Background: Oocytes are susceptible to alterations in the various fatty acid contents of follicular fluid (FF), which may influence maturation and embryogenesis. Different fatty acids exert various effects on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which needs further studies to uncover the involved mechanisms. Objectives: To assess FF fatty acids in women undergoing ICSI and to correlate them with ICSI parameters, namely the total count of aspirated oocytes, oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate and percentage of good-quality embryos. Methods: Fifty women undergoing ICSI were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. FF samples were collected during oocyte retrieval and were analyzed for fatty acids using gas chromatography. Fatty acids were calculated as percentages of the total fatty acids. Results: The most common fatty acids found in the FF of women who underwent ICSI were palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid, with median (interquartile range) of 58.61%(21.66%), 26.27%(14.31%), and 20.13%(31.05%), respectively. Palmitic acid correlated inversely and significantly with oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate, and percentage of good-quality embryos, with p=0.003, 0.037, and 0.028, respectively. Stearic acid correlated negatively and significantly with oocyte maturation rate (p=0.037) and fertilization rate (p=0.041). Furthermore, an inversely significant correlation was noticed between propionic acid and the percentage of good-quality embryos, as indicated by p=0.014. Conclusions: Palmitic, stearic, and propionic acids in the FF might influence ICSI parameters; thus, they might be used as markers of oocyte developmental competence. Nevertheless, further research is warranted.
Time series is an important statistical method adopted in the analysis of phenomena, practices, and events in all areas during specific time periods and predict future values contribute to give a rough estimate of the status of the study, so the study aimed to adopt the ARIMA models to forecast the volume of cargo handled and achieved in four ports (Umm Qasr Port, Khor Al Zubair Port, Abu Flus Port, and Maqal Port(, Monthly data on the volume of cargo handled for the years (2006-2018) were collected (156) observations. The study found that the most efficient model is ARIMA (1,1,1).
The volume of go
... Show MoreMany researchers have tackled the shear behavior of Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams by using different kinds of strengthening in the shear regions and steel fibers. In the current paper, the effect of multiple parameters, such as using one percentage of Steel Fibers (SF) with and without stirrups, without stirrups and steel fibers, on the shear behavior of RC beams, has been studied and compared by using Finite Element analysis (FE). Three-dimensional (3D) models of (RC) beams are developed and analyzed using ABAQUS commercial software. The models were validated by comparing their results with the experimental test. The total number of beams that were modeled for validation purposes was four. Extensive pa
... Show MoreThis research aims to study the important of the effect of analysis of covariance manner for one of important of design for multifactor experiments, which called split-blocks experiments design (SBED) to deal the problem of extended measurements for a covariate variable or independent variable (X) with data of response variable or dependent variable Y in agricultural experiments that contribute to mislead the result when analyze data of Y only. Although analysis of covariance with discussed in experiments with common deign, but it is not found information that it is discussed with split-Blocks experiments design (SBED) to get rid of the impact a covariance variable. As part application actual field experiment conducted, begun at
... Show MoreTwenty three samples of granular chemical fertilizers and organic fertilizers commonly utilized in Iraqi ranches were collected. The samples were prepaid and stored in a Marinelli beaker to measure; dose rate, general count rate and surface contamination of the samples using the RadEye B20 detector, firstly with shield, secondly without the shield to estimate the effect of shielding on the measurements. The results showed that using shield made a significant decrease in the radiation measurements reached about 25%. However the mean value of surface contamination, dose rate and general count rate with shield were 0.54Bq/cm2, 0.65µsv/h, and 0.28Cps respectively, and without shield being 0.34Bq/cm2, 1.33µsv/h, and 1.52Cps respectively
... Show MoreBackground: This study was conducted to evaluate the hard palate bone density and thickness during 3rd and 4th decades and their relationships with body mass index (BMI) and compositions, to allow more accurate mini-implant placement. Materials and method: Computed tomographic (CT) images were obtained for 60 patients (30 males and 30 females) with age range 20-39 years. The hard palate bone density and thickness were measured at 20 sites at the intersection of five anterioposterior and four mediolateral reference lines with 6 and 3 mm intervals from incisive foramen and mid-palatal suture respectively. Diagnostic scale operates according to the bioelectric impedance analysis principle was used to measure body weight; percentages of body fa
... Show MoreThe mechanical design of elevator elements is always performed by international standards. The engineer selects the appropriate elements of elevator according to catalogues without knowing scientific details. Therefore, a theoretical analysis is achieved at two operating conditions for guide rails (1) safety gear operation, and (2) running condition with the loads unevenly distributed on the elevator car. The guide rail is considered a continuous beam with variable supports. Then the British code is listed showing the equations used in it.
The theoretical equations showed that guide rails are never subjected to stress in simultaneous combined buckling and bending in the plane, where the bending moment is exerted. It is always a c
... Show MoreAbstract:
The achievement of economic and social welfare for individual is the main target to all policies that adopted by all countries worldwide either were economic, social, political or others. The obtaining of education by individuals and especially the higher education is one of the most important determinates in achieving the wellbeing and lasted economic development. This is because via the higher education new fields can be opened in front of individuals in order to get adequate jobs associated with their scientific specialization. This is allowing educated individuals gain higher income that can reduce the gap of income inequality.
Thus, this paper aims to analysis the n
... Show MoreThe advent of UNHCR reports has given rise to the uniqueness of its distinctive way of image representation and using semiotic features. So, there are a lot of researches that have investigated UNHCR reports, but no research has examined images in UNHCR reports of displaced Iraqis from a multimodal discourse perspective. The present study suggests that the images are, like language, rich in many potential meanings and are governed by clearly visual grammar structures that can be employed to decode these multiple meanings. Seven images are examined in terms of their representational, interactional and compositional aspects. Depending on the results, this study concludes that the findings support the visual grammar theory and highlight the va
... Show MoreBackground: Both bladder cancer and schistosomiasis are endemic in Egypt. The former has a unique epidemiological pattern, which has been linked to bladder infestation by Schistosoma. The last decades have witnessed a great reduction in the infection rate of schistosomiasis and a decline in the incidence and changes in the patterns of bladder cancer. Whether these changes are linked to each other or a co-incidence is a subject of investigations.
Method: Literature on epidemiological data of bladder cancer and Schistosoma in Egypt was searched for in Medline, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Furthermore, a hand search for literature and reports released by the Egyptian government and involved agencies was perfo
... Show MoreThe dimensions of bubbles were measured in a stirrer tank electrochemical reactor, where the analysis of the bubble size distribution has a substantial impact on the flow dynamics. The high-speed camera and image processing methods were used to obtain a reliable photo. The influence of varied air flow rates (0.3; 0.5; 1 l/min) on BSD was thoroughly investigated. Two types of distributors (cubic and circular) were examined, and the impact of various airflow rates on BSD was investigated in detail. The results showed that the bubbles for the two distributors were between 0.5 and 4.5 mm. For both distributors at each airflow, the Sauter mean diameter for the bubbles was calculated. According to the results, as the flow rate raised, the bubb
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