Irisin is a novel myokine and adipokine, its role during pregnancy and its association with some metabolic risk factors especially pre-pregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI) need more evaluation. The aim of the study is to find whether the pre-BMI could predict irisin levels during normal pregnancy and to clarify associations of irisin with some pathological parameters.

Irisin levels were estimated by ELISA in sera of 59 normal pregnant women who enrolled from December 2016 to May 2017 at Maternity Hospital, Zakho city, Kurdistan region (Iraq). Thirty-two normal-weight pregnant (pre-BMI≤24.9 kg/m², Age=24.03 mean±3.7standard deviation) and 27 overweight/obese-pregnant (pre-BMI>25 kg/m², Age=27.6 mean±3.9

Infertility can be detected when the couples have not completed pregnancy after a year or more of normal coitus. So, in order to treat infertility, there are many supported reproductive techniques are in practice. The success rate of these techniques depends upon the way by which preparation of the paternal semen sample. Over the past 30 years, the manual has been standard as providing global standards and has been used extensively by research and clinical laboratories throughout the world. The spermatozoa of all placental (eutherian) mammals, including humans, are in a protective, no labile formal at ejaculation and are incapable of fertilization even if they are placed in direct contact with an oocyte. Accordingly, they must undergo a sub

Background: obesity is nowadays a pandemic condition. Obese subjects are commonly characterized by musculoskeletal disorders and particularly by non-specific low back pain (LBP). However, the relationship between obesity and LBP remain to date unsupported by an objective measurement of the mechanical behavior of spine and it is morphology in obese subjects. . Objectives: To identify the relationship between obesity and LBP regarding (height, weight, sleeping, chronic diseases, smoking, and steroid). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from the first of January 2016 to January 2018 in obe

Background: Type two diabetic patients have higher risk of cardiovascular and periodontal disease. Furthermore, patients with more severe periodontal disease have higher incidence of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to assess the association between periodontal health status and the risk of vascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and fifty apparently healthy males were enrolled in this study. Oral examinations conducted were; plaque Index, calculus index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level. For the assessment of vascular risk, arterial stiffness index was used. Results: According to arterial stiffness index, type 2 diabetic p

An experiment was carried out in the vegetables field of Horticulture Department / College of Agriculture / Baghdad University , for the three seasons : spring and Autumn of 2005 , and spring of 2007 , to study the type of gene action in some traits of vegetative and flowery growth in summer squash crosses (4 x 3 = cross 1 , 3 x 7 = cross 2 , 3 x 4 = cross 3 , 3 x 5 = cross 4 , 5 x 1 = cross 5 , 5 x 2 = cross 6). The study followed generation mean analysis method which included to each cross (P1 , P2 , F1 , F2 , Bc1P1 , Bc1P2) , and those populations obtained by hybridization during the first and second seasons. Experimental comparison was performed in the second (Two crosses only) and third seasons , (four crosses) by using RCBD with three

This paper investigates a new approach to the rapid control of an upper limb exoskeleton actuator. We used a mathematical model and motion measurements of a human arm to estimate joint torque as a means to control the exoskeleton’s actuator. The proposed arm model is based on a two-pendulum configuration and is used to obtain instantaneous joint torques which are then passed into control law to regulate the actuator torque. Nine subjects volunteered to take part in the experimental protocol, in which inertial measurement units (IMUs) and a digital goniometer were used to measure and estimate the torque profiles. To validate the control law, a Simscape model was developed to simulate the arm model and control law in which measurem

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the association between polymorphisms in the promoter region of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene at locations -308G/A, -857C/T, and -863C/A with the tendency of being non-responder to etanercept.

Patients and methods: Between October 2020 and August 2021, a total of 80 patients (10 males, 70 females; mean age: 50 years; range, 30 to 72 years) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving etanercept for at least six months were included. The patients were divided into two groups responders and non-responders, based on their response after six months of continuous treatment. Following polymerase chain reac

Language plays a major role in all aspects of life. Communication is regarded as the most important of these aspects, as language is used on a daily basis by humanity either in written or spoken forms. Language is also regarded as the main factor of exchanging peoples’ cultures and traditions and in handing down these attributes from generation to generation. Thus, language is a fundamental element in identifying peoples’ ideologies and traditions in the past and the present. Despite these facts, the feminist linguists have objections to some of the language structures, demonstrating that language is gender biased to men. That is, language promotes patriarchal values. This pushed towards developing extensive studies to substantiate s

Politeness strategies are of significant importance to maintain the face of the addressee. Senders of formal congratulatory letters seek to create a positive image in the minds of their addresses by performing particular illocutionary acts and face-saving acts (FSAs) in the form of written texts. To the best knowledge of the researcher, this topic received little attention from linguistic researchers, especially on the pragma-stylistic level. The importance of this study arises from the fact that congratulatory formal letters are an effective tool in the successful performance of foreign relations and thus deserve investigation. The current study investigates the pragmastylistic aspects of illocutionary acts and FSA Politeness Stra