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.
Background: Lowering the amount of iodinated contrast material and tube voltage may increase pulmonary artery opacification and thrombus identification without compromising picture quality.
Objectives: To explore the efficiency of using lower tube voltage and a lower contrast medium dose for conducting computed tomography for pulmonary angiography (CTPA) aiming to increase its accuracy in detecting pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).
Subjects and Methods:100 patients scheduled for CTPA with a preoperative diagnosis of PTE were grouped into two: group A, (50 patients) got 1 mL/kg at 120 kV and group B, (50 patients) received 0.5 mL/kg at 80 kV.The tec
... Show MoreTNF-α-induced osteoclastogenesis is central to post-menopausal and inflammatory bone loss, however, the effect of phytoestrogens on TNF-α-induced bone resorption has not been studied. The phytoestrogens genistein, daidzein, and coumestrol directly suppressed TNF-α-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. TRAP positive osteoclast formation and resorption area were significantly reduced by genistein (10(-7) M), daidzein (10(-5) M), and coumestrol (10(-7) M), which was prevented by the estrogen antagonist ICI 182,780. TRAP expression in mature TNF-α-induced osteoclasts was also significantly reduced by these phytoestrogen concentrations. In addition, in the presence of ICI 182,780 genistein and coumestrol (10(-5) -10(-6) M) augmente
... Show MoreActivation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) markedly attenuates development of atherosclerosis in animal models. However, the underlying mechanism is not well elucidated. Here, we show that the FXR agonist, obeticholic acid (OCA), increases fecal cholesterol excretion and macrophage reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) dependent on activation of hepatic FXR. OCA does not increase biliary cholesterol secretion, but inhibits intestinal cholesterol absorption. OCA markedly inhibits hepatic cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase (
The possible effect of the crude aqueous extract of soy bean seeds on some blood parameters (total count of red blood cells, white blood cell , (total and differential) blood platelates, packed cell volume and concentration of blood hemoglobin) was studied in 20 albino female mice which were allocated in four experimental groups (5 mice/group). The first group was orally treated with distilled water (control group) while the second, third and fourth group were given a concentration of 4%, 6% and 8% of the extract, respectively. At the end of the daily gavaging, which lasted for 4 weeks, the animals were killed, after recording their life body weight, and blood samples were collected from each mice to study the effect
... Show MoreThe goal of this work is to study plasma parameters for Fe plasma generated by exploding wire (EEW) in carbon nanotubes-water colloid with three current values (50, 100 and 150)A. In this research, the plasma electron temperature (Te), the electron density (ne), electron density (ne), plasma frequency(f p), Debye length (λD) and Debye number (ND) were found for Fe produced by Arc discharge plasma. Boltzmann plot was used to calculate the plasma electron temperature (Te);electron density (ne) was calculated from Stark broadening. It was found that the electron temperature values increased from (0.4
... Show MoreIn this work, the mass attenuation coefficient, effective atomic number and half value layer parameters were calculated for silicate (SiO2) mixed with various levels of lead oxide and iron oxide as reinforced materials. SiO2 was used with different concentrations of PbO and Fe2O3 (25, 50 and 75 weight %). The glass system was prepared by the melt-quenching method. The attenuation parameters were calculated at photon energies varying from 1keV to 100MeV using the XCOM program (version 3.1). In addition, the mass attenuation coefficient and half value layer parameters for selected glass samples were experimentally determined at photon energies 0.662 and 1.28 MeV emitted from radioactive sources 137Cs and 22Na respe
... Show MoreFollowers and their followers (may Allah be pleased with them all) followed the approach of the guidance and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the collection and codification of the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad in various Arab and Islamic areas. Subsequent judge Faqih Abu Bakr al-Ansari had a distinct effect during that time immortalized in the pages of our Islamic history in preserving the Sunnah of our great Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and documenting the constants of Sharia and Islamic jurisprudence and its importance in the activity of intellectual and scientific movement in the Arab Islamic State.
... Show MoreThe present paper deals with medical terms translation and its relationship with the medical text of Arabic and Spanish. Medical translation is the process of transferring texts related to the field of health and medicine to achieve an accurate effective translation from the source language text to the equivalent target language text. The most prominent medical translations are from English to Arabic as most of the syllabuses in Arab countries are taught in English.
Translation is an innovative work intended to render the original text in the source language into the target language with the highest level of linguistic and intellec
The study sheds lights on the simple verbal formulas with its particular time suffixes as found in the Turgut Özakman’s play These Crazy Turks.
The introduction of the study sheds light on the life of the author and playwright, as well as traces the different types of the verbal formulas in Turkish language.
Oh Those Young is one of the most significant products of the Turkish literature of the young and Children where the literary messages of the playwright are addressed in a simple comic sarcastic style. Hence, the play, that has been studied and acted by many students and academics, drives its importance from this particular course of action.
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