with T2DM and to evaluate the effect of age and duration of disease on the serum level of HSP70. Ninety-one patients with T2DM were recruited, and 85 individuals with the same age range and sex as healthy controls. Serum HSP70, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1c were measured. The results revealed that the level of HSP70 was significantly higher in the diabetic group compared to the control group (P value<0.05). The level of HSP70 showed a significant positive correlation with age and duration of disease as well as with fasting blood sugar and HbA1c. The study suggested that HSP70 may have the potential to be used as an indicator of metabolic derangement and a prognostic biomarker in diabetes.

In addition to their high quantities of active chemicals, medicinal plants are well-known for their pharmacological qualities, which include immunological modulation. T Consequently, this study aimed to examine the effects of Avena sativa and Glycyrrhiza glabra leaf extracts on immunological responses as measured by blood cytokine and liver enzyme levels. The phytochemical analysis of Avena sativa crude leaf extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids,flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, and saponins but the absence of resins and violet oils. On the other hand, violet oils, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and glycosides were detected in significant concentration in Glycyrrhiza glabra ethanolic extract, although resins and phenolic compounds were not present. Fifty male NIH mice were randomly divided into five groups: Except for the control group, all animals were given subcutaneously and orally with extracts (50 mg/kg) for 14 days prior to LPS-induced (1 mg/kg body weight) liver injury. LPS-induced liver damage was induced on day 15, and mice were starved.Group 1 was injected subcutaneously with normal saline as a control. Group 2 received an injection of 100 l of crude oat extract subcutaneously. Group 3 was administered 100 l (50 mg/kg) of crude Oat extract orally. Group 4: administered 100 l (50 mg/kg) of crude Licorice extract subcutaneously. Group 5 ingested 100 l (50 mg/kg) of crude Licorice extract orally. IL-4 levels were significantly elevated (P 0.05) in the subcutaneously and orally treated groups compared to the control group (12.3 0.23 pg/ml). IL-6 was significantly elevated (P<0.05) in mice given subcutaneously or orally with Avena sativa or Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts compared to mice treated subcutaneously or orally with a control substance (44 0.57 pg/ml). The concentration of TNF- was significantly elevated (P<0.05) in subcutaneous and oral treated groups (283.6 1.7 and 280.6 12.2; 233.9 0.6 and 241.2 2.8) compared with the control group (130 0.42) pg/ml. When mice were exposed to LPS-containing extracts, both GOT, and GPT levels fell relative to the control group.

The present study was conducted to disclose the impact of adding different levels of hydroponic barley fodder (HBF) on some productive features of the economic value of broilers chickens. One hundred forty-four one-day-old Ross 308 chicks were used in this study. Birds were randomly distributed into four treatments, with three replicates per each treatment (12 birds per replicate): The first treatment had no addition (T1:control). As for T2 and T3 treatments, 10% and 20% of HBF were added to the feed pellet. In T4, fresh HBF was chopped and fed as an additional free fodder. Results reflected an increase in the weekly live body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of T2 birds; along with an improvement in the cumulative BWG, FI, and FCR of T2 and T4 during the 3rd to 5th weeks compared with the other treatments. Bacteriology and gut morphology demonstrated a decrease in total fungi, bacteria, and E. coli count with an increase in Lactobacillus count, in conjunction with an increase in the villus height and crypt depth of the jejunum of T2 birds. Economic value measures showed an increase in the production index and economic marker for broilers treated with T2 and T4. It can be concluded that there is an opportunity to include HBF by 10% or present it as freshly chopped HBF to ameliorate production performance, improve economic indicators and reduce broiler production costs by 9%.

