Background: Tobacco smoking and tuberculosis (TB) are two major public health problems; Associations between smoking and tuberculosis including death from tuberculosis have been reported , A reduction in smoking could be expected to have a significant impact on TB incidence and prevalence .
Objectives: to assess the effect of smoking on tuberculosis.
Methods: This study was conducted from June 2011 to June 2012 in 200 patients, adult ( aged 17 years and more), newly diagnosed patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, at the chest and Respiratory Disease Specialized Center in Baghdad. Demographic data, presenting symptoms, data on smoking, and recurrence of disease were compared. Information on smoking status, tobacco smoking was collected from patients using a specialized questionnaire.
Smoking categories were grouped into ever for current / past smokers) and never.
Results: A total of 200 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, including 116 smokers and 84 non-smokers, were evaluated. The smokers were higher than non-smokers. Smokers were mostly male (p=0.001) there was statistically difference (P value = 0.05) for the duration of smoking, and for the number of cigarettes per day (p < 0.001). Regarding the symptoms of TB, there was statistically difference in occurrence of hemoptysis (P value 0.034) but there was no statistically difference between smokers and non-smokers in relapse rate.
Conclusion: We conclude that smoking may increase the risk of pulmonary TB in men. The risk increase with increasing the duration of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked. Hemoptysis significantly different with regard to the patients’ smoking status.
In this article, we developed a new loss function, as the simplification of linear exponential loss function (LINEX) by weighting LINEX function. We derive a scale parameter, reliability and the hazard functions in accordance with upper record values of the Lomax distribution (LD). To study a small sample behavior performance of the proposed loss function using a Monte Carlo simulation, we make a comparison among maximum likelihood estimator, Bayesian estimator by means of LINEX loss function and Bayesian estimator using square error loss (SE) function. The consequences have shown that a modified method is the finest for valuing a scale parameter, reliability and hazard functions.
Although its wide utilization in microbial cultures, the one factor-at-a-time method, failed to find the true optimum, this is due to the interaction between optimized parameters which is not taken into account. Therefore, in order to find the true optimum conditions, it is necessary to repeat the one factor-at-a-time method in many sequential experimental runs, which is extremely time-consuming and expensive for many variables. This work is an attempt to enhance bioactive yellow pigment production by Streptomyces thinghirensis based on a statistical design. The yellow pigment demonstrated inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy which showed lambda maximum of
... Show MoreThis paper is concerned with the study of the T-norms and the quantum logic functions on BL-algebra, respectively, along with their association with the classical probability space. The proposed constructions depend on demonstrating each type of the T-norms with respect to the basic probability of binary operation. On the other hand, we showed each quantum logic function with respect to some binary operations in probability space, such as intersection, union, and symmetric difference. Finally, we demonstrated the main results that explain the relationships among the T-norms and quantum logic functions. In order to show those relations and their related properties, different examples were built.
Background: Hydatid disease also known as echinococcosis or hydatidosis , is caused by infection with larva (metacestoide) of tape worms of the genus Echinococcus.
Materials and methods: Twelve Rabbits were immunized with three types of antigens (Hydatid cyst fluid antigen; Protoscoleces antigen and Germinal and Laminated layer antigen) according to a specific immunization program and we used indirect hemagglutination test( IHAT) and Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay(ELISA) for detecting the anti-Echinococcus antigens in the serum of these animals.
Results: The highest titter of antibodies were recorded in the Rabbit serum when use the first antigen (Hydatid cyst fluid) by using IHA method (1:64)after
Background: One of the most common problem associated with the used of soft denture lining material is microorganisms and fungal growth especially Candida albicans, which can result in chronic mucosal inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of chlorhexidine diacetate (CDA) salt Incorporation into soft denture lining material on antifungal activity; against Candida albicans, and the amount of chlorhexidine di-acetate salt leached out of soft liner/CDA composite. Furthermore, evaluate shear bond strength and hardness after CDA addition to soft liner Materials and methods: chlorhexidine diacetate salt was added to soft denture lining material at four different concentrations (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2% by weight). Four hund
... Show MoreThis study has been carried out to evaluate the expression level of beta 2 microglobulin gene on patients infected by hepatitis C virus before and after treatment with interferon. The study included 117 hepatitis C patients comprising as 63 pre-treated patients, the range of age was between 20-65 year with a mean age of 48.12 ± 16.1 and 54 post-treated patients with age range was between 23-63 year with the mean of 46.1 ± 18.1. Also it was found that more than half of patients were located within third and fourth decade i.e. 30-49 year, with a percentage of 52.4% and 55.6 % for pre-treatment and post-treatment patients respectively. Moreover , regarding both groups, males are more than females with the ratio of ( 3.2:1) among p
... Show MoreThe crystal compounds Tl2-xAg2-ySryBayCa2Cu3O10+& are successfully prepared in different concentrations (x, y=0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) by solid state reaction process. The samples were then subjected to Nano technique under hydrolic pressure 8 ton/cm2. samples have been annealed in (850 C0) for 72 hours. The results show a best value at x, y=0.3 ratio of Ag, Ba. Electrical resistivity at x, y= 0.3 of Ag, Ba are obtained when the best value of Tc= 141 K. Samples morphology were also observed by AFM (in three dimensions), the best value of Nano is 91.74 nm at x, y= 0.3. Morphological structures of the surface were also observed by (SEM) and (EDX) show that there are dark regions and light which indicate the presence of heavy elements a
... Show MoreIn this work silicon solar cell has been used with semicircular grooves to improve its efficiency by reducing reflection of rays and increasing optical path through the cell. Software program for optical design (zemax) has been used by ray tracing mode to evaluate prototype efficiency when using detector beneath the cell. The prototype has aspect ratio (A.R=0.2) which is the best efficiency at incident angle (ϴ=0ͦ) and the best acceptance angle (ϴ=50ͦ).