Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is therapeutic but exposes patients without persistent common bile duct (CBD) stones to avoidable harm. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and the clinical role of an EUS-first triage strategy.

Methods: This updated systematic review used the 13-study EUS dataset from a Cochrane review through September 2012 and reproducible PubMed and Scopus searches from January 2013 to 21 March 2026. Studies of adults with suspected CBD stones were eligible. Diagnostic 2 x 2 da....[more]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate of some inflammatory markers, oxidative stress indicators, and vitamins C and E levels in patients with gastric ulcer, and to compare these markers between those infected and non-infected with H. pylori.

Methods: The study initially evaluated 320 participants for demographic analysis. Laboratory and biochemical assessments were performed on a strictly selected sub-sample of 88 eligible participants divided into three groups: Gastric Ulcer only (n=34), Gastric Ulcer with H. pylori (n=34), and a healthy Control group (n=20....[more]

Background: Considering the increasing incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer, MLH1 plays a critical role as an essential component of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, ensuring genomic stability during cell division. Impairment of MLH1 function contributes to an increased susceptibility to colorectal cancer development. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between protein expression status and the demographic and histopathological characteristics of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and evaluate its impact on overall survival.

more]

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder that is triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically susceptible individuals. It is characterized by intestinal inflammation and dysregulation of immune tolerance. This study aimed to assess the regulatory role of miRNA-31-5P in the expression of FOXP3  in patients with Iraqi celiac disease and compare it with that in healthy individuals.

Methods: This case-control study included 60 patients with celiac disease (22 males and 38 females) and 60 healthy controls. The study participants w....[more]

Background: Cerebral edema is a critical complication following traumatic brain injury (TBI), often precipitating elevated intracranial pressure, cerebral ischemia, and subsequent cellular necrosis. Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), an astrocytic water channel protein, plays a pivotal role in brain water homeostasis. Its upregulated expression following head trauma is frequently observed alongside water efflux into the brain interstitial tissue, a process closely linked to cerebral edema. This study aims to evaluate the association between serum AQP-4 levels and the severity of cerebral....[more]

Background: The present study was aimed at the green synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) derived from Aspergillus niger, and the evaluation of their cytotoxic effects on the prostate cancer cell line (PC-3).

Method: The synthesized NPs were characterized by various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy( FE-SEM). Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects on PC-3 cells were investigated using....[more]