Mustansiriya Medical Journal

Black seed (Nigella Sativa) is a common dietary element and has bean
traditionally used as a treatment for a variety of health complains over
centuries. Dyslipidaemia is an important and common medical problem.
Objective: To assess the effect of N. sativa on the serum lipids of normal
individuals.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Domain of the College of Medicine and IbnSina Teaching Hospital.
Patients and methods: 10 healthy volunteers (8 males and 2 females)
received 750 mg of powdered grains of Nigella sativa enclosed in a capsule
twice daily for 28 days. Their fasting lipid profile, including triglycerides,
total, LDL and HDL cholesterol were measured, before and after treatment.
Results: Serum triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol decreased
significantly after treatment with Nigella sativa, P. value <0.0001. While
HDL cholesterol increased significantly, P. value <0.0001.
Conclusion: N. sativa exerts a favorable effect on lipid profile of healthy
individual.

Ab bs st tr ra ac ct t: : The study was designed to found out the effect of magnetic field strength on the level of free radicals in the blood of diabetic subjects. It was done in the department of physiology, the medical college of Al-Mustansiriyah University and the research lab of the medical physics section. The study was Design as a prospective, randomized, case-control study. Out came measures: magnetic field (MF) was designed to build field strength of 10, 20 & 30 millteslar. The estimation of oxidative stress and antioxidant was done by measurement of malondialdenyde MDA and Glutathione (GSH) level. This study showed that the level of enythrocyte glutatione was significantly lower in diabetic subjects (P < 0.0.) while plasma MDA was significantly higher in diabetes subject than in the control group. All the measured parameters showed no significant changes when exposed to MF up to 30mTS. We concluded that a magnetic field of up to 30MTS has no harmful effect on the biological system activity in normal and D.M.

Ab bs st tr ra ac ct t: : Selective re-absorption and secretion are the functions of the collecting tubules and ducts, in addition to concentrate urine through ADH-regulated and ADH- independent water channels. In this study, twenty four male rats were used; they were divided into two groups of animals: Group (A) included twelve rats of five weeks old age (before puberty) that were divided into three subgroups, four rats in each subgroup. Subgroup I was control one, subgroups II and III were treated orally with melatonin in a dose of 250 & 500 μg/kg body weights subsequently. Group (B) included twelve rats of seventeen weeks old age (after puberty) that were divided into the same subgroups and treated with the doses of melatonin as in the rats of group (A). In this experiment, the exogenous melatonin induced structural changes on the collecting tubules and ducts, in dose dependent manner as well as onset-dependent manner whether used in pre- or post-puberty of male albino rats.

Ab bs st tr ra ac ct t: : Background: Increased levels of specific proteins and Immunoglobulines have been detected in serum from patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To clarify the clinical significance of specific serum proteins and Immunoglobulin in RA. Methods: Forty- two patients with sero-positive rheumatoid factor (group 1 and 2 according to disease activity progresses) and twenty age- matched healthy subjects were included in the study. Serum total proteins, Protein electrophoresis and Immunoglobulin level were evaluated. Results: Acute phase reactants in RA patients showed a significant increase in comparison to healthy subjects (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the levels of α- globulins, γ-Nglobulins, IgG and IgM in group 1 as compared to group 2. Conclusion: The prognostic value of serum specific proteins and Immunoglobulin in patients with RA is high, and can provide some help in predicting the outcome of joint inflammation.

Background: The findings of previous research on the status of trace elements in diabetic
patients have been controversial.
A comparative study of serum copper in diabetic patients and healthy Iraqi controls is
becoming important, particularly after the dietary shortage, as sequel of 13 years of
sanctions.
Objective: To study the difference of serum copper between the diabetic patients and
healthy Iraqi people.
Method: This is an outpatient-based study; it was carried out in AL-Rhasid Military Teaching
Hospital during a period from March 2002 till February 2003 the study included seventy –
four non insulin dependent diabetic patient (NIDDM) aged (40-62) year, forty – four from
which have retinopathy and twenty – four have albuminuria (&gt;50 mg/day) other seventy
normal healthy control with comparable age (38-65) year. Blood samples were drowning
fasting and the blood was left at room temperature for 10 minuets. Centrifuged 3000 rpm for
10 minuets, then serum was separated and stored at –20c0. The urine sample taken freshly,
randomly on early morning and urine albumin was measured quantitatively by Lowry
method, data were analyzed and compared with previous study result
Conclusion: The clinical significance of serum copper in diabetes mellitus remain conflicting
as well as controversial and many questions still remain unanswered but the decreased
serum copper found in NIDDM in our study may merit further investigation of the
relationship between copper and non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Objective: The hormones which were secreting by thyroid gland play a role in regulation of many biological processes, therefore, the disorder in production of these hormones lead to changes in many metabolic and catabolic processes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the status of some minerals, and trace elements in patients with thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and treated thyroid cancer).
Subjects &protocol: This study includes (125) healthy controls and (125) patients with thyroid disorders were distributed into three groups. The first group includes hyperthyroidism patients, the second includes hypothyroidism patients. Each of these groups include (50) patients newly diagnosed, While the third group includes (25) patients with treated thyroid cancer by surgery. Hormonal assay was done by gamma counter, while minerals and trace elements were determined by spectrophotometer and Combisys II set.
Results: Significant increase in serum (Cu) levels of hyperthyroidism patients and significant decrease in hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer patients when compared with normal group 2-. Significant decrease in serum Zn levels of hyperthyroidism patients and significant increase of Zn levels in hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer patients when compared the previous groups with normal group. 3- This study showed significant decrease in serum Fe in all groups of thyroid disorders when compared with normal group. 4- Li levels were significantly decreased in all groups of thyroid disorders patients when compared with normal group. 5- Some data (Fe) levels of thyroidectomy group showed no significant difference when compared with hypothyroidism patients.
Conclusion: This study illustrated the role of thyroid disorders in anabolic and catabolic processes of the minerals and trace elements metabolism. To our knowledge (by midline studies, and internet till 2004) this is the first study concerned with the determination of Li level in serum of patients with thyroid disorders in Iraq.

