Background: Salivary gland neoplasms constitute a group of heterogeneous lesions with complex clinicopathologic characteristics and distinct biological behavior. Numerous studies have suggested geographical variation, therefore the aims of this study were to analyze the characteristics of salivary gland neoplasms in two Iraqi centers and to analyze the postoperative complications that are encountered after surgical treatment of these tumors. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of the patients who were treated for major and minor epithelial salivary gland tumors was conducted. The analyzed data included; demographic information (age and gender), the site of the tumor, the clinical manifestations, the histological type of the tumor, the type of the treatment and the postoperative complications. Results: Fifty seven patients were included in this study. The parotid gland was involved in most patients (n=37, 64.9%). Thirty five patients (61.4%) had benign tumors while 22 patients (38.6%) had malignant tumors. The mean age of patients with malignant tumors was 52.05 (±17.3) while of patients diagnosed with benign tumors was 41.6 (±11.4) years, the difference was statistically significant (p= 0.008). Surgical treatment consisted of superficial parotidectomy, total parotidectomy, surgical excision of the submandibular gland, surgical excision of minor salivary glands and maxillectomy. The most common complication was weakness of one or multiple branches of the facial nerve, complications were significantly associated with patients’ age, whereas gender and type of tumor whether benign or malignant did not affect the complication rate Conclusions: benign salivary gland tumors are more common than malignant tumors with no gender predilection and that patients who are diagnosed with malignant tumors are significantly older that patients with benign tumors, parotid gland is the most commonly affected gland with pleomorphic adenoma as the most frequent diagnosis. Facial nerve dysfunction was the most common complication and the complication rate was significantly associated with the age of patients.
The river water salinity is a major concern in many countries, and salinity can be expressed as total dissolved solids. So, the water salinity impact of the river is one of the major factors effects of water quality. Tigris river water salinity increase with streamline and time due to the decrease in the river flow and dam construction from neighboring countries. The major objective of this research to developed salinity model to study the change of salinity and its impact on the Al-Karkh, Sharq Dijla, Al-Karama, Al-Wathba, Al-Dora, and Al-Wihda water treatment plant along Tigris River in Baghdad city using artificial neural network model (ANN). The parameter used in a model built is (Turbidity, Ec, T.s, S.s, and TDS in)
... Show MoreTwo different polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl chloride (PVA/PVC) hollow fiber composite nanofiltration membranes were prepared after PVC hollow fiber membranes were coated using dip-coating method with PVA aqueous solution, which was composed of PVA, fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO9), and water [PVA/AEO9/water (4:0.5:95.5) wt%]. Effect of two different PVC hollow fiber immersion times in coating solution were studied. Cross-section, internal and external surfaces of the PVC hollow fibers and PVA/PVC composite nanofiltration membranes structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pure water permeation flux and solutes rejection. It was found that, the coating layer thickness on the outer surface of the 19 wt% P
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The apricot plant was washed, dried, and powdered after harvesting to produce a fine powder that was used in water treatment. created an alcoholic extract from the apricot plant using ethanol, which was then analysed using GC-MS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to identify the active components. Zinc nanoparticles were created using an alcoholic extract. FTIR, UV-Vis, SEM, EDX, and TEM are used to characterize zinc nanoparticles. Using a continuous processing procedure, zinc nanoparticles with apricot extract and powder were employed to clean polluted water. Firstly, 2 g of zinc nanoparticles were used with 20 ml of polluted water, and the results were Tetra 44% and Levo 32%; after
... Show MoreObjective To evaluate recently developed acidic calcium-phosphate (CaP) pastes as conservative enamel-conditioning systems for bracket bonding and investigate their effects on the shear bond strength, adhesive residues, and enamel damage in comparison to a conventional 37 % phosphoric acid (PA) gel. Materials and methods Two experimental etchant pastes consisting of hydroxyapatite and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate were prepared by mixing them with 37 % and 10 % PA solutions, respectively. These were characterized using X-ray diffraction. Metal brackets were bonded to 90 freshly extracted human premolars and assigned to three groups, depending on etchant type: 37 % PA-gel (control) and the two experimental (HPA and MPA) pastes. Shear bon
... Show MoreSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with polymorphic expression. B cells have an essential contribution in immune system activation via the production of different cytokines and functioning as potent antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, a drug that particularly targets B cells may represent an ideal therapeutic approach for SLE. Rituximab (RTX), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody causing transient B-cell depletion, has been used to manage SLE. This study aims to assess Rituximab effects on lupus nephritis (LN) patients when added to conventional immunosuppressants. Twenty four patients, 15-32 years old, with class III/IV/V LN were involved in this study. All were on steroids before lupus nephritis occurrence. They were
... Show MoreBiodiesel is popular as an eco-friendly fossil fuel alternative. Neem oil is manufactured from Azadirachta indica seeds. Transesterifying triglycerides with alcohol in the presence of a synthesized CaO nanocatalyst is the most common biodiesel synthesis procedure—recent advances, difficulties, and prospects in laser feedstock pretreatment to boost reactivity and reduce energy use. Oil pre-treatment with a 540-nm green laser is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. This study examined neem oil with and without laser pretreatment for biodiesel synthesis. CaO nanocatalysts were synthesised using Sol–gel and characterised using XRD and SEM. According to catalyst recyclability, the CaO nanocatalyst did not lose activity after five re
... Show MoreAnaemia is a crucial issue among cancer patients and need to be treated properly. High incidence of anaemia in patients with cancer have been associated with several physiological manifestations, leading to decreased quality of life (QOL).
The current study aimed to assess the severity of anaemia, evaluate the current treatment guideline of anaemia, and to determine the association between the level of anaemia and its treatment on quality of life of breast cancer patients in Malaysia. This prospective study conducted among breast cancer patients in multicancer centers in Malaysia including three follow ups after receiving their chemotherapy. Clinical data were collected from their medical records and at each follow up, they asked
... Show MoreThe alfalfa plant, after harvesting, was washed, dried, and grinded to get fine powder used in water treatment. We used the alfalfa plant with ethanol to make the alcoholic extract characterized by using (GCMass, FTIR, and UV) spectroscopy to determine active compounds. Alcoholic extract was used to prepare zinc nanoparticles. We characterized Zinc nanoparticles using (FTIR, UV, SEM, EDX Zeta potential, XRD, AFM). Zinc nanoparticle with Alfalfa extract and alfalfa powder were used in the treatment of water polluted with inorganic elements such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Cd, Ag by (Batch processing). The batch process with using alfalfa powder gets treated with Pb (51.45%), which is the highest percentage of treatment. Mn (13.18%), which is the lowe
... Show MoreThis study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of laser lithotripsy and pneumatic lithotripsy, the two most commonly used transurethral lithotripsy methods for treating bladder stones in children in Iraq. Between January 2013 and December 2016, 64 children with bladder stones were included in this prospective randomized study, after ethical committee approval and written consent from the children’s parents or caregivers were obtained. Patients were assigned randomly by computer software to two groups treated with either pneumatic cystolithotripsy or laser lithotripsy. A 9 Fr. semirigid ureteroscope was used to pass the lithotripter through and fragment the stone. A catheter of 8–12 Fr. was then introduced and kept in place
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