Assessment of Entamoeba gingivalis and Trichomonas tenax in Patients with Chronic Diseases and its Correlation with Some Risk Factors.

Trichomonas tenax (T. tenax) and Entamoeba gingivalis (E. gingivalis) are two oral protozoan parasites that are universal and found in patients with poor oral hygiene, as well as chronic and periodontal diseases. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of some parameters, such as age, gender, education, residency, smoking, and dental cleaning routines, on the incidence of these parasites in the oral cavity of the patients participating in this study. A total of 230 individuals with chronic diseases, 97 of whom were patients (44 females and 53 males) participated in the present study. Dental plaque and saliva samples were collected from each patient and examined under light microscopy with Giemsa staining. Out of 230 dental plaque samples, 60 (26.08%) samples were positive for E. gingivalis, while 37 (16.08%) cases were positive for T. tenax. Diabetic patients showed high E. gingivalis percentage (n=12; 20%) (P=0.000*). However, thyroid disorders showed a low percentage. Hypertensive patients showed a high percentage for T. tenax (n=6; 16.21%) (P=0.000*), while tuberculosis patients showed the lowest percentage. Patients with hypertension, smoking, heart disease, and diabetes showed statistical significance for the presence of these parasites. Equally, patients older than 30 years have shown a higher rate of infection. According to the findings, E. gingivalis was detected in 58.33% and 41.66% of the urban and rural populations, respectively. Furthermore, T. tenax was detected in 81.08% and 18.91% of the urban and rural populations, respectively. Parasitic contagions were comparatively popular in patients with chronic and periodontal illness.

Interleukin 17 Cytokine Profiles in Patients with Cystic Echinococcosis in Babylon Province, Iraq.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is the silent chronic Helminthes zoonotic infection caused by the larval stage in intermediate hosts of the dog tapeworm Echicoccous granulosus, which belongs to the Taeniidae family and genus Echinococcu ssp. According to the study of CE, the hospitalization and surgeries of patients indicated the high prevalence of the disease in Iraq.This study aimed to determine some immunological parameters in patients infected with Echinococcus granulose. The study of 53 patients infected with CE showed that in 40 (75.4 %), 5 (9.4%), 4 (7.5%), and 2 (3.7 %) cases the liver, abdominal cavity, kidney, and lungs were involved. In terms of age, most and least number of the patients were within the age ranges of30-40 (n=15, 28.3 %) and60-70 years old (n=7, 13.2 %), respectively. Moreover, 37(56.9%) and 16(43%) of them were female and male, respectively. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the level of the Interleukin family among patients. There was a significant increase in the serum level concentration of IL17A and IL17B in patients with hydatid disease, compared to the control group. The changes in different age groups also showed statistically significant differences among them (P≤0.05). The outcome of this study indicated that CE is endemic in Babylon province, Iraq. The ELISA technique is a reliable and efficient test for the early diagnosis and monitoring of human hydatid disease. Moreover, it was found that the liver was the most common site of human hydatid cyst.

Detection and Sequencing of Iron Superoxide Dismutase Gene in Entamoeba histolytica Isolated from Patients with Diarrhea in Iraq.

Parasites are among serious health problems that threaten the public health of humans. Entamoeba histolytica is considered the second or third most common cause of death among parasitic diseases. The present study was conducted to determine the molecular detection and sequencing of iron-containing superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) genes of E. histolytica. This cross-sectional study was carried out within March-August 2020. Genomic DNA from stool samples was extracted using an AccuPrep® stool DNA Extraction Kit. Afterward, four DNA samples were subjected to sequence alignment analysis of the FeSOD gene in local E. histolytica human isolated using a Clustal W alignment tool (Mega 6.0).The iron-containing superoxide dismutase gene was present at 62.8% in 15 out of 24 E. histolytica samples. The results of sequence alignment analysis of the FeSOD gene in local E.histolytica human isolates indicated the number of mutations in each of the 4 isolates. Accordingly, there were 2 (16.66%) silent mutations and 1(6.66%) nonsense mutation. There are a variety of genetic strains of E. histolytica associated with diarrheal illness in Iraqi patients, which are unique to this country.

IR laser photodeposition of a-Fe/Si films developing nanograins of ferrisilicate, iron disilicide and rare hexagonal iron upon annealing.

IR laser-induced gas-phase photolysis of Fe(CO)(5)-SiH(4) mixtures occurs as SiH(4)-photosensitized decomposition of Fe(CO)(5) is accelerated by products of this decomposition and it results in deposition of amorphous Si/Fe nanocomposite films. Analyses of the deposited and subsequently annealed solid films were made by FTIR, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The deposited films are amorphous, contain crystalline nanostructures of iron silicide FeSi(2) and undergo atmospheric oxidation in topmost layers to iron oxide and hydrogenated silicon oxide. Upon annealing they develop nanocrystalline structures of ferrisilicate, Fe(1.6)SiO(4), carbon-encaged iron disilicide, FeSi(2), and very rare hexagonal (high-pressure) Fe surviving at ambient conditions. The mechanism of formation of these nanostructures is discussed in terms of gas-phase and solid-phase reactions.

Laser photo-oxidative degradation of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene.

Degradation of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT), persistent sulfur contaminant in fuel oils has been achieved in non-polar phase by laser-irradiating DMDBT alone and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen. The most efficient degradation in the presence of molecular oxygen is judged to be the first example of self-sensitized photo-oxygenation of thiophenes, in which DMDBT sequentially acts as 1O2 sensitizer and reactant.