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.
Pure and doped barium titanate with Mg2+ ion at two molar ratios x= (5%, 10%) mol. has been synthesized by solid state reaction technique. The powders sintered at two temperatures (1000 °C and 1400 °C). An XRD technique was used in order to study the crystal structure of pure and doped barium titanate, which confirmed the formation of the tetragonal phase of BaTiO3, and then calculate the lattice parameters of pure and doped barium titanate, the addition of magnesium ion Mg2+ can lead to decreases lattice parameters.
The ejector refrigeration system is a desirable choice to reduce energy consumption. A Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD simulation using the ANSYS package was performed to investigate the flow inside the ejector and determine the performance of a small-scale steam ejector. The experimental results showed that at the nozzle throat diameter of 2.6 mm and the evaporator temperature of 10oC, increasing boiler temperature from 110oC to 140oC decreases the entrainment ratio by 66.25%. At the boiler temperature of 120oC, increasing the evaporator temperature from 7.5 to 15 oC increases the entrainment ratio by 65.57%. While at the boiler temperature of 120oC and
... Show MoreAn effective two-body density operator for point nucleon system folded with two-body correlation functions, which take account of the effect of the strong short range repulsion and the strong tensor force in the nucleon-nucleon forces, is produced and used to derive an explicit form for ground state two-body charge density distributions (2BCDD's) and elastic electron scattering form factors F (q) for 19F, 27Al and 25Mg nuclei. It is found that the inclusion of the two-body short range correlations (SRC) has the feature of reducing the central part of the 2BCDD's significantly and increasing the tail part of them slightly, i.e. it tends to increase the probability of transferring the protons from the central region of the nucleus towards
... Show MoreTwelve compounds containing a sulphur- or oxygen-based heterocyclic core, 1,3- oxazole or 1,3-thiazole ring with hydroxy, methoxy and methyl terminal substituent, were synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of these compounds were performed by elemental analysis and different spectroscopic tequniques. The liquid crystalline behaviors were studied by using hot-stage optical polarizing microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. All compounds of 1,4- disubstituted benzene core with oxazole ring display liquid crystalline smectic A (SmA) mesophase. The compounds of 1,3- and 1,4-disubstituted benzene core with thiazole ring exhibit exclusively enantiotropic nematic liquid crystal phases.
An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse - research station B - College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, during the fall season of 2018 with the aim of propagating and initially studying the field performance of 18 and 20 potential potato lines derived from Rivera and Arizona cv. after in vitro exposure of nodal segments to different dosages of gamma rays (0, 10, 20, and 30 Gray) and EMS (0, 10, 20, and 30 mM). Each control cultivar and their derived lines were independently cultured in plastic bags according to the RCBD, with three replications. The results showed that the highest plant height and number of leaves were obtained from Arizona derived lines which gave 60.11 cm and 25.30 leaves.plant-1 in
... Show MoreThis study is designed to isolate and molecular identification of C. neoformans, C. neoformans is pathogenic yeast and effect immunocompromised and immunocompetent. Methods: collect 50 samples from pigeon dropping and 50 samples from pigeon fanciers (sputum). The collection time was extended from November 2021 to February 2022, then culture at SDA, BSA, Cryptococcus Differential agar, esculin agar, Eucalyptus leaves agar media and Brain heart infusion agar with methyldopa, biochemical test including urease test and methyldopa, and then confirm identification by molecular identification by PCR technique sequencing and genetic analysis. The results showed that 3 swaps taken from sputum of human included cryptococcus neoformans and 6 s
... Show MoreIn this research, experimental and numerical studies were carried out to investigate the performance of encased glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) beams under fire. The test specimens were divided into two peer groups to be tested under the effect of ambient and elevated temperatures. The first group was statically tested to investigate the monotonic behavior of the specimens. The second group was exposed to fire loading first and then statically tested to explore the residual behavior of the burned specimens. Adding shear connectors and web stiffeners to the GFRP beam was the main parameter in this investigation. Moreover, service loads were applied to the tested beams during the fire. Utilizing shear connectors, web stiffeners,
... Show MoreABSTRACT. The reaction between benzil and hexamethylenediamine formed a new ligand [L], [(1Z,3Z)-2,3-diphenyl-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-1,4-diazecine], of the type [N2], was synthesized by the condensation reaction through Schiff base reaction between benzil and hexamethylenediamine. The new Schiff base ligand reacts with Mnп, Niп and Coп metal ions to give the complexes with the general formula: [M(L)Cl2]. The elemental investigations have been used to analyze the ligand and its complexes by CHN, FT-IR, UV-Vis, TLC, mass spectrum, melting point with the study of biological activity to the formed compounds. From the data obtained, the proposed molecular structure adopts square planar structure about the metal ions. The study reveals
... Show MoreRecording an Electromyogram (EMG) signal is essential for diagnostic procedures like muscle health assessment and motor neurons control. The EMG signals have been used as a source of control for powered prosthetics to support people to accomplish their activities of daily living (ADLs). This work deals with studying different types of hand grips and finding their relationship with EMG activity. Five subjects carried out four functional movements (fine pinch, tripod grip and grip with the middle and thumb finger, as well as the power grip). Hand dynamometer has been used to record the EMG activity from three muscles namely; Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR), Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS), and Abductor Pollicis Brevis (ABP) with different
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