The Growth Differentiation Factor -15 (GDF-15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily. İt represents an example of the stress response cytokines. It's mostly found in cardiac myocytes, adipocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and vascular endothelial cells, whether they're generated normally or not. GDF-15 levels have increased and are associated with cardiovascular risk. Aim of the study: To investigate the correlation between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) with the level of plasma GDF-15 in a group of hypertensive patients. Materials and methods: A case-control study involved 90 individuals, 60 hypertensive patients (36 on ACE inhibitors and 24 on ARBs)

BACKGROUND: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a proangiogenic factor that exerts different effects over stem cell survival growth, apoptosis, and adhesion. Its impact on leukemogenesis has been established by many studies. AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of plasma HGF activity on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients at presentation and after remission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional prospective study of 30 newly-diagnosed, adult, and AML patients. All patients received the 7+3 treatment protocol. Patients’ clinical data were taken at presentation, and patients were followed up for 6 months to evaluate the clinical status. Plasma HGF levels were estimated by ELISA based methods in the pa

Both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have a genetic component, with over 60 chromosomal regions related to type 1 diabetes and over 200 connected with type 2 diabetes at significant genome-wide levels. Numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the RETN gene and genetic variables can account for up to 70% of the variations in circulating resistin levels. The RETN polymorphism has been linked in numerous studies to obesity, insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes, and cerebrovascular illness. Our objective is to compare this RETN gene 3ʹ-untranslated region polymorphism in type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes Iraqi patients. We choose 51 type 1 diabetes and 52 type 2 diabetes patients against 50 healthy subjects (control group) to investig

Objective: To measure the serum levels of Fetuin-A, ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), and ferritin in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19in Baghdad, Iraq. Moreover, to determine these biomarkers' cut-off valuesthat differentiate between severely ill patients and control subjects. Methods: This case-control study was done from 15 September to the end of December 2021 and involved a review of the files and collectionof blood samples from patients (n=45, group1) hospitalized in COVID-19 treatment centersbecause of severe symptoms compared tohealthy subjects as controls (n=44, group2). Results: Fetuin-A serum levels were not statistically different between patients and controls. In contrast, IMA and ferritin levels were significan

Background: Osteoporosis is an extra-articular complication of rheumatoid arthritis that results in increased risk of fractures and associated morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Objective: To evaluate changes in bone mineral density in a sample of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on biological (anti tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha) and non-biological agent disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study enrolled 60 RA patients diagnosed by rheumatologist according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (2010 ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for RA. Thirty patient on biological agent (anti TNF alpha) and 30 patient on non-biological agent (D

Hydroxide upon the chemical composition and dry matter(DM) and organic matter(OM) digestibility . Rice straw was treated with 4% sodium hydroxide using 30% of DM basis moisture, and incubated at 40 ºC for 40 days., DM digestibility (DMD) was significantly affected (P<0.01) by the treatment , where DMD increased The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of physical form (long ,chopped and ground ) and washing rice straw treated with sodium from 42.32 to 45.41% , OM digestibility (OMD) and total digestible nutrient (TDN) increased(P<0.05) from 47.38 and 49.33 to 49.67 and 52.83% ,respectively. While hemicellulose content increased (P<0.05 ) from 261.71 to 268.17 gm/kg DM ,and metabolizable energy (ME) from 7.11 to 7.48 MJ/

In this work, some of new 2-benzylidenehydrazinecarbothioamide derivatives have been prepared by condensation of thiosemicarbazide and different substituted aromatic benzaldehydes in presence of glacial acetic acid to give compounds (1-6), these compounds have characterized by its physical properties and spectroscopic methods. This work also included theoretical study to prove the ability of these compounds as corrosion inhibitors; The program package of Gaussian 09W with its graphical user interface GaussView 5.0 had used for this purpose; the methods of Density Functional Theory (DFT) with basis set of 6-311G (d,p) / hybrid function of B3LYP and semiempirical method of PM3 have been used, the study included theoretical simulation

Lead toxicity elicits neurological damage which is a well-known disorder that has been considered to be a major cause for multiple condition such as behavioral defect; mental retardation; and nerve insufficient activity.

This research is designed to estimate potential protective effect of vinpocetine on neurotoxicity stimulated by lead acetate in rats.

Eighteen adult rats of both sexes were randomly enrolled into three groups. Each group includes 6 rats as followings: Group I- Rats were given 0.3ml normal saline solution orally; then intraperitoneal injection of 100μl of the normal saline was given 1h later; this group was considered as control. Group II- Rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of 20mg/kg lead acetate

Background: Mouth breathing can lead to introduce cold, dry unprepared air that insults the tissue of oral cavity, nasopharynx and lung, leading in turn to pathological changes in oronasal cavity, nasopharyngeal and other respiratory tissue, mouth breathing associated with nasal obstruction may lead to many health problems, in particular oral health problems such as inflammation of gingiva, oral dryness, change in oral environment that may decrease pH, salivary flow rate and increase bacteria and dental caries.Aims of the present study were to assess the oral health condition among mouth breather associated with nasal obstruction, including dental caries, oral cleanliness and gingival health condition as well as to evaluate the changes in s

This study aim to  identify the concept of  web based information systems since its one of the important topics that is  usually omitted by our organizations, in addition to,  designing a web based information system in order to manage the customers data of Al- Rasheed bank, as a unified information system that is specialized to the banking deals of the customers with the bank, and providing a suggested model to apply the virtual private network as a tool that is to protect the transmitted data through the web based information system.

This study is considered important because it deals with one of the vital topics nowadays, namely: how to make it possible to use a distributed informat