Electrolyte disturbances are common in ill patients. Several conditions in the intensive care unit (ICU) might be responsible for developing electrolyte disorders, and medications may also contribute to these disturbances. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of electrolyte disturbances and assess the pattern of electrolyte imbalance in hospitalized patients, determining the possible effects of these electrolyte disorders. This cross-sectional study included patients admitted to the intensive care unit, respiratory care unit (RCU), and coronary care unit (CCU) at the Al-Sadar teaching hospital, Najaf, Iraq, from November 2020 to April 2021. The study collected data from two hundred patients regarding demographics, categories of ICUs at admission, comorbidities, and laboratory values at admission. Also, electrolyte levels at ICU admission and during hospitalization were collected from the medical database record. In addition, the patient's age, sex, fasting blood sugar (FBS), body mass index (BMI), B.urea, and creatinine were matched. Na+, K+, ionized Ca++, and Cl serum levels were significantly different during hospitalization. Comorbidities with predominant hypokalemia were found in 80.5%, hypochloremia in 73%, hypocalcaemia in 72%, and hyponatremia in 56.7% of hospitalized patients. Studying the effect of co-morbidities indicated a higher percentage (44%) of admitted patients with ischemic heart diseases, 38 (19%) with digestive diseases, 21 (10.5%) with orthopedic surgery in an emergency, 14 (7%) with pneumonia and lung diseases, 12 (6%) with diabetics, 18 (9%) with sepsis, and 9(4.5%) with seizure. Hospitalized patients may be at higher risk of developing combined electrolytes disorder associated with decreased serum levels of K+, Na+, Ca++, and Cl-. Thus, doctors and clinicians are recommended to observe electrolyte changes and correct them as they seem to negatively impact the outcome and prognosis.

Cytokine response to Ancylostoma duodenale (A. duodenale) infection was measured after starting treatments with piperazine. This study aims to determine the impact of cytokine production after infection with A. duodenale before and after treatment with piperazine. Blood and stool samples of 50 patients with A. duodenale infection and 28 healthy individuals (control) were collected. In this study, IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 in serum (using ELISA-based methods) were measured. Stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz technique to detect A. duodenale parasites. Blood and stool samples were analyzed 14 days after starting piperazine treatment for A. duodenale infection. The medium concentration of IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 in the serum samples with A. duodenale infection is higher than that of the control group. IFNγ, IL-5, IL-12, and IL-13 levels were significantly higher in the infected individuals (10.5±7.4 pg/ml, 14.6±5.1 pg/ml, 8.5±3.2 pg/ml and 13.6±7.5 pg/ml respectively) than the control group (4.7±2.4 pg/ml, 7.8±4.06 pg/ml, 6.3±3.4 pg/ml and 3.5±2.7 pg/ml respectively). Also, piperazine treatment can significantly reduce cytokines levels (IFN-γ: P=0.043, IL-5: P=0.02, and IL-12, p=0.001). This study shows that piperazine treatment can reduce cytokines profiles in patients with A. duodenale infection.

The aim: We investigate IGF2BP2 gene polymorphisms (rs6777038 and rs6444082) association with T2DM of Iraqi sample. Materials and methods: The study involves 800 participants that divided to a healthy control group (400) and T2DM patients (400). Fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglycerides (Tgs), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-Ch), total cholesterol (T-Ch), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-Ch), and fasting insulin measured for both participant groups. IGF2BP2 gene has been genotyped for polymorphisms, rs6777038 and rs6444082 using the PCR-RFLP technique. Results: Logistic regression analysis testing for rs6777038 revealed that the genotype and allele frequency differ significantly (p=0.009) between T2DM and control group. In codominant model, TT genotype carriers had higher risks for diabetes than control also in the recessive model TT genotype significantly had higher risk for diabetes than control group. The other models of rs6777038 failed to reveal significant differences. The rs6777038 genotypes as codominant model showed significant differences with phenotypic characters of BMI, insulin and HOMA-IR. As well as, this SNP as dominant model showed significant differences with fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. However, rs6444082 genotypes only as dominant model reveal significant variation with HOMA-IR. Conclusions: This study confirmed the variant rs6777038 of IGF2BP2 possibly associated with T2DM risks and some anthropometric parameters such as lower fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and BMI in Iraqi T2DM participants.

A disorder of reproductive system called infertility is specified via the inability to get pregnant after a year of unprotected, normal sexual activity. The goal of the presented work is to evaluate Cu, Zn, Se, and Fe levels in female infertility in Najaf city, Iraq. Trace elements could induce infertility through altering several biological pathways within the body. A total of 200 people participated in the case-control study, with 100 fertile women acting as the control group and 100 women experiencing infertility acting as the case group. By using atomic absorption, the amounts of Cu, Zn, Se, and Fe in blood samples have been determined. When put to comparison with the control group, the patient group's serum Cu, Zn, and Se concentrations significantly decreased (p less than 0.05), whereas the patient group's serum Fe concentrations significantly increased (p less than 0.05). BMI and age variables, however, did not significantly differ between the two study groups. Between secondary and primary infertile women, there are no significant variations in mean serum Cu, Zn, Se, and Fe concentrations. The research found that levels of Cu, Zn, and Se concentrations in women with infertility have been significantly lower, whereas the results regarding Fe concentrations have been significantly higher in such women. Therefore, the research recommends that infertile women be treated by using supplements that contain such trace elements to make up for deficiencies.

Background: Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) can be considered as the main diabetes’ type, which ispresent in all populations worldwide and all regions. Calpain-10 is a part of a vast intracellular proteasefamily. CAPN10 gene polymorphisms have been related to complex types of T2DM.Objective: the major goal of the presented work is evaluating the relation regarding CAPN10 genepolymorphisms (SNP44 rs2975760 and SNP43 rs3792267) with T2DM in the Iraqi population as well aschanges in serum lipid concentration and insulin concentration.Materials and Methods: Two groups of persons were recruited, 300 patients with type2 diabetes mellitus,and 300 healthy control individuals. Fasting serum glucose and serum lipid concentrations have beenevaluated via standard enzymatic approaches, while the concentrations of serum insulin were evaluated viaELISA assay. Genotyping of rs2975760 and rs3792267 SNPs is conducted via PCR-RFLP.Results: Those of the SNP-44 showed that patients of heterozygous genotype (TC) decreased significantlywith respect to the control group. Patients with the homozygous genotype (CC) elevated insignificantlyrelative to the control group. The minor allele C frequency in patients (12%) is decreased considerablyin the patients’ group relative to the group of controls (15%). The genotype results of SNP-43 illustratedthat patients of heterozygous (GA) genotypes decreased significantly with respect to the control group.Patients of the homozygous genotype (AA) appeared to be insignificantly higher than the controls. Theminor allele A frequency in patients (11.5%) is decreased considerably in the patients’ group relative to thegroup of controls (27%). Serum lipid concentrations, insulin, and insulin resistance are distributed in groupsof various genotypes of the 2 SNPs deferentially.Conclusion: SNP-44 and SNP-43 in Iraqi individuals are protective against the development of T2DM.They were implicated in serum lipid changes, insulin and insulin resistance values.