It was aimed to understand the interleukin-4 (IL-4) role in etio-pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two approaches were adopted. In the first one, a quantitative expression of IL4 gene was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and such findings were correlated with some demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, which included gender, duration of disease, disease activity score (DAS-28), rheumatoid factors (RFs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibodies. In the second approach, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL4 gene (rs2243250) was inspected by DNA sequencing using specific primers. Fifty-one Iraqi RA patients (22 males and 29 females) were enrolled in the study. They were under therapy, which was a single weekly subcutaneous dose of 25 mg of etanercept (Enbrel) for a period of 3-5 years. The results of gene expression (2-??Ct) revealed an increased expression of IL4 mRNA (Mean ± SEM: 8.247 ± 2.442), especially female patients compared to male patients (11.545 ± 3.928 vs. 3.537 ± 1.530; p = 0.03). The expression was also subjected to variations that were related to clinical and laboratory findings. With respect to IL4 gene SNP, allele and genotype frequencies showed no significant differences between RA patients and controls. In addition, the SNP genotypes had no effect on IL4 gene expression. In conclusion, an up-regulation of IL4 gene expression was observed in RA patients, and it was more pronounced in female than male patients by approximately four folds, while no association between the IL4 SNP alleles or genotypes and RA was observed.
The Iraqi marshes are considered the most extensive wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and are located in the middle and lower basin of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers which create a wetlands network and comprise some shallow freshwater lakes that seasonally swamped floodplains. Al-Hawizeh marsh is a major marsh located east of Tigris River south of Iraq. This study aims to assess water quality through water quality index (WQI) and predict Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentrations in Al-Hawizeh marsh based on artificial neural network (ANN). Results showed that the WQI was more than 300 for years 2013 and 2014 (Water is unsuitable for drinking) and decreased within the range 200-300 in years 2015 and 2016 (Very poor water). The
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This paper represents a study of the effect of the soil type, the drilling parameters and the drilling tool properties on the dynamic vibrational behavior of the drilling rig and its assessment in the drilling system. So first, an experimental drilling rig was designed and constructed to embrace the numerical work.
The experimental work included implementation of the drill-string in different types of soil with different properties according to the difference in the grains size, at different rotational speeds (RPM), and different weights on bit (WOB) (Thrust force), in a way that allows establishing the charts that correlate the vibration acceleration, the rate of penetration (ROP), and the power
... Show MoreThe research aims to measure the impact of positive and negative fiscal policy shocks on monetary stability in Iraq, which represents monetary stability as an indicator of real and price stability. Fiscal policy shocks are quantitative changes in public spending and public revenue affecting the output and price cycle, and fiscal policy despite the accompanying time gaps, but it remains a policy Influential and has a significant degree of impact on economic growth and development in developing countries. The fiscal policy represents a numerical translation of the economic and social objectives planned in the state's general budget tool consistent with the GDP cycle. The economic and social goals stem from the core of the functions and the ma
... Show MoreSearch procedures on the treatment research has tended include what cam followers Astaratejaat available to the business organizations to achieve competitive advantage and continued benefits of the form in which the organization can maintain its success in the race competitive and increase production efficiency.
The objectives of the study , the study came with the number of goals and the most important one the knowledge of the relationship and the influence between the variables of the study and review of the latest literature frameworks intellectual and philosophical to the variables of the study and come up with recommendations that could help the organization improve its performance .
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to identify the effectiveness of the educational pillars strategy based on Vygotsky's theory in mathematical achievement and information processing of first-grade intermediate students. In pursuit of the research objectives, the experimental method was used, and the quasi-experimental design was used for two equivalent groups, one control group taught traditionally and the other experi-mental taught according to the educational pillars strategy. The research sample consisted of (66) female students from the first intermediate grade, who were inten-tionally chosen after ensuring their equivalence, taking into account several factors, most notably chronological age and their level of mathematics, and they we
... Show MoreA field experiment was conducted during winter, 2015-16 with the objective to investigate the effect of bread wheat cultivars (Abu-Ghraib3, Ibaa99, and Alfeteh) and seed priming 100, 100, 150 mg L-1 of benzyl adenine, salicylic acid, gibberellic acid (GA3), respectively, ethanolic extract of Salix Sp., water extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra and distilled water (control) on grain growth rate (GGR), effective filling period (EFP) and accelerating of physiological maturity. Randomized complete block design with three replicates was applied. GA3×Ibaa99 surpassed others in grain yield (7.432 tonne ha-1) when gave the highest grain weight (45.13 mg grain-1) and GGR (1.5 mg grain-1 day-1) with the fastest time to start and end EFP (5 and 34 days), w
... Show MoreThis study is considered the first effort of its kind in Iraq and in the Middle East towards studying the Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris that was carried on in Hor Al-Dalmaj, southern Iraq. The findings of this effort illustrate its importance as it paves the way for further study and observation for the bird and this important wetland itself. This study tackles the all possible aspects of the ecological and biological statuses of Marbled Teal (Threatened –Vulnerable bird species – IUCN Redlist) by means of field surveys and systematic monitoring that were conducted along the four seasons over the years 2013-2014 in one of the ecologically important and prominent and poorly-known wetlands in the
... Show MoreIn this paper, we focused on the investigated and studied the cold fusion reaction rate for D-D using the theory of Bose-Einstein condensation and depending on the quantum mechanics consideration. The quantum theory was based on the concept of single conventional of deuterons in Nickel-metal due to Bose-Einstein condensation, it has supplied a consistent description and explained of the experimental data. The analysis theory model has capable of explaining the physical behaviour of deuteron induced nuclear reactions in Nickel metals upon the five-star matter, it's the most expected for a quantitative predicted of the physical theory. Based on the Bose-Einstein condensation theorem formulation, we calculation the cold fusion reaction rate fo
... Show MoreA numerical simulation is made on the thermal lensing effect in an laser diode end-pumped Nd:YAG laser rod. Based on finite element method (FEM), the laser rod temperature distribution is calculated and the focal length is deduced for a Gaussian and super-Gaussian pump beam profiles.
At the pump power of 20W, the highest temperature located at the center of end-pumped face was 345K, and the thermal lens focal length was 81.4mm along the x-z axis.
The results indicate that the thermal lensing effect sensitively depend on the pump power, waist radius of the pump beam and the pump distribution in a laser rod geometry.