Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the new respiratory virus SARS-CoV2. It has a tropism in the lung tissues where excess target receptors exist. Periostin plays a role in subepithelial fibrosis associated with bronchial asthma. Since the Coronavirus's target is the human respiratory system, Periostin has been recently described as a valuable new biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease in patients with COVID-19 lung involvement. Objectives: To assess the level of Periostin in the serum of COVID-19 patients and to correlate its role in disease severity and prognosis. Subjects and Methods: Periostin serum levels were measured for 63 patients attending three main COVID

Some parameters for advancement of Leishmania tropica infection were examined in three groups of golden hamsters, Group (1) inoculated with autoclaved killed Leishmania tropica , Group (2) inoculated with BCG vaccine alone while Group (3) Inoculated with mixed vaccine (autoclaved killed Leishmania with BCG). The follow up of experimentally infected animals with virulent isolation of Leishmania tropica was done for 90 days, the animals inoculated with mixed vaccine (autoclaved killed Leishmania with BCG) showed the minimum average in each of foot pad thickness (2.3 ± 0.05) mm after (60) days of infection, spleen enlargement (1.13±0.38) after (45) days of infection, spleen length (23.9±0.08) mm after (30) days of infection, liver weight(3.

Chronic Hepatitis B(CHB) is a serious sequel after Hepatitis B Virus infection, although the rate of chronicity is inverse with age but it may be associated with a significant proportion of deaths related to cirrhosis and liver cancer. HBV serology and measurement of hepatocytic enzymes with viral load can predict disease prognosis and response to treatment. HBeAg refers to a high viral replication and associated with more infectivity to others. This study aimed to determine the impact of HBeAg status in chronically infected patients on various baseline tests. A total of 90 patients with CHB infection who were included in this study. Several standardized measures used for liver function tests, viral load and hepatitis B serological

Background: this study aimed to evaluate the effect of addition of hydroxyapatite micro filler in three concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%) on surface roughness, impact strength, flexural strength and hardness. Material and methods: One hundred sixty acrylic samples were used in this study,40 samples were used for each test(impact strength ,flexural strength ,hardness and surface roughness).The test group divided into four subgroups(n=10) for controlgroup,5%,10% ,15%H,A.concentration addition groups .Impact testing device, flexural strength testing device, shore hardness tester and profilometer device were used to measure the four tests examined in this study. Results: the results showed a significant increase in impact strength, hardness in all

A comparative investigation of gas sensing properties of SnO2 doped with WO3 based on thin film and bulk forms was achieved. Thin films were deposited by thermal evaporation technique on glass substrates. Bulk sensors in the shape of pellets were prepared by pressing SnO2:WO3 powder. The polycrystalline nature of the obtained films with tetragonal structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The calculated crystalline size was 52.43 nm. Thickness of the prepared films was found 134 nm. The optical characteristics of the thin films were studied by using UV-VIS Spectrophotometer in the wavelength range 200 nm to 1100 nm, the energy band gap, extinction coefficient and refractive index of the thin film were 2.5 eV , 0.024 and 2.51, respective

The semiconductor ZnO is one of II – VI compound group, it is prepare as thin films by using chemical spray pyrolysis technique; the films are deposited onto glass substrate at 450 °C by using aqueous zinc chloride as a spray solution of molar concentration 0.1 M/L. Sample of the prepared film is irradiating by Gamma ray using CS 137, other sample is annealed at 550°C. The structure of the irradiated and annealed films are analyzed with X-ray diffraction, the results show that the films are polycrystalline in nature with preferred (002) orientation. The general morphology of ZnO films are imaged by using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), it constructed from nanostructure with dimensions in order of 77 nm.
The optical properties o

Background: The mechanical and physical properties of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) don’tfulfill the entire ideal requirements of denture base materials. The purpose of this study was to produce new modified polymer nanocomposite (PMMA /ZrO2-TiO2) andassess itsimpact strength, transverse strength and thermal conductivity in comparison to the conventionalheat polymerized acrylic resin. Materials and Methods: Both ZrO2 and TiO2nano fillers were silanized with TMSPM (trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate) silane coupling agent before beingdispersed by ultrasonication with the methylmethacrylate (monomer) and mixed with the polymer by means of 2% by weight in (1:1) ratio, 60 specimens were constructed by conventional water bath processing

Background: The polymethyl methacrylate is the most reliable material for the construction of complete and partial dentures, despite satisfying esthetic demand itsuffered from having unsatisfactory properties like impact strength and transverse strength. This study was designed to improve the impact strength and transverse strength of heat cure acrylic resin by adding untreated and oxygen plasma treated polypropylene fibers and investigate the effect of this additive on some properties of acrylic resin materials. Materials and methods: Untreated and oxygen plasma treated polypropylene fibers was added to PMMA powder by weight 2.5 %. Specimens were constructed and divided into 5 groups according to the using tests; each group was subdivided

The crude enzyme Nattokinase produced by Bacillus subtilis was used in ripening cheddar cheese by adding three concentration of enzyme 80, 160 and 320mg/Kg beside the control treatment without enzyme, the product was checked for three months to determine humidity, protein, fat, non-protein nitrogen, soluble nitrogen and pH, sensory evaluation was conducted, it was noticed that the variety in protein percentages and the soluble nitrogen percentage during second month of ripening for T2, T3 and T4 treatments were (11.2, 15.54 and 18.48) respectively, in comparison with control which was 7.6%, while in the third month it was (17.37, 20.67 and 22.26) respectively, in comparison with control which was only 10%, on the other hand, non-protein