Objectives: Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) is WNT/b-catenin pathway antagonist which plays a detrimental role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This research aimed to assess serum DKK-1 levels in diabetic patients who have and have not developed DR and, compare them with the control subjects finding out whether we can use it as an indicator for DR early diagnosis and to find out which one of the widely used two groups of antidiabetic treatments had the greater effect on this biomarker and hence on the progression of DR. Methods: The study participants were divided into two subgroups: First, 70 patients (36 male, 34 female) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, among them 35 patients diagnosed with DR and 35 with no evidence of DR, and s

In this study, synthesis of polymer Nanocomposites through the blending of prepared polymers with polyvinyl alcohol (a synthetic polymer) or chitosan (a natural polymer) then mixed with nano oxide silica by many steps. The new compound [I] was obtained via reaction of 3,3’-dimethoxybiphenyl-4,4’-diamine as starting material with malic anhydride in DMF then treatment with ammonium persulfate (NH4 )2 S2 O8 (as the initiator) in order to produce polymer [II]. Also, we prepared new polymers [III-V] by using the same starting material (3,3’-dimethoxybiphenyl-4,4’-diamine) with glutaric acid or adipic acid or isophthalic acid in DMF and pyridine. In this study, new polymer blending [VI-IX] and [X-XIII] were synthesized from a prepared pol

This paper proposes a compact, plasmonic-based 4 × 4 nonblocking switch for optical networks. This device uses six 2 × 2 plasmonic Mach-Zehnder switch (MZS), whose arm waveguide is supported by a JRD1 polymer layer as a high electro-optic coefficient material. The 4 × 4 switch is designed in COMSOL environment for 1550 nm wavelength operation. The performance of the proposed switch outperforms those of conventional (nonplasmonic) counterparts. The designed switch yields a compact structure ( 500 × 70   µ m 2 ) having V π L = 12   V · µ m , 1.5 THz optical bandwidth, 7.7 dB insertion loss, and −26.5 dB crosstalk. The capability of the switch to route 8 × 40 Gbps WDM signal is demonstrated successfully.

Synthesis of new nucleoside analogues of the type : 3¢ , 3¢ - gem – di – C – nitromethly , expected to have useful application in the chemotherapeutic treatment of AIDS , cancer and microbial infections. The synthesis involved the condensation of the appropriate sugar derivative ( i.e . 3¢ , 3¢ –  gem – di – C – nitromethly – 1–  ribofuranose ) with nitrogen bases , such as , uracil and theophllin following a multi step scheme starting from diacetone golucose (1) (scheme 1) .The prepared compound were identified by spectroscopic methods ; ir , mass , ¹H and ¹³C nmr.

Reaction of  p-fluoro benzoic acid with the thiosemicarbazide and salcialdehyde gave the new bidentate ligand .The prepared ligand Identified by FT-I.R and U.V-Visible spectcopic technique .Treatment of the prepared   ligand   with following metal ions  M=Tb(III),Eu(III),Nd(III) and La(III) ,in ethanol with a (1:1) M:L ratio and at pH=7 yielded series of neutral complexes as the general formula  [M LCl (H O ]. The prepared complexes were characterized using (FT-IR, UV-Vis) spectra , melting point, molar conductivity measurements . chloride ion content were also evolution by (mhor method) . The proposed structure of the complexes using program , chem office 3D(2004) .

In this paper, the proposed phase fitted and amplification fitted of the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method were derived on the basis of existing method of 4(5) order to solve ordinary differential equations with oscillatory solutions. The recent method has null phase-lag and zero dissipation properties. The phase-lag or dispersion error is the angle between the real solution and the approximate solution. While the dissipation is the distance of the numerical solution from the basic periodic solution. Many of problems are tested over a long interval, and the numerical results have shown that the present method is more precise than the 4(5) Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method.

In the present study, 1-ethyl -3-methyllimidazolium acetate ionic liquid is introduced for extractive desulfurization of Iraqi kerosene (1622ppm) and compared with 1-ethyl -3- methyllimidazolium tetrafloroborate. The effect of ionic liquid/ fuel ratio (1/9, 1/4, 1/2), temperature (25, 30,40oC), stirring speed (300,450rpm) and time (10, 30, 90, 180, 360 min) were studied. Sulfur compound analysis was performed using X-Ray fluorescence. The ionic liquid with acetate anion (OAc) showed better performance than tetrafloborate (BF4). The maximum extraction efficiency was 32% achieved at 1/2 IL/Fuel and 40oC after 90min. The oxidation step using hydrogen peroxide (8ml/200ml), catalyzed by acetic acid (2ml) and followed by ionic liquid extraction h

Two new ligands Na2[ H3B (BDIA)].0.05H2O (L1)(BDIA = 1-Boranyl-2,3-
Dihydro-1H-Indol-3-yl)]Acetic Acid and Na3[H2B(BDIA)2].0.3H2O.0.3CH3Ph (L2)
were synthesized by reaction of NaBH4 with indole -3- acetic acid (IAA) . The
coordination properties of ligands were studied with Co(II) , Ni(II) , Cu(II) and
Pt(IV) ions. Characterization and structural aspects of the prepared compounds were
elucidated by 1HNMR, FTIR electronic spectra, magnetic susceptibility, elemental
and metal analysis, thermal analysis (TG & DTG) and conductivity measurements.
The obtained data for metal complexes suggested square planar geometry for
copper complexes, octahedral geometry for nickel and platinium complexes and
tetrahedral geom