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This study was initiated to examine the tomato-infecting viruses belonging to the Tobamovirus and Potexvirus genera in Iraq. Field observations and surveys were carried out for three successive cropping seasons (2020/21 to 2022/23) in selected tomato production areas. The purpose was to identify the main viruses associated with tomato epidemics and assess the impact of different tomato cultivars on disease occurrence. A total of 700 tomato leaf samples were collected from seven governorates (Baghdad, Diyala, Babylon, Najaf, Kerbala, Nasiriya, and Basrah) and tested using pathogen-specific immunostrip kits. The survey showed a presence of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV), Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and Potato virus X (PVX) in tomato fields in Iraq. ToBRFV secured the highest relative incidence in tomato fields (7 governorates) followed by PepMV and CymMV and PMMoV (6 out of 7 governorates) and CGMMV, TMV (5 governorates), and PVX (3 governorates). The least was ORSV (only in Basrah). To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive survey investigating Tobamovirus and Potexvirus on tomato fields in Iraq and the first report of ToBRFV, PMMoV, CymMV, ORSV, CGMMV and PepMV infecting tomato crops in Iraq.

Objective: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving treatment option providing cardiopulmonary support when standard therapies prove insufficient for reversible diseases. The mean objective of this study was to evaluate our center’s experience with ECMO following pediatric cardiac surgery. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between November 2014 and March 2021 and included patients who received ECMO following cardiac surgery. Results: Over the 7-year period, 324 patients underwent cardiac surgery, of which 24 (7.4%) required ECMO support. Among them, 13 (54.2%) were female, with a median age of 16.0 (2.0- 208) months and a median weight of 7.0 (3.5-70) kg. The mean vasoactive inotrope score (VIS) was 53.9 ± 44.5. Atrioventricular septal defect repair was the most common surgical procedure (n = 8/24, 41.6%). The primary indication for ECMO was low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) in 14 (58.3%) patients. The median duration of ECMO support was 6.0 (1.0-46.0) days. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher Pediatric Risk Score of Mortality (PRISM) III scores (P = .014) and VIS scores during the pre-ECMO period (P = .004). Early or late neurological complications developed in 12 (50%) patients, with significant differences in lactate levels and pH levels preECMO between those with and without neurological complications (P = .01, P = .02, respectively). We successfully decannulated 16 (66.6%) patients, with a final survival rate of 12 (50%). Conclusion: ECMO plays a crucial role in providing pre- and post-cardiac surgery support for children. LCOS remains the main indication, and high PRISM III and VIS scores are valuable predictors of outcomes.

هدفت الدراسة الى اعداد منهاج تعليمي متضمنا استعمال الفيديو التعليمي لتعليم مهارتي الضرب الساحق وحائط الصد بالكرة الطائرة للطلاب واستعمل الباحثون المنهج التجريبي كونه يتلاءم مع طبيعة وكانت العينة هم طلبة المرحلة الثانية في كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة (جامعة البصرة) والبالغ عددهم (36) طالبا ، استعمل الباحثون النظم الإحصائية في معالجة البيانات وفق الحقيبة الإحصائية (SPSS ver. 21) وقد استنتجنا بوجود تأثير ايجابي لاستعمال الفيديو التعليمي ضمن المنهاج التعليمي واوصينا بضرورة استعمال الفيديو التعليمي في المنهاج التعليمي لمادة كرة الطائرة للمرحلة الثانية في كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة . التعليمي.

هدف البحث الى اعداد منهاج تعليمي يحتوي على درس خاص بالمشاهدة الذاتية لتعليم مهارتي الارسال والضرب الساحق بالكرة الطائرة للطلاب و استعمل الباحثون المنهج التجريبي للمجموعتين التجريبية و الضابطة و كانت عينة البحث من المرحلة الثانية في كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة في جامعة البصرة من مجموعتين تجريبية وضابطة وعددهم (36) طالبا، واستعمل الطرق والوسائل الحديثة لإيصال المادة العلمية للطالب بأفضل صورة وكذلك اعطاء فرصة للطالب لتقويم نفسه ذاتيا من خلال المشاهدة الذاتية للأداء للمهارات في الكرة الطائرة عن طريق الفيديوهات ، و استنتج الباحثون ان الوحدات التعليمية باستخدام المشاهدة الذاتية كان لها تأثير فعال في تعليم مهارتي الارسال والضرب الساحق بالكرة الطائرة للمجموعة التجريبية ، وأما التوصيات فكانت ضرورة استخدام استراتيجية المشاهدة الذاتية في المنهاج التعليمي لمادة كرة الطائرة للمرحلة الثانية في كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة.

Abstract Low birth weight is a newborn delivered with birth weight of less than 2500 g regardless of gestational age is called. It is a significant issue affecting over 30 million infants worldwide. Thus, the study determine factors associated with low birth weight among newborns delivered at Mettu Karl Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia. A facility-based case–control study was conducted with 336 newborns (112 cases and 224 controls) from September 12 to December 23, 2022. The study population was newborns with birth weights of 2500 g to 4000 g as controls and newborns with birth weights

