Background: Pregnancy is a natural physiological state that involves several biochemical modifications. Saliva is consisted of many types of proteins such as salivary alpha amylase and salivary peroxidase that might be affected by pregnancy. The former enzyme is considered one of the most prevalent proteins that is released by highly differentiated epithelial acinar cells and has been shown to have enzymatic activities while the latter has been approved that it has a significant role in oral health. The purpose of this study was to the evaluate the salivary levels of alpha-amylase and peroxidase in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Materials and Methods: Sixty pregnant women were grouped according to the pregnancy trimesters. The first group involved 20 women in the 1st trimester, 2nd group represented by 20 women in the 2nd trimester while the 3rd group involved the rest who were in the 3rd trimester. In addition to 20 married non pregnant women as a control group. Salivary samples were collected from each group to compare the salivary level of alpha-amylase and peroxidase using sandwich enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Results: 2nd and 3rd groups illustrated high significant level of theses enzymes in comparison with the control group. However, the first group demonstrated non-significant differences in the level of tested enzymes when compared to that of the control group. Conclusion: It was concluded that the salivary alpha amylase and salivary peroxidase have higher levels in pregnant women with dramatic increase for those in the third trimester.
Abortion is categorized as the termination of conception caused by the failure or removal of the embryo from the uterus before the conclusion of pregnancy. Microorganisms and genetic factors are two of the many factors associated with abortion. Cytomegalovirus is a widespread congenital virus infection pathogen that affects a wide variety of people. The prothrombin gene is one of the essential causes that trigger blood clotting and the function of abortion women, therefore the aim of the study is to detect and associate Cytomegalovirus and prothrombin gene mutation (Gene ID: 14061 in NCBI) with abortion through genetic and immunological methods. Five ml of whole blood was collected from an intravenous puncture and divided into two tubes,
... Show MoreBackground: Helicobacter pylori are important gastrointestinal pathogen associated with gastritis, peptic ulcers, and an increased risk of gastric carcinoma. There are several popular methods for detection of H. pylori (invasive and non-invasive methods) each having its own advantages, disadvantages, and limitations, and by using PCR technique the ability to detect H. pylori in saliva samples offers a potential for an alternative test for detection of this microorganism. Materials and methods: The study sample consists of fifty participants of both genders, who undergo Oesophageo-gastrodudenoscopy at the Gastroenterology Department of Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital Baghdad/ Iraq, during five months period from January 2014 to May 2014. They we
... Show MoreBackground: The oral cavity is considered as a complex ecological niche, its complex microbial community is reflected to it. Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as one of the major etiological factor of dental caries. Tooth surfaces colonized with Streptococcus mutans are at a higher risk for developing caries, while lactobacilli are considered as the secondary invaders, not initiators of the carious lesion. The main purpose of this study was to correlate the dental caries (for primary and permanent teeth) in the upper jaw with the streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli count in the dental plaque and saliva, also to correlate the dental caries (for primary and permanent teeth) in the lower jaw with the streptococcus mutans and lactobaci
... Show MoreRecent accumulated evidences suggest that prolactin is an important immunomodulator and may have a role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of hyperprolactinemia in women with SLE and to evaluate its correlation with disease flares. Serum prolactin levels were measured in 62 women with SLE and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In patients and control groups prolactin levels were determined by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). The prolactin level was found to be higher than normal rang in (40.3%) of SLE patients in active stage versus only (8.06%) of the same SLE patients but in the inactive stage and in (4%) of control group, the elevation was ranging between mi
... Show MoreBlood lipids are important mediators of host defense during the acute phase of innate immunity. Parasites may induce significant changes in lipid parameters, as has been shown in vitro study where substitution of serum by lipid/cholesterol in medium and in experimental models (in vivo). Thus changes in lipid profile occur in patients that having active infections with most of the parasites. Toxoplasma cannot synthesize cholesterol and depends upon acquisition of low density lipoprotein (LDL)-derived from the host cell, via endocytosis mediated by the LDL receptor or the LDL receptor-related protein.The present study is conducted to evaluate the changes in lipid profile in T. gondii infected women.A total of patients included 87 aborted wom
... Show MoreThe oxidative stress is result of unbalancing between oxidants and antioxidants in the body. Hypertension (HT) is a measure of average systolic blood pressure which created by the heart contracting, greater ?140 mmHg or an average diastolic blood pressure, which is the heart fills, of ?equal to 90 mmHg. The study is conducted on 28 female patients with HT from Ibn Al-nafese hospital in addition to 28 female control. The markers measured are albumin, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-Hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Also electrophoresis study on extracted DNA with Fenton reaction was done. Results of this study show there are high significant decrease (p?0.01) in albumin concentration of patient related to control, and there is a high significan
... Show MoreTo investigate the role of IL-6 and IL-8 in the immune-regulatory mechanisms involved in the recurrent spontaneous abortion of the first trimester of pregnancy. Serum level of IL-6 and IL-8 were determined in 25 women of age (20-35) years who had a spontaneous abortion of unknown aetiology during the first trimester of pregnancy .They were compared with the corresponding levels of 20 pregnant and non-pregnant women as control groups .cytokine levels were measured by (ELISA) technique .The women with spontaneous abortion had highly significant (P < 0.01) increased serum level of IL-8 and highly significant (P < 0.01 ) decreased level of IL-6 compared to those with normal pregnant and non-pregnant women. The results of this study ma
... Show MoreABSTRACT Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most important reproductive and endocrine disorders in women at reproductive age. It's associated with metabolic disorder, obesity, insulin resistance and oxidative stress chronic periodontitis and PCOS both of them associated with low chronic grade of inflammation. The prevalence of periodontal disease seems to be higher in women with PCOS. Superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) is an important circulating marker and protecting enzyme helping the body tissues to get rid of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage the tissue. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to measure and compare the levels of (SOD) among group of chronic periodontitis patients with PCOS, group
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