This study was aimed to detect and identify genetic mutations in γ-aminobutyric acid receptor β3 subunit encoding gene (GABRB3) and its association with autism spectrum disorders. Forty autistic patients and 25 non-autistic as control group (5 unaffected sibling and 20 unrelated) with age range from 3 – 10 years were included in this study. Chromosomal DNA was extracted from blood samples followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of two targeted regions which include: (exon2-intron2-exon3) region and (exon 6) region of GABRB3 for subsequent DNA sequencing. Identical bands related to the targeted regions were present in all samples. A sample of PCR products of patients and controls were sequenced. Sequencing results revealed the presence of four different single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in four autistic patients (one SNP in exon2, two SNPs in intron 1 and one SNP in the beginning of intron 3) while four different autistic samples and three from control group had no mutations along this region. Exon 6 showed 100 % sequence identity in all samples (seven autistic and three from control group). The translation of nucleotides sequences into amino acid sequence revealed that the SNP in exon 2 caused a change of amino acid in the polypeptide sequence by changing the codon (AGA) which codes for arginine to (AAA) which codes for lysine. The online software tool, RaptorX was used for the prediction of the three dimensional structure of the polypeptides in which exon 2 carrying one SNP (30 a.a.) showed that 5 (16%) positions predicted as disordered, while the structure prediction of polypeptide translated from exon 3 was not obtained due to its small length (22 a.a.). Structure prediction of polypeptide of exon 6 (46 a.a.) showed that (0%) positions predicted as disordered, considering its lack of mutations. These results suggest the association of the detected SNPs with autism, especially the SNP located in exon 2 considering that it changed the polypeptide three dimensional structure, thus it could possibly alter its function. All SNPs are reported for the first time in this study except the one in intron 3 (rs755863611) which was previously reported.
The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates PHAs from biopolymer degrading bacteria was examined
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are ectoparasites that infest livestock in every geographic region of the world and are vectors of several viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens to both animals and humans. There is little information is available is about tick presence in Buffalo Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Artiodactyla, Bovidae) in Iraq. The current study determined the species of ticks parasitizing Buffalo in some central and southern regions included: Baghdad (Al Fathelia), Karbala (Al-Hussainia), Wasit (Kut and Al-Suwairah), Al-Qadisia (Al- Diwaniyah, Al- Saniya, Al-Mihnawea, and Afak), Thi Qar (Al-Nasiriyah and Al-chibayish), Missan (Amara and Qalaat Salih) and Basrah (Al-Haretha, Al-Madena and Al-Deer). A total of 150 Buffal
... Show MoreConstruction is a hazardous industry with a high number of injuries. Prior research found that many industry injuries can be prevented by implementing an effective safety plan if prepared and maintained by qualified safety personnel. However, there are no specific guidelines on how to select qualified construction safety personnel and what criteria should be used to select an individual for a safety position in the United States (US) construction industry. To fill this gap in knowledge, the study goal was to identify the desired qualifications of safety personnel in the US construction industry. To achieve the study goal, the Delphi technique was used as the main methodology for determining the desired qualifications for constructio
... Show MoreThis paper presents a numerical solution to the inverse problem consisting of recovering time-dependent thermal conductivity and heat source coefficients in the one-dimensional parabolic heat equation. This mathematical formulation ensures that the inverse problem has a unique solution. However, the problem is still ill-posed since small errors in the input data lead to a drastic amount of errors in the output coefficients. The finite difference method with the Crank-Nicolson scheme is adopted as a direct solver of the problem in a fixed domain. The inverse problem is solved sub
... Show MoreBackground: Significant numbers of patients with spinal tuberculosis (TB), especially in developing countries, still present late after disease onset with severe neurological deficits.
Objective:This study was conducted to assess the outcome of surgery in patients with tuberculosis of the spine with motor deficits.
Type of the study: Retrospective study.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data obtained in all the patients with severe motor deficits due to spinal TB admitted to and surgically treated in four hospitals in Baghdad/Iraq during the period from January 2012 to January 2014. History, examination, imaging, histological, postoperative, a
... Show MoreIn Iraqi patients with acromegaly the present investigation included 40 control group and 70 patients with acromegaly divided 35 patients with Diabetic while another 35 patients without Diabetic, with ages between (29-72) years for the identification of GST activity polymorphisms by present and absent GSTM1, GSTT1, and PCR-RFLP, enzymatic digestions were carried out using BsmAI (Biolabs. England, UK) for GSTP1b and AciI (Biolabs, England, UK) for GSTP1c.the association GSTActivity with GST genotype were investigated in a cohort of Iraq acromegaly patients comparing with the healthy control group. The results show a non-significant change in GSTP1b gene in both groups, while show high significantly in GSTP1c in diabetic and non-diabetic acro
... Show MoreObjective: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a major pregnancy complication that leads to maternal mortality. Here, we have scrutinized the correlation between serum levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PIH.Methods: Serum samples were collected from 80 Iraqi women (40 women with PIH as patients group, 20 normotensive pregnant women as a positive control, and 20 normotensive non-pregnant women as a negative control) all groups were diagnosed clinically.Results: Serum of H2O2 and SOD levels was measured for all studied groups. Results showed that there were no significant variances in age and gestational age distribution between all studied groups. Furthermore, result showed that the serum level o
... Show MoreUnstable angina pectoris often leads to acute myocardial infarction. Since uric acid is thought to be risk factor for cardiovascular disease and considered a major antioxidant in human blood .The level of uric acid and lipid peroxidation in the sera of patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction were measured and compared to the healthy individuals. Twenty-nine patients with unstable angina and twenty-nine patients with myocardial infarction were studied and compared to twenty-five healthy individuals. Uric acid was measured by using Human Kit. Malondialdelyde (MDA) a lipid peroxidation marker, was measured by thiobarbituric acid method .Significant elevation of uric acid and MDA were observed in the sera of pati
... Show MoreThis work involves the preparation of high yield iminochalcon compounds (B1-B15) through two parts. The first part involves the preparation of 2,4-dihydroxy Chalcone (A1-A15) by the condensation of 2,4-dihydroxy acetophenone with aryl aldehyde in the presence of sodium hydroxide (40%) as a catalyst. The second part includes the preparation of iminochalcon from the condensation of p-hydroxy aniline with 2,4-dihydroxy chalcone derivatives )A1-A15) in the presence of some drops of conc. H2SO4. Thin-layer chromatography ((TLC) was used to control the chemical reaction . These new derivatives were characterized by using FT-IR and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. These synthesized
... Show MoreDuring 2011; 300 milk and white cheese samples were collected from Baghdad markets. Out of 200 staphylococcal isolates isolated from milk and white cheese samples, the predominant species was Staphylococcus aureus 97 isolates (48%), followed by S.chromogenes 82 (41%) and 21 (11%) S.epidermidis isolates. S. aureus isolates were DNase, coagulase, protease, urease, lipase, gelatinase and slime layer producers, other species were variable in the production of such virulence factors. S. chromogenes was the most prevalent isolated staphylococcal species from milk samples; while cheese samples contaminated mainly by S. aureus.