Abstract Drug resistance is a major cause of the inefficacy of conventional cancer therapies, and often accompanied by severe side effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel drugs with low cytotoxicity, high selectivity and minimal acquired chemical resistance. Peptide-based drugs (less than 0.5 kDa) have emerged as a potential approach to address these issues due to their high specificity and potent anticancer activity. In this study, we developed a support vector machine model (SVM) to detect the potential anticancer properties of novel peptides by scanning the American University in Cairo (AUC) Red Sea metagenomics library. We identified a novel 37-mer antimicrobial peptide through SVM pipeline analysis and characterized its anticancer potential through in silico cross-examination. The peptide sequence was further modified to enhance its anticancer activity, analyzed for gene ontology, and subsequently synthesized. To evaluate the anticancer properties of the modified 37-mer peptide, we assessed its effect on the viability and morphology of SNU449, HepG2, SKOV3, and HeLa cells, using an MTT assay. Additionally, we evaluated the migration capabilities of SNU449 and SKOV3 cells using a scratch-wound healing assay. The targeted selectivity of the modified peptide was examined by evaluating its hemolytic activity on human erythrocytes. Treatment with the peptide significantly reduced cell viability and had a critical impact on the morphology of hepatocellular carcinoma (SNU449 and HepG2), and ovarian cancer (SKOV3) cells, with a marginal effect on cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa). The viability of a human fibroblast cell line (1Br-hTERT) was also significantly reduced by peptide treatment, as were the proliferation and migration abilities of SNU449 and SKOV3 cells. The annexin V assay revealed programmed cell death (apoptosis) as one of the potential cellular death pathways in SNU449 cells upon peptide treatment. Finally, the peptide exhibited antimicrobial effects on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. The findings presented here suggest the potential of our novel peptide as a potent anticancer and antimicrobial agent.

Abstract Eye-based communication languages such as Blink-To-Speak play a key role in expressing the needs and emotions of patients with motor neuron disorders. Most invented eye-based tracking systems are complex and not affordable in low-income countries. Blink-To-Live is an eye-tracking system based on a modified Blink-To-Speak language and computer vision for patients with speech impairments. A mobile phone camera tracks the patient’s eyes by sending real-time video frames to computer vision modules for facial landmarks detection, eye identification and tracking. There are four defined key alphabets in the Blink-To-Live eye-based communication language: Left, Right, Up, and Blink. These eye gestures encode more than 60 daily life commands expressed by a sequence of three eye movement states. Once the eye gestures encoded sentences are generated, the translation module will display the phrases in the patient’s native speech on the phone screen, and the synthesized voice can be heard. A prototype of the Blink-To-Live system is evaluated using normal cases with different demographic characteristics. Unlike the other sensor-based eye-tracking systems, Blink-To-Live is simple, flexible, and cost-efficient, with no dependency on specific software or hardware requirements. The software and its source are available from the GitHub repository ( https://github.com/ZW01f/Blink-To-Live ).

Objective: Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a common arrhythmic condition. The first approach in patients with symptomatic and frequent PVC is medical treatment, primarily beta-blockers (BB) or calcium channel blockers (CCB), but it is still unclear which of the two should be chosen. This study investigated which drug treatment would be beneficial according to patient and electrocardiography (ECG) characteristics in patients with idiopathic PVC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 156 patients with PVC who came to the cardiology outpatient clinic. Seventy-one patients were responsive to BB, and 85 were responsive to CCB. Their demographic and ECG characteristics were compared. Results: The male ratio was higher (p

This article investigates the ability of two types of mealybugs, citrus (Planococcus citri) and longtailed (Pseudococcus longispinus) mealybugs, of acquiring and transmitting Grapevine vein-clearing virus (GVCV) in a greenhouse setting. Mealybugs are the primary vectors for most Badnaviruses, and only a few species have been shown to be aphid-transmitted. In this study, we tested the acquisition and transmission ability of two mealybug species using GVCV-infected and healthy grapevines in a greenhouse setting for three consecutive seasons. This study determined that acquisition time by the mealybugs could be as low as three days, yet the transmission of GVCV from infected grapevines to healthy grapevines by these two mealybug species was unsuccessful. Additionally, with the use of previously-developed species-specific primers, this study determined that those mealybugs captured in the greenhouse facilities at the University of Missouri could not be identified using these primers, and required primers that were specific to their regional diversity. This study contributes to the wider understanding of the acquisition and transmission of GVCV by certain mealybug species.

The thermal and electrical performance of different designs of air based hybrid photovoltaic/thermal collectors is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The circulating air is used to cool PV panels and to collect the absorbed energy to improve their performance. Four different collectors have been designed, manufactured and instrumented namely; double PV panels without cooling (model I), single duct double pass collector (model II), double duct single pass (model III), and single duct single pass (model IV) . Each collector consists of: channel duct, glass cover, axial fan to circulate air and two PV panel in parallel connection. The temperature of the upper and lower surfaces of PV panels, air temperature, air flow rate, air pressure drop, wind speed, solar radiation and ambient temperature were measured. The power produced by solar cells is measured also. A theoretical model has been developed for the collector model IV based on energy balance principle. The prediction of the thermal and hydraulic performance was obtained for the fourth model of PV/T collector by developing a Matlab computer program to solve the numerical model. The experimental results show that the combined efficiency of model III is higher than that of models II and IV. The pressure drop of model III is less than that of models I and IV, by (43.67% and 49%). The average percentage error between the theoretical and experimental results was 9.67%.

Abstract Background: The study aims to establish the pattern of fetal heart rates in the first and second trimesters and determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in the first-trimester fetal heart rate (FHR) of males and females. Methods: This retrospective observational research is a study of FHRs measured at 11 + 0 –13 + 6 wk and 18 + 0 –23 + 6 wk, and ultrasound scan-diagnosed fetal sex at 18 + 0 –23 + 6 wk. Singleton fetuses with nonambiguous external genitalia were recruited. The FHR was measured in B or M mode with Pulsed Wave Doppler, while ultrasound appearance of external genitalia determined the fetal sex at 18 + 0 –23 + 6 weeks. Student's t-test and Chi-square test were used for data analysis, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 2437 pregnancies meeting the study criteria were analyzed. The fetal sexes were 1398 (57.4%) males and 1039 (42.6%) females. There was no statistically significant difference in the first-trimester FHR between males and females (p = 0.74). However, females had higher mean FHR in both the first and second trimesters (First trimester: 165.4 ± 18.2 bpm vs 163.2 ± 17.1 bpm and Second trimester: 150.9 ± 22.6 bpm vs 141.9 ± 23.1 bpm). The FHR reduces with the increase in gestational age. Conclusion: There is no statistically significant difference in the first-trimester FHRs between sexes.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a type of carbonaceous material, have extremely distinctive qualities in terms of tensile strength, heat stability, electrical conductivity, catalysis, and adsorption. These properties rely on structure, length, and thickness. Carbon nanotube and metal oxide combination have been successfully used over the past few decades to create carbon nanomaterials with extraordinary features. The current study offers an outline of the developments in the theory, procedures, and chemical modification of CNT with metals or polymers. This review presents different synthesis methods of functionalized CNTs along with their properties and factors affecting their adsorption capacity. In addition, it explains the role of different functionalized CNTs in removing different metals like Pb ^2+ , Cd ^2+ , Cr ^3+ , Cr ^6+ , Ni ^2+ , Tl ^+3 , and Hg ^2+ from wastewater. The adsorption capacity of these modified CNTs is in the range of 130–180 mg g ^−1 . This review offers an essential understanding of the methods for creating multifunctional nano-hybrids for various applications and prospects of using nanomaterials for environmental remediation.

