Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are said to be inherited in a multifactorial fashion, i.e. genetic-environmental interaction. Maternal nutritional deficiencies had long been reported to cause NTDs, especially folate deficiency during early pregnancy. More attention had been paid to the exact mechanism by which this deficiency state causes these defects in the developing embryo. The most significant of all researches was that connecting reduced folate and increased homocysteine level in maternal serum on one hand and the risk of developing a NTD baby on the other hand. Objectives : to determine the significance of homocysteine level in Iraqi mothers who gave birth to babies with NTDs as compared to normal controls. Patients, Materials and Methods: Fifty Iraqi women having babies born with NTDS, referred to the genetic clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital, were included in this study (the study group) as well as 37 healthy women having normal children (the control group). This study was conducted from November, 2002 till October, 2003. Analysis of total serum homocysteine level for all women was done using a computerized HPLC system. Results : the age of women in both groups was comparable (mean+SD in the study group was 26.2+5.14 years vs. 26.3+4.57 years in the controls). Among the study group, 4 (8%) had normal tHcy level; 44 (88%) had mildly elevated level, and only 2 (4%) had moderately elevated tHcy level, while all (100%) women in the control group had their tHcy level within normal level. This difference was statistically highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusions : Women become at an increased risk of delivering a baby with NTD when having an elevated tHcy level in their sera, and that tHcy level is an important marker in maternal serum that is associated significantly with pregnancy outcome.
The expression of the Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 gene (PCSK9) is inextricably related to lipid levels and a risk of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ASCAD). The present study aims to measure the quantity of PCSK9 gene expression and the effect of methylation on its expression level taking part in the pathogenesis of acute coronary artery disorder.
A current study included 150 subjects from the Iraqi population, 100 ASCAD patients and 50 healthy controls. The concentration of PCSK9 in each serum sample was determined by the ELISA technique, the expression levels of the PCSK9 gene in whole blood were estimated by RT-qPCR – Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR method, and DNA
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Diabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic diseases, the most prevalent of which is chronic hyperglycemia. The culprits include insulin synthesis, insulin action, or both. Osteoporosis is a progressive systemic skeletal disorder defined by decreased bone mass and micro architectural degeneration of bone tissue, resulting in increased bone fragility and fracture risk, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The degree of Nervosa damage determines how much a diabetic patient's body has been compromised. The current study's goal is an estimation: Age, BMI, FBS, HbA1C, D3, ALP, Ca, P, and Osteocalcin in Iraqi T2DM Women's patients with and without Osteoporosis. Three vitamins are required for Osteocalcin biosynthesis: vitamin K for Gla f
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Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are enzymes that included, in a more range of detoxifying reactions by conjugation of glutathione, to electrophilic material. Polymorphisms n the genes that responsible of GSTs affect, the function of the GSTs. GSTs play an active role in protection of cell against oxidative stress mechanism. Polymorphisms of GSTP1 at codon 105 amino acids forms GSTP1 important site for bind of hydrophobic electrophiles and the substitution of Ile/Val affect substrate specially catalytic activity of the enzyme and may correlate with reach to different diseases in human like diabetes mellitus type2 disease. Correlation between these polymorphisms and changes in the parameters file of diabetic patients has also bee
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Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by persistent microalbuminuria and metabolic changes that decline renal functions. Researchers have been prompted to explore new biomarkers such as KIM-1 and nephrin that may enhance the identification of disease. Objective: To Evaluate biomarker levels of kidney injury molculre-1 (KIM-1) concentration and nephrin as early and sensitive markers of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients. Method: One hundred T2DM patients were included in a cross-sectional study at the specialized center for endocrinology and diabetes, Baghdad. The first group includes 50 diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients, and the second group includes 50 T2DM patients without DN. Biochemical and clinical parameters were reported for pa
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Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disorder that is characterized by reduced bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. The most frequent osteoporotic fractures are fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine. The exact causes of OP are still unknown; several factors contribute to the disorder. Subjects and Methods: This study consists of patient groups, this group (Group A) was composed of 80 postmenopausal women with OP and osteopenia and the patient group was subdivided into two group; First group (GroupA1) was composed of 50 postmenopausal women with OP and the second group (Group A2) composed of (30) Postmenopausal Women with oste
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This study was designed to compare the effect of two types of viral hepatitis A and E (HAV
and HEV) on liver functions in Iraqi individuals by the measurement of biochemical changes
associated with hepatitis.
The study performed on 58 HEV and 66 HAV infected patients compared with 28 healthy
subjects. The measured biochemical tests include total serum bilirubin, serum transminases (ALT
and AST) alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT).
The study showed that adolescent and young adults (17-29) years, were mostly affected by
HEV while children (5-12) years were frequently affected by HAV. The severity of liver damage in
HEV patients was higher than HAV patients as a result of high serum transa
Background: The styloid process is a cylindrical bone (protrusion). It situated above the common carotid artery between the external and internal branches immediately proximal to the internal jugular vein and facial nerves. The styloid process varies in length also it may be absent as well as elongated. Classically, an elongated styloid process and calcified of stylohyoid ligament causes Eagle’s syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the styloid process using 3 dimensional multi-detector computed tomography (3D-MDCT) to detect the presence of Eagle’s syndrome that causes severe headache and migraine. Materials and methods: One hundred patients with severe headache and migraine were exposed to 3D- multi-detector CT with special
... Show MoreStrives Total Productive Maintenance to increase the overall effectiveness of the equipment through the early involvement in the design and manufacture of equipment productivity. It also operates in an environment of simultaneous engineering work on the synchronization of activities to take advantage of early information by maintenance engineers, design, operation, and that helps to reduce the faults and facilitate future maintenance tasks.
Has adopted a search in the theoretical concept of the total maintenance productivity and concurrent engineering activities carried out during which the conjunction a
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The study aims to investigate the effect of the Six Thinking Hats Strategy on the achievement of essay writing skills among third-year students in Arabic Language and Literature who are Persian speakers enrolled in the course of Essay Writing (III) at Shiraz University for the academic year 2019-2020. The sample of the study consisted of (15) male and female students who were taught according to the pre-posttest, using the quasi-experimental approach. After applying the statistical analysis on the scores of the post-test, the results showed that there are statistically significant differences in the average of students' achievement in the skills of essay writing in terms of using the Six Thinking Hats Strategy. The results also proved th
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