BACKGROUND: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a proangiogenic factor that exerts different effects over stem cell survival growth, apoptosis, and adhesion. Its impact on leukemogenesis has been established by many studies. AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of plasma HGF activity on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients at presentation and after remission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional prospective study of 30 newly-diagnosed, adult, and AML patients. All patients received the 7+3 treatment protocol. Patients’ clinical data were taken at presentation, and patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the clinical status. Plasma HGF levels were estimated by ELISA based methods in the patients at two intervals first at diagnosis and the 2nd time after remission of disease. Plasma HGF levels were only measured once in twenty healthy control individuals. RESULTS: A statistically significant lowering in the median levels of HGF after remission induction therapy has been found when compared with those before treatment (p = 0.006) and in the group of patients who achieved complete remission in comparison with those before treatment (p = 0.005). Furthermore, a significant reduction was also demonstrated after treatment in patients presenting with extramedullary involvement (p = 0.003) and in the alive group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Plasma HGF estimation can be a useful parameter in predicting treatment outcomes in patients with AML, and it can add potentially useful information to risk stratification parameters.
Background: Despite the importance of vaccines in preventing COVID-19, the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines is lower among RA patients than in the general population. Objective: To determine the extent of COVID-19 knowledge among RA patients and their attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenology approach was performed through face-to-face, individual-based, semi-structured interviews in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, rheumatology unit. A convenient sample of RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was included until the point of saturation. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Twenty-five RA pa
... Show MoreBack ground: Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs), although are rare, are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive system. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is associated with the malignant potential of several types of carcinomas.
Patients, material, and methods: This is a retrospective study including thirty two randomly selected cases of GISTs collected from the pathology laboratory of the gastroenterology and hepatology teaching hospital and from private laboratories from the period January 2010 to December 2013. VEGF immunohistochemical marker was applied to the tumor tissue sections to evaluate its expression and to correlate it with other parameters.Objectives<
... Show MoreHypothyroidism has been associated with disorders of glucose and insulin metabolism..The present study was designed to evaluate the possible change in some hormones (free testosterone, estradiol, prolactin, insulin), glucose and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in women with primary hypothyroidism under thyroid hormone replacement therapy .This cross-sectional study was carried on 62 hypothyroid patients׳ women and 22 healthy women as control group at the specialized center for endocrinology and diabetes, AL-Rasafa Directorate of Health Baghdad, with age range(15-60 years), diagnosed as having primary hypothyroidism on thyroxine replacement therapy with duration not less than four months.
... Show MoreBackground In rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints on both sides of your body. Other parts of the body may also be affected. Unsure of the exact cause. Two separate genes termed IL12A (p35) and IL12 encode the heterodimeric cytokine known as IL12 (p40). Several different hematopoietic cell types can have several different hematopoietic cell types that can generate antigen-presenting cells (APCs), including DCs and macrophages. Objectives This study aimed to investigate if the interleukin IL-12B gene's common polymorphisms in an Iraqi population were associated with RA. Material and methods Blood samples were taken from 70 Iraqi patients with RA illnesses and 30 Iraqi controls during the periods from
... Show MoreSerum samples were obtained from patients suffering from chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) disease. They were divided into three groups; 20 patients with RA taking biological treatment Etanercept (Enbrel), 20 patients with RA not taking biological treatment (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug) and 10 people as healthy control group. The ages of these patients and control group were between 46-50 years old; one male and 19 female in each group. The samples were used for measuring the levels of Interleukin (IL)-1 Beta and Interleukin-10 using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique. Both interleukins were at their highest levels in the group of RA patients treated with biological treatment followed by the RA patients group that
... Show MoreThis paper presents a study (experimentally) for strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) beams with Near-Surface-Mounted (NSM) technique. The use of this technique with CFRP strips or rebars is an efficient technology for increasing the strength for flexure and shear or for repairing damaged reinforced concrete (RC) members. The objective of this research is to study, experimentally, RC beams either repaired or strengthened with NSM CFRP strips and follow their flexural behavior and failure modes. NSM-CFRP strips were used to strengthen three RC beam specimens, one of them was initially strengthened and tested up to failure. Four beam specimens have been initially subjected to preloading to 50% and 80% of ultimate load. Two of the sp
... Show MoreThe problem of slow learning in primary schools’ pupils is not a local or private one. It is also not related to a certain society other than others or has any relation to a particular culture, it is rather an international problem of global nature. It is one of the well-recognized issues in education field. Additionally, it is regarded as one of the old difficulties to which ancient people gave attention. It is discovered through the process of observing human behaviour and attempting to explain and predict it.
Through the work of the two researchers via frequent visits to primary schools that include special classes for slow learning pupils, in addition to the fact that one of the researcher has a child with slow learning issue, t
After the success of the reforms Keynesian save the capitalist system from collapse and to apply the concepts of state intervention in economic activity in order to revive aggregate demand to achieve the purposes of macro-economic policies which draw their scope of economic (John Keynes) theory of effective demand, which created the new role of the state away from the classical concepts. Valley transmission role of the State of (State Guardian) to the process of state overlapping that increased and social functions have become responsible for raising the standard of living of classes with limited incomes, in particular, and the rest of the classes in general, through the expansion of the delivery of public servic
... Show MoreThis present study demonstrated that liver was involved in 14 %of typhoid patients manifesting with hepatomegaly. Elevation of serum enzymes in typhoid fever was presumably of a muscular origin, while elevation of liver enzyme was relatively less common. This study was performed on 30 female patients diagnosed by ultrasound (US) of abdomen, with paratyphoid A, ranged between (20-40) years compared with 30 healthy control .Patients volunteers were treated with appropriate antibiotics for 14 days and investigations were repeated 2-3 week after completion of treatment. Patients had clinical and biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction. The spectrum of hepatic involvement included hepatomegaly , jaundice, derangement of various hepatic func
... Show MoreThis present study demonstrated that liver was involved in 14 %of typhoid patients manifesting with hepatomegaly. Elevation of serum enzymes in typhoid fever was presumably of a muscular origin, while elevation of liver enzyme was relatively less common. This study was performed on 30 female patients diagnosed by ultrasound (US) of abdomen, with paratyphoid A, ranged between (20-40) years compared with 30 healthy control .Patients volunteers were treated with appropriate antibiotics for 14 days and investigations were repeated 2-3 week after completion of treatment. Patients had clinical and biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction. The spectrum of hepatic involvement included hepa
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