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DEVELOPMENT OF A CHATBOT CYBERCRIME REPORTING SYSTEM
The issue of cybercrime in Nigeria is of great concern, as the nation is ranked number five in the world and encountered more than 12.9 million attacks in the 2023 general elections. The old system of cybercrime reporting is still inefficient with a completion rate of 45-60% and 15-30 minutes per report. Although chatbot reporting systems, which are AI-based (in India and Singapore) have enhanced accessibility and interaction with citizens, similar solutions based on the specifics of the socio-cultural, linguistic, and technological environment of Nigeria have not had many opportunities to emerge. The current platforms are mostly based on the use of static web forms with little user instructions provided, and do not have real-time feedback, built-in evidence management, and proper case tracking. This paper introduces the creation of a Chatbot Cybercrime Reporting System (CCRS), which uses conversational AI to simplify the reporting for victims of online fraud and other cyber threats. Implementation was done on a Python Flask backend, PostgreSQL database, and a responsive frontend interface and tested with unit testing, integration testing and user acceptance testing (15 participants), six-week performance monitoring and security audits. Findings show significant increases compared to conventional solutions, such as a report completion rate of 94.2% and an average reporting time of 2.1 minutes, 99.5% operational uptime, and satisfaction with the chatbot user interface (4.6/5), with 93% of respondents choosing to use the chatbot user interface. There were also 150 simultaneous users that the system was handling with no security weaknesses reported. Incorporating more languages, covering a wider range of crime types, incorporating sophisticated natural language processing, and linking with law enforcement databases to provide a more comprehensive approach to cybersecurity nationally could become the focus of future research.
computer science artificial intelligence
Copyright (c) 2026 Azeez Olawale Akinlolu, Ebunayo Rachael Jimoh, Adesoji Henry Adeshina, Abubakar Oladimeji Abubakar, and Mawada M. Elkhalifa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
DIETARY ENERGY DENSITY REGULATES GROWTH PERFORMANCE, LEPTIN CONCENTRATION, AND PUBERTY ATTAINMENT IN AWASSI EWE LAMBS
This study evaluated the effects of graded dietary energy density on growth performance, serum leptin concentration, and puberty attainment in Awassi ewe lambs. After a 30-day acclimation period, 27 Awassi ewe lambs aged approximately 195 ± 5 days were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments providing 9.5, 10.5, or 11.5 MJ metabolizable energy/kg dry matter (n = 9/group). The 120-day experiment comprised 30 days of acclimation, 60 days of controlled individual feeding, 15 days of exposure to two rams, and 15 days of post-exposure reproductive monitoring. Puberty was assessed from standing estrus or external estrus signs, followed 10 days later by serum progesterone measurement; concentrations ≥1.0 ng/mL supported luteal activity consistent with ovulation. Average daily gain was 69.7 ± 2.4, 112.5 ± 1.7, and 146.4 ± 1.4 g/day in the low-, medium-, and high-energy groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Dietary energy, time, and their interaction affected serum leptin (P < 0.001), with Day-75 concentrations of 0.79 ± 0.02, 1.58 ± 0.02, and 1.93 ± 0.02 ng/mL. Puberty attainment was 22.2%, 44.4%, and 66.7%, and time-to-event distributions differed among groups (log-rank χ² = 6.42, df = 2, P = 0.041). Higher dietary energy improved growth, leptin response, and earlier puberty attainment.
Type broad fields, for example: Animal Production; Animal Physiology; Reproductive Physiology; Veterinary Science
Copyright (c) 2026 Yousif Hussein Mohammed, and Araz Jafar Pedawy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
INFLUENCE OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON GROWTH, YIELD, AND SEED QUALITY OF FOUR GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogaea L.) VARIETIES
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a vital oilseed and protein crop in sub-Saharan Africa. As a legume, groundnut can fix atmospheric nitrogen into its root nodules. However, fertilizer application is still necessary when other essential nutrients needed for improving the quality and productivity of the seeds are limited in the soil. This study therefore investigated the effects of organic (Super GRO at 200 ml/ha) and inorganic fertilizers (NPK 15:15:15 at 200 kg/ha, single superphosphate (SSP) at 60 kg/ha) on the growth, yield, and seed quality of four groundnut varieties (SAMNUT 23, SAMNUT 24, SAMNUT 25, and SAMNUT 28). Data collected were subjected to two-way analysis of variance to test significant differences among the varieties and fertilizer treatments at p<0.05. The inorganic fertilizers (NPK and SSP) had a marked influence on both pod and seed yield when compared to the organic fertiliser (Super GRO), where the latter promoted higher vegetative growth. Varietal differences indicated that pod and seed yield were significantly highest in SAMNUT 24 and lowest in SAMNUT 23. Regardless of variety and fertiliser, the percentage moisture, ash, fibre, protein, fat, and carbohydrate ranged from 9.60-9.91%, 1.22-1.19%, 2.20-2.10%, 18.63-19.47%, 39.67-40.58%, and 27.20-28.38%, respectively. SAMNUT 24 had the highest protein content in its seeds, while SAMNUTS 28 and 23 had the highest fat and energy values when they were compared to other varieties. The organic Super Gro promoted higher carbohydrate accumulation with limited protein, fat, and fibre and energy values when compared to inorganic fertilisers. The foregoing results indicated that SAMNUT 24 and SAMNUT 25 responded positively to fertiliser application, most importantly, the inorganic fertilisers. The cultivation of these varieties under inorganic fertilisers should be encouraged where there is low soil fertility.
