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.
In this research, we discussed and analyzed the relationship between oil prices and the U.S. dollar exchange rate in Iraq. The study adopted the descriptive analysis and econometrics analysis. The descriptive analysis refers to the rise (fall) in crude oil price lead to appreciate (depreciate) in the Iraqi dinar exchange rate, though the channel of the international reserves. The econometrics analysis is based on monthly data covered the period (December/2002 – December/2011), the unit root test, co-integration test, vector error correction model, and Granger causality test have been adopted in this research to check the existence and direction of this relationship. The results refer to the lon
... Show MoreBackground: Osteoporosis is denoted by low bone mass and microarchitectural breakdown of bone tissue, directing to increased fracture risk and bone fragility. Fractures may lead to a decreased quality of life and increased medical costs. Thus, osteoporosis is widely considered a significant health concern.
Objective. This study aimed to compare quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA) to detect osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Subjects and Methods. We measured spinal volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) with QCT and areal spinal and hip BMD with DXA in 164 postmenopausal women. We calculated the osteo
... Show MoreFootball tennis is a team game derived from the integration of football skills, tennis and some of the laws of volleyball. This game originated in 1920, but it was officially approved in 2010 and an international federation was formed for it. Football tennis, like other sports, has its own basic laws and rules, but it is characterized by physical requirements, the way of playing and how to perform skills. Determining these abilities and working to improve and develop them is important and a scientific step to reach the best results, as the special abilities of the game contribute to mastering technical performance of skills and play without errors and thus competition in an ideal technical and legal situation. The research aims to:
... Show MoreThe study aims to set an image to the mechanisms of the skills of the 21st century in the educational competencies of the basic education stage. To achieve this aim, a qualitative research design has been adopted in its analytical content analysis way. The study has arrived to the following conclusions: the availability of: the communicative and team work skills with a percentage of 25.9%, linguistic competency with a percentage of 24.6%, the skills of local and global citizenship, creativity, and problem solving with a percentage of 13.6%, critical thinking with a percentage of 10.38%, technological culture with a percentage of 5.8%, pioneerism and initiativeness with a percentage of 10.38%, technological culture with a percentage of
... Show MoreOne of the most important phenomenon that occurs in sheet metal forming processes is the spring-back, which causes several geometrical alterations in the parts. The accurate prediction of springback after bending unloading is the key to the tool design, operation control, and precision estimate concerning the part geometry. This study investigated experimentally the effect of pretension in three rolling direction (0, 90, 45 degree) on the springback behavior of the yellow brass, sheet under V shape bending die. The pre-tension ranges from five different levels starting of 11% to 55% from the total strain in each rolling direction by regular increase of 11 %, then bent on a V-die 90 degree for the springback estimate. From experiment the
... Show MoreIl semble que Khattabi était un linguiste, avec un endroit linguistique pour comprendre les textes de conversations et des mots étranges en particulier. Langue, et chacun avait ses arguments et ses preuves. Ses corrections incluaient la mélodie dans les mouvements, telle qu'une dilution plus serrée, la dilution de l'agitateur, le remplacement d'un autre mouvement, ou une autre rotation des mouvements, et le changement de structure morphologique du mot qui en résultait, ainsi que l'alerte sur les conséquences des lettres, Certaines de ces erreurs sont dues à la langue, et certaines sont considérées comme un type de déformation ou de fausse représentation connue de certains spécialistes, ce qui constitue un précédent louable
... Show MoreThe study of the relationship between the coordinates of the sun and the moon with the crescent visibility factors has not been previously treated in a detailed and accurate way in research and previous studies, despite its religious importance. Accordingly, this paper aims to study the relationship between the crescent visibility factors (age, lag time, elongation (ARCL), arc of vision or relative altitude (ARCV), relative azimuth (DAZ), and crescent width (W), with coordinates of the sun and the moon), and how it varies during the day of the crescent's observation. In this paper, Matlab programs were designed to calculate the ecliptic sun and moon coordinates (λ, β) and in the presence of all perturbation impacts (planets), th
... Show MoreThis study includes applying chemical tests on cow, sheep and chicken bones including both hallow and flat. The results of chemical tests on bones mentioned the moisture percentage which was between 4.95-7.32 %, and it was noticed the difference in protein percentage among different kinds of bones, The highest protien percentage was 39.62 % in hallow chicken bones and the lowest was in hallow sheep bones 20.31%, at the same time, the highest Ash percentage was in hallow sheep bones48.11% , whereas the highest percentage of fat was in hallow cow bones 30%. The chemical and physical tests were conducted for extracted fat from hallow and flat bones for cows, sheeps and chicken. It was found that peroxide values (PV), and free fatty acids (F
... Show Morephenomenon in the Arab women's contemporary literature, but it is rare in Iraqi women's
literature and falls short to the level of the phenomenon until now. Perhaps this is one of the
main reasons that caused the reluctance of researchers to study it, and this is probably the first
academic research in this field.
This research followed the discourse of Autobiography of women in Iraq, depending on the
two factors of charter and reference of the elements of Philippe Lejeune’s definition of the
genre of Autobiography, without focusing on narrative method, so it handled notes,
memories, diaries and biography of the other and counted all under the genre of the
Biography.
It came in three sections, the first follo