https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/ Passer Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences en daily 1 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_243941.html The purpose of this study was to ascertain the amounts of five metals cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and nickel (Ni). in different kinds of noodles and pasta products that were gathered from several markets in Sulaimani, Iraq's Kurdistan region. These metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after extraction from noodle and pasta samples. The results showed that the selected noodle samples included the following ranges of heavy metals: cadmium (0.01 to 0.22 mg/kg), Total chromium (0.12 to 0.72 mg/kg), lead (0.31 to 3.16 mg/kg), arsenic (0.05 to 0.94 mg/kg), and nickel (0.29 to 2.08 mg/kg). pb > Ni > As > Cr > Cd is the pattern of metal concentration in noodles. The concentrations of specific heavy metals were comparable to those reported in studies conducted in other counties. All samples contained heavy metals, but the percentage of samples that exceeded the WHO maximum permitted limits varied depending on the metal. Only one sample surpassed the allowable limit for Ni (1.0 mg/kg), whereas all samples above the maximum allowable limits for Cr (0.05 mg/kg), As 94% (0.2 mg/kg), Pb 88% (0.1 mg/kg), and Cd 41% (0.1 mg/kg). According to this study, noodle and pasta produts can be exposed to harmful heavy metals over time, which can have adverse health effects. The Sulaimani market's noodles and pasta products should be properly monitored to ensure that they are safe to eat. The use of noodles is strongly advised, and additional research has focused on the source of contamination, as well as the health concerns of consuming these contaminated noodles. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_243942.html The paper studied phytochemical compounds and anti-fungal activity of Salvia palaestina (Lamiaceae) which grew in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in the months of March- July 2025 and tested them against the dermatophytes Trichophyton rubrum and Microsporum canis using 80% methanol extracts of the different populations of plants. The inhibition zone was used to measure the antifungal activity, and the groups had statistical differences. Although SP9 and SP13 showed an average activity, SP1 was the most active, particularly when it came to Microsporum canis (55.44) mm inhibition at 100 percent concentration. Generally, Microsporum canis was weaker in comparison to Trichophyton rubrum. Phytochemical analysis provided distinctive patterns of phenolic and flavonoid. The most common compound was salvigenin which was found in seven groups. The largest variety of chemical compositions was observed in populations SP1, SP2, SP3 and SP4 that contained significant compounds such as ferulic acid or caffeoylquinic acids. These findings suggest that Salvia palaestina has the potential of having antifungal properties particularly when in collections abundant in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Nevertheless, the effects on population-specific variations in phytochemicals which are likely to be affected by environmental factors make a strong contribution to treatment efficacy. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_243968.html Acinetobacter baumannii is a dangerous hospital-acquired pathogen. It shows strong antibiotic resistance and produces biofilms that create challenging treatment conditions. The pathogen exists on hospital surfaces while it rapidly moves between patients to cause nosocomial infections. Mrthodology: This research was conducted between October 2024 and July 2025 in hospitals located in Erbil and Koya, within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 126 environmental samples were taken from different high-touch surfaces located throughout various hospital wards. The VITEK 2 system identified bacteria then 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed the results. The biofilm-related genes ompA and epsA were detected using polymerase chain reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and disk diffusion methods. Biofilm formation was evaluated using the microtiter plate assay. Results: Overall, 16 A. baumannii isolates were identified. The ompA gene was found in every isolate, whereas epsA was present in 31.25%. All isolates were biofilm producers, though no strong biofilm formation was observed; 25% were moderate and 75% weak biofilm producers. Furthermore, 94% of the isolates were extensively drug-resistant. Conclusion: This study highlights the presence of extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii on hospital surfaces, posing a serious risk for nosocomial infections. The high prevalence of ompA and biofilm forming capability of all isolates indicate strong environmental persistence. These observations highlight the essential need for stringent infection control and sustained monitoring in clinical environments. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244009.html Background: How older adults cope with negative emotional states in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis needs further investigation because elderly individuals are more vulnerable to and more severely affected by COVID-19 health conditions. This study aims to explore the level of depression and anxiety, determining how they correlate to coping strategies, and the effect of some demographics on the main variables. Method: This study gathered data between March and May of 2022 among adults aged 65 and above who lived in Sulaimaniya city during the data collection process. The first two subscales of the DASS-21 scale were used to measure geriatric depression and anxiety. Furthermore, determining coping ways depended on a scale developed by the second author of this study. Results: the results demonstrated that participants showed a moderate anxiety level (M= 4.33: SD= 3.62) and depression (M=6.39: SD=4.74). Regarding the prevalence of their coping methods, spiritual engagement was the most widely practiced coping mechanism. Spearman's rho correlation indicated a positive association between anxiety and coping subscales of passivity and avoidance, r (392) = [.308], [P=.000]; r (392) = [.019], [p= .703] respectively. An inverse significant correlation was found between depression and coping subscales of spiritual connection, r (392) = [-.318], [P=.000], seeking social support r (392) = [-.150], [P=.003], and positive attitude r (392) = [-.224], [P=.000]. The mediation analysis reveals that social support didn’t significantly mediate the relationship between anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The psychological well-being of older adults is impacted by viral diseases. It is essential to understand how individuals can cope with the psychological consequences of a communicable pandemic. Their moderate levels of depression and anxiety may be decreased more through using spiritual engagement, positive attitude, and social support seeking, but passive coping ways, such as avoidance and passivity, are negatively correlated with them. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244059.html Periodontal disease defined as a sustained state of inflammation identified by gradual breakdown of supporting structures of tooth comprising connective tissue plus alveolar bone. Inflammatory biomarkers in saliva including matrix metalloproteinase.9, prostaglandin E₂, alkaline phosphatase have a key function in inflammatory process, collagen breakdown, and bone remodeling. Evaluating their concentrations in relation to periodontal health and following treatment may offer important information regarding disease progression and therapeutic effects. The present research intended to investigate impact exerted by nonsurgical periodontal therapy on salivary concentrations regarding MMP-9, PGE₂, ALP in patients with generalized moderate to sever periodontitis, and to determine how they relate to clinical /periodontal/ parameters. Sixty participants meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled and organized into a pair of categories: control category (n = 30) Exhibiting a clinically healthy periodontium and a study category (n = 30) clinically confirmed to have generalized moderate to severe periodontitis. Periodontal clinical indices comprising Plaque Index, Gingival Index, Probing Pocket Depth and Clinical Attachment Loss, along with salivary concentrations of MMP-9, PGE₂, and ALP, were documented at baseline for both categories. The stud y category underwent scaling and root surface debridement, followed by six weeks’ follow-up assessment to reevaluate therapeutic changes. ELISA was used to assess the level of salivary inflammatory biomarkers.The finding demonstrated that, at baseline, periodontitis patients displayed substantially higher clinical indices and salivary inflammatory biomarker levels relative to controls. Direct positive association was observed between salivary biomarkers and disease severity. Both periodontal parameters as well as salivary biomarker levels decreased notably alongside association between salivary biomarkers and clinical parameters becoming weaker or even inverse after nonsurgical periodontal treatment. In conclusion, the simultaneous improvement in clinical parameters and decline in salivary MMP-9, PGE₂, and ALP levels underscores their values as non-invasive indicators for tracking periodontal disease advancement and evaluating responsiveness of therapy https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244010.html This study utilized laser ablation in plant extract (liquid) – (PLAL) to produce palladium nanostructures with a plant extract as the medium. Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) were synthesized at laser energy levels of (760, 860, and 960 mJ), (150 pulses) at a wavelength of λ = 532 nm to study the effect of changing energy values on their physical properties and structural. X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigation validated the synthesis of Pd nanoparticles, indicating crystal sizes of 28.6 nm, 16.4 nm, and 9.2 matching to the relevant energy levels. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size histograms elucidated morphological variations and particle distribution. UV-Vis spectropy for the optical characterisitics. The Anti-bacterial effectiveness was assessed against Staphyloccusn aureus (Gram-positive) and Eschericia coli (Gram-negative) a utilizing the agar well diffusion method. Pd NPs produced at 960 mJ demonstrated enhanced Anti-bacterial efficacy, especially against E. coli, presumably because to their increased concentration and reduced particle size. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_243976.html Nervous systems experience negative impacts of environmental toxicants such as heavy metals in all forms, leading to cognitive impairment with consequent death. This study examined the rescue role of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp (ADFP) derived procyanidins against copper oxide (Cu2+)-induced neurotoxicity. Three to four-day-old flies of both sexes were used to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of the procyanidin-rich fraction of ADFP. Flies were exposed to copper oxide for seven days, followed by ADFP procyanidins-rich fraction administration. Longevity, behavioral, and biochemical assays were carried out to ascertain the antioxidative and neuroprotective activities of the fraction. A decrease in survival rate in the flies fed with Cu2+ only was observed, compared to the control groups. The reduction in the activity of studied enzymes, dopamine, and total thiol levels was observed in the Cu2+-exposed flies, with concomitant increase in nitric oxide and H2O2 levels. Procyanidin administration to the flies prior to Cu2+ exposure improved their emergence rate, survival rate, and locomotor function, by hindering the noxious effect of Cu2+ on the experimental flies. Procyanidins protected the flies against Cu2+ neurotoxicity as evidenced by behavioral assay and redox status results, suggesting that ADFP holds protection potential against the neurotoxic effect of ecotoxicological agents. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244165.html In the context of organic farming where the use of herbicides is restricted, blackseed is highly vulnerable to weed pressure because of its sensitivity to its effect. We therefore designed the project to determine when blackseed should receive protection from weeds. For this purpose, an experimental trial was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block design with seven treatments and three replicates using an experimental area located at the Grdarasha Research Field, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq. In addition to weed-free plots and untreated weed infested plots; there were also weed-free plots maintained for 15, 30, 45, 60 & 75 Days After Emergence.According to the findings from this study, a long time weed interference significantly reduced growth, seed yield and oil content. Plots known to have been kept free of weeds were found to yield the highest seed yield (1128.4 kg ha-1) and lowest yield loss (9.7%) were achieved in the weed-free plots and in durations where weeding was maintained for at least 30 DAE. In full-season weed-free, the large amount of oil content and oil yield were 38.75 and 437.25kg ha-1, this is primarily attributed to it producing a greater seed yield because of no early weed competition and the lowest in the weedy check plot (27.92 and 63.534kg ha-1). At the same time the highest total dry weight (176.65 g m2) and the highest number of weeds (286.67 weeds m²) occurred in the weedy check plots. The period around 45 DAE was identified as the most critical period for weed control; delaying weed control beyond this period resulted in the greatest reductions (>10%) in yields and total oil yields. The findings of this study show the major importance of timely control of weeds for increasing Nigella sativa production and decreasing competition associated with weed control. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244177.html Speech synthesis technology has become widely used for education, business, and human-computer interaction. However, the development of a Kurdish language Text-to-Speech (TTS) system has not kept pace with that of other languages, particularly English. Traditional approaches to TTS, such as concatenation and statistical parametric, each have several problems, including unnatural sounding speech, limited flexibility, and a lack of emotion. This study presents an advanced autoregressive sequence-to-sequence neural TTS model for Central Kurdish, adopting a convolutional neural network (CNN)-Transformer encoder. The new encoder offers multi-head self-attention mechanisms with positional encodings for better handling longer dependencies and richer prosody in Kurdish speech. This hybrid architecture combines the powerful autoregressive decoder derived from Tacotron 2 with efficient sequence modeling by transformers while keeping the attention-based alignment mechanism. A Kurdish speech dataset was prepared by segmenting longer utterances to enhance the quality of synthesis and training stability. The proposed model, with sharper attention alignments and more precise prosodic modeling, outperforms the baseline. It emerged as the top-performing system, achieving a Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of 4.74 and a substantial reduction of Word Error Rate (WER) of 3.1%. This result establishes a new benchmark for Kurdish TTS and demonstrates that selective architecture enhancement can yield substantial benefits. The study highlights that the deep learning-based enhancement of Kurdish TTS systems is a means to close an important gap in this language technology, as such findings can be applied to other low-resource languages with high morphological richness. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244198.html Background: Silymarin, a flavonoid derived from milk thistle seeds and fruits, has been shown to have cytoprotective and hepatoprotective effects. Using a rat model, the study examines the protective or mitigation effect of silymarin against the adverse effects of favipiravir, which is an antiviral drug that inhibits RNA viruses' RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), including SARS and COVID-19. The study focuses on the adverse effects of favipiravir, especially on the female reproductive system, and the role of silymarin in protection. Methods: Fifteen adults female Wistar rats weighing 200–250 grams each were used in the investigation. Three groups of five rats each were randomly selected. Favipiravir was given intraperitoneally (IP) to the G1 group at a dose of 1800 mg/kg on the first day and 800 mg/kg for the next thirteen days. Second Group (G2): This group was given 50 mg/kg of silymarin intraperitoneally (IP) in addition to the same dosage as the G1 group. Normal saline was used to maintain the control group. On the last day, all of the animals were sacrificed, and the rats' ovaries and uteri were taken to be studied using Immunohistochemical staining. Results: The results highlight the harmful effects of Favipiravir on the ovary and uterus of the treatment group G1 by A high positive reaction of samples with the BCL2 antibody and a weak positive reaction with the Ki67 antibody while the mitigating role of silymarin in reducing these harmful effects, find in the G2 as indicated by the results of Bcl2 and Ki67 Markers compared to the control group of the study Conclusions: Silymarin can mitigate the effect of favipiravir toxicity on reproductive tissue. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244200.html Background: Protozoal infections are a major cause of diarrheal disease throughout the world. Giardia intestinalis is one of the most commonly identified intestinal protozoan parasites worldwide.Objectives: This cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the prevalence rate of Giardia intestinalis among laboratory visitors in Erbil Province and to identify the best and most accurate method for identification. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted from June 2024 to March 2025, stool samples were examined from individuals who were referred to Erbil Medical Laboratory Center and some privates laboratories for parasitic testing. Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Rt-PCR) was performed for 96 samples, 20 of which had negative microscopy results. The study aimed to investigate epidemiological factors influencing giardiasis and to evaluate the performance of RT-PCR to detect parasites missed by microscopy.Results: Giardia was found in (1.48%) 74/5000 of total samples and 74/470 (15.74%) of protozoan infections. Highest infection 32 (6.8%) was detected in the 26–35 years old age group . Gender analysis revealed that 62 (13.19%) were male higher than female. Occupational analysis showed elevated infection rates among food-industry workers 14 (2.98%) and supermarket workers 11 (2.34%) . Among infected individuals, the common water sources included mixed tap water, along with intake of raw vegetables. Clinically,45( 9.57% ) of infected individuals were asymptomatic.PCR detected 87/96 (90.63%) compared to microscopy 74/96 (77.08%) in the same subset,Real-time PCR demonstrated higher sensitivity (98.65%) compared to microscopy (83.91%) by amplification of the gdh gene via PCR, while sensitivity of microscopy was relatively low (83.91%) with P value as highly significant (p < 0.00001) . Conclusion: Giardia intestinalis prevalence in Erbil is relatively low compared to other Iraqi regions and is less prevalent . Surveillance strategies are needed and should be contextualized with molecular diagnostic procedures, taking possible limits on molecular detection into account. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244210.html Unionidae Freshwater mussels are ecologically significant but little is known about them at a molecular level in Iraq. In this work, two freshwater sites of a lake close to Hizop River and the Greater Zab River close to Qandil village, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq were sampled from April to June 2025 and bivalves were collected. Morphological analysis with cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence analysis of the mitochondrial genome was used to identify the species. Molecular studies indicated that the specimens were Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758), Unio bruguierianus Bourguignat, 1853 and Unio tumidus Philipsson, 1788, with sequence similarity (99.8 to 100) to reference sequences that are available in GenBank. Neighbor-Joining, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses provided phylogenetic support and well-supported clades with the highest bootstrap percentage (100%), thereby supporting the location of all three species in genus Unio (family Unionidae). The obtained COI sequences were deposited to NCBI GenBank database. Unio pictorum and Unio tumidus are the first reported in Iraq on both morphological and molecular evidence, and neither of the species has been recorded in the country before. Unio bruguierianus, the species which was previously known in Iraq only morphologically as Unio ciconius Kobelt, 1913, a name which has been synonymised in the U. crassus complex, is proven a separate species and described with the first molecular evidence. All these findings constitute the earliest morphological and molecular record of U. pictorum and U. tumidus in Iraq, and the earliest molecular record of U. bruguierianus in the Iraq. These findings are applicable to the distributions of all three species into the upper Tigris basin and will provide useful baseline information in future biodiversity studies and conservation strategies of freshwater mussels in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244211.html A cubic Q-algebra is a generalization of a fuzzy Q-algebra. This work explores important concepts in Q-algebras, including cubic Q-positive implicative ideals, cubic Q-implicative ideals, and cubic Q-commutative ideals, and investigates their fundamental properties. The most important results obtained are: In a commutative Q-algebra. If any ideal is a cubic positive Q-implicative ideal, then it is a cubic Q-implicative ideal. But the converse does not hold. There is no connection between cubic positive Q-implicative ideals and cubic Q-commutative ideals, nor is there a relationship between cubic Q-implicative ideals and cubic Q-commutative ideals. Any cubic Q-positive implicative ideal is a cubic BCK-ideal, and the converse statement is true under certain conditions. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244212.html Urinary incontinence is a common condition in women, with a considerable knowledge gap and great psychological suffering, especially in the Middle East and Iraqi Kurdistan region, where systematic education interventions are minimal. The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test/ post-test study design at the Surgical Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani City, Iraqi Kurdistan, with 100 women diagnosed with urinary incontinence, distributed equally as an intervention group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50). The twelve-week structured nursing educational intervention, conducted over twenty-four sessions, included pelvic floor muscle training, teaching aids, and behavior change methods. Knowledge was assessed using a researcher-appropriated Urinary Incontinence knowledge Scale (UIKS), and psychological Problems was measured on seven domains with a five-point Likert-type psychological problems scale. There was no significant difference between baseline knowledge scores in groups (p = 0.566). Post-intervention, the mean UIIS score in the intervention group improved statistically significantly (1.38 ± 0.22 to 1.91 ± 0.12, respectively, p= <0.001), whereas no statistically significant change was observed in the control group (p 0.134). The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the score of psychological problems (0.97 ± 0.62 to 3.9 ± 30.10) with large effect sizes (d = 0.77-0.90). On the contrary, there was no significant difference in the control group (p = 0.82). The research study shows that an educational program based on nursing and supplemented by pelvic floor muscle training significantly increases patient education about urinary incontinence and, at the same time, reduces the psychological load that women endure in Iraqi Kurdistan, which supports the inclusion of this study in routine outpatient care practices. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244243.html This study was conducted from 2021 to 2024 in the Garmian region of Kurdistan, Iraq, to examine the morphological characteristics and conservation status of the Caryophyllaceae family. The study recorded 21 species across 10 genera. The identified genera are Arenaria (two species), Cerastium (one species), Dianthus (four species), Gypsophila (one species), Herniaria (one species), Mesostemma (one species), Silene (eight species), Stellaria (one species), Vaccaria (one species), and Velezia (one species). The results underscore the variety of the Caryophyllaceae family in the area, with Silene representing the most species-rich genus. The study evaluated the conservation status of these species, offering critical insights into their ecological importance and the necessity for conservation initiatives in the Garmian region. This study enhances the comprehension of plant variety in Kurdistan, Iraq and emphasises the necessity of conserving its distinctive flora. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244274.html Historical heritages are the identity of civilization and national identity. This study provides detailed geospatial documentation and structural condition assessment of the Gwer Caravanserai. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) was carried out using a Leica BLK360 to capture the partially collapsed structure and generate a high-resolution 3D point cloud model. In total, 46 scan positions were registered, resulting in an overall bundle error of 2.78 mm. This level of accuracy allowed for the creation of detailed 3D models, 2D floor plans, and vertical sections. The crack detection analysis highlighted significant structural deterioration. In the non-collapsed areas, crack widths were found to reach up to 20 cm, with depths of up to 25 cm, while measurements of the main walls showed inclinations of up to 16 cm, indicating serious structural instability. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of laser scanning for documenting damaged heritage structures, and possible to open and redraw for both the collapsed and non-collapsed parts by preventing sections from being taken with Civil 3D based on the TLS data. The relevant authorities have been asked to come to the aid of this historical heritage as soon as possible because it is under threat of extinction. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244342.html The study conducted to improve bread wheat genotypes with high grain yield, yield related traits, and quality. A half diallel mating design involving seven bread wheat parents (Maroof, Aras, Hsad, Alaa, Tamuz-2, Adana and Sabr Beg) and their 21 progenies were used to study the combining ability in bread wheat. Seven bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) parents and 21 F1 crosses were evaluated using half-diallel analysis under RCBD with three replications. The parent Tamuz-2 emerged as the best general combiner for several yield attributes, whereas the cross 1x5 exhibited maximum for spike weight plant-1, biological yield, and protein content. Cross 5x2 recorded maximum for grain weight spike-1 and thousand grain weight, besides recording maximum grain yield. There is strong genetic diversity in many of these attributes. Though the additive and non-additive actions were significant, the latter predominated in many of the attributes. Suitable parent and cross combinations have been identified to be useful in future breeding work. The Analysis of variance reveal that the general combining ability (GCA) of the parents was significant for days to heading and spike length and highly significant for plant height, spike weight, grain number spike-1, grain weight spike-1, thousand grain weight, harvest index, biological weight plant-1, protein content, and grain yield plant-1, while the specific combining ability (SCA) effects of the crosses were highly significant for almost all of the traits. In particular, for the sike length, (h_(b.s)^2) =0.503 and (h_(n.s)^2)= 0.154; for grain yield plant-1, (h_(b.s)^2)= 0.950 and (h_(n.s)^2)= 0.464. The high value of h_(b.s)^2 for biological yield per plant (0.981) pointed to the strong genetic influence, while the smaller (h_(n.s)^2) (0.474) indicated smaller additive variance, reducing selection efficiency. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244366.html This research aims to develop a hybrid forecasting framework to improve the accuracy of time series models by integrating Wavelet Transform with Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) and Nonlinear Autoregressive Neural Networks (NARNN). The proposed method relies on using wavelet shrinkage techniques to remove noise from time series data before applying the forecasting models. Several families of wavelets, such as Daubechies, Coiflets, and Symlets, were tested along with different threshold estimation methods like Universal, Minimax, and SURE to select the best model configuration. The methodology was applied to real data representing the maximum monthly electricity demand in the Kurdistan region of Iraq for the period (2014–2024). Simulation experiments were also conducted using data generated from the SARIMA model, with 250 repetitions for each case. The results showed that the proposed hybrid models (Wavelet-SARIMA and Wavelet-NARNN) clearly outperformed the traditional models in terms of accuracy metrics RMSE, MAE, and MAPE, confirming the effectiveness of wavelet integration in improving forecasting accuracy in time series analysis. The researchers conducted all analyses through MATLAB software. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244367.html Staphylococcus aureus is a leading pathogen responsible for conditions such as pneumonia, osteomyelitis, septicemia, soft-tissue infections, and other skin infections. Its pathogenicity stems from various virulence factors, some of which are acquired, particularly antibiotic resistance. One hundred thirty pathogenic samples were collected from patients at the Ramadi Hospitals in Iraq. The sample collection period was between August and October 2024; a total of 116 bacterial isolates were collected. From these, 20 MDR MRSA isolates were selected for further analysis. Characterization was performed using standard procedures validated by the OXDD, FOXDD, and VITEK 2 Compact Systems, as well as 16S rRNA gene amplification and detection of virulence factors. Biofilm production was assessed using the 96-well microtiter plate and tube method, as well as CRA and MCRA. The existence of genes such as mecA, femA, clfA, and icaA was assessed through PCR. All 20 isolates exhibited MDR to beta-lactam, glycopeptide, tetracycline, aminoglycoside, lincosamide, macrolide, fluoroquinolone, and sulfonamide antibiotics, with 100% resistance to penicillin and macrolide antibiotics. Most isolates exhibited favorable results for their virulence factors, showing hemolysis of blood and generating deoxyribonuclease, urease, gelatinase, lecithinase, and protease. Biofilm production was diverse across isolates, which were characterized as strong (5, 25%), moderate (4, 20%), and weak (11, 55%), as demonstrated by black, dry, crystalline colonies on CRA and MCRA. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of (MRSA) in Ramadi city, Iraq, indicating high levels of multidrug resistance, various virulence factors, and a high propensity to form biofilms. These findings highlight the urgent need for highly effective strategies to combat this bacterium. Staphylococcus aureus remains a highly virulent, multidrug-resistant pathogen with strong biofilm-forming ability, underscoring the critical need for alternative therapeutic approaches and improved infection control strategies. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244446.html The rapid growth of misinformation, spam, and automated bot activity on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter, operated by XCorp) has created a pressing need for accurate and real-time detection systems. Bots are one of the most important challenges at XCorp. A bot on XCorp is software that sends tweets to users automatically. XCorp bots may be used for several advantageous purposes or may be created for malicious purposes such as spreading fake news campaigns, spamming, and violating the privacy of others. This study presents a scalable framework for real-time tweets analysis using Apache Spark, focusing on the integration of user-based features and context-based features to enhance bot detection performance. Three distinct datasets were utilized to build and train the proposed model, enabling robust feature learning and generalization across different data sources. A large stream of real-time XCorp data was then processed using Spark Streaming, where newly engineered features captured user and content features within tweets. The model was constructed using five PySpark machine learning techniques: Gradient Boosted Trees Classification, Linear Support Vector Machine Classification, Decision Tree Classification, Logistic Regression, and Random Forest Classification. Experimental results show that incorporating the proposed features significantly improves accuracy, precision, and recall compared with baseline models and existing studies, while maintaining a relatively stable computation time. Among the evaluated models, the Random Forest classifier achieved the best performance, reaching 99.1% precision, 99.7% recall, 99.40% F1-Score and 99.6% accuracy. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244447.html This research investigates the algebraic and geometric properties of reflection spaces within the framework of general hyperbolic planes. While the theory of reflection spaces, as established by Karzel and Taherian, has been applied extensively to elliptic planes, its application to hyperbolic geometry has remained largely unexplored. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the involution-based structures generated by point reflections, line reflections, and their collective union within the motion group of a hyperbolic plane. Our findings reveal a tiered structural hierarchy in which point reflections alone constitute a polar-free reflection space that maintains an isomorphism with the plane's original incidence structure. In contrast, the set of line reflections yields a reducible, polar reflection space that recovers the dual geometric structure. Most significantly, we demonstrate that the union of point and line reflections results in a maximal reducible polar reflection space. Under the condition that the hyperbolic plane is complete, we extend the incidence structure of this maximal space and prove its embeddability into a projective plane, where the boundary set of ends forms a geometric oval. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244455.html AbstractLimnatis paluda is a sanguivorous, endoparasitic leech that has the ability to parasitize the mucus membranes of human and domestic animals. Leech has been used for many years to treat a wide range of diseases. However, Leeches' gut is known to harbor variable bacterial species which can cause moderate to severe infections. Thus, we aimed in this study to isolate and study Gram- negative bacteria from L. paluda. From September 2024 to July 2025, 53 leech samples were collected from Karokh mountain's water springs in Erbil province/ Iraq. Morphological identification was done and followed by a molecular study using COI gene. Subsequently, bacteria were isolated from three parts of the leech's body and Gram staining, biochemical tests and molecular methods using 16S rRNA gene were used to identify the isolated bacteria. The results revealed the isolation of 21 Gram- negative bacterial isolate that comprised of 6 species: Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas veronii, Morganella morganii, Serratia sarumanii, Serratia ureilytica and Yokenella regensburgei. It is worth mentioning that depending on NCBI, Serratia sarumanii and Serratia ureilytica were recorded for the first time in Iraq during this study. Moreover, Yokenella regensburgei was molecularly studied and identified using 16S rRNA for the first time in Iraq. Moreover, the results revealed that Aeromonas veronii was the predominant bacteria in the L. paluda. Furthermore, the highest percentage of Gram- negative bacteria was found in crushed buccal cavity swab 9(42.86%). Biofilm assay using microtiter plate method showed that 14(66.67%) were biofilm producers. Antibiotic sensitivity test was performed using 12 antimicrobial agents. The results showed that amikacin, ciprofloxacin, imepenem and netilmicin were the most effective antibiotics against all the isolates. However, all the isolates were 100% resistant to ampicillin, cefoxitin, ceftazidime and ertapenem. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244483.html Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human virus that is commonly found around the world. In recent years, it has been a topic of great discussion in relation to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes. The purpose of this study was to find out the seroprevalence of EBV in diabetic and healthy people by quantifying some immunological markers of the study subjects.Materials and Methods: A total of 90 people were chosen (of whom 30 were non-diabetic and 60 were diabetic) and blood samples were taken. Immunological markers were measured by quantitative ELISA kits and EBV IgG antibody was detected by qualitative ELISA test.Results: Immunological markers were quantified by quantitative ELISA. The prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in this study was 58.89% (53/90) of which 53.33% (16/30) of healthy individuals were positive and 61.67% (37/60) of type 2 diabetic patients were positive. In the infected group the positivity rate was 0.425 ± 0.019; however, significantly higher positivity rate was found in type 2 diabetic individuals than healthy individuals. As far as immunological markers are concerned, a significant rise in interleukin-1 level was noted in the type 2 diabetic patients infected with EBV (viral infection) and also in healthy people infected with EBV as compared to healthy people who were not infected and type 2 diabetic patients who were not infected with EBV. Regarding interleukin-6, no statistically significant difference was found between healthy individuals infected by EBV and type 2 diabetic patients without EBV as well as between those infected and type 2 diabetic patients infected with EBV, but all these values were higher than those of healthy patients without EBV. A significant increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels was observed in type 2 diabetes patients infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-T2DM) https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244484.html The scheduling of courses in higher education is a complicated combinatorial optimization issue that has to meet many institutional constraints and balance the preferences of lecturers and the availability of resources. Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are metaheuristic algorithms that have been extensively used to solve this problem, but their performance frequently changes in response to the nature of the scheduling situation. This paper proposes a dynamic scheduling model based on a Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) mechanism that is used to dynamically choose between ACO and PSO in the optimization process. The suggested solution will enhance the strength of the algorithms by integrating the strengths of the two algorithms without compromising on the computational efficiency. The framework is applied in a web-based scheduling system which facilitates interactive data management, constraint setup, and lecturer-specific scheduling requests. Real data of faculty scheduling involving sixteen study programs, almost a hundred courses per program, and forty-one lecturers were used as experimental data. The evaluation involves quantitative experiments and qualitative validation of the lecturer surveys. Findings indicate that the adaptive framework can provide a balanced trade-off between the quality of solutions and the performance of the runtime with positive user feedback in the aspects of usability, efficiency, and the acceptance of the system. These results reveal the possibility of the suggested system to be implemented in real-life academic scheduling settings. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244485.html AbstractThe present investigation evaluated the generation of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) utilizing the bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas. The mixed fermentation demonstrating the best yield 42.2% compared to other cultures. The production identified by IR and HPLC indicated a singular signal with an average retention time of 1.57 minutes, indicating the analysis results for standard PHB and the sample at the same retention time. The co-polymer was effectively synthesized from PHB and PEG, and the drug encapsulation efficiency was around 45.3%. Additionally concerning the totality of the carrier exhibiting 25.4% mg. The drug loading efficiency of AZI-PHB-PEG was superior to that of blank particles. Exhibiting the maximum release from microspheres. During the subsequent 4 to 8 hours, the dialysis bag method was employed to illustrate the release of Azithromycin. The synthesized co-polymer was characterised using X-ray diffraction and the Fourier transformation in infrared spectroscopy. The XRD sample, when thoroughly packed, exhibited distinguishing characteristics as the peak intensity increased with a higher percentage of crystalline Azithromycin dihydrate within the polymer network. The dialysis bag method was employed to illustrate the release of Azithromycin, with a starting point release of 18% occurring within the first two hours. This release was achieved using a solution with a pH of 7.4, identified as the optimal swelling medium for the polymer. The antibacterial effectiveness of the bio-polymer drug delivery system was assessed against bacterial strains about 71% of those strains were responsive to all dosages, as groups with higher of MIC. Generally. Fisher’s exact test indicated that DDS was substantially more efficacious than Azithromycin (p = 0.021). This work is the first to report the preparation of an azithromycin-loaded PHB–PEG delivery system for use against Salmonella, which provides a new drug-polymer formulation to be tested for its antimicrobial potential. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244486.html Functional edible films are thin polymeric layers used in food packaging to enhance product quality and shelf life. In the present study, pistachio gum and chitosan were combined to create a functional edible film. Chitosan was locally produced from fungal biomass of Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 and characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (4000 ̶ 400 cm ̶1). The optimal concentrations of pistachio gum, glycerol (as plasticizer), and emulsifier were found by preparing 18 distinct film formulations. The prepared films were tested for their thickness, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, air permeability, water vapor permeability (WVP), solubility, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE ̶ SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The incorporation of pistachio gum substantially improved film characteristics, resulting in increased thickness from 0.13 to 0.22 mm, tensile strength up to 1.40 MPa, elongation at break of 88.07%, and tear strength of 1.73 N, suggesting more flexibility and mechanical stability. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of film solutions were evaluated against clinical multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using the broth microdilution method. The chitosan-gum combination exhibited better antibacterial activity than chitosan alone. The antifungal activity was studied against A. niger; The chitosan-gum combination resulted in complete inhibition of A. niger growth. Additionally, the prepared chitosan-gum films exhibited lower solubility in water, acidic and alkaline solutions. Bags were successfully fabricated from chitosan with pistachio gum films. The incorporation of gum led to a more compact morphology, enhanced sealing performance, and improved functional performance. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244487.html Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) continues to pose a significant global health problem affecting diverse demographic groups worldwide. A complex interplay between environmental and genetic factors affects the development of IDA. In this context, Variation in TMPRSS6 gene has been identified as a potential risk factor. This study examines the association between TMPRSS6 rs1421312 SNPs and key biomarkers of iron deficiency status. These included hepcidin, soluble Transferrin Receptor Type 1 (sTfR1), and the sTfR1-F Index, among non-pregnant women of reproductive age. Methodology: To explore these associations, a cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 140 non-pregnant women, aged 17-50 years, were recruited based on low MCV and MCH. Participants were grouped into 60 IDA cases and 80 non-IDA cases based on a comprehensive analysis of their complete blood counts and serum iron studies. Additionally, DNA extraction and genotyping were carried out using allele-specific primers through PCR.Result: The distribution of genotypes for TMPRSS6 rs1421312 in cases without IDA (non-IDA) was 9(11.25%) (CC), 67(83.75%) (TC), and 4(5%) (TT). Whereas in cases with IDA, it was 8(13.33%) (CC), 48(80%) (TC), and 4(6.66%) (TT). No significant difference was found between the groups (P = 0.840). Additionally, the results indicated that the variations in Hepcidin levels, sTfR1, and the sTfR1-Ferritin Index among the CC, TT, and TC genotypes were not statistically significant.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first such report from an Iraqi population. The current study concluded that no detectable association was found between the TMPRSS6 rs1421312 SNP and IDA. Additionally, no detectable associations were found with Hepcidin levels, sTfR1, or the sTfR1-Ferritin Index. Further studies are recommended to focus on the role of this SNP in IDA. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244488.html Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most widespread type of anemia in children. The objective of the study was to assess levels of serum superoxide dismutase (SODse), catalase (CATse), biochemical, and some hematological parameters in children with IDA and healthy controls, and to find relationships between them.Fifty-five patients with IDA and 35 healthy controls with age ranges of 6 months to less than 6 years were enrolled. Diagnosis of IDA was made based on the low hemoglobin (Hb) and Sf as per age. As the Hb level is <11 g/dl and the Sf level is <12 μg/L in children <5 years old, the Hb level is <11.5 g/dl and the Sf level is <15 μg/L in children aged 5 to <6 years.The mean age of participants was 3.132±1.67. IDA patients had significantly decreased levels of Hb (p<0.0001), hematocrit (Hct) (p<0.0001), Sf (p<0.0001), Si (p<0.0001), and SODse (p<0.0275), and non-significantly decreased levels of mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p=0.1721) and CATse (p=0.1620) compared to healthy controls. IDA patients showed significantly higher levels of red cell distribution width (RDW) (p<0.0001) than healthy controls. Parameters were comparable among mild and moderate degrees of IDA; only significantly decreased levels of Sf were detected in children under the age of <5 years. Significantly positive correlations were observed between Hb and Hct (r=0.8149, p<0.0001). In addition, non-significant positive correlations were found between Hb, Hct, Sf, Si, SODse, and CATse. Significantly negative correlations were observed between RDW and Hb (r=-0.5522, p<0.0001), Hct (r=-0.4456, p<0.0007), and SODse (r=-0.2874, p<0.0334), while non-significant negative correlations were found between RDW and Sf, Si as well as CATse. The study findings show changes in levels of studied parameters between the IDA and healthy control groups. They also confirm the relationship between the different values of the parameters. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_244489.html ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of quail’s breed (European vs. local) and line (white vs. dark) on body weight as well as some hematological and biochemical blood parameters. Forty female quails of two lines (20 white and 20 brown) within each breed (European and Local) were selected randomly and used in the present investigation, aiming to compare between them for physio-biochemical characteristics. All target birds were slaughtered at 12 weeks old. Quail blood samples (8 ml) were taken at the time of slaughter and placed in two distinct types of tubes. Biochemical, liver, renal, immunity and white blood cells parameters were investigated and measured using kits from Roche Diagnostics Company by automated method. The results showed significantly (p<0.01) higher body weight- as expected- in European birds (325.7 vs. 270.1 gm); for biochemical parameters, there were insignificant (p>0.05) differences either between both breed or between both lines, except glucose (301.15 vs. 323.25 mg/dl) and cholesterol (151.095 vs. 205.285 mg/dl) for line effect (p<0.01), where white line surpassed dark one. Liver function tests weren’t differed significantly (p>0.05) between breeds and lines; except albumen values which differed significantly (p<0.05) between local and European breed (1.484 and 1.475 g/dl, respectively), and between dark and while line (1.408 and 1.551 g/dl, respectively). However, all renal function tests were not differed significantly (p>0.05); whereas immunity indicator (IgA) for the European breed surpassed significantly (p<0.05) local one (2.001 vs. 1.102 mg/dl), and dark line surpassed significantly white one (2.002 vs. 1.0101 mg/dl). All blood cell tests weren’t differed insignificantly (p>0.05). A significant interaction between breed and line was observed just for Immunoglobulin M (IgM), heterophils and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio). As conclusion, the physiological variation is limited between quail breed or lines. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_216538.html This study assessed the prevalence of bovine babesiosis in dairy cattle using both microscopic examination and conventional PCR (c-PCR). Microscopic analysis of Giemsa-stained blood smears indicated an infection rate of 14.5%, while c-PCR revealed a higher prevalence of 31.9%. Babesia species were identified morphologically and confirmed through molecular techniques. Clinically, infected cattle were presented with fever, depression, and jaundice. Age-related differences were observed, with cattle between 1 and 5 years showing the highest infection rates (P=0.008). No significant differences were noted in prevalence between sexes or breeds. However, body condition played a critical role, with cattle in poor condition exhibiting significantly higher infection rates (P =0.02). Additionally, management practices such as outdoor grazing and irregular application of acaricides, were found to increase the risk of infection (P =0.005). Phylogenetic analysis showed that two sequences of B. major and B. bigemina identified in this study shared genetic similarities with strains from various geographical regions. These findings highlight the substantial burden of babesiosis in the local cattle population and emphasize the need for targeted management practices and intervention strategies to effectively control infection rates and improve bovine productivity. The study concludes that cattle in Erbil are particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases caused by vector-borne pathogens (VBPs). However, factors such as age, body condition, and management practices significantly influence the prevalence of babesiosis, this underscores the importance of tailored control measures to mitigate the disease’s impact. https://passer.garmian.edu.krd/article_216539.html Mycotoxins are harmful secondary metabolites produced by certain groups of fungi. Mycotoxigenic organisms are fungi such as Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. parasiticus, Fusarium oxysporium, F. sporotrichioides and Penicillium verrucosum, that produce mycotoxins. The adulteration of food, feeds and other agro-products by mycotoxins is a global challenge causing an extensive range of adverse effects and other serious complications. Mycotoxins cause a toxic response in animals and humans called mycotoxicoses. Mycotoxins are diverse and challenging to categorise but are grouped as major and minor compounds depending on their degree of severity, frequency of occurrence and the type of fungi that produce them. Aflatoxins, Trichothecenes, Ochratoxins Patulins, Zearalenones, Fumonisins and Ergot alkaloids are the leading types of mycotoxins that not only reduce the quality of food and feed but also make them unfit to consume. The effects of mycotoxins on living organisms cannot be overlooked as they cause different degrees of acute and chronic toxicities. Most mycotoxins exhibit immunosuppressive properties, while others possess carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, and neurotoxic effects. This appraisal provides a general idea on the occurrence and impact of mycotoxins that contaminate feeds and food commodities.