Normal blood lipid levels have a crucial role in lowering cardiovascular mortality. This study was designed to investigate the effect of aqueous rhubarb extract on serum glucose, cholesterol, total lipids, peroxynitrite, malondialdehyde, glutathione, and ceruloplasmin levels, as well as glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in the liver, kidney, and heart tissue in mice exposed to oxidative stress. 40 Balb/c mice were randomly allocated into 8 groups (n=5). Group 1: The control group was left eating feed and water without treatment for (15) days. Group 2: A group exposed to oxidative stress by giving hydrogen peroxide at a rate of (0.5%) with drinking water for 15 days. Group 3: A group exposed to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide at a rate of (0.5%) for 15 days with injecting on the seventh day, daily for a week, with insulin subcutaneously (15) units/kg. Group (4-8): the Groups were exposed to the oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (0.5%) for 15 days with injecting on the seventh day into the peritoneal cavity with both the cold aqueous and nonprotein extract, the extract of flavonoids at a dose of 400, 400, 0.4, 8.8, 1.96 mg/kg body weight, respectively. All animals were anesthetized on the last day of the experiment, blood samples were obtained for biochemical testing, and tissue samples from the livers were collected for research. The results revealed that the cold crude aqueous, non-proteinous extracts, flavonoids, proteinous precipitate, and proteinous compound caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in serum glucose, cholesterol, total lipids, peroxynitrite, malondialdehyde levels in kidney, liver, and heart. The recorded data showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in serum glutathione and ceruloplasmin in serum and glutathione levels in liver, kidney, and heart tissues in male mice exposed to oxidative stress. The results showed that all Rhubarb extracts have an antioxidant effect in mice exposed to oxidative stress.

Breast cancer is a common women malignancy worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that various complement molecules function as an immune suppressors in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore this study aimed to investigate the role of the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a in the propagation of breast cancer and their relationships with clinicopathological factors in Iraqi women suffering from breast tumors. ELISA technique was used to determine the serum anaphylatoxins C3a and C4a levels in 60 Iraqi women with breast tumors (30 with primary breast cancer and 30 with benign breast tumor) before surgery and treatment as 30 healthy controls. In addition, the clinicopathological factors of all the patients were collected. The result showed a significantly increased level of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a (P<0.001) in primary breast cancer patients than in benign breast tumor and healthy control women. The area under the curve (AUC) of C3a and C5a for distinguishing patients with primary breast cancer and healthy control subjects was 0.878 (95% CI: 0.768 to 0.948) and 0.953 (95% CI: 0.865 to 0.991) respectively. C5a correlated with larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and histologic grade III, whereas C3a only with lymph node metastasis. In conclusion, preoperative levels of C5a exhibit high accuracy for primary breast cancer than C3a. C5a correlated with tumor burden more than C3a and suggested an enhancing effect of C5a on BC proliferation. Thus, suggesting prognostic value for C5a in primary BC.

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a worldwide challenge. Despite extreme study efforts globally, effective treatment and vaccine options have eluded the investigators. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards COVID–19 among hemodialysis nurses in Ma, Governorate hospitals- Jordan. An exploratory research design (cross-sectional study design) has been utilized to achieve the aim of the current study. The study was conducted in the dialysis unit at Ma, a governmental hospital- in Jordan. Data were collected by using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Nearly half (47.5%) of nurses were male, ranging from 30 to 40 years old. More than half of them (62.5%) were married and graduated from nursing college; their years of experience were more than 5 years. The vast majority of participants reported that they have adequate knowledge and good practice about how to deal with COVID-19. The majority of participants have a favorable attitude regarding COVID -19 outbreaks. A positive correlation was found between nurses’ knowledge and attitudes toward COVID19 according to their years of experience. The study found that most nurses have good knowledge and practice levels and favorable attitudes toward COVID 19 infection. Educational programs about COVID 19 should be provided to nurses in different departments and units in the hospital.

The interleukin-15 is a unique proinflammatory cytokine associated with immune response regulation and the growth, survival, and biological behavior of leukemic cells. This study assesses the effect of both types of acute malignancies, lymphoid and myeloid, on the interleukin-15 serum levels for Acute Lymphoid Leukemia and Acute Myeloid Leukemia patients. The interleukin-15 serum levels were measured for 21 acute lymphoid leukemia patients and 21 acute myeloid leukemia patients compared to healthy people (24) as a control group using the ELISA Peprotech Company (USA), a protocol kit. The research data explain a significant decrease in interleukin-15 serum level for acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) patients (99 pg/ml)compared with the healthy group (126 pg/ml) at level (P value=0.009), while the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (141 pg/ml) patients recorded a nonsignificant increase in IL-15 serum level from the healthy group at (P>0.05). The data outcome clarified an important effect of acute lymphoid leukemia in reduced proinflammatory interleukin-15 serum level due to impairment in T and B lymphocyte production, which is correlated with immunosuppression response toward leukemia, while acute myeloid leukemia non-significantly increases the interleukin-15 serum level.

