Pregnancy and delivery are physiological conditions that are marked by abrupt alterations to hormones, immunological and molecular characters. The current study aimed to evaluate oxytocin (OT), prolactin (PRL), cortisol and insulin growth factor-2 (IGF-2) levels as physiological biomarkers; programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1),interleukin-6 (IL-6) as immunological biomarkers, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs53576 and rs2254298) of oxytocin receptor gene OXTR as molecular factors in samples of Iraqi women undergoing caesarean section (CS) and normal delivery (ND). Blood samples were collected from 96 pregnant women at term with ages ranging between 16-43 years. Regarding the physiological biomarkers, the study findings indicated that the change in OT, cortisol and IGF-2 between CS and ND groups was not significant, While the PRL level indicated a highly significant (P≤0.001) decrease in the CS group, especially in comparison with the ND group. Immunological biomarkers demonstrated a significant (P≤05) elevation for PD-1 as well as for PD-L1 in the CS group as compared to the ND group. However, PD-1/PD-L1 ratio revealed a high significant (P≤0.001) rise in CS compared with ND. The IL-6 results revealed a significant (P≤0.001) reduction in the CS groups compared to the ND group. And regarding the SNP of OXTR (rs53576), the findings revealed no notable association in genotypes CC, TC and TT between both groups. In addition, the mutant C allele and the wild T allele revealed no significant association between CS and ND groups [OR=1.26 (0.68-2.3%)]. The SNP results of OXTR (rs2254298) showed a high positive association (P≤0.001) in genotypes GG, AG and AA between CS and ND groups. Also, the mutant G allele and the wild A allele revealed high significance (P≤0.001) between both groups [OR=5.3 (2.8-9.76%)].
Human beta-defenses (hBDs) are antimicrobial peptides involved in innate immune protection, and their association with the risk of respiratory allergy has been proposed. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate this association in allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma (AS) of Iraqi patients. A case-control study was conducted to investigate serum levels of hBD1, hBD2, hBD3, and hBD4 in 52 AR and 60 AS patients and 61 healthy controls (HC). The hBDs were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results revealed that median levels of hBD1, hBD2, and hBD3 were significantly elevated in the serum of AR and AS patients compared with HC (p < 0.01). Levels of hBD4 were also elevated in AR and AS patients but the differen
... Show MoreThe biomarker significance of three chemokines (CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16) was evaluated in sera of 45 breast cancer (BC) and 28 benign breast lesion (BBL) patients, as well as 20 control women. Clinical stage and tumor expression of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) receptors were considered in this evaluation. The results demonstrated that CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16 showed a significant increased median in BC and BBL patients compared to control (CXCL8: 47.3 and 25.7 vs. 15.0; CXCL10: 37.6 and 30.7 vs. 13.1; CXCL16; 27.9 and 25.2 vs. 19.2 pg/ml, respectively). The increased levels of CXCL8 and CXCL16 were more pronounced in triple-negative and HER-2 positive p
... Show MoreRoads irrespective of the type have specific standard horizontal distance measured at 90 degrees from a lot boundary to a development known as a setback. Non-observance of the recommended setbacks accommodated in any urban center’s master plan creates noise hazard to the public health and safety as the movement of vehicular traffic is not without the attendant noise. This study assessed noise intrusion level in shops along a section of Ibadan-Abeokuta road with due consideration to compliance with the recommended building structure setback. Analysis of noise descriptors evaluated in this study gave A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level average of 91.3 dBA, the daytime average sound level (LD) 92.27 dBA,
... Show Moreجريت التجربة في اصص فخارية سعة كل اصيص 4 كغم تربة في البيت الزجاجي التابع لقسم علوم الحياة/كلية التربية ابن الهيثـــــــــم/جـامعــة بـغداد لموســم النمـو 2008-2009 لدراســة تأثيــر اربعـــة مستويـــــات من سمــــاد اليوريـــا وهي (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) غم/اصيص والتي تعادل (0, 100, 200, 400) كغم/هكتار وثلاث مستويات من سماد السوبر فوسفات وهي (0, 0.1, 0.2) غم/اصيص والتي تعادل (0, 100, 200) كغم/هكتارفي مكونـات الحاصـــل لنبــات الحلبـــة Trigonella foe
... Show MoreAn experiment was conducted in pots with 4 Kg soil per pot in the green house of Biology department, College of Education (Ibn Al-Haithum), university of Baghdad, the growing season of (2008-2009), to study the effects of four levels of urea (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) g/pot, that equivalent to (0, 100, 200 and 400) Kg/ha. Also three levels of superphosphate fertilizer (0.2, 0.1, and 0) g/pot, that equivalent to (200, 100, and 0) Kg/ha were added to the local yields components. The result showed that the high level of both fertilizer (400 Kg urea/ha and 200 Kg superphosphate/ha) caused a significant increase in number of pods/plant, dry weight of pods, the weight of 100 seeds and the weight of all seeds/plant, with a significant decrease in the c
... Show MoreSwabs from two hospitals at Baghdad city were collected from the period 28-October-2013 to 31-March-2014, to found out the prevalence and distribution of fungi. These isolates were collected from hospitals' environment and most of the items used for hospital work in order to detect the nosocomial pathogens persistent. All fungal isolates were identified depending on the morphological and microscopic examinations as well as biochemical tests. Out of 220 environmental samples, 146 fungal isolates was obtained, Aspergillus flavus was more frequency and occurrence 23.29% and 15.45% respectively, followed Aspergillus niger was 15.57% and 10.45% then Penecillium spp. was 13.27% and 8.64%. In Al -Yarmouk Teaching Hospital more places contaminat
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