Elevated Interleukin-13 (IL-13) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19, yet, the attenuated response did not notice across all severe cases. Susceptibility to asthma in specific populations is associated with several SNPs of multifunctional cytokines, such as IL-13, IL-31 and IL-33. This prospective case-control study is designed to investigate the extent of genetic susceptibility in subsets of Iraqi patients with COVID-19 by targeting the variants of interleukin IL-13rs20541 polymorphism in relation to disease susceptibility and severity of clinical presentation. One hundred samples were obtained from the throat, nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs enrolled in this study. Eighty samples of the throat, nasopharyngeal and nasal localization swabs were obtained from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (both COVID-19 and non-COVID19 patients), while other 20 nasopharyngeal swabs were included as a healthy control group (AHC). Detection of IL-13rs20541 polymorphism was done by ARMS technique. The frequencies of GG- genotype in ARDS- patients with COVID-19, non-COVID19-, and AHC groups were respectively 14%, 12% and 3%, where, and as compared to the control group, showed a significant increase in COVID-19 patients. The AA- genotype in patients with COVID-19 group, non- COVID-19 group and healthy control group documented the frequency of 9%, 7%, and 14%, respectively, where the frequency decreased in the patient's groups as compared to the AHC group. Finally, and among the studied groups, an increase of AG- genotype (as rate OR=1.89) was documented compared to genotype GG and A-. Genetic polymorphisms in the IL-13rs20541 gene might influence its functions in patients with SARS-associated respiratory tract infection and thus might involve the pathogenicity of patients with COVID-19.
The immune infertility caused by anti-sperm antibodies (ASAs) represented about 10–20% of infertility among the couples. The ASAs interfere with sperm parameters such as sperm motility and sperm ability to penetrate cervical mucus, sperm-oocyte binding, and fertilization and embryo development. Objectives: The present study designed to assess semen analysis, presence of ASAs and DNA fragmentation index as well as correlation within these parameters in normzoospermic Iraqi subjects Patients, Materials, and Methods: A total number of Iraqi subjects (116) with range of age (20-51) years and their mean duration of infertility (4.70 ± 2.77). Seminal fluid for macroscopic and microscopic assessments done according to WHO 2010 criteria. The
... Show MoreBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition among elderly and middle-aged men characterized by symptoms such as dysuria, urinary incontinence, and frequent micturition. The gold standard procedure for relieving BPH symptoms is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). However, some patients undergoing TURP are at risk of developing urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to uropathogenic bacteria. This prospective study aimed to investigate post TURP bacteruria alongside with multifactoria risk factors that implicated postoperatively compared to preoperative and intraoperative periods. Ninety patients undergoing TURP and 30 control subjects were included in the study. Urine specimen for urine analysis from pateints
... Show MoreBackground: The occurrence of seizures in bacterial meningitis is important, as it has been reported to increase the risk of complications; however, its frequency and predictors are not well studied yet. Objective: To assess the frequency, clinical, and biochemical predictors of seizures in children with acute bacterial meningitis. Method: A cross-sectional study recruited confirmed acute bacterial meningitis cases based on positive CSF culture and sensitivity among children aged 2 months to 15 years admitted to the Central Child Teaching Hospital emergency department in Iraq. Patients were divided into two groups based on seizure at presentation time. Demographic characteristics [age, gender, residence, duration of fever and disease, prese
... Show MoreBackground: While warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are used to manage thromboembolic events, they possess several features that impact adherence. Objective: To assess medication adherence and self-efficacy in patients receiving warfarin or DOAC treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at Ibn Al-Bitar Hospital in Baghdad from December 2022 to May 2023 on patients receiving either warfarin or DOACs. The Arabic version of the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS) questionnaire and the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6C) questionnaire were used to assess adherence and self-efficacy. Results: 181 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 56.9% received warfarin an
... Show MoreBackground: The influence of glucose metabolism is seen in many infectious diseases, making diabetic patients more vulnerable to sepsis and other serious sequelae of bacterial invasion such as UTI and vaginitis.Patients and method: sixty two patients (women) were suffering from GUTIs consulting Al-Elwya hospital from November- 2009 to March -2010. Two samples were taken from those patients (urine samples and vaginal swabs); these samples were cultured on Blood, Chocolate, and MacConkey's agar for isolation of bacteria.Results: The study group consists of sixty two women suffering from (GUTI), their ages range from 18-55 years. Thirty eight of them were diabetic women and twenty four of them were non- diabetic women. Twenty t
... Show More
The current research aims to identify the perceptual speed of the university students as well as to identify the differences in the level of perceptual speed for the university students according to the variables of (male, female) specialization (scientific, human) university (Baghdad, Mustansiriya). Additionally, the research aims to identify the prevalence of emotional pattern and to identify the relationship between perceptual speed and the emotional patterns among university students. The researcher designed a questionnaire to measure the Emotional Patterns based on Jerome Freedman perspective. As for perceptual speed, the researcher adopted French, Extrom and Price scale (1963), which was tran
... Show MoreBreast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. The metabolism of iron is closely regulated by hepcidin which exerts its action by interacting with a ferroportin.
The aim of the present study was to assess the alterations in the levels of some serum biomarkers that have a role in iron homeostasis (hepcidin and ferroportin) in addition to hematological parameters (hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelets count) in different stages of BC.
This study included 66 women with BC. The patients were categorized as follows : group 1 includes :22 patients with stage I disease ,group 2 includes: 22 patients with stage II disease ,and group 3 include: 22 patients with stage III disease .Group 4 includes :22 appare
... Show MoreObjectives: Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized with bone mass loss and microstructure, resulting in fragility fractures. Continued secretion of Osteopontin (OPN), osteonectin (ON), osteocalcin (OCN), Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and Ca+2 lead to bone remodeling disorders, followed by bone loss and osteoporosis (OP). The current study aims to investigate the biochemical proteins OPN, OCN, and ON in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and determine whether we could use them as good indicators for OP diagnostics. Materials and Methods: Case- control study carried out between December 2022 and July 2023. OP disease was confirmed among 108 Iraqi postmenopausal women randomly selected from different Iraqi hospitals, B
... Show MoreThe present study aims to investigate the seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection and its relation to some demographic factors among males in Duhok province/Iraq. A total of 424 random blood samples were collected from the male population of different ages (18-60) years and different social-economic classes. Out of 424 samples examined, 108 (25.47%) were seropositive to the anti- T. gondii antibodies; 88 (20.75%) were found seropositive for IgG, while 20 (4.72%) samples were seropositive for IgM. Regarding occupation, the highest percentage for chronic toxoplasmosis was reported in workers followed by policemen and pensioners at rates of 23.96%, 23.6%, and 23.07%, respectively. The age group 18-30 y
... Show MoreBackground: Human teeth considered to be an important etiological host factor in relation to dental caries through its morphology and composition. Elements may incorporate in tooth structure during pre and post-eruptive period changing the resistance for caries. The aims of this study were to determine the concentration of selected major (Calcium and phosphorus) and trace elements (Ferrous iron, nickel, chromium and aluminum) in permanent teeth and enamel among a group of adolescent girls in relation to severity of dental caries Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 25 girls with an age of 13-15 years old referred by Orthodontists for extractions of upper first premolars (two sides). Tooth and enamel samples were prepared for
... Show More