Psoriasis is a long-lasting autoimmune disease that is characterized by swollen skin patches. Normally, these skin patches are dark, swollen, itchy and scaly. The single application of the innate TLR7/8 ligand Imiquimod (IMQ) in mice easily induces a dermatitis that closely resembles human psoriasis, critically dependent on the axis of IL-23/IL-17. Artemisia dracunculus prepared as an ointment and has been used topically to mice before imiquimod application. The results of the current study showed that A. dracunculus ointment can significantly reduce psoriasis area and severity index in (A. dracunculus ointment + imiquimod group as compared with both control group and (vehicle ointment + imiquimod) group.
Ecosystems provide humans with services that include benefits from food, fresh water, climate regulation, and socio-economic assets. The Mesopotamian marshlands are among the largest wetlands in the Middle East and they provide various benefits. However, ecosystem services of the Marshlands are consistently undervalued in national economic analysis and decision making. This study focusses on the Central Marshes, the first National Park in Iraq, and is the first attempt at valuing a series of ecosystem services from a valuable natural ecosystem in Iraq. We adopted the Toolkit for Ecosystem Services Site-Based Assessment (TESSA) for the determination of biophysical and economic values of services at the site level. Data on key ecosystem se
... Show MoreThe current study aims to assess the water quality of the Al-Diwaniyah River in the city of Al-Diwaniyah to drink in terms of chemical properties and heavy metals and their impact on the health of the local population. The results showed that most of the parameters in the river water are of low concentrations due to the limited human activities in polluting the river water. The study concluded that the water quality is suitable for drinking depending on major cations and anions in all seasons. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) showed that the river water was clean and safe, except two slightly polluted samples. The study concluded that river water for drinking or various domestic uses does not pose any danger to human heal
... Show MoreThis research aims to find a method to synthesize nanoparticles of important metals in the fields of medicine and electronics, with high purity small in size and narrow size distribution. And it characterized by simplicity, efficiency and high productivity. To achieve this aim the effects of laser irradiation on silver and copper colloids prepared by exploding wire technique in double distilled and deionized water (DDDW) have been studied. The laser irradiation was performed using laser radiation fluence about 4 J/cm2 at 532 nm wavelength. Additional irradiation of colloids resulted in the changes of particles morphology, which were monitored by absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy methods. It was found that both
... Show MoreNon-thermal plasma(Dielectric barrier discharge) has many uses including living tissue sterilization, inactivation of the bacteria, excimer formation, angiogenesis, and surface treatment. This research aim is to use cold plasma as a tool to search the effect of the dielectric barrier discharge system at room temperature on human sperm motility and DNA integrity. This work was performed on 60 human semen samples suffering from low motility; each sample was prepared by centrifugation method, then each semen sample was divided into two sections, the first section is before significant exposure to the plasma system (DBD) and the second section is after treatment with the DBD system at ambient temperature. Before and after exposure to non-the
... Show MoreThis study aims to find the effect of water-cement ratio on the compressive strength of concrete by using ultrasonic pulse velocity test (UPVT). Over 230 standard cube specimens were used in this study, with dimensions of 150mm, and concrete cubes were cured in water at 20 °C. Also, the specimens used in the study were made of concrete with varied water-cement ratio contents from 0.48 to 0.59. The specimens were taken from Diyarbakir-Turkey concrete centers and tested at the structure and material science lab, civil engineering, faculty of engineering from Dicle University. The UPV measurement and compressive strength tests were carried out at the concrete age of 28 days. Their UPV and compressive strength ranged
... Show MoreThe current study, performed during the period from February 2021 to June 2022 at the University of Thi- Qar/ College of Education for Pure Sciences, and aimed to follow the changes in external morphological features at different Embryonic developmental stages in pregnant rats treated with different doses of amlodipine. Usage In this study, 18 pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups, each with six pregnant rats. Each group received different concentrations of amlodipine (0.3, 0.5) in oral doses until the 20th day of gestation, while the control group was injected with 0.9% normal saline. Teratomas are bizarre tumors derived from embryonic tissue that are normally found only in the gonadal and sacral regions of adults. Primary
... Show MorePlant tissue culture considers a benefit biotechnological technique for scientific research especially the production of undifferentiation callus cells and regeneration through suspension or static media. The seedlings of Peganum harmala was used as a source to produce callus mass in vitro in static media through different tissue culture media supplemented by varying combinations of plant growth regulators (PGR). The result illustrates that 2 mg/l of Kinitine with 0.5 mg/l of 2, 4-D was efficient to stimulate callus induction with percent 100% in stem and root of P. harmala and this combination gave a high fresh weight, 1954 mg in root and 1170
mg in stem and high dry weight in root and stem was 74.6
The prolactin hormone played role in the many autoimmune disorders. To determine the importance of high levels of prolactin in triggering rheumatoid arthritis, thirty patient's women with hyperprolactinemia aged (20-45) years old have been investigated and compared with twenty five healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure the concentration of citrulinated peptide(CCP) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA), antikeratin antibodies (AKA)and antinuclear antibodies(ANA) by indirect fluorescent assay IFAT. There was a significant elevation of CCP concentration compared with control groups (P< 0.05). The percentage of antikeratin antibodies and antinuclear antibodies was (20%, 10%) respectively, and
... Show MoreInterleukins (IL-2 and IL-4) are increased in asthmatics and were reported to induce resistance to steroid therapy in some patients who fail to get benefit from glucocorticoids when used in full dose and for long period of time. In this context, the present study was conducted on Iraqi patients to provide additional laboratory mean, beside the clinical diagnosis, for the decision whether the asthma is steroid sensitive or resistant by monitoring the level of immunoglobulins, complement proteins and interleukins among asthmatic patients (steroid sensitive or resistant) and the possible contribution of other factors like age, sex and environments in the development of steroid resistance. A total number of 55 asthmatics and 28 normal subjec
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