Objectives: To study the prevalence of rs1799964 (-1031 T/C) and rs361525 (- 238 G/A) SNPs and their effect on the disease activity, severity, and cytokines production in newly diagnosed Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients and Methods: sixty-three patients were diagnosed by a specialist physician while attending the rheumatology unit and twenty control participated. The inflammatory markers were measured and PCR amplification and sequencing were performed to demonstrate TNF-α SNPs. Results: Regarding (-1031 C/T) SNP, the TT genotype and allele C were significantly present in the controls, and the CT genotype was distributed significantly in the patients. The TT genotype was mostly distributed in the mild-moderate group, while the CT genotype and allele C were significantly distributed in the severe group. DAS28, TNF-α, IL-1, and ACPA were significantly associated with this SNP. While non-significant differences appeared in the analysis of -238 G/A SNP. Conclusion: The presence of the CT genotype and C allele of) -1031 C/T( was associated with susceptibility to RA. While the CT genotype and C allele were associated with more severe disease. Also, TT genotype was associated with less severe disease. Furthermore, an association between -1031 C/T and the inflammatory markers and DAS28 was reported.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of respiratory airways characterized by distinctive history of respiratory symptoms due to variable airflow obstruction which reverses either spontaneously or in response to certain medications. Acetylcholine is a parasympathetic neurotransmitter which plays fundamental roles in the development of persistent asthma. Treatment guidelines recommend using medium doses of inhaled corticosteroids in addition to another controller bronchodilator instead of using high doses inhaled steroid alone for treatment of moderate to severe persistent asthma. The inhaled long acting muscarinic antagonist, tiotropium, was approved recently to control unresponsive asthma to inhaled corticosteroid with or without a long
... Show MoreBackground: Breast Cancer is the most common malignancy among the Iraqi population; the majority of cases are still diagnosed at advanced stages with poor prospects of cure. Early detection through promoting public awareness is one of the promising tools in its control. Objectives: To evaluate the baseline needs for breast cancer awareness in Iraq through exploring level of knowledge, beliefs and behavior towards the disease and highlighting barriers to screening among a sample of Iraqi women complaining of breast cancer. Methodology: Two-hundred samples were enrolled in this study; gathered from the National
This study was aimed to use plant tissue culture technique to induce callus formation of Aloe vera on MS. Medium supplied with 10 mg/l NAA and 5 mg/l BA that exhibit the best results even with subculturing. As the method of [1] 1g. dru weight of callus induced from A. vera crown and in vivo crown were extracted then injected in HPLC using the standards of Ascorbic acid (vit. C), Salysilic acid and Nicotenic acid (vit. B5) to compare with the plant extracts. Results showed high potential of increasing some secondary products using the crown callus culture of A. vera as compared with in vivo crown, Ascorbic acid was 1.829 ?g/l in in vivo crown and increased to 3.905 ?g/l crown callus culture . Salysilic acid raised from 3.54 ?g/l in in vivo c
... 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
... Show MoreObjectives: To identify quality of life (QOL) in Myocardial Infarction (MI) patients, and to find out the
relationship between QOL in MI patients and demographic characteristics.
Methodology: A descriptive colTelation study which utilized an assessment approach. The study was carried out
from March 2007 through November 2007 in order to assess the quality of life for patients with myocardial
infarction. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (75) patients with myocardial infarction who were attending
to Baquba General Hospita`l through their visits to that hospital. A questionnaire was adapted and developed
from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (1998). The questionnaire was designed and
consisted
Abstract : A descriptive study was conducted out patient in Neuralgic Hospital and Teaching Baghdad Teaching Hospital from 1st July / 2004 through October 1st / 2004 . in order to assess with QOL for CVA patients , the study aimed to identifying the QOL domain of ( physical , psychological , level of independence , social and environment ) and it relation with some demographic characteristic which is related to those patients .A purposive sample of ( 50 ) CVA patients who selected from out patient clinic of hospitals . A development questionnaire was structured and is adopted of WHO quality of life qu
A total of sixty raw milk samples were collected from (street vendors and shops) from Baghdad city, Iraq. The samples were inoculated into peptone water and, then, subcultured onto MacConkey agar and Blood agar. Identification of isolates was confirmed by microscopic examination, cultural characteristic, biochemical tests, Vitek (VITEK®2 system), and Biolog GN substrate reactions followed by 16S rRNA and specific genes sequencing. Of 60 raw cow’s milk samples, Providencia spp. were identified only in 4 samples (6.67%) and P. rettgeri was the most common, 2/4 (50%), followed by P. stuartii and P. vermicola, 1/4 (25%). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted against ten antibiotics by the disc diffusion method. All Provid
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