Preferred Language
Articles
/
jkmc-82
Outcome of surgical untethering of tethered cord syndrome in adults due to spina bifida occulta
...Show More Authors

Background:. Children with spina bifida occulta require early surgery to prevent neurological deficits. The treatment of patients with a congenitally tethered cord who present in adulthood remains controversial.

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the outcome obtained in 61 adult patients with congenital TCS and no prior surgical treatment who underwent surgical untethering.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 61 adult patients who underwent surgical untethering for spina bifida occulta at four neurosurgical centers in Baghdad / Iraq  between March 2000 and January 2018. Patients who had undergone prior myelomeningocele repair or tethered cord release surgery were excluded.

The most common intraoperative findings were lipomyelomeningocele (41%) and a tight terminal filum (36%). The follow-up duration ranged from 10.8 to 149.5 months (mean 20.9 months). Of the 34 patients with back pain, status improved in 65%, worsened in 3%, remained unchanged in 18%, and improved and later recurred in 15%. Lower-extremity pain improved in 16 patients (53%), remained unchanged in 23%, improved and then recurred in 17%, and worsened in 7%. Lower-extremity weakness improved in 47%, remained unchanged in 47%, and improved and then recurred in 5%. Finally, of the 17 patients with lower-extremity sensory changes,

status improved in 35%, remained unchanged in 35%, and the information on five patients was unavailable. Surgical complications included three wound infections, one cerebrospinal fluid leak, and two pseudomeningoceles requiring surgical revision. One patient developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis postoperatively and died several days later.

Conclusions: Adult-age presentation of a congenital tethered cord is unusual. Despite a slight increase in postoperative neurological injury in adults, surgery has relatively low risk and offers good potential for neurological improvement or stabilization. As in children, we recommend early surgery in adults with this disorder. The decision to undertake surgery, however, should be modulated by other factors such as a patient’s general medical condition and risk posed by anesthesia.

Crossref
View Publication Preview PDF
Quick Preview PDF
Publication Date
Mon Aug 01 2011
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
Preservation of Required Chlorine Concentration in Baghdad Water Supply Networks using On-Site Chlorine Injection
...Show More Authors

The chlorine concentration variation in Baghdad water networks was studied. The
chlorine data were collected from Mayoralty of Baghdad and Ministry of Environment
(MOE) for the networks for both sides of the city Karkh and Rasafa for (2008-2009). The
study of these data indicates that there are no systematic testing program .Classified GIS
maps showed that the areas far from the treatment plants have almost always low
chlorine concentration .This indicates that the problem of the low chlorine concentration
in the far areas is due to cracks of pipe along the conveyance path ,as expected. The area's
most frequently have low concentration are Al-sadir,Al-Kadhimya, and Al-Amiria . It
was found also that the chlorine c

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Crossref
Publication Date
Mon Jun 19 2023
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
Manufacturing and Study the performance of Selective Surfaces that used in flat plate Solar Collectors
...Show More Authors

In this research an experimental study has done for testing the thermal performance of selective surfaces used in solar collectors for substrate of iron, galvanized iron and aluminum which are commercially available. The coating process for the samples has done in two ways, the electroplating and the chemical spray pyrolysis. The results of the thermal performance test of these samples are comparing with the thermal performance of a sample without paint and other paint with black paint without shines commercially available. For the electroplated samples, the performance study has done for different immersion time in plating bath, the
distance between electrical poles, the current density, and area ratio of the sample plated area to

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Crossref
Publication Date
Fri Apr 01 2016
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
Aerobic biodegradation of phenol by Immobilized Pseudomonas sp. cells in two different bio-carrier matrices
...Show More Authors

Biotreatment using immobilized cells (IC) technology has proved to be the most promising and most economical approach for the removal of many toxic organic pollutants found in petroleum-refinery wastewater (PRW) such as phenol. This study was undertaken to evaluate the degradation of phenol by Pseudomonas cells individually immobilized in two different bio-carrier matrices including polyvinyl alcohol-guar gum (PVA-GG) and polyvinyl alcohol-agar agar (PVA-AA). Results of batch experiments revealed that complete removal of phenol was attained in the first cycle after 150 min using immobilized cells (IC) in both PVA-GG and PVA-AA. Additional cycles were confirmed to evaluate the validity of recycling beads of immob

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Publication Date
Sat Oct 01 2011
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
MECHANICAL DEGRADATION OF HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMER WITH SURFACTANT ADDITION IN A ROTATING DISK APPARATUS
...Show More Authors

