Digital Commons Network^™

Cyanidin- 3-Glucoside Ameliorates Ocular Surface Dysfunction In Rats With Dry Eye Disease, Ke Zhang, Ziyu Liu, Zhangben Yao, Peng Zhang, Lei Tian, Ying Jie, Yong Wang

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] Studies have shown that cyanidin- 3-glucoside (C3G),the main component of black rice anthocyanins,exhibits protective effects on retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE ) cells.However,there is a lack of in vivo evidence regarding the efficacy of C 3G in alleviating dry eye disease (DED ),which limits its application in ocular surface disorders.This study aims to investigate the protective effects of C 3G on DED in rats.[Method ] 24 Wistar rats were randomly assigned into control,model,and C 3G groups.In model and C 3G groups,a DED model was established by subcutaneous injection of scopolamine hydrobromide (4 times daily for 28 d).The …

Ultrasound-Assisted Enzymatic Transformation And Immune Efficacy Of Black Ginseng Saponins, Kuo Wang, Bao Zhong, Mingran Luan, Fenglin Li, Zhongkui Lu, Guanran Wang, Kun Yao

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to elucidate the transformation process of black ginseng saponins and their immunomodulatory mechanisms.[Method ] An ultrasound-assisted enzymatic method was employed for the transformation of black ginseng saponins,and the mass concentration of black ginseng saponins was determined.Furthermore,the immunomodulatory effects of black ginseng saponins were investigated through animal experiments.[Result ] Under the conditions of an enzymatic hydrolysis temperature of 40 ℃,an enzyme mass fraction of 8%,enzymatic hydrolysis time of 60 min,and ultrasonic treatment time of 25 min,the mass concentration of black ginseng saponins increased from 1 615.40 μg/mL to 3 351.38 μg/mL,which represented an increase of 107.47%.The …

Degradation Of Nutrients In Corn Steep Liquor By Aspergillus Oryzae And Absorption Characteristics Of The Product, Xiaojie Wang, Chunrong Xia, Xiaolan Liu

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to explore the degradation patterns of nutrients in corn steep liquor by Aspergillus oryzae and the absorption characteristics of the product.[Method ] Aspergillus oryzae was used for the fermentation of corn steep liquor,and degradation patterns of nutrients were studied after fermentation for 1,3,5,7,9,and 11 d.Changes in amino acid mass fraction and peptide molecular mass distribution in corn steep liquor after fermentation for 7 d were measured.Furthermore,the resting cells of Auricularia heimuer mycelia were used to explore the absorption characteristics of the fermentation product of corn steep liquor.[Result ] As the fermentation time prolonged within 1~7 …

Screening And Identification Of Strains Of Lactic Acid Bacteria For Fermentation From Suancai In The Dai Ethnic Region Of Yunnan, Rui Wang, Jiawen Zhang, Lianqin Zhang, Xian Chen, Yan Chen, Cheng Zuo, Lixin Li, Yuhua Diao

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to screen the strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB ) suitable for Suancai fermentation.[Method ] Traditional fermented Suancai from the Dai ethnic region of Yunnan was used as the research samples for the isolation and purification of LAB.The purified isolates were evaluated for fermentation characteristics,including nitrite degradation,acid production,acid resistance,and salt tolerance.Additionally,the antimicrobial activity,antibiotic susceptibility,hemolytic activity,and amino acid decarboxylase activity were assessed to identify dominant strains.[Result ] A total of 208 LAB strains were isolated from 40 Suancai samples.Preliminary screening based on nitrite degradation identified 20 strains with high efficiency,and 16S rDNA sequencing identified 15 strains …

Antioxidant And Anti-Fatigue Properties Of Malus Spectabilis Fruit Polysaccharides In Mice, Zhilin Wen, Ming Li

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aimed to explore the antioxidant and anti-fatigue properties of Malus spectabilis fruit polysaccharides (MPPs ) and analyze the structure-activity relationships.[Method ] Two types of MPPs were prepared via acidic (AC-MPC ) and alkaline (AL-MPC ) extraction methods.The polysaccharide composition was identified by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC ).The changes in mouse body mass,serum biochemical indicators,and exhaustive swimming time were measured to assess the in vivo antioxidant and anti-fatigue effects of MPPs.[Result ] Galacturonic acid was the main component in both types of MMPs,while AL-MPC had higher mass fraction of total polysaccharides.The in vivo experiments demonstrated that both …

