BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is influenced by genetic and epigenetic factors, including miR-155, which affects immune cell and virus functions and laboratory biomarkers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluates miR-155’s role as a biomarker for SARS-CoV-2 detection and monitoring, examining its significance in identifying infection in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals using ROC curve analysis. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 70 patients who attended Medical City Hospital in Baghdad from June 2022 to April 2023 and were determined to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 (35 patients were hospitalized at the Intensive Care Units due to the severity of their symptoms while the other 35 were left in the hospit

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of Nd:YAG laser shock processing (LSP) on micro-hardness and surface roughness of 86400Cu-Zn alloy. X-ray fluorescence technique was used to analyze the chemical composition of this alloy. LSP treatment was performed with a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm. The results show that laser shock processing can significantly increase. The micro-hardness and surface roughness of the LSP-treated sample. Vickers diamond indenter was used to measure the micro-hardness of all samples with different laser pulse energy and the different number of laser pulses. It is found that the metal hardness can be significantly increased to more than 80% by increasing the laser energy and t

Background:Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive, chronic inflammatory illness with an unclear etiology that explicitly targets the vertebral column, peripheral joints, and extraarticular tissues. The purpose of this research was to investigate if the existence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene at positions -1031T/C (rs199964), -857C/T (rs1799724) and -806C/T (rs4248158) in a sample of Iraqi AS patients could influence the patients' outcomes with etanercept.

Methods:Sixty patients with established AS receiving only etanercept were selected to enroll in this study, with a mean age of 40.75±8.6

A new series of Fe (III) , Co (II) , Ni (II) and Cu (II) complexes of the Schiff base, 5 (2-hydroxy benzylidine) -2-thio ether -1, 3, 4-thiadiazole were prepared and characterized .The imine behaves as a bidentate. The nature of bonding and the stereochemistry of the complexes were deduced from metal analyses, infrared, electronic spectra,magnetic susceptibility and conductivity measurements, an octahedral geometry was suggested for all complexes except the copper complex has a square planar geometry .preliminary in vitro tests for antimicrobial activity show that all the prepared compounds except iron complex display good activity to gram positive Staphelococcus aures and gram negative Escherchia coli.

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare the color changes between the bonded middle third and the unbonded gingival and incisal thirds, fallowing fixed orthodontic treatment Material and method: The color parameter l, a, b has been recorded for each thirds in upper anterior teeth by mean of easy shad device. The has been calculated for gingival, middle and incisal thirds for the upper anterior teeth in 34 patient, 17 males and 17femals, those subject undergone fixed orthodontic treatment Results: The in middle bonded third is highly significant higher than that in incise and gingival thirds p<0.01 because the middle third isn’t expose to oral fluid and dental brushing since it covered by the bracket. Also there

Background: Imprelon® Biostar foils are new alternative tray material that has become increasingly popular because oftheir several advantages. Also, (Duran®) is another type of Biostar foils which is used in splint therapy. This study assessed some mechanical properties of these two types Biostar sheets in comparison with some types of acrylic resins used for construction of trays and splints. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 specimens were prepared, 30 specimens for each test, 10 for each group material in order to assess some mechanical properties of the Imprelon® Biostar foil (dimension stability, surface roughness and shear bond strength of Imprelon® materialto zinc oxide impression material) and compare them to that of the oth

Aluminum oxide thin films were prepared by dc reactive sputtering technique using different mixing ratios of argon and oxygen gases (90:10, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 10:90). These films were characterized to introduce their crystalline structures, surface morphology, and elemental composition. A progressive transition occurs from a predominantly amorphous to a highly crystalline Al2O3 film as the oxygen content in the Ar:O2 gas mixture is increased. Increasing the oxygen content leads to a progressive decrease in surface roughness, resulting in smoother and more uniform films with finer granular features. The oxygen-rich environments yield the smoothest surfaces, while argon-rich environments result in significantly rougher surfaces. These f

Background: The purposes of this study were to determine the photogrammetric soft tissue facial profile measurements for Iraqi adults sample with class II div.1 and class III malocclusion using standardized photographic techniques and to verify the existence of possible gender differences. Materials & methods: Seventy five Iraqi adult subjects, 50 class II div.1 malocclusion (24 males and 26 females), 25 class III malocclusion (14 males and 11 females), with an age range from 18-25 years. Each individual was subjected to clinical examination and digital standardized right side photographic records were taken in the natural head position. The photographs were analyzed using AutoCAD program 2007 to measure the distances and angles used in t