University of Mosul

Liver cancer ranks as the sixth most prevalent form of cancer and stands as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related fatalities on a global scale. The two primary types of liver cancer are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). While ICC originates from the bile ducts, HCC develops from hepatocytes, which are the primary functional cells of the liver. In cases where liver cancer is detected in its early stages, it can be effectively treated through locoregional interventions such as surgical resection, Radiofrequency Ablation, Transarterial chemoembolization, or liver transplantation. However, HCC is typically diagnosed at advanced stages, rendering these treatment options ineffective due to the unresectable nature of the tumor. LncRNAs, a novel class of RNA molecules and epigenetic regulators, have emerged as key players in the development and advancement of different types of tumors. They exert their influence by regulating the expression of downstream genes in cancer-related signaling pathways, thereby promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells. Additionally, these transcripts have the ability to modify the activity and expression of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, further contributing to tumorigenesis. Recently, growing numbers of experiments have demonstrated the elevated expression of HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), a spliced and poly-adenylated lncRNA, in liver cancers and its association with cancer patient’s prognosis and overall survival, as well as tumor cells’ growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapies. This updated review will summarize molecular pathways by which lncRNA HOTAIR promotes liver cancer development, and highlight its diagnostic and therapeutic potential, though.

Applying Machine Learning (ML) has seen rapid progress in many disciplines, such as architectural design. Recent research reveals promising potential for integrating ML in solving design problems. This paper explored how ML can serve as a tool to guide designing action. It conducted thematic analyses of ML experiments in the architecture domain to build a framework addressing two key aspects: the tasks achieved and the required training dataset. The paper found that ML mainly performs design generation, optimization, and recognition via classification and clustering. Three scenarios of design generation using ML have started from pre-design requirements and constraints, conceptual design, or parametric design. ML can predict design features based on prescribed performance or calculate performance metrics, based on varied design options. Design recognition classifies or clusters designs to detect their styles, typologies, and morphologies, besides tracking the process of best practices. The specifications of training datasets vary in terms of data sources as real or virtual, techniques for representing datasets as visual or textual, and the relationships between input and output datasets as refinement, embodiment, sorting, or evaluation. The findings revealed that ML has a wide range of experimentation and opens more opportunities for further integration in the design process.

The study aimed to probe the effect of white and red onion extract on the viability and stability of encapsulated probiotics under stressed conditions. Intentionally, white and red onion peel extract was obtained and used with wall materials to encapsulate the probiotic. Symbiotic microcapsules were characterized for their morphological, molecular, and in vitro attributes. Similarly, free and co-encapsulated probiotics cells were also subjected to a simulated gastrointestinal assay. The SEM images demonstrated the successful encapsulation of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus within sodium alginate, along with white and red onion extract. The FTIR spectra showed the intermolecular interaction between the components of microcapsules. The in vitro assay showed that co-encapsulated probiotics showed better survival compared to free cells. In a nutshell, the co-encapsulation with red and white onion extract is an effective approach to enhance the viability of probiotics under stressed conditions.

High pressure induces vital characterizations in solid materials making them attractive for variety of applications. This study investigated the effect of high pressure on vibrational properties of ZnS using two different equations of state (EoS); Dodson EoS and Bardeen EoS. Thermal and mechanical characterizations, such as volume compression ratio, bulk modulus, Grüneisen parameter, Debye temperature, and the phonon density of states are considered to study. The volume compression ratio calculated due to the two considered EoSs seems to be equivalent to each other up to 17 Gpa, along with a good agreement with published data to a pressure of around 12 Gpa. The bulk modulus of ZnS is increased from 70 GPa at ambient pressure to around 135 Gpa under high pressure of 17 Gpa. Furthermore, the Grüneisen parameter at atmospheric pressure is 1.2, it is slightly decreasing to reach around 1.03 at the highest applied pressure. The present optimization investigates the phonon frequency spectrum of ZnS at different pressures values of (6, 9 and 12) Gpa. Increasing in the energy of the active modes along with decreasing the number of the exited modes are observed. The last calculation, evaluates high pressure effects on the Debye temperature of the material by using two model formulations in combining with the considered EoSs. It is found that the Debye pressure is considerably boosted from 257 °C to around 300 °C at the pressure of 15 GPa.

