Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial chronic autoimmune disease, with a wide spectrum of effect. The main feature of the disease is the production of a wide variety of autoantibodies as a result of immune tolerance loss. The work aims to evaluate the miRNA-146a gene polymorphism potential association with disease activity and chronicity changes in SLE patients. The study included 100 SLE patients and 50 matched controls. The systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) was assessed. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of miR-146a gene (rs2910164) polymorphism was assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing technique in patients and control. 100 SLE patients were all females and with a mean of age 31.3 ± 10 years (16-63years) and disease duration of 5.8 ± 3.7years (1 month to 15 years). Most clinical manifestations presented in patients were 52% malar rash, 45% oral ulcers, 54% arthritis, and 45% neurological disorder. Proteinuria, ESR, creatinine and AST were significantly higher (65% vs. 10%, 4.1±36.1 vs. 11.8±9.9 mm/hr, 0.62±0.11 vs. 0.70±0.14 mg/dl and 25.37±26.50 vs. 17.23±3.58 U/L respectively) while the PLT was significantly lower (231.9±88.8 vs. 282.3±67.3 103/mL) (p< 0.001) among SLE patients as compared to control. There were no significant variations in all study parameters across miRNA-146a genotypes (p greater than 0.05). There was a significant association of the homozygote GG genotype (66.7%) with the active SLE state (p=0.013). In conclusion, the results suggest a risk effect for the female gender and adult at a young age in the etiology of SLE. The miRNA-146a GG genotype is associated with increasing the disease activity and miRNA-146a polymorphism is not associated with the risk in SLE.
In order to accurately diagnose Entamoeba spp., this study's major goal was to develop a proof-of-concept method for simultaneously detecting pathogenic and non-pathogenic amoebae using DNA. During amoebiasis, two diagnostic techniques (microscopic inspection and PCR techniques with particular primers) were evaluated. About 100 feces samples from Fallujah individuals who had clinical symptoms were taken. The outcome reveals that only 20 samples have Entamoeba spp. infections. According to this study, the two species had distinct infection percentages. Entamoeba histolytica was the most prevalent infection, at 85%, followed by Entamoeba dispar, which was 15% of all the Entamoeba-positive sampl
... Show MoreThe present study included a collecting of 165 specimens form different sources,
93 isolates were identified as Escherichia coli depending on morphological and
biochemical tests in addition to automated systems such as VITEK 2 and api 20E.
All isolates under study developed high resistance toward cefotaxime, ceftazidime,
ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin estimated by minimum inhibitory concentration. Stool
and wound specimens characterized by harbouring the highest resistant isolates in a
percentage reached 100% against antibiotics under study. Insignificant differences
were found between isolates collected from males and females. Upon using disk
displacement method to detect extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL),
Background: Diabetic foot problems are one of the most important complications of diabetes mellitus
which causing a worldwide high cost morbidity which could be due to poor self-practices.
Objectives: To assess the preventive food care practices among diabetic patients and to find out any
significant association of these practices with selected socio-demographical and diabetic related
characteristics.
Patients and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Baquba city from the
period of 20th Septembers, 2016 up to 20th March, 2017, by selecting a sample of (120) patients by
using a structured questionnaire, the questionnaire composed of three parts, the first part contains
information related to
Patients with renal failure in the final stages undergo the treatment by hemodialysis. Hemodialysis is used to reinstate the intracellular and extracellular fluid environment, by propagation of molecules in solution through a semipermeable membrane along an electrochemical concentration gradient. Blood catching in the dialysis machine and the recurrent phlebotomy may lead to losing about 1-3 g of iron per year. Prohepcidin hormone is an acute phase protein (type II) that plays a major role in the systemic iron irregularities as it is a mediator of anemia in inflammation and regulator of iron metabolism. This study aims to evaluate the effect of hemodialysis on iron hemostasis and its relationship with prohepcidin as an inflammatory mark
... Show MoreBackground: Polymorphisms in the TNF-α gene affect the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Objective: To investigate the associations between (-806 T/C) and (-857 T/C) SNPs with rheumatoid arthritis severity and susceptibility in a sample of Iraqi patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq. Twenty healthy controls and 63 patients confirmed to be newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were included. Those are divided into two groups (patients and controls), and the patients were further subdivided into severe and mild-moderate groups. Samples from those participants were analyzed for clinical and inflammatory parameter measurements. Genotyping by the Sanger method was performed to stu
... Show More60 patients diagnosed as having urticaria were included in the study ; 30 patients were effected with acute urticaria and 30 patients were affected with chronic urticaria. In addition, 30 healthy adult volunteers were selected as control group .The patients and control groups sera were examined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) to detect total level IgE and radial immunodiffusion (RID) to detect levels of IgG , IgA and IgM . The total level of IgE in acute urticaria ( 1.45±0.13) IU/mL and chronic urticaria (2.12 ± 0.10) IU/mL patients were significantly higher than the control groups ( 0.85 ± 0.10)IU/mL (p<0.05). The level of IgG in acute urticaria ( 12.5± 0.42) g/L and chronic (13.16±0.40) g/L patients , IgA in acute (2.
... Show MoreFrom a group of 60 patients with dentoalveolar infections among which 10 were diabetic and 10 non-diabetic were elected as test group as well as 10 normal subjects as control group. Six Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus anginousus were diagnosed in the first and second group of the patients the immune status of the patients and control subject were tested by pathogen specific antibody titre, neotrophil NBT reduction phagocytosis and leukocyte inhibition LIF. Diabetic patients with dentoalveolar infection shows decreased specific antibody titers, subnormal neutrophil NBT phagocytic % as well as non significant LIF % in comparison non diabetic reveal high specific antibody titers against , high neutrophil NBT% and significant LIF% re
... Show MoreThe hazardous metabolic effects of treating schizophrenia patients with olanzapine comprise serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C) antagonists. Metabolic side effects of antipsychotic drugs, including lipid abnormalities, disturbed glucose metabolism, and weight gain, can have a major impact on treating psychiatric patients. The intent of this study was to investigate whether there is an associated link between the genetic polymorphism at -759C>T in the promoter region of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor (HTR2C) gene and the metabolic syndrome driven by olanzapine in schizophrenia patients. A cross-sectional study that involved fifty hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. The patients were split into two groups (metabolic and non-metab
... Show MoreBackground: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca
... Show MoreThe compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental contaminant, is a potent ligand for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). In the current study, we made an exciting observation that naive C57BL/6 mice that were exposed i.p. to TCDD showed massive mobilization of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the peritoneal cavity. These MDSCs were highly immunosuppressive and attenuated Con A–induced hepatitis upon adoptive transfer. TCDD administration in naive mice also led to induction of several chemokines and cytokines in the peritoneal cavity and serum (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL11, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL9, G-CSF, GM-CSF, VEGF, and M-CSF) and chemokine receptors