Al-Kunooze Scientific Journal

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a prevalent illness, describes maternal glucose intolerance that is first discovered during pregnancy. There are multiple risk factors linked to the development of GDM. Aim of study: to evaluate which risk factors are most common for the development of GDM in Thi-Qar\'s reproductive-age women, and to predict which risk factors have the worst outcomes for both the mother and fetus. Methodology: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 1504 reproductive-age married women attending an Endocrine Center. All patients’ data were collected from direct interviewees and the use of digital records of the tertiary center, which used an internal network system and the Microsoft Access program. Demographic characteristics and Clinical history of GDM, history of macrosomia, and family history of diabetes were documented. Results: The mean age of participant was 33 ±8 years old, their mean weight was 76 ±15 kg, their BMI was 30.8±5.7 (Kg/m2), and their waist circumference was 94.5±12.5 centimeters. BMI, first-degree relatives with diabetes, chronic hypertension, macrosomia, polycystic ovary syndrome, and lipid disorder were significantly higher among women with GDM rather than those without (p-value = 0.004, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Family history of DM, obesity, macrosomia, PCOS, hypertension, lipid disorder, multiparity, and number of stillbirths are measured as dependent risk factors for the prediction of GDM and DM complications. Heart disease, kidney disease, congenital anomalies, and physical inactivity were insignificant associations with the incidence of GDM in this study. GDM is considered another risk factor for the prediction of chronic DM and later complications.

Amebiasis, caused by Entamoeba histolytica, is a significant global health issue, particularly in regions with poor sanitation. Nitric oxide, an adaptable signaling molecule, plays a complex role in this infection. While NO can contribute to tissue destruction and inflammation, it also exhibits protective properties by aiding in wound healing and inhibiting parasite proliferation. Thus, NO's impact on amebiasis involves a delicate balance of harmful and useful effects. This study aimed to determine the relationships between age, Entamoeba histolytica infection, and nitric oxide levels in infected patients. This case-control study, conducted in Al-Najaf, Iraq, from September 2024 to January 2025, investigated nitric oxide levels in 50 confirmed Entamoeba histolytica infection cases by examining serum samples collected from patients at multiple hospitals. Serum samples were obtained and stored at -80°C for nitric oxide analysis. The study indicated that E. histolytica infection was most frequent among individuals aged 21-40 years. Additionally, a notable rise in nitric oxide levels was observed in infected patients between 31 and 49 years old. In conclusion, this study suggests Infection was most common in 21-40 year olds, while NO levels were significantly elevated in infected individuals aged 31-49.

The experiment was conducted in the hatchery of the Animal Production Department of the Directorate of Agricultural Research in Slemani during the period from 1/10/2022 to 1/12/2022. 300 fertilized eggs of local Kurdish chicken (12, 13) were used in the experiment and were divided into three groups so that their weight and dimensions were not significantly different between the experimental treatments. The experiment was divided into three treatments, where the eggs of the first treatment were incubated at a temperature of 37.7 °C, while the eggs of the second treatment were incubated at a temperature of 38 °C, and the eggs of the last treatment were incubated at a temperature of 36 °C. After hatching the eggs, the chicks were sexed, and the mortality rate and quality of the chicks were calculated. There were no significant differences between the treatments used in the percentage of live and dead chicks. , as it was found that there were no significant differences in the percentage of chicks with dry and wet between the treatments used. It was found that there were significant differences between the treatments in the sex ratio of chicks. The percentage of male and female chicks in the first treatment was 23.1% and 14.8%, respectively. As for the second treatment, the percentage of males and females was 24.7% and 7.7%, respectively. In the third treatment, the percentage of males and females was 15.9% and 13.7%, respectively. It does conclude that increasing or decreasing the incubation temperature affected the chick sex, and did not affect the hatchability percentage and the chick quality. More studies are needed to find the effect of incubation temperature on chick sex to use it as a method for sexing chicks.

