Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune diseasecharacterized by chronic inflammationthat affects joints and cartilage. Bone complications such asRA-relatedosteoporosis are one of the most extra-articular manifestations. Many inflammatory mediators are released during RA disease pathophysiology; these mediators stimulate osteoclast genesis of bone by direct effects on RANKL and OPG. The study aimedto measure RANKL, OPG in RA patients treated with Etanercept only and other groups treated with Methotrexate onlyat baseline and after three months to evaluate bone state. An observational case-control prospective study was done on 30 RA patients who received MTX, 30 RA patients who received ETN, and 30 healthy,age-matched control groups. The level of RANKL and OPG was measured at baseline and after three months of therapy by immunoenzymatically assay (ELISA). The results were tabulated and statistically analyzed usingthe statistical package for social science. The result demonstrated that RANKL level had a positive correlation with age and disease duration in contrast to OPG level showed a negative correlation with age and duration of disease. In the patients group treated with MTX at baseline, the RANKL level was significantly higher (181.336±65.583) than post-therapy (166.097±69.229), while the OPG level at baseline significantly lower (594.398±133.238) than post therapy (614.499±150.879). In ETN treated patients, the level of RANKL in baseline was significantly higher than (231.247±73.134) RANKL level post-therapy (200.363±76.807), while OPG level in baseline waslower (463.263±96.392) than post therapy (503.608±107.692). The study demonstrated in baseline RANKL/OPG ratio significant higher (0.4340±0.234) than post therapy (0.3690±0.222). All RA patients had or were at high risk for osteoporosis.Both Etanarcept and methotrexate produce insignificant differences on OPG and RANKL levels, in the same time this biomarkers are not good indicators for bone state.
Natural bitumen (NB) is a highly precious material and has drawn increasing attention due to its unique properties, especially since it is available in large quantities and has been used in limited fields. In this research, the exploitation of NB from sulfur springs as an alternative energy resource in the production of asphalt pavement is evaluated. It can be concluded from the experimental results that the chemical composition and surface morphology of NB samples are different from those of base asphalt. Besides, the rheological properties of virgin NB are not sufficient for paving work. To overcome this obstacle, NB from five different springs is modified with limestone filler (LSF) to enhance its properties. LSF is a natural material an
... Show MoreThe segmentation of aerial images using different clustering techniques offers valuable insights into interpreting and analyzing such images. By partitioning the images into meaningful regions, clustering techniques help identify and differentiate various objects and areas of interest, facilitating various applications, including urban planning, environmental monitoring, and disaster management. This paper aims to segment color aerial images to provide a means of organizing and understanding the visual information contained within the image for various applications and research purposes. It is also important to look into and compare the basic workings of three popular clustering algorithms: K-Medoids, Fuzzy C-Mean (FCM), and Gaussia
... Show MoreThe study included the determination of pollen grains features for 8 genera and 13 taxa of Mimosoideae subfamily grown in Baghdad/ Iraq by using each of light and scanning electron microscope. The samples of taxa were collected from various sites in Baghdad province in central Iraq located on 32 45° 0-33 45 0 N and 44 0 0- 44° 45 0 E. the results from this study revealed different pollen types as monad in each of Leucaena, Prosopis, and Neltuma, tetrad in Mimosa and polyads in Acacia, Albizia, Calliandra, Pithecellobium and Vachellia. Each taxa of these genera characterized by special palynological features as shape, size, number of polyads grain and conplateuration as well as other parameters included other dimensions, and these
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Praise be to God, and prayers and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and upon his family, companions, and those who are guided by his guidance.
Then:
Our Islamic jurisprudence and its basic principles are fixed, namely: the Noble Qur’an, then the Prophet’s Sunnah, then consensus, then analogy. However, it is characteristic of what makes it developed to meet the requirements of renewed life, including: sent interests, custom, approval, blocking pretexts, changing times. That is why it went through different stages, growth, brilliance, stagnation and endowment; Therefore, many scholars of Islamic jurisprudence divided its stages into four sections: the stage of inf
... Show MoreA new compounds of 2,4-substituted-1,3- thiazole containing amines [I] and [II], Schiff bases [IV] and [V], amides [VI]-[X],esters [XI] - [XIII], thiazolidinones [XIV]-[XVIII] and 1,3-oxazepines [XIX]-[XXV] were Synthesized and characterized by melting points, FTIR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, 1HNMR,13CNMR, dept135and Mass spectroscopy. The liquid crystalline properties of the synthesized compounds were verified by using hot-stage polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The compound [I] was found to be nematic textures (N). The first series of this study [II]n display only enantiotropic nematic phase when n=1-5 while the compounds with n =6-8 display two mesophasese smectic C(SmC) and nematic ph
... Show MoreThis paper presents the application of nonlinear finite element models in the analysis of dapped-ends pre-stressed reinforced concrete girders under static loading by using ANSYS software. The girder dimensions are (4.90 m span, 0.40 m depth, 0.20 m width, 0.20 m nib depth, and 0.10 m nib length) and the parameters considered in this research are the pre-stress effect, and strand profile (straight and draped).
The numerical results are compared with the experimental results of the same girders. The comparisons are carried out in terms of initial prestress effect, load- deflection curve, and failure load. Good agreement was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Even that, the
... Show MoreThis study aims to investigate the behavior and strength of self-compacted ferrocement slabs under punching shear load. Experimental results of thirteen square ferrocement slabs of 500×500 mm simply supported on all edges are presented. The main parameters investigated include the volume fraction of reinforcement, slab thickness and size of load-bearing plate. The load deflection and cracking characteristics of the tested slabs are studied and compared. The test results showed that the volume fraction of wire mesh has significant effect on both ultimate load and displacement. The increase of slab thickness leads to decrease in deflection values and increase in stiffness of slabs. Both ductility and stiffness increase as the
... Show MoreSystole merazvensis sp. n. from Iraq, is described, figuri4 and differentiated from ,other species of the genus Systok.
A range of batch experiments were carried out for the estimation of the key process parameters in adsorption of Furfural from aqueous solution onto activated carbon in fixed-bed adsorber. A batch absorber model has been used to determine the external mass transfer coefficient (kf) which equal to 6.24*10-5 m/s and diffusion coefficient (Dp) which equal to 9.875*10-10 m2/s for the Furfural system. The Langmuir model gave the best fit for the data at constant temperature (30oC). The pore diffusion mathematical model using nonlinear isotherm provides a good description of the adsorption of Furfural onto activated carbon.