Biomarkers such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) have a role in the pathogenesis of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to explore the differences between serum levels of such biomarkers in severe and non-severe COVID-19 cases and compare them with normal people and to evaluate the sociodemographic variables and chronic diseases effect on the severity of COVID-19. The study included 160 subjects, divided into two groups, a case group of 80 patients, and a control group of 80 normal persons. The case group was divided into two subgroups: 40 severe COVID-19 patients and 40 patients with non-severe disease. Blood IL-6 was assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), PCT by an immunoassay, CRP by an immunoturbidimetric assay and NLR from CBC. The levels of IL-6, PCT, CRP, and NLR were significantly higher in the case group than in control group (p= 0.001, for all). However, there was no difference between these biomarkers level in the non-severe COVID-19 subgroup and the control group (p>0.05 for all). The proportion of severe COVID-19 was significantly higher in patients aged >50 years, and in patients with chronic diseases (p=0.046 and p=0.001, respectively). We also found a strong correlation between such biomarkers and old age, and chronic diseases with the disease severity. There was a significant difference in the level of the three biomarkers (IL-6, PCT, CRP, and NLR) between patients’ subgroups and the control group. In conclusion, since the levels of these biomarkers are correlated with the severity of the COVID-19 disease, and there was a difference in the levels between the groups with severe and non-severe symptoms, we suggest a role of these biomarkers in predicting the severity COVID-19 disease and its poor prognosis.
Gypseous soils are considered one of the most problematic soils. The skirted foundation is an alternative technology that works to improve the bearing capacity and reduce settlement. This paper investigates the use of square skirted foundations resting on gypseous soil subjected to concentric and eccentric vertical load with eccentricity values of 4, 8, and 17 mm in 16 experimental model tests. To obtain the results by using this type of foundation, a small-scale physical model was designed to obtain the load–settlement behavior of the square skirted foundation; the dimension of the square footing is 100 mm × 100 mm with 1 mm thickness, the skirt depth (
Sustainable energy has become a critical focus due to the environmental and economic limitations of traditional fossil fuels. One of the most prominent applications in this field is electric vehicles (EVs), which rely on high-voltage DC battery packs (typically 400V or 800V) as their primary energy source. These batteries supply power to AC motors via inverters that convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Additionally, EVs incorporate DC-DC converter systems to step down the high-voltage DC for auxiliary systems such as infotainment units, control modules, and lighting. The step-down DC-DC converter is composed of various components, including switches (such as MOSFETs or IGBTs) and diodes. These components are subj
... Show MoreVitamin A, namely retinol is still the most proper agent for modulating so many biochemical reactions and biological functions in different tissues and organs. In addition to the provitamins A and α, βand γ-carotenoids that are present in various foods from either animal or plant origin, retinoids and rexinoids form the natural and synthetic analogs that are chemically related or unrelated and can be added as food supplements for deficiency disorders of vitamin A or used to alleviate or treat certain health problems such as skin carcinoma, acne, skin aging and dermatitis.
This study investigates the role of identity as a critical factor in mediating the relationship between local and regional politics within the broader context of international relations (IR). While identity is frequently acknowledged as a catalyst for political instability and conflict, its function in fostering interdependence across political levels remains underexplored, particularly through empirical research. To address this gap, the study adopts a quantitative methodology, drawing on theories of identity politics and interdependence. A structured survey was administered to assess public perceptions of identity's influence on international engagement and its bridging role between domestic and regional political dynamics. The fi
... Show MoreThis research tries to reveal how to manage and control the competitive edge for business by building managerial skills in various organizational levels. Our research aims at finding out the nature of various technical, human and in tellectual skills of a new president whose superiority is his competitive ness in the application field at general company for construe tioual industriesand testing the surveyed minor and major changes through a questionnaire to collect information from officials. The sample was composed of (45) director. The data was analyzed using some methods and statistical programs. The most prominent of these is (SPSS) that was used to extract the arithmetic mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient
... Show MoreAs the child is growing up, he goes through different phases which will be accompanied by physical and psychological changes. These changes set the basis for processes of designing and making children's clothes which in turn give its required benefits and meet the physiological, psychological and community needs. That will help provide the child with healthy physical and psychological growth.
The aim of this research is to recognize the decoration of clothes by colors and drawings and its role in clothes' richness and children's education. The research limits are objective, The limits are for female (3-5) years old. The research was done in teaching kindergarten in the college of education for women in 2016. The researchers found many
A vital instrument to foster the long-term goal of high-quality education has developed in the form of digital technologies. The educational system has been found to be significantly impacted by these technologies. The recent COVID- Pandemic has strengthened the legitimacy of using digital tools in education. The entire educational system has undergone a paradigm shift as a result of these digital technologies. Along with sharing knowledge, it also serves as a mentor, an assessor, and a co-creator of information. Students' lives have been simpler as a result of educational technology advancements. Nowadays, students prepare presentations and projects utilizing a variety of software and tools rather than pen and paper. The weig
... Show MoreThe study tries to answer several questions posed by the subject, one of the important: How the Internet promotes rumor? And what are the most Internet applications that promote rumor? And the practical ways to reduce these negative? Using the process of in vestige and reading theoretical heritage available in this field, and inferred the numbers and statistics marked the uses of the Internet and its applications over recent years, and the characteristics of each these tools in the field of collection, processing, and dissemination of information
Deception is an inseparable facet of political discourse in attaining strategic political gains though compromising public opinion. However, the employment of discursive deception strategies by the policy-making institutions of think tanks has not received due attention in the literature. The current study aims at exploring how the ideologizing deception strategies are utilized by the conservative American think tank of the Washington Institute to reproduce socio-political realities and re-shape public opinion. To fulfill this task, van Dijk’s (2000) notion of ideological polarization which shows positive self-representation and negative other representation is adopted to conduct a critical discourse analysis of four Arabic texts relea
... Show MoreThis study seeks to shed light on the aspects of visual pollution and its impact on the aesthetics of the town of Al-Eizariya known to suffer from the phenomenon. In order to identify the real causes of the problem which develops in various forms and patterns, threatening not only the aesthetic appearance of the towns, but also causes the emergence of new problems and phenomena that will have negative repercussions on the population. The researcher uses the analytical descriptive method to analyze the phenomenon of visual pollution in terms of reality, development, manifestations and spread and uses photos which document the visual pollution and its impact on the aesthetics of the known. The study concluded the existence of a strong rela
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