Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is an autoimmune, and inflammatory disease that is closely related to the destruction of cartilage and bone. DC-SIGN are important types of C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), expressed on dendritic cells and macrophages, and have a central role in regulating innate and adaptive immunity, function as pattern recognition receptors, and as cell adhesion molecules. Recent evidence has demonstrated that DC-SIGN is involved in the pathophysiological of chronic inflammation, so DC-SIGN has been linked to several autoimmune and may play an essential indicator in the pathogenesis and progression of RA. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the serum level of DC-SIGN in RA patients, as well as the level of DC-SIGN based on demographic characteristics. Fifty Iraqi RA patients were enrolled in the study, and a control sample of 38 healthy individuals (ascertain by laboratory and clinical tests) were included and matched by gender, age, and ethnicity with the patients. The DC-SIGN concentration was calculated in the patients’ serum and compared to control using the ELISA assay and the results revealed significantly increased serum level of DC-SIGN (12.047 ± 1.114 vs. 6.863 ± 0.806 ng/ml) was recorded in RA patients compared to controls. When correlating results, it was shown that the concentration of DC-SIGN in the serum did not record a significant difference between gender and age, as well as the blood groups. To determine the impact of the therapeutic status in RA patients on the DC-SIGN level, it was found that the concentration of DC-SIGN level was higher in untreated patients compared to treated patients. Regarding viral infection, when an investigation was conducted in RA patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, the serum level of DC-SIGN in RA patients with COVID-19 showed no change in concentrations compared to uninfected RA patients.
Climate change causes water shortage (water scarcity) in addition to the dams built by neighboring countries, which caused a lack of Iraq's water share. Therefore, evaluating the irrigation system requires considering its suitability, adequacy, and efficiency. Irrigation is considered adequate when it maintains water availability within the root zone, and if the amount to be added is determined, irrigation efficiency becomes possible by avoiding water loss. Babil Governorate is considered one of the agricultural governorates in the country that depends on its irrigation from Shatt Al-Hilla. The study area is the Elaj project. Three fields were selected for the project (B1, B2, and B3). These fields are lo
... Show MoreBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is
the most common form of chronic anovulation
associated with androgen excess; it occurs in about 5
– 10% 0f reproductive age women. Metabolic
syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance,
hypertension, obesity, abnormalities of blood clotting
and dyslipidemia.
Adult women with PCOS have an increased
prevalence of the metabolic syndrome(MBS).
Objectives: To detect the prevalence of metabolic
syndrome in women with proved PCOS, attending the
Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes, in
Baghdad.
Materials and methods : A total number of 40
women with proved PCOS were included in this study
which was conducted in the Specialized Center f
The process of risk assessment in the build-operate transfer (BOT) project is very important to identify and analyze the risks in order to make the appropriate decision to respond to them. In this paper, AHP Technique was used to make the appropriate decision regarding response to the most prominent risks that were generated in BOT projects, which includes a comparison between the criteria for each risk as well as the available alternatives and by mathematical methods using matrices to reach an appropriate decision to respond to each risk.Ten common risks in BOT contracts are adopted for analysis in this paper, which is grouped into six main risk headings.The procedures followed in this paper are the questionnaire method
... Show MoreInfrastructure projects take a long time, are complex, multidisciplinary, use different materials and products, and have high risk. These characteristics affect the process of supplying materials. The current paper studies the ability to improve the supply chain process and decrease its cost by identifying the factors that affect it. These factors are used as variables in the mathematical model, which is working under uncertain conditions when the consumption rate of materials is not constant. The information used in this model is obtained from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques and the genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the optimal supplier and the quantities of supplies
... Show MoreA total of 61 bat specimens belonging to three species were collected from four distinct sites in the middle of Iraq. Five species of acarine ectoparasites on bats were found. These were: Steatonyssus periblepharus Kolenati, Spinturnix acuminatus (C. L. K.). Cheletonella sp. Rhizoglyphus sp., and Argas sp. Three of the recorded species were new to Iraqi fauna. The abundance and accurence of each parasite was varied from one species to another. S. periblepharus aria S. acuminatus were the most common species found in this study.
The present work investigates the effect of; superficial air velocities of: 1, 3, and 6 cm/s for two types of perforated distributor on hydrodynamic characteristic in a gas-liquid dispersion column of; air-water, and airaqueous-n-propanol solution. Bubble distribution, gas holdup, and power consumption are parameters take in consideration. Experimental work was carried out in perspex column of 8.5 cm inside diameter and 1.5 m height. Two types of bubble generator (perforated plate) were fixed at the bottom of the column; plate A (99 holes of 0.5 mm diameter and free area of 0.34%), plate B (20 holes of 1.5 mm diameter and free area of 0.62%). Photographic technique was used to measure the bubble parameters. The experimental results were
... Show MoreBackground: Otitis media with effusion is characterized by accumulation of fluid in the middle ear in absence of acute inflammation and it is the most common cause of acquired hearing loss in children, and may negatively affect language development failure of medical treatment of middle ear effusion frequently require myringotomy and tympanostomy tube insertion.
Objectives: To determine tympanostomy tube complications of tube in children with chronic otitis media with effusion who were treated with Shah Grommet tube insertion.
Methods: The Medical records of 162 ears of 87 children (52 male and 35 female) were reviewed respectively, the patients ages wer
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