The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of broccoli sprout extract (BSE) against ovarian and renal toxicity induced by methotrexate (MTX) in female albino rats. Methotrexate, an antimetabolite frequently utilized in cancer and autoimmune diseases, has been linked to nephrotoxicity and primary ovarian insufficiency through the induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis. Because of their rich content in glucoraphanin and sulforaphane, two powerful antioxidants, broccoli sprouts were chosen. This study comprised six groups of Thirty female albino rat (180–225 g) (n = 5): (A) Control; (B) MTX, 0.15 mg/kg/week; (C) BSE, 5 mg/kg/day; (D) BSE, 7.5 mg/kg/day; and (E) MTX + BSE, at doses of 5 and 7.5 mg/kg respectively. All treatments were administered orally. The administration of MTX induced severe ovarian histological injuries, indicated by significantly reduced number of follicles, blood vessels rupture, inflammatory cell infiltration and partly fibrosis. Administration of MTX significantly increased the levels of urea and creatinine in renal tissues and induced glomerular damage such as congestion, necrosis, and cellular vacuolation. Consistent with this, these histopathological changes were prevented by simultaneous administration of BSE which appears to restore folliculogenesis and renal function parameters. In conclusion, the findings indicate that BSE strongly protects against MTX toxicity through a mechanism involving enhancement of antioxidant homeostasis. Thus, to summarise, broccoli sprout extract is a effective naturl adjuvant for mencerpt treatment in rescinding side effects on female reproductive and renal systems.

Syzygium polyanthum (Wight) Walp, known as Indonesian bay leaf, is a plant widely used by many ethnic groups in Southeast Asia as a traditional medicinal plant. This study aims to reveal the regenerative effects of bay leaf extract on histopathological damage to the kidneys and pancreas of hyperglycemic mice induced by alloxan. The test animals were divided into 5 groups, each consisting of 5 mice. The first group was only given food and water as a control. The second group was induced by alloxan as a negative control. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were induced by alloxan and bay leaf extract at doses of 150, 250, and 350 mg/kgBW, respectively. Alloxan induction was carried out once every two days for 6 days, while bay leaf extract was given after induction once daily for 14 days. Blood glucose levels and kidney and pancreas damage scores of mice were examined on days 1, 10, and 25. The results of the experiment showed that blood glucose levels, renal dan pancreatic histopathology damage in mice decreased after being given the extract for 14 days. Thus, it can be concluded that bay leaf extract has regenerative properties against renal dan pancreatic histopathological damage in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers are long-term wounds that are marked by persistent inflammation, impaired immune response, bacterial infection, and slowed down tissue repair. The capability of forming biofilms, resisting antimicrobial treatment, and persisting in the wound microenvironment make Pseudomonas aeruginosa an important pathogen in diabetic foot infections. Interleukin-8 (IL-8/CXCL8) is a neutrophil chemoattractant, which could be indicative of excess inflammation and immune dysregulation in chronic infected wounds. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess IL-8 as a biomarker of immune dysregulation, the biofilm burden and delayed healing in diabetic foot ulcer infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Materials and Methods: It is an analytical case-control clinical study, which was performed on 120 diabetic subjects who were recruited in the private clinics between the period between January 2026 and April 2026. They were separated into four groups: diabetic foot ulcer patients infected with P. aeruginosa (n = 40), diabetic foot ulcer patients infected with bacteria other than P. aeruginosa (n = 40), culture-negative diabetic foot ulcer patients (n = 20), and diabetic controls with no active ulcer (n = 20). Aseptic collection of wound samples was done to test them against bacteria in terms of culture, identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and biofilm formation. The ELISA was used to measure serum IL-8. Where possible, the IL-8 levels of exudates in wounds were measured in ulcer groups. Clinical variables, inflammatory markers, wound severity and healing progress after four weeks were documented. The statistical analysis involved group comparisons, correlation analysis, regression analysis and ROC curve analysis. Results: The P. aeruginosa group had a significant higher level of serum and wound-exudate IL-8 as compared to the non-Pseudomonas-infected group, culture-negative ulcer group and the diabetic control group. Isolates of P. aeruginosa that are strong biofilm-producing were linked to the highest levels of IL-8. The biofilm optical density, the severity of the wound, CRP, WBC count, NLR, wound size and wound duration were positively correlated with IL-8 levels. There was a negative relation between IL-8 and the decrease in the area of the wound after four weeks. Not only MDR P. aeruginosa infection was linked to significantly higher levels of IL-8 as compared to non-MDR infection. The IL-8 was found to be an independent predictor of delay wound healing. Analysis of ROC curve revealed that IL-8 was a good predictor of delayed healing. Conclusion: There is a close association of IL-8 with immune dysregulation, biofilm burden, antimicrobial resistance, wound severity, and delayed healing of diabetic foot ulcers infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The IL-8 can be employed as supportive biomarker in risk assessment and clinical follow-up of diabetic wounds which are chronic.

