Search

Objectives and Background: Vitamin D has been associated with an increased risk of tooth loss and the severity of periodontal diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on the clinical, radiographic, and serum level changes of bone turnover biomarkers in ligature-induced periodontitis. Methods: A total of 28 rats were included in this study and divided into test groups: Vitamin D supplement (VS), Vitamin D deficient (VD), and control (CG). Ligature-induced periodontal tissue destruction was performed and kept for 21 days. Clinical attachment and radiographic changes were recorded, and serum samples were tested for Osteoprotegerin (OPG), Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), Sclerostin (SOST), and Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) on the initial and final day of the study. Results: Groups that were made VD exhibited a more significant amount of clinical attachment loss (1.05 ± 0.50 mm) compared to the CG (0.83 ± 0.14 mm) and VS group (0.60 ± 0.13 mm), showing significant differences (p

The contact of lasers with biomaterials like tissues, blood, and skin is a central field of research. Invitro irradiation of human blood with laser beams has been studied for decades, to understand the biostimulatory effects on the different blood cells. Laser tissue associations are determined by employing spectroscopic and cutting-edge microscopic technicality. In this study, blood was extracted under standard laboratory settings from healthy human subjects. The samples were exposed to He - Ne laser (wavelength ʎ= 650nm, power p= 100mW) and green laser (wavelength ʎ= 530nm, power p= 500mW).Complete blood count (CBC) and FTIR spectra for non-irradiated samples were compared to CBC and FTIR spectra of irradiated samples.During exposure to green laser light MCH and PCT were not affected while under He-Ne laser exposure all CBC parameters were affected. FTIR spectrum of normal blood laser irradiation indicated that O-H, C=O, C-O, NH, N=O and C-H.As the duration of exposure to He-Ne laser irradiation on whole blood is decreased for 10, 20, and 30 minutes, the absorption for all groups, except NH and CO absent peaks for 10 and 20 minutes, yet it is present in 30 minutes.When blood is exposed to green laser, all of the functional groups OH,C=O,CH and N=O are present, however for control 2 only peaks of CO after irradiation for 30 minutes are absent. The findings prove that green laser light therapy has a lesser effect on the blood component than He-Ne lasers.

A library of N-benzylpyridinium-based compounds, 7a-j and 8a-j, was designed and synthesised as potential acetylcholinesterase) AChE (inhibitors. An in vitro assay for the synthesised compounds showed that most compounds had significant AChE inhibitory activities at the nanomolar and submicromolar levels. The benzyl (8a) and fluoro (8b) derivatives were the most active, with IC50 values ≤56 nM. Compound 7f, which had a benzyl moiety, showed the highest potency among all the target compounds, with an IC50 value of 7.5 ± 0.19 nM against AChE, which was higher than that of the activities of tacrine (IC50 = 30 ± 0.2 nM) and donepezil (IC50 = 14 ± 0.12 nM). Compounds with vanillin moieties exhibited antioxidant activity. Among the tested compounds, four derivatives (7f, 7 g, 8f, and 8 g) exhibited superior AChE inhibitory activity, with Ki values of 6–16 nM, which were potent in the same range as the approved drug, donepezil. These compounds showed moderate antioxidant activities, as indicated by the results of the ABTS assay.

Globally, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has been recognized as an emerging cause contributing to the rise in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nevertheless, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology of CKDu remains understudied. The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the CKDu population. From May 2021 to May 2022, a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with Stage 4–5 CKD who presented to King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah. On the basis of the cause of CKD, patients were categorized into two groups: those with traditional risk factors for CKD (CKDt) and those without a recognizable cause of CKD (CKDu). Out of a total of 500 patients with Stage 4–5 CKD who were enrolled in the study, 100 patients were found to have CKDu. Compared with the 400 patients with CKDt, the patients in the CKDu group were younger (a mean age of 52.3 years vs. 66.1 years, P