The significant CO2 emissions that can be associated with cement manufacture is the primary cause of global warming. Thus, the authors and research groups are motivated by many factors to find long-term solutions to this problem. Geopolymer concrete is such type of concrete in which the primary binder has resulted from alkali activation of some source materials like fly ash, metakaoline, rice husk ash, and ground granulated blast furnace slag. Commonly, geopolymer concrete gives comparable mechanical strength properties to conventional concrete. The use of this type of concrete is restricted by the properties of the used source materials and the molar concentrations of the alkali activator. As a consequence, making investigations into the relevant structural behavior as a result of these variables are rich source of scientific research. The goal of this work is to provide a brief overview of the recent contributions that have dealt with the structural behavior of geopolymer concrete. The context of this paper was obtained to illustrate the main findings as well as the used source materials and some additional considerations.

Mechanical rock properties are essential to minimize many well problems during drilling and production operations. While these properties are crucial in designing optimum mud weights during drilling operations, they are also necessary to reduce the sanding risk during production operations. This study has been conducted on the Zubair sandstone reservoir, located in the south of Iraq. The primary purpose of this study is to develop a set of empirical correlations that can be used to estimate the mechanical rock properties of sandstone reservoirs. The correlations are established using laboratory (static) measurements and well logging (dynamic) data. The results support the evidence that porosity and sonic travel time are consistent indexes in determining the mechanical rock properties. Four correlations have been developed in this study which are static Young’s modulus, uniaxial compressive strength, internal friction angle, and static Poisson’s ratio with high performance capacity (determination coefficient of 0.79, 0.91, 0.73, and 0.78, respectively). Compared with previous correlations, the current local correlations are well-matched in determining the actual rock mechanical properties. Continuous profiles of borehole-rock mechanical properties of the upper sand unit are then constructed to predict the sand production risk. The ratio of shear modulus to bulk compressibility (G/Cb) as well as rock strength are being used as the threshold criterion to determine the sanding risks. The results showed that sanding risk or rock failure occurs when the rock strength is less than 7250 psi (50 MPa) and the ratio of G/Cb is less than 0.8*1012 psi2. This study presents a set of empirical correlations which are fewer effective costs for applications related to reservoir geomechanics.

Resumo Fundamento O receptor fraco indutor de apoptose semelhante a fator de necrose tumoral solúvel (sTWEAK) é um membro da superfamília de TNF que tem um papel crítico na proliferação e inflamação na circulação arterial. Objetivos Este estudo prospectivo tem o objetivo de mostrar a relação entre os níveis de sTWEAK e calcificação da artéria coronária (CAC) em pacientes com doença renal crônica (DRC). Métodos Este estudo prospectivo incluiu 139 pacientes consecutivos que passaram por angiografia coronariana por tomografia computadorizada, por qualquer motivo, para síndromes coronarianas agudas, de agosto de 2020 a fevereiro de 2021. Um total de 12 pacientes foi excluído do estudo devido aos critérios de exclusão. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos com base em terem um escore CAC menor que 400 (n=84) ou um escore de 400 ou mais (n=43). A significância foi presumida em p-valor bilateral

Ischemic stroke is a rare and serious complication of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, which has high morbidity and mortality. To our knowledge, there is no large-scale randomized controlled trial for the management of catheter-related ischemic stroke. In this case study, we presented a 46-year-old male with peri-procedural ischemic stroke during the coronary angiography (CAG). The CAG was terminated after the stroke and the left carotid artery was selectively cannulated, and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed total occlusion (Modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, mTICI, 0) of the M1 part of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA). A stent-assisted thrombectomy was performed and the DSA revealed restoration of flow to the left MCA with mTICI 3 flow in the distal branches. The next day, the neurological exam showed no sensory, motor deficits. The patient was discharged four days later. In the setting of catheter-related stroke, mechanical thrombectomy seems to be the least time-consuming and effective approach.

