Journal Of AL-Turath University College

This review study claims parallels and differences of the medieval Crusades (1095-1291) and the recent West military interventions in the Islamic world especially the war in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003). Using historical, political, and cultural literature, this paper will examine how modern conflicts have been decoded using the Crusades as a prism by several players, including the Western political heavy-weights, Islamist movements and the academicians. The paper will examine the Clash of Civilizations thesis proposed by Samuel Huntington, and its critiques and will discuss how the paradigm has influenced the process of policy making as well as the way it has influenced the people. With the help of exploring the continuities and discontinuities between medieval and modern wars, this review proves that the historical contexts of the Crusades and the contemporary geopolitical rhetorical and symbolic appeals are still perpetually connected in the historical and present-day geopolitics and interreligious and interethnic relations.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common fungal infection with millions of women becoming victims worldwide. The aim of the study was to examine the correlation of Candida species distribution, host immune response, hormonal profile and virulence factors in non-pregnant women in Tikrit, Iraq. A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out between February to May 2025 among a total of 210 non-pregnant women between 18-45 years. Vaginal swabs and blood samples were taken. The identification of Candida was done by the use of culture and CHROMagar. ELISA was used to measure serum Estradiol, Progesterone, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, and TNF-a. Virulence factors such as biofilm formation, phospholipase activity, proteinase activity and adhesion capacity were evaluated. The Candida species were obtained in 102 (48.6) participants. The predominant one was C. albicans (66.7%), then C. glabrata (21.6%). VVC women had much higher serum levels of Estradiol (192 +- 34 vs. 121 +- 27 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and IL-6, IL-8 and IL-17 levels than controls. Fifty-eight percent of isolates were found to be strong biofilm formers. The vaginal pH was highly raised in infected females (4.9 +- 0.4 vs. 4.2 +- 0.3). Candida adhesion ability had a positive relationship with Estradiol levels (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). VVC in Tikrit is linked with high estrogen, disturbed vaginal microenvironment, high levels of inflammatory cytokines and high Candida virulence. Patient management can be enhanced by including immunological, hormonal markers into the diagnostic strategies.

A chain of religious wars that took place between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries and were known as the Crusades have had an unparalleled impact on the history of the collective memory of the Western and Middle East societies. This review article looks at how the memory of Crusades has been produced, recreated and used in modern political and cultural discourse. This paper uses the theory of collective memory as developed by Maurice Halbwachs to examine how the narratives of the Crusades have evolved since medieval historiography to the current age of political rhetoric with specific reference to the post 9/11 age. The review delves into the three themes, which are interrelated, as well as, the theoretical underpinnings of collective memory as used in the context of the Crusades, the metamorphosis of Crusade memory in Arab nationalist and Islamist discourse, and the usage of Crusade rhetoric in Western politics. According to this analysis, collective memory of the Crusades is an effective tool in the terms of identity formation, legitimizing political activity, and framing present-day conflicts in historical terms.

The issue of bacterial biofilms may be deemed one of the significant problems of modern medicine and microbiology. These surface bound microbial communities of high density are enclosed by an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix that is self-secreted to shield them against antimicrobial agents and immune systems of the host. Approximately 80 percent of all microbial infections in human beings are associated with biofilm infection resulting in chronic and recurring illnesses that are notoriously difficult to treat. This is a review that detailed the study on the role of biofilms in enhancing the virulence of bacteria and therapeutic resistance. We discuss the stages of biofilm formation, the organization, and purpose of EPS, the quorum sensing in the behavior coordination of the bacterial cells and the persister cell formation. In addition, we explore the numerous resistance mechanisms employed by the biofilm entrenched bacteria as the reduced penetration of the antibiotics, regulated micro environment, horizontal gene transfer, and phenotypic heterogeneity. These mechanisms are also studied, which is significant in the development of new treatment measures to counter biofilm-related diseases.

The beneficial soil microorganisms are crucial in sustainable agriculture in terms of increasing crop productivity, improving soil health, and decreasing reliance on synthetic agrochemicals. This broad survey is a review of the diversity of useful soil microbes such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), actinomycetes, and cyanobacteria and their processes of action in nutrient cycling, growth promotion, biocontrol, and soil structuring. The use of them as biofertilizers and biopesticides has been promising, and the meta-analyses have reported that biomass gains 47 percent and phosphorus uptake gains 105 percent in plants inoculated with them (1). Nevertheless, issues such as sporadic field performance, competition, and native microbiomes, regulatory, and adoption limitations by farmers are still present. New technologies like metagenomics, artificial microbial communities, CRISPR-based genome editing, and Artificial Intelligence are changing how we can learn and exert control over soil microbial communities to their agricultural advantage. The review is based on the recent development between 2015-2025, addresses the existing limitations, and outlines the future research directions that could be microbiome engineering, integration of precision agriculture, and climate-smart uses. To effectively utilize the positive microbes in the soil, it is necessary to manage the complexity of the ecology, create powerful formulations, coordinate the regulatory systems, and arrange the work of multiple stakeholders to reach sustainable agricultural intensification in the changing climate.

