Toxoplasmosis is regarded as one of the most important global life-threatening diseases in immune-compromised people. The intracellular protozoon Toxoplasma gondii is the causative pathogen of toxoplasmosis. Aim of this study is to investigate the possible association between T. gondii infection and breast cancer (BC) in Iraqi women, also to assess the effect of T. gondiion interleukin 10 (IL-10) of the immune response. By ELISA method, blood samples from 81 women with breast cancer and 60 apparently healthy women have been examined for presence of anti-toxoplasmaantibodies, also the levels of serum IL-10 were estimated in these subjects. Results showed that women with BC had the highest prevalence rate of toxoplasmosis. The anti- T.gondiiantibodies was 38.27% for IgG and 4.93% for IgM, while in the control group it was 26.66% and 0.0% respectively, with no significant difference for IgG (P =0.148) and IgM (P = 0.081). A highly significant difference was found in the level of IL-10 between BC women with toxoplasmosis (10.24%) and BC women without toxoplasmosis (3.6%).These findings suggest that incidence rate of T. gondii infection is higher in breast cancer women and higher level of IL-10than their cross-matched control subjects. Therefore, we recommend the inclusion of a screening test for toxoplasmosis and the level of IL-10 in BC patients as in their routine workup.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of trace elements Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Selenium (Se) in blood sera of asthmatic patients by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentrations of Mg, Cu, and Zn have been determined by Flame Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS), and Se with flameless Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). The study involves (55) asthmatic patients as study group and (28) subjects as control from both genders. Serum levels of Mg, Cu, and Se were significantly higher (p<0.001 for all) in patients when compared with healthy subjects, while Zn level was relatively significant (p<0.05). Our observations confirm the efficacy and applicability of (AAS) in
... Show MoreAim: The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between levels of certain seminal biochemical parameters and serum reproductive hormones, on the one hand, and sperm function tests, on the other hand, in asthenospermic patients. Patients and Methods: Sixty asthenospermic patients and twenty fertile men as a control group were included in this study. Semen samples were collected to perform seminal fluid analysis. Total protein, cholesterol, calcium, creatine kinase, and fructose were measured in the seminal plasma. Blood samples were collected for hormonal assay of serum reproductive hormones: testosterone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. Results: The results revealed a significant positive correla
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Objectives: Assessment of glycodelin (GD) as a marker for unruptured ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the first trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted during June 2016 to May 2017 in the Obstetrics and Gynecological Department of Baghdad University at Baghdad teaching hospital/medical city complex. In this study, 100 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy were included after clinical and ultrasonic findings. Results: Based on the results, GD levels in EP were significantly lower than those with normal intrauterine pregnancy (1.58 ± 1.18 vs. 30.1 ± 11.9). In addition, using receiver operator curve analysis, the cut-off GD level of 9.5 and less had acceptable validity results (100
... Show MoreHookah smoking has become very popular in Iraq among women and men. Hookah tobacco contains natural radioactive elements, such as radon, radium, and uranium, as well as toxic elements, such as polonium, which are released during the combustion of tobacco and are inhaled by smoking. Most reviews focus on hookah tobacco, and only a few have investigated the blood of hookah smokers. In this study, a CR-39 detector was used to measure radon, radium, and polonium concentrations and conduct risk assessments in female hookah smokers of different ages. The results show that the concentrations of radon-222, polonium-218, and polonium-214 varied between 61.62 and 384.80, 5.45–33.64 on the wal
Forty six Iraqi women with PCOS were involved in this study . They were treated with metformin alone and with antioxidant agents (vitamin E or C).It was found that all patients who treated with metformin or with combination of metformin with antioxidant agents showed significant decrease in hirsutism score. The treatment of metformin with antioxidant agents is of great benefit in treatment of hirsutism in PCOS due to that there was no worsening effect after treatment. This may indicate that antioxidant agents may participate in alleviation of hirsutism so it can be said that oxidative stress may play an important role in developing of hirsutism in PCOS.
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the globally highly prevalent herpesvirus worldwide. CMV infects populations of all ages according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). CMV infections remain the most common viral complication potentially multiple in humans and are a major cause of congenital normality in women, which is why they are critical for diagnosis in several times when it happens during pregnancy. Pregnant women with CMV infection can be in charge of abortion or congenital expandaedby. This study involves the collection a total of (90) samples taken from each aborted and pregnant woman (70 with abortion cases and 20 of pregnant without history of abortion as control subjects) r
... Show MoreProstate cancer is the commonest male cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men. Over many decades, prostate cancer detection represented a continuous challenge to urologists. Although all urologists and pathologists agree that tissue diagnosis is essential especially before commencing active surgical or radiation treatment, the best way to obtain the biopsy was always the big hurdle. The heterogenicity of the tumor pathology is very well seen in its radiological appearance. Ultrasound has been proven to be of limited sensitivity and specificity in detecting prostate cancer. However, it was the only available targeting technique for years and was used to guide biopsy needle passed transrectally or transperineally
... Show MoreBackground: Oral mucositis is regarded as one of the major complications of radiation therapy especially in patients with head and neck cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of glutamine in preventing or minimizing the development of mucositis of the oral cavity. Subjects and methods: Forty-six participants were randomly selected amongst those who were planned to receive radiation therapy for head and neck region cancers. They were randomly divided into two groups of 23 subjects, one group received glutamine and the second group received a placebo. Results: Glutamine had a statistically significant effect in reducing the occurrence and/or severity of oral mucositis in the treated patients compared to patients in the con
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