Ultrasound-Assisted Dual-Enzyme Extraction Condition Optimization And Antioxidant Activity Evaluation Of Anthocyanins From Perilla Leaves, Wenting Zhu, Shiyun Wang, Qiaolin Zhu, Qi Cao, Yixin Zhang, Tianran Hong

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to comprehensively develop perilla and improve its utilization value.[Method ] Using perilla leaves as raw material,the effects of solid-liquid ratio,ethanol volume fraction,ultrasonic time,and enzymatic hydrolysis time on the mass fraction of anthocyanins in perilla leaves were studied.The ultrasound-assisted dual-enzyme extraction conditions for anthocyanins from perilla leaves were optimized by the response surface method.The antioxidant activity and phenol mass fraction of anthocyanins from perilla leaves were determined,and the main phenols were analyzed by chromatography.[Result ] The optimal extraction conditions of anthocyanins from perilla leaves were solid-liquid ratio of 1 g∶16 mL,ethanol volume fraction of 74%,ultrasonic time …

Immobilization Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens Lipase Onto Chitosan And Chitin-Based Carriers And Evaluation Of Its Hydrolytic Performance, Haoyu Zhong, Hongyu Qin, Jun Zhang, Kuntai Li, Qiuyu Xia, Shucheng Liu

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to construct chitosan and chitin-based carriers with hierarchical porous lamellar structures,systematically evaluate the immobilization effects of these carriers for Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase (PFL) and the performance of the immobilized enzyme in catalyzing the hydrolysis of fish oil.[Method ] Chitin/chitosan were modified via the sol-gel method to prepare the carriers for the binding with free PFL.The enzymatic properties of the immobilized PFL were then evaluated,and then analysed the hydrolysate composition of anchovy oil catalyzed by the immobilized PFL.[Result ] The modified carriers exhibited lamellar structures with abundant free amino groups on the surface,which facilitated covalent immobilization …

Construction And Antibacterial Activity Evaluation Of A Lipopeptide Delivery System, Rong Chen, Mingye Guo, Ge Hou, Yan Chen

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study constructed a stable lipopeptide (LP) delivery system to improve the stability and dispersibility of LP,thereby enhancing their antibacterial efficacy.[Method ] LP particles were constructed with chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA).Assembly property changes were evaluated by means of different construction and single factor experiments.Interactions among CS,LP,and SA were investigated by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR ),and the rheological properties of the system were examined by a rheometer.Antibacterial activity of LP particles was evaluated with Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus ) as model microorganisms.[Result ] LP particles prepared by dripping CS with the relative molecular mass …

Effects Of Modification Methods On The Processing Properties Of Cyperus Esculentus Powder, Xiaowei Sun, Chunli Song, Jian Ren

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to explore the effects of three modification methods on the processing properties of Cyperus esculentus powder.[Method ] Three modification methods (superfine grinding,microwave treatment,and enzymatic treatment ) were employed to process Cyperus esculentus powder.The effects of these treatments on the processing properties including oil holding capacity,hydration properties,textural properties,and rheological properties of Cyperus esculentus powder were analyzed.[Result ] In comparison to the native Cyperus esculentus powder,ultrafine grinding treatment increased the specific surface area of the powder,enhanced the oil holding capacity by 74.57%,and significantly increased the loss angle (tan δ).Additionally,this treatment significantly increased the hardness,cohesiveness,and chewiness of the …

Nitrogen Dynamics And Use Efficiency In Pasture-Based Grazing Systems: A Synthesis Of Ecological And Ruminant Nutrition Perspectives, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo

Wildland Resources Student Research

Pasture-based ruminant systems link nitrogen (N) nutrition with ecosystem N cycling. Grazing ruminants convert fibrous forages into milk and meat but excrete 65 to 80% of ingested N, creating excreta hotspots that drive ammonia volatilization, nitrate leaching, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. This review synthesizes ecological and ruminant nutrition evidence on N flows, emphasizing microbial processes, biological N₂ fixation, plant diversity, and urine patch biogeochemistry, and evaluates strategies to improve N use efficiency (NUE). We examine rumen N metabolism in relation to microbial protein synthesis, urea recycling, and dietary factors including crude protein concentration, energy supply, forage …

