Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, the etiology and pathogenesis of which have been suggested to be influenced by cytokines. Two main clinical types of IBD are recognized, namely ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The present study examined serum levels of two cytokines (IL-17A and IL-23) in 60 IBD patients (30 UC and 30 CD) and 30 healthy controls. The levels were correlated with age, gender, cigarette-smoking status, disease duration, family history, disease extension, symptoms, extra-intestinal manifestations, and medication. The results depicted that IL-17A level was significantly higher in UC and CD patients compared to control (45.2 ± 23.3 and 47.5 ± 34.4 vs. 15.6 ± 7.5 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001). Serum level of IL-23 was similarly increased in UC and CD patients compared to control (64.1± 23.7 and 62.5 ± 27.3 vs. 25.2 ± 11.1 pg/ml, respectively). However, the level of both cytokines showed no significant variation between UC and CD patients (p = 0.713 and 0.777, respectively). Distributing UC and CD patients into subgroups according to some characteristics revealed that IL-17A level was significantly increased in UC male compared to female patients (57.3 ± 18.2 vs. 34.5 ± 22.5 pg/ml; p = 0.005). It was also significantly increased in smoker UC patients compared with non-smoker patients (51.9 ± 19.4 vs. 31.6 ± 25.5 pg/ml; p = 0.022). Smoker CD patients also showed a significantly increased level of IL-23 compared to non-smoker patients (72.7 ± 28.5 vs. 52.2 ± 22.6 pg/ml; p = 0.038). In the case of family history, IL-23 level was significantly decreased in UC patients with a family history of IBD compared to CD patients with a family history (84.5 ± 24.3 vs. 50.4 ± 17.0 pg/ml.; p = 0.042). In conclusion, the present data suggest a role for IL-17A and IL-23 in the etiology and pathogenesis of UC and CD.
Education by lectures has been standard for 100 years or more. Given the 21st century technology, people can connect with others around the world instantly, electronically. With the pandemic, teaching changed to one-way information transfer with the loss of interpersonal learning experience. SNI® and now SNI Digital™ have been experimenting with different forms of communication to transfer information.
Using an interactive education model, a meeting for neurosurgeons in Baghdad was held for students, residents, and neurosurgeons
Tectonically, the location of the Al-Ma'aniyah depression area is far from active boundary zones, their tectonic features have to reflect the original depositional environments with some horizontal movement due to rearrangement of the basement blocks during different actives orogenic movements. So, the analysis of aeromagnetic data were considered to estimate the thickness and structural pattern of the sedimentary cover sequences for this area. The aeromagnetic data, which are derived from Iraqi GEOSURV to Al-Ma′aniyah region is analyzed and processed for qualitative and quantitative interpretations. The process includes reducing the aeromagnetic data to pole RTP, separation the aeromagnetic data to regional an
... Show MorePurpose: To determine the effect of information technology governance (ITG) under the control objectives for information and related technologies (COBIT) on financial performance is the objective of this study. Additionally, the article seeks to look into the relationships between the factors under consideration. Theoretical framework: Information technology and operational processes are evaluated and ensure their compliance with the instructions of the Central Bank of Iraq. Therefore, the research dealt with a conceptual framework by reviewing the literature on the importance of the COBIT framework in assessing financial performance. Design/methodology/approach: To investigate the effect of information technology; we the valu
... Show MoreA common field development task is the object of the present research by specifying the best location of new horizontal re-entry wells within AB unit of South Rumaila Oil Field. One of the key parameters in the success of a new well is the well location in the reservoir, especially when there are several wells are planned to be drilled from the existing wells. This paper demonstrates an application of neural network with reservoir simulation technique as decision tool. A fully trained predictive artificial feed forward neural network (FFNNW) with efficient selection of horizontal re-entry wells location in AB unit has been carried out with maintaining a reasonable accuracy. Sets of available input data were collected from the exploited g
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to use this technique and to determine the effect of this method in reduce cost per unit of the company. The traditional method used in the company the research sample to determine the indirect costs, the definition of the concepts and characteristics of the method of cost-based activity and the cost method based on time-driven activity and justifications applied to companies. In order to achieve the research objectives, the main hypotheses were formulated. That was represented: (The applied of (TDABC) Time driven activity based costing method in reducing indirect costs, leads reduce cost per unit than the use of the traditional method of allocating indirect costs in the research sample company).&nb
... Show MoreThe work in this research presents an experimental and a theoretical study to obtain the effect of using a low permeability geosynthetic material on the longitudinal and lateral coefficients of dispersion. This would have its effect on the contaminants migration through an isotropic, homogenous and saturated soil. The first stage of this research involves the study of the geosynthetic material and in calculating the longitudinal and lateral coefficients of dispersion for an Iraqi sandy soil by using an experimental set-up to simulate the processes. To investigate the effect of using a geosynethtic material on the dispersion coefficients, the test was conducted for each velocity that was used in the experimental work and as follows: with
... Show MoreThe primary aim of this paper, is to introduce the rough probability from topological view. We used the Gm-topological spaces which result from the digraph on the stochastic approximation spaces to upper and lower distribution functions, the upper and lower mathematical expectations, the upper and lower variances, the upper and lower standard deviation and the upper and lower r th moment. Different levels for those concepts are introduced, also we introduced some results based upon those concepts.
With the increasing rate of unauthorized access and attacks, security of confidential data is of utmost importance. While Cryptography only encrypts the data, but as the communication takes place in presence of third parties, so the encrypted text can be decrypted and can easily be destroyed. Steganography, on the other hand, hides the confidential data in some cover source such that the existence of the data is also hidden which do not arouse suspicion regarding the communication taking place between two parties. This paper presents to provide the transfer of secret data embedded into master file (cover-image) to obtain new image (stego-image), which is practically indistinguishable from the original image, so that other than the indeed us
... Show MorePhysicians are infrequently selected to serve in the yearlong role of Jefferson Science Fellow (JSF) as senior science advisor for the US Department of State or the United States Agency for International Development. The authors discuss the role of a JSF in promoting “science diplomacy” from the perspective of one alumnus, who sites examples of ongoing, long-term collaborative projects including one focusing on medical education reform in Iraq that would not have been possible without the JSF program. More than 3 decades of political and social unrest, terrorism, the internal displacement of millions of Iraqi citizens, the arrival of Syrian refugees, international sanctions, and the effect of fluctuating oil prices that fund education i
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