Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is an essential marker for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), but its relationship with pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and inflammatory markers has been scantily covered in extant literature. To evaluate the level of CTHRC1 protein in the sera of 100 RA patients and 25 control and compare levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 10 (IL-10), RA disease activity (DAS28), and inflammatory factors. Higher significant serum levels of CTHRC1 (29.367 ng/ml), TNF-α (63.488 pg/ml), and IL-10 (67.1 pg/ml) were found in patient sera as compared to that in control sera (CTHRC1 = 15.732 ng/ml, TNF-α = 33.788 pg/ml, and IL-10 = 25.122 pg/ml). There was no significant correlation between the level of serum CTHRC1 and DAS28 (r = 0.046, P = 0.650), while there were positive significant correlations between the levels of serum CTHRC1 and CRP (r = 0.372, P = 0.0001), ACPA (r = 0.254, P = 0.01), TNF-α (r = 0.202, P = 0.044), and IL-10 (r = 0.260, P = 0.0001). The level of CTHRC1 (> 25.385 ng/ml) in combination with the levels of CRP and ACPA provided a good indication of RA prediction with sensitivity = 71.0%, specificity = 100.0%, accuracy = 0.71%, positive predictive value (PPV) = 100.0%, and negative predictive value (NPV) = 46.3%. The study showed a significant correlation between the levels of CTHRC1 and TNF-α, and IL-10. These molecules may play a prominent role in the diagnostic and etiology of RA
Convolvulus arvensis is a species of bindweed that is rhizomatous and is in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae) native to Europe and Asia. The plant is naturally grown in Iraq. The plant was reported to be used in traditional medicine from as early as 1730s.
The Aerial parts of Convolvulus arvensis were macerated in 80% ethanol for 6 days. The concentrated extract was partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate- and n-butanol successively. The n-hexane and ethyl acetate, fractions were examined for the presence of phytochemicals by thin l
... Show MoreThermal conductivity of compacted bentonite is one of the most important properties where this type of clay is proposed for use as a buffer material. In this study, Lee's disc method was used to measure the thermal conductivity of compacted bentonite specimens. The experimental results have been analyzed to observe the three major factors affecting the thermal conductivity of bentonite buffer material. While the clay density reaches to a target value, the measurement is taken to evaluate the thermal conductivity. By repeating this procedure, a relationship between clay dry density and thermal conductivity has been established in specimens after adjusting the water contents of the bentonite by placing its specimens in a drying oven for diffe
... Show MoreSelf-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which teachers reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work, decide the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly. The present study is an attempt to find out the SA of Iraqi English language teachers. The sample consists of 100 teachers in Baghdad. An inventory of many domains distributed to the teachers, they are, routines, expectations, language, time, opportunities, physical environment, and interactions. The results show that the EFL teachers practice four domains of SA they are: routines, physical environment, time, and language.
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are man-made derivatives of the male sex hormone testosterone, originally designed for therapeutic uses to provide higher anabolic potency with lower androgenic effects. Increasing numbers of young athletes are using these agents illicitly to enhance physical fitness, appearance, and performance despite their numerous side effects and worldwide banning. Today, their use remains one of the main health problems in sports because of their availability and low price. The present study focuses on investigating the adverse effects of anabolic androgenic steroid abuse on sex hormones, liver and renal function tests, fasting glucose levels and lipid metabolism in Iraqi male recreational bodybuilders
... Show MoreBackground: The scarce literature regarding oral hygiene attitude and periodontal awareness in Iraqi adults warranted the conduction of this study in order to provide a public profile and a baseline data for further researches. Aims of the study: assessing the oral hygiene attitude and periodontal awareness in a sample of Iraqi adults. Materials and Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 500 adults. Results: Out of the 500 questionnaires distributed, 482 were included in the study.92% of the sample practiced tooth brushing, 69% out of them reported a daily brushing pattern with variable frequency,69% of the sample did not receive oral hygiene education from any source ,more than half of the sample 60 % used the hori
... Show MoreThis article is part of the bigger project of my PhD thesis which investigates the influence of the British war poetry of the twentieth century on the development of Iraqi poetry in the century/Plymouth University/UK. The article examines the influences of British poetry on the development of the forms of poetry in Iraq after the Second World War. The aim is to shed the light on the creation of the ‘third product’ or the Iraqi poetry that shows the influences of the translated British poetry or the ‘second product’; which was written in prose for it is almost impossible to transfer the rhyme and rhythm of poetry from one language to another. Those who translated the poetry where also the pioneers of the major formal revolution in Ar
... Show MoreColonialism radically transformed the cultures of colonized peoples, often rupturing Indigenous traditions and folklore. Whether creating colonial discourse, promoting orientalist literature, advocating western educational institutions, or through biased media representations, imperial powers systematically oppressed Indigenous and Native peoples. Subjugated communities, however, created, and still form postcolonial discourse from their knowledge systems. This discourse insists on Indigenous and Native culture as central to Indigenous and Native peoples identity. This study examines the postcolonial literature of three groups: Kānaka Maoli, African Americans, and Iraqis. The scope of this dissertation scrutinizes how folklore is employed
... Show MoreBackground: Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitorsrestore nitric oxide (NO) signaling and may reducecirculating inflammatory markers, and improve metabolicparameters through a number of mechanisms. Dailyadministration of the PDE-5 inhibitor, tadalafil (TAD) mayattenuate inflammation; improve fasting plasma glucose andtriglyceride levels and body weight. This study aims toevaluate the efficacy of low dose PDE-5 inhibitor, tadalafil(TAD) in controlling dysglycemia and body weight in obesediabetic men.Methods: Forty obese men with type 2 diabetes aged 30-50years incorporated in this study, all with A1c of 7-8.5%,attending obesity unit in AL-Kindy college of medicine.Weight, height, BMI, FPG, A1c, cholesterol, TG, HDL andLDL measured for all
... Show MoreThis study explores the barriers to adopting green environmental criteria in Supplier Selection (SS) within the Iraqi food industry. It aims to enhance the understanding of sustainable supply chain management in developing nations, with a particular focus on the Iraqi context. A case study approach was utilized to identify eleven key green environmental criteria and 54 sub-criteria, alongside seven major barriers to their adoption. The Best–Worst Method (BWM) was employed to rank the criteria, and Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was used to prioritize the barriers. The analysis revealed that Environmental Management Systems are the most critical criterion for SS. On the other hand, legislation and policies emerged
... Show MoreWith 549,393 new cases recorded in 2018, bladder cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Urinary bladder cancer is the cause of about 3 percent of all new cancer diagnoses and 2.1 percent of all cancer deaths. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of the N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1(NDRG1) as a biomarker for bladder cancer patients in the Iraqi population. One hundred individuals in the case-control study were enrolled and divided into two groups. The first group included 50 patients diagnosed with a bladder mass and investigated by undergoing cystoscopy examination for transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURB). The second group included 50 healthy individuals who had normal bladder tissue. The resul
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