The prevalence of breast cancer (BC) has increased significantly in the last 50 years worldwide. This increase may be because more women today have mammograms and, as a result, are more known to have cancers. At the same time, the theory is growing that many other factors contribute to the increase in cancer rates. The current study tried applying the Gail assessment model to identify hormonal and familial risk factors that may be important for BC in Iraq. Patients aged 30 years and over with all known risk factors for BC were selected for the study group. The selected patients were divided into two groups. Group 1: Patients diagnosed with non-proliferative lesions who have had a breast biopsy performed at least three years before; Group 2: Controlled patients. The individual risk of BC for patients in groups 1 and 2 was calculated using the Gale model. In addition to groups 1 and 2, we identified two other groups. Group 3: Groups 1 and 2 of patients without BC at the end of the 3-year follow-up period; Group 4: Patients who have undergone BC surgery. Multiple regression tests assessed all known risk factors in groups 3 and 4 to determine the risk factors for the development of BC in Iraq. The results show that Gail's assessment model is a reliable example of calculating the risk of developing BC. The model results show that the significant risk factor for BC in Iraq is not hormonal but genetic or familial. Current research also shows that the risk of developing BC increases significantly with age. It was concluded that there are genetic factors, and the risk of developing BC increases with age, but hormonal features do not cause a significant increase in risk. Identifying risk factors in causing disease in the community makes it possible to prepare codified plans to control and treat the disease.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver, and hepatitis B is a common and dangerous liver disease caused by the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) of the DNA hepadnavirus family. In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) considered hepatitis B infection a major health problem worldwide. One way of transmitting this disease is a transmission from a carrier mother to a child. This study aimed to investigate the presence of HBV surface antigen in pregnant women referred to Kasra Al-Aini Hospital in Cairo. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study that was performed on pregnant women. One thousand pregnant women were selected with their consent to participate in this study, and after preparing a blood sample, an Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay kit, used for Hepatitis B Virus surface antigen detection, a questionnaire containing questions about socio-individual characteristics. Among 1000 samples, 13 samples were equal to 1.3% had HBsAg positive. No significant relationship was found between the prevalence of HBs Ag in the city and rural location, education, occupation, age, and history of abortion in pregnant women. History of dialysis in pregnant women, tattooing, and type of job of the pregnant woman was not considered risk factors. However, injection drug users, history of previous surgery, and blood transfusion can be considered suspicious factors (P≤0.05). The prevalence of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women in Cairo was 1.3, which is lower than the study statistics in most parts of the world. However, to evaluate this amount more accurately, there is a need to conduct a study with a higher sample size.

Ocular infection is a significant public health issue in many countries and is a leading cause of morbidity and blindness worldwide. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of bacterial isolates, and their role in patients with external ocular infections, according to age, sex, and residence in rural and urban areas. In addition, investigate the antibiotic sensitivity and resistance patterns commonly used for treating patients suffering from external ocular infections in Babylon Governorate, Iraq. Two hundred patients with clinical suspicion of external ocular infections, ranging in age from 20 to 68 years old and from both sexes, participated in this study. The eye swabs were collected and cultured to distinguish between bacterial and viral isolates. About 105 isolates (52.5%) were found to be positive bacterial cultures and taken as a study sample, whereas 95 (47.5%) negative bacterial cultures were excluded. The results revealed that ocular infections most frequently occur in the age groups between 20-49years, and most patients were males 65 (61.9%). The most common eye infection was conjunctivitis, which affected 45.7% of patients. This was followed by blepharitis, which affected 21.9% of patients; blepharoconjunctivitis, which affected 14.3% of patients; dacryocystitis, which affected 12.4% of patients; and keratitis, which affected 5.7% of patients. Also, the results indicated that the most common bacteria implicated in ocular infections are Staphylococcus aureus (37.1%), followed by Coagulase negative Staphylococci (CoNS) (26.7%), Haemophilusinfluenzae (21.9%), Streptococcuspneumoniae (6.7%), Klebsiella pneumonia (3.8%), Streptococcus pyogenes (1.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.9%). Furthermore, some antibiotics were tested for these pathogenic bacterial isolates to show their effects against these bacteria. It was found that most bacterial isolates were resistant to Ampicillin, Penicillin, and Tetracycline, whereas they were susceptible to Ciprofloxacin, Gentamycinand Chloramphenicol.

