This study sought to determine malformation caused by Ochratoxin-A (OTA) on mouse embryos. Twenty adult female white Swiss mice (mus msculus) were divided into four groups, with five females per group, and with one male placed with two females in a cage. Avaginal plug was observed in the early morning and the day of mating was considered as day of pregnancy followed by the first day of pregnancy. Three sub lethal concentrations of OTA were applied to the respective groups (other than the control), 1mg/kg, 2mg/kg and 4mg/kg. The animals were given 0.1 ml per 10 gm body weight per concentration of OTA once a day during days 7-14 of pregnancy. The control group animals were given distilled water. The pregnant mice were dissected, and the embryos were extracted in order to identify the effects of the OTA. Number of parameters were studied including, difference in body weight of the mice before mating and after the end of the experiment, the weights and lengths of embryo, as well as a study of embryo malformation. The study shows no significant differences in the mean body weight of the pregnant mice in the 1 mg/kg group, compared to control group. A significant (P<0.01) decrease in the body weight of the treated mice was observed in the 2mg/kg and the 4mg/kg groups. As for the weight of the embryos, there was a significant (P<0.01) decrease in the body weight of the embryos in the mothers treated with OTA in the 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg treatment groups. The embryos of the 4mg/kg group of pregnant mice could not be recorded since they had been resorbed into their mothers uteri. Similarly, the results of the study showed a significant difference in the mean length of the embryos bodies in the 1mg/kg and 2mg/kg groups, compared with the non-treated control group. Many malformations induced in the embryos in those groups where it was possible to examine the embryos 1mg/kg and 2mg/kg compared to control mouse embryos, included loss of tail, lack of eyes, cleft lip and exencephaly, as well as spina bifida, curvature of the trunk and there were also reduction defects of the limbs. The study concluded that OTA have teratogenic effects on mice embryos
ZnIn2(Se1-xTex)4 (ZIST) chalcopyrite semiconductor thin films at various contents (x = 0.0, 0.2, and 0.4) are deposited on glass and p type silicon (111) substrate to produce heterojunction solar cell by using the thermal evaporation technique at RT where the thickness of 500 nm with a vacuum of 1×10-5 mbar and a deposited rates of 5.1 nm/s. This study focuses on how differing x content effect on the factors affecting the solar cell characteristics of ZIST thin film and n-ZIST/p-Si heterojunction. X-ray diffraction XRD investigation shows that this structure of ZIST film is polycrystalline and tetragonal, with (112) preferred orientation at 2θ ≈ 27.01. Moreover, atomic force microscopy AFM is studying the external morphology of
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The research aims to achieve defining the concept of environmental quality and associated costs. Studying the impact of environmental quality costs on the performance of economic units. Measuring the relationship between environmental quality and environmental performance of the units. Where the research problem is represented in the weak awareness of some economic units of the importance of environmental quality costs and their impact on evaluating environmental performance, and this leads to neglecting environmental considerations and not improving environmental performance effectively, which negatively affects the en
... Show MoreObjectives. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of nonnutritive sucking habits on the presence of oral Escherichia coli. Methods. One hundred and twenty children aged 3–5 years old were enrolled in the present case-control study, as follows: 60 children with continuous pacifier and thumb sucking habits (study group) and 60 children without any sucking habits (control group). The children in the two groups were matched in terms of age and gender. Information was gathered from the parents concerning their children using a special sheet. Sterile swabs were taken from both groups and cultured on agar plates. Then, they were subjected to further biochemical tests to identify E. coli species. The mean of the E. coli count was determ
... Show MoreRecently, interest in the use of projectiles in research on recycling waste materials for construction applications has grown. Using recycled materials for the construction of asphalt concrete pavement, in the meantime, has become a topic of research due to its significant benefits, such as cost savings and reduced environmental impacts. This study reports on comprehensive experimental research conducted using a typical mechanical milling waste, iron filing waste (IFW), as an alternative fine aggregate for warm mix asphalt (WMA) for pavement wearing surface applications. A type of IFW from a local machine workshop was used to replace the conventional fine aggregate, fine natural sand (FNS), at percentages of 25%, 50% 75%, and 100% b
... Show MoreConventional flexible pavements are released to different types of failure in the initial phases of their service life due to high traffic density, high speeds, heavy loads, and harsh climates. To eliminate pavement damage and failure early, the present search investigates the impact of adding glass, steel, and basalt fibers in the asphalt mixtures. Also, the study evaluates these materials characteristics compared to the mixtures without fibers. The Marshall test and tensile strength ratio test (TSR) were utilized to evaluate the asphalt mixture's performance. A set of specimens were produced by incorporating glass fiber (GF), steel fiber (SF), and basalt fiber (BF) at (0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%), (0.25%, 0.35%, 0.45%), and (0.15%, 0.35%
... Show MoreThe purpose of this research is to study the quality of scientific research at the University of Baghdad in light of scientific piracy and plagiarism of research and results and attribute it to others intentionally or unintentionally. Proactive writing such as stealing ideas or synthesizing the results of one another over others and its negative impact on the quality of scientific outputs and the reputation of educational organizations through an exploratory study in the faculties of the University of Baghdad, scientific and humanitarian. As for the aims of the study, it was determined by determining the negative impact of piracy on scientific research. A Likert five-point scale was used in this research. The research community c
... Show MoreKombucha(Khubdat Humza) is composed of yeast and acetic acid bacteria especially, Acetobacter xylinum which forms a cellulose pellicle on tea broth. Kombucha(Khubdat Humza) produces bacterial cellulose pellicles, with unique purity and fine structure. It can be used in many forms, such as an emulsifier, stabilizer, dispersing agent, thickener and gelling agent but these are generally subsidiary to its most important use of holding on to water. Recently, bacterial cellulose is used in many special applications such as a scaffold for tissue engineering of cartilages and blood vessels, also for artificial skin for temporary covering of wounds, as well as its used in the clothing industry. The yield of cellulose produced were investiga
... Show MoreThe objective of the research is to identify the nature of voluntary disclosure of insurance services and its impact on the financial performance of Iraqi insurance companies by knowing the relationship between increasing disclosure of financial services and financial performance indicators of insurance companies.In order to achieve this objective, the research was applied to a sample of the Iraqi insurance companies listed in the Iraqi Stock Exchange (Al Amin Insurance Company, Al Ahlia Insurance, Dar Al Salam Insurance, Gulf Insurance, Al Hamra Insurance) and based on their published financial statements (2014-2015) ) And by analyzing the sample lists were connected to the research objectives.The main conclusion of the study is that in
... Show MoreCobalt substituted nickel copper ferrite samples with general formula Ni0.95-xCoxCu0.05Fe2O4, where (x= 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05) were prepared by solid-state reactions method at 1373 K for 4h. The samples prepared were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD(, atomic force microscope (AFM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and Vickers hardness. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the formation of a single phase of cubic spinel structure in all the prepared samples . XRD analysis showed that the increase in the cobalt concentration causes an increase in the lattice constant, bulk density (ρm) and the x-ray density (ρx), whereas porosity (p) and crystallite size (D) decrease. The Topography of the surface observed
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