This study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq from December 2021 to May 2022. The goal was to determine the effect of Toxoplasma gondii on liver function by examining the relationship between Toxoplasma infection and hormones. One hundred and twenty male patients with Chronic liver disease (CLD) (age:14-75 years) and 120 control males (age: 24-70 years) participated in this study. Serum samples were taken from all individuals and were then analysed for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. Hormonal tests were conducted for all participants which included (Cortisol, testosterone, prolactin, insulin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH). Biochemical tests included (Prothrombin time PT, international normalized ratio INR and albumin); liver enzymes evaluated were (aspartate aminotransferase AST, alanine aminotransferase ALT, alkaline phosphatase ALP and gamma-glutamyl transferase GGT) and interleukins (Interleukin 13 IL-13 and transforming growth factor TGF). According to the anti-Toxoplasma antibodies results, 32 (26% of the control group) of the participants tested positive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, compared to 60 (50%) of the CLD patients. Four sub-groups were formed in response to prior results: Control-Toxoplasma positive, control-Toxoplasma negative, CLD-Toxoplasma positive and CLD-Toxoplasma negative. The seropositive status of T. gondii did not affect the following hormones: cortisol, testosterone,insulin and TSH while it was related significantly to prolactin. The results of liver enzymes showed that T. gondii positive status was significantly related to all enzymes among CLD patients except the GGT enzyme T. gondii positive status was not correlated with the other biochemical (PT, INR, and albumin) and immunological parameters (IL-13 and TGF).
Milling Machining is a widely accepted nontraditional machining technique used to produce parts with complex shapes and configurations. The material is removed in two stages roughing and finishing, the flat end cutter removed the unwanted part of material, then finished by end mill cutter. In milling technique, the role of machining factors such as cutting depth, spindle speed and feed has been studied using Taguchi technique to find its effectiveness on surface roughness. Practical procedure is done by Taguchi Standard matrix. CNC milling is the most conventional process which is used for removing of material from workpiece to perform the needed shapes. The results and relations indicate that the rate of feed is v
... Show MoreIn this work, we studied the effect of power variation on inductively coupled plasma parameters using numerical simulation. Different values were used for input power (750 W-1500 W), gas temperature 300K, gas pressure (0.02torr), 5 tourns of the copper coil and the plasma was produced at radio frequency (RF) 13.56 MHZ on the coil above the quartz chamber. For the previous purpose, a computer simulation in two dimensions axisymmetric, based on finite element method, was implemented for argon plasma. Based on the results we were able to obtain plasma with a higher density, which was represented by obtaining the plasma parameters (electron density, electric potential, total power, number density of argon ions, el
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Abstract
Friction stir welding is a relatively new joining process, which involves the joining of metals without fusion or filler materials. In this study, the effect of welding parameters on the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys AA2024-T351 joints produced by FSW was investigated.
Different ranges of welding parameters, as input factors, such as welding speed (6 - 34 mm/min) and rotational speed (725 - 1235 rpm) were used to obtain their influences on the main responses, in terms of elongation, tensile strength, and maximum bending force. Experimental measurements of main responses were taken and analyzed using DESIGN EXPERT 8 experimental design software which was used to develop t
... Show MoreAsthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role. The treatment guidelines recommend theuse of a second controller drug in addition to medium doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) rather than the use of high doses ICS alone in the treatment of moderate-severe persistent asthma. This study was conducted to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of three treatment regimens in Iraqi patients with moderate-severe persistent asthma.The study included three groups; each group included 15 patients. Patients were administered beclomethasone inhaler alone 1500-2000 μg/day, beclomethasone inhaler 750-1000 μg/day plus oral controlled release aminophylline tablets 450 mg/day or
... Show MoreCheckpoint inhibitors are a type of immune therapy used to treat different types of cancers. These drugs block different checkpoint proteins, for example, CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1 inhibitors.
They block proteins that stop the immune system from attacking the cancer cells. Checkpoints are also described as a type of monoclonal antibody that antagonizes binding between B7 to CTLA-4 and PD-L1 to PD-1.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are used to treat BARCA mutated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBCS) in patients who do not respond to chemotherapy, and also in the treatment of highly mutated and solid tumors such as brain tumors, liver, and pancreatic cancers.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors exhibit an effect on solid tumo
... Show MoreSystemic lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology affecting multiple organ system. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are claimed to play a role in this disease. However, the potential of Nitrosative/Oxidative Stress to elicit an autoimmune, response remain till now largely unexplored in humans. This study was done to investigate the status and contribution of nitrosative/oxidative stress in Iraqi patients for systemic lupus erythematosus. Blood samples from 19 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 19 age-and sex- matched apparently healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of nitrosative/oxidative stress markers including nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and malondialdehyde. Nitric oxide levels were
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