Background: The occurrence of seizures in bacterial meningitis is important, as it has been reported to increase the risk of complications; however, its frequency and predictors are not well studied yet. Objective: To assess the frequency, clinical, and biochemical predictors of seizures in children with acute bacterial meningitis. Method: A cross-sectional study recruited confirmed acute bacterial meningitis cases based on positive CSF culture and sensitivity among children aged 2 months to 15 years admitted to the Central Child Teaching Hospital emergency department in Iraq. Patients were divided into two groups based on seizure at presentation time. Demographic characteristics [age, gender, residence, duration of fever and disease, presenting complaints and antibiotic intake]; hematological [WBC, neutrophils] Lymphocyte, N/L ratio, packed cell volume, platelets, blood sugar, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) indices were compared between groups. Results: Seizures had a frequency of 18% among the 122 children and were significantly higher in younger cases with female predominance. By multivariate analysis and odds ratio (OR), predictors for seizure were as follows: CSF lymphocytes (OR=0.25, 95%CI=0.08–0.26), lethargy (OR=8.15, 95%CI=1.03-68.65), headache (OR=0.09, 95%CI=0.02-0.45), neck stiffness (OR=0.07, 95% CI=0.01-0.61) and poor feeding (OR=4.8, 95%CI=1.21–18.97). Conclusions: CSF lymphocytes reliably predicted seizure with good sensitivity and specificity of 75% and 73%. Lethargy and poor feeding had the highest odds as clinical predictors of seizures. Together, those results can help with risk stratification and allocate resources for high-risk cases to improve patient outcomes
The study of economic growth indicators is of fundamental importance in estimating the effectiveness of economic development plans, as well as the great role it plays in determining appropriate economic policies in order to optimally use the factors that lead to the dynamics of growth in Iraq, especially during a certain period of time. The gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices), which is considered a part of the national accounts, which is considered as an integrated dynamic of statistics that produces in front of policy makers the possibility of determining whether the economy is witnessing a state of expansion or evaluating economic activity and its efficiency in order to reach the size of the overall economy. The research aims
... Show MoreIt is necessary for police agencies both in the United States and elsewhere in the world to have rapid intervention units that carry out special tasks that regular police cannot handle, such as carrying out search warrants and arresting dangerous criminals, Armed robbery, release of hostages, terrorist incidents, mentally disturbed persons, and other special missions. They are supposed to be well trained, highly self-confident; working together, self-disciplined, and use the force to deal with the special situations they may face. Either there have been many cases in the United States of America against members of these units, personally or against the agencies, they work in because of excessive use of force in many cases that have been use
... Show MoreResearch is a central component of neurosurgical training and practice and is increasingly viewed as a quintessential indicator of academic productivity. In this study, we focus on identifying the current status and challenges of neurosurgical research in Iraq.
An online PubMed Medline database search was conducted to identify all articles published by Iraq-based neurosurgeons between 2003 and 2020. Information was extracted in relation to the following parameters: authors, year of publication, author’s affiliation, author’s specialty, article type, article citation, journal name, journal
In this paper, we apply the notion of a bipolar fuzzy n-fold KU-ideal of KU- algebras. We introduce the concept of a bipolar fuzzy n-fold KU-ideal and investigate several properties. Also, we give relations between a bipolar fuzzy n- fold KU-ideal and n-fold KU-ideal. The image and the pre-image of bipolar fuzzy n-fold KU-ideals in KU-algebras are defined and how the image and the pre- image of bipolar fuzzy n-fold KU-ideals in KU-algebras become bipolar fuzzy n- fold KU-ideals are studied. Moreover, the product of bipolar fuzzy n-fold KU- ideals in Cartesian product KU-algebras is given.
Thick films of poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC)& PVC doped with Zn(etx)2 salt complex have been prepared by cast method with fixed thickness almost (120±5) Microns. Optical studies were carried out in the wavelengths region(200-900)nm based on absorption & transmition measurement. Optical parameters such as absorption coefficient(?) ,refraction index(n) and extinction coefficient(K) were observed to be effected by adding the dopant.Electrical parameters such as real(?)& imaginary(?) part of dielectric constant were also calculated part of dielectric constant were also calculated from the optical parameters using Maxwell equation.
Oil/water emulsions are one of the major threats to environment nowadays, occurs at many stages in the production and treatment of crude oil. The oil recovery process adopted will depend on how the oil is present in the water stream. Oil can be found as free oil, as an unstable oil/water emulsion and also as a highly stable oil/water emulsion. The current study was dedicated to the application of microbubble air flotation process for the removal of such oily emulsions for its characters of cost-effective, simple structure, high efficiency and no secondary pollution. The influence of several key parameters on the process removal efficiency was examined, namely, initial oil concentration, pH value of t
Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant agent which acts on the central nervous system and used for the treatment of epilepsy. Carbamazepine was formulated as an oral extended release tablets using ethyl cellulose as retardant substance. Different types of tablets additives such as cellulose materials (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose ), lactose, calcium phosphate and solubilizing agents ( sodium lauryl sulphate and polyethylene glycol 6000) were utilized to study their effect on the release profile of drug from ethyl cellulose matrices. It was found that sodium carboxymethyl cellulose increased the carbamazepine release and the same effect was obtained when the same amount of microcrystalline cellulose used
... Show MoreThe recent studies suggested the possible toxicities or genetic alterations associated with biological and medical applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The current research is directed to see if AgNPs administration can lead to some changes in expression of BRAF gene in selected body organs tissues. Fifty-six male of musmusculs (Balb/C) mice from the animal house of Al-Nahrain Centre of Biotechnology were used. These animals were divided randomly to seven groups (eight mouse in each group), one of these groups represented the control group, three groups were subjected to different doses of AgNPs (0.25, 0.5and 1 mg/kg of body weight) for one week, and the remaining three groups were subjected to three different doses of AgNP
... Show MoreNanoparticles have gained considerable interest in recent times for oil recovery purposes owing to significant capabilities in wettability alteration of reservoir rocks. Wettability is a key factor controlling displacement efficiency and ultimate recovery of oil. The present study investigates the influence of zirconium (IV) oxide (ZrO2) and nickel (II) oxide (NiO) nanoparticles on the wetting preference of fractured (oil-wet) limestone formations. Wettability was assessed through SEM, AFM and contact angle. The potentials of the nanoparticles to alter oil-wet calcite substrates water wet, was experimentally tested at low nanoparticle concentrations (0.004–0.05 wt%). Quite similar behaviour was observed for both nanoparticles at the same
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