BACKGROUND: Montelukast (Singulair) is a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, used for the maintenance treatment of asthma and to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma, also used for exercise-induced bronchospasm. AIM: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Montelukast use as an add-on therapy among Iraqi asthmatic patients on treatment. Comparing the effectiveness of regimens with and without montelukast. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 73 Iraqi asthmatic patients on treatment of both sexes with age range (18-60) years old, attending Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and Al-Zahraa Centre of Asthma and Allergy, Baghdad, for the period between February and March 2017. A questionnaire was specifically prepared to meet the objectives and was used to collect the data of the study. RESULTS: There was a significant statistical reduction of frequency in asthmatic attacks after Montelukast treatment (p-value < 0.05). Out of 73 patients, 39 were males, and 34 were females, 46 were jobless, 37 were married, 63 were urban residents, 63 were educated. Prevalence of exacerbation factors was as following: infection was found in 60.3% of the patients, exercise in 57.5%, dust in 72.6%, smoking in 60.6%, food in 24.7%, others (stress, perfumes) in 20.5%. The prevalence of Montelukast use in this study was 46% (34 patients). Out of 34 patients using Montelukast, 28 were using inhaled salbutamol, 5 were using oral salbutamol, 15 were using inhaled corticosteroids, 9 were using systematic corticosteroids, 2 were using xanthines, and 6 were using ketotifen. CONCLUSION: Montelukast was used as add-on therapy with the inhaled corticosteroids to reduce the required dose of inhaled corticosteroids also the use of Montelukast lead to reduced number of exacerbations which will be reflected on the use of inhaled salbutamol and systematic corticosteroids. Also, Montelukast was superior to xanthines and ketotifen as an add-on therapy.
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by Leishmania parasite, this disease considers a major health problem among worldwide. Treatments available are expensive or with cytotoxic side effect. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of an herbal new compound, called artemisinin, derived from a Chinese plant called Artemisia annua. Various concentrations were studied in vitro against L. tropica amastigotes by chamber counting to investigate its effect on the proliferation of promastigotes. Three incubation periods were adopted (24, 48, 72) hours. The results showed a significant decrease in surviving promastigotes, in parallel with the normal parasite count of untreated promastigotes, along the periods studied. Th
... Show MoreThe activation energy and optical band gap of different regions (p-type) polysilicon have been measured. Both microscopic studies and current-voltage characteristics of diodes prepared on different surface regions were carried out. Comparison of diodes parameters and microscopic studies indicate that the type of angles between boundaries has a significant effect on diodes parameters while the boundary lengths per unit area has less effect. The mechanism of Al-interaction with grain boundaries and their intersecting points at different temperature were also studies. The X-ray fluorescence spectrometry has been used for detection of diffused A1%.
Academia Open Vol 8 No 2 (2023): December DOI: 10.21070/acopen.8.2023.8087 . Article type: (Medicine)Impact of COVID-19 on Dental Students' Psychological Health Maryam Hameed Alwan, [email protected], (1) Department of Oral Diagnosis, College of Dentistry, Baghdad University, Iraq, Iraq (1) Corresponding author Abstract This study investigates the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental students at Baghdad University College of Dentistry. Conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, this cross-sectional survey aligns with ethical guidelines and the Helsinki Declaration. The study utilized Cochran's equation to determine a sample size of at least 400, ensuring a 95% confidence level with a 5% margin of e
... Show MoreMilling Machining is a widely accepted nontraditional machining technique used to produce parts with complex shapes and configurations. The material is removed in two stages roughing and finishing, the flat end cutter removed the unwanted part of material, then finished by end mill cutter. In milling technique, the role of machining factors such as cutting depth, spindle speed and feed has been studied using Taguchi technique to find its effectiveness on surface roughness. Practical procedure is done by Taguchi Standard matrix. CNC milling is the most conventional process which is used for removing of material from workpiece to perform the needed shapes. The results and relations indicate that the rate of feed is v
... Show MoreChemical spray pyrolysis technique was used at substrate temperature 250 ˚C with annealing temperature at 400 ˚C (for 1hour) to deposition tungsten oxide thin film with different doping concentration of Au nanoparticle (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40)% wt. on glass substrate with thickness about 100 nm. The structural, optical properties were investigated. The X-ray diffraction shows that the films at substrate temperature (250 ˚C) was amorphous while at annealing temperature have a polycrystalline structure with the preferred orientation of (200), all the samples have a hexagonal structure for WO3 and Au gold nanoparticles have a cubic structure. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to characterize the morphology of the films. The optical pr
... Show MoreThe living urban space is considered one of the most important elements of the success of modern cities, and it is the first mental image that is formed by people (residents and visitors) of the city , a measure of the frequency, presence and interaction of people in the spaces is an indication of the city's vitality, well-being and economic strength .
The occupation of the city of Mosul before the terrorist ISIS in 2014 and the subsequent liberation operations and the end of the war in 2017 had a great impact on the destruction of the old city on the right side and the death of its urban spaces due to the abandonment of people to it, especially the area (Al-Midan and Al-Qalayaat),
... Show MoreThe study aimes to analyze the discourse of Arab tweeters regarding the normalization of Arab-Israeli relations on the social media site (Twitter).
Study Methodology: The study relay on the survey method, using the comprehensive survey method, and this research is one of the descriptive types that aim to describe the phenomenon in a qualitative way, and discuss it through the method of in-depth analysis, in addition to using the tools of (discourse analysis).
Study sample: A sample of (8686) tweets for (7425) tweeters, which was posted on Twitter during the period from 15/9 to 30/9/2020, on the issue of normalizing Arab-Israeli relations.
Study tools: The data study was collected using the data mining tool from social networks (