This study investigated the impact of the caffeic acid phenyl ester (CAPE) on the enzymes detoxifying nitrites induced liver injury in rats. Male albino rats were given CAPE 3 mg CAPE/kg b.wt (i.p.) for last 4 weeks during 2 g/L NaNO2 drinking nitrites for 8 weeks to evaluate the protective effect of CAPE. Another group was treated with the same dose of CAPE i.p for 4 weeks after administration NaNO2 for 4 weeks. Data obtained showed that rats administrated nitrite showed a significant elevation of serum and liver NO and as compared with control. Serum and liver NO levels alleviated to the normal level in rats treated with CAPE. CAPE administration as protected or treated caused a reduction in liver MDA while liver GSH, catalase, and GST were significantly increased as compared with rats drinking nitrites Rats treated with CAPE showed an enhancement in arginase activity as a mechanism to overcome the nitrite toxicity in the liver. In addition, histological observation revealed normal hepatocytes with reduced infiltration of neutrophil in rats treated with CAPE. Conclusion: The CAPE treated rats ameliorated the toxicity of nitrites by inhibiting oxidative stress and modulation of enzymes detoxifying nitrites.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first detected as a form of atypical pneumonia. COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus, and some patients may experience acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute respiratory failure leading to death. We aim to evaluate the clinical, imaging, and laboratory parameters according to survival time to predict mortality in fatal COVID-19 patients. Methods: Fatal 350 and survived 150 COVID-19 patients were included in the study. Fatal patients were divided into three groups according to the median value of the survival days. Demographic characteristics and in-hospital complications were obtained from medical databases. Results: Of the non-survived patients, 30% (104) died within three days, 32% (110) died within 4-10 days, and 39% (136) died within over ten days. Pneumonia on computational tomography (CT), symptom duration before hospital admission (SDBHA), intensive care unit (ICU), hypertension (HT), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), cardiac and acute kidney injury, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), right ventricular fractional area change (RV-FAC), and Tocilizumab/Steroid therapy were independent predictors of mortality within three days compared to between 4-10 days and over ten days mortality. A combined diagnosis model was evaluated for the age, CT score, SDBHA, hs-TnI, and D-dimer. The combined model had a higher area under the ROC curve (0.913). Conclusion: This study showed that age, pneumonia on CT, SDBHA, ICU, HT, CRP, d-dimer, cardiac injury, MODS, acute kidney injury, LVEF, and RV-FAC were independently associated with short-term mortality in non-surviving COVID-19 patients in the Turkish population. Moreover, Tocilizumab/Steroid therapy was a protective and independent predictor of mortality within three days.

Abstract The emergence of begomoviruses has led to significant losses in vegetable production in the recent years. Squash leaf curl disease (SqLCD) is caused by begomoviruses, and the infected plants show leaf curl symptoms on zucchini squash. In this study, we characterized the begomoviruses responsible for SqLCD symptoms and economic losses in zucchini major growing area near Baghdad and Babylon provinces. PCR amplification was performed to screen for begomovirus infection using Deng (a begomovirus specific) primer set. Sequence comparison confirmed the detection of two begomoviruses; Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV) and Squash leaf curl virus (SLCuV), in symptomatic zucchini samples when shared 99.14 and 99.50% maximum nucleotide (nt) identities with coat protein CP gene, respectively. All samples collected from Baghdad/Al-Jadriya were ToLCPMV infected while those collected from Babylon/Jibela were SLCuV infected. Moreover, mixed infection of the two viruses was detected in all zucchini squash samples collected from Baghdad/Yusufiyah. Evidence is provided here of the relevance of the wild species Malva neglecta and Datura stramonium as reservoir of begomoviruses that cause epedemics of leaf curl disease in zucchini squash in Iraq. Neighbor joining (NJ) Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the relatedness when diverged virus sequences in separated groups based on CP gene. The high nt identity suggests the two begomoviruses may recently be introduced to Iraq and could be a serious threatening to squash cultivation.

Sol koroner arterin pulmoner arterden orijin alması (ALCAPA) nadir olmakla birlikte, ilk olarak 1866’da tarif edilen bir major konjenital kardiyak anomalidir. Sol koroner arterin direkt aortaya reimplantasyonu ve koroner arter baypas greftleme prosedürleri de dahil olmak üzere çok sayıda cerrahi teknik ikili koroner arteriyel sistem oluşturmayı amaçlamaktadır. Sol koroner arter nadir olarak non-facing pulmoner sinüsten köken alır ve bu nativ aortaya uzak mesafede bir bölge olduğu için, direkt reimplantasyonun teknik olarak oldukça zor olduğu cerrahi onarımdır. Bu vaka sunumunda, non-facing pulmoner sinus kökenli sol koroner arterin, otolog pulmoner arter duvarından tünel oluşturularak aortaya rekonstrüksiyonu cerrahi tekniği bir seçenek olarak sunulmuştur.

Abstract Background Acute myocarditis (AM) can be defined as an inflammatory disease of the myocardium and characterized by large heterogeneity of clinical presentation. Myocarditis is becoming increasingly recognized as a contributor to unexplained mortality, and is thought to be a major cause of sudden cardiac death in the first two decades of life. The present study aimed to search the assessment of repolarization dispersion measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram (including Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc ratios) in AM patients. Methods Totally 56 patients (mean age was 22 ± 3.7 years and 67% of the patients were male) with AM and 56 control subjects (23 ± 4.7 years and 64% of the patients were male) were enrolled. Tp-e intervals, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/corrected QT (QTc) ratios were calculated from 12-lead electrocardiogram. Results Heart rate, QT and QTc values were similar between groups. QRS interval was lower in AM group compared to the control group (p

The role and efficacy of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) in the treatment of luminal Crohn’s disease (CD) has been well established over the last 2 decades. Consequently, in many centers nutritional therapy is now considered first line therapy in the induction of remission of active CD. However, the use of nutritional therapy in complicated CD has yet to be fully determined. This article aimed to review case reports and clinical trials published in the last decade that have considered and evaluated nutritional therapy in the setting of complicated CD in children and adults. Published literature focusing upon the use of nutritional therapy as part of medical therapy in the management of complicated CD were identified and reviewed. Although there continue to be various interventions utilized for complicated CD, the currently available literature demonstrates that nutritional therapies, especially EEN, have important roles in the management of these complex scenarios. Further assessments, involving large numbers of patients managed with consistent approaches, are required to further substantiate these roles.