Copyright (c) 2026 Olayinka, B. U, Ogundare, G. O, Babatunde, M. O.1 , Muhammed, G. Y, Lawal, A. R, and Ayinla, A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
ANTIBIOTIC MISUSE AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE KNOWLEDGE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN BANGLADESH: CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern threatening both human and animal health. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics, especially through self-medication, are major contributors in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding antibiotic misuse and AMR among university students in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional questionnairebased survey was conducted from September 2024 to February 2025 among 398 students from different disciplines at the University of Rajshahi. Systematic random sampling was applied, and the data were analyzed by using SPSS, version 27, to identify associations with socio-demographic factors. Overall knowledge of antibiotics and AMR was unsatisfactory. While 90.7% of students knew about antibiotics, only 64.07% and 63.32% were aware of antimicrobial drugs and AMR, respectively. Science students showed significantly higher AMR awareness (p<0.001) than arts and commerce students. About 46.33% practiced self-medication, with males being more prone (p=0.001). Moreover, 40.25% used antibiotics irregularly, and 45.57% stopped treatment once they felt better. Arts students were more likely to discontinue antibiotic courses (p=0.001). Despite moderate awareness, the high prevalence of self-medication and inappropriate antibiotic use among university students remains alarming and highlights the urgent need for targeted educational actions to promote rational antibiotic use.
Copyright (c) 2026 Md. Rimon Bhuiyan, Md. Niamot Ali, Nazmush Shayer Hiya, Asma Khatun, Sadia Binte Shafiq, Syeda Shamapika Ahmed Shimi, and Md. Muhtasim Munif Fahim, Imtiaj Hasan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
MULTIVARIABLE MODELLING OF PREDICTORS OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS SEROPOSITIVITY IN HIV-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA
This study investigates the co-infection of HCV and its risk factors amongst HIV-positive patients in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Consenting HIV-positive individuals (n=188) from the HAART clinic at Sobi Specialist Hospital participated. Data was collected via structured questionnaire while Anti-HCV antibodies were determined via a 3rd-generation ELISA kit (Diagnostic Automation Inc., USA). SPSS version 21 and R-Studio 4.5.1 were used for the data analysis and multivariable logistic regression model analysis after adjusting for confounding variables at p≤ 0.05 and 95%CI for statistical significance. Participants average was 31.47±7.79 years comprising 41.5% and 58.5%. HCV seropositivity was 8.5%. Significant association with HCV infection included age (p < 0.001-AOR:4.28-CI:1.82-10.13) and marital status (p=0.026-AOR:2.65-CI:1.14-6.18). Clinically, history of jaundice (p=0.028- AOR:3.45-CI:1.09-10.84) and recent blood transfusion (p = 0.030) were also significant risk factors; whereas, surgery, tattooing, homosexual practices, and injection drug use were not. HCV-positivity was common among participants with low CD4 counts (<500 cells/mm³) at p=0.94). Similarly, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) duration showed no significant association to HCV status. This study confirms the occurrence of HIV/HCV co-infection in Ilorin, emphasizing the roles of specific sociodemographic and clinical variables. Routine HCV screening within HIV care is recommended to enable early diagnosis, optimize management and improve patient outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Odebisi-Omokanye Mutiat Busayo, Suleiman Muhammed Mustapha, Abdulazeez-Bukoye Hafsat Damilola, Salaudeen Aminat Omotoke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CNN FOR FINANCIAL FRAUD DETECTION ON TABULAR TRANSACTION DATA
Financial Fraud threatens global financial stability gravely. Fraud comes with important economic losses and has negative effects on public trust. Traditional rule-based systems and older methods of machine learning cannot detect these patterns of fraud, especially when facing complex or continuously changing fraud patterns in the era of high-speed and high-volume transactions. This research proposes a deep learning technique for the detection of financial fraud by using Convolutional Neural Networks on reshaped tabular transaction data. The proposed CNN model utilizes spatial feature extraction by reprocessing 1D financial records into 2D matrices. This method aims in recognizing local relationships among features as indicative of fraudulent activity. Preprocessing steps for this proposed system include class balancing, scaling of features, and one-hot encoding. It is tested on a highly imbalanced credit card fraud dataset from Kaggle. Then, the classification accuracy was 99.23%. An accuracy of 98.6%, a recall of 97.9%, an F1-score of 98.25%, and an AUC-ROC of 0.992 were also reported. These results indicate that the CNN model can capture the hidden patterns of fraud well when compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, they are less dependent on manual feature engineering and adaptive to evolving fraud strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sardar Hasen Ali, Abdulmajeed Adil Yazdeen, Rozin Majeed Abdullah, Mohammed Hashim Younis, Riyadh Qashi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
EVALUATION OF CLINICAL PARAMETERS AS EARLY DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES FOR POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS RESULTING FROM HYPOTHYROIDISM DERIVED FROM DIABETES
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has an interconnected physiological association with thyroid dysfunction (TD), leading to a higher prevalence of TD in T2DM patients than non-diabetic individuals. Abnormal thyroid hormones are associated with the onset of diabetes complications. This study aimed to investigate the implication of thyroid hormones, hyperglycemia, liver enzymes, renal function test, and lipid profile as predictive and diagnostic biomarkers of diabetes complications in this population. This case-control study was conducted in Zakho, Iraq. It recruited 108 participants (54 cases and 54 controls). Data were obtained through a questionnaire, and blood specimens were collected from study participants for clinical tests. Patients with diabetes induced hypothyroidism were older and mostly females 49 (90.74%), compared with controls. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glucose, body mass index (BMI), thyroid hormones except free thyroxine (FT4), cholesterol, urea, and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and some hematological parameters showed significant differences (p < 0.05). HbA1c showed significant positive correlation with duration of DM, glucose, age, BMI, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and urea and inversely correlated with free triiodothyronine (FT3) and FT3/FT4 ratio. Also, urea and ALT are indicated as potential predictors of the onset of diabetes complications in diabetic hypothyroid patients. The results concluded that hypothyroidism in T2DM can cause uncontrolled hyperglycemia, unstable thyroid hormone levels, and the progression and onset of diabetes complications. It further supported the strong correlation between hyperglycemia and thyroid hormones. Further studies are required to ascertain the precise mechanism by which high blood TSH and uncontrolled hyperglycemia cause renal impairment, liver damage, and cardiovascular disease, as well as the prevalence of microvascular complications among diabetic individuals with hypothyroidism.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rondik O. Naif, and Chinar M. Mohammed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
GUT MICROBIOTA DYSBIOSIS IN PEDIATRIC DIARRHEA: INSIGHTS FROM A PILOT STUDY IN DUHOK, KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ
Diarrhea in children remains a significant global health burden and is closely linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. However, data from Middle Eastern populations, particularly Iraq, remain limited. This study aims to characterize the change of gut microbiota associated with diarrhea in Iraqi children and to identify the potential of microbial imbalance by comparison with healthy controls. Stool samples were collected from 10 children (6 with diarrhea, 4 healthy controls) at Hevi Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Iraq. Bacterial DNA was extracted and analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (V3–V4 region, Illumina NovaSeq). Sequence data were processed with QIIME2 software to assess taxonomic structure, α- and β-diversity. Comparisons between groups were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Metacoder Tree test. In this study, 241 bacterial taxa belonging to 11 phyla were identified. An enrichment in Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota was observed in cases of diarrhea, while the abundance of Firmicutes, alongside Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Akkermansia muciniphila, was reduced. Notably, beneficial SCFA-producing genera, including Blautia, Faecalibacterium, and Bifidobacterium, were significantly reduced, while Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae were increased. Elevated ratios of Bacteroidota/Firmicutes and Proteobacteria/Firmicutes (p < 0.05) were also noted. Although no statistically significant differences were observed for α-diversity, β-diversity confirmed distinct clustering of both groups of diarrheal versus healthy microbiota. Diarrhea in Iraqi children was characterized by a shift of microbiome and a marked overgrowth of Proteobacteria, along with depletion of Firmicutes and loss of SCFA-producing genera, consistent with indicators of global microbial imbalance. However, the elevated Bacteroidota suggests region-specific indicators. These population-level variations may serve as biomarkers of imbalance. Further, larger, longitudinal, multi-omic studies are required to validate these findings.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ali Y. Saeed, Bakhtyar N. Ali, Delveen R. Ibrahim, Khalid S. Ibrahim, Oaikhena E. Enimie, Imran Khan, Amir Abdulmawjood, and Zahra Naeef Ayoub https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW ON MANAGEMENT OF FUNGAL DISEASE BY VACCINES, DRAWBACKS, AND CHALLENGES
Infections caused by fungi are a large and varied category of diseases that impact all living things on Earth. Underscoring their worldwide epidemiological effect, this review focusses on the categorization, pathogenic processes, and clinical symptoms of superficial and systemic mycoses. Morphological traits, virulence factors, and environmental adaptations that allow survival and infection are examined in relation to several fungal taxa. New opportunistic fungi and the rise of resistant strains are other topics of discussion. Antifungals and fungal vaccine and diagnostic methods are in the review. In order to better diagnose, prevent, and manage mycotic infections, it is essential to understand the biology and pathogenicity of fungi. This document also summarizes current research in medical mycology and suggests areas for future study to control fungal illnesses and to reduce their economic and health impacts.
Fungal diseases and challenges in management of fungal diseases
Copyright (c) 20026 Memona Sajid, Saba Sana, Fatima Basharat Ali Ahmad, Asif Shaheen, Aqsa Ilyas, Muhammad Athar Arif, and Khadija Atif https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
INFLUENCE OF METOCLOPRAMIDE AND 6-GINGEROL ON GASTRIC EMPTYING AND METABOLIC PARAMETERS IN A RAT MODEL OF DIABETIC GASTROPARESIS
Diabetic gastroparesis is a neuromuscular condition decelerating gastric motility and gastric emptying in diabetic patients, and it is a condition that is linked to diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Metoclopramide is the only food and drug administration-approved prokinetic agent that treats delayed gastric emptying in diabetic gastroparesis, but it has negative side effects which have made clinicians mention pausing, taking it after four weeks. Zingiber officinale, or Ginger, is a spice that has been traditionally used like a prokinetic agent. 6-gingerol as the main bioactive compound of ginger could have this prokinetic potential of gingerol. Studies investigated the ability of 6 gingerol to improve gastric emptying in diabetic gastroparesis rats, in comparison with metoclopramide. Streptozotocin (40 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) injected in male rats to induce diabetes, then fed high-fat high-sugar chow for four weeks to persuade gastroparesis in them. After three weeks of streptozotocin injection, the sample rats were divided into four groups: diabetic gastroparesis, diabetic gastroparesis rats injected with metoclopramide, diabetic gastroparesis rats gavaged with 6-gingerol, and finally a normal control group. Fasting blood glucose, gastric emptying, body weight and relative organ weight, food and water intake, some biochemical parameters, and glutathione peroxidase level by ELISA kit were assessed in this experiment. Diabetic gastroparesis disrupted all of parameters. Metoclopramide and 6-gingerol had improved fasting blood glucose, gastric emptying, food intake, low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and glutathione peroxidase level. The 6-gingerol specifically improved kidney function parameters. Our study concluded that the 6-gingerol might be taken as an alternative to metoclopramide, but further studies should be conducted to determine its mechanism and confirm its clinical usage and applicability.
Diabetic Gastroparesis, Metoclopramide, 6-Gingerol, Gastric Emptying, Streptozotocin
Copyright (c) 2026 Alaa O. Mustafa, Sarbast A. Mahmud and Mudhir S. Shekha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Spondias mombin LEAVES ATTENUATE SOME BIOMARKERS OF ERECTILE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DYSFUNCTION INDUCED BY PAROXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE IN RATS
Spondias mombin leaf is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine to increase male sexual function, however, studies providing scientific proof are scarce. Therefore, this study examined the regulatory influence of Spondias mombin leaf ethanol extract (EESML) parameters of erectile activity in male Wistar rats. Of the thirty rats used, five of them, naïve control, as (Group A) was given distilled water while the twenty-five were first administered paroxetine orally for 21 days. After this period, they were reorganized. For seven days, the following treatments were administered to five groups of five rats each: group B received distilled water; group C received 4 mg/kg sildenafil citrate; group D received 15 mg/kg EESML; group E received 30 mg/kg EESML; and group F received 45 mg/kg EESML. On the eighth day, all animals were sacrificed under dichloromethane anesthesia. The study then assessed the inhibitory potential of EESML on Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), Nitric oxide (NO) and arginase activity in penile and cardiac homogenates. The concentration of Troponin I and lipid profile were assessed specifically in serum as well as 17β-, 3β- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and testosterone concentration increased in parallel with the significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of PDE-5 and arginase by EESML in both tissues, which was more pronounced at higher doses. During comparison with untreated and naïve controls, the specific activities of 17β, 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and testosterone levels were considerably higher (p<0.05) in all EESML-treated groups. Inversely, EESML significantly decreased the amount of Troponin I in the serum. Similar trend was noticed in the serum concentration of lipids except for HDL-C which increased following treatment with EESML. EESML may be effective in reversing erectile dysfunction, as evidenced by its favorable comparison with it regulatory activity in rats treated with sildenafil citrate and naïve control, particularly in the group in which 45 mg/kg body weight of EESML was administered.
