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.
Background: Insulin resistance (IR) is the primary metabolic disorder associated with obesity. Obesity is a growing worldwide health problem affecting both adults and children. Objectives: To determine the association between leptin and IR, and to identify the ratio of fasting glucose/leptin (G/L) and insulin/leptin (I/L) as a new simple method for the detection of IR in obese children.Methods: This study was done in the National DiabeticCenter/ AL-Mustansiriya University during the period fromMay 2013 until the end of October 2013. Fasting bloodglucose (FBG), serum insulin, leptin, and lipid profile weremeasured in 52 obese children (24 children with IR and 28without IR); their age range was (5-15) years, they werecompared with 38 healt
... Show MoreThis paper is devoted to the discussion the relationships of connectedness between some types of graphs (resp. digraph) and Gm-closure spaces by using graph closure operators.
This study evaluates the advantages of employing nano-hydroxyapatite in dentistry, particularly for preventive treatment applications. Only electronically published papers were searched within this review. Sources: "PubMed" website was the only source used to search for data. 92 most relevant papers to the topic were selected, especially the original articles and review papers, from 1990 till the 1st of April 2022. The morphology of nano-hydroxyapatite, as well as the structure of its crystals, are close to that of dental enamel. As a result, hydroxyapatite can biomimetically replace the natural enamel mineral element. Keywords: remineralization of enamel, nanotechnology, nanohydroxyapatite, hypersensitivity.
Precarity means the lack of social and economic networks; a considerable exposure to danger and harm. Minority groups are precariat for they lack rights and full citizenship. Precarity is related, states Judith Butler, with the individual’s performativity, and his ability to perform his gender role. Toni Morrison continually goes to past to retell the history of African Americans. The issues of race, gender and national identity are recurrent in her work. Reading her book Home (2012) evokes the idea of precarity and performativity since the two main characters, Frank and Cee are precarious characters that fail to perform their gender role properly, and eventually are exposed to hazard and harm. This research displays how African American
... Show MoreThis paper presents the concepts of prepaths, paths, and cycles in α-topological spaces and studies them in orderable spaces. Also, many relationships are proved with their equivalences using some properties in topological spaces like compactness and locally connectedness.
The rental activity receives "significant" interest from accounting organizations interested in issuing accounting standards worldwide, such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). As leases represents an important source of finance for economic units as an alternative to financing assets through purchase or borrowing. Professional organizations have focused on addressing the situation of extra-budgetary funding through which the lessee hides many leases that are classified as financing without It shows in the budget, which gives an incorrect picture of the reality of the financial situation of economic unity, IASB has issued IFRS 16, which terminates off- Balance s
... Show More Problem solving methods and mechanisms contribute to facilitating human life by providing tools to solve simple and complex daily problems. These mechanisms have been essential tools for professional designers and design students in solving design problems.
This research dealt with one of those mechanisms, which is the (the substance-field model model), as it has been mentioning that this mechanism is characterized by the difficulty of its application, which formed the main research problem. In home gardens (the sub-problem of research), an analysis of this problem was applied and then a solution was found to address it. The researcher used the 3dsmax program to implement the proposed design.
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The increasing of some traded Agricultural crops prices coincide with the increasing of crude oil prices in global market since the beginning of 21st century which indicate the possibility of short run and long run causality relation between the imported economic variables. The study aims to analysis the causality effects between some of Agricultural crops prices imported by Iraq and the prices of crude oil and Iraq dinar exchange rate in global markets for period (2004:1 -2016:4) theory for developing the adequate price and economic police for Iraqi economic sector. The results show the existence of short- run and long- run between the eco
... Show MoreActive learning is a teaching method that involves students actively participating in activities, exercises, and projects within a rich and diverse educational environment. The teacher plays a role in encouraging students to take responsibility for their own education under their scientific and pedagogical supervision and motivates them to achieve ambitious educational goals that focus on developing an integrated personality for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. It is important to understand the impact of two proposed strategies based on active learning on the academic performance of first-class intermediate students in computer subjects and their social intelligence. The research sample was intentionally selected, consis
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