Complement activation leads to membrane attack complex formation, which can lyse not only pathogens but also host cells. Histones can be released from the lysed or damaged cells and serve as a major type of damage-associated molecular pattern, but their effects on the complement system are not clear. In this study, we pulled down two major proteins from human serum using histone-conjugated beads: one was C-reactive protein and the other was C4, as identified by mass spectrometry. In surface plasmon resonance analysis, histone H3 and H4 showed stronger binding to C4 than other histones, with KD around 1 nM. The interaction did not affect C4 cleavage to C4a and C4b. Because histones bind to C4b, a component of C3 and C5 convertases, their activities were significantly inhibited in the presence of histones. Although it is not clear whether the inhibition was achieved through blocking C3 and C5 convertase assembly or just through reducing their activity, the outcome was that both classical and mannose-binding lectin pathways were dramatically inhibited. Using a high concentration of C4 protein, histone-suppressed complement activity could not be fully restored, indicating C4 is not the only target of histones in those pathways. In contrast, the alternative pathway was almost spared, but the overall complement activity activated by zymosan was inhibited by histones. Therefore, we believe that histones inhibiting complement activation is a natural feedback mechanism to prevent the excessive injury of host cells.
Titanium alloys are broadly used in the medical and aerospace sectors. However, they are categorized within the hard-to-machine alloys ascribed to their higher chemical reactivity and lower thermal conductivity. This aim of this research was to study the impact of the dry-end-milling process with an uncoated tool on the produced surface roughness of Ti6Al4V alloy. This research aims to study the impact of the dry-end milling process with an uncoated tool on the produced surface roughness of Ti6Al4V alloy. Also, it seeks to develop a new hybrid neural model based on the training back propagation neural network (BPNN) with swarm optimization-gravitation search hybrid algorithms (PSO-GS
A hybrid Gas-Enhanced and Downhole Water Sink-Assisted Gravity Drainage (GDWS-AGD) process has been suggested to enhance oil recovery by placing vertical injectors for CO2 at the top of the reservoir with a series of horizontal oil-producing and water-drainage wells located above and below the oil-water contact, respectively. The injected gas builds a gas cap that drives the oil to the (upper) oil-producing wells while the bottom water-drainage wells control water cresting. The hybrid process of GDWS-AGD process has been first developed and tested in vertical wells to minimize water cut in reservoirs with bottom water drive and strong water coning tendencies. The wells were dual-compl
Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune vesiculobullous mucocutaneous disease with life-threatening consequences. Rituximab (RTX) has recently emerged as an effective treatment for PV. Objectives: This study aims to determine changes in neutrophil and platelet counts for PV patients treated with RTX or corticosteroids combined with Imuran (azathioprine). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty PV patients received two types of treatment: 15 patients were administered RTX and 15 patients took corticosteroids with Imuran (azathioprine). Neutrophil and platelet counts were detected at the hospital laboratory. Results
... Show MoreBackground: This study was conducted to assess the effect of sonic activation and bulk placement of resin composite in comparison to horizontal incremental placement on the fracture resistance of weakened premolar teeth. Materials and method: Sixty sound human single-rooted maxillary premolars extracted for orthodontic purposes were used in this study. Teeth were divided into six groups of ten teeth each: Group 1 (sound unprepared teeth as a control group), Group 2 (teeth prepared with MOD cavity and left unrestored), Group 3 (restored with SonicFill™ composite), Group 4 (restored with Quixfil™ composite), Group 5 (restored with Tertic EvoCeram® Bulk Fill composite) and Group 6 (restored with Universal Tetric EvoCeram® co
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Salmonella is approved as a common foodborne pathogen, causing major health problems throughout the world particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Low-level fluoroquinolone resistance is conferred by both chromosomal and plasmid-encoded resistance, this research was carried out look into the occurrence rate of qnrA,qnrB and qnrS genes in Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi Cipr ofloxacin-resistant insulate from blood samples of patients with typhoid fever. Fifteen Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi isolated previously from patients with typhoid fever were included in this study. All bacterial isolates were confirmed to have ciprofloxacin
... Show MoreThe electrical insulation of the manufacture sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde viscous material (product) has been studied with Polyvinyl-acetate (PVA) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) blend has been prepared by fixing percentage by weight 3:1 and mixed with different percentages by weight of the product sulfonated phenol formaldehyde viscous mass (SPF). The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is done on (SPF) resin powder and prepared film of PVA-TDI-SPF viscous mass. The quality factor (Q), dissipation factor (D), parallel resistance (Rp), series resistance (Rs), parallel capacitance (Cp), series capacitance (Cs) and phase shift (?) are measured. The calculated maximum dielectric constant (??) is 3.49x107 at sample (1) wt.1% SPF vis
... Show MoreMutations in genes encoding proteins necessary for detoxifying oxidative stress products have been predicted to increase susceptibility to lung cancer (LC). Despite this, the association between waterpipe tobacco smoking (WP), genetic polymorphisms, and LC risk remains poorly understood. This is the first study to explore the relationship between WP tobacco smoking and these genetic factors. Previously, we investigated the association of GSTP1 SNPs (rs1695-A/G and rs1138272-C/T) with LC in Iraqi males who smoke WP. Here, we expanded our analysis to include GSTM1 (active/null) and GSTT1 (active/null) genotypes, both individually and in combination with GSTP1 SNPs. Multiplex PCR and RFLP-PCR assays were utilized to determine the genotypes of
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