Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune disorders, generated by a production of specific autoantibodies against self-antigens before the occurrence of clinical symptoms. The etiology of disease is still unknown, although there have been several infectious agents that have been associated with SLE development, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Herpes simplex virus-I and -II (HSV-I and -II) and Toxoplasma gondiiare two infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in SLE etiology. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti- HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 64 SLE female patients and 32 healthy control women. The patients were distributed into two equal subgroups (32 cases in each subgroup); the first included patients with arthritis, while the second group involved patients that have renal complications (nephritis). In both subgroups of SLE patients, there was no evidence for sero-positive cases for anti-HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii antibodies, and all studied patients were sero-negative for theseantibodies. These results may suggest that HSV-I and -II and T. gondii infections have no role in SLE etiology.
Adhesion (type 1 fimbriae) and host defense avoidance mechanisms (capsule or lipopolysaccharide) have been shown to be prevalent in Escherichia coli isolates associated with urinary tract infections. In this work, 50 uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolated from children with urinary tract infections were genotypically characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. We used two genes; fimH and kpsMTII, both of them previously identified in uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC) isolates. The PCR assay results identified fimH (90.0)% and kpsMTII (72.0)% isolates. In the present study, was also demonstrated that these genes may be included in both or one of them within a single isolate.
Background: Insulin resistance is present in 50% or more of patients with primary hypothyroidism. Metformin can decrease TSH levels in these patients by a complex matter, this can be of great help in clinical practice.
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of metformin in reducing TSH levels in patients with primary hypothyroidism.
Methods: Hundred patients with primary hypothyroidism, 82 females, 18 males were included in this study, everyone was followed up for two months after adding metformin 850 mg twice daily in addition to thyroxin.
Results: 36 patients (36%) have a normal baseline TSH and no change after 2 months, 64 pa
... Show MoreCharge transfer complex formation method has been applied for the spectrophotometric determination of erythromycin ethylsuccinate, in bulk sample and dosage form. The method was accurate, simple, rapid, inexpensive and sensitive depending on the formed charge- transfer complex between cited drug and, 2,3- Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p- benzoquinone (DDQ) as a chromogenic reagent. The formed complex shows absorbance maxima at 587 nm against reagent blank. The calibration graph is linear in the ranges of (10 - 110) μg.mL-1 with detection limit of 0.351μg.mL-1. The results show the absence of interferences from the excipients on the determination of the drug. Therefore the proposed method has been successfully applied for the determination of eryth
... Show MoreKE Sharquie, HA Hassan, AA Noaimi, IRAQI JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE, 2010
Human Adenosine deaminase is an essential enzyme for modulating the bioactivity of thyroid hormones, and It is important for the maturation and differentiation of lymphocytes, although its clinical importance in thyroid diseases have yet to be identified. Objective: The aim of the current study is to determine the Adenosine deaminase concentration in healthy controls, and in autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Graves' Disease, and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Patients and methods: A total of 183 serum specimens of 103 female patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases and 80 healthy control groups were included in this study and collected from the Baghdad Medical City, Iraq. Quantitative Human Adenosine Deaminase ELISA kits were used to estimate
... Show MoreA colorectal polyp (CRP) is a growth on the lining of the colon or rectum. The incidence of CRPs is rapidly increasing with age. They are most often benign. The rectum is the most commonly affected site.
To determine the incidence, clinical presentation, and histopathologic types of CRP in Iraqi patients.
It is a cross-sectional screening study conducted in the medical c
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a widespread, yet often overlooked, parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania protozoan, which is prevalent in numerous countries, including Iraq. This condition is marked by the appearance of skin lesions on various exposed areas of the body. In most old-world regions, sodium stibogluconate (SSG) is the classical widely used drug to treat CL. The progression of skin ulceration is controlled by different inflammatory modulators including cytokines and enzymes. In this study, the possible role of the enzyme Matrix metalloproteinase9 (MMP-9) and its inhibitor Metallopeptidase inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) as immunological markers was evaluated in CL patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis before and aft
... Show MoreABSTRACT Background: Dental anomalies of teeth are major issue that contributes to dental problems encountered in general practice. The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of dental anomalies and the associated etiological factors among 15 years old students in Basrah city –Iraq. Materials and methods: The total sample composed of 1000 students (435 males and 565 females) from urban area selected randomly from different high schools in the city. Diagnosis of dental anomalies were recorded by present or absent, diagnosis and recording of enamel defects were done according to the criteria of WHO (1997). Results: The prevalence of hypodontia was 4.6%, Females have higher prevalence than males (5.8% females and 3.0% males), ta
... Show MoreBackground Many antidiabetic medications with distinct modes of action are available, The sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are among the most recent oral antihyperglycemic medications. The American Diabetes Association recommends metformin, a biguanide medication, as the first option for oral control of type 2 diabetes because it has demonstrated promise in this regard. Aim of the study To evaluate and compare the effects of metformin and SGLT-2 inhibitors on general urine parameters in T2DM patients from Iraq. Method a prospective cohort study where 101 adult patients of both sexes aged under 70 years and newly diagnosed with T2DM, patients were divided into two groups, Metformin group (n=52), where metformin was p
... Show MoreIn the framework of this study, the phenomenon of transfer is probed pragma-linguistically and socio-linguistically concerning marriage situations among Iraqi EFL learners. The study also strives to look at the refusal strategies most commonly employed by Iraqi female English as a foreign Language (EFL) learners compared to their counterparts, American native speakers of English. The study involved 70 female participants who answered a Discourse Completion Task (DCT), which contained ten marriage proposals to be refused. Each situation entailed refusal of a person from a higher, an equal, and lower status. The researchers adapted Beebe, Takahashi, and Uliss Weltz’s (1990) taxonomy of refusal for analyzing the data comprehensively.
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