Background: The most prevalent endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, and the major cause of infertility caused by anovulatory, is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and insulin resistance are also considered crucial pathophysiological traits of PCOS, and their roles as the biomarkers of infertility are not yet fully understood.
Design: A cross-sectional group cohort study designed to assess the AMH and insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR) levels in infertile and fertile PCOS patients, and to find out whether they can be used as predictive biomarkers of infertility in PCOS.
Methods: The case-control study was carried out in January 20, May first, 2025 in Samarra General Hospital, Iraq. One hundred and five women of reproductive age (18-40 years) were recruited and separated into three groups, PCOS patients with infertility (n=35), PCOS patients without infertility (n=35), and healthy fertile controls (n=35). The diagnosis of PCOS was done using Rotterdam criteria. The AMH serum levels, fasting glucose levels, fasting insulin levels, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, and testosterone levels were measured. The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was used in the evaluation of insulin resistance. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were anthropometric measurements. The identification of independent predictors of infertility relied on binary logistic regression.
Findings: PCOS infertile patients were found to have much higher AMH levels than PCOS infertile and healthy controls (8.94 ± 2.31 ng/mL vs. 6.82 ± 1.95 ng/mL vs. 3.45 ± 1.12 ng/mL, p=0.001). The PCOS patients with infertility (4.76 +/-1.84) had a significantly higher value in HOMA-IR than PCOS without infertility (3.21 +/-1.45), and controls (1.89 +/-0.67) (p<0.001). The LH/FSH was also found to be much greater in infertile patients with PCOS (2.84 ± 0.92) than in the other groups (p<0.001). The analysis of ROC curves showed that AMH level above 7.5 ng/mL (sensitivity 82.9, specificity 77.1, AUC=0.812) and HOMA-IR level above 3.8 (sensitivity 74.3, specificity 71.4, AUC=0.768) were the best cut-off points in predicting infertility in PCOS patients. The independent variables that AMH (OR=2.84, 95% CI: 1.62-4.98, p<0.001) and HOMA-IR (OR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.38-3.29, p=0.001) were confirmed as independent predictors of infertility in binary logistic regression. The AMH and HOMA-IR had a strong positive correlation in the infertile PCOS group (r=0.68, p<0.001).
Conclusion: AMH and insulin resistance levels are strongly connected to infertility among PCOS patients and this is an independent predictor of fertility. These biomarkers can be effective pointers of fertility prospects in PCOS and can be discussed as complements to overall fertility assessment in order to implement therapeutic measures.

Objective:
This study analyzed how residential setting (urban or rural) and sex influence key biochemical regulators of calcium homeostasis serum calcium, vitamin D3, PTH, and calcitonin—in students at Tikrit University.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 90 healthy students aged 20 to 35 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to urban and rural groups, with equal gender representation. The study took place from December 2022 to February 2023. Blood samples were collected to measure serum levels of vitamin D3, PTH, and calcitonin using commercial ELISA kits, and calcium was measured by colorimetric analysis. Data were analyzed with SPSS using one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s test, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05 and p ≤ 0.01.
Results:
Residential location significantly affected certain parameters: rural students had higher calcium (p ≤ 0.01) and PTH (p ≤ 0.05) levels than urban students. Sex-based differences were also notable, with males exhibiting higher calcium levels (p ≤ 0.01) and females exhibiting higher PTH levels (p ≤ 0.01). No significant differences related to residence or sex were observed for calcitonin or vitamin D3. Interaction analysis indicated that rural males had the most favourable profile, with higher calcium and vitamin D3 levels, whereas rural females had higher PTH levels.
Conclusion:
The study indicates that geographic location and sex influence calcium regulation, reflecting possible physiological or lifestyle adaptations. Rural men exhibited superior biochemical profiles, while women showed elevated PTH levels, likely due to environmental or dietary factors. Calcitonin remained stable, suggesting a minor role.