Abstract To generate high-yielding cultivars with favorable fiber quality traits, cotton breeders can use information about combining ability and gene activity within a population to locate elite parents and potential F1 crosses. To this end, in the current study, twelve cotton parents (eight genotypes as female parents and four testers) and their F1 crosses obtained utilizing the linex tester mating design were evaluated for their general and specialized combining abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of yield traits. The findings showed that for all the investigated variables, variances owing to genotypes, parents, crosses, and parent vs cross showed extremely significant (P ≤ 0.01) differences. Additionally, throughout the course of two growing seasons, the mean squares for genotypes (parents and crosses) showed strong significance for all the variables under study. The greatest and most desired means for all the examined qualities were in the parent G.94, Pima S6, and tester G.86. The best crossings for the qualities examined were G.86 (G.89 × G.86), G.93 × Suvin, and G.86 × Suvin. The parents' Suvin, G89x G86 and TNB were shown to have the most desired general combining ability effects for seed cotton yield/plant, lint yield/plant, boll weight, number of bolls/plants, and lint index, while Suvin, G.96 and pima S6 were preferred for favored lint percentage. For seed cotton yield, lint percentage, boll weight, and number of bolls per plant per year, the cross-G.86 x (G.89 × G.86) displayed highly significant specific combining ability impacts. The crosses G.86 × Suvin, Kar x TNB, G.93 × Suvin, and G.93 × TNB for all the studied traits for each year and their combined were found to have highly significant positive heterotic effects relative to better parent, and they could be used in future cotton breeding programs for improving the studied traits.

Timetabling problems are specific types of scheduling problems that deal with assigning certain events to the timeslots. This assigning is subject to certain hard constraints that should be achieved to get a feasible timetable and soft constraints that must meet as many as possible during forming a feasible schedule. This paper introduces an adaptive tabu search. Eleven benchmark datasets of the year 2002 are applied to show the effectiveness of the introduced algorithm. These datasets consist of 5-small, 5-medium, and 1-large dataset. As compared to other methods from previous works, the proposed algorithm produces excellent timetables, in comparison with the algorithms as well as the current results, the mathematical results showed the high effectiveness of the suggested algorithm. It has a minor deficit on the medium or the small problem adaptive Tabu, and the tabu search relies on the tabu list and penalty cost when the change in the penalty cost is checked; if it is still unchanged for the period of iterations (1,000 iterations), the tabu list reduces automatically by (−2); furthermore, the tabu list remains constant.

Today, our society is polluted with the diseases belong to various types including inherited, germs, hazard infectious with physiologic one. Information on the disease epidemiology and reviewing data analysis helps us in controlling strategies. Since the early 1980s, this region has faced wars, political irregularity, and economic collapse, leads to the migration of over ten million people, two million have internally displaced. In addition to several other factors which mentioned by ministry of health includes poor sanitation, poor nutrition and also population density because population of Iraq has more than doubled in the last 25 years. The aim of any reviewed data analysis is to obtain an accurate picture of a particular health problem and they are used to finding out the variation of specific health problems, diagnose patterns in existence of the problem, determine any potent reasons and risk factors, evaluate the efficacy of protection scale and care them. The reviewed results reveal the existence of five genus of parasite as the most parasitic infection/infestation in Iraq during the years between 2011 and 2020. These include four species of protozoans (Entamoeba histolytica, Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia lamblia, and Trichomonas vaginalis) and one arthropod, Pediculus humanus capitis. Data analysis confirmed that there is a clear variation in the prevalence of parasitic infection among different Iraqi provenances. During the reviewed period, high prevalence of infection was recorded in several Iraqi provenances including, E. histolytica from Kirkuk (79.49%), T. gondii from in AL-Amaara (18.07%), G. lamblia and T. vaginalis from AL-Basrah (11.05%, 55.4%, respectively), and the head lice, P. humanus capiotis from Koya District at Erbil provenance (41.14%). Variation in the rate of infection/infestation tells us that there is some instability among study area including, instability of the security and military situation, economic instability, population density instability. In addition to several other factors including, social behavior, the position of religious shrines, unwanted water network and poor public health control in Iraq which are decides also on the change in prevalence of infection.

