Hypertension is identified as one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). There is growing evidence showing that oxidative stress plays a major role in hypertension. Increased production of reactive oxygen species and decrease bioavailability of antioxidant have been demonstrated in experimental and human hypertension. The present study was directed to determine the beneficial effect of the antioxidant vitamin C in patients with essential hypertension treated with the calcium channel blocker (amlodipine) or with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (enalapril). Ninety six patients (50 females and 46 males) with essential hyp

Background: The microorganisms can impend the life of health care professional and particularly the dental practitioners. They can be transmitted by different ways like airborne and droplet transmission. The current study was carried out to identify whether the arch wires that received from the manufactures are free from microbial contamination and to determine the bacterial species attached to the arch wires. Materials and Methods: This study involved eighty samples, consisted of two types of arch wires (nitinol and stainless-steel) from four companies (3M, G&H, Jiscop, OrthoTechnology). These wires inserted in a plane tube that contains 10 -ml of (Tris [tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane] and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) tri

BACKGROUND: Tribulus terrestris has been commonly used in folk medicine to energize, vitalize and improve sexual function and physical performance in men and laboratory rats. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Tribulus terrestris on the number of Leydig cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tribulus terrestris was given to mature male rats as an oral single herbal suspension in a dose of 2.0mg /1000gbody weight for 14 days to stimulate spermatogenesis. Formalin fixed paraffinembedded tissue sections were performed for histological, immunohistochemical and morphometrical studies. RESULTS: Histological study revealed wider seminiferous tubules and increased spermatocytes population with an increased sperm density inside the lumen of the tubul

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

Introduction and Aim: Graves ophthalmopathy is one of the pandemic public health disorders in Iraq. The current investigation attempts to determine the variation in the complete total blood cells on the recovery of individuals with Graves' ophthalmopathy following low and high-dose Radioactive Iodine 131 (RI-131) exposures.   Materials and Methods: The complete blood CBC level in people with Graves' illness and healthy, normal controls were quantitatively identified using the CBC counter. Thyroid stimulating hormone was utilized to compare the recovery of ophthalmopathy patients in comparison to a control group.    Results: In comparison to healthy controls, patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy disease who received 10 mci of RAI-

To evaluate the toxicity of benzalkonium chloride in aquaculture, the hemato-serological indices of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus are used as biomarkers. Following exposure to three concentrations of benzalkonium chloride BAC 0.1, 0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg/l (BAC1,2,3 and 4) in aquaria for two durations 21 and 42 days, the microbiological assay in fish aquaria, in addition to blood parameters were assessed. Except for the mean difference between BAC2 and BAC3 (P > 0.05) at 42 days, the mean values of the bacterial counts revealed a significant difference between all compared groups (0.05 ≥ P ≤ 0.01). Following exposure to the lower concentrations of BAC (1, 2 and 3), the main blood parameters of Oreochromis niloticus namely red bl

Background: Sperm motility disorder is an important cause of infertility in male, and one of the causes of reduced motility of the sperm is the disorders of the mitochondria because it provides the required energy for sperm motility, Laser biostimulation or low-level laser therapy has a positive effect on the mitochondria and led to increasing the synthesis of ATP. Method: Twenty fresh human semen samples were used in this research study, each sample was separated into two portions, one was used as control which is not exposed to the laser beam and the other was irradiated with the wavelength of 410 nm diode laser with an output power of 100 mW and an exposure time of 60 seconds, then the measurement of

Background: Cartilage forms most of the temporary skeleton of the embryo and provides a model in which most bones develop Objective: Using laser therapy to enhance autologous cartilage grafts expansibility and to analyze whether this "enhancement" results in reduced rates of cartilage resorption and greater preservation of normal architectural features compared with "unenhanced" grafts. Type of the study: Cross sectional study. Methods: 24 New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups (control and treated with 904nm, 10mW diode laser). Auricular cartilage segments measuring 1 cm2 were harvested from both ears of each rabbit, and were implanted in to the subcutaneous region of the left flank. 3 rabbits from each group were anaesthetized a

Background: Cartilage forms most of the temporary skeleton of the embryo and provides a model in which most bones developObjective: Using laser therapy to enhance autologous cartilage grafts expansibility and to analyze whether this "enhancement" results in reduced rates of cartilage resorption and greater preservation of normal architectural features compared with "unenhanced" grafts. Type of the study: Cross sectional study.Methods: 24 New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups (control and treated with 904nm, 10mW diode laser). Auricular cartilage segments measuring 1 cm2 were harvested from both ears of each rabbit, and were implanted in to the subcutaneous region of the left flank. 3 rabbits from each group were anaesthetized