Determining the minimum inhibitor concentration of the essential oil of Origanum syriacum that inhibits the growth of Candida albicans

Three samples of the wild Origanum syriacum during the vegetative period of the plant were collected from the following Syrian areas: Talkalakh- Kasab- Omal-toyor, plus a fourth sample planted in a house in Alforolloq forests. Three other wild samples of the plant were also collected during the flowering period from the mentioned areas. The essential oil was extracted from the samples to study its effect against the growth of Candida albicans fungus in the lab. The MIC ranged from 5 micron/ml to 10 micron/ml. This study shows the importance of this plant in inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans in vitro

Primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in Iraq

Aim: to study primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in Iraq Sixty-nine cases of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis[FSGS]

Results: a total of 850 renal biopsies[12,3%],taken from adult patients[46 males and 13 fema1es]presented with nephrotic syndrome;42[61 %],protienuria;24 cases[35%],impaired renal function; 14[20%]and hypertension;l7cases[25%]. Serial and level sections were required for light

Methods: microscopy by which glomerular lesions were represented by segmental mesangial matrix accentuation, segmental fusion to Bowman's capsule, hyalinosis atthese areas were present in 19 cases sometimes segmental basement membrane thickening, rest of glomeruli with normal cellularity, and normal basement membrane thickening. All cases showed interstitial changes: tubular atrophy 40 cases[57.4%],tubular hyaline cast 21cases[30.4%],fibrous tissue dwposition in 47[68.1%],thickened small blood vessel wall in 17[24.6%]and all cases[100%]showed localized mononuclear cell infiltrations. Clinic pathological aspects and diagnostic problems of FSGS are discussed

Correlation of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies with other autoantibodies and complement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: the serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is the presence of circulating autoantibodies direct against a wide variety of nuclear, and cytoplasmic plasma membrane antigens among which are antinuclear [ANA] and anti-double stranded antibodies [anti-ds DNA] and also antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies [ANCA], together with the consumption of complement components [C3 and C4] by immune complex mediated reaction

Aim of the study: to shed light on the relation of ANCA to other autoantibodies and to complement components in patients with SLE

Patients and methods: the study was conducted on 35 SLE patients, attended the Renal Clinic in Private Nursing Hospital /Medical City Baghdad during the study period compared with age and sex matched health control group Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used for the detection ofANCA,4NA and anti-ds DN while single radial immunodiffusion plates used for the estimation of C3 and C4

Results and conclusion: the study showed that there was no statistically significant correlation between the detectable levels of ant proteinase 3 [anti-PR3] antibodies and the positives values of ANA [P>0.2] and the positive values of anti-ds DNA [P>0.4]. However, there was an interesting statistically significant correlation between the mean level of low C3 complement and the detectable level of anti-PR3 antibodies