Metabolic dysregulation and obesity are associated with many metabolic alterations, including impairment of insulin sensitivity and dyslipidemia. Recent studies highlight the key role of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate-dependent Rac exchange proteins (PREX proteins) in the pathogenesis of obesity, advocating further elucidation of their potential therapeutic implications. The present study aimed to estimate the serum level of PREX proteins and its potential association with insulin resistance markers and plasma lipids level in obese and overweight non-diabetic patients. The study included 30 persons classified as obese, 30 as overweight, and 30 healthy individuals of similar age and gender. The levels of PREX1 and PREX2 were

          Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic diseases attributed to lack of insulin secretion, insulin activity, or both. The most serious medical problems in hyperglycemia is diabetic nephropathy (DN), originating from the aggregation of inflammatory cells in high numbers. Chitinase 3 like 1 protein (CH3L1P) is a new biomarker for chronic and severe inflammatory conditions. It has been suggested to have a role in the progress of diabetes-associated micro and macro-vascular complications. This paper aims to measure CH3L1P levels and examine their correlation with albuminuria levels in Iraqi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our study involved 66 T2DM patients

Opportunistic fungal infections due to the immune- compromised status of renal transplant patients are related to high rates of morbidity and mortality regardless of their minor incidence. Delayed in identification of invasive fungal infections (IFIs), will lead to delayed treatment and results in high mortality in those populations. The study aimed to assess the frequency of invasive fungal infection in kidney transplant recipients by conventional and molecular methods. This study included 100 kidney transplant recipients (KTR) (75 males, and 25 females), collected from the Centre of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation in the Medical City of Baghdad. Blood samples were collected during the period from June 2018 to April 2019. Twent

Background: The main purpose of this study is to find if there is any correlation between the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in gingival crevicular fluid with its serum level in chronic periodontitis patients and to explore the differences between them according to the probing depth. Materials and methods: Forty seven male subjects enrolled in this study. Thirty males with chronic periodontitis considered as study group whom further subdivided according to probing depth into subgroup 1 with pocket depth ≤6mm, subgroup 2 with pocket depth >6mm. The other 17 subjects considered as controls. For all subjects, clinical examination where done for periodontal parameters plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP),

Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving  Rituximab intravenous i

Background: In recent years, the multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli has increased in urinary tract infections (UTIs). One of the highly distributed chromosomally encoded traits of resistance is efflux pump. The current study aimed to investigate the most common members of 5 classes of efflux pumps among uropathogenic E. coil isolates.

Methodology: E. coli isolates were isolated using conventional bacteriology tests   and confirmed by the uidA gene. An antibiotic susceptibility test has been done against 25 antibiotics using disc diffusion method. Efflux pump genes have been examined via polymerase chain reaction. Biofilm formation was investigated by a

The locus of enterocyte effacement LEE-encoded regulator (Ler( is a global regulator of multiple virulence genes expression in the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), including those encoding the type III secretion pathway and adhesion proteins such as intimin. Ler is central to the process of the formation of the attaching and effacing (AE) lesions. This study aimed to perform the molecular detection of Ler gene in EPEC, since there is no related previous study in Iraq. Two hundred and fifty stool specimens from children under two years of age for both sexes were collected from some Iraqi hospitals. All isolates were diagnosed according to morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. The results showed th