Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).Objectives: To validate the accuracy of mitral annular displacement (MAD), assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE), as a surrogate for determination of left ventricular systolic function in comparison to 2-Dimensions Simpson method in patients with different heart diseases.Methods : This cross-sectional study included patients who referred to outpatient department of Ibn Albitar Center for Cardiac Surgery, Baghdad, Iraq, between October 2012 and April 2013. STE continuously tracked annular motion throughout the cardiac cycle in the apical 4- and 2-chamber views. LVEF for each patient was measured by both Simpson method and STE-derived MAD.Results: This study included 100 patients, of them (35%) had ischemic heart disease (IHD), (10%) had dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), (10%) had valvular heart disease (VHD), (25%) had normal echocardiography, and (20%) had hypertensive heart disease (HHD).There was significant correlation between EF % (derived by MAD) and EF % (derived by Simpson method) in patients with different heart diseases. This correlation was good in normal subjects (r=0.673), and those with IHD(r=0.896), DCM (r=0.724) and VHD (r=0.935), while in HHD it was moderately correlated (r=0.455). There was slight under-estimation of LVEF derived by MAD (a mean value of difference 0.846 %; p =0.022). In subgroup analysis, this difference was seen only in patients with HHD (a mean value of difference 3.145 %; p <0.001), while it was absent in other subgroups.Conclusion: STE-derived MAD provides easy, fast, and accurate assessments of global longitudinal systolic function. LVEF derived by MAD was correlated well with LVEF derived by Simpson method in patients with different heart diseases
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has favorable biomechanical properties to be used as an implant material. Unfortunately, it is hydrophobic and does not promote cellular adhesion, which could result in poor integration with bone tissue. Bio-functionalization of PEEK surface with osteogenic peptides derived from bone extracellular matrix proteins is an exciting approach to encourage bone formation around the implant. In the current study, bone-forming peptide-2 was immobilized on PEEK surface using two different methods, using dopamine and a diglycidyl ether as conjugate compounds, respectively. Peptide quantification test revealed that the two strategies resulted in the most amount of peptides were attached with 0.5 mM concentration and no furth
... Show More
(3)
(5)
BOOK REVIEW
Methotrexate (MTX), a folate antagonist agent, is mainly used in treatment of malignant tumors and autoimmune diseases. The present study was undertaken to determine whether antioxidant vitamin (vitamin A) could ameliorate methotrexate induced oxidative stress in male rabbits. Twenty male rabbits were randomly assigned into four groups. Group 1: control group, Group 2: MTX-treated group (received 20 mg/kg MTX intraperitoneally), Group 3: Vit.A treated group received 5000 IU Vit.A orally) and Group 4: MTX+Vit.A treated group received MTX 20 mg/kg plus 5000 IU vit.A). After 4 weeks of treatment, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture to determine the serum malondialdehyde (MDA), as a good indicator for lipid peroxidation and
... Show More
(1)
سمير خلف فياض * و محسن طالب د.نوال عزت عبد اللطيف*, مجلة الهندسة والتكنولوجيا, 2010
In the present work advanced oxidation process, photo-Fenton (UV/H2O2/Fe+2) system, for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with oil was investigated. The reaction was influenced by the input concentration of hydrogen peroxide H2O2, the initial amount of the iron catalyst Fe+2, pH, temperature and the concentration of oil in the wastewater. The removal efficiency for the system UV/ H2O2/Fe+2 at the optimal conditions and dosage (H2O2 = 400mg/L, Fe+2 = 40mg/L, pH=3, temperature =30o C) for 1000mg/L load was found to be 72%.
(12)
(15)
(8)
Ebastine (EBS) is a non-sedating antihistamine with a long duration of action. This drug has predominantly hydrophobic property causing a low solubility and low bioavailability. Surface solid dispersions (SSD) is an effective technique for improving the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs by using hydrophilic water insoluble carriers.
The present study aims to enhance the solubility and dissolution rate of EBS by using surface solid dispersion technique. Avicel® PH101, Avicel® PH 102, croscarmellose sodium(CCS) and sodium starch glycolate(SSG) were used as water insoluble hydrophilic carriers.
The SSD formulations of EBS were prepared by the solvent evaporation method in different drug: carrier
... Show More
(14)
(8)
This research aimed to examine the effect of concentration of dyes stuff, contact time, temperature and ratio of adsorbent weight in (gm) to volume of solution in (ml) on the percentage removal. Two dyes were used; direct blue 6 and direct yellow and the adsorbent was the maize cob. Batch experiments were performed by contacting different weights of adsorbent with 50 ml of solution of desired concentration with continuous stirring at various temperatures. The percentage of removal was calculated and the maximum percentage of removal was 80%. And as the concentration of solution, contact time, temperature and the ratio of adsorbent to volume of solution increase the percentage of removal increase.
Competitive advantage is a substantial strategic objective for organizations. It requires high levels in the quality of products and services provided to customers, continuous improvement of costing , care for creativity and innovative employees, and speed unique to the marketing and financial engineering, and business re-engineering processes. The situation in this area, requires actors to attract and develop human resources, including help in proper implementation of the strategic tasks that targeted by those institutions. According to the opinions and viewpoints of management scholars, the competitive advantage resource is the most important issue for organizations in the third millennium, which can be a
... Show More