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Current Perspective on Pesticides: Their Classification, Behaviour, Potential Use and Toxic Effects
Get PDFThe employment of extensive range of chemical to save their crops from disastrous effects of pests is an important aspect worldwide in order to increase the crop yields and minimizing post-harvest losses. It is estimated that approximately 1.8 billion people are engaged in agriculture and majority of them use pesticides to protect food and commercial products they produce. Pesticides are indispensable in agricultural production. The intensive use of toxic and remanent pesticides in agriculture has prompted research into novel performant, yet cost-effective and fast analytical tools to control the pesticide residue levels in the environment and food; because of the raised concern about their potential adverse effects on human health with farm workers being more prone to them. Also, lack of information among the farm workers and unregulated quantities usage leads to further raised their presence to toxic levels among the crops and finally to humans leading to several diseases like cancer, immunological disorders, and reproductive disorders etc. Synthetic organic pesticides (i.e., man-made, carbon-containing chemicals) includes chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, phenoxy herbicides etc. Pesticides are classified on the basis of different classification terms such as chemical classes, functional groups, modes of action and toxicity. This review proposes an overview of recent advances in the use of pesticide and their possible toxic profile
Evaluating the Impact of Carbon Emissions on Iraq's Economic Growth
Get PDFEnvironmental pandemonium is said to have emerged from global warming which influences water availability, sea levels, food production, and weather patterns. These are all caused by CO2 emissions, which might have a large influence on economic growth. However, there is limited evidence about the link between CO2 emanations and economic growth in Iraq. Thus, there is a need to empirically examine how CO2 emissions influence economic growth in Iraq. Therefore, this study applies the Environmental Kuznets Curvature perspective (EKC) to examine the influence of CO2 emanations on economic growth in Iraq. Data was extracted from the World Bank for the period 1991 to 2020. 2gls regression model was used to account for possible endogeneity and reverse causality in the data set. The results from the analysis show that an increase in CO2 emissions via manufacturing and construction and CO2 emissions via agricultural methane increase GDP growth per capita. Consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory, it was found that an increase in CO2 emissions via gaseous fuel consumption, CO2 emissions via liquid fuel consumptions, and CO2 emissions via energy-related methane have an inverse link with GDP growth per capita. The findings of the study will be useful for law makers in implementing policies and strategies related to greenhouse gas emissions and economic expansion in Iraq
Diversity of biofilm-specific antimicrobial resistance genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovered from various clinical isolates
Get PDFBackground and Objectives: The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotics offers a significant challenge in the treatment of patients. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial resistance profile, biofilm-specific antimicrobial resistance genes, and genetic diversity of P. aeruginosa recovered from clinical samples.
Materials and Methods: Totally 47 non-duplicate isolates of P. aeruginosa were recovered from various clinical samples. toxA, algD, ndvB, and tssC1 genes were detected in biofilm-producing isolates. The DNA sequences of the toxA and tssC1 genes were analyzed, by creating phylogenetic trees.
Results: The findings revealed that 30 (63.8%) of the isolates tested positive for Extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), whereas 31 (65.9%) tested positive for Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) and all of the isolates presented the toxA genes, and 19.1%,17%, 6.3% presented by algD, ndvB and tssC1 genes. Besides, the phylogenetic trees of the toxA and tssC1 gene isolates suggested a genotype that was closely aligned with others. Gene sequencing similarity revealed 99% identity with other isolates deposited in GenBank.
