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.
Seven isolates were identified as Pseduomonas aeruginosa from clinical samples. Antibiotic sensitivity test were done to determine their sensitivity to number of antibiotics, the results illustrated all that isolates were resistant to most used antibiotics. The ability of Pseduomonas isolates to produce haemolysin, protease and pyocyanin were detected in this study, all isolates had the ability to produce pyocyanin pigment, hemolysis and protease. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extracts of Thuja orientalis and green tea against P.aeruginosa were investigated. The results showed that both these plant extracts have inhibitory effect against Pseduomonas isolates and it was shown that ethanolic extract of green tea was more efficie
... Show MoreFusarium pseudograminearum and Fusarium graminearum commonly cause crown rot (FCR) and head blight (FHB) in wheat, respectively. Disease infection and spread can be reduced by the deployment of resistant cultivars or through management practices that limit inoculum load. Plants deficient in micronutrients, including zinc, tend to be more susceptible to many diseases. On the other hands, and zinc deficiency in cereals is widespread in Australian soils. Zinc deficiency may have particular relevance to crown rot, the most important and damaging Fusarium disease of wheat and barley in Australia. Four wheat genotypes; Batavia, Sunco and two lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) were tested for response
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different techniques for extraction and purification of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). An isolate of the virus free of possible contamination with other viruses infecting the same host and transmitted by the same vector Bemisia tabaci Genn. was obtained. This was realized by indicator plants and incubation period in the vector. Results obtained revealed that the virus infect Nicotiana glutinosa without visible symptoms, while Nicotiana tabaccum var. White Burley was not susceptible to the virus. The incubation period of the virus in the vector was found to be 21 hrs. These results indicate that the virus is TYLCV. Results showed that Butanol was more effective in clarification the
... Show MoreAbstract A descriptive study using evaluation technique was carried at the health organizations concerning STIs/HIV/AIDS, mainly the AIDS Researches and Studies Center in Baghdad and many of the AIDS sections in the Health Directorates in the Governorates throughout the period of May 15th , 2003 through September 30th, 2003( to describe the surveillance system for the period 1993 through 2002). The study aimed to describe the STIs/HIV/AIDS surveillance system in Iraq. System evaluation questionnaire was adopted from WHO and developed for the purpose of this study. Content validity of questionnaire was establis
Background: osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density, skeletal microstructure breakdown, increased bone fragility, and fracture susceptibility. Osteopenia is the preceding step to osteoporosis because it causes a decrease in bone mass, osteoporosis reduces a person's quality of life. Periostin (encoded by Postn), its name is derived from the fact that it was first detected in periosteal osteocytes and osteoblasts. Periostin deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis and weak bones. Study objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine periostin levels in serum of Iraqi patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia, and it is also possible to consider periostin as a diagnostic factor to follow the progression o
... Show MoreEprospective study undertaken between January 2007 and January 2011, 58 consecutive cases with compound tibial shaft fractures. All fractures were stabilized by external fixator device AO/ASIF type after failed the manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) to restore the osseous alignment. In 32 patients cancellous bone graft were used from the upper part of the tibia to enhance healing process, all these patients were followed for an average of 8–12 months. Our findings showed that stabilization of the fracture shaft tibia by external fixation with cancellous bone graft had significantly better result, than external fixation alone. We conclude that unilateral, uniplanar external fixation with early bone grafting from upper part of the tibia is
... Show MoreIn this paper, the density of state (DOS) at Fe metal contact to Titanium dioxide semiconductor (TiO2) has been studied and investigated using quantum consideration approaches. The study and calculations of (DOS) depended on the orientation and driving energies. was a function of TiO2 and Fe materials' refractive index and dielectric constant. Attention has focused on the effect of on the characteristic of (DOS), which increased with the increasing of refractive index and dielectric constant of Fe metal and vice versa. The results of (DOS) and its relation with and values of system have been discussed. As for contact system is increased, (DOS) values increased at first, but the relation is disturbed later and transforms into an inve
... Show MoreBackground: Studies discussing the correlation between biochemical markers of bone turnover and the diagnosis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Iraqi women are rare. This study is devoted to find out the significance of serum osteocalcin (OC) and osteopontin (OPN) levels with the incidence of osteoporosis and its major complication (fracture).Objectives: to investigate the significance of bone turnover biochemical markers; serum osteocalcin and serum osteopontin in evaluating osteoporosis for postmenopausal Iraqi women with and without history of vertebral fracture, as well as to explore the relationship of these markers with bone mineral density (BMD).Methods: Fifty seven postmenopausal women whose ages are fifty years old and over, cat
... Show MoreThe effect of ethanol and methanol solvent, and their mixture has been studied on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of laser dye Rhodamine B at concentration of (10-4) Molar at room temperature. The molar absorption coefficient has been determined for mixture which was (3.223) at wave number (18181.8 cm-1), Also the Quantum Efficiency of the two solvents (ethanol and methanol) and their mixture have been calculated ,which was for mixture spectrum (38.94%) and it was larger comparing with other and solvents. The characteristics of spectrum has been determined by calculating (??) of absorption spectrum for the solvents and its mixture at maximum wave number ( ) cm-1 depending on solvent polarity and the transitions between molecular ene
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