17β- and 3β- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase,
Copyright (c) 2026 Hamdalat F. Muritala, Zainab B. Lawal, Lukman A. Quadri, Hashim N. Mohammad, and Elizabeth A. Dare https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SYSTEMIC BIOMARKERS AND ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: A CASE CONTROL STUDY IN KURDISH IRAQI PATIENTS
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) continues to be a major reason for global death, with multiple systemic biomarkers implicated in its pathogenesis. This clinical study was conducted to compare biochemical, hematological, homocysteine (HCY), body mass index (BMI), age, and blood pressure (BP) biomarkers, along with detecting their correlation with HCY, between ACS and healthy persons. About 70 (38-80 years) ACS and 30 (21-75 years) healthy clients in both genders, males and females, were subjected to this study. The concentrations of creatinine, urea, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK-MB), glucose, vitamin D, uric acid, and HCY parameters were measured. Correlation of HCY with some of the measured parameters was also detected. Significantly higher HCY, CK-MB, glucose, BP, BMI, creatinine, AST, MID, RBC, MPV, RDW-CV, and RDW-SD, but significantly lower MCV, MCH, PLT, and PCT were observed in ACS patients than in controls. The other measured parameters exhibited no significant changes between the examined groups. However, the HCY level was remarkably correlated with CK-MB but didn’t show any significant correlation with age, AST, ALT, ALP, creatinine, urea, glucose, uric acid, or vitamin D parameters. These findings confirm that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) is highly related to ACS and correlates with disease severity, suggesting its potential utility as a prognostic biomarker in coronary artery disease management.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhyar A. Sadraldin, Sarbast A. Mahmud, and Mudhir S. Shekha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
THE EFFECT OF THE NOISE STRESS AND MUSIC ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF FEMALE ALBINO RATS
Noise is considered an important environmental factor that can affect animal behaviour and productivity. Its impact varies depending on the noise intensity, pattern, duration, and frequency. This research was undertaken to determine the effect of noise stress and playing music on improving the behaviour of female rats. Seventy-five female albino rats were divided into 3 groups, with 25 rats per group. The research groups were Control (no sound exposure), classical music, and noise stress. The sound level for the classic was 80 dB with a frequency of 1 kHz using an MP3 player. The sound level of stress exceeded 150 dB. The results revealed that using classical music led to a significant reduction in the frequency of aggressive behaviours (P<0.01) and an increase in vocalisations (P<0.01). In addition, music and noise stress significantly increased grooming (P<0.05) and climbing behaviour (P<0.05). Furthermore, exposure to the use of music caused increased drinking and feeding behaviours significantly (P<0.01), whereas lying and standing behaviours were decreased (P<0.01). In conclusion, playing music, especially classical music, benefits rats’ welfare by improving their behaviour, as evidenced of decreased vocalization and increased feeding and drinking.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nizar J. Hussein, Ronak A. Meshabaz, Aqsa Sarwar, Rukayat A. Oyegoke, Fatah M. Khalaf, Rekesh S. Habib, Nawroz A. Kakarash, Samara Saad Faraj, and Samia Mohsen El-Mahdy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Growth, Antioxidant Defense, and Immune Response in Labeo rohita Fingerlings with the Dietary Vitamin C Supplementation
The study was designed to investigate the vitamin C supplementation effect on growth, oxidative stress, and immune response of Labeo rohita. Four diets 0, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg was designed, 480 fingerlings with the initial weight 6.11 ± 0.08 g in triplicate groups were randomly distributed into 12 fiberglass tanks for 60 days. Growth results showed that final weight (13.87 ± 0.23–19.83 ± 0.34 g), weight gain (152.6 ± 2.7–251.1 ± 3.5%), and specific growth rate (1.91 ± 0.06–2.52 ± 0.03%/day) increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary vitamin C levels, while feed conversion ratio (1.81 ± 0.04–1.29 ± 0.04) decreased (p = 0.006), indicating improved feed utilization. Survival rates were 91.1 ± 2.4% in the control, whereas they reached 98.4 ± 1.4% in the 800 mg/kg group. Antioxidant enzyme showed a significant (p < 0.01) enhancement. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increased from 25.6 ± 1.3 to 36.1 ± 1.3 U/mg protein and 12.4 ± 0.7 to 20.1 ± 0.5 U/mg protein. The malondialdehyde (MDA) levels reduced significantly (p = 0.005), while glutathione (GSH) concentration increased significantly (p = 0.007) from 3.10 ± 0.13 to 4.41 ± 0.13 µmol/g tissue. Immune response parameters were also positively affected by dietary vitamin C. Lysozyme activity increased significantly (p = 0.008) from 15.4 ± 0.3 to 23.4 ± 0.6 U/mL, respiratory burst activity improved from 0.178 ± 0.006 to 0.261 ± 0.006 OD₆₃₀ nm, and phagocytic activity rose from 28.3 ± 1.4 to 41.4 ± 1.4%. Similarly, nitric oxide production increased from 4.13 ± 0.28 to 6.86 ± 0.26 µmol/L. Total protein, albumin, and globulin were also significantly raised (p < 0.05). The study concluded that dietary vitamin C can be used to increase growth, support antioxidant defense, and improve immune responses in L. rohita
Copyright (c) 2026 Zainab Asghar, Nuha Hameed Albasssam, Milat Hussain Mustafa, Hifza Afzaal, Zeliha Selamoglu, Arooj Fatima, Danish kamal, Rashid Hussain. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE, ANTIBACTERIAL and ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITIES OF SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF Vernonia amygdalina
This study was conducted to determine the antibiofilm and antibacterial potential of Vernonia amygdalina leaf and bark against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The secondary metabolites in V. amygdalina were extracted using ethyl acetate, n-hexane and ethanol solvents and evaluated through phytochemical analysis. Antibacterial activity of the extracts was determined through agar well diffusion while broth microdilution was used for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The pour plate technique was employed for the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Biofilm formation was established and antibiofilm activity was evaluated using the ρ-iodonitrotetrazolium colorimetric assay. The phytochemical screening indicated saponin as the only compound in the leaf while saponin, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolics and triterpenes were present in the bark. Ethyl acetate exhibited the highest antibacterial activity at the least concentration. It had MIC values between 8–16 µg/mL with an inhibition of biofilm at a rate of 87.96% especially against K. pneumoniae. The ethanol extract had a moderate antimicrobial effect and that of n-hexane was negligible. The result shows that polar solvents like ethyl acetate are effective for extracting antimicrobial agents from V. amygdalina. They also highlight V. amygdalina as an effective natural agent against biofilm-forming and antibiotic resistant pathogens.
