Cytokines are signaling molecules between inflammatory cells that play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a disease. Among these cytokines are interleukins (ILs) 17A and 33, and accordingly, the current case-control study sought to investigate the role of each of the two cytokines in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixty-eight relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) Iraqi patients and twenty healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to determine serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33. Results revealed that IL-17A and IL-33 levels were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (14.1 ± 4.5 vs. 7.5 ± 3.8 pg/mL; p < 0.001 and 65.3 ± 16.3 vs. 49.3 ± 20.0 pg/mL; p < 0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that IL-17A was a very good predictor of MS (area under curve [AUC] = 0.869; 95% CI = 0.779 - 0.960; p < 0.001; cut-off value = 10.2 pg/mL; sensitivity = 80.8%; specificity = 75.0%). A similar prediction was presented by IL-33, but the AUC value was lower (AUC = 0.762; 95% CI = 0.63 - 0.89; p < 0.001; cut-off value = 56.4 pg/mL; sensitivity = 70.6%; specificity = 70.0%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis confirmed the significance of IL-17A and IL-33 in MS risk, and under three models of analysis, the estimated odds ratios for IL-17A (1.50, 1.49 and 1.50, respectively) and IL-33 (1.05, 1.05 and 1.06) were above 1.0. Patients stratified by gender (male and female), expanded disability status scale (EDSS: < 3 and ≥ 3) or medication (pre- and post-medication) showed no significant differences in serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33 for each stratum. However, with regard to response to medication, it was found that responding patients showed significantly higher levels of IL-33 than non-responders (70.9 ± 12.2 vs. 57.2 ± 18.2 pg/mL; p = 0.018). This difference was not observed when considering IL-17A. Pearson correlation analysis between IL-17A and IL-33 revealed that both cytokines were not significantly correlated. In conclusion, the study indicated that IL-17A and IL-33 were up-regulated in serum of MS patients, and this up-regulation was not influenced by age, gender, EDSS or medication status, but the elevated level of IL-33 was more pronounced in patients who responded to medication.
Background: The treatment of articular cartilage defects is one of the most clinical challeng for orthopedic surgeons. Articular cartilage is a highly organized tissue with complex biomechanical properties and substantial durability. However, it has a poor ability for healing, and damage from trauma or degeneration can result in morbidity and functional impairment. debilitating joint pain, dysfunction, and degenerative arthritis Objectives: The purpose of study is to show effectiveness of micro fracture arthroscopy as a method of treatment for such problem . Type of the study: Cros
... Show MoreIn this study 737 stool specimens were collected from people attending some primary health care centres and hospitals in North of Baghdad, during the period from beginning of April 2009 till the end of March 2010. Different factors were examined to be related with the prevalence of Cryptosporidiosis which were (number of family member, travelling history, source of drinking water and domestic animal present). Significant relations (p≤0.05) were observed between infection rate and the following factor: -Number of family member: The high percentage of Cryptosporidium spp positive cases were seen in families composed of (15-19) and (more than 20) individual which were 28.32% and 16.37% respectively when compared with other family clusters -T
... Show MoreBackground: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency. The diagnosis of this condition is still essentially clinical and there is difficulty in the clinical diagnosis, especially among elderly, children and patients with a typical presentation, so early and accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis is important to avoid its complications.Objectives: To evaluate the degree of accuracy of Alvarado scoring system in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.Method: Two hundred patients were admitted to the Alkindy Teaching Hospital from January 2011 to april 2014- presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of acute appendicitis. After examination and investigations all patients were given a score according to Alvarado sc
... Show MoreBackground: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic immunologic disease. The etiology of OLP is unknown, viral antigens (for example EBV) have been proposed as etiologic agents. OLP may get transformation to malignancy so research on the presence of these in OLP lesions seems to be necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate EBV expression immunohistochemically in OLP. Materials and Methods: Tissue specimens of 30 formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue Blocks histologically diagnosed oral lichen planus was performed to evaluate EBV expression. Results: Expression of EBV was detected in epithelium of (46.6%) in the study samples in (OLP). no statistically significant correlation was found with clinical parameters except for a significan
... Show MoreEvaluating a reservoir to looking for hydrocarbon bearing zones, by determining the petrophysical properties in two wells of the Yamama Formation in Siba field using Schlumberger Techlog software. Three porosity logs were used to identify lithology using MN and MID cross plots. Shale volume were calculated using gamma ray log in well Sb-6ST1 and corrected gamma ray in well Sb-5B. Sonic log was used to calculate porosity in bad hole intervals while from density log at in-gauge intervals. Moreover, water saturation was computed from the modified Simandoux equation and compared to the Archie equation. Finally, Permeability was estimated using a flow zone indicator. The results show that the Yamama Formation is found to be mainly limest
... Show MoreThe current study was concerned with the effect of alkaloid extract of the aerial parts of Capparis spinosa against Entamoeba histolytica and compared with drug Metronidazole in the laboratory mice .Stool samples were collected from people infected with maebiasis to infect laboratory mice . The alkaloid compounds were separated by thin chromatography technique (TLC) and identified by spectral methods represented by spectral infrared (IR) and altraviolate (UV) . the stady include determining mid-term lethal dose LD50 of the extract as the concentration was 21.65 g / kg . The effect dose of the extract was tested on the infected experimental mice with Entamoeba histolytica after 10 days of the infection compared with the mice infected
... Show MoreThe Disi water samples were collected from different Disi aquifer wells in Jordan using a clean polyethylene container of 10-liter size. A hyper-pure germanium (HPGe) detector with high- resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy and a low background counting system was used for the identification of unknown gamma-rays emitting from radionuclides in the environmental samples. The ranges of specific activity concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra in the Disi aquifer water were found to be from 0.302 ± 0.085 to 0.723 ± 0.207 and from 0.047 ± 0.010 to 0.525 ± 0.138 Bq L−1, with average values of 0.516 ± 0.090 and 0.287 ± 0.091 Bq L−1, respectively. The average combined radium (226Ra + 228Ra) activity and radium activity ratio (228Ra/226Ra) in Disi
... Show MoreGround water hydrochemical study in Yusufiyah depends upon (25) wells where major cations and anions were obtained as well as trace elements. The hydrochemical properties include the study of (pH, EC, TDS, and TH). The groundwater of the study area is odorless and colorless except the wells (13 and 16) with a salty taste due to the elevated (TDS) concentration in it, where the wells depth ranges between 7-20 meters. Depth of water in these wells was about 25-35 meters above sea level. Groundwater generally flows from east to west and from north east to south west. The resource of groundwater depends upon surface water. Physical specifications are measured in the water samples included temperature, color, taste, odor, pH, electrical condu
... Show MoreABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Infantile haemangioma one of the most common tumour of new borns , a safe and effective treatment options are under ongoing research . OBJECTIVE: The authors show the effectiveness and safety of low dose propranolol as a method for infantile haemangioma treatment . METHOD: In this study twenty- four patients with infantile haemangioma in different anatomical locations were treated with oral propranolol and the result were assessed in a retrospective analysis of the results patients were kept on 0.25 mg/kg/day for one month , then on 0.5mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses for another one month , in the third month the dose will be increased to 1 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses , then the propranolol were given in a maintenance do
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