Introduction and Aim: The pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-39, a member of the IL-12 family plays a key role in the inflammatory response by modulating immune cell activity and inflammation. A literature search shows no study undertaken for the effect of IL-39's on arthritis so far. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of IL-39 in rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and Methods: This study involved 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis registered at the Rheumatology Clinic at Baghdad teaching hospital. The patients were divided into three groups based on treatments received. Group 1 included patients who were not on any treatment for arthritis, Group 2 with patients on hydroxychloroquine and or prednisone treatment, and Group 3 that received Enbrel® (etanercept) and HUMIRA® (adalimumab) treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. A control group was included in the study. Patients in all groups were assessed for their serum IL-39 concentration, C - reactive protein, Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACCP) and ESR. Results: The patient age and BMI were not significantly different between the groups receiving treatment for Rheumatoid arthritis. A significant increase in the interleukin 39 concentration was observed in treatment groups (G1, G2, G3) as compared to normal healthy controls regardless of whether they were positive or negative for the anti-CCP test. Conclusion: This study showed that the serum interleukin IL-39 levels significantly increased in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis thus suggesting that IL-39 could be considered as a potential inflammatory biomarker of RA.
Introduction and Aim: Graves ophthalmopathy is one of the pandemic public health disorders in Iraq. The current investigation attempts to determine the variation in the complete total blood cells on the recovery of individuals with Graves' ophthalmopathy following low and high-dose Radioactive Iodine 131 (RI-131) exposures. Materials and Methods: The complete blood CBC level in people with Graves' illness and healthy, normal controls were quantitatively identified using the CBC counter. Thyroid stimulating hormone was utilized to compare the recovery of ophthalmopathy patients in comparison to a control group. Results: In comparison to healthy controls, patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy disease who received 10 mci of RAI-
... Show MoreTraining and retraining of teachers have become a central issue in Iraq recently especially in-service training of English teachers on the new curricula (Iraq opportunities). English teachers should be objectively evaluated and assessed.
A sample of (40) trained teachers of English is included in the study and a questionnaire is used as the main instrument of the study.
The main findings of the study were the following:
1. The trainees were serious in training on the new course (item 6) the programme helped increase their information (item 4) and motivate them towards better teaching (item 3). The aims of the programme were clear (item1). The programme helped develop their teaching skills (item 2) and was comprehensive (item 5).
The study included the determination of pollen grains features for 8 genera and 13 taxa of Mimosoideae subfamily grown in Baghdad/ Iraq by using each of light and scanning electron microscope. The samples of taxa were collected from various sites in Baghdad province in central Iraq located on 32 45° 0-33 45 0 N and 44 0 0- 44° 45 0 E. the results from this study revealed different pollen types as monad in each of Leucaena, Prosopis, and Neltuma, tetrad in Mimosa and polyads in Acacia, Albizia, Calliandra, Pithecellobium and Vachellia. Each taxa of these genera characterized by special palynological features as shape, size, number of polyads grain and conplateuration as well as other parameters included other dimensions, and these
... Show MoreThe family Pholcidae represented by the species Artema doriae )Thorell, 1881) is recorded in Iraq for the first time.So far, 23 families of spiders have been recorded in Iraq.
In this paper, we add a new family and a description of a species belonging to this family in the checklist of Iraqi spider fauna.
Listeria spp. is one of the abortion causative agents in animals, especially in ruminants. This work aimed to detect Listeria spp. in milk and aborted fetus cows in Iraq. A total of 50 organ samples from aborted cow fetuses, including (brain, liver, and spleen), and 50 milk samples from the same aborted cows were collected from Baghdad farms, Iraq from (October 2023- March 2024). The bacteria were identified by conventional culture methods, biochemical tests, and the VITEK2 compact system, followed by molecular confirmation. The antimicrobial resistance pattern assay was performed using the disc diffusion method against eight antibiotic agents, and the L.monocytogenes virulence genes involving prfA,actA, and hylA genes were detected using t
... Show MoreBackground: The appointment system is a common practice in primary health care clinics in developed countries. The patients and health care providers in the primary health care setting perceived the appointment system as an indicator of good quality service.
Objective: The aim of this study was to survey patients’ and health care providers’ attitudes towards the introduction of an appointment system and their satisfaction with the existing ‘walk-in’ system in the primary health care setting.
Subjects and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted included a convenient sample of 234 patients as well as 76 health care providers from two primary health care center
... Show MoreAbstract:
the current research aims at analyzing the efficiency of the private university teaching that recently expanded after 2003 ,;besides , the commitment of the private colleges ,definitely Al-Maamun and Al-Mansour colleges with strategy of the ministry of higher education and scientific research. This could be done through many indications that measure the efficiency of the private university teaching , including ( the indication of the efficiency of using human resources and efficiency in using the materialistic indications. But the human efficiency in these colleges , including the sample of the research ( Maamun
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