Background and Aims. Thrombocytopenia is a common complication in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) that increases the risk of bleeding. We aimed to analyze the hematologic effects of the new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, particularly on the platelet count in chronic HCV-infected patients with thrombocytopenia. Patients and Methods. One hundred thrombocytopenic patients chronically infected with HCV were included in a prospective study. All patients were eligible for receiving anti-HCV treatment with sofosbuvir-based regimens for 12 weeks, according to the protocol of the National Program for treatment of HCV in Egypt sponsored by the Ministry of Health. Results. At the end of treatment (EOT), there was a highly significant increase in platelet count (p

Asmari is the main productive reservoir in Abu Ghirab oilfield in the south-east part of Iraq. It has history production extends from 1976 up to now with several close periods. Recently, the reservoir suffers some problems in production, which are abstracted as water production rising with oil production declining in most wells. The water problem type of the field and wells is identified by using Chan's diagnostic plots (water oil ratio (WOR) and derivative water oil ratio (WOR') against time). The analytical results show that water problem is caused by the channeling due to high permeability zones, high water saturation zones, and faults or fracturing. The numerical approach is also used to study the water movement inside the reservoir. A three dimensional geological and a three phase reservoir model was constructed for Asmari reservoir. The simulation model was used to visualize the water front advance in order to evaluate the water production structurally. The numerical results also show that the channeling is the main cause of water production, as well as, oil-water contact advance problem was noted due to fault sealing behavior effects.

Abstract Background Non-invasive imaging tests are widely used in the evaluation of stable angina pectoris (SAP). Despite these tests, non-significant coronary lesions are not a rare finding in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography (CAG). Two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking global longitudinal strain (GLS) imaging is a more sensitive and accurate technique for measuring LV function than conventional 2D methods. Layer-specific strain analysis is a relatively new method that provides endocardial and epicardial myocardial layer assessment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate longitudinal layer-specific strain (LSS) imaging in patients with suspected SAP. Methods Patients who underwent CAG for SAP were retrospectively screened. A total of 79 patients with no history of heart disease and wall motion abnormalities were included in the study. Forty-three patients with coronary lesions > 70% constituted the coronary artery disease (CAD) group and 36 patients without significant CAD constituted the control group. Layer-specific GLS transmural, endocardium, and epicardium values (GLS-trans, GLS-endo, and GLS-epi, respectively) were compared between the groups. Results Patients in the CAD group had significantly lower GLS values in all layers (GLS-trans: -18.2 + 2.4% vs -22.2 + 2.2% p

INTRODUCTION[|]This study aimed to determine the relationship between the diameter of coronary artery stents and age, gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), renal dysfunction, and the clinical presentation of myocardial ischemia in the cohort of patients with implanted stents in coronary arteries with severe stenotic lesions.[¤]METHODS[|]This study included 2256 patients (mean age, 59.3+-10.9 years; men, 62%) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The clinical status of the patients at presentation was subcategorized as follows: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, and stable angina pectoris. The diameters, without any type or brand differentiation, were divided into two groups as follows: Group I, which included 2.5- and 2.75-mm-diameter stents, and Group II, which included ≥3-mm-diameter stents.[¤]RESULTS[|]The type of procedure, including primary PCI, early invasive strategy, and elective stenting, was not found to be a significant factor affecting the diameter of coronary artery stents. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a relationship between the diameter of coronary artery stents and age, gender, DM, and LVEF.[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]This study demonstrated that the diameter of coronary artery stents was independently associated with gender, age, a history of DM, and moderate-to-severe systolic left ventricular dysfunction.[¤]

COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN STAPLER AND HAND SEWING IN GASTROINTESTINAL ANASTOMOSIS Mustafa Adnan Maatooq* & Issam Merdan@ *MB,ChB, Board candidate, Al-Sadir Teaching Hospital, Basrah. @MB,ChB, FICMS, CABS, Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Basrah, IRAQ. Abstract Gastrointestinal anastomosis is an important part of gastrointestinal operations and can be achieved by hand sewn anastomosis or by the newly developed staplers. The study aims to compare between the two surgical methods of anastomosis in a prospective , randomized design, regarding: operation time, post operative hospital stay and the incidence of post operative anastomotic leak in both groups. The study was carried out in Department of Surgery at Alsader Teaching Hospital in Basrah, Iraq from October 2015 to December 2016, it included 40 patients of both gender and with a different age, they divided into 2 groups (hand sewn and stapler groups), each group included 20 patients, comparing the following parameters: time of anastomosis, duration of surgery, post operative leak and hospital stay. There were no significant differences in the age, gender distribution, the indication for resection, post operative anastomotic leak (p=1) and hospital stay (P Value 0.15 ) in both group but there was significant differences in duration of anastomosis (P Value0 .00001) and operation time (P Value 0.00001). Our study concluded the superiority of stapler on hand sewing in gastrointestinal anastomosis in term of reducing operative time.

INTRODUCTION[|]Red cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have been found to be associated with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and cardiovascular diseases. However, correlation of these parameters with presence of left atrial (LA) thrombus and/or spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in patients with non-valvular AF has not been clarified. This study was an investigation of correlation of RDW, NLR, and clinical risk factors with LA thrombus and dense SEC in patients with non-valvular AF in the Turkish population.[¤]METHODS[|]The demographic, laboratory, and echocardiographic properties of 619 non-valvular AF patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination before direct current cardioversion (DCCV) or AF ablation treatment were retrospectively investigated. Complete blood count (CBC) and biochemical parameters were studied 6 to 12 hours before TEE examination. Left atrial stasis (LAS) markers were noted as presence of left atrial/left atrial appendage (LA/LAA) thrombus or dense spontaneous echo contrast (DSEC).[¤]RESULTS[|]Total of 325 (52%) patients with LAS were compared with 294 patients (48%) without LAS. In the LAS group, there were 274 (84%) patients with LA/LAA thrombus and 51 (16%) patients with DSEC. LAS (+) group, values for RDW (14.85+-1.48 vs. 13.77+-1.30; p6 months, and international normalized ratio

