Background Type two diabetes (T2DM) is characterized by insufficient insulin production and secretion. Additionally, the body develops insulin resistance which affects 90–95% of diabetics. Complex cytokines, receptors, genetic pathways, and the immune system are involved in T2DM. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is one of the inflammatory cytokines associated with Type 2 diabetes. Environmental and genetic variables, including genetic polymorphisms, can increase T2DM risk and its consequences. Single nucleotide gene polymorphisms (SNPs) are important risk factors for diabetes that can be used to find the disease early and treat it better. Objective This study aimed to determine the levels of IL-18 in the serum of Iraqi patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as the effect of IL-18 SNP rs1946518 (-607 G/T) in the etiology of T2DM. Materials and Methods This study involved 100 T2DM patients (52 males and 48 females) who visited Al-Karamah Teaching Hospital and Baghdad Teaching Hospital. 52 Iraqi control subjects (26 males and 26 females) were included. A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify the IL-18 serum levels of 48 patients and 40 healthy controls. The genotype of IL-18 was determined using Real-time (RT) Taqman PCR. Results According to age, the current study revealed a non-significant correlation (p-value > 0.05) among the studied groups. IL-18 levels in the T2DM group were substantially greater than in the healthy control. In addition, the genotyping frequencies revealed that the frequency of TT genotyping was higher in T2DM group than in healthy control (80% versus 66.7%, OR: 2.0), whereas the frequency of GT genotyping was lower in T2DM than in healthy persons (20% versus 33.3%, OR: 0.5). Conclusion: This Iraqi’s novel study indicated that IL-18 and it’s SNP(rs1946518) contributes to the pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The increasing demand for energy has encouraged the development of renewable resources and environmentally benign fuel such as biodiesel. In this study, ethyl fatty esters (EFEs), a major component of biodiesel fuel, were synthesized from soybean oil using sodium ethoxide as a catalyst. By-products were glycerol and difatty acyl urea (DFAU), which has biological characteristics, as antibiotics and antifungal medications. Both EFEs and DFAU have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The optimum conditions were studied as a function of reaction time, reactant molar ratios, catalyst percentage and the effect of organic solvents. The conversion ratio of soybea
... Show MoreRare earth metal oxides (REMOs) have gained considerable attention in recent years owing to their distinctive properties and potential applications in electronic devices and catalysts. Particularly, cerium dioxide (CeO2), also known as ceria, has emerged as an interesting material in a wide variety of industrial, technological, and medical applications. Ceria can be synthesized with various morphologies, including rods, cubes, wires, tubes, and spheres. This comprehensive review offers valuable perceptions into the crystal structure, fundamental properties, and reaction mechanisms that govern the well-established surface-assisted reactions over ceria. The activity, selectivity, and stability of ceria, either as a stand-alone catalyst or as
... Show MoreThe aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status for samples at the age of 17-15 years. These samples were taken from secondary schools and universities in Baghdad area, 123 of them were male and 261 were female. Data on weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were determined in each individual. Smaller sample of 215 individuals (male and female) from the original sample was taken in order to record their nutritional behavior and daily food intake during the 24 hours prior to the visit through personal meeting using special questionnaire. The results showed that the weight and the height were within the range of the people of neighboring Arab countries, who are in the same age. Beside 44.4- 55.95% of these samples were within t
... Show MoreThe importance of the research from a practical point of view lies in the fact that it presents a set of statistics and data that give a clear picture of how the Iraqi newspapers (the subject of the study) deal with the visit of "Pope Francis" to Iraq ، and what are the most prominent indicators and manifestations of that visit in promoting societal peace among the Iraqi public. From a scientific point of view، the research provides another scientific addition to the media library، especially with regard to journalistic treatments and methods of framing the Arab international press for the subject of the visit، which could be a starting point for other researchers to complete qualitative research in this field. The research prob
... Show MoreThis comprehensive review examines the efficacy and safety of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors in treating various autoimmune diseases, and focuses on their application in Iraqi patients. Elevated TNF-α levels are linked to autoimmune disorders, leading to the development of anti-TNF-α therapies such as infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, and golimumab, which have gained FDA approval for conditions like psoriasis, in¬flammatory bowel disease, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. While these therapies demonstrate sig¬nificant therapeutic benefits, including improved quality of life and disease management, they also carry risks, such as increased susceptibility to infections and pote
... Show MoreZinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were synthesized through the hydrothermal method at various conditions growth times (6,7 and 8 hrs.) and a growth temperature (70, 90, and 100 ºC). The prepared ZnO nanostructure samples were described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer to distinguish their surface morphologies and crystal structures. The ZnO samples were confirmed to have the same crystal type, with different densities and dimensions (diameter and length). The obtained ZnO nanostructures were used to manufacture gas sensors for NO2 gas detection. Sensing characteristics for the fabricated sensor to NO2 gas were examined at different operating temperatures (180, 200, 220, and 240) ºC with a low gas concentrati
... Show MoreIn this study, the fission track registration technique with the CR-39 detector are using to determination the uranium concentrations for seventeen samples of teeth distributed in four districts in Baghdad City .Five samples taken from both Al-Durra District and Al-Jadiriyia District, Four samples taken from Al-Karrda (Alaatar street) Taken four samples and three samples taken from Al-Zuafrania and by 0.5gm in weight and 1.5 mm in thickness. The uranium concentrations in teeth samples measured by using fission tracks registration in (CR-39) track detector that caused by the bombardment of (U) with thermal neutrons from (241 Am-Be) neutron source that has flux of (5 ×103 n cm-2 s-1). The concen
... Show MoreIn this work, an enhanced Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) based on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor using a sided polished structure for the detection of toxic ions Arsenic in water was designed and implemented. The SPR curve can be obtained by polishing the side of the PCF after coating the Au film on the side of the polished area, the SPR curve can be obtained. The proposed sensor has a clear SPR effect, according to the findings of the experiments. The estimated signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), sensitivity (S), resolution (R), and Figures of merit (FOM) are approaching; the SNR is 0.0125, S is 11.11 μm/RIU, the resolution is 1.8x〖10〗^(-4), and the FOM is 13.88 for Single-mode Fiber- Photonic Crystal Fiber- single mode Fiber (SMF-P
... Show MoreOur aim was to investigate the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) topics in medical curricula and the perceived need for, feasibility of, and barriers to teaching SRHR. We distributed a survey with questions on SRHR content, and factors regulating SRHR content, to medical universities worldwide using chain referral. Associations between high SRHR content and independent variables were analyzed using unconditional linear regression or χ2 test. Text data were analyzed by thematic analysis. We collected data from 219 respondents, 143 universities and 54 countries. Clinical SRHR topics such as safe pregnancy and childbirth (95.7%) and contraceptive methods