The study aims to manufacture and develop the vibrating wings for the subsoil plough and to evaluate the performance of the locally manufactured wings and their impact on the stability of the driver’s seat, noise, slipping, and fuel consumption. Three factors were used to evaluate the performance of the subsoiler plough, the factors including the types of vibrating wings, traditional vibrating wings (TD35) and two designs of locally manufactured wings (ND35 and ND45), and two angles of penetration of 40° and 50° at a speed of wings vibration of 60 and 120 m·s ⁻² . The experiment was analysed using a randomised complete block design with a split-plot design and Duncan’s multiple range test at the 0.05% and 0.01% probability levels. The results showed that the stability of the driver’s seat and noise in TD35 was higher than that in both ND35 and ND45, with higher values of approximately 2.450 m·s ⁻² and 86.4 dB. The vibration and noise values are considered higher than those specified by international organisations that protect farmers in agricultural work (European Parliament Directive 2003/10/EC). Moreover, ND35 recorded the lowest slipping and fuel consumption results, estimated at 7.948% and 4.563 l·h ⁻¹ at the penetration angles of 50° and 40°, respectively. Finally, the results showed that the stability of the driver’s seat, noise, slipping, and fuel consumption were higher at TD35; simultaneously, the best results were achieved as the solution for the problem when using ND35 in the 40° and 50° penetration angles with both wings vibrations. The conclusion is that local vibrating wing designs reduced all the characteristics studied.

Developing new devices to the early detection of breast cancer via specific molecules is the key to delivering better breast cancer handling and a greater opportunity for living. Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) offer useful potential for early breast cancer detection due to their specific optical properties. These NPs, naturally composed of gold or silver metals, display optical properties like localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), where combined oscillations of electrons make intense light scattering and absorption. LSPR enables sensitive detection of biomarkers, including peptides, DNA, aptamers, and other small biomolecules. One useful application of plasmonic NPs is surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), where NPs intensify the Raman signal of molecules. In this review after an introduction of breast cancer biomarkers and plasmonic NPs, a comprehensive study was presented about the application of plasmonic NPs for the primary detection of breast cancer biomarkers and their advantages in this line. Graphical Abstract

A new spectroscopic method had been proposed to determine esomeprazole in pure form and pharmaceutical preparation. The method is based on the hydrolysis of esomeprazole by adding hydrochloric acid to produce a product that gives the highest absorption at a wavelength of 352 nm. In comparison, the solution of esomeprazole alone gave the highest absorption at 300 nm, indicating the suggested method gave a wave displacement. The resulting solution was soluble in water and had a molar absorptivity coefficient of 7.7 × 10³ l/mol. cm. The range of estimate obeying Beer’s law was from 1–40 µg/mL with a determination coefficient (R²) of 0.9997. Some of the analytical constants related to the method of estimation were calculated, including stability, where the result was stable for an hour, and the Sandall sensitivity value was calculated and mentioned, 0.044 µg/cm². The method was also applied to estimate the compound under study in pharmaceutical preparation (tablet), and reliable analytical results were obtained. The greenness of the suggested methods was evaluated, demonstrating the minimum hazardous effect on the environment.

Radiosensitization approaches have shown promise in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of radiation in nuclear medicine. This review article focuses on using nanoparticles (NPs) as radiosensitizers in nuclear medicine applications. This review covers various NP-based radiosensitization mechanisms, such as increasing radiation-induced DNA damages, alternation and modulation of tumor microenvironment, and improving radionuclide delivery efficiency. We also discussed about the challenges and opportunities of NP radiosensitization in clinical practice. Our review showed that NP-based radiosensitiza-tion strategies can result in important advancements in nuclear medicine and therefore improve cancer treatments. Despite these advancements in NP radiosensitization strategies, there are several challenges that limit their application in clinical practice. Therefore, continued research is needed to address key challenges in oncology. The future of NP radiosensitization strategies in nuclear medicine looks promising, with potential therapeutic options. This article tried to provide insights into the current status, challenges, and future perspective of NP-based radiosensitization strategies in nuclear medicine treatments. Graphical Abstract