This study was conducted at the Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital to determine the resistance patterns to cephalosporins of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae isolated from urinary tract infections (UTIs). A total of 270 urine specimens were collected from February, 2004 to May, 2004.
Escherichia coli was found to be the most organism, followed by Klebsiella spp. The results of susceptibility of isolates under study to different cephalosporins were moderately or highly resistant to many of the test agents. The observations on the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for the cephalosporins explained the high level of resistance to cephalothin and cefaclor, and a moderate level of resistance to cefotaxime, ceftazidime and cefixime.
The increasing MIC of cephalosporins, especially third generation, indicates decreasing susceptibility of these organisms to these types of β-lactam agents due to the production of extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs).

This is a case report of a patient who presented with a swelling in the neck, which proved to be a cyst related to the thymus gland, and so we can add another cause for the list of lateral neck swellings. The embryology, histopathology and differential diagnosis of cervical thymic cyst are reviewed.

Hundred goitrous patients (forty-seven males and fifty-three females) with various thyroid diseases, in addition to twenty-five control subjects (seventeen females and eight males) were enrolled in this study. Depending on the thyroid function tests, with clinical signs and symptoms, the patients were divided into three main groups [Euthroid (33 patients), hypothyroid (30 patients) and hyperthyroid (37 patients]. The results of this study showed significant reduction of serum potassium, while serum calcium and sodium showed significant increment in hyperthyroid patients compared to control subjects (p < 0.01), (0.001) respectively.In addition to that, the data showed significant elevation of serum potassium, while serum calcium and sodium showed significant lowering in hyperthyroid patients in comparison to those control subjects (p < 0.01((p < 0.001), respectively.

Objectives: To evaluate the gynecological cases presented to our surgical unit as acute abdomen in respect to their clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.
Methods: A prospective study of 60 female patients admitted to the surgical unit at AL-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital presenting with gynecological causes of acute abdomen excluding trauma emergencies.
Results: The causes were; ruptured ovarian cyst in 36 patients (60%), pelvic inflammatory diseases in 15(25%) and ectopic pregnancy in 9 patients (15%). The clinical features were mainly abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and vaginal bleeding or shock state. Abdominal examination in all cases revealed abdominal tenderness. In ail patients the diagnosis was mainly confirmed at exploration and intervention depended mainly on clinical grounds. The most common differential diagnosis in these cases was acute appendicitis. Gynecological examination and U/S were not conclusive, and laparoscopy was not used in our study. Postoperative complications occur in 5 patients (8.33%) and there was no mortality.
Conclusion: We conclude from this study; better experience in LJ/S examination is needed, and the importance of the use of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of such conditions.

It is well documented that hormones of the pituitary gland affect lymphoid organs both structurally and physiologically. This experiment has been conducted to practically confirm the effect of Growth Hormone (a major pituitary hormone) on the histological changes that occur in the thymus (a primary lymphoid organ) in relation to age-related and steroid-induced atrophy.
Male albino mice of 8, 28 and 41 weeks of age were used. Each age group was subdivided into 4 subgroups, two of which as controls while the other two received human Growth Hormone for one and two week periods. The young mice were given high dose Dexamethasone to induce thymic atrophy before starting Growth Hormone treatment. Growth Hormone was given as a single daily subcutaneous injection in the morning.
Statistical analysis of the results and histological examination of the GH-treated groups revealed that GH was effective in restoring histological structure and possibly the function of the thymus following steroid-induced and age-related atrophy. This was evident by the finding of deceleration of fatty infiltration of thymic tissue and maintenance of the clear thymic architecture, increased thymic weight/ body weight ratio and increased numbers of thymocytes and epitheliocytes in cortical and medullary zones.