Background: 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-6 serum level was high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). In addition, ET-1 level was high in acute toxoplasmosis (7.29 ± 4.59 pg/mL) compared with controls (3.11 ± 1.69 pg/mL) (P < 0.01). In addition, MDA serum level was high (9.34 ± 4.17 nmol/mL) compared with controls (2.87 ± 1.13 nmol/mL), (P < 0.01). In acute toxoplasmosis IgM serum level was significantly correlated with IgG (r = 0.55, P = 0.001), IgA (r = 0.57, P = 0.0008), IL-6 (r = 0.45, P = 0.01), ET-1 (r = 0.51, P = 0.003) and MDA (r = 0.85, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Acute toxoplasmosis is associated with significant oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory changes which contribute to development of endothelial dysfunction
In this study, nano TiO2 was prepared with titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) as a resource to titanium oxide. The catalyst was synthesized using phosphotungstic acid (PTA) and, stearyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (STAB) was used as the structure-directing material. Characterization of the product was done by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy (XRF), nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, were used to characterize the calcined TiO2 nanoparticles by STAB and PWA. The TiO2 nanomaterials were prepared in three crystalline forms (amorphous, anatase, anatase-rutile). The results showed that the nanoparticles of anatase TiO2 have good cata
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A sensitive, precise and reliable indirect spectrophotometric method for the determination of chlordiazepoxide (CDE) in pure and pharmaceutical dosage forms is described. The method is based on oxidative coupling reaction between amino group resulting from acidic decomposition of CDE with phenothiazine in the presence of sodium periodate to produce an intense green soluble dye that is stable and shows a maximum absorption at 602 nm. The calibration plot indicates that Beer’s law is obeyed over the concentration range of 0.1?50 µg/mL, with a molar absorptivity of 1×104 L/mol cm and correlation coefficient of 0.9994.All the conditions that affecting on the stability and sensitivity of the fo
... Show MoreThe research sheds light on an important religious sect that played a fundamental role in the structure of the Iraqi society in general and the Baghdadi society in particular, in which the Jews in general and the Jewish women in particular played an active role in the culture and heritage of Baghdadi society. The educational, cultural and artistic activity of Jewish literacy is a model for study.
Background: Periodontal diseases (PD) are common chronic inflammatory diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms colonizing the gingival area and inducing local and systemic elevations of pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting in tissue destruction by a destructive inflammatory process. Stress was considered as one of the important risk factors that cause many inflammatory diseases including PD. The purpose of this study wasto determines and compares clinical periodontal parameters (PLI, GI and BOP), stress level and salivary IL-1? level among dental students before, during and after mid-year exam, also to find the correlation among stress, IL-1? and clinical periodontal parameters. Materials and methods: The sample was consisted of 24 dent
... Show MorePrevious studies in Euro-American countries have shown that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection have increased levels of neuropsychiatric symptoms. While chronic hepatitis C virus infection has been reported in Arab countries such as Iraq, there is little studies about the neuropsychological burden associated with chronic hepatitis C among patients in the Arab region. The aim of the current study was to measure the prevalence and level of severity of depression, anxiety and stress among a sample of chronic hepatitis C patients in AL-Najaf province /Iraq. The current study was cross-sectional study carried out on (110) already diagnosed chronic viral hepatitis C patients who attended the Gastroenterology and Hepatology
... Show MoreThe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) considers a post-infectious immunological response to coronavirus illness (COVID-19) that was originally identified in the United Kingdom and later identified in other countries. A previously healthy 3-month-old boy was admitted to hospital context with -5-day history of fever, gastrointestinal symptoms [diarrhea, vomiting of normal gastric contents], hypoactivity, and poor oral intake, but so far no history of covid-19 active disease. The infant was dehydrated, with macular non-blanching skin rash everywhere over his body and widespread non-pitting edema. With supportive measures, methylprednisolone and IV immunoglobulin, the child improved, with his fever, skin rash, and labor
... Show MoreInflammatory bowel disease includes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic, progressive relapsing disease of gastrointestinal tract that require long-term treatment or maintenance therapy. Taking patient’s beliefs about the prescribed medication in consideration had been shown to be an important factor that affects compliance of the patient in whom having positive beliefs is a prerequisite for better compliance. The aim of the current study was to investigate and assess beliefs about medicines among a sample of Iraqi patients with inflammatory bowel disease and to determine possible association between these beliefs and some patient-specific factors.
This study is a cross-sectional study carried out o
... Show More« The emergence of satellite channels has led to fundamental changes in the supposed role of television, making it a center of culture and an important tributary to social upbringing and influencing the attitudes and values of individuals and in making public opinion regarding various issues, some television programs target ordinary people at home by virtue of the nature of their subjects, where there is a large audience of viewers, who consume and absorb what is offered to them from the cultural production of those satellite channels that play with the aspirations of groups of society to find metaphysical or magic solutions to their social problems or psychological delusions. The media, through its various messages, contributes to brin
... Show MoreBackground: Polymorphisms in the TNF-α gene affect the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Objective: To investigate the associations between (-806 T/C) and (-857 T/C) SNPs with rheumatoid arthritis severity and susceptibility in a sample of Iraqi patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq. Twenty healthy controls and 63 patients confirmed to be newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were included. Those are divided into two groups (patients and controls), and the patients were further subdivided into severe and mild-moderate groups. Samples from those participants were analyzed for clinical and inflammatory parameter measurements. Genotyping by the Sanger method was performed to stu
... Show MoreCutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a widespread, yet often overlooked, parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania protozoan, which is prevalent in numerous countries, including Iraq. This condition is marked by the appearance of skin lesions on various exposed areas of the body. In most old-world regions, sodium stibogluconate (SSG) is the classical widely used drug to treat CL. The progression of skin ulceration is controlled by different inflammatory modulators including cytokines and enzymes. In this study, the possible role of the enzyme Matrix metalloproteinase9 (MMP-9) and its inhibitor Metallopeptidase inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) as immunological markers was evaluated in CL patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis before and aft
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