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 healthy children as a control group.Results: Means of FBG, insulin, leptin, total cholesterol(TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), low density lipoproteincholesterol (LDL-C), and non high density lipoproteincholesterol (non HDL-C) were significantly increased inobese children with IR as compared in children without IR,(P<0.05), while there was a significant decrease in serumlevel of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) inobese children with IR when compared with obese childrenwithout IR, (P=0.001). There was a decrease in the ratio ofG/L and an increase in the ratio of I/L in obese children withIR, but it was not significant. A significant positivecorrelation was found between serum leptin verse bodymass index (BMI), FBG, insulin, homeostasis modelassessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), I/L ratio, TC,TAG, LDL-C, and non HDL-C, while a significant negativecorrelation was found between serum leptin and HDL-C inobese children with IR.Conclusions: The present results showed that serum leptinis correlated with BMI, FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR, I/L ratio, TC,TAG, LDL-C, and non HDL-C in obese children with IR. TheG/L ratio can be used in addition to me /L ratio, and HOMAto accurately assess IR in obese children
A phytoremediation experiment was carried out with kerosene as a model for total petroleum hydrocarbons. A constructed wetland of barley was exposed to kerosene pollutants at varying concentrations (1, 2, and 3% v/v) in a subsurface flow (SSF) system. After a period of 42 days of exposure, it was found that the average ability to eliminate kerosene ranged from 56.5% to 61.2%, with the highest removal obtained at a kerosene concentration of 1% v/v. The analysis of kerosene at varying initial concentrations allowed the kinetics of kerosene to be fitted with the Grau model, which was closer than that with the zero order, first order, or second order kinetic models. The experimental study showed that the barley plant designed in a subsu
... Show MoreStaphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a potent superantigen produced by
In this research, the performance of asphalt mixtures modified with polyethylene polymer (PE) by adding 2%, 4%, and 6% percentages was evaluated. Two kinds of PE are employed: Low-Density PE (LDPE) and High-Density PE (HDPE). The semi-wet mixing technique (SWM) was conducted to avoid stability issue for PE-modified binder during storage condition. Many experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the ability of these mixtures to withstand the effects of loads and moisture. The hardness index of these mixtures was also measured to determine their resistance to the effects of high temperatures without causing permanent deformations. The results showed that adding PE led to a remarkable enhancement in the performance of PE-modified mixtures.
... Show MoreWhen dye is present in wastewater, it is considered a hazardous organic pollutant and must be eliminated. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the elimination of Malachite green (MG) and Methyl violet (MV) dyes using Ni foam (NiF) as an anode, along with stainless steel mesh electrodes as cathodes, and alum sludge (AS) as a third particle electrode in a three-dimensional electrocoagulation-flotation system (3DECF). With an electrolysis period of 30 minutes and pH = 7, response surface method was used to estimate the optimum conditions of studied parameters. These parameters were current density within the range of 1–5 mA/cm², concentration of NaCl within the range of 0.4 –1 g/L, and air flow rate within a range of 1–5 L/min.
... Show MoreThis work investigates the use of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) as a high-refractive-index material for quarter-wave distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) in photonic applications. In comparison to Si3N4, a-Si:H enables enhanced optical confinement, broader omnidirectional reflectance, and improved figures of merit, including higher Purcell and quality factors, while minimizing mirror complexity. To evaluate the practical impact of these advantages, a theoretical comparison is conducted between Fabry–Pérot cavities based on a-Si:H/SiO2 and Si3N4/SiO2 DBRs, examining resonance shifts as functions of cavity refractive index (1.0–3.0) and temperature (0–250 °C). The numerical results indicate that Si3N4/SiO2 planar Bragg caviti
... Show MoreComplexes of 1-phenyl-3-(2(-5-(phenyl amino)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-yl)phenyl) thiourea have been prepared and characteizedby elemental analysis, Ff-[R, and u.v./ visible spectra moreover,determination of metal content M%o by flame atomic absorptionspectroscopy, molar conductance in DMSO solution and magneticmoments (peffl.The result showed that the ligand (L) was coordinated to Mn+2, Ni+2,Ct+2,2n+2,Cd+2, and Hg+2 ions through the nitrogen atoms and sulpheratoms.From the result obtained, rhe following general formula [MLCl2] hasbeen given for the prepared complexes with an octahedral geometryaround the metal ions for all complexes.where M= Mn+2, Ni+2, cu+2, zn+2, cd+2, and Hg+2 l= l-phenyl-3-(2-(5-(phenyl amino
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