Freshwater unionid mussels are among the most imperiled fauna in North America, and their decline has been partially attributed to sediment from anthropogenic activities. However, there remains a debate regarding the role played by sediment in mussel declines due to a lack of field and laboratory evidence. If sediment is responsible for mussel declines, then a lack of information will likely impede efforts to mitigate species declines and protect remaining habitat. However, if the impacts of sediment are overstated, time and resources may be wasted on a threat that has little bearing on mussel declines or habitat loss. Given this knowledge gap, the purpose of this paper is to review the literature focused on the potential impact of suspended sediment and sedimentation on freshwater mussels. We focused our search on suspended sediment, expressed either as suspended sediment concentration (SSC) or total suspended solids (TSS), and sediment deposition and scour. We found increases in suspended solids could impact mussels by decreasing food availability, physically interfering with filter feeding and respiration, and impeding various aspects of the mussel-host relationship. We also found mussel-sediment thresholds, wherein certain concentrations of sediment caused significant declines in population performance, which could serve as reference points for ecological research and management. Specifically, we found clearance rates (a measure of feeding) were negatively impacted by TSS concentrations >8 mg/L, and respiratory stress occurred at ~600 mg/L. Declines in fertilization success and glochidial (i.e., mussel larvae) development were observed at TSS values of 15 mg/L, and reproductive failure occurred at 20 mg/L. Impacts on host fish attachment and glochidial encystment occurred at TSS concentrations of 1250-5000 mg/L. Impacts on fish varied depending on the biological endpoint but typically occurred at TSS values ranging from 20 to 5000 mg/L. We also found mussels were sensitive to smothering and mortality occurred at depths as low as 0.6-2.5 cm of substrate. Finally, we found relative shear stress (RSS) values >l, which is a measure of substrate stability in response to scour and entrainment, resulted in significant declines in mussel biodiversity. Key words; sedimentation, freshwater mussels, unionids, population performance, North America, anthropogenic activities. Les moules d'eau douce de la famille des unionides font partie de la faune la plus menacee en Amerique du Nord, et leur declin a ete partiellement attribue aux sediments emanant d'activites anthropiques. Toutefois, le role joue par les sediments dans le declin des moules fait encore l'objet d'un debat en raison du manque de preuves sur le terrain et en laboratoire. Si les sediments sont responsables du declin des moules, le manque d'informations entravera probablement les efforts visant a attenuer le declin des especes et a proteger les habitats restants. Cependant, si les impacts des sediments sont surestimes, du temps et des ressources peuvent etre gaspilles pour une menace qui n'a que peu de rapport avec le declin des moules ou la perte de leur habitat. Compte tenu de cette lacune dans les connaissances, l'objectif de cette synthese est de passer en revue la litterature axee sur l'impact potentiel des sediments en suspension et de la sedimentation sur les moules d'eau douce. Les auteurs ont concentre leur recherche sur les sediments en suspension, exprimes soit en concentration de sediments en suspension (CSS), soit en total de matieres en suspension (MES), ainsi que sur le depot de sediments et l'affouillement. Ils ont constate que l'augmentation des solides en suspension pouvait avoir un impact sur les moules en diminuant la disponibilite de la nourriture, en interferant physiquement avec l'alimentation par filtration et la respiration, et en entravant divers aspects de la relation entre la moule et son hote. Ils ont egalement trouve des seuils moule-sediment, ou certaines concentrations de sediments provoquaient des baisses importantes de la performance de la population, qui pourraient servir de points de reference pour la recherche et la gestion ecologiques. Plus precisement, ils ont constate que les taux de clairance (une mesure de l'alimentation) etaient affectes negativement par des concentrations de MES > 8 mg/L, et qu'un stress respiratoire se produisait a ~600 mg/L. Des baisses du succes de la fertilisation et du developpement des glochidies (c'est-a-dire des larves de moules) etaient observees a des valeurs de MES de 15 mg/L, et un echec de la reproduction survenait a 20 mg/L. Des impacts sur l'attachement a des poissons-hotes et l'enkystement des glochidies etaient observes a des concentrations de MES de 1250 a 5000 mg/L. Les effets sur les poissons variaient en fonction du critere d'evaluation biologique, mais se produisaient generalement a des valeurs de MES allant de 20 a 5000 mg/L. Ils ont egalement constate que les moules etaient sensibles a l'etouffement et que la mortalite se produisait a des profondeurs aussi faibles que 0,6-2,5 cm de substrat. Enfin, ils ont constate que des valeurs de contrainte de cisaillement relative >1, qui est une mesure de la stabilite du substrat en reponse a l'affouillement et a l'entramement, entrainaient une diminution importante de la biodiversite des moules. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: sedimentation, moules d'eau douce, unionides, performance des populations, Amerique du Nord, activites anthropiques., Introduction Sediment is composed of inorganic (sand, silt, clay) and organic (biological material) particulate matter which forms through varying processes including weathering of geological features; fluvial processes; wind, wave, or [...]