Conclusion: The occurrence of toxA was most prevalent. One isolate was recorded as a novel isolate in the global gene bank as a locally isolated strain from the city of Erbil that has never been identified in global isolates due to genetic variation
Proanthocyanidins-Rich Fraction of Tamarindus Indica Maintained Redox Status of Environmental Toxicant-Induced Genotoxicity in Drosophila Melanogaster
Get PDFProanthocyanidin, a bioactive polyphenolic component of tamarin (Tamarindus indica L.), offers neuroprotective benefits with insufficient scientific evidence. This study evaluated the behavioral and molecular effect of proanthocyanidin-rich fraction on the gene expression level of antioxidant and aging enzymes in Drosophila melanogaster. The fruit flies were fed with the fraction at 1.5 and 2.5 mg/g diet for seven days, followed by exposure to 0.1 µg/g diet lead oxide for equivalent days. Negative geotaxis and survival assays were conducted on the flies. The expression level of phase II antioxidant enzymes and acetylcholinesterase were evaluated using rt-PCR to assess proanthocyanidin's protection level and mechanism in Pb-induced neurotoxic D. melanogaster. The results show that the proanthocyanidins-rich fraction enhanced locomotor activity and the rate of emergence of flies even in the presence of eco-toxicant. The fraction also mitigated the harmful effect of Pb via the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase, as evidenced by the increase in the expression levels of the catalase and SOD genes in the noxious environment. Thus, the study provides insights into understanding the neuroprotection mechanism of proanthocyanidins-rich fraction against lead-induced neurotoxicity in D. melanogaster, which could be translated to humans when explored further
THE USE OF GOOGLE TRENDS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS
Get PDFUsing authentic materials, such as books, videos, news, and podcasts has received increasing attention in English classes in the last two decades. Among others, Google Trends serves as a platform to choose authentic materials based on their popularity on a global scale. It has been displaying huge data about the most popular news, people, events, books, movies, and songs since 2004. To this aim, 40 Foundation English students who studied at a private university in Erbil, Iraq, were chosen through a simple random sampling method for the 2022-2023 Academic Year. Control group students kept their education according to the principles of the pre-defined curriculum, while experimental group students made a presentation about a trending topic on Google, prepared a listening quiz, and ran a speaking session. The data, collected by exams and surveys, were analyzed by SPSS 26 and NVivo application, revealing that Google Trends enriched teaching mode, increased students' listening scores and enhanced speaking performance significantly in the experimental group, whereas no noticeable progress was observed in the control group. Likewise, students’ motivation towards learning English increased significantly in the experimental group, while it was less than noticeable in the control group. The findings of this study can have some implications for educators who consider integrating Google Trends into the curriculum to present authentic materials
Molecular Characterization of Carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Erbil, Iraq
Get PDFAntimicrobial drugs known as carbapenems are used to treat infections caused by bacteria that produce extended-spectrum -lactamases, such as those found in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Carbapenemases in drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria must be identified and differentiated at the phenotypic and molecular levels for effective infection management. Resistance genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were characterized here by analyzing their phenotypic and genotypic profiles. Genotypic confirmation of carbapenemase synthesis in 98 K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates was found. PCR was used to look for the metallo-beta-lactamase genes OXA-48 and NDM-1 in the collected isolates. The blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 genes were found in 22.45 and 12.24% of the isolates, respectively. The genes for carbapenemase resistance, blaOXA-48, and blaNDM-1, were identified in K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates from the city of Erbil in the Kurdistan area of Iraq
Community’s Mask Wearing Practice and its associated Undesirable Side Effects Among Iraqi Population Group in COVID-19 Era
Get PDFAssessing the principles, knowledge, attitude, and compliance of the Iraqi population group with regard to mask use; raising awareness and accountability, counseling them on the value of wearing masks, and researching the most common negative effects of mask use among them.
Materials and Methods: 1205 responses to an online survey with a cross-sectional design were gathered from healthy Iraqi backgrounds, ranging in age from 11 to 65 and with varying levels of education. The survey was divided into 5 components that were relevant to the major goals and objectives of the research. Gender differences were expressed as frequencies and percentages using the chi-squared fisher exact test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Data were analyzed using SPSS between various variables.
Results: Among the 1205 people enrolled in the study, females comprised of (723,60%), and males (482,40%) with age range (11-65 years old).
Concerning adherence to wearing mask: The majority of the sample (73% female, 68% male) were adherent to wearing masks, whereas (25%-28%) were non-adherent, with no significant difference between them owing to uncomfortability, with social stigma being the predominant source of this uncomfortability; the overall sample was 30.80% female and 43% male.
Concerning association between health problems side effects of wearing mask: More than half sample (54% females) and (59.7% males) didn’t suffer from any health conditions, while (44.40% females, 36.30% males) suffered from health conditions with highly significant difference at p 0.001 sequentially: respiratory problems, psychological problems, and others with non-significant difference between these problems at p 0.18.
For children, nearly half of the sample (50% girls and 47.90% boys) had the same health problems as in adults, following the same order; respiratory, psychological, and others with a non-significant difference at p 0.096.
Concerning knowledge and attitude: A relatively good percentage of total sample (61.90% females, 54% males) change their mask daily in comparison with (22.10% females, 23.90% males) who wore the mask more than 2 days with highly significant difference at p 0.001, also a good knowledge and attitude percentage concerning disposing mask after frequent use (75.30% females, 72.30% males) with significant difference at p 0.03.
