Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the possible the association between +3061 (G>A, rs1143676) missense mutation in exon 24 of the integrin α-4 subunit (ITGA-4) gene and the response to natalizumab in a sample of Iraqi multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: A sample of 59 patients with multiple sclerosis (16 males and 43 females; mean age of 32 years; age range of 15 to 52 years) receiving natalizumab for at least 12 consecutive months were involved in the study between March and August/ 2022. The sample was categorized into two groups according to their response to natalizumab treatment (responders and non-responders). Polymerase chain reaction and Sanger’s sequencing for the extracted deoxyribonucleic acid was performed to identify the polymorphism at ITGA-4 gene promoter region. Results: The 3061 AA and AG genotypes were present in both groups (responders and non-responders to natalizumab treatment) with the lack of the wild form GG genotype. The AG genotype was significantly present in the non-responders’ group and appeared to have a significant impact on the responsiveness to natalizumab by increasing the propensity of being non-responder with a positive correlation (Phi-coefficient of 0.294) on the contrary of AA genotype. Conclusion: The +3061 (G.A) missense mutation is related to the response to natalizumab in multiple sclerosis patients with the AG genotype, thereby increasing the likelihood of non-response significantly.
Background: The socioeconomic is important factor that effect in the severity and prevalence of most predominant and wide spread oral disease named dental caries, since this oral disease effects children, adolescents, adults and elderly peoples especially in developing countries as in Iraq.This survey was aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to socioeconomic status. Materials and Methods: This oral health survey was conducted among primary and secondary school students aged 12 years old in Dewanyiah governorate in Iraq. The total sample composed of 804 (401 boys and 403 girls) selected randomly from different schools in Dewanyiah governorate. Diagnosis and recording of dental caries was assessed ac
... Show MoreBackground: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, restricted patterns of behavior, and unusual sensory sensitivities. Saliva may provide an easily accessible sample for analysis. Some salivary constituents levels altered in adolescents with ASD including antioxidants . This study aimed to investigate salivary physicochemical characteristic in relation to oral health status among adolescent with ASD. Materials and methods: Two groups were included in this study: forty institutionalized autistic adolescents and forty apparently healthy school adolescents with age range (12-15 years old, only males) selected randomly from Baghdad. Each group subdivided into two groups according
... Show MoreMany international studies indicated that the polymorphisms of some genes disturbed the folate homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism and increased the vulnerability to Down syndrome (DS). We aimed to measure the serum levels of folate and Hcy in DS children and compare the levels with age and sex-matched apparently normal healthy children. We also aimed to study the A80G polymorphism of the gene reduced folate carrier (RFC1) in the DS children as a risk factor. Forty children with DS (24 were boys, and 16 were girls) with the age range between 5-13 years, and 26 normal healthy children (16 boys and ten girls) were included in this study. The results show that the highest genotype in the control group was AG (53.85%) followed by AA and GG (30.
... Show MorePots experiment was conducted in the green house of Biology Department, College of Education ( Ibn-AL-Haithum), University of Baghdad , during the growing season of 2005-2006 , to study the effect of five levels of urea fertilizer (0,50,100,150and 200) mg/pot in on vegetative growth of one wheat cultivar (Adanania) upon randomized complete block design with four replications. The results showed that significant difference between urea fertilizer levels above in vegetative growth characteristics ( plant height , leaf area , chlorophyll content, dry matter weight , relative efficiency and relative yield ) It was also showed that 200 mg/pot level was superior to urea fertilizer levels others in above charac
... Show MoreTo explore the potential for in vitro rapid regeneration of Spanish dagger (Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata'), different concentrations of 6-Benzyladenine (BA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and combinations of both were evaluated for callus induction initiated on leaf and bud (terminal and axillary buds) explants using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Callus response induction percentage, fresh weight, color and texture of the callus were assessed after 1.5 and 6.0 months in culture. The appropriate medium for callus initiation on leaf explants was MS medium supplemented with 6.0 mg/L NAA. A combination of 0.2 mg/L BA and 1.5 mg/L NAA also exhibited a remarkable callus induction on bud explants. Effect of thidiazuron (TDZ) addition to the cultu
... Show MoreAntibiotic resistance is the capability of the strains to resist or protect themselves from the effects of an antibiotic. Such a resistance towards the current antimicrobials leads to the search of novel antimicrobials. Nanotechnology has been promising in different field of science and among it is the use of nanoparticles as antibacterial agents. The gastrointestinal tract seems to be the primary reservoir of uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC) in humans. UPEC strains harbour the urinary tract and cause urinary tract infection. They cause serious ailments in terms of humans. They develop resistance and increase their virulence by forming biofilms. They also show a remarkable locomotory movement with the aid of autoinducer controlled ge
... Show MoreBackground: In advanced diabetes mellitus, serum levels of the most hormones are altered due to several interplaying mechanisms. Objective: To assess the relation of serum leptin and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Patients and Method: Serum leptin levels and its relation to lipid profile were estimated in 62 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy attending the National Diabetes Center in Al- Mustansiriya University, and (26) healthy individuals considered as control group. The diabetic patients were classified into three groups, (24) pathients with normoalbuminuria (21) patients with microalbuminuria and (17) patients with macroalbuminuria. Fasting plasma glucose, serum creatinine, Hb A1c %, lipid profile (Total c
... Show More Educational services in Iraq face many problems that have reduced the efficiency of the educational process, as a result of the difficult conditions experienced by educational services in Iraq. This led to the accumulation of these problems and their exacerbation significantly over the years, as there was no fundamental solution to these problems. The study proposes a planning method for managing the educational system in Iraq, especially for the primary and secondary levels, where these negative phenomena are very prominent, especially the deficit in school buildings and the phenomenon of overcrowding in classrooms. &am
... Show MoreInterleukins (IL-2 and IL-4) are increased in asthmatics and were reported to induce resistance to steroid therapy in some patients who fail to get benefit from glucocorticoids when used in full dose and for long period of time. In this context, the present study was conducted on Iraqi patients to provide additional laboratory mean, beside the clinical diagnosis, for the decision whether the asthma is steroid sensitive or resistant by monitoring the level of immunoglobulins, complement proteins and interleukins among asthmatic patients (steroid sensitive or resistant) and the possible contribution of other factors like age, sex and environments in the development of steroid resistance. A total number of 55 asthmatics and 28 normal subjec
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