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.
During the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 winter semesters, researchers from the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences at the University of Baghdad conducted a field experiment at the university’s research station. This inquiry set out to examine how spraying wheat plants with vitamins B9 (Folic acid) and E (Tocopherol) affected certain yield characteristics (Al-Fourat variety). The studies were set up as three repetitions of a factorial experiment using a Randomized Full Block Design. Vitamin E was sprayed at 0, 1, and 2 ml.L-1, while vitamin B9 was sprayed at 0, 1, and 3 ml.L-1 (0, 250, and 500 mg. L-1). While the
The present work aimed to study the efficiency of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane for heavy metal removal from wastewater and study the factors affecting the performance of these two membranes: feed concentrations for heavy metal ions, pressure, and flow rate. The experimental results showed, heavy metals concentration in permeate increase with raise in feed concentrations, decline with increase in flow rate. The raise of pressure, heavy metals concentration decreases for RO membrane, but for NF membrane the concentration decrease and then at high pressure increase. The rejection percentage for chromium in NF and RO is 99.7% and 99.9%, for copper is 98.4% and 99.3%, for zinc is 97.9% and 99.5%, for nickel is 97.2% and
... Show MoreNano-structural of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) thin films were
deposited by chemical spray pyrolysis technique (CSPT). Nd and Ce
doped vanadium oxide films were prepared, adding Neodymium
chloride (NdCl3) and ceric sulfate (Ce(SO4)2) of 3% in separate
solution. These precursor solutions were used to deposit un-doped
V2O5 and doped with Nd and Ce films on the p-type Si (111) and
glass substrate at 250°C. The structural, optical and electrical
properties were investigated. The X-ray diffraction study revealed a
polycrystalline nature of the orthorhombic structure with the
preferred orientation of (010) with nano-grains. Atomic force
microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the morphology of the
films. Un-do
The induced photodegradation of methyl cellulose (MC) films in air was investigated in the absence and presence of aromatic carbonyl compounds(photosenssitizers): 1,4-naphthaquinone (NQ) and benzophenone (BPH) by accelerated weathering tester. The addition of (0.01 wt %) of low molecular weight aromatic carbonyl compounds to cellulose derivatives films(25µm in thickness) enhanced the photodegradation of the polymer films.The photodegradation rate was measured by the increase in carbonyl absorbance. Decreases in solution viscosity and reduction of molecular weight were also observed in the irradiated samples. Changes in the number-average chain scission, the degree of deterioration and in the quantum yield of chain scission values are als
... Show MoreNew metal complexes of some transition metal ions Co(II), Cu(II) , Cd(II) and Zn(II) were prepared by their reaction with previously prepared ligands HLI= (P-methyl anilino) phenyl acetonitrile and HLII = (P-methyl anilino) –P– chloro phenyl acetonitrile . The two ligands were prepared by Strecker’s procedure which includ the reaction of p- toluidine with benzaldehyde and P- chlorobenzaldehyde respectively. Structures were proposed depending on atomic absorption , i.r. and u.v.visible spectra in addition to magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity measurements.
In this research Bi2S3 thin films have been prepared on glass substrates using chemical spray pyrolysis method at substrate temperature (300oC) and molarity (0.015) mol. Structural and optical properties of the thin films above have been studied; XRD analysis demonstrated that the Bi2S3 films are polycrystalline with (031) orientation and with Orthorhombic structure. The optical properties were studied using the spectral of the absorbance and transmission of films in wavelength ranging (300-1100) nm. The study showed that the films have high transmission within the range of the visible spectrum. Also absorption coefficient, extinction coefficient and the optical energy gap (Eg) was calculated, found that the film have direct ener
... Show MoreThis study was conducted at the Research Experimental Station of the College of Agricultural Engineering/University of Baghdad in the Al-Jadiriyah area during the autumn season of 2022. The study aimed to investigate the effect of phosphorus addition and zinc spraying on the nutrient content and root growth of the cabbage. The experiment included two factors: the first factor was phosphorus with four concentrations (P25%, P50%, P75%, and P100%) of the recommended complete fertilizer dose (135 kg P2O5 per hectare), and the second factor was zinc spraying with three concentrations (0, 30, and 60 mg.L-1) of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4). The results showe
To test the effect of 4 levels of nitrogen (i.e. 0, 45, 90 and 135 Kg N ha-1) as urea (46% N) and 3 levels of phosphorus (i.e. 0, 17.5 and 35 Kg P ha-1) as triple superphosphate (21.8% P) on yield and concentration of dill (Anethum graveolens L. local cultivar) seed oil this experiment was carried out during winter season of 1999 - 2000 at the experimental field of Agriculture College, Abu-Ghraib.
Both fertilizers were applied in two equal splits, first at seeds sowing and the second was added one month after emergence. Dried and ground seed samples were subjected to water distillation for extraction of volatile oils
Result indicated that fertilization of dill plants with 90 Kg N
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