Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases which occurs as a result of unknown reasons. This study was conducted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital/City of Medicine, where blood samples were taken from 60 Iraqi patients with RA (49 females and 11 males) and these patients were matched by age and sex with 20 healthy controls (16 females and 4 males). Patients with RA were diagnosed by a consultant rheumatologist according to ACR / EULAR criteria in 2010. In this study the patients were divided into four groups as follows; the first group consisted of 12 patients treated with methotrexate (MTX), the second group consisted of 10 patients treated with etanercept, the third group consisted of 18 patients treated with a combination of MTX, etanercept and prednisolone, the fourth group consisted of 20 patients treated with MTX and etanercept. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect CCL18/PARC antibodies, while a spectrophotometer (Humalyzer2000) was used for the measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Serum levels of CCL18 / PARC showed a significant increase in RA patients compared with healthy controls (p ≤ 0.001). The levels of CCL18/PARC showed a significant correlation with disease activity (CDAI), except in RA patients treated with etanercept. There was also no significant correlation between CCL18/PARC and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The results showed a significant increase in serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was recorded in RA patients (with treatment) as compared to healthy controls (p ≤ 0.001).
Background: The posterior slope of the articular eminence of completely edentulous patients compared to patients with maintained occlusion shows significant flattening. This study aimed to correlate between the flattening of the posterior slope of the articular eminence, with dental status, age, genders, on both sides using computed tomography. Materials and Methods: The sample of the present study was a total of 117 Iraqi subjects, who admitted to the maxillofacial department at Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital in Al-Najaf city. The examination was performed on CT scanner; the eminence inclination was measured in two methods using sagittal section. Results: Clinically, the inclination of articular eminence was higher in edentulous subjects than i
... Show Morethe energy that a radiation source emits as light (photons), electromagnetic waves, or particles is known as radiation. X-ray is one type of ionizing radiation that falls within the electromagnetic wave category of short wavelengths. Because of their short wavelength. X-ray is a type of ionizing radiation that is used in a constantly growing number of diagnostic procedures. X-ray diagnostic imaging has been employed in the medical field for more than a century(Hariyoto et al., 2020). Radiation has advantages for human health, but there is also a risk. the impacts of Radiation on Fertility it is an oligospermia, or a reduction in the number of sperm cells, which is already possible after radiation exposure of 0.15 mGy. It Leads to impede
... Show MoreBackground Type two diabetes (T2DM) is characterized by insufficient insulin production and secretion. Additionally, the body develops insulin resistance which affects 90–95% of diabetics. Complex cytokines, receptors, genetic pathways, and the immune system are involved in T2DM. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is one of the inflammatory cytokines associated with Type 2 diabetes. Environmental and genetic variables, including genetic polymorphisms, can increase T2DM risk and its consequences. Single nucleotide gene polymorphisms (SNPs) are important risk factors for diabetes that can be used to find the disease early and treat it better. Objective This study aimed to determine the levels of IL-18 in the serum of Iraqi patients with Type 2 diabetes
... Show MoreIt is commonly known that Euler-Bernoulli’s thin beam theorem is not applicable whenever a nonlinear distribution of strain/stress occurs, such as in deep beams, or the stress distribution is discontinuous. In order to design the members experiencing such distorted stress regions, the Strut-and-Tie Model (STM) could be utilized. In this paper, experimental investigation of STM technique for three identical small-scale deep beams was conducted. The beams were simply supported and loaded statically with a concentrated load at the mid span of the beams. These deep beams had two symmetrical openings near the application point of loading. Both the deep beam, where the stress distribution cannot be assumed linear, and the ex
... Show MoreOne hundred fifty bacterial strains were isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). They were belong to ten different species of gram-negative bacteria and to two genera of gram–positive bacteria. E. coli was the major causative agent and comprise 40% of all cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were second and third with 18.67% & 18.0% respectively. Other gram-negative bacteria were belong to the genera Enterobacter, Acinitobacter, Pseudomonas, Citrobacter and Serratia. Ten cases (6.67%) were caused by genus Staphylococcus and seven (4.66%) were caused by Streptococcus. Out of the 150 positive cases, 96(64%) were from female patients, while 54(36%) were from males. High percentage of all
... Show MoreBackground: During Ramadan, Muslims fast throughout daylight hours. There is a direct link between fasting and increasing incidence of infections. Antibiotic usage for treatment of infections should be based on accurate diagnosis, with the correct dose and dosing regimen for the shortest period to avoid bacterial resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the practices of physicians in prescribing suitable antibiotics for fasting patients and the compliance of the patients in using such antibiotics at regular intervals. Materials and methods: An observational study was carried out during the middle 10 days of Ramadan 2014 in two pharmacies at Baghdad. A total of 34 prescriptions (Rx) for adults who suffered from infections were examined. For
... Show MoreBackground: This study aimed to determine whether there is a relationship among the bite force with facial dimensions and dental arches in a sample of Iraqi adults with Class I skeletal and dental relations. Materials and methods: Forty dental students (20 males and 20 females) were selected under certain criteria. For those individuals, dental impressions, frontal facial photographs and maximum bite force at molar and incisor regions were taken. The dental arches widths and facial dimensions were measured using the AutoCAD program 2007, while the bite force was determined using special device. Descriptive statistics for the measured variables were performed and gender difference was determined using independent sample t-test, while the rel
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When the financial resources of individuals and groups available, this will lead to increase the consumption ranges and sometimes reached to excessive especially to the categories that have little awareness about economic importance and its reflections. it seems that consumerism has increased in many countries including Iraq because of many factors, and the most important one is the availability of financial resources as a result of the increase in oil exports as well as the spread of consumption media department at various levels especially.
The aim of this research is to determine the concentrations of uranium in human blood in some regions of Baghdad governorate and to determine the level of contamination with uranium for these regions during the (2003) war. The results obtained have shown that the maximum uranium concentration in blood samples was found (0.256 ppm) in AL-Zaifranea region and AL-Sader city,while the minimum in AL-Shab region (0.052 ppm) ,the minimum of uranium concentration in the blood samples was found to be (0.008 ppm) (male,39 years old) lived in AL-Shab region, while the maximum of uranium concentration in the blood samples was found to be (0.44 ppm) (female, 55 years old ) lived in AL-Sader city.
Background: Cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) is a serum/cell surface glycoprotein; and it is a pattern recognition receptor. CD14 expressed on the surface of various cells, or it found soluble in saliva and other body fluids. It has been proposed that soluble CD14 (sCD14) may play a protective role by controlling Gram negative bacterial infections through its capacity to bind lipopolysaccharide. This study was conducted to assess the level of soluble CD14 in saliva of patients with different periodontal diseases and healthy subjects and determine its correlation with clinical periodontal parameters. Materials & Methods: A total of 80 subjects, age ranged (25-50) years old, divided into three main groups, group ? consisted of 45 chronic
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