Backgrounds: Rubella (German measles) is a common mild illness signs’ by fever, mild intoxication, rash, swelling, and soreness of the lymph nodes. It affects children and teenagers worldwide and can also affect young adults. Rubella virus infects pregnant women, and can be transmitted to the fetus and causing birth defects or Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). The study designed to scrutinize the role of the Rubella virus in spontaneous abortion by comparing Immunological and molecular tests used in diagnosing the virus in Iraqi aborted women. Methods: A total of sixty women were enrolled from two Baghdad maternity hospitals from December 2023 to February 2024. Thirty serum samples were gathered from spontaneously miscarriage women, and thirty from healthy as a control group. Serological tests, Chemi-Luminescence (TORCH) and Enzyme Immunoassay were performed for diagnosis of Rubella virus infection followed by molecular detection by Reverse Transcriptase-PCR. Results: Revealed that out of 30 specimens, 26 tested positive for rubella virus. Both Enzyme Immunoassay and Chemi-Luminescence assay detected anti-Rubella virus IgG, but the Immunoassay test showed superiority over the Chemi-Luminescence assay by 54%, and IgM anti-Rubella virus was slightly high by only 3%. Conclusions: Molecular detection was more reliable diagnostic method of rubella virus.

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease commonly managed using salbutamol inhalers. Prolonged exposure to inhaled medications may induce genotoxic alterations, including micronucleus (MN) formation in buccal epithelial cells. Limited data exist regarding such effects among Sudanese asthmatic patients. Objective: To assess the frequency of micronuclei in buccal mucosa among asthmatic patients using salbutamol inhalers and compare the findings with healthy controls in Shendi City. Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 participants: 50 asthmatic patients using salbutamol inhalers and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Buccal smears were collected, fixed with 95% ethanol, and stained using the Papanicolaou technique. Micronuclei were examined microscopically, and data were analyzed using SPSS employing Chi-square and ANOVA tests. Results: Micronucleus positivity was detected in all asthmatic patients (100%) compared with 80% among controls (p = 0.000). MN frequency increased significantly with age group 20–40 years (52%, p = 0.026) and with duration of inhaler use (p = 0.000). No significant association was found between MN frequency and gender (p = 0.072). Conclusion: Long-term use of salbutamol inhalers is associated with a significant increase in micronucleus frequency in buccal epithelial cells, suggesting potential genotoxic effects. Further studies using DNA-specific stains, such as Feulgen, are recommended to validate these findings.

Microbiological analysis of Garri samples taken from Wudil Market, Kano State, revealed levels of bacterial, fungal, and coliform contamination. The mean bacterial load ranged from 1.25 × 10⁴ to 8.63 × 10⁴ CFU/g, of which P10 contained the highest. The mean fungal load ranged from 1.08 × 10⁴ to 5.01 × 10⁴ CFU/g, also highest in P10. Most Probable Number (MPN) total coliform counts ranged from 29 to 120 MPN/g in samples. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Bacillus spp. were the bacterial isolates recovered, with S. aureus and E. coli being most prevalent (35% each). Fungal isolates were Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium spp., and Cladosporium spp., of which A. niger was the most frequent (32%). These findings indicate that Garri retailed in the study area holds public health-relevant microorganisms, which means that there may be associated hazards from its intake and further highlights the need for proper amplified hygiene in processing, storage, and handling.

The rapid emergence of MDR E. coli strains has posed a great challenge in human health, wherein the AcrB efflux pump acts as a crucial mediator of antibiotic resistance. Presented here is an in-depth computational analysis of three potent candidates-camalexin, 2-chloro-4-pyrrolidinopyridine, and 2,2-dimethylthiazolidine-along with Ciprofloxacin, an accepted antibiotic and target molecule of AcrB efflux pump (PDB ID: 4DX5) subjected simultaneously. By employing InstaDock v1.1 software for thorough molecular dock analysis, DS Visualizer software analysis, & SwissDrug Design software tools analysis of various data parameters including drug binding affinities, pharmacokinetic properties, polypharmacology predictions, & acute toxicity data (LD50 values), this analysis compares & contrasts computationally predicted data parameters of several drug candidates & Ciprofloxacin effectively. This analysis concludes that, in spite of Ciprofloxacin having a higher binding affinity, there are drug candidates that lead to superior pharmacokinetic properties & toxicity effects computationally, indicating the possibility of having a higher therapeutic index potentially. This result forms a rationale & hypothesis indicating the necessity of scrutinizing these newly identified drug candidates toward AcrB pump as a therapeutic strategy toward overcoming MDR in Escherichia coli effectively.

Curcumin, the main bioactive compound derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has gained significant scientific attention for its wide-ranging therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. However, its clinical utility has been limited due to poor water solubility, rapid metabolism, and low bioavailability. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to the development of curcumin-loaded nanoformulations, such as liposomes and nanoparticles, which enhance its solubility, stability, and targeted delivery. This review explores the chemical composition and molecular mechanisms of curcumin, focusing on its ability to modulate inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10) and oxidative stress markers (e.g., SOD, GSH, MDA). Curcumin suppresses key pro-inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB and COX-2, while enhancing the body's endogenous antioxidant defenses. Its nano-delivery systems show promising results in improving curcumin’s pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy in various disease models. Overall, curcumin represents a potent natural agent with multi-target effects, and its nanoformulations offer a promising platform for future therapeutic applications in managing chronic inflammatory and oxidative stress-related disorders. Continued research is needed to translate these findings into clinical practice and to establish standardized, bioavailable formulations suitable for human use.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is caused by the obligatory intracellular parasite T. gondii, about one-third of the world is afflicted with this disease, which is among the most prevalent in the globe. Objective: Establish the seroprevalence of the Toxoplasma gondii infection in fertile and infertile men in the Basra province, Iraq, and to determine the relationship between chronic infection with T. gondii and semen parameters and reproductive hormone levels. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 214 fertile and infertile men in Basra, semen and blood samples were taken, the Latex Agglutination Test was used to check the presence of T. gondii antibodies. Serum concentration of FSH, LH, prolactin, and testosterone was measured by using automated immunoassay system. Results: The general rate of IgG seroprevalence against T. gondii of the participants was 23.8% and it was marginally higher in infertile men (27%) compared to fertile men (21%), but with not statistically significant (p=0.39). IgM was infrequently detected and was found only in one infertile individual. Rapid progressive motility was lower significantly among IgG-positive people among fertile men (p=0.034). Hormonal analysis revealed no significant differences in FSH, LH, prolactin, or testosterone levels between infected and non-infected individuals. Conclusion: The latent T. gondii infection is quite frequent in the Basrah province in men, but it does not have a strong correlation with infertility of men as a whole or significant hormonal disruptions. The chronic toxoplasmosis can have a weak functional impact on the quality of sperm as opposed to a quantitative or endocrine one.