Copyright (c) 22026 Rahmat F. Zakariyah, Oluwakemi P. Ojelakin, Oluwaseun E. Olorunfemi, Waliyullahi A. Husain, and Elohor P. Samuel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
EFFECTS OF DIETARY PHYTASE AND ORGANIC ACIDS ON NUTRIENT UTILIZATION AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN Clarias gariepinus
The present study was conducted to examine the effect of phytase and organic acids (OA) on growth parameters such as final body weight(g), weight gain (%) Specific growth rate (%/day), FCR, Survival (%), nutrient digestibility, body composition, and oxidative stress biomarkers in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The six dietary treatments for 60 days were designed: control (0% OA, 0 phytase), 2% OA, 4% OA, 0% OA + phytase, 2% OA + phytase, and 4% OA + phytase, each with three replicates. The significant (p < 0.05) results were found on the inclusion of phytase and OA on growth and nutrient utilization. The highest final body weight (7.4 ± 0.3 g), weight gain (460.6 ± 31%), specific growth rate (3.3 ± 0.3%/day), and the lowest feed conversion ratio (1.5 ± 0.2) were found in the 2% OA + phytase group. Apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter, protein, and phosphorus were maximized at 46.7 ± 1.3%, 77.2 ± 1.4%, and 48.0 ± 1.4%, respectively (p = 0.007), while fecal phosphorus significantly decreased (0.8 ± 0.04 g/kg). Vertebral phosphorus and calcium contents were enhanced significantly (p < 0.05) in the combined supplement group. Oxidative stress markers revealed lower ROS (66.5 ± 1.8), SOD (144 ± 2.6 U/mL), and MDA (5.25 ± 0.14 nmol/mg) levels in the 2% OA + phytase group, indicating enhanced antioxidant defense (p = 0.005). These outcomes indicate that 2 OA inclusion with phytase improves growth, nutrient digestibility, mineral retention, and antioxidant balance in C. gariepinus
Copyright (c) 2026 Asma Batool; Neelam Arshad; Ayesha Shahid, Ali Hassan, Bisma Younas, Kainat Shabbir https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
MODIFIED FUZZY-ROBUST RIDGE REGRESSION FOR MULTICOLLINEAR, OUTLIER-CONTAMINATED DATA
Multicollinearity is known to have a significant impact on the stability of linear regression parameter estimation, while the presence of outliers tends to compound this problem. Ridge regression helps to improve the multicollinearity problem, but it is highly sensitive to outliers. This paper proposes Modified Fuzzy Robust Ridge Regression (MFRRR), which modifies classical ridge regression by adapting the penalty parameter<!-- [if gte msEquation 12]><m:oMath><m:d><m:dPr><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria Math",serif; mso-ascii-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-hansi-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi;color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: TR;font-style:italic;mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:dPr><m:e><m:r>k</m:r></m:e></m:d><m:r> </m:r></m:oMath><![endif]--> through modified fuzzy robust estimators based on weighted residual membership functions. The method is evaluated under challenging data conditions involving simultaneous multicollinearity, outliers, and fuzzy uncertainty. Performance is assessed using both a real body fat dataset and Monte Carlo simulations with varying sample sizes <!-- [if gte msEquation 12]><m:oMath><m:d><m:dPr><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria Math",serif; mso-ascii-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-hansi-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi;color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: TR;font-style:italic;mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:dPr><m:e><m:r><m:rPr><m:scr m:val="roman"/><m:sty m:val="p"/></m:rPr>N</m:r><m:r>=20, 50, 100, 150, 200</m:r></m:e></m:d><m:r>,</m:r></m:oMath><![endif]--> correlation levels <!-- [if gte msEquation 12]><m:oMath><m:d><m:dPr><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:dPr><m:e><m:r>ρ</m:r><m:r>=0.5, 0.8, 0.99</m:r><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria Math",serif;mso-ascii-font-family:"Cambria Math"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun;mso-hansi-font-family:"Cambria Math"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi; color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:TR;font-style:italic; mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:e></m:d><m:r>,</m:r></m:oMath><![endif]--> and contamination rates <!-- [if gte msEquation 12]><m:oMath><m:d><m:dPr><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:dPr><m:e><m:r>5%, 10%, 15%, 20%</m:r><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria Math",serif; mso-ascii-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-hansi-font-family:"Cambria Math";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi;color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: TR;font-style:italic;mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr></m:e></m:d></m:oMath><![endif]--> . MFRRR is compared to ordinary least squares (OLS), ridge regression, and robust ridge regression based on the mean absolute error (MAE) as an evaluation criterion. These findings indicate that MFRRR is always associated with smaller prediction errors and more reliable parameter estimates, especially when there is high multicollinearity and data contamination
Copyright (c) 2026 Vaman M. Salih, and Shelan S. Ismaeel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
ENHANCEMENT OF KENAF PLANT (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) TO UPTAKE HEAVY METALS THROUGH SOIL AMENDMENT WITH BIOCHAR AND MULCHING
Environmental pollution (soil, water, and air) is a growing global concern with serious public health impacts, motivating the development of effective mitigation strategies. This study evaluated soil amendment and phytoremediation by cultivating kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) with biochar and wheat straw mulch. Field experiments were conducted at two sites in Erbil Governorate (Grdarasha and Gwer), where soils may be contaminated by industrial and agricultural activities. The objectives were to assess pollution levels at both locations, determine how to reduce heavy-metal concentrations in soil, and examine whether biochar and mulch enhance kenaf uptake of heavy metals. At Grdarasha, the control treatment showed the highest leaf accumulation of Pb, Cu, Ni, and Cr (0.07, 0.07, 0.09, and 0.05), ppm respectively, supporting kenaf’s phytoremediation potential. At Gwer, applying 150 g/m2 biochar without mulching produced the highest leaf accumulation of Cu, Ni, Cr, and Fe (0.06, 0.08, 0.03, and 4.50), ppm respectively. Overall, biochar and wheat straw mulch reduced soil heavy metals, likely by chelation and altering metal mobility, while generally improving kenaf’s capacity for heavy-metal uptake.
