BACKGROUND: Diffuse astrocytomas constitute the largest group of primary malignant human intracranial tumours. They are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) into three histological malignancy grades: diffuse astrocytomas (grade II), anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III) and glioblastoma (grade IV) based on histopathological features such as cellular atypia, mitotic activity, necrosis and microvascular proliferation. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a 170-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor expressed in a variety of normal and malignant cells regulating critical cellular processes. When activated, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) triggers several signalling cascades leading to increased proliferation and angiogenesis and decreased apoptosis and hence associated with aggressive progression of the tumour. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) level is known to be a strong indicator associated with the aggressive behaviour of the tumour and acts as a prognostic factor for evaluating the survival rate. AIM: To evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in different grades of astrocytoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded astrocytic tumours of 44 patients were collected from the archival material of pathology department of Ghazi Al Hariri Teaching Hospital during the period from June to December 2018. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were used to characterise the tumours histologically based on cellularity, nuclear hyperchromasia, polymorphism, mitotic activity, vascular proliferation and necrosis with or without pseudopallisading of tumour cells. Diagnosis and grading of astrocytic tumours in this study were made according to WHO criteria (2016). Using a monoclonal antibody to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and immunohistochemical analysis, the expression and distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor in astrocytic tumours were examined. RESULTS: The study included 1 case pilocytic astrocytoma (grade I), 20 cases diffuse astrocytoma (grade II), 5 cases anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III) and 18 cases of glioblastoma (grade IV). Expression of EGFR was found in 38.88% of the glioblastoma samples (grade IV). However, none of the astrocytomas of WHO grades I, II and III showed immunoreactivity for EGFR protein. Different patterns of immunoreactive cells and significant intratumor heterogeneity of EGFR expression were observed in glioblastomas. CONCLUSION: The immunohistochemical expression of Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was restricted only to high-grade astrocytic tumours, namely glioblastoma, thus may use to predict glioblastoma.
The calculation of the charge on an isolated dust grain immersed in plasma with different grain sizes is a challenging one, especially under moderately high plasma temperature when secondary electron emission significant. The discrete charging model is used to calculate the charges of dust grain in dusty plasma. In this model, we included the effect of grain size dependence on secondary electron emission. The results show that the secondary electron emission from the glass dust grains due to energetic electron (40eV) can lead to the small grain to be slightly more positive than the large grain. Under these conditions, the smaller and larger grains would be attracted rather than repelled, which possibly lead to enhanced coagulation rates.
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevesiae as a growth promoting agent in tomato. Soaking the seeds in yeast suspension at 5 g/L for 12h increased germination percentage, root length, root fresh and dry weight, plant height, foliage fresh and dry weight, attained 88.5% ; 8.1 cm ; 84.3 mg ; 7.03 mg ; 10.75 cm ; 839 mg and 37.75 mg compared with 80% ; 5.33 cm ; 39 mg ; 4.8 mg ; 7.35 cm ; 608 mg and 25.5 mg in seedlings grown from non treated seeds respectively. Similar results were obtained with seedling from seeds soaked in S. cerevesiae filtrate for 12 hrs. with values of 77.5% ; 6.875 cm ; 91.5 mg ; 7.5 mg ; 9.5 cm ; 777 mg and 40.35 mg compared to 66% ; 5.8 cm ; 57.7 mg ; 5.03 mg ; 5.9 cm ; 493 mg
... Show MoreThe major mortality factor for women globally is breast cancer, and current treatments have several adverse effects. Hesperetin (HSP) is a flavone that occurs naturally with anti-tumor capabilities and has been investigated as a potential treatment for cancer. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic and anti-malignant potential of HSP on breast cancer cells (BT-474) and normal cells (MCF-10a). The results indicated that HSP has dose-dependent cytotoxicity in BT-474 and MCF-10a cells. The elevated concentration of HSP lowered cell viability and proliferation. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of HSP in BT-
Transgenic plants offer advantages for the manufacture of recombinant proteins with terminal
mannose residues on their glycan chains. So plants are chosen as source of pharmaceutical products and for
the development of alternative expression systems to produce recombinant lysosomal enzymes. In the
present study the sequence of the natural cDNA encoding for the human lysosomal enzyme
glucocerebrosidase (GCD) was modified to enhance its expression in soybean plants. The glucocerebrosidase
gene signal peptide was substituted with that signal peptide for the Arabidopsis thaliana basic endochitinase
gene to support the co-translational translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and the storage
vacuol
Proteus mirabilis isolates have been intensively researched for their capacity to cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) and their swarming motility, although little is known about this phenomenon. Probiotic Lactobacillus species, which are beneficial bacteria, are being studied worldwide as therapeutic and preventative agents against bacterial infections. This study investigated Lactobacillus supernatants as a potential new treatment against Proteus mirabilis. In addition to testing their antimicrobial and anti-swarming activities, the research also aimed to understand the genetic mechanisms behind the observed phenotypic changes. Methods. A total of 150 urine specimens were collected from UTI patients at various hospitals in Baghdad. Dire
... Show MoreThe capacity factor is the main factor in assessing the efficiency of wind Turbine. This paper presents a procedure to find the optimal wind turbine for five different locations in Iraq based on finding the highest capacity factor of wind turbine for different locations. The wind data for twelve successive years (2009-2020) of five locations in Iraq are collected and analyzed. The longitudes and latitudes of the candidate sites are (44.3661o E, 33.3152o N), (47.7738o E, 30.5258o N), (45.8160o E, 32.5165o N), (44.33265o E, 32.0107o N) and (46.25691o E, 31.0510o N) for Baghdad, Basrah, Al-Kut, Al-Najaf, and Al-Nasiriyah respectively. The average wind velocity, standard deviation, Weibull shape and scale factors, and probability density functi
... Show MoreBackground: Healing of a tooth extraction socket is a complex process involving tissue repair and regeneration. It involves chemotaxis of appropriate cells into the wound, Transformation of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells to osteoprogenitor cells, proliferation and differentiation of committed bone forming cells, extracellular matrix synthesis, mineralization of osteoid, maturation and remodeling of bone. These cellular events are precisely controlled and regulated by specific signaling molecules. Some of these like transforming growth factor beta (TGF-?), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) and insulin like growth factors (IGF) are well conserved proteins involved in the initial response to injur
... Show MoreBackground: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a genetically heterogeneous leukemia characterized by abnormal myeloid blast accumulation, disrupting normal hematopoiesis and leading to rapid progression. Objective: To investigate SNPs within the 3’UTR of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPA) gene and its association with AML in Iraqi patients. Methods: The study was carried out on 120 AML patients classified into newly diagnosed, induction chemotherapy, and consolidation chemotherapy stages (40 each), and 40 individuals as a control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from AML patients and controls, followed by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of the 3’UTR region of the CEBPA gene. The AML patients were characterized
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