Background: Tobacco smoking and tuberculosis (TB) are two major public health problems; Associations between smoking and tuberculosis including death from tuberculosis have been reported , A reduction in smoking could be expected to have a significant impact on TB incidence and prevalence .
Objectives: to assess the effect of smoking on tuberculosis.
Methods: This study was conducted from June 2011 to June 2012 in 200 patients, adult ( aged 17 years and more), newly diagnosed patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, at the chest and Respiratory Disease Specialized Center in Baghdad. Demographic data, presenting symptoms, data on smoking, and recurrence of disease were compared. Information on smoking status, tobacco smoking was collecte

In this search, a new bioluminescent technique was proved for pyrophosphate which was employed to single- nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diagnosis using one-base extension reaction. Four Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes were chosen (Rpob, InhA, KatG, GyrA) genes. Fifty-four specimens were used in this study fifty-three proved as drug-resistant specimens by The Iraqi Institute of Chest and Respiratory Diseases in Baghdad., also one specimen was used as a negative control. The procedure of this assay was as follows. A specific primer within each aliquot owning a short 3-OH end of the base of the target gene was hybridized to the single-stranded DNA template. Then, (exo-) Klenow DNA polymerase and one of either ?-thio-dATP, dTTP, dGTP, or dCTP

Background: Significant numbers of patients with spinal tuberculosis (TB), especially in developing countries, still present late after disease onset with severe neurological deficits.

Objective:This study was conducted to assess the outcome of surgery in patients with tuberculosis of the spine with motor deficits.

Type of the study: Retrospective study.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data obtained in all the patients with severe motor deficits due to spinal TB admitted to and surgically treated in four hospitals in Baghdad/Iraq during the period from January 2012 to January 2014. History, examination, imaging, histological, postoperative, a

Background: Excision repair cross-complementing group 2 gene (ERCC2) polymorphisms have been linked as being a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) emergence. However, data from several studies are contradictory. To validate genetic biomarkers of the CRC; the impact of the following ERCC2 polymorphism (rs1799793 and rs238406) was examined on CRC susceptibility among sample of Iraqi population. Methods: A total of 126 subjects were enrolled in this case control study; 78 CRC patients and 48 apparently healthy individuals who are age, gender, smoking status and BMI matched. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for genotyping, followed by sequencing then the association between genetic polymorphisms and CRC risk was investigate

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) which utilizes angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2) to invade the host cells. This membrane-bound peptidase is widely distributed in the body; its activity antagonizes the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Once SARS-Cov2 enters the cell, it causes downregulation of ACE2, resulting in the unopposed activation of RAAS. The unregulated activity of the RAAS system can deteriorate the prognosis in COVID-19 patients. A soluble form of ACE2 (sACE2) was reported to have a role in the SARS-Cov2 invasion of the susceptible cells.

Aim of the study: This study aims to inve

The coronavirus-pandemic has a major impact on women's-mental and physical-health. Polycystic-ovary-syndrome (PCOS) has a high-predisposition to many cardiometabolic-risk factors that increase susceptibility to severe complications of COVID-19 and also exhibit an increased likelihood of subfertility. The study includes the extent of the effect of COVID-19-virus on renin-levels, glutathione-s-transferase-activity and other biochemical parameters in PCOS-women. The study included 120 samples of ladies that involved: 80 PCOS-patients, and 40 healthy-ladies. Both main groups were divided into subgroups based on COVID-19 infected or not. Blood-samples were collected from PCOS-patients in Kamal-Al-Samara Hospital, at the period between Decembe

Background: Alveolar ridge expansion is proposed when the alveolar crest thickness is ≤5 mm. The screw expansion technique has been utilized for many years to expand narrow alveolar ridges. Recently, the osseodensification technique has been suggested as a reliable technique to expand narrow alveolar ridges with effective width gain and as little surgical operating time as possible. The current study aimed to compare osseodensification and screw expansion in terms of clinical width gain and operating time. Materials and methods: Forty implant osteotomies were performed in deficient horizontal alveolar ridges (3–5 mm). A total of 19 patients aged 21–59 years were randomized into two groups: the screw expansion group, which invo

Background: Laparoscopic surgery for
appendicitis is now a well established and
advanced method of performing general surgical
procedures.
Objectives: To compare the outcome of
laparoscopic and open appendectomies in terms
of operative time, analgesic requirement,
postoperative complications, hospital stay, return
to normal activity and condition of scar.
Methods: This prospective study was carried
out from 1stMay 2008-1st January 2010, involving
110 patients (45 male and 65 female) with
features suggestive of acute appendicitis were
divided into 45 patients laparoscopic
appendectomy (LA) group and 65 patients open
appendectomy (OA) group, after taking informed
consent. LA was done with the