Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).Objectives: To validate the accuracy of mitral annular displacement (MAD), assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE), as a surrogate for determination of left ventricular systolic function in comparison to 2-Dimensions Simpson method in patients with different heart diseases.Methods : This cross-sectional study included patients who referred to outpatient department of Ibn Albitar Center for Cardiac Surgery, Baghdad, Iraq, between October 2012 and April 2013. STE continuously tracked annular

In wide range of chemical, petrochemical and energy processes, it is not possible to manage without slurry bubble column reactors. In this investigation, time average local gas holdup was recorded for three different height to diameter (H/D) ratios 3, 4 and 5 in 18" diameter slurry bubble column. Air-water-glass beads system was used with superficial velocity up to 0.24 m/s. the gas holdup was measured using 4-tips optical fiber probe technique. The results show that the axial gas holdup increases almost linearly with the superficial gas velocity in 0.08 m/s and levels off with a further increase of velocity. A comparison of the present data with those reported for other slurry bubble column having diameters larger than

Pathological blood clot in blood vessels, which often leads to cardiovascular diseases, are one of the most common causes of death in humans. Therefore, enzymatic therapy to degrade blood clots is vital. To achieve this goal, bromelain was immobilized and used for the biodegradation of blood clots. Bromelain was extracted from the pineapple fruit pulp (Ananas comosus) and purified by ion exchange chromatography after precipitation with ammonium sulphate (0-80 %), resulting in a yield of 70%, purification fold of 1.42, and a specific activity of 1175 U/mg. Bromelain was covalently immobilized on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), with an enzyme loading of 71.35%. The results of the characterization of free and immobilized

The effect of different Ti additions on the microstructure of Al-Ti alloy prepared by powder metallurgy was investigated. A certain amount of Ti (10wt%, 15wt%, and 20wt%) were added to aluminium and the tests like microhardness, density, scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical microscope (OM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were conducted to determine the influence of different Ti additives on the Al-Ti alloy properties and microstructure. The results show that the grains of α-Al changed from large grains to roughly spherical and then to small rounded grains with increasing Ti content, the micro-hardness of the alloy increases with increasing Ti, and XRD results confirm the formation of TiAl₃ intermetallic co

This research included measuring the concentrations of natural radioactive isotopes U-238 and Th-232 and radiation dose rates for selected areas of Missan province, GR-460 system was used which has the potential to measure the concentrations of natural radioactive isotopes in (ppm) unit and measuring the radiation dose rates in μR/h unit. It was also used with the system the mobile device FH-40 which measures the radiation dose rates in units μSμ/h the measurement results showed the absence of a significant increase in the U-238 and Th-232 concentration where the concentration of isotopes of U-238 and natural Th-232 (3.35-5.46) ppm respectively it is authorized and universally accepted. In terms of radiation dose rates it ranged betwe

A prepared PMMA/Anthracene film of thickness 70μm was irradiated under reduced pressure ~10-3 to 60Coγ-ray dose of (0.1mrad-10krad) range. The optical properties of the irradiated films were evaluated spectrophotometrically. The absorption spectrum showed induced absorption changes in the 200-400nm range. At 359nm, where there is a decrease in radiation-induced absorption, the optical density as a function of absorbed dose is linear from 10mrad-10Krad.It can therefore, be used as radiation dosimeter for gamma ray in the range 10mrd-10krad

In this research we solved numerically Boltzmann transport equation in order to calculate the transport parameters, such as, drift velocity, W, D/? (ratio of diffusion coefficient to the mobility) and momentum transfer collision frequency ?m, for purpose of determination of magnetic drift velocity WM and magnetic deflection coefficient ? for low energy electrons, that moves in the electric field E, crossed with magnetic field B, i.e; E×B, in the nitrogen, Argon, Helium and it's gases mixtures as a function of: E/N (ratio of electric field strength to the number density of gas), E/P300 (ratio of electric field strength to the gas pressure) and D/? which covered a different ranges for E/P300 at temperatures 300°k (Kelvin). The results show

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common disease especially among young children (before school age) and it is one of the common causes of acquired hearing loss in childhood. Pediatric patients with OME are usually undernourished. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the serum levels of trace elements (zinc, copper, magnesium, iron) have a role in the development of OME in children. This study carried out on 55 children and subdivided them into two groups. Group 1 (patient group) consist of 30 children suffering from OME and group 2 (control group) included 25 apparently healthy children. Serum levels of zinc, copper, magnesium and iron were measured for both groups. Comparison the results between the two groups showed t