The Diagnostic Yield of Laboratory Tests in Chronic Constipation in Adults.

Background: Chronic constipation is a common gastrointestinal complaint characterized by infrequent or difficult bowel movements, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. Laboratory markers offer potential diagnostic value in identifying physiological changes associated with chronic constipation, yet their effectiveness remains underexplored.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of various laboratory tests in identifying the underlying causes of chronic constipation among adults.

Effectiveness of Regional Nerve Blocks Versus Local Anesthetic Infiltration for Elective Hand and Wrist Surgery.

Background: Pain relief by different methods in elective hand and wrist surgery is pivotal for patients undergoing elective wrist and hand surgery.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness and duration of peripheral nerve block versus local surgical site anesthetic infiltration among patients undergoing elective wrist and hand surgery.

Subjects And Methods: This study was carried out in the Orthopaedic Department of Duhok Emergency Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq.

Association of Lipoprotein and Apolipoprotein Ratios With Glycemic Levels in Individuals With Prediabetes: A Case-Control Study.

Background:  Prediabetes is defined as a hyperglycemic state between normal glucose metabolism and diabetes mellitus. It is also recognized as a predisposing factor for cardiovascular disease. Apolipoprotein is a constituent of lipoproteins, and its ratio levels (ApoB/ApoA1 ratio) are considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Northern Iraq.

Introduction: There is an upward trend in the key cardiovascular risk factors in Iraq. Accordingly, the current study was initiated to address the changing epidemiology of acute coronary heart disease in Iraq.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 600 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the period between October 2020 and September 2022, and admitted to the Heart Center at Azadi Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Iraq, were recruited.

Characterization of Electrospinning Chitosan Nanofibers Used for Wound Dressing.

Wound dressings play a crucial role in promoting wound healing by providing a protective barrier against infections and facilitating tissue regeneration. Electrospun nanofibers have emerged as promising materials for wound dressing applications due to their high surface area, porosity, and resemblance to the extracellular matrix. In this study, chitosan, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, was electrospun into nanofibers for potential use in wound dressing.

Assessing the Effect of Twisting and Twisting Fatigue on ZnO:Al Thin Film Performance on PEN and PET Substrates.

This study examines the electromechanical characteristics of aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films. The films were produced using the RF magnetron sputtering process with a consistent thickness of 150 nm on various polymer substrates. The study focuses on assessing the electro-mechanical failure processes of coated segments using flexible substrates, namely polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with a specific emphasis on typical cracking and delamination occurrences.

The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) in Colorectal Cancer Progression: Correlation With Clinicopathological Features and Impact on Cellular Processes.

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent and deadly disease characterized by significant molecular complexity. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) has been implicated in cancer progression due to its role in extracellular matrix degradation, yet comprehensive studies linking MMP2 expression to CRC progression and its molecular mechanisms remain needed. Methodology This study involved 90 CRC patients, with tumor and adjacent normal tissues analyzed via immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess MMP2 expression.

Serum Iron and Ferritin Levels in Beta Thalassemia Carriers in Duhok Governorate, Iraq.

Background Thalassemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) account for most cases of microcytic hypochromic anemia. It is a common misconception that iron deficiency does not occur in thalassemia. However, studies have found that iron deficiency can coexist in carriers of beta thalassemia.

INVESTIGATION OF IRON DEFICIENCY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN BASED ON LABORATORY TESTING: A UNI-CENTRE STUDY.

Objectives - postmenopausal women (PMW) undergo a physiological phase of lack or insufficient female sex hormones resulting in some consequences including hematological deficits. The present study aimed to investigate the detection of anemia in postmenopausal women using easy laboratory tools. In this retrospective analysis of patient data collected during the period between 2014-2022.

ALLOPURINOL TREATMENT IMPROVES INSULIN RESISTANCE IN NON-DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH RENAL STONE.

Hyperuricemia is an objective risk factor of derangement of fasting serum glucose and type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet whether hyperuricemia has a causative influence on insulin resistance is still debatable. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that lowering uric acid in hyperuricemic nondiabetic subjects might improve insulin resistance. Patients with renal stone and hyperuricemia (n=15) were recruited from the private clinic of Ib-Sina Local Teaching Hospital in Mosul city and prospectively placed on allopurinol (300mg/day) for 6 months.

Serum Vitamin B12 and Holotranscobalamin Levels in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients in Relation to Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Levels and the Positivity of Anti-thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: A Case-Control Study.

