Abstract Introduction: MMP3 plays a crucial role in the process of bone erosion in the pathomechanism of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It acts by removing the outer osteoid layer, which allows the osteoclasts to tightly connect and carry out the subsequent damage to the underlying bone. MMP3 can trigger the production of other MMPs like MMP-1, MMP-7, and MMP-9, it plays a pivotal role in the remodeling of connective tissues. Aim of the study: to assess the influence of MMP-3 serum levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms of rs679620 in the rheumatoid arthritis patients' group in comparison to the control group. Subjects: eighty eight samples, 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients after being referred by their treating physician for regular RA test. The remaining 43 samples all represent apparently healthy people. The present study investigated the serum concentration of MMP-3 and rs679620 SNPs in the group of patients with RA, in comparison to the control group. Results: The results indicated a significant elevation in MMP-3 levels in RA patients in comparison to healthy individuals (12.75 ± 0.38 vs. 9.69 ± 0.37) and the findings of rs679620 SNPs appeared that the patient group has a non-significant increase in both allele frequency A and genotype frequency AA when compared to the control group (66.2 vs. 52.2 %; p = 0.172; OR = 1.79 and 35.3 vs. 17.4 %; p = 0.229; OR = 2.59) , but a non-significant decrease in both allele frequency C and genotype frequency CC when compared to the control group (2.94 vs. 4.4 %; p = 1.0; OR = 0.67 and 2.9 vs. 4.3 %; p = 1.0; OR = 0.67), as well as a non-significant decrease in allele frequency G and both genotypes frequency GG and AG when compared to the control group (30.9 vs. 43.5 %; p = 0.233; OR = 0.58, 0.0 vs. 8.7 %; p = 0.159; OR = 0.12 and 61.8 vs. 69.6 %; p = 0.585; OR = 0.71 ). Patients carrying the AA and AG genotype, had significantly higher serum levels of MMP-3 compared to control (P= 0.005 and 0.004) respectively. Conclusion: Rs679620 may influence joint destruction via increase MMP-3 production.
Fuzzy logic is used to solve the load flow and contingency analysis problems, so decreasing computing time and its the best selection instead of the traditional methods. The proposed method is very accurate with outstanding computation time, which made the fuzzy load flow (FLF) suitable for real time application for small- as well as large-scale power systems. In addition that, the FLF efficiently able to solve load flow problem of ill-conditioned power systems and contingency analysis. The FLF method using Gaussian membership function requires less number of iterations and less computing time than that required in the FLF method using triangular membership function. Using sparsity technique for the input Ybus sparse matrix data gi
... Show MoreThe concept of the active contour model has been extensively utilized in the segmentation and analysis of images. This technology has been effectively employed in identifying the contours in object recognition, computer graphics and vision, biomedical processing of images that is normal images or medical images such as Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI), X-rays, plus Ultrasound imaging. Three colleagues, Kass, Witkin and Terzopoulos developed this energy, lessening “Active Contour Models” (equally identified as Snake) back in 1987. Being curved in nature, snakes are characterized in an image field and are capable of being set in motion by external and internal forces within image data and the curve itself in that order. The present s
... Show MoreInfluence of metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms upon soil-borne microscopic fungus Aspergillus terreus K-8 was studied. It was established that the metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms affect the enzymatic activity of the studied culture. Silver nanoparticles lead to a decrease in cellulase activity and completely suppress the amylase activity of the fungus, while copper nanoparticles completely inhibit the activity of both the cellulase complex and amylase. The obtained results imply that the large-scale use of silver and copper nanoparticles may disrupt biological processes in the soil and cause change in the physiological and biochemical state of soil-borne microorganisms as well.
The objective of this in vivo study is to investigate the effects of 337.1 nm pulsed N2 laser on cellular immune response represented by lymphocyte transformation capacity and phagocytosis activity in laboratory animals. The samples include 60 adult male BALB/c mice, were divided into control group and experimental groups. The experimental groups were divided into two main groups according to the time period after N2 laser irradiation. Each group was divided into 9 subgroups which exposed to N2 laser radiation at different values of pulse repetition rates and exposure times. The results of immunological tests demonstrated that the exposure to 180 J/cm2 of N2 laser radiation induce adverse effect to cellular immune response. The results o
... Show MoreCdS and CdTe thin films were thermally deposited onto glass substrate. The CdCl2 layer was deposited onto CdS surface. These followed by annealing for different duration times to modify the surface and interface of the junction. The diffraction patterns showed that the intensity of the peaks increased with the CdCl2/annealed treatment, and the grain sizes are increased after CdCl2/annealed treatment
For over a decade, educational technology has been used sparingly in our schools and universities. Online training courses have been used since 2003 to fill the gaps in our learning system and to add extra program besides classroom learning. This paper aims to investigate the Iraqi EFL instructors’ participating in online training courses and its influence on the process of teaching and learning.
The sample of present study consists of 30 instructors from University of Baghdad. The questionnaire of sixteen items was constructed. After ensuring validity and reliability of questionnaire, it was applied on March 2013 and the result shows that most of instructors improve their teaching methods b
... Show MoreBackground: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase in salivary pleomorphic adenoma, and to correlate the two studied markers with each other and with clinicopathological parameters including: age, sex, tumor site and histopathological presentation. Methods: Sections of twenty five formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks specimens of salivary pleomorphic adenoma were immunostained using monoclonal antibodies (Fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase) to assess their expression in this tumor. Results: The expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and Heparanase were positive in all pleomorphic adenoma cases (100%). The positive expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 was signi
... Show MoreVocational education has great importance to comprehensive national development as it provides intermediate cadres able of operating the factories and laboratories in the farms and fields beside the work in the fields of health, service, administration and commercial. Due to the importance of this type of education in society, it is necessary to do a qualitative reform of vocational education in order to make the educational staffs get the necessary basic expertise to adapt the requirements of the labor market and try to rearrange and organize the workforce through put long-term economic and social policy through certain planning open to the workforce. The workforces structure according to gradual expansion in all the national ec
... Show MoreMeasuring the efficiency of postgraduate and undergraduate programs is one of the essential elements in educational process. In this study, colleges of Baghdad University and data for the academic year (2011-2012) have been chosen to measure the relative efficiencies of postgraduate and undergraduate programs in terms of their inputs and outputs. A relevant method to conduct the analysis of this data is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The effect of academic staff to the number of enrolled and alumni students to the postgraduate and undergraduate programs are the main focus of the study.
Preserving the Past and Building the Future: A Sustainable Urban Plan for Mosul, Iraq