Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is one of the autoimmune disorders, generated by a production of specific autoantibodies against self-antigens before the occurrence of clinical symptoms. The etiology of disease is still unknown, although there have been several infectious agents that have been associated with SLE development, especially in genetically predisposed individuals. Herpes simplex virus-I and -II (HSV-I and -II) and Toxoplasma gondiiare two infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in SLE etiology. Accordingly, the present study assessed anti- HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in sera of 64 SLE female patients and 32 healthy control women. The patients were distributed into two equal subgroups (32 cases in each subgroup); the first included patients with arthritis, while the second group involved patients that have renal complications (nephritis). In both subgroups of SLE patients, there was no evidence for sero-positive cases for anti-HSV-I and -II and anti-T. gondii antibodies, and all studied patients were sero-negative for theseantibodies. These results may suggest that HSV-I and -II and T. gondii infections have no role in SLE etiology.
ABSTRACT The antibacterial and antbiofilm activities of water extract of Calendula officinalis flowers against some of enteropathogenic bacteria was studied, also phytochemical screening and determination of antioxidant activity of the extract has been investigated. The results showed that the water extract of C. officinalis exhibited a good antibacterial activity against all pathogenic bacterial isolates (Salmonella, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei and E. coli) especially at concentration 100 µg/ml in contrast with the control cefotan antibiotic. S. sonnei was more sensitive to extract than other bacteria with highest inhibition zone (23 mm). The preliminary phytochemical tests results indicated the presence
... Show MoreTwo grades of paving asphalt with penetration of 46 and 65 are studied for determining changes in their physical and chemical properties caused by ageing.
The ageing process has been conducted on two petroleum paving asphalt cement using thin film oven test at 150, 163 and 175 C, and ageing time 5, 10,15, 20, 25 and 30 hours. The effect of ageing time and temperature on penetration, kinematic viscosity, softening point, solubility in trichloroethylene, heat loss and changes in chemical composition are investigated. The results of thin film oven test process indicte that the asphaltenes concentration of all aged asphalt increases with increasing ageing time, while the opposite was observed for polar-aromatic and naphthene-aromatic. The
Aims: To assess the success rate and implant stability changes of narrow dental implants (NDIs) during the osseous healing period. Materials and methods: This prospective observational clinical study included 21 patients with narrow alveolar ridge of restricted mesiodistal interdental span who received NDIs. The alveolar ridge width was determined by the ridge mapping technique. Implant stability was measured using Periotest® M immediately after implant insertion then after 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively. The outcome variables were success rate and implant stability changes during the healing period. The statistical analysis included one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey\'s multiple comparisons test, values < 0.05 w
... Show MoreThe international order have been changed during the modern and contemporary history, and however those changing in international order doesn't go to beyond several concepts such as " balance of power";" conflict"; "power" and " threaten", which all those are depending on the fundamentals or basic terms which was called " power" or" hard power". In this time, we can say that the political relations among the effective units could be analyzed according to the concept of " balance of threaten" instead of the classic concept which had called " balance of power" that the scholars used to describe the international relations . In conclusion , the concept of " balance of threaten" has a significant importance in the studies of the internationa
... Show MoreBacteria strain H7, which produces flocculating substances, was isolated from the soil of corn field at the College of Agriculture in Abu-Ghrib/Iraq, and identified as Bacillus subtilis by its biochemical /physiological characteristics. The biochemical analysis of the partially purified bioflocculant revealed that it was a proteoglycan composed of 93.2 % carbohydrate and 6.1 % protein. The effects of bioflocculant dosage, temperature, pH, and different salts on the flocculation activity were evaluated. The maximum flocculation activity was observed at an optimum bioflocculant dosage of 0.2 mL /10 mL (49.6%). The bioflocculant had strong thermal stability within the range of 30-80 °C, and the flocculating activity was over 50 %. The biofloc
... Show MoreSixty four local isolated of Klebsiella spp. have been isolated from environment samples (soil and water). These isolates were identified and diagnosis according to phenotype and biochemical tests. These isolates were subjected to primary and secondary screening, to select the isolate with the highest laccase activity. Fifteen isolates chosen from primary screening for screening their enzyme activity in secondary screening. It has been found the Klebsiella(K7) has the highest productivity of the enzyme (12 Unit/ml).Klebsiella(K7) isolate was diagnosis by Vitak 2 system, it was identified asK. pneumonia. The laccase purified was characterization, the experiments showed that: The molecular weight of laccase was 120KD and the optimum pH for th
... Show MoreRecently the use of nanofluids represents very important materials. They are used in different branches like medicine, engineering, power, heat transfer, etc. The stability of nanofluids is an important factor to improve the performance of nanofluids with good results. In this research two types of nanoparticles, TiO2 (titanium oxide) and γ-Al2O3 (gamma aluminum oxide) were used with base fluid water. Two-step method were used to prepare the nanofluids. One concentration 0.003 vol. %, the nanoparticles were examined. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to accomplish these tests. The stability of the two types of nanofluids is measured by
... Show MoreThe study focused on the results of first paleostress from thrust fault slip data on Tertiary age of Hemrin North Structure, North of Iraq. The stress inversion was performed for fault slip data using an improved right dihedral model, and then followed by rotational optimization (Georient Software). The trend of the principal stress axes (σ1, σ2 and σ3) and the ratio of the principal stress differences (R) show the main paleostress field is NE-SW compression regime. As well as using Lisle graph and Mohr diagram to determine the magnitudes of palestress. The values paleostress of the study area were σ1=1430 bars, σ2=632 bars and σ3=166 bar. The large magnitudes of the primary stress axes could be attributed to active tecto
... Show MoreCompounds were prepared from In2O3 doped SnO2 with different doping ratio by mixing and sintering at 1000oC. Pulsed Laser Deposition PLD was used to deposit thin films of different doping ratio In2O3: SnO2 (0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 % wt.) on glass and p-type wafer Si(111) substrates at ambient temperature under vacuum of 10-3 bar thickness of ~100nm. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy were used to examine the structural type, grain size and morphology of the prepared thin films. The results show the structures of thin films was also polycrystalline, and the predominate peaks are identical with standard cards ITO. On the other side the prepared thin films declared a reduction of degree of crystallinity with the increase of doping ra
... Show More