Background Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, while thyroid hormones (free thyroxine (T4) and free triiodothyronine (T3)) remain within the reference ranges. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency is common in patients with autoimmune disorders, including autoimmune hypothyroidism. The study was aimed at evaluating serum vitamin B12 levels and holotranscobalamin (HoloTC) levels in SCH patients and ascertaining their association with a risky level of TSH and the positivity of anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies.

CURRENT LINES AND ANGLES USED IN PAEDIATRIC FOOT RADIOGRAPH: A SCOPING REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

Objective: This article aimed to review the main currently described lines and angles and gather them in a single article and arrange them in a systematic way to facilitate the process of assessment of the pediatric foot for deformities.

Methods: The review was a scoping literature review. Electronic database websites such as PubMed, Europe PMC, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar in addition to some books on anatomy and human movements biomechanics, diagnostic radiology, and orthopedics were searched for relevant articles for the topic of the present review.

A mat based on PVA doped with TiO2 nanoparticles for removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solution and improving the carbon footprint.

Water supply is the great challenge for climate change and overpopulation. A Nanofiber mat consisting of Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), nanoTiO2, and citric acid (PTC) was prepared using an electrospinning technique at a constant flow rate (0.5 ml/h).

The Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Uropathogenic Bacterial Profile With Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns Among the Community and Hospitalized Patients During COVID Waves.

Background and objective Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common infectious disease affecting people of various ages and genders and are prevalent in different geographical locations. However, the way Gram-positive and Gram-negative (UTI) germs react to antibiotic treatment varies significantly. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the frequency of secondary bacterial superinfection, leading to a spike in ongoing recommendations for antibiotic treatment, both therapeutic and preventative.

The Potential Risk of Reduced Serum Cholinesterase Activity in COVID-19 Patients Suffering From Cytokine Storm.

Background and objective Several blood biochemical parameters are used to biomonitor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Reduced serum cholinesterase (ChE) has been suggested to be a predictive indicator of the severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to examine serum ChE activity in hospitalized and terminally ill COVID-19 patients with cytokine storm and evaluate the enzyme for the in vitro ChE-inhibitory activity of the organophosphate dichlorvos.

Salivary microbial shifting in hypertensive patients with chronic periodontitis after scaling and root surface debridement.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of scaling and root surface debridement (SRP) on salivary bacterial counts and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients with chronic periodontitis, with a focus on clinical significance.

Methods: An observational trial included 24 chronic periodontitis patients, eleven of them were hypertensive patients. Non-surgical periodontal treatment was administered to all patients, with clinical parameters including gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and probing pocket depth (PPD) recorded.

Role of Healthy Lifestyle and Diet Quality in the Development of Colorectal Cancer in the Adult Population in the Kurdistan Region: A Case-Control Study.

Background The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in developing countries. The factors contributing to the risk of CRC are not known in developing countries. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the role of a healthy lifestyle on CRC in the adult population in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Utility of single fibre electromyography (SFEMG)and motor unit number estimation technique (MUNE) in the diagnosis and differentiation of polyneuropathies of different aetiology.

Objective: To determine whether single fibre electromyography and motor unit number index can distinguish between axonal and myelin lesions in polyneuropathies.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Duhok, Iraq, and the Neurophysiology Department, Hawler Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq, from January 2021 to March 2022. Group A had patients diagnosed with polyneuropathy regardless of the aetiology, while group B had age-matched healthy controls.

An EPR model for predicting the bearing capacity of single and double-strip foundations near earth slope crests.

It is imperative to understand how foundations behave on earthen slopes to accurately predict their allowable carrying capacity in geotechnical engineering. A comprehensive finite element (FE) simulation with PLAXIS 2D was conducted to assess the effects of various parameters on the bearing capacity (BC) of single- and double-strip foundations placed near the earth's slope crest. The specified parameters include foundation width (B) and depth (Df/B); setback distance between the slope edge and foundation (b/B); soil internal friction (ϕ) and cohesion (c); slope inclination (β); and spacing between foundations (S/B).

Analytic integrability of generalized 3-dimensional chaotic systems.

Numerous recently introduced chaotic systems exhibit straightforward algebraic representations. In this study, we explore the potential for identifying a global analytic first integral in a generalized 3-dimensional chaotic system (2). Our work involves detailing the model of a new 3-D chaotic system characterized by three Lyapunov exponents-positive, zero, and negative.

Clinicopathological Implications of Mismatch Repair Status in Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer in Duhok City.

Background: DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a specialized system that corrects errors in DNA replication, namely, base substitution mismatches and minor insertion-deletion mismatches. The deficient mismatch repair (d-MMR) protein plays a vital role in predicting the prognosis of endometrioid carcinoma. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of MMR errors in endometrial cancer (EC) and their correlation with clinicopathological features.