Chasing Disinfection Byproducts Through The Pipes: How 66 Dbps Change Over Time In Chlorinated Vs. Chloraminated Distribution Systems, Erik Niehaves, Patrick T. Justen, Ashley A. Perkins, Alexandria L.B. Forster, Caroline O. Granger, Susan D. Richardson

Faculty Publications

While disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are typically measured at drinking water treatment plants, levels can change dramatically within the distribution system before reaching the consumer. In this study, the spatio-temporal trends of 66 DBPs across 9 different classes were examined in two drinking water distribution systems with similar source waters, but different pretreatments and residual disinfectants. One system uses residual chlorine in the distribution system, and the other uses chloramine, allowing for examination of how DBP concentrations change over time in distribution systems with different residual disinfectants. Four routes were sampled for each system with six time points over three days …

Volume 34, Number 3, Winter 2025/26, Office Of Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2018-present

VOLUME 34 | NUMBER 3 | Winter 2025/2026

ON OUR COVER:

Elliot Notrica '26 is developing micro-organisms that create new food products from food waste like cocoa husks and leftover bread dough.

18 Found Families. Celebrate one of the best-attended IWU Homecoming Weekends with stories of alumni friendships across the decades.

22 The Future of Food. Elliott Notrica '26 is the founder and CEO of Symbio Bioculinary where he is creating the future of food with cutting-edge genetic engineering.

26 Hope in Crisis. EmPath units, invented by Scott Zeller '82, are revolutionizing emergency care around the world.

Eng 3604e-710 Public Writing And Women’S And Gender Studies, Elizabeth Tacke

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Teriparatide Use In Osteopenic Patients Undergoing Single-Level Lumbar Fusion Associated With Decreased 2-Year Revision Rates, Mitchell K. Ng, Ariel N. Rodriguez, Abigail Razi, Ahmed K. Emara, Brian T. Ford, Ameer Tabbaa, Divya Gouni, Jacquelyn J. Xu, Paul G. Mastrokostas, Jad Bou Monsef, Afshin E. Razi

Rothman Institute Papers

Context:  Low bone density is common among lumbar fusion patients and increases the risks of pseudarthrosis, hardware failure, and revision. Teriparatide improves bone mass and fusion in osteoporosis, but its benefit in osteopenia or normal bone remains uncertain.

Aims:  To evaluate the association between teriparatide exposure and (1) postoperative complications, (2) 90-day readmission, and (3) 2-year reoperation, stratified by bone health status (osteoporotic, osteopenic, and normal) in patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion.

Setting and Design:  A retrospective cohort study using the PearlDiver database from 2010 to 2021 identified patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion.

Subjects and Methods:  Patients on teriparatide were …

Improving The Well-Being Of Mothers Of Infants And Toddlers Through Mindfulness And Creativity, Tia L. Curran

Mindfulness Theses

U.S. mothers of infants and toddlers report experiencing feelings of confusion surrounding their identity in early motherhood. Research also shows emotion dysregulation, cognitive overwhelm, attention issues, high stress and isolation as common challenges mothers of toddlers and infants experience in their daily lives. These challenges can directly impact a mother’s well-being as well as her child’s well-being and the entire family unit. Mindfulness practice and creative expression are two ways of being that relate directly to each other and have been shown to improve well-being. Through repeated exercising of mindfulness and creativity, one can regulate their emotions and reduce stress …

Complexity Mindsets, Complex Flow, And More: A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study On The Phenomenon Of Practitioners Working Within Complex Social Systems, Emma D. Stellman

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study addressed gaps in the literature regarding the application of complexity theory to complex social phenomena (CSP), for which no straightforward solutions or simple interventions exist. While complexity theory has played an important role in groundbreaking innovations in quantitative fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance, its application remains limited in human-centered developmental domains including education, social work, and healthcare. Using a grounded theory design informed by phenomenological approaches, this study examined the lived experiences of a group of six CSP practitioners, each of whom participated in two individual, semi-structured video interviews. Interview data were analyzed …

