Since June 2020, an explosion in number of new COVID-19 patients has been reported in Iraq with a steady increment in new daily reported cases over the next 3 months. The limited number of PCR kits in the country and the increment in the number of new COVID-19 cases makes the role of CT scan examinations rising and becoming essential in aiding the health institutions in diagnosing and isolating infected patients and those in close contacts. This study will review the spectrum of CT pulmonary changes due to COVID-19 infection and estimate the CT severity score index and its relation to age, sex, and PCR test results

Chitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42 

A series of benzohydrazide derivatives attached to coumarin moiety at position 6 and 7 have been synthesized. The reaction of coumarin derivatives (coumarin I and II) with p-nitrophenyl hydrazine yield Schiff bases (compound1a and IIa_).These Schiff bases were refluxed with benzoyl chloride to give benzohydrazide derivatives of coumarin substituted at its 6 or 7 nucleus position (Ia₁ and IIa₁).The reaction and the purity of the products were checked by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The structures of the final compounds  and  their intermediates were confirmed by their melting points, infra red spectroscopy, and elemental microanalysis(CHN).

Compounds (Ia1 and IIa1) were evaluated for&n

Hypothyroidism is the decrease in thyroid hormones production and thyroid gland function. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism with production of autoantibodies directed toward autoantigens thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO). This study was carried out to determine and compare serum and salivary levels of thyroid antibodies (TPO-Ab and Tg- Ab) in hypothyroid patients (with and without periodontitis) and healthy control; as well as to estimate the possibility to evaluate and measured these antibodies in the saliva as measured in the serum. Serum and saliva samples were collected from sixty hypothyroid patients with age ranged (20-64) years (30 of patients were with periodontitis and 30 without per

During infection, T. gondii disseminates by the circulatory system and establishes chronic infection in several organs. Almost third of humans, immunosuppressed individuals such as HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and organ transplant recipients are exposed to toxoplasmosis. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the possibility that Toxoplasma infection could be a risk factor for COVID-19 patients and its possible correlation with C-reactive protein and ferritin. Overall 220 patients referred to the Al Furat General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2020–2021. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) antibodies, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels. In patients with COVID-19, the results

To investigate the effects of losartan and enalapril on serum uric acid in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome, one hundred and twenty six newly diagnosed mild hypertensive patients, having markers of metabolic syndrome included  in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (60 patients) was given losartan (50 mg/ day) and group 2 (66 patients)  enalapril (20 mg/ day) for a duration of 2 months. A control group of seventy apparently healthy individuals were included. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome related to the American National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III. Serum uric acid levels were measured bef

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of the global burden of disease, which causes serious health problems. The aim of this study is to investigate the lipid profile levels in sera of Iraqi hypertensive patients by measuring Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) and kidney function levels by measuring uric acid, urea and creatinine. Seventy five individuals of Iraqi adults (Males) were divided into three groups: 25 hypertensive patients with duration of disease (1-10) year (group 1), 25 hypertensive patients with duration of disease (11-30) year (group 2) and 25 normal individuals as control group (group3). The findings indicate that serum (TC, TG and LDL) levels were significantly elevated (

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory chronic disease with an autoimmune pathogenesis. To determine the role of Helicobacter pylori as a trigger agent, twenty five patients with rheumatoid arthritis of ages (15-47) years have been investigated and compared with twenty healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) IgM, anti-CCP antibody IgG and IgA by ELISA test and by measured anti-IgG antibody level of H. pylori by using ELISA and IFAT techniques. The present study showed significant differences (P< 0.05) of anti-H. Pylori in sera of RA patients than control group, this lead to suggest that H. pylori had a role in pathogenesis of RA.

Acute toxicity is a step to evaluate the toxicity of a substance. Rutin is one of the flavonoid compounds with a variety of pharmacological effects. The aim of the study is to calculate the lethal dose that affect fifty percent of the mice used in the experiment (LD50). Thirty Swiss albino male and 30 non-pregnant female mice have been divided equally and randomly into 5 treated groups and one control group (n=5)  Rutin has been administered with  concentrations 5, 2.5.1.25,0.625 and 0.312 g/kg administered as a single dose intraperitoneally (IP) while the control group received 1% DMSO (IP).  Animals were observed for any morbidity and mortality for 14 days. After 14 days the animal blood collected for biochemical and hem

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm arises from Bcr-Abl gene translocation (called Ph chromosome) in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). This genetic abnormality results in constitutive activation of tyrosine kinase and subsequent uncontrol growth and multiplication of granulocytes. The cornerstone in treatment of CML are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, of which imatinib is the most effectively used. JAK2V617F mutation is an acquired single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) occurs in JAK2 gene and is associated with many hematological malignancy other than CML. It was thought that the two genetic abnormalities (Bcr-Abl and JAK2V617F) occur mutually; however, growing body of evidences suggested the reverse. This study a