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.
In this paper the specific activity of 238U, 232Th and 40K
radionuclides were determined by sodium iodide enhanced by
thallium NaI(Tl) detector and assessment the annual effective dose
in samples of powder milk from different companies such as
Almunaish, Seven Caw, Molty and Altunsa for adult available in
Baghdad markets. The specific activity of 40K has the greater value in
all the samples which is in the range of allowed levels globally that
suggested by UNSCEAR. The mean value of annual effective doses
were 0.121, 0.314775 and 0.305 mSv/y for 238U, 232Th and 40K
respectively.
This study evaluated the effect of two different types of amino group-containing pharmacological inhibitors on titanium corrosion under acidic conditions. The first inhibitor examined was the antibiotic trimethoprim. The second inhibitor studied was the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug voltaren. The results showed that titanium had a high corrosion current in the absence of a corrosion inhibitor, however, trimethoprim notably enhanced corrosion resistance and protection percentages of titanium (%IE) at higher concentrations by adhering to the metal surface, as evidenced by improved protection percentages. Furthermore, the results showed that as Voltaren concentration was increased, both corrosion resistance and inhibition efficie
... Show MoreBackground: Insulin resistance is present in 50% or more of patients with primary hypothyroidism. Metformin can decrease TSH levels in these patients by a complex matter, this can be of great help in clinical practice.
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of metformin in reducing TSH levels in patients with primary hypothyroidism.
Methods: Hundred patients with primary hypothyroidism, 82 females, 18 males were included in this study, everyone was followed up for two months after adding metformin 850 mg twice daily in addition to thyroxin.
Results: 36 patients (36%) have a normal baseline TSH and no change after 2 months, 64 pa
... Show MoreBackground: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic heterogeneous demyelinating axonal and inflammatory disease involving the Central Nervous System [CNS] white matter with a possibility of gray matter involvement in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of signs and symptoms. Cerebral venous insufficiency theory was raised as a possible etiology for the disease at 2008 by Zamboni an Italian cardiothoracic surgeon. This theory was defeated by Multiple Sclerosis[ MS] researchers and scientists who thought that the disease is an autoimmune rather than vascular.
Obj
... Show MoreBackground : Hyperglycosylated hCG a newly discovered variant of hCG which can be used as a predictor of invasion of trophoblastic cells in patient with gestational trophoblastic disease. Objectives : To measure hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotrophin and to assess how far it can be used as predictor of invasion in invasive mole and choriocarcinoma. Study design control study. Setting: : Case Gynecological department in Baghdad Teaching Hospital from January 2016 to January 2017. Patient and Methods : 60 women were enrolled in this study 30 of them were with gestational trophoblastic disease (no.= 30 ) the remainder were normal pregnancy (no. =30) , hCG –H level was measured in both groups. Results : Mean serum hCG-H le
... Show MoreBackground: Diabetes and hypertension are related to cardiovascular risk factors and are possible to detect development of atherosclerosis in cardiovascular system, were can predict their effect and measurement by ultrasound and Doppler study. These risk factors included increased intima-media thickness, resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the right common carotid arteries. Method: We studied 20 patients with diabetes and hypertension, and 20 patients with diabetes only, were examine right carotid arteries for these two groups. In this sample we studied the Lumen diameter of the Rt. carotid arteries, Intima – media thickness (IMT), peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, and Pulsatility index, Resistance index were
... Show MoreIn this study new derivatives of Schiff bases 5-8, 1, 3-oxazepine 9-16 and tetrazoles 17-19 have been synthesized from the new starting material 1 which has synthesized the reaction of one mole of dichloro acetic acid and two moles of thiophenol, the esters 2-3 were synthesized from the reaction of compound 1 with methanol or ethanol respectively in the presence of H2SO4 as catalyst then 2, 2-dithiophenylaceto Hydrazide 4 were synthesized from the reaction of 2 or 3 with hydrazine hydrate 80%, Schiff bases 5-8 were synthesized from the reaction of 4 with appropriate aldehyde or ketone. Treatment of Schiff bases with maleic and phathalic anhydride in dry benzene to give 1, 3-oxazepen derivatives 9-16 and with sodium azide in tetrahydrofuran
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