Background: Imaging has a critical role in the diagnosis and evaluation of cardiac diseases, beginning with chest radiography and fluoro-scopy and progressing to coronary angio-graphy, echocardiography, nuclear medicine and recently multidetector computed tomo-graphy (MDCT) as well as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging Objective: To highlight the role of Multi-detector CT in the evaluation of coronary artery disease and its importance of being noninvasive diagnostic technique. Methods: A cross sectional study for 20 patients. Patients were asked to fast 6 hours prior to the examination and the patients with heart rates above 65 beats per minute were given cardio-selective beta-blocker and for heart rate above 75 (up to 85) beat/min, the best systole phase was used for reconstructing our images Results: for Evaluation of native coronary arteries, the CTCA showed significant lesions (occlusion or >60 % stenosis) in the native arteries of 13 patients and insignificant lesions in 7 patients. Evaluation of CABG (8 arterial grafts); for (LIMA) graft, 83% were patented, and 17% were narrowed and 100 % of (radial graft) were patent. For Venous Grafts the study included 10 venous grafts; 70 % were patent, 20% were narrowed and 10 % were totally occluded. Conclusion: The multi-slice CTCA is now a clinically reliable noninvasive tool that allows the evaluation of the native coronary arteries, the bypass grafts, coronary stents.

Over the past decade, percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed via radial artery (RA) access have become popular among interventional cardiologists. Since the radial approach may limit the options in complex cases, most interventional cardiologists prefer femoral access to RA access for complex procedures, such as chronic total occlusions (CTOs) and bifurcation lesions. Presently described is a case of CTO of the right coronary artery that was successfully treated with PCI via the left RA. This study demonstrates that if there is an indication for revascularization and the CTO lesions are short and without poor prognostic factors, an intervention for CTO should still be considered, even if there is no femoral access.

Objective: Therapeutic hypothermia improves neurologic prognosis after cardiac arrest. The aim of this study was to report clinical experience with intravascular method of cooling in patients with cardiac arrest resulting from ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Thirteen patients (11 male, 2 famele; mean age was 39.6+-9.4 years) who had undergone mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) by intravascular cooling after cardiac arrest due to STEMI were included. Clinical, demographic, and procedural data were analyzed. Neurologic outcome was assessed by Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score. Results: Anterior STEMI was observed in 9 patients. One patient died of cardiogenic shock complicating STEMI. Mean cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) duration and door-toinvasive cooling were 32.9+-20.1 and 286.1+-182.3 minutes, respectively. Precooling Glasgow Coma Scale score was 3 in 9 subjects. Twelve patients were discharged, 11 with CPC scores of 1 at 1-year follow-up. No major complication related to procedure was observed. Conclusion: In comatose survivors of STEMI, therapeutic hypothermia by intravascular method is a feasible and safe treatment modality.

Objective:Socioeconomic and cultural factors influence breast cancer prognosis. The effect of these factors on breast cancer was evaluated among women who live in Gaziantep and its surroundings.Materials and Methods:female patients who were admitted to Gaziantep University Oncology Hospital with a diagnosis of breast cancer between October 2006-July 2013 were included in the study. The effects of socio-demographic characteristics on clinical-pathological features were evaluated.Results:The mean age of 813 women was 48.8 years. The majority were premenopausal women. Advanced stage disease on diagnosis was detected more in our region. The rate of breast cancer with unfavorable prognostic features was higher among patients who were illiterate, with low economic income and residing in rural areas.Conclusion:Socioeconomic-cultural factors influence the biology and clinical course of breast cancer among women who live in Gaziantep province.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem vasculitis that may involve vessels of all sizes. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to secondary involvement of BD is rare and its management less clear. In this case, a 29-year-old man admitted to the emergency room with ongoing chest pain was interned to the coronary care unit with a diagnosis of ACS. The patient had been diagnosed 1 year before with BD and had been without regular follow-up, despite the suggested use of cholchium. An immediate coronary angiography revealed a fresh thrombus image in the proximal segment of the right coronary artery (RCA), an aneurysm of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) at proximal segment, and a hemodynamically significant lesion following the aneurysm. Intervention was ended because of normal flow (TIMI III) of distal RCA. An intravenous infusion of glycoprotein IIb/ IIIa receptor inhibitor (tirofiban) was administered, and a control angiography showed dissolution of a thrombus in RCA, but enlarged aneurysm of LAD and a new aneurysm in RCA.

In this paper we have characterized the lineage of two traits associated with the coat proteins (CPs) of the tombusvirids: Silencing suppression and HR elicitation in Nicotiana species. We considered that the tombusvirid CPs might collectively be considered an effector, with the CP of each CP-encoding species comprising a structural variant within the family. Thus, a phylogenetic analysis of the CP could provide insight into the evolution of a pathogen effector. The phylogeny of the CP of tombusvirids indicated that CP representatives of the family could be divided into four clades. In two separate clades the CP triggered a hypersensitive response (HR) in Nicotiana species of section Alatae but did not have silencing suppressor activity. In a third clade the CP had a silencing suppressor activity but did not have the capacity to trigger HR in Nicotiana species. In the fourth clade, the CP did not carry either function. Our analysis illustrates how structural changes that likely occurred in the CP effector of progenitors of the current genera led to either silencing suppressor activity, HR elicitation in select Nicotiana species, or neither trait.

