Background Psoriasis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory skin conditions; its prevalence ranges from 1 to 3%. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine that enhances inflammation, is overexpressed in synovium and skin plaques in psoriasis. TNF-α plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. IL-10 is the most crucial cytokine for reducing excessive immune responses and decreasing pro-inflammatory reactions in all autoimmune disorders. Objective To evaluate the effect of Apremilast on ILـ10, TNFـα, and BMI in obese psoriatic patients. Methods Thirty patients included in this investigative study to measure the concentrations of TNFـα, ILـ10 and BMI, before and after receiving Apremilast. TNFـα and ILـ10 were examined by ELISA technique. Results The present work found that the concentration of TNF-α before receiving Apremilast was 286.80 pg/ml, and after six months from baseline, it was reduced to 131.08 pg/ml (P<0.01). Also, IL-10 before using Apremilast was 69.28 pg/ml, and after six months of treatment it increased to 112.57 ±7.89, which was statistically significant (P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in BMI (P>0.05). Conclusion Apremilast significantly reduced the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, leading to improvement in psoriasis lesions. It also reduced Body Mass Index in obese psoriatic patients.
Background: Tumor-like overgrowth lesions of the oral mucosa are pathological growths that project above the normal contour of the oral surface. A practical classification can be made according to the site of origin, the etiology and the histological appearance. The aim of this article is to evaluate and analyze patients with gingival and alveolar ridge tumor-like overgrowth lesions in terms of surgical treatment, diagnosis and outcome. Materials and Methods: Patients complaining of these lesions were treated by surgical excision under local or general anesthesia; the excised lesions were submitted for histopathological examination, during the follow up period the patients were examined for complications and recurrence. Results: Pyogenic gr
... Show MoreBackground: Tumor-like overgrowth lesions of the oral mucosa are pathological growths that project above the normal contour of the oral surface. A practical classification can be made according to the site of origin, the etiology and the histological appearance. The aim of this article is to evaluate and analyze patients with gingival and alveolar ridge tumor-like overgrowth lesions in terms of surgical treatment, diagnosis and outcome. Materials and Methods: Patients complaining of these lesions were treated by surgical excision under local or general anesthesia; the excised lesions were submitted for histopathological examination, during the follow up period the patients were examined for complications and recurrence. Results: Pyogenic gr
... Show MoreOver the past ten years, tumor markers have played an increasingly important role in clinicaloncology. This trend is expected to continue as technology advances and our knowledge of thehuman body and disease processes grows. In the treatment of cancer, tumor markers are widelyused for a variety of purposes, including screening, selecting a management strategy,determining the prognosis, and post-therapy follow-up. A comprehensive of the fundamentalsof pathophysiology and identification strategies for each specific malignancy is necessary fortheir prudent application in clinical practice. Oncology's use of cancer biomarkers hastransformed the way that cancer is treated, and led to notable improvements in patient outcomesand cancer tre
... Show MoreHaruki Murakami (1949-present) is a contemporary Japanese writer whose works have been translated into fifty languages and won him plenty of Japanese and international awards. His short stories are well constructed in a weird realistic manner and are mixed with elements of surrealism. His novels and short stories fall under the genre of magical realism. One of the major revolving themes that Murakami wrote about was the haunting feeling of emptiness and disconnectedness in a world which seems to care much for materialism and self-interests.
The paper explores two of Murakami’s short stories in his book After the Quake (2000) and the relevance of their themes and characters to Iraq after the q
... Show MoreBackground: Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitorsrestore nitric oxide (NO) signaling and may reducecirculating inflammatory markers, and improve metabolicparameters through a number of mechanisms. Dailyadministration of the PDE-5 inhibitor, tadalafil (TAD) mayattenuate inflammation; improve fasting plasma glucose andtriglyceride levels and body weight. This study aims toevaluate the efficacy of low dose PDE-5 inhibitor, tadalafil(TAD) in controlling dysglycemia and body weight in obesediabetic men.Methods: Forty obese men with type 2 diabetes aged 30-50years incorporated in this study, all with A1c of 7-8.5%,attending obesity unit in AL-Kindy college of medicine.Weight, height, BMI, FPG, A1c, cholesterol, TG, HDL andLDL measured for all
... Show MoreBackground: While warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are used to manage thromboembolic events, they possess several features that impact adherence. Objective: To assess medication adherence and self-efficacy in patients receiving warfarin or DOAC treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at Ibn Al-Bitar Hospital in Baghdad from December 2022 to May 2023 on patients receiving either warfarin or DOACs. The Arabic version of the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS) questionnaire and the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6C) questionnaire were used to assess adherence and self-efficacy. Results: 181 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 56.9% received warfarin an
... Show MoreForest fires continue to rise during the dry season and they are difficult to stop. In this case, high temperatures in the dry season can cause an increase in drought index that could potentially burn the forest every time. Thus, the government should conduct surveillance throughout the dry season. Continuous surveillance without the focus on a particular time becomes ineffective and inefficient because of preventive measures carried out without the knowledge of potential fire risk. Based on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), formulation of Drought Factor is used just for calculating the drought today based on current weather conditions, and yesterday's drought index. However, to find out the factors of drought a day after, the data
... Show MoreBackground: Ulcerative colitis disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract. In regulation of this inflammatory process, Interleukin-6, C-reactive proteins and albumin have a major role. Overproduction of IL-6 by immunocompetent cells contributes to activate the liver to produce CRP, transudation of plasma albumin and development of the inflammatory condition. Elevated levels of IL-6 in saliva could be expected, because the saliva-producing cells are part of the digestive system. The purpose of this study was to assess salivary IL-6, CRP and albumin in ulcerative colitis patients in relation to oral findings. Materials and methods: Forty eight saliva specimens collected from three groups of subjects (s
... Show MoreIn this research a study process to calculate the factor accumulation of gamma rays for aluminum and exporters cobalt 60 Mika Atktron volts and actively radiation Vdrh 1.406 Mika Bq been studying the effect of the angle of reimbursement and the distance between the shield and detector In measurements factor accumulation Adhrt results in line with the theoretical results published