The B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) is a member of RAS\RAF\MEK\ERK pathway and this pathway can lead to increased cellular growth, invasion and metastasis. The mutated BRAF protein activates MAPK signaling pathway, results in abnormal cellular growth, apoptosis resistance, tumor progression and metastasis. Pan-BRAF is one of available BRAF monoclonal antibodies and shared by both the wild and mutant BRAF.BRAF status is mostly determined by DNA sequencing methods. In this investigation we assessed the monoclonal Pan BRAF specific antibody that can identify wild and mutant type proteins together in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thyroid tumor tissues by Immunohistochemistry (IHC). Archival thyroid samples from 43 iraqi patients were immunohistochemically tested with antibodies for BRAF. Out of 43 thyroid tissue cases, (23) were thyroid malignant,(12) benign, and (8) control cases(diagnosed as colloid goiter).The malignant tumors included Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC), Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma (FTC), Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC), Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma (ATC) and Hürthle cell cancer (HCC).Immunohistochemical staining for BRAF was performed for all specimens. Results of the study showed that Immunohistochemical expression of pan BRAF was significantly higher in malignant thyroid tumors as compared with adenomas and control cases (P<0.05). BRAF over-expression was detected in 5\12 of PTC, 3\5 MTC, 2\4 of FTCas well as all cases of HCC, ATC.Whereas it was detected in 4\12 of adenomas, and totally negative in control cases. No association was observed between BRAF and other clinicopathological traits. We conclude from this study that IHC using BRAF monoclonal antibody is a
successful way for checking of BRAF status in different thyroid tumors. IHC may be the alternative to molecular biology for the routine detection of this marker in patients with thyroid tumors.
Ovarian cystic lesions are one of the most common pathologic disorders in gynecology and a common reason for surgery. The purpose of the study was to determine the histopathologic characteristics of benign cystic ovarian lesions and their correlation to age, type, laterality, locularity, and size of ovarian cystic lesions. This is a retrospective study carried out on 100 cases from the archive in the Imam Kadhimian medical city and the educational laboratories of Baghdad medical city, out of 100 patients, the most common age group that underwent cystectomy was 20-40 years old. The vast majority of the cysts were non-neoplastic (67%) while the neoplastic cysts occupy 33% of all cysts. The most common non-neoplastic cyst was cor
... Show MoreBackground: Fibromyalgia syndrome and psoriasis share various soft problems. In addition, patients with psoriasis can experience subjective joint swelling and pain (Fibromyalgia syndrome) and objective swelling (Psoriatic arthritis) with the latter requiring systemic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs while the former requires anti-fibromyalgia measures.
Objective: To assess the rate of fibromyalgia syndrome in a sample of Iraqi patients with psoriasis.
Patients and Method: A sample of one hundred and twenty Iraqi patients with psoriasis and another one hundred and twenty healthy individuals matched for age and sex, serving as control group were studied. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done and vario
Background: Endometrial Cancer (EC) is the malignant tumor originating from endometrium cell (lining of the uterus). EC incidence and mortality have increased in recent years. Routinely used methods for EC diagnosis and treatment are histopathological tissue culture after surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, however there is still not enough efficient treatment for recurrence or progression of this disease. So, there is a critical need for further EC identification by new biological ways for the prognostic diagnosis of it. Objective: This study aimed to look for ways by which could help in diagnosis of EC before the hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: 55 patients with EC and 57 healthy women were involved in this study (up to 45 years)
... Show MoreThis study was designed to determine the correlation between Y chromosome azoospermia factor (AZF) subregions microdeletions and oligozoospermia in infertile men. Subjects included 50 infertile men with oligozoospermia who had been referred to the Fertility Center and infertility treatment in Kamal Al-Samarrai Hospital\Baghdad health office-Iraq. DNA was extracted from blood samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 3 loci spanning the AZFa, AZFb and AZFc subregions of the Y chromosome using sY84, sY127 and sY254 and were performed. The frequency of deletions involving AZFa subregion of the Y-chromosome was found in twelve of the patients (24%) in oligozoospermic infertile Iraqi men. While the other subregion (AZFb and AZ
... Show MoreInfection of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori virulence factors include a variety of proteins that are involved in its pathogenesis, such as VacA and CagA. Another group of virulence factors is clearly important for colonization of H.pylori in the gastric mucosa. These include urease, motility factors (flagellin), and Superoxide dismutase (SOD). Because of this organism's microaerophilic nature and the increased levels of reactive oxygen in the infected host, we expect that other factors involved in the response to oxidative stress are likely to be required for virulence. Superoxide dismutase is a near
... Show MoreFifty celiac disease (CD) patients (21 males and 29 females) with an age range of 2-35 years and 25 apparently healthy controls were investigated for 10 autoantibodies (anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody; ATA, anti-tissue transglutaminase IgG antibody; ATG, anti-gliadine IgA antibody; AGA, anti-gliadine IgG antibody; AGG, anti-nuclear antibody; ANA, anti-double strand DNA antibody; AdsDNA, anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody; ATP, anti-phospholipid antibody; APP, anti-myeloperoxidase antibody; AMP and anti-proteinase 3 antibody; AP3) in their sera. Six autoantibodies (ATA, ATG, AGA, AGG, AMP and AP3) showed significant variations between CD patients and controls. The first four antibodies were not detected in sera of controls, while
... Show MoreBackground: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the increasing prevalent neurologic disorders. Epidemiologic and family studies implicate genetic and environmental factors in determining
susceptibility to MS. The exact effect of the former is intended for investigation in our study.
Objectives: The objective of the study is to compare the demographic features, clinical presenting features, and clinical course between familial and sporadic cases of MS.
Materials and Methods: this is a retrospective cohort study conducted in Multiple Sclerosis Center in the Medical City in Baghdad. The records of the MS center in Baghdad Teaching Hospital were surveyed, and data from 13 patients with positive family history of MS
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the increasing prevalent neurologic disorders. Epidemiologic and family studies implicate genetic and environmental factors in determining
susceptibility to MS. The exact effect of the former is intended for investigation in our study.
Objectives: The objective of the study is to compare the demographic features, clinical presenting features, and clinical course between familial and sporadic cases of MS.
Materials and Methods: this is a retrospective cohort study conducted in Multiple Sclerosis Center in the Medical City in Baghdad. The records of the MS center in Baghdad Teaching Hospital were surveyed, and data from 13 patients with positive family history of MS
Backgrounds: Growth is an important objective parameter of general health of the child. Normal growth requires adequate nutrition along with various hormonal stimuli. Short stature is a common cause of referral to pediatric endocrinologists.
Objectives: To find the causes of short stature in patients referred to pediatric endocrinology clinic of children welfare teaching hospital, the significance of bone age assessment and the variation of growth hormone level in these patients.
Patients and methods: This prospective study was carried out in the endocrine clinic of Children Welfare Teaching Hospital/Medical City over ten months period, included 150 patients. A proper detailed medi