A rapid high performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of sphinganine (Sa) and sphingosine (So) in urine samples by employing a silica-based monolithic column is described. The samples were first extracted using ethyl acetate and derivatized using ortho-phthaldialdehyde in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. C20 sphinganine was used as internal standard. Under the optimized conditions, separation was achieved using a mixture of methanol:water (93:7, v/v), column temperature at 30°C, flow rate of 1 mL min−1, and an injection volume of 10 μL. Good linearity was obtained for Sa and So over the concentration range 20–500 ng mL−1(correlation coefficients ≥0.9978). The detection limits were 0.45 ng mL−1 for Sa and

The present study aimed to examine the concordance between FISH/CISH techniques for assessment of amplification of her2neu gene in Iraqi breast carcinoma patients. Seventy four (74) Iraqi breast cancer patients were involved at the study from the Histopathology Department at the Central Public Health Laboratory in Bagdad, Iraq. Amplification of HER2neu was detected in (33.8%) by fluorescence in situ hybridization and (13.51%) showed high amplification by chromogenic in situ hybridization and (32.43%) showed low amplification. The results of chromogenic in situ hybridization were significantly correlated with the results of two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization with the same tumors. In addition, the study involved the correlation betw

Haruki Murakami (1949-present) is a contemporary Japanese writer whose works have been translated into fifty languages and won him plenty of Japanese and international awards. His short stories are well constructed in a weird realistic manner and are mixed with elements of surrealism. His novels and short stories fall under the genre of magical realism. One of the major revolving themes that Murakami wrote about was the haunting feeling of emptiness and disconnectedness in a world which seems to care much for materialism and self-interests.

    The paper explores two of Murakami’s short stories in his book After the Quake (2000) and the relevance of their themes and characters to Iraq after the q

The distribution of chilled water flow rate in terminal unit is an important factor used to evaluate the performance of central air conditioning unit. A prototype of A/C unit has been made, which contains three terminal units with a complete set of accessories (3-way valve, 2-way valve, and sensors) to study the effect of the main parameters, such as total water flow rate and chilled water supply temperature with variable valve opening. In this work, 40 tests were carried out. These tests were in two groups, 20 test for 3-way valve case and 20 test for 2-way valve case. These tests were performed at three levels of valve opening, total water flow rate and water supply temperature according to the design matrices establis

Background: Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease globally. Trace elements such as copper and zinc have a role in many biochemical reactions as micro source, their metabolism is profoundly altered in neoplastic diseases especially breast cancer which is ranked as the first of female cancersObjective: The aim of the present study is to study the impact of body mass index and some trace elements in Iraqi women with breast cancer.Patients and methods: The group of the study consisted of 25 breast cancer patients; their age range was (25–65) years recruited from the Al-Kadhimia Teaching Hospital and 25 apparently healthy women age matched, over a period of 6 months from January 2015 until June 2015. After the diagnosis was m

The Sarmord Formation is one of the overlooked formations that require more investigations than that achieved before. There are many problems in its definition, age, stratigraphy and aerial distribution. Previously in most parts of the Sulaymaniyah, it is not mapped and its outcrops combined with Balambo Formation while in the present study it is differentiated, mapped in the field on the Qaywan anticline and its problems discussed in details with a suggestion of solutions. For laboratory studies, 31 samples are taken on the Qywan Mountain (anticline) at 23 km north of the Sulaimani city for nannofossils biozonation. This study identified 19 species of the recorded calcareous nannofossils, the studied section reveals three biozones

The effect of applied current on protection of carbon steel in 0.1N NaCl solution (pH=7) was investigated under flow conditions (0-0.262 m/s) for a range of temperatures (35-55°C) using rotating cylinder electrode. Various values of currents were applied to protect steel from corrosion, these were Iapp.=Icorr., Iapp.=2Icorr. and Iapp.=2.4Icorr. under stationary and flow conditions. Corrosion current was measured by weight loss method. The variation of protection potential with time and rotation velocity at various applied currents was assessed. It is found that the corrosion rate of carbon steel increases with rotation velocity and
has unstable trend with temperature. The protection current required varies with temperature and it inc