Human beta-defenses (hBDs) are antimicrobial peptides involved in innate immune protection, and their association with the risk of respiratory allergy has been proposed. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate this association in allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma (AS) of Iraqi patients. A case-control study was conducted to investigate serum levels of hBD1, hBD2, hBD3, and hBD4 in 52 AR and 60 AS patients and 61 healthy controls (HC). The hBDs were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results revealed that median levels of hBD1, hBD2, and hBD3 were significantly elevated in the serum of AR and AS patients compared with HC (p < 0.01). Levels of hBD4 were also elevated in AR and AS patients but the differences were not significant. The levels of hBDs showed no significant differences between AR and AS patients. Age, gender, symptoms, and disease duration of patients influenced some of these variations. Logistic regression analysis indicated that hBD3 was the most important marker associated with the risk of AR and AS, and the estimated Odds ratios were 25.31 (95% confidence interval: 2.97-215.78; p = 0.012) and 32.20 (95% confidence interval: 2.49-415.89; pc = 0.032), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that hBD3 occupied a very good area under the curve in AR and AS (0.83 and 0.84, respectively). In conclusion, the role of hBDs in the pathogenesis of AR and AS was indicated. In this context, hBD3 was the most important, and its association with the risk of developing AR and AS was suggested.
The study objective was to conduct Pharmacoeconomics study (cost-effective analysis) between infliximab reference (Remicade) and its biosimilar (Remsima) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Iraqi hospitals.
This is a retrospective multicenter pharmacoeconomic analysis conducted at two large teaching governmental hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq which provided infliximab to patients with RA. Data were collected from patient’s medical records and face-to-face interviews with the patients from December 2021 to April 2022.
The study included 57 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patients were categorized into two groups according to the type of infliximab they received over 30 weeks: 27 patients received
... Show MoreChronic renal disease (CRD) is a patho-physiologic process with multiple etiologies, resulting in the inexorable attrition of Nephron number and function and frequently leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In turn, ESRD represents a clinical state or condition in which there has been an irreversible loss of endogenous renal function, of a degree sufficient to render the patient permanently dependent upon renal replacement therapy (dialysis of transplantation) in order to avoid life threatening uremia. The current study was applied on 80 patients, the age range within 25-70 years, selected sample of patients who attend Iraqi center of kidney dialysis, Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Al-Yarmok Teaching Hospital . All t
... Show MoreThe objective of this study was to assess the levels of antiMullerian hormone (AMH), Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosteron, luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) as markers of spermatogenesis between fertile and infertile males. This study was conducted at (AlRamadi Teaching Hospital for maternity and children) and included 136 males partners of infertile couples. Samples were classified according to the WHO criteria of semen analysis into three groups; Azoospermia, Oligospermia, and normal(control). Assay levels of these hormones were made in the serum and the semen of each sample. The results showed that the level of AMH in serum samples was non-significantly decreased (P>0.05) in both Azo
... Show MoreIn the beta decay process, a neutron converts into a proton, or vice versa, so the atom in this process changes to a more stable isobar. Bethe-Weizsäcker used a quasi-experimental formula in the present study to find the most stable isobar for isobaric groups of mass nuclides (A=165-175). In a group of isobars, there are two methods of calculating the most stable isobar. The most stable isobar represents the lowest parabola value by calculating the binding energy value (B.E) for each nuclide in this family, and then drawing these binding energy values as a function of the atomic number (Z) in order to obtain the mass parabolas, the second method is by calculating the atomic number value of the most stable isobar (ZA). The results show
... Show MoreThe national pharmaceutical industry is pivotal for both the health sector and the national economy. This study aims to identify determinants of national drug products acceptance. The objectives of this study were to quantitatively measure the level of patient and community pharmacist acceptance of national drug products available in community pharmacies and to qualitatively explore the barriers facing national pharmaceutical companies and investigate the suggested solutions.
This cross-sectional study used an explanatory mixed method design. It was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq from July through October 2018. The stud
Negotiation is considered as one of the most important kinds of communication in the contemporary organizations, which depend on the important role of managerial information systems in providing necessary and suitable information for success of the negotiation process.
Accordingly, this study aims at measuring the extent of the variables effect of managerial information system in the negotiation process.
To achieve this study, two hypotheses were chosen; the first is the correlation relation and the second is the effect, and statistical means represented by correlation coefficient "Spearman" and (R2) were used.
A Number of conclusions were
... Show MoreDemodex spp. mites are external obligate parasites; they are transmitted between hosts through direct contact, and may induce several dermatological symptoms when found in large numbers. However, these symptoms may be similar to other commonly known diseases; this often leads dermatologists to neglect the pathogenic role of these mites. Therefore, a better diagnosis is recommended in order to avoid mistreatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between Demodex mites and dermatological diseases. Infestation rates in patients suffering from acne, rosacea, folliculitis, and psoriasis were compared with asymptomatic patients, along with the mites’ relation to gender, age, personal hygiene, tim
... Show MoreCoronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in United State (U.S.). Controlling of modifiable risk factors such as smoking, hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (D.M.), dyslipidemia, physical inactivity & obesity will prevent other serious cardiovascular complications
Epilepsy is a central nervous system disease which is characterized by a recurrent seizure that distinguishes it from other similar diseases. Epilepsy may occur due to defects in genes that encode some receptors in the brain. For this reason, this study aimed to understand the association between Synapsin-2 (SYN2) gene and susceptibility to epilepsy. Blood samples were collected from 40 volunteers, including 30 patients suffering epilepsy with an age range of 26-49 years old and 10 healthy individuals with an age range of 25-53 years old. The study sample involved 16 males and 14 females with epilepsy along with 6 males and 4 females healthy subjects. DNA was isolated from the volunteers for PCR-RF
... Show MorePortland cement concrete is the most commonly used construction material in the world for decades. However, the searches in concrete technology are remaining growing to meet particular properties related to its strength, durability, and sustainability issue. Thus, several types of concrete have been developed to enhance concrete performance. Most of the modern concrete types have to contain supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) as a partial replacement of cement. These materials are either by-products of waste such as fly ash, slag, rice husk ash, and silica fume or from a geological resource like natural pozzolans and metakaolin (MK). Ideally, the utilization of SCMs will enhance the concrete performance, minimize
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