Abstract Asthma is a complex disease defined by chronic airway inflammation and airflow limitation causing variable respiratory symptoms which include shortness of breath (SOB), wheezing, chest tightness and cough. Asthma guidelines advocate adding a second long acting bronchodilator to medium doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) rather using high doses of ICS alone to control moderate to severe persistent asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of three medication regimens indicated for Iraqi patients suffering from persistent asthma. This study was interventional randomized clinical study conducted on a sample of adult Iraqi asthmatic patients in Baghdad City. The study composed of three visits distributed over eight weeks; baseline visit followed by first follow up and second follow up visits after four and eight weeks respectively. The study enrolled 78 adult patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma as diagnosed by specialist physician according to patient history and baseline pulmonary function test (PFT) and allocated them randomly to three groups (each group included 26 patients) to receive equivalent medium doses of budesonide inhaler in addition to either formoterol inhaler, oral modified release aminophylline tablets or tiotropium inhaler (first, second and third group respectively). Sixty four patients completed this study. The mean ages of patients were above 35 years with slightly more male predominance. The study groups developed significant increase of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and forced vital capacity (FVC) values at the first follow up visit compared to baseline values (p<0.001). Thereafter, the first and third groups achieved significant higher values at the second follow up visit compared to first follow up visit (p<0.001), while second group produced no change. All the groups developed significant improvement of Mini asthma quality of life questionnaire (MiniAQLQ) scores and percentage of symptom free days (SFD) at first follow up visit and continued further significant improvement at the second follow up visit (p<0.001). Generally, between groups comparison according to extent of change of study parameters revealed that third group produced the greatest improvement over the entire study period followed by the first group, whereas the second group was associated with the least extent of improvement. This study concluded that all groups caused significant improvement in study parameters compared to baseline values and also concluded that the third group of inhaled [tiotropium/budesonide] was associated with the highest extent of improvement followed by first group, while the second group was the least.
Some research reports that cognitive grammar (CG) theory has good contributions to teaching English as a foreign language. In this research, the researchers seek to apply this theory and its principles when teaching the simple present tense to Iraqi students who face difficulties in differentiating between the multiple usages of this tense. To achieve this objective, the researchers have conducted an experimental study on a group of 60 Iraqi students in the University of Baghdad, College of Education for Women. Langacker’s (2003) theory has been adopted in the analysis of the cognitive relations to understand the common and different connections of these usages of the simple present. The study has concluded that the cognitive grammar t
... Show MoreThis study unveils the ideologies of women empowerment encoded in the Mona Lisa Smile movie (2003). It reveals how the stereotypical image of women born only to be wives and do the duties of upbringing and housework is challenged. Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts), the main character in the movie, wants to make a difference in the next generation of women. She rejects the imposed traditional ideologies. Linguistically, she opposes conventional thinking and seeks to persuade her students that life is about more than getting married. The primary focus of this study is to examine and clarify how the characters’ linguistic choices convey their ideologies concerning the notion of women empowerment. To do this, the researchers apply
... Show MoreThe Iraqi culture faced a set of challenges that can be diagnosed with the most prominent features as follows:
- The dominance of authoritarian political systems which entails authoritarian regimes with the absence of contemporary political concepts of human rights.
- The prevalence of non- informed cultural systems which have the shortage of capabilities that enable them to activate cultural elements in positive references, historical, or seclusion on itself and not be able to interact with the current active cultures.
- Stagnant economic conditions have not had a decent life for individuals, or a certain level of well-being, as well as poor services and others.
- Social life controlled by the prevai
Stereo lithography (SLA) three-dimensional (3D) printing process is a type of additive manufacturing techniques that uses digital models from computer-aided design to automatically produce customized 3D objects. Around 30 years, it has been widely utilized in the manufacturing, design, engineering, industrial sectors and its applications in dentistry for manufacturing prosthodontics are very important. The stereo lithography technology is highly regarded because it can produce items with excellent precision especially when selecting the best process parameters. This review article offers a useful and scientific summary of SLA three-dimensional printing technology and its brief history. The specific type of 3D printers which is SLA t
... Show MoreStereo lithography (SLA) three-dimensional (3D) printing process is a type of additive manufacturing techniques that uses digital models from computer-aided design to automatically produce customized 3D objects. Around 30 years, it has been widely utilized in the manufacturing, design, engineering, industrial sectors and its applications in dentistry for manufacturing prosthodontics are very important. The stereo lithography technology is highly regarded because it can produce items with excellent precision especially when selecting the best process parameters. This review article offers a useful and scientific summary of SLA three-dimensional printing technology and its brief history. The specific type of 3D printers which is SLA type b
... Show MoreBackground There is an increasing need for pharmacists to incorporate more patient care targeting. Consequently, the productivity of pharmacy programs can be enhanced by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacy curriculum. Objectives To assess the beliefs, perceptions, and challenges of the College of Pharmacy –The University of Baghdad PharmD graduates regarding the PharmD program. Method Qualitative research methodology was implemented. Graduate PharmD candidates were interviewed either inperson or via telephone. The interviews were conducted in a semi-structured format, utilizing a predetermined interview guide that included open-ended questions. Thematic analysis was implemented to analyze the data. Results A total of 2
... Show More- Identifying the visual culture skills of students of the College of Education for Pure Sciences / Ibn Al-Haytham.
- Identifying the statistically significant differences in the visual culture skills of students of the College of Education for Pure Sciences / Ibn Al-Haytham according to the gender variable.
And the descriptive approach was used, due to its relevance to the nature of the research objective.
To verify this, the visual culture skills test consisted of (22) items of the multiple choice type, where the (Koder Richardson 20) equation was applied to calculate the stability of the visual culture skills test. For the skill of writing
Thirty nine (12.8%) isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from 304 healthy human (Nasal swabs). It was found that percentage of males that have S. aureus is more than female's percentage. These isolates (39) were tested with different tests. Twenty seven isolates (69.23 %) were positive for Staphylococcus protein —A (SPA) ,thirty seven ( 94.8 %) were positive for tube coagulase , thirty five ( 89.7 % ) were positive with clumping factor and thirty two ( 82.05 %) had 13 — hemolytic on blood agar. It was found that 100% of the isolates (39 isolates) were positive with one, two or three tests (tube coagulase, clumping factor and SPA).
A total of 70 pregnant women with toxoplasmosis were studied to evaluate of some immunological aspects. The women were distributed into three groups: 37 women were IgG positive, 18 women were IgM positive and 15 women were IgG and IgM positive as well as 25 healthy women were considered as control group. Serum samples were collected and ELISA method was employed to assess levels of interleukins 4, 6, 10, Interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). As compared with control the levels of cytokines were significantly increased in serum of three pregnant women groups with toxoplasmosis and the highest increase was observed in the IgM positi
... Show MorePharmaceuticals are widely distributed in different applications and also released into the environment. Adsorption of Ciprofloxacin HCl (CIPH) on Porcelinaite was studied at ambient conditions. The adsorption isotherms can be well described using the Freundlich and Temkin equations. The pH of the solution influences significantly the adsorption capacity of Porcelinaite, the adsorption of CIPH increased from the initial pH 1.3 and then decreased over the pH rang of 3.8-9. The adsorption is sensitive to the change in ionic Strength, which indicate that electrostatic attraction is a significant mechanism for sorption process. The enthalpy change (ΔH) for the adsorption of CIPH onto Porcelinaite signifies an endothermic adsorption. The ΔG va
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