Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is inflammation of the sacroiliac joints and spine, associated with clinical symptoms such as pain and stiffness in the vertebral column, after which, in a considerable number of individuals, new bone growth occurs. Objective: The current research study attempted to find out whether the presence of SNPs in TNF receptor [TNFRSF1A (rs767455), TNFRSF1B (rs1061622)] encoding genes could influence patients' outcomes to etanercept in a specimen of Iraqi AS patients. Patients and methods: Sixty patients with established AS receiving only etanercept were selected to be enrolled in this research with a mean age of 40.75 ± 8.67 years, 51 patients of them were males and only 9 patients were females. Patients were classed as "responders" if just obtained a BASDAI 50 clinical response and as "non-responders" if they can't achieve a BASDAI 50 clinical elaboration after at least 6 months treatment. After PCR products amplification of purified blood DNA, TNF receptor (TNFRSF1A and TNFRSF1B) genes SNPs were established by Sanger sequencing. Results: The analysis of this study expressed that there was a significant incidence of TT genotype of rs1061622 (P = 0.022) in responder group, whereas the TG genotype of the same SNP was considerably present in the group that did not respond (P = 0.002). Finally, a non-significant difference existed in alleles and genotypes frequency between responder and non-responder groups of rs767455 SNP in TNFRSF1A gene. Conclusions: The wild TT genotype of rs1061622 predicts etanercept responsiveness in ankylosing spondylitis patients. The TG genotype of the same SNP increases the probability of non-responding
This paper aims to study the effect of circular Y-shaped fin arrangement to improve the low thermal response rates of a double-tube heat exchanger containing Paraffin phase change material (PCM). ANSYS software is employed to perform the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of the heat exchanger, including fluid flow, heat transfer, and the phase change process. The optimum state of the fin configuration is derived through sensitivity analysis by evaluating the geometrical parameters of the Y-shaped fin. For the same height of the fins (10 mm), the solidification time is reduced by almost 22%, and the discharging rate is enhanced by almost 26% using Y-shaped fins compared with the straight fins. The results demonstrate that the sol
... Show MoreBackground: This in vitro study compares a novel calcium-phosphate etchant paste to conventional 37% phosphoric acid gel for bonding metal and ceramic brackets by evaluating the shear bond strength, remnant adhesive and enamel damage following water storage, acid challenge and fatigue loading. Material and Methods: Metal and ceramic brackets were bonded to 240 extracted human premolars using two enamel conditioning protocols: conventional 37% phosphoric acid (PA) gel (control), and an acidic calcium-phosphate (CaP) paste. The CaP paste was prepared from β-tricalcium phosphate and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate powders mixed with 37% phosphoric acid solution, and the resulting phase was confirmed using FTIR. The bonded premolars were exp
... Show MoreA novel planar type antenna printed on a high permittivity Rogers’ substrate is proposed for early stage microwave breast cancer detection. The design is based on a p-shaped wide-slot structure with microstrip feeding circuit to eliminate losses of transmission. The design parameters are optimized resulting in a good reflection coefficient at −10 dB from 4.5 to 10.9 GHz. Imaging result using inhomogeneous breast phantom indicates that the proposed antenna is capable of detecting a 5 mm size cancerous tumor embedded inside the fibroglandular region with dielectric contrast between the target and the surrounding materials ranging from 1.7 : 1 to 3.6 : 1.
Composite materials are widely used in the engineered assets as aerospace structures, marine and air navigation owing to their high strength/weight ratios. Detection and identification of damage in the composite structures are considered as an important part of monitoring and repairing of structural systems during the service to avoid instantaneous failure. Effective cost and reliability are essential during the process of detecting. The Lamb wave method is an effective and sensitive technique to tiny damage and can be applied for structural health monitoring using low energy sensors; it can provide good information about the condition of the structure during its operation by analyzing the propagation of the wave in the
... Show MoreIn this paper, split-plate airlift electrochemical reactor as an apparatus with new configuration for wastewater treatment was provided. Two aluminum plates were fixed inside the reactor and present two functions; first it works as split plates for internal loop generation of the airlift system (the zone between the two plates acts as riser while the other two zones act as downcomer) and second it works as two electrodes for electrocoagulation process. Simulated wastewater contaminated with zinc ions was used to test the performance of this apparatus for zinc removal by studying the effect of different experimental variables such as initial concentration of zinc (50-800 ppm), electrical current density (2.67-21.4 mA/cm2), init
... Show MoreThis study was done to evaluate a new technique to determine the presence of methamphetamine in the hair using nano bentonite-based adsorbent as the filler of extraction column. The state of the art of this study was based on the presence of silica in the nano bentonite that was assumed can interact with methamphetamine. The hair used was treated using methanol to extract the presence of methamphetamine, then it was continued by sonicating the hair sample. Qualitative analysis using Marquish reagent was performed to confirm the presence of methamphetamine in the isolate.The hair sample that has been taken in a different period confirmed that this current developing method can be used to analyzed methamphetamine. This m
... Show MoreIn this research, the kinetic studies of four isoenzymes of Asprtate aminotransferase, which partially purified from the urine of chronic renal failure patients were carried out .The four isoenzymes were obeyed Michaelis-Menton's equation and the optimum concentration of their substrate (Aspartic acid) was (166.5x10-3) mole/liter,and their Km values were determined. Four isoenzymesI,II,III,IV have shown an optimum pH at 7.4.The four isoenzymes obeyed Arrhenius equation up to 37º C and their Ea and Q10 constants were determined .
Experimental programs based test results has been used as a means to find out the response of individual elements of structure. In the present study involves investigated behavior of five reinforced concrete deep beams of dimension (length 1200 x height 300 x width150mm) under two points concentrated load with shear span to depth ratio of (1.52), four of these beams with hallow core and
retrofit with carbon fiber reinforced polymer CFRP (with single or double or sides Strips). Two shapes of hallow are investigated (circle and square section) to evaluated the response of beams in case experimental behavior. Test on simply supported beam was performed in the laboratory & loaddeflection, strain of concrete data and crack pattern of