The major cause of death worldwide is cancer. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy are examples of conventional cancer treatments. However, there are significant obstacles to effective cancer treatment, including cytotoxicity, lack of selectivity, and multidrug resistance. Cancer diagnosis and therapy have radically changed with the development of nanotechnology. Through lessening its side effects, nanotechnology has particular advantages in cancer treatment. Nanoparticles (1–100 nm) can be utilized to treat cancer because of their unique benefits, which include improved permeability and retention (PR), decreased toxicity, increased stability, biocompatibility, and precise targeting. The unique drug delivery method using nanoparticles makes use of the properties of the tumor and its surroundings. Nanoparticles not only overcome multidrug resistance but also address the shortcomings of traditional cancer treatment. Additionally, nanoparticles are being studied more thoroughly as new multidrug resistance mechanisms are discovered and examined. Being able to bypass the drug efflux mechanism linked to such a phenotype and directing drugs to target cancer cells specifically gives them an additional means of avoiding multidrug resistance. There has been a comparison of the effectiveness of active and passive nanoparticle (NP) targeting techniques in cancer theranostics. New cancer therapeutics were developed and improved using a variety of nanomaterials, including inorganic or organic, and synthetic polymers. This review addresses the function of NPs in cancer treatment, including targeting mechanisms and various drug delivery techniques for cancer therapy.

The analysis of DNA sequences plays a critical role in genetic research, but challenges persist in attaining high precision with mixed sequences. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of the Mixed Sequence Analysis application in analyzing DNA sequences with heterozygous base calling as well as manual analysis. DNA was extracted from 31 unrelated Iraqi individuals, and D13S317 is one specific STR locus that is highly variable among individuals and was amplified. The mixed sequence was then analyzed using the Mixed Sequence Analysis tool, complemented by manual chromatogram interpretation. The most frequent allele detected was TATC 12 (52.27%), followed by TATC 9 (20.45%). The least frequent allele was TATC10, which was 4.55%; also, different alleles were detected with high variability. The analysis revealed that while the application was beneficial, there were challenges in distinctive variations at the base level due to noise in the chromatogram. Despite its limitations, this research highlights the importance of developing accurate sequencing analysis techniques, particularly in situations where other methods are unavailable

Bladder cancer ranks ninth in frequency worldwide and is the most prevalent cancer in the urinary tract. Significant risk factors include smoking, occupational exposures, and environmental exposures. Hematuria without discomfort is one of the common symptoms. Examine the following risk factors for bladder cancer: age, gender, occupation, BMI, smoking, and place of residence. The majority of patients (66.15%) were men between the ages of 50 and 60. Examine biochemical factors, including: blood urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG). Thirty healthy people served as the study\'s control group, while 70 bladder cancer patients participated. Standard methods were used to measure the samples, and SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Patients with bladder cancer had significantly higher levels of creatinine and urea than healthy controls (P<0.05).AST levels did not differ considerably, whereas ALT levels were significantly lower (P=0.016). While the patients\' cholesterol levels were not statistically significant, their triglycerides were considerably higher (P=0.017). Changes in creatinine, urea, ALT, and triglycerides indicate metabolic and renal disturbances associated with bladder cancer. Risk factors include age, gender, smoking, and occupation, highlighting the importance of early detection.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between sperm DNA fragmentation and semen quality indicators in infertile males. 30 semen samples from fertile controls and 60 from infertile males with aberrant semen parameters made up the 90 semen samples examined. The semen was analyzed using the WHO (2010) standards, which include leukocyte count, morphology, motility, and sperm concentration. DNA damage was evaluated using the aniline blue staining method, and samples were categorized based on the extent of fragmentation.
All analyzed factors show statistically significant differences (P<0.001), according to the results. The normal group's mean sperm concentration was significantly greater at 54.93±13.44 million/ml than the abnormal group's, which was 17.10±15.24 million/ml. Similarly, the aberrant semen group's progressive motility was significantly lower (19.53±15.30%) than that of the normal group (56.43±16.85%). The normal group's sperm morphology (61.67±13.08%) was superior to that of the abnormal group (36.33±14.25%). Additionally, the normal group's semen volume (3.85±1.18 ml) was substantially greater than that of the abnormal group (3.26±1.47 ml). Furthermore, the abnormal semen group's leukocyte concentration (1.92±1.21 million/ml) was substantially higher than that of the normal group (0.68±0.28 million/ml).
According to the results, abnormal samples had significantly more DNA damage (49.50 ± 27.50) than normal samples (19.10 ± 5.31). Sperm DNA damage was much higher in the abnormal group than in the control group (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between DNA fragmentation and sperm motility (r = -0.47, P = 0.001), morphology (r = -0.44, P = 0.001), and concentration (r = -0.41, P = 0.001). There was also a somewhat positive correlation between DNA fragmentation and leukocytes (r = 0.21, P = 0.052). This study found that infertile guys' low semen quality is closely correlated with greater sperm DNA fragmentation, which might be a good indicator for male infertility diagnosis.

