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.
Effect of antioxidants (vitamins C and E) (500mg/kg) was studied on function of testes in albino mice treated with hexavalent chromium (1000ppm). The results showed that exposure to hexavalent chromium caused a significant decrease in body weights, without changes in weight of testes, seminal vesicles and prostate. A significant decrease was observed in the percentage of dead sperms, sperms abnormalities, diameter of seminiferous tubules and the number of leydig cells. Degenerative changes and necrosis were observed in the lumen of seminiferous tubules. Treatment of hexavalent chromium-exposed mice with vitamin C caused improvement in weights and characters of sperms and improvement of the tissue of seminiferous tubules. Tre
... Show MoreThe present study was designed to investigate the effect of R. stolonifer metabolic products on some antioxidant defenses and some elements (Cu, Fe, Ca) . The experiment was performed using 25 mature male rats, their age average was about (3-3.5) months and their weight average was about (200-225) gm. The animals were randomly divided into 5 equal groups (five animals for each): control (treated orally with normal saline) and four treatment groups were drenched orally with four concentrations of R. stolonifer metabolic products (15, 30, 60,120) μl/kg body weight. The animals were treated with one single dose of the previously described concentrations then left for 15 days. Animals of different groups were sacrificed under light
... Show MoreThis paper deals with numerical approximations of a one-dimensional semilinear parabolic equation with a gradient term. Firstly, we derive the semidiscrete problem of the considered problem and discuss its convergence and blow-up properties. Secondly, we propose both Euler explicit and implicit finite differences methods with a non-fixed time-stepping procedure to estimate the numerical blow-up time of the considered problem. Finally, two numerical experiments are given to illustrate the efficiency, accuracy, and numerical order of convergence of the proposed schemes.
Compounds from tin oxide doped with gallium oxide and cerium oxide were synthesized. Thin films from (SnO2:Ga2O3,CeO2) with different doping ratios were prepared on glass and single crystal silicon as substrates with the use of the pulsed laser deposition technique. The results of FTIR spectrums analysis was presented. Varies heterojunctions were fabricated from (SnO2:Ga2O3,CeO2 /Cu2S/c-pSi) heterojunctions solar cell which are formed from two layers: the first was Cu2S and the second was layer from tin oxide doped with two oxides named gallium oxide and cerium oxide with different doping ratios (0, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.0
... Show MoreIn this work, we are Study the effect of annealing temperature on the structure of a-Ge films doped with Sb and the electrical properties of a-Ge:Sb/c-Si heterojunction fabricated by deposition of a-Ge:Sb film on c-Si by using thermal evaporation. Electrical properties of aGe:Sb/c-Si heterojunction include I-V characteristics in dark at different annealing temperatures and C-V characteristics and with the C-V characteristics suggest that the fabricated heterojunction was abrupt type, built in potential determined by extrapolation from 1/C2-V curve and show that the built - inpotential (Vbi) for the Ge:Sb/Si system increases with the increase of annealing temperatures
Converting green areas and agricultural land into built-up areas is one of the most significant effects of urbanization in Iraqi cities. Greenery spaces are a fundamental requirement for any city because they promote a healthy lifestyle and preserve urban areas' aesthetic and ecological beauty. The current study examines urbanization's effect on Baghdad city vegetation and land surface temperature. The Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and Land Surface Temperature (LST) over Baghdad were used to determine the relationship among urban areas, vegetation areas, water bodies, and land temperature. The Baghdad-vector-data from the Ge
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to investigate the toxic and mutagenic and anti – mutagenic effects of the aqueous extract (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg) of green tea (Camellia sinensis) in modulating the genotoxic effects of mitomycin C (MMC). Albino male mice (Mus musculs) were employed as a biological system and four parameters were performed in vivo; total leucocyte count, mitotic index, chromosomal aberrations and micronucleus formation. The plant extract was evaluated through three types of treatments. In the first, the extract was given alone orally. While the second and third treatment included two types of interactions with MMC; pre – and post – MMC treatments. All treatments were paralleled by negative and positive control
... Show MoreObjective(s): This study aims to assess health related quality of life among Iraqi patients with chronic viral hepatitis
B and C also to find out the relationship between health related quality of life and patients demographic
characteristic and to design a new measurement scale for assessing QoL among viral hepatitis B and C patients
which can be suitable to be adopted for Iraqi patients
Methodology: A descriptive quantitative study is carried out at Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching
Hospital from February, 1st, 2011 to August 30th 2011, Anon probability (purposive sample) of (100) chronic viral
hepatitis B and C persons , who were clients of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital / outpatient
clin