The current work presented the application of gold nanoparticles in a fluorescent system to determine nicotine in tobacco products. In this system, the fluorescence emission of fluorescein was reduced due to energy transfer to the gold nanoparticles. The nicotine adding caused the aggregation of gold nanoparticles, thereby decreasing the quenching effect of nanoparticles on fluorescein fluorescence, which led to a recovery in fluorescence intensity proportional to the nicotine concentration. Main experimental parameters including pH, concentration of Au NPs and fluorescein, and incubation time were optimized using a one-variable-at-a-time approach, and the method was partially validated by established guidelines. The validated method demonstrated strong analytical performance for detecting nicotine within the range of 0.01 to 0.8 μg.mL⁻¹, with a detection limit of 0.002 μg.mL⁻¹ and a quantification limit of 0.01 µg.mL⁻¹. The intra-day and inter-day RSDs % were reported to be 2.8% and 6.1%, respectively. Finally, the validated sensor was used to measure the nicotine levels in various tobacco products. The standard addition method was employed for this analysis and the results showed a concentrations range of 0.83 to 1.21 µg.mL⁻¹ for nicotine in real samples.

In recent years, the inefficient performance of weirs during extreme flood events has prompted efforts to optimize their geometry to maximize discharge capacity. This study investigates the discharge coefficient of arced and arced labyrinth weirs, focusing on the effects of the number of cycles, total arc angle, and semicircular openings at the top of the weir. The findings reveal that reducing the number of cycles increases the discharge coefficient by up to 35.94%, with arced weirs achieving higher discharge coefficients than arced labyrinth weirs. Additionally, increasing the total arc angle enhances the discharge coefficient by up to 32.4%. Conversely, the presence of semicircular openings results in a reduction of the discharge coefficient as the ratio of the opening diameter to the edge length of the weir increases, with decreases of 19.54% observed for arced labyrinth weirs and 12.08% for linear labyrinth weirs. A generalized equation was developed to estimate the discharge coefficient, demonstrating a strong correlation with experimental data (R = 0.9).

Cancer remains one of the most pressing global health concerns, ranking as the second leading cause of death worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of cancer, making antioxidants a critical area of research in cancer prevention and treatment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of fruit-derived antioxidants and their potential therapeutic applications in combating cancer. In particular, it looks at how bioactive compounds like flavonoids, polyphenols, and essential vitamins found in fruits help to neutralize reactive oxygen species, control gene activity, and stop tumors from spreading and growing. The review brings together new studies from the lab, on animals, and with people that show how fruit-derived antioxidants can help fight cancer, how they change important cellular pathways, and how they might work better when combined with other treatments. Furthermore, it discusses challenges related to bioavailability, standardization, and clinical translation, underscoring the need for more robust clinical trials. This review shows how important it is to include antioxidants from fruits in dietary guidelines and move forward with targeted research into their therapeutic use in cancer management. It does this by looking at the current evidence and pointing out research gaps.

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) enhance the performance of wireless communication networks, particularly within millimeter wave (mm-Wave) bands. When a line-of-sight link is not strong enough or is fully blocked. The location of RIS has a significant impact on the RIS’s wireless channel and system performance. A wireless communication model has been proposed in a mm-Wave environment supported by RIS. The proposed model contains one transmitter and five users at the receiving end. Due to the small distance between users, there is interference between them and the received signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) decreases. Three RISs separated by different interspace distances were proposed to serve users at various distances from the transmitter to reduce inter-user interference. The simulation results showed that increasing the distance between the RIS site and the TX-User line served a larger number of users, and the three heights of the RIS provided a coverage range domain complementary to each other for different user sites. The improvement percentages in SINR for the second and third RIS are 48.46% and 77.38%, respectively. Enlarging the size of the RIS only increases the signal capacity and does not affect the coverage range domain of the single RIS.

