Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory, systemic rheumatic condition that mostly affects the axial skeleton. Tenascin-C (TN-C) is a hexameric glycoprotein of considerable size, upregulated in many inflammatory conditions, while Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a cytokine that plays an important role in SpA symptoms. Objective: to investigate the upregulation between the serum levels of TN-C and IL-17 in Iraqi axSpA patients and the disease characteristics. Patients and Methods: Seventy-four axSpA patients and 28 matched controls were studied. Fifty-four patients received a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and 20 did not. Serum TN-C and IL-17 concentrations were determined using the ELISA technique. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was assessed. For statistical tests, Chi Square, Mann Whitney, Independent Samples T, and Pearson's correlation tests are used. Results: Patients mean age was 35.6±0.9 years, 65 males and 9 females, and disease duration was 5.18±0.6 years. 47.4% were smokers, 47% had inflammatory low back pain, and HLA-B27 was present in 91%. BASDAI mean was 6.1±0.4 in non-TNFi and 2.6±0.3 in those on TNFi. The serum TN-C concentration was significantly increased in patients, especially those on non-TNFi (79±9.6 pg/mL) compared to those on TNFi (69.1±3.2 pg/mL) and control (53±3.9 pg/mL) (p=0.003). Serum IL-17 was significantly elevated in those receiving TNFi (877.9±257 pg/mL) compared to non-TNFi (487.2±234 pg/mL) and control (182.4±36.6 pg/mL) (p=0.033). The TN-C significantly correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.27, p=0.02) and with hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (r=0.26, p=0.02). TN-C and IL-17 were non-significantly related (r=0.14, p=0.2). Conclusions: axSpA Patients demonstrated high levels of serum TN-C, particularly in those not receiving TNFi, and high IL-17 levels in those receiving TNFi, suggesting that there is an association with tissue injury from the disease and stimulation of immunological and resident tissue cells. Patients who had not received TNFi showed significantly higher disease activity than others.
Electronic properties such as density of state, energy gap, HOMO (the highest occupied molecular orbital) level, LUMO (the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) level and density of bonds, as well as spectroscopic properties like infrared (IR), Raman scattering, force constant, and reduced masses for coronene C24, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) C24O5and interaction between C24O5and NO2gas molecules were investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) with the exchange hybrid function B3LYP with 6-311G** basis sets through the Gaussian 09 W software program was used to do these calculations. Gaussian view 05 was em
... Show MorePhase change materials are known to be good in use in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems, but one of their drawbacks is the slow melting and solidification processes. So that, in this work, enhancing heat transfer of phase change material is studied experimentally for in charging and discharging processes by the addition of high thermal conductive material such as copper in the form of brushes, which were added in both PCM and air sides. The additions of brushes have been carried out with different void fractions (97%, 94% and 90%) and the effect of four different air velocities was tested. The results indicate that the minimum brush void fraction gave the maximum heat transfer in PCM and reduced the time
... Show MoreSoaking dentures with disinfection solutions is an effective way of keeping dentures in a healthy status; however, immersions in these solutions have a negative effect on the bond strength of denture base and denture teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bond strength between denture acrylic teeth and heat-cured Poly (methyl methacrylate) denture base material (with and without nano silica) after disinfection with different chemical disinfectants for a simulated period of six months. One hundred specimens of maxillary central incisors attached to PMMA were divided into two groups; 50 specimens of PMMA without nano silica and 50 specimens of PMMA reinforced with 5 wt% of nano silica. Specimens of each group were immersed in five i
... Show MoreThe research aims to know the impact of the innovative matrix strategy and the problem tree strategy in teaching mathematics to intermediate grade female students on mathematical proficiency. To achieve the research objectives, an experimental approach and a quasi-experimental design were used for two equivalent experimental groups. The first is studied according to the innovative matrix strategy, the second group is studied according to the problem tree strategy. The research sample consisted of (32) female students of the first intermediate grade, who were intentionally chosen after ensuring their equivalence, taking into several factors, most notably (chronological age, previous achievement, and intelligence test). The research tools con
... Show MoreIn this research ,Undoped Nio and 1%Li doped Nio thin films were deposited utilizing chemical spray pyrolysis on the glass substrates heated (450C). The effects of non-thermal plasma on the structural and optical properties were studied. XRD measurement shows that Nio and Nio:1%Li films were found to be polycrystalline and have cubic structure with a preferred orientation (111). Decreased crystal size after exposure especially at (7) sec. AFM data indicate that the surface roughness average and (RMS) values of the prepared doped films are increasing after exposure to plasma, the transmittance increases after doped samples exposure to plasma, it was found that the energy gap value decreased when doped samples exposure to plasma, also, thickn
... Show MoreAuthentic materials are the most important tools that the teacher could use in class in order to make teaching go smoothly and effectively in transmitting the necessary knowledge to all students. This research has investigated experimentally the effect of using authentic materials in teaching English as a foreign Language, because a number of studies point out that the use of authentic materials is regarded a useful means to motivate learners, arouse their interest and expose them to the real language they will face in real life situations.
It is hypothesis that there is no statistical significance difference between the experimental group who taught English as a foreign language by using the authentic materials with those
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