Background: All diseases concerning bone destruction such as osteoporosis and periodontal diseases share common pattern in which the osteoclast cells are absolutely responsible for bone resorption that occurred when osteoclast activity exceeds osteoblast activity. Osteoprotegrin (OPG) considered as novel soluble decoy receptor known as “bone protector†since it prevents extreme bone resorption through inhibition of differentiation and activity of osteoclast by competing for binding site. It binds to receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and prevent its interaction with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK), thus inhibits osteoclast formation. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokines having a broad range of important roles in regulation of immune system and bone resorption through the stimulation of osteoclastogenesis. Alendronate (ALN) diminishes the expression of osteoclast activating factors and cytokines such as RANKL and enhances the production of decoy receptor osteoprotegerin in osteoblast cells. Moreover, it decreases the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α by macrophage, stimulates apoptosis of monocyte-macrophage cell lines derivative and reduces inflammatory response. Aims of the Study: 1. To assess the effect of alendronate treatment on salivary levels of osteoprotegrin and TNF-α in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and periodontal disease 2. To find any possible correlation between salivary levels of osteoprotegrin and TNF-α in control and study groups. Materials and Methods: Total sample of 90 female subjects (55-65 years) were divided into 3 groups, (30 subjects in each group): first control group involved systemically healthy subjects with healthy periodontium, second group involved postmenopausal women with osteoporosis under alendronate treatment for(3-6)months (alendronate group), third group involved postmenopausal women with osteoporosis without alendronate treatment(osteoporosis group). The last two groups were sub- divided in- to two sub –groups (15 subjects in each sub-group) of gingivitis and periodontitis subjects respectively. Salivary samples were collected from all subjects and salivary levels of osteoprotegrin and TNF- α were determined by enzyme –linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Highest median value of salivary (OPG) was found in alendronate group followed by control group while the lowest value was found in osteoporosis group. Highest median value of TNF- α was found in osteoporosis group followed by control group and alendronate group respectively with highly significant differences between them. Spearman correlation between salivary levels of TNF-α and OPG showed non- significant correlation at all subgroups. Conclusion: Subjects with osteoporosis in this study had greater levels of TNF-α and decrease in the level of OPG comparing with patients under alendronate treatment. Alendronate treatment for women with osteoporosis and periodontal disease may have beneficial outcome.
The study aims mainly to evaluate the performance of Sharq Dijila water treatment plant in removing turbidity for the period of 1-4-2001 to 31-3-2004. Daily data for turbidity of raw, clarified, filtered, and supplied water were analyzed. The results of the study showed that there is a wide variation in turbidity levels of raw water fluctuating between 10-1000 NTU with mean value of 41.3 NTU. Turbidity values of the clarified water varied between 1.4-77 NTU. Based on the turbidity value of 10 NTU and 20 NTU (the design maximum turbidity) the readings gave an acceptable percentage of 32.4% and 86% respectively. The turbidity of filtered water ranged between 0.2-4.5 NTU which are completely in compliance with Iraqi and WHO standards. In ac
... Show MoreSpider veins are a common aesthetic problem mainly in females , the conventional method of treatment is by microsclerotherapy (injections) but laser therapy has become increasingly efficacious and a convenient method for treatment. The present study was performed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of pulsed diode laser (810nm) by doing thermal photocoagulation. Ten patients with lower limbs spider veins were included in this prospective study. They were treated with a repetitive pulsed diode laser in non contact technique using the following laser parameters (wave length 810nm,power 1 W ,pulse duration 0.1 s., pulse interval 0.5 s, spot diameter 4mm ,power density 7.9 W/cm2). Laser therapy was performed on day zero and day fourt
... Show MoreIn the present study, advanced oxidation process / heterogeneous photocatalytic process (UV/TiO2/Fenton) system was investigated to the treatment of oily wastewater. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of hydrogen peroxide concentration H2O2, initial amount of the iron catalyst Fe+2, pH, temperature, amount of TiO2 and the concentration of oil in the wastewater. The removal efficiency for the system UV/TiO2/Fenton at optimal conditions and dosage (H2O2 = 400mg/L, Fe+2 = 40mg/L, pH=5, temperature =30oC, TiO2=75mg/L) for 1000mg/L load was found to be 77%.
Aluminum foil cover around the re
... Show MoreIn this work, electrodialysis (ED) has been demonstrated to be appropriate technique for reducing the electrical conductivity of real wastewater from fuel washing unit, which has been previously treated by other electrochemical technology (electrocoagulation and electrooxidation). A five cell electrodialysis stack, with an active membrane area of 60 cm2 per cell was employed. During a batch recirculation mode ED system, the effects of parameters such as electrical potential applied (6-18 V) and flow rate of streams (0.5-1.7 L/min.) on the performance of the total dissolved solids (TDS) separation and specific power consumption (SPC) were studied. The results indicate that the process of ED under potential (15 V) and flow
... Show MoreAbstract 20 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joint were treated by electrical stimulation in the form of 6 sessions every other day each sessions of diphase fixe (DF) for 4 minutes followed by rest for 4 minutes then treated with a monophase fixe (MF) for 2 minutes. By clinical & statistical analysis ( P value < 0.05) we conclude that the electrical stimulation is effective as one method in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Stone columns are widely used globally due to theirversatility and relative wide applicability to treat different soil and foundation situations but much of the research undertaken to date has focused on their use in soft soils. In countries like Iraq the use of stone columns is still limited from a practical point of view, chiefly as many other soil conditions are commonly encountered. These include collapsible soils: soils that are prone to relatively rapid volume compressions (through collapse of metastable fabrics) that occur due to the action of load and/or increases in water content. Recent work has opened up the possibility to use stone columns in these soils by the use of encasement, thereby overcoming the impact of loss of lateral
... Show MoreThe objective of this study is to investigate the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in the treatment of wastewater contaminated with furfural. The AOPs investigated is the homogeneous photo-Fenton (UV/H2O2/Fe+2) process. The experiments were conducted by using cylindrical stainless steel batch photo-reactor. The influence of different variables: initial concentration of H2O2 (300-1300mg/L), Fe+2(20-70mg/L), pH(2-7) and initial concentration of furfural (50-300 mg/L) and their relationship with the mineralization efficiency were studied.
Complete mineralization for the system UV/H2O2/Fe+2 was achieved at: initi
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One of the most suitable materials to be used in latent heat thermal energy storage system (LHTES) are Phase change materials, but a problem of slow melting and solidification processes made many researchers focusing on how to improve their thermal properties. This experimental work concerned with the enhancing of thermal conductivity of phase change material. The enhancing method was by the addition of copper Lessing rings in phase change material (paraffin wax). The effect of diameter for the used rings was studied by using two different diameters (0.5 cm and 1cm). Also, three volumetric percentages of rings addition (3%, 6% and 10%) were tested for each diameter. The discharging process was done with
... Show MoreThat any industrial company that must think about marketing mechanisms and who are the beneficiaries and the pursuit of gain customer satisfaction with access to competitive advantages. Most industrialized our companies from a variety of problems experienced both in the field of production, marketing, or keep up with new developments or commitment to quality standards, which caused the reluctance of customers to buy local products for various reasons, and especially in light of unplanned economic policy and exposure to market to imported products flooding the market with various goods and services that do not can the domestic industry rival, which has competitive advantages and meet business requirements, but others arrived to stop or as
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