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.
This study evaluates 22 patients with retained foreign bodies in the maxillofacial region that were all caused by penetrating missile injuries. Surgical intervention for the retrieval of the foreign bodies was carried out in 20 patients through the existing wounds and through separate incisions; all patients were followed up for a minimum of 2 months during which all the complications were registered and managed. Preoperative imaging is a prerequisite for the accurate localization of the foreign body and the subsequent successful removal of it. All patients developed complications that were categorized in this study into those that result from the injury itself and those that occur because of the retrieval procedure, the latter category bei
... Show MoreBackground: Breast cancer is the first one among Iraqi females. Most of them present later for diagnosis. Early detection center in tertiary hospital practice uses FNAB for early diagnosis. Publications on accuracy of this detection are scarce.
Objective: To test the accuracy of FNAB in breast lump diagnosis.
Methods: Diagnostic test accuracy study, on 204 women with breast lump, attending the oncology department in 2017.
Results: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis of histologically malignant cases were, malignant in 89 (87.3%), suspicious of malignancy in 5 (4.9%), and benign in 4 (3.9%). Complete sensitivity was 87.3%, and specificity
... Show MoreA lot of previous studies are concerned with the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of medicinal plants because it considered cheap and are believed to possess minimal side effects. Leucaena leucocephala didn’t evaluate globally for its anti-inflammatory effect yet though some of it’s already separated and identified secondary metabolites were studied and proved to exert many pharmacological activities besides their effect on lowering the pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6. So, there was an interest to evaluate the biological effect of Leucaena leucocephala as a novel anti-inflammatory agent was the first motivation to start an in vivo study using a rat population. The N-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts were cho
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the duration of time spent by the student inside the examination rooms answering the all kinds of written ex-amination questions has some kind of a positive effect on the final score he will get from that exam. And if there arc gender differences in this respect. Students and methods: Data on the final examinations of the autumn quarter was gathered on 892 examina-tions conducted at the end of this quarter , this included male participants of 566 and females of 326. Examinations were on twenty different subjects , including all of the first five years of the undergraduate students of Iraqi College of Medicine for the academic year 2002 — 2003 . The scheduled time of the examinations was
... Show MorePerformance of gas-solid spouted bed benefit from solids uniformity structure (UI).Therefore, the focus of this work is to maximize UI across the bed based on process variables. Hence, UI is to be considered as the objective of the optimization process .Three selected process variables are affecting the objective function. These decision variables are: gas velocity, particle density and particle diameter. Steady-state solids concentration measurements were carried out in a narrow 3-inch cylindrical spouted bed made of Plexiglas that used 60° conical shape base. Radial concentration of particles (glass and steel beads) at various bed heights and different flow patterns were measured using sophisticated optical probes. Stochastic Genetic
... Show MoreThe present study was designed in the aquaculture and fish nutrition research aquarium in the College of Veterinary Medicine/Baghdad University from a period 1/3 to 1/6/2013 to investigate the toxicity of the herbicide glyphosate aqua on Barbus sharpeyi fish. Fish fingerlings were used with average weight between 10 – 15 gm to measure the (LC50), and 200 fingerlings were used to know the acute and chronic toxic effect for the herbicide. The fingerlings were randomly distributed as 10 fish for each aquarium. Fish were divided into four treatments and control group (without addition of herbicide). The first processing with a concentration of 0.415 mg/L for a duration of exposure 90 days, the second processing group with a concentration 0.
... Show MoreAbstract Objective: To assess nurses' beliefs toward reporting suspected child abuse. To achieve the objectives of the study a questionnaire of child abuse was used. Methodology:- The sample of the study consist of (224) registered nurses who were employed in general hospitals, pediatric hospitals, National psychiatry and mental illness center, nursing colleges, nursing schools. Data were collected from 20 April 2004 to 20 June 2004.Data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical analysis. Percentage frequency and mean and inferential data analysis ANOVA. Results: - The result of t
Huwaiza marsh is considered the largest marsh in the southern part of Iraq. It is located between 31° and 31.75° latitude and extends over the Iraqi-Iranian border; but the largest part lies in Iraq. It is located to the east of Tigris River in Messan and Basra governorates.
In this research, the variation of some water quality parameters at different locations of Huwaiza marsh were studied to find out its efficacy in the treatment of the contamination coming from the wastewater outfall of Kahlaa brokendown sewage treatment plant which lies on the Kahlaa River. This rive is the main feeder of Huwaiza marsh. Ten water quality sampling locations were chosen in this marsh. The water samples were taken during 2009 for three months; Janu
The present study aimed to examine the effect of endosulfan insecticide on some molecular and biochemical parameters in white mice. Thirty mice were separated randomly into three groups for treatment with endosulfan. One group (G1) served as the control, while the other two groups received intraperitoneal injections of endosulfan G2 (3 mg/kg) and G3 (17 mg/kg) twice a week for 21 and 45 days, respectively. A biochemical study by measuring liver function parameters, including (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) and kidney function parameters, including (Blood Urea and Creatinine) and malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase activity (CAT). This study also tested DNA damage by comet assay (normal%, low%, med
... Show MoreNowadays, the worldwide issue of the environment occupies the minds not only of ecological experts and politicians but also is addressed in cultural fields and literature in particular. The conceptualization of ecocriticism, whether in the ecological field or cultural studies, has come as a response to the increasing public awareness of numerous environmental crises. Most ecocritics regard John Clare (1793-1864) as a 'proto-ecological' British poet since his poetry incorporates ecological issues which were not then categorized as they are now. The study offers a precise illustration of ecocriticism coupled with a number of the most significant ecological concepts proven in selected poems by John Clare. The ecocritical reading of Clare's po
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