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
Aim To develop a low-density polyethylene–hydroxyapatite (HA-PE) composite with properties tailored to function as a potential root canal filling material. Methodology Hydroxyapatite and polyethylene mixed with strontium oxide as a radiopacifier were extruded from a single screw extruder fitted with an appropriate die to form fibres. The composition of the composite was optimized with clinical handling and placement in the canal being the prime consideration. The fibres were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and their thermal properties determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The tensile strength and elastic modulus of the composite fibres and gutta-percha were compared, dry and after 1 month storage in
... Show MoreGold nanoparticles AuNPs have proven to be powerful tools in various nanomedicine applications, because of their photo-optical distinctiveness and biocompatibility. Noble metal gold nanoparticles was prepared by pulsed laser ablation method (1064-Nd: YAG with various Laser power from 200 to 800 mJ and 1 Hz frequency) in distil water. The process was characterized using UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. Morphology and average size of nanoparticles were estimated using AFM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis which show the nature of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Antibacterial activity of gold nanoparticles as a function of particles concentration against gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli and gram positive bacterial Staphylococcus aureu
... Show MoreThe current research aims to examine the effect of the rapid learning method in developing creative thinking among second-grade female students in the subject of history. Thus, the researcher has adopted an experimental design of two groups to suit the nature of the research. The sample of the study consists of (36) randomly selected students from Al-Shafaq Secondary School for Women, which are divided randomly into two groups. The first group represents the experimental; it includes (31) students who studied the subject of history using the quick learning method. The second group, on the other hand, is the control group, which consists of (32) students, who studied the same subject using the traditional way. Before starting with the exp
... Show MoreA (k,n)-arc A in a finite projective plane PG(2,q) over Galois field GF(q), q=p⿠for same prime number p and some integer n≥2, is a set of k points, no n+1 of which are collinear. A (k,n)-arc is complete if it is not contained in a(k+1,n)-arc. In this paper, the maximum complete (k,n)-arcs, n=2,3 in PG(2,4) can be constructed from the equation of the conic.
This research was designed to investigate the factors affecting the frequency of use of ride-hailing in a fast-growing metropolitan region in Southeast Asia, Kuala Lumpur. An intercept survey was used to conduct this study in three potential locations that were acknowledged by one of the most famous ride-hailing companies in Kuala Lumpur. This study used non-parametric and machine learning techniques to analyze the data, including the Pearson chi-square test and Bayesian Network. From 38 statements (input variables), the Pearson chi-square test identified 14 variables as the most important. These variables were used as predictors in developing a BN model that predicts the probability of weekly usage frequency of ride-hai
... Show MoreGray-Scale Image Brightness/Contrast Enhancement with Multi-Model
Histogram linear Contrast Stretching (MMHLCS) method
The present work presents design and implementation of an automated two-axis solar tracking system using local materials with minimum cost, light weight and reliable structure. The tracking system consists of two parts, mechanical units (fixed and moving parts) and control units (four LDR sensors and Arduino UNO microcontroller to control two DC servomotors). The tracking system was fitted and assembled together with a parabolic trough solar concentrator (PTSC) system to move it according to information come from the sensors so as to keep the PTSC always perpendicular to sun rays. The experimental tests have been done on the PTSC system to investigate its thermal performance in two cases, with tracking system (case 1) and without trackin
... Show MoreAbstract
The curriculum is amodern science which reflects the social philosophy and
what it needs . It searches for amothod that limits the knowledge that the
indiridual gets in the society and the sorts of the culture that suits the enrironment
in which they live. It also clears for them their history and their great in heritance.
It has a great in flunce in their mental growth ,and it teacher the students new
roles in the thin king ,and training then on what they have learned . According to
there points the problem concentrats on the mostimpotant difficulties which facer
thestudents in studing Arabic langnage text-books
In spite of the great care that the text taker but it is full of subjects and studies
w