Why Agtech Startups Fail? Evidence From Global Shutdown Patterns In 2025 And The Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, Ankit Chandra, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Agricultural technologies are widely seen as a driver for sustainability, resilience, and food-system transformation. Yet in 2025, agtech startup across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa experienced multiple shutdowns. Although each company closed for its own reasons, the failures highlight consistent underlying patterns. We analyze 18 publicly reported shutdowns across controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), robotics, insect protein, digital platforms, sensors, and ag-biotechnology. We find that most ventures struggled not with scientific feasibility but with economic and adoption dynamics at the farm level. We identify a Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, in which the capital and operational burden of a technology exceeds farmers’ capacity …

The Impact Of Vdr Gene And Biochemical Indicators In Osteoporosis, Sabah Subhi Ismael Barani, Mohammed Abdullah Ajeel, Safwan Jasim Sultan

BioMed Visions Journal

Osteoporosis is a disorder caused by bone remodeling imbalance in which bone resorption outpaces bone production, resulting in weaker bone structure. Factors such as heredity and insufficient calcium and vitamin D consumption.

This study included an examination of 80 female patients of different ages (40–58 years) in Mosul. The participants were divided into two groups: 20 individuals served as the control group, while the rest 60 were osteoporotic women based on clinical cases and taking X ray DEXA. The blood samples are divided into two parts serum for biochemical tests and blood for genetic diversity in genes associated to Vitamin …

Sirtuins And Cartilage Preservation: From Cellular Function To Therapeutic Innovation, Muthanna K. Zaki, Khalil A. Hadid, Mohammed N. Abed, Fawaz A. Alassaf

BioMed Visions Journal

The bones are cushioned by a thin layer of hyaline cartilage that permits physical activity to be performed without experiencing any discomfort. However, these tissues are susceptible to several diseases involving osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis resulting in cartilage degradation. Sirtuins (SRTs) and SRT-activating molecules have been shown in previous studies to affect cartilage and chondrocytes positively. This review aims to explore the potential protective effects of SRTs on cartilage and chondrocytes. It also highlighting various SRT-activating substances and their potential therapeutic applications in managing cartilage-related diseases. Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and PubMed were used to search about related studies. The …

Neural Rewiring Of Resilience: The Effects Of Combat Deployment On Functional Network Architecture, Noga Yair, Tom Zalmenson, Omer Azriel, Dana Shamai-Leshem, Yaron Alon, Niv Tik, Lucian Tetse-Laur, Ariel Ben-Yehuda, Daniel Samuel Pine, Anderson M. Winkler, Ido Tavor

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Although combat-deployed soldiers are at high risk for developing trauma-related psychopathology, most will remain resilient for the duration and aftermath of their deployment tour. The neural basis of this type of resilience is largely unknown, and few longitudinal studies exist on neural adaptation to combat in resilient individuals for whom a pre-exposure measurement was collected. Here, we delineate changes in the architecture of functional brain networks from pre- to postcombat in psychopathology-free, resilient participants.

Methods: Tier 1 infantry recruits (n = 50) participated in this longitudinal, functional magnetic resonance imaging study together with a comparison group of university students …

Anoikis Resistance And Metastasis Of Ovarian Cancer Can Be Overcome By Cdk8/19 Mediator Kinase Inhibition, Mehri Monavarian, Resha Rajkarnikar, Emily Faith Page, Asha Kumari, Liz Quintero Macias, Felipe Massicano, Nam. Y. Lee, Sarthak Sahoo, Nadine Hempel, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Lara Ianov, Elizabeth Worthey, Abhyudai Singh, Igor Roninson Ph.D., Eugenia Broude Ph.D., Mengqian Chen Ph.D., Karthikeyan Mythreye

Faculty Publications

Anoikis resistance, or evasion of cell death triggered by matrix detachment, is a hallmark of cancer cell survival and metastasis. We showed that repeated exposure to suspension stress followed by recovery under attached conditions leads to development of anoikis resistance. The acquisition of anoikis resistance was associated with enhanced invasion, chemoresistance, and immune evasion in vitro and distant metastasis in vivo. This acquired anoikis resistance was not genetic, persisting for a finite duration without detachment stress, but was sensitive to CDK8/19 mediator kinase inhibition that could also reverse anoikis resistance. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that CDK8/19 kinase inhibition induces bidirectional transcriptional …

Shedding The Chrysalis: Black Women Leading In Higher Education, Olga M. Welch, Carolyn R. Hodges