It is estimated that 10-25% of diabetic patients will encounter diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) during their lifetime. This study evaluated the microbiology of DFUs and determined the antibiotic resistance pattern of bacterial isolates based on the severity of wounds and infections in different grades of ulcer. The specimens were collected from115 diabetic foot infections (DFI) deep tissue by needle aspiration and biopsy. The aerobic and anaerobic cultures and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were carried out. The presence of resistance genes including Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), ermA, ermC, and mecA was also determined. A total of 222 microorganisms were isolated. The prevalence of poly-microbial infections was 69.6%. Bacterial isolates comprised 64.2% Gram-positive bacteria (GPB), 33.5% Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and five isolates of anaerobic bacteria were also detected. The most prevalent GPB and GNB were Staphylococcus spp. (52.2%) and Escherichia coli (33.3%), respectively. The prevalence of poly-microbial infections and GNB was positively associated with increased grades of Wagner and IDSA classifications. Among Staphylococcus aureus isolates, resistance to clindamycin (73.5%), ciprofloxacin (70.6%), and erythromycin (70.6%) were noticeable. GNB was also highly resistant to cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin. ESBL genes were detected in approximately 40% of isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. The prevalence of Erma, ermC, and mecA genes in S. aureus isolates were 8.8%, 32.3%, and 14.7%, respectively. In conclusion, our data suggest that GPBs are the most common isolates from DFIs. Furthermore, with the development of wounds and infection, the prevalence of GNB in DFIs are increased.

Most feed materials are predominantly complex and in insoluble forms as animals use them. The aim of digestion processes, therefore, is to sequentially modify the feed substances into simple and soluble forms that are appropriate for absorption and ingestion. This study aimed to investigate the possible effect of pomegranate peel aqueous extract on the histological structure of the small intestine of local male rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Twelve healthy adult male rabbits acquired from a local market in Iraq- Baghdad was used in this study. The animals were divided into two main groups, six animals in the control group, while the other six were considered as treated groups with pomegranate peel extract. The pomegranate extract was prepared by the maceration method. The experiment lasted for two months, from 1/10/2020 to 1/12/2020. The results showed that the tunica mucosa of the duodenum of the experimental group has huge overcrowded intestinal villi associated with hypertrophy of mucosal villi, in addition to a marked increase in the population of goblet cells and their secretory activities. The tunica submucosa was occupied by a thick layer of Brunner's glands, which were compound tubular mucous alveolar type and had clear cytoplasm. The jejunum of the experimental group showed that the mucosal layer was characterized by a marked increase of intestinal plica circularis, which is associated with the projection of pyramidal-shaped intestinal mucosa. The epithelial mucosa was (pseudostratified columnar epithelium) covered by a thick brush border of microvilli. The histological arrangement of various layers of the ileum was nearly analogous to that of the jejunum except for some distinctive differences. An evident aggregated lymphocytes forming Payers patches occupied the tunica submucosa in both the control and treated groups. The most historical parameters in all segments of the small intestine revealed a significant increase in experimental animals compared to control animals. In conclusion, the aqueous extract of pomegranate peels have apparent positive effects on the histological structure of the small intestine of rabbits improving, positively the digestive efficiency of animals and enhancing the efficiency of the immune system in the animal through an apparent increase in the numbers of goblet cell that plays importance for immunity of the body.