In this work, we have extensively examined the adsorption and sensing capabilities of C3N nanosheets for aromatic benzene and nitrobenzene detection by doping Pt atoms to modify their surface reactivity. The binding energy for Pt-decorated C3N was determined to be -4.38 eV, which indicates its great stability for adsorption reactions. The Pt4 cluster decorated C3N also shows a large binding energy of -6.44 eV. After C3N doping with Pt atom, the modified nanosheet reveals semiconducting character, indicating the suitability of the substrate for adsorption and sensing studies. The adsorption energies for the most stable structures of nitrobenzene and benzene molecules on the Pt-C3N nanosheet are − 1.16 eV and − 0.93 eV, respectively, indicating the stronger adsorption of nitrobenzene on the surface than the benzene. Thus, the Pt atoms adsorbed to the C3N surface significantly increases the adsorption energy and performance of C3N towards benzene and nitrobenzene molecules. Based on CDD maps, a substantial charge redistribution happens between the Pt-C3N and adsorbed molecules, indicating the dominant effect of adsorption on the electronic properties. The noticeable peak overlaps between the Pt and O atoms demonstrate strong orbital hybridization and chemical bonding between these atoms. Our theoretical results indicate the crucial importance of Pt modified C3N nanosheets in practical applications for benzene and nitrobenzene detection.

Eating various meals exposes humans to a certain degree of radiation because natural radioactivity is always present in diet. Measuring the uranium activity and radon in a selected foods manufactured in the Bashiqa Region is the focus of this investigation using CR-39 detector. The findings demonstrated that the uranium activity concentration ranged from 0.9 to 2.56 Bq kg−1. The radon concentration ranges from 54.8 to 99.3 Bq m−3. The results indicated that all radon concentrations were significantly lower than of 400 Bq m−3 the worldwide standard radon recommended concentration by the (ICRP) international commission on radiological protection. According to this research, food items are safe from uranium and radon pollution.

This research focuses on the utilization of abundant natural mineral resources in Iraq to prepare both unmodified natural zeolite and nickel‐modified zeolite. These zeolites are employed in the catalytic thermal structural reforming process of naphtha distillates (35–200 °C) under initial temperature conditions (100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 °C) using a constant catalyst ratio. The zeolites, prepared in two forms, 1% by weight, and with a reaction time of 1 h, are first tested to determine the optimal temperature. Subsequently, the catalyst ratio and reaction time are adjusted based on the initial conditions for each catalyst, to establish the optimum conditions for unmodified zeolite at a temperature of 350 °C, a catalyst ratio of 3%, and a reaction time of 3 h. For nickel‐modified zeolite, the optimal conditions are found to be a temperature of 300 °C, a catalyst ratio of 3%, and a reaction time of 3 h. The catalysts exhibited the ability to form rings and facilitate hydrogenation reactions, resulting in the preparation of aromatic compounds that reach threefold their original concentration. Specifically, the concentration increases from 7.1% to 23.61% in the nickel‐modified catalyst.

The study encompasses an investigation of a local natural mineral material found in the Nimrud region/Ibrahim Al‐Khalil village (40 km southeast of Mosul city). This is achieved through chemical analysis and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify its various elemental components. Subsequently, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) is employed to determine the percentage ratios of clay minerals (natural zeolites) and nonclay minerals comprising the natural mineral ore. The natural zeolite is then selectively concentrated by removing carbonates, iron, and reactive silica (amorphous silica) followed by impregnation with nickel using the compound Ni(NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O. The properties and characteristics of the prepared zeolites (impregnated and nonimpregnated) are investigated using XRF, XRD, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The analysis reveals its compliance with both chemical and crystalline specifications of zeolites, in addition to good surface area, selective porous channels, and thermal stability.

The tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are well-studied as essential modulators of many processes, including the modulation of several pathways linked to immunological reactions. Most TRIM family members can polyubiquitinate the targeted proteins by acting as E3 ubiquitin ligases. According to current research, TRIMs play a critical role in innate immune response via modifying transcription factors, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), and key adaptor proteins within innate immunity. It is becoming clearer that TRIMs play important roles in adaptive immune response, especially in the stimulation and promotion of T cells. We highlight the E3 ubiquitin ligase functions of TRIMs in the PRRs axis linked to autoimmune disorders. By focusing on TRIM family members, we also clarify the new approaches to regulating immunological reactions to alleviate autoimmunity.