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.
This work concerns the synthesis of two types of composites based on antimony oxide named (Sb2O3):(WO3, In2O3). Thin films were fabricated using pulsed laser deposition. The compositional analysis was explored using Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR), which confirms the existence of antimony, tungsten, and indium oxides in the prepared samples. The hall effect measurement showed that antimony oxide nanostructure thin films are p-type and gradually converted to n-type by the addition of tungsten oxide, while they are converted almost instantly to n-type by the addition of indium oxide. Different heterojunction solar cells were prepared from (Sb2O3:WO3, In2O3/Sb2Se3/c-pSi) contained forms from two layers the first was Sb2Se3 a
... Show MoreIn this study, Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles were synthesized by an easy and eco-friendly technique (green synthesis) using green tea leaves (Camillia sinensis), Nanoparticles were analyzed using structural and optical analysis, the X-ray pattern showed that Titanium Dioxide NPs had a tetragonal structure with (Face Centered Tetragonal) FCT crystal structure, the UV-visible recorded an absorbance peak near 350 nm and calculated energy band gap was 3.5 eV, all measurements were proved the purity and Nano size of prepared Nanoparticles. Biochemical parameters evaluation also mentioned in this research, these analyzes showed that Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles in particular dose (50 mg/kg) have the ability to reduce blood glucose
... Show MoreBackground: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common endocrine disorder affecting 6-10% of women of reproductive age and the most common cause of anovulatory infertility. Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness, side effects and outcomes of step-up gonadotrophin protocol versus laparoscopic ovarian diathermy (LOD) in infertile patients with clomiphene citrate resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. Methods: The sample included women who attended our infertility clinic at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital and Kamal Al-Samarraee for Infertility and IVF Hospital in Baghdad/ Iraq from November 2013 to November 2014. Eighty cases of infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome who failed t
... Show MoreBackground: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common endocrine disorder affecting 6-10% of women of reproductive age and the most common cause of anovulatory infertility.
Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness, side effects and outcomes of step-up gonadotrophin protocol versus laparoscopic ovarian diathermy (LOD) in infertile patients with clomiphene citrate resistant polycystic ovary syndrome.
Methods: The sample included women who attended our infertility clinic at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital and Kamal Al-Samarraee for Infertility and IVF Hospital in Baghdad/ Iraq from November 2013 to November 2014. Eighty case
... Show MoreThis study was carried out in Plant Tissue Culture Labs, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad from November 2018 to June 2019. Fresh stem cuttings, 5 cm long were selected from 6-month old C-35 Citrange rootstock. Five concentrations of BA (0, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 mg.L-1) were studied and addition of meta-Topolin (mT) at four concentrations (0, 1, 5 and 10 mg.L-1) was also studied to find out its effect individually on shoot number and shoot length in multiplication stage. Rooting media supplemented with four concentrations of IBA (0, 1, 2 and 3 mg.L-1) was also studied to find out its effect on rooting percentage, root number and root length. Results showed that BA as concentration of 2.5mg.L-1 significantly gav
... Show MoreIn the resent years, there is a robust scientific interest in discovery of new anti-septic and anti-oxidant naturally products with no/or limited side effects. The current study aimed to investigate the protective role of the quercetin on inflammations induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male mice A number of criteria included i.e. liver and spleen index and IL-6 and IL1-β cytokines level in spleen homogenate were considered. Sixty male mice (8-9 week age) was divided into six groups and treated for 5 days as the following: the first group represented control, the second and third group were injected with 5, 10 mg/kg b.w doses of quercetin respectively. While the fourth and fifth groups were co-treatment with (5, 10 mg/kg b.w.) intraper
... Show MoreThis paper introduces a complete design and simulation of a controller for the double fed induction generator (DFIG) turbine. The work also included the solar updraft tower (SUT) design to supply Al-Mahmoudia hospital in Baghdad/Iraq. The design includes the daily average load estimation, annual solar irradiance and, temperature monitoring, and logging.
According to the data obtained from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad has low wind speed. Therefore, the (SUT) has been designed to generate electrical power depending on the difference between the external and internal air temperature. The temperature difference will generate a suitable airspeed to drive the wind turbine, connected to the proposed (DFIG) generators
... Show MoreThe article describes a study on the role of vitamin C as a protective agent for the teeth, gum, and implants using quantum chemical calculations and polarization tests. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) at 6-311G (d, p) basis set is used to estimate the ability of vitamin C to inhibit the corrosion of the abovementioned parts. The experimental study was performed in a at human body media simulator (Hank’s balanced salt solution) at a temperature of 37°C. The compound was optimized for its ground state, physical properties, and corrosion parameters. Further, HOMO, LUMO, energy gap, dipole moment, and other parameters were used to predict the inhibitor’s efficiency. Gaussian 09, UCA-FUKUI, MGL tools, DSV, and LigPlus software was used
... Show MoreTernary semiconductors AB5C8 (A = Cu/Ag, B = In and C = S, Se or Te) have been investigated. The CuIn5S8 and AgIn5S8 have been synthesize in cubic spinel structure with space group (Fd3m), whereas CuIn5Se8, AgIn5Se8, CuIn5Te8 and AgIn5Te8 have tetragonal structures with space group P-42m. The relaxed crystal geometry, electrical properties such as electronic band structure and optoelectronic properties are predicted by using full potential method in this work. For the determination of relaxed crystal geometry, the gradient approximation (PBE-GGA) is used. All the studied compounds are semiconductors based on their band structures in agreement with the experimental results, and their bulk moduli are in the range 35 to 69 GPa. Wide absorption
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