Big-medical-data classification and image detection are crucial tasks in the field of healthcare, as they can assist with diagnosis, treatment planning, and disease monitoring. Logistic regression and YOLOv4 are popular algorithms that can be used for these tasks. However, these techniques have limitations and performance issue with big medical data. In this study, we presented a robust approach for big-medical-data classification and image detection using logistic regression and YOLOv4, respectively. To improve the performance of these algorithms, we proposed the use of advanced parallel k-means pre-processing, a clustering technique that identified patterns and structures in the data. Additionally, we leveraged the acceleration capabilities of a neural engine processor to further enhance the speed and efficiency of our approach. We evaluated our approach on several large medical datasets and showed that it could accurately classify large amounts of medical data and detect medical images. Our results demonstrated that the combination of advanced parallel k-means pre-processing, and the neural engine processor resulted in a significant improvement in the performance of logistic regression and YOLOv4, making them more reliable for use in medical applications. This new approach offers a promising solution for medical data classification and image detection and may have significant implications for the field of healthcare.

Objectives: This study attempted to develop 2 biodegradable periodontal chips containing Salvadora persica (miswak) or benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) extracts and evaluate their clinical effectiveness in managing periodontitis. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, from September 2010 to April 2012. Periodontal chips were formulated using S. persica, benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and chitosan extracts. All patients were treated with full mouth scaling and root planing at baseline. Thereafter, the periodontal pockets (=5 mm in length) were divided into 4 groups: the control group; group 2 (plain chitosan chip); group 3 (S. persica extract); and group 4 (BITC extract). Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), periodontal probing pocket depth and clinical attachment levels were recorded at days 0 and 60 only. Results: A total of 12 patients participated in this study. Overall, 240 periodontal pockets were evaluated. The study revealed significant improvements in PI, BOP and reduction in periodontal pocket depth in all 4 groups (P <0.05). The improvement in clinical attachment level was significantly higher (P <0.001) among the group that received S. persica chips compared to the control and other chip-treated groups. Conclusion: Periodontal chips containing S. persica can be used as adjuncts to treat patients with periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This current study was performed to determine the influences of plant spacing, Nitrogen (N) fertilization rate and their effect, on growth traits, yield, and yield components of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) cv. Giza 97 during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. A split plot experiment in three replicates was utilized whereas the cotton seeds were planted at 20, 30, and 40 cm, as main plots and nitrogen at 75, 100, and 125%, was in subplots. The results revealed that the planting spacing at 40 cm significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased plant height, number of fruiting branches per plant, number of bolls per plant, boll weight (BW), lint percentage (L%), seed cotton yield (SCY), lint cotton yield (LCY), seed index and lint index by 165.68 cm, 20.92, 23.93, 3.75 g, 42.01%, 4.24 ton/ha, 5.16 ton/ha, 12.05, 7.86, respectively, as average in both seasons. The application of N fertilizer rate at 125% caused a maximum increase in growth and yield parameters i.e., plant height (169.08 cm), number of vegetative branches (2.67), number of fruiting branches per plant (20.82), number bolls per fruiting branch (1.39), number of bolls per plant (23.73), boll weight (4.1 g), lint percent (41.9%), seed index (11.8 g), and lint index (8.2), while the plants treated with 100% N rates exhibited highest seed cotton yield (4.3 ton/ha) and lint cotton yield (5.6 ton/ha), as average in both seasons. Combining plant spacing at 40 cm between plants with a 100% N fertilizer rate recorded the highest lint cotton yield (5.67 ton/ha), while the highest seed cotton yield (4.43 and 4.50 ton/ha) was obtained from 125% N fertilizer rate under planting spacing 20 and 40 cm, respectively. Conclusively, a wide density (40 cm) with 125% N is a promising option for improved biomass, cotton growth, yield, physiological traits, and fiber quality.

