BACKGROUND: CRC is one of the most common cancers in the world. K-ras is proto-oncogene with GTPase activity that is lost when the gene is mutated. Analysis of K-ras mutational status is very important for CRC treatment, being the most important predictors of resistance to targeted therapy. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the frequency and spectrum of K-ras mutation among Iraqi patients with sporadic CRC. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 35 cases with sporadic CRC; their clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. The FFPE blocks were used for DNA extraction; PCR amplification of K-ras gene and hybridization of allele-specific oligoprobes were performed. The assay covers 29 mutations in the K-ras gene (codons 1

P. aeruginosa is one of the complex targets for antimicrobial chemotherapy. Also, it is intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics. It produces β-lactamases enzymes that are responsible for the widespread β-lactam antimicrobial resistance. There are three major groups of β-lactamase enzymes, MBLs and ESBLs forming Pseudomonas is a major issue for the treatment of burns victims. Methods: A total of 28 clinical isolates related to P. aeruginosa have been obtained from the burns specimens from patients attending to AL-Imam hospital/Baghdad-Iraq, through the period from October 2015 to March 2016. Also, all isolates have been recognized as P. aeruginosa via utilizing bacteriological assay and confirmed by Vitek 2. In addition, the suscep

In this article, the casting method was used to prepare poly(methyl methacrylate)/hydroxyapatite (PMMA/HA) nanocomposite films incorporated with different contents (0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt%) of graphene nanoplatelets (Gnp). The chemical properties and surface morphology of the PMMA/HA blend and PMMA/HA/Gnp nanocomposite were characterized using FTIR, and SEM analysis. Besides, the thermal conductivity, dielectric and electrical properties at (1–107 Hz) of the PMMA/HA blend and PMMA/HA/Gnp composites were investigated. The structural analysis showed that the synthesized composites had a low agglomerated state, with multiple wrinkles of graphene flakes in the PMMA/HA blend. The thermal conductivity was improved by more than 35-fold its value for

Previously many properties of graphene oxide in the field of medicine, biological environment and in the field of energy have been studied. This diversity in properties is due to the possibility of modification on the composition of this Nano compound, where the Graphene oxide is capable of more modification via addition other functional groups on its surface or at the edges of the sheet. The reason for this modification possibility is that the Sp3 hybridization (tetrahedral structure) of the carbon atoms in graphene oxide, and it contains many oxygenic functional groups that are able to reac with other groups. In this research the effect of addition of some amine compounds on electrical properties of graphene oxide has been studied by the

An environmentally begnin second derivative spectrometric approach was developed for the estimation of the dissociation constants pKa(s) of metformin, a common anti-diabetic drug.  The ultraviolet spectra of the aqueous solution of metformin were measured at different acidities, then the second derivative of each spectrum was graphed. The overlaid second derivative graphs exhibited two isobestic points at 225.5 nm and 244 nm pointing out to the presence of two dissociation constants for metformin pKa1 and pKa2, respectively. The method was validated by evaluating the reproducibility of the acquired results by comparing the estimated values of the dissociation constants of two different strategies that show excellent matching. As we

       This study introduces a series of single and pile group model tests subjected to lateral loads in . multilayered sand from Karbala, Iraq. The aim of this study is to investigate: the performance of the pile groups subjected to lateral loads; in which the pile batter inclination angle is changed; the effect of pile spacing (s/d) ratio, the influence of using different number of piles and pile group configuration. Results revealed that the performance of single negative (Reverse) Battered piles with inclination of 10° and 20° show a gain of 32% and 76 % in the ultimate lateral capacity over the regular ones. For pile groups, the use of a combination of regular, negative and positive battered piles in

Background: Simvastatin (SIM) is a lipid-lowering agent to prevent disorders caused by clogged blood vessels. Because of its low solubility, it has low bioavailability. The adsorption technique is effective in improving drug solubility and dissolution rate. Objective: To use magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) as an adsorbent in combination with Soluplus® as a hydrophilic polymer to formulate SIM as immediate-release tablets (IRTs). Methods: We used the solvent evaporation method to make MAS-loaded SIM in the presence of Soluplus®, making sure that the ratio of SIM to MAS to SOLU was 1:6:3. We then used this mixture to make IRTs. Using the direct compression method, we made all of the SIM-IRT formulas. We used diluents like Avicel

Invasomes are newly developed types of nanovesicles. A vesicular drug delivery system is considered one of the approaches for transdermal delivery to enhance permeation and improve drug bioavailability. Ondansetron is a serotonin receptor antagonist used for treating vomiting associated with different clinical cases. The study aimed to prepare invasomal dispersions for improving permeation of ondansetron across the skin with a controlled release pattern. Twenty-seven formulas of ondansetron-loaded invasomes were prepared by a modified mechanical dispersion method. These formulas were optimized by studying the effect of variables on entrapment efficiency. Vesicle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, in-vitro release and ex-vivo perm

Pre-breakdown phenomenon was investigated within the two, non-mixed dielectric liquids; transformation oil and cresol. Finite element technique was used to follow the initiation and growth of plasma channels (streamer discharge) within pin-plane configuration. That was done for different spacing between the pin-electrode and the liquid-liquid interface. Streamer growth model assumed that, the streamer initiation occurs at the region of the highest value of electric field. Our study shows that the streamer initiates at the tip of the pin and growths toward the other electrode. The study shows, too, that the streamer path controlled by the difference of permittivity of the two liquids and spacing distance of the liquid-liquid interface fro