Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition that requires effective treatment. Genetic variability, particularly in the Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene, may influence patients’ response to biological therapies such as etanercept. This study evaluated the association of four TNF-α gene polymorphisms (rs361525 G/A, rs673 G/A, rs1800629 G/A, and rs1800750 G/A) with serum TNF-α levels and response to etanercept in Iraqi patients with psoriasis. A retrospective study was conducted on 80 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who received etanercept for at least six months. Patients were categorised as responders (≥ 75% PASI reduction) or non-responders (≤ 50% PASI reduction). Genotyping was performed using PCR and Sanger sequencing. A significant association was observed between the rs673 G/A polymorphism and etanercept response: the GA genotype was predominantly present in responders and showed a negative association with non-response (phi = -0.318, p = 0.007), whereas the GG genotype demonstrated a positive association (phi = 0.411, p = 0.0007). Non-responders had significantly higher post-treatment serum TNF-α levels compared with responders. These findings suggest that the rs673 G/A polymorphism and TNF-α levels may be associated with etanercept response. However, larger studies are needed to validate these associations before clinical implementation.
Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by inflammatory events in the airways, that makes breathing a hard process in these patients. Angiotensin II (AngII) is important regulator for aldosterone production. Also, it participates in inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory events. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is responsible for the production of AngII. We hypothesised that ACE and AngII participate in the progression of asthma by increasing ROS production and inflammatory processes. Thus, we evaluated the level of AngII, the activity of ACE, and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) as indicators for oxidative stress in 60 asthmatic male patients and 30 non-asthmatic male control. An asthma control test (ACT) was estima
... Show MoreDeveloped and underdevelopment countries, on equal terms, face the problem of budget deficiency. Budget deficiency means that the public expenditure surpasses the public revenues. This, on the international level, is one of the most serious economic problems with many direct effects on the national economy, and depends, basically, on its finance chosen method. Looking for a solution to this problem, for this reason and many other ones, has been highlighted in spite of the many attempts to reduce the role of the governmental expenditure. Budget deficiency can not be attributed to a single unique cause since it is complex phenomenons the causes of which are related to many factors contribute to its occurrence, some of which refer t
... Show MoreBackground: Arterial stiffness is related with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease events. Patients with atherosclerotic disease show to have larger diameters, reduced arterial compliance and lower flow velocities. Aim of study : To compare between patients of two age groups with concomitant diseases diabetes and hypertension in regard to intima media thickness and blood flow characteristics in order to estimate the blood perfusion to the brain via the common and internal carotid arteries. Subject and Methods : 40 patients with (diabetic and hypertension) diseases were enrolled , they were classified according to age. Color Doppler and B mode ultrasound was used to determine lumen Diameter (D), Intima – media thickness (IMT)
... Show MorePituitary adenomas are the anterior pituitary tumors. Patients with an Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Interacting Protein (AIP) mutation (AIP- mut) tend to have more aggressive tumors occurring at a younger age. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in many studies have been related to metabolic comorbidities in the general population. Study aims investigated the role of AIP gene SNPs with susceptibility to acromegaly pituitary- adenoma, with levels of LH, FSH, TSH, Testosterone, IGF1,GH, FT4 , Prolactin hormones and blood sugar levels. The study was conducted on a group of acromegaly patients, including 50 patients) both Genders( with hyperplasia of the ends, and apparently healthy control group. Genotyping of
... Show MoreThe aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of trace elements Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Selenium (Se) in blood sera of asthmatic patients by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentrations of Mg, Cu, and Zn have been determined by Flame Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS), and Se with flameless Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). The study involves (55) asthmatic patients as study group and (28) subjects as control from both genders. Serum levels of Mg, Cu, and Se were significantly higher (p<0.001 for all) in patients when compared with healthy subjects, while Zn level was relatively significant (p<0.05). Our observations confirm the efficacy and applicability of (AAS) in
... Show MoreAbstract Objectives: Malocclusion was and remains one of the most common problems which affects the psyche and social status of the individual, so the estimation of the malocclusion severity and needs a percentage of orthodontic treatment of Iraqi patients is the aim of this study. Method: A randomly selected 150 pairs of study models (48 male and 102 female) were involved in this study for patients attending an orthodontic clinic at College of Dentistry/ University of Baghdad seeking for treatment. The DAI scores were collected according to WHO guidelines directly from the study model with a digital caliper, score was calculated using the regression equation of 10 occlusal traits. The dental casts were classified into four groups to determ
... Show MoreThis research delves into the role of satirical television programs in shaping the image of Iraqi politicians. The research problem is summarized in the main question: How does satire featured in television programs influence the portrayal of Iraqi politicians? This research adopts a descriptive approach and employs a survey methodology. The primary data collection tool is a questionnaire, complemented by observation and measurement techniques. The study draws upon the framework of cultural cultivation theory as a guiding theoretical foundation. A total of 430 questionnaires were disseminated among respondents who regularly watch satirical programs, selected through a multi-stage random sampling procedure.
Th
The diversity of cultures is still the title of an Iraqi specificity that gave the society a diversity and this is reflected in the journalistic reality with the changing of the political system generate a new political and ideological life that differs from what is prevailed during the decades. However, its exacerbation of the degree of division is an additional duty for the press as a cultural platform and a knowledge bridge that contributes to the process of dialogue, addressing the differences, establishing a politically homogeneous structure through the state and socially by uniting all components of society and working to raise public awareness of the importance of national belonging to build a modern state. Cultural diversity is a
... Show MoreThe present study was designed to shed light on the molecular effects caused by acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It was also aimed to investigate ASXL1 point mutations in newly AML patients as compared to healthy control. The study comprised of 43 AML Iraqi patients and their ages ranged between 16-75 years. It included 23 females and 20 males compared with 20 healthy controls. Results revealed that the extracted DNA from 30 AML patients and amplified by PCR to obtain ASXL1 gene from exon 12 showed larger bands (479). Among forty three patients, two of them displayed point mutations of deletion and substitution, while the others were normal since no mutations were detected. The total of mutations in two mutated patients was 27 mutations, the m
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