Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common health problem that has a worldwide distribution. Apart from the direct effect of the virus on the liver, there are many extrahepatic manifestations among which the probable effect on bone turnover associated with low bone mineral density (BMD). Objectives: This study aimed to determine the association between treated and untreated chronic HBV infection with BMD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which included a total of 48 patients with chronic HBV (28 patients treated with tenofovir-disoproxil-fumarate [TDF] antiviral drug and 20 patients have not yet started treatment). Other age- and sex-matched 30 apparently healthy individuals were recruited to represent the healthy controls. BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry on the anteroposterior lumbar spine (L1–L4 spine) views, from which T-score was calculated. Liver function tests were also evaluated from serum samples. Results: Treated patients showed a lower T‑score (−0.48 ± 0.72) than either healthy individuals (1.08 ± 0.84) or untreated patients (0.78 ± 0.51), with highly significant differences. In multivariate regression, only disease duration (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 9.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8–16.68) and TDF treatment (adjusted OR = 6.4, 95% CI = 4.18–97.05) were significantly associated with BMD. Conclusions: Prolonged use of TDF in the treatment of HBV infection can significantly reduce BMD. Moreover, BMD can also be inversely affected in long-standing HBV, regardless of treatment regimen.
The factors influencing the financial market are rapidly becoming more complex. The impact of non-financial factors on the performance of a company’s common stock can increase in ways that were not previously expected. This study investigated how brand capital affects the risk of stock prices in Iraqi private banks listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange failing by identifying the likelihood of a crash caused by a negative deviation in the distribution of returns on ordinary shares. As a result, the current study’s concept is to review an analytical knowledge framework of the nature of that relationship, its changes, and its impact on the pricing of ordinary shares of the banks of the researched sector for the years 2009 to 2017, as w
... Show MoreBackground: Cigarette smoking (CS) is a periodontal disease risk factor, affecting clinical parameters such as bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) and proinflammatory cytokines level. This study examines the impact electronic cigarette use on proinflammatory cytokines and periodontal parameters. Methods: In this non-randomized study, ninety participants diagnosed with gingivitis were assigned into three groups. examined the effect of oral hygiene instructions on periodontal parameters and inflammatory biomarkers. Thirty CS (n=30) vaping electronic-cigarettes (e-cig) (n=29), and non-smoker (NS) (n=31) was included. Clinical parameters including PI, BOP, and GI were recorded at baseline and after 3 weeks
... Show MoreIn the postmodern era, the graphic design styles showed a new visualization method when the graphic designers had changed the traditional conditions by using design elements with new technics for photos, collage and comics illustration. The researcher assumes that the graphic design styles were affected by the art's movement at that period throw the same perspective of view for the concept presented in the art pieces and their entire message. Therefore, the researcher chooses field was the period of 1945-1970 in the USA for the (pop-art and conceptual-art) and explored the main visual effects that expressed the visual dialogue and compared them with the most common design styles ant the same period and location, the results of selected e
... Show MoreThe current study examined the impact of using PowerPoint presentation on EFL student’s attendance, achievement and engagement. To achieve the aim of this study, three null hypotheses have been posed as follows: There is no statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group attendance and that of the control one; there is no statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group achievement and that of the control one, and there is no statistically significant difference between the mean score of the experimental group engagement and that of the control one. To verify a hypothesis, a sample of sixty students is chosen randomly from the third year, department of English,
... Show MoreSaudi Arabia’s banking sector plays an important role in the country’s development as it is among the leading sectors in the financial sector. Considering, two main Saudi banks (The National Commercial Bank and Saudi American bank), the present study aims to observe the impact of emotional intelligence on employee performance. The components of emotional intelligence affecting employee performance include self-management, relationship management, self-awareness, and social awareness. A quantitative methodology was applied to analyse the survey results of 300 respondents over the period from 2018 to 2019. The results show that there was a significant positive impact of self-management, self-awareness, and relationship manageme
... Show MoreThis study aimed to evaluate the preparedness and adherence of community pharmacists to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Health Advisory COVID-19 guidelines for pharmacists (July 2020) during COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study based on electronic survey using google form, which was distributed from November 19, 2020 to January 1, 2021 using social media platforms. The survey measured 21 pharmacy preventive measures (PM). A multivariate regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing pharmacy implementing of PM. Hand disinfection after serving patients represented the main adopted measure (89.3%). Surprisingly, only 35.4% of participants implemented the proper ways of hand disinfection during fa
... Show MoreInfection with Trichomonas vaginalis and its relation to some diseases have lately had much attention. The objective of this study was to assess the infection rate of T. vaginalis and its relation to pelvic inflammatory diseases, infertility, and vaginosis. The study also assessed some demographic, clinical, and immunological parameters in women infected with T. vaginalis. The study included 160 non-pregnant married women who attended some private clinics and public hospitals in Baghdad from October 2020 to February 2021. All participants had symptoms of vaginal discharge only or vaginal discharge with lower abdominal pain. The participants were divided into an infertility group (n = 61) and fertility group (n = 99). The participant
... Show MoreSalmonella enteritidis one of more important as epidemiological bacteria between other salmonella types. It is very important pathologically that cause food poising and gastrointestinal tract infections. This study includes some of immunological changes that appear by ELISA test and antibiotic sensitivity test against these bacteria in mice. ELISA test results appears high immunological response happen after 3 days of inoculation, mean titration readings beginning 0.198 and the maximum mean titration after 15 days of inoculation 1.538 and begin to decrease after this time slowly to remain about 0.297 after 40 days of inoculation. An antibiotics sensitivity test result appears, this bacteria sensitive to Chloramphenicol, Ceftriaxone,
... Show More