The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of trace elements Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Selenium (Se) in blood sera of asthmatic patients by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentrations of Mg, Cu, and Zn have been determined by Flame Atomic Absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS), and Se with flameless Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). The study involves (55) asthmatic patients as study group and (28) subjects as control from both genders. Serum levels of Mg, Cu, and Se were significantly higher (p<0.001 for all) in patients when compared with healthy subjects, while Zn level was relatively significant (p<0.05). Our observations confirm the efficacy and applicability of (AAS) in determination of trace elements levels in blood sera of asthmatic patients and the effect of these elements in pathogenesis and treatment of the disease.
Background. Endodontic infections caused by remaining biofilm following disinfection with chemical fluids encourage secondary bacterial infection; hence, employing laser pulses to activate the fluids is advised to improve microbial biofilm clearance. This study investigated the performance of Er,Cr:YSGG laser in photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) agitation of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) to enhance the removal of mature Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms in complex root canal systems. Methods. The mesial roots of the lower first and second molars were separated and inoculated with E. faecalis bacteria for 30 days. The roots were irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl, some of them were agitated with passive ultrasonic
... Show MoreBackground : Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility in reproductive-age women , it is an important harbinger of metabolic disorders. It has been reported that hyperamylasemia can be used as marker of ovarian cancer patients . The current study was conducted to evaluate amylase activity and to estimate the correlation of this enzyme with insulin and insulin resistance in PCOS patients. Methods: This study was conducted on forty five patients with PCOS in comparison to twenty five women as control. Fasting blood sample was taken from each subject and analyzed for amylase activity , FSH,LH, Insulin , proteins, and blood sugar , meanwhile insulin resistance was determined by HOMA-IR index. Results: The result
... Show MoreIndustrial effluents loaded with heavy metals are a cause of hazards to the humans and other forms of life. Conventional approaches, such as electroplating, ion exchange, and membrane processes, are used for removal of copper, cadmium, and lead and are often cost prohibitive with low efficiency at low metal ion concentration. Biosorption can be considered as an option which has been proven as more efficient and economical for removing the mentioned metal ions. Biosorbents used are fungi, yeasts, oil palm shells, coir pith carbon, peanut husks, and olive pulp. Recently, low cost and natural products have also been researched as biosorbent. This paper presents an attempt of the potential use of Iraqi date pits and Al-Khriet (i.e. substances l
... Show MoreCuO-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst was prepared in the ratios of 20:30:50 respectively, using the coprecipitation method of Cu, Zn and Al carbonates from their nitrate solutions dissolved in distilled water by adding sodium bicarbonate as precipitant.The catalyst was identified by XRD and quantitatively analysis to determine the percentages of its components using flame atomic absorption technique. Also the surface area was measured by BET method. The activity of this prepared catalyst was examined through the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde which was evaluated by gas chromatography.
Influence of metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms upon soil-borne microscopic fungus Aspergillus terreus K-8 was studied. It was established that the metal nanoparticles synthesized by microorganisms affect the enzymatic activity of the studied culture. Silver nanoparticles lead to a decrease in cellulase activity and completely suppress the amylase activity of the fungus, while copper nanoparticles completely inhibit the activity of both the cellulase complex and amylase. The obtained results imply that the large-scale use of silver and copper nanoparticles may disrupt biological processes in the soil and cause change in the physiological and biochemical state of soil-borne microorganisms as well.
Double-layer micro-perforated panels (MPPs) have been studied extensively as sound absorption systems to increase the absorption performance of single-layer MPPs. However, existing proposed models indicate that there is still room for improvement regarding the frequency bands of absorption for the double-layer MPP. This study presents a double-layer MPP formed with two single MPPs with inhomogeneous perforation backed by multiple cavities of varying depths. The theoretical formulation is developed using the electrical equivalent circuit method to calculate the absorption coefficient under a normal incident sound. The simulation results show that the proposed model can produce absorption coefficient with wider absorption bandwidth compared w
... Show MoreBackground: Acute radiodermatitis is a common side effect during and after radiotherapy course in breast cancer patients treated by radiotherapy. This study assess the frequency of acute radiodermatitis and record the predictive factors for acute radiodermatitis. Patients and Methods: A descriptive case series study conducted at Baghdad, Iraq from August 2020 to September 2021. 70 female scheduled for radiotherapy sessions enrolled in this study. sociodemographic data were recorded and Skin examination before radiotherapy and weekly till the end of the radiotherapy sessions was done to report the frequency, risk factors, clinical picture and grades of acute radiodermatitis based on The National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Crite
... Show MoreBackground: Nanotechnology represents a new science that promises to provide a broad range of uses and improved technologies for biological and biomedical applications. One of the reasons behind the intense interest is that nanotechnology permits synthesis of materials that have structure is less than 100 nanometers. The present work revealed the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Streptococcus mutans of Human Saliva in comparison to de-ionized water. Materials and methods: Streptococcus mutans were isolated from saliva of forty eight volunteers of both sexes their age range between 18-22 years and then purified and diagnosed according to morphological characteristic and biochemical tests. Different concentrations of ZnO NPs w
... Show MoreZinc is one of the essential trace elements, it plays a key role in many biochemical and functional processes. It is less harmful than many other minerals, in the case of exposure to high doses of zinc, poisoning occurs, and this poisoning may mostly result from the accidental ingestion of household products containing zinc or nutritional supplements, this study was conducted to find out the effects of zinc on the concentration of amino acid. A total of 30 adult white mouse males were taken and divided into three groups; the first group (control) of 10 mice taken with distilled water for 30 days, the second group includes 10 mice that were dose with Zn drug concentration of 50 mg/kg/day for 30 days, the third group includes 10 mice that wer
... Show MoreHydrogen sulfide removal catalyst was prepared chemically by precipitation of zinc bicarbonate at a controlled pH. The physical and chemical catalyst characterization properties were investigated. The catalyst was tested for its activity in adsorption of H2S using a plant that generates the H2S from naphtha hydrodesulphurization and a unit for the adsorption of H2S. The results comparison between the prepared and commercial catalysts revealed that the chemical method can be used to prepare the catalyst with a very good activity.
It has observed that the hydrogen sulfide removal over zinc oxide catalyst follows first order reaction kinetics with activation energy of 19.26 kJ/mole and enthalpy and e
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