The clinical spectrum of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), an intracellular parasitic pathogen, ranges from a single sore healing to chronic crusty lesions with a manifestation of treatment resistance. The complicated interaction between Leishmania bodies and the early immune response, including innate and adaptive mechanisms, determines the evolution of nodules. This study examined the levels of the chemoattractant interleukin 8 (IL-8), pro-inflammatory nitric oxide (NO), and immunoregulatory macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) in the serum of subjects recently diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis, in parallel with patients being monitored during consecutive sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) treatment. A total of 161 serum samples of newly diagnosed individuals and patients undergoing pentostam injections were collected form an endemic area of Diyala, east central of Iraq. Sandwich ELISA was used to measure the level of IL-8, NO and MIF in the studied groups. Results of circulatory markers levels showed a considerable difference in all groups, with IL-8 being exceptionally higher in the first two groups of pretreated and dose-1 (191.5, 273.64) pg/ml respectively, while NO was found to be lower than in control subjects, particularly in the pretreated group (12.08 μmol/L) and MIF level was significantly higher in the pretreated group, which was (7.18 pg/ml). These findings can provide insights for distinction of disease phase and monitoring treatment efficacy along consecutive dosages, particularly in populations where CL is endemic.
Background: Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine expressed by inflammatory and endothelial cells. It has a crucial role in initiating, regulating, and mobilizing monocytes to active sites of periodontal inflammation. Its expression is also elevated in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli and tissue injury, both of which are linked to atherosclerotic lesions. Aim of the study: To determine the serum level of MCP-1 in patients with periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in comparison to healthy control and evaluate the biomarker's correlations with periodontal parameters. methods: This study enrolled 88 subjects, both males and females, ranging in age from 36-66 years old, and divided into four groups: 1<
... Show MoreAim: This study aims to determine both the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice in clinical breast examination in women and the relationship between knowledge and practice.Data collection was performed within a three-month period starting from February 2019 on. Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional analytical study included 657 non-randomly selected women visiting primary health care centers in Baghdad city with an average of age between (20-59) years old. Results: Only 51.8% ever heard of clinical breast examination. The mean knowledge score for clinical breast examination was (51.2±44). Only 5.5% of women performed regular clinical breast examinations. Participants who adequately practice clinical breast examinatio
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The study aims to identify the common fears of preschool children and their relationship to the approaches to parental treatment in South Al Batinah Governorate from their mother’s point of view. Total of (466) mothers were selected as the study sample. The researcher used the scale of common fear and the scale of parental treatment approaches. The results of the study have shown that the most common fear among the study sample was (the fear of darkness) in the first level with a rate of 75.03%, and in the second level came the item (my child is afraid to sleep alone) by 72.74%, in the third level came to the item (fear of seeing insects) with a rate of 67.59%, and the last one was (the fear of rain) w
... Show MoreChronic myeloid leukemia (CML), is one of the myeloproliferative disorders with a characteristic cytogenetic abnormality resulting in the BCR-ABL fusion gene. Imatinib Mesylate is an effective agent for treating patients in all stages of CML. According to the annual Iraqi cancer registry 2019, the total number of chronic myeloproliferative disorders was 338. The percentage and incidence rates were 0.94% and 0.86%, respectively, with a higher incidence rate in males than females (1.12 in males and 0.60 in females). In this registry, no details about CML, so this study aimed to estimate the number of CML patients who attended the national center of hematology from 2005 until 2020 and investigate their epidemiological and clinic-pathol
... Show MoreOne of the most common public liver diseases over the world is fatty liver which contain alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver. One-fourth among general population are impact Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in the worldwide.Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is known as an adipokine, mainly synthesized and secreted from the liver and form adipose tissues. RBP4 acts as a transporter and specifically bound to retinol from liver to others tissues. Visfatin is an adipocytokine and mainly produced from visceral fat tissue, skeletal muscles as well as liver. Vitamin A absorbed, transported as retinyl esters to the liver then hydrolyzed to the retinol form and storage in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) after reesterified with rigly
... Show MoreBackground: This in vitro study compares a self-etch primer (SEP) to an etch-and-rinse (EaR) for bonding sapphire brackets by evaluation of the enamel etch-pattern, shear bond strength, amount of remnant adhesive and enamel surface damage following thermal and fatigue cyclic loading. Material and Methods: Ceramic (sapphire) brackets were bonded to 80 extracted human premolars using two enamel etching protocols: conventional EaR using 37% phosphoric acid (PA) gel (control), and a SEP (Transbond Plus). Each group was subdivided into two subgroups (n=20 teeth) according to the time of bracket debonding: after 24 h water storage or following 5000 thermo-cycles plus 5000 cycles fatigue loading, to determine the shear bond strength (SBS), adhesiv
... Show MoreBackground: Bell's palsy was defined as facial weakness of lower motor neuron type caused by idiopathic facial nerve involvement outside the central nervous system without evidence of aural or more widespread neurologic disease. The cause is unclear, but the disorder occurs more commonly in diabetics.Objectives: to differentiate cases of idiopathic Bell's palsy from diabetic mononeuropathy presented with Facial nerve palsy by assessing the taste, because they differ in etiology, management & prognosis.Patients &Methods: One hundred and fifteen consecutive patients were referred for the treatment of facial palsy, from May the 5th 2012 to April 12th 2013 in Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and The Neurosciences Hospital, in Baghdad / Ira
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