Several toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi

Periodontitis is a dysbiosis-driven inflammatory disease in which a pathogenic subgingival biofilm disrupts the host–microbe equilibrium and promotes progressive loss of tooth-supporting tissues. While periodontal destruction has traditionally been explained mainly through the host immune response, increasing experimental and clinical evidence suggests that epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like changes in the gingival epithelium may contribute to barrier failure and tissue remodeling during disease progression. EMT is characterized by reduced epithelial adhesion and polarity, alongside a shift toward a mesenchymal-like phenotype with enhanced motility and impaired epithelial barrier function. This narrative review focuses

Proteus mirabilis isolates have been intensively researched for their capacity to cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) and their swarming motility, although little is known about this phenomenon. Probiotic Lactobacillus species, which are beneficial bacteria, are being studied worldwide as therapeutic and preventative agents against bacterial infections. This study investigated Lactobacillus supernatants as a potential new treatment against Proteus mirabilis. In addition to testing their antimicrobial and anti-swarming activities, the research also aimed to understand the genetic mechanisms behind the observed phenotypic changes. Methods. A total of 150 urine specimens were collected from UTI patients at various hospitals in Baghdad. Dire

Pharmaceuticals have been widely remaining contaminants in wastewater, and diclofenac is the most common pharmaceutical pollutant. Therefore, the removal of diclofenac from aqueous solutions using activated carbon produced by pyrocarbonic acid and microwaves was investigated in this research. Apricot seed powder and pyrophosphoric acid (45 wt%) were selected as raw material and activator respectively, and microwave irradiation technique was used to prepare the activated carbon. The raw material was impregnated in pyrophosphoric acid at 80◦C with an impregnation ratio of 1: 3 (apricot seeds to phosphoric acid), the impregnation time was 4 h, whereas the power of the microwave was 700 watts with a radiation time of 20 min. A series o

Microsporum canis is considered one of the filamentous fungi that cause surface fungal contagion in the humans and animals. The present study aimed to diagnose M. canis via the molecular method and differentiating its local Iraqi isolates from global isolates. Microscopic examination showed 55 specimens with M. canis from 130 specimens collected from children aged between 4-10 years suspected of dermatophytes who attended Medical City Laboratories and Baghdad Hospital in Baghdad city from 1/12/2022 to 1/3/2023. The results showed that the frequency of M. canis infections was 55/130 (42.31%). The results demonstrated significant differences in the animals' contact (p <0.0001), lesions (0.03) and habitation area (p =0.002). Whilst

Background: Due to the variations in tooth anatomy and size among different populations, this study aimed to compare the mesiodistal width of primary second molars in Iraqi children with the mesiodistal width of stainless-steel crowns from different companies. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 220 intact maxillary and mandibular primary second molars selected from boys and girls’ Iraqi children aged 8-9 years collected from different primary schools in Baghdad city. The mesiodistal dimensions of the selected teeth and the available maxillary and mandibular stainless-steel crowns from three different companies were measured by using a 3-D scanner, and then the whole measurements were calculated usin

Environmental pollution is experiencing an alarming surge within the global ecosystem, warranting urgent attention. Among the significant challenges that demand immediate resolution, effective treatment of industrial pollutants stands out prominently, which for decades has been the focus of most researchers for sustainable industrial development aiming to remove those pollutants and recover some of them. The liquid membrane (LM) method, specifically electromembrane extraction (EME), offers promise. EME deploys an electric field, reducing extraction time and energy use while staying eco-friendly. However, there's a crucial knowledge gap. Despite strides in understanding and applying EME, optimizing it for diverse industrial pollutant

Most approaches to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria concentrate on discovering new antibiotics or modifying existing ones. However, one of the most promising alternatives is the use of bacteriophages. This study was focused on the isolation of bacteriophages that are specific to some of commonly human pathogens namely E. coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae. These bacteriophages were isolated from sewages that were collected from four different locations in Kirkuk City. Apart from S. pyogenes, bacteriophages specific to all tested bacteria were successfully isolated and tested for their effectiveness by spot test. The most effective