Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common health problem that has a worldwide distribution. Apart from the direct effect of the virus on the liver, there are many extrahepatic manifestations among which the probable effect on bone turnover associated with low bone mineral density (BMD). Objectives: This study aimed to determine the association between treated and untreated chronic HBV infection with BMD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which included a total of 48 patients with chronic HBV (28 patients treated with tenofovir-disoproxil-fumarate [TDF] antiviral drug and 20 patients have not yet started treatment). Other age- and sex-matched 30 apparently healthy individuals were recruited to represent the healthy controls. BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry on the anteroposterior lumbar spine (L1–L4 spine) views, from which T-score was calculated. Liver function tests were also evaluated from serum samples. Results: Treated patients showed a lower T‑score (−0.48 ± 0.72) than either healthy individuals (1.08 ± 0.84) or untreated patients (0.78 ± 0.51), with highly significant differences. In multivariate regression, only disease duration (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 9.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8–16.68) and TDF treatment (adjusted OR = 6.4, 95% CI = 4.18–97.05) were significantly associated with BMD. Conclusions: Prolonged use of TDF in the treatment of HBV infection can significantly reduce BMD. Moreover, BMD can also be inversely affected in long-standing HBV, regardless of treatment regimen.
Variation in the numbers of pectoral fin spines and rays, pelvic fin rays, gill rakers on the first gill arch, anal fin rays, and the number of vertebrae of Silurus triostegus Heckel were examined in specimens from 16 localities that span its entire distribution range in the Tigris, Euphrates, and Shatt al-Arab rivers in Iraq. The mean number of the six meristic traits increases toward high latitudes with maximum and minimum values in the north and south of Iraq. Based on cluster analysis and PCA, the Mesopotamian river samples were clearly separated into three distinct groups. The upper Tigris populations were isolated from those of the middle and southern populations of this river and from those of
Conventional identification of three coccoid green algae isolates was attempted to characterize the studied algae morphologically under compound microscope, which demonstrated confusional phenomenal convergence; all were classified microscopically as the green alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck, 1890.
Phylogenetic studies were conducted to settle the argument about the phenotype by studying the genotype. Genotype the promising field in advance classification by using 18S rRNA and compared to GenBank database using to search the related sequences. The determined sequences showed high a similarity to the strains registered in GenBank.
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... Show MoreThe novel Vierordt’s approach, or simultaneous equation method, was created and validated for the concurrent determination of vincristine sulfate (VCS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in pure solutions utilizing UV spectrophotometry. It is simple, precise, economical, rapid, reliable, and accurate. This method depends on measuring absorbance at two wavelengths, 296 nm and 278 nm, which correspond to the λmax of VCS and BSA in deionized water, respectively. The calibration curves of VCS and BSA are linear at concentration ranges of 10–60 μg/mL and 200–1600 μg/mL, with correlation coefficient values (R2) of 1 and 0.999, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LO
... Show MoreRESRAD is a computer model designed to estimate risks and radiation doses from residual radioactive materials in soil. Thirty seven soil samples were collected from the area around the berms of Al-Tuwaitha site and two samples as background taken from an area about 3 km north of the site. The samples were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry system using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The results of samples measurements showed that three contaminated area with 238U and 235U found in the study area. Two scenarios were applied for each contaminated area to estimate the dose using RESRAD (onsite) version 7.0 code. The total dose of resident farmer scenario for area A, B and C are 0.854, 0.033 and 2.15×10-3 mSv.yr-1, respectively. Whi
... Show MoreThis study shows that it is possible to fabricate and characterize green bimetallic nanoparticles using eco-friendly reduction and a capping agent, which is then used for removing the orange G dye (OG) from an aqueous solution. Characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDAX), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) were applied on the resultant bimetallic nanoparticles to ensure the size, and surface area of particles nanoparticles. The results found that the removal efficiency of OG depends on the G‑Fe/Cu‑NPs concentration (0.5-2.0 g.L-1), initial pH (2‑9), OG concentration (10-50 mg.L-1), and temperature (30-50 °C). The batch experiments showed
... Show MoreIn this research, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) were prepared through the sol-gel process at an acidic medium (pH3).TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared from titanium trichloride (TiCl3) as a precursor with Ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) with 1:3 ratio at 50 °C. The resulting gel was dried at 70 °C to obtain the Nanocrystalline powder. The powder from the drying process was treated thermally at temperatures 500 °C and 700 °C. The crystalline structure, surface morphology, and particle size were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results showed (anatase) phase of titanium dioxide with the average grain size
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