Background: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical
problem that is associated with an acute-phase reaction.
Previous studies have shown that cytokines and acutephase proteins are activated and may serve as indicators for
appendicitis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate of serum
levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in correlation to the severity
to acute appendicitis.
Methods: This is a prospective study from December 2008
to March 2009 of patients who had appendectomy in
Department of Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital -
Baghdad/Iraq. Serum for estimating levels of interleukin-6
(IL-6) was taken pre-operatively. Depending on the
macroscopic evidence during the operation and the
histopathological examination of the specimens, the
patients were separated into 3 groups, group one with
negative appendectomy (normal appendix), group two with
non-complicated acute appendicitis (catarrhal,
suppurative), and group three with complicated acute
appendicitis (perforated, gangrenous). The
histopathological results were correlated with IL-6 values
statistically.
Results: A total number of 50 patients were included in
this study, 28 male (56%) and 22 female (44%). The mean
age was 23 year (ranged from 7 to 50). On histological
examination, there were 7 patients (14%) in group one, 29
patients (58%) in group two, and 14 patients (28%) in
group three. Serum IL-6 values gave true negative results
in 6%, true positive results in 82%, false negative results in
4%, and false positive results in 8%. We determined,
therefore, in the present study the sensitivity, specificity,
and accuracy of serum IL-6 were calculated as 95.34%,
42.85%, and 88% respectively.
Conclusion: Laboratory results should be considered to be
integrated within the clinical assessment. If used critically,
IL-6 can provide surgeons with complementary
information in discerning the necessity for urgent
operation
Plane cubics curves may be classified up to isomorphism or projective equivalence. In this paper, the inequivalent elliptic cubic curves which are non-singular plane cubic curves have been classified projectively over the finite field of order nineteen, and determined if they are complete or incomplete as arcs of degree three. Also, the maximum size of a complete elliptic curve that can be constructed from each incomplete elliptic curve are given.
According to the topics of study, The intensity of the news coverage of the Abu Ghraib scandal and the US soldiers' torture of Iraqi prisoners have become apparent since the scandal was revealed on April 29, 2004 until May 30, 2004 and the period in which the coverage of this scandal had intensified not only in Al-Zaman, but in all newspapers, magazines and other media locally and internationally. And according to a research taken from Al-Zaman magazine that showed great interest in highlighting the event, interpreting it, following up its roots and results, and showing contradictory claims and slogans between the US and Britain, particularly in respecting human rights and the spread of justice, equality and well-being in Iraq specifical
... Show MoreThis study is concerned with the effect of Deep Cryogenic Treatment (DCT) at liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 o C) on the mechanical properties and performance of low carbon steel (A858). The tests specimens were divided in to two groups, the first group was subjected to the conventional heat treatment of normalizing, and the second group was also normalized then subjected to (DCT). The results have shown that after (DCT), the Hardness, Tensile properties and the impact energy absorbed were all slightly increased. However the fatigue test showed some positive improvement in fatigue limit by 20(N/mm2 ), and the volume wear rates at different loads were significantly decreased after (DCT). The changes in microstructure due to (DCT) were c
... Show MoreCobalt substituted nickel copper ferrite samples with general formula Ni0.95-xCoxCu0.05Fe2O4, where (x= 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05) were prepared by solid-state reactions method at 1373 K for 4h. The samples prepared were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD(, atomic force microscope (AFM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and Vickers hardness. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the formation of a single phase of cubic spinel structure in all the prepared samples . XRD analysis showed that the increase in the cobalt concentration causes an increase in the lattice constant, bulk density (ρm) and the x-ray density (ρx), whereas porosity (p) and crystallite size (D) decrease. The Topography of the surface observed
... Show MoreThe experiment was carried out to study the effect oftwo concentration of NPK 0.25 and 0.50g/kg soil on some physiological characters of Apium graveolens. The results showed that the both concentration increased percentage of germination, plant height, Length of roots, roots diameter, absolute growth rate (AGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and percentage of N, P and K in plants
Two grades of paving asphalt with penetration of 46 and 65 are studied for determining changes in their physical and chemical properties caused by ageing.
The ageing process has been conducted on two petroleum paving asphalt cement using thin film oven test at 150, 163 and 175 C, and ageing time 5, 10,15, 20, 25 and 30 hours. The effect of ageing time and temperature on penetration, kinematic viscosity, softening point, solubility in trichloroethylene, heat loss and changes in chemical composition are investigated. The results of thin film oven test process indicte that the asphaltenes concentration of all aged asphalt increases with increasing ageing time, while the opposite was observed for polar-aromatic and naphthene-aromatic. The
Sheets of Epoxy (EP) resin with addition of TiO2 of grain size (1.5μm, and 50nm) and weight percentage (1%, 3%, and 5%) were prepared. Discs of 20mm diameter and 3mm thickness were cut for dielectric measurements. Dielectric properties (dielectric constant, dispassion factor and electrical conductivity) over the frequency range 102 -106 Hz were measured.
Comparison was made between the effect of micro and nano particles of TiO2 on the dielectric properties of EP composites with different weight percentage. Epoxy composites with micro sized particles of TiO2 were observed to have the better values of dielectric properties.
Folic acid and multivitamin tablets containing Aspergillus flavus Penicillia spp. and Cladosporia spores were prepared at a compression pressure of 148 MN/m2 and stored at 35°C under different relative humidifies (75,85, and 95)% within air tight containers, to study the effect of storage condition on them, as well as ,the estimation of the microbial level of the raw materials intended to be used in the two kinds of tablets . Result showed that some raw materials derived from natural origin were heavily contaminated with microorganism compared to that of synthetic origin ,the results also indicated the effect of relative humidity , types of fungal spore , and the hygroscopic nature of exicpient upon survival. Multivit
... Show MoreThe stability and releasing profile of 2:1 core: wall ratio ibuprofen microcapsules prepared by aqueous coacervation (gelatin and acacia polymers coat) and an organic coacervation methods (ethyl cellulose and sodium alginate polymers coat) in weight equivalent to 300mg drug, were studied using different storage temperatures 40°C, 50°C ,60°C and refrigerator temperature 4°C in an opened and closed container for three months (releasing profile) and four months (stability study).It was found that, these ibuprofen microcapsules were stable with expiration dates of 4.1 and 3.1 years for aqueous and an organic method respectively.Aqueous prepared ibuprofen microcapsules were found more stable than those microcapsules prepared by or
... Show MoreChitosan (CH) / Poly (1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (PVP-co-VAc) blend (1:1) and nanocomposites reinforced with CaCO3 nanoparticles were prepared by solution casting method. FTIR analysis, tensile strength, Elongation, Young modulus, Thermal conductivity, water absorption and Antibacterial properties were studied for blend and nanocomposites. The tensile results show that the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the nanocomposites were enhanced compared with polymer blend [CH/(PVP-co-VAc)] film. The mechanical properties of the polymer blend were improved by the addition of CaCO3 with significant increases in Young’s modulus (from 1787 MPa to ~7238 MPa) and tensile strength (from 47.87 MPa to 79.75 MPa). Strong interfacial
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