Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the new respiratory virus SARS-CoV2. It has a tropism in the lung tissues where excess target receptors exist. Periostin plays a role in subepithelial fibrosis associated with bronchial asthma. Since the Coronavirus's target is the human respiratory system, Periostin has been recently described as a valuable new biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease in patients with COVID-19 lung involvement. Objectives: To assess the level of Periostin in the serum of COVID-19 patients and to correlate its role in disease severity and prognosis. Subjects and Methods: Periostin serum levels were measured for 63 patients attending three main COVID

Background: Metabolic syndrome (Mets) is partially heritable. High mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1), an architectural transcription factor, affects the homeostasis of glucose. The marked inter-individual differences between T

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; it spreads via the circulatory system during infection and causes chronic infection in various organs. Toxoplasmosis affects nearly one third of people worldwide, especially immunocompromised people. This study aimed to determine the effect of toxoplasmosis on renal function in hemodialysis patients. Overall 300 patients referred to the Medical City, Al-Karama General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2021 to 2022. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) antibodies, urea and creatinine levels. In patients undergoing hemodialysis, the results revealed a high positivity percentage for anti-Toxoplasma IgG. In hemodialysis patients infe

Kidney disease is a kidney injury or disease that affects many people globally. The study aims to evaluate the effect of Phosphatidyl Inositol (4,5) Bisphosphate, 5-Phosphatase (PIP2) enzyme on calcium (Ca2+) levels and its relationship to oculocerebrorenal gene variations in kidney stone and kidney failure patients. The enzyme-produced amount was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genetic variations were studied through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, followed by the sequencing of fragments of the exons (9, 13, 15). Blood samples were collected from eighty patients (40 with kidney stones and 40 with kidney failure), and 40 were healthy individuals. Results showed a significant difference between t

Background: COVID-19 has caused a considerable number of hospital admissions in China since December 2019. Many COVID-19 patients experience signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and some are even in danger of dying. Objective: to measure the serum levels of D-dimer, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte count ratio (NLR), and neopterin in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 in Baghdad, Iraq. And to determine the cut-off values (critical values) of these markers for the distinction between the severe patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and the controls. Materials and methods: In this case-control study, we collect blood from 89 subjects, 45 were severe patients hospitalized in many Baghdad medical centers who were diagnosed with COVID

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) could be regarded as a set of chronic metabolic disorders which have a common aspect of hyperglycemia. The resistance in the peripheral actions of insulin or impaired insulin secretion could be the reason  hepcidin which is a peptide hormone derived from liver, in systemic iron homeostasis is an essential regulator, and its lopsided production participates in the pathogenesis of iron disorders in spectrum. Osteoporosis often accompanies many diseases like ß-thalassemia, hemochromatosis, sickle liver diseases, cell disease and hemosiderosis featured by iron overload, evidences suggest that Iron overload and iron deficiency are suggested by evidences that they affect bone in a negative way, acting

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototypic multisystem autoimmune disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations encompassing almost all organs and tissues. Aimes of study determination of integrin- linked kinase 1(ILK-1) and anti-smith antibody(ASAB) levels in serum of Iraqi patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, in addition, that ILK-1 may be as a diagnostic marker of SLE disease, and study the effect of systemic lupus erythematosus on renal function in these patients. This study included 100 females’ patients with systemic lupus erythematosus attending to the Rheumatology Unit in Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City, (Baghdad), in addition to 30 healthy females as controller group were chosen without any chr

The aim of this study is to evaluate oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus (DM) Type1 by the measurement of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), an enzyme expressed in human RBCs, is important in the generation of reduced glutathione which is the key product in oxidative stress controls. The Study was carried on 80 samples of blood and serum of National Diabetes Center (NDC). The study groups under fasting conditions and they divided as:20 samples of diabetes mellitus patients without complications and 20 samples of diabetes mellitus with cardiovascular (CV) complications and 20 samples of diabetes mellitus with Nephropathy (Neph) complications compared with 20 control group with average age (13-67) years.. The results sh

Glycyrrhiza glabra is a herbal plant used for treatment of many infertility diseases. Its roots, a common herbal source, are described to soothe fetuses in pregnant mice, but there isn't enough research to know if it's safe to take during pregnancy and its effects on implantation factors. This study examines the impact of the growth factors betacellulin (BTC), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor, and activin A hormone on embryonic development after oral administration of Glycyrrhiza glabra aqueous extract to mice. In line with clinical use, an aqueous extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots was prepared. Pregnant mice were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Two mice groups 8 and 28 weeks old treated with water as a negative co