The present research was performed using animals at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Tikrit University during the period between September 1, 2025, and December 1, 2025, in the animal house of the college under standard laboratory conditions of rearing animals. This study used male laboratory rats. The males were selected because they are larger and having a more stable weight than the females hence reducing hormonal interference that would have influenced the outcome of the study. At the beginning of the experiment, the weight of the rats was 250 to 300 grams. Pre-weighing of the animals was done prior to feeding to find out the initial weight of each rat. Monitoring was done over the 60 day period of rearing whereby under appropriate environment they received free access to water and feed. ELISA was used to measure liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), total cholesterol and triglycerides in serum, according to the laboratory standards. The levels of GOT (AST) and GPT (ALT) were significantly raised at the end of the feeding period, which means that the cells of the liver were damaged by the fat accumulation inside of the cells and increased the cell membrane permeability. Conversely, the level of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) did not show any significant change, which means that the pathological effect of obesity was not serious at the initial stages and did not spread to the bile ducts. The findings also presented the fact that the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels had been significantly increased. It may be concluded that dietary induced obesity is one of the key causes of lipid imbalance and hepatocellular damages, and can be one of the initial phases in the evolution of metabolic liver diseases in the event that exposure to causative factors is sustained.

Background: It has been proven that residential environment and biological sex affect immunity, but there is limited evidence of the combined effect of both factors on immunoglobulins in serum of university students. Objectives: To examine (IgG, IgA, and IgM) concentrations in serum of undergraduate students depending on residential status, gender, and years of dormitory living. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 60 undergraduate students who were further stratified by gender (30 males, 30 females) from the Southern Technical University, College of Health and Medical Technologies. There were 40 dormitory students and 20 non-dormitory students enrolled in the study. Serum immunoglobulins concentration was measured through automated Abbott Architect Ci4100 analyzer. Results: Significantly (p≤0.05) increased levels of serum IgG were noted in dormitory residents (1273.37±218.77) mg/dL compared to non-dormitory residents (963.07±262.32) mg/dL according to gender among dormitory residents. The present data showed that female students had significantly higher (p≤0.05) levels of IgM (152.22±67.954) mg/dL compared to male 94.25±44.22 mg/dL, while IgA levels in male showed a significant elevation (p≤0.05) in male (242.75±84.92) mg/dL compared to female (192.37±49.697) mg/dL. Regarding to the duration of residence of students less than 2 years group showed higher concentrations of IgM (172.52±61.87) mg/dL compared to more than 2 years group (137.56±58.825) mg/dL. While IgG exhibited a significant increase in more than 2 years group (1304.36±199.09) mg/dL compared to less than 2 years group (1172.76±233.73) mg/dL. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that dormitory residence was associated with altered humoral immune responses among university students particularly through elevated serum IgG concentrations compared with non-dormitory.

Aquatic plants exhibit the ability to bioaccumulate heavy metals, including cadmium and lead. However, the various physiological effects have not been studied in detail. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate the effects of cadmium chloride and lead chloride on the physiological status of Ceratophyllum submersum and Ceratophyllum demersum. The results of the study showed the effect of different heavy metal concentrations on the physiological state of the studied aquatic plants, Ceratophyllum submersum and Ceratophyllum demersum. There was a decrease in chlorophyll concentration and protein concentration in aquatic plants compared to the control group exposed to heavy metal concentrations. The study concludes that heavy metals affect the phylogenetic state of the plants Ceratophyllum submersum and Ceratophyllum demersum through loss of pigmentation, oxidative stress responses, or enzymatic changes. The current study aims to investigate the effects of cadmium chloride and lead chloride on the physiological status of Ceratophyllum submersum and Ceratophyllum demersum.

