Abstract: The development of highly sensitive sensors has become an efficient field of research. In this work, an ArF Excimer laser of 193 nm with a maximum pulse energy of 275 mJ, 15 ns pulse duration and a repetition rate of 1 Hz is utilized to form a Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) of three different morphologies (nanochains, contours, grooves) on surface of CR39 polymer at a fluence range above the ablation threshold (250 mJ/cm2). The laser ablated polymer surface is then Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) activated by deposition of a gold layer of 30 nm thickness. The capability of the produced substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering is evaluated through thiophenol as an analyte molecule. It is observ

Background: Direct measurement of intracellular magnesium using erythrocytes has been suggested as a sensitive indicator for the estimation of body magnesium store. Marked depletion in plasma and erythrocyte magnesium levels was particularly evident in diabetic patients with advanced retinopathy and poor diabetic control. While insulin has been shown to stimulate erythrocyte magnesium uptake, hyperglycemia per se suppressed intracellular magnesium in normal human red cells.
Aim of the study: To investigate the erythrocyte magnesium level in Iraqi type I and II diabetic patients, with specific emphasis on the effect of both, metabolic control and the type of antidiabetic treatments.
Methods: Sixty two diabetic patients (7 with type

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency with a life time prevalence of 1 to 7 individuals. Because the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis remains a challenge to surgeons, so different aids were introduced like different scoring systems, computer aided programs, ultrasonography, computerized tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Gastrointestinal tract contrast studies and laparoscopy to improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Objective: To evaluate ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in those patients clinically diagnosed with histopathology as gold standard.

Methods: A cross sectional study carried in Al-kindy Teaching

Crop diseases are usually caused by inoculum of pathogens which might exist on alternate hosts or weeds as endophytes. These endophytes, cum pathogens, usually confer some beneficial attributes to these weeds or alternate hosts from protection against herbivores, disease resistance, stress tolerance to secondary metabolites production. This study was therefore carried out to isolate potential crop pathogens which exist as endophytes on weed species in the University of Ilorin plantations. Green asymptomatic leaves were collected from 10 weed species across the plantations, and processed for their endophytic fungi isolation. Isolates were purified into pure cultures and used for molecular identification using the internal transcribed spac

Background: The use of electronic apex locators for working length determination eliminates many of the problems associated with the radiographic measurements (interference of anatomical structures, errors in projection such as elongation or shortening, and lack of three-dimensional representation). Its most important advantage over radiography is that it measures the length of the root canal to the apical constriction, not to the radiographic apex. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of a new fifth generation apex locator (Joypex 5) in recording the apical constriction and comparing it with a third generation apex locator (Root ZX) in vitro. Materials and method: Twenty four single-rooted sound human premolars, extracted for t

A new series of schiff base and aminothiadiazole derivatives of N- substituted phthalimide (I-VI) were synthesized. In this work, the intermediate 4-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)benzaldehyde compound (I), was formed by reaction of 4-amino benzaldehyde with phthalic anhydride in glacial acetic acid(GAA). A series of Schiff bases (IV-VI) was prepared by the reaction of benzidine with compound (I) in ethanol and presence of GAA as a catalyst to form compound (IV) which react with compound (I) and p-nitro benzyldehyde to give compound (V) and (VI) respectively. A new phthalimide thiosemi-carbazone derivative (ll) was prepared by reaction of compound (l) with thiosemi-carbazide HCl in the presence of equimolar amount of sodium acetate. Fina

The levels of circulating angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, namely vascular endothelial growth factor–A (VEGF-A) and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1), have been linked to the development of renal dysfunction due to the proliferation of microvasculature within the kidneys of type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients. The study aims to scrutinize serum levels of VEGF and sVEGFR-1 in a sample of Iraqi diabetic nephropathy patients to support their reliability as markers for the prediction of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients as well as to assess the ACE inhibitor’s effect on the levels of these two markers. Method: The ninety participants of this case-control study were split into three gr

The aim of the work is synthesis and characterization of new bidentate chalcone ligand type (NO):[(E)-1-(3-aminophenyl)-3-(4-chlorophenyl) prop-2-en-1-one] [H2L], from the reaction of 3-amino acetophenone with 4-chloro benzaldehyde to produce the ligand [H2L], the reaction was carried out in ethanol as a solvent under stirring. The prepared ligand [H2L] was characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, 1H, 13C-NMR spectra, Mass spectra, (C.H.N) and melting point. The complexes of ligand [H2L] were prepared with metal ion M(Π).Where M(Π) = (Mn ,Co ,Ni and Cu) at reflux ,using ethanol as a solvent and KOH as a base with molecular formula [M (H2L)2] +2 where: H2L= (C15H12NOCl). All the complexes were characterized by spectroscopic met