This study aimed to develop novel anticancer agents by synthesizing and evaluating anthraquinone-based heterocyclic compounds as potential inhibitors of Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) and topoisomerase. Three target compounds incorporating 1,3,4-oxadiazole (Compound 3), 1,2,4-triazole (Compound 5), and 1,3,4-thiadiazole (Compound 6) moieties with an anthraquinone core were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR). In silico molecular docking revealed that Compound 6 exhibited the highest binding affinity for both topoisomerase II (ΔG: -8.313 kcal/mol) and PKM2 (ΔG: -9.342 kcal/mol). ADME predictions indicated all compounds possess high gastrointestinal absorption, are not BBB permeant, and adhere to Lipinski's rule of five. Cytotoxicity studies (MTT assay) against A549 lung and HepG2 liver cancer cell lines, along with normal HDF cells, demonstrated Compound 6 as the most potent, with IC₅₀ values of 104.37 µg/ml (A549) and 126.59 µg/ml (HepG2). Compound 6 also showed the highest selectivity for A549 cells (SI: 2.61981). These integrated findings identify Compound 6 as a promising lead candidate for further investigation in anticancer drug development.

Objective: Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients show varied metabolic profiles influenced by factors like age, sex, and body mass index, which affect disease progression and risk of other health problems. To evaluate how demographic factors such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) influence glycemic control and lipid profile parameters in patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Materials and methods: The study included 60 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients aged 30 to 75 years. Blood samples were collected after overnight fasting; they were divided into two parts, with the EDTA tube used immediately for HbA1c measurement, while the other parts were separated to obtain serum for biochemical parameters. Biochemical measurements included glucose and lipid profile by enzymatic methods, HbA1c by ion exchange HPLC, and insulin by sandwich electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Insulin resistance was calculated using the HOMA-IR formula.
Results: Biochemical parameters were not varied significantly by age or sex except for higher total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in females. Obesity was strongly associated with increased insulin resistance and an adverse lipid profile characterized by elevated TG, VLDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and reduced HDL cholesterol. Glycemic control markers (glucose, HbA1c) were not significantly linked to lipid abnormalities.
Conclusion: This study concluded that age and sex do not affect glycemic control and lipid profile, except that women have higher total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. However, obesity is strongly associated with increased insulin resistance and an adverse lipid profile.

This study evaluated the air quality in some areas of Anbar Governorate based on the concentrations of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃). The study results showed varying concentrations of some air pollutants (SO₂ and NO₂) exceeded the national and international standards at 0.36 ppm and 0.0193 ppm, respectively. The concentrations of CO and NO₂ were below the permissible limits. The results of the study revealed regional differences in the concentrations of pollutants. The industrial areas had the highest NO₂ concentrations, while the commercial areas had the highest CO and SO₂ concentrations, and the residential areas had the highest O₃ concentrations. The study evaluated the health effects of air pollutants in the examined area by utilizing the Air Quality Index (AQI), which is a standardized numerical scale designed to indicate air pollution levels and their implications for public health. Pollutants within the study were categorized on a scale ranging from 0 to 350. Findings revealed differences in pollution levels across the sites, with nitrogen dioxide falling under the \"good\" category, while sulfur dioxide reached the \"hazardous\" category.