Background: In recent years, green nanotechnology has proven to be as a viable way to create metallic nanoparticles with the use of phytochemicals. Objective: This paper aims to explore bacterial synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with plant extracts of Angelica glauca and Paeonia suffruticosa and characterize their properties, structure, antimicrobial activity, and anticancer. Methodology: The silver nanoparticles were synthesized through plant-based reduction of silver nitrate and characterized by several technologies. Agar-well diffusion assay was used in order to determine the antimicrobial activity whereas the anticancer activity on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was evaluated. Results: GC-MS study of Paeonia suffruticosa extract identified several of bioactive phytochemicals. The findings revealed the change of color of light yellow to dark brown, which indicated the creation of silver nanoparticles. Spectrophotometric analysis indicated the formation of these nanoparticles as it yielded the absorption peak at around 420-440 nm. The existence of intense, broad (FTIR) peaks was a good testament to the existence of hydroxyl (OH) groups as well. The SEM and TEM obtained results indicated that a majority of the synthesized nanoparticles had an angular spherical shape and was between the 30 and 98 nm sizes. Plant-based silver nanoparticles have demonstrated antibacterial effects superior to crude extracts on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, in bioactivity assays. Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles prepared with extracts of Angelica glauca and Paeonia suffruticosa roots are attractive multifunctional nanomaterials with strong antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Their characteristics indicate that they are promising to biomedical and pharmaceutical applications in the future.

Background: Recurrent Miscarriage (RM) or Recurrent Pregnancy Loss is a complex reproductive issue that can be influenced by multiple risk factors including; Genetic, Anatomical, Endocrine, Immune System Thrombotic and Environmental factors. As such, the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Insertion/Deletion (I/D) Polymorphism in Intron 16 has been considered as one of the possible genetic risk factors for RM because the D allele is associated with increased ACE Activity and could affect blood vessel constriction, Placenta Blood Flow and Pathways related to Thrombosis. Objective: To assess if there is an association between the ACE I/D genetic polymorphism and RM in a group of Iraqi women. Methods: Samples of EDTA blood were collected from women who had experienced RM but had been sent to have their thrombophilias assessed and from women who did not have a history of RM. Peripheral blood genomic DNA was isolated. Following DNA quality assessments, we genotyped for the ACE I/D genetic polymorphism by PCR using 14 RM samples and 8 control samples. The D allele was identified by a 190 bp product and the I allele by a 490 bp product. The Chi-Square/Fisher Exact test was used to compare genotype and allele frequencies. Results: The DD, ID and II genotypes were observed in 9/14 (64.3%), 5/14 (35.7%) and 0/14 (0.0%) RM cases, respectively, compared with 2/8 (25.0%), 4/8 (50.0%) and 2/8 (25.0%) controls. The genotype distribution showed a trend toward difference between groups (chi-square = 5.33, p = 0.070). In an exploratory dominant-risk comparison, the DD genotype was more frequent in RM cases than controls (OR = 5.40, 95% CI = 0.78-37.50; Fisher exact p = 0.183). The D allele frequency was higher in RM cases than controls (82.1% vs. 50.0%; OR = 4.60, 95% CI = 1.16-18.23; Fisher exact p = 0.040). Conclusion: The ACE D allele and DD genotype were more frequent among Iraqi women with RM in this preliminary dataset. However, because the effective genotyped sample was small, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and validated in a larger, clinically well-characterized Iraqi cohort.

Any thyroid dysfunction has broad systemic effects, extending beyond mere hormonal imbalances to include inflammatory and immune responses. This study aimed to assess thyroid hormons and C-reactive proteins (CRP) in patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, comparing them to a control group of healthy individuals. Materials and methods: This study was conducted between June and October 2025, and included 90 participants (30 with hyperthyroidism, 30 with hypothyroidism, and 30 healthy individuals as a control group). The results showed significant differences in thyroid hormone levels between the two patient groups and the control group. Hyperthyroid patients showed a marked decrease in T3 and T4 levels (p < 0.001). While decrease in hypothyroidism patients. CRP levels were significantly higher in both hyperthyroid (27.87 ± 22.12 mg/dL) and hypothyroid (24.06 ± 23.08 mg/dL) patients as compared to the control group (0.38 ± 0.52 mg/dL). Conclusion: The present study concluded increase T4, T3 in hyperthyroid patients, while decrease in hypothyroidism patients. CRP levels were significantly higher in both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients as compared to the control group.

Vicia faba (faba bean) is a globally significant cool-season grain legume valued for its high protein content, nitrogen-fixing capacity, and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions. However, abiotic stresses, particularly soil salinization, severely constrain its productivity. Transcription factors of the WRKY superfamily play pivotal roles in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress, including salt tolerance. This study presents an integrated bioinformatics pipeline to identify, characterize, and analyze putative salt stress-responsive WRKY genes in V. faba. Using Arabidopsis thaliana WRKY8 (UniProt: Q9FL26) as a reference, we performed homology-based screening against the V. faba genome via Ensembl Plants BLAST. Candidate sequences underwent rigorous physicochemical profiling (ProtParam), conserved domain analysis (NCBI-CDD), motif elucidation (MEME Suite), phylogenetic reconstruction (MEGA), gene structure visualization (GSDS), and subcellular localization prediction (WoLF PSORT). Iterative filtering based on domain architecture and motif conservation yielded a high-confidence set of WRKY candidates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diversification across Groups I, II, and III, with evidence of legume-specific expansion. The majority of candidates exhibited predicted nuclear localization, acidic to mildly basic isoelectric points, and thermostable aliphatic indices consistent with transcriptional regulatory functions. Gene structural analysis revealed intron-exon architectural diversity, suggesting evolutionary divergence and potential alternative splicing regulation. This work establishes a foundational genomic framework for understanding WRKY-mediated salt stress signaling in faba bean and identifies candidate targets for future functional validation and translational breeding toward salinity-tolerant cultivars.

