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.
Objectives: To determine the contributing risk factors to adult nephrolithiasis patients.
Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted to determine the contributing risk factors to
Adults nephrolithiasis starting from December 2007 to September 2008. A purposive "nonprobability"
sample of (100) patients with nephrolithiasis was selected of those who were
admitted to the hospitals, attending the Urology Consultation Clinic and Extracorporeal Shock
Wave Lithotripsy Department. The study instrument consists of two parts. The first part is
related to the patients' demographic variables and the second part is constructed to serve the
purpose of the study. The total number of items in the questionnaire was (85) ones.
Nowadays, information systems constitute a crucial part of organizations; by losing security, these organizations will lose plenty of competitive advantages as well. The core point of information security (InfoSecu) is risk management. There are a great deal of research works and standards in security risk management (ISRM) including NIST 800-30 and ISO/IEC 27005. However, only few works of research focus on InfoSecu risk reduction, while the standards explain general principles and guidelines. They do not provide any implementation details regarding ISRM; as such reducing the InfoSecu risks in uncertain environments is painstaking. Thus, this paper applied a genetic algorithm (GA) for InfoSecu risk reduction in uncertainty. Finally, the ef
... Show MoreThe importance of this research lies in shedding light on the concept of techno-strategy for information management from vital and important topics that showed response for change in all areas of life. As this necessitates the updating and changing of it in order to achieve its strategic goals and enhance its technological advantage. The research problem looked at the role of the information technology system (ITS) in enhancing risk management in general directorates for sports and school activity from the viewpoint of its department heads. The research aimed at the relationship of information techno-strategy in risk management and the ratios of the contribution of information techno-strategy in risk management from the viewpoint of heads o
... Show MoreHypertension is a major health problem throughout the world because of its high prevalence and its association with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy, safety and cardiovascular disease risk lowering ability, of three antihypertensive drug regimens.
A retrospective study was carried out on 66 hypertensive patients, divided in to three groups based on their antihypertensive drug regimens (ACE inhibitors, β-blockers treated and combination antihypertensive therapy, the combination therapy consist of two or more of the following antihypertensive drugs ACE inhibitor di
... Show More
Diazotization reaction between quinolin-2-ol and (2-chloro-1-(4-(N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)sulfamoyl)phenyl)-2l4-diazyn-1-ium was carried out resulting in ligand-HL, this in turn reacted with the next metal ions (Ni2+, Pt4+, Pd2+, and Mn2+) forming stable complexes with unique geometries such as (tetrahedral for both Ni2+ and Mn2+, octahedral for Pt4+ and square planer for Pd2+ ). The creation of such complexes was detected by employing spectroscopic means involving ultraviolet-visible which proved the obtained geometries, fourier transfer proved the formation of azo group and the coordination with metal ion through it. Pyrolysis (TGA &
... Show Moreتحددت مشكلة البحث في كبقية أظهار الاختلاف النسبي لما يحتاجه لاعب كرة الطائرة ومعرفة مستوى القدرات العقلية، إذ تعد مؤشرا يستفاد منه المدربين بتشخيص نقاط القوة والضعف عند وضع مفردات الوحدات التدريبية، محاولة منه بالنهوض بواقع الاداء الفردي والجماعي والذي سينعكس حتماً بشكل إيجابي على مستوى الانجاز لدى الفريق،ان عملية بناء اللاعبين والفريق الجيد الذي ينافس ولديه القدرة لتحقيق إنجازات متواصلة ويكون بمستوى مس
... Show MoreThis study is an attempt to investigate the conceptual metaphor of UP and DOWN commonly used in Iraqi community. Some of the metaphorical expressions in Iraqi colloquial Arabicarewidely used by Iraqi speakers in everyday language. Ithas been analyzed by following the cognitive theory of metaphor (Lakoff& Johnson,1980).The study indicates that the Iraqi speakerexperiences more of the metaphorical expressions of UP and DOWN to referto many of the abstract concepts that shape his/her impression of everyday life situations.