Opera Medica et Physiologica

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Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 143-149; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-143-149
Abstract Full Text

Social isolation and quarantine have been implemented globally during outbreaks of a highly transmissible microbe. For instance, they were employed during the plague outbreak in 1894 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. While these methods have proven effective against highly transmissible infections, they have also had significant negative consequences. In specific regions like Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, and Kirkuk, social isolation occurred during the period of ISIS occupation. After their liberation, these regions experienced a COVID-19 outbreak, and quarantine measures were put in place. This study aimed to investigate the effect of social isolation and quarantine on tuberculosis. Patients from Anbar, Diyala, Salahaddin, and Kirkuk districts were diagnosed with pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, using methods like chest X-rays, acid-fast positive sputum slide method, culture, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene pert testing. All cases were documented at the Iraqi Ministry of Health. All four districts had the same population, socioeconomic status, and medical guidelines. Anbar showed a significant difference compared to the other districts, while the remaining three districts had no significant differences among themselves. The percentage of extrapulmonary tuberculosis was higher than the global average, indicating misdiagnosis. The age group of less than four years old had the lowest percentage of cases compared to other age groups, indicating the effective management of the BCG program. It can be concluded that social isolation and quarantine implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic might have led to an increase in cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the studied regions. 

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13_EFFECT OF SOCIAL ISOLATION.pdf747.91 KB

Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 132-142; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-132-142
Abstract Full Text

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) increased dramatically, which significantly changed the dynamics of its incidence time series (TS). Such changes overestimate the predicted values of the incidence of CAP and increase the forecast error. The purpose of this work was to evaluate methods for predicting the dynamics of CAP incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CAP incidence data, registered within the time period from 2011 to 2022 was used. Two TS data were compiled, which did not include and included cases of CAP caused by COVID-19 in 2021-2022. TS data transformation was performed using outliers’ deletion, seasonal decomposition, or X-13-ARIMA-SEATS techniques. Typical monthly dynamics calculation method and several adaptive regression models (ETS, SARIMA, decSARIMA) were used for CAP incidence modeling and forecasting. For CAP incidence TS data that excluded cases of COVID-19 pneumonia, all analyzed transformation techniques effectively smoothed out the outlier period making the TS data suitable for modeling using adaptive regression models. For CAP incidence TS data that included cases of COVID-19 pneumonia, the methods of TS decomposition turned out to be ineffective. An acceptable forecast error was obtained when using typical monthly dynamics model based on the TS data with deleted outliers.


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 123-131; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-123-131
Abstract Full Text

Purpose: type III interferons (IFNλ) are an early line of defense in upper respiratory tract infections, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2). They have a crucial role in the control of the innate immune system and the modulation of immunological responses during the course of acute viral infection and tissue inflammation. The present study was aimed at evaluating the expression of IFNλ genes in Iraqi coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-infected patients. Materials and methods: ninety patients presented with COVID-19 and 50 healthy controls were recruited. Blood samples were obtained from the participants. Haematological and biochemical analyses were performed on the blood samples. IFNλ gene expression was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of all the participants by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: all COVID-19 patients had elevated relative expression of IFNλ-I, IFNλ-II, and IFNλ-III genes compared to controls, by 1.85 ± 0.25-, 39.9 ± 15.07-, and 4.001 ± 1.23-fold, respectively. According to the severity of the disease (moderate, severe, and critical), the relative expression of each IFN type was likewise elevated. However, the rise did not reach a significant level. On the other hand, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the mean of relative expression between IFN-I, IFN-II, and IFN-III in total and each category of severity. Conclusion: the findings show that IFNλ gene expression was up-regulated in COVID-19 disease and neither age, sex, nor underlying diseases impacted the variations in expressions.


