Abstract- Asymptomatic or clinically silent kidney stones are possibly serious because, in their expected passage, they may cause infection, obstruction and renal impairment. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of silent kidney stones in a sample of Baghdad population and consider how this value could affect the justification for a screening system. To our best knowledge, this is the first study of its kind conducted in Iraq. We investigated 714 consecutive patients who sustained an abdominal ultrasound at our hospital with further kidney screening. All these patients did not have clinical signs and symptoms of nephrolithiasis. Age, sex, the indication for ultrasound, the size, side, and the number of the discovered stones were recorded. We observed silent kidney stones in 3.4% of patients. Males were stone carriers mostly. Stones were detected more in the left kidney than the right. Distinctly, multiple stones and stones of a large size were minimally seen. We conclude that the prevalence of clinically silent nephrolithiasis of 3.4% does not support a global screening. Yet, this screening may be justified in a limited pattern for those male subjects higher than 50 years, having a positive family history of renal stones, and their socioeconomic status is granted.
The silicon carbide/carbon fiber (SiC/CF) hybrid fillers were introduced to improve the electrical and thermal conductivities of the epoxy resin composites. Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the peaks at 3532 and 2850 cm−1 relate to carboxylic acid O–H stretching and aldehyde C–H stretching appearing deeper with an increased volume fraction of SiC. Scanning electron microscopic image shows a better interface bonding between the fiber and the matrix when the volume fraction of SiC particles are increased. As frequency increases from 102 Hz to 106 Hz, dielectric constants decrease slightly. Dissipation factor (tan δ) values keep low a
... Show MoreIncreasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of silicon solar cells by improving their junction properties or minimizing light reflection losses remains a major challenge. Extensive studies were carried out in order to develop an effective antireflection coating for monocrystalline solar cells. Here we report on the preparation of a nanostructured cerium oxide thin film by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) as an antireflection coating for silicon solar cell. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of a cerium oxide nanostructure film are investigated as a function of the number of laser pulses. The X-ray diffraction results reveal that the deposited cerium oxide films are crystalline in nature and have a cubic fluorite. The field
... Show MoreHighly Modified Asphalt (HiMA) binders have garnered significant attention due to their superior resistance to rutting, fatigue cracking, and thermal distress under heavy traffic loads and extreme environmental conditions. While elastomeric polymers such as Styrene- Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) have been extensively used in HiMA applications, the potential of plastomeric polymers, including Polyethylene (PE) and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), remains largely unexplored. This study aims to evaluate the performance of reference binder (RB) modified with plastomeric HiMA asphalt in comparison to SBS-modified binders and determine the optimal polymer dosage for achieving an optimal balance between rutting resistance and fatigue durability. The experi
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The main aim of this study is to evaluate the remaining oil in previously produced zones, locate the water productive zone and look for any bypassed oil behind casing in not previously perforated intervals. Initial water saturation was calculated from digitized open hole logs using a cut-off value of 10% for irreducible water saturation. The integrated analysis of the thermal capture cross section, Sigma and Carbon/oxygen ratio was conducted and summarized under well shut-in and flowing conditions. The logging pass zone run through sandstone Zubair formation at north Rumaila oil field. The zones where both the Sigma and the C/O analysis show high remaining oil saturation simila
... Show MoreAdsorption studies were performed at different initial Tetracycline (TC) and Amoxicillin (AMO) concentration, different biomass dosage and type, contact time, agitation speed, and initial pH. In the batch mode were investigated. The optimum pH of solutions is 6.5 for TC and 5 for AMO, agitation speed 200 rpm and concentration 50 ppm. The results in FTIR showed that there were -OH and amides (N-H) and other functional groups on the surface of Cladophora and Spirulina algae. The equilibrium isotherm data were modeled with Freundlich, Temkin, and Langmuir isotherm models. The data best fitted with the Langmuir model. The maximal adsorption capacity from the Langmuir model was (9.86, 20. 5 mg/g) for TC and (7.89, 17.4 mg/g) for AMO on
... Show MoreThe present study was undertaken to study the effect of apigenin and luteolin on physiological and histological changes in rats treated with cytarabine drugs. Thirty-five albino healthy male adult rats with equal age weighing 250 -300g were enrolled. Rats were randomly divided into seven groups according to the treatment. Group “1” was treated with normal saline and served as the control group. Groups “2,3 and 4” received cytarabine, apigenin, and luteolin respectively, while groups 5, 6, and 7 received a combination of “apigenin + cytarabine”, “luteolin + cytarabine”, and “apigenin + luteolin + cytarabine”, respectively. After one week of treatment, all seven groups of rats were
... Show MoreThe inhibitory effect of acetone, ethanol, and aqueous extracts of ten medicinal plants on β-lactamase from Staphylococcus sciuri and Klebsiella pneumoniae was investigated in vitro by starch-iodine agar plate method. The results revealed the success of starch-iodine method for the detection of the inhibition of β-lactamase activity by the various extracts of each individual plant. The acetone extracts of Catharanthus roseus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Schinus terebinthifolius induced an inhibitory effect on β-lactamase from Staphylococcus sciuri. On the other hand, acetone extracts from only Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Schinus
... Show MoreA simplified theoretical comparison of the hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) chemical lasers is presented by using computer program. The program is able to predict quantitative variations of the laser characteristics as a function of rotational and vibrational quantum number. Lasing is assumed to occur in a Fabry-Perot cavity on vibration-rotation transitions between two vibrational levels of hypothetical diatomic molecule. This study include a comprehensive parametric analysis that indicates that the large rotational constant of HF laser in comparison with HCl laser makes it relatively easy to satisfy the partial inversion criterion. The results of this computer program proved their credibility when compared with th
... Show MoreThe gypseous soil may be one of the problems that face the engineers especially when it used as a foundation for hydraulic structures, roads, and other structures. Gypseous soil is strong soil and has good properties when it is dry, but the problem arises when building hydraulic installations or heavy buildings on this soil after wetting the water to the soil by raising the water table level from any source or from rainfall which leads to dissolve the gypsum content.
Cement-stabilized soil has been successfully used as a facing or lining for earth channel, highway embankments and drainage ditches to reduce the risk of erosion and collapsibility of soil. This study is deliberate the treatment of gypseous soil by u
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