Navigating Careers in Higher Education Series

Shedding the Chrysalis: Black Women Leading in Higher Education features the voices of six experienced and emerging Black females in a variety of academic leadership roles. This book provides a Black feminist perspective, highlighting the need to address racial realism within higher education administration. These personal testimonies focus on a variety of levels in the academic hierarchy to emphasize the continuum across the lived experiences of these women, some of whom have served in multiple upper-level administrative roles. The contributors’ positions range from postdoctoral research fellows to positions reporting to central administration at predominantly white institutions. Shedding the Chrysalis underscores …

Whole Genome Sequence Analysis Of Pulmonary Function And Copd In 44,287 Multi-Ancestry Participants, Wonji Kim, Xiaowei Hu, Kangjin Kim, Sung Chun, Peter Orchard, Dandi Qiao, Ingo Ruczinski, Aabida Saferali, Francois Aguet, Lucinda Antonacci-Fulton, Pallavi P Balte, Traci M Bartz, Wardatul Jannat Anamika, Xiaobo Zhou, Junyi Duan, Jennifer A Brody, Brian E Cade, Martha L Daviglus, Harshavadran Doddapaneni, Shannon Dugan-Perez, Susan K Dutcher, Christian D Frazar, Stacey B Gabriel, Sina A Gharib, Namrata Gupta, Brian D Hobbs, Silva Kasela, Laura R Loehr, Ginger A Metcalf, Donna M Muzny, Elizabeth C Oelsner, Laura J Rasmussen-Torvik, Colleen M Sitlani, Joshua Smith, Tamar Sofer, Hanfei Xu, Bing Yu, David Zhang, John Ziniti, R Graham Barr, April P Carson, Myriam Fornage, Lifang Hou, Ravi Kalhan, Robert Kaplan, Tuuli Lappalainen, Stephanie J London, Alanna C Morrison, George T O'Connor, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Susan Redline, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Edwin K Silverman, Ani Manichaikul, Michael H Cho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Whole genome sequence (WGS) data in multi-ancestry samples supports discovery of low-frequency or population-specific genetic variants associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung function.

Results: We performed single variant, structural variant, and gene-based analysis of pulmonary function (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) and COPD case-control status in 44,287 multi-ancestry participants from the NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program. We validated findings using the UK Biobank and assessed implicated genes using lung single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data sets. Applying a genome-wide significance threshold (P < 5 × 10-9), we replicated known loci and identified novel associations near LY86, MAGI1, GRK7, and LINC02668. Colocalization with gene expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium highlighted known candidate genes including ADAM19, THSD4, C4B, and PSMA4, which were not identified through other eQTL sources. Multi-ancestry analysis improved fine-mapping resolution (e.g., HTR4 and RIN3). Gene-based analysis identified and replicated HMCN1. In human lung scRNA-seq data sets, lung epithelial cells and immune cell types showed enriched expression, while fibroblasts showed higher expression for HMCN1. CRISPR targeting HMCN1 in IMR90 demonstrated reduced expression of collagen genes.

Conclusions: Large-scale multi-ancestry WGS analysis improves variant discovery and fine-mapping resolution for lung function and …

Rab5c Increases Endothelial Release Of Vwf By Regulating Vesicle Trafficking, Paula Reventun, Pablo Toledano-Sanz, Maria Delgado-Marin, Maria Viskadourou, D Brian Foster, Paul S De Vries, Maria Sabater-Lleal, Nunzio Alcharani, Claudia Gonzalez-Cucharero, William O Osburn, Alanna C Morrison, Alisa S Wolberg, Nicholas L Smith, Marios Arvanitis, Charles J Lowenstein

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Abnormal levels of VWF (von Willebrand Factor) are a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding. Genome-wide association studies for VWF have identified novel candidate genes that may regulate VWF levels in humans, including RAB5C (RAS-associated protein RAB5C). We hypothesized that RAB5C regulates VWF release from endothelial cells.

