Objectives: Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) is WNT/b-catenin pathway antagonist which plays a detrimental role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This research aimed to assess serum DKK-1 levels in diabetic patients who have and have not developed DR and, compare them with the control subjects finding out whether we can use it as an indicator for DR early diagnosis and to find out which one of the widely used two groups of antidiabetic treatments had the greater effect on this biomarker and hence on the progression of DR. Methods: The study participants were divided into two subgroups: First, 70 patients (36 male, 34 female) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, among them 35 patients diagnosed with DR and 35 with no evidence of DR, and secondly, non-diabetic controls (11 male, 9 female) were selected from the patients attending Ibn AL-Haitham hospital for ophthalmology and a specialized center for endocrinology and diabetes. Venous blood samples of all participants were drawn after an overnight fast, and serum samples were stored at -20ºC until DKK-1 assay. Results: Serum DKK-1 showed significantly lower levels in diabetic patients with (6.1 ± 2 ng/mL) or without DR (14 ± 6.2 ng/mL) when compared to those of controls (34 ± 12.25 ng/mL) (p 0.05). Furthermore, serum DKK-1 levels were lower in the late stage of DR compared to the early stage 5.6 ± 1.7 and 7 ± 1.9 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, DPP-4 inhibitors cause a better increment in DKK-1 levels when compared to SU in the NDR group. Conclusions: Reduced serum levels of DKK-1 are related to the existence and worsening of DR and have the prospect to serve as an indicator for this condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the autoimmune diseases characterized by the synovial inflammation which causes organs and tissues damage especially synovial tissues and joints. The study included 50 serum samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when compared with 50 serum samples from healthy individuals as control with age range 35 – 60 years (41.3 ± 2.4 years vs. 41.0 ± 2.0 years, respectively). ELISA technique was used to assess the Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide IgG antibody (anti-CCP IgG Ab) level, anti-rheumatoid factor IgG antibody (anti-RF IgG) and anti-Cytomegalovirus (anti-CMV IgG) antibodies frequencies in the studied groups. The present findings demonstrated that all RA patients have 100% seropositive fr
... Show MoreObjective: The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis, that umbilical cord blood crude serum applied topically with its high concentration of growth factors may promote an early healing for animal models with burn injury.
Methods: Fresh human umbilical cord blood UCBS was collected and screened for transmitted diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Mice and rabbits were scalded by boiling water and chemical burning by NaOH, then treated with UCBS. In comparison with a Cetrimide treated group and a control group (without treatment). The UCBS was subjected to microbial testing to demonstrate the presence or absence of extraneous viable contaminating microorganisms.
... Show MoreBackground: Survey of the occlusion in population groups usually include in their objections the academic assessment of occlusal feature, the planning resources for public health treatment programmers, the comparison of different population and the screening of groups for orthodontic treatment. Likewise a thorough investigation of the occurrence of malocclusions among school–students would be of major importance in the planning of orthodontic treatment in the public dental health services. For this purpose it is necessary to have detailed information on the prevalence of individual malocclusion among boys and girls at different ages distributed regionally, and moreover, an analysis of the need for orthodontic treatment in the different sc
... Show MoreAl-Chibayish Marsh (CM) is considered as the major part of Central Marshes area of this marsh is 1050 Km². The water quality of these marshes is suffering from salt accumulation due to intensive dam construction, limited supply of water from sources, climate change impacts, and the absence of outlet flow from these marshes, specifically at low flow periods. So, the current research aims to assess and improve these marshes' hydraulic behavior and water quality and define the best location for outlet drains. Field measurements and laboratory tests were conducted for two periods (November 2020 and February 2021) to define the (TDS) concentrations at nine different locations. Samples were also examined for water's phy
... Show MoreThe global trend towards the use of fair value accounting is increasing, so the current study aimed to maximize the impact of fair value application on achieving relevance and representation faithfulness of accounting information in accordance with the common conceptual framework. To achieve the objective of this study, the researcher has determined in the theoretical framework the relationship of fair value with the characteristics of relevance and representation faithfulness of accounting information and the extent of achieving these characteristics, as well as conducting a field study by preparing a questionnaire distributed to a sample of academics (50) and auditors (50) with a total number of selected participants (100) of acad
... Show MoreA water resources management for earthen canal/stream is introduced through creating a combination procedure between a field study and the scientific analytical concepts that distinguish the hydraulic problems on this type of stream with using the facilities that are available in HECRAS software; aiming to point the solutions of these problems. Al Mahawil stream is an earthen canal which is subjected to periodic changes in cross sections due to scour, deposition, and incorrect periodic dredging processes due to growth of the Ceratophyllum plants and weeds on the bed and banks of the stream; which affect the characteristics of the flow. This research aims to present a strategy of water resources management through a field study that conducte
... Show MoreAbstract:
Purpose\The researcher paper aims to determine the impact of information technology on the job performance, for Iraq private ban as through the use of technology dimensions of job performance.
The aim of this research: this study aims to discuss the importance of information technology and its role in achieving job performance and its impact on the Iraq banking sector design/ methodology/ approach used entrance design/methodology/approach- pilot, the questionnaire was used to collect data in order to develop a model to measure reliably and correctly to the variables of information technology and job performance, and hypotheses were tested through the use of some statisti
... Show MoreThe aim of the work is the synthesis and characterization of the tridentate Schiff base (HL) containing (N and O) as donor atoms type (ONO). The ligand is: (HL) phenyl 2-(2-hydroxybenzylidenamino)benzoate . This ligand was prepared by the reaction of (phenyl 2-aminobenzoate) with salicylaldehyde under reflux in ethanol and few drops of glacial acetic acid which gave the ligand (HL). The prepared ligand was characterized by (FT IR,UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Elemental analysis of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen (C.H.N.) and melting point. The ligand was reacted with some metal ions under reflux in ethanol with (1 metal :2 ligand )mole ratio which gave complexes of the general formula: [M(L)2]Cl , M = Cr III La III and , Pr III Products were found
... Show MoreThe usual methods of distance determination in Astronomy parallax and Spectroscopic with Expansion Methods are seldom applicable to Nebulae. In this work determination of the distances to individual Nebulae are calculated and discussed. The distances of Nebulae to the Earth are calculated. The accuracy of the distance is tested by using Aladin sky Atlas, and comparing Nebulae properties were derived from these distance made with statistical distance determination. The results showed that angular Expansions may occur in a part of the nebulae that is moving at a velocity different than the observed velocity. Also the results of the comparison of our spectroscopic distances with the trig
Objectives: The study aims to assess the QOL for parents of a child with autism Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted on parents of autistic child in Baghdad city. A purposive (non-probability) sample of (156) parents, (78) mothers and (78) fathers of (78) autistic children who are clients and receive care in the private specialization centers for autism were selected to participated in the current study. The study used a self- administrative questionnaire for data collection. Results: The findings indicated that both parents (mothers and fathers) were participated in this study, and they comprised