Background: Obesity is a serious public health concern that has reached epidemic proportions; the prevalence, as well as the severity of obesity in adolescents is increasing at an alarming rate. A close relationship was found between weight status and dental caries. Thus this research aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries among overweight adolescent females in relation to physicochemical characteristics of stimulated whole saliva in comparison with normal weight adolescent females. Materials and methods: The total sample involved for nutritional status assessment is composed of 2678 females aged 13-15 years. This was performed using Body Mass Index specific for age and gender according to CDC growth chart (2000). The diagnosis and recording of dental caries was by using Decay, Missing, Filled surface index (DMFs); and according to the criteria of Manji et al (1989). Salivary samples were collected from 30 overweight females and their control under standardized conditions and then analyzed for measuring salivary flow rate and viscosity, in addition to estimation essential elements (zinc, copper, calcium, iron, and total protein). Results: The caries experience among the overweight females was lower than that among the normal weight with non significant difference. Salivary analysis demonstrated that the salivary flow rate was non significantly higher among overweight females. The viscosity of saliva was having an equal value among both groups. The data analysis of salivary elements found that the zinc and copper concentrations were highly significant higher among the overweight females than that among the normal weight. The opposite result found concerning salivary calcium level with also highly significant difference; while the iron and total protein were non significantly lower among the overweight females. DMFs and its grades correlated negatively weak with salivary flow rate among overweight females; while concerning salivary viscosity, the correlation was direct weak with DMFs. Salivary copper, calcium and total protein showed an inverse correlation with dental caries. Conclusion: The results of the current research revealed that overweight affect the caries experience. Several of salivary factors that found to be higher among the overweight females might play a role in protection of teeth from dental caries.
The provision of safe water for people is a human right; historically, a major number of people depend on groundwater as a source of water for their needs, such as agricultural, industrial or human activities. Water resources have recently been affected by organic and/or inorganic contaminants as a result of population growth and increased anthropogenic activity, soil leaching and pollution. Water resource remediation has become a serious environmental concern, since it has a direct impact on many aspects of people’s lives. For decades, the pump-and-treat method has been considered the predominant treatment process for the remediation of contaminated groundwater with organic and inorganic contaminants. On the other side, this tech
... Show MoreMagnesium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via a co-precipitation procedure. Comprehensive characterization included infrared fluorescence, X-ray scattering spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Surface properties were analyzed using Langmuir, Brunauer -Emmett-Teller, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda, t-plot techniques, and the N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms methods to determine surface area and pore structure. Results confirmed the nanoparticles possess high purity. The size of the synthesized particles ranged from 30-40 nm, which was determined by scanning electron microscopy. The surface area of the prepared particles is 31,227 m2 g-1, and it was found that the por
... Show MoreThis study focused on two areas in AL-Najaf city, AL-Ruhbah and Al-Haydariyah regions because of the importance and widespread use of groundwater in these areas. The two areas were compared quantitatively and qualitatively. For the quantitative approach, the GMS software was used in conjunction with the GIS software to simulate the groundwater flow behavior. The solid model for both areas was created, the geological formation was determined, and the hydraulic properties were identified using GMS software. To test the quantity of groundwater in both areas, the wells have been redistributed to a distance of 2000 m between them, and a period of 1000 days was chosen. When a discharge of 10 l/s and operation times of 4, 8, an
... Show MoreCOVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to be a global concern with new variants. Our research focused on the relationship between COVID-19 and air pollution, and we included findings from recently published research. In summary, there is a direct relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 infection and fatality rates. This relationship was evident after many parts of the world declared lockdowns. Research to understand the relationship between infection rates and air pollutants identified indirect factors that contributed to the spread of infection. In this article, we explore studies on air pollutants, the use of face masks, weather conditions, short-
... Show MoreDespite extensive investigation as biocompatible drug carriers, gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) have not been thoroughly assessed for carrying chemically distinct cationic molecules such as acriflavine (ACF) and triethylenetetramine (TETA). In this study, we hypothesize that GNPs can effectively encapsulate ACF and TETA, forming stable delivery systems with distinct antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. ACF encapsulated in gelatin was prepared adapting desolvation technique. The procedure involved stirring of an aqueous solution of gelatin and ACF at room temperature, the pH was titrated to eight using NaOH followed by addition of ethanol. The resulting nanopart
In this work, (ZnO)1-x(MnO2)x compounds were synthesized with composition (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) of manganese oxide content using solid state reaction. Thin films were prepared from these compounds on glass substrates at room temperature using pulsed laser deposition method. The structure of the prepared compounds and thin films were analyzed using x-ray diffraction while the optical properties was measured using UV-visible spectrophotometry. It was found that the synthesized composites declared many peaks in the diffraction pattern which indicate polycrystalline structure with hexagonal wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO, and MnO2 and Mn2O3 secondary phases. A narrowing in the optical e
... Show MoreThis study was conducted at the College of Education for Pure Sciences (Ibn Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad. The aim of this study was to isolate and diagnose fungi from fish feedstuff samples, and also detection of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in fish muscles and feedstuffs. Randomly, the samples were collected from some fish farms from Baghdad, Babil, Wasit, Anbar, and Salah al-Din provinces. This study included the collection of 35 feedstuff samples and 70 fish muscle samples, and each of the two fish samples fed on one sample of the feedstuff. The results showed the presence of several genera of different fungi including Aspergillus spp, Mucor spp., Penicillium spp., Yeast spp., Fusarium spp., Rhizopus spp., Scopiolariopsis spp., Ep
... Show MoreThe study aimed at identifying youth and sport forums from planning and leadership point of view and their relation with organizational culture. The researchers used the descriptive method on (140) worker in Baghdad youth and sport forums. A scale was designed for measuring planning and leadership in youth and sport forums as well as designing a scale for measuring organizational culture. After the application of the main experiment, the results showed that both youth and sport forum administration scale and organizational culture scale are appropriate to the study community. Finally the researchers recommended using these scales by workers in youth and sport forums and involving administration mangers in periodical training courses
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