Concerning knowledge and attitude of general population regarding the best type of mask to wear: Less than half of the total sample (47.90% females, 47.70% males) responded that N-95 is the best type with non-significant difference at p 0.2 and (53.50% females 44.30% males) use regular, medical or non-medical mask with highly significant difference at p 0.006.
Concerning the need to wear double masks during the Delta variant: One third of the sample (36.50% females, 28.80% males) felt the urge to wear a mask, while the other third (32% females, 37% males) felt it was not required to wear a mask with a highly significant difference at p 0.008.
Concerning advocating for people to wear masks: More than half of the sample (56.90% females, 56.70% males) advice other people to wear masks more frequently in public places with non-significant difference at p 0.051.
Conclusion: The study revealed good knowledge and attitude level of participants towards; adherence, principles, disposing masks, and promoting the necessity of mask-wearing, with fair level toward the best type of mask to wear; the type they utilize the most, unsatisfactory low level toward hand washing, sanitizing after wearing mask, and for the need to wear double masks during the delta variant with approximately half of the total sample (adults and children) suffered from health issues due to the side effects (respiratory, psychological etc…) it’s imperative to identify solutions to manage these adverse effects
The effects of epistemic curiosity-based instruction in enhancing EFL students` reading and listening skills at a tertiary level
Get PDFEpistemic curiosity is seeking novel information in numerous fields incessantly. An increasing number of studies have been carried out to evaluate the role of epistemic curiosity-based instruction in enhancing students’ linguistic abilities at different stages of education. However, it was monitored that measuring the effects of epistemic curiosity-based instruction on reading and listening enhancement in Iraq context at a tertiary level was a gap in the literature which encouraged the researcher to initiate and finalize the study to fill this gap. In this regard, the present study was carried out to investigate the effects of epistemic curiosity-based instruction on students’ reading and listening competence within a span of 14 weeks. 60 freshman Foundation English course students who joined lessons actively at TISHK International University in Erbil, Iraq were chosen by simple random sampling method in 2022-2023 Academic Year. Control group students followed an orthodox training cycle, while the students in experimental group followed an epistemic curiosity driven instruction. Collected data by integrating quantitative and qualitative instruments revealed that epistemic curiosity-based instruction enhanced students’ reading and listening marks significantly. This study's implications can provide a basis for education stakeholders who are considering introducing an epistemic curiosity-based curriculum in educational institutions
Citrullus Colocynthis Fruit Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: The Impact of pH, Temperature, and Silver Nitrate Concentration
Get PDFSilver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) can be produced from various approaches including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. However, green synthesis methods are simple, efficient, and eco-friendly methods and provide relatively more stable nanoparticles. In the current investigation, Ag NPs have been synthesized utilizing Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract as a reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent. Then, Ag NPs were characterized through various classification methods to investigate their size, purity, stability, degree of crystallinity, structure, and optical properties. The impact of different parameters including concentration of AgNO3, pH, and reaction temperature on the biosynthesized Ag NPs and corresponding surface plasmon resonance (SPR) behavior were investigated intensively. This study showed that increasing pH values cause tightening the SPR peaks, and therefore, obtaining monodisperse NPs. On the other hand, increasing the reaction temperature increased the band gap of NPs and, thus, reduced the size of NPs. However, the agglomeration state and later the stability of the biosynthesized Ag NPs are increasing with increasing the AgNO3 concentration. This investigation, exceptional and unique, confirms that reaction pH, the reaction temperature, and the precursor concentration play important roles in the formation process of NPs. Through selective combination of these trio, one can produce Ag NPs with desired structural, morphological, and optical properties which can be suitable for different applications
Highly regioselective and diastereoselective synthesis of novel pyrazinoindolones via a base-mediated Ugi-N-alkylation sequence
Get PDFAn efficient base-mediated/metal-free approach has been developed for the synthesis of 1-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazino[1,2-a]indole-3-carboxamide derivatives via intramolecular indole N–H alkylation of novel bis-amide Ugi-adducts. In this protocol the Ugi reaction of (E)-cinnamaldehyde derivatives, 2-chloroaniline, indole-2-carboxylic acid and different isocyanides was designed for the preparation of bis-amides. The main highlight of this study is the practical and highly regioselective preparation of new polycyclic functionalized pyrazino derivatives. This system is facilitated by Na2CO3 mediation in DMSO and 100 °C conditions