Purpose: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal Aflibercept injection on wet AMD both functionally and anatomically after loading doses. The secondary aim is to evaluate the effect of risk factors including (gender, age, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes meatus) on the patient’s response. Study Design: Interventional case series. Place and Duration of Study: Al-Haitham Eyes Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, from November 2021 and September 2022. Methods: Fifty eyes of 47 patients with treatment naïve wet AMD were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected for age, gender, smoking, and chronic disease. Clinical examination, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography angiography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography SD-OCT were performed at baseline and then at 16 weeks, after three one-monthly injections of Aflibercept 2 mg/ 0.05 ml intravitreally. Results: Mean age was 68.23 ± 8.5 years. Mean difference in BCVA was 0.37 ± 0.03 (P = 0.000) and mean difference in central macular thickness was 105.72 ± 45.05 (P value < .0000) at 16 weeks. CNV was associated with intra-retinal fluid in 52% of cases, subretinal fluid in 72%, pigment epithelial detachment in 20%, intraretinal hemorrhage in 6% and subretinal hemorrhage in 4%. Studying associations between the responses of Aflibercept with the general features of the patients as age, gender, chronic diseases and smoking status, revealed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that aflibercept is effective for the treatment of patients with wet AMD both functionally and anatomically after the loading doses. The presence of intraretinal fluid at presentation had a negative effect on the vision.
Background: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factors commonly used intravitreally for treatment of variable retinal disease worldwide, which help to regulate the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factors due to ischemia or/and other retinal insult.
Objective: To review all cases of intravitreal bevacizumab given in the retinal unit of the Eye Specialty Private Hospital in Iraq from December 2015 to June 2016, pointing out the common indications.
Methods: A retrospective study including all cases of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab recorded at the Eye Specialty Private Hospital from December 2015 to June 2016 were retrieved. Age, sex, laterality, diagnosis
... Show MoreMost of the mosques in the Islamic world fall under specific and known forms and patterns to a large extent, and such patterns have grown and evolved from the few basic and uniform models, but they changed slowly due to the impact with a mixture of changing functional requirements and cultural landscapes because of the variables of time and place to form patterns known and famous in this day across parts of the Islamic world and its borders. There was no exception to these patterns, but small numbers of mosques that were probably the result of personal experiences or improvisational resolutions, or in response to specific or temporary stimuli. However, the emergence of a specific pattern which does not belong to any of these patt
... Show MoreProteus mirabilis isolates have been intensively researched for their capacity to cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) and their swarming motility, although little is known about this phenomenon. Probiotic Lactobacillus species, which are beneficial bacteria, are being studied worldwide as therapeutic and preventative agents against bacterial infections. This study investigated Lactobacillus supernatants as a potential new treatment against Proteus mirabilis. In addition to testing their antimicrobial and anti-swarming activities, the research also aimed to understand the genetic mechanisms behind the observed phenotypic changes. Methods. A total of 150 urine specimens were collected from UTI patients at various hospitals in Baghdad. Dire
... Show MoreFencing is characterized by rapid and sudden changes that require speed in decision-making and motor responses. In addition, it requires high sensorimotor awareness and strong coordination between leg, arm, and eye movements. In the current study, the researchers used cognitive coordination response speed exercises and physical and skill exercises in order to develop performance in the time counterattack. The aim of the study is to identify the effect of cognitive coordination response speed exercises on the performance of the time counterattack of female foil fencers. An experimental method was used on the female fencing team players at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women/University of Baghdad in the spo
... Show Moredue to the presence of chemoresistance and the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis. There is a pressing necessity to develop efficient treatments to improve response for treatment and increase prolong survival of breast cancer patients. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted interest for its features as a noninvasive and relatively selective cancer treatment. This method relies on light-activated photosensitizers that, upon absorbing light, generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) with powerful cell-killing outcomes. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a transcription factor, plays a key role in cancer development by regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Inhibiting NF-κB can sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapeuti
... Show MoreThe effect of short range correlations on the inelastic Coulomb form factors for excited +2 states (1.982, 3.919, 5.250 and 8.210MeV) and +4 states (3.553, 7.114, 8.960 and 10.310 MeV) in O18 is analyzed. This effect (which depends on the correlation parameterβ) is inserted into the ground state charge density distribution through the Jastrow type correlation function. The single particle harmonic oscillator wave function is used with an oscillator size parameter .b The parameters β and b are adjusted for each excited state separately so as to reproduce the experimental root mean square charge radius of .18O The nucleusO18 is considered as an inert core of C12 with two protons and four neutrons distributed over 212521211sdp−− activ
... Show MoreThere are a few studies that discuss the medical causes for diabetic foot (DF) ulcerations in Iraq, one of them in Wasit province. The aim of our study was to analyze the medical, therapeutic, and patient risk factors for developing DF ulcerations among diabetic patients in Baghdad, Iraq.
Genetics play a major role in diabetic retinopathy DR, which is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although the factors such as how long a person has had diabetes and high blood sugar are important, the wide variation and progression of DR indicates to a clear genetic influence. Early studies focusing on a few candidate genes (such as VEGF) produced conflicting and population-dependent results. This confirmed the multifactorial nature of the disease and the limitations of small-scale studies. Conversely, genome wide association studies (GWAS) have provided more consistent findings in detection a new genes related to DR. For example, rs2239785 variant which is located in the APOL1 gene was found to be a high risk factor for diabetic mac
... Show MoreThe effect of short range correlations on the inelastic longitudinal
Coulomb form factors for different states of J 4 , T 1with
excitation energies 3.553,7.114, 8.960 and 10.310 MeV in 18O is
analyzed. This effect (which depends on the correlation parameter )
is inserted into the ground state charge density distribution through
the Jastrow type correlation function. The single particle harmonic
oscillator wave function is used with an oscillator size parameter b.
The parameters and b are considered as free parameters, adjusted
for each excited state separately so as to reproduce the experimental
root mean square charge radius of 18O. The model space of 18O does
not contribute to the tra