A case–control study (80 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection and 96 controls) was performed to evaluate the association of an IL12A gene variant (rs582537 A/C/G) with HBV infection. Allele G showed a signifcantly lower frequency in patients compared to controls (31.2 vs. 46.9%; probability [p]=0.009; corrected p [pc]=0.027) and was associated with a lower risk of HBV infection (odds ratio [OR]=0.49; 95% confdence interval [CI]=0.29–0.83). A similar lower risk was associated with genotypes CG (17.5 vs. 29.2; OR=0.25; 95% CI=0.08–0.81; p=0.02) and GG (10.0 vs. 16.7; OR=0.25; 95% CI=0.07–0.91; p=0.036), but the pc value was not signifcant (0.12 and 0.126, respec‑ tively). Serum IL35 levels showed signifcant difere

Abstract: Microfluidic devices present unique advantages for the development of efficient drug assay and screening. The microfluidic platforms might offer a more rapid and cost-effective alternative. Fluids are confined in devices that have a significant dimension on the micrometer scale. Due to this extreme confinement, the volumes used for drug assays are tiny (milliliters to femtoliters).

 In this research, a microfluidic chip consists of micro-channels carved on substrate materials built by using Acrylic (Polymethyl Methacrylate, PMMA) chip was designed using a Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) laser machine. The CO2 parameters have influence on the width, depth, roughness of the chip. In order to have regular

The aim of the research is to determine the impact of profit management practices on the quality of profits through the use of flexibility in determining accounting methods and practices profit information is one of the most important information that concerns current users in general and observing users in particular. Some corporations managements manipulate the results of the company's profit or loss (income statement) and financial position statement with multiple reasons, including capital market motivations to raise their share prices in the stock market and attract investors, and on the other hand the motives of funding and borrowing loans, and the use of the flexibility in accounting policies and estimates to change the in

Ternary 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

        Recently, some prostate cancer patients have acquired resistance to the second -generation drugs (anzalutamide and apalutamide) prescribed for the treatment of this disease due to the emergence of the F876L mutation, which represents a challenge to modern medicine. In this study, a new series of 2-thiohydantoin derivatives were prepared through the reaction of different derivatives of maleimide (1c-4c) with isothiocyanate derivatives. The prepared compounds were diagnosed using FT-IR,¹H-NMR ,¹³C-NMR, Mass spectra. The prepared series compounds has been studied against prostate cancer cells. The MTT assay was used to determine the activity of the prepared compounds against prostate cancer cells. The da

The research objectives, to build a measure of the level of tactical performance of volleyball players applying for the Iraqi Premier League for the 2018-2019 season. The nature of the research problem, then the researchers determined the research sample in the deliberate manner of the players of the Iraqi clubs for the Premier League (B, A). The researchers adopted the entire community as a sample for the research, and the number (156) players distributed over (13) clubs and divided the sample into (12)players an exploratory experiment player representing (the police club) and (100) player representing the construction sample and after a maximum period of two months has passed since applying the scale to the construction sample the researc

Hypocrisy is found in various aspects of life, whether in religion, politics, or social parts. Hence, some of the church's hypocrisy is an outcome of different ups and downs in life. Starting with the problem in the novel, some of the hypocritical pastors engaged in an immense role in affecting the folk's lives because they persuaded people that God ordered them to do so. To accomplish their personal interests, the abusive monks disguise their verbal speech, smiles, and fine clothes like mild sheep to delusional followers, leaving them with guilt, shame, and spiritual scars. The present study aims to examine the hypocrisy and heresy of the church as portrayed in Okezie Nwoka's novel entitled God of Mercy. It reflects the source of

The ring modulator described in part I of this paper is designed here for two operating wavelengths 1550nm and 1310nm. For each wavelength, three structures are designed corresponding to three values of polymer slot widths (40, 50 and 60nm). The performance of these modulators are simulated using COMSOL software (version 4.3b) and the results are discussed and compared with theoretical predictions. The performance of intensity modulation/direct detection short range and long rang optical communication systems incorporating the designed modulators is simulated for 40 and 100Gb/s data rates using Optisystem software (version 12). The results reveal that an average energy per bit as low as 0.05fJ can be obtained when the 1550nm modulator is d

This paper presents comprehensive analysis and investigation for 1550nm and 1310nm ring optical modulators employing an electro-optic polymer infiltrated silicon-plasmonic hybrid phase shifter. The paper falls into two parts which introduce a theoretical modeling framework and performance assessment of these advanced modulators, respectively. In this part, analytical expressions are derived to characterize the coupling effect in the hybrid phase shifter, transmission function of the modulator, and modulator performance parameters. The results can be used as a guideline to design compact and wideband optical modulators using plasmonic technology