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.
Clinical index is needed to predict the outcome of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) for infertile patients. Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), also known as myostatin, is one of transforming growth factor-â superfamily localized in antral follicles in normal and PCOS ovaries but its function in female reproductive system is still unknown. Aim of the study is to assess the correlation between levels of GDF8 in follicular fluid (FF) with outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF/ICSI) in women with and without PCOS. A prospective case control study was performed enrolling (40) patients with PCOS and (40) non-PCOS women (male infertility) undergoing IVF/ICSI. The collect
... Show MoreIlliteracy has spread in the last years, although it was eliminated in the 1980s. The return of illiteracy brings ignorance, illness, backwardness and regression among nations. It has taken many types, mainly alphabetical, scientific and computer illiteracy. Hence, the increasing nature of illiteracy has attracted the attention of governments and societies alike. This may touch the reality of societies starting with their youth unless those, who are in charge, will find workable solutions for the existing problems. The results of the study revealed that there is a real disaster awaiting the next generation after years of stray, and ignorance of the people in charge who are too engaged in getting their privileges to care about this proble
... Show MoreThe research aims to identify the degree of the availability of knowledge, skill and ability as components of human capital, in addition to stand at the level of strategic agility upon tourism and travel agencies company of Jordan, the impact of human capital on strategic agility has been tested through distribution of a questionnaire on a Randomly Sample from Workers in Jordan tourist Companies of (349),a number of statistics techinces have been used simple liner Regrision and Multiplayer regession, it has shown that the degree of knowledge, ability and skill availability was high, and the same applies on strategic agility components, and shown out that there is a statistically significant impact between human capital and strate
... Show MoreOne of the most effective systems for managing water is subsurface trickle irrigation. Finding empirical formulas and studying the effect of soil texture are the main purposes of this paper. In order to reach an ideal irrigation system as a modern technique to save water, especially in arid regions, soil textures of loam, silt, and silt loam were studied on a subsurface trickle irrigation system by utilizing HYDRUS/2D. The trickle system is usually operated at low pressure, in this paper the used pressure is 30 cm with an emitter buried at 10, 15, and 20 cm at different diameters. Patterns of wetting fronts in both directions at various times depending on soil texture are gathered to
This research aims to understand complexity management and its impact on the use of the dynamic capabilities of a sample of private colleges. Private colleges are currently facing many crises, changes, unrest and high competitive pressures. Which is sometimes difficult or even impossible to predict. The recruitment of dynamic capabilities is also one of the challenges facing senior management at private colleges to help them survive and survive. Thus, the problem of research was (there is a clear insufficiency of interest in Complexity Management and trying to employ it in improving the dynamic capabilities of Colleges that have been discussed?). A group of private colleges was selected as a
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Although the subject of biofuels industry is linked directly to the energy sector, but has links and numerous indirect effects, in particular effects on the environment and agriculture, this study (opportunities and challenges of biofuels industry and impact on the development of the agricultural sector in developing countries) a modest step to identify the industry in detail and identify the types of products and raw materials entering, then define or limit the positive and negative impacts of this industry in General and for specific products In particular, detailed, and then flip all those effects on the agricultural sector in developing countries can benef
... Show MoreForeign direct investment (FDI) is one of the most practical types of foreign investment. FDI contributes to job creation, foreign exchange earnings and national income escalation, improving semi-skill and skilled labor. Based on our knowledge, this paper is the first study attempting to investigate the effect of political stability on the FDI in Turkey using an econometric approach. Achieving this objective, a co-integration analysis was conducted between the FDI and its determinants in the short-run and long-run including “macroeconomic indicators” and “Political Stability (PS)” in Turkey. Using annual data from 1974 to 2017 via Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. The results confirm the positive correlation betwe
... Show MoreHypothesis Nanofluid flooding has been identified as a promising method for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and improved Carbon geo-sequestration (CGS). However, it is unclear how nanoparticles (NPs) influence the CO2-brine interfacial tension (γ), which is a key parameter in pore-to reservoirs-scale fluid dynamics, and consequently project success. The effects of pressure, temperature, salinity, and NPs concentration on CO2-silica (hydrophilic or hydrophobic) nanofluid γ was thus systematically investigated to understand the influence of nanofluid flooding on CO2 geo-storage. Experiments Pendant drop method was used to measure CO2/nanofluid γ at carbon storage conditions using high pressure-high temperature optical cell. Findings CO2/nano
... Show MoreThis study discusses risk management strategies caused by pandemic-related (Covid-19) suspensions in thirty-six engineering projects of different types and sizes selected from countries in the middle east and especially Iraq. The primary data collection method was a survey and questionnaire completed by selected project crew and laborers. Data were processed using Microsoft Excel to construct models to help decision-makers find solutions to the scheduling problems that may be expected to occur during a pandemic. A theoretical and practical concept for project risk management that addresses a range of global and local issues that affect schedule and cost is presented and results indicate that the most significant delays are due to a
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