Heavy Metals Pollution in the Highway – Side Soil around Baghdad City

The study aimed to assessment of pollution status by heavy metals Cadmium, Lead, Zinc, and Nickel for Soils in surrounding highway of Baghdad city, evaluate the relation between heavy metals concentration in soil, and study effect of distance from pollution source. Study area was include high express way surrounded Baghdad city, starting from main gate in Yusufiyah and ended in Al-Fedaa Company in 43 km distance approximately. Soil samples were collected from 5 locations with 9 km interval between location and other. Soil Samples were taken from surface layer (0 – 25) cm depth, at both road sides (back and forth) within 4 distances (1.5, 10, 25, and 60 m) from each roads sides, and another samples were taken from 2 km distance from road sides, to comparison 3 samples for same depth. Results that have been achieved by this study can summarize as following: Results showed that heavy metals concentrations in soil samples along highway which surrounded Baghdad city took the following order Ni > Zn > Pb > Cd And all was higher than their concentration in comparison soils. The concentrations of Cadmium were ranged between 0.21– 3.93 mg kg-1 in soil samples at high way, In general, the concentrations of Cadmium were decreased with distance from road sides, while the higher values were recorded within first and second distances 1.5 and 10 m.The concentrations of Lead were ranged between 36.0 – 129.0 mg kg-1 in soil samples at high way, while the changes in Lead concentrations in some soil locations was refered to effect of environmental changes, like direction and speed of wind.Zinc concentrations were ranged between 240.0 – 380.0 mg kg-1 in soil samples at high way, while the increasing of Zinc concentrations in Al-Daura soil samples spite of low traffic jams was due to close located to Al-Daura refinery.Nickel concentrations were ranged between 95.0 – 248.0 mg k-1 in soil samples at high way, also the concentrations of Nickel were increased in Mohammed Al-Qassim highway soil samples while others heavy metals (Zn, Pb, and Cd) were decreased and this can be attributed to another Nickel source in that location. Keywords: Pollution, Heavy metals, Soil, Air, Vehicular Traffic, Traffic density, Baghdad. Iraq, AAS

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prediction and early Diagnosis of Hepatitis B and C viral infection using miR-122 and miR-223 in a sample of Iraqi patients.

