Worldwide, hundreds of millions of people have been infected with COVID-19 since December 2019; however, about 20% or less developed severe symptoms. The main aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between the severity of Covid-19 and different clinical and laboratory parameters. A total number of 466 Arabs have willingly joined this prospective cohort. Out of the total number, 297 subjects (63.7%) had negative COVID-19 tests, and thus, they were recruited as controls, while 169 subjects (36.3%) who tested positive for COVID-19 were enrolled as cases. Out of the total number of COVID-19 patients, 127 (75.15%) presented with mild symptoms, and 42 (24.85%) had severe symptoms. The age range for the participants was 20 to 82 years. Compared with controls, the severity of the disease was associated with significantly high ferritin levels (P < 0.001). The severity of the disease was also associated with a significant increase in C-reactive protein (P < 0.001), D-dimer (P < 0.001), white blood cell count (WBC) (P < 0.01), IgM (P < 0.001), and Granulocytes (P < 0.01). In addition, severe COVID-19 symptoms in the current study were associated with a significant decrease in lymphocytes (P < 0.01). There was a four-fold increase in serum ferritin levels in COVID-19 patients presented with severe symptoms upon admission. The former was associated with significantly high levels of CRP and D-dimer. Thus, hyperferritinemia, together with high CRP and D-dimer concentrations, may serve as reliable predictors for disease severity and poor prognosis in Arabs with COVID-19.
Background: In young adults, multiple sclerosis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory demyelinating condition. It is characterized by white matter affection, but many individuals also have significant gray matter involvement. A double-inversion recovery pulse (DIR) pattern was recently proposed to improve the visibility of multiple sclerosis lesions. Objective: To find out how well a DIR sequence, FLAIR, and T2-weighted pulse sequences can find MS lesions in the supratentorial and infratentorial regions. Methods: A total of 37 patients with established diagnoses of multiple sclerosis were included in this cross-sectional study. Brain MRI was done using double inversion recovery, T2, and FLAIR sequences. The number of lesions was count
... Show MoreIn this study, 158 clinical samples were collected from hospitalized burn patients during the period from December 2012 to June 2013 in Karbala province\ Iraq. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests and then identification was confirmed by using Vitek-2 compact system. Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovery was 60 isolates in this study. These isolates were analyzed for antibiotic susceptibility by the disk diffusion test (DDT) according to Kirby Bauer's method using seven clinically important antipseudomonal agents: carbapenems (Imipenem and Meropenem), pencillins (Piperacillin), cephalosporins (Ceftazidim), monobactam (Aztreonam), quinolones (Ciprofloxacin) and aminoglycosides (Gentamicin). The results of resista
... Show MoreIntelligent or smart completion wells vary from conventional wells. They have downhole flow control devices like Inflow Control Devices (ICD) and Interval Control Valves (ICV) to enhance reservoir management and control, optimizing hydrocarbon output and recovery. However, to explain their adoption and increase their economic return, a high level of justification is necessary. Smart horizontal wells also necessitate optimizing the number of valves, nozzles, and compartment length. A three-dimensional geological model of the As reservoir in AG oil field was used to see the influence of these factors on cumulative oil production and NPV. After creating the dynamic model for the As reservoir using the program Petrel (2017.4), we
... Show MoreExperts have given much attention on the use of waste in asphalt paving because of its significance from a sustainability perspective. This paper evaluated the performance properties of asphalt concrete mixes modified with Crumb Rubber (CR) as a partial replacement for two grade sizes of fine aggregate (2.36, and 0.3 mm) at six replacement rates: 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight. Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at their Optimum Asphalt Content (OAC) and then tested for their engineering properties. Marshall properties, fatigue, rutting, ideal CT index test, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy were deployed to examine the crystalline structure and elemental composition of the C
... Show MoreExpired drug Metoclopramide was investigated as an antibacterial corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 0.5M H3PO4 solution using the electrochemical method at 30oC and 60oC. The results showed that this drug is an efficient inhibitor for carbon steel and the efficiency reached to 82.244 % for 175 ppm at 30oC and 76.146% for 225 ppm at 60oC. The adsorption of drug on carbon steel surface follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm with small values of adsorption-desorption constant. The polarization plots revealed that Metoclopramide acts as mixed-type inhibitor. Some parameters of inhibition process were calculated and discussed. The surface morphology of the carbon steel speci
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a clinical syndrome that occurs when there is gradual decline in renal operation overtime.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression among medical students at university of Baghdad, college of medicine in Iraq and the association between some variables and depression.
Aim: This study aimed to identify the impact of tobacco use in the etiology of chronic renal failure among Sudanese patients in Omdurman Military Hospital and Omdurman Kidney Dialysis Center
Materials and methods: This descriptive community-based study was conducted in Khartoum State. A random sample of 100 cases with chronic renal failure and 100
... Show MoreBackground : Xanthomatosis is a disease in which large tendon tumors can occur, especially in the Achilles tendon. This disease is a rare interesting orthopaedic condition. Case Report:A case of a twenty eight year old girl patient with giant bilateral Achilles tendon xanthomas in which both tumors were resected. There was no ulceration on the both sides. The patient was treated by total resection of the lesion and reconstruction using tendon transfer of the Peroneus brevis and Flexor hallusis longus. Postoperative treatment consisted of six weeks lower leg cast immobilization followed by partial weight bearing. After 4 months the patient was able to walk pain free without any difficulties. It has been suggested that total resection with au
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