Kenaf as plant material with Biochar and Mulch used as Phytoremediation technique for Heavy metal cleaning in contaminated soils.
Copyright (c) 2026 Oriva A. Othman, and Rabar F. Salih https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FATE OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES IN SOIL AND IN THE WATER ECOSYSTEM: A REVIEW
Silver nanoparticles, which are appreciated due to their increased antibacterial, catalytic and conductive functions, are commonly employed in medical kits, cloths, cosmetics, and water filters, but their release through wastewater, biosolids, and runoff is highly dangerous as there is no regulation of their emission and transformation, such as sulfidation, aggregation, and dissolution. In soil ecosystems, AgNPs react with pH, redox conditions, organic matter, and clay, and sulfidation to Ag2S causes short-term bioavailability to decrease but increases persistence; they disrupt microbial communities, inhibit nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., Rhizobium), mycorrhizal fungi, and enzyme activities, decrease soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and plant-microbe symbiosis and cause oxidative stress in earthworms. Aquatic systems facilitate AgNP disaggregation, sedimentation, and ion release driven by organic matter and ions and cause toxicity at all trophic levels: algae experience the inhibition of photosynthesis and ROS damage, zooplankton feeding problems, and fish experience bioaccumulation, neurotoxicity and reproductive problems. Ag+ ion release leading to protein/DNA damage, Oxidative stress due to ROS, membrane peroxidation, quorum sensing disruption and systemic changes in stress, detoxification and metabolism pathways confirmed by omics is a subset of the toxicity mechanisms. Though the water body information is plentiful, soil research is still very limited; gaps still exist in long-term low dose field effects and co-contamination. The research in the future recommends mesocosm/field testing, model dynamic transformation, and the safer design of nanoparticles to guide the risk analysis and sustainable management
Copyright (c) 2026 Asma Umer, Basim. S. A. Al Sulivany, Riffat Yasin, Muhammad Jamshed, Maqbool Ahmad, Inayat Ullah Malik, Muhammad Tauqeer Riaz, Muhammad Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Luqman Tauhid, Muhammad Owais, Khizar Samiullah, Rana Mehroz Fazal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
BIOSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NiO THIN FILM USING LEAF EXTRACTION OF LEEK PLANT BY USING THE SPRAY PYROLYSIS TECHNIQUE
Nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a green and affordable method, and an aqueous extract of Fresh Leek leaf was employed as a bio-reducing and capping agent. The synthesis was accomplished in two-steps: the seed layer on glass substrate was deposited by a slightly modified spray pyrolysis method employing nickel acetate precursor and undergoing spin coating technique; one followed by the growth of nanoparticles from a solution of nickel nitrate at different pH (9, 10 and 11). The elemental, structural, morphological and optical properties of the biosynthesized NiO NPs were fully determined. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that the spherical nanoparticles were well dispensed and their mean size depended on the pH of the growth solution. The development of cubic crystal structure was confirmed by its XRD analysis. FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the reducing and stabilizing groups (functionalization) that acted in the reduction/stabilization process. UV-Vis. spectra: λ max at 360–370 nm, and the increasing in band gap value from 3.61 to 3.76 eV that indicates quantum confinement effect has been verified. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis verified that nanoparticles have high purity and stoichiometry. The results revealed that the plant-assisted preparation accompanied by spray pyrolysis is a promising environmentally friendly approach for fabrication of high quality NiO NPs with potential applications in different technological arenas.
Physics/Material science and nanotechnology
Copyright (c) 2026 Lilav Nadhim Abdullah, and Ahmed Fattah Abdulrahman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
SYNTHESIS, SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION, AND COMPARATIVE ANTIBACTERIAL SCREENING OF CONDENSATION-DERIVED Cu (II) AND Zn(II) COMPLEXES
Condensation-derived ligands and their transition metal complexes continue to attract interest due to their structural versatility and potential biological applications. In this study, the tetraaza ligand 2,5,7,10-tetraaza-1,6(1,3)-dibenzenacyclodecaphene-3,4,8,9-tetraone (TF) was synthesized via a microwave-assisted protocol and coordinated with Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions. The ligand and its complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, molar conductance, NMR spectroscopy (ligand), and magnetic measurements. Metal content analysis supports a 1:1 metal–ligand stoichiometry, and the complexes are tentatively formulated as [M(TF)] (M = Cu(II), Zn(II)). Spectroscopic data indicate predominant coordination through nitrogen donor atoms, while carbonyl groups remain non-coordinating. The Cu(II) complex exhibited paramagnetic behavior consistent with a configuration; whereas, the Zn(II) analogue was diamagnetic. Antibacterial activity evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed enhanced activity for the Cu(II) complex compared to the Zn(II) complex and the free ligand. Although metal coordination significantly influenced antibacterial performance, definitive structural and mechanistic investigations are required to establish detailed structure–activity relationships.
