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.
The modern textual study researched the textuality of the texts and specified for that seven well-known standards, relying in all of that on the main elements of the text (the speaker, the text, and the recipient). This study was to investigate the textuality of philology, and the jurisprudence of the science of the text.
The development of new cephalosporins with improved activity against resistant microbes, such as, MRSA (methicillin resistant Staph. aureus), P. aeruginosa, is of high potential. Chemical synthesis of two new series of thiadiazole linked to cysteine (series 1) and cephalosporins containing thiadiazole linked to cysteine through disulfide bond (series 2) were achieved. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed using spectral (FT-IR, 1H-NMR) and elemental microanalysis. The incorporation of privileged chemical moieties, such as, thiadiazole, Schiff base, cysteine and sulfonamide, has been found to have great contribution to the antimicrobial activities. Compounds of series 1 (1
... Show MoreThis paper demonstrates an experimental and numerical study aimed to compare the influence of openings of different configurations on the flexural behavior of prestressed concrete rafters. The experimental program consisted of testing six simply supported prestressed concrete rafters; 5 rafters are perforated, and the other one is solid as a reference. All rafters were tested under monotonic midpoint load. The variable which has been investigated in this work was the opening’s configuration (quadrilateral or circular) with the same upper and lower chords depths. The results indicate improvement in the beam flexural behavior using the circular openings compared to the quadrilateral o
For design purposes, it`s necessary to know the compression rate of soil layers which might be happened when it`s subjected to effective stresses. Also, it`s essential to know the rate of flow through soil mass specially for the design of marine structures or earth embankment. These two important behavior could be predicted from the coefficient of consolidation (Cv) and the coefficient of permeability (k). This study shows the effect of cutback asphalt stabilization on Cv and k and other compressibility factors, the investigation was done for silty clay samples, specimens were prepared by mixing the soil with different percentage of asphalt from (0-10)% and subjected to one-dimensional consolidation test of 50mm diameter and 20mm height wer
... Show MoreZerumbone is a well-known compound having anti-cancer, anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycemic effects. During its use for the disease treatment, the membrane of erythrocyte can be affected by consumption of this bioactive compound. The current study was the first report of investigation of the hemolytic activities on human erythrocytes and cytotoxic profile of zerumbone. The toxicity of zerumbone on human erythrocytes was determined by in vitro hemolytic assay. Brine shrimp lethality assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of zerumbone at concentrations 10, 100 and 1000 μg/mL. The human erythrocyte test showed no significant toxicity at low concentrations, whereas hemolytic effect was amplified up to 17.5 % at
... Show MoreThis paper is illustrates the sufficient conditions of the uniformly asymptotically stable and the bounded of the zero solution of fifth order nonlinear differential equation with a variable delay τ(t)
The title takes its realistic connotations with its symbols, slogans and historical extensions in Iraq, also, the repercussions of the organic crisis that afflicted it for almost half a century, especially after the abortion of the July 14 Revolution and the spread of the culture of weapons, violence and death that we are living in Iraq nowadays.
The topic is suitable for critical analytical studies carried out by specialists in scientific and academic research centers and cultural institutions because they have an important feasibility at the strategic cultural level in Iraq, the Middle East and the world.
Research in Iraq has fallen to the extreme and is no longer effective, to the extent that it represents a severe cri
... Show MoreThis research discusses the subject of identity in the urban environment as it attempts to answer a number of questions that come with the concept of identity. The first of these questions: What is identity? Can a definition or conceptual framework be developed for identity? What about individual, collective, cultural, ethnic, political and regional identity? Is there a definition of identity in the urban environment in particular? If there is a definition of identity, what about social mobility responsible for social change? How can we see identity through this kinetics? Can we assume that identity in the urban environment has a variable structure or is of variable shape with a more stable structure? Can we determine the spatial-tempora
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