Chitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42 ng/ml, the TNF-a level which was 123.6 ng/ml, and the IL-1B level which was 204.365 pg/dl were significantly higher in patients compared to control 3.28 (1.58–4.99) ng/ml, 56.47 (9.38–77.01) ng/ml and 67.887 (15.493–122.689)pg/dl respectively. There was no correlation between serum YKL-40 and disease activity, while there were significant associations observed with TNF-α (r=0.5,p =0.0001) and IL-1β (r=0.41, p=0.001). YKL-40 indicating good levels of RA prediction at 2.47 ng/ml, sensitivity 87.9%, specificity 58.6%, accuracy 78.1%, PPV 80.9%, and NPV 70.8%. In conclusion, a higher level of serum YKL-40 is found in RA patients. The findings from our study suggest a strong association between YKL-40 and the proinflammatory biomarkers. As a result, these biomarkers together might play a role in RA pathogenesis, and YKL-40 may be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for RA.
The genus Latrodectus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae: Theridiidae) is a worldwide distribute genus (Graudins et al., 2001), it includes a group of species commonly referred to as widow spiders. It's considered a taxonomically complex genus as the status of several forms had not been properly evaluated and specific boundaries are not well defined or understood (Levi, 1959; 1967; Garb et al., 2001), therefore, in multiple cases, populations has been uncritically referred to as different taxa. Discriminating between Latrodectus species using morphology has always been problematic (Levi, 1983), it is difficult taxonomically and readily separated from members of other Theridiid genera (Mirshamsi, 2005). The Genus Asagena Sundevall, 1833 was revalidat
... Show MoreCitrus fruit contain variety of flavonoids such as Hesperidin (the principal flavonoid in oranges and grapefruit). Hesperidin is found in high concentration in fruit peel of oranges and in substantially lower concentration in juice of these fruits. Hesperidin was extracted from oranges peel by treating the peels with calcium hydroxide. HPLC technique was used to determine hesperidin. Hesperidin was saperated and purified in a purity of about 90.1-95.7% and yield about 1.5 %w/w from oranges peel dry powder. Both hesperidin and oranges peel extract showed significan antibacterial activity. Sensitivity to hesperidin and oranges peel extracts were not similar for the chosen bacteriaCrude orange peel extract gave a various antimicro
... Show MoreApart from graduating five-star doctors, a particular medical college has the mission to motivate and offer researchers the opportunity to publish high-quality researches on various health problems and disseminate updated medical knowledge to a wide range of local and international readers. This could be accomplished by establishing a medical journal and releasing issues regularly
Due to the need for controlling and regulating of feed pellet. Pellet that is imported or locally manufactured is accompanied by cracking and crumbling percentage that occur during transporting and distributing to animals, using conveyors and mechanical feeders. This study aimed to determine the effect of particle size and die holes diameter in the machine on broiler feed pellets quality in pellet durability, pellet direct measurement, pellet expansion, and pellet length. Three particle size 2, 4, and 6 mm, and three diameters of die holes in the machine 3, 4, and 5 mm, have been used. The results showed that changing the particle size from 2 to 4 then to 6 mm led to a significant decrease in pellet durability and pellet lengths, pe
... Show MoreThe research aims to know the availability of supra-cognitive thinking skills in the questions and activities of the computer book for the fifth grade preparatory scientific and literary branches in Iraq for the academic year 2018/2019, as the researcher has prepared a list of supra-cognitive thinking skills included two areas and (6) key skills and (27) A sub - skill, where by the questions and activities of the aforementioned authors were analyzed. The researcher followed the descriptive analytical approach "method of content analysis", and adopted the explicit and implicit unit of analysis, as was verified the validity and stability of the analysis, and the results showed unevenness and imbalance in the distribution of supra-cognitive th
... Show MoreThe study aimed to recommend a new spectrophotometric-kinetic method for determination of carbamazepine (CABZ) in its pure form and pharmaceutical forms. The proposed procedure based on the coupling of CABZ with diazotized sulfanilic acid in basic medium to yield a colored azo dye. Factors affecting the reaction yield were studied and the conditions were optimized. The colored product was followed spectrophotometrically via monitoring its absorbance at 396 nm. Under the optimized conditions, two method (the initial rate and fixed time (10 minute)) were applied for constructing the calibration graphs. The graphs were linear in concentration ranges 2.0 to 18.0 µg.mL-1 for both methods. The proposed was applied successfully in
... Show MoreAbstract Background: Multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) often contaminate hospital environment and cause serious illnesses. Quorum Sensing (QS) regulates a variety of downstream cellular processes, including antibiotics resistance mechanisms and biofilm formation, and causes harm to the host. This study investigates antibacterial susceptibility and biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria in hospital environment. Methods: Hundred bacterial isolates were collected from various environments in the Medical City hospital. The antimicrobial susceptibility technique was evaluated through disk diffusion method. Next, biofilms formation was detected by the microliter plate assay. Finally, PCR was used to analyze the frequency of QS system gene
... Show MoreCarbonate-clastic succession which includes the Shu'aiba, Nahr Umr and Mauddud formations are representing a part of the Barremian-Aptian Sequence (Wasi'a Group). The present study includes three boreholes (Ba-1, 4 and 8) within the Balad Oil Field. The study area is located in central Iraq. This field represents a subsurface anticline with a northwest to southeast direction axis within the Mesopotamian Zone. Eight types of microfacies were recognized in the succession of the Mauddud and Shu’aiba formations. These microfacies represent shallow open marine, restricted and semi-restricted, reef - back reef, deep open marine and basinal depositional environments. While Nahr Umr Formation includes two successions, the first is the upp
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