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 111-122; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-111-122
Abstract Full Text

Using immunocytochemistry and fluorescence microscopy, it was shown that the expression of the calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin in GABAergic neurons limited the increase in the level of cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) during the excitotoxic effect of glutamate (GluTox). Under conditions of repeated episodes of hypoxia, Ca2+ oscillations were generated in GABAergic neurons, and the expression of calcium-binding proteins determined the amplitude of hypoxia-induced Ca2+ impulses. Expression of parvalbumin during hypoxia was most effective in suppressing the amplitude of Ca2+ signals. With GluTox, irreversible depolarization of the mitochondria of GABAergic neurons occurred, which lacked calcium-binding proteins, while the expression of parvalbumin, calbindin or calretinin contributed to the preservation of mitochondrial polarization and maintenance of their functioning under the influence of glutamate. At the same time, parvalbumin also turned out to be the most effective calcium-binding protein. As a result, restrictions on the level of [Ca2+]i during GluTox by calcium-binding proteins in GABAergic neurons led to suppression of the production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria on the one hand, and on the other hand, calcium-binding proteins were able to protect GABAergic neurons from hyperproduction of nitric oxide. Thus, calcium-binding proteins were not only a marker of subtypes of GABAergic neurons, but also determined their physiological parameters under stressor conditions, which can be used to identify the subtype of GABAergic neurons by fluorescent signals of ROS production, nitric oxide, or the kinetics of Ca2+ signals.


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 103-110; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-103-110
Abstract Full Text

Ulcerative colitis is a persistent and recurrent medical condition for which current treatments have shown limited efficacy, necessitating the exploration of alternative drugs with minimal side effects. This study aimed to examine the anti-oxidative and antiadhesive effects of ezetimibe compared to sulfasalazine in experimentally induced colitis in male rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: a control group (negative control), an acetic acid group (positive control), an acetic acid + sulfasalazine (100 mg/kg/day) group, and an acetic acid + ezetimibe (10 mg/kg/day) group. Colitis was induced in rats by the inter-rectal administration of 2 ml of 4% (v/v) acetic acid. Sulfasalazine and ezetimibe were administered orally for seven days 1 hour after induction. Malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), e-selectin, and intracellular adhesive molecule 1 (ICAM-1) were measured in tissue homogenate upon euthanizing the animals. The results showed that the treatment with ezetimibe significantly reduced disease activity index (DAI) and macroscopic colonic scores (MAC) compared to the positive control group. Moreover, ezetimibe notably decreased MDA, MPO, e-selectin, and ICAM-1 in tissue homogenates of treated animals compared to the positive control group. In most comparisons, there were no significant differences between ezetimibe and sulfasalazine effects. These findings suggest that ezetimibe may have a therapeutic effect in the management of ulcerative colitis by reducing oxidative stress and adhesive molecules.


Invited review
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 87-102; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-87-102
Abstract Full Text

Retroelements occupy 37% of the human genome and are involved in the regulation of gene expression in cis and in trans. A number of studies have shown that activation of retroelements in neuronal stem cells of the brain contributes to the genomic mosaicism required for the phenotypic diversity of differentiating neurons. These processes occur in the hippocampus, where memory is also formed, so I have proposed a hypothesis according to which retroelements are drivers of memory formation mechanisms. This is due to the sensitivity of retroelements to environmental influences and their ability to transpose into specific loci of the genome with the activation of brain-specific genes. In addition, proteins and non-coding RNAs involved in memory formation evolved from retroelements. The results of experimental articles are presented that prove this hypothesis, as well as refuting the key role of synaptic plasticity in memory consolidation. The cause of aging and neurodegenerative diseases with memory impairment is the pathological activation of retroelements, which can be influenced by specific microRNAs complementary to these retroelements. Therefore, I analyzed scientific articles in Scopus, Wos, PubMed and the MDTE DB database, which made it possible to identify 33 RE-derived microRNAs involved in Alzheimer's disease, of which 14 are associated with aging, and mechanisms of influence on the brain are described for 18 microRNAs. These microRNAs can be used as tools to target pathologically activated retroelements in aging and Alzheimer's disease to improve memory.


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 73-86; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-73-86
Abstract Full Text

