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.
This study aims to explore the impact of the interaction of the university leadership and the university organizational environment on the performance level of the staff at Al-Maaqal university. This university was chosen as a field of study because it is a new university and needs studies that develops and contributes to improve its overall performance. The problem defined by the following question: to what extent does the interaction of the university leadership and the university organizational environment affect the performance level of the teaching staff at AlMaaqal University?). The method of this study adopted a major hypothesis in which there is a statistically significant effect of university leadership and university environment o
... Show MoreThe aim of this work is to provide an efficient selection technique as a part of planning process to guide the decision makers to decide the preferences of one supplier over another for purchasing lab instruments in education domain. Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process has used as a multi-criteria decision process, as an industrial engineering tool with certain emphasis on the qualitative aspects required to the decision makers. While the concept of degree of possibility for each criterion is used to reach its relative weights, a specific methodology created to reach the final objective decision of supplier selection. A questionnaire form was developed and distributed to five universities located in Baghdad province with a total
... Show MoreThe research aims to study and assess the effectiveness of preventive measures banking for the reduction of money laundering based on the checklist (Check list), which have been prepared based on the paragraphs of some of the principles and recommendations of international and Money Laundering Act No. 93 of 2004 and the instructions thereto, to examine and assess the application of these measures by Gulf Commercial Bank, which was chosen to perform the search.
I've been a statement the concept of money laundering in terms of the definition and characteristics, stages and effects of political, economic and social as well as the nature of banking supervision in terms of the definition and the most important
... Show MorePurpose: As a result of the sudden and ill-considered trade openness of Iraq after 2003 to the countries of the world in general and the neighboring countries in particular, and in the absence of the necessary support for the national productive forces and the lack of effective standardization and quality control devices, this led to the exposure of most local products, especially agricultural ones, to decline and inability On the competition and thus dumping the Iraqi market, especially the agricultural products, with imported products, this study came to find out the effect that dumping has on the local production of chicken meat and the impact of that impact on the size of the food gap, and whether the results of the practica
... Show MoreBackground. Endodontic infections caused by remaining biofilm following disinfection with chemical fluids encourage secondary bacterial infection; hence, employing laser pulses to activate the fluids is advised to improve microbial biofilm clearance. This study investigated the performance of Er,Cr:YSGG laser in photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) agitation of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) to enhance the removal of mature Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms in complex root canal systems. Methods. The mesial roots of the lower first and second molars were separated and inoculated with E. faecalis bacteria for 30 days. The roots were irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl, some of them were agitated with passive ultrasonic
... Show MoreThree hundred Iraqi people participated in demographic and attitudes study about red and white meat consumption. The mean age of the participants was 50 SD ± 11 years (mean 30-72); 51% were females and 49% males, mostly in forties who lived ≥ 5 years in Baghdad. The results showed that 80% of individuals prefer red meat. A 90% of people prefer fresh meat compared to frozen and processed meat. A 60% of people buy meat from popular markets. Nearly 87% of respondents believe the improving of livestock sector is essential and 80% of people confirmed there are obstacles to development this sector. An 80% of participates thought the reasons of the high prices of local fresh meat is the lack of planning and support to livestock sector. A survey
... Show MoreA microbial study conducted for a number of flour samples (30 samples) Uses in the bakery ovens in various areas of the city of Baghdad, by used the conventional methods used in laboratories in microbial tests and compared with the modern techniqueby usedof BacTrac Device 3400 equipped from SY-LAB Impedance analysersAustrian company.The results of two ways showed (The conventional way and BacTrac Device test)that the total counts of aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, StaphylococcusSpp. bacteria, Bacillus cereus bacteria and yeasts and molds,Most of them were within the permissible borders in the Iraqi standard for grain and its products With free samples from SalmonellaSpp. bacteria, and that the screening by BacTrac device are shorten
... Show MoreBackground: Menstrual problems with all manifestations ranging from life-threatening bleeding to amen- orrhea are considered patterns of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), which is until now a popular reason for referral to the gynaecologic clinic and requires a special diagnostic tool. Objective: To assess the accuracy of hysteroscopy in diagnosing endometrial pathologies and to compare it with sonographic and histopathologic reports. Patients and Methods: A prospective study conducted in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital on 60 Iraqi females having varying complaints from abnormal uterine bleeding in pre- and post-menopausal women, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain with normal or abnormal ultrasound findings. Office hysteroscopy was done and
... Show MoreLasmiditan (LAS) was formulated as a nanoemulsion based in situ gel (NEIG)with the aim of improving its oral bioavailability via application intranasally. The solubility of LAS in oils, emulsifiers, and co-emulsifiers was determined to identify nanoemulsion (NE)components. Phase diagrams were constructed to identify the area of nanoemulsification. LAS NE was formulated using the spontaneous nanoemulsification method. Four NEs (F19, F24, F31, and F34) containing 7-15 % oleic acid (OA) as an oily phase, 40-55% labrasol (LR), and transcutol (TC) as emulsifier mixture at (1:1), (2:1), (3:1), and (1:2) ratio with 30-53 % (w/w) aqueous phase, having suitable optical transparency of 95–98%, globule size of 104-140 nm and polydisper
... Show MoreSome feline intestinal parasites such as Toxocara, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium can spread to humans through feces. Therefore, it is important to prevent exposure of family members by screening cat fecal samples twice per year for potential treatment regimes. This study was initiated to compare and identify gastrointestinal parasites of domestic and stray cats (Felis domesticus) in Baghdad City, Iraq. Parasite eggs and oocysts were identified under light microscopy by applying standard laboratory techniques (flotation and sedimentation). Overall, 59 of 121 (48.7%) fecal samples were positive for intestinal parasites. The rate of infection by Toxoplasma gondii was (3.31%), Isospora spp. (6.61%), Cryptosporidium spp. (31.4%), and Toxocara spp
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