This review focused on the utilization of nanoscale metals such as Ag and Cu, which are considerable throughout a range of industries spanning environmental, medical, and engineering sectors, making the synthesis of these nanomaterials a pertinent subject. Currently, green chemical and biological strategies are predominantly employed for the synthesis of nanoscale metals; however, these strategies come with unintended disadvantages such as environmental contamination, excessive power consumption, and achievable fitness hazards. In addressing these challenges, inexperienced synthesis has emerged as a promising alternative, making use of plant extracts instead of physical and industrial chemical dealers to limit metal ions.

Rotavirus infection is considered to be one of the zoonotic diseases, transmitted between humans and animals. The present study aimed to investigate the association between cytokine (IL-2, IL-6 and INF-γ) levels with Rotavirus VP7 gene distribution in humans and cattle by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Faecal samples (54) and 54 blood samples were collected from each diarrheic human and cattle. The PCR-VP7 results revealed that VP7-PCR positivity was observed in 12 human stool(22.2%) and 14 cattle faecal samples (25.9%). Non-significant effect (P>0.05) for human sex on Rota virusVP7 distribution, and (23.3%) of Rota virusVP7 detection was observed in males compared to females (20.8%). Significant effect (P<0.05) for cattle sex on Rota virus VP7 distribution, and a higher percentage (47.1%) of Rota virus VP7 infection in cattle was observed in females compared to males (16.2%). Non-significant effect (P>0.05) for human and cattle age was observed in this study. A higher percentage of Rota virus VP7 infection was observed in humans and cattle (23.5 and 34.6 % respectively) in the age group less than 5 years. ELISA-based IL-6, IL-2 and INF-γ results revealed that Positive cases with VP7 did not differ significantly by species, age, or sex. among the measured cytokines, only IL-6 in cattle showed a significant elevation in VP7-positive cases compared with VP7-negative controls (356.87±156.13 vs. 40.84±40.84 pg/mL, p = 0.020).

The human gastrointestinal system, vaginal tracts, and oral cavity are home to the common gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacteria known as Enterococcus species. When recovered from clinical specimens of hospitalized patients, the most prevalent species of the broad genus Enterococcus bacteria—which contains over 50 species—are E. faecalis and E. faecium. This study aim to isolation and identifaction of E.faecalis depended on phenotype and molecular method, the phenotypic patterns using traditional, and then diagnosed it based on the genotypes and using specialized primers for 16srRNA and D-Ala:D-Ala ligase genes using polymerase chain reaction as well as molecular detection of SprE and PAI virulence genes and carrying out antibiotic susceptibility test . Between June and September 2024 , one hundred and forty five urine samples were collected from patients of different ages (from 26 to 60 years old) and of both sexes (males number 81 and female number 64) that suffering from UTIs that avoid from taking antibiotics for at least a week, Mid-stream urine samples were collected in sterilized screw-cap containers. To prevent any potential contamination, the specimens were gathered in the correct manner. Three Babylonian hospitals—Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Marjan Hospital, and Imam Al-Sadq Hospital—were the sites of sample collection, The result showed presence (16srRNA and ddl) genes in all isolation bacteria at 100% and sprE, PAI genes were performed by Conventional PCR amplification was 35.71 % , 21.42 % respectively . Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed using Vancomycin, linezolid, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin and ciprofloxacin ,the result of antibiotic sensitivity tests showed very high resistant (96.42%) to ampicillin, whereas a few isolates exhibited strong ciprofloxacin resistance (85.71%) and vancomycin (82.14%), while some isolates showed moderate resistance (46.42%) to nitrofurantoin, and (57.14%) to chloramphenicol, and show low resistance to linezolid (10.71%).