Background: HHV-7 infection has been documented to cause CNS complications. The susceptibility to many diseases, including immune dysfunction and cancers, has been linked to SNP in the promoter region of the interleukin-18 (IL-18) gene. Objectives: to explore the rates of both HHV-7 infection and the polymorphisms in the IL-18 -607C/A (rs1946518) promoter region in a group of Iraqi patients with different brain tumors. Patients and methods: one hundred fifteen (115) freshly obtained brain tissue biopsies were enrolled in this study; 85 were from brain cancer cases whereas 30 autopsies were obtained from cases with apparently normal brain tissues as a control group. Conventional PCR was chosen both for the detection of HHV-7 and IL-18 rs1946518 SNP detection as well as sequencing. Results: according to conventional PCR analysis, 34% showed positive results for the HHV-7 genome, while 66% revealed negative results. In various types of brain cancers, HHV-7-PCR detection results were 11.8%, 5.9%, 29.4%, 11.8%, 5.9%, and 11.8% in tissues from patients with Transitional Meningioma, Meningotheliomatous Meningioma, Glioblastoma Multiforme, Diffuse Fibrillary Astrocytoma, Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma, Atypical Meningioma, and Pilocytic Astrocytoma, respectively. The polymorphism distributions according to GG; AA and GA genotypes of IL-18 607C/A (rs1946518) polymorphism were 37.1%; 57.1%, and 5.7%, respectively, in the patients’ group and 66.7% and 33.3%, respectively, in the control group.  Conclusion: the detected rates of HHV-7 as well as IL-18 607C/A (rs1946518) polymorphism have shed light on the possibility that they might have played or contributed a role in the brain tumors’ development.


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 57-72; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-57-72
Abstract Full Text

The Alans represent a medieval nomadic pastoral people of the North Caucasus, who settled in Europe as a result of the Great Migration of Peoples. The genetic data of the Alans of the early Middle Ages and their relationship with the ancient and modern European populations remain insufficiently studied. It is assumed that the haplogroup G-P15 of the Y-chromosome was introduced in the Alans as a result of admixture with the autochthonous populations of the Caucasus. However, the impact of the Alan gene pool on the Medieval European populations appears to be unlikely, which may also indicate the absence of a significant genetic flow from steppe populations to European populations during the early Middle Ages.

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06_DISTRIBUTION OF HAPLOGROUP G-P15.pdf836.32 KB

Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 48-56; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-48-56
Abstract Full Text

The role of macrophages in nanomedicine is widely recognized, but systemically administered drug nanocarriers are rapidly absorbed and eliminated by the mononuclear phagocyte system, consisting of resident macrophages, primarily in the liver. As a result, most encapsulated drugs are eliminated from circulation, resulting in unwanted side effects. Peritoneal macrophages, on the contrary, by ingesting nanoparticles and migrating to tumor cells, can promote the antitumor effect. This article describes the preparation of complexes based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) coated with nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate (NOBF4) with a protein corona (PC) from native and denatured bovine serum albumin (BSA and dBSA). The efficiency of UCNP-protein complexes uptake by mouse peritoneal macrophages has been demonstrated. The use of this approach is a promising area of oncology, since instead of inefficient systemic intravenous delivery, peritoneal delivery is used, which can become the key to solving the problem of peritoneal cavity cancers. 


Full-length research paper
Printed December 28, 2023;
Published ahead of print December 27, 2023; Printed December 28, 2023; OM&P 2023 Volume 10 Issue 4, pages 36-47; doi:10.24412/2500-2295-2023-4-36-47
Abstract Full Text

One of the main causes of death worldwide at the moment is cancer. Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for at least 14.6-20.6% of all incidences of BC. This study was conducted to provide evidence supporting the therapeutic use of combinatorial regimens of CDK4/6 inhibitors for TNBC patients. Exosomes were used to characterize cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from BC patients. The MD-MBA-453 and MCF7 cells were transfected using the labelled exosomes. Cell viability, extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), and OCR were determined. The expression levels of small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 (SNHG3), pyruvate kinase M1/M2 (PKM), and miR330-5p in the transfected cells were measured. Stable cell lines and a BC mouse model were generated to investigate test DNA and RNA sequences. The results showed that exosomes produced from CAFs were able to reprogram metabolic pathways following their absorption by tumor cells. PKM could be targeted by miR330-5p as well as SNHG3 in BC cells. By upregulating expression linked to miR330-5p and downregulating PKM in tumor cells, SNHG3 inhibited the growth of cells. Exosomes released by breast CAFs reduced the OCR of MD-MBA-453 and MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, it was observed that exosomes secreted by CAFs altered the metabolic pathways regarding BC cells and decreased mitochondrial activity. SNHG3 inhibited miR330 expression in vitro by acting like a molecular sponge. The findings of this study suggest that, when treating cancer, focusing on exosome-mediated communication between cancer and stromal cells may have therapeutic potential.


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