To determine the association between cigarette smoking and oxidative stress, a study was conducted in the period from January 2020 to April 2021, at College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq. The Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was utilized for measurement the antioxidant enzymes including: Glutathione superoxide (GPX) and catalase (CAT) and the biomarker of lipid peroxidation Malondialdehyde (MDA). Also, the gene expression of Nrf2 and HO-1were determined by using RT-PCR technique. The results indicate lower level of both GPX and CAT (p ≤ 0.001) in smokers compared with non-smokers. While the result of MDA indicate higher level in smokers (p≤0.001) compared with nonsmokers. The Nrf2 and HO-1 gene expression was lower in smokers (p≤0.001) compared with non-smokers. Thus, we may conclude that smokers are exposed to more oxidative stress compared to the non-smokers group led to alterations in gene expression, enzymatic activities and MDA level.
Thrombosis is a common clinical feature associated with morbidity and mortality in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. Cytokine storm in COVID-19 increases patients' systemic inflammation, which can cause multiple health consequences. In this work, we aimed to indicate the effect of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination on the modulation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3), matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels, and other systemic inflammatory biomarkers that associates with COVID-19 severity in patients who suffers from thrombosis consequences. For this purpose, ninety people were collected from Ibn Al-Nafees Hospital and divided into three groups each of which contained 30 people, 15
... Show MoreResearch in the field of English language as a foreign language (EFL) has been consistently highlighted the need for communicative competence skills among students. Accompanied by the validated positive impact of technologies on students’ skills’, this study aims to explore the strategies used by EFL students in enhancing their communicative competence using digital platforms and identify the factors of developing communicative competence using digital platforms (linguistic factors, environmental factors, psychological factors, and university-related factors). The mixed-method research design was utilized to obtain data from Iraqi undergraduate EFL students. The study was conducted in the Iraqi University in Baghdad Iraq. EFL undergradu
... Show MoreColorectal cancer (CRC) Patients showed different expression patterns of miRNAs which are involved in carcinogenesis in comparison to healthy controls individuals, miRNAs are involved in tumor progression and development of metastases. We investigate the expression profile of microRNA 320 and to quantify the expression level abundance among colorectal cancer patients in comparison to the healthy control group. The A total number of 60 plasma samples was collected from CRC patients along with 40 plasma samples from healthy controls and subjected to relative quantification using qPCR assay with a specified set of primers designed using s
... Show MoreIn this research, a selection of some mineral water was selected on the basis of being the most marketed by the owners of shops in Najaf province, with six types, where daily samples of this water were taken by 50 ml for two months from (1/11/2018 -1/1/2019). The following ions concentrations were measured (Br-, Cl-, F-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), pH and the electrical conductivity were measured and the results were compared with the allowable rates according to the international organizations. It was noted that they conform to international and Iraqi standards.
Concentrations of radon were measured in this study for twenty-four samples of soil distributed in six locations on the north part of Iraq. The radon concentrations in soil samples measured by using alpha-emitters registration that emits from Radon (222Rn) in (CR-39) track detector. The concentrations values were calculated by a comparison with standard samples. The results shows that the radon gas concentrations in Darbandikhan City varies from (16.60-34.04 Bq/m3), Halabja City (16.51-23.32 Bq/m3), Al Sulaimaniya City (17.61-32.25 Bq/m3), Koisnjaq City (22.04-35.65 Bq/m3), Shaqlaua City (21.10-29.10 Bq/m3) and Erbil City (22.30-34.63 Bq/m3). The average radon gas concentration in Al Sulaimaniya and Erbil governorate are (22.30 Bq/m3)
... Show MoreDoxorubicin (DOX) is an efficient antineoplastic agent with a broad antitumor spectrum; however, doxorubicin-associated cardiotoxic adverse effect through oxidative damage and apoptosis limits its clinical application. Cafestol (Caf) is a naturally occurring diterpene in unfiltered coffee with unique antioxidant, antimutagenic, and anti-inflammatory activities by activating the Nrf2 pathway. The present study aimed to investigate the potential chemoprotective effect of cafestol on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Wistar albino rats of both sexes were administered cafestol (5 mg/kg/day) for 14 consecutive days by oral gavage alone or with doxorubicin which was injected as a single dose (15 mg/kg intraperitoneally at day 14) to i
... Show MoreBackground: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Iraq and the United Kingdom. While the disease is frequently diagnosed among middleaged Iraqi women at advanced stages accounting for the second cause of cancer-related deaths, breast cancer often affects elderly British women yielding the highest survival of all registered malignancies in the UK. Objective: To compare the clinical and pathological profiles of breast cancer among Iraqi and British women; correlating age at diagnosis with the tumor characteristics, receptor-defined biomarkers and phenotype patterns. Methods: This comparative retrospective study included the clinical and pathological characteristics of (1,940) consecutive female patients who were diagnosed with invasive b
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