Background: The discriminative power of the classical WHO parameters in relation to male fertility is quite low, because they only address few aspects of sperm quality and function. This has led investigators to focus their attention on the male gamete and in particular its genome.Objective: To explore which of the sperm DNA damage parameters measured by comet assay are more reliable, and their relations with the standard semen parameters.Methods: Study was done on 40 infertile men selected from couples attending the Institute of Embryo Reasearch and Infertility Treatment at Al-Kadhimiya City/ Baghdad in the period between February 2009 and May 2009, with a history of infertility of ≥1 years; and 15 healthy volunteers of proven fertility serving as control. Samples were allowed to liquefy for at least 30 minutes at 37°C and then evaluated according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, 1999. The single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was studied in the ejaculated spermatozoa. The exclusion criteria were the presence of azoospermia and severe oligospermia. Results were compared with the standard semen characteristics (concentration, motility and morphology).Results: Compared to healthy volunteers, infertile patients had highly significantly higher values of comet parameters (P = 0.00001). In all infertile patients, comet extent did not correlate with any of the classical semen parameters; whereas, tail length (μm), % DNA in tail, tail moment and olive moment had all significant negative correlations with the standard parameters. Significant positive correlations were observed between the studied comet parameters, except for the comet extent which was not significantly correlated with tail length and % DNA in tail (P = 0.06, P = 0.7; respectively).Conclusion: Comet assay is a very useful technique in assessing sperm DNA damage. Comet tail parameters and comet extent, may clarify different aspects of DNA damage, and together give a better insight to the integrity of the male genome.Keywards: sperm, comet extent, % DNA in tail, tail moment and olive moment
The shape dimensions and characteristics of pollen grains and seeds have importance in distinguish among species. Therefore, the present study included morphological characteristics of pollen grains and seeds for eight species belonging to eight genera of the family Brassicaceae and these species are: Alliaria petiolata (M.Bieb) Cavara et Grand, Aubrieta parviflora Boiss, Cardamine hirsuta L., Crambe orientalis L., Eromobium aegyptiacum (Spreng.) Schweinf.et Asch.ex Boiss., Parlatoria cakiloidea Boiss., Sterigmostemum sulphureum (Banksetsol.) Bornm. Neotorularia torulosa (Desf.) Hedge & J. Leonard. The pollen grains were studied in morphological and full measurements were taken, the study showed that the majority of the pollen grai
... Show MoreThe Turonian-Lower Companian succession at Majnoon Oil Field is represented by the Khasib, Tanuma, and Saadi formations. Four major paleoenvironments were recognized within the studied succession, there are: Shallow open marine environment, shoal environment, deep marine environment, and basinal environment. They reflect deposition on a carbonate platform of homoclinal ramp setting. The studied succession represents two second order supersequences (A) and (B). Supersequence (A) includes both the Khasib and Tanuma formations. The Saadi Formation represents cycle (B). These second order cycles can be divided each into two third order cycles, This subdivision may reflect the effect of eustacy being the major controlling factor of cycles dev
... Show MoreThe current environment is witnessing several developments as a result of the changes taking place in all areas of economic, social , political and legal that led to the transformation of the industrial economy , which depends based on quantitative production to a knowledge economy which relies based on information and knowledge , as the central pillar of this economy during the trading of these information and knowledge between all individuals in general and decision makers , in particular, through information and communication technology of computers and the Internet to achieve sustainable human development in the social dimension. &
... Show MoreA study of the singlet and triplet states of two electron systems in the first excited state was performed using a simple quantum mechanical model, which assigns the 1s,and 2s orbital with two different variational parameters. Our results agree with a high level calculation used by Snow and Bills.
Jatropha L. is an exotic genus to Iraq and it has been cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes because of the shiny red color of the flowers. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming, which is why the species was interested to study. The species Jatropha integerrima Jacq. was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq. Morphological and anatomical characteristics for leaves (considering that the variations are the most reliable and taxonomically important) were provided. The Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins and saponins. The qualitative analysis by TLC indicated the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid that was detected by specia
... Show MoreBiological activity substances was investigated in watery extract of lentil which found to contain phenols, tannin, saponins and resins while, flavons, terpens and steroids were not exist in the extract details explained that 5%, 10% of lentil extract largly inhibited the growth of Psedumonas aeruginosa then Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The growth of both Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium were slightly affected by all extract concentration. Extracellular protease were screened in all bacterial species under study. Complete inhibition was achieved for extracellular protease while different percentage of protease inhibition were seen for intracellular proteases.
Objectives: The current study aims to evaluate parents' knowledge towards diabetes mellitus (type I); to identify the association between parents' knowledge and their demographic characteristics; and to identify the association between parents' knowledge and demographic characteristics of their children. Methodology: Descriptive study carried out during the period from January to April 2015 on purposive sample of 100 parents with their children with diabetes mellitus who attending diabetes and endocrine treatment center. An evaluation tool is constructed by the researcher based on previous literature regarding
Objective: To evaluate the changes in the surface quality of irreversible hydrocolloid impression material
hydrogum following disinfection with 0.525% sodium hypochlorite, 0.2% Chlorehexidine Gluconate, and 4%
Povidone Iodine.
Methodology: Forty specimens of alginate impression materials hydrogum were fabricated according to the
ISO 1563 and were divided into four groups according to the method of solution dipping: group 1: Dip in
0.525% sodium hypochlorite, group 2: Dip in 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate, Group 3: Dip in 4% Povidone Iodine,
Group 4: No treatment with any solution (control group). Then the specimens were poured in type II stone.
Surface detail was determined using a stainless steel block in accordance w
This study deals with the time property in the cinema through two films: (The Knife) directed by Khalid Hamada and (The Deceived) directed by Tawfiq Saleh. These two films were excerpted by the cinema from two novels of the Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani, the first is from the novel (What is Left for You) and the second is from the novel (Men in the Sun). If the Palestinian novel has imposed its presence on the Arab creative scene through a group of novelists who took it upon themselves to communicate their cause to the world, the Palestinian cinema has been far from being a purely Palestinian, because many of the cinematic works have been provided by Arab countries on the issue, while this cinema is still seeking
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