Background: Physical exercise is essential for performance of the immune system. The integrity of immune response is dependent on the intensity and duration of the exercise performed. During exercise the metabolic and hormonal changes that occurred can induce lymphocyte apoptosis. Dehydroepiandrosteron sulphate (DHEAS) is one of the hormones that is affected by exercise, it is an androgen released from the adrenal cortex in response to adrenocortiocotropin releasing hormone (ACTH). DHEAS is regarded as an anti-aging hormone; it is primarily immune enhancing, providing some degree of counterbalance to the potentially detrimental effects of catecholamine and cortisol which are immunosuppressive if chronic

Objective(s): Ramadan is the Holy month of the Muslims, where they are required to abstain from food and drinks
from dawn till the beginning of night. This study was conducted in Ramadan to investigate the effect of fasting on
hematological incidences, lipid profile, renal and liver function tests among healthy adult males.
Methodology: The present study was carried out in Ramadan – 1431 of Higira (August-September 2010). The study
sample was 56 healthy adult males. Five samples of blood were taken at five intervals (Before, at day 1, 15, 28 and
after Ramadan). Estimation was done for hematological markers, (hemoglobin, white blood cells count, platelet
count); renal function tests (blood urea, serum uric acid, serum

In this study we surveyed the dominant normal stool flora of randomly selected healthy, young (18-23 years old), unmarried (doctrinal) Iraqi college students (males and females) for the carriage of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). ExPEC virulence was detected phenotypically by mannose resistant hemagglutination of human red blood cells (MRHA) and mannose sensitive (MS) agglutination of Bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisceae). From 88 college students, 264 E. coli isolates were obtained (3 isolates per person): 123 from 41 females and 141 from 47 males. Of these isolates, 56% (149/264) caused MS agglutination of yeast cells and 4.16% (11/264) showed MRHA. Eighty two percent (9/11) of the isolates with MRHA also caused MS agglu

Background: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is the most common cause of acute motor paralysis in children where most of electrophysiological findings reveal demyelinating neuropathy. However, an axonal form of Guillain-Barre syndrome had been reported too.
Objectives: Assess the role of neurophysiological study (EMG and NCS) in the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome subtypes in children and estimate the frequency of subtypes whether demyelinating or axonal form of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Subjects and methods: Two study groups of either sex was involved, thirty (30) Guillain-Barre patients with different ages and thirty(30) normal healthy subjects matched for age and gender served as control group. Each subject submitted to sensory

Background: Chronic cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, it has additional cardiac adverse effects independent of coronary atherosclerosis. Patient and Methods: After informed consent and perm- ission from the review board of the hospital, 80 healthy subjects who were classified as smokers or non-smokers were included in the study. They were examined by standard echocardiography protocol which was followed by two-dimensional speckle tracking to assess the functions of the right ventricle. Results: The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was significantly reduced in smokers as compared to non-smokers (P < 0.05). The tricuspid flow peak late diastolic velocity (A wave) was sig

Background: Use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to calculate skeletal age is a novel idea. MRI provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and multiplanar cross-sectional imaging capability. It could be used as an alternative method of skeletal age determination.
Objectives: To study the value of MRI in estimating the age of healthy Iraqi adolescent males and to compare the obtained results with other countries records.
Population and methods: This cross sectional study was applied on 179 healthy adolescent males between the ages of 13 to18 years in MRI unit at radiology institute in medical city, Baghdad – Iraq. This study was carried out from November 2011 to December 2012. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left wrist was perfo

Background:

 Background:

This study aims to identify the effects of globalized media on the creed deviation of young adults in the light of the challenges of globalization in all its forms. It aims to identify globalization’s most important means; media, while clarifying its concept and its most important types and tools and employing all media means for learning and proper education. The latters are safeguarded from the influences and effects of globalization, developing the spirit of coexistence and peaceful dialogue with others and clarifying the effect of creed deviation on weakening the Muslim community. The importance of the topic lie in how to address and maintain the ideological values ​​and morals of our youth, make them aware of the challenges/da

Toxoplasma gondii is a unique intracellular parasite, which infect a large proportion of the world population, but uncommonly causes clinically significant disease. The present study was performed to estimate the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in 400 apparently healthy blood donor males, their ages were between 18 and 57 years using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and to examine the effects of infection on total testosterone, free testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in their sera. Seroprevalence showed 10 (2.5 %) and 121 (30 %) of them had IgM and IgG antibodies respectively. Both acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in males recorded higher significant (P < 0.05) mean concentration for total and free testosterone hormone,