Immunological genes, including TLR3 and RIG-I, have recently been established to have linked to predisposition to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its severity. The purpose of this case-control study (100 recovered COVID 19 cases and 100 healthy individuals) was to determine the role of gender, age, TLR3 and RIG-I genes in COVID-19 aggressiveness. TLR3 and RIG-I gene expression was detected using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). COVID-19 infection intensity increased with age and no statistical difference between males and females (p>0.05) was found. TLR3 and RIG-I gene expression levels were higher in patients compared to hea

The typical test for diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, but the chest CT scan might play a complementary role at the first detection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Objectives: To determine the sensitivity of CT scan on patients with COVID-19 in Al-Najaf, Iraq, and to compare the accuracy of CT scan with that of RT-PCR technique. Material and Method: This is a prospective study. The patients suspicious of having COVID-19 infection and respiratory symptoms were registered. All patients were diagnosed by RT-PCR and chest CT. Diagnostic performance of CT was intended using RT-PCR as the reference sta

Background: Occupational exposure to hazardous drugs occurs in all aspects of anticancer drug handling. Proper recommendations and guidelines should be applied to control and reduce exposure. Objective: To assess pharmacists' knowledge and practice regarding the safe handling of anticancer drugs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at seven major hospitals in Baghdad City, Iraq, from December 2023 to February 2024. A pre-designed questionnaire was given to pharmacists who handled anticancer drugs in chemotherapy units. The questionnaire comprises sociodemographic data, knowledge of the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and thoughts about exposure and risk, practices for safely handling cytotoxic drugs, and challenges for s

Background: Despite the importance of vaccines in preventing COVID-19, the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines is lower among RA patients than in the general population. Objective: To determine the extent of COVID-19 knowledge among RA patients and their attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenology approach was performed through face-to-face, individual-based, semi-structured interviews in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, rheumatology unit. A convenient sample of RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was included until the point of saturation. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Twenty-five RA pa

The coronavirus-pandemic has a major impact on women's-mental and physical-health. Polycystic-ovary-syndrome (PCOS) has a high-predisposition to many cardiometabolic-risk factors that increase susceptibility to severe complications of COVID-19 and also exhibit an increased likelihood of subfertility. The study includes the extent of the effect of COVID-19-virus on renin-levels, glutathione-s-transferase-activity and other biochemical parameters in PCOS-women. The study included 120 samples of ladies that involved: 80 PCOS-patients, and 40 healthy-ladies. Both main groups were divided into subgroups based on COVID-19 infected or not. Blood-samples were collected from PCOS-patients in Kamal-Al-Samara Hospital, at the period between Decembe

The study deals with an analysis of the contents of the publications of the campaign (Together to defeat Corona), which was established by the United Nations Development Program in Iraq in the face of the Covid 19 virus.The research problem raises a main question:What are the implications of the campaign (Together to defeat Corona) of the United Nations Development Program (Iraq office) in addressing the Covid-19 virus in Iraq?From this main question, several sub-questions emerged, which were answered by this study in its chapters and investigations, including regarding the contents of advertisements, photos and videos for the publications of the (Together to Defeat Corona) campaign for the United Nations Iraq Office on their Facebook pageA

 This study attempts to address the importance of communicative digitization in the field of various arts for the sake of continuity of shopping and aesthetic, artistic and intellectual appreciation of artistic achievements by the recipient on various places of their residence in light of the COVID 19 crisis, and to highlight the importance of the plastic arts of the Iraqi painter exclusively and how it expresses in a contemporary way the environment or life reality in Iraq in light of this crisis. With all its implications affecting the life reality from various aspects and methods of its negative and positive employment. As for the research procedures, the researcher reviewed the research methodology represented by the descriptive ana

This study examines the opportunity presented by the COVID-19 pandemic for city planners and leaders to learn from the crisis and build resilient cities with long-term societal, economic, and environmental resilience against future disasters. The research focuses on the relationship between urban planning and policies and the extent of their resilience, particularly in response to pandemic-related disasters. The study evaluates the ability of the city of Baghdad to respond to the pandemic and identifies gaps in its resilience. The study uses the scorecard measurement instrument to examine the disaster resilience of cities, with a focus on governance and financial capability, disaster planning and preparedness, and disaster response