The recent rise in antibiotic and chemotherapeutic resistance necessitates the search for novel drugs. Potential therapeutics can be produced by specialized metabolism gene clusters (SMGCs). We mined for SMGCs in metagenomic samples from Atlantis II Deep, Discovery Deep and Kebrit Deep Red Sea brine pools. Shotgun sequence assembly and secondary metabolite analysis shell (antiSMASH) screening unraveled 2751 Red Sea brine SMGCs, pertaining to 28 classes. Predicted categorization of the SMGC products included those (1) commonly abundant in microbes (saccharides, fatty acids, aryl polyenes, acyl-homoserine lactones), (2) with antibacterial and/or anticancer effects (terpenes, ribosomal peptides, non-ribosomal peptides, polyketides, phosphonates) and (3) with miscellaneous roles conferring adaptation to the environment/special structure/unknown function (polyunsaturated fatty acids, ectoine, ladderane, others). Saccharide (80.49%) and putative (7.46%) SMGCs were the most abundant. Selected Red Sea brine pool sites had distinct SMGC profiles, e.g., for bacteriocins and ectoine. Top promising candidates, SMs with pharmaceutical applications, were addressed. Prolific SM-producing phyla (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria), were ubiquitously detected. Sites harboring the largest numbers of bacterial and archaeal phyla, had the most SMGCs. Our results suggest that the Red Sea brine niche constitutes a rich biological mine, with the predicted SMs aiding extremophile survival and adaptation.

Nerium oleander is a popular ornamental plant grown in many tropical and subtropical countries and in the Mediterranean region. It is dangerous because it has been shown to contain several types of cardiac glycosides, and hence can cause cardiac arrhythmias resembling digoxin in their toxicologic manifestations. We report a patient presenting to our hospital with Mobitz type II atrioventricular block after drinking herbal tea prepared from oleander leaves. Three hours after admission, a 200-mg empiric dose of digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragments was administered intravenously over 30 minutes. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed sinus rhythm at the end of infusion. After 72 hours, the patient was discharged without any symptoms.

The posthumously erected honorary inscription, which today is housed in the Museum of Kocaeli/İzmit, acquaints us with a family of notables from the Bithynian metropolis of Nikomedeia. The monument, which once carried a statue of the deceased on top, was set up by Ulpia Athenais, the mother of Fl. Ulpius Demokritos, who had died at an early age. His premature death robbed the city of a potential leading member of the local elite, as is suggested by the list of public offices and other services performed by his father Fl. Ulpius Arrianos: He was priest, perhaps of the city goddess and/or the imperial cult, and distributed money amongst members of the city council and the people of Nikomedeia, perhaps in conjunction with his priesthood. He held the offices of first archon and censor in his home city and performed a parapompê which may have had to do with the passing of contingents of the Roman army through the city's territory during the Severan campaigns against the Parthians. The explicit mention of Arrianos' having paid for this parapompê out of his own pocket is unique amongst inscriptions mentioning a parapompê. In addition, the Roman imperial administration appointed him curatur rei publicae in Prusa ad Olympum. Both the form of the characters and the mention of the parapompê, which appears in inscriptions particularly from the closing years of the 2nd century CE, suggest that Fl. Ulpius Arrianos was active in the late Antonine/Severan period. The Ulpius Athenaios mentioned as agoranomos of the year 199 on a market weight from Nikomedeia is presumably a close relative, perhaps the father, of the dedicatress of this inscription.

BACKGROUND: The estimated prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Saudi Arabia is 7% to 10%. Despite the high prevalence of risk factors including diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia, no recent epidemiological studies have measured the disease burden. We aimed to determine the characteristics of Saudi NAFLD patients attending a university hospital, and study factors affecting alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective study among patients referred for ultrasonography in King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from February to May 2009. PATIENTS AND METHODS: NAFLD was defined as an appearance of fatty liver on routine abdominal ultrasound in the absence of coexisting liver disease and alcohol consumption. Patients were classified into normal and high ALT (ALT >60 U/L) level groups for analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of NAFLD was 16.6% (218/1312). Patients with normal ALT had the mean (SD) age of 45.9 (10.6) years and the mean body mass index of 34.5 (7.9) kg/m2. Forty percent of the 151 patients with normal ALT had diabetes, 66.2% were obese, and 29.1% had hypertension. Forty-three patients (23%) had high ALT levels. These patients had significantly lower age (P=.003) and fasting blood sugar (P=.03) than the normal ALT group. Non-diabetic patients (odds ratio 0.30, 95% CI 0.1-0.8), men (female OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.1-0.5), lower cholesterol (P=.001), high-density lipoprotein (P=.006), and low-density lipoprotein (P=.008) levels were more likely to be observed among patients with high ALT levels. In a multivariate analysis, younger age (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99), being male (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.57), and a lower cholesterol level (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37-0.82) were significant predictors of high ALT levels. CONCLUSION: Based on the high prevalence of obesity and diabetes, the prevalence of NAFLD will continue to be high, unless awareness is inculcated among the local population.

The old question as to when Lycia, Pamphylia (and southern Pisidia) were first combined into a double province can now be reliably answered thanks to a new epigraphic document. In 71–72 CE Vespasian had parts of the Via Sebaste in the Pisidian-Pamphylian border region repaired by his governor Avidius Celer and his procurator P. Anicius Maximus. These con­struc­tion activities were recorded in a bilingual inscription engraved on a monument consisting of several stone blocks. The text mentions Avidius Celer, already known from other inscriptions found in Lycia, as governor of the province of Pamphylia et Lycia. The document provides the earliest datable mention of the double province. In Myra and in the Carian city of Kaunos in late 70 CE Avidius Celer consecrated buildings dedicated to emperor Vespasian. This new evidence suggests that the double province of Lycia et Pamphylia had already been created by 70 or 71 CE as part of wider reform measures taken by Vespasian early in his reign in an effort to consolidate the empire. Since the governorship of Avidius Celer can now be safely dated to the years 70–72 CE, it is also possible to date precisely the governorships of his successors.The involvement in this construction project on the Via Sebaste of the financial procurator P. Anicius Maximus, who was simultaneously in charge of the provinces of Galatia and Ly­cia-Pamphylia, suggests that in the vicinity of the monument the road passed through imperial estates, for which there is further evidence.

The management of valvular heart diseases with mechanical valves has been performed for several years. Warfarin has been used in patients with mechanical heart valves to protect against thromboembolic complications; nevertheless, in these patients, thromboembolic event rates range from 0.5% to 1.7%. Acute occlusive embolism to the coronary arteries due to a mechanical valve is an uncommon occurrence. In this report, we present a case of a left coronary system occlusion due to thrombus embolization from a prosthetic aortic valve, which was successfully treated by thrombolytic therapy.

