Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory, systemic rheumatic condition that mostly affects the axial skeleton. Tenascin-C (TN-C) is a hexameric glycoprotein of considerable size, upregulated in many inflammatory conditions, while Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a cytokine that plays an important role in SpA symptoms. Objective: to investigate the upregulation between the serum levels of TN-C and IL-17 in Iraqi axSpA patients and the disease characteristics. Patients and Methods: Seventy-four axSpA patients and 28 matched controls were studied. Fifty-four patients received a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and 20 did not. Serum TN-C and IL-17 concentrations were determined using the ELISA technique. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was assessed. For statistical tests, Chi Square, Mann Whitney, Independent Samples T, and Pearson's correlation tests are used. Results: Patients mean age was 35.6±0.9 years, 65 males and 9 females, and disease duration was 5.18±0.6 years. 47.4% were smokers, 47% had inflammatory low back pain, and HLA-B27 was present in 91%. BASDAI mean was 6.1±0.4 in non-TNFi and 2.6±0.3 in those on TNFi. The serum TN-C concentration was significantly increased in patients, especially those on non-TNFi (79±9.6 pg/mL) compared to those on TNFi (69.1±3.2 pg/mL) and control (53±3.9 pg/mL) (p=0.003). Serum IL-17 was significantly elevated in those receiving TNFi (877.9±257 pg/mL) compared to non-TNFi (487.2±234 pg/mL) and control (182.4±36.6 pg/mL) (p=0.033). The TN-C significantly correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.27, p=0.02) and with hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (r=0.26, p=0.02). TN-C and IL-17 were non-significantly related (r=0.14, p=0.2). Conclusions: axSpA Patients demonstrated high levels of serum TN-C, particularly in those not receiving TNFi, and high IL-17 levels in those receiving TNFi, suggesting that there is an association with tissue injury from the disease and stimulation of immunological and resident tissue cells. Patients who had not received TNFi showed significantly higher disease activity than others.
Silver nanoparticles synthesized by different species
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
The Local and Global Corporations are suffering of managerial and financial corruption phenomena, which leads them to loss and bankruptcy. So, it is necessary to search for tools which help prevent phenomena like this, and one of these tools is (corporate governance) which represent controlling tool that contribute in reducing corruption. this study aims at modifying (corporate governance system)in order to make it suitable with Iraqi government Corporations. the study depend upon main hypothesis which is (the performance level of the strategic perspective of governance system is depending upon work according to the perspective dimensions itself. From the main conclusions:-It is possible to building a strategic perspective
... Show MoreThis paper presents a three-dimensional Dynamic analysis of a rockfill dam with different foundation depths by considering the dam connection with both the reservoir bed and water. ANSYS was used to develop the three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model of the rockfill dam. The essential objective of this study is the discussion of the effects of different foundation depths on the Dynamic behaviour of an embanked dam. Four foundation depths were investigated. They are the dam without foundation (fixed base), and three different depths of the foundation. Taking into consideration the changing of upstream water level, the empty, minimum, and maximum water levels, the results of the three-dimensional F
In a report by Transparency Organization in 2010, Iraq has 200 newspapers, magazines, sixty-seven radio stations and 45 satellite TV channels. The increase in these figures is measured in days or weeks and not months and years. This fact confirms the importance of studying content providers, especially youth sports content, for two reasons: the first is that young people constitute the highest percentage in Iraqi society, with all the potential involved in shaping the future aspects; the second reason is that for years sport has become an important pillar in people's lives not only in the entertainment aspect as it was seen in the past; Rather, sport has an influential presence in politi
... Show MoreThis study relates to the estimation of a simultaneous equations system for the Tobit model where the dependent variables ( ) are limited, and this will affect the method to choose the good estimator. So, we will use new estimations methods different from the classical methods, which if used in such a case, will produce biased and inconsistent estimators which is (Nelson-Olson) method and Two- Stage limited dependent variables(2SLDV) method to get of estimators that hold characteristics the good estimator .
That is , parameters will be estim
... Show MoreA new ligand complexes have been synthesis from reaction of metal ions of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) with schiff base LH. 5-[(2-Hydroxy-naphthalen-1-ylmethylene)-amino]-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one, this ligand was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-vis, 1H, 13CNMR, and mass spectra. All complexes were characterized by techniques micro analysis C.H.N, UV-vis and FTIR spectral studies, atomic absorption, chloride content, molar conductivity measurements and magnetic susceptibility. The ligand acts as bidentate, coordination through nitrogen atom from azomethin group and deprotonated phenolic oxygen atom. The spectroscopic and analytical measurements showed that
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