Background: Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is a common musculoskeletal disorder that frequently causes low back pain (LBP). In addition to the discomfort of lower back pain, it can accompany pain in one or both legs. The lumbar spine and sacrum, consisting of five vertebrae and one bone, determine the spine's balance. Microelements are essential in bone metabolism and are associated with the prevention of osteoporosis and the alleviation of musculoskeletal pain. Objectives: To examine the correlation between lumbar spinal surgery and the concentrations of microelements, namely zinc and copper. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, during the period from October 2023 to January 2024. The study included 120 participants ranging in age from 18 to 70 years. Sixty participants underwent lumbar spine surgery and were diagnosed using X-rays or MRI scans. The other 60 were healthy controls. The zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels in the blood were determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The body mass index (BMI) was determined using the formula: BMIg/m2 = weight/height2. Results: The patients had a lower mean zinc level (57.3 ± 14.56 Mmol/L) and a higher mean copper level (106.6 ± 39.41 Mmol/L) in comparison to healthy controls (96.4 ± 17.38 Mmol/L) and (61.0 ± 9.53 Mmol/L), respectively There was a weak relationship and a significant correlation between copper and zinc (r = -0.2). A very strong relationship and a significant correlation between copper and Cu / Zn ratio (r = 0.85) while zinc had a significant very strong correlation relationship with Cu / Zn ratio (r = -0.7) in patients. Conclusion: The present study underscores the noteworthy association between microelements (Cu, Zn) and degenerative lumbar discs, underscoring the significance of pre-operative evaluation in achieving the best possible surgical results. The study has demonstrated the utility of measuring serum zinc level and copper level, especially their link with lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) markers of patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery.
The provision of electric power is necessary for the advancement of the country's economy. It is the main engine of the economy and its various activities. It is an indicator of social welfare and it is considered as the basic pillars for achieving sustainable development (economic, social, environmental and institutional) by raising the levels of performance and meeting local needs. The problem of research was the absence of a program to audit the performance of the electricity sector contributes to ensure the application of sustainable development. The research was based on the hypothesis that the preparation of a proposed program to audit the performance of the electricity sector contributes to the achievement of The researchers sough
... Show MoreDue to the developments taking place in the field of communications, informatics systems and knowledge management in the current century, and the obligations and burdens imposed on the business organization to keep pace with these developments, the traditional methods of administrative decision-making are no longer feasible, as recent trends have emerged in management that focus on the need to rely on quantitative methods such as operations research.. The latter is one of the results of World War II, which appeared for the first time in Britain to manage war operations. The first method used in this field is the linear programming method. The use of operations research has developed greatly in the past years, and the methods of analysis in
... Show MoreInternational relations scholars have increasingly debated the evolving landscape of actors that challenge the traditional state-centric world order. A key element of this transformation is the rise of sub-state actors, which engages in alternative diplomacy parallel to the state, transcending traditional state-centric frameworks. This paper explores the significant shifts in international actorness over the late 20th century, focusing on the emergence and implications of sub-state diplomacy, or "paradiplomacy." First, the study introduces sub-state actors and their role in challenging the dominant state-centric discourse. It then examines the dynamic evolution of paradiplomacy, highlighting how sub-states have expanded their global
... Show MoreBackground : Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of chronic gastrointestinal diseases in which patient may be asymptomatic or was complained from heartburn and regurgitation or pulmonary symptoms. Aim of the study : Examine the serum level of sHLA-G in GERD patients and can be used as a biomarker for early detection of GERD disease. Materials and methods : The design of the study was a case- control prospective enrolled forty patients consulted Gastroenterology Unit- Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital, were diagnosed as GERD by their physician, and compared to second forty control healthy group form January-2023 to May-2024. Serum used for quantitative assessment of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent a
... Show MoreAfter the information revolution that occurred in the Western world, and the developments in all fields, especially in the field of education and e-learning, from an integrated system based on the effective employment of information and communication technology in the teaching and learning processes through an environment rich in computer and Internet applications, the community and the learner were able to access information sources and learning at any time and place, in a way that achieves mutual interaction between the elements of the system and the surrounding environment. After the occurrence of the phenomenon of Covid 19, it led to a major interruption in all educational systems that had never happened before, and the disrupt
... Show MoreThe researcher seeks to know the extent of applying the concept of design by Iraqi electronic press sites to provide media product with the acceptance of their browsers and ensure their repeated visits to such sites in the framework of the guiding rules for laser browsing. The researcher uses analytical study on a sample of six Iraqi electronic newspaper sites to identify the general features of their design and the methods of distribution of the structural elements of the pages. The researcher also conducts a field study on a sample of the surfers of electronic newspaper sites to see the extent of their evaluation to their design and the degree of their satisfaction.
The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of government units (Iraqi hospitals) by trying to determine the possibility of the current governmental accounting system to provide information on the performance reports of government units. In order to improve the efficiency of hospital resources management, the services provided by the hospital should be subject to performance measurement and evaluation The importance of the health sector in the provision of services, in order to raise the efficiency of the performance of services provided by government units has reached the researcher a set of conclusions, the most important
- The financial reports produced by the accounting s
New developments imposed different patterns of interactions between major international powers and Iran during 2018, ranging to varying degrees between cooperation and tension, the most important of which is the new measures taken by the United States to withdraw from the nuclear agreement and impose new US sanctions on Iran, which in turn insisted on not responding to pressure to which they are exposed to make changes in their policies and to negotiate again about the main contentious files, especially the nuclear program and ballistic missiles, and the roles they play for crisis countries, especially supporting some armed organizations in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. These differences have put the international forces before difficult
... Show MoreThe current research seeks to identify the role of the marketing intelligence system in its dimensions (customer intelligence, market intelligence, competitor intelligence, insurance product intelligence, sales representatives) and its reflection on improving the quality of the insurance service provided by the National Insurance Company represented in its dimensions (reliability, response, tangibility, Safety, the spirit of empathy, communication) adopted in the current research, and based on that, the research came as an attempt to find out the extent to which the research sample company can apply the approach of the marketing intelligence system and its impact on improving the quality of the insurance service provided to custo
... Show More