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 plastic tubes used as absorber of active flat plate solar collector (FPSC) for heating water were studied numerically and experimentally. The set-up is located in Babylon (republic of Iraq) 43.80 East longitude and 32.30 North latitude with titled of 450 toward the south direction. The study involved three dimensions mathematical model for flat coil plastic absorber which solved by FLUENT-ANSYS-R.18 program. Experiments were conducted at outdoor conditions for clear days on January and February 2018 with various water volume flow rates namely (500, 750, 1000, 1250, and 1500 Liter per hour LPH) on each month for Reynolds number range of (1 x 104 to 5 x 104) th
... Show MoreG. tuberculosa is a newly recorded species from the Caryophyllaceae family for Iraqi flora, collected from the Arbil district from May to August. Morphological descriptions with macro and micro features illustrated with plates and dimensions, the species is related to G. pallida and distinguished from calyx properties, especially the presence of large prominent druses crystals. Keywords: Caryophyllaceae, Gypsophila, Iraq, New record, pallida.
Infrastructure projects take a long time, are complex, multidisciplinary, use different materials and products, and have high risk. These characteristics affect the process of supplying materials. The current paper studies the ability to improve the supply chain process and decrease its cost by identifying the factors that affect it. These factors are used as variables in the mathematical model, which is working under uncertain conditions when the consumption rate of materials is not constant. The information used in this model is obtained from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques and the genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal supplier and the quantities of supplies
... Show MoreThere are many events which causes nonproductive time (NPT) in the drilling industry. The mostly effective in this NPT is pipe sticking event. A considerable amount of time and resources can be spent in efforts to free a stuck pipe. In addition, Unsuccessful fishing operations results in costly alternatives including side-tracking. The drilling in Khabaz oil field poses many operational challenges among of them stuck pipe , lost circulation, flow of salt water during drilling, and hole caving. Stuck pipe can be considered the quite difficult problem in Khabaz oil field due to associated incidents which lead to NPT activities.Well Khabaz -34 was selected to study the problem of stuck pipe in this field. An analysis of stuck pipe even
... Show MoreThe aim of this study is to survey and make to revision the genera and species of Chloropidae fauna of Iraq. The investigation showed four species belonging four genera, which belongs to two subfamilies, and one unidentified species belonging to the genus Elachiptera Maquart, The specimens were compared with stored insects at Department of Entomology and invertebrates, Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum.
The lack of active 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic treatment creates a challenge for researchers and scientists to find the most appropriate treatment for this disease. Dexamethasone, according to the findings of the RECOVERY clinical trial, declared mid-June 2020 in print media was one of those therapies. Although the results from retrospective studies are not strongly supportive of corticosteroid routine use in COVID-19 despite the signals for some benefits, the dedicated RECOVERY trial found a significant reduction in death with dexamethasone only in severe cases on a ventilator or moderate cases on supplemental oxygen therapy nevertheless, no benefit observed in mild to moderate cases requiring no oxygen. More studi
... Show MoreIn this work gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), were prepared. Chemical method (Seed-Growth) was used to prepare it, then doping AuNPs with porous silicon (PS), used silicon wafer p-type to produce (PS) the processes doping achieved by electrochemical etching, the solution etching consist of HF, ethanol and AuNPs suspension, the result UV-visible absorption for AuNPs suspension showed the single peak located at ~(530 – 521) nm that related to SPR, the single peak is confirmed that the NPs present in the suspension is spherical shape and non-aggregated. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated growth AuNPs with PS. compare the PS layer without AuNPs and with AuNPs doped for electrical properties and sensitivity properties we found AuNPs:PS is more
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