Metabolic dysregulation and obesity are associated with many metabolic alterations, including impairment of insulin sensitivity and dyslipidemia. Recent studies highlight the key role of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate-dependent Rac exchange proteins (PREX proteins) in the pathogenesis of obesity, advocating further elucidation of their potential therapeutic implications. The present study aimed to estimate the serum level of PREX proteins and its potential association with insulin resistance markers and plasma lipids level in obese and overweight non-diabetic patients. The study included 30 persons classified as obese, 30 as overweight, and 30 healthy individuals of similar age and gender. The levels of PREX1 and PREX2 were measured using ELISA kits, insulin, fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and total lipid profile were determined using appropriate photometric kits. HOMA-IR was used as a measure of insulin sensitivity. According to the obtained results, obese non-diabetic patients had higher serum PREX1 level compared to both overweight and normal-weight individuals. PREX1 correlated positively with the markers of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. PREX2 level was shown to be lower both in obese compared to overweight patients and in overweight compared to normal-weight individuals. PREX2 correlated negatively with the markers of insulin resistance but not with the markers of dyslipidemia. Keywords: dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, obesity, overweight, PREX proteins
Orthodontic education, besides some other factors, influences the confidence level of recently graduated dentists to diagnose subjects seeking orthodontic treatment and provide treatment plans. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the confidence level of undergraduate dental students to diagnose subjects seeking orthodontic treatment and provide treatment plans after graduation.
A qualitative study was undertaken using focus groups a
Six isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis were isolated from Iraqi soil characterized as non- insecticidal and non- hemolytic parasporal inclusion proteins. Bacterial isolates were propagated on nutrient broth. Then, the parasporal inclusion proteins were extracted and processed with proteinase K and trypsin. The major protein segments produced of 64KDa were characterized and tested for cytocidal activity against human leukemic T- cells (CLL) (Chronic lymphoid leukemia). Results indicated that the treated parasporal proteins of four isolates (Bt2, Bt3, Bt4 and Bt6) showed strong cytotoxicity with no significant differences between normal lymphocytes and leukemic lymphocytes. Two isolates BtA1 and BtA5 show discriminative cytotoxicity between n
... Show MoreThis study was carried out to obtain the optimum conditions necessary for the process of soya protein hydrolysis by using hydrochloric acid (as a chemical catalyst) instead of the papain enzyme (as a biological catalyst), for the production of soya peptone. These conditions are implemented to test the effect of the variables of the process of hydrolysis on the nature and quality of the product.
The production of soya peptone was studied for their importance in the process of preparing and producing the culture media used in medical and microbiological laboratories.
The process of production of soya peptone includes four main
... Show MoreObjective: Comprehending microbial diversity and antibiotic resistance patterns is essential for efficient treatment protocols. This study sought to determine the incidence of bacterial and fungal pathogens responsible for burn and wound infections and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 140 patients with burn or wound infections. Sterile swabs and pus aspiration were employed to collect samples, which were subsequently processed using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic resistance was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0, and the Chi-
... Show MorePurpose This study was design to investigate of Purpose This study was design to investigate of P. aeruginosa, an example of Gram-negative bacteria, in seven primary and secondary schools of Baghdad city, and the effects of Ethanol and Dettol of P. aeruginosa biofilm. Design/methodology/approach Seventy swabs were collected from seven primary and secondary schools of Baghdad city, Iraq, during November -December 2022. Swabs were collected from classes desk, doors handles, students hands and water taps. Standard microbiological testing methods were used on the samples for isolation and identification. The ability of bacteria to form biofilm and the effects of Ethanol and Dettol on “preformed” biofilms was examined by microtiter plate wi
... Show MoreDiabetic retinopathy is one of most important complications of diabetes mellitus that can be treated by Nd:YAG laser. Laser is used in ophthalmic practice for photocoagulation and photodisruption. The purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in immunological ,hematological and biochemical values after treatment of diabetic retinopathy by laser. Blood samples from 10 patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy were taken before and after laser treatment to coagulate retina to prevent leakage and hemorraghe to avoid deterioration of vision.In group one (4 patients = 40%), blood tests were done one day after treatment. In group two (6 patients =60%) tests were done 7 days after treatment with laser. The study showed no clear changes in
... Show MoreDiabetic retinopathy is an eye disease in diabetic patients due to damage to the small blood vessels in the retina due to high and low blood sugar levels. Accurate detection and classification of Diabetic Retinopathy is an important task in computer-aided diagnosis, especially when planning for diabetic retinopathy surgery. Therefore, this study aims to design an automated model based on deep learning, which helps ophthalmologists detect and classify diabetic retinopathy severity through fundus images. In this work, a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) with transfer learning and fine tunes has been proposed by using pre-trained networks known as Residual Network-50 (ResNet-50). The overall framework of the proposed
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