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.
Examination of 241 specimens of two bee-eater species, Merops apiaster and Merops
superciliosus persicus reveal recording of Haemoproteus meropis (Zagar, 1945) emend.
Bennett, 1978 and H. manwelli Bennett, 1978 for the first time in Iraq. A new species
Haemoproteus hudaidensis sp. nov. is described. Microfilariae are also infected the two host
species. The results are discussed with the pertinent literature and the necessary comparision
of morphometric measurements of the recorded parasites with that previously reported is
provided along with a taxonomic key including the newly described haemoproteid.
This study included a survey and review of the scientific names of the marsh insects (aquatic and surrounding it) for the purpose of unifying and updating the database. The survey reveals 109 species under 77 genera that belong to 32 families and 7 orders as follow: Coleoptera (44 species), Diptera (7 species) Ephemeroptera (2 species), Hemiptera (14 species), Hymenoptera (11 species), Lepidoptera (2 species) and Odonata with 29 species. Information of specimens' collection for each species, synonyms and geographical distribution were provided.
In the current review, an updated list of dark beetle species (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) recorded in Iraq was given. The current paper is based on previous studies in the literature and contains all dark beetles referred to in Iraq, except for the species within the Pimelinae subfamily.
The investigation of this review showed the presence of 89 species belonging to 34 genera within five subfamilies. This work included mentioning the basionyms and synonyms for genera and species with their global distribution, as well as, correcting the scientific names that were mentioned in the previous checklists.
Abstract
Balance is a psychological need and a requirement of importance as the individual seeks to maintain it. The research problem is summarized in the question: do students in the kindergarten department have a cognitive balance? The research aims to identify the cognitive balance of students in the kindergarten department and to identify if there are differences among students of the four stages according to the cognitive balance. The research community was limited to the students in the kindergarten department at the University of Baghdad / College of Education for Women and Al-Mustansiriya University / College of Basic Education and Iraqi University / College of Education for Women for the academic y
... Show MoreAim: The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of epineurotomy of median nerve with just division of the transverse carpal ligament in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients & Methods: We conducted a prospective, random study to evaluate the effect of epineurotomy on the outcome of operative treatment of established median-nerve compression in the carpal canal. Fifty hands (forty-four patients) were selected randomly into two groups: group I had a release of the transverse carpal ligament alone, and group II had a release and adjuvant epineurotomy of the median nerve. The groups were similar with regard to age group, gender, duration of symptoms, and preoperative physical findings. All patients had electrophysiological e
... 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 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 event
One of the Iraqi geotechnical problems is the presence of gypseous soils covering about (27-36) percentage of Iraq soils containing gypsum between (10-70) ratios. The main reason for soil problematic is the gypsum dissolution when these soils are inundated. However, the soluble gypsum can be leached out of the soil particles, so these problems can be led to cracking, tilting, and collapsing the related soil structure and changing the soil properties. The aim of this work is to investigate the performance of under-reamed piles as a new, improved method to reduce the moisture sensitive and the primary triggering mechanism for the volume reduction of collapsible soil, which is considered as a non-elastic deformation; this was done by c
... Show Morehe development of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is a major problem faced antimicrobial therapy and management of infectious diseases. Too many resistance mechanisms were developed since the antimicrobial agents were produced and actually used. The mechanisms involved in antimicrobial agents' resistance are, modifying enzymes, alteration of the target site of antimicrobials and prevention of antimicrobials accumulation inside the bacterial cells. The latest is accomplished by two mechanisms: alteration of outer membrane permeability and efflux pumps. Efflux pumps are either chromosomal or plasmid-encoded although chromosomal encoded efflux pumps are common in Gram-negative bacteria. Resistance nodulation division (RND) efflu
... Show MoreNanofluids (dispersion of nanoparticles in a base fluid) have been suggested as promising agents in subsurface industries including enhanced oil recovery. Nanoparticles can easily pass through small pore throats in reservoirs formations; however, physicochemical interactions between nanoparticles and between nanoparticles and rocks can cause a significant retention of nanoparticles. This study investigated the transport, attach, and retention of silica nanoparticles in core plugs. The hydrophilic silica nanoparticles were injected into limestone core as nanofluid of different nanoparticles size (5 nm, and 20 nm), concentration (0.005 – 0.1 wt% SiO2), and base fluid salinity (0 – 3 wt% NaCl) at different temperatures (23, and 50 °C). D
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