Background: Psoriasis is a common inflammatory condition worldwide, with an average prevalence ranging from 2% to 3%. However, the incidence of psoriasis varies among different ethnic groups and regions. Elevated leptin levels have been associated with increased cellular proliferation, including T-cells. Additionally, high leptin levels may stimulate the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines such as ILـ6 and TNFـα. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of Apremilast on Leptin in obese psoriatic patients. Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients with psoriasis were included in This prospective cohort study to measure the levels of serum Leptin by using the ELISA technique, before and after receiving Apremilast. Result: The present work found the concentration of Leptin before receiving Apremilast was 2.365 ng/ml, and after six months from baseline, it was reduced to 1.933 ng/ml, which was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: This prospective cohort study provides evidence that Apremilast can decrease elevated Leptin levels in individuals diagnosed with psoriasis. The study observed a 0.42 ng/ml reduction in Leptin levels after 6 months of Apremilast treatment.
Yeasts are distributed in all environments and have been reported as potential biocontrol agents against various phytopathogenic fungi. To investigate their enzymatic and biological activities, 32 yeasts were isolated from 15 date vinegar samples. Evaluation of the antagonistic activities of isolated yeasts against the plant pathogens Fusarium oxysporium, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Macrophomina phaseolina indicated that there are two yeasts had the highest inhibitory effect against plant pathogens, these yeasts identified as Kluyveromyces marxianus and Torulaspora delbrueckii using traditional and molecular methods. These yeast isolates were tested for fungal cell wall degrading enzymes (in vitro), and results indicated that the
... Show MoreLand surface temperature (LST) is crucial for determining the region's environmental quality because a significant temperature rise causes disasters, which cause environmental imbalance, reducing biodiversity and hastening desertification. In this study, remote sensing and geographic information systems were used to estimate the change in the LST of Babylon, Iraq, using two satellite images taken 20 years apart (2002, 2022). The temperature was extracted using a specific mathematical model in ArcMap10.8 software. The findings demonstrated a significant variation in temperatures and the concentration in various regions of Babylon between 2002 and 2022 and the relationship between LST and Normalized difference
... Show MoreThe Rock Wool Board (RWB) is widely used in the building exterior insulation all over world. As polymer affects hardening of plate, meaning it acted as a basic binder in this work and gave a smooth texture, ease of carrying and workmanship in different sizes and shapes. PVA was studied at the rates of PVA %4, %5, %6.66, %10, %20, results showed that 6.66% is the best percentage, through tensile and bending tests, this percentage was use with polyurethane with rates of PU 1, 0.5, 0.333, 0.25, 0.2 It is found that the ratio 0.333 is the best ratio to give good mechanical properties of bending, tensile and elongation. This percentage was fixed on different percentages of polymer (PU/PVA) as %2.5, %5, %10, %15, %20 and examinations
... Show MoreRealistic implementation of nanofluids in subsurface projects including carbon geosequestration and enhanced oil recovery requires full understanding of nanoparticles (NPs) adsorption behaviour in the porous media. The physicochemical interactions between NPs and between the NP and the porous media grain surface control the adsorption behavior of NPs. This study investigates the reversible and irreversible adsorption of silica NPs onto oil-wet and water-wet carbonate surfaces at reservoir conditions. Each carbonate sample was treated with different concentrations of silica nanofluid to investigate NP adsorption in terms of nanoparticles initial size and hydrophobicity at different temperatures, and pressures. Aggregation behaviour and the
... Show MoreHigh-volume traffic with ultra-heavy axle loads combined with extremely hot weather conditions increases the propagation of rutting in flexible pavement road networks. Several studies suggested using nanomaterials in asphalt modification to delay the deterioration of asphalt pavement. The current work aims to improve the resistance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) to rutting by incorporating Nano Silica (NS) in specific concentrations. NS was blended into asphalt mixtures in concentrations of 2, 4, and 6% by weight of the binder. The behavior of asphalt mixtures subjected to aging was investigated at different stages (short-term and long-term aging). The performance characteristics of the asphalt mixtures were evaluated using the Marshall s
... Show MoreThe present study aims to detect CTX-M-type ESBL from Escherichia coli clinical isolates and to analyze their antibotic susceptibility patterns. One hundred of E. coli isolates were collected from different clinical samples from a tertiary hospital. ESBL positivity was determined by the disk diffusion method. PCR used for amplification of CTX-M-type ESBL produced by E. coli. Out of 100 E. coli isolates, twenty-four isolates (24%) were ESBL-producers. E. coli isolated from pus was the most frequent clinical specimen that produced ESBL (41.66%) followed by urine (34.21%), respiratory (22.23%), and blood (19.05%). After PCR amplification of these 24 isolates, 10 (41.66%) isolates were found to possess CTX-M genes. The CTX-M type ESBL
... Show MoreCoronavirus 2 is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which leads to severe acute respiratory illness. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been linked to leukocyte infiltration and chemokine activation during inflammatory responses. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) family are thought to dampen the proinflammatory effects of these MMPs. The molecular pathways of lung fibrosis are mediated by MMPs and TIMPs. In this study, we sought to investigate the probable link between MMPs, specifically MMP-3, TIMP-2, and COVID-19. The study included 58 COVID-19 patients and 30 apparently healthy individuals matched in terms of age and sex. Multiplex real- time PCR was used to detect the ORF1ab, E, and N genes of
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