COVID-19 is a pandemic disease that has a wide spectrum of symptoms from asymptomatic to severe fatal cases due to hyperactivation of the immune system and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to assess the level and impact of interleukin (IL)-13, IL-33, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α cytokines on immune responses in mild and moderate COVID-19-infected Iraqi patients. A prospective case-control study was conducted from January 2023 to January 2024; it included 80 patients infected with moderate COVID-19 infection who consulted in different private clinics and 40 healthy controls. The serum of both groups was tested for quantification of serum IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α using the human enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The mean age of the moderate COVID-19 patient group was 43.67±1.85 years, while the mean age of the healthy control group was 34.45±3.12 years with a statistically significant (p=0.0081), but there was no statistically significant difference in IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α levels between the patients and control groups. This study highlights the importance of age, gender, and body mass index as risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection. There were no significant differences in IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α levels between moderate COVID-19 patients and healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α shows moderate potential (non-significant) as a biomarker for predicting mild and moderate COVID-19. Pearson correlation analysis showed a strong potential correlation between IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α.
Education around the world has been negatively affected by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Many institutions had to transition to distance learning in compliance with the enforced safety measures. Distance learning might work well for settings with stable internet connections, professional technical teams, and basic implementation of technology in education. In contrast, distance learning faces serious challenges in less fortunate settings with inferior infrastructure. This report aims to shed light on the immediate action steps taken at a leading pharmacy school in Iraq to accommodate for the enforced changes in pharmacy education. The University of Baghdad College of Pharmacy went from less than minimal technology impl
... Show MoreThe theater has a living environment that resembles or realistically simulates the real life environment on the stage where we see the place, light and living being as elements representing a picture of the life scene and for a period of time the theater merely conveyed that image, but with the development of the world industrially and technologically, the perception of this picture has evolved with the emergence of intellectual progress where each part has advantages and Philosophical goals that are consistent with the evolution of form. The theatrical lighting, colors and landscapes have become parts in the composition of a new life component in form and content and based on the above this research is titled&nbs
... Show MoreThe thyroid gland is a vital part of the overall endocrine system, which is regulated some of body function as oxygen use, basal metabolic rate, growth, cellular metabolism and development This study shed light on a number of extracts that have been shown to have beneficial effects on the thyroid and its function, as well as the various factors linked to thyroid dysfunction. The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a mixture of two extracts of "Fucus vesiculosus (150 mg/ kg) with Coleus forskohlii (1000 mg/ kg) and Rosmarinus officinalis (220 mg/ kg) with Camellia sinensis (1.25 mg/ kg)" on thyroid hormones as well as lipids profile and tested the effectiveness of two drugs one of them stimulates the hormones of the thyroid (
... Show MoreAn experimental study was performed to estimate the forced convection heat transfer performance and the pressure drop of a single layer graphene (GNPs) based DI-water nanofluid in a circular tube under a laminar flow and a uniform heat flux boundary conditions. The viscosity and thermal conductivity of nanofluid at weight concentrations of (0.1 to 1 wt%) were measured. The effects of the velocity of flow, heat flux and nanoparticle weight concentrations on the enhancement of the heat transfer are examined. The Nusselt number of the GNPs nanofluid was enhanced as the heat flux and the velocity of flow rate increased, and the maximum Nusselt number ratio (Nu nanofluid/ Nu base fluid) and thermal performance factor
... Show MoreInsulin resistance is a fundamental feature of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases and contributes to many of the metabolic syndrome's abnormalities. It is defined as a subnormal reaction to normal insulin concentrations or a situation in which greater than normal insulin concentrations are necessary for normal response.
Prenatal markers are commonly used in practice to screen for some foetal abnormalities. They can be biochemical or ultrasonic markers in addition to the newly used cell free Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) estimation. This review aimed to illustrate the applications of the prenatal screening, and the reliability of these tests in detecting the presence of abnormal chromosomes such as trisomy-21, trisomy-18, and trisomy-13 in addition to neural tube defects. Prenatal markers can also be used in the anticipation of some obstetrical complications depending on levels of these markers in the mother’s circulation. In the developed countries, prenatal screening tests are regularly used during antenatal care period. Neural tube defects, numer
... Show MoreWe report herein an innovative approach to prostate tumor therapy using tumor specific radioactive gold nanoparticles (198Au) functionalized with Mangiferin (MGF). Production and full characterization of MGF-198AuNPs are described. In vivo therapeutic efficacy of MGF-198AuNPs, through intratumoral delivery, in SCID mice bearing prostate tumor xenografts are described. Singular doses of the nano-radiopharmaceutical (MGF-198AuNPs) resulted in over 85% reduction of tumor volume as compared to untreated control groups. The excellent anti-tumor efficacy of MGF-198AuNPs are attributed to the retention of over 90% of the injected dose within tumors for long periods of time. The retention of MGF-198AuNPs is also rationalized in terms of the higher
... Show MoreThe problem of job burnout has become one of the main problems for researchers in social welfare organizations (social protection bodies) - one of the formations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Its negative effects increased in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in light of the Corona pandemic, the pressures and burdens of workers varied, which resulted in high rates of anxiety, tension, and intellectual and physical exhaustion, and then negatively affected their efficiency in performing work at the individual and organizational level, especially after the increasing tasks of these Bodies in carrying out their role in achieving the general goals and objectives as beingThe general goals are that they are responsible for providi
... Show MoreThree plant species were picked randomly and their alcoholic extracts have been screened to know their effects on the phagocytic capability and intracellular killing of yeast by human peripheral macrophages. Macrophage cultures were incubated with different concentration of each plant extract: for 15 min., 30 min .and 45 min. The phagocytes activity in Iresine herbstii extract was significantly (p?0.05) increased with increasing dose and time of incubation. In Mentha piperita extract, increasing in dose and time of incubation leads to elevate phagocytic capbility, especially in the dose of 20% and 25% of plant extract, perhaps because the antimicrobial and antiviral activities of this plant, as well as strong antioxidant and antitumor act
... Show MoreBackground: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) which utilizes angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2) to invade the host cells. This membrane-bound peptidase is widely distributed in the body; its activity antagonizes the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Once SARS-Cov2 enters the cell, it causes downregulation of ACE2, resulting in the unopposed activation of RAAS. The unregulated activity of the RAAS system can deteriorate the prognosis in COVID-19 patients. A soluble form of ACE2 (sACE2) was reported to have a role in the SARS-Cov2 invasion of the susceptible cells.
Aim of the study: This study aims to inve
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