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.
To compare the corneal epithelial thickness profile in patients with dry eyes and keratoconus suspect with normal healthy eyes.
The study involved 120 eyes with an age range from 19 to 30 years. Forty eyes had normal corneal topography and no dry eyes. Forty eyes had dry eyes but had normal corneal topography. The last 40 eyes were keratoconus suspect and had no symptoms or signs of dry eyes.
Central epithelial thickness was not different statistically for all eyes. ( p-value: 0.1). The superior epithelial thickness was 53.5 µm ±3.1 in the control
Women are considered important characters and subjects of discussion in the Glorious Qur‟an. Some are portrayed in a positive light while others are condemned . Most women in the Glorious Qur‟an are represented as either the mothers or wives of certain leaders and prophets. But the lexical items “Imra‟a” شاحِا and “zawj” طٚص occur in the Glorious Qur‟an with different meanings depending on the context where they occur. Translation of the Glorious Qur'an has always been a problematic and difficult issue. Since the Glorious Qur'an is regarded as miraculous and inimitable (i'jaz al-Qur'an), Muslims argue that the Qur'anic text should not be separated from its true form to another different form keeping the A
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is the result of an initial episode of acute otitis media and is characterized by a persistent discharge from the middle ear through a tympanic perforation for at least 2 weeks duration. It is an important cause of preventable hearing loss, particularly in the developing world.Objective: To get an overview on the bacterial ear infection profile in general and to assess the antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonal infection (PS) particularly since it is usually the commonest infection to cause otitis media and the most difficult to treat due to the problem of multi drug resistance..Methods: A cross sectional study was done which included 405 patients of CSOM patients, 196 (48%) case were mal
... Show MoreBACKGROUND: Preterm labour is a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, so it is important to predict preterm delivery using the clinical examination of the cervix and uterine contraction frequency. New markers for the prediction of preterm birth have been developed such as transvaginal ultrasound measurement of cervical length as this method is widely available. OBJECTIVE: To determine, whether transvaginal cervical length measurement predicts imminent preterm delivery better than digital cervical length measurement in women presented with preterm labour and intact membranes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred women presented with preterm labour between 24 and 36+6 weeks of gestation were included in this study. All women subjecte
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is the result of aninitial episode of acute otitis media and is characterized by a persistent discharge from the middle ear through a tympanic perforation for at least 2 weeks duration. It is an important cause of preventable hearing loss, particularly in the developing world.Methods. 1. To get an overview on the bacterial ear infection profile in general 2. To assess the antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonal infection (PS) particularly since it is usually the commonest infection to cause otitis media and the most difficult to treat due to the problem of multi drug resistance... A cross sectional study was done which included 405 patient of CSOM patients196 (48%) case were males ,209 (52
... Show MoreBackground: Ear infections can manifest in many forms depending on site of infection whether external, middle or internal ear and the culprit pathogen whether viral, bacterial or fungal. Acute middle ear infections are usually accompanied by aural discharge. Objective: 1. To get an overview on the bacterial pathogens involved in ear infections. 2. To assess the antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted in Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital / Baghdad /Iraq. Swabs taken from 225 patients suffering from aural discharge were tested for culture and sensitivity for the duration of two years 2018-2019. Aural discharge is cultured by inoculating it into blood, MacConkey agar, chocolate agars and Sabou
... Show MoreThe paper aims to build a model that supports organizational sustainability by analyzing the correlations and revealing the impact between the two main variables (entrepreneurial leadership) with its dimensions of proactive outlook, risk, and creativity (Van Zyl & Mathur-Helm, 2007), and (organizational sustainability) with its economic, environmental, and societal dimensions (Hansmann et al., 2012). As well as identifying the level of awareness and informing managers in the General Company for the Automotive and Equipment Industry, of the theoretical implications and performance, and its vital importance to society and the surrounding ecological environment, and drawing attention to that and improving performance, and indicatin
... Show MoreIn this research an experimental study has done for testing the thermal performance of selective surfaces used in solar collectors for substrate of iron, galvanized iron and aluminum which are commercially available. The coating process for the samples has done in two ways, the electroplating and the chemical spray pyrolysis. The results of the thermal performance test of these samples are comparing with the thermal performance of a sample without paint and other paint with black paint without shines commercially available. For the electroplated samples, the performance study has done for different immersion time in plating bath, the
distance between electrical poles, the current density, and area ratio of the sample plated area to