Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is an important respiratory bacterial pathogen, especially among children. It causes acute upper and lower respiratory infections.Objective: This study was aimed to measure anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies among hospitalized children who were admitted to hospital diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections.Method: Automated ELISA technique was performed to detect anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies (IgM and IgG antibodies) in serum from 108 children less than 5 years old. The children were admitted to the Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Suleimani city/Kurdistan Region/Iraq because of acute respiratory tract infections. A questionnaire was designed to collect demographic and clinical data from those children.Results: IgM anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies were positive in 15 (13.9%) out of 108 children. The highest seroprevalence was found in the age group 25-36 months while the lowest is in the age group 1-12 months. M. pneumoniae infections were more common among males than females though results were statistically not significant, and attendance of kindergarten or nursery, residency, history of chronic diseases, history of contact with similar conditions, and family history of chronic diseases, they were all statistically not significant. The IgMseropositive children were suffering from bronchitis, croup, pneumonia, or other respiratory infections, in frequencies of 7 (46.6%), 4 (26.7%), 3 (20%), and 1 (6.7%) respectively. Increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, diagnosis of croup, and diagnosis of bronchitis were more frequent in M. pneumoniae infected group and the results were statistically significant. The IgG anti- M. pneumoniae antibodies were positive in 31 (28.8%) out of the 108 children, and the greatest IgG seroprevalence was highest in age group 49-60 months.Conclusion: M. pneumoniae is an important respiratorypathogen among hospitalized children in Sulaimanigovernorate/Kurdistan/Iraq, and nearly one third of childrenhad experienced M. pneumoniae infection by the age of fiveyears
Iodine-doped polythiophene thin films are prepared by aerosol assisted plasma jet polymerization at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The doping of iodine was carried out in situ by employing iodine crystals in thiophene monomer by weight mixing ratios of 1%, 3%, 5% and 7%. The chemical composition analyses of pure and iodine-doped and heat-treated polythiophene thin films are carried out by FTIR spectroscopy studies. The optical band gaps of the films are evaluated from absorption spectrum studies. Direct transition energy gaps are determined from Tauc plots. The structural changes of polythiophene upon doping and the reduction of optical band gap are explained on the basis of the results obtained from FTIR spectroscopy, UV–V
... Show MoreInfertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Worldwide, infertility affects approximately 15% of all couples trying to conceive. Male infertility is responsible for about 50% of the infertility cases. Chromosomal abnormalities and Y-chromosome microdeletions are the most common genetic causes of male infertility. Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is the most prevalent factor of the chromosomal abnormality in the infertile male. Azoospermia Factor (AZF) microdeletions located on the Y chromosome are one of the recurrent genetic cause of male infertility. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of chromosomal anoma
... Show MorePorosity is important because it reflects the presence of oil reserves. Hence, the number of underground reserves and a direct influence on the essential petrophysical parameters, such as permeability and saturation, are related to connected pores. Also, the selection of perforation interval and recommended drilling additional infill wells. For the estimation two distinct methods are used to obtain the results: the first method is based on conventional equations that utilize porosity logs. In contrast, the second approach relies on statistical methods based on making matrices dependent on rock and fluid composition and solving the equations (matrices) instantaneously. In which records have entered as equations, and the matrix is sol
... Show MoreRecords of two regionalized variables were processed for each of porosity and permeability of reservoir rocks in Zubair Formation (Zb-109) south Iraq as an indication of the most important reservoir property which is the homogeneity,considering their important results in criterion most needed for primary and enhanced oil reservoirs.The results of dispersion treatment,the statistical incorporeal indications,boxes plots,rhombus style and tangents angles of intersected circles indicated by confidence interval of porosity and permeability data, have shown that the reservoir rocks of Zubair units (LS),(1L) and (DJ) have reservoir properties of high quality,in contrast to that of Zubair units (MS) and (AB)which have reservoir properties of less q
... Show MoreBackground: The socioeconomic is important factor that effect in the severity and prevalence of most predominant and wide spread oral disease named dental caries, since this oral disease effects children, adolescents, adults and elderly peoples especially in developing countries as in Iraq.This survey was aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to socioeconomic status. Materials and Methods: This oral health survey was conducted among primary and secondary school students aged 12 years old in Dewanyiah governorate in Iraq. The total sample composed of 804 (401 boys and 403 girls) selected randomly from different schools in Dewanyiah governorate. Diagnosis and recording of dental caries was assessed ac
... Show MoreIn this work, the spirurid nematode Hartertia gallinarum was reported in the intestine of the spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus, collected in three different locations: Ga'ara Depression, Iraqi Western Desert, Zurbatiyah and Al-Attariyah, Middle of Iraq. Description and measurements of the nematode were given. The role of termites in the infection of P. senegallus with H. gallinarum was discussed. Occurrence of H. gallinarum in P. senegallus represents a new host record.
This study aims to study some morphological and reproductional characteristics in eleven species of two genera belonging to the family of Asparagaceae, which are Bellevalia Lapeyrouse, 1808 and Ornithogalum Linnaeus, 1753 and the species are: Bellevalia chrisii Yildirim and Sahin, 2014; Bellevalia flexuosa Boissier, 1854; Bellevalia kurdistanica Feinbrun, 1940; Bellevalia longipes Post, 1895; Bellevalia macrobotrys Boissier, 1853; Bellevalia paradoxa Boissier, 1882; Bellevalia parva Wendelbo, 1973; Bellevalia saviczii Woronow, 1927; Ornithogalum brachystachys C. Koch, 1849; Ornithogalum neurostegium Boissier, 1882 and Ornithogalum pyrenaicum Linnaeus, 1753. These species were identified and compared with each other; the results showed th
... Show MoreThis paper examines the use of one of the most common linguistic devices which is hyperbole. It shows how hyperbolic devices are used as an aspect of exaggeration or overstatement for an extra effect in which the speaker can use hyperbole to add something extra to a situation in order to exaggerate his idea or speech. It is, like other figures of speech, used to express a negative or positive attitude of a specific unit of language. Thus, this paper is set against a background of using hyperbole concerning two main fields (advertisements and propaganda). So, the use of hyperbole will be implied by analyzing them concerning their meaning) literal and non-literal). Methodology of this
... Show MoreBackground: War represents a major human crisis; it destroys communities and results in ingrained consequences for public health and well-being
Objective: We set this study to shed light on the public health status in Iraq after the successive wars, sanctions, sectarian conflicts, and terrorism, in light of certain health indicators.
Design: The primary source of data for this analysis comes from the Iraqi Ministry of Health, and The World Health Organization disease surveillance.
Results: Most of the morbidity indicators are high, even those that are relatively declining recently, are still higher than those repor
... Show MoreCosmochthonius reticulatus Grandjean, 1947 (Acari: Oribatei: Cosmochthoniidae) and Rhysotritia ardua ardua C. L. Koch, 1841 ( Acari : Oribate : Euphthiracari¬dae), are two species of oribatids mites first recorded in Iraq from a woodland in the central part of Iraq. The two species are described and illustrated.