The present study was set to demonstrate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection and its effects on patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through determining their serum levels of anti-dsDNA and IL-18 antibodies. For this purpose, the sera from 132 SLE and/or toxoplasmosis patients and 30 healthy women, were collected. The study sample was divided into four groups of SLE, toxoplasmosis, SLE coinfected with toxoplasmosis, and healthy control. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were examined for all the samples using ELISA kit. The results showed a high mean level of anti-Toxoplasma IgG among SLE patients coinfected with toxoplasmosis (104.8792±12.31585pg/ml) in comparison to that in toxoplasmosis patients (91.1705±12.57746pg/ml). However, the mean value of anti-dsDNA antibodies showed significant (P≤0.01) elevation in SLE patients and SLE patients coinfected with toxoplasmosis (71.2134±9.22131pg/ml and 72.3699±9.67917 pg/ml, respectively), compared to those infected with toxoplasmosis only and healthy control. Furthermore, the IL-18 mean value in the sera of the studied patients showed significant (P≤0.01) elevation (418.4000±43.18072pg/ml) in SLE patients with toxoplasmosis in comparison to SLE patients (354.4400±35.29257pg/ml). The present investigation suggests that the levels of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies seem to increase in patients with SLE.
Clinical index is needed to predict the outcome of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) for infertile patients. Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), also known as myostatin, is one of transforming growth factor-â superfamily localized in antral follicles in normal and PCOS ovaries but its function in female reproductive system is still unknown. Aim of the study is to assess the correlation between levels of GDF8 in follicular fluid (FF) with outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF/ICSI) in women with and without PCOS. A prospective case control study was performed enrolling (40) patients with PCOS and (40) non-PCOS women (male infertility) undergoing IVF/ICSI. The collect
... Show MoreBreast cancer has got much attention in the recent years as it is a one of the complex diseases that can threaten people lives. It can be determined from the levels of secreted proteins in the blood. In this project, we developed a method of finding a threshold to classify the probability of being affected by it in a population based on the levels of the related proteins in relatively small case-control samples. We applied our method to simulated and real data. The results showed that the method we used was accurate in estimating the probability of being diseased in both simulation and real data. Moreover, we were able to calculate the sensitivity and specificity under the null hypothesis of our research question of being diseased o
... Show MoreThe principle of citizenship has international dimensions that affect the application of the principle, such as the structure of the international system, and the control of the concepts of globalization, international organizations which played an important role in the consolidation of this principle.
The problem of the study revolves around the effects of international variables on the principle of citizenship in Kuwait during the period 1991-2018.
The study used several indicators, such as: the rule of law, achieving the principle of separation of powers, the right to form parties, the application of the law of nationality, and racial discrimination, women's rights, and freedom of expression.
Tuberculosis (TB) still remains an important medical problem due to high levels of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A series of innate immune mechanisms that create a cytokine network control the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and this response has the capacity to modify the host genomic DNA structure through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation which could constantly alter the local gene expression pattern that can modulate the metabolism of the tissues and the immune-response. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine regulator of the innate immune response to TB. This study aims to determine DNA methylation patterns of INF-γ gene promoter and measure serum IFN- γ level in newly diagnosed TB patient
... Show MoreThe aim of the present study is to investigate whether or not xanthine oxidase (XO)–derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play a role in the pathogenesis of alloxan (ALX)–induced diabetes in rats using the specific XO inhibitor and hydroxyl radical scavenger, allopurinol
The involvement of oxidative stress in ALX – diabetes was assessed by the measurement of plasma and various tissues lipid peroxides levels ( using thiobarbituric acid ( TBA ) reactive substances ). Furthermore, the ability of allopurinol to influence these and other biochemical parameters, including plasma and urine ketones levels were also investigated in diabetic rats.
Rats were divided into four groups: control, untreated diabe
... Show MoreOrthodontic tooth movement is characterized by tissue reactions, which consist of an inflammatory response in periodontal ligament and followed by bone remodeling in the periodontium depending on the forces applied. These processes trigger the secretion of various proteins and enzymes into the saliva. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in saliva during orthodontic tooth movement using different magnitude of continuous orthodontic forces. Thirty orthodontic patients (12 males and 18 females) with ages 17-23 years with class II division I malocclusion all requiring bilateral maxillary first premolar extractions. Those patients were randomly divided into 3 groups according to the magnitude
... Show MoreThe aggregation capacity of human reb blood cells lies between that of the non- aggregated arythrocyte and the remarkably full sedimentation. As the ability to aggregate is atributed to many factors such as the availability of macromolecules and plasma lipids, the role of plasm lipid profile on RBC aggregation and sedimentation changes in normal and diabetic patients is studied.Also serum lipid profile measurement (Total cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL, LDL, VLDL) in normal and diabetic subjects were made. The principle of measurement includes detecting the transmitted laser light through a suspension of 10% diluted red blood cells in plasma. In all diabetics, the raulux formation and sedimentation rate is enhanced.
Background: Obesity increases the host’s susceptibility by modulating the immune and inflammatory systems in a manner that predisposes to inflammatory tissue destruction and leaves an individual at greater risk of periodontitis. Melatonin is a pineal secretory product involved in numerous actions, such as regulation of internal biological clocks and energy metabolism, and it functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. There exists a substantial amount of evidence supporting the beneficial effect of melatonin supplementation on obesity and its complications. Aim of the study: To investigate the effects of systemic melatonin intake on periodontal health status and lipid profiles in obese periodontitis patients. Subjects and met
... Show MoreThe present study was undertaken to study the effect of apigenin and luteolin on physiological and histological changes in rats treated with cytarabine drugs. Thirty-five albino healthy male adult rats with equal age weighing 250 -300g were enrolled. Rats were randomly divided into seven groups according to the treatment. Group “1” was treated with normal saline and served as the control group. Groups “2,3 and 4” received cytarabine, apigenin, and luteolin respectively, while groups 5, 6, and 7 received a combination of “apigenin + cytarabine”, “luteolin + cytarabine”, and “apigenin + luteolin + cytarabine”, respectively. After one week of treatment, all seven groups of rats were
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