Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Identifying novel biomarkers is critical for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategies. This study investigates the serum levels of kisspeptin-1 (KISS1), its receptor (KISS1R), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in Iraqi CRC patients. Objectives: Explore associations between serum levels of Kiss1, Kiss1R, GDF, and CEA and disease progression in Iraqi patients with CRC. Methods: A case-control study was conducted, including 72 CRC patients and 36 healthy controls. Patients were stratified into non-metastatic and metastatic groups. Serum biomarker levels were measured using enzyme-link

A field experiment was conducted during winter, 2015-16 with the objective to investigate the effect of bread wheat cultivars (Abu-Ghraib3, Ibaa99, and Alfeteh) and seed priming 100, 100, 150 mg L-1 of benzyl adenine, salicylic acid, gibberellic acid (GA3), respectively, ethanolic extract of Salix Sp., water extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra and distilled water (control) on grain growth rate (GGR), effective filling period (EFP) and accelerating of physiological maturity. Randomized complete block design with three replicates was applied. GA3×Ibaa99 surpassed others in grain yield (7.432 tonne ha-1) when gave the highest grain weight (45.13 mg grain-1) and GGR (1.5 mg grain-1 day-1) with the fastest time to start and end EFP (5 and 34 days), w

Aims: This study was conducted to assess the effect of the addition of yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles on the tensile bond strength, tear strength, shore A hardness, and surface roughness of soft-denture lining material. Materials and Methods: Y2O3 NPs with 1.5 and 2 wt.% were added into acrylic-based heat-cured soft-denture liner. A total of 120 specimens were prepared and divided into four groups according to the test to be performed (tensile bond strength, tear strength, surface hardness, and surface roughness). Results: There was a highly significant increase in tensile bond strength between the soft liner and the acrylic denture base, tear strength, and hardness at both concentrations as compared to the control group, whereas ther

University campuses in Iraq are substantial energy consumers, with consumption increasing significantly during periods of high temperatures, underscoring the necessity to enhance their energy performance. Energy simulation tools offer valuable insights into evaluating and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. This study focuses on simulating passive architectural design for three selected buildings at Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering (AKCOE) to examine the effectiveness of their cooling systems. DesignBuilder software was employed, and climatic data for a year in Baghdad was collected to assess the influence of passive architectural strategies on the thermal performance of the targeted buildings. The simulations revealed that the

This study investigates the impact of copper sulfate (CuSO4) doping and glycerin plasticization on the structural, electrical, dielectric, and optical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and glycerin gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs). The GPEs were prepared using a solution casting method with varying CuSO4 concentrations (5 and 10 wt.%). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the semi-crystalline nature of the polymer blend and also confirmed the presence of CuSO4. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the miscibility of PVA, PVP, and glycerin through interchain hydrogen bonding and indicated the successful incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the polymer blend matrix. The PVA/PVP/glycerin blend containi

Objectives Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is an inherited autosomal recessive disease caused by pathogenic variants in the sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase-1 (SMPD1) gene, which encodes acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). ASMD has 3 broad phenotypes (type A, type A/B, and type B) characterized by the age of onset, symptomatology, and the rapidity of disease progression. The diagnosis of ASMD can be delayed or missed because of the wide spectrum of severity and its variable manifestations. Analysis of genotype-phenotype correlations can help to determine ASMD disease type and inform management. Here, we describe the clinical presentation of 47 patients with ASMD referred to a single center in Iraq since 2007, whose diagnosis was confirmed b

Background: The bond strength of root canal sealers to dentin and gutta-percha seems to be an important property for maintaining the stability of root canal filling, which potentially influences both leakage and root strength. The objective of this, in vitro, study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of three different endodontic sealers (Gutta-Flow, AH Plus, Apexit Plus) to dentin, in the presence and absence of the smear layer and gutta percha. Material and Methods: After slicing off the occlusal 2mm of 60 extracted human maxillary premolar teeth, the exposed dentin served as the tested surfaces; the teeth were fixed with cold cure acrylic, and were divided into two groups according to the smear layer presence, group A without smear