Dermatitis, like inflammation, is a group of common dermatological symptoms and may be associated with systemic and skin diseases. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory effect of the topical allopurinol against inflammation like skin dermatitis induced by1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo [4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine (IQA) in mice model. The current study allocated the thirty-two mice into four groups (n=8) as follows: i) control group, mice where a white petroleum jelly base applied topically on the dorsal of mice once daily; ii) induction group, mice were received IQA cream (62.5 mg) of (5%) on their back once daily; and iii) the treatment group, mice were treated with both (62.5 mg) of (5%) IQA and (5%) allopurinol gel topically; the betamethasone group, mice were treated with both (62.5 mg) of (5%) IQA and betamethasone ointment topically. All groups were treated daily for seven days period. The allopurinol-treated group exerted non-significant differences compared with the induction group in both visional and histopathological changes. The present study revealed that the allopurinolgel (5%) did not affect skin inflammation- induced by IQA in the laboratory mice.

Camels are semi-ruminant placental mammals, classified as two-toed, padded-footed mammals, and belong to the family Camelidae, which includes the one-humped camels (Camelus dromedaries), and the two-humped camels (Camelus bactrianus), llama, Alpaca, Vicuna, and Guanaco. The study used 50 Iraqi single-humped camel females who belonged to private fields in the AL-Furat AL-Awsat region, which involved three Iraqi cities (Babylon, Diwaniyah, and Muthanna). All the Biotechnological and Molecular Genetics analyses were performed in the Altakadum Laboratory, Baghdad, in order to determine the genotypes and their distribution ratios for the POU1F1 gene and the relationship of the Polymorphism of the gene with some productive traits, growth characteristics (weight and body dimensions) and blood biochemical parameters of animals. The mutation 225131 was in the second exon region, in which there was a change in the amino acid C.49 CAA>CAC Gln>His. Three genotypes were discovered in this mutation in the second studied piece, which included the region of the first intron and the second exon, with a length of 777 base pairs using DNA sequencing technology. The results indicated that there were highly significant differences (P≤0.01) in the distribution ratios of the genotypes resulting from the mutation. The results also showed a significant relationship between these genotypes with somebody dimensions, as there was a significant superiority (P≤0.05) for individuals with mutant CC genotype over the wild AA and hetero AC genotypes in each of the traits, body height from the front (220.66±1.76, 215.12±0.92, 212.80 ±2.33) cm and body length (186.66±1.20, 179.47±1.10, 170.00±4.96) cm and head length (55.00±2.08, 50.78±0.46, 51.20 ±1.31) cm for the mutant, wild and hetero, genotypes respectively. Concerning the characteristics of the length of the milking season, daily and total milk production, and its chemical components, there was no significant relationship between the genotypes resulting from the studied mutation.

L-citrulline (L-cit) is a nonessential amino acid that interacts with the veracity of neurotransmitters in the brain and might have a positive effect on fetal growth. However, there is no information about the possible effect of L-cit on reflexive motor behavior. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effects of prenatal exposure to L-cit on reflexive motor behavior in mice offspring. Forty pregnant female mice were allocated into four groups. In the control group, mice received water, while in groups 2-4, female mice orally gavage with L-cit (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) at 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17 days of gestation (GD). Following delivery, pups were selected, and reflexive motor behaviors were determined using ambulation, hind-limb foot angle, surface righting, hind-limb strength, grip strength, front limb suspension, and negative geotaxis tests. Also, serum Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined. Based on the findings, maternal exposure to L-cit improved ambulation score, hind-limb suspension score, grip strength, and front-limb suspension in offspring (P<0.05). Prenatal exposure to L-cit decreased surface righting, hind-limb foot angle, and negative geotaxis in offspring (P<0.05). L-cit decreased immobility time in forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), and increased number of squares crossed in the open field test (OFT) and spending time on rotarod on postpartum mice (P<0.05). L-cit increased serum NO levels (P<0.05). L-cit decreased blood MDA and increased SOD and GPx levels in offspring (P<0.05). Findings revealed that L-cit improves postpartum behaviors in mice and reflexive motor in their pups.

