chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease with episodes of exacerbation. Variable factors including infectious pathogen can predispose for this exacerbation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of intestinal protozoa in COPD exacerbation. A total of 56 patients with COPD were included in this study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the frequency of exacerbation during the last 6 months: those with ≤1 exacerbation (32 patients) and those with ≥2 exacerbations (24 patients). Stool specimens from each patient were collected two times (one week interval) examined for intestinal parasite. In univariate analysis, rural residence and parasitic infection were more common among patients with frequent exacerbation (45.83% and 33.33%, respectively) than patients with non-frequent exacerbation (18.75% and 9.38%, respectively) with significant differences. However, in multivariate analysis, only body mass index >25 kg/m2 (OR=4.59, 95%CI=1.18-17.86, P=0.028) and parasitic infection (OR=5.51, 95%CI=1.01-30.18, P=0.049) were independently associated with COPD exacerbation. These data indicate a significant association between frequent COPD exacerbation and infection with some intestinal protozoa. However, the cause-effect relationship is debatable.
Background: Color stability of glass ionomers (GIs) could be affected by many factors such as pH and consumption of liquid medications like antibiotics. Most common antibiotics used during childhood are amoxicillin suspension (AM.S) and azithromycin suspension (AZ.S) which have acidic and basic pH respectively. Aim: to evaluate and compare the effect of AM.S and AZ.S on color stability of nano resin-modified GI. Methods: Thirty disc of nano resin-modified glass ionomer (2mm height x 4mm diameter) were divided into three groups (n=10 for each) and independently exposed to AM.S, AZ.S, and artificial saliva (A.S.). Color stability was evaluated in triplicate by VITA Easyshade® before and after three immersion protocols, repeated over a thr
... Show MoreAbstract The main purpose of the research is to clarify and investigate in details about Susan Glaspell’s role in shedding light on the predicament of women in American society in the early twentieth century showing how sense of the place played an important role in limiting the opportunities of female protagonists who try to escape the roles imposed upon them by society. Glaspell lived in the early twentieth century in the Midwest and tackled the important issues like: women's suffrage, birth control, socialism, union organizing when women were not able to vote or sit as a member on juries. Her Feminist cause is quite obvious through her works from her first one act play Suppressed Desire to the final three act play, Alison’s House. Th
... Show MoreIt is well known that petroleum refineries are considered the largest generator of oily sludge which may cause serious threats to the environment if disposed of without treatment. Throughout the present research, it can be said that a hybrid process including ultrasonic treatment coupled with froth floatation has been shown as a green efficient treatment of oily sludge waste from the bottom of crude oil tanks in Al-Daura refinery and able to get high yield of base oil recovery which is 65% at the optimum operating conditions (treatment time = 30 min, ultrasonic wave amplitude = 60 micron, and (solvent: oily sludge) ratio = 4). Experimental results showed that 83% of the solvent used was recovered meanwhile the main water
... Show MoreSome azo compounds were prepared by coupling the diazonium salts of amines with 2,4-dimethylphenol The structure of azo compounds were determined on the basis of elemental analyses, 1HNMR, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. Complexes of nickel(II) and copper(II) have been synthesized and characterized. The composition of complexes has been established by using flame atomic absorption, (C.H.N) Analysis, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopic methods as well as conductivity magnetic susceptibility measurements. The nature of the complexes formed were studied following the mole ratio and continuous variation methods, Beer's law obeyed over a concentration range (1×10-4 - 3×10-4 M). High molar absorbtivity of the complex solutions were observ
... Show MoreToxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and it is one of the most prevalent infectious agents in Iraq. The study was conducted on 200 serum samples of unmarried female university of students age ranged between 18 to 26 years to detect Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The aim of this study was to detect T. gondii antibodies among unmarried female students in Iraqi universities using different serological tests. Seventy six (38%) serum samples out of 200 subjects were positive for toxoplasma antibodies by Latex agglutination test (LAT). Among 76 LAT sera positive ,only 58 (29%) serum samples were positive with toxoplasma IgG ELISA test , however , the results of IgM ELISA assay were positive only for 3 (1.5%) unmarried
... Show MoreHeuristic approaches are traditionally applied to find the optimal size and optimal location of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices in power systems. Genetic Algorithm (GA) technique has been applied to solve power engineering optimization problems giving better results than classical methods. This paper shows the application of GA for optimal sizing and allocation of a Static Compensator (STATCOM) in a power system. STATCOM devices used to increase transmission systems capacity and enhance voltage stability by regulate the voltages at its terminal by controlling the amount of reactive power injected into or absorbed from the power system. IEEE 5-bus standard system is used as an example to illustrate the te
... Show MoreIn this research, 5- membered heterocyclic compounds as oxazolidine-5-one J1-J5 derivatives were prepared using primary aromatic amine, aromatic carbonyl compounds and chloroacetic acid. By combining primary aromatic amines and aromatic carbonyl compounds, Schiff's bases were synthesized. Schiff bases are used with the chloroacetic acid compound to prepare oxazolidine-5-one J1-J5 derivatives. The compounds J1-J5 were described using NMR spectroscopy and FT-IR. .The biological efficacy was evaluated according to maximum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) toward Staphyloccoccus aureus and Esherichia coli. The best MIC was 210 μg ml-1 for J4 against the two pathogenic bacteria, while J1, J4, and J1 did not show any inhibitory effect against all
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