    يُعد سرطان الخلايا الكبدية (HCC) أحد أكثر أنواع سرطانات الكبد خطورة، وهو ثالث أكثر أسباب الوفيات المرتبطة بالسرطان انتشارًا. يتعلق  العديد من الأمراض ومن ضمنها السرطان بالتعبير الجيني غير الطبيعي لجزيئات الرنا الصغيرة micro RNA والتي تلعب دورا مهما في الوظائف البيولوجية للخلية ومن اهمها الموت المبرمج والتكاثر والتمايز والايض الخلوي .هدفت الدراسة الى اختبار فرضية استخدام miR-122 وmiR-223    كمؤشر حيوي محتمل في تشخيص وتطور سرطان الخلايا الكبدية HCC وكل من العدوى الفايروسية HBV وHCV عن طريق استخدام تقنية ال PCR الكمي . اجريت تقنية ال PCR الكمي لتحليل التعبير الجيني للمؤشرين الحيويين    miR-122 وmiR-223   ل (٦٤) عينة مصل تم الحصول عليها من مرضى مصابين بسرطان الكبد ممن كانوا يخضعون للعلاج ومجموعة لم يخضعوا للعلاج وفي بداية تشخيص المرض لهم. هذا فضلا عن عينات من مرضى مصابين بالتهاب الكبد الفيروسي بنوعيه B و C بالإضافة الى عينات مجموعة المقارنة من المتطوعين الاصحاء.  أظهرت النتائج وجود فروق معنوية كبيرة بين مجموعات المرضى الثلاثة (سرطان الكبد، التهاب الكبد الفيروسي B و C ) وبين مجموعة السيطرة ( الاصحاء) في التعبير الجيني لكلا المؤشرين الحيويين     , وبانخفاض معنوي في مستوى التعبير الجيني  لكل من miR-223 و  miR-122 على التوالي وبمستوى معنوي  .P value (≤0.0001)  علاوة على ذلك، قمنا بمقارنة التعبير الجيني لهذين المؤشرين بين عينات مصل المرضى الذين تم تشخيص مرض سرطان الكبد (HCC) لديهم ولم يبدا نظامهم العلاجي بعد وبين عينات المرضى المصابين بسرطان الكبد وهم تحت سير البروتوكول العلاجي لهم.  أظهرت النتائج فرق معنوي كبير جدا بين العينات في مستوى التعبير الجيني حيث كان تعبير miR-122 معدوم تقريبا في عينات المرضى الذين لم يخضعوا الى العلاج بعد، مقارنة بالارتفاع النسبي الحاصل في التعبير الجيني لهذا المؤشر الحيوي في المرضى الخاضعين للعلاج بالمقارنة مع مجموعة الاصحاء. نتائج مشابهة ظهرت في المؤشر الحيوي miR-223 أيضا لنفس العينات وبفروق معنوية عاليةP value ≤0.0001 لكلا المؤشرين على التوالي. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، أظهرت عينات المصابين بالتهاب الكبد الفيروسي بنوعيه B و C انخفاضا معنويا بمستويات التعبير الجيني لكلا المؤشرين الحيويين  miR-122,miR-223مقارنتا بمجموعة الاصحاء P value ≤0.0001 على التوالي. هذه النتائج تستحق المزيد من التحقيق لأغراض التشخيص ومتابعة العلاج والتنبؤ بالمرض باستخدام كلا المؤشرين الحيويين.    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Therefore, it is critical for researchers to understand molecular biology in greater depth.  In several diseases including cancer, abnormal miRNA expression has been linked to apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. Many miRNAs have been studied in relation to cancer, including miR-122, miR-223, and others. Hepatitis B and C viruses are the most important global risk factors for HCC. This study is intended to test whether serum miRNAs serve as a potential biomarker for both HCC and viral infections HBV and C. The expression of miRNA in 64 serum samples was analyzed by RT-qPCR. Compared to healthy volunteers, HCC patients' sera expressed significantly lower levels of miR-122 and miR-223. Furthermore, we compared the expression of these miRNAs between early-diagnosed HCC patients and healthy controls. There was a significant difference between miR-122 expression in HCC sera and healthy volunteers' sera (0.000 and 0.253, respectively), with a P value of <0.0001. Early diagnostic patients without treatment had completely deleted miR-122 expression levels, while those treated had slightly elevated levels. Clearly, miR-122 has been identified as a biomarker for early detection and follow-up of HCC treatment. HBV and HCV specimens expressed significantly lower levels of miRNA than normal samples with a P value of <0.0001. It is recommended that these findings be further investigated for diagnostic purposes. Further, these miRNAs are highly specific for diagnosing HCC, HBV, and HCV, making them valuable therapeutic indicators

0.1 Second versus 0.2 Second pulse duration of Frequency Doubled Nd: YAGLaser in treatment of Clinically Significant Diabetic Maculopathy.

Background: clinically significant macular edema (CSME) is the commonest cause of visual loss in patients with diabetes mellitus and laser focal photocoagulation is the golden standard for treating it. Patients and Methods: A frequency doubled Nd: YAG laser was used to treat all eyes included in this study with diabetic maculopathy. Thirty eyes of three insulin dependent and twenty six non insulin dependent diabetic Iraqi patients were included. The study involved twenty six males, three females and followed for one year. Their ages were ranging between 36- 59 years, all of them from patients attending ophthalmic out-patient department in the medical city in the period between January 2005 and June 2006. Eyes divided in to two groups (fifteen eyes in each group) and the disease severity was taken into account. The first group treated with 0.1 second and second group with 0.2 second pulse duration. Results: In group (1) improvement of V.A occurred in 19.99% (Statistically significant) and 60% (Statistically significant) in group (2). There was stabilization 80% (Statistically insignificant) in group (1) and 33.33% Stabilization (Statistically significant) in group (2), while worsening only in group (2) 6.67%(Statistically insignificant). Conclusion: The frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser is effective in controlling diabetic macular oedema when applied in focal treatment. The setting of 100μm 0.2sec., pulse exposure time show more improvement in V.A. than 100μm 0.1sec

Post-COVID-19 fatigue and health-related quality of life in Saudi Arabia: a population-based study