Smoking destroys the vascular system, increases plaque deposits in atherosclerosis, and increases inflammation. The present study was performed to determine the effect of smoking on the levels of low-density lipoprotein and very low-density lipoprotein in smokers. A cross-control study was carried out in the outpatient clinic in Baghdad, Iraq. The study was carried out 60 by individuals from February 2021 to July 2021. Participants in this study included adult smokers and non-smokers of both genders, and the levels of LDL and VLDL were determined using an Automatic Chemistry Analyze. The results revealed that the total number of smokers was 60 individuals from both genders; there was a significant difference in mean low-density lipoprotein and very low-density lipoprotein levels. There is a significant difference in LDL Values between non-smokers and smokers (129.853±7.880; P<0.05). Non-smokers showed lower LDL values (104.460±7.950; P<0.05). Regarding VLDL values, results revealed that smokers were showing higher values than a non-smoker (49.641±4.02), (28.986±1.676) respectively, P<0.05). LDL and VLDL levels are more prevalent in current cigarette smokers than in non-smokers. Heavy smokers have higher LDL and VLDL values for a cigarette than non-smokers, which is consistent with observations in other populations.

Breast cancer represents one of the most popular kinds of cancer worldwide. During the early stages of the disease, the level of Osteoprotegerin remained within normal limits, showing that the bone was not being damaged to get calcium due to an increase in parathyroid hormone. The current study aimed to assess a number of biochemical variables in a group of women with malignant breast cancer who had reached menopause (less than 45 years old). One hundred thirty women were randomly divided into three groups as follows. The first group (G1) is made up of women who have never had breast cancer or any other disease, and their number (40) corresponds to the same age range (below menopause) as the control group. The second group (G2) comprises women diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage whose numbers were relatively low (45). The third group (G3) included women of the same age who received one or two doses of chemotherapy and whose total number was (45) over the same period. The variables studied include Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, Osteoprotegerin, blood calcium, and urine calcium, all of that are thought to play a role in the progress of the disease. Vitamin D levels were extremely low in the second group (G2), while they were slightly higher in the third group (G3) but remained extremely low. The first group (G1) maintained parameters within acceptable limits. There was a significant difference between the two breast cancer groups (9.38 1.43) and (4.98 1.67) when compared to the control group (20.04 2.80). (G1). The two breast cancer groups (G2) and (G3) had higher parathyroid hormone levels than the control group (G1), and there was a significant difference between the two breast cancer groups (136.52 58.56) (G3) and (G2) (167.79 35.21) compared to the control group (68.52 20.44) (G1). There was no significant difference in Osteoprotegerin levels between the two breast cancer groups (313.38 109.02) (G3) and (315.0 123.98) (G2) compared to the control group (G1) (324.11 104.73). The three groups' blood calcium levels were all within normal ranges, and there was no statistically significant difference between them (9.21 0.45), (9.23 0.38), and (9.23 0.38) (G3) (9.28 0.43). (G1), but urine-calcium levels were lower in both groups of breast cancer patients compared to the control group, and there was a significant difference between the two breast cancer groups (63.96 15.66) (G3) and (68.42 14.05) (G2) compared to the control group (213.77 63.94) (G1). In breast cancer patients, vitamin D deficiency and high parathyroid hormone levels were discovered, suggesting that vitamin D may play a role in cancer prevention. Osteoprotegerin levels were within normal ranges early in the illness, although this may alter as the patient matures and the disease advances.

The presence of efflux pumps genes in Staphylococcus aureus, such as norA and norB, is critical for ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin resistance. This study examined the efflux pump gene expression and activity in ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin-resistant S. aureus strains. Twenty clinical samples of wounds and burns were collected. S. aureus strains were tested using specific culture media. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done using the disc diffusion method. After determining the disc diffusion method of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were found in ten of the twenty clinical samples. The susceptibility of S. aureus in the study revealed 40% ciprofloxacin resistance and 20% levofloxacin resistance. The gene expression of norA and norB efflux pump genes was assessed using Real-Time PCR. The nor A gene was detected in all ciprofloxacin-resistant pathogens, and norA gene expression increased in samples treated with ciprofloxacin compared to samples not treated with ciprofloxacin results of a real-time PCR test. The norB gene was detected in resistant strains, and its expression increased, as was the case with the norA gene. The fold of gene expression of norB gene for the ten isolates ranged from (12.082 to 42.81 fold) and also this result was higher than the fold of norA gene (0.0036-34.05 fold). The research study discovered that efflux pump genes play a crucial role in ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin resistance. Also, when employed as a housekeeping gene in gene expression, the 16S rRNA gene produced excellent results.

