Background: Gallstone disease (GSD) is a significant global health burden with variable prevalence influenced by metabolic, genetic, and infectious factors. Increasing evidence suggests that Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species, contribute to gallstone pathogenesis through enzymatic activity and biofilm formation. Objectives: To characterize Gram-positive bacteria within gallstones from Iraqi patients, evaluate their biofilm-forming capacity, and analyze the relationship between bacterial colonization, gallstone type, and cholesterol levels. Methods: A total of 100 gallstones were obtained from patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy between October 2024 and March 2025. Stones were aseptically processed for bacterial isolation and identification using selective culture media and the VITEK® 2 Compact System. Serum cholesterol levels were determined by enzymatic colorimetric assay. Biofilm formation was quantified via the 96-well microtiter plate method, and statistical correlations between gallstone type, cholesterol level, and bacterial presence were analyzed. Results: Cholesterol stones (57%) were more prevalent than pigment (40%) and mixed stones (3%). Bacterial growth was observed in 43% of gallstones, with Enterococcus species (31 isolates) predominating over S. aureus (12 isolates). Species-level identification revealed E. faecalis (n= 16), E. faecium (n= 9), and E. gallinarum (n= 6), marking the first reported isolation of E. gallinarum from gallstones. Cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher in sterile stones (median 235 mg/dL) compared to bacteria-positive stones (173-186 mg/dL) (P < 0.0001). Biofilm analysis showed all S. aureus isolates as strong producers, whereas E. faecalis exhibited predominantly moderate-to-strong formation, while E. faecium and E. gallinarum displayed weaker capacities. Conclusion: A significant interplay between microbial colonization and gallstone composition. Strong biofilm-producing Gram-positive bacteria, particularly S. aureus and E. faecalis, may facilitate stone maturation and persistence. The novel isolation of E. gallinarum expands the spectrum of biliary microbiota.
Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous i
... Show MoreWe studied the relationship between DNA sequencing of interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene promoter for -1082 (A/G) and -592 (A/C) positions with the concentration of IL-10 in blood serum of Iraqi children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Fifty blood serum samples collected from children with age ranged between 7-12 years. Thirty-five blood samples collected from patient children with T1D, and compared with 15 healthy children age matched as control sample. The results revealed decreasing in anti-inflammatory IL-10 concentration in T1D patient’s blood serum (0.068 Pg/ml) as compared with the control sample (0.111 Pg/ml). No significant differences were found in interleukin concentration between the studied samples when they analyzed with the M
... Show MoreAbstract Depending on their protective properties against different cases of Colorectal Cancer (CRC), vitamins C, D, and E are the main focus of this research. CRC is one of the global public health concerns. 30 healthy individuals provided serum samples, whereas the group of CRC patients was divided into three, totaling 90 individuals. Group I consisted of 30 newly diagnosed cases of CRC. Group II 30 consisted of consisted of 30 CRC patients who were administered three cycles of chemotherapy. Group III consisted of 30 diagnosed CRC patients who also have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The concentrations and groups of vitamins C, D, and E were evaluated using ELISA. The levels of Vitamin C were significantly lower (p &l
... Show MoreMedia studies have focused mostly on the issue of the mental image because the image that is formed in the mind has become not only a photo of a human being and having kept for himself. This image has an outside influence which may sometimes up to the formation of the fate of others and it sometimes includes individuals and groups together.
This study comes in the context of identifying the image of Iraqi political parties among Iraqi university students and the nature of the view that students have in their minds about these parties.
Chapter one includes the problem of the research, the importance of the study, the goals and method used. Chapter two is divided into two sections: section one deals with the concept of the mental i
In this study Isolated Pathogenic bacteria which causes Tonsillitis in Children with ages between 3-17 years. They are admitted to Central Children Hospital (Al-Karch) and Ebn-Albalady Hospital (Al-Rusafa). 200 cases were collected which include 120 Male and 80 Female. The result of the recent study shows that the isolation percentage was 40% from Male and 35% from Female. In this study Fifty six isolated were Identified, 20 were ?-hemolytic Streptococcus which was Streptococcus pyogenes, formed (36%) from all isolated.6 Pathogenic bacteria were ?- hemolytic Streptococcus which was Streptococcus pneumoniae formed (11%). The number of Moraxella catarrhalis bacteria was 12 formed (21%), the number of Haemophilus influenzae was 1
... Show MoreBackground: In young adults, multiple sclerosis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory demyelinating condition. It is characterized by white matter affection, but many individuals also have significant gray matter involvement. A double-inversion recovery pulse (DIR) pattern was recently proposed to improve the visibility of multiple sclerosis lesions. Objective: To find out how well a DIR sequence, FLAIR, and T2-weighted pulse sequences can find MS lesions in the supratentorial and infratentorial regions. Methods: A total of 37 patients with established diagnoses of multiple sclerosis were included in this cross-sectional study. Brain MRI was done using double inversion recovery, T2, and FLAIR sequences. The number of lesions was count
... Show MoreHepatitis, a condition of liver’s inflammation that can be self-limiting or, in certain chances, it may lead to liver cancer, fibrosis or cirrhosis. Hepatitis viruses mainly cause hepatitis in the world. People with hepatitis C have predominant chances to develop diabetes as HCV virus participates in causing type 2 diabetes. HCV virus causes pathogenesis in two ways: it either directly destroys the β cells of pancreas or contributes to the specific autoimmunity of β cells. The present cross sectional study was done in Wazirabad Tahsil of Gujranwala District to analyze the percentage of patients suffering from hepatitis C who had the risk of diabetes mellitus. For this research work, demographic information and data about any other me
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