Background: The association between man and the head lice is one of the oldest relationship and its history return to 10000 years ago. Blood sucking head lice belong to Kingdom Animalia, Class: Insecta, Order: Phiroptera, Family: Pediculidae, Genus: Pediculus, Species: humanus and Subspecies: capitis that’s obligate parasite on human this highly specialized to suck blood and close association with their host where completed its entire life cycle. Objective: To determine the rate of infestation by the head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis and its associated factors among primary school children in Erbil City. Patients and Methods: A case control study was conducted on the twenty two (22) randomly selected primary school in the center of Erbil city. For this purpose, a total of 1082 students (430 boys and 652 girls) were examined from first to sixth stage (age ≥6 years old) during 1st October 2020 to 31th May 2021. Personal requested information was recorded by student parents in a questionnaire form. Results: An overall prevalence of infestation of 25.5% (276/1082) was recorded in the present study. Study reveals the existence of a significant relationship age [6 and < 9 years old , 178/759 (23.5%), and ≥ 9 years old, 98/323 (30.3%), P = 0.0174], gender [girls, 215/652 (33%) and boys, 61/430 (14.2%), P < 0.001], education level of parent (educated family, 146/694 (21%) and none educated family, 130/388 (33.5%), P < 0.001], longevity of hair [ long hair, 157/473 (33.2%) and short hair 119/609 (19.5%), P < 0.001] hair washing frequency [daily washing, 243/587 (41.4%), and weekly washing 33/495 (6.7%), P < 0.001], hair combing condition [common comb user,165/499 (33%) and special comb user, 111/583 (19%), P < 0.001] and sleeping habitat [ sleeping together 222/693 (32%) and sleeping habitat alone, 54/389 (13.9%), P < 0.001]. There’s no significant existence related to density of students in classroom [ one student per table, 114/486 (23.5%) and sitting in pair, 162/596 (27.2%), P = 0.1621], hair type, smooth and wrinkle [smooth hair, 183/741 (24.7%), 93/341 (27.3), P = 0.366] and head lice infestation. Conclusion: We concluded that head lice infestation rate was varied depending on the several physio and socioeconomic factors including, age, gender, type of hair, education level of parents, frequency of hair washing, sleeping habitat and condition of hair combing. Among variables, only density of pupils in classroom, smooth and wrinkled hair show no any significant relationship with pediculosis capitis (P- value = 0.1621 and P –value = 0.366 respectively).

Mentha spicata (M. spicata) is within family Lamiaceae that spreads mainly in the temperate and subtemperate zones of the world. It is considered as a good source of essential oils (EOs), which is widely used in food production and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of the current study is to evaluate antibacterial activities associated with the EO of M. spicata cultivated in Iraq-Erbil city. The aerial parts of M. spicata were subjected to hydro distillation to extract the oil. Antimicrobial potential was tested against many microorganisms, signifying Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. EO of M. spicata demonstrated antimicrobial activities with best susceptibility observed for Gram-negative bacteria toward the oil. The results suggest that EO of M. spicata may have potential value as antibacterial activities.

