Background: Biologically active substances, such as Cathepsin B (CAB) which is a lysosomalcystein protease may be involved in periodontal metabolism in the degradation of organic bone matrix containing collagen fibers in response to mechanical stress from orthodontic appliance. The aims of study were to determine and compare salivary levels of CAB, pH as well as clinical periodontal parameters (Plaque index PLI and gingival index GI) with different orthodontic force magnitudes at different time intervals. Materials and methods: A twenty-four patients (both gender) with age range (17-23) years had Angle's Class II division 1 malocclusion with GI >0.5 enrolled in this study. The level of salivary CAB and pH, in addition to the clinical periodontal parameters (PLI and GI) were measured before (baseline), 1 hour (1H), 1 day (1D), 1week (1W), 2 weeks (2W) and 3 weeks (3W) after fixed orthodontic appliance placement with different forces applied to the teeth (F1 (40 gm), F2 (60 gm) and F3 (80 gm)). Results: The highest mean concentration of salivary CAB was (12.057) at F1 in 1D visit with highly significant differences among the visits as well as among the forces (p≤0.05). Weak correlations were revealed between all pairs of forces as well as between each visit with the baseline visit about salivary CAB except the strong negative correlations between F1 with F3 at 3W and baseline with 3W visits at F3. Maintenance of good oral hygiene during the study period demonstrated that the highest mean values of PLI and GI were (0.2) and (0.25) respectively, in addition to the non-significant differences regarding pH among the visits. Conclusion: The concentration of salivary CAB was increased following fixed orthodontic appliance insertion. The very light continuous orthodontic force could produce significant increase of this enzyme activity and give enough effectiveness to produce tooth movement as compared to the higher forces.
Certain bacterial and viral infectious agents may play a role in the activation of inflammation in atherosclerosis lesions. Epidemiological studies indicate that infectious agents may predispose patients to atherosclerosis as Infections have been associated with an increased risk of this disease. Moreover, a positive antibody status has been detected against some infectious organisms associated with atherosclerotic rupture. Infectious agents found in human atheroma, which may directly cause or accelerate atherosclerosis , include many pathogens but the present study focused on Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus surface antigen and C. In order to evaluate the possible association between H. pylori, HBV, and HCV infections and the risk of
... Show MoreHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Therefore, it is critical for researchers to understand molecular biology in greater depth. In several diseases including cancer, abnormal miRNA expression has been linked to apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. Many miRNAs have been studied in relation to cancer, including miR-122, miR-223, and others. Hepatitis B and C viruses are the most important global risk factors for HCC. This study is intended to test whether serum miRNAs serve as a potential biomarker for both HCC and viral infections HBV and C. The expression of miRNA in 64 serum samples was analyzed by RT-qPCR. Compared to healthy volunteers, HCC patients' sera expre
... Show MoreHemogloin (Hb) and serum ferritin levels are used to assess anemia in pregnancy. Some studies referred to the influence of maternal age, body mass index (BMI) and parity on Hb and serum ferritin levels. The study aimed to examine the possible association of maternal Hb and serum ferritin with maternal age, parity, and BMI in a sample of pregnant women in Baghdad.
Ninety healthy pregnant women, grouped in three equal groups according to the pregnancy trimester, and thirty apparently healthy non-pregnant women from Baghdad were enrolled in this observational study. Blood and serum samples were obtained for the estimation of Hb and serum ferritin levels.
The pooled data of participants showed a n
... Show MoreThis study is considered the first effort of its kind in Iraq and in the Middle East towards studying the Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris that was carried on in Hor Al-Dalmaj, southern Iraq. The findings of this effort illustrate its importance as it paves the way for further study and observation for the bird and this important wetland itself. This study tackles the all possible aspects of the ecological and biological statuses of Marbled Teal (Threatened –Vulnerable bird species – IUCN Redlist) by means of field surveys and systematic monitoring that were conducted along the four seasons over the years 2013-2014 in one of the ecologically important and prominent and poorly-known wetlands in the
... Show MoreIn the present study, an attempt has been made to study the change in water quality of the river in terms of turbidity during lockdown associated with COVID-19. Iraq announced the longest-ever lockdown on 25 March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In the absence of ground observations, remote sensing data was adopted, especially during this period. The change in the visible region's spectral reflectance of water in part of the river has been analyzed using the Landsat 8 OLI multispectral remote sensing data at Tigris River, Salah al-Din province (Bayji / near the refinery), Iraq. It was found that the green and red bands are most sensitive and can be used to estimate turbidity. Furthermore, the temporal variation in turbidity was a
... Show MoreGlobally, iron deficiency anemia is a problematic nutritional deficiency health-related issue that impacts early-adulthood people such as university students. The aim was to asses female nursing students’ knowledge concerning iron deficiency anemia in the College of Nursing, University of Baghdad.
A cross-sectional survey was carried out from the period of June 18, 2023 to December 20, 2023. Nonprobability (purposive) samples of 100 female nursing students were selected from the second, third, and fourth stages in the College of N