Background: Osteoporosis is an extra-articular complication of rheumatoid arthritis that results in increased risk of fractures and associated morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Objective: To evaluate changes in bone mineral density in a sample of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on biological (anti tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha) and non-biological agent disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study enrolled 60 RA patients diagnosed by rheumatologist according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (2010 ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for RA. Thirty patient on biological agent (anti TNF alpha) and 30 patient on non-biological agent (D

This paper describes a microcontroller-based function generator system. By the function generator sine wave, square wave, quasi-square wave, saw-tooth and triangular waveforms are generated over a wide frequency range according to user requirements. By utilizing processing capabilities of the microcontroller the hardware is minimized exceedingly. The output waveform shapes are digitally-controlled to achieve the required wave shape. The single chip microcomputer of waveform generation equipment offers the possibility of improvements in manufacture reliability, maintenance and servicing and increased control flexibility. The system is built and tested. The results of test were satisfactory and appreciated by test engineers at different ce

This work includes design, implementation and testing of a microcontroller – based spectrum analyzer system. Both hardware and software structures are built to verify the main functions that are required by such system. Their design utilizes the permissible and available tools to achieve the main functions of the system in such a way to be modularly permitting any adaptation for a specific changing in the application environment. The analysis technique, mainly, depends on the Fourier analysis based methods of spectral analysis with the necessary required preconditioning processes. The software required for waveform analysis has been prepared. The spectrum of the waveform has been displayed, and the instrument accuracy has been checked.

This study presents the debonding propagation in single NiTi wire shape memory alloy into linear low-density polyethylene matrix composite the study of using the pull-out test. The aim of this study is to investigate the pull-out tests to check the interfacial strength of the polymer composite in two cases, with activation NiTinol wire and without activation. In this study, shape memory alloy NiTinol wire 2 mm diameter and linear fully annealed straight shape were used. The study involved experimental and finite element analysis and eventually comparison between them. This pull-out test is considered a substantial test because its results have a relation with behavior of smart composite materials. The pull-out test was carried out by a u

The detection of fungi contaminating maize grain and the effect of four plant extracts Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus globulus Glycyrrhiza glabra and Zingiber officinale on the growth of A. flavus and its ability to produce AflatoxinB1. The results showed that the incidence of Aspergillus spp., was 52.75% of the isolated fungi, of which 29.50% was due to Aspergillus flavus, followed by Penicillium spp., with an incidence of 21.06%, and then Fusarium spp., with a rate of 18.13%. The percentage of toxin-producing A. flavus isolates reached 70.8% out of 24 isolates. The results showed the effect of alcoholic plant extracts at a concentration of 10 mg/ml on the fungal growth activity of A. flavus, the alcoholic extract of neem leaves was superi

   The present research was conducted to synthesis Y-Zeolite by sol-gel technique using MWCNT (multiwalled carbon nanotubes) as crystallization medium to get a narrow range of particle size distribution with small average size compared with ordinary methods. The phase pattern, chemical structure, particle size, and surface area were detected by XRD, FTIR, BET and AFM, respectively. Results shown that the average size of Zeolite with and without using MWCNT were (92.39) nm and (55.17) nm respectively .Particle size range reduced from (150-55) nm to (130-30) nm. The surface area enhanced to be (558) m²/g with slightly large pore volume (0.231) km³/g was obtained. Meanwhile, degree of crystallization decrease

The calculation of the charge on an isolated dust grain immersed in plasma with different grain sizes is a challenging one, especially under moderately high plasma temperature when secondary electron emission significant. The discrete charging model is used to calculate the charges of dust grain in dusty plasma. In this model, we included the effect of grain size dependence on secondary electron emission. The results show that the secondary electron emission from the glass dust grains due to energetic electron (40eV) can lead to the small grain to be slightly more positive than the large grain. Under these conditions, the smaller and larger grains would be attracted rather than repelled, which possibly lead to enhanced coagulation rates.