Background: Sex variations in coronary artery disease (CAD) are well documented. However, sex differences in coronary artery calcium (CAC) and its role in the detection of coronary artery stenosis remain controversial. Objective: To assess the impact of sex variation on coronary artery calcification and its efficacy in predicting coronary artery stenosis. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study including 230 consecutive patients with suspected CAD (120 men and 110 women) referred for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). The study analyzed sex-based differences in the sensitivity and specificity of coronary artery calcification (CAC) for detecting moderate to severe stenosis across various coronary arteries

The Growth Differentiation Factor -15 (GDF-15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily. İt represents an example of the stress response cytokines. It's mostly found in cardiac myocytes, adipocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and vascular endothelial cells, whether they're generated normally or not. GDF-15 levels have increased and are associated with cardiovascular risk. Aim of the study: To investigate the correlation between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) with the level of plasma GDF-15 in a group of hypertensive patients. Materials and methods: A case-control study involved 90 individuals, 60 hypertensive patients (36 on ACE inhibitors and 24 on ARBs)

This study was initiated to examine the tomato-infecting viruses belonging to the Tobamovirus and Potexvirus genera in Iraq. Field observations and surveys were carried out for three successive cropping seasons (2020/21 to 2022/23) in selected tomato production areas. The purpose was to identify the main viruses associated with tomato epidemics and assess the impact of different tomato cultivars on disease occurrence. A total of 700 tomato leaf samples were collected from seven governorates (Baghdad, Diyala, Babylon, Najaf, Kerbala, Nasiriya, and Basrah) and tested using pathogen-specific immunostrip kits. The survey showed a presence of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (

Gallstone disease is one of the most common complications among diabetic patients especially type 2 DM. Till now, there is no specific and certain factor that explain the incidence of gallstones among type 2 diabetic patients and many risk factors are taken collectively to estimate its intensity and severity compared to non diabetic counter parts. This clinical study was designed to evaluate and report the incidence and severity of gallstones among type 2 diabetics and non diabetics regarding certain factors. 20 diabetic females and 20 diabetic males were collected as patients′ group and have had gallstones while 20 females and 20 males who have had gallstones without diabetes mellitus type 2 were collected as controls′ group

Background/Aim: Psoriasis is a persistent systemic disorder characterised by chronic inflammation and linked to multiple comorbidities, including arthritis, cardiometabolic disorders, obesity and hyperlipidaemia. Objective of this study was to identify the relationship of abnormal lipid profiles and psoriasis, as well as to pinpoint factors that correlate with disease severity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the dermatology clinic over 6 months from the 1 August 2024 to the 1 February 2025. Patients aged 15 years and above with a diagnosis of psoriasis were enrolled. For each patient two sets of data were collected, demographical characteristics (age, sex, disease duration and the body mass index (BMI)) and the

Customers' creditworthiness standards are the key means employed by private commercial banks in assigning a suitable credit assessment for each customer. Accordingly, it had an instrumental role in indicating the degree of solvency of the potential customer before granting the required credit. The research problem reveals the nature of the relationship between the criteria of customer’s creditworthiness and banking liquidity. The most critical objectives of the study shed light on the role of using creditworthiness criteria as a tool for credit analysis of customers by banks that help reducing credit risks and thus increase banking liquidity. The questionnaire that was distributed to bank employees, the research sample, which w

Despite extensive investigations, an effective treatment for sepsis remains elusive and a better understanding of the inflammatory response to infection is required to identify potential new targets for therapy. In this study we have used RNAi technology to show, for the first time, that the inducible lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2) plays a key role in macrophage inflammatory gene expression in response to stimulation with bacterial ligands. Using siRNA- or shRNA-mediated knockdown, we demonstrate that, in contrast to the constitutive LPCAT1, LPCAT2 is required for macrophage cytokine gene expression and release in response to TLR4 and TLR2 ligand stimulation but not for TLR-independent stimuli. In addition, cells transfe

Background: Blastocystis spp. distributes world widely and the genus Blastocystis include many subtypes that are isolated from human intestinal tract. It is considered the most common parasite detected in human being.

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of Blastocystis spp. among leukemic children, to find out its association with the presence of symptoms (diarrhea and abdominal pain), and to assess the efficacy of different staining methods in detection of Blastocystis spp. 

Type of the study: cross-sectional study.

Method: 103 children were enrolled in this study, 53 leukemic patients and 50 healthy con

            The aim of the current research is to measure the sense of coherence among individuals with physical disabilities. The researcher adopted a scale of (29) paragraphs spread over three domains designed by Antonovski (1993) to measure the sense of coherence. A sample of (210) disabled individuals was chosen randomly to collect the required data. The data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The result showed a lack of sense of coherence among the sample.

This research is considered as the beginning of other studies about the iraqi the public and their relationship with the various state institutions. Recently, such studies used to be almost non-existent. The main characteristic that distinguishes the scientific studies, is the fact that it involves a specific problem that needs to be studied and analysed from multiple aspects, otherwise the definition of problem identification wouldn’t have been narrowing the topic into what the researcher wants to address, also not what the title is referring to as topics which the researcher doesn’t want to address. The problem in this research resides in the lack of well planned scientific programs that aims at building a positive mental picture a