Modelling can provide intellectual frameworks that are necessary to translate data into knowledge. Mathematical modelling has played an important role in many applications, such as ecology, genetics, engineering, psychology, sociology, physics and computer science, in recent years. This study focused on reviewing mathematical modelling and its applications to biological systems by tracing many metabolic activities of cellular interactions on the one hand and between the spread of epidemics and population growth on the other hand. Various mathematical equations have played fundamental roles in the formation of these systems for model development procedures by describing them mathematically and establishing relationships that characterise the dynamics of a biological phenomenon. Consequently, the creation of new mathematical representations and simulation algorithms is important to the success of biological modelling initiatives. Finally, the optimisation approach performs its primary role in directing and controlling interactions by adjusting the parameters that provide the best possible result for the system

Climate change and population growth play crucial roles in the planning of future water resources management strategies. In this paper, a balancing between projected water resources and water demands in the Iraqi Part of the Tigris River Basin (TRB) was evaluated till the year 2080 based on RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 and population growth. This paper examined a sustainable adaptation plan of water resources in the TRB considering three scenarios; (S1) as no change in the current strategy, (S2) as improved irrigation efficiency and (S3) as improved irrigation and municipal water use efficiency. The results showed a decline in streamflow will occur in the range from 5 to 18.4% under RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5, respectively. The minimum increase in water demand is expected for RCP 2.6 (maximum increase for RCP 8.5) by 51.8 (208.2), 9.9 (42) and 1.2 (7)% for the municipal–industrial, irrigation and environmental water demands, respectively, compared with the RP. The main finding indicated that S1 is the worst scenario, with water stress in four provinces, especially on the warmest RCP. Whereas, under S2 and S3 conditions, water stress can be eliminated. Increasing ambition towards adaptation becomes obligatory for developing sustainable water sources, supporting water food securities and increasing resilience towards climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The management of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) during pregnancy remains challenging as both the maternal and fetal outcomes should be considered. Several reports suggested that chemotherapy can be administered safely during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. However, the use of 5-azacytidine presents limitation due to lack of data. Case presentation A 28-years-old woman in the 26th week of gestation diagnosed with FLT3/ITD-mutated AML, complete remission was induced by Daunorubicin and Cytarabine, and subsequently with 5-azacytidine (75 mg/m2 daily for 7 days) with no fetal hematological or toxicity issues. Fetal ultrasound showed no aberrant morphology. Fetal size below the 5th percentile with normal umbilical artery dopplers, normal middle cerebral artery dopplers and ductus venosus doppler. Three weeks post 5-azacytidine, the team determined the most appropriate time for delivery after balancing the risks of prematurity and prevention of disease relapse since patient in hematological remission. The patient underwent elective lower segment caesarian section and had a baby girl delivered at 35 weeks of gestation weighing 1670 g without apparent anomalies. Conclusion Treatment using 5-azacytadine during last trimester of pregnancy resulted in no major fetal and maternal complications. These findings concluded that 5-azacytadine during the third trimester of pregnancy seems to be safe however, potential risks of this agent should be considered.

As one of the largest environmental offenders, the construction industry is a prime candidate for the application of the principles of sustainability. Sustainability could be achieved by using environment friendly materials and structural systems in construction industry. This paper aimed to study using geopolymer concrete as a structural board in constructing insulation sandwich panels under different types of loading. Four compression tests were performed on wall specimens in order to study the behavior of the panels under vertical in plane forces. Axial capacity prediction of wall panels was discussed using four published design equations. Eight one-way slab sandwich panels specimens were tested under flexure loading with different shear span ratios in order to compare the flexural behavior of conventional concrete and geopolymer concrete sandwich panels. The capacities of the slab panels were estimated using the conventional concrete codes provisions and compared to the experimental values. Geopolymer sandwich panels approved its ability to sustain different type of loading in the same manner as that of conventional concrete. A prototype was constructed to assess the constructability and the construction cost of the proposed system. The lack of production lines of geopolymer ingredients increases the material cost. On the other hand, the calculated total cost for different construction systems revealed that the labor cost is lower for the cast in place structural insulated panels CIP-SIP system.