BackgroundDespite substantial literature on symptoms and long-term health implications associated with COVID-19; prevalence and determinants of post-acute COVID-19 fatigue (PCF) remain largely elusive and understudied, with scant research documenting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Hence, prevalence of PCF and its associated factors, and HRQoL among those who have survived Covid-19 within the general population of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the subject under examination in this research.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 2063 individuals, selected from the KSA’s general population, using a non-probability sampling approach. An online survey was used to employ a self-administered questionnaire to the participants, which included socio-demographic information, the patient’s COVID-19 infection history, 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess quality of life, and Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS) (CFQ 11) to evaluate the extent and severity of fatigue. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. A p < 0.05 was considered to be strong evidence against the null hypothesis.ResultsThe median age of participants was 34 (IQR = 22) years, with females comprising the majority (66.2%). According to the SF-12 questionnaire, 91.2% of patients experienced physical conditions, and 77% experienced depression. The prevalence of PCF was 52% on CFQ 11 scale. Female gender, higher levels of education, a pre-existing history of chronic disease, as well as the manifestations of shortness of breath and confusion during acute COVID-19 infection, were identified as independent predictors of fatigue.ConclusionTo facilitate timely and effective intervention for post-acute COVID-19 fatigue, it is essential to continuously monitor the individuals who have recovered from acute COVID-19 infection. Also, it is critical to raise health-education among these patients to improve their quality of life. Future research is required to determine whether COVID-19 survivors would experience fatigue for an extended duration and the impact of existing interventions on its prevalence and severity

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocols In General Surgery: A Review Of Implementation And Outcomes

ERAS is a group of protocols that aim at affecting positively patients & surrounding lives. surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists, anesthetists, and even healthcare centers hospitals, labs, and pharmacies. Reducing the cost for both hospitals &patients, decreasing the duration of residency in hospitals, and improving patient compliance, developing performance & increasing teamwork between medical staff and patients all fall under the advantages of ERAS. Since it affects the 3 stages of any operation (preoperative-intraoperative-perioperative) it was necessary to implement a suitable protocol for each patient to achieve the best results mostly quitting smoking, fasting for a period before surgery, maintaining body temperature, pressure, and glucose level and the postoperative instructions , care & nutrition to guarantee success and avoidance to recurrence or complications

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency: Lessons from mice and men

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency, a disorder of GABA degradation with subsequent elevations in brain GABA and GHB, is a neurometabolic disorder with intellectual disability, epilepsy, hypotonia, ataxia, sleep disorders, and psychiatric disturbances. Neuroimaging reveals increased T2-weighted MRI signal usually affecting the globus pallidus, cerebellar dentate nucleus, and subthalamic nucleus, and often cerebral and cerebellar atrophy. EEG abnormalities are usually generalized spike-wave, consistent with a predilection for generalized epilepsy. The murine phenotype is characterized by failure-to-thrive, progressive ataxia, and a transition from generalized absence to tonic-clonic to ultimately fatal convulsive status epilepticus. Binding and electrophysiological studies demonstrate use-dependent downregulation of GABA(A) and (B) receptors in the mutant mouse. Translational human studies similarly reveal downregulation of GABAergic activity in patients, utilizing flumazenil-PET and transcranial magnetic stimulation for GABA(A) and (B) activity, respectively. Sleep studies reveal decreased stage REM with prolonged REM latencies and diminished percentage of stage REM. An ad libitum ketogenic diet was reported as effective in the mouse model, with unclear applicability to the human condition. Acute application of SGS–742, a GABA(B) antagonist, leads to improvement in epileptiform activity on electrocorticography. Promising mouse data using compounds available for clinical use, including taurine and SGS–742, form the framework for human trials

Layer-Specific fMRI Reflects Different Neuronal Computations at Different Depths in Human V1

Recent work has established that cerebral blood flow is regulated at a spatial scale that can be resolved by high field fMRI to show cortical columns in humans. While cortical columns represent a cluster of neurons with similar response properties (spanning from the pial surface to the white matter), important information regarding neuronal interactions and computational processes is also contained within a single column, distributed across the six cortical lamina. A basic understanding of underlying neuronal circuitry or computations may be revealed through investigations of the distribution of neural responses at different cortical depths. In this study, we used T2-weighted imaging with 0.7 mm (isotropic) resolution to measure fMRI responses at different depths in the gray matter while human subjects observed images with either recognizable or scrambled (physically impossible) objects. Intact and scrambled images were partially occluded, resulting in clusters of activity distributed across primary visual cortex. A subset of the identified clusters of voxels showed a preference for scrambled objects over intact; in these clusters, the fMRI response in middle layers was stronger during the presentation of scrambled objects than during the presentation of intact objects. A second experiment, using stimuli targeted at either the magnocellular or the parvocellular visual pathway, shows that laminar profiles in response to parvocellular-targeted stimuli peak in more superficial layers. These findings provide new evidence for the differential sensitivity of high-field fMRI to modulations of the neural responses at different cortical depths

