Background: The disc prolapse is a common condition especially in young adults. Different levels are affected in the lumber region; the L4/L5 disc is more susceptible to longitudinal load and is the most common site of lumbar disc prolapse. The L5/S1 disc is protected from torsion load by strong ilio-lumbar ligaments but it is more susceptible to axial compressive forces. Many factors affect the result and outcome of surgery in these levels.Objective: The aim of this study is to correlate operative data, short-term results, complications, and prognostic factors (age, gender, mobility, hospital stay, and level of pain) for one-level lumber discectomybetween different levels (L4–L5 vs. L5–S1).Methods In this prospective study, 32 patientsin Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital undergoing survey form March 2008-December 2012.Six patients were excluded from this study because they were diabetics and multilevel disc degeneration .Fifteen (57.6%) patients undergoL5-S1 discectomy and 11 (42.4%) patients undergoL4-5 discectomy. Questionnaires for leg and back pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale ;VAS), duration of leg pain, and disability (Oswestry Disability Index; ODI), were obtained preoperatively, 3 months, 6 months, 1-year- and 2 year follow-up.Analyses were utilized to evaluate the relationship between surgical outcomes and variable (gender, age, lumber segment, pre-operative ODI, and pre-operative VAS).Results: Mean operative time was[73.44 ± 26.25] min, mean hospital stay was [3-7] days, and mean mobilitywas [2.55 ± 0.93] days. At 2-year follow up, patients revealed a statistical significant improvement inVAS pain (P < 0.05), and ODI lumbar function (P < 0.05).The complications rate were 20.3 %.Our study elaborates good results for one-segmental L5-S1overL4-L5 discectomy. Discectomy of the L4–L5 disc wasassociated with an increased risk of complication (P < 0.05). The comparison revealed that operative time was influenced by age (P = 0.034); hospital stay was influenced by level (P = 0.036) and pre-op VAS (P = 0.006); while complications were influenced by level (P = 0.001) and pre-op ODI (P = 0.049Conclusion: The study revealed significant results for L5-S1 discectomy over L4-L5 discectomy in the late follow up period; the complications rate were higher in L4-L5 level discectomy
The differential protection of power transformers appears to be more difficult than any type of protection for any other part or element in a power system. Such difficulties arise from the existence of the magnetizing inrush phenomenon. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize between inrush current and the current arise from internal faults. In this paper, two approaches based on wavelet packet transform (WPT) and S-transform (ST) are applied to recognize different types of currents following in the transformer. In WPT approach, the selection of optimal mother wavelet and the optimal number of resolution is carried out using minimum description length (MDL) criteria before taking the decision for the extraction features from the WPT tree
... Show MoreDielectric barrier discharges (DBD) can be described as the presence of contact with the discharge of one or more insulating layers located between two cylindrical or flat electrodes connected to an AC/pulse dc power supply. In this work, the properties of the plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system without and with a glass insulator were studied. The plasma was generated at a constant voltage of 4 kV and fixed distance between the electrodes of 5 mm, and with a variable flow rate of argon gas (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5) L/min. The emission spectra of the DBD plasmas at different flow rates of argon gas have been recorded. Boltzmann plot method was used to calculate the plasma electron temperature (Te), and Stark broadeni
... Show MoreTo determine the abilities of salivary E‐cadherin to differentiate between periodontal health and periodontitis and to discriminate grades of periodontitis.
E‐cadherin is the main protein responsible for maintaining the integrity of epithelial‐barrier function. Disintegration of this protein is one of the events associated with the destructive forms of periodontal disease leading to increase concentration of E‐cadherin in the oral biofluids.
A total of 63 patients with periodontitis (case) and 35
Carbonate matrix stimulation technology has progressed tremendously in the last decade through creative laboratory research and novel fluid advancements. Still, existing methods for optimizing the stimulation of wells in vast carbonate reservoirs are inadequate. Consequently, oil and gas wells are stimulated routinely to expand production and maximize recovery. Matrix acidizing is extensively used because of its low cost and ability to restore the original productivity of damaged wells and provide additional production capacity. The Ahdeb oil field lacks studies in matrix acidizing; therefore, this work provided new information on limestone acidizing in the Mishrif reservoir. Moreover, several reports have been issued on the difficulties en
... Show MoreThe increasing demand for energy has encouraged the development of renewable resources and environmentally benign fuel such as biodiesel. In this study, ethyl fatty esters (EFEs), a major component of biodiesel fuel, were synthesized from soybean oil using sodium ethoxide as a catalyst. By-products were glycerol and difatty acyl urea (DFAU), which has biological characteristics, as antibiotics and antifungal medications. Both EFEs and DFAU have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The optimum conditions were studied as a function of reaction time, reactant molar ratios, catalyst percentage and the effect of organic solvents. The conversion ratio of soybea
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