Soil contamination by crude oil is considered one of the major environmental problems because of its harmful effects on plants and soil ecosystems. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Calligonum comosum for the phytoremediation of crude oil-contaminated soil and to investigate its ability to accumulate petroleum hydrocarbons under different contamination levels. Soil samples (5 Kg each) were contaminated with crude oil obtained from the Shaybah Oil Field at concentrations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 g/Kg (w/w). Each pot was planted with four cuttings of Calligonum comosum (4 cm length). Several soil properties, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), moisture content, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), were analysed before and during the experiments at 45, 90, and 120 days. Hydrocarbon accumulation in plant tissue was also evaluated. The results showed a gradual reduction in TPH concentration in contaminated soils over time. Calligonum comosum demonstrated considerable tolerance to crude oil contamination and the ability to accumulate petroleum hydrocarbons across varying contamination levels, indicating its potential for phytoremediation of oil-polluted soil.

Vitis vinifera (grapevine) is a globally significant fruit crop valued for its economic importance, nutritional properties, and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions. However, abiotic stresses, particularly soil salinization, severely constrain its productivity and fruit quality. Transcription factors of the WRKY superfamily play pivotal roles in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress, including salt tolerance. This study presents an integrated bioinformatics pipeline to identify, characterize, and analyze putative salt stress-responsive WRKY genes in V. vinifera. Using Arabidopsis thaliana WRKY8 (UniProt: Q9FL26) as a reference, we performed homology-based screening against the V. vinifera genome via Ensembl Plants BLAST. Candidate sequences underwent rigorous physicochemical profiling (ProtParam), conserved domain analysis (NCBI-CDD), motif elucidation (MEME Suite), phylogenetic reconstruction (MEGA), gene structure visualization (GSDS), and subcellular localization prediction (WoLF PSORT). Iterative filtering based on domain architecture and motif conservation yielded a high-confidence set of WRKY candidates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diversification across Groups I, II, and III, with evidence of grapevine-specific expansion in Group III. The majority of candidates exhibited predicted nuclear localization, acidic to mildly basic isoelectric points, and thermostable aliphatic indices consistent with transcriptional regulatory functions. Gene structural analysis revealed intron-exon architectural diversity, suggesting evolutionary divergence and potential alternative splicing regulation. This work establishes a foundational genomic framework for understanding WRKY-mediated salt stress signaling in grapevine and identifies candidate targets for future functional validation and translational breeding toward salinity-tolerant cultivars.

Vicia faba (faba bean) is a globally significant cool-season grain legume valued for its high protein content, nitrogen-fixing capacity, and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions. However, abiotic stresses, particularly drought, severely constrain its productivity. Transcription factors of the MYC2 superfamily play pivotal roles in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress, including drought tolerance. This study presents an integrated bioinformatics pipeline to identify, characterize, and analyze putative drought stress-responsive MYC2 genes in V. faba. Using Arabidopsis thaliana MYC2 (UniProt: Q39204) as a reference, we performed homology-based screening against the V. faba genome via Ensembl Plants BLAST. Candidate sequences underwent rigorous physicochemical profiling (ProtParam), conserved domain analysis (NCBI-CDD), motif elucidation (MEME Suite), phylogenetic reconstruction (MEGA), gene structure visualization (GSDS), and subcellular localization prediction (WoLF PSORT). Iterative filtering based on domain architecture and motif conservation yielded a high-confidence set of MYC2 candidates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed diversification across evolutionary clades, with evidence of legume-specific expansion. The majority of candidates exhibited predicted nuclear localization, acidic to mildly basic isoelectric points, and thermostable aliphatic indices consistent with transcriptional regulatory functions. Gene structural analysis revealed intron-exon architectural diversity, suggesting evolutionary divergence and potential alternative splicing regulation. This work establishes a foundational genomic framework for understanding MYC2-mediated drought stress signaling in faba bean and identifies candidate targets for future functional validation and translational breeding toward drought-tolerant cultivars.