Copyright (c) 2026 Falah M. Darweesh, Muzhda Q. Qader, Sewgil S. Anwer, Lubna A. Abdulkarim, Thana Y. Yousif, and R. Ranjith Kumar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
A HYBRID HUMAN-AI WEB SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING AND CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT
This research examines the creation and implementation of an online communication and engagement platform for patients with chronic diseases and their counsellors, designed to enhance mental health support through real-time counselling and intelligent virtual assistance. The paper tackles the shortcomings of current systems, which frequently do not offer true offline functionality but instead require continuous connectivity. Our system is optimized for low-bandwidth environments, integration of AI with human interaction, and accessibility for those with limited digital access. The objective was to develop an interactive, secure, and scalable platform that merges rule-based virtual assistance with live l interaction to provide ongoing, context-sensitive care. The platform was created using Flowise, Firebase, Grop API, and SerpAPI, facilitating secure user enrolment, scheduling of appointments, group support, and immediate communication. Validation in a simulated setting confirmed its effectiveness, showing advancements in data precision, responsiveness, and information dissemination. Security was maintained through HTTPS encryption, encrypted data storage, role-based access controls, and protocols for patient consent and data anonymization. The findings indicated that integrating a Flowise-based assistance with human counsellors enhanced system flexibility, accuracy, and patient engagement. In summary, this study offers a powerful solution for addressing gaps in digital mental health provision, especially for underprivileged communities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Maaruf Mohammed Lawal, and Abdulrashid Abdulrauf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
SEROLOGICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL DIAGNOSIS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS AMONG ABORTED WOMEN IN SORAN DISTRICT, KURDISTAN- IRAQ
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular protozoan parasite with a cosmopolitan distribution that causes severe health complications known as toxoplasmosis, especially among pregnant women and immunocompromised people. This investigation aimed to assess the prevalence of T. gondii in serum and placental tissue of aborted women in Soran city, Iraq, and its correlation with various socio-demographic characteristics, as well as associated risk factors. Blood specimens (250) from spontaneously aborted females were verified for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies by Chemiluminescent Immunoassay (CLIA). The immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique was also employed to examine placental samples for the confirmation of the parasite. The CLIA assay explored that 19.6% of women who underwent abortions showed positive anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies, indicating a past or chronic infection, while 1.2% displayed positive anti-Toxoplasma IgM, suggesting an acute or recent infection. All placental tissue from CLIA-seropositive women showed a positive reaction by IHC, indicating the presence of the parasite antigen. This study found that the highest rate of abortion occurred among women aged 26-35 years, at 22.9% (30/131). Most pregnancies ended in abortion during the first trimester. The consumption of undercooked meat was most significantly affecting the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies (P value = 0.008). In comparison, the factor influencing anti-Toxoplasma IgM antibodies was the level of education, with a P value of 0.031. This research revealed a high rate of toxoplasmosis among women who experienced pregnancy loss. It is advisable to raise awareness about risk factors and to test pregnant women during their gynecological care.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dlpak Zrar Hamad, and Bushra Hussain Shnawa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
OPTIMIZATION OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USING SIMPLEX ALGORITHM ON MICROSOFT EXCEL
This study applies the Simplex linear programming (LP) algorithm—implemented using Microsoft Excel Solver to optimize a simulated water distribution system (WDS) through an accessible and fully reproducible spreadsheet workflow. The model represents a hypothetical urban network of 3,650 buildings arranged in a 10 × 10 grid (100 junctions, 180 pipes), and seeks to minimize installation and operational costs while satisfying hydraulic and design constraints. Hydraulic behavior was computed using the Hazen–Williams equation (C = 150), with optimization performed in Excel Solver’s Simplex LP engine and independently cross-validated using the HiGHS optimizer in Python. The optimized configuration, consisting of a 15 m reservoir elevation and 150 mm pipe diameter, reduced the total system cost from USD 375,000 in the baseline design to USD 195,000, achieving a 48% improvement while maintaining acceptable head-loss (5.59 m ≤ 20 m) and velocity (0.85 m/s within the 0.3–2.5 m/s recommended range). Although the model is limited to steady-state hydraulics, uniform pipe diameters, and simplified friction assumptions, its transparency, low computational requirements, and ease of implementation make it well suited for academic instruction, rapid preliminary design, and resource-constrained municipal environments. Sensitivity analysis (±10–15% demand; ±10% Hazen–Williams roughness coefficient C) indicates that the optimal design is robust under moderate parameter uncertainty. Future research will integrate EPANET for nonlinear hydraulic verification and extend the approach to larger networks and multi-objective optimization.
Linear Programming in Hydraulic Modeling
Copyright (c) 2026 Stephen E. Iheagwara, Ndubisi D. Ayebamieprete, Eniola P. Apalowo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR MONITORING DARK WEB ACTIVITIES
The Dark Web is a hidden part of the internet that attracts perpetrators due to its anonymity. It is used for cybercrime, illegal trading, and by terrorist groups to exchange stolen data and personal information. Current techniques for combating and identifying these concerns are weak. The primary focus of this study is on the application of artificial intelligence to monitor the Dark Web. The solution mitigates monitoring deficiencies to facilitate the timely identification of prospective threats, including data breaches and cybercrimes. The six forms of activities prioritised include cyberterrorism, terrorist activities, weapons trading, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and regular activities. The tasks carried out in this study include crawling relevant data, training machine learning models using an ensemble voting approach, and implementing a JavaScript-powered crawling engine. The AI model is tested and evaluated using data collected from various Onion sites that include both legal and illegal content. The approach used in this study gives 97% accuracy and a macro average precision of 98%. The macro average for recall and f1-score is 97%. The precision, recall and F1-Score all have the same weighted average of 97%.
