Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory disorder in which the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is proposed to have a pathogenic role. Therefore, a case-control study was performed (93 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 113 healthy controls (HC) to analyze the prevalence and viral load of EBV infection using real time-polymerase chain reaction. Prevalence of EBV infection was lower in patients compared to HC but the difference was not significant (12.9 vs. 21.2%; probability [p] = 0.187). EBV-positive MS cases were more common in females than in males (83.3 vs. 16.7%), while an opposite distribution was observed in HC (37.5 vs. 62.5%), and the difference was significant (p = 0.041). Blood group O frequency was higher in EBV-positive patients compared to the corresponding HC but the difference was not significant (33.3 vs. 20.8%; p = 0.443). EBV-positive MS cases showed similar frequency in the two groups of the expanded disability status scale (EDSS: < 3.0 and ≥ 3.0; 50% each). EBV load was significantly elevated in EBV-positive MS cases compared to EBV-positive HC (94.6 ± 84.2 vs. 17.0 ± 16.3 DNA copy/100 cells; p = 0.009). When EBV-positive MS cases were classified by gender, EDSS groups or ABO blood groups, there were no significant differences between EBV loads in each stratum. However, a significant correlation between EBV load and EDSS was found (correlation coefficient = 0.620; p = 0.031). In conclusion, the prevalence of EBV infection showed no significant differences between MS patients and HC, while EBV load was significantly higher in patients.
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of common hospital-acquired bacteria causing nosocomial pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and intra-abdominal infections. The aim of this study is investigating the Modulation effect of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) against multidrug resistant K. pneumonia which was isolated from Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs). The results of isolation and characterization of bacterial specimens showed that 20.81% of RTIs were Klebsiella pneumoniae. The strongest isolate showed resistant for most usable antibiotics selected. Simultaneously, ZnO NPs were produced by an aqueous extract of Green Tea leaves as a reducing and stabilizer agent. The Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrum was indicated a successful produc
... Show MoreThe predatory bush crickets Saga ephippigera Fischer Von Waldheim, 1846 is the largest Iraqi orthopterans and one of the most active and successful predators in the Kurdistan region. The nymphs and adults prey on all the stages of various species of insects. Twelve adult specimens were collected from Erbil Province during May 2018 and June 2021. Morphological structures of the adult insects were described and illustrated in details; important taxonomic characteristics of body regions with their appendages were chosen; and the results indicated the importance of morphological characteristics which confirmed the identification of this species correctly.
Activated carbon derived from Ficus Binjamina agro-waste synthesized by pyro carbonic acid microwave method and treated with silicon oxide (SiO2) was used to enhance the adsorption capability of the malachite green (MG) dye. Three factors of concentration of dye, time of mixing, and the amount of activated carbon with four levels were used to investigate their effect on the MG removal efficiency. The results show that 0.4 g/L dosage, 80 mg/L dye concentration, and 40 min adsorption duration were found as an optimum conditions for 99.13% removal efficiency. The results also reveal that Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic models were the best models to describe the equilibrium adsorption data.
The study aims to use the European Excellence Model (EFQM) in assessing the institutional performance of the National Center for Administrative Development and Information Technology in order to determine the gap between the actual reality of the performance of the Center and the standards adopted in the model, in order to know the extent to which the Center seeks to achieve excellence in performance to improve the level of services provided and the adoption of methods Modern and contemporary management in the evaluation of its institutional performance.
The problem of the study was the absence of an institutional performance evaluation system at the centre whereby weaknesses (areas of improvement) and st
... Show MoreSpintronic offers a solution by exploiting spin instead of electron charge since spin current propagation can occur in principle without dissipation. One of the applications involve within this project for storage media is heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The objective of this study is to simulate the behavior of thermal gradient to generate a pure spin current using an ultrafast femtosecond (fs) laser in a nano-sized multilayered structure of (Al2O3/Ni81Fe19 (Py)/Cu/Y3Fe5O12 (YIG)/Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG)) at room temperature. A ferromagnetic/spacer/magnetic insulator nano-sized multilayered is the proposed structure f
... Show MoreCadmium Selenide (CdSe) thin films have been deposited on a glass substrate utilizing the plasma DC-sputtering method at room temperature at different deposition time in order to achieve different films thickness, and studied its sensitivity to the carbon monoxide CO gas which are show high response as the film thickness increases, the DC-conductivity and photoconductivity are also studied and which are increased too as the film thickness increases, that indicates the good semiconducting behavior at room temperature and light environments.
A new compound 2-(4-methoxyphcnyl)-5-(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,4-
oxadiazole (VI) was prepared by intramol ecular condensation reaction followed by elimination of some simple moieties such as IhO and HCI by using POCI3 with acid hydrazide. A series of new ShiffsÂ
bases 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-[4(4:alkoxybenzoyloxy) benzylidene amino phenyl] I,3,4-oxadia:t.ole (VII].was synthesized from treatment
of oxadiazole derivative [VI] with an appropriate aromatic aldehyde
(IU). Struct\lfe of the resulting products have been ascertaim:d by their melting pointS, elemental analysis ( some of them) and spectral data.
In this paper deals with the effect laser irradiation on the optical properties of cobalt oxide (CoO2) thin films and that was prepared using semi computerized spray pyrolysis technique. The films deposited on glass substrate using such as an ideal value concentration of (0.02)M with a total volume of 100 ml. With substrate temperature was (350 C), spray rate (15 ml/min).The XRD diffraction given polycrystalline nature with Crystal system trigonal (hexagonal axes). The obtained films were irradiated by continuous green laser (532.8 nm) with power 140 mW for different time periods is 10 min,20min and 30min. The result was that the optical properties of cobalt oxide thin films affe
Twenty nine core samples were taken from Ratawi 7 Oil well according to the presence of oil in formation and availability of core samples. This well is located in the province of Basra/southern Iraq. The samples were collected from Yamama Formation. The core samples are taken from the well at different depths, ranging between (3663m-3676m). The range of Vp for these core samples is (668-4017 m/sec) and its average is (1779 m/sec), While the range of Vs is (291-1854 m/sec) and its average is (796 m/sec). In the current study the ultrasonic method is conducted to measure Vp, Vs as well as some petrophysical properties for core samples and some elastic moduli such as (Young's modulus, Bulk modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson's ratio and Lame's
... Show MoreVirtual reality, VR, offers many benefits to technical education, including the delivery of information through multiple active channels, the addressing of different learning styles, and experiential-based learning. This paper presents work performed by the authors to apply VR to engineering education, in three broad project areas: virtual robotic learning, virtual mechatronics laboratory, and a virtual manufacturing platform. The first area provides guided exploration of domains otherwise inaccessible, such as the robotic cell components, robotic kinematics and work envelope. The second promotes mechatronics learning and guidance for new mechatronics engineers when dealing with robots in a safe and interactive manner. And the thir
... Show More