T-cell activation and alteration of cytokine levels are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, the profile of circulating T-lymphocyte subsets and related cytokines during asthmatic attacks is still unclear. We compared the serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines Interleukine-18( IL-18) and Interleukine-12(IL-12), T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokine Interleukine-13(IL-13 ) and Immunoglobuline-E ( IgE) in 27 asthmatic children and 21 sex and age matched healthy control subjects. Serum cytokines and IgE concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum IL-13 , IL-18 and IgE concentrations were significantly higher in asthmatic patients than normal control subjects ( IL-13: median 9.73 versus 4.43 pg/ml, P&l

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most frequent endocrine illnesses affecting reproductive - age women. L-carnitine has important roles in oxidative stress, energy production and glucose metabolism. It affects insulin resistance as decreased plasma carnitine level has been well reported in type II diabetes mellitus. Hence, it means L-carnitine may reduce insulin resistance which is found in PCO disease. Objective: This study aims to measure the level of L-carnitine and insulin resistance in both obese and non- obese patients with PCOS. Patients and Methods: Sixty women within the reproductive age with PCOS (30 obese and 30 non- obese) were recruited from the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinic in Baghdad T

There is no adopt in the importance of the optical communications in scientific civil and military applications because of it’s simplicity in manufacturing and it's low cost. The method of optical communication depends upon bearing the light beam the translated informations by a method called the light modulation. This method depends upon changing some light properties as frequency, amplitude and pulse duration according to the translating informations. The changes in the first two properties are concerned optically with the analog modulation while the third one concern at most with digital modulation. All past methods are expensive with low efficiency and needs electrical or magnetic fields. In this technique the source of voice used

This work aims to optimize surface roughness, wall angle deviation, and average wall thickness as output responses of ALuminium-1050 alloy cone formed by the single point incremental sheet metal forming process. The experiments are accomplished based on the use of a mixed level Taguchi experimental design with an L18 orthogonal array. Six levels of step depth, three levels of tool diameter, feed rate, and tool rotational speed have been considered as input process parameters. The analyses of variance (ANOVA) have been used to investigate the significance of parameters and the effect of their levels for minimum surface roughness, minimum wall angle deviation, and maximum average wall thickness. The results indicate that step depth and tool r

L1 adaptive controller has proven to provide fast adaptation with guaranteed transients in a large variety of systems. It is commonly used for controlling systems with uncertain time-varying unknown parameters. The effectiveness of  L1 adaptive controller for position control of single axis has been examined and compared with Model Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC). The Linear servo motor is one of the main constituting elements of the x-y table which is mostly used in automation application. It is characterized by time-varying friction and disturbance.

    The tracking and steady state performances of both controllers have been assessed fo

Background: Polymorphisms in the TNF-α gene affect the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Objective: To investigate the associations between (-806 T/C) and (-857 T/C) SNPs with rheumatoid arthritis severity and susceptibility in a sample of Iraqi patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Baghdad, Iraq. Twenty healthy controls and 63 patients confirmed to be newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were included. Those are divided into two groups (patients and controls), and the patients were further subdivided into severe and mild-moderate groups. Samples from those participants were analyzed for clinical and inflammatory parameter measurements. Genotyping by the Sanger method was performed to stu

This study aimed to investigate the effect of total suspended solids (TSS) on the performance of a continuously operated dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) proceeded by primary clarifier to treat actual potato chips processing wastewater. The system was also tested in the absence of the primary clarifier and the results demonstrated a significant effect of TSS on the polarization curve of the MFC which was obtained by operating the graphite anodic electrode against Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The maximum observed power and current densities were decreased form 102.42 mW/m² and 447.26 mA/m² to 80.16 mW/m² and 299.10 mA/m², respectively due to the adverse effect of TSS. Also