This study focused on isolating and identifying bacteria associated with oral cavity infections and exploring the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles as a supportive antibacterial agent. A total of 62 oral swab samples were collected from patients with oral conditions, including inflammation and ulcers. The samples were cultured on selective media, and the bacterial isolates were identified using morphological characteristics, biochemical tests, and the VITEK 2 system. The results showed that most samples (96.77%) exhibited bacterial growth, and all isolates were Gram-positive. Four main bacterial species were identified, with Streptococcus mutans being the most prevalent, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. These bacteria are commonly associated with oral infections and dental problems. The study also examined antibiotic susceptibility and the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles to enhance antibacterial activity. The findings suggest that Gram-positive bacteria largely dominate oral infections and highlight the importance of exploring alternative strategies, such as nanomaterials, to improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and help reduce bacterial resistance.

Background: One of the most common intestinal parasites affecting people, especially children, is Hymenolepis nana. Aim of the Study: The purpose of this study was to determine the risk variables linked to hymenolepiasis in children and to evaluate its prevalence. This study also evaluated blood glucose, insulin, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium. Materials and Methods: 584 stool samples were collected from children who visited pediatric outpatient clinics in Samarra city from July 2023 to the end of March 2024. Result: The results showed an infection rate of 3.9%, with 57.4% diagnosed by flotation and sedimentation and 42.5% diagnosed by direct examination. Symptomatic infection was present in 72.2% of the children, while 27.7% were asymptomatic. The highest infection rate was among children aged 7-9 years (40.7%). The current study showed non-significant differences in the level of insulin between infected children and control (p-value > 0.05). Blood glucose, selenium, zinc, and iron levels decreased in children infected with H. nana that were (92.04±21.2 mg/dl, 189.74±59.12 µg/dL, 48.31±5.52 µg/dL, 85.36±9.28 µg/dL) as compared with control that were (115.12±32.4 mg/dl, 253.61±20.77 µg/dL, 74.63±10.71 µg/dL, 145.91±16.53 µg/dL, respectively, at a p-value < 0.05. While statistically increasing the level of copper in infected children as compared with the control (219.27±17.61 and 116.89±23.74 µg/dL, respectively) at a p-value < 0.05. Conclusion: The prevalence of H. nana infection is influenced by factors such as age, sex, and source of water. Furthermore, there is an association between infection with H. nana and iron, zinc, and selenium deficiency.

The interrelation between renewable energy (RE) deployment and environmental sustainability is increasingly critical for sustainable development in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Iraq possesses abundant solar irradiation and favorable wind corridors, yet renewable energy contributes less than 2% of electricity generation due to policy gaps, financial constraints, and technical limitations. In contrast, Iran and Turkey have implemented structured policies, feed-in tariffs, and private sector engagement, resulting in more significant renewable adoption. Renewable energy offers substantial environmental benefits, including greenhouse gas mitigation, improved air quality, water conservation, and promotion of circular economy practices through biomass and waste-to-energy systems. Effective implementation requires coherent policy frameworks, financial incentives, technical capacity building, and public awareness. Integration of hybrid systems, smart grids, and GIS-based site selection enhances reliability and efficiency, mitigating intermittency challenges. Strategically expanding renewable energy in Iraq can transform the national energy system into a low-carbon, decentralized, and resilient infrastructure. Such a transition supports socio-economic development by creating jobs, improving energy access, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels while contributing to long-term environmental sustainability. Comparative insights from Iran and Turkey provide practical pathways for policy, technology, and institutional development to accelerate Iraq’s renewable energy adoption.

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the rs10046 locus in the aromatase gene CYP19A1 and certain biochemical variables, and their connection to the occurrence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Ninety (90) samples, aged 16-45 years, were collected for this study between November 1, 2022, and March 1, 2023. The samples were divided into two groups: 60 patients and 30 healthy individuals. Samples were collected from gynecology clinics at Tikrit Teaching Hospital and outpatient gynecology clinics. The results showed a significant increase in LH concentrations in patients compared to healthy individuals across all genotypes. The highest mean LH concentration was 18.97 in patients with the GG genotype, while the lowest mean LH concentration was 6.57 in healthy individuals with the GL genotype, While no significant differences were observed between the genotypes in the healthy group, as all were within the normal range for LH, a high standard deviation was noted in the GL and GG genotypes among the patients. This indicates a significant variation in the severity of hormonal imbalance between cases, which is common in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) due to varying degrees of hypothalamic hyperactivity in the brain. The results also suggest that the presence of the G allele in the GL and GG genotypes may be associated with increased activity of the hormonal pathways regulating LH secretion or with increased ovarian sensitivity to it. The LH/FSH ratio showed a gradual increase from the AA genotype (2.51 ± 2.93) to the GA genotype (3.33 ± 2.81) and then to the GG genotype (3.90 ± 4.94): AA → GA → GG. In contrast, the control group showed proportions within physiological limits, with mean values of 0.91 ± 0.35, 1.18 ± 0.50, and 1.49 ± 0.46 for AA, GA, and GG genotypes respectively. These results support the multifactorial nature of polycystic ovary syndrome, which includes both genetic predisposition and hormonal changes.

