Background: Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is gram-negative bacterium, which causes Legionnaires’ disease as well as Pontiac fever. Objective: To determine the frequency of Legionella pneumophila in pneumonic patients, to determine the clinical utility of diagnosing Legionella pneumonia by urinary antigen testing (LPUAT) in terms of sensitivity and specificity, to compares the results obtained from patients by urinary antigen test with q Real Time PCR (RT PCR) using serum samples and to determine the frequency of serogroup 1 and other serogroups of L. pneumophila. Methods: A total of 100 pneumonic patients (community acquired pneumonia) were enrolled in this study during a period between October 2016 to April 2017; 92 samples were collected from patients attended and admitted to Al-Imamein Al-Kadhimein Medical City and 8 samples from those in the (Center of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation) in the Medical City of Baghdad. All patients were under therapy with antibiotics. Serum and urine specimens were obtained from all patients; urine samples were processed for urinary antigen test (rapid test). Serum samples were collected and submitted to DNA extraction for detection of L. pneumophila mip gene by q RT PCR assay. Results: The percentage of L. pneumophila in two hospitals in Bagdad was 30%. Of these 26% was serogroup 1 detected by urinary antigen testing (UAT). In the other hand, 23% of samples were positive by q RT PCR based mip gene, of these 19 % were serogroup 1 and 4% were another serogroup. The sensitivity of UAT is high (P value < 0.001), which means statistically highly significance than q RT PCR. Conclusion: LPUAT is a rapid tool for early diagnosis of Legionella infection, which highlights the need of using this test in hospitals and health institutions and there is a high prevalence of L. pneumophila in Iraq that refer to the necessity of considering this microorganism point of view in future studies for detection and treatment in pneumonic patients. Keywords: L. pneumophila, mip gene, quantitative real time PCR, urinary antigen. Citation: Gauad SA, Abdulrahman TR, Muhamad AK, Jawad AA, Hassan JS. Clinical utility of urinary antigen test and molecular method for detection of Legionella pneumophila. Iraqi JMS. 2018; 16(2): 207-215. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.16.2.13
Electrocoagulation is an electrochemical method for treatment of different types of wastewater whereby sacrificial anodes corrode to release active coagulant (usually aluminium or iron cations) into solution, while simultaneous evolution of hydrogen at the cathode allows for pollutant removal by flotation or settling. The Taguchi method was applied as an experimental design and to determine the best conditions for chromium (VI) removal from wastewater. Various parameters in a batch stirred tank by iron metal electrodes: pH, initial chromium concentration, current density, distance between electrodes and KCl concentration were investigated, and the results have been analyzed using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. It was found that the r
... Show MoreIn this work, the fractional damped Burger's equation (FDBE) formula = 0,
In this work, the fractional damped Burger's equation (FDBE) formula = 0,
This paper describes a new finishing process using magnetic abrasives were newly made to finish effectively brass plate that is very difficult to be polished by the conventional machining processes. Taguchi experimental design method was adopted for evaluating the effect of the process parameters on the improvement of the surface roughness and hardness by the magnetic abrasive polishing. The process parameters are: the applied current to the inductor, the working gap between the workpiece and the inductor, the rotational speed and the volume of powder. The analysis of variance(ANOVA) was analyzed using statistical software to identify the optimal conditions for better surface roughness and hardness. Regressions models based on statistical m
... Show MoreThe current study uses the flame fragment deposition (FFD) method to synthesize carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from Iraqi liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is used as a carbon source. To carry out the synthesis steps, a homemade reactor was used. To eliminate amorphous impurities, the CNTs were sonicated in a 30 percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution at ambient temperature. To remove the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) generated during LPG combustion, sonication in an acetone bath is used. The produced products were investigated and compared with standard Multi-walled carbon nanotube MWCNTs (95%), Sigma, Aldrich, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectroscopy, scanning el
... Show MoreThe linear segment with parabolic blend (LSPB) trajectory deviates from the specified waypoints. It is restricted to that the acceleration must be sufficiently high. In this work, it is proposed to engage modified LSPB trajectory with particle swarm optimization (PSO) so as to create through points on the trajectory. The assumption of normal LSPB method that parabolic part is centered in time around waypoints is replaced by proposed coefficients for calculating the time duration of the linear part. These coefficients are functions of velocities between through points. The velocities are obtained by PSO so as to force the LSPB trajectory passing exactly through the specified path points. Also, relations for velocity correction and exact v
... Show MoreThe current research aims to determine the impact of the cognitive reconstruction program on the development of psychological hardness among middle school students through the experimental verification of three hypotheses. The research sample consisted of (16) out of (450) students selected from Ibn Rushud preparatory school- Al-Rusafa 2. These participants have been randomly distributed into two equal groups. The researcher has used the method of cognitive reconstruction with the experimental group, whereas with the controlling group, he used nothing. The researcher has further used the scale of psychological hardness of Kobassa with the participants; the scale has been built in a way that suits the sample of the study, which consisted
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This research aims to compare Bayesian Method and Full Maximum Likelihood to estimate hierarchical Poisson regression model.
The comparison was done by simulation using different sample sizes (n = 30, 60, 120) and different Frequencies (r = 1000, 5000) for the experiments as was the adoption of the Mean Square Error to compare the preference estimation methods and then choose the best way to appreciate model and concluded that hierarchical Poisson regression model that has been appreciated Full Maximum Likelihood Full Maximum Likelihood with sample size (n = 30) is the best to represent the maternal mortality data after it has been reliance value param
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The aim of this study was to prepare rebamipide ocular inserts in order to extend its release on the ocular surface for dry eye treatment. Solubility study was applied to the drug with or without l-arginine using different solvents. Solvent casting technique was used to prepare the inserts; l-arginine was used to solubilize the drug, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose grades (E5 and K15M) and poly ethylene glycol 200 were used as excipients. The inserts were evaluated for their physical and mechanical properties, moisture loss% and absorption %, surface pH, and in-vitro drug release. The use l-arginine exhibited an enhancement of rebamipide solubility in both deionized water and phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) by a
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