Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is inflammation of the sacroiliac joints and spine, associated with clinical symptoms such as pain and stiffness in the vertebral column, after which, in a considerable number of individuals, new bone growth occurs. Objective: The current research study attempted to find out whether the presence of SNPs in TNF receptor [TNFRSF1A (rs767455), TNFRSF1B (rs1061622)] encoding genes could influence patients' outcomes to etanercept in a specimen of Iraqi AS patients. Patients and methods: Sixty patients with established AS receiving only etanercept were selected to be enrolled in this research with a mean age of 40.75 ± 8.67 years, 51 patients of them were males and only 9 patients were females. Patients we

This study investigated the impact of lime stabilization on the fate and transformation of AgNPs. It also evaluated the changes in the population and diversity of the five most relevant bacterial phyla in soil after applying lime-stabilized sludge containing AgNPs. The study was performed by spiking an environmentally relevant concentration of AgNPs (2 mg AgNPs/g TS) in sludge, applying lime stabilization to increase pH to above 12 for two hours, and applying lime-treated sludge to soil samples. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to investigate the morphological and compositional changes of AgNPs during lime stabilization. After the application of lime stabilized sludge to

This work focuses on the use of biologically produced activated carbon for improving the physi-co-chemical properties of water samples obtained from the Tigris River. An eco-friendly and low-cost activated carbon was prepared from the Alhagi plant using potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an impregnation agent. The prepared activated carbon was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to determine the functional groups that exist on the raw material (Alhagi plant) and Alhagi activated carbon (AAC). Scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope was also used to investigate the surface shape and the elements that compose the powder. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis was used to evaluate the spe

In this research, the performance of electrocoagulation (EC) using aluminum (Al) electrodes with   Monopolar- parallel (MP-P), and bipolar - series (BP-S) arrangement for simultaneous removal of dissolved silica, and hardness ions (calcium, and magnesium) from synthetic blowdown water of cooling tower were investigated. The effects of current density, initial pH and time of electrolysis on the removal efficiency were studied in a batch stirred unit to find out the best-operating conditions. The obtained results for each target species are evidence that BP-S approach is the best for both electrodes configuration operated at a Current density of 1mA/cm² through 30 min of treatment and pH=10 with the removal of

The study was carried out in plant tissue culture laboratory, University of Baghdad during the period 2017-2019, as factorial experiment in complete randomized design, to study the effect of PEG at (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%) on physiological and chemical changes in callus of three sunflower (Ishaqi 1, Aqmar and Al-haga) induced by the cultivation of the young stem in vitro under water stress. The content of callus cells of SOD, POD, CAT and APX enzymes as well as total dissolved carbohydrate were determined as indicators to determine the effect of PEG in callus tissue cells cultivated on medium equipped with the PEG concentrations. The results showed that cultivars were differs significantly, and A-haja variety was superior in increasing SOD to 12

Background: Fluoridated acrylic resin material can present more stable properties when compared with conventional one.The most widely used fluoride –containing substance added to dental resin materials is sodium fluoride (Naf). This study evaluated the effect of Naf in different concentration to the acrylic resin denture base material and its effect on tensile strength ,modules of elasticity with long –term water immersion (after 4 months immersion in de-ionized water) Materials and methods: Eighty specimens from dumbbells shaped metal pattern for tensile strength test were preparedaccording to ISO 527: 1993 plastic –Determination tensile properties ,in dimensions(60mm, 12mm, 3 ± 0.2mm) length, width and depth respec

A field experiment was conducted in Yusufiya sub-district - Mahmudiya township/Baghdad governorate in silty loam texture soil during the spring season of 2020. The experiment included three treatments with three replicates, as the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used according to the arrangement of the split design block. The treatments are in the irrigation system, which included surface drip irrigation (T₁) and sprinkler irrigation (T₂). Secondly, the Irrigation levels including the irrigation using 0.70 Pan Evaporation Fraction PEF (I₁), irrigation using 1.00 PEF (I₂), and irrigation using 1.30 PEF (I₃). Coupled with, Pota

Therapeutic contact lenses TCLs is an approach used to enhance corneal residence time and reduce frequent instillation, which is a problem with eye drops.  The problem with CLs is loading of hydrophobic drugs. In this research the CLs were prepared with molecular imprinting MI to enhance the loading of itraconazole, which is used as antifungal drug for fungal keratitis. CLs using different  concentration of hydroxyethyl methacrylate HEMA and methacrylic acid MAA were prepared with and without MI using PEGDA (25 μL) and AIBN (37 mg) as crosslinker and initiator respectively. All the prepared CLs were clear and have good folding endurance. MICLs had significantly higher drug loading compared to conventional CLs. The release of i

A field experiment was conducted during the autumn of 2021 at the Agricultural Research Department station / Abu Ghraib to evaluate the soil moisture, water potential distribution, and growth factors of maize crops under alternating and constant partial drip irrigation methods. In the experiment, two irrigation systems were used, surface drip irrigation (DI) and subsurface irrigation (SD); under each irrigation system, five irrigation methods were: conventional irrigation (CI), and 75 and 50% of the amount of water of CI of each of the alternating partial irrigation APRI75 and APRI50 and the constant partial irrigation FPRI75 and FPRI50 respectively. The results showed that the water depth for conventional irrigation (C1) was 658.3

Regular sampling for six months from January to July 2012 were taken in small, shallow, perennial, standing ponds near the Greater Zab River, Gwer district, Erbil. A variety of physicochemical parameters were determined. Air and water temperature were falling between 15.2 - 34.7 ? C and 15.5 and 26.5 ?C. The waters are neutral (pH 7.38-8.27), hard, alkaline, salty, high in TDS and EC (892-966?S/cm, and rich in nutrients (NO3: 2.1-4.1mg/l, PO4: 0.33-0.62 mg / l , SO4: 24.7-80.2 mg / l ). The attention fixed on a filamentous blue- green algae Glaucospira Lagerheim, 1982) which is new to Iraqi flora. It is a filament (trichome), solitary, pale or yellowish blue – green, without sheath, Screw like coiled, motile, some of them are activ