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 secondly, non-diabetic controls (11 male, 9 female) were selected from the patients attending Ibn AL-Haitham hospital for ophthalmology and a specialized center for endocrinology and diabetes. Venous blood samples of all participants were drawn after an overnight fast, and serum samples were stored at -20ºC until DKK-1 assay. Results: Serum DKK-1 showed significantly lower levels in diabetic patients with (6.1 ± 2 ng/mL) or without DR (14 ± 6.2 ng/mL) when compared to those of controls (34 ± 12.25 ng/mL) (p 0.05). Furthermore, serum DKK-1 levels were lower in the late stage of DR compared to the early stage 5.6 ± 1.7 and 7 ± 1.9 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, DPP-4 inhibitors cause a better increment in DKK-1 levels when compared to SU in the NDR group. Conclusions: Reduced serum levels of DKK-1 are related to the existence and worsening of DR and have the prospect to serve as an indicator for this condition.
Low-level microbial activity due to the production of organic acids is a recognized problem during the initial phase of food waste composting. Increasing such activity levels by adjusting the pH values during the initial composting phase is the primary objective to be investigated. In this study, sodium acetate (NaoAc) was introduced as an amendment to an in-vessel composting system. NaoAc was added when the pH of the compost mixture reached a low level (pH < 5), the addition increased pH to 5.8. This had a positive effect on the degradation of organic materials i.e. the formation of methane gas compared to the results without NaoAc addition.
The results also proved that anaerobic-aerobic in-vessel composting could reduce the
... Show MoreThis research attend about Alienation form for ornament’s clouds in Quran, which includes four parts, the first part talks about the research problem, the researcher identified by following question :( what’s the Alienation form for ornament’s clouds in Quran?). And then the research importance. The research goal talks about Alienation form for ornament’s clouds in Quran. And also research borders, likes means objectives borders, places borders, As well as Terms Definitions, in second part talks about Theoretical framework and previous studies, includes two parts, the first one study Alienation form, meaning and understandable, the second one talks about Alienation form in Islamic arts, As well as the researcher find only one stu
... Show MoreIn the last two decades, networks had been changed according to the rapid changing in its requirements. The current Data Center Networks have large number of hosts (tens or thousands) with special needs of bandwidth as the cloud network and the multimedia content computing is increased. The conventional Data Center Networks (DCNs) are highlighted by the increased number of users and bandwidth requirements which in turn have many implementation limitations. The current networking devices with its control and forwarding planes coupling result in network architectures are not suitable for dynamic computing and storage needs. Software Defined networking (SDN) is introduced to change this notion of traditional networks by decoupling control and
... Show MoreAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) or baldness is a common form of hair loss, affecting men more than women .The exact causes and pathogenesis of baldness are not well understood. A search for new drug is still needed. This study aims to evaluate the role of gonadotropins hormones in hair loss in males and its possibility to be used as treatment target. A total of 78 volunteers 43 with baldness and 35 healthy men were participated in this study. Their age ranged between (20-49) years, the studied groups were divided into two categories: firstly according to age (group1: 20-29 year), (group2: 30-39 year),and (group3: 40-49 year).Secondly according to baldness degree. LH and FSH were measured by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits.
... Show MoreThis research investigates solid waste management in Al-Kut City. It included the collection of medical and general solid waste generated in five hospitals different in their specialization and capacity through one week, starting from 03/02/2012. Samples were collected and analyzed periodically to find their generation rate, composition, and physical properties. Analysis results indicated that generation rate ranged between (1102 – 212) kg / bed / day, moisture content and density were (19.0 % - 197 kg/ m3) respectively for medical waste and (41%-255 kg/ m3) respectively for general waste. Theoretically, medical solid waste generated in Al-Kut City (like any other city), affected by capacity, number of patients in a day, and hosp
... Show MoreThe design of future will still be the most confusing and puzzling issue and misgivings that arouse worry and leading to the spirit of adventures to make progress and arrive at the ways of reviving, creativity and modernism. The idea of prevailing of a certain culture or certain product in design depends on the given and available techniques, due to the fact that the computer and their artistic techniques become very important and vital to reinforce the image in the design. Thus, it is very necessary to link between these techniques and suitable way to reform the mentality by which the design will be reformed, from what has been said, (there has no utilization for the whole modern and available graphic techniques in the design proce
... Show MoreKnowledge and awareness towards cryptosporidiosis were assessed in this study during the period from April 2009 till June 2011, among 188 person of both gender which were divided in different groups and sub groups as following Group 1: include 48 physician from different hospitals and primary health care centers in Baghdad this group were sub divided into 30 Specialist doctors and 18 General practitioners doctors. Group 2 : include 45 teaching staff member from Biology department , Biotechnology department in University of Baghdad and AL-Nahrain University as well as teaching staff member from the college of medicine – University of Baghdad and University of Mustansiryah, this group were sub divided into 9 Ph.D and 36 M.Sc. + B.Sc. me
... Show MoreThe research is a contemporary stylistic study of the text that expresses the psychological
meanings in Nahj Al-Balaghah.
The research is divided to three chapters.
The first chapter : characteristics of psychological text.
It is about the power to influence the addressee ,that is to say ,the text influence power
connects with vulnerability and emotions inside the addressee spirit and his response to
violent effects shaking his feelings and that is represented in outbreaking of words vitality and
homogeneously. The Imam's wrath , grief , love to rightness , hatred of falsehood and
deviation from Islam arouses the words and emotions through :
1. Reduction in words and expansion in meaning by means of inspiration