Background: Masseter muscle is one of the most obvious muscles of mastication and considered as one indicator of jaw muscle activity. It has a major influence on the transverse growth of the midface and the vertical growth of the mandible. This study undertaken to determine the role of cephalometric analysis for discrimination between Cl I and Cl III skeletal relationships, determine the role of ultrasonography in determination of masseter muscle thickness, compare masseter muscle thickness between Cl I and Cl III skeletal relationships, and determine the effect of gender on masseter muscle thickness. Material and Method: The sample of the current study consisted of 70 Iraqi subjects 40 males and 30 females with age ranging 18-25 years. They were divided into 2 groups depending on ANB angle: class I skeletal relationship 20 males and 15 females and class III skeletal relationship 20 males and 15 females. The collected sample included patients attended for different diagnostic purposes to the Dental Radiology Department at College of Dentistry/Babylon University, standardized lateral cephalogram was taken to determine facial morphology, six angular and eight linear measurements were assessed. Masseter muscle thickness measured ultrasonography in Al-Hilla General Teaching Hospital/Ultrasonorgaphic Department, in relaxation and contraction conditions for both sides. Results: Various parameters measured for males and females in each class and the comparison shown statistically significant differences between them (P<0.05). No difference in muscle thickness between right and left sides in the same class (P>0.05). Gender variation showed significant difference in masseter muscle thickness during rest and occlusion conditions (P<0.001). Conclusion: Cephalometric analysis served to demonstrate the skeletal morphologies and provide a base for discrimination between class I and class III skeletal relationships. Ultrasonographic scanning is an important imaging procedure. It is reproducible and simple method for accurately measuring masseter muscle thickness. The ultrasonorgaphic study has revealed variations in masseter muscle thickness among individuals with different skeletal morphologies in each gender on one hand and between males and females in each skeletal class on the other hand. Key words: Masseter muscle thickness, skeletal morphology, cephalometric analysis, ultrasonorgaphic scanning.
Objective(s): Ramadan is the Holy month of the Muslims, where they are required to abstain from food and drinks
from dawn till the beginning of night. This study was conducted in Ramadan to investigate the effect of fasting on
hematological incidences, lipid profile, renal and liver function tests among healthy adult males.
Methodology: The present study was carried out in Ramadan – 1431 of Higira (August-September 2010). The study
sample was 56 healthy adult males. Five samples of blood were taken at five intervals (Before, at day 1, 15, 28 and
after Ramadan). Estimation was done for hematological markers, (hemoglobin, white blood cells count, platelet
count); renal function tests (blood urea, serum uric acid, serum
Methotrexate (MTX) was used for treatment of malignancies and now is widely used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In this research the evaluation of the effects of MTX on some liver enzymes and lipid profile was studied. Twenty four adult female mice divided into three groups (8 mice each). The first two groups were treated with MTX while the third group was used as a control. MTX was intraperitoneally given at 50 µg/ml and 75 µg/ml to the first and second groups respectively for 35 days ,whereas the control group was intraperitoneally injected with normal saline. The results showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) , glutamic pyruric transaminase (GPT), Alkaline pho
... Show MoreThis study was carried out to determine the effects of NaCl (0.00, 50, 100, 150, 180 or 200) mM and two different types of mutagens chemical mutagen ethyl methyl sulphonate (EMS) at 0.5% and physical mutagen UV-B irradiation (40 min time exposure), on mitotic division in two Iraqi rice genotypes Amber 33 (A33) and Amber Baghdad (AB). Different concentrations of NaCl were used. Mitotic index (MI %) was decreased significantly by increasing NaCl concentration, however the highest mitotic index was recorded in mutated genotypes with EMS and UV-B. Different abnormal chromosomes were noticed in mutated plants. Results showed high percentage of abnormal chromosomes in EMS mutated genotypes. In addition no significant differences between genotypes
... Show MoreIn this paper, an experimental study was conducted to enhance the thermal performance of a double-pass solar air heater (SAH) using phase change material (PCM) for thermal storage at climatic conditions of Baghdad city - Iraq. The double-pass solar air heater integrated with thermal storage system was manufactured and tested to ensure that the air heating reserved after the absence of the sun. The rectangular cavity filled with paraffin wax was used as a latent heat storage and incorporated into the lower channel of solar air heater. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the charging and discharging characteristics of two similar designed solar air collectors with and without using phase change material at a constant
... Show MoreIntravaginal progesterone sponges have been widely utilized to synchronize estrus in goats; however, extended use may be accompanied by vaginal microbial imbalance, vaginal discharge abnormalities, and diminished reproductive performance. Intravaginal probiotics have been suggested as an alternative to antibiotics for addressing vaginal dysbiosis, but their effects across varying synchronization durations have not been thoroughly studied in goats. The current study was conducted to assess the effect of intravaginal probiotic use in association with various progesterone sponge durations on vaginal microbiota and reproductive effciency in Black Iraqi goats. Forty-four adult goats (2–5 years) were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 11) fo
... Show MoreRecent developments in two main phases of cumulus cloud studies are discussed; first the relations between the clouds and their energy sources in the subcloud layer and second, the interaction between the clouds and their environment in the cloud layer. Under the first heading, the various originating impulses for cumulus formation are mentionitd. and how the character of this impulse affects the spacing, scale and temperature structure of the clouds. The possible origins of trade cumuli are considered.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of chronic liver and defines by fat accumulation ≥5% in liver which can progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD related to obesity as well as non obese individuals. Adiponectin is a cytokine secreted from adipose tissue involved NAFLD pathogenesis and liked with obesity. Irisin is a myokine, has a convenient effect against metabolic diseases such as obesity, disylipemia diabetes type 2 and reversed liver steatosis and may be related with NAFLD. Vitamin D is one of the fat soluble vitamins and more precisely as a pro-hormone through its metabolite (1,25(OH)2 cholecalciferol) the major steroid hormone. After the skin exposure to the light, vitamin D undergoes to
... Show MoreZinc sulfide(ZnS) thin films of different thickness were deposited on corning glass with the substrate kept at room temperature and high vacuum using thermal evaporation technique.the film properties investigated include their absorbance/transmittance/reflectance spectra,band gap,refractive index,extinction coefficient,complex dielectric constant and thickness.The films were found to exhibt high transmittance(59-98%) ,low absorbance and low reflectance in the visible/near infrared region up to 900 nm..However, the absorbance of the films were found to be high in the ultra violet region with peak around 360 nm.The thickness(using optical interference fringes method) of various films thichness(100,200,300,and 400) nm.The band gap meas
... Show More