Background: Environmental chemicals are thought to
adversely affect human reproductive function.
Objective : To estimate the concentration of cadmium(Cd)
, lead ( Pb ) and Zinc ( Zn ) in serum and seminal plasma
among infertile men .
Methods: A sample of 70 infertile men was investigated.
The relationship of trace elements concentration in serum and
seminal plasma was studied in relation to sperm density,
motility and sperm count.
Results: Except for Zinc the concentration of (Pb) and (Cd)
were generally higher in serum than in seminal plasma. The
mean concentration of (Zn) in seminal plasma was more than
25 times higher than in serum There were no statistical
significant differences observed in the serum and seminal
plasma levels of trace elements among the normospermic ,
oligospermic and azoospermic.
Conclusion: It seems that no significant relationship
between these trace elements and the clinical classification of
the infertile men was noted. Without considering
environmental conditions of life and work, way of nutrition
smoking and other possible factors, this study does not
present great value.
Based on previous research results that recognized the role of paternalistic leadership in promoting a positive work climate, this study explored the impact of a toxic work environment on the mental health and well-being of employees. We used the quantitative methodology to collect and analyze data. A sample of 108 participants from Iraqi internet service provider (ISPs) companies represented the purposive study sample. We targeted employees who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. All data was collected through an electronic questionnaire (Google and Microsoft Forms). The research model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed a negative effect of the toxic workplace on the mental health of employees. T
... Show MoreIn this study, a new adsorbent derived from sunflower husk powder and coated in CuO nanoparticles (CSFH) was investigated to evaluate the simultaneous adsorption of Levofloxacin (LEV), Meropenem (MER), and Tetracycline (TEC) from an aqueous solution. Significant improvements in the adsorption capacity of the sunflower husk were identified after the powder particles had been coated in CuO nanoparticles. Kinetic data were correlated using a pseudo-second-order model, and was successful for the three antibiotics. Moreover, high compatibility was identified between the LEV, MER, and TEC, isotherm data, and the Langmuir model, which produced a better fit to suit the isotherm curves. In addition, the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adso
... Show MoreIn the presence of deep submicron noise, providing reliable and energy‐efficient network on‐chip operation is becoming a challenging objective. In this study, the authors propose a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)‐based coding scheme that simultaneously reduces the crosstalk induced bus delay and provides multi‐bit error protection while achieving high‐energy savings. This is achieved by calculating two‐dimensional parities and duplicating all the bits, which provide single error correction and six errors detection. The error correction reduces the performance degradation caused by retransmissions, which when combined with voltage swing reduction, due to its high error detection, high‐energy savings are achieved. The res
... Show MoreThe effect of air injection angle on the performance of airlift pump used for water pumping has been studied analytically and experimentally. An airlift pump of dimensions 42mm diameter and 2200 mm length with conventional and modified air injection device was considered. A modification on conventional injection device (normal air-jacket type) was carried out by changing injection angle from 90 (for conventional) to 45 and 22.5 (for modified). Continuity and one-dimensional momentum balance for the flow field with basic principle of two-phase flow and expressions of slip ratio and friction factor as function of flow rates were formulated. The analytical and experimental investigations were carried out f
... Show MoreThis study includes design and synthesis of new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) with expected cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibition to achieve better activity and low gastric side effects. Two series of compounds have been designed and synthesized as potential NSAIDs,these are: Salicylamide derivatives (compounds 3,4,5 ) and Diflunisal derivatives (compounds 10&11). In vivo acute anti-inflammatory effect of one of the synthesized agents (compound 3) was evaluated in the rat using egg-white induced paw edema model of inflammation. Preliminary pharmacological study revealed that compound 3 exhibited less anti-inflammatory effect compared to that of aspirin after
... Show MoreMost dental works require a diagnostic impression; alginate is contemplated as the most popular material used for this purpose. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles show evidence of antimicrobial activity in the recent era, for this purpose, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding Titanium dioxide nanoparticles on antimicrobial activity and surface detail reproduction of alginate impression material. Materials and methods: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (purity = 99%, size= 20nm) was added to alginate at three different concentrations (2%, 3% and 5%). 84 samples were prepared in total. Samples were tested for antimicrobial activity using a disc diffusion test, and surface detail reproduction was done using (ISO 21563:2021). One-way A
... Show Morehe effect of different cultural conditions on production of bioemulsifier from Serratia marcescens S10 was determined; different carbon and nitrogen sources were used such as: different oils include: edible (vegetable) oils (olive oil, sesame oil, sun flower oil and corn oil) and heavy oils (oil 150, oil 60, oil 40) as carbon sources and (NH4Cl, casein, (NH4)2SO4, peptone, tryptone, gelatin and yeast extract) as nitrogen sources were added to production media. Bioemulsifier was estimated by measuring the surface tension (S.T), emulsification activity (E.A) and emulsification index (E24%). The best results of bioemulsifier production from Serratia marcescens S10 were obtained at pH8 and incubated at 37ºC for 5days, using sesame oil
... Show MoreSince the beginning of the second decade of the twenty-first century, Saudi Arabia tried to pursue an open foreign policy towards many countries in the Horn of Africa, especially with Ethiopia and Somalia, due to the geostrategic qualities that these two countries possess.Despite the development of Saudi foreign policy towards Ethiopia and Somalia, it was soon affected by the tension after the events that the Gulf states went through, that is, the Qatari crisis with Saudi Arabia,especially after most of the countries of the Horn of Africa adhered to a policy of neutrality towards the Gulf-Gulf crisis.
Thus it is expected that despite the geographical proximity and the historical, economic and political relations between Saudi Ara
... Show More