The humanistic roots of Islamic administration and leadership for education : philosophical foundations for cross-cultural and transcultural teaching

For a number of decades, a humanistic approach has been a minor but persistent one in the Western field of administrative and leadership studies, and only recently has been broadening to include other humanist traditions (Dierksmeier et al., 2011) and has yet to be fully explored in educational administration and its pedagogy and curriculum although some foundational work has been done (e.g., Samier, 2005). The focus in this chapter is on the Islamic humanist tradition as it relates to the teaching of educational administration and leadership in a Muslim context, with implications for cross-cultural and transcultural use. The second purpose of the chapter is to show the correspondences that exist between the Islamic and Western humanist traditions in terms of human values, knowledge and educational ideal, which in this chapter are argued to be close to the Western Idealist tradition and the German Bildung conception of education as well as the strong interpretive and hermeneutic foundations that originated in the Islamic tradition and which influenced the foundations of many relevant European schools of thought, particularly in the Enlightenment.The initial section of the chapter is a comparative examination of the central principles of the Islamic humanist tradition from the classical through to contemporary times with the Western humanist tradition as they relate to conceptions of the good, ethics, the construction of meaning and a set of higher order values predicated upon human dignity, integrity, empathy, well-being, and the public good (Goodman, 2003) covering a number of important scholars like Al Farabi, al Isfanhani, and Edward Said (e.g., Kraemer, 1986). In both, professions are viewed as meaningful work that allow for large measures of decision making, and are grounded in human qualities and needs including autonomy, freedom and emancipation balanced with responsibilities, obligations and duties to society. These are compared with the corresponding principles of knowledge in Western humanism which includes a strong constructivist view of reality (Makdisi, 1990). Secondly, the chapter examines the principles of good or ideal leadership and administration that humanism aims at in its preparation of officials, including those in the educational sector in both the classical Islamic tradition (Hassi, 2012) and Western approaches to humanistic administration and leadership (Czarniawska-Joerges & Guillet de Monthoux, 1994; Gagliardi & Czarniawska, 2006; Leoussi, 2000). The third section focusses on close correspondences that exist between the Islamic (Afsaruddin, 2016; al-Attas, 1980; Yasin & Jani, 2013) and Western (Aloni, 2007; Veugelers, 2011) humanist education traditions in terms of educational ideal as well as the kind of teaching practices that distinguish these traditions (Daiber, 2013; Dossett, 2014) as they apply to educational administration and leadership (Greenfield & Ribbins, 1993). The chapter concludes with a discussion of how the Islamic humanist tradition can contribute to cross-cultural and transcultural graduate teaching in international educational administration (Khan & Amann, 2013)

Comprehensive in vivo Mapping of the Human Basal Ganglia and Thalamic Connectome in Individuals Using 7T MRI

Basal ganglia circuits are affected in neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor, dystonia and Tourette syndrome. Understanding the structural and functional connectivity of these circuits is critical for elucidating the mechanisms of the movement and neuropsychiatric disorders, and is vital for developing new therapeutic strategies such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). Knowledge about the connectivity of the human basal ganglia and thalamus has rapidly evolved over recent years through non-invasive imaging techniques, but has remained incomplete because of insufficient resolution and sensitivity of these techniques. Here, we present an imaging and computational protocol designed to generate a comprehensive in vivo and subject-specific, three-dimensional model of the structure and connections of the human basal ganglia. High-resolution structural and functional magnetic resonance images were acquired with a 7-Tesla magnet. Capitalizing on the enhanced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and enriched contrast obtained at high-field MRI, detailed structural and connectivity representations of the human basal ganglia and thalamus were achieved. This unique combination of multiple imaging modalities enabled the in-vivo visualization of the individual human basal ganglia and thalamic nuclei, the reconstruction of seven white-matter pathways and their connectivity probability that, to date, have only been reported in animal studies, histologically, or group-averaged MRI population studies. Also described are subject-specific parcellations of the basal ganglia and thalamus into sub-territories based on their distinct connectivity patterns. These anatomical connectivity findings are supported by functional connectivity data derived from resting-state functional MRI (R-fMRI). This work demonstrates new capabilities for studying basal ganglia circuitry, and opens new avenues of investigation into the movement and neuropsychiatric disorders, in individual human subjects