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.
Situational regret and its relation to the vitality of conscience among university students The research seeks to identify situational regret and its relation to the vitality of conscience among university students, identify the significant differences in regard with students’ gender, and identify if there is a correlation between situational regret and the vitality of conscience. To do this, two scales were adopted; one to measure situational regret consisted of (31) items, which was designed by (Al-badrani, 2006), besides, costa and macrys’ (1992) scale that translated in Arabic language by (Al-qaisy, 2013). It composed of (35) items. Total of (120) male and female students were collected from three-different colleges (science, art
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The current study aims to identify agreeableness and orientation towards voluntary work of officials in public facilities, as well as to identify the nature of the correlation between agreeableness and orientation towards voluntary work of officials in public facilities. To achieve the aims of the research, the researchers designed the agreeableness scale, which consists of (28) items in its final form. The researchers also built a scale of orientation towards voluntary work, which consists of (29) items in its final form. Psychometric properties of validity and reliability of the two scales were extracted in various ways. The researcher applied the two scales on a sample of (400) officials, the results indicated that the
... Show MoreThe current research aims to identify the nature of the relationship between training human resources in administrative innovation elements In the General Directorate for the education of the third Rusafa one of the formations of the Iraqi Ministry of Education in Baghdad, In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the researcher provided a comprehensive theoretical framework and the preparation and development of a questionnaire as a tool for collecting data based on the prepared measurements and benefit from previous studies, which contains (28) For the purpose of obtaining realistic results for the variables of the research, the researcher used the random sample in the selection of the research sample A total of (63)
... Show MoreThis paper discusses the role of Auditors' Technological Maturity in reinforcing the quality of auditing profession, through focusing on the concepts of Technological Maturity and quality of auditing profession, as well as designing a proposed model for Technological Maturity which includes five evolutionary and sequential stages, and this proposed model would contribute to reinforce the quality of auditing. This proposed model will be employed in the field of auditing profession because the importance of the development and investment in this profession and the importance of the need for specialized knowledge in Information Technology, and the result of a proposed model is development of technological knowledge for the auditor to reach
... Show MoreHelicobacter pylori (HP) is the etiopathogenic agent of gastric and duodenal disorders ranging from gastritis to malignancy. It is also associated with many extraintestinal diseases, including cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors. To evaluate the link between HP infection and some cardiovascular risk factors by studying the effects of HP infection on body mass index, blood pressure, and serum lipid profile among patients having gastritis with and without HP infection. A crosssectional study included 1214 patients who had gastritis diagnosed by gastroscopy examination. Those patients were in the age range of 30-65 years and they were divided according to their gender into 725 females and 489 males depending on the 1
... Show MoreBackground: Aortic valve stenosis results from minor to severe degrees of aortic valve maldevelopment. This stenosis causes mild to severe obstruction of the left ventricular outflow .
Objectives : to study the immediate and intermediate results of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in patients with congenital valvular aortic stenosis .
Type of the study: A prospective study.
Methods: The study was done on thirty five patients with congenital valvular aortic stenosis who had percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in Ibn Al- Bitar Center for Cardiac Surgery from May 2009 to February 2011.
Results
... Show MoreThe invasion and spread of cancer cells are two of the most notable characteristics of malignant tumors. Recent studies suggest that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been linked to this significant occurrence. It is linked to the absence of the epithelial brow and the presence of mesenchymal facial hair. The aims of the present study were to explore the immunohistochemical staining of vimentin and E-cadherin ex vivo as EMT markers and assess their potential as predictive biomarkers for transitional cell cancer (TCC). In this study, 55 paraffin-embedded biopsies from TCC patients and 10 autopsies that appeared to be normal were included. Immunohistochemistry was used to produce patterns of vimentin and E-cadherin expression. W
... Show MoreBreast cancer (BC) is one of the most frequently observed malignancy in females worldwide. Today, tamoxifen (TAM) is considered as the highly effective therapy for treatment of breast tumors. Oxidative stress has implicated strongly in the pathophysiology of malignancies. This study aimed to investigate the changes in the levels of oxidants and antioxidants in patients with newly diagnosed and TAM-treated BC. Sixty newly diagnosed and 60 TAM-treated women with BC and 50 healthy volunteers were included in this study. Parameters including total oxidant capacity (TOC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and catalase (CAT) activity were determined before and after treatment with TAM. The serum levels of TOC and oxidative stress index (OSI) were
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