Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common, highly heritable inflammatory arthritis affecting primarily the spine and pelvis. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the rs27044 polymorphism in Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase-1 (ERAP-1) with the susceptibility and severity of AS correlated with some biochemical markers such as hematological parameter (Erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR)) and immunological parameters (C-reactive protein (CRP), Human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27), Interlukin-6 (IL-6) and Interlukin-23 (IL-23)), and oxidative stress parameters (Glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA)) in a sample of Iraqi population. A total of 60 blood samples were collected from AS patients requited Rheumatology Consultation Clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital in Baghdad Governorate. Those patients are males and females with age ranged between 26- 32 years for early diagnosed patients (10 samples) and other medically treated patients with age ranged between 22-52 years (50 samples). The rest (30 blood samples) were collected from healthy controls with age ranged between 16-68 years. Results showed that there is a significant increase in Erythrocytes Sedimentation Rate (ESR) as a hematological parameter in newly diagnosed and medically treated patients. For the immunological parameters, results showed that C-reactive protein (CRP) was detected in all serum samples taken from newly diagnosed patients, and 80% positive were detected in medically treated patients in comparison with 100% negative results in healthy controls. On the other hand, Human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27) was also detected in all serum samples taken from newly diagnosed patients and 76% positive were recorded in medically treated patients as compared with negatively resulted in healthy controls. For the Interleukins (IL-6 and IL-23), results showed that there is a significant increase in levels of both interleukins in serum samples of newly diagnosed patients compared with healthy controls and medically treated patients, in which any significant difference was recorded. Results of oxidative stress parameters showed that there is a significant decrease in Glutathione (GSH) levels in serum samples of newly diagnosed patients compared with its level in serum sample of controls and medically treated patients, in which significantly not different. Results also showed that there is a significant increase in Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum samples of newly diagnosed patients compared with its levels in healthy controls and medically treated patients, in which no significant difference in MDA levels in serum samples of both groups. Genetic polymorphism of ERAP-1 gene (rs27044 SNP) in exon15 within chromosome 5 was studied. The genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples for controls and AS patients at concentrations of extracted DNA was ranged between 100-200 ng/μl with purity of 1.8-2.0. Exon 15 was amplified by using specific primers results showed that a single band of 298 bp was obtained after electrophoresis on agarose gel (2%) represents the complete nucleotide sequence of exon 15. Results showed that the single nucleotide polymorphism (rs27044) was cSNP in all controls, while gSNP was found in 64% of polymorphic AS patients with a significant difference than non-polymorphic AS patients (36%).
Contamination of surface and groundwater with excessive concentrations of fluoride is of significant health hazard. Adsorption of fluoride onto waste materials of no economic value could be a potential approach for the treatment of fluoride-bearing water. This experimental and modeling study was devoted to investigate for the first the fluoride removal using unmodified waste granular brick (WGB) in a fixed bed running in continuous mode. Characterization of WGB was carried out by FT-IR, SEM, and EDX analysis. The batch mode experiments showed that they were affected by several parameters including contact time, initial pH, and sorbent dosage. The best values of these parameters that provided maximum removal percent (82%) with the in
... Show MoreThe solidification process in a multi-tube latent heat energy system is affected by the natural convection and the arrangement of heat exchanger tubes, which changes the buoyancy effect as well. In the current work, the effect of the arrangement of the tubes in a multi-tube heat exchanger was examined during the solidification process with the focus on the natural convection effects inside the phase change material (PCM). The behavior of the system was numerically analyzed using liquid fraction and energy released, as well as temperature, velocity and streamline profiles for different studied cases. The arrangement of the tubes, considering seven pipes in the symmetrical condition, are assumed at different positions in the system, i
... Show MoreIfosfamide (IFO), an alkylating chemotherapy agent, is known for its association with neurotoxicity and encephalopathy. This trial was designed to evaluate the protective action of daidzein (DZN) against IFO-induced neurotoxicity in male rats by determining the difference in certain inflammatory and apoptotic markers in the brain tissue of rats. Twenty-eight Wistar rats, weighing 120-150 g, were divided into four groups of seven rats: Group 1 (Control) received no treatment; Group 2 was orally administered DZN (100 mg/kg/day) for seven days; Group 3 received a single intraperitoneal (IP) dose of IFO (500 mg/kg); Group 4 received oral DZN (100 mg/kg/day) for one week prior to a single IP dose of IFO on the seventh day. Twenty-four hours post
... Show MoreIn this study the Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) received by pediatrics patients undergoing chest, abdomen and skull X-ray examinations was estimated. The study was conducted in two hospitals in Najaf city where three radiographic systems were considered. The study participants were classified into four age groups 0-1 , 1-5 , 5-10 and 10-15 years. Calculations were performed using exposure factors, kVp, mAs and focal-skin distance, together with patient data age. The ESD was calculated for the involved patients who underwent an Antero-posterior (AP) chest, abdomen and skull X-ray examination. The resulted data were analyzed and compared with international dose references. For all studied radiographic examinations and all X-ray mac
... Show MoreActivation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) markedly attenuates development of atherosclerosis in animal models. However, the underlying mechanism is not well elucidated. Here, we show that the FXR agonist, obeticholic acid (OCA), increases fecal cholesterol excretion and macrophage reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) dependent on activation of hepatic FXR. OCA does not increase biliary cholesterol secretion, but inhibits intestinal cholesterol absorption. OCA markedly inhibits hepatic cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase (
الغرض من هذا العمل هو دراسة الفضاء الإسقاطي ثلاثي الأبعاد PG (3، P) حيث p = 4 باستخدام المعادلات الجبرية وجدنا النقاط والخطوط والمستويات وفي هذا الفضاء نبني (k، ℓ) -span وهي مجموعة من خطوط k لا يتقاطع اثنان منها. نثبت أن الحد الأقصى للكمال (k، ℓ) -span في PG (3،4) هو (17، ℓ) -span ، وهو ما يساوي جميع نقاط المساحة التي تسمى السبريد.