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.
A robust and sensitive analytical method is presented for the extraction and determination of six pharmaceuticals in freshwater sediments.
Differences in transversal sections and activities of geomorphological operations led to forming geomorphological shapes as river turns and river isles in watercourse in the area of study. The study showed three river turns that are Sindia turn with length 4723m, turn wave 3599 average width 267.6, Zanbour turn length 11374m, turn wave 7110 average width 307.5m,and Dojama turn with length 5876m, turn wave 4982m average width 313.4m. This difference is caused by the activity of erosion and sedimentation that led to the appearance of the length rivers turn.
The study showed that the turn of Dojama is the only corresponding turn, whereas the phenomena of corresponding never appeared in other turns in the area of study. The study also sho
This research aims to identify the reality of teaching political science research methods curriculum, to observe practices, and differences in teaching and learning between the Arab and Western universities. Moreover, it focuses on the difficulties that face students' acquisition of the course skills. The research uses the course model of some Western and Arab universities as case study.
This research shows that the curriculum do not reach yet the final form as other political science curriculums, and its upcoming changes will reflect the needs of stakeholders. The best method to teach this curriculum is to use applied learning in groups, learning by doing, and finally problem-based learning approach. Using optimal assessment deep
... Show MoreBasically, this study aims to identify the extent to which Iraqi secondary school students use writing strategies and how proficiency level and students gender could affect writing strategy use. The study also examines the relationship between writing achievement and writing strategy use among Iraqi secondary school students. For this purpose, 140 Iraqi secondary school students were selected randomly from six different schools. Petric and Czarl’s questionnaire (2003) was adopted in the study as an instrument to collect the needed data. A software of SPSS used to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that secondary school students appeared as low users of writing strategies; low proficient students do not show a sta
... Show MoreCampsis grandiflora (Bignoniaceae) is a fast growing deciduous climber, the dried flowers have been used as a carminative, blood tonic, and febrifuge in Chinese traditional medicine. This plant has an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, and anti-bacterial effect; with a beneficial role in stagnant blood and endometriosis conditions. In this study, the detection of beta-sitosterol in the hexane extract of Iraqi C.grandiflora flowers was performed using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC); while the isolation done by preparative layer chromatography then structure elucidation of isolated compound was done by FTIR and 1HNMR. Furthermore, assessment of th
... Show More Sixteen new complexes with the general formula [M(L)2(H2O)2] were prepared resulting from the reaction of the two new Schiff base ligands, which are: - L1= (E)-5-((2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino)-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one) L2 = (E)-5-((2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)amino)-2-phenylpyrazolidin-3-one) With divalent metal ions (manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, mercury) and (tetravalent platinum). Ligands was derived from the reaction of the amine (5-amino-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-one) with Salicylaldehyde and ortho-vanillin, which is linked to the metal ions via the nitrogen atoms are the isomethene group and the oxygen is the hydroxide group of t
... Show MorePseudomonas aeruginosa gram-negative, bacilli and facultative aerobic, P. aeruginosa cause cystic fibrosis patients, wounds, burns, and immunodeficienct patients, that have many virulence factors such as pyocyanin , cytotoxic ,biofilm formation and motility, Eighty-eight isolates belonging to P. aeruginosa were collected including the 66 clinical isolates obtained from different hospitals in Baghdad and were from different sources and 22 environmental isolates from previous studies of soil near oil fields. Microscopical and cultural characteristics were studied and diagnosed using biochemical tests, VITEC device, their ability to adhere to non-living (Polystyrene), living cell line (A549) and cytotoxicity of bacterial filtrate
... Show MoreAtorvastatin have problem of very slightly aqueous solubility (0.1-1 mg/ml). Nano-suspension is used to enhance it’s of solubility and dissolution profile. The aim of this study is to formulate Atorvastatin as a nano-suspension to enhance its solubility due to increased surface area of exposed for dissolution medium, according to Noyes-Whitney equation.
Thirty one formulae were prepared to evaluate the effect of ; Type of polymer, polymer: drug ratio, speed of homogenization, temperature of preparation and inclusion of co-stabilizer in addition to the primary one; using solvent-anti-solvent precipitation method under high power of ultra-sonication.
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