Review of: John D. Grainger, The Cities of Pamphylia, Oxford 2009. Oxbow Books, XV+255 S. + 15 Tafeln; ISBN 978–1–84217–334–3; £ 30.00.

A funerary inscription recently found in Claudiupolis reveals that the venator/archi­kynegos Iustus was a citizen of the Asian metropoleis of Smyrna, Ephesus and Pergamon as well as of the Bithynian cities of Nicaea and Prusa ad Olympum. Since he and his two brothers are mentioned only with their praenomina but without their father's name, they seem to be of ser­vile origin. The mention of Nikaia at the top of the list of citizenships as well as the use of the words σκυλεύω and ἀνεξοδίαστον suggest that this city was Iustus' patria. After a successful care­er as venator Iustus became a freedman. His various citizenships and the title archikynegos sug­gest that he continued his career as a fighter of wild beasts even after manumission. He must have reached stardom in the arena since the most important metropoleis of Asia honou­red him with gifts of citizenship. The naturalisation of a venator is unique for Asia Minor. Iustus can be compared to the sportsmen and sophists who also acquired the citizenship of various cities.

Some corrections are made to a posthumous honorary inscription from Claudioupolis, published in the last issue of this journal. A comparison of the letter-forms with those in the honorary inscription IKlaudiupolis no. 53 for emperor Hadrian from the same city makes it clear that the inscription should be dated not later than the Hadrianic period. The word neos is to be understood not as part of the name of the late honorand but, together with the following word «heros», as meaning «the young deceased man». In addition, the honorand is to be identified with Gn. Domitius Ponticus Iulianus mentioned in the newly found building inscription from the city's Stadion. This text reveals that Ponticus Iulianus had made a pledge to have the stadion built at his own expense; unfortunately, he died before the start of the project. Since he had only underage daughters, the project was carried out by Claudia Procla and Aelius Plotius Iulianus who as legal foster parents of the daughters of Domitius managed the property of Ponticus Iulianus.

This article presents some 40 hitherto unpublished inscriptions from the Bolu museum, most of which stem from Klaudiupolis, though in some cases the provenance remains unclear. Two inscriptions were found on the coast near Akçakoca (Dia) on the boundary between Prusias ad Hypium and Herakleia Pontike. One of these inscriptions (no. 5) attests that the cult of Zeus Bennios known from Phrygia and the middle Sangarios valley had spread as far as that region. Two dedications stem from Phrygia and were given as a permanent loan by the museum of Afyon. Of historical importance is the honorary inscription no. 3, as it attests that the consul Arabianus was a native of Klaudiupolis. The honorary inscription no. 2 acquaints us with the notable Titus Domitius Pius Iulianus, undoubtedly a descendant of the Domitius Pontikus Iulianus who in the Hadrianic period founded the now unearthed stadion. The funerary inscriptions are frequently engraved on moulded column drums, which were widely used in the East Bithynian and West Paphlagonian region. Of these, four feature epigrams praising the virtues of the deceased. From a Christian context are a baptismal font bearing the name of the donor, a barrier plate with a quotation from Matthew's Gospel and a cross-shaped funerary stele of the presbyter Polychronios. Also included in the catalogue are a dozen further stones bearing no inscriptions.

Penetrating cardiac trauma is rarely seen but when present there is a short time lag to keep the patients alive. Cardiac gunshot injuries are exceptional and it occurs mostly during interpersonal disagreements casualties or a mistakenly fired gun nowadays. Here we present a case of cardiac gunshot injury from the war of Kobani, Syria. The patient was mistakenly diagnosed to have a sole bullet in the left shoulder while he had a penetrating cardiac trauma with a bullet in the heart and pericardial effusion possibly giving rise to pericardial tamponade. Luckily the cardiac gunshot injury was noticed one day later and the patient was referred to a tertiary hospital. Intrapericardial bullet was conservatively followed up. The patient was discharged one week later after resection of the bullet in the shoulder.

Two Senatorial Families from KlaudiupolisA brief inscription on a pedestal found in the town centre of Bolu refutes the previously dominant view about the provenance of Marcus Ulpius Arabianus, consul suffectus in the late Antoninian period and afterwards governor of Syria Palaestina and Africa proconsularis. He did not hail from Amastris, where he had good, probably inherited connections, but from Klaudiupolis, where according to the new inscription he honoured his uncle M. Ulpius Aristaeus with a statue. Aristaeus in turn also erected a statue in Klaudiupolis in honour of an imperial valet. The consul's son, who is attested to have been legatus Asiae under Septimius Severus, was M. Ulpius Domitius Aristaeus Arabianus. This name clearly shows that he had adopted not only the cognomina of his father and his uncle, but also the name Ulpius and another nomen gentile (Domitius). From this composite name the author concludes that the senator had married a woman from the gens Domitii. He also assumes that this woman stems from a senatorial family, so that the marriage was of appropriate social standing. In Bithynia, this assumption is satisfied only by M. Domitius Euphemus and his family, which also came from Klaudiupolis. There were probably no further senatorial families in this small town in eastern Bithynia in the Antonine-Severian period. As a well-known inscription from the Phrygian town of Pyrmnessos shows, the con­sul's son used only the shortened name of Domitius Aristaeus Arabianus. He seems to have preferred his mother's nomen gentile, probably because the Domitii were more prominent and had had Roman citizenship for a much longer time. Adak also believes that Arabianus is identical with the senator Domitius Arabianus attested as archon in Athens under Severus Alexander. Apart from Flavius Arrianus, this would give us another Bithynian senator who after a successful career in the service of the emperor settled down in Athens, where he took over the office of archon to enhance his prestige.