Background: Dermatophytosis is common superficial fungal infection worldwide which involve keratinized tissues including skin, hair and nails. Direct diagnostic approaches based on potassium hydroxide (KOH) microscopy and fungal culture have many limitations, mainly sensitivity and longer turnaround time. Direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) recently became a rapid and sensitive diagnostic tool. Objective: To assess the diagnostic performance of Direct PCR in identifying dermatophytes and compare it with conventional methods. Methods: A Cross-sectional analytical study conducted from clinical samples of 100 patients suspected with dermatophytosis. All samples received KOH examination, fungal cultures and Direct PCR. Direct PCR have been evaluated against the fungal culture as a golden standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Statistical significance was determined by McNemar’s test. Results: Direct PCR showed a detection rate of 70% compared to the fungal culture and KOH microscopy (40% and 25% respectively). The sensitivity and specificity of Direct PCR was 87.5% (95% confidence interval:73.2–95.8) and 41.7% (95% confidence interval:30.0–54.2), respectively. The PPV and NPV were 50.0% and 83.3%, respectively. Surgery for cardiovascular or hematologic indications to restore physiological functions in patients. There was a statistically significant difference between Direct PCR and fungal culture (p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed AUC approximately 0.65. The highest infection rate was observed in children aged less than 10 years, with the scalp being the most commonly affected site. Conclusions: that direct PCR is a highly sensitive diagnostic method which allows rapid detection compared to conventional methods and improves the early diagnosis of dermatophytosis. Despite a relatively low specificity as compared with culture of fungi, this could be due to the shortcomings of culture as a reference standard. Hence, can be useful to screen the patients effectively. Diagnostic algorithms are potentially useful tools and warrant additional refinement and implementation into standard clinical practice to increase diagnostic accuracy and optimize patient care.

One of the most widely used herbicides in the world, glyphosate, has contaminated waterways, posing a threat to both human health and the environment. The effectiveness of Lemna sp. (duckweed) in removing glyphosate (GLY) from contaminated aquatic medium in a lab setting is examined in this study. Plants were taken from the Diyala River in Iraq and placed on Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium. After being treated with varying concentrations of glyphosate (25–150 mgl−1), growth parameters, chlorophyll contents (a, b total), and the effectiveness of glyphosate removal were measured after seven and fifteen days. Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to Determine Residual Glyphosate. The glyphosate residue levels were ascertained using this technique. According to the results, after 15 days, Lemna sp. had a maximum clearance effectiveness of 87% at 75 mg/L. Chlorophyll content increased dramatically at low concentrations (50–75 mg L-1), indicating metabolic adaptability and potential glyphosate phosphorus utilization. Lemna sp. exhibits faster recovery and greater resistance to glyphosate in comparison to other phytoremediation plants, such as Cicer arietinum and Eichhornia crassipes. According to these results, duckweed may be an effective, affordable, and eco-friendly substitute for glyphosate-polluted aquatic systems.

The dumping of the raw municipal sewage in the Tigris River in Baghdad is also a major danger to the aquatic organisms, especially fish, which forms the source of food and livelihood of the local people. The current research examined the effects of sewage effluent on the African sharptooth catfish, i.e. Clarias gariepinus, by comparing the samples in reference (upstream) and sewage-afflicted (downstream) locations across a 15 kilometre stretch of the Tigris River near the Baghdad Medical City Complex. Water quality analysis revealed significantly elevated biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5 = 48–125 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD = 85–215 mg/L), total suspended solids (TSS = 156–412 mg/L), and heavy metals (Pb: 0.35–0.78 mg/L; Cd: 0.12–0.31 mg/L; Zn: 1.2–3.8 mg/L) at impacted sites compared with reference sites (BOD5 = 4–8 mg/L; COD = 12–18 mg/L; TSS = 22–35 mg/L). The catfish in the sewage affected reaches showed a much lower condition factor (K = 0.85 ± 0.12 versus 1.24 ± 0.14, p < 0.001), high liver somatic index (LSI = 2.8 + 0.45 per cent versus 1.6 + 0.38 per cent, p < 0.001), and severe histopathological changes in the gills and liver, such as, epithelial hyperplasia, lamellar fusion, gill. Oxidative stress biomarkers indicated elevated lipid peroxidation (MDA: 18.5 ± 3.2 nmol/mg protein vs. 6.8 ± 1.5, p < 0.001) and depleted antioxidant defenses (reduced GSH: 15.3 ± 2.8 μmol/mg protein vs. 32.6 ± 4.1, p < 0.001) in livers of impacted fish. The indices of gill and liver lesions had positive significant correlations with biochemical oxygen demand (BOD; r = 0.78, p < 0.001) and heavy-metal concentrations (r = 0.72–0.81, p < 0.001). Those findings corroborate that continuous exposure to untreated sewage results in multisystemic pathology in catfish, and thus, affects the physiological fitness of catfish, and may lead to the loss of population viability. There should be urgent adoption of efficient wastewater treatment, strict effluent regulation as well as long-term monitoring of fish health in order to protect the Tigris River and human population relying on it.