Background: Osteoarthritis is a complicated, chronic disorder of cartilage and bone, associated with homeostasis of bio-elements. The current study aims to assess the role of serum progranulin levels among Iraqi patients with knee osteoarthritis. Patients and Methods: The study encompassed 50 patients aged 52.50 ± 3.12 years (25 males and 25 females), admitted to the at the Baghdad Medical City through the period from November 2021 to March 2022. All individuals were identified by physicians in a Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic and the clinical data was collected along with the assess¬ment of biochemical parameters. Fasting serum glucose, lipid profile, calcium, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, vitamin D3, and progranulin levels were determined. Results: All patients in this study had higher levels of serum glucose and dyslipidemia with significant increases (p < 0.05) in alkaline phosphatase and progranulin levels and considerable reduced (p < 0.05) in serum calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D3 as compared to healthy group. Additionally, hypovitaminosis D were appeared in all patients and progranulin levels were (56.30±8.50 ng/mL) vs. (40.45 ± 8.90 ng/mL) in control group with OR and CI= 1.54 (0.97-2.58). Conclusions: Inflammation has an integral role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Serum vitamin D3 level is considerably low in patients with knee osteoarthritis paralleled to healthy individuals. However, this study demonstrates increased progranulin levels in knee osteoarthritis patients and associates with vitamin D level, disease activity, and inflammation among those patients. Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkaline phosphatase,Vitamin D3, Progranulin.
Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory, systemic rheumatic condition that mostly affects the axial skeleton. Tenascin-C (TN-C) is a hexameric glycoprotein of considerable size, upregulated in many inflammatory conditions, while Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a cytokine that plays an important role in SpA symptoms. Objective: to investigate the upregulation between the serum levels of TN-C and IL-17 in Iraqi axSpA patients and the disease characteristics. Patients and Methods: Seventy-four axSpA patients and 28 matched controls were studied. Fifty-four patients received a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and 20 did not. Serum TN-C and IL-17 concentrations were determined using the ELISA technique. The Bath Ankyl
... Show MoreThe impact of the auditor's personal judgment starts from the beginning of the audit process to the formation of the final opinion and the issuance of the report, and because of the possibility of bias in the auditor's judgment for various reasons that may relate to the auditor himself or the circumstances surrounding it, which requires assessing the current reality of the auditor's personal judgments In the local environment and determining their determinations. To clarify the concept and determinants of the auditor's personal judgments when implementing the audit work, prepare the report and determine the role of the international auditing standards in rationalizing the auditor's personal judgment when conducti
... Show MoreThe current work aims to evaluate the association between genetic mutations in thymidylate synthetase (
The current paper highlights an important character represented by the American president John Tyler 1841 – 1845, who is considered the tenth American president. The importance of this paper lies in identifying his personality in terms of his upbringing and the political activities he practiced before assuming the presidency and his most significant internal achievements, which showed his decisions as a president. He was fully prepared to support national policies since they do not exceed the authorities of the states. With his achievements in the foreign policy, he was capable to draw and define the features of the American foreign relations that were in harmony with the general situation in the United States of America at that time.
... Show MoreThe current research deals with the study of aesthetic relations in the field of interior design and the extent to which its mechanisms achieve sensory stimulation between the internal and external spaces, to generate a continuous visual connection that is an extension of it, achieving in turn sensory stimulation for the users of those spaces. The internal and external spaces meet the desired purpose of feeling pleasure and beauty.” The current research aims to “discover the nature of aesthetic relations between the internal and external spaces and the extent to which mechanisms can achieve sensory stimulation in residential spaces.” The first topic included the concept of aesthetic relations, sensory excitement, and perception at
... Show MoreOxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of peripheral artery disease (PAD). This study aimed to investigate the effect of clopidogrel on oxidative stress in PAD patients. Seventy subjects were divided into three groups: PAD patients before treatment (B-PAD), PAD patients after treatment with clopidogrel (A-PAD), and healthy controls. Serum levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and oxidized protein were measured. SOD activities were also determined. The results showed that SOD activities, and SOD specific activities were significantly decreased in PAD patients compared to healthy individuals. After treatment with clopidogrel, SOD activities, and SOD specific activities were continuous
... Show MoreBackground: Oral Lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell mediated chronic inflammatory oral mucosal disease of unknown etiology. Recent studies have reported an increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in such patients. This suggests that reactive oxygen species may have a role in the pathogenesis of lichen planus. Oxidative stress in OLP release molecules consisting of granzymes resulting in local tissue damage in the effectors. Antioxidants that can defend against oxidative stress in the body cells include enzymes, as well as non- enzymatic antioxidants, such as melatonin, uric acid, vitamin A and E. Purpose: To study the level of salivary vitamin E and uric acid as antioxidant agents in patients with OLP and compared with healthy con
... Show MorePhilosophy of Abstraction and Construction of Space in Contemporary Iraqi Theater Abstract The aesthetic and stylistic features in the theatrical play develop according to the changes of the age and its developments. Stylistic forms different from the prevailing and familiar in the visions of contemporary theatre directors emerged which adopt the removal of traditional awareness in the creation of the visual space of theatrical discourse, through adopting contemporary formats and structures which depend on the abstraction representations in the aesthetic construction of the contemporary theatre show which is one of the prerequisites of the postmodern theater, that produces aesthetic data based on abstract metaphors in the formation of th
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The aim of the research is to identify the cognitive curiosity of students of religious schools in the al-Anbar Governorate. The sample consisted of (346) students from the secondary stage in religious schools affiliated with the Department of Religious Education and Islamic Studies. The sample included (232) males, (114) females, and (225) represented the intermediate stage, (121) represented the preparatory stage in religious schools. The researcher developed a scale of perceptual curiosity comprising (30) items with three alternatives (always applicable to me, rarely applicable to me, not applicable to me). The results showed that religious school students have a perceptive curiosity; there are no sta
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