According to the famous saying of the medieval physician Paracelsus, "There is no substance without poison. Only the dose determines the extent of the toxic effect." Here, the effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) on human health and the risks to the health of its frequent use in the short term was addressed and the long term was evaluated according to the studies of several researchers specializing in this regard. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is known as one of the most popular food additives that classified as a flavor enhancer. Parts of the evidence were reviewed from the literature explaining its effect on immune system cells in addition to metabolic disorders by exposing individuals to obesity and what is known as metabolic syndrome, as w

Background: percutaneous balloon dilation of corotation of aorta is a less invasive and alternative to surgical repair for patients with discrete coaction of aorta and although the used of balloon angioplasty in patients with recurrent postoperative coarctation gained a wide consensus, the use this technique for native coarctation is still controversial in children less one years. 

Objective: to evaluate the immediate and late result of balloon dilation of native coarctation of aorta in infant and children.

Type of the study: A prospective study. 

Subjects & Methods: The study was done on forty-five patients who were referred for cardiac catheterization and balloon

Previous studies in Euro-American countries have shown that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection have increased levels of neuropsychiatric symptoms. While chronic hepatitis C virus infection has been reported in Arab countries such as Iraq, there is little studies about the neuropsychological burden associated with chronic hepatitis C among patients in the Arab region. The aim of the current study was to measure the prevalence and level of severity of depression, anxiety and stress among a sample of chronic hepatitis C patients in AL-Najaf province /Iraq. The current study was cross-sectional study carried out on (110) already diagnosed chronic viral hepatitis C patients who attended the Gastroenterology and Hepatology

ABSTRACT Background: The main goal of chemomechanical endodontic treatment is the reduction or elimination of microorganisms from root canal system. The intracanal medicaments were used to enhance the disinfection process. This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial effect of thymus vulgaris, tea tree essential oils and cold pressed black seed oil (BSO) against E.faecalis. Materials and methods: E.faecalis was isolated from ten patients in need for endodontic treatment. The sensitivity of E.faecalis to the tested oils was evaluated in different concentrations in agar well diffusion method and compared with calcium hydroxide. The sensitivity of E.faecalis to vapor of the tested oils was also evaluated, in disk vaporization method

Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Magnesium, Manganese, Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, Vanadium and Germanium were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) in blood serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, (30) patients (14male and 16female) with age range (37-60) years compared with normal tensive control. The analysis of results showed that the mean value of concentration (Magnesium,  Manganese and Nickel) were significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to that of healthy, while the mean levels of serum (Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Chromium, Iron, Cobalt and Germanium) were significantly lower than controls. There were no significant changes in overall mean concentration of serum Vanadium in patients

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the spine and sacroiliac joints. Since the copper-to-zinc ratio (Cu/Zn) indicates an inflammatory response, the change in ratio is expected to correlate with axSpA. This study compared levels of Cu/Zn in the serum of axSpA patients. Serum samples were obtained from 53 patients with axSpA divided according to biological treatment into cohorts A and B, and 28 healthy control as cohort C. Serum levels of Cu and Zn were determined first by a fully automated chemistry analyzer TC-Matrix Plus, then the ratio was obtained. The elevated serum Cu concentration means of cohort B (189.32 ± 13.808 µg/dL) compared to cohort A (168.85 ± 7.244 µg/dL) a

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is caused of 85% of all lung cancers. Among the most important factors for lung tumor growth and proliferation are the tyrosine kinase receptors that coded by the epidermal growth factor recep-tor (EGFR) gene. Activation of EGFR ultimately leads to developing of lung cancer. The present study was undertaken with an objective to detect EGFR mutations in bronchial wash from Iraqi patients with NSCLC before treatment. Methods: DNA was extracted from bronchial wash samples collected from 50 patients with NSCLC by using a Qiamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Then, EGFR mutations were determined by using real-time RCR combined with two technologies, Amplification Refractory Mutation System (

Human resistin is an adipokine, with a possible link to coronary heart disease.A few studies were done about resistin in acute phase of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) especially in Iraqi patients. Accordingly we design a study to investigate the association between resistin concentration and acute phase of STEMI in Iraqi patients.

The present study was carried out at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from December 2011 until June 2012. Serum resistin levels were measured in 50 patients with acute STEMI (mean age: 58.16 ± 11.73 years) at the first 12 hours of admission and 34 normal controls (mean age: 53.98 ± 15.46 years) matched for age, sex and other risk factors.

 Resistin level in patients wi

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is caused of 85% of all lung cancers. Among the most important factors for lung tumor growth and proliferation are the tyrosine kinase receptors that coded by the epidermal growth factor recep-tor (EGFR) gene. Activation of EGFR ultimately leads to developing of lung cancer. The present study was undertaken with an objective to detect EGFR mutations in bronchial wash from Iraqi patients with NSCLC before treatment. Methods: DNA was extracted from bronchial wash samples collected from 50 patients with NSCLC by using a Qiamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Then, EGFR mutations were determined by using real-time RCR combined with two technologies, Amplification Refractory Mutation System (

Materials recycling has a significant economic and environmental impact; as a result, steel, aluminium, plastic, and other recyclable materials have been pushed for use in construction materials. One of these recyclable materials is the crumb rubber, has been considered as a pavement component. The general behaviour of the composite rubber-hot mix asphalt system would be varied from that of the conventional rubber free mix. In this review, desirable characteristics of hot mix asphalt are highlighted first. Also, effect of gradation and the main types of rubber are specified. Afterward, many studies that considered the crumb rubber as a waste product and its associated mixture and modifiers are reviewed. The factors affect the crumb