Background Psoriasis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory skin conditions; its prevalence ranges from 1 to 3%. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine that enhances inflammation, is overexpressed in synovium and skin plaques in psoriasis. TNF-α plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. IL-10 is the most crucial cytokine for reducing excessive immune responses and decreasing pro-inflammatory reactions in all autoimmune disorders. Objective To evaluate the effect of Apremilast on ILـ10, TNFـα, and BMI in obese psoriatic patients. Methods Thirty patients included in this investigative study to measure the concentrations of TNFـα, ILـ10 and BMI, before and after receiving Apremilast. TNFـα and ILـ10 were examined by ELISA technique. Results The present work found that the concentration of TNF-α before receiving Apremilast was 286.80 pg/ml, and after six months from baseline, it was reduced to 131.08 pg/ml (P<0.01). Also, IL-10 before using Apremilast was 69.28 pg/ml, and after six months of treatment it increased to 112.57 ±7.89, which was statistically significant (P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in BMI (P>0.05). Conclusion Apremilast significantly reduced the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, leading to improvement in psoriasis lesions. It also reduced Body Mass Index in obese psoriatic patients.
An experimental study is conducted to investigate the effect of heat flux distribution on the boiling safety factor of its cooling channel. The water is allowed to flow in a horizontal circular pipe whose outlet surface is subjected to different heat flux profiles. Four types of heat flux distribution profiles are used during experiments: (constant distribution profile, type a, triangle distribution profile with its maximum in channel center, type b, triangle distribution profile with its maximum in the channel inlet, type c, and triangle distribution profile with its maximum in the channel outlet, type d). The study is conducted using heat sources of (1000 and 2665W), water flow rates of (5, 7 and 9 lit/min). The water
... Show MoreObjectives: To assess the coping strategies of parents of children with autism and the relationship of
different strategies with their educational level.
Methodology: A descriptive analytical study was carried out from Feb. 14th, 2013 through April, 10th
, 2013 in
several private rehabilitation centers of autism in Baghdad city. A non- probability (purposive) sample of 100
autistic children and 100 of their parents (father or mother) was assessed by a questionnaire which consisted of
two parts; the first part is concerned with the demographic characteristics of the child and demographic
characteristics of the parents; the second part consisted of 50 questions about coping strategies that were
distributed on 8 doma
A. chroococcum isolate was examined for its ability to produce the hydrolytic enzymes chitinase, pectinase, protease, and lipase, in an effort to enhance the growth of fava bean (Vicia faba). Biological experiment was conducted in pots with complete random design (CRD). The experiment includes three treatments: control (plant without treatment) (P), NPK fertilizer (plant + fertilizer) (PF), and A. chroococcum inoculum (plant + A. chroococcum) (PA). These treatments were performed with sterile and non-sterile soil, which were planted with fava beans. At the end of experiment (seven weeks from planting), length and weight of plant shoot and plant root were calculated. The results show that the isolate wa
... Show MoreLand use change, particularly the expansion of urban areas and associated human activities at the expense of natural and semi-natural areas, is a major ecological issue in urban areas around the world. Climate change being a very strong additional driver for changing the temperature and habitat in the cities. This also applies to Baghdad, Iraq, where urbanisation and climate change exerts a major pressure on the natural habitats of the city, and thus may affect the ability of city planners to adapt to future climate change scenarios. Here we present evidence of substantial growth in urban areas, increases in temperature, and degradation of natural vegetation within Baghdad city by using Remote Sensing techniques and an assessment for the
... Show MoreThe current work was designed to investigate serum angiopoietin like protein-8 and hyaluronic acid among Iraqi hemodialysis patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to find relationship between them, as well as if these patients are at risk of kidney fibrosis. Subjects & Methods: in this study, serum samples were obtained from (60) Iraqis patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD)on hemodialysis (HD) (30 patients with T2DM (G2) and 30 patients withoutT2DM (G3)) in addition to (30) healthy individuals as a control group (G1), their ages ranged from (35-65) years. The patients attended the Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad. Results: the results in this study showed a highly a significant elevation inserum angiopoietin li
... Show MoreThe relationship between blood group antigens and peptic ulcer disease has been widely evaluated in the past, but only one study relating H pylori seroprevalence to ABO blood groups among Iraqi patients with peptic ulcer disease is available. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of peptic ulcer disease among different ABO blood groups in Iraqi patients, and we thought it was worthwhile to try to determine whether these components take some part in disease etiology. One hundred and six patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (43 male and 63 female; mean age: 48 ± 18 years) who attended Baghdad teaching hospital and Al- Yarmouk teaching hospital endoscopy centers were enrolled , and 238 control Subjects. Fing
... Show MoreBackground :Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was a widely used marker for skeletal and hepatobiliary disorders, but its activity was also increased in atherosclerosis and peripheral vascular disease. Several study has showed that ALP activity was increased in the sera of diabetic patients. The current study was conducted to evaluate ALP activity in type 2 diabetic patients and optimum conditions for enzyme activity in their sera.Methods: This study was carried out at in AL-Yarmok hospital(diabetic center) between February /2009 and April /2009. Fifty two patients with type 2 diabetes have been enrolled. Besides BMI, WHR, serum fasting blood glucose, ALP, HbA1C,uric acid and lipid profile levels have been performed .The relationship bet
... Show MoreAnemia of chronic disease (ACD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are the two most important types of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional iron deficiency in ACD can be attributed to overexpression of the main iron regulatory hormone hepcidin leading to diversion of iron from the circulation into storage sites resulting in iron-restricted erythropoiesis. The aim is to investigate the role of circulating hepcidin and to uncover the frequency of IDA in RA. The study included 51 patients with RA. Complete blood counts, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, ferritin, and hepcidin- 25 were assessed. ACD was found in 37.3% of patients, IDA in 11.8%, and combined (ACD/IDA) in 17.6%. Serum hepcidin was higher in ACD than in con
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to look for the differences in the oxidative stress status in sera and saliva samples of type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients with and without proliferative diabetic retinopathy. As well as to look for the possibility whether this status can be measured in saliva as an alternative sample to that of serum, hence to achieve that total oxidant status, total antioxidant status and oxidative stress index were measured in both sera and saliva samples of two groups of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the healthy individuals. Upon the comparison between patients without proliferative diabetic retinopathy and the control sample the results showed presence of a significant increase (p < 0.05) of total oxidant st
... Show MoreBackground: Anemia is a common finding in patients with renal failure disease and it is, primarily, due to reduced production of iron and erythropoietin. Therefore, the aim of current study was to evaluate the relationship between serum level of hepcidin 25, on the one hand, and levels of serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum erythropoietin and transferrin saturation% in Iraqi male patients undrgoning haemodialysis.. Methods: Serum from75 males in the end stage of hemodialysis, as group one, and 25 Iraqi healthy malecontrols, as group two, were recruited in this study. Results: Data from current study showed significant increase in hepcidin 25 and significant decrease in serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturati
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