Modified algae with nano copper oxide (CuO) were used as adsorption media to remove tetracycline (TEC) from aqueous solutions. Functional groups, morphology, structure, and percentages of surfactants before and after adsorption were characterised through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Several variables, including pH, connection time, dosage, initial concentrations, and temperature, were controlled to obtain the optimum condition. Thermodynamic studies, adsorption isotherm, and kinetics models were examined to describe and recognise the type of interactions involved. Resultantly, the best operation conditions were at pH 7, contact time

Background: Faith healing is common in Arab culture. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is linked to religious beliefs and this can affect its management as patients may seek help from faith healers rather than mental health professionals.
Patients and methods: Patients who received a diagnosis of OCD according to DSM-IV-TR completed a questionnaire containing questions about age, gender, marital state, residence, income, level of education, and occupation. Also, data was collected on help-seeking from a faith healer and on religiosity. The data was analyzed by using the statistical package of the social sciences (SPSS).
Results: 58.5% of OCD patients had sought help from faith healers and this was significantly

Images hold important information, especially in military and commercial surveillance as well as in industrial inspection and communication. Therefore, the protection of the image from abuse, unauthorized access, and damage became a significant demand. This paper introduces a new Beta chaotic map for encrypting and confusing the color image with Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence. First, the DNA addition operation is used for diffusing each component of the plain image. Then, a new Beta chaotic map is used for shuffling the DNA color image. In addition, two chaotic maps, namely the proposed new Beta and Sine chaotic maps, are used for key generation. Finally, the DNA XOR operation is applied between the generated key and shuffled DNA i

Background: Population studies suggest that 3–8% of asymptomatic adults have thyroid nodules. Nodules have a 5–15% prevalence of malignancy. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is the primary and frequently initial tool for assessing the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules and selecting patients for thyroid surgery.
Patients and Methods: This prospective study was done during the period from June 2007 to November 2008. The study includes 141 patients with palpable solitary or multiple thyroid nodules. Only patients with normal or low TSH values were referred for ultrasound examination and ultrasound guided FNAC, which were done using fine needles (G 20).
Results: eleven patients (7.8%) have insuffici

Background: Colorectal cancer is a high risk disease with rapidly progression medical problems and high mortality rate. Tissue polypeptide specific antigen can be classified as biomarker candidates in colorectal cancer and other kinds of cancer. Vascular endothelial-derived growth factor has a curial role in the formation of new blood vessels. DNA methylation may decrease invasiveness of cancer.

Objectives: This study was designed to measure the potential role of some serological biomarkers in the progression of colorectal cancer as well as their relations to P53 expression, global 5-methylcytosine.

Patients and Methods: This study involved of 60 patients with colorectal ca

     The linear instability and nonlinear stability analyses are performed for the model of bidispersive local thermal non-equilibrium flow. The effect of local thermal non-equilibrium on the onset of convection in a bidispersive porous medium of Darcy type is investigated.  The temperatures in the macropores and micropores are allowed to be different. The effects of various interaction parameters on the stability of the system are discussed. In particular, the effects of the porosity modified conductivity ratio parameters,  and , with the int

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have increased morbidity and mortality from premature cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD). Framingham risk score (FRS) is a simplified coronary prediction tool developed to enable clinicians to assess the risk of a cardiovascular event and to identify candidate patients for risk factors modifications worldwide. The predictive ability of the FRS varies between populations, ethnic groups, and socio-economic status. The aim of this study is to find if there is any correlation between the Framingham risk score and the inflammatory and biochemical parameters used to measure disease activity and functional ability in Iraqi patients with active RA.

Alternation of bacterial antioxidant defense pathways might affect susceptibility to antibiotics in dual ways.  Using a relatively simple model based on wild-type and oxyR Escherichia coli mature biofilms, their counterpart planktonic cultures and exponentially growing planktonic cultures, we explored the role of OxyR-mediated metabolism alternations in modulation of susceptibility to antibiotics ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. All three types of cultures were placed in fresh medium,1 h after antibiotics were added and incubation continued further for 2 h. Killing rates of antibiotics were determined, biofilm eradication using crystal violet assay was estimated, expression of rpoS, katG, sulA genes as well a

Estimation of the unknown parameters in 2-D sinusoidal signal model can be considered as important and difficult problem. Due to the difficulty to find estimate of all the parameters of this type of models at the same time, we propose sequential non-liner least squares method and sequential robust  M method after their development through the use of sequential  approach in the estimate suggested by Prasad et al to estimate unknown frequencies and amplitudes for the 2-D sinusoidal compounds but depending on Downhill Simplex Algorithm in solving non-linear equations for the purpose of obtaining non-linear parameters estimation which represents frequencies and then use of least squares formula to estimate

Testing the sensitivity of periodontal pathogens requires the selection of an easier and more reliable method to be used with such anaerobic bacteria that need a long period of time for growth. Natural materials are a new era of antibacterial agents to control periodontal infections. The aims of the current study were to test the antibacterial activity of two natural agents, namely olibanum and alum, against three types of red complex periodontal pathogens and compare the application of agar diffusion and microdilution methods for testing the susceptibility. Gingival crevicular fluid from pockets with chronic infections was sampled as a source for the three types of bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia