Background: Pleural effusion is a common clinical
problem.
Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the
diagnostic utility of Carcino embryonic antigen
(CEA), CA 15- 3, and alpha-feto protein ( AFP ) as
a tumor markers in serum and pleural effusion and
evaluate the value of combining them as a diagnostic
tools that are complementary to cytology in the
diagnosis of malignancies .
Methods: Forty patients (18 malignant and 22 benign
pleural effusion) were included in this study .The
serum and effusion levels of CEA, CA 15 – 3 and
AFP were measured using immunoradiometric assay
Results: from the 40 effusions studied 26 were
exudates and 14 were transudates. The level of
pleural effusions of CEA, CA 15 – 3 and AFP were
increased above the cutoffs in 72.5%, 94.4 % and 5.5
% of tested samples with malignancies respectively.
A direct strong significant correlation between serum
and pleural fluid CEA, CA 15 – 3 and AFP was
noted.
Conclusion: Pleural effusion CEA is the most
accurate marker for the diagnostic separation of
malignant and benign. The combination of both CEA,
CA 15 – 3 improves the sensitivity by up to 11 %.
AFP has no role in the process
Two groups of chronic hepatitis B and C virus patients were divided into Pre-treated patients (25 CHB patients with positive HBs Ag for more than 6 months and 40 CHC patients), and post-treated patients [12 CHB patients (4, 6, and 2 were treated with lamivudine, IFN-? and combination of LMV + IFN-? respectively), and 27 patients for CHC (3, 13 and 11 patients were treated with Ribavirin, IFN-? and combination therapy (RBV+ IFN-?) respectively].These patients were followed up for 6 months. By using ELISA technique, levels of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-? and TNF-? were measured in vivo and in vitro (supernatant of PBMCs stimulated with PHA) and compared with healthy control. The mean level of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-? in CHB patients showed significant dif
... Show MorePharmaceutical care is a patient-centered, outcomes oriented practice that requires the pharmacist to work in concert with the patient and the patient’s other healthcare providers to promote health, to prevent disease, and to assess, monitor, initiate, and modify medication use to assure that drug therapy regimens are safe and effective. In addition, the presence of clinical pharmacists has led to a higher quality of patient education and provision of complete detailed information for patients. In developed countries Pharm D has become the professional degree for practice of Pharmacy. The graduates will be enrolled in a pharmacy residency program; admission to the residency programs is available to Pharm D graduates of an accredit
... Show MoreThe study aims to reveal the degree of application of the alternative evaluation strategy in social studies in public education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also aims to identify the opinions of experts on how to implement this. The study adopted the mixed methodology, which represented in the descriptive-analytical method, and qualitative methods through the grounded theory. The study used two tools namely: a questionnaire for assessments of social studies teachers and semi-structured interview questions. The results of the study showed a medium degree of appreciation for the application of alternative evaluation strategies by social studies teachers in general education with an average of (2.28). The results also showed that ther
... Show MoreThe aim of study To purify GPCR from a local strain of S. cerevisiae using Ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography techniques , by packing materials for columns which will be chosen of low cost comparing to the already used in published researches, which depend on the costly affinity chromatography and other expensive methods of purification. Local strain of S. cerevisiae chosen for extraction and purification of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) .The strains were obtained from biology department in Al- Mosul University, Iraq. The isolated colony was activated on Yeast Extract Pepton Dextrose Broth (YEPDB) and incubated at 30 C˚ for 24 h .Loop fully of the yeast culture was transferred to (10ml) of yeast extract peptone glucose
... Show MoreLasmiditan (LAS) was formulated as a nanoemulsion based in situ gel (NEIG)with the aim of improving its oral bioavailability via application intranasally. The solubility of LAS in oils, emulsifiers, and co-emulsifiers was determined to identify nanoemulsion (NE)components. Phase diagrams were constructed to identify the area of nanoemulsification. LAS NE was formulated using the spontaneous nanoemulsification method. Four NEs (F19, F24, F31, and F34) containing 7-15 % oleic acid (OA) as an oily phase, 40-55% labrasol (LR), and transcutol (TC) as emulsifier mixture at (1:1), (2:1), (3:1), and (1:2) ratio with 30-53 % (w/w) aqueous phase, having suitable optical transparency of 95–98%, globule size of 104-140 nm and polydisper
... Show MoreBackground: This study aimed to examine the efficacy of methylene blue (MB) and toluidine blue O (TBO) photodynamic therapy (PDT) as adjuncts to root surface debridement (RSD). Methods: This split-mouth, randomized, controlled clinical trial included eighteen patients, and a total of 332 sites (control = 102, MB = 124 and TBO = 106) were examined. Two sessions of PDT were completed at baseline and two weeks after RSD. Clinical parameters of bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured pre- and post-treatment. Results: PPD and BOP reductions in sites treated by RSD with adjunctive photosensitizers (MB and TBO) were significantly higher than in control site
... Show MoreThe
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disease that is characterized by severe synovial inflammation, cartilage erosion, bone loss, and generalized vasculopathy. Although the immunologic mechanism of RA is still unclear, it is now thought to be a primarily Th17-driven disease. Along with other factors, IL-23 stimulates the expansion of Th17 cells from naive CD4+ T cells.
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-23 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and determine the correlation between plasma/serum IL-23 levels and disease activity. So, we performed a systematic review with meta-analysis comparing
... Show MoreSystemic lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology affecting multiple organ system. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are claimed to play a role in this disease. However, the potential of Nitrosative/Oxidative Stress to elicit an autoimmune, response remain till now largely unexplored in humans. This study was done to investigate the status and contribution of nitrosative/oxidative stress in Iraqi patients for systemic lupus erythematosus. Blood samples from 19 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 19 age-and sex- matched apparently healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of nitrosative/oxidative stress markers including nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and malondialdehyde. Nitric oxide levels were
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