Ulcerative colitis is one of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) consequences characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The current study aims to determine the changes in colon tissue caused by induced Ulcerative Colitis and reduce these changes by worms' antigen. The study included 45 adult male albino mice (Mus musculus), with ages ranging between 8-10 weeks; the average weights ranged between 18-32 g. Ulcerative colitis was induced by intracolonic administration of 100 μL of 4% after they had been starved for 18 h. The animals were dissected after one week, and routine histological sections were conducted. The results of the histological study showed that in the colon of white mice treated with 4% acetic acid occurred, many histological changes were represented by the appearance of inflammatory cells in the mucous layer around the goblet cells, and the formation of vacuoles, necrosis at epithelium and intense congestion under the surface epithelium. The marked histological sections of the colon in mice with induced ulcerative colitis treated with helminth extract at a concentration of 0.1 mg/kg for a week, were showed that the histological changes began to decrease in the colon tissue, with the presence of a few inflammatory cells as well as little mucus secretion.

The current study aimed to study the effect of Covid-19 disease on some physiological parameters for assessing the physiological effect of Covid-19. The current study included 100 patients, 50 males, and 50 females, whose ages ranged from 10 – 73 years infected with Covid-19 molecularly diagnosed at AL-Imam Hussein Teaching Hospital in Thi-Qar Province from April to August 2021 and 50 people as a control group. The results illustrated a significant decrease in the level of hemoglobin, lymphocyte, and platelet in the patient's group, whereas a significant increase in the count of total white blood cells (WBC) was recorded in patients compared with the control group. The results showed that the hemoglobin level, WBC, and platelet increased significantly in males compared to females, while the lymphocytes increased significantly in female patients. The results of age groups showed non-significant differences in the hematological parameters. The current results illustrated a significant increase in the level of blood urea, serum creatinine, and random blood sugar in the patient's group. According to the gender of patients, the blood urea increased significantly in the female group, while the blood sugar increased significantly in the male group. On the other hand, the serum creatinine had no significant difference. According to age groups, a significant increase in blood urea was recorded in patients over 70 years, but no differences in both creatinine and random blood sugar level were noted. The current study recorded that the concentration of CRP, ferritin, and D. Dimer was significantly higher in patients; according to gender, the level of CRP and ferritin increased non-significantly compared with a male group of patients, while D. Dimer increased significantly in the female group. According to age group, only CRP increased significantly in the first age group compared with other age groups. The sequencing analysis was performed for 10 isolated Covid-19, and the result indicates that only one isolated sample has a sequencing identity of 99,5% with Covid-19 in Iran.

A 13-years-old male vervet monkey that was kept in a primates breeding and research facility at Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran (RVSRI) died suddenly. Massively scattered grayish-yellow mottling on both ventricles were the most significant gross necropsy findings. There was a gritty feeling on palpation and sectioning of the yellow areas. Microscopically, the lesions demonstrated scattered degeneration and necrosis of myocardial cells. Inside the affected areas, large calcium deposit plaques were detected using the Von kossa staining method. The development of myocardial calcification in the present case can be attributed to the dystrophic calcification following spontaneous myocardial necrosis or an undetected infection/inflammatory process. Persistent anxiety might trigger spontaneous biventricular necrosis in vervet monkeys. In conclusion, due to similarities between the clinical and histological presentation of the current case with sudden death syndrome associated with myocardial calcification in humans, it was suggested that vervet monkeys might be a relevant animal model for research on the pathophysiological processes of this complication.