The rehabilitation of deteriorated pavements using Asphalt Concrete (AC) overlays consistently confronts the reflection cracking challenge, where inherent cracks and joints from an existing pavement layer are mirrored in the new overlay. To address this issue, the current study evaluates the effectiveness of Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) and geotextile fabric as mitigation strategies. ECC, characterized by its tensile ductility, fracture resistance, and high deformation capacity, was examined in interlayer thicknesses of 7, 12, and 17 mm. Additionally, the impact of geotextile fabric positioning at the base and at 1/3 depth of the AC specimen was explored. Utilizing the Overlay Testing Machine (OTM) for evaluations, the research demonstrated that ECC17 significantly mitigated reflection cracking, showing a notable 764% increase in the number of load cycles to failure (Nf) compared to the Geotextile Base (GB) specimen. Against the Reference Specimen (RS), ECC17 exhibited a remarkable 1307% enhancement in Nf values, underscoring its effectiveness. Geotextile fabric, particularly at 1/3 depth, demonstrated notable resistance but was overshadowed by the performance of ECC interlayers. The results clearly indicate that ECC, especially ECC17, stands out as an effective solution for mitigating reflection cracking, including joints, in AC overlays.
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has been demonstrated to induce testicular damage via oxidative stress. Bromelain (Br), a proteolytic enzyme known for its biological activities and pharmacological properties, exhibits limited absorption owing to its low solubility and bioavailability. The present study aimed to investigate the histological and immunohistochemical effects of bromelain conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the testis histology of albino mice treated with CCl4. Thirty-five male albino mice (Mus musculus), with an average age of 9 weeks, were randomly divided into five groups, each containing seven mice. The experiment was prolonged for four weeks. The first group (G1) was the control group, the second group (G2) re
... Show MoreSocial determinants of health (SDH) profoundly influence diabetes outcomes; nevertheless, their impact on the Iraqi diabetic population remains under researched. The objectives of this study were To investigate the relationship between particular social determinants of health (SDH) variables namely food and housing insecurity, social support, income, and education and clinical outcomes, including HbA1c levels, medication adherence, and patient satisfaction among Iraqi diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study involving 212 diabetic patients in Iraq was conducted. Participants attending a healthcare facility in Iraq filled out validated questionnaires regarding social determinants of health, medication adherence, and satisfaction. HbA1c rea
... Show MoreAn experimental and numerical study has been carried out to investigate the heat transfer by natural convection and radiation in a two dimensional annulus enclosure filled with porous media (glass beads) between two horizontal concentric cylinders. The outer cylinders are of (100, 82 and70mm) outside diameters and the inner cylinder of 27 mm outside diameter with (or without) annular fins attached to it. Under steady state condition; the inner cylinder surface is maintained at a high temperature by applying a uniform heat flux and the outer cylinder surface at a low temperature inside a freezer. The experiments were carried out for an annulus filled with
glass beads at a range of modified Rayleigh number (4.9 ≤ Ra≤ 69), radiation
Unstable angina pectoris often leads to acute myocardial infarction. Since uric acid is thought to be risk factor for cardiovascular disease and considered a major antioxidant in human blood .The level of uric acid and lipid peroxidation in the sera of patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction were measured and compared to the healthy individuals. Twenty-nine patients with unstable angina and twenty-nine patients with myocardial infarction were studied and compared to twenty-five healthy individuals. Uric acid was measured by using Human Kit. Malondialdelyde (MDA) a lipid peroxidation marker, was measured by thiobarbituric acid method .Significant elevation of uric acid and MDA were observed in the sera of pati
... Show MoreBackground: Diabetes mellitus (DM) could be regarded as a set of chronic metabolic disorders which have a common aspect of hyperglycemia. The resistance in the peripheral actions of insulin or impaired insulin secretion could be the reason hepcidin which is a peptide hormone derived from liver, in systemic iron homeostasis is an essential regulator, and its lopsided production participates in the pathogenesis of iron disorders in spectrum. Osteoporosis often accompanies many diseases like ß-thalassemia, hemochromatosis, sickle liver diseases, cell disease and hemosiderosis featured by iron overload, evidences suggest that Iron overload and iron deficiency are suggested by evidences that they affect bone in a negative way, acting
... Show MoreBackground: Several studies linked the development of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) to genetic variations in the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, though a disparity in findings was underlined among children with different ethnic origins. Objective: This study examined the relationship between MDR1 variants (rs2032582 and rs2032583) and the risk of developing SRNS in Iraqi patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS). Methods: This case-control study included children with steroid-sensitive INS (SSNS; n=30) and SRNS (n=30) from the Babylon Hospital for Maternity and Pediatrics. Sanger sequencing was used to determine the participants’ genotypes. Results: The rs2032582 genotypes and alleles were not associated
... Show MoreBackground: This study aimed to determine the value of Beta angle for a sample of Iraqi adults with class I skeletal and dental relations and to verify the existence of sexual dimorphism and to find out the relation between this angle and other craniofacial measurements. Materials and Methods: Sixty dental students (23 males and 37 females) with an age ranged between 20-31 years old and having class I skeletal and dental relations were chosen for this study. Each student was subjected to clinical examination and digital true lateral cephalometric radiograph. The radiographs were analyzed using AutoCAD 2007 computer program to measure the angular and linear variables. Descriptive statistics were obtained for the measurements for both genders
... Show MoreLeft bundle branch block (LBBB) is a common finding in electrocardiography, there are many causes of LBBB.
The aim of this study is to discuss the true prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with LBBB and associated risk factors in the form of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
Patients with LBBB were admitted to the Iraqi heart center for cardiac disea
The aim of this study is to detect the level of psychological stress among unemployed individuals and the level of their wellbeing by finding the correlation between these two variables.
The research sample consisted of (99) people who are currently unemployed and registered at the Ministry of Labor Affairs.
Schafer (1996) scale for psychological stress was used and alongside Ziout's (2012) scale for wellbeing.
The results of the research showed an inverse relation between being unemployed and having wellbeing.
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... Show MoreCholelithiasis is one of the commonest surgical problems and one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases throughout the world but its pathogenesis remains unclear. Many theories have been proposed forward to explain the mechanism of stone formation. It is not fully clear if symptomatic gallstone disease is associated with a specific pattern of some biochemical abnormalities, as lipid profile and fasting blood sugar in serum of patients.
This study was designed to estimate lipid profile and fasting blood sugar in the sera of patients with cholelithiasis in comparison with normal individuals (control).
In this study, 104(male=16, female=88) were symptomatic gallstone patients (aged 42.79± 12.18 years), and 38(male=6
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