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.
Objectives: The study objectives were to evaluate customer satisfaction with community pharmacy services and measure the relationships between customer satisfaction and pharmacy/pharmacist characteristics and customer quality of life. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of customers at 20 community pharmacies in 10 different geographical areas in Baghdad city between May and September 2018. We used the satisfaction items which were developed by Paterson and colleagues in 2013. The survey also assessed customer quality of life (QoL) with 12 QoL items. Results: The study recruited 400 pharmacy customers. Overall, customers reported good satisfaction with community pharmacy services. The most
... Show MoreThe process of evaluating and measuring tax performance is critical to support the tax collection process. The comparison of the amount of revenue collection with what is expected and the process of measuring tax performance continuously by the tax administration leads to increase the collection of tax, determine the size of deviations and stand and know the reasons and take the necessary measures to address them to get a better result in the future. According to the different tasks assigned to them, criteria and indicators for measuring the tax performance vary from one organization to another. These are indicators or criteria that measure tax revenue (i.e., amounts). One of the research's main findings was to raise the tax collection leve
... Show MoreThe effect of D phase polyamide (PA6)on the rheological properties, Young Modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient of two blends groups (bitumen-polyamide) were tested. The first group was for bitumen-PA6 blends and the second group for bitumen blended with polymer resulted from the crystallization of PA6-formic acid solution in water(PAFW).The obtained results proved that adding both types of polyamide has led to a rise in toughness and softening point temperature while the penetration Index approached -3 after adding the polyamide. So, all these changes make bitumen-polyamide blends more suitable for use in hot climate regions. The blends properties were explained according to the reaction that takes place between the polyamide and
... Show MoreThe self-awareness interactions reflects with emotions,assess the child in respect to its relations with the social standards; they are not merely simply reactions , but rather they connect with his moral behavior and other 's thinks. When the self- awareness gets developed with emotions within the child , the latter become highly sensitive, causing him prone to be blamed . AS a result , the children test the self –awareness interactions with emotions and in age 3 years , where the self –awareness interactions with emotion clearly link to the self- assessment. The children in stage of kindergarten could not describe the self-awareness interactions accurately ; they test it under different circumstances in comparison to the youngest o
... Show MoreObjectives: The current study aims at identifying the level of perceived stress among nursing college students and determining the factors associated with stress they have. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study initiated for the period on November 1st, 2014 to May 1st, 2015. The study has been conducted on the undergraduate nursing college students / University of Baghdad. The sample of the study was consisted of (128) students who were selected purposively. The questionnaire of the study was adopted and modified for the present study which consisted of socio-demographic data and the scale of
A factorial experiment (2× 3) in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted to examine the effect of honeycomb selection method using three interplant distances on the vegetative growth, flowering, and fruit set of two cultivars of bean, Bronco and Strike. Interplant distances used were 75× 65 cm, 90× 78 cm, and 105× 91 cm (row× plant) represent short (high plant density), intermediate (intermediate plant density), and wide (low plant density) distance, respectively. Parameters used for selection were number of days from planting to the initiation of first flower, number of nodes formed prior to the onset of first flower, and number of main branches. Results showed significant superiority of the Strik
... Show MoreThis research aims to the possibility of evaluating the strategic performance of the State Board for Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) using a balanced scorecard of four criteria (Financial, Customers, Internal Processes, and Learning and Growth). The main challenge was that the State Board use traditional evaluation in measuring employee performance, activities, and projects. Case study and field interviews methodology has been adopted in this research with a sample consisting of the Chairman of the State Board, 6 General Managers, and 7 Department Managers who are involved in evaluating the strategic performance and deciding the suitable answers on the checklists to analyze it according to the 7-points Likert scale. Data analysis re
... Show MoreObserved mosques with the advent of Islam under the auspices of care being the houses of God Almighty, and I like parts of the ground to him, the center of radiation spiritual, intellectual and ideological in the lives of Muslims, was the most important cultural and architectural evidence built by Muslims voicing their deep faith and serenity Aqidthm.valmsadjad better reflecting the reality of communication between the person and his Lord, because he is the most important building of permanence and survival, making it imperative designed the best visual forms both externally and internally.Mosques have been characterized in the United Arab Emirates distinct characteristics in terms of building elements of construction in general, and the
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