Background: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases in the world, standing for the most frequent cause for hospitalization and emergency cases. Respiratory viruses are the most triggering cause. Aim: To assess the role of viral infections, especially COVID-19, in the pathogenesis of asthma initiation and exacerbations. Method: Electronic search was done for the manuscripts focusing on asthma as a risk factor for complications after COVID-19 infection. The outcomes were titles, materials, methods and classified studies related or not related to the review study. Three hundred publications were identified and only ten studies were selected for analysis. Seven studies were review, one retrospective, one longitudinal cohort study and one letter to the editor. Results: The included literature sources have highlighted different effect of asthma on COVID-19 progression. Asthma can be triggered by this virus and asthmatic patients with COVID-19 should not stop their treatment. Others suggest that asthma does not appear to be a significant risk factor for developing severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization or intubation. Conclusions: Asthma is considered as comorbidity factor leading to complications and mortality in subjects infected with COVID-19.
Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic activity of probiotics mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus towards Cryptosporidium infection in experimentally infected mice. Oocysts of Cryptosporidium were separated from the stool of humans to infect mice. Methods: Forty male albino mice were split equally into four groups, every group contained 10 mice, the group I (early treated group), were treated from the 1st day from infection to the 11th post-infection, group II (late treated group), were treated from the 4th day from infection to the 15th post-infection, and group (III) (untreated group), were mice considered as a positive control group. Results: It was showed that daily application of a mixture of L. plantarum w
... Show MoreThe lower respiratory tract of sheep was studied to determine the torsion and branching of the bronchial tree. The respiratory system of ruminants and all living organisms is one of the most important organs in the body that controls the amount of gas exchange between the heart and lungs through the airways, it is clear that in sheep it consists of a narrow bronchial tube that reaches the extent of lung tissue repercussions. He used silicon, water, acid, and at room temperature, and the substance was injected with an injection gun through the trachea and was pushed gently to spread and distribute in all parts of the lungs with moderate manual pressure. The results showed that the mold shape in the lung and the bronchial branches of
... Show MoreCytokines are signaling molecules between inflammatory cells that play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a disease. Among these cytokines are interleukins (ILs) 17A and 33, and accordingly, the current case-control study sought to investigate the role of each of the two cytokines in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixty-eight relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) Iraqi patients and twenty healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to determine serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33. Results revealed that IL-17A and IL-33 levels were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (14.1 ± 4.5 vs. 7.5 ± 3.8 pg/mL; p < 0.001 and 65.3 ± 16
... Show MoreBackground: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MorePopulation density represents an important indicator for determining the growth of the size of urban areas. Population density has a direct impact on the quality of life, and its excessive rise may lead to the deterioration of basic service facilities. The problem of the research is that the increase in the total population densities of the residential neighborhood may reflect negatively on the nature of the services provided to the residents in these shops, and thus the failure to achieve sustainability in the residential locality. The research assumes that the increase in population densities negatively affects the achievement of sustainability in the residential neighborhood.
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The study of surface hardness, wear resistance, adhesion strength, electrochemical corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity of coatings composed from sodium silicate was prepared using graphite micro-size particles and carbon nano particles as fillers respectively of concentration of (1-5%), for the purpose of covering and protecting the oil distillation towers. The results showed that the sodium silicate coating reinforced with carbon nano-powder has higher resistance to stitches, mechanical wear, adhesive and thermal conductivity than graphite/sodium silicate composite especially when the ratio 5% and 1%, the electrochemical corrosion test confirmed that the coating process of stainless steel 304 lead to increasin
... Show MoreThe present study evaluates the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract as monotherapy on the glycemic status, insulin resistance (IR), body mass index (BMI), and visceral adiposity index (VAI), in addition to the inflammatory markers, oxidative status and leptin level in patients with metabolic syndrome in comparison with metformin.
The study is a randomized, double-blind pilot study conducted during the period May to September, 2020. Fifty patients were recruited in the study and they were allocated into two groups (25 per each group): Ginkgo biloba and Metformin groups, they received (120 mg Ginkgo biloba extract/ capsule) and (500 mg Metformin/ capsule) respectively; orally as a single dose for 90 days. Blood samples were taken at z
... Show MoreElastic magnetic electron scattering form factors in Ca-41 have been investigated. 1f7/2 subshell has been adopted as a model space with one neutron, and Millinar, Baymann and Zamick 1f7/2 model space effective interaction (F7MBZ) has been used as a model space effective interaction to generate the model space vectors for the M1, M3, M5, M7, and total form factors. Discarded space (core and higher configuration orbits) have been included through the first order perturbation theory to couple the partice-hole pair of excitation with 2ћω excitation energy in the calculation of the form factors and regarding the realistic interaction density dependence M3Y as a core polarization interaction with five sets of modern fitting parameters. Fina
... Show MoreBackground. Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of noncicatricial hair loss of unknown cause, affecting 0.1-0.2% of the general population. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that it is disease of the hair follicle of autoimmune nature mediated by T-cells, with important cytokine role. Objective of the Study. The objective of this study is to study the association and changes in serum levels of interleukin-15 (IL-15) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in patients with AA in relation to the type, activity, and disease duration. Patients and Methods. Thirty-eight patients with AA and 22 individuals without the disease as controls were enrolled in this case-controlled study conducted in the Department of Dermatology in the Al-K
... Show MoreAbstract
The present research paper provides an analysis of Thomas Dekker’s
exaltation of the figure of the Babylonian woman as a tragic heroine in his dramatic
art. The paper falls into two sections. The first section outlines the deliberate
mispresentation of the figure of the Babylonian woman in the Bible and the
misreading of that figure. The second section reveals Dekker’s rectification of the
distorted image of the Babylonian woman, whom he defends and glorifies as a
heroine and a victim of misinterpretation and conspiracy.