Background. Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of noncicatricial hair loss of unknown cause, affecting 0.1-0.2% of the general population. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that it is disease of the hair follicle of autoimmune nature mediated by T-cells, with important cytokine role. Objective of the Study. The objective of this study is to study the association and changes in serum levels of interleukin-15 (IL-15) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in patients with AA in relation to the type, activity, and disease duration. Patients and Methods. Thirty-eight patients with AA and 22 individuals without the disease as controls were enrolled in this case-controlled study conducted in the Department of Dermatology in the Al-K

Fibroblast growth factors-23 (FGF-23) are a class of cell signaling proteins produced by macrophages. They have a range of roles, but they play a particularly important role in the development of animal cells, where they are essential for appropriate growth. Phosphate, which is found in the body as both organic and mineral phosphate, plays crucial roles in cell structure, communication, and metabolism. Most phosphate in the body resides in bone, teeth, and inside cells, with less than 1% circulating in serum. The aim of the study is to evaluate the levels of the Fibroblast Growth Factors-23 and phosphate and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) in acromegaly patients against healthy control. A case control study Fibroblast Growth Fact

Benign 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

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and sulphur foam added either at direct seeding or at transplanting decreased the effects of nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) on eggplant growth, and improved plant health. Experiments were conducted to study the possible interactions between the Mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mossae and Gigaspora spp.) and sulphur foam to control M. javanica on eggplant at seed or seedling stage. Experiment at seed stage treated with Mycorrhiza or sulphur foam alone or together stimulated the growth and reduced Nematode infestation significantly. Treated plant at seedling stage increased plant growth and reduced the number of galls /gm of root system. The interaction between Mycorrhiza and sulpher foam treatments was not significant

Irinotecan induced-mucositis is an inflammatory event of intestine caused by an increase in concentration of active metabolite 7­ethyl­10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN­38) in the intestine. Irinotecan must first be converted by a carboxylesterase (CES) to the active metabolite (SN­38), which is subsequently glucuronidated by the hepatic enzyme to SN38G. The SN-38G is deconjugated in the intestine to SN-38 via ?-glucuronidase produced by the intestinal bacterial flora, which accounts for SN-38 delayed intestinal mucositis of irinotecan. To study the protective effect of mentha in irinotecan-induced mucositis, intestinal mucositis induced by I.P injection of irinotecan (75mg/Kg/day) for 4 days. Mentha ethanolic extract orally administered to

This study was conducted to study the cytogenetic effect of both alcoholic and water extracts of propolis on mice. Three different samples of propolis were collected from three different regions of Iraq (Najaf, Arbil and Baghdad) to be used in this study. The cytotoxic effect of two different doses of each extracted sample was measured by employing cytogenetic analysis which included (mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations (CAs), micronucleus index (MN) and sperm abnormalities). Results showed that significant increase in MI and significant reduction in MN, CAs and sperm abnormalities percentage were seen after treatment with both alcoholic and water extract of the three samples when compared with negative control, and alcoholic extrac