Background: Studies discussing the correlation between biochemical markers of bone turnover and the diagnosis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Iraqi women are rare. This study is devoted to find out the significance of serum osteocalcin (OC) and osteopontin (OPN) levels with the incidence of osteoporosis and its major complication (fracture).Objectives: to investigate the significance of bone turnover biochemical markers; serum osteocalcin and serum osteopontin in evaluating osteoporosis for postmenopausal Iraqi women with and without history of vertebral fracture, as well as to explore the relationship of these markers with bone mineral density (BMD).Methods: Fifty seven postmenopausal women whose ages are fifty years old and over, categorized into two groups: osteoporosis postmenopausal women (n=30), and healthy postmenopausal women (n=27). All sera samples were analyzed for serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium and phosphorous by using spectrophotometric kit. Serum OC and OPN levels were measured by immunoassay (ELISA) kits. BMD were measured by (DEXA). Results: BMD and T-score were significantly lower in osteoporotic postmenopausal group as compared with healthy group (p=0.0001). Serum OC levels and serum OPN levels were elevated significantly in osteoporotic postmenopausal group as compared with healthy group (p=0.0001).Conclusions: The levels of OC and OPN in serum could be used as a biochemical indicator in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis postmenopausal women
Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory dermatological condition, exhibits heterogeneous responses to anti-TNF therapies such as etanercept (ETN), underscoring the need for predictive biomarkers. This study investigated the association of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) gene promoter polymorphisms (rs1143623 C/G, rs752338864 C/G, and rs1143627 C/T) with ETN efficacy in 80 Iraqi patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Patients were categorized according to treatment response: responders achieved ≥ 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), whereas non-responders demonstrated ≤ 50% reduction. Post-treatment serum IL-1β levels were significantly higher in non-responders (50.35 ± 15.81 pg/mL) compared to respo
... Show MoreBackground: Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign salivary gland tumor and shows a pronounced morphological complexity and diversity; for this The immunoprofiles and clinical course of PA differed according to cellular differentiation. Therefore, it is important to assess potential biomarkers in diagnostic and therapeutic trials. This study evaluates the immunohistochemical expression of D2-40, VEGF and PCNA as markers of lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis and proliferation of PA and their correlation with clinicpathological parameters and with each other. Materials and Methods: Twenty five formalin – fixed, paraffin – embedded tissue blocks were included in this study. After histopathological reassessment of haematoxylin & eosin
... Show MoreThis research studies the possibility of producing Bone China with available local and geological substitutes and other manufactured ones since it’s traditionally produced by Bone ash, Cornish stone, and China clay, while the substitutes are Kaolin instead of China clay and Feldspar potash instead of Cornish stone. Because of the unavailability of Feldspar in Iraq, it was substituted with the manufactured alternative Feldspar. Bone ash was prepared from cow bones with heating treatments, grinding and sifting. The alternative Feldspar was prepared by chemical analysis of the natural Feldspar potash with local materials that include Dwaikhla Kaolin, Urdhuma Silica sand, Potassium Carbonate, and Sodium Carbonate. The mixture was burned at
... Show MoreIntroduction: Breast cancer is a significant global health concern, affecting millions of women worldwide. While advancements in diagnosis and treatment have improved survival rates, the impact of this disease extends beyond physical health. It also significantly influences a woman's lifestyle and overall well-being. Objectives: The current study intends to analyze the lifestyle of breast cancer patients who are receiving therapy or are being followed up at the Oncology Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq. Method: The present study uses a descriptive design with an application of an evaluation approach. A convenience sample of 100 women with breast cancer was selected from the Teaching Oncology Hospital at the Medical C
... Show MoreObjectives: Assessment of glycodelin (GD) as a marker for unruptured ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the first trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted during June 2016 to May 2017 in the Obstetrics and Gynecological Department of Baghdad University at Baghdad teaching hospital/medical city complex. In this study, 100 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy were included after clinical and ultrasonic findings. Results: Based on the results, GD levels in EP were significantly lower than those with normal intrauterine pregnancy (1.58 ± 1.18 vs. 30.1 ± 11.9). In addition, using receiver operator curve analysis, the cut-off GD level of 9.5 and less had acceptable validity results (100
... Show MoreDiscourse markers are expressions used to connect sentences to what comes before or after and indicate a speaker's attitude to what he is saying.As linguistic items, they have important functions in discourses of various styles or registers. And being connective elements, discourse markers relate sentences, clauses and paragraphs to each other. "One of the most prominent function of discourse markers, however, is to signal the kinds of relations a speaker perceives between different parts of the discourse". (Lenk 1997: 2) Through political discourse, different types of discourse markers are used. This paper deals with the importance and functions of discourse markers and tries to shed light on the kinds of discourse markers used in polit
... Show MoreThe neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have the potential to be inflammatory markers that reflect the activity of many inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the NLR and PLR as potential markers of disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
The study involved 132 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 81 healthy controls matched in terms of age and gender. Their sociodemographic data, disease activity scores using the Bath Ankylosing
The goal of this study was to investigate the protein peroxidation role by measuring serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in type 2 diabetic patients with or without retinopathy and comparing them to controls to see if circulating AOPP levels can be used as a detection biomarker for DR. And see which of the two widely used antidiabetic treatment groups had the most impact on this oxidative stress marker. The groups were divided into two subgroups: 1) 70 type 2 diabetic patients (36 male, 34 female), 35 with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 35 with no evidence of DR, and 2) non-diabetic controls (11 male, 9 female) were chosen from Ibn AL-Haitham Hospital for Ophthalmology and a Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Dia
... Show MoreBackground: Pomegranate (punicagranatum L, Punicaceae), is an edible fruit consumed around the world. The edible part of pomegranate is rich in compounds that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidant; anti-inflammatory and gingival wound healing effects of Punicagrantum L. seed extract oral supplementation in rabbit. Methods and Methods: Forty five male rabbits were divided into 3 groups, base line (5 rabbits) left without buccal gingival wound as( group 1),study group, 20 rabbits (group2) with buccal gingival wound treated with ethanolic extract of Punicagranatum L. seed extract and control, 20 rabbits (group 3) with buccal gingival wound only. Buccal gingival wounds w
... Show MoreCOVID-19 is a pandemic disease that has a wide spectrum of symptoms from asymptomatic to severe fatal cases due to hyperactivation of the immune system and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to assess the level and impact of interleukin (IL)-13, IL-33, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α cytokines on immune responses in mild and moderate COVID-19-infected Iraqi patients. A prospective case-control study was conducted from January 2023 to January 2024; it included 80 patients infected with moderate COVID-19 infection who consulted in different private clinics and 40 healthy controls. The serum of both groups was tested for quantification of serum IL-13, IL-33, and TNF-α using the human enzyme-linked immunosorbe
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