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.
Poly [N-(1, 3-thiazo-2yl)]maleamic acid synthesized from corresponding monomer N-(1, 3-thiazo-2yl)maleamic acid (NTM) by using the process of electrochemical polymerization in aqueous solution at room temperature. The structure of the polymeric layer generated on the surface of (Low Carbon Steel (L.C.S)) (working electrode) was investigated by Fourier Transmission Infrared [FT-IR] and a scanning electron microscope [SEM]. The anticorrosion ability of a polymeric layer on low carbon steel (L.C.S) was investigated using a method of electrochemical polarization at temperatures ranging from (293 to 323) K, in a 3.50 percent NaCl solution. The activation parameters, both kinetic and thermodynamic for the L.C.S corrosion process were
... Show MoreThe aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of diode laser (λ=940 nm) in the management of gingival hyperpigmentation compared to the conventional bur method. Materials and methods: Eighteen patients with gingival hyperpigmentation were selected for the study with an age between 12-37 years old. The site of treatment was the upper gingiva using diode laser for the right half and the conventional method for the left half. All patients were re-evaluated after the following intervals: 3 days, 7 days, 1 month and 6 months post-operation. Pain and functions were re-evaluated in each visit for a period of 1 day, 3 days and 1 week post-operation. Laser parameters included 1.5 W in continuous mode with an initiated tip (400 μm) placed in
... Show MoreIn present work, new tetra-dentate ligand, titled 3,5-bis ((E)-5-Bromo-2-hydroxy benzylidene amino) benzoic acid (H3L), was prepared via an acid-catalyzed condensation process. New four metallic ligand complexes with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions, were also prepared from the refluxing of equivalent moles. Ligand's structure and its complexes; were confirmed by numerous characterization methods, including Ultraviolet-Visible, Infrared, Mass Spectrometer, 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra, atomic absorption, magnetic moments, and molar conductivity measurements. The results of the spectroscopic analyzes proved that the prepared ligand acts as tetradentate bi-ionic ligand and it was bond
... Show MoreDuring this paper, new Schiff's base derivatives [F1-F5] were prepared through the reaction of dapsone drug with different substituted benzaldehyde compounds. Schiff's bases were then converted into 2,3-dihyroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives [F6-F10] through the reaction with 2-amino benzoic acid in ethanol. The synthesized compounds were identified by their physical properties using UV-Vis, FT-IR and 1H-NMR analyses. The liquid crystalline properties of some prepared compounds revealed smectic and nematic phases. Using two separate bacterial species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram -ve) and Staphylococcus aureus<
... Show MoreThe adsorption behavior of Bismarck brown (BB) dye from aqueous solutions onto graphene oxide GO and graphene oxide-g-poly (n-butyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) GO-g-pBCM as adsorbents was investigated. The prepared GO and GO-g-pBCM were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR, which confirmed the compositions of the prepared adsorbents. Adsorption of BB dye onto GO and GO-g-pBCM was explored in a series of batch experiments under various conditions. The data were examined utilizing Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The Langmuir isotherm was seen as increasingly reasonable from the experimental information of dye on formulating adsorbents. Kinetic investigations showed that the experimental data were fitted ve
... Show MoreThis paper investigates the performance evaluation of two state feedback controllers, Pole Placement (PP) and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR). The two controllers are designed for a Mass-Spring-Damper (MSD) system found in numerous applications to stabilize the MSD system performance and minimize the position tracking error of the system output. The state space model of the MSD system is first developed. Then, two meta-heuristic optimizations, Simulated Annealing (SA) optimization and Ant Colony (AC) optimization are utilized to optimize feedback gains matrix K of the PP and the weighting matrices Q and R of the LQR to make the MSD system reach stabilization and reduce the oscillation of the response. The Matlab softwar
... Show MoreThe presented work includes the Homotopy Transforms of Analysis Method (HTAM). By this method, the approximate solution of nonlinear Navier- Stokes equations of fractional order derivative was obtained. The Caputo's derivative was used in the proposed method. The desired solution was calculated by using the convergent power series to the components. The obtained results are demonstrated by comparison with the results of Adomain decomposition method, Homotopy Analysis method and exact solution, as explained in examples (4.1) and (4.2). The comparison shows that the used method is powerful and efficient.