Journal of Biotechnology Research Center

Objective: To investigate the influence of obesity on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients and to determine a probable connection with the acute phase response.
Materials and methods: The recruited patients satisfied the criteria from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). To evaluate the body mass index (BMI), anthropometric tests were carried out at the Rheumatology Department at Baquba Teaching Hospital, which has a consultation unit. The serum levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) were measured from blood samples taken through the particle-enhanced (latex) immunonephelometry assays on the genius analyser (CO, Ltd. China) and test kits from IMTEC-CCP-Antibodies. RF screen and serological tests (latex) were carried out to determine the C-reactive protein (CRP), measure Hb and the total WBCs count, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was also carried out.
Results: The current study findings from the sample of RA patients showed that the proportion of patients falling into the overweight classification (BMI 25-29) was 80.6% while the obese classification (BMI 30-35) was 33.33%. Among the RF and ACCP-positive cases, a marginally stronger relationship between the development of RA and the history of obesity was found. Additionally, a significant correlation between acute phase response and free mass was found in RA patients (anti-CCP p-value≤ 0.00021 ESR p≤ 0.00072 Hb p≤ 0.00054, and W.B.C p =≤ 0.000.94, CRP p≤1).
Conclusion: The present study’s findings show an elevated prevalence of high body mass among the RA patients. Furthermore, a linear association existed between the fat free mass and the acute phase response.

Background: Brucella abortus (B. abortus) is a zoonotic bacterium causes both health and economic losses in Iraq.
Objective: The isolation and detection of species and subspecies is very important to understand how the outbreak occurs and to improve vaccine.
Materials and methods: To determine the dominant Biovars (bv) in Iraq (150) blood samples were collected from patients suspected with brucellosis from (Baghdad, Wasit, Babil, Karbala, Al Najaf, Al-Qadisiyah, Maysan, Al-Muthanna and Al Basrah) hospital’s from June 2015 to February 2016. Serum was separated and tested using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbent Assay (ELIDA), then positive samples to ELISA were cultivated on Brucella agar. Bacteria were tested to biotyping using both conventional methods include (CO2 requirement, urease test, H2S production, and growth on dyes), and Non-conventional methods include AMOS-ERY using set of primers (PIS711, PBa, ERY1, ERY2 and DEL569).
Results: Ninety six samples were found positive and (54) samples were found negative that tested by RBPT. The ELISA specific for B. abortus infected human was conducted on the positive RBPT only (38) samples were found positive and (15) samples were found negative and (43) samples were marked undetermined. The result of biochemical showed B. abortus bv (1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9) and B. meletensis (bv2) very closed to the AMOS-ERY test results that showed groups of biovars (1, 3, 5, 6 and 9).
Conclusion: The Molecular diagnostics have proven its effectiveness in determining the Biovars of these bacteria.

Back ground: The current study included 150 samples from patients with Candida from a hospital of Medical City / education labs - Baghdad, and ranged in age from (10 – 65(years for both sexes, all isolates taken from different sources (Lower respiratory tract, Urine, Skin, Vaginal and Oral thrux), where the number of males (55(as a percentage (37%) while the number of females (95) as a percentage (63%).
The objective: The objectives of this study are studying resistance and sensitivity of candida spp to some antifungals.
Material and methods: All the required material which used for the study, and the direct examination was conducted using potassium hydroxide KOH 10%, As well as microscopic examination and laboratory transplantation for all samples, for the purpose of investigating the candidiasis. Also Vitek System examination was conducted on all positive samples for microscopy and laboratory culturing; and so to be diagnosed on the species level, and this study included using (3) anti-fungal equipped from Himedia (India), an (Fluconazole, Clotrimazole and Nystatin), anti-fungal used by standard disk Diffusion to know the resistance of Candida and its sensitivity toward used anti-fungal.
The results: The results of direct examination were vaginal swab (50), Sputum (28), Oral swab (34), Urine (21) and Skin swab (17).
Conclusion: Candidiasis was more common in female patients as well as from medical units, where the rate of infection in females more than in males, Candida species were identified by the manual and automated methods and we found that the automated method by using VITEK2 YST Card was the best for species identification.

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC), or Vaginal thrush, is a vaginitis caused by the overgrowth of some opportunistic yeasts of the genus Candida spp. Australian Tea Tree Oil (TTO) is one of the most important essential oils that contain many compounds that are effective against many bacteria and fungi, which may match the effect of common antibiotics.
Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate and diagnose fungi that causing vaginal thrush, in pregnant women and to study the effect of (pregnancy and pregnancy sequence and age) on the rate of infection compared to non-pregnant, as well as to study the drug sensitivity of isolates towards a number of antifungal and compared that with the inhibitory effectiveness of tea tree oil.
Material and Methods: 75 vaginal swabs from pregnant women and 50 from non-pregnant women were collected at ages ranging from 17-65 years. The isolates were diagnosed using several methods, including the Vitek2 Compact system. 17 isolates were selected to study the inhibitory effect of ten antifungal agents, six of them were automatically tested by the Vitek 2 compact system, which contains a sensitivity test kit (AST-YS07 Card). The essential oil (TTO) was analyzed by GC-MS to detect its content of active compounds. The inhibitory effect of TTO was studied according to "Broth dilution" method to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for it, the inhibitory effect of four concentrations of TTO (100%, 50%, 25%, 12.5 %) was also tested according to "well diffusion" method. This investigation also included a study of the mechanism of action (TTO).
RESULTS: The rate of infection among pregnant women was (41%) with the highest rate of infection during the third trimester of pregnancy, while the percentage of non-pregnant women was only 8%. Vaginal infection was also prevalent in the age group ranged between (17-29 years).The isolates showed resistance to (Ketoconazol, Terbinafine) while they were sensitive to (Nystatin, clotrimazol), as well as sensitive to all antifungal of (AST-YS07 Card). The analysis of the TTO using chromatogram showed that it contains 32 chemical compounds, most of them are monoterpene like (Terpinen-4-ol, 1, 8-Cineol). The MIC of TTO ranged between (4 - < 2 µl/ ml). The function of TTO is to destroy the structural structure of the cell membrane and change its permeability, thereby leakage of cellular components and cell death.
Conclusion: Pregnancy increases the rate of vaginal candidiasis in women, especially during the third trimester. TTO is highly effective in inhibiting the growth of opportunistic candida yeasts.

Abstract
Background: Cyclosporine and Tacrolimus are two main immunosuppressants of kidney transplant patients and are commonly used in hospitals with renal transplantation.
Aim of the study: The goal of this study is to demonstrate potential harmful effects, not only from kidney failure as a disease, but also the use of immunosuppressants before and after renal transplants.
Materials and Methods: An analysis of tacrolimus or cyclosporine immunosuppressive regimes has been conducted in Baghdad hospital using data from patients with kidney transplants. The study excluded patients who received other types of immune suppressant drugs, and those who switched from cyclosporine to tacrolimus.
Conclusion: Effectiveness and side effects should be tested in kidney transplantation patients with cyclosporin and tacrolimus and other immunosuppressive medications, tacrolimus treated patient has shown an increase in glucose level and decrease in WBC , hemoglobin and calcium level in comparing to cyclosporine treated group.

This finding may allow scientists and physicians to make a better choice between immunosuppressive drugs according to the patient's medical condition.