The present study aims to study the content and spatial distribution of lead (Pb) contamination in the soils of some Baghdad cities (Middle of Iraq). Twenty soil samples were randomly collected from different land-use in the studied area at a depth between 5 to 30 cm. Ten samples are collected from Al-Rissafa side areas (Adhamiya, Al-Wazeeria (Battery Manufacturer), Shikh Omer, Ziyouna, Karada, Shaab, Sadr city, Al-Za’franiya, Al-Dora expressway, and Alselikh ) and other ten samples are collected from Al-Krakh side areas Al-Dora, Al-Masafi junction, Al-Dora, Sayidia, Al-Salam university college, Al-Bayaa (Industrial District), Jehad, Amirya, Abu Ghraib, Al-hurriya, and Kadhimiya. The soil samples have been analyzed for the lead (Pb) with the utilization of the X-Ray Fluorescence. Based on the results, there is a notable difference in the concentration of Pb compared with the national and international permissible limits. The mean concentrations of Pb are 19507.5, 12.8, 2.2 mg/kg for industrial, roadside, and agricultural respectively and <1 for commercial, residential, and waste dumping sites. The high Pb concentration in the soils has been related to anthropogenic activities. Further, the spatial analysis map showed the high concentration of Pb distribution in the Al-Rissafa side of Baghdad city. The geoaccumulation factor and contamination factor indicate that all the soil samples are uncontaminated except the industrial sites are very high contamination with Pb. Also, by calculating the potential ecological risk, It has been found there is a very high ecological risk in the industrial sites, while a low ecological risk in other sites in the study area. The results showed that the average concentration of Pb in soil was greater than the global soil average.
Background: There are so many evidences that there was antimicrobial resistance, and there were many strains that emerged which were difficult to treat. We are living in a situation that the dissemination of multiple drug resistant bacteria can lead us to the situation, in which no treatment could be offered for bacterial infection in future.
Aim of study: Assessment of nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and practices on antibiotic use and resistance in Fatima Al Zahra hospital in Baghdad.
Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study. The study was carried on from 1st of February to 31st of March 2021. A questionnaire was constructed by the research team based on literature review and was adapted to asses
... Show MoreAim: To evaluation the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7 with detection of some virulence factors. Methods: Two hundred and fifty specimens (stool) from children under five years for both sexes were collected from some hospitals. All isolates were diagnosed according to morphological characteristics, biochemical tests. Monoplex pattern of PCR was used also for detection different genes in (7) Escherichia coli )O157:H7 (isolates; include 16SrRNA, eae, lifA, Stx1,Stx2 that encoded for ribosomal RNA, intimin, lymphocyte inhibitory factor, shiga toxins. Three types of probiotics strains were obtained, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus (A
... Show MoreBackground: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca
... Show MoreShatt Al-Hilla was considered one of the important branches of Euphrates River that supplies irrigation water to millions of dunams of planted areas. It is important to control the velocity and water level along the river to maintain the required level for easily diverting water to the branches located along the river. So, in this research, a numerical model was developed to simulate the gradually varied unsteady flow in Shatt AL-Hilla. The present study aims to solve the continuity and momentum (Saint-Venant) equations numerically to predict the hydraulic characteristics in the river using Galerkin finite element method. A computer program was designed and built using the programming language FORTRAN-77. Fifty kilometers was consid
... Show MoreIn this study, plain concrete simply supported beams subjected to two points loading were analyzed for the flexure. The numerical model of the beam was constructed in the meso-scale representation of concrete as a two phasic material (aggregate, and mortar). The fracture process of the concrete beams under loading was investigated in the laboratory as well as by the numerical models. The Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was employed for the treatment of the discontinuities that appeared during the fracture process in concrete. Finite element method with the feature standard/explicitlywas utilized for the numerical analysis. Aggregate particles were assumedof elliptic shape. Other properties such as grading and sizes of the aggr
... Show MoreMagneto-rheological (MR) valve is one of the devices generally used to control the speed of Hydraulic actuator of MR fluid. The performance of valve depends on the magnetic circuit design. Present study deals with a new design of MR valve. A mathematical model for the MR valve is developed and the simulation is carried out to evaluate the newly developed MR valve. The design of the magnetic circuit is accomplished by magnetic finite element software such as Finite Element Method Magnetic (FEMMR). The model dimensions of MR valve, material properties are taken into account. The results of analysis are presented in terms of magnetic strength H and magnetic flux density B. The simulation results based on the proposed model indicate that the ef
... Show MoreBackground: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor that has a clear strong association with the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis (CP). Salivary biochemical parameters may be affected by both smoking and CP together. Materials and methods: Eighty systematically healthy male patients were included in this study. They were grouped based on their periodontal and smoking status. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from all subject. Salivary flow rate (FR) was measured during sample collection. Parameters such as salivary pH, total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), total fucose (TF), protein bound fucose (PBF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were estimated. Results: Salivary flow rate was not altered regarding to smoking
... Show MoreBackground: COVID-19 has caused a considerable number of hospital admissions in China since December 2019. Many COVID-19 patients experience signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and some are even in danger of dying. Objective: to measure the serum levels of D-dimer, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte count ratio (NLR), and neopterin in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 in Baghdad, Iraq. And to determine the cut-off values (critical values) of these markers for the distinction between the severe patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and the controls. Materials and methods: In this case-control study, we collect blood from 89 subjects, 45 were severe patients hospitalized in many Baghdad medical centers who were diagnosed with COVID
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