Chitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42 

       Swarming is one of the most important virulence factors used by bacteria to invade new sites. This study aimed to test the effects of gentamicin on swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both phenotypically and molecularly. The present results revealed that 11/25 isolates had gentamicin MIC of 1024 µg/ml.  However, gentamicin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentration significantly (P< 0.05) reduced the diameter of swarming in all P. aeruginosa isolates. Noticeably the mean and median swarming diameter before treatment with gentamicin 5.557 and 5.816 cm respectively had significantly (P < 0.001) reduced to 0.871 and 0.766 cm respectively. At the molecular level, amrZ (a global regulator of multiple genes) and

It was aimed to understand the interleukin-4 (IL-4) role in etio-pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two approaches were adopted. In the first one, a quantitative expression of IL4 gene was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and such findings were correlated with some demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, which included gender, duration of disease, disease activity score (DAS-28), rheumatoid factors (RFs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibodies. In the second approach, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL4 gene (rs2243250) was inspected by DNA sequencing using specific primers. Fifty-one Iraqi RA patients (22 males and 29 fem

Azo ligand 11-(4-methoxyphenyl azo)-6-oxo-5,6-dihydro-benzo[4,5] imidazo[1,2-c] quinazoline-9-carboixylic acid was derived from 4-methoxyaniline and 6-oxo-5,6-dihydro-benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline-9-carboxylic acid. The presence of azo dye was identified by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods (FT-IR and UV-Vis). The compounds formed have been identified by using atomic absorption in flame, FT.IR, UV-Vis spectrometry magnetic susceptibility and conductivity. In order to evaluate the antibacterial efficiency of ligand and its complexes used in this study three species of bacteria were also examined. Ligand and its complexes showed good bacterial efficiencies. From the obtained data, an octahedral geometry was proposed for all p

Parasitic diseases can affect infection with COVID-19 obviously, as protective agents, or by reducing severity of this viral infection. This current review mentions the common symptoms between human parasites and symptoms of COVID-19, and explains the mechanism actions of parasites, which may prevent or reduce severity of this viral infection. Pre-existing parasitic infections provide prohibition against pathogenicity of COVID-19, by altering the balance of gut microbiota that can vary the immune response to this virus infection.  

English, like any other language, has a number of such discourse markers including well, yes, surely, on the contrary, so and nevertheless. They are lexical items or grammatical forms typically serve to relate one utterance to another in discourse.
Discourse markers are considered as cues or signals for the reader or the hearer that make cohesion and coherence, In fact, these markers are found in various grammatical forms such as interjections, linking adverbials, greetings and farewells….etc. Discourse markers. Play a very important role, not only in conversation, but in written text as well.

The current study was conducted in Baghdad governorate (Karkh and Al-Rasafa regions) which included collecting 50 samples of freshly slaughtered sheep meat randomly collected from local slaughter areas and approved governmental slaughterhouses (25 liver and 25 ulna muscles). The results of the aflatoxin B1 detection showed that all samples were contaminated with this toxin at different concentrations ranging from 25–422 ppb and 65–492 ppb for each ulna muscles and liver, respectively. The histopathological and immunological study was conducted in meat samples containing higher and lower concentrations of the toxin. The results of the pathological study in the liver revealed that the concentration (492 ppb) caused thickening of t