Methods: We studied the effect of RAB5C on vesicle trafficking in human endothelial cells. We performed CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) interference targeting 2 genetic variants linked to altered VWF levels and evaluated RAB5C expression by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We silenced RAB5C or overexpressed RAB5C wild-type, …

Ultrasonography Of Normal Fetal Kidney Width Measurement For Estimation Of Gestational Age In Sudanese Pregnant Women, Mohamed Omer Mustafa Omer, Mohaned Haleeb Edris, Ali H. Adam, Mohammed A. Abdelmotalab, Hamza Idriss

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: A precise estimate of gestational age (GA) is essential for providing optimal maternity care and determining the labor date. Aim: This study aimed to determine gestational age between the 14th and 40th weeks for Sudanese pregnant women by measuring the normal fetal kidney width using ultrasound. Methods: The study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study in Khartoum and Gezira states, Sudan, from June 2016 to May 2017. Three hundred ninety healthy pregnant women aged between 15 and 45 years were assessed by ultrasound, with overall normal well-being fetuses. Linear regression models for estimating gestational age were developed based …

Evaluation Of D-Dimer Level In Covid-19 Patients, Amal Malik, Noor Kadhim Mohamed-Jawad, Hiba Dawood, Ali Adnan Mohsin

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with prothrombotic complications, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product, serves as a biomarker for coagulation abnormalities. This study evaluates the role of D-dimer in predicting disease severity and hospitalization in COVID-19 patients. Aim: To assess correlations between D-dimer levels and age, gender, comorbidities, disease severity, and hospitalization needs in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 78 COVID-19-positive patients admitted to an outpatient clinic was conducted. Data on demographics, comorbidities, vaccination status, disease severity, and admission D-dimer levels were analyzed using statistical tests (t-tests, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U). Results: The …

Post-Induction Minimal Residual Disease Study By Flow Cytometry In Pediatric B All And Its Correlation With Initial Clinical And Laboratory Parameters, Huda Ali Alnaseri, Yassmin Ali Alaamiri, Hussam Mahmood Salih

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled growth of immature lymphoid cells. Among its subtypes, B-lineage ALL in children represents the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in the pediatric population. Despite high survival rates, relapsed or refractory cases remain challenging. Minimal Residual Disease (MRD), detected by flow cytometry, is a strong prognostic marker that guides the intensity of post-induction therapy. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the correlation between post-induction MRD, measured by multicolor flow cytometry, and the initial clinical and laboratory parameters in pediatric patients with B-ALL. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was …

Levels Of 8-Isoprostane And Advanced Oxidation Protein Products In Relation To Sperm Count And Motility, Ahmed Sulaiman, Sherwan Salih

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in male infertility, with reactive oxygen species contributing to sperm dysfunction. Among oxidative stress markers, 8-isoprostanes (8-isoP) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) serve as indicators of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, respectively. However, their relationship with specific sperm abnormalities remains unclear. Aim: This study investigates the oxidative stress markers 8-isoprostane (8-isoP) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) across different semen profiles and explores their correlation with sperm count and motility to evaluate their potential as diagnostic biomarkers in male infertility. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on male partners of infertile couples between May …

Serum Iron Profile In Sudanese Patients Infected By Helicobacter Pylori, Rimaz Gurashi, Abuagla M. Dafalla, Suhair A. Ahmed, Shereen Faisal, Abdelkarim A. Abdrabo

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped, motile bacterium that represents one of the most widespread chronic infections in humans, affecting nearly half of the global population. Iron is a vital micronutrient required for almost all living organisms, including H. pylori, which relies on iron to establish colonization. Although several studies have indicated an association between iron deficiency (ID) or iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and H. pylori infection, the precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Aim: To assess the serum iron profile among Sudanese patients with H. pylori infection. Methods: Analytical case‑control hospital-based study was conducted at Bahri Hospital, Khartoum state …

Association Of Matricellular Protein, Growth Factor, And Transcription Factor With Molecular Subtypes Of Breast Cancer: A Case Control Study, Marwa Munther Homman, Eman Tariq Ali, Maitham Ali Alrikabi

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease comprising molecular subtypes such as Luminal A, Luminal B, Human Epidermal Growth Factor 2 (HER-2)-Enriched, and Triple Negative, each with distinct clinical, molecular, and immunological features. Immunological markers play a critical role in modulating tumor behavior, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. Aim: This study aimed to identify key immunological markers that correlate with the molecular (intrinsic) subtypes of breast cancer and to explore their potential as prognostic factors. Methods: Serum samples from 180 breast cancer patients (56 untreated and 74 treated) were analyzed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to determine the levels of four …