Abstract Aim: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which affects communication and social interaction of children. It is a heterogeneous disease with various clinical presentations. Some genes are involved in its pathogenesis. It has been suggested that environmental exposure to lead can increase the risk of autism. The aim of our study was to compare blood lead levels among autistic and non-autistic children. Material and Method: This retrospective study included 107 children (60 with autism and 47 without autism) referred from the different Iraqi provinces, in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017, to the poisoning consultation center in Baghdad. Data collection including age, gender, residence, referral source, family history and blood lead levels was taken from their medical records. Results: No significant differences were noticed between the prevalence of autism and both of age (P=0.843) and gender (P=0.699). The majority of children have no family history of autism (85%). Mean blood lead level for all participants was 16.01 μg/dl. The statistically significant difference in lead level was found between autistic and non-autistic children (17.38± 1.86 μg/dl in autism group versus 14.27± 1.57 μg/dl in non-autism group) with a P value of 0.001. Discussion: Mean blood lead level was high in all participants, compared to the international values, which might indicate a high level of lead exposure in Iraqi children due to environmental pollution. Autistic children have higher lead levels than non-autistic ones and this might explain the role of lead in the etiology of autism.
Abstract
Background
Stathmin1 (also known as metablastin) is a major microtubule-depolymerizing protein that involved in cell cycle progression and cell motility.
Stathmin1 has been found to be up-regulated in some cancers and correlated with cell differentiation and proliferation.
Stathmin1 is a major cytosolic phosphoprotein that regulates microtubule dynamics and is associated with malignant phenotypes in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer.
Objective
To evaluate the role of Immunohistochemical expression of stathmin1 in non-small
... Show MoreBackground: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the only human pathogenic parvovirus, It is highly erythrotropic and preferentially replicates in erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs). Recently the effects of B19 infection have been well studied in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Objective: To detect parvovirus B19 among children with ALL.
Methods: A cross sectional study involved forty five patients with ALL (21 patients were newly diagnosed ALL and 24 children who underwent chemotherapy) who were attending department of oncology in Children's Welfare Teaching Hospital in Baghdad Medical City between December 2012 and April 2013, compared to forty five of appare
... Show MoreUrine proteomics have been an area of interest and recently in Kala-azar as an alternative sample type for serum or plasma. Because of simplicity, noninvasiveness of collection and simpler matrix. Many studies had detected an increased protein excretion in the urine of patients with active Kala-azar due to renal involvement particularly by an immunological related mechanism(s). This study have demonstrated the presence of three different protein profiles in Iraqi children (Patients: including 60 children aged 4-60 months) with defined Kala-azar using the conventional SDS-PAGE on urine samples. Urine protein profile in Kala-azar patients revealed three groups of banding patterns: group-1(33.4)% of the patients show the pattern of 5
... Show MoreInflammation of the tonsils could be described as acute tonsillitis, mainly due to infection. Recurrent tonsillitis could be defined as 3-7 episodes during the first 3 years of age. Vitamin D, which is a neuro-hormone with pleiotropic biological activities may modulate the immune response by alleviation, and stimulation of Th1 and Th2 cell proliferation, respectively, that influence the stimulation, synthesis, and secretion of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this study we aimed to shed light on the levels of vitamin D in children with different episodes of tonsillitis in association with levels of interleukins (TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10). Blood samples were collected from 48 participants in 3 groups: control, acute tonsilliti
... Show MoreRecent phosphorus (P) pollution in the United States, mainly in Maine, has raised some severe concerns over the use of P fertilizer application rates in agriculture. Phosphorus is the second most limiting nutrient after nitrogen and has damaging impacts on crop yield if found to be deficient. Therefore, farmers tend to apply more P than is required to satisfy any P loss after its application at planting. Several important questions were raised in this study to improve P efficiency and reduce its pollution. The objective of this study was to find potential reasons for P pollution in water bodies despite a decrease in potato acreage. Historically, the potato was found to be responsible for P water contamination due to its high P sensitivity a
... Show More Background: It is evident that there is a lack of clear consensus on the role of luteal phase serum Progesterone (P) level in the prediction of early pregnancy after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocols in assisted reproductive techniques (ART).
Objective: We conducted this study in order to investigate the potential value of luteal phase serum progesterone measurement, in women undergoing ICSI treatment cycles and receiving progesterone supplements, in relation to pregnancy rate.
Patients: A total of 68 women aged 20-40 years undergoing their first intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in fertility and I.V.F center of Kamal Al samrai hospital.
Methods: women consecutively treated by ICSI had Estima
Purpose: To identify the size of the food gap for the main agricultural products and crops in Iraq, which reflects to us the extent to which agricultural production in particular and the agricultural sector in general have declined.Theoretical framework: The theoretical side of the research dealt with the definition of self-sufficiency and the food gap, as well as identifying the reality of agricultural production in Iraq during the study period, as well as the reality of the food gap for the most important agricultural, plant and animal products.Design/methodology/approach: In reviewing the research problem, the researcher adopted the method of deductive and descriptive analysis based on the presentation and detail of official data
... Show MoreBackground: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins play important roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Genetic research has been employed to find many of the missing connections between genetic risk variations and causal genetic components. Objective: The goal of this study is to look at the genetic variations of TNF-α and interleukins in Iraqi RA patients and see how they relate to disease severity or response to biological therapy. Method: Using specific keywords, the authors conducted a systematic and comprehensive search to identify relevant Iraqi studies examining the genetic variations of TNF-α and interleukins in Iraqi RA patients and how they relate to disease severity or response to biolo
... Show MoreMiscarriage is one of the fundamental complications occurring in pregnant women. Many fastidious and uncultivated bacterial species are related to miscarriage and have a significant role in the infection. The association between inverse pregnancy outcomes and infections of abnormal bacteria has been rarely investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine Leptotrichia amnionii and Atopobium vaginae as a risk factor for miscarriage states. A total of 80 cervical swabs and blood samples were obtained from females (34 non-pregnant with recurrent spontaneous miscarriage, 11 pregnant who had previous miscarriage, and 35 without miscarriage as control) who were referred to a hospital in Baghdad city. The relationship bet
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