Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive airflow limitation that is preventable but not curable. It is associated with persistent symptoms that cause a considerable burden on individual productivity at work, and daily activities, and reduced quality of life, also burdening the healthcare system and society. Objectives: The study aims to measure the burden of COPD on patients in terms of daily activities and work productivity. It also seeks to investigate some inflammatory biomarkers' levels and their correlation with selected outcomes. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study on 120 stable COPD patients who were diagnosed and treated according to the GOLD guidelines at Kirkuk General Hospital's chest and Internal Medicine consultation clinics, and in private internist clinics in Kirkuk City, Iraq between January and April 2023. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI-COPD) measured the Burden of COPD. The symptom burden was assessed by the COPD assessment test (CAT). The level of IL-6 monoclonal antibodies was measured via a Roche Cobas 6000 analyzer and TNF-α using the ELISA sandwich technique. All these devices and machines were authorized by the Ministry of Health, Iraq. Results: The mean age was (54.1 ± 8.12) years, 62.5% being males and 37.5% being females; 41.7% were public sector employees, and 39.2% were self-employed. Due to COPD, the overall work loss was (45.9±18.91) days, the mean percentage of absenteeism was (10.9% ± 12.31%), activity impairment was (47.5% ±17.79%) among all patients, presenteeism was (40.8 ± 15.05%,) and COPD-related retirees were 14.2% of the study group. The mean CAT score (19.3±5.63) was high and the most troubling symptom among patients was chest tightness. WPAI-COPD scores were higher in older age and longer disease duration. The levels of biomarkers were above the reference ranges, the mean IL-6 level was (69.4 ± 35.29) pg/ml, and the mean TNF-α was (72.3 ± 22.45) pg/ ml. Conclusions: COPD patients exhibit a disease burden in terms of productivity loss at work and activity impairment that increases with aging and disease duration. COPD patients with low BMI are more prone to a decline in lung functions and to worse symptoms.
Stable isotope composition of δ2H and δ18O was investigated in the water resources of the Shwan sub-Basin northeast of Iraq. The study objects conceived the possible factors that affect the stable isotopes’ composition in precipitation additionally to achieve information concerning recharge processes and estimate the groundwater recharge sources. In this study, four precipitation samples were collected at the study area for the 2020–2021 hydrological year. Thirty-two groundwater samples and one surface water sample from Lesser Zab River (LZR) were collected during the same period for two sampling seasons. The results of observed meteorological data show a very small amount of pr
In this paper, the error distribution function is estimated for the single index model by the empirical distribution function and the kernel distribution function. Refined minimum average variance estimation (RMAVE) method is used for estimating single index model. We use simulation experiments to compare the two estimation methods for error distribution function with different sample sizes, the results show that the kernel distribution function is better than the empirical distribution function.
That communication between people is not only through speech but includes other images of the most important body inspiration. And that the Koran worked on the diversity of ways in which the meanings of the hearer and did not stop at the limit of speech, but included situations where the use of body inspiration and indicate its importance in communication. However, signals and organ movements play a major role in the process of communication between people. Facial and hands movements play an important role in the communication process as they are a tool for communicating ideas to others.
ervical cancer is one of the most frequently diag nosed malignancies representing the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in females’ worldwide, with approximately 500,000 new cases diagnosed and 280,000 deaths occurring each year. Mxi1, an antagonist of c-Myc, maps to human chromosome 10q24-q25, a region altered in a substantial fraction of prostate tumors, in prostate cancer, where a high frequency of loss and mutation of the MXI1 gene has been reported. The aim of present study was to find out the possible association of exon deletion of MXI1 gene with incidence of cervical abnormalities and cancers in some Iraqi married women. The present study include collection of 120 scraping cervical cells samples from women clinically di
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common inflammatory disease that associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Rosuvastatin is a unique hydroxy methyl glutaryl Co A (HMGCoA) reductase inhibitor that has anti inflammatory effects.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rosuvastatin as adjuvant therapy to methotrexate (MTX) on lipid profile and its possible cardioprotective effect in RA patients. A double blinded placebo controlled clinical trial with 8 weeks follow up periods at which 40 patients with active RA using MTX were randomized into 2 groups to receive either rosuvastatin 10mg or placebo as adjuvant therapy to MTX. In addition to twenty healthy subjects as control group.
... Show MoreDespite extensive investigations, an effective treatment for sepsis remains elusive and a better understanding of the inflammatory response to infection is required to identify potential new targets for therapy. In this study we have used RNAi technology to show, for the first time, that the inducible lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2) plays a key role in macrophage inflammatory gene expression in response to stimulation with bacterial ligands. Using siRNA- or shRNA-mediated knockdown, we demonstrate that, in contrast to the constitutive LPCAT1, LPCAT2 is required for macrophage cytokine gene expression and release in response to TLR4 and TLR2 ligand stimulation but not for TLR-independent stimuli. In addition, cells transfe
... Show MoreMutations in genes encoding proteins necessary for detoxifying oxidative stress products have been predicted to increase susceptibility to lung cancer (LC). Despite this, the association between waterpipe tobacco smoking (WP), genetic polymorphisms, and LC risk remains poorly understood. This is the first study to explore the relationship between WP tobacco smoking and these genetic factors. Previously, we investigated the association of GSTP1 SNPs (rs1695-A/G and rs1138272-C/T) with LC in Iraqi males who smoke WP. Here, we expanded our analysis to include GSTM1 (active/null) and GSTT1 (active/null) genotypes, both individually and in combination with GSTP1 SNPs. Multiplex PCR and RFLP-PCR assays were utilized to determine the genotypes of
... Show MoreThe objective of this study is to determine levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12 and SIL-2R) in pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and also to determine incidence of spontaneous abortion during first trimester in pregnant women with PCOS compared with non-PCOS pregnant women. This Study was performed on (93) women, consisted of: 1- (63) pregnant women during the first trimester, which included:A- (33)PCOS pregnant women and subdivided into the following groups: (20) successful pregnant PCOS, (7) blighted Ovum PCOS and (6) missed abortion PCOS. B- (30) non-PCOS pregnant women, which included: (27) successful pregnant control and (3) non-PCOS pregnant women were withdrawn from this study because of their abortion
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In order to make an improvement associated with rotating biological contactor (RBC), a new design of biofilm reactor called as Rotating perforated disc biological contactor (RPBC) was developed in which the rotating discs are perforated. The transfer of oxygen from air to wastewater was investigated. Mass-transfer coefficient (KLa) in the liquid phase was determined by measuring the rate transfer of oxygen. A laboratory scale of (RPBC) consisted of a semicircular trough was used with a working capacity of 40 liters capacity of liquid. Synthetic wastewater was used as a liquid phase, while air was used as a gas phase.
The effects of m
... Show MoreThere is a correlation between the occurrence of anxiety and the production of inflammatory mediators, and red ginger rhizome is a well-known herbal product with a high content of phenolic and flavonoid compounds that can be used as anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. The aim of study to evaluate the effect of red ginger as antianxiety in mice (Mus musculus) BALB/c strain by measuring levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10. Anxiety model mice were carried out by giving treatment with the Forced Swimming Test (FST) for 7 days then assessed by carrying out the Elevated Plus Maze for Mice (EPM) test for one day. After the treatment, the anxiety mice model was made, followed by administration of red ginger ethanol extract therapy for 14 days.
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