Background: The COVID-19 virus outbreak had a massive effect on many parts of people's lives, as they were advised to quarantine and lockdown to prevent the virus from spreading, which had a big impact on people's mental health, anxiety, and stress. Many internal and external factors lead to stress. This negatively influences the body's homeostasis. As a result, stress may affect the body's capacity to use energy to defend against pathogens. Many recent investigations have found substantial links between human mental stress and the production of hormones, prohormones, and/or immunological chemicals. some of these researches have verified the link between stress and salivary cortisol levels. The aim of this study is to measure salivary cortisol as a stress biomarker as well as a total viable count of salivary bacterial microbiome among COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods: a sample of 84 adults patients was collected who were divided into two groups: the COVID-19 group consists of 42 patients and the COVID-19 free group which consists of 42 subjects. All subjects undergo a PCR test to confirm their health status. The collection of Un-stimulated saliva was done. Laboratory investigations were carried out to measure the total viable count of the salivary bacterial microbiome by culturing on Brain Heart Infusion Agar and to evaluate the salivary cortisol level using cortisol kit (Elecsys Cortisol II). Results: SPSS version 21 was used for statistical analysis. According to the statistical analysis, the salivary cortisol and total viable count of salivary bacterial microbiome values were substantially greater in the COVID-19 group than in the COVID-19 free group. Conclusion: A positive association was found between salivary cortisol and the total viable count of the salivary bacterial microbiome. So, when the concentration of salivary cortisol is elevated in the COVID-19 group, the level of the total viable count of the salivary bacterial microbiome is also elevated.
BACKGROUND: Sickle cell nephropathy, a heterogeneous group of renal abnormalities resulting from complex interactions of sickle cell disease (SCD)-related factors and non-SCD phenotype characteristics, is associated with an increased risk for morbidity and mortality. AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of microalbuminuria (MA) among pediatric patients with SCD and to determine risk factors for MA among those patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A case–control study was carried out on 120 patients with SCD, 2–18 years old, registered at Basrah Center for Hereditary Blood Diseases, and 132 age-and sex-matched healthy children were included as a control group. Investigations included complete blood panel, blood urea, se
... Show MoreSituational regret and its relation to the vitality of conscience among university students The research seeks to identify situational regret and its relation to the vitality of conscience among university students, identify the significant differences in regard with students’ gender, and identify if there is a correlation between situational regret and the vitality of conscience. To do this, two scales were adopted; one to measure situational regret consisted of (31) items, which was designed by (Al-badrani, 2006), besides, costa and macrys’ (1992) scale that translated in Arabic language by (Al-qaisy, 2013). It composed of (35) items. Total of (120) male and female students were collected from three-different colleges (science, art
... Show MoreBackground: This study aims to determine whether cigarette smoking and anxiety degrees are related among nurses. Methods: A correlation design study was conducted at Baquba Teaching Hospital in Diyala Governorate, and the study period extended from September 10th, 2023, to January 28th, 2024. A nonprobability purposive sample was used to include 200 nurses working at Baquba Teaching Hospital, Iraq. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from January 10th to February 7th, 2024. There were two components to the study instruments. Initially, the demographic sheet contained the individuals' sociodemographic data. The Taylor manifest anxiety scale is included in the second section. The collected data were analyzed us
... Show MoreBackground: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are said to be inherited in a multifactorial fashion, i.e. genetic-environmental interaction. Maternal nutritional deficiencies had long been reported to cause NTDs, especially folate deficiency during early pregnancy. More attention had been paid to the exact mechanism by which this deficiency state causes these defects in the developing embryo. The most significant of all researches was that connecting reduced folate and increased homocysteine level in maternal serum on one hand and the risk of developing a NTD baby on the other hand. Objectives : to determine the significance of homocysteine level in Iraqi mothers who gave birth to babies with NTDs as compared to normal controls. Patients, Materials
... Show MoreBackground: Anaemia is a major public health concern and is one of the most prevalent health issue in women within reproductive age group.
Objective: to assess maternal knowledge related to anaemia during pregnancy.
Type of the study: A cross –sectional study.
Method: The study including 200 mothers who attended selected primary health care centres, Baghdad during November and December 2015, they completed a previously prepared questionnaire coveringsocio-demographic characteristics and knowledge regarding anaemia in 4 main domains. The responses were analysed by using frequency, percentage and percent score for each statement a
... Show MorePurpose: The research aims to determine the relationship between E-Learning and Total Quality Management (TQM) in Educational institutions in Nineveh Governorates.
Methodology / Design: The researchers distributed (30) questionnaires to employees (teachers and administrators) of Nineveh Governorate education who represent the community of the research sample, as they were analyzed using the SPSS V.20
The importance of research: The importance of the research in the fact that it focuses on one of the educational methods represented in integrating the traditional method and relying on modern technologies using computers and the Internet in the field of education to improve the reali
... Show MoreOccupies total quality management applications play a key role in the development of institutions of higher education performance and achieve its strategic objectives through the commitment of senior management and their employees to continuous improvement of the quality of performance in the various areas of work, and can be integrated knowledge management processes, which means identifying information of value and how to take advantage. The data were collected using the style of the questionnaire for the purpose of analyzing their results on a sample composed of 83 member of the administrative leadership in colleges as representing the decision-making centers in those colleges .
 
... Show MoreThe objective of the study was to develop microneedle (MN) patch, with suitable properties to ensure the delivery of a therapeutic level of lornoxicam (LXM) in a period suitable to replace parenteral administration in patients, especially those who fear needles. The used polymers were cold water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) of low molecular weight with PEG 400 as plasticizer and Tween 80 (to enhance the release) using micro molding technique. Patches were studied for needle morphology, drug content, axial fracture force measurement and drug release while the optimized formulas were further subjected to pH measurement, folding endurance, ex vivo permeation study, histopathology study, stability study and
... Show MoreFelodipine is a calcium-channel blocker with low aqueous solubility and bioavailability. Lipid dosage forms are attractive delivery systems for such hydrophobic drug molecules. Nanoemulsion (NE) is one of the popular methods that has been used to solve the dispersibility problems of many drugs. Felodipine was formulated as a NE utilizing oleic acid as an oil phase, tween 80 and tween 60 as surfactants and ethanol as a co-surfactant. Eight formulas were prepared, and different tests were performed to ensure the stability of the NEs, such as particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, dilution test, drug content, viscosity and in-vitro drug release. Result
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