Mechanical degradation hampers the practical usage of polymers for turbulent drag reduction
application. Mechanical degradation refers to the chemical process in which the activation energy of
polymer chain scission is exceeded by mechanical action on the polymer chain, and bond rupture
occurs. When a water-soluble polymer and surfactant are mixed in water solution, the specific structures
(aggregates) are formed, in which polymer film is formed around micelle. In this work, Xanthan gum (XG) –
Sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SELS) complex formation and its effect on percentage viscosity reduction
(%VR) was studied. It was found that SELS surfactant reduced the mechanical degradation of XG much
more efficiently than th

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Crossref
Publication Date
Sun Oct 01 2017
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
Optimization of Surface Roughness for Al-alloy in Electro-chemical Machining (ECM) using Taguchi Method
...Show More Authors

Electro-chemical Machining is  significant  process to remove metal with using  anodic dissolution. Electro-chemical machining use to removed metal workpiece from (7025) aluminum alloy using Potassium chloride (KCl) solution .The tool used was made from copper. In this present the optimize processes input parameter use are( current, gap and electrolyte concentration) and surface roughness (Ra) as output .The experiments on electro-chemical machining with use current (30, 50, 70)A, gap (1.00, 1.25, 1.50) mm and electrolyte concentration (100, 200, 300) (g/L).  The method (ANOVA) was used to limited the large influence factors affected on surface roughness and found the current was the large influence f

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Publication Date
Thu Dec 01 2011
Journal Name
Journal Of Engineering
ORGANIZATION OF MEMORY CHIPS IN MEMORY SYSTEMS THAT HAVE WORD SIZE WIDER THAN 8-BIT
...Show More Authors

This paper presents a method to organize memory chips when they are used to build memory systems that have word size wider than 8-bit. Most memory chips have 8-bit word size. When the memory system has to be built from several memory chips of various sizes, this method gives all possible organizations of these chips in the memory system. This paper also suggests a precise definition of the term “memory bank” that is usually used in memory systems. Finally, an illustrative design problem was taken to illustrate the presented method practically

View Publication Preview PDF
Crossref
Publication Date
Sat Jun 30 2007
Journal Name
Iraqi Journal Of Chemical And Petroleum Engineering
Rise Velocity and Drag Coefficient of Collapsing Two-Phase Bubble Condensing in an Immiscible Liquid
...Show More Authors

Collapse of the vapor  bubble condensing  in an immiscible  is investigated for  n-pentane and n-hexane vapors condensing in cold water and n-pentane in two different compositions of glycerin- water mixture. The rise velocity and the drag coefficient of the two-phase bubble are measured.

View Publication Preview PDF
Publication Date
Mon Feb 08 2021
Journal Name
Public Works Management & Policy
Causes of Problems in Post-Disaster Emergency Re-Construction Projects—Iraq as a Case Study
...Show More Authors

This study examines the causes of time delays and cost overruns in a selection of thirty post-disaster reconstruction projects in Iraq. Although delay factors have been studied in many countries and contexts, little data exists from countries under the conditions characterizing Iraq during the last 10-15 years. A case study approach was used, with thirty construction projects of different types and sizes selected from the Baghdad region. Project data was gathered from a survey which was used to build statistical relationships between time and cost delay ratios and delay factors in post disaster projects. The most important delay factors identified were contractor failure, redesigning of designs/plans and change orders, security is

... Show More
View Publication
Scopus (23)
Crossref (29)
Scopus Clarivate Crossref
Publication Date
Thu Jun 01 2017
Journal Name
Journal Of The American Medical Directors Association
Comprehensive Literature Review of Factors Influencing Medication Safety in Nursing Homes: Using a Systems Model
...Show More Authors

View Publication
Scopus (51)
Crossref (57)
Scopus Clarivate Crossref
Publication Date
Fri Apr 27 2018
Journal Name
Journal Of Periodontal Research
Potential role of periodontal pathogens in compromising epithelial barrier function by inducing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition
...Show More Authors
Background and Objective

Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which epithelial cells acquire a mesenchymal‐like phenotype and this may be induced by exposure to gram‐negative bacteria. It has been proposed that EMT is responsible for compromising epithelial barrier function in the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, the possible role of EMT in the pathogenesis of periodontitis has not previously been investigated. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate whether gram‐negati

... Show More
View Publication Preview PDF
Scopus (62)
Crossref (55)
Scopus Clarivate Crossref