Computer Science Data Science Artificial Intelligence Information Science Statistics Social Sciences
Copyright (c) 2026 Abimbola G. Akintola1 , Yusuf O. Olatunde2, ∗ , Kolawole Y. Obiwusi3 , Ganiyat K. Afolabi-Yusuf3 , Muhammed A. Adebisi3 , Ayobami A. Tewogbade2 , Lawrence O. Omotosho4 , Olajide Y. Adebayo4 and Aminat A. Oladipo-Tanimowo4 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
INFLUENCE OF THERMAL TREATMENT ON CRYSTALLINITY, DEFECT STATE,STABILITY, AND PHOTONIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ZnO NANOPARTICLES
The sol-gel technique was successfully used to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from zinc acetate dehydrate as a reagent and sodium hydroxide as a medium to examine the influences of thermal treatment on the structural, morphological, and optical behaviour. Calcination was conducted at different temperatures ranging from 450°C to 750°C. The achieved zinc oxide nanoparticles were analyzed using various characterizations, including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The outcomes showed that calcination significantly affects crystallinity, particle size, bandgap, and stability. The ideal temperature emerged to be 550°C. X-ray diffraction validated the development of hexagonal wurtzite, demonstrating the highest crystallinity at 91.27%, the lowest crystallite size of 18.668 nm, the narrowest optical bandgap of 3.62 eV, and the best colloidal stability of -55.17 mV. These findings underscore the significance of heat control in tuning the properties of ZnO nanoparticles, rendering them appropriate for diverse applications in nanotechnology and optoelectronics.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammed M. Hamadali, and Muhamad A. Hamad https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
EFFECT OF ORGANIC ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL AND HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF LOCAL GOATS DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of organic Zinc (Zn) supplementation on some biochemical parameters of local goats in late pregnancy and lactation stage. The experiment was undertaken at a private goat's field in Akre district/ Dohuk governorate. A total of 24 pregnant local goats at week 6 of pregnancy were allocated by parity into 3 treatments (groups) for Zinc supplement (0.35 and 70 mg Zn) during (4) periods (0, 15, 30 day and after parturition). The results showed that the treatment (35 mg Zn) surpassed significantly (p<0.05) the other treatments for glucose, Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Lymphocyte Percentage (LYM% ), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC) and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) values. However, the period (After-Parturition) significantly affected (p<0.01) urea, AST, WBC and RBC surpassing the other physiological stages. Most correlation coefficients between the studied parameters were significant (p<0.01). The highest positive coefficient was between RBC and PCV (0.871), while the highest negative coefficient was between RBC and MCV (-0.378). In conclusion, the Zinc treatment revealed that its importance in different periods is to maximize some parameters for improving the physiological status of goats.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dleen Baderkhan Fajja, and Mwafaq S. Q. Barwary https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
INVESTIGATION OF STRESS AND INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN ACUTE LEUKEMIA BEFORE AND AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY
Chemotherapy affects biomarkers linked to inflammation and stress and is essential in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study compared the levels of cortisol, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with AML and ALL before and after chemotherapy. This study includes 20 AML patients and 14 ALL individuals. To evaluate the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, cortisol, and CRP, blood samples were taken both before and after chemotherapy. Standard error of the mean (SEM) and paired t-test were used to statistically assess the data. A significance level of P < 0.05 was established. The findings showed that CRP levels significantly decreased in both AML (P = 0.010) and ALL (P = 0.004), suggesting a reduction in systemic inflammation. In ALL (P = 0.008) and AML (P < 0.001), cortisol levels also considerably decreased, indicating a decrease in physiological stress. Both leukemia types exhibited significant reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 (P < 0.05), indicating the importance of treatment in reducing inflammatory responses. These results demonstrate how well chemotherapy effectively reduces inflammatory and stress biomarkers in acute leukemia patients, demonstrating its anti-inflammatory and stress-reducing benefits.
Copyright (c) 2026 Chnar Yaseen Abdullah, and Rundk Ahmad Hwaiz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
GRAPEVINE DISEASE DETECTION USING AN OPTIMIZED DEEP NEURAL NETWORK FOR SMART AGRICULTURE
Grapevines are economically vital crops but are highly susceptible to fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases that threaten yield and quality. Traditional detection methods rely on manual inspection, are time-consuming, prone to human error, and often delay intervention. This study introduces a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture specifically designed for accurately and efficiently detecting grapevine leaf diseases—including Black Rot, ESCA, and Leaf Blight—based on image classification. The proposed model integrates optimized residual blocks, batch normalization, dropout layers, and global average pooling to maximize accuracy while minimizing computational complexity. This lightweight design makes it well-suited for deployment on edge devices such as drones and mobile systems used in precision agriculture. A comprehensive data augmentation strategy was applied during training to simulate real-world variability and enhance generalization. The model was trained using 9,027 labeled grape leaf images from a publicly available grape disease image dataset, and it achieved 99.8% overall accuracy with near perfict precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) across all classes. These findings highlight the practical potential or real-time, scalable and sustainable disease monitoring in smart vineyard management systems.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ashraf Atam Mustafa, Araz Rajab Abrahim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
DEEP LEARNING-BASED SKIN DISEASE DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION
Automatic classification of dermoscopy images is essential for the early diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases. However, this task is challenging due to visual similarities between disease types, variations in skin structures, and differences across disease stages. To address these difficulties, Deep Learning (DL) has emerged as a powerful approach for computer-aided dermatological diagnosis. In this study, we propose a DL framework specifically designed for skin disease classification. The model employs a lightweight ConvNeXt-Tiny architecture, combined with a two-phase hybrid data augmentation strategy and an advanced optimization pipeline. The methodology includes extensive preprocessing of dermoscopic images, followed by hybrid augmentation that merges offline transformations (spatial, pixel-level, structural) with online probabilistic methods such as MixUp and CutMix. This approach improves minority class representation and stabilizes decision boundaries. Experiments on the HAM10000 dataset show strong results: 95.21% accuracy, 93.89% precision, 89.87% recall, 98.62% specificity, 91.60% F1-score, and 98.98% AUC. These outcomes surpass baseline ConvNeXt variants and other state-of-the-art methods. The proposed framework offers a practical solution for deployment in resource-constrained clinical environments, supporting accurate and early